The Haunting of Highdown Hall Read Online Free PDF

smooth, stubble-free chin. “God, where do I start? Actually...” he continued, suddenly looking rather pleased with himself, “that’s as good a place as any – God. Do you do all this spirit banishing on behalf of the church?”
    “It is not banishing,” she corrected once again, wondering how often she would have to do so during the course of their conversation. “It’s sending spirits to the light, home in other words, where they belong and where sometimes, for a variety of reasons, they are reluctant to go. And no, I am not working on behalf of the church nor do I affiliate myself with any type of organised religion. The church carries out exorcisms; that is their domain and quite different to what I do.”
    “In what way?” quizzed Cash, his eyes reminding her of melted chocolate.
    Striving to remain professional under his gaze, she continued, “Let’s just say Psychic Surveys promotes a more holistic approach to paranormal problems. In my experience, humble though it may be, trapped spirits are far from demonic, they are simply confused and upset, frightened even. They need a helping hand, compassion, a little reassurance. They tend to go quite peacefully then. There is really very little drama involved.”
    Taking a swig of his ale and leaning back in his seat, Cash was obviously warming to the subject.
    “So, what about gadgets? Do you take lots of gadgets with you when you go to a haunting?”
    Gadgets? Ruby was baffled. What is it with men and gadgets?
    “No,” she replied, exasperated. “There’s really no need for EVP recorders, EMF metres or indeed ambient thermometers, despite what you may have seen on Most Haunted. And anyway, that kind of equipment is usually used to detect presences. We don’t need to do that. We use psychic connection to detect. Afterwards, when a spirit has been sent home, we use crystals, herbs and bells to cleanse the atmosphere, to renew it.”
    “Are you psychic?”
    She was taken aback by his bluntness. “Yes, yes I am.”
    “You actually see ghosts?”
    “On occasion, but more often than not I sense them. Very few spirits are able to summon up enough energy to manifest. That’s more the stuff of horror movies.”
    “Cool...” he said, taking another long swig.
    “Believe it or not, most people have some sort of psychic ability; but the tendency is to suppress it.”
    “Really?” said Cash, clearly unconvinced. “I can quite honestly say I’ve never had a psychic experience in my life, not once, ever.”
    “I said most people. We’re not talking about an exact science here.”
    “It’s annoying though,” continued Cash, undaunted. “You know, when people start telling you about a ghostly experience they’ve had and then everybody starts chipping in with spooky tales of their own? Well, I’m out on a limb, I can’t contribute at all. I’ve got nothing to say. It’s dead boring,” and then realising the pun, he laughed.
    Ruby was really warming to him. He seemed harmless enough, relaxed around her, which counted for something. She also liked the fact he was totally closed to the spirit world, accustomed as she was to being in the company of other psychics, it made a refreshing change.
    “Believe me,” she said, finishing the dregs of her second drink, “being psychic is no picnic. When you’re standing in line at the post office, that’s all you want to be doing, not dealing with some spirit tapping you repeatedly on your shoulder, begging you to give a message to the person standing in front of you.”
    “Has that really happened?” Cash was aghast.
    “It has,” Ruby nodded.
    “And what did you do?”
    “I waited until we’d left the post office, went over to the person in question and imparted the message. She, however, threatened to call the police. Thought I was mad, even though I’d told her something I couldn’t possibly have known, that only her aunt – the spirit tapping me on the shoulder – could have known. But what