Murder Ghost Foul: The Complete Mystic Springs Paranormal Cozy Mystery Series

by Mona Marple

  “Okay,” I said, warily. Years of experience had taught me that Sage had a creative idea of what was urgent.

  “We just overheard an argument between Sidney and Heidi. It was about money, and Heidi made some pretty nasty comments,” Sage said.

  “That’s interesting,” I admitted.

  “You think?”

  I didn’t get chance to answer as Sidney and Petunia both returned to our table to check how we were enjoying our puddings.

  Scarlett and Axel were overjoyed with their stack of pancakes and fruit, and Taylor had stuck to a strong coffee. Needing something sweet to finish off the meal, I’d asked for a fruit salad.

  “This has all been lovely, thanks,” Taylor said as he cut the strawberries in half for the twins.

  “Oh, good! You know, we have an online page where you can leave a review,” Petunia not-so-subtly hinted.

  “We’ll be happy to. This venue is stunning, and great value for money too!”

  Petunia and Sidney fidgeted a little and looked at each other.

  “We gave you a special rate, actually,” Petunia admitted.

  “We?” Sidney asked.

  My cheeks flamed. “Oh, goodness, no. You shouldn’t have done that. Why did you do it?”

  “I thought you’d be the best person to get rid of the ghost,” Petunia said.

  “It’s really that important to you?”

  “We’re fine, honestly. He’ll move on eventually,” Sidney said with a thin smile.

  “It’s ruining our business! We have no guests, no wine tastings. That online page is full of reviews that talk about the ghost. There’s even a website someone made - The Haunting of Hawthorne Winery!”

  “That’s awful,” I said.

  “People like gossip. It always dies down. They’ll get bored soon enough.”

  Petunia shook her head. “The numbers were already falling when the ghost was just tearing up clothes and stealing jewellery. But Libby’s death really took it to another level. We can’t survive much longer.”

  “Love, come on. This isn’t their problem,” Sidney soothed from beside her. He rubbed his wife’s back and gave us an apologetic smile before leading her away from the table and out of the dining room.

  Taylor smiled at me across from the table. “Stay focused. We’re here for our wedding.”

  “I know. It’s just…”

  “You’re certain there’s no ghost here?”

  “Apart from us,” Sage looked at Patton.

  “I’m certain. I could try again. Maybe the dog bone confused things a little?”

  “This has already taken up enough of your time. It was unfair of the Hawthornes to ask for your help on the eve of your wedding,” Taylor said.

  “I agree,” Patton said.

  “And if there is a person committing crimes here and pretending it’s a ghost, that’s a matter for law enforcement. I can call it in,” Taylor said.

  “No,” I objected. “They’ve only asked for help because they’re desperate. The last thing they need is a swarm of police turning up here.”

  “And we don’t want the police coming here and getting in the way of the wedding!” Sage exclaimed.

  Taylor shrugged. “It’s what needs to happen if someone’s responsible for Libby’s death.”

  I sighed and stabbed a piece of honeydew melon with my fork. “I know. Was it just closed off as an accident?”

  “It must have been.”

  “What would the police have looked for in that scenario?” I asked.

  “Well, definitely not whether a ghost had scared her to death. Typically, in a crash like that, the car would be checked for any kind of mechanical failure. We’d do a post-mortem to check for drugs and alcohol. There’d be some consideration of whether it could have been suicide. If all of those enquiries come back clear, we’d consider it to be a tragic accident.”

  I nodded. “That makes sense.”

  “But we can re-open the case, Con. It’s not your problem to solve,” Taylor emphasised.

  “Come on Taylor, it’s absolutely her problem now. When has Connie ever met a problem she didn’t want to solve?” Sage asked.

  I looked up at her and saw that she was smiling at me.

  “What? You’re going to investigate this yourself, it’s pointless trying to stop you. And, frankly, I can’t see that it will take that long.”

  “Really?” I asked.

