There was a small, residual amount of guilt that I'd neglected to tell April where I was going, but it was time Constance Garibaldi and I had another conversation. I'd previously explained to April that I'd traveled through the tunnels under my house, including revealing I'd escaped somewhere near the Finnulia River bridge. I hadn't told her about the lighthouse being the specific exit point. I knew if Constance's secret hiding spot was revealed, she might be in grave danger and no longer trust me. All April needed to know was that I had met the woman, and she had disappeared again.
Nana D agreed to keep Ulan and Emma overnight, especially when I told her April would soon call to approve our plan to tell the world we would awaken Hiram from his coma. April had to secure the hospital's permission before notifying Nana D, so I'd approached her first via cell phone while driving to the lighthouse. By the time I arrived at the river, it was too dark for anyone to notice me boarding the canoe again. Ten minutes later, I jumped out of the canoe when it landed on the sandy banks of the small island in the middle of the river. I snuck around the side of the lighthouse and banged on the door. If Constance were inside, she'd hear me. Seconds later, the door opened.
“How did you know we'd be here?” Bartleby ushered me inside. “You better be alone, Kellan.”
“I am. I need to ask you both an urgent question.” While I still wasn't certain the pair were innocent of both murders, they could've killed me the last time we'd met at the lighthouse.
Constance sat in a reclining chair with incense and a candle burning. “Ask away. I should be giving readings at the Fall Festival, but the world thinks I'm dead. It's almost as if I'm watching my own funeral unfold before my eyes.”
“Are you certain no one else knows Madam Zenya's true identity? Have you told anyone that you are Constance Garibaldi?”
Bartleby shook his head. “I've only known for a few months. It's been a well-kept secret.”
Constance darted her eyes in the opposite direction. “I considered telling Damien. He's my nephew. A man should know his birth family.”
I bit my lip. “Did you tell him?”
“Not directly, but there's a chance he might be aware.”
“How?” I reached for the piece of paper with private instructions that I'd jotted down for Constance, urging her to have faith in me and to do precisely as I requested. I'd convinced myself to trust her given she might be the only person who could help me trap the real killer. Bartleby seemed innocent, yet there were many moments I knew he was hiding crucial facts from me. Time would tell if my suspicions were correct on what had unfolded all those years ago.
“Damien visited me as Madam Zenya days ago. In my reading, I informed him he would become acquainted with a long-lost family member. He asked me if it was his birthmother, and I told him to come back and see me again soon, that I had something important to reveal to him.” Constance accepted and read my note. “Give me time to think about this.” After leaving the main area, she shut the door behind her and entered a nearby bedroom. Would she assist me with my complicated plan?
I scanned Bartleby, preparing to tell a few necessary lies that would prompt him and Constance to participate in my upcoming charade. “I hope Constance knows that she's potentially set a killer on the warpath. I might not know who tried to kill Hiram and stabbed Prudence with a pitchfork, but the truth will come out soon enough. You both better be careful. Your lives depend upon it.”
“What do you expect me to do? I can't force the woman to change her mind.” Bartleby shook his head and led me to the door.
“You should both come to the house tomorrow. I have an idea how to figure out what's going on, but you must convince Constance to show up at exactly eight o'clock. Come up the basement stairs. I'll ensure the security guard is gone. Just knock loudly on the door before I let you in.” I provided a few more details to pressure Bartleby into accomplishing whatever was necessary to follow my plan.
“I'll do my best, Kellan.”
I heard him lock the door behind me when I climbed the stairs outside the lighthouse. Constance Garibaldi wasn't the murderer, but I suspected she knew who was. If she didn't show up the following evening, I'd tell April that I'd discovered her hiding place. For now, I needed to confirm when Lara's special report would air on the news and get my house set up for the party.
I stopped at my grandmother's place to pick up the kids. Nana D confirmed April had just hung up. “I gave her my approval to make the announcement on the news tomorrow evening. It gives them twenty-four hours to add security and protection for Hiram, should the killer try to enter his room.”
