For awanderingbard: The Heart of a House
Title: The Heart of a House
Verse: TV
Characters: Harry, Murphy, Anna
Rating: PG
Spoilers: None
Word count: 4146
Written for: awanderingbard
Request: I'd like to see some sort of outing with Harry, Murphy and her daughter, Anna. Things would, of course, have to go wrong and the day would need saving. I wouldn't mind seeing Anna do the saving, either through an idea of hers or her being some sort of key to the solution.
Summary: In Connie Murphy's life, even house hunting gets weird.
Author's notes: Murphy insisted on telling this story, so it's first person from her perspective. I had a lot of fun writing it, and I hope you enjoy it! Many thanks to spacefiend for the beta. :)
I love my house. It's small, kind of cute, not so old it needs a lot of maintenance. The rent is reasonable, and the neighborhood isn't bad.
Unfortunately, my landlord is an ass. After three years of him dragging his feet when there are repairs that need to be done, and of him trying to cop a feel every time I see him - never mind the fact that I have a gun and the willingness to use it on assholes like him - I'm sick and tired of it. My lease is up in three months, and I am moving. I have enough money saved up that I can finally buy a place of my own. Somewhere I don't have to deal with idiot landlords. Thank God.
Of course, that meant I had to find a place. Given my life, I should have known even house hunting would turn into a fiasco. Don't get me wrong, it worked out in the end. It was getting there that nearly killed me. Literally.
A few weeks ago, I made the mistake of telling Harry Dresden about my house search. Not that I realized it was a mistake at the time; I thought I was just telling a friend about what was going on in my life. I figured he'd say, “Oh, that's nice,” maybe offer a few pointers, and that would be that.
Oh no. This is Harry Dresden we're talking about. Nothing is ever simple with that man. He got interested. Very interested. And then he offered to help.
“Why?” I asked him. (Probably a little rudely, but I can't help it sometimes.)
He shrugged. “I dunno. Another set of eyes never hurts, right? I can look at it from a… a man's perspective.”
“A man's perspective.”
“Yeah, you know, we see things differently.”
“Uh-huh.” I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table we were sharing. “Why exactly do you think I need a man's perspective? A man isn't going to be living there.”
“Exactly!” He beamed at me as though I'd answered my own question. After thinking about it, I realized that by some form of twisted logic, I had. And Harry's logic is never anything but twisted.
I still had my doubts about the real reason he wanted to come along, but I didn't push it. I even said yes, inviting him to come with Anna and me when we went house hunting that weekend.
I'd spent a lot of time looking at houses online and in various publications, making a list of the ones I saw in decent neighborhoods that weren't too far from work. By Saturday I had a list of the five most promising places and a plan of attack to get us there. We picked up Harry and off we went.
“So what's the plan?” Harry asked from where he slouched in the passenger seat.
I pulled into traffic, which thankfully wasn't too busy in that area on a Saturday morning. “We've got five houses to go to,” I told him, ignoring Anna's groan from the backseat. “The first two are for sale by owner, and said owners are expecting us sometime this morning. The third one is an open house that starts at 10:00 and goes for most of the day. Four and five are currently empty and are being sold by the same realtor, who I talked to yesterday. I'll call her when we're done with the third house and we'll meet her at the fourth.”
“Sounds like a good plan. You're very organized.”
I snorted. “Sometimes. For something like this, though, you have to have a plan of attack or you wind up driving in circles, accomplishing nothing but frustrating yourself and whoever's with you.” Not that I have any experience with that or anything. Let's just say there are reasons my ex-husband and I aren't together anymore. It's a wonder we didn't kill each other years ago.
“I guess.” He was silent while I made a left turn. “I've never actually been house hunting before,” he added eventually, shifting in his seat. “I mean, I did have to do a little looking to find the place I'm living now, but that was as much an issue of finding office space as anything else. And surprisingly, it wasn't hard to find something that suited. But a house - a house is different. And looking for a house, that's gotta be harder.”
“Is that why you really wanted to come along? You thinking about buying a house?”
“Me?” He seemed genuinely surprised at the thought. “Nah. I like my place. What would I do with a house? A house is for someone like you, with a family and a normal life.”
I snorted again. “Yeah. My life is really normal.” I shot him a quick look. “So why are you here?”
“I told you!”
“I still don't believe you.”
“I know why he's here,” Anna singsonged from the backseat.
“Hush, you.” I knew all about my daughter's opinion on the subject. She was convinced that Harry liked me, and that's why he wanted to spend time with me. It wasn't high on my list of possible reasons, but I can't say it wasn't on there. Not that I'd let her know that - she'd just tease me the way I tease her about the boy she likes. She's not above a little payback.
Thankfully, she did hush. Actually, she didn't, but she did change the subject. “Where's your hockey stick?”
I rolled my eyes. Harry grinned. “I left it at home. I shouldn't need it, right?”
“I don't know, Harry. You never know when an impromptu hockey game is going to break out.” I grinned at him.
“Hush, you.”