  Sage shrugged and flicked her long hair over her ghost shoulders.

  “You have a suspect in mind?” I asked.

  “Well, I…”

  “Stop!” Taylor and Patton exclaimed at the same time.

  Sage and I turned to look at the men, who were looking at us in horror.

  “What?”

  “You can’t just declare a suspect. There needs to be a proper investigation,” Taylor said.

  “We’re not the Sheriff. We can do things however we want,” Sage said with a huff.

  “We?”

  “Sure. I’ll help,” Sage said.

  Across the table, Taylor sighed. “Just be careful, okay? I don’t want anything to get in the way of tomorrow.”

  “Why would it?” Sage asked.

  “I’m guessing your suspect pool is the Hawthorne family. That means you’re going to be asking them some tricky questions and pointing the finger at one or more of them. Can you see how that might affect how happy they are to still host our wedding?”

  “Please. I’m an expert when it comes to discretion,” Sage said.

  “What’s discrepan?” Scarlett asked.

  “It’s when something’s dirty and mum has to discrepan it clean,” Axel explained.

  Taylor raised an eyebrow. “I’m serious. If we’re sharing a roof with a murderer, we all need to be very careful.”

  The dining room door burst open and Petunia appeared, a broad smile on her face.

  “Can I interest you guys in any more coffee? Tea? We even have some flavoured liquors hanging around from Christmas, I believe.”

  We shook our heads.

  There was work to be done.

  7

  As we gathered up the mound of possessions that accompanied the twins anywhere, I saw Tammy walk by the window outside and head towards the wine tasting building.

  I glanced at Sage and gestured to the window.

  “Let’s go,” I said.

  I leaned up and planted a kiss on Taylor’s cheek.

  “You’re abandoning me?”

  “It’s unlucky to see the bride before the wedding. Consider this my way of giving you some last chance at freedom,” I said with a wink.

  He glanced down at the twins and their on-the-go bag overflowing with sippy cups, changes of clothes, wet wipes, metal straws, farm animals, cuddly alligator and who knew what else.

  “Freedom?”

  I laughed and planted a kiss on top of each baby’s head.

  “Let’s go, Sage,” I called.

  We dashed out of the grand house just in time to see Tammy disappear into the tasting building.

  My feet crunched across the gravel and then padded through the grass, until we reached the building and I pushed the door open.

  “Oh!” I exclaimed when I’d closed the door behind me and saw Tammy behind the bar.

  She cocked a smile at me, her blond bob immaculate even as she moved her head.

  “Are you closed?” I decided that playing dumb was the best tactic.

  “We sure are. We haven’t had a tasting for months,” Tammy said.

  “Really? I thought you’d be booked full. It’s such a great spot,” I said.

  “Not many people are keen to come out to the winery where Libby died,” Tammy said. A flash of emotion crossed her face but it was hard to read.

  “Of course. I’m sorry for making you bring that up. You said you knew her, didn’t you?”

  “Sadly, yes.”

  “The two of you didn’t get on?” I asked. I pulled out a stool and sat down at the bar.
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  “No, we didn’t get on. Look, I can’t do a tasting but I can get you a drink at least. If you’d like one?”

  I gave a nervous laugh. “That would be great. I think the wedding nerves are starting.”

  “I’m not surprised. Why people still take part in that ancient institution is beyond me. It’s not too late to back out, you know.”

  I gaped at her, speechless.

  “She has a point. It is pretty archaic,” Sage said.

  “Or you could go through with it. Whatever. Lord knows my parents need some paying customers,” Tammy said as she grabbed two glasses and poured a generous serving of red wine into each.

  “Thanks,” I said as she pushed a glass across the counter to me.

  “Cheers. To a lifetime of ball and chain matrimony,” she said, then took a greedy swig of her drink.

  “Oh, it’s not even one lifetime. It’s the afterlife too,” Sage corrected her.

  “Even worse than I thought.”

  “Do you work here?” I asked.