Connor confirmed everything was in motion. It was too late to confront Minnie O'Malley, but I was certain where I could find her. I spent the next few hours with Emma and Ulan. After they drifted off to bed, I made several calls to coordinate everything I needed to be in place for the following day. Hopefully, I wouldn't be delayed in teaching any classes. While it wasn't the most considerate thing to do to the students, if it helped me catch the elusive and cunning criminal, it would be worth it.
* * *
After the kids were safely ensconced at school and being educated by Braxton's finest the next morning, I drove to St. Mary's. Minnie was undoubtedly hiding out in the small chamber between the pulpit and the rectory. Father Elijah had told me himself that's where he'd stashed Prudence on the morning of Ian O'Malley's funeral, when she'd shown up unexpectedly. I didn't accept Minnie was the killer, but there was little explanation for why she had handled the pitchfork and refused to return any of the Wharton County Sheriff's Office's calls. Even her granddaughter, Jane, and companion, Lloyd, hadn't known where she was hiding. It was too early for parishioners to visit the church. When I entered the nave, Father Elijah was standing near the altar staring up at the cross in silent prayer.
“Hello, Father. I'm sorry to bother you at such an early hour, but there's something only you can help me with.” I stopped before entering the pulpit to wait for him to turn around.
“Kellan, it's good to see you again. How may I help?” Father Elijah's irritated red eyes suggested he hadn't slept all night.
“I was hoping you might convince Minnie to talk to me. I know she's here.”
“Even if I knew where Minnie has gone to, it's best you stay out of the line of fire, my son. There's a merciless killer on the loose in our town again.” Father finished his prayer and stepped closer to me. “I can't protect everyone in my flock, you know.”
“Father, I've respected you and the church for most of my life. There are few things that would ever cause me to be difficult or act insolently, but murder is one of those times.” I walked past him toward the rear hallway to access the secret room. “You're not going to stop me.”
“What do you want with Minnie? She has done nothing wrong.” Father Elijah grabbed my elbow as I shuffled by.
I turned for the showdown with our parish priest, grateful the county had kept Minnie's fingerprints on file from when she'd worked at the library. “Then, she shouldn't fear explaining why her fingerprints are on the pitchfork that killed Prudence. As a man of the cloth, I expect you would want to determine who killed your beloved Prue and convince those who have any evidence to come forward.”
“She's scared, Kellan. Minnie doesn't want to go to prison for a murder she didn't commit.”
“If you say she's innocent, then we should start there with our discussion. There's a press conference scheduled for this evening that Minnie might want to see.”
Father Elijah relented at my last statement. Whether he was curious himself about the details of the upcoming news report, or he knew I was only trying to help, he led me to the hallway. I wasn't afraid for my life, as they were both much older than me. Even if one of them had killed several people, I had a solid chance of defending myself inside the church. Father Elijah hadn't closed or locked the door when we went inside to see Minnie.
After we entered the room, I noticed Minnie resting on a cot. I kneeled in fron
t and reached for her hand. “Minnie, you can't hide forever. I think it's important you come to my house this evening. I have someone you'll be extremely interested in meeting. Someone who will be important to the press conference airing shortly after you arrive. It'll just be you, Father Elijah, Nana D, me, and this other person. Okay?” I felt awful lying, but I needed them to attend the event if it were to be successful.
Minnie hesitantly tilted her head. “As long as Father Elijah and Seraphina are there, I'll come.”
“Okay, but I'm only doing this because Minnie wants to, and you've promised to keep her safe,” Father Elijah confirmed, insistent he didn't think it was ideal for Minnie to leave the church.
After noting the exact time of their arrival, ensuring they would be the first people on-site, I departed from St. Mary's and taught my classes. I was inordinately behind in planning my upcoming lectures and grading an exam from the previous week. If everything went according to plan that night, I'd spend the next few days dedicated to catching up.
* * *
By seven o'clock, everyone had been invited and agreed to attend my fake housewarming party. My parents had picked up Ulan and Emma and brought them back to the Royal Chic-Shack, so they were nowhere near the potentially dangerous plot I was about to pursue. They thought my job had become so overwhelming this week I needed an evening to myself.
