Dead Man Talking

by Jana DeLeon

  He couldn’t let the intruder get into Sapphire’s room. It would only take him seconds to locate Zoe’s notes and be out the door with them. And Cornelius wouldn’t have anything to tell Zoe because he still had no way to identify the man. He inched over behind the bed, trying not to spook the animals before he was ready, then stood in the corner and listened. The intruder was still moving around below him. He could hear the floorboards squeak in the guest room as he moved from side to side. Then the movement went farther away and Cornelius heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs.

  He took in a deep breath, then started singing “Hound Dog” at the top of his lungs. Elvis Presley, he was not, but he had the cats screaming. Their response was instantaneous. They scrambled from their hiding places and ran one another over getting out the bedroom. Cornelius dashed for the landing, still singing, and arrived just in time to see the frantic cats race down the stairs, knocking the intruder off his feet.

  The intruder fell backward and tumbled several steps down before crashing into the winding wall. Sleepy, the big Maine coon and slowest of the bunch, ran right across the intruder’s head, his effort to flee not in the least bit impeded by the fallen man. Cornelius hurried down after him, hoping the fall had dislodged his mask, but was disappointed to see it still in place. The man pushed himself up and scanned the stairs, then turned as if he were going back upstairs.

  As Cornelius started downstairs to attempt a reverse cat run, headlights flashed through the living room window and he heard an engine. It was too loud to be Zoe’s car and it didn’t sound like Dane’s truck, either. It must be the intruder’s partner!

  Heavens, now there were two to contend with, and him trying to pull athletic moves in boxers and no shoes. This entire situation was out of control. The man on the stairs froze when he heard the engine and turned around to peer down the stairs. He cursed, then, in a move Cornelius wasn’t expecting at all, ran down the stairs and out the back door, pausing long enough to lock it and pull it closed behind him.

  At that moment, thunder boomed and lightning lit up the sky. Seconds later, golf-ball-sized hail began to pelt down. The man let out a cry as a large piece of hail hit him on the forehead, then he threw his arm over his forehead and ran for the woods near the lighthouse. Cornelius watched his retreating figure and threw his hands in the air.

  What in the world was going on?

  The hail pounded against the side of the lighthouse, creating a repetitive droning sound that almost covered up everything else, but Cornelius still managed to hear faint cries. It sounded like they were coming from up front. Since the hail passed right through him, Cornelius didn’t have the same issues as normal people—chalk one up for being a ghost—so he headed around front in time to see three men hurry in through the front door.

  What now?

  Cornelius headed inside, resigned to spending the rest of the night herding cats, and slid to a stop when he saw Dane and two other men standing in the living room. He stuck his head back outside and peered at the old truck in the driveway. It must belong to one of the men with Dane.

  So the cavalry had arrived.

  Now that he’d done all the work.

  Dane pointed to the living room and gave instructions to Monte and Sam. “Check the windows. Make sure they’re all secure. I’m going to check the back door.”

  He headed into the laundry room and checked the door and windows, but everything was secure. Back in the kitchen, Monte and Sam both nodded.

  “Everything’s locked up tight,” Monte said. “The dead bolt wasn’t drawn but maybe she forgot or hadn’t closed things up for the night.”

  “Okay. Let’s check upstairs. You two take the second floor and I’ll take the third. Look in closets, under beds…wherever a man could hide. I have to be certain this place is clear before Zoe gets back.”

  They nodded and all headed up the stairs. Dane made quick work of Sapphire’s bedroom and bathroom, pausing when he passed the desk. He picked up the notebook and scanned the notes. They were all about the emerald. Surely, if anyone had been inside, they’d have taken these notes with them.

  He went back downstairs and met Monte and Sam on the second-floor landing, where they assured him that the storage room was clear and nothing was hiding in the guest room except angry cats.

  “Darn thing took a swipe at me when I moved the curtains,” Monte said and showed Dane the two spots on his hand with tiny droplets of blood. “Hissed so loud that at first I thought a snake had gotten me.”