  “Heck no. Hell will freeze over before I call this my job! But since there aren’t any guests here, mum and dad have let the staff go. They couldn’t quite manage a wedding on their own, so they called in a favour.”

  “And you all came home to help? That’s really sweet. Thank you,” I said.

  Tammy shrugged. “I avoided a decade’s student loans because of them. I was hardly in a place where I could say no.”

  “I’m sure they appreciate it. It’s obvious this place means a lot to them,” I said.

  “They’ve put a lot into the place. It’s a shame to see it struggle, but things change. They’re going to have to consider cutting their losses at some point,” Tammy said.

  “All because Libby Louth crashed her car. Have you seen the ghost?”

  “No. I don’t spend much time here, though, if I can help it. There’s something depressing about being around your family as a grown up and realising that each and every one of them is messed up.”

  “What do you mean? Your family seem lovely,” I said.

  Tammy snorted. “Mum is literally obsessed with this place. Dad’s the biggest pushover. Bess is, well, I guess that she’s alright actually. And Heidi… you’ve met her.”

  “She seems very driven to be an influencer,” I chose my words carefully.

  “You mean she’s self-absorbed? It’s hideous, really. She was sharp as a pin as a child but the peer pressure really got to her. I hate that women are expected to dumb ourselves down to fit into society.”

  “Oh, I agree. The pressure on the younger generation now is awful. How about Libby? I mean, her death had to just be an accident, right? Was she easily scared or distracted?”

  Tammy laughed. “Libby? Who knows. Really, I barely knew her at all.”

  “Oh, I thought all three of you knew her,” Sage said.

  “Sure, we knew her. But did we really know her? I don’t think so.”

  “My fiancé’s the Sheriff and he was saying they look at mechanical problems, and then substance abuse, and then suicide.”

  “Well it wasn’t suicide, I can tell you that much,” Tammy said, then took another gulp of wine.

  “Really?”

  “Libby Louth had far too high an opinion of herself to commit suicide. Her ego was plenty bigger than it had any reason to be.”

  “You seem to dislike her a lot, to say you barely knew her,” Sage said.

  “She did some bad things. In fact, she was a thoroughly unpleasant person. I don’t know if you believe in karma, but that’s what her death was like. Like all of the bad things she’d done to other people were being piled up and then came back to her.”

  “So she had enemies?” I asked.

  “I’m sure she did. What are you getting at?”

  “I’m wondering whether someone could have pretended to be a ghost in order to scare her to death,” I admitted.

  Tammy paused, considered my idea, then took another sip and nodded her head. “Well, fair play to them if they did. If you find out who it was, let me know? I’d like to buy them a drink.”

  8

  “Well, she was an absolute riot,” Sage said with a laugh as we meandered our way back to the grand house.

  “She certainly has some strong opinions,” I agreed.

  “And a whole lot of hairspray keeping that do in place!”

  “Trust you to notice her hair,” I teased.

  I pushed the front door open and saw Bess in the hallway, pulling a book from a shelf.

  “Oh, hello,” I said with a smile.

  “It’s new book day. There’s something so wonderful about getting to choose my next read,” Bess explained as she clutched the book to her chest.

  “I totally agree,” I said with a grin.

  “Come on, enough book talk. We have work to do,” Sage said.

  “Sorry. Don’t let me keep you,” Bess said as she tucked a spare strand of hair behind her ear.

  “Never apologise for book talk. I’m going to try on my wedding dress,” I explained.

  “Oh! How exciting! Do you need any help?”

  “Actually, I might,” I said.

  Despite Sage’s time as a ghost, she still found it draining to took physical objects. Any help she offered would risk wiping her out for the ceremony.

  We all made our way upstairs to the second bedroom we had booked, where I would spend my last single night alone.

  The slim-fitting lace gown was hung up in front of the wardrobe and still took my breath away each time I saw it.

  I’d considered a more plain dress, but Sage had insisted that I should look like a princess on my wedding day, and she was right.

