Haunted Heartland by Michael Norman

Author:Michael Norman
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780299315184
Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press

Minnesota

The Ghost Wore Plaid

St. Paul

Nancy Bagshaw-Reasoner hoped to make some extra income working part-time at the box office at St. Paul’s storied Fitzgerald Theater, the “Fitz” as it is affectionately known. As an actor and producer, Bagshaw-Reasoner loved being around the Twin Cities theatrical community in most any capacity and the Fitz is a venerated Twin Cities live entertainment venue.

One fall afternoon she was on duty in the small, unassuming theater box office off the main lobby. It had been quiet—a few walk-up sales, the odd telephone order. Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion had ended its fall run at the theater some time before and was out on the road. A few special events were scheduled—an author interview, an early holiday staging—but not much else.

The ticket booth is adjacent to the theater’s cozy lobby but can be accessed through a separate outside door, around the corner from the box office, when the theater is closed.

As darkness settled across the city, Bagshaw-Reasoner started pulling together statistics on the day’s modest sales, her final responsibility before she locked up for the night. The business offices were closed.

She saw someone looking at her through a little-used side window, so she poked her head out the main ticket window, looked down the dimly lit passageway, and called out, “I can help you over here!”

She had caught only a quick glimpse but did note it was a man. He had quickly backed away. She saw he had dark hair and that he appeared to be wearing a dark plaid shirt. His face was hidden in shadow.

She felt a little queasy when no one came around the corner. A minute or two ticked by. She realized that the outside door buzzer had not sounded. It had been installed to alert ticket staff that someone had come in. Other staff had been working that day, but by now they had all gone home. The only way to the ticket booth would be to come through the outside door.

When it was obvious this shadow man, as she now thought of him, was not going to show himself, she thought she must have been mistaken. Maybe it was her reflection in that old window he had used; yet that did not seem probable.

Oh, well, she thought, that was a little strange . . .

She turned her attention back to the sales figures.

Suddenly she caught a slight movement outside that same side window. Was this guy back?

Now her unease grew to sharp anxiety. Had someone, somehow, slipped into the theater undetected? Was he now playing games with her? Perhaps intent on doing her harm?

Again, she leaned out the window. “I can help you over here!”

He must be down there, around that corner, she thought. But she was not going down there to find out.

Again Nancy Bagshaw-Reasoner waited.

Her growing uneasiness turned from anxiety to fear. If someone was playing a prank on her, it was not funny.

“I’m closing up the box office!” she yelled out. She waited. Would he show

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