The Haunted Lighthouse

Book 6: A Lin Coffin Mystery

by J.A. Whiting

Genres: Supernatural suspense; Animal Cozy Mysteries

Synopsis

This is book 6 in the Lin Coffin series.
East End Lighthouse on Nantucket island is undergoing renovations and Lin Coffin's boyfriend has been hired to work on the project. When Jeff and Lin bike out to the bluff, Lin sees a ghost inside the lighthouse and he fills her heart with grief and loneliness.
Someone is trying to disrupt the renovation project by compromising the workers' safety, but is the person responsible for the problems alive or dead? Jeff, Lin, and her cousin, Viv, with the help of several others, work to solve two mysteries - what does the ghost want from Lin and who is trying to stop the lighthouse renovations?
This story has ghosts and some mild paranormal elements.

Release date: December 21, 2016

Publisher: Whitemark Publishing

Print pages: 218

Sample

Chapter 1

 

 

With her boyfriend, Jeff, pedaling beside her, Lin Coffin rode her bicycle along the bike paths that ran next to Milestone Road on their way to the east side of Nantucket island. White puffy clouds dotted the bright blue sky and the air was clear and warm. They had packed a lunch of chicken sandwiches, cookies, and fruit and planned to eat once they’d arrived at East End Lighthouse and had a chance to walk around the area. Jeff had been hired to work on the restoration of both the lighthouse and the keeper’s house and he and Lin wanted to check things out before the whole crew arrived on-site and started the job.

 

Rounding a bend on the pathway, Lin and Jeff could see the red and white lighthouse standing tall on a knoll in the distance. Passing by green fields and shade trees, the two pedaled up the hill and parked their bicycles in the bike rack next to the small gravel parking lot. A pleasant breeze danced over the ocean and blew a strand of Lin’s long, brown hair against her cheek. To their right was a sandy cliff with a steep, abrupt drop to the ocean and a low beamed railing kept visitors from getting too close to the treacherous drop-off.

 

East End Lighthouse had been built in 1820 and the brick and granite conical structure, wider at the bottom and tapering to a slightly narrower upper section, rose seventy feet into the air. Shortly after it was constructed, the lighthouse was painted white with a wide bright-red central band. Around 1940, the light’s Fresnel lens was replaced with a high-power spotlight and the lighthouse became fully electrified flashing it’s bright white beam every seven seconds. The light could be seen for over twenty-six nautical miles. A ten-foot tall, black cast iron light-tower stood at the top of the structure with an iron platform encircling the section just beneath. Standing on the platform provided a view that stretched for miles in all directions.

 

A small, one-story keeper’s house built of wood and brick stood a few hundred yards from the lighthouse and an original wooden barn was located behind and to the left of the keeper’s house to the south. The old barn had fallen into disrepair with one side looking lopsided and its paint so faded that most of the structure was now bare wood.

 

Lin stood staring up to the top of the lighthouse. “Every time I come here, I think it’s so beautiful, the colors, the shape, the height.” A door stood at the bottom of the structure and a small window was built into the side at the top just under the black platform. “There isn’t a keeper anymore, right? Just someone who comes by and checks on the place?”

 

Jeff nodded. “That’s right. The lighthouse is automated now, has been for years. Someone makes a bi-monthly check on the light or comes out when there’s a report that the light isn’t functioning properly.”

 

Even though they’d both visited the light many times and already knew many of the historical facts, Jeff took Lin’s hand and they wandered around the grounds, stopping to read the information plaques that stood here and there explaining the long history of the lighthouse.

 

“What will the renovation work entail?” Lin asked as they moved closer to the towering structure.

 

“For me, a lot of it will be interior work.” Jeff pulled at the visor of his cap to better shade his eyes from the glare of the sun. “The lighthouse stairs are shaky and loose and some of the cement has fallen away from the brickwork. The watch room floor needs repair and some places on the floor of the platform need to be shored up. A good portion of my work will involve restoration of the keeper’s house and the barn. The Conservation Commission plans to open the house and barn to the public with historical displays and with docents who will give talks about lighthouses in general and the specifics of this one.”

 

“How long is everything supposed to take?”

 

Jeff laughed. “You know how timelines go.  A big crew will work for about three months, and then, depending on how severe the coming winter is, a smaller group of us will be here for another month or two. It’s an involved project.”

 

Lin glanced around. “Well, you couldn’t ask for a lovelier spot to spend your work day.”

 

Jeff smiled broadly. “I have to admit I’m excited about this. I can’t wait to get started.”

 

Lin and Jeff returned to the parked bikes and removed a small cooler bag and a blanket which they carried to the bluff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. After spreading the blanket over the green grass, they sat down to enjoy the lunch and the beautiful view out over the blue expanse of sea. Waves crashed against the rocks below, sea birds cried as they darted overhead, and sailboats floated over the blue surface of the ocean with their billowing sails catching the wind.