Nicky had begged his crew to help move some old furniture to the new house and thoroughly scrub the place, so it was ready for a small makeshift party. Nana D and Eleanor arrived soon after and set up the kitchen table for a séance. If everyone attended, I'd have twelve additional guests, not including April and Connor, who'd be hiding elsewhere: Damien, Belinda, Father Elijah, Minnie, Lloyd, Raelynn, Hope, Xavier, Lara, Finnigan, Bartleby, and Madam Zenya.
I'd convinced Lara and Finnigan to come under the auspices of it being my housewarming party. Having Hiram's attorney and the local news reporter around would make things authentic. Raelynn and Hope were excited to see the renovations I'd completed and agreed to bring a dessert. Nana D had convinced Lloyd to join us, suggesting that getting out for the evening would keep his mind off Minnie's disappearance. After stopping at the hospital to check on Hiram, I'd run into Damien and Belinda. They were timorous at first, but when I suggested they needed a few hours in a different setting, they committed to attending my soiree. When Xavier, Damien's younger brother, popped in at the hospital, I happily invited him knowing he might also be important to the goal of the event.
Eleanor stepped into the kitchen. “Do I look like a proper psychic medium?” Dressed in a flowing lace gown she'd borrowed from Dot's costume shop, my sister embodied the mystical elements of her idol. She'd been thrilled to learn the real Madam Zenya was alive and wanted to find her sister's killer.
I beamed in full appreciation of her appearance. The gold bangles, crystals, and hoop earrings were subtle enough that she could've been a famed medium or simply an eccentric dresser. “It's perfect. When I tell everyone that we will have a séance, it will either excite or frighten them.”
“Father Elijah won't tolerate being tricked. He's made it clear on more than one occasion that he doesn't condone any sacrilegious spiritual darkness.” Nana D waggled her finger at me, then smiled at Eleanor. “You look breathtaking, Ellie girl.” Nana D rarely called Eleanor by her childhood nickname, but it always made my sister unleash a flood of happy tears.
“I know, Nana D. I feel awful for all the lies and misdirection, but once we get everyone under my roof… under this roof… where Prudence Grey once lived, I believe I can force the killer to confess.” My plan, while simple enough, depended on a boatload of situations properly playing out.
Once I had everyone together, I'd apologize for the confusion over the last-minute invitations. Before anyone tried to leave, I'd turn on the television and show Lara's report, which was set to air at seven forty-five when the sun would finish setting. We needed to create the perfect frightening and alarming ambiance. After it caused enough commotion, Eleanor would suggest a séance, and Nana D would corral everyone into sitting at the table. I'd announce a desire to connect with the previous owner of the house—the cue for Connor to cut electrical power to the kitchen, thus ensuring it would only cease temporarily.
Eleanor would light the candles, and by then, it would be eight o'clock. Madam Zenya and Bartleby would knock on the basement door. I'd tell them to enter, and the evening's unconventional activities would begin. Anything could derail the night, specifically if certain attendees didn't show or left early, refusing to participate in the séance. I'd improvise if necessary, but everything hinged upon that precise crowd of people witnessing Madam Zenya when everyone thought she'd died days ago.
I checked with Connor, who hid in the basement in the utility room. “No sign of Bartleby or Madam Zenya. I'll text you if they show up early.”
“Thanks for supporting me, pal. If all goes wrong, no one will even suspect it involved the police. It'll just be Kellan doing something foolish, right?”
Connor fist-bumped me. “Go, see April. She wants to know you're okay before this bombs.”
“It won't.” I raced back up the stairs and down the long hallway into my bedroom.
April laid on the floor with headphones to listen to all the action in the kitchen and living room. “I can't believe I'm letting you do something like this.”
“Must mean you trust me more, huh?” I stretched next to her and caressed her hand. “Seriously though, if it fails, no one will suspect anything other than me being a little wonky.”
“Until Madam Zenya shows up and you execute this foolish plan.” She stared at me with sympathetic but frustrated eyes. “I'll be in here with Old Betsy if anything goes haywire, you got it?”
