The Haunted Gathering Read online

  The

  Haunted Gathering

  By

  Michelle Dorey

  About This Book

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  The Haunted Hideout

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  From bestselling author Michelle Dorey, a new episode of ‘The Haunted Ones’, spine chilling tales of ordinary people confronting unspeakable evil

  THE HAUNTED GATHERING

  On their annual girls’ weekend three friends gather for a macabre reunion in this chilling tale of ghosts, hauntings and the occult.

  Dara died almost a year ago, and her three closest surviving friends gather in accordance with her last wishes at Gabbinger’s Reach—a once abandoned resort she planned on restoring to opulence.

  The derelict property has been decaying for decades. Cindy the career woman thinks this is stupid. Melanie, the flighty one is fascinated. Becky, now a therapist is curious—why would Dara want them here?

  They’re enticed to stay by Dara’s Last Will and Testament. Each of them are promised riches, all they need to do is remain here for two nights.

  When darkness descends on the first evening, they laugh off the sudden appearance of small gifts. They’re only a little startled by things crashing around in the kitchen. Someone’s trying to spook them; big freaking deal—Cindy brought a gun!

  Their bravado is tested when they begin to uncover long held secrets. Secrets about each another, secrets about Dara, and long hidden secrets about the evil that infests the very walls of this place. Hungry evil relishing fresh victims.

  At the same time their bonds of friendship are at the breaking point, the ravenous beast descends in a mighty fury. In a night of terror, they know they’ll never be the same. If they survive.

  Dara didn’t.

  Copyright 2018, Michelle Dorey

  ISBN: 978-1-988913-14-8

  License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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  Photo Images by Deposit Photos, used with permission

  Cover Art by Juan Padron

  https://www.juanjpadron.com/

  Edited by Paula Grundy

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  Contents

  About This Book

  Contents

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  FOURTEEN

  FIFTEEN

  SIXTEEN

  SEVENTEEN

  EIGHTEEN

  NINETEEN

  TWENTY

  TWENTY ONE

  TWENTY TWO

  TWENTY THREE

  TWENTY FOUR

  TWENTY FIVE

  TWENTY SIX

  TWENTY SEVEN

  TWENTY EIGHT

  TWENTY NINE

  THIRTY

  THIRTY ONE

  THIRTY TWO

  THIRTY THREE

  THIRTY FOUR

  Epilogue…

  One year later...

  Author’s Note:

  SPECIAL BONUS NOVEL!

  Legacy: The Mystical Veil 1

  ABOUT THIS BOOK

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  FOURTEEN

  FIFTEEN

  SIXTEEN

  SEVENTEEN

  EIGHTEEN

  NINETEEN

  TWENTY

  TWENTY ONE

  TWENTY TWO

  TWENTY THREE

  TWENTY FOUR

  TWENTY FIVE

  TWENTY SIX

  TWENTY SEVEN

  TWENTY EIGHT

  TWENTY NINE

  THIRTY

  THIRTY ONE

  THIRTY TWO

  THIRTY THREE

  THIRTY FOUR

  A Note from the Author about Heritage…Book 2 of The Mystical Veil…

  ONE

  REBECCA FINISHED TYPING THE LAST ENTRY into Bobbi Penstock’s file. It had been a longer day than usual, cramming her schedule to clear up some time in September for the annual get-together. She clicked the mouse bringing up her personal email.

  When Dara’s email popped up, she smiled. Finally there’d be some details of where they’d meet. Trust Dara to leave everything to the last minute, just like in college. Some things never changed.

  To: Becky, Melanie, Cindy

  Date: Monday, June 28 at 10:43 PM

  Subject: Our 7th Annual Reunion Bash

  Hi ladies,

  SEVEN years since Caltech! What the hell? Even crazier is the fact that I actually miss that place...sometimes.

  I know you’re on the edge of your seats waiting for details of our get-together (or as Melanie calls it “the gathering”) At least I hope you are sitting down because...

  I’ve got SUPER fantastic plans for our reunion this year.

  I BOUGHT A FREAKING RESORT!

  That’s right. Dara Zuckerman is now the official owner of Gabbinger’s Reach, in the Catskill Mountains.

  And before you suggest I sign up for a few sessions of psycho-therapy with you, Becky, it was the deal of a lifetime. Too good to pass up! Rock-bottom sticker price.

  I don’t know how much you know about the Borsch belt in the Catskills, but in its heyday (1950s and 60s) it was THE place for rich New York Jewish folks to get away from the heat of the city to relax. I’m not going to go into the anti-Semitism that was rampant during that time in NYC, (which, thank God has changed), but the popularity of the area fell off during the 70s and 80s.

