by Rose Pressey
Finally, we hit the Kentucky state line. It was rolling hills and green grass for as far as I could see. Maureen was a socialite like Charlotte. Now I had two high-maintenance ghosts hanging around. As if one wasn’t enough, now I had two ghosts competing for my attention.
Wind Song had mysteriously appeared at my shop. Turns out it was really my dearly departed Grandmother Pearl. That explained why the cat could read tarot cards and use a Ouija board.
Derby Week would be jam-packed with activities. Wind Song would enjoy seeing the horses and the fashions. I was staying at a charming old bed-and-breakfast. At least that was the way it had looked from the photos. Now I just needed to find the place. The photos of Woodhaven Inn had shown a lovely wide front porch where I could relax and enjoy a glass of iced tea. I was looking forward to that. Leafy maple trees surrounded the historic home, providing ample shade. Pink blossoms popped up around the lawn like bridesmaids’ bouquets.
Chapter 3
Grandma Pearl’s Pearls of Wisdom
Mind your own biscuits and life will be gravy.
“I think you’re going the wrong way,” Charlotte yelled as she pointed toward the exit sign.
I cut the wheel and sped down the exit ramp.
“You’re going to kill us all over again,” Maureen said.
Wind Song meowed.
“I’ve got everything under control. Don’t worry. Plus, you two are already dead. I’m positive that I can’t kill you again. And cats have nine lives, right?” I said with a chuckle.
Charlotte, Maureen, and Wind Song glared at me.
“Tough crowd,” I said.
The bed-and-breakfast was on the outskirts of town and about a thirty-minute drive from Churchill Downs. Yet it felt as if I was in the country. The old house was surrounded by oak, pine, and magnolia trees. It was a red-brick federal-style home. A large porch with white columns welcomed me to the front door. Black urns with big ferns were spaced out along the length of the porch. I walked up the steps and rang the doorbell. Glancing over my shoulder as I waited for someone to answer, I couldn’t help but notice just how dark it was out here.
“This place is spooky,” Charlotte said, rubbing her arms and acting as if she had a shiver. “I bet it’s haunted.”
I stared at her.
“What? Just because I’m a ghost doesn’t mean I’m not afraid of ghosts. Remember?”
I’d never understand Charlotte.
After what seemed like forever, someone opened the door. The gray-haired woman smiled at me. She wore a sweatshirt with tiny pictures of cats on the front. Brown pants coordinated her outfit. Definitely not vintage.
“Good evening. You must be Ms. Chanel,” she said.
“Yes, please call me Cookie.”
“I’m Hannah Olson, the proprietor. Come on in, and I’ll show you to your room.” She motioned for me to come inside.
“Well, at least she seems nice enough,” Charlotte said.
Charlotte hardly paid anyone a compliment that quickly. Preparing to follow the woman through the house, I picked up one of my pieces of luggage with one hand and the cat carrier with the other.
Hannah immediately stopped and looked at the carrier. “What is that?”
“My cat. You said it wasn’t a problem to bring her along.”
“I said that?” She frowned.
“Yes, I’m sure it was you when I booked the room.” I held the carrier up so she could get a better look at how pretty Wind Song was.
Charlotte eyed Hannah up and down. “Does she not like cats? She’s wearing a cat sweatshirt, for heaven’s sake.”
Hannah slumped her shoulders as if the weight of the world was now on her. “I suppose that would be okay.”
Her reaction was a bit dramatic, in my opinion.
“Do you have a cat?” I asked.
“No, why?”
My gaze traveled down to her sweatshirt. “No reason.”
“If you’d like, I can show you around tomorrow and tell you the history of the house. I suppose you’d rather wait since it’s getting so late this evening.” She looked at the grandfather clock with a frown.
“That means you came too late, and she doesn’t want to show you tonight,” Charlotte said.
Yes, I got the hint.
“That would be nice. Thank you,” I said.
The woman took me upstairs and down the hall. The bannister squeaked as I grabbed hold. Under my feet, the treads on the stairs moaned with each step. Dim light made it difficult to see exactly where I was going. Cream and gold wallpaper with a scroll and floral pattern covered the walls that led from the first to the second floor.
“Are the floors original to the house?” I asked when we reached the top of the staircase.
“Of course. And I’ve completely restored the house.”
“It’s lovely,” I said as I took in the rich wood molding and trim.
She opened the door. “Well, here it is. I think you’ll love this room. If you need anything, just let me know. Breakfast will be ready at seven in the morning.”
I would have to set my alarm if I wanted to be awake that early.
“Thank you,” I said.
She eyed me up and down. “See you then.”
I placed my bags down and collapsed onto the bed. Charlotte and Maureen were checking out the room. Wind Song was busy sniffing around too. The room had floral wallpaper as well. The cream background made the soft greens and blues of the flowers pop. A cherrywood four-poster bed was pushed against the wall in the middle of the room. Two blue upholstered chairs and a small table made a conversation area on the far wall in front of the window.
“I hope we don’t see any ghosts tonight,” Charlotte said, peeking into the closet. “Maureen, I don’t understand why you’re here. Save yourself. You don’t have to be here.”
