Ghostly Despair (A Harper Harlow Mystery Book 10)

by Lily Harper Hart

“Don’t worry about me.”

  “I believe you’re the one who told me that worry comes with the job when you’re in a healthy relationship,” she pointed out. “Do you know what my father did when I told him what was going on? By the way, he hadn’t heard about Quinn’s return. I think that proves he’s watching a bit too much Bravo.”

  “What did he say? Did he tell you to kiss my boo-boo and mend my broken heart?” Jared’s eyes gleamed with mirth.

  “He laughed at me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He laughed at me, at both of us, at all of us.”

  Jared bristled. “I don’t particularly think any of this is funny.”

  “That’s the point. I said I was worried because you were acting out of sorts, and he thought I was the funniest person ever. He said of course you were acting out of sorts, my ex-boyfriend came back from the dead and anyone who acted normally under those circumstances would be the individual to worry over.”

  “Did you tell him the part where your ex-boyfriend might be involved in a murder?”

  Sheepish, Harper lowered her eyes. “No, I left that part out. I didn’t want to get into a huge discussion with him, especially since I don’t feel I know all the facts.”

  Jared shifted, alert. “I’m not keeping anything from you.”

  “That’s not what I meant. I don’t think I understand everything. I want you to lay it out for me so we can talk about things together. I feel as if I’ve been a bit out of it when it comes this case, and I want to know what you know.”

  “Okay.” Jared leaned so his back was pressed against the wall. “Where do you want me to start?”

  “With Vicky Thompson. I don’t feel as if I know enough about her.”

  “Well, her real name is Judy Lange.”

  “I know that much.”

  “She was a grifter, running a series of cons.” Jared launched into his story. “The local ones were mostly real estate scams. Anyone with any knowledge of how a real estate transaction works would’ve run the other way, but they were smart. They put together a series of deals that were too good to be true and then tailored them toward people who had money to spend, but not enough money to get the real thing.”

  “Ah.” Harper bobbed her head knowingly. “I get what you’re saying. Like ... you can’t have this great house, but how would you like a piece of land that will double in worth in a few years? Something like that, right?”

  “Exactly. I like how smart you are.” Jared tweaked her nose. “One of the business deals gone sour was for a piece of property on M-59. Obviously that looked like a good deal because that stretch of road went from dirt to a business extravaganza in under two decades. The piece of empty land has been left that way because it’s swampland, though, which none of these brainiacs handing over their money bothered to check.”

  “So, basically we’re talking ten grand, or even five grand a pop, right?”

  “Exactly. Judy and her friends — the one we met, Marley, was a true joy — took the money in each case and ran. Eventually, Judy got to the point where she had no more takers on her con so she started moving between states.”

  “You said she had warrants out for her arrest in other states,” Harper noted. “Did she ever do time?”

  “No, she seemed to have impeccable timing. She managed to skip town at exactly the right moment and managed to evade arrest in most circumstances. The two times she was arrested she posted bail and then never showed up for subsequent court appearances.”

  “She was sneaky.”

  “She was.”

  “So, why come back here?” Harper queried. “I know you said something about her trying to get money from her mother, but how long would that money really have lasted? I don’t get why she came back.”

  “I don’t understand why she came back either,” Jared admitted. “She had to know her mother wasn’t going to finance her. I mean ... I guess she could’ve been desperate, but Judy Lange sounds like the sort of woman who managed to survive no matter what.”

  “She was going under another name, though,” Harper pointed out. “She was clearly worried about people finding out she was back in town.”

  “I’m not sure if she was worried about the police looking for people she wronged in the past. Either way, it was probably smart for her to operate under a fake name. That way she could keep both factions off her.”

  “You saw her, though. She was in an accident. How did she seem?”

  “Shaken up,” Jared admitted, searching his memory for fragments of the time he spent with the woman. “She was a good actress. I never thought, not even for a second, that she was pretending to be someone else. To us, it simply seemed as if she’d gotten into an accident and needed to go to the hospital. It would’ve required some paperwork and nothing else.”

  “Did Mel feel the same way?”

  “Are you insinuating Mel is a better detective than me?”

  “Of course not. It’s just ... he knows that stretch of road. I thought maybe he might notice if there was something odd about the way things played out.”

  Jared turned thoughtful. “Huh. I didn’t even consider that.” He rolled his neck until it cracked. “You know, that’s a very interesting theory, Heart. The accident wasn’t fatal, though, so we decided against calling the state police accident reenactment team. We took some photographs but that’s it. I don’t know that we can go back and look at the facts of the accident and come up with a different answer.”

  “If there were no other vehicles around, then it would make sense not to spend a lot of time on the accident scene.”

  “I think you’re making excuses to cover my laziness because you’re soft on me.”

  Harper kissed the corner of his mouth. “I won’t let anyone talk badly about you ... including you.”

  “Good to know.” Momentarily overcome by love, Jared cupped the back of her head. “I feel the same way about you.”

  “We’re mushy tonight, huh?”

  “Very.”

  “I still want to hear the rest of the information.”