  Like other resorts, Gabbinger’s has been abandoned for DECADES! Sure, it needs work and MONEY, of which I’ve got tons. Thanks Daddy, for that at least. (sigh)

  You’re going to love it, Melanie, with the scenic mountains and the lake practically at our front door. Who knows with these buff construction guys, you may even finally get a boyfriend. Got to put yourself out there a bit, Mel. Put down the crystals, tarot cards and books and join the living instead of the dead. You might like it. (Teasing of course. You know I love you just the way you are.)

  Don’t worry about how rustic and primitive it is, Cindy. By SEPTEMBER, our accommodations will be TOTALLY revamped with every convenience you’d ever want.

  (After what happened in Chicago, I owe you that much at least, although I know I was right doing it. All forgiven? If not, we can count on Becky to “therapy” us, just like back in the good old days sharing that house on campus. Remember the ice-cream incident? That could have gotten real ugly if not for Becky.)

  Becky, give my regards to Hank. He’s gonna have to cook for himself while you’re gone but Boo Hoo. LOL

  I know this is a far stretch from the glitzy Vegas trip, Cindy. Or traipsing over Mayan Ruins, Melanie...or even the seaside resort in Rockport, Becky... BUT it’s my turn to choose the venue this year.

  My turn, my resort. So there. Suck it up, Buttercups.

  Besides which, I’m dying to show it to you, my oldest and dearest friends! Well...maybe not as it is today but what I’m going to DO with it!

  Did I mention that the area is under consideration by the state for more casino expansion? That’s where the REAL money is. Well that’s one avenue that makes this worthwhile, but I’ve got some other ideas too. How about an Adults Only Spa? I don’t care as long as they have full pockets for me to plunder. Hopefully you’ll come up with more ideas!

  I’ve had a crew up there for a month working. There’s a section of the resort that’s once more habitable for us. Don’t worry, I’m going there tomorrow to crack the whip and make sure of it.

  I’m attaching a few pics of the area as well as a map. Not sure the Google Car ever made it this far into the boonies.

  Besties forever,

  Dara

  Rebecca sank back in the leather chair and exhaled slowly. Dara bought a resort in the Catskills? With the death of her father last year she now had total control of the estate, so why not? Still, maybe she was biting off more than she could chew. Delayed grief reaction? Trying hard to relive her father’s dreams? But she had made a tidy profit when she’d sold that art gallery two years ago.

  The intercom on her desk buzzed bringing her out of the reverie. “Yes?”

  “Your eleven o’clock is here. Shall I send him in?” Gloria’s low voice let her know that Jason Knox was probably perched on the edge of the chair in the waiting room. No doubt his knee was twitching, looking forward to unloading the slights and injustices he’d suffered at the hands of his domineering mother the past week. No matter that he was thirty-four and still living under his parents’ roof with zero job prospects.

  “Give me five, Gloria. I’m jus
t finishing up an article.” No need to tell her receptionist she was still pondering Dara’s email.

  What was that Chicago thing all about? Something happened there between Dara and Cindy? Maybe she’d give Cindy a call later to get the dirt. Probably Dara had done something thoughtless. Tact and diplomacy weren’t her strong suits, whereas Cindy was people-smart. She had to be to make it in that cutthroat business.

  Rebecca turned slightly to gaze out the window at the expanse of chrome and mirrored buildings. If she leaned closer there was even a partial view of the Olympic Mountains, maybe if it wasn’t hazy and overcast. Prime office space in downtown Seattle. Not bad for a kid who grew up in neighboring Tacoma. Like Melanie and Cindy, she’d had to work two jobs in the summer to pay for tuition. Even so, she was still paying off her student loans.

  Dara. How they’d ever hooked up with a trust-fund kid and became friends was still a wonder. But to give Dara credit, she was fun to hang with. There was never a dull moment with her antics. Maybe she’d finally found her place in life with this abandoned resort, breathing life into it.

  She pushed the button on her desk signaling that she was ready for Jason Knox. She’d answer the email after his session.

  Never knowing that by that time, Dara would be dead.

  TWO

  That September...

  “YOU DIDN’T MAKE HER FUNERAL, CINDY. This is the least that you can do!” Holding the phone in a death grip, Rebecca gritted her teeth so hard they clicked. It was bad enough that Cindy refused to tell her about the altercation she’d had with Dara in Chicago, but here she was trying to dodge the last request that Dara would ever make!

  “Come on, Beck! Don’t try to guilt me into going. As for the funeral, I was in Australia, for Pete’s sake! Even if I decided to risk losing our biggest client and come back I still couldn’t have made it in time.” The exasperation in Cindy’s voice bordered on being whiny.

  “Look. All I’m saying is that it’s the last thing we’ll ever get to do for Dara. And what about Melanie? You know how close to Dara she is...or rather was. This will totally devastate her if we all don’t show up at this Gabbinger’s place. She needs our support if nothing else.” Rebecca’s eyes narrowed. Whatever had happened between Cindy and Dara had to be pretty rough if she was so willing to skip out on the dead woman’s last request.

