by Bobbi Holmes
Heather closed her menu and set it on the table. “Just what do you think you’re doing?”
“Joining you. No one was sitting here,” he said.
“Go away,” Heather ordered, picking up the menu again.
“No.”
Slamming the menu back on the table, she glared at the man. “Listen, I’ve had a long day. Maybe this tactic works with other women, but, well, for one thing, you are way too young for me. So please just leave.”
“Hey, I’m not trying to pick up on you. And if I was, I’m not too young for you.”
“What are you, barely twenty, if you’re out of your teens? Just go away. Do I have to call a cop? I can, you know. There’s one sitting right over there.” She pointed briefly to Joe and Kelly, only to be met by a perplexed frown from Kelly.
“I’m older than I look,” the stranger insisted. “Anyway, you have no idea how hard it is to find anyone willing to talk to me.”
“I can imagine,” Heather said with a snort.
“No, really. Please, I just need to talk to someone.”
Before Heather could respond, the waitress walked up to the table. Heather quickly barked out her order and then added, “He’s not having anything.”
Heather’s comment was met by a confused frown, but the waitress said nothing and walked away to put in the order.
“What is she doing?” Kelly asked, staring at Heather across the diner.
Joe glanced over to Heather and shook his head. He looked back to Kelly. “Obviously talking to herself. And I have to say, she is having one hell of an animated conversation.”
“I told you she’s weird,” Kelly grumbled. “I don’t see why Chris hired her. But probably a charity case.”
“Maybe she’s talking to a ghost,” Joe teased as he picked up his burger the waitress had brought minutes earlier.
“Ghost?” Kelly frowned.
“Sure, she claimed she could see ghosts, remember?”
“Yeah, well, she also retracted that when I asked her about it once. Said she was just annoyed and trying to pull your guys’ chains.”
“Maybe she just has an imaginary friend,” Joe suggested. “Or is talking on the phone.” He took a bite of the burger.
“She’s not on the phone,” Kelly argued.
After swallowing his bite he said, “Earbuds. She’s probably wearing earbuds.”
“I don’t see any.” Kelly stood up.
Joe looked up at her. “Where are you going?”
“I’m going to see if she’s on the phone.”
Walt followed Danielle into Lucy’s Diner. They had decided at the last minute to drop in and get something to eat before heading home. The moment they walked into the restaurant, they froze when they spied the ghost they had seen that morning sitting at a booth with Heather.
“He’s here—and with Heather,” Danielle said under her breath, grabbing hold of Walt’s hand. Danielle then noticed Kelly standing up from a booth on the other side of the diner, looking in Heather’s direction.
“Yikes,” Danielle yelped, holding tighter onto Walt’s hand before dragging him along as she quickly made her way to Heather’s booth.
Kelly arrived first and was just saying, “You’re not talking on the phone?”
“Umm, no. Why?” Heather frowned up in confusion.
The next moment Walt and Danielle arrived at the booth. Danielle’s gaze flashed nervously to the ghost and back to Kelly.
“Wow. It’s getting crowded in here,” Heather said dryly.
“We saw your car outside,” Danielle lied, “and thought we would join you.”
Heather looked to the ghost and said in a loud voice, “My friends are here, now will you leave?”
Danielle cringed. The next moment the ghost vanished.
“Oh crap…” Heather muttered, looking across at the now empty booth. Swallowing nervously, she glanced up at Kelly, who was staring at her like she had seven extra heads.
Six
Danielle and Walt sat on the booth seat the ghost had been occupying moments earlier, while Kelly remained standing mute, staring down at Heather.
With a sigh of resignation Heather looked up to Kelly, her expression devoid of emotion, and said dryly, “Don’t mind me. I often talk to myself.”
“It’s one of her endearing qualities,” Danielle said cheerfully as she picked up a menu from the table and opened it.
“I…ah…just walked over here to see if everything was okay,” Kelly stammered. She then looked back to Walt and Danielle and forced a smile. “How are you doing? I was just across the street from your house a little while ago, visiting with my adorable nephew.”