“I'm guessing you still have a drumstick in your pocket, though.” I snapped my jaw shut, hearing how the words sounded.
Harry made a strangling noise as he tried not to laugh. Fortunately for his own health, he did not make the obvious retort. “Yes. Yes, I do.”
“Why do you have a drumstick?” Anna wanted to know.
He shrugged. “Why not?”
Anna seemed content with that. I did my best not to roll my eyes again. It probably says something about Harry that he and my 10 year old daughter get along so well.
The first house wasn't too far from Harry's place. As we pulled into the driveway, Harry proclaimed it “cute.” Anna deemed it “small” in a dubious tone of voice. Privately, I agreed, but I forced myself to be optimistic - until we got through the front door. This was not one of those places that was bigger on the inside. Everything felt cramped. The master bedroom was a decent size, but the second “bedroom” was more like a closet. Jail cells are roomier than that little box was. Anna took one look at it, looked at me, and five minutes later we were all getting back in the car.
The second place was only a couple blocks away from the first. I forget sometimes how different things can be just a few streets apart. The first house had been in a clean, neat neighborhood. The second neighborhood was seedier - not horrible, but there were overgrown yards and general signs of neglect on a lot of the houses. Including the one we were there to see. I double and triple checked the address to make sure we were in the right place, but we were. I swear, the picture they'd put in the house listing must have been taken in the 80's, assuming it was even the same house. The one in front of us had a yard like a jungle and a roof that looked like it would collapse if someone so much as sneezed.
“Looks like a real fixer-upper,” was Harry's comment as we sat in the driveway, staring at this place.
“Not interested,” I replied grimly, throwing the car in reverse.
In the rearview, I saw Anna shudder dramatically. “Good. That place is creepy looking.”
“Not to mention dangerous looking.” Harry looked at me. “Three to go?”
“Yep. I'm sure one of them will be better.” I wasn't sure of any such thing, but I'd be damned if I'd let my already-mounting frustration show where Anna could see. Harry apparently caught some of that, because he turned to talk to (and distract) Anna while I focused on getting us to the next place.
We got lucky: house #3 was a thousand times better than #2 had been. The neighborhood was good, with well-kept houses, lots of kids running around, just about everything I could ask for. The house we were there to look at fit with the neighborhood - bright paint, no obvious signs of neglect, well-groomed lawn. The price tag on this one was higher than the others, but so far it looked worth it. I'd find a way to make it work if the house was the right one for us.
Assuming none of the other interested buyers got there first. There were two cars parked at the curb when we got there. I did my best to ignore the couples while we walked around the house, telling myself it was stupid to get possessive when I hadn't even figured out if I liked the house.
By the time we were done with our walk through, though, I did like it. The bedrooms were both good sizes. I liked the layout. The backyard was big. The kitchen had new appliances. I walked out of there mentally arranging my furniture in the living room.
Anna seemed to like it, too. As we left, she was chattering at Harry about “her” room, expressing glee over the size of the closet. (I swear my daughter is going to grow up to be a clothes horse.) I also caught her eying the kids playing down the street with some longing. She told Harry, “There aren't many kids in my neighborhood. Either of them. There are a couple of boys on Dad's street, but they're mean. I wonder if the kids here are nicer…”
“I bet they are,” Harry assured her with a glance at me.
“So you like this house, huh?” I paused at the foot of the driveway, looking back at it. It really was a nice house.
“Uh-huh! You know, if we just took this one, we wouldn't really need to go look at the other ones, would we?”
Eyebrows raised, I looked down at her. “You really like this one that much? Or do you just want to get out of going to the other two?”
“Well…”
“That's what I thought.” I ruffled her hair, grinning when she pulled away. “It's just two more houses, munchkin. I think you'll survive.”
I caught Harry's amused look when we got into the car. “What?”
He shrugged, not quite losing the grin. “I like seeing you as a mom.”
I snorted. “Yeah, well, now you know why I can handle you.”
I gave the real estate agent a quick call once we were on the road. Harry gave me that weirded-out look he always gets when I talk on my cell and drive at the same time. I'm never sure if he doubts my driving abilities or if he thinks the phone is going to eat me. With Harry, it's hard to tell. Either way, I managed not to kill us (or be killed by the phone) on the way to house #4.
The neighborhood was quieter than the previous one had been. There was no flock of kids playing in the street, but I could hear them playing in back yards and driveways. I heard the sound of a lawnmower coming from somewhere, too. Other than that, it was quiet. I couldn't exactly argue with that - I get enough noise and fuss on the job.
The house itself was small, just like the others, but it was well-kept. The paint, a pale yellow with white trim, was obviously fresh. The grass was a little long, but I've been mowing lawns since I was big enough to push the mower; I can handle an overgrown lawn so long as it's healthy, and this one looked like it was. Not much landscaping, but I'm not much of a gardener. I had a good feeling, looking at the place.
Harry, of course, had a different opinion. “Cheerful colors, but it feels… sad.”
“Sad?” I quirked an eyebrow at him. “Houses have moods?”