  Cindy’s tone softened, “Poor Mel. But it’s just so morbid. I mean Dara drowned there. And that thing in her will is creepy as hell. Who makes a will before they’re even thirty, anyway?”

  “I know. I wondered about that too. Was she depressed? Why would she go swimming at night, alone?” It wasn’t the first time that she wondered if Dara had been suicidal. But she hadn’t talked to Dara in months. Not something she was proud of, but people have their own lives. They get busy.

  “That was so Dara. Invincible. She paid the ultimate price for her recklessness.” There was silence for a few beats, both of them picturing their friend. “Have you spoken to Melanie? I mean since the funeral.”

  “I texted her a few times, and when she didn’t answer I finally called. She’s adamant that we all go there, to honor Dara’s wishes. She... Well, you’ll see for yourself anyway, but...she’s gotten even more obsessed with this spiritualism shit.”

  “Of course she has. She’ll never change.” Cindy’s tone went from wistful to annoyed in the next breath. “That letter we all got from her lawyer...It wouldn’t have killed him to give us more information to go on. Just be at Gabbinger’s September twenty-first at four p.m. to honor Dara’s last wishes. And we have to stay the weekend?”

  Becky’s voice hitched when she spoke. “Of course you know that Dara’s birthday is September twenty-second . She would have been twenty-eight. Way too young to die.”

  “You think she left us anything in the will?”

  “Cindy! Is that all you’re—”

  “NO!” Her voice became softer after Becky’s chastisement. “Just wondering is all. None of us need it. Well...maybe Mel could use it. But money was never Melanie’s thing, right? Give her a book about goblins and poltergeists, and she’s lost in her own world.”

  “She’s not as strong as the rest of us, Cindy. That sort of stuff is her crutch--escaping into make-believe. That way she doesn’t have to risk real relationships. I don’t think she’s made any friends since us back in university. She needs us, Cindy. Say you’ll come. It’s only forty-eight hours. Surely you can put your career on hold for that long.”

  A long sigh followed, and Becky’s head rose higher. When Cindy mumbled a soft, “I guess,” her eyes closed with relief.

  She decided to press ahead before Cindy had a chance to change her mind. “My flight arrives in Newark at one ten. Mel’s getting there at noon. I’ve booked a car for us. You’re welcome to drive with us.”

  “How far is it from the airport?” Cindy’s voice drooped with resignation.

  “Two hours. Seriously, we might even manage to have fun, you know. I’m bringing wine. We can count on Mel for weed. We’ll celebrate Dara’s birthday as if she were there.” Becky tried to sound upbeat, barely pulling it off. Yes. Cindy was right. This was downright weirdly morbid.

  Still, it would be good to see Mel and Cindy. But the reunion bash with just the three of them, where Dara had actually died, was going to be sad.

  To say the least. Partying at the spot where one of your best friends died? She shuddered inwardly.

  “Fine. I’ll book the flight and see you tomorrow. This place better have a damn bathroom! I’m not using some outhouse or something. And that lawyer, Anthony Wilson, better have it well stocked with food and drink.”

  “Thanks, Cindy. I also want to know what went down with you and Dara in Chicago.”

  “Don’t push your luck, Becky.” This was followed by a click.

  THREE

  BECKY GLANCED IN THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR watching Melanie speak, “I can’t believe she’s actually gone. I talked to her three nights before her death.”

  Melanie had lost weight and her skin which was normally pale now seemed translucent. With the wheat-blond hair hanging over her shoulders, she seemed even more frail and wraith-like.

  Cindy pushed her sunglasses high on her head and turned slightly to answer her, “What did she say to you?”

  “She told me she wanted me to do a smudging and use crystals to purify the resort.” Melanie leaned forward resting her hand on the back of Becky’s seat.

  Becky didn’t need to look at Cindy to know exactly what she was thinking. It was probably the same thought that had popped into her own head. Dara had been trying to placate Melanie, making the poor woman feel some sense of importance.

  “That’s it?” Cindy peered at Melanie, examining her face. “Did she seem off in some way? Swimming alone at night is crazy, even for Dara. She was alone, wasn’t she? Did she say—”

  “You mean David, don’t you?” Melanie sat back, and a sly smile flitted across her face.

  A quick glance at Cindy showed that Melanie had struck a nerve. Becky directed her question to Melanie before peering hard at the road again, “Who’s David? I don’t remember Dara ever mentioning him before. Was he her new flavor of the week?”

  “Why don’t you ask Cindy?” Melanie folded her arms over her stomach and gazed out the window. It was obvious that she knew the whole story about the ‘thing’ in Chicago.

  A glance at Cindy showed her cheeks flaring a deeper shade of pink, and her chin had risen higher.

  Cindy’s words were clipped when she spoke. “David Gallagher. He was another promoter at the blues fest in Chicago. We dated a few times and hit it off right away. That was until Dara just happened to show up at our final evening of the tour. It was hard to say which she flaunted more—her cash or her ass. He left with her at the end of the night.”