“Um, Charlotte, in case you have forgotten, you don’t have to be here either.” I adjusted the pillow under my head.
She turned to face me and placed her hands on her hips. “I have got to take care of you. No one else is going to be here to do it.”
I groaned and placed the pillow over my head to drown out their conversation. How would I get any sleep if they kept talking?
After a few more minutes, I stumbled out of bed. “I’m slipping into my pajamas. Can’t you two go haunt the rest of the house?”
“Come on, Maureen. Let’s check out our surroundings.” Charlotte motioned over her shoulder.
Maureen followed Charlotte out the door.
Thank goodness. Now maybe I could get some sleep. I’d just finished brushing my teeth when my cell phone rang.
“Cookie, did you make it to town?” Danielle asked.
Danielle Elston had hired me to style her vintage fashion for the Derby, and I was determined to wow her with my flair.
“Yes, I’m here.”
“Good. We have a luncheon in the morning. I need you to come by and help me decide what to wear.”
After jotting down the address of the hotel where she was staying, I clicked off the phone and climbed into the four-poster bed. It had been a long day, and I had another long one ahead tomorrow. I needed rest so that I would be able to keep up with the fashion emergencies.
Wind Song was curled up beside me. I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep, but I felt a presence. It was as if someone was watching me. The scent of gardenias tickled my nose.
I opened one eye and jumped. “Oh, Maureen, you scared me.”
She’d been standing close to the bed, staring down at me.
“Is everything okay?” I asked as I sat up.
She sat on the side of the bed. “Cookie, I need you to find my killer.”
“I told you I’d try my best.” I yawned, not able to stop myself.
“It’s just that you’re so busy.” She twisted her hands together.
“I’ll call my mother and Heather. I’m sure they could look into things a little bit while I’m gone.”
“Do you thin
k they’ll really be able to help?” Maureen asked with hope in her voice.
“Yes, of course they’ll be able to help.”
Honestly, I had no idea. But I was willing to stretch the truth a little if that would comfort her tonight.
“What about asking the detective you know to help? Charlotte said he’s nice.”
“He is nice, but I’m not sure I could ask him.”
She sighed loudly. “It’s okay. I’m just so worried. Would you stay up all night and comfort me?”
I quirked an eyebrow. Had she been talking to Charlotte about ways to annoy me?
“I suppose I can ask Dylan to help me.”
She smiled. “That’s wonderful. Thank you. Well, I guess I’d better let you get some sleep.”
How easily she felt better. At least now I would get some sleep.
Chapter 4
Cookie’s Savvy Tips for Vintage Shopping
Don’t be afraid to buy something
just because it doesn’t have a brand label.
If you love it, that’s all that matters.
I had no idea the charity luncheon would be such a star-studded event. I had never attended anything this fancy before. My red and white Evan Picone polka-dot dress fit just right, hugging my curves. The bust had a fun twist in the fabric, and the waist flared out at the bottom into the full skirt. My heels were four inches high, and instead of a hat, I wore a giant red flower in my hair. The flower was so large that it looked like a hat.
It was a good thing I had arrived early because Danielle wanted to try on quite a few outfits before finally deciding on a 1950s Christian Dior mint-colored dress with tiny white flowers throughout the fabric, which was perfect for the spring event. It had a large collar with an open neckline and a fitted waist. She wore a large white Lilly Daché hat with a mint-colored underside and a mint ribbon around the crown. Her white Dior clutch purse matched perfectly.
The event was being held inside the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs. The building was adjacent to the track. Red and yellow tulips lined the path to the entrance. Danielle was getting the VIP treatment, and that meant I was too. That was something I was definitely not used to; I’d never gotten special treatment in the past.
White cloth-draped tables and white chairs were set up throughout the room. Chatter from the guests filled the air, and dishes clanked as everyone enjoyed a lunch of fried green tomatoes, country ham salad, grilled chicken, savory bread pudding, and cheese grits. After eating, Danielle and I were standing around watching the party-goers. Of course, the ghosts stood behind us. Danielle was pointing out celebrities.
“Is that Kim Kardashian?” Charlotte waved her hands as if that would get her noticed.
“Kim who?” Maureen asked.
Danielle pointed to someone else, taking my attention away from the ghosts. “I think he’s on that reality show.”
“Which one?” I asked, scanning the room.
“The guy or the reality show?” she asked.
I chuckled. “Both, I guess.”
“You don’t watch much television, do you?” she said.
“No, not really. I’m always running the shop, so I miss a lot of it. I watch a lot of I Love Lucy reruns,” I said with a smile.
As I sipped on my iced tea, I couldn’t shake the sensation that someone was watching me. When I glanced around the room, I spotted a woman with long, blond hair staring at me. She wore a long, tight, black strapless dress, which was kind of odd since everyone else wore springlike colors—pinks and yellows and greens. I didn’t recognize the designer of the dress. That always bugged me because I prided myself on knowing designers. I suppose I couldn’t know all of them. She sipped on her drink but continued to stare. The fact that I was now watching her didn’t deter her.
“Do you know that woman?” I leaned over and whispered into Danielle’s ear.
“Which woman?” Danielle asked.