“Sure. Doesn't everything?” He nodded at the “for sale” sign. “Sign's pretty weathered.”
“It's been on the market for a while. Like most houses these days,” I added pointedly. “It's not exactly a seller's market.”
He grinned cheekily at me. “Good news for you.”
How does that man always make me smile even when he's being annoying?
The real estate agent, Ms. Barbara Roberts, showed up two minutes after we did. She got out of her car, apologizing profusely for the wait. I was less concerned with that than with the fact that she addressed us as “Mr. and Mrs. Murphy.” I introduced Harry, emphasizing that he was just a friend. She beamed at us. “Oh, well, it's never a bad idea to get a man's perspective when buying a house!”
“See?” he muttered at me, grinning when I rolled my eyes. To Barbara, he smiled charmingly and asked, “How long has this house been on the market?”
Her smile faded. “A while,” she admitted. “Longer than most houses I list, even nowadays. I can't understand it. It's a wonderful little house!”
My enthusiasm was already waning. “What's wrong with it?”
She shook her head. “That's what I'm saying. There's nothing wrong with it. There is absolutely no reason this house shouldn't have sold. We've even cut the price three times, to the point where I'm almost embarrassed. It's a steal at this price.”
It sounded like hyperbole, but either the woman was a fantastic liar - always a possibility with sales people - or she really meant it. I couldn't deny the price was good, in any case, so I didn't argue it.
Barbara's phone rang just as she unlocked the door for us. She made a face when she saw the number. “I need to take this. Go on in and take a look around; I'll be in in a few minutes.”
Anna was already pushing the door open and going in. Behind her, Harry stepped across the threshold and paused, muttering, “Weird.”
“What?”
“Nobody lives here, right?”
I pushed on his back, urging him forward so I could come in. “Right. Hence the lack of furniture.”
“Right.” He moved to the side, letting me inside. “Still… You don't feel that?”
I didn't feel anything. I gave him a look. “Stop being spooky.”
“It's not me that's spooky,” he said quietly. With a glance at Anna's back, he leaned into my personal space, bringing his mouth to my ear. “I think there's someone here.”
I wanted to tell him to stop imagining things, that he was being paranoid. I couldn't. Recent events have taught me to trust Harry's instincts almost as much as I trust my own. If he thought there was something off, there probably was. My hand went to my waist, reaching for the gun I of course hadn't brought. I shouldn't need to be armed to go house hunting! I muttered, “We'll keep an eye out.” Looking ahead at my daughter, I called, “Anna, don't wander off.”
She gave me a look like she thought I was nuts, but she stayed in sight.
When I got a few steps away from the door, the hair on the back of my neck rose. There was something weird. I couldn't define it. It was… unease. A sort of unfocused danger. In the back of my mind there was a whispering voice saying that maybe we should just leave - there were other houses on our list. It wasn't worth facing whatever was in this one. I did my best to shake it off, reminding myself sternly that I was a cop and I had a wizard beside me who was pretty handy when things got weird. Even if there was something in the house, we could handle it.
I did consider sending Anna out to wait in the car, but she gets stubborn when she thinks I'm being over-protective. Call me weak, but I didn't want to deal with the fight that would start if I sent her out without an explanation.
Thankfully, she was oblivious to my thoughts. “It's small,” she announced, moving forward into the living room.
I followed, Harry a few steps behind me. “Actually, it's about the same size as the last one,” I told her distractedly. “It looks smaller without furniture.” I tried to look at it like I was thinking about buying it, instead of like a potential crime scene. It wasn't easy. My skin crawled more and more with each step I took.
Anna turned and frowned at my expression. “What's wrong?”
“Nothing,” I assured her lamely. “So what do you think?”
She shrugged, unconcerned. “It's okay. I'm gonna go find my room.” She bounced off towards the hallway before I could stop her.
A shudder wracked me, freezing my tongue. I curled in on myself, turning to look at Harry. It felt like the whole house was looking at Harry. He had something cupped in his hands. Something that started to glow while he muttered words that sounded vaguely like Latin.
“Harry -”
A wave of sheer force hit me like a tidal wave. I staggered, barely keeping my feet. Harry - the air around Harry lit up, and he stumbled back. His head snapped up, shock on his face. He wasn't looking at me; he looked past me into the living room.
Against my own better judgment, I turned to look.
Standing in the middle of the otherwise empty room was a little girl. She couldn't have been more than 9 years old, close to my daughter's age. Her hair was long and blond, and she was wearing what looked like a school uniform. She stared straight at Harry, yelling, “Stop it!” in a voice that was too forceful for her size. “You're hurting me!”
He froze. “I'm sorry,” he said quickly. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I just wanted to meet you. I'm Harry, see, and this is Murphy. We're not here to hurt you.”
“Mom?” Anna came out of the hallway and skidded to a stop. Her eyes were on the other little girl, standing not five feet away from her. “Mom?” she repeated uncertainly, not looking at me.
Before I could say anything to reassure my daughter, the strange little girl had whipped her head around to stare at her. “Who are you?” she demanded.