 

The warm gentle breeze refreshed the couple after their bike ride to the lighthouse and after finishing his sandwich, Jeff rested back on the blanket and closed his eyes for a few minutes while he and Lin talked about going to the beach early in the evening with Lin’s cousin, Viv, and her boyfriend, John, and then to Viv’s for a barbecue dinner.

 

Lin bit into a salted caramel cookie and shifted around on the blanket to watch the boats sailing by when a cool shiver ran over her skin. She rubbed her bare arms trying to warm them when she suddenly stopped what she was doing realizing that the cold sensation that was chilling her wasn’t from a breeze or from an afternoon drop in temperature.

 

Holding her cookie near her mouth, Lin glanced over her shoulder to the lighthouse grounds looking for the source of the cold air as the sensation around her grew stronger. Her eyes moved to the lighthouse, the keeper’s house, and the old barn and then her gaze swept over the grounds. The peculiar feeling of coldness contained an almost biting sensation and Lin knew that it was not coming from atmospheric changes. This kind of cold sprang from one thing only. Ghosts.

 

Lin’s ancestors were among the early founders of the island and she’d inherited a certain skill from some of them. She was able to see ghosts and when they appeared, they usually needed something from her. Since returning to the island early in the summer to start a new life, Lin had helped to solve several mysteries and the ghosts had offered direction and assistance to her in their special way … they never spoke to Lin, they just showed up and she would have to try to interpret their appearances.

 

Lin sighed and bit into her cookie as she continued to look over the lighthouse’s grounds and buildings. The cold surrounding her began to dissipate and, even though she knew better, she started to relax thinking that maybe it was just a current of cold air passing by over the ocean. Even though she tried to push the thought of ghosts from her mind, Lin had a growing sensation of unease running through her like the buzzing of an electrical current jumping around in her body.

 

Jeff opened his eyes oblivious to what was going on with his girlfriend. “Want to walk around some more?”

 

Lin nodded and they headed down to the keeper’s cottage where they walked the periphery and peeked inside through the grimy windows. The house was a two-bedroom cottage with a kitchen and a fireplaced sitting area. Because of the glare and dinginess of the glass, it was hard to see into the rooms, but as Lin and Jeff made their way around the house, they eyed a small wooden dining table and two chairs, the frame of an old bed, and a few dishes and cups sitting on a shelf over the kitchen counter. At one of the windows, the curtains hung in tatters like a cat had jumped up and clawed them to pieces.

 

“I thought the condition would be worse.” Lin stepped back from the window. “Imagine how nice it will be when it’s been refurbished. It will be great to take a tour when the work is all done.”

 

“I bet there’s plenty more history to know than we’ve read.” Jeff leaned down and checked the stone foundation as they moved to the next window. “We should ask Anton what he knows about the lighthouse and the keepers who worked here.”

 

“Oh, I bet Anton would love to talk about that.” Lin chuckled. Anton Wilson, a retired professor, was an expert on Nantucket history having written many books on different aspects of the island’s past.

 

When Lin moved close to the next first-floor window, a whoosh of cold air hit her in the face and she almost gasped from the suddenness of the sensation. Glancing around to see where Jeff was, she was glad he was at the back of the house and didn’t see her recoiling from the icy blast. Lin didn’t want to try and explain what was happening when she had no idea herself. Creeping to the dirt-streaked pane of glass, she peeked inside to see only a small wooden desk tucked next to the wall of the small room that seemed to have been the keeper’s tiny office. The sunlight reflected on the glass and made it difficult to see the room clearly so Lin began to turn away just as something caught her attention. She turned back and pressed her face closer to the window. Thinking for a moment that she’d caught sight of a person dashing out of the room, she shook her head and scoffed at her imagination. It’s just the light shining in through the dirty windows causing some shadows.

 

“Lin, want to go down to the barn?” Jeff pointed down the hill.

 

She smiled and nodded and the two headed to the old barn. They spent a few minutes walking around the large structure taking in the years of damage.

 

“Can it be salvaged?” Lin asked.

 

“Kurt says yes.” Jeff smiled. “I would have thought it was too far gone, but Kurt brought in an expert and they went over it together and the barn is definitely worth restoring. The trustees managed to hire some superstar architect for the project. He knows what he’s doing.”

 

Lin tilted her head to look up at the barn’s cupola. “I’m glad it’s able to be restored. It would be a terrible shame to lose such a great piece of history.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, a strange feeling of unease gripped her and she reached up and ran her finger over the antique horseshoe necklace that hung from her neck.

 

Back at the top of the hill after their inspection of the property, Lin and Jeff packed up the lunch bag and attached it to Jeff’s bike. Just as Lin was about to swing her leg over her bike, a sudden blast of cold air blew her hair into her face and she reached up and pushed it out of her eyes. Lifting her gaze to the top of the light tower, she saw the shimmering face of a middle-aged man behind the glass windows staring down at her. A scruffy gray beard covered the man’s cheeks and chin and he wore a sea captain’s hat on his head.