“He is adorable, isn’t he?” Danielle smiled up to Kelly.
“I get to babysit him tonight,” Heather said.
Kelly turned abruptly to Heather, her eyes wide. “You are?”
“Don’t worry, Connor is cool with me talking to myself,” Heather quipped.
Kelly smiled lamely and said her goodbyes, excusing herself to return to her table. When she was out of earshot, Heather groaned and tossed her head on her arms, which were now folded on the tabletop.
“I had no clue he was a ghost!” Heather groaned again, peeking up from her folded arms.
“Neither did I when he first appeared in our kitchen. I thought he had walked in the door without us noticing,” Danielle said.
“So he was the one I was supposed to be looking out for?” Heather asked dully.
“Yep,” Danielle said as she closed her menu.
The next moment the waitress showed up at the table and took Walt and Danielle’s order. When she left, Walt asked, “Any chance he told you his name?”
Now sitting up straight, Heather shook her head. “No. I’m really sorry. I was trying to get rid of him. He just walked up, started talking to me, and sat down.”
“What was he talking about?” Danielle asked.
“Nothing really. I thought he was trying to pick me up.” Heather groaned again.
“What?” Danielle asked.
Heather glanced briefly at Joe and Kelly’s table. Kelly was looking over at them, but quickly turned back to her own table when Heather’s eyes met hers. Heather looked back to Danielle and said, “When he wouldn’t leave, I threatened to call the police. You know, go over to Joe’s table and get him to make the guy leave.”
Danielle started to giggle.
Heather frowned. “It’s not funny.”
“Yes, it is,” Walt said with a grin. “I’d love to see Joe’s face while you insist he remove the guy from your table.”
“Oh, shut up.” Heather picked up her glass of water and took a sip.
“Aww, stuff like this happens to all of us,” Danielle reminded her.
Heather shrugged. “I guess it’s no big deal. Ian’s sister thinks I’m a wacko anyway.”
“That’s not true,” Danielle argued.
“It’s true,” Walt teased.
Instead of getting mad at Walt, Heather looked at him and laughed. “You’re starting to sound like Chris.”
“How is he doing, by the way? Did you get him all tucked in?” Walt asked.
“Yeah, but I wish he would’ve agreed to stay with me. It’s kind of creepy over there at night. That place is huge. Heck, it sometimes creeps me out during the day. Of course, now there’s more people around. At least during the day,” Heather said.
On the other side of the diner, Kelly picked up her cellphone and dialed her brother.
“Who are you calling?” Joe asked.
“I’m going to offer to babysit Connor tonight.”
“What? I thought we were going to the show?” Joe asked.
Kelly frowned at Joe. “Don’t you think Connor’s safety is more important than seeing some stupid movie?”
“Well, at least I know who to look for now,” Heather said after the waitress brought her food. “What do you know about these people coming to stay at Marlow House, aside from the fact one of th
em may be a killer—and one a new victim?”
“The ghost never said that exactly. But the way he talked, it was like one of our guests could be in danger,” Danielle explained.
“So what do you know?” Heather asked again.
“About their personal lives, not much,” Walt said. “There is the producer, Jackie Stafford, and her husband. I believe he’s a photographer. Then there’s the director, Teddy Larimore, and his wife. I think she’s an actress, Polly Larimore.”
“I’ve never heard of her,” Heather said with a shrug. “Actually I’ve never heard of any of them—aside from Seraphina Bouchard. I’m not into following celebrities—but everyone knows who Seraphina is.”
“I have a feeling Seraphina staying with us is going to drive Pearl batty,” Danielle interjected.
Heather chuckled. “I assume you mean because of all the fans who’re probably going to be cruising up our street to check her out.”
“I wish Walt hadn’t agreed to that interview,” Danielle grumbled.
“I didn’t really have a choice,” Walt reminded her.