“Anna.” Give my girl credit, she didn't hesitate or flinch. “Who are you?”
The little girl frowned. “Maggie,” she said finally. “This is my house.”
Now Anna glanced at me. “I didn't think anyone lived here…”
“No one does,” I replied quietly.
Maggie turned on me, rage contorting her features. “I'm not lying! This is my house! MINE! You can't make me leave! You can't make me!” Her last shriek was aimed at Dresden. I felt the force of it. He staggered backwards and fell, blood trickling from his nose.
I shouted at the girl, stepping forward. What I thought I was going to do, I have no idea. I was unarmed and unequipped to deal with… whatever she was. She sneered at me, an ugly expression for a little girl, and with a flick of her hand sent another blast of force directly at me. I slammed into the wall behind me and stayed there, pressure on my chest like a ton of bricks.
“HEY!” Anna ran forward, arms outstretched, and shoved Maggie. The little girl fell backwards, sitting down hard. The moment she did, the pressure on my chest eased.
Coughing, I stepped forward, but Harry's rasping, “Murphy, wait,” made me pause. I saw my daughter standing over the strange little girl, fists clenched. “Don't hurt her!” she hollered.
“Why not?” Maggie shot back.
“She's my mom!”
Maggie froze. “Your… mom?” Some of the anger drained out of her eyes.
Anna nodded. “Yeah. My mom. How would you feel if someone hurt your mom?”
Maggie's face crumpled. “Someone did,” she whispered. “Someone came into the house. He… he hurt my mom.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. “She wouldn't move. Some people came and they took her away.”
“Why didn't you go with them?” Anna asked. She wasn't angry anymore. It was hard to be - Maggie wasn't the vicious little girl who had lashed out at us anymore. She was a hurt, lost child, crying for her mother.
“I was scared,” she whimpered. “I hid. Mommy always comes back,” she added, looking up at Anna. “She didn't come back this time.”
Anna crouched down. “We can help you find her,” she offered.
Suspicion flared in Maggie's eyes. “You just want to make me leave.”
Anna shook her head violently. “No! We just want to help.”
“I can't leave.” She sounded uncertain, not forceful like she had been. “This is my house.”
“It's a nice house,” Anna said seriously. “But… wouldn't you rather be with your mom than live in an empty house? I would.”
Maggie's shoulders shook with a sob. She nodded tearfully. “Yes! I miss her!”
“Then come on.” Anna stood and held out a hand. “I'll help you find her.”
Maggie looked at the outstretched hand, surprise halting her tears. After a moment, she reached up and took Anna's hand, pulling herself upright. My heart nearly stopped when I realized she wasn't letting go, but then I saw the smile that bloomed on her face. “Thank you,” she said suddenly. “I know where she is! I can go to her now!” The sheer joy in her voice brought tears to my eyes.
Anna's eyes were bright, too. “You're welcome.”
Maggie threw her arms around Anna, hugging her tight. Anna returned it, her eyes squeezed shut. When Maggie pulled away, she asked, “Are you going to live here now?”
Anna blinked in surprise. “I… don't know.”
“If you do…” Maggie leaned forward to whisper something in her ear. Anna's face lit up. The two girls grinned at each other conspiratorially.
Then Maggie just… faded. Vanished, with a twinkle of light lingering in the air where she'd been.
We all stood there frozen for minute. Then suddenly Anna turned and ran towards me, flinging herself into my arms. I clung to her, holding her as she shook. My eyes met Harry's over her head. The nod he gave us - her - was full of respect. I kissed my daughter's hair, murmuring, “You did good, sweetie. You did good.”
The real estate agent, stuck on the phone with her boss, had been completely oblivious to everything that happened in the house. None of us enlightened her. I did ask her what had happened to the previous tenants, but all she said was that there had been a death in the family. I did some digging back at work and found out that there had been a double homicide at that address almost two years ago. A mother and a daughter. The man who killed them had been caught and convicted. He'll never taste freedom again.
Two days after our visit, I made an offer on the house. Anna was insistent. She said she couldn't imagine anyone else living there. Maggie wouldn't want it.
Harry asked her, when we were leaving that day, what the girl had whispered to her. Her prim reply had been, “It's a secret.” I could have told him that's all he'd get. He seemed content with it. He told me later that he'd been very impressed by Anna's behavior that day. He also told me that she shouldn't have been able to touch the girl. Ghosts aren't corporeal - they can't affect or be affected by the physical world. He's doing some research to find out what made the difference in this case. I'm not sure I want to know what the answer is.
I did have him check out the house one more time - without Anna around - before I made the offer. He said it was clear. I'm glad; one ghostly encounter is all I need, thanks. I wish I could pretend it didn't happen, but… I can't. For better or worse. If my daughter can handle it, so can I.
It might be strange to live in a house that used to be haunted. On the other hand, at least it's better than one that's currently haunted. (Better than one with an ass of a landlord, too.) And, well, I have to agree with Anna. I think Maggie, wherever she is, would be happy.