 

Lin, slowly, and as discreetly as possible, lifted her hand in greeting and a sense of overwhelming sadness hit her squarely in the chest. She couldn’t pull her eyes away from the glimmering man in the tower.

 

The ghost raised his hand to her … and then the particles of his being broke apart and began to glow as they swirled round and round with increasing speed. The atoms sparkled and sparked … and then the man was gone.

 

 

 

Chapter 2

 

 

Lin and Viv bustled about the kitchen preparing side dishes of rice, salad, and baked broccoli with garlic and oil. The deck table was set with white and blue plates and jar candles had been placed on the railings and down the steps. John, Viv’s boyfriend, was outside preparing the grill for the evening’s dinner of chicken kabobs and flat bread with pesto, goat cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes.

 

“Have you been back to the lighthouse since you and Jeff took the bike ride out there last week?” Lin’s cousin, Viv, asked as she stirred the rice in a big pot on the stove.

 

“I haven’t.” Lin arranged the broccoli in the baking dish. “The crew has only been working at the lighthouse for a couple of days so I’m eager to hear how things are going.”

 

Nicky, Lin’s little brown dog, let out a bark and then he and Viv’s gray cat, Queenie, raced for the front door.

 

Viv watched the animals rush away. “Jeff must be here since the welcoming committee just went to answer the door.”

 

Lin laughed and wiped her hands on a dish towel. “No one can sneak up on those two.”

 

Jeff called a greeting from the front of the house and, carrying a big glass bowl filled with fruit salad, he walked into the kitchen with the dog and cat proudly trotting ahead of him. Lin and Jeff shared a kiss.

 

When the food was ready and everyone had settled around the table, the foursome dug into the food and chattered about their work days.

 

“Too bad we had to skip going to the beach, but I had to meet that client. I think I might have a buyer for the house out in Madaket.” John, a seasoned island Realtor, smiled widely thinking about the large commission that might be coming his way.

 

Viv scowled. “I hope the money isn’t going to another boat upgrade.”

 

John laughed. He had recently sold his old boat and bought a bigger one. “I’m happy with the boat I have, but I am planning on buying a new guitar.” John and Viv played in a band a few nights a week and John’s guitar needed to be replaced.

 

Lin passed the platter of broccoli to Jeff. “How are things going at the lighthouse?”

 

“Everything just got underway a few days ago. Some things are being removed like parts of the observation deck that runs around the section near the top of the lighthouse. It’s interesting to see. I’ve been working in the barn.” A strange look passed over Jeff’s face.

 

“What needs to be done on the barn?” Viv asked.

 

“A whole lot. It’s a mess. The main beam needs to be replaced, then we’ll be shoring up the walls and the roof. The plans are terrific. That architect they hired is a master. The barn is going to be such a great asset to the finished project. The trustees want to use the space for lectures and classes and even hope to hold some musical performances and plays in there.” Jeff looked down at his dinner plate.

 

Lin could sense some unease coming from Jeff and she reached over and squeezed his hand. “Is everything going okay?”

 

Jeff made eye contact with Lin and nodded.  “Yeah.”

 

Lin tilted her head. She could tell that Jeff wasn’t sharing everything with them. “But…?”

 

Jeff let out a long breath. “Some weird things have been going on.”

 

John’s eyes widened and he leaned forward. “Weird things? Like what?”

 

“Little things. A guy put his tool box down someplace and when he went back to get it, it was in another spot. Someone removed several slats on the observation deck and then at the end of the day, the guy went back up there and most of the slats were back in place.”

 

Viv’s hand flew to her chest. “What? How can that be? What’s going on there?”

 

Lin asked, “Is someone playing a joke on the workers?”

 

Jeff shrugged a shoulder.

 

“Do you think one of the guys could be trying to sabotage the work?” Lin’s voice was tinged with concern.

 

“Wow, if a guy is messing around like that, it’s going to add to the timeline and to the cost of the project.” John narrowed his eyes. “Why would someone do that, though? What would be the motivation? If it’s just a joke, it isn’t very funny.”

 

“And how is it done with the other workers around?” Viv’s voice was high-pitched. “How could anyone do things like that without someone seeing?” She took a quick glance at Lin and then looked back at Jeff. “Is it dangerous for you to be working on this job?”

 

Jeff’s eyes widened. “I think … I think it’s okay.” He turned his head to Lin.

 

A shiver ran down her back and she swallowed hard. Lin had mentioned to Viv and Jeff that she’d seen a ghost when they’d visited the lighthouse a week ago, but she’d downplayed the whole thing in the hopes that the ghost didn’t want anything from her. Viv and Jeff had known for a while that she could see spirits, but John had no idea about her skill, so she had to keep quiet about it. Lin placed her hand on Jeff’s arm. “Keep your eyes open. Be careful. Just in case.”