“They aren’t even starting the movie for a couple of months, are they? Is this normal for the director and producer and some of the actors to come stay in the area before filming even starts?” Heather asked.
Walt shrugged. “I’ve no idea what’s normal. This is a first for me. But from what I understand, it was a request made by the film’s backer—Beatrice Adair, who’ll be one of our guests. And as far as I know, Seraphina is the only actor from the film who’ll be staying with us next week.”
“Which is odd,” Danielle said. “Seraphina’s character isn’t even the lead role.”
“Okay, so you have the producer and her husband, that is one room,” Heather said, counting on her fingers. “Then the director and his wife, that is two rooms. I assume Seraphina has her own room and then the backer. So that leaves one empty room. Who’s going in there?”
“The room with the twin beds,” Danielle said. “The producer’s assistant is coming, and there might be another person, who’ll share the room with him—or her. We don’t know.”
“Where will you be staying?” Josie asked. She sat on the edge of the bed and watched as her roommate, Phoebe Greda, rummaged through their closet, deciding what to bring with her on the trip up to Oregon.
“With the others, at some place that used to be a bed and breakfast. The guy who owns it, he’s the one who wrote Moon Runners.”
“It must be a big place, if everyone is staying there.”
“I have to share a room with Jackie’s assistant, Bentley Mason,” Phoebe explained.
“Oh, fun, co-ed,” Josie teased.
“He’s gay,” Phoebe said dryly. “But he is good looking.”
“Aren’t all gay guys?” Josie quipped.
Phoebe laughed and went back to sorting through her clothes while her roommate watched.
Josie thought Phoebe the perfect example of how beautiful girls were a dime a dozen in Hollywood. Phoebe’s dream of becoming an actress had not materialized. And while she had managed to associate with some heavy hitters, it was as an assistant through a childhood connection.
But Phoebe was an ambitious girl, and Josie had no doubt she would find a way to make her acting dream come true. Phoebe had that Lolita thing going for her. With the makeup off, her delicate features framed in an oval face, and her long blondish brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, she could easily pass for a teenager instead of her actual age of twenty-two.
Josie envied Phoebe her petite perfect nose, yet Josie knew if she saved her money, she could hire Phoebe’s plastic surgeon to give her one just like it. While Phoebe insisted her full pouty lips were her own, Josie suspected she meant her own in the sense she had paid for them, as opposed to being born with them. Phoebe’s most striking feature—in Josie’s opinion—were her light color eyes. Not quite green or hazel, ever changing depending on the eye makeup.
“I can’t believe she took you back,” Josie said. “Especially after all that stuff that was in the newspaper about you and Barry.”
Phoebe turned from the closet and faced Josie. “I told her at the time nothing happened. That it was all Barry’s fault.”
“But she saw you kissing him,” she reminded her.
“No, she thought she saw us kissing. But he was kissing me; I was not kissing him.” Phoebe then added dramatically, “He was forcing himself on me!”
Josie rolled her eyes. “But that’s not what happened.”
Phoebe shrugged and turned back to the closet. “She doesn’t know that. And I do regret it.”
“I’m still surprised she rehired you.”
Phoebe shrugged and turned back to Josie, now holding several hangers with blouses. “Sera and I go back a long way. Plus, my acting skills are obviously unappreciated.”
“I’m not sure why you even want to go on this trip. What do you hope to gain from it?” Josie asked.
Phoebe tossed the clothes she had been holding on her bed and then sat down.
“It’s all about contacts. I need to make friends with Jackie. I gave up on Teddy. Birdie Adair will be there. I would like a benefactor like that. I just have to convince her I never betrayed Sera.”
“Why is Birdie so enamored of Seraphina? I know she’s got a great voice, but they seem like an odd pair,” Josie said.
“I think it’s white guilt.”
“White guilt?” Josie frowned.