I kissed her lips, tasting a heavenly rose scent. “I'm certain I know the killer's identity, but I don't want to complicate your investigation if I'm wrong. Trust me for once, okay?”
“Yes, but you'll make it up to me,” April surrendered with a wink.
Given what'd occurred in the last ten days, there was only a small chance that my inkling of the murderer's identity was incorrect. As I confidently padded down the hallway, a draft of chilled air swept past me, despite all the windows and doors being shut. My body felt laden with a heaviness I couldn't explain. I gulped the dry air and gently exhaled to calm myself. A trail of smoky vapor dissipated in front of my lips as condensation settled on my chin. A shadow, undeterred by my presence, crept up the wall behind me. I knew I wasn't alone but couldn't see anyone other than my reflection in the corner mirror.
The doorbell rang, directing Eleanor and Nana D into action, and me back to reality. What was that freaky feeling? I had no time to analyze it, as the first guests of the evening had arrived. If my plan was falling into place, Minnie and Father Elijah were here. Once I touched the doorknob, the first crack of lightning hit the pavement outside the Garibaldi home, brightening up the dark sky. A thunderous rainstorm on a cool, spooky autumn evening would soon accompany our experiment. Let the fun begin.
Chapter 18
Nana D immediately approached Minnie while I poured Father Elijah a glass of red wine. During a brief tour of the living and dining rooms, he mentioned having visited the place several times in the past. I reflected on how close he'd been to Prudence and sympathized on how it must've been difficult for him to explore her house. Minnie accepted a small glass too, clutching it tightly as her hand trembled with every bolt of thunder in the torrential downpour. Someone in the atmosphere was riled up tonight.
“Who is it you want us to meet? I hope you haven't engineered it so that Sheriff Montague interrogates Minnie. My sister-in-law just buried Ian and needs a few days to recover.” Father Elijah gently restrained me from reentering the kitchen, eager to discern what I was planning. “There's something unnatural about this house tonight. Has anyone blessed it since you took ownership?”
“No, Father. I'm being sincere when I tell you that the sheriff is not t
he person Minnie will meet this evening. I have misled you, though, and I'm hoping you'll forgive me.” I informed Father Elijah that Nana D and I were planning a small housewarming gathering, and one of those guests would be the person I'd referenced. “I thought if I told you it was a party, you wouldn't permit her to attend.”
Father Elijah grunted. “Even small lies break the Ten Commandments, Kellan.” He leaned around the corner to watch Nana D comforting Minnie, who stood mesmerized at the rain hitting the mudroom's windows. “She needs to be around other people to regain her sense of comfort and assurance, but the police want to talk to her. I can't keep her from them much longer.”
“I agree, Father. That's why it's important for her to be here. I invited no cops, only friends and acquaintances I've met. A small crowd, nothing to be fearful of.” I was racking up the lies tonight, but God would forgive me. I had only the best intentions to discover who'd broken a bigger commandment.
“I'll remove her as soon as necessary, if the situation becomes uncomfortable. I hope no one brings up Hiram's accident. The only people who know anything about Minnie's fingerprints on the pitchfork are you and Lloyd.” Father Elijah wrapped his arms across his chest and shivered.
“Lloyd told his daughter, Calliope. She was worried about him. He promised that no one else knew. Nana D confirmed it with him when she invited him here tonight.” I wanted Father Elijah to stick around and was willing to share more with him than anyone else. I knew Minnie had crucial information to reveal, and it might take his help to prompt her to talk to me.
When we rejoined Nana D and Minnie in the kitchen, Father Elijah gently tapped Minnie's shoulder, jarring her from a daze. As the weather grew more inclement and terrifying, additional guests arrived. Eleanor opened the door to let in Belinda, Damien, and Xavier, who stood on the porch shaking off their umbrellas and drying their cheeks. “It seems we might need an ark to survive this evening.”
Haunted House Ghost: Death At The Fall Festival (Braxton Campus Mysteries Book 5) Page 26