  “Right.” Jared released her head and straightened. “Mel said that the scene reminded him of Quinn’s accident. That made me uncomfortable because ... well ... I’m always uncomfortable talking about guys you used to date. Why do you think I hate Jason Thurman?”

  Harper snickered at the mention of a friend she dated very briefly in high school, one who recently returned to open a restaurant. “You and Jason don’t hate each other. You enjoy busting each other’s balls.”

  “There are times I hate him.”

  “You do not. You just want people to think you hate him. I know better. You’re a big marshmallow.”

  “Only where you’re concerned.” Jared tickled her ribs and caused her to squeal.

  “Not yet! Not yet!” She slapped at his hands. “We can’t do that again until I hear the rest.”

  “Fine.” Jared wasn’t thrilled with the delay, but he was a patient man. “She seemed fine, if a bit shaky. That’s normal when it comes to a rollover accident. She was transferred to the hospital because of her head injury even though she said she was fine.”

  “Do you think she said she was fine because she wanted to escape?”

  “In hindsight, that’s exactly what I think. However, I didn’t recognize that at the time. She was transported to the hospital and kept for observation.”

  “Then she died out of the blue.”

  “And Quinn and that other guy — whom we have yet to find an identity on, in case you’re wondering — both entered the facility not long before the poison was delivered.”

  Harper rubbed her hands against her bare knees as she got comfortable. “I know you think I’m sticking up for Quinn because ... well, because I’m a naive little girl or something ... but how could he have possibly gotten his hands on cyanide when he just got back to town?”

  “He could’ve brought it with him.”

  “But ... why? What would be
the point? How could he possibly know that he would bear witness to an accident almost exactly like the one he went through? Why kill Judy after witnessing that accident? Do you think the mere sight of it was enough to turn him into a homicidal maniac?”

  Jared hated to admit it, but she had a point. “I don’t know. That’s the part that makes all of this so very uncomfortable. I can’t find a motive.”

  “So ... he’s obviously not guilty.”

  “I don’t want to start a fight — no, really, I don’t — but are you sure you don’t simply believe that because it’s easier than facing the alternative?”

  “I guess that’s possible, but I don’t think it’s likely,” Harper countered. “Still, I will give you that it’s a little too coincidental to be comfortable that Quinn just happened to be at the scene of a similar accident. What are the odds of that?”

  “Not good. We clearly don’t have evidence on him, though. I’m still trying to track down if his amnesia story is real and not having a lot of luck.”

  Harper froze, Jared’s words causing her head to spin. “What?”

  Jared realized his mistake too late. “Oh, um ... .”

  “You’re checking into his amnesia story?” Harper was dumbfounded. “You don’t believe he’s telling the truth, do you?”

  “I don’t know.” Jared chose his words carefully. “I don’t want you to get upset about this. We have no proof of anything.”

  “I’m not upset.” In truth, Harper found she wasn’t upset ... or even hurt. She was, however, curious. “I need more information, though. Why are you checking on his story?”

  “Because he’s a suspect in a murder investigation,” Jared answered honestly.

  “So ... are you saying you wouldn’t have checked out his story if he didn’t happen to be present at the accident scene? If he didn’t visit the hospital at an odd time, would you have let it go?”

  Jared’s first instinct was to say “yes.” Upon further reflection, however, he shook his head. “I would’ve checked up on his story regardless. I would like to pretend I’m this great guy who would simply react on faith, but that’s not me. I would’ve checked.”

  Harper’s lips curved. “I’m glad you can admit it. I’m also glad you’re checking.”

  “You are?” Jared couldn’t conceal his surprise. “I thought you would be angry when you found out.”

  “I’m not happy that it’s necessary,” she clarified. “I understand the need to check, though. His story covers everything but, the more I think about it, the more bothered I am by the simple fact that nobody in New York bothered to call other states to check on missing-person reports.”

  “Yes, well, that bothers me, too,” Jared admitted, running his hand over the back of his short-cropped hair. “Here’s the thing: The hospital Quinn claims to have stayed at over the first several months of his recovery is gone.”

  “Gone? Like ... it’s not there?”

  “Like it closed,” Jared corrected. “Three years ago.”

  “Well, that’s possible.” Harper tilted her head to the side, considering. “It sounds a little convenient, doesn’t it?”

  “Very convenient. The chief of staff at the hospital was listed in some news stories, so I’ve been trying to track him down. I have a call out, but he hasn’t returned it yet. I’ve also tried calling the board of directors, but none of them recognize Quinn’s photograph or story.”

  “I hate to beat a dead horse, but that’s entirely possible,” Harper noted. “The board of directors wouldn’t be familiar with the patients at the hospital. They’re more of an oversight committee. They have very little to do with the day-to-day operations of the facility.”

  “I get that. That’s why I’m waiting for the chief of staff.”

  “What about the doctor Quinn supplied?” Harper asked the obvious question. “Have you called him?”

  “He supplied two doctors, a man and a woman. One is his therapist. I’ve only managed to get one of them on the phone.”

  “Which one?”