  “You never know what Sapphire might be sharing her house with,” Sam said.

  “They’re definitely spooked,” Dane said, “but that could be because of the hail.”

  “And what the heck is that about?” Monte asked. “Between all this rushing about, that damned cat, and that hail pelting down on me, I’m going to be too sore to get out of bed tomorrow.”

  “You’ll probably feel better when the bar opens,” Sam said, and winked at Dane.

  Dane frowned as the hail continued to pound against the lighthouse, thinking of Zoe in her economy rental. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed her number again, but just as it had before, the call went straight to voice mail. No way Zoe had intentionally turned off her phone. The only thing he could figure was that the storm was interfering with the signal. Hopefully, she’d be in touch soon.

  He waved his hand at Monte and Sam, gesturing them downstairs. Dane opened the blinds on the front window and they all stared outside at the hail that bounced on the ground like rubber balls. The entire lawn was almost covered in white ice.

  “Being on the water all those years,” Sam said, “I’ve seen some strange weather, but this one beats all.”

  Monte nodded. “It’s way too cool for hail. We should have been done with it months ago.”

  “Then where did it come from?” Sam asked. “I watched the weather report before I left for the bar. We’re due rain tomorrow but otherwise, it was supposed to be clear.”

  “Says who?” Monte asked. “That idiot weatherman? He hasn’t been right since Kennedy was president.”

  “Maybe even before,” Sam said.

  “I don’t know where it came from,” Monte said, “but I hope it stops while there’s still something left of my truck.”

  “I’m really sorry about this,” Dane said. “I’ll pay to get it fixed.”

  “Heck no you won’t,” Monte said. “I’ve been paying that insurance company premiums for decades. They can send some money this way for a change.”

  “Then I’ll cover your deductible,” Dane said. “If it wasn’t for me, the truck would be sitting inside your garage.”

  “I suppose that’s fair,” Monte said. “I don’t suppose you’d want to cover the deductible for my roof repair? If this is coming down over in town, I’ll probably need a new one.”

  “I think that one’s on you,” Dane said. “I hope Zoe isn’t driving in this.”

  “She’d pull over if she got caught in it,” Sam said. “Zoe’s no fool.”

  Dane nodded, and it wasn’t that he disagreed with Sam. Zoe definitely wasn’t a fool, but right now she was stressed and worried and probably scared for Sapphire and the lighthouse. All those emotions rolled up together didn’t always lead to the most rational decision-making, even for otherwise logical people.

  “Look!” Monte elbowed Dane. “Looks like headlights.”

  They all moved closer to the window, watching as the beams of light danced on the trees across the road. When the car swung into the driveway, the hail stopped as suddenly as it had begun. The complete quiet in the lighthouse was slightly spooky, and Dane wondered if Cornelius was lurking about somewhere.

  “That’s Zoe!” Dane said, and rushed outside.

  Chapter Twelve

  When she’d seen the strange truck in her driveway, a wave of fear washed through Zoe, but then she saw Dane exit the lighthouse and the fear was quickly replaced with relief. She jumped out of the car and hurried over to hi
m.

  “Are you all right?”

  “Did anyone break in?”

  “What happened with Sapphire?”

  “Did they get my notes?”

  They both fired off questions at once.

  “Let’s get inside before more weird weather blows through here,” Dane said.

  “Is that hail all over the lawn?” Zoe asked as they headed into the lighthouse. “That must be why I couldn’t get a hold of you. I called several times but it went straight to voice mail.”

  “My calls did the same thing,” Dane said.

  Zoe stepped inside and drew up short when she saw Monte and Sam standing in the living room. Despite overwhelming confusion, good manners won out and she gave the fishermen a smile and moved forward to hug each of them. “It’s good to see you,” she said. “I wish it were under better circumstances.”

  “That can be arranged if you drop by the bar,” Monte said. “Any night but Sunday, of course. We take that night off.” He winked.

