Strange events are heavy on Barker Christian's mind this summer at Northshire Inn along Lake Erie. Although the inn feels sleepy, romantic, and hidden, innkeeper Barker knows all its annoying in and outs, and supernatural and grating secrets. Barker's very much aware of the drug use that occurs in room 202, and there are disturbing ghosts in room 112 that haunt the paying guests. Nor can he forget about Radcliff Roberts, the famous horror writer in room 210, who is up to something naughty during the evening hours. Two other strange events occur: Matty Lavender, lead singer of The Thorns, is missing; and a watercolor artist appears on the opposite side of the pond that some guests can see and others can't. Barker stays grounded by his interest in Cal Pipp, the inn's maintenance man. Cal is breathtaking, easy on the eyes, and someone Barker's heart desires. Only problem is Cal doesn't know Barker likes him. Until summer heats up, ghosts materialize, and a different side of Cal appears ...

The Men of Northshire Inn

Once, I asked David about the stranger near the pond. We were inside the kitchen of the main house, cleaning up after a private birthday party for one of the guests, the beauty queen of Erie County, a fussy and pretentious, but remarkably beautiful on the outside, but not so much on the inside, Miss Alexandra Carla Mass.


“Who are you talking about? What man by the pond?” he replied.


I didn’t know what he meant by that, confused. “The artist by the pond. The one who comes and visits. He sets up his easel and paints. He’s been out there numerous times. Haven’t you seen him?”


He provided me with a glassy and bemused look: upturned eyebrows and nose, wrinkles on his forehead. So much confusion on his face. So much uncertainty. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”


How strange I found his answer, baffling. How unexpected. I blinked numerous times, halting the action of drying dishes near the quartz counter. “You’ve never seen him?”


Chapter 18