Verse: TV
Characters: Harry, Murphy, Anna
Rating: PG
Spoilers: None
Word count: 4146
Written for: awanderingbard
Request: I'd like to see some sort of outing with Harry, Murphy and her daughter, Anna. Things would, of course, have to go wrong and the day would need saving. I wouldn't mind seeing Anna do the saving, either through an idea of hers or her being some sort of key to the solution.
Summary: In Connie Murphy's life, even house hunting gets weird.
Author's notes: Murphy insisted on telling this story, so it's first person from her perspective. I had a lot of fun writing it, and I hope you enjoy it! Many thanks to spacefiend for the beta. :)
I love my house. It's small, kind of cute, not so old it needs a lot of maintenance. The rent is reasonable, and the neighborhood isn't bad.
Unfortunately, my landlord is an ass. After three years of him dragging his feet when there are repairs that need to be done, and of him trying to cop a feel every time I see him - never mind the fact that I have a gun and the willingness to use it on assholes like him - I'm sick and tired of it. My lease is up in three months, and I am moving. I have enough money saved up that I can finally buy a place of my own. Somewhere I don't have to deal with idiot landlords. Thank God.
Of course, that meant I had to find a place. Given my life, I should have known even house hunting would turn into a fiasco. Don't get me wrong, it worked out in the end. It was getting there that nearly killed me. Literally.
A few weeks ago, I made the mistake of telling Harry Dresden about my house search. Not that I realized it was a mistake at the time; I thought I was just telling a friend about what was going on in my life. I figured he'd say, “Oh, that's nice,” maybe offer a few pointers, and that would be that.
Oh no. This is Harry Dresden we're talking about. Nothing is ever simple with that man. He got interested. Very interested. And then he offered to help.
“Why?” I asked him. (Probably a little rudely, but I can't help it sometimes.)
He shrugged. “I dunno. Another set of eyes never hurts, right? I can look at it from a… a man's perspective.”
“A man's perspective.”
“Yeah, you know, we see things differently.”
“Uh-huh.” I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table we were sharing. “Why exactly do you think I need a man's perspective? A man isn't going to be living there.”
“Exactly!” He beamed at me as though I'd answered my own question. After thinking about it, I realized that by some form of twisted logic, I had. And Harry's logic is never anything but twisted.
I still had my doubts about the real reason he wanted to come along, but I didn't push it. I even said yes, inviting him to come with Anna and me when we went house hunting that weekend.
I'd spent a lot of time looking at houses online and in various publications, making a list of the ones I saw in decent neighborhoods that weren't too far from work. By Saturday I had a list of the five most promising places and a plan of attack to get us there. We picked up Harry and off we went.
“So what's the plan?” Harry asked from where he slouched in the passenger seat.
I pulled into traffic, which thankfully wasn't too busy in that area on a Saturday morning. “We've got five houses to go to,” I told him, ignoring Anna's groan from the backseat. “The first two are for sale by owner, and said owners are expecting us sometime this morning. The third one is an open house that starts at 10:00 and goes for most of the day. Four and five are currently empty and are being sold by the same realtor, who I talked to yesterday. I'll call her when we're done with the third house and we'll meet her at the fourth.”
“Sounds like a good plan. You're very organized.”
I snorted. “Sometimes. For something like this, though, you have to have a plan of attack or you wind up driving in circles, accomplishing nothing but frustrating yourself and whoever's with you.” Not that I have any experience with that or anything. Let's just say there are reasons my ex-husband and I aren't together anymore. It's a wonder we didn't kill each other years ago.
“I guess.” He was silent while I made a left turn. “I've never actually been house hunting before,” he added eventually, shifting in his seat. “I mean, I did have to do a little looking to find the place I'm living now, but that was as much an issue of finding office space as anything else. And surprisingly, it wasn't hard to find something that suited. But a house - a house is different. And looking for a house, that's gotta be harder.”
“Is that why you really wanted to come along? You thinking about buying a house?”
“Me?” He seemed genuinely surprised at the thought. “Nah. I like my place. What would I do with a house? A house is for someone like you, with a family and a normal life.”
I snorted again. “Yeah. My life is really normal.” I shot him a quick look. “So why are you here?”
“I told you!”
“I still don't believe you.”
“I know why he's here,” Anna singsonged from the backseat.
“Hush, you.” I knew all about my daughter's opinion on the subject. She was convinced that Harry liked me, and that's why he wanted to spend time with me. It wasn't high on my list of possible reasons, but I can't say it wasn't on there. Not that I'd let her know that - she'd just tease me the way I tease her about the boy she likes. She's not above a little payback.
Thankfully, she did hush. Actually, she didn't, but she did change the subject. “Where's your hockey stick?”
I rolled my eyes. Harry grinned. “I left it at home. I shouldn't need it, right?”
“I don't know, Harry. You never know when an impromptu hockey game is going to break out.” I grinned at him.
“Hush, you.”