  Zoe smiled. The bar was closed on Sunday or she was certain the two would be at their usual table just like every other night.

  Sam jabbed Monte with his elbow. “Let’s get out of here and leave these kids alone. It’s past my bedtime and I’ve had more exercise tonight than I usually do all season.”

  “What? Oh, right,” Monte said. “Do you need a ride home, Dane?”

  “I can take him,” Zoe said, still completely confused about what had happened at the lighthouse while she was gone. “It was nice seeing you again.”

  The two fishermen nodded and headed out. Dane closed the door behind them and looked back at Zoe, who had her hands on her hips.

  “What the heck is going on?” she asked.

  “First, tell me about Sapphire.”

  “She’s fine,” Zoe said, and told Dane what had transpired at the hospital. By the time she was finished, the scowl on his face said it all.

  “You could have been injured or worse driving to the hospital,” he said.

  “That probably would have been a bonus as far as the thieves were concerned, and don’t think it didn’t occur to me when I realized what had happened. Me in a bed next to Sapphire would free up the lighthouse at night. I gripped the steering wheel so hard on the way back my hands still ache. Your turn.”

  Dane told Zoe about his truck tires and enlisting help from Monte and Sam. If she weren’t so stressed, she might have found the story amusing, but right now she felt more overwhelmed than anything else.

  “But no one was here?” she asked. “You’re sure?”

  “All the doors and windows were locked.”

  Zoe grabbed his arm. “What about Cornelius? Where is he?”

  “I can’t help with that one, but you’re right. I expected him to show up when you did.”

  “Cornelius!” she yelled. “Are you here? I need to talk to you. Cornelius!”

  She waited, scanning the downstairs rooms for any sign of the ghost, but everything was quiet. Now worried, she started for the stairs but before she made it two steps, Cornelius ran through the front wall and into the living room, gasping for air.

  “Are you all right?” she asked, rushing over to his side.

  “Not really,” Cornelius said. “I’m dead.”

  “You were already dead. Why are you out of breath? Never mind. Is something wrong? Did you see anything?”

  Cornelius nodded. “The bigger man was here.”

  “At the lighthouse?” she asked.

  “Inside the lighthouse,” the ghost corrected.

  “Oh God,” Zoe said, and relayed that information to Dane.

  “How did he get in?” Dane asked. “I checked everything.”

  “He picked the lock on the front door,” Cornelius said. “He had a set of tools…long and skinny. It took him a bit but he got it open and started looking around.”

  “My notes!” Zoe exclaimed.

  “He didn’t get that far,” Cornelius said. “I scared all the cats out of Sapphire’s room and they knocked him down the stairs. Then Sleepy trampled his face. I’m sort of partial to Sleepy now.”

  “So am I,” Zoe said.

  “Then Dane and those other men showed up,” Cornelius said, “and he took off out the back door and into the woods. I followed him around the perimeter as much as I could but I lost him at the road.”

  Dane had been practically on the verge of exploding during her exchange with the ghost, so Zoe filled him in.

  “That’s why the dead bolt wasn’t drawn on the back door,” Dane said. “Monte thought maybe you forgot but I wasn’t convinced.”

  Dane opened the front door and started inspecting the lock. A minute later, he started cursing.

  “I can see marks here,” he said. “Cornelius is right. Damn it. I wasn’t counting on a professional but the tools Cornelius described sound like those I’ve seen a locksmith use.”

  “They played us,” she said. “They lured me out of the house and disabled your truck. If it weren’t for Cornelius spooking the cats, he would have left with all my notes.”

  Dane nodded. She could tell he didn’t want to admit how easily they’d been outmaneuvered, but there was no denying that’s what had happened.

  “What next?” Zoe asked.

  Dane shook his head. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, how far will they go the next time? We know they were unsuccessful, so what’s next? Are they going to break in, guns blazing, and demand a map that I don’t have? Are they going to hurt Sapphire so that she can’t leave the hospital?”