  “The female.” Now it was Jared’s turn to squirm as discomfort rolled over him. “Her name is Lydia Hitchman. I called her, and she answered right away. She confirmed Quinn’s story.”

  “Well, that’s something, right?”

  “Except the number he supplied was a cell and she was at home. I have no way of confirming she worked at the closed hospital until I talk to the chief of staff. And, oh, she and Quinn are involved.”

  Jared hadn’t meant to blurt out the information in that manner. He meant to be more sympathetic, or at least comforting. The surprised look on Harper’s face reminded him of that.

  “I didn’t mean ... .”

  Harper held up her hand to silence him. “It’s okay.”

  “No, it’s not okay. I should’ve phrased that a different way, or braced you for it or something.”

  Instead of being angry, though, Harper barked out a laugh. “Did you really think I would be upset?”

  “Maybe.”

  “I’m not upset.” Harper waved off Jared’s apology. “We weren’t together. It’s not as if he cheated on me. For the record, if you were the one who had a secret doctor girlfriend, I would be broken-hearted.”

  “No stupid doctor could take your place in my heart.”

  “Good to know.” Harper leaned closer so Jared could rest his hand on her knee. “No one could replace you in my heart either. That’s not what this is about, though. It’s about Quinn.”

  “It is, and I can’t take some random woman’s word over the phone that the story Quinn told is real. I need more confirmation than that.”

  “I don’t blame you.” That was the truth. Harper understood exactly where Jared was coming from. “You need outside confirmation. I have a question, though, and I want an honest answer.”

  “Do you think I would lie to you? After everything we’ve come to mean to each other, after everything we’ve gone through, do you honestly think I would lie?”

  “No,” Harper responded without hesitation. “I do think you would slide around things if you thought you were protecting me, though. I don’t want you to do that. I want a straight answer.”

  “Okay. Shoot.”

  “If you find out Quinn has been lying from the start, that none of the things he said are true, what will that prove? I mean ... what will you do?”

  “I honestly don’t know.” Jared had thought about the question so many times he figured he should have an answer by now. He simply didn’t. “We’ll probably have to start an investigation. A lot of money was spent on the search for Quinn. You can leave a life without breaking the law, give no forwarding address, and start over. You cannot leave a mess the way Quinn did and not answer some questions.”

  “That makes sense.” Harper was thoughtful. “What other reason could he have for leaving besides what he said?”

  “I don’t know, Heart. I’ve never looked into his past. I’ve thought about it because I was curious, but ultimately I didn’t because it didn’t seem fair to you.”

  “Maybe you should look into his past.”

  Surprise washed over Jared, a strong wave of relief along for the ride. “Do you want me to? I can do that, maybe find out exactly what he was doing before he disappeared. I’m sure Mel has at least started a cursory search. I can build on it.”

  “I wouldn’t mind knowing,” Harper admitted. “I want to believe the amnesia story. It makes me feel better. If it’s not true, though, we should probably get ahead of this problem. It’s better to do it now than wait for trouble to track us down.”

  “You’re very wise.”

  “I am.”

  “You’re really pretty, too.”

  Harper’s cheeks heated as Jared reached for her waist. “I take it that means the talking portion of our evening is done.”

  “Definitely. You’re on the dessert menu, and I’m ready for my treat.”

  Seventeen

  Jared and Harper were in a much better p
lace when they returned to the other house and retired for the evening. Zander and Shawn were already in bed, so it was impossible to catch up on all the gossip until the following morning over breakfast.

  “Your father is watching Southern Charm?” Zander was baffled and delighted. “I knew we were television soul mates. I’m totally going over there to watch new episodes with him from now on since you guys make fun of me when I try to watch it here.”

  “I don’t think we make fun of you,” Shawn countered, sipping his juice. “I think we simply vote against you when it comes time for group viewing.”

  “That was a lovely way to put it,” Zander drawled. “I know when I’m being persecuted, though.”

  “Poor Zander.” Jared was in high spirits as he ate his toast. “We’ll try to take your feelings into consideration from here on out. We’ll make you the center of our world.”

  “That’s all I ask.”

  Harper’s smile was so wide it almost swallowed her entire face. “Speaking of that, Zander, I need to run back out to Betty’s house and look at the scarecrow again.”

  Whatever happiness Zander was feeling evaporated. “That scarecrow is not possessed.”

  “I happen to agree. We were hired for a job, though. I need to check the scene again to make sure that nothing odd is going on out there. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and I don’t want to do it then.”

  “I can’t go with you. I have a bunch of stuff to do around here, including deviled eggs and my famous stuffing marinade. Put it off until the day after Thanksgiving.”

  The suggestion didn’t sit well with Harper. “I was thinking that today would be better. I don’t want to leave her hanging.”

  “I hate to agree with Zander — on pretty much anything — but I’m not sure I want you walking around out there on your own,” Jared interjected. “Quinn found you there before. He might check again. I don’t want you alone with him until I have more information.”

  “Quinn would never hurt me.”

  “Probably, but he is a suspect in a murder. Can’t you hold off? I have an extended weekend. I planned to do a bunch of things around the new house, but I can take some time to visit the field with you Friday. Wait until then.”