  Just looking at the ivory fit and flare gown with its illusion neckline made me tear up.

  “Oh my! Connie, this dress is incredible! Can I?” Bess asked. She approached the dress as if she was walking through a field with hidden landmines.

  I giggled. “Of course.”

  She wiped her hands down her jeans and then reached out and traced a finger across the delicate lace.

  “You are going to be such a beautiful bride. This is the kind of wedding I’ve read about in so many books,” Bess gushed.

  “No wonder you two get on,” Sage muttered. I shot her a look.

  “Thank you! Do you have a special someone in your life?” I asked.

  “Oh, no. I’m too much of an introvert to get out and meet anyone. My parents are always telling me to date, but I’m happy as I am for now.”

  “Tammy was saying you’re all here to help with the wedding. I really appreciate it,” I said.

  “It’s nothing, really. Daddy’s always been so generous with us all.”

  “He has? Why do you phrase it that way, not say that your mum and dad have been?” I asked.

  Bess clapped a hand over her mouth and looked at me with her eyes wide. “Goodness! That was a horrid thing for me to say. Please don’t tell mum, she’d be really upset by that. It’s all their joint money so of course she’s generous too. It’s just… I guess daddy’s the one to go and ask. Mum’s more likely to say no.”

  “I get it,” I said with a smile.

  “Daddy never had to work, or budget, you know? His family had money and he got the inheritance. But mum didn’t have any helping hands, so I guess she’s always been more aware of the value of money.”

  “Makes sense. What’s your opinion on the ghost?” I said.

  “Oh, I don’t know. I do hear clunking around some nights, but I’ve never seen anything. Whatever happened, I’m so sad that it involved Libby.”

  “You knew her?”

  She nodded. “We all did. She was in Tammy’s year at school and she spent a few summers helping with the tastings. She was nice.”

  I approached the dress with a reverence, and pulled it gently from the hanger.

  Bess helped me step into the gown, and fastened me up.

  “I can do this for you tomorrow, too, if you want,” Bess o
ffered.

  “You don’t mind?” I asked.

  “Are you kidding? It’s not every day I get to help dress a princess!” Bess exclaimed.

  She stood back and I looked at my reflection in the full-length mirror.

  Like any woman, I could normally zone in on a hair that was out of place or an extra chin hanging around, but as I saw my reflection, all I could see was happiness.

  Every part of me seemed to glow with a deep joy.

  “Connie,” Sage said, her voice shaky. “You look beautiful.”

  “Thanks, sis,” I said with a grin.

  “Don’t get used to it, alright. I’ll allow you to look better than me for one day only,” Sage said with a wink.

  “Are you two sisters? You get on so well,” Bess said.

  “We tolerate each other,” I joked.

  “Don’t you get on with your sisters?” I asked.

  “Oh, sure. We’re just so different. Tammy’s so driven and successful. Heidi’s closer to my age but I’m nothing like her. She’s so confident!”

  “She does seem confident,” I admitted.

  Bess shook her head a little and smiled. “Honestly, I wish I had just a touch of her confidence. I admire her so much, putting herself out there on social media and building this following. People really look up to her. It’s amazing.”

  “I guess it is,” I said. I hadn’t considered it that way, but Bess had a point. Heidi’s search for influencer status was brave, in a very modern way I didn’t really understand.

  “Well, shall we get you out of the dress so it stays perfect for tomorrow?” Bess asked.

  She was incredibly careful in separating me from the gown, and I was quickly back in my regular clothes and looking like the everyday version of myself.

  “I really appreciate your help. I know that separating a woman from a book is no small thing,” I said.

  “Oh, this has been the highlight of my week!” Bess exclaimed as she left the room.

  “She’s an absolute darling,” I said as the door closed behind her.

  Sage raised an eyebrow at me.

  “I know, I know. The question is whether it’s genuine. Can anyone really be that nice?”

  9

  I woke with a start and instinctively moved to check on the twins.