“I'm guessing you still have a drumstick in your pocket, though.” I snapped my jaw shut, hearing how the words sounded.
Harry made a strangling noise as he tried not to laugh. Fortunately for his own health, he did not make the obvious retort. “Yes. Yes, I do.”
“Why do you have a drumstick?” Anna wanted to know.
He shrugged. “Why not?”
Anna seemed content with that. I did my best not to roll my eyes again. It probably says something about Harry that he and my 10 year old daughter get along so well.
The first house wasn't too far from Harry's place. As we pulled into the driveway, Harry proclaimed it “cute.” Anna deemed it “small” in a dubious tone of voice. Privately, I agreed, but I forced myself to be optimistic - until we got through the front door. This was not one of those places that was bigger on the inside. Everything felt cramped. The master bedroom was a decent size, but the second “bedroom” was more like a closet. Jail cells are roomier than that little box was. Anna took one look at it, looked at me, and five minutes later we were all getting back in the car.
The second place was only a couple blocks away from the first. I forget sometimes how different things can be just a few streets apart. The first house had been in a clean, neat neighborhood. The second neighborhood was seedier - not horrible, but there were overgrown yards and general signs of neglect on a lot of the houses. Including the one we were there to see. I double and triple checked the address to make sure we were in the right place, but we were. I swear, the picture they'd put in the house listing must have been taken in the 80's, assuming it was even the same house. The one in front of us had a yard like a jungle and a roof that looked like it would collapse if someone so much as sneezed.
“Looks like a real fixer-upper,” was Harry's comment as we sat in the driveway, staring at this place.
“Not interested,” I replied grimly, throwing the car in reverse.
In the rearview, I saw Anna shudder dramatically. “Good. That place is creepy looking.”
“Not to mention dangerous looking.” Harry looked at me. “Three to go?”
“Yep. I'm sure one of them will be better.” I wasn't sure of any such thing, but I'd be damned if I'd let my already-mounting frustration show where Anna could see. Harry apparently caught some of that, because he turned to talk to (and distract) Anna while I focused on getting us to the next place.
We got lucky: house #3 was a thousand times better than #2 had been. The neighborhood was good, with well-kept houses, lots of kids running around, just about everything I could ask for. The house we were there to look at fit with the neighborhood - bright paint, no obvious signs of neglect, well-groomed lawn. The price tag on this one was higher than the others, but so far it looked worth it. I'd find a way to make it work if the house was the right one for us.
Assuming none of the other interested buyers got there first. There were two cars parked at the curb when we got there. I did my best to ignore the couples while we walked around the house, telling myself it was stupid to get possessive when I hadn't even figured out if I liked the house.
By the time we were done with our walk through, though, I did like it. The bedrooms were both good sizes. I liked the layout. The backyard was big. The kitchen had new appliances. I walked out of there mentally arranging my furniture in the living room.
Anna seemed to like it, too. As we left, she was chattering at Harry about “her” room, expressing glee over the size of the closet. (I swear my daughter is going to grow up to be a clothes horse.) I also caught her eying the kids playing down the street with some longing. She told Harry, “There aren't many kids in my neighborhood. Either of them. There are a couple of boys on Dad's street, but they're mean. I wonder if the kids here are nicer…”
“I bet they are,” Harry assured her with a glance at me.
“So you like this house, huh?” I paused at the foot of the driveway, looking back at it. It really was a nice house.
“Uh-huh! You know, if we just took this one, we wouldn't really need to go look at the other ones, would we?”
Eyebrows raised, I looked down at her. “You really like this one that much? Or do you just want to get out of going to the other two?”
“Well…”
“That's what I thought.” I ruffled her hair, grinning when she pulled away. “It's just two more houses, munchkin. I think you'll survive.”
I caught Harry's amused look when we got into the car. “What?”
He shrugged, not quite losing the grin. “I like seeing you as a mom.”
I snorted. “Yeah, well, now you know why I can handle you.”
I gave the real estate agent a quick call once we were on the road. Harry gave me that weirded-out look he always gets when I talk on my cell and drive at the same time. I'm never sure if he doubts my driving abilities or if he thinks the phone is going to eat me. With Harry, it's hard to tell. Either way, I managed not to kill us (or be killed by the phone) on the way to house #4.
The neighborhood was quieter than the previous one had been. There was no flock of kids playing in the street, but I could hear them playing in back yards and driveways. I heard the sound of a lawnmower coming from somewhere, too. Other than that, it was quiet. I couldn't exactly argue with that - I get enough noise and fuss on the job.
The house itself was small, just like the others, but it was well-kept. The paint, a pale yellow with white trim, was obviously fresh. The grass was a little long, but I've been mowing lawns since I was big enough to push the mower; I can handle an overgrown lawn so long as it's healthy, and this one looked like it was. Not much landscaping, but I'm not much of a gardener. I had a good feeling, looking at the place.
Harry, of course, had a different opinion. “Cheerful colors, but it feels… sad.”
“Sad?” I quirked an eyebrow at him. “Houses have moods?”