“Sure, help out the poor black girl and make Birdie feel good about herself and worthy of that silver spoon she was born with. I told you how they met, when Birdie and her husband discovered Sera singing at a dive, and then the doors started opening for her. If you ask me, it was probably more about Randy Adair trying to score.”
“Phoebe!” Josie admonished. “That is a horrible thing to say. Everyone knows Randy and Birdie were the real deal. He wouldn’t have cheated on her.”
Phoebe shrugged. “Maybe not. But one thing I’ve learned since moving to Hollywood, things are not always what they seem.”
“Like you and Barry never being an item?” Josie teased.
“I said I regretted it. Anyway, I did Sera a favor.”
“I know it’s a horrible thing to say, but Barry being careless with his booze and drugs was probably a good thing for you. Stupidest thing you ever did was hook up with him.”
“I know. You told me enough times.”
“I could see the big picture, and Barry was not part of your master plan.”
“You’re right. I got sidetracked. I allowed Barry to throw me off my endgame. But that won’t happen again,” Phoebe promised.
Seven
Ian sat on the edge of the mattress, pulling on his socks, as his wife sat at the nearby dressing table, applying her makeup. In the nursery Marie entertained Connor while Sadie napped nearby.
“I have to say, I’m grateful Marie isn’t anxious to move to the other side. I’m getting rather spoiled having her around to help,” Lily said as she unscrewed the lid to her mascara.
“Have you considered how we’re going to handle all this when Connor gets a little older—and can talk?” Ian asked.
Lily cringed. “Yeah…there is that. And I wonder, will he just stop seeing her, like Marie did with Eva?”
“I don’t know. Maybe not, since we acknowledge her.” Ian let out a sigh. “And then there is the issue of my sister.”
Holding the open mascara tube in her hand, Lily swung around on the stool and faced Ian. “Yeah, what was that all about? I thought when she was here, she told you she and Joe were going to the show tonight?”
“I have no idea why she suddenly got the bug to babysit. Maybe seeing Connor today?” Ian suggested with a shrug.
“I’m just glad you told her no. Nothing against your sister, but I just feel more comfortable having Marie and Heather here.”
The doorbell rang and Ian stood up. “I’ll get that.”
A few minutes later Ian was leading
Heather into the living room.
“Marie’s in with Connor now,” Ian told her.
“I kind of expected you to call and cancel for tonight,” Heather said as she tossed her purse on the coffee table.
“Why?” Ian frowned.
“I ran into your sister at Lucy’s this afternoon,” Heather explained as she plopped down on the couch.
“And?” Ian asked, taking a seat on his recliner.
“You know that ghost Danielle wanted me to be on the lookout for?” As Heather asked the question, Lily walked into the room.
“What about him?” Ian asked.
“I ran into him at the diner; he sat down with me. I had no clue he was a ghost, and well, we were having quite the conversation,” Heather explained.
“And my sister was there?” Ian asked.
Heather nodded. “Yep, her and Joe. Sitting right across the diner from me, in clear view.”
“Ahhh, and Kelly saw you talking to yourself?” Lily asked with a chuckle as she sat down on the arm of Ian’s chair.
Heather nodded. “It was embarrassing. I looked crazy.”
“It does explain things. She called me late this afternoon, offering to babysit tonight. She was pretty insistent about it, but she never mentioned you,” Ian said. “But she did say she and Joe were at Lucy’s having dinner.”
“Really? I’m surprised she didn’t tell you what she saw,” Heather said.
Someone yelled, “Hello!” from the entry hall, and the next minute Walt and Danielle walked into the living room. As they did, Sadie came running out from the nursery to greet them.
“Well, that’s nice,” Heather said with a snark. “She didn’t come say hi to me when I got here.”
Sadie wagged her tail excitedly and nosed Walt’s hand.
“Don’t mind Sadie. Other than Ian, we all play second fiddle to Walt when it comes to Sadie,” Danielle said as she reached out and gave the dog a scratch behind her ears.
“I’m not even sure I don’t come in second with her,” Ian grumbled.