 

The four talked for a while longer about the odd happenings at the lighthouse project and everyone agreed that whoever was behind the sabotage would be found out pretty quickly. Conversation turned to the approaching Labor Day weekend and the island’s fall festival and after enjoying the cheesecake dessert, John excused himself to return to his office to work for an hour on paperwork in case the offer on the house in Madaket came through.

 

When she was sure that John had left Viv’s house, Lin looked from Viv to Jeff. “There’s that ghost at the lighthouse.”

 

Viv almost dropped her glass. “I knew it. I knew that ghost must be behind the antics at the lighthouse.”

 

“I didn’t say the ghost was responsible for messing with the project.” Lin pushed some strands of hair from her eyes. “That stuff is probably being done by someone who is still alive.”

 

“Why don’t you think the ghost is behind it?” Jeff asked.

 

“I just don’t get the sense that he’s up to trouble.”

 

Viv wrapped her arms around herself. “What do you sense about the ghost?” she asked warily.

 

Lin thought back on the short interaction she’d had with the spirit. “I sensed loneliness and a terrible sadness coming from him.”

 

Viv ran her hand over her forehead. “Then why doesn’t he cross over to the other side? There’d be lots of other ghosts there to interact with if he crossed over and stopped hanging around on planet Earth.”

 

Jeff looked at Lin. “Why would a ghost not cross over?”

 

Lin shrugged. “I’m not sure. It might be because the ghost died unexpectedly or the ghost might have suffered a violent death. Violent circumstances could prevent him from crossing to the other side. It could also be that there’s unfinished business of some kind that must be tended to.” Lifting her hands up in a helpless gesture, she added, “I don’t know anything for sure. It’s only what I’ve read or heard.”

 

“I wonder how long that ghost has been hanging around?” Viv asked.

 

“And who is he?” Jeff questioned. “What did he look like?”

 

Lin pictured the face at the window of the lighthouse. “I could only make out his face. He was looking out of the window and he was far away from me. He had kind of an oval-shaped face, a grayish beard … not long though, short on the face. He was wearing a cap, kind of like a ship captain’s hat.” Lin thought for a moment. “He had bluish-gray eyes.”

 

Viv gave her cousin a skeptical look. “Bluish-gray? That’s very specific. He was up in the lighthouse. How could you see his eyes so clearly?”

 

Lin stared at Viv. She was right. How did I see his eyes? Lin shrugged a shoulder and shook her head a little back and forth. “I don’t know, but I know for sure that his eyes are blue-gray.”

 

“Do you know his name?” Jeff asked gently.

 

“No. That’s all I know. I don’t know who he is or how long he’s been at the lighthouse or when he died.”

 

Viv got an idea and straightened in her chair looking eagerly from Lin to Jeff. “Anton might have some books on the lighthouse keepers who lived and worked there. Maybe the books have some pictures or drawings of the keepers. You could look through them and see if you recognize the ghost.”

 

“That’s a great idea.” Lin smiled. “And Anton might know some of the history of the keepers.” She rolled her eyes and chuckled. “What am I saying? Of course Anton would know some history.” Anton Wilson was an island historian who knew and had written extensively on many aspects of Nantucket.

 

“I know you don’t feel that the ghost is responsible for the problems on the work site, but do you think it’s possible that the ghost could be angry about the work being done at the lighthouse?” Jeff considered. “He might not want people tampering with the place. He might not want all of these workers buzzing around. Could he feel threatened by the renovation work and be causing the troubles?”

 

“It’s possible.” Lin didn’t really know for sure, she only got the sense the ghost was lonely and that he carried a deep and heavy sadness in his heart. It was certainly possible that the ghost didn’t want the workers there and was tampering with the tools and the repairs and renovations, but that wasn’t the sense she got from him.

 

Lin had never encountered an angry ghost or a ghost who interfered with the living. The only spirits she’d come across were those looking for assistance from her or who offered some help to right a wrong that had occurred. She hoped this lighthouse ghost didn’t want to hurt the workers who had recently arrived at East End Light to make the needed improvements to the structures.

 

A flutter of concern ran through Lin’s body as she turned with worried eyes to Jeff and took his hand. “Please be careful at the site. We don’t know why the ghost showed himself or what he wants. It could be dangerous … even if it’s not the ghost who is responsible for what’s been happening.”

 

Viv frowned and placed her hand against the side of her face. “You need to be careful especially if it’s not the ghost. At least if it’s the ghost, maybe Lin can talk to him and get him to stop messing with the work. If it’s a living person who is causing the trouble….” Viv let out a groan. “Who knows what he’s up to.”

 

And, Lin thought, what is the reason?