“Sure. Doesn't everything?” He nodded at the “for sale” sign. “Sign's pretty weathered.”
“It's been on the market for a while. Like most houses these days,” I added pointedly. “It's not exactly a seller's market.”
He grinned cheekily at me. “Good news for you.”
How does that man always make me smile even when he's being annoying?
The real estate agent, Ms. Barbara Roberts, showed up two minutes after we did. She got out of her car, apologizing profusely for the wait. I was less concerned with that than with the fact that she addressed us as “Mr. and Mrs. Murphy.” I introduced Harry, emphasizing that he was just a friend. She beamed at us. “Oh, well, it's never a bad idea to get a man's perspective when buying a house!”
“See?” he muttered at me, grinning when I rolled my eyes. To Barbara, he smiled charmingly and asked, “How long has this house been on the market?”
Her smile faded. “A while,” she admitted. “Longer than most houses I list, even nowadays. I can't understand it. It's a wonderful little house!”
My enthusiasm was already waning. “What's wrong with it?”
She shook her head. “That's what I'm saying. There's nothing wrong with it. There is absolutely no reason this house shouldn't have sold. We've even cut the price three times, to the point where I'm almost embarrassed. It's a steal at this price.”
It sounded like hyperbole, but either the woman was a fantastic liar - always a possibility with sales people - or she really meant it. I couldn't deny the price was good, in any case, so I didn't argue it.
Barbara's phone rang just as she unlocked the door for us. She made a face when she saw the number. “I need to take this. Go on in and take a look around; I'll be in in a few minutes.”
Anna was already pushing the door open and going in. Behind her, Harry stepped across the threshold and paused, muttering, “Weird.”
“What?”
“Nobody lives here, right?”
I pushed on his back, urging him forward so I could come in. “Right. Hence the lack of furniture.”
“Right.” He moved to the side, letting me inside. “Still… You don't feel that?”
I didn't feel anything. I gave him a look. “Stop being spooky.”
“It's not me that's spooky,” he said quietly. With a glance at Anna's back, he leaned into my personal space, bringing his mouth to my ear. “I think there's someone here.”
I wanted to tell him to stop imagining things, that he was being paranoid. I couldn't. Recent events have taught me to trust Harry's instincts almost as much as I trust my own. If he thought there was something off, there probably was. My hand went to my waist, reaching for the gun I of course hadn't brought. I shouldn't need to be armed to go house hunting! I muttered, “We'll keep an eye out.” Looking ahead at my daughter, I called, “Anna, don't wander off.”
She gave me a look like she thought I was nuts, but she stayed in sight.
When I got a few steps away from the door, the hair on the back of my neck rose. There was something weird. I couldn't define it. It was… unease. A sort of unfocused danger. In the back of my mind there was a whispering voice saying that maybe we should just leave - there were other houses on our list. It wasn't worth facing whatever was in this one. I did my best to shake it off, reminding myself sternly that I was a cop and I had a wizard beside me who was pretty handy when things got weird. Even if there was something in the house, we could handle it.
I did consider sending Anna out to wait in the car, but she gets stubborn when she thinks I'm being over-protective. Call me weak, but I didn't want to deal with the fight that would start if I sent her out without an explanation.
Thankfully, she was oblivious to my thoughts. “It's small,” she announced, moving forward into the living room.
I followed, Harry a few steps behind me. “Actually, it's about the same size as the last one,” I told her distractedly. “It looks smaller without furniture.” I tried to look at it like I was thinking about buying it, instead of like a potential crime scene. It wasn't easy. My skin crawled more and more with each step I took.
Anna turned and frowned at my expression. “What's wrong?”
“Nothing,” I assured her lamely. “So what do you think?”
She shrugged, unconcerned. “It's okay. I'm gonna go find my room.” She bounced off towards the hallway before I could stop her.
A shudder wracked me, freezing my tongue. I curled in on myself, turning to look at Harry. It felt like the whole house was looking at Harry. He had something cupped in his hands. Something that started to glow while he muttered words that sounded vaguely like Latin.
“Harry -”
A wave of sheer force hit me like a tidal wave. I staggered, barely keeping my feet. Harry - the air around Harry lit up, and he stumbled back. His head snapped up, shock on his face. He wasn't looking at me; he looked past me into the living room.
Against my own better judgment, I turned to look.
Standing in the middle of the otherwise empty room was a little girl. She couldn't have been more than 9 years old, close to my daughter's age. Her hair was long and blond, and she was wearing what looked like a school uniform. She stared straight at Harry, yelling, “Stop it!” in a voice that was too forceful for her size. “You're hurting me!”
He froze. “I'm sorry,” he said quickly. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I just wanted to meet you. I'm Harry, see, and this is Murphy. We're not here to hurt you.”
“Mom?” Anna came out of the hallway and skidded to a stop. Her eyes were on the other little girl, standing not five feet away from her. “Mom?” she repeated uncertainly, not looking at me.
Before I could say anything to reassure my daughter, the strange little girl had whipped her head around to stare at her. “Who are you?” she demanded.
