Blue Flame. Robert A. Webster

external features of the cottage remained untouched, but he had landscaped the grounds with a large wall and gated fence now surrounding the property with a new BMW 3 series parked in his new garage. His driveway now led to the main road into Radcliff town.

      He had modernised the interior of the four-bedroom cottage with modern furnishings throughout and large televisions in every room along with the most up-to-date computers and surveillance equipment. Large monitors and a flat-screen TV now hung in the portal room, which had now become his plush office and where he spent most of his time. He had redesigned his kitchen with more storage facilities to stock food and other supplies for months at a time.

      The remote cottage suited Church during the early years as his gift made him reclusive. By the time he would become familiar with his special talents, he had grown accustomed to the solitude… although he was never alone.

      Church decided a few years earlier to form a company. He called the company Paranormal Assisted Treasure Hunter, or PATH, for short. He found this to be a good icebreaker when meeting the relatives of the lost souls, making first contact less obtrusive and reassuring.

      * * *

      His ability to converse in every language came in useful with one of his most important cases.

      PATH PNK183: 2009.

      Church was in the portal room when Granny Pearl, accompanied by a Danish spirit named Heidi, came into the portal. He not only picked up Heidi’s sad emotion, but she had a crimson aura, so he realised she was a Spirit Guide.

      Church felt baffled why a Spirit Guide needed help. Granny Pearl, detecting his confusion said, “As you know Church, Guides cannot use their power to help themselves and Heidi’s problem was special.” Both spirits sniggered and Church picked up a mischievous emotion from Granny Pearl, one he had not felt before from his Spirit Keeper.

      He frowned at Granny Pearl smirking, as Heidi related her story.

      Heidi lived alone until her death aged fifty-two in a small village near Aalborg, Denmark.

      As a teenager, Heidi became reclusive, suffering from frequent headaches and claiming to hear voices. Heidi’s sister, Greta, was different, although twins, Heidi had a pallid complexion and looked drawn, while Greta had rosy cheeks and was outgoing, unlike her standoffish sister.

      To earn money for the family, after finishing school they found work on a small dairy farm in the next village. Greta would go into the village at night to party, while Heidi remained in her room, becoming ever more distant and reclusive as the headaches and voices intensified. While Greta dreamt of Prince Charming and living happily ever after, Heidi dreamed of normalcy, believing she was mentally ill.

      Before long, the sisters ran the farm because the elderly owners could not work.

      Heidi and Greta continued working the farm until the owners passed away. First, the wife and a few months later, the husband, with the farm bequeathed to their son, Svend Pinquist, who had moved to England during World War II to fight alongside the Allies. He remained in England after the war, where he married and started a family.

      Svend and his wife, along with their twenty-year-old son, Harold, came to the farm to bury their father and sort out the estate. Harold and Greta, now almost eighteen, fell for each other.

      Svend sold the farm, giving both Greta and Heidi a chunk of money to resettle. Heidi bought a small house in the village, while Greta and Harold married and moved to England. It was many years before Harold and Greta had a daughter, and Heidi told Church that their daughter, Sharon, would be eighteen the following day.

      Heidi told him that she stayed alone in her house throughout her life. Greta and Harold visited her several times, but never stayed long and stopped coming after their daughter’s birth, breaking off all contact with her and with her unable to speak English, she had no way to track them down.

      Church saw Heidi’s spirit smiling as she then explained, “I discovered about my gift when a Spirit Guide named Peter came and spoke to me on my eighteen birthday. He explained about the gift and told me that I was a mortal Guide. I worked the rest of my life as a local medium, with Peter as my Spirit Guide.”

      Heidi went silent, so Church asked, “What do you want me to find? Did you leave treasure hidden in Denmark?”

      “No,” said Heidi. “It’s not a treasure I need to find. I want to pass straight to the afterlife, but there is a troubled relative that I need to help first.”

      Church knew that non-chosen one’s Spirit Guides could pass to the afterlife at any time. Heidi continued, “I knew my gift was not passed through bloodlines so I assumed that I was the only one with the gift. However, I now know my twin sister Greta had the spirit gene that remained dormant but has somehow passed to her daughter, a gifted one, although she doesn’t realise it.”

      Church read his notes and said, “I’m confused. This is a Spirit Guide’s job. Grandpa Jack can do this. I am a Keeper and I…”

      Granny Pearl interrupted, “This time Church, there is no treasure involved. This time, it’s personal.” She sniggered.

      Church felt the mischievous emotion again emanating from Granny Pearl’s spirit.

      “What do you mean personal?” he asked, and then looked aghast as he realised, ‘Bollocks, she must be a Chosen-one,’ so he repeated, “What do you mean by personal?”

      His question went ignored as Heidi gave him directions, and although listening and taking spirit notes, he mumbled as his mind focused elsewhere.

      Heidi finished giving her instructions, so Church asked again, “Now, what do you mean by personal?”

      Again, no reply was forthcoming as the two apparitions faded with the sound of women’s prankish giggling echoing around the portal room.

      “Come back here and explain what you meant about personal,” demanded Church, at the now empty portal.

      “Granny Pearl!”

      Silence.

      “Granny Pearl.”

      This played on Church’s mind while he drove his shiny new BMW 3 series along the A19 towards Mexborough. “Why did they not just come out and say that I was about to meet my wife.” He mumbled. “I am too bloody old for this nonsense.”

      Church had already spoken to Harold on the phone before he left as part of his preparation. Church intended to introduce himself as an investigator for the deceased’s estate. He’d told Harold that he was a UK agent for a Danish law firm and that he had some information and items to pass on from Heidi.

      Church took with him an antique ring, which he would use to break the ice and meet the family. He pulled up outside the Pinquist’s terraced house on a small council estate.

      He sat for a while and poured over his notes while the butterflies in his stomach settled. Church tried to imagine what his bride-to-be would be like, He had thought about the age difference. He was almost forty and she was eighteen today. He smirked as he imagined walking into the house and greeted by a young, demure, Princess Diana lookalike with an enigmatic smile.

      After several moments, he composed himself, went to the house, and knocked on the door.

      Greta answered.

      “Hello, Mrs Pinquist. I called earlier. I’m Churchill Potts. Your sister Heidi’s representatives in Denmark sent me… Sorry for your loss.”

      In her now broad Yorkshire accent, but with a Danish twang still audible, Greta said, “Hello, Mr Potts. I’m Greta, Heidi’s sister. We’ve been expecting you; please come in.”

      She led Church to the living room, where Harold sat in a large armchair in front of the television. The house smelled of bleach and Church saw it was spotlessly clean.

      Harold stood up when Church entered and introduced himself. Harold motioned for Church to sit and Greta sat next to him on a sofa while Harold moved his armchair around to face them both.