  Dane’s jaw clenched. “Sapphire needs protection.”

  “Mary Jo called the sheriff to get someone to guard Sapphire’s room. Given the situation, I think I had the right to request it.”

  “Of course you did. I would have done the same thing.”

  “I got a text from her a couple minutes ago that a deputy is stationed outside her door. I guess I should call them myself about this.”

  “I don’t know about that. Think about it—what proof do we have that someone was inside the lighthouse? Once again, the only witness is Cornelius. Nothing is out of place. Nothing shows signs of entry and those tiny scratches on the door hardware will be summarily dismissed as manufacturer defect, damage from the hardware store, or damage I did while installing them. I’m assuming he wore a mask and gloves again?”

  Zoe looked over at Cornelius, who’d been silently listening to their exchange. The ghost nodded.

  “Yes,” Zoe confirmed.

  “Then unless Sleepy scratched him hard enough to bleed through that ski mask, we don’t have a shred more evidence now than we did the first time.”

  “Damn it. And he knows that.”

  “He’s counting on that. Let’s face it, the only reason we know for certain what is happening here is because of Cornelius. He’s the one thing the thief didn’t and couldn’t possibly account for. But there’s only so much benefit to Cornelius’s observations.”

  Zoe frowned. “It does give us an advantage, though.”

  “Sure, but one we can’t use with law enforcement.”

  “Not that part. You said we wouldn’t even know someone had been inside if it weren’t for Cornelius.”

  “Right.”

  “That means the thief thinks we don’t know. He thinks he got in and out clean. Think about it—he was in a rush to get out of here, but he stopped long enough to lock the back door. Why bother unless it was to hide evidence that he’d been inside?”

  Dane’s eyes widened. “I get you. But what about the call from the hospital? No one can deny it happened and I seriously doubt anyone is going to have the stones to call you a liar about the content of the exchange.”

  “No. But it could be passed off as a prank. Or they could suggest that in her weakened and drugged state, Sapphire made the call herself.”

  “Why the heck would she do that?”

  “A bid for attention?”

  He stared.

  “You
and I know that Sapphire would never, ever attempt to get attention, especially like that, but other people have and would. And an older person creating drama isn’t exactly an isolated thing, especially when they’ve been relegated to hospitals and nursing homes and the like.”

  He sighed. “So if we assume that the thief thinks we have no idea he was here, then from his standpoint, we haven’t been tipped off either time.”

  “Right. So the question is, does he step up his game, thinking he’s still got a window of doubt, or does he get smart and patient?”

  “Either way, protecting Sapphire is our first priority. The sheriff will make sure she’s covered tonight but what about tomorrow night?”

  “Tomorrow night, she’ll be here,” Zoe reminded him.

  “Crap. I’d forgotten. I don’t suppose there’s any way to keep her there longer?”

  “Not without chaining her to the bed or killing her. She was threatening the doctor when I walked in today. Barring something catastrophic, she’s leaving the hospital tomorrow.”

  Dane shook his head, clearly frustrated.

  “They won’t try anything with both of us here,” Zoe said. “That would be beyond stupid.”

  “But you’re not going to be here forever,” Dane said. “And Sapphire alone is an easy target.”

  Zoe thought about the phone call she’d had earlier. With the way things had gone down at her job, she could be on a plane back to LA ten minutes from now and it wouldn’t change things there.

  “I’m not leaving until I’m sure Sapphire is safe,” Zoe said.

  “What about your job?”

  “I only have one aunt.”

  He was silent for several seconds, then nodded. “I’m sorry. I know what your work means to you.”

  Zoe shrugged, trying not to let her mind wander to all the unpaid hours of work and seminars, workshops, and additional certifications she’d hustled for over the last six years. All of it likely a complete waste of time when all she’d really had to do was give up all her personal ethics and morals and sleep with some short, balding, ugly men to achieve her goals. What an absolute joke.