“The one over there . . . she’s gone now.”
“What did she look like?”
“Long, blond hair . . .”
A tall, black-haired man walked up and interrupted our conversation.
“That was just plain rude,” Charlotte crossed her arms in front of her chest and tapped her foot against the floor. “He could have waited until you’d finished your conversation with Danielle before interrupting.”
“I’ll be right back, Cookie,” Danielle said, getting up and walking away with the man.
Now I was all alone. Well, the ghosts were with me too, but no one else could see that I’d brought special guests. It was a good thing though, because the crowd would probably have run away. If the ghosts had been visible, they would have fit right in. Okay, Charlotte would have fit in. Maureen, not as much. Charlotte was wearing a strapless Christina Dior ruby-colored silk gown with a boned bodice. Her matching heels were Gucci. I was pleased to see Maureen in vintage, although she was slightly underdressed for the occasion. She wore a 1980s brown and white botanical print dress. With an empire waist and flowy sleeves, the dress looked like it was made in the 1940s. Her brown leather pumps were from Nine West. We needed to have a serious discussion about Maureen’s fashion sense. One thing was for sure: Charlotte and Maureen were having a great time gossiping about the celebrities.
“I could really get used to this,” Charlotte said.
Charlotte had been to many fancy events when she was alive, but I didn’t think even she had been to something this extravagant. Since Danielle was busy talking to that tall man, I decided to visit the ladies’ room to freshen my makeup. Danielle seemed to have slipped out to another part of the building, probably so it would be quieter and they could talk.
“You’d think they would offer a little more food than that for the price it cost to get into this place,” Charlotte said.
“How do you know how much it cost to get in?” I whispered as we walked down the hallway.
It was a good thing I was alone out there. Now I could talk with Charlotte and Maureen. Well, I could answer back. They had been talking to me nonstop the whole time.
“I looked at someone’s ticket who was sitting at the table across from us.”
“You shouldn’t spy on people,” I said.
“It’s not spying, darling. I mean, if they could see me, I’d do the same thing.”
Charlotte strolled ahead of me toward the ladies’ room.
She had a point. I knew she would do the same thing even if they could see her.
Maureen walked beside me. “Charlotte is sassy, isn’t she?”
“You’re telling me. I’ve been dealing with her for quite some time now.”
“No offense, but I hope I don’t have to stay around for too long,” Maureen said.
“No offense taken,” I said.
We reached the hallway that led to the restrooms. When I turned the corner, I spotted a body on the floor. Charlotte was standing over the man, peering down at him.
“Charlotte, what are you doing?” I ran down the hall.
“I think this guy’s dead,” she said.
Chapter 5
Grandma Pearl’s Pearls of Wisdom
Hairstyles. The bigger, the better.
I rushed over to the man lying on the floor. He was near the men’s room. He was small in stature, probably my height of five foot two. The man wore a light brown suit, a shade lighter than his hair.
“Sir, are you okay?” I called out in a panic.
“I’m telling you he’s not okay, Cookie. He’s dead,” Charlotte said with a wave of her hand.
“Dead as a doornail,” Maureen offered.
“You two aren’t making this any better,” I said. “What should I do?”
“We’re just telling it like we see it. Right, Maureen?” Charlotte said.
Maureen moved closer to Charlotte, as if they formed a team now. “That’s right.”
Of course, the man didn’t answer. He was lying in an awkward position That was definitely not natural or comfortable
. I reached down to check his pulse.
“He’s dead,” I said when I leaned up.
“I tried to tell you,” Charlotte said.
Panic surged through me. I had to get help for this man. Maybe it wasn’t too late to save him.
“Should I do CPR?” I asked as I pulled out my cell phone and dialed 911.
“Do you know how?” Maureen asked.
“Of course, she doesn’t know how. I told her she should take a class. With the luck she has, it would come in handy. And see, I was right.” Charlotte shook her head.
“Now is not the time for a lecture,” I warned.
“This is nine one one. What’s your emergency?” the female operator asked.
“There’s a dead man here,” I blurted out.
After I gave her the address, she helped me attempt CPR. I had no idea what I was doing. I worried I’d do more harm, but even though he was already dead, I felt I had to do something. I did as I was told, but nothing was happening. Charlotte and Maureen were pacing. I couldn’t believe no other people had come into the restroom area. I could use a little help.
Thank goodness, soon sirens sounded, and I knew help was right outside. Within seconds, the police had descended on the area. There was nothing more I could do now. I backed away and let them handle it.
“You did a good job,” Charlotte said.
“Yes, good work, Cookie,” Maureen said. “There was nothing you could do. He was a goner.” Maureen made a gesture with her index finger across her throat.
“I wonder what happened to him,” I whispered.
“Cookie, are you okay?” Danielle called out.
I turned to see her running down the hallway toward me. Now she came. I could have used her a few minutes ago.
“I heard the sirens, and someone said it was you.”
“I found this man.” I gestured toward the area. “I’m pretty sure he’s dead.”
Danielle craned her neck to the side for a better view of the body. Police were blocking the view. Other guests were trying to get a glimpse of the action too.
She gasped. “Oh! Do you know who that is?”