“Anna.” Give my girl credit, she didn't hesitate or flinch. “Who are you?”
The little girl frowned. “Maggie,” she said finally. “This is my house.”
Now Anna glanced at me. “I didn't think anyone lived here…”
“No one does,” I replied quietly.
Maggie turned on me, rage contorting her features. “I'm not lying! This is my house! MINE! You can't make me leave! You can't make me!” Her last shriek was aimed at Dresden. I felt the force of it. He staggered backwards and fell, blood trickling from his nose.
I shouted at the girl, stepping forward. What I thought I was going to do, I have no idea. I was unarmed and unequipped to deal with… whatever she was. She sneered at me, an ugly expression for a little girl, and with a flick of her hand sent another blast of force directly at me. I slammed into the wall behind me and stayed there, pressure on my chest like a ton of bricks.
“HEY!” Anna ran forward, arms outstretched, and shoved Maggie. The little girl fell backwards, sitting down hard. The moment she did, the pressure on my chest eased.
Coughing, I stepped forward, but Harry's rasping, “Murphy, wait,” made me pause. I saw my daughter standing over the strange little girl, fists clenched. “Don't hurt her!” she hollered.
“Why not?” Maggie shot back.
“She's my mom!”
Maggie froze. “Your… mom?” Some of the anger drained out of her eyes.
Anna nodded. “Yeah. My mom. How would you feel if someone hurt your mom?”
Maggie's face crumpled. “Someone did,” she whispered. “Someone came into the house. He… he hurt my mom.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. “She wouldn't move. Some people came and they took her away.”
“Why didn't you go with them?” Anna asked. She wasn't angry anymore. It was hard to be - Maggie wasn't the vicious little girl who had lashed out at us anymore. She was a hurt, lost child, crying for her mother.
“I was scared,” she whimpered. “I hid. Mommy always comes back,” she added, looking up at Anna. “She didn't come back this time.”
Anna crouched down. “We can help you find her,” she offered.
Suspicion flared in Maggie's eyes. “You just want to make me leave.”
Anna shook her head violently. “No! We just want to help.”
“I can't leave.” She sounded uncertain, not forceful like she had been. “This is my house.”
“It's a nice house,” Anna said seriously. “But… wouldn't you rather be with your mom than live in an empty house? I would.”
Maggie's shoulders shook with a sob. She nodded tearfully. “Yes! I miss her!”
“Then come on.” Anna stood and held out a hand. “I'll help you find her.”
Maggie looked at the outstretched hand, surprise halting her tears. After a moment, she reached up and took Anna's hand, pulling herself upright. My heart nearly stopped when I realized she wasn't letting go, but then I saw the smile that bloomed on her face. “Thank you,” she said suddenly. “I know where she is! I can go to her now!” The sheer joy in her voice brought tears to my eyes.
Anna's eyes were bright, too. “You're welcome.”
Maggie threw her arms around Anna, hugging her tight. Anna returned it, her eyes squeezed shut. When Maggie pulled away, she asked, “Are you going to live here now?”
Anna blinked in surprise. “I… don't know.”
“If you do…” Maggie leaned forward to whisper something in her ear. Anna's face lit up. The two girls grinned at each other conspiratorially.
Then Maggie just… faded. Vanished, with a twinkle of light lingering in the air where she'd been.
We all stood there frozen for minute. Then suddenly Anna turned and ran towards me, flinging herself into my arms. I clung to her, holding her as she shook. My eyes met Harry's over her head. The nod he gave us - her - was full of respect. I kissed my daughter's hair, murmuring, “You did good, sweetie. You did good.”
The real estate agent, stuck on the phone with her boss, had been completely oblivious to everything that happened in the house. None of us enlightened her. I did ask her what had happened to the previous tenants, but all she said was that there had been a death in the family. I did some digging back at work and found out that there had been a double homicide at that address almost two years ago. A mother and a daughter. The man who killed them had been caught and convicted. He'll never taste freedom again.
Two days after our visit, I made an offer on the house. Anna was insistent. She said she couldn't imagine anyone else living there. Maggie wouldn't want it.
Harry asked her, when we were leaving that day, what the girl had whispered to her. Her prim reply had been, “It's a secret.” I could have told him that's all he'd get. He seemed content with it. He told me later that he'd been very impressed by Anna's behavior that day. He also told me that she shouldn't have been able to touch the girl. Ghosts aren't corporeal - they can't affect or be affected by the physical world. He's doing some research to find out what made the difference in this case. I'm not sure I want to know what the answer is.
I did have him check out the house one more time - without Anna around - before I made the offer. He said it was clear. I'm glad; one ghostly encounter is all I need, thanks. I wish I could pretend it didn't happen, but… I can't. For better or worse. If my daughter can handle it, so can I.
It might be strange to live in a house that used to be haunted. On the other hand, at least it's better than one that's currently haunted. (Better than one with an ass of a landlord, too.) And, well, I have to agree with Anna. I think Maggie, wherever she is, would be happy.