by Rose Pressey
What was I going to say? I liked Danielle. I didn’t know the facts, so I certainly wasn’t going to take sides.
“Well, I hope you all work things out,” I said.
Mandy studied my face for a second longer. I noticed her jaw tighten. She was obviously upset that I hadn’t immediately taken her side. Her stare was focused on me like a laser.
“To be honest, I think Danielle killed Ramon.”
“Wow, that’s a big accusation,” I said.
She shrugged. “I’m just saying what I feel. I’d be careful around her if I were you.”
I didn’t know what to think of her warning.
“I’ll take that into consideration.”
“Nice talking to you,” she said with another one of her fake smiles.
“You too,” I said.
Mandy turned and strolled away. If she was concerned about Danielle, she didn’t show it. She didn’t mind fighting with her.
“What do you think of what she said?” Charlotte asked.
“I don’t know what to think,” I whispered.
We looked at Ramon. He had been quiet throughout the entire conversation.
“You know Mandy the best. What do you think?” I asked.
He shrugged. “You—”
“Just have to . . . get to know her.” Charlotte, Maureen, and I finished his sentence.
“I need to talk with Danielle to get her side of the story.” I eased around the side of the barn.
The horses made noise, announcing my presence. Danielle was standing by the office door. The scowl on her face let me know that she still wasn’t happy. She forced a smile when she saw me.
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
“I just ran into Mandy.” Danielle rolled her eyes. “I’m thinking about calling the police.”
“What happened?” I asked, though I’d already gotten the story from Mandy. Well, her side at least.
“She took things from my car. There was my wallet, and I don’t know what else she took.”
“Why do you think she did that?” I asked.
“For one thing, she doesn’t know how to manage her money.”
Something pulled on my shirt. I spun around to find a horse trying to bite at my sleeve.
Danielle laughed. “He wants your attention.”
I rubbed the horse.
“We should go,” Danielle said. “I’ll grab my stuff.”
I knew she was still angry, but at least the horse had calmed her down.
After Danielle had her bag, we headed around the barn and toward my car.
“Maybe shopping will take my mind off everything,” Danielle said.
“It always made me feel better,” Charlotte said.
My car would be crowded with all the ghosts and Danielle. I hoped Charlotte wouldn’t try to argue over who got the passenger seat this time. I’d have a hard time explaining that to Danielle.
As we walked across the area toward my car, I felt as if someone was watching us. When I looked over, I noticed Mandy. She was staring. I didn’t point it out to Danielle. She was feeling a little better, and I didn’t want to get her upset again. Mandy realized that I had spotted her, but she didn’t smile back when I smiled at her.
“She gives me the creeps,” Charlotte whispered.
“Me too,” I said.
“What was that?” Danielle asked.
“Oh . . . I said, I can’t wait to shop.”
She quirked an eyebrow but said nothing else about my strange comment. We walked in silence until we reached the car. Thank goodness, Mandy wasn’t still watching us. Charlotte was nice enough not to argue and got into the backseat with the other ghosts. As soon as I pulled out onto the road, a large black truck veered over into the lane in front of me. I blasted the horn and swerved to avoid a collision. The truck didn’t slow down.
“It was as if they did that on purpose,” Charlotte said.
“Are you okay?” I asked Danielle.
She pushed the hair out of her eyes. “Yes, I’m fine. That was a close one.”
If I’d wrecked the car, I didn’t know what I would have done. Danielle gave me directions on how to get to the shop. Traffic was even worse now. I missed the rush hour of Sugar Creek, which was nothing compared to this.
“Did Mandy say anything else to you?” Danielle asked.
There was no way I would admit that Mandy had accused Danielle of being the murderer. That was when it hit me. Could Danielle be the murderer? No, she was too nice. Although just because she was nice to me didn’t mean she couldn’t be mean to others.
“No, nothing at all.” I smiled.
“Let me see if I can piece this together,” Charlotte said from the backseat.
Danielle had no idea that a ghost was talking. What would she do if she’d known? My best guess was that she would probably freak out.
Charlotte continued. “Cookie overheard Danielle and Mandy arguing. Danielle accused Mandy of stealing from her.”
“Right.” Maureen leaned forward in the seat.
“Cookie bumped into Mandy, who admitted that she’d had arguments in the past with Danielle.”
“Mandy said that Danielle is volatile,” Maureen added.
“She accused Danielle of murdering Ramon. According to Mandy, Danielle argued with Ramon days before his murder. That’s not something you can take lightly, Cookie,” Charlotte said.
“Not to be taken lightly at all,” Maureen said with a click of her tongue.
I’d keep all of that in mind.
We arrived at the shop, and I parked the car along the street. Second Time Around was located in a brick building that had several other stores. Lush green landscaping and a bubbling stone water fountain welcomed shoppers. People strolled down the sidewalk and in and out of the shops.
“I think I’ll wait outside,” Ramon said.
I wasn’t surprised. He didn’t seem interested in shopping. Danielle and I walked into the shop. Faint music played in the background. It was crammed full of clothing. I wasn’t sure where to even start. There was such a thing as too much. The cramped space almost made me dizzy. Racks, tables, and shelves were full of clothing, shoes, and accessories. I was on sensory overload. It was a bit too dim in the space as well.
“Is there anything I can help you with?” the woman asked from behind the counter.
“We’re just looking,” Danielle said.
“I feel like I can’t breathe in here.” Charlotte held her neck as if she was struggling for air.
Too bad I couldn’t remind her right now that she didn’t need air.
“We should look at the dresses first,” Danielle said as she motioned for me to follow her.
Danielle and I picked out a handful of dresses and carried them to the changing rooms. I had selected a Calvin Klein sleeveless brown and white polka-dot dress with a full skirt and a fitted bodice. The design was from the late eighties. I also had a pair of untagged pale yellow cigarette pants from the fifties and a light pink cardigan sweater from the eighties that was styled to look like the fifties. Hey, vintage was vintage. The year never mattered, only that it looked good.
Danielle had a Thierry Mugler emerald-green silk dress from the eighties that I knew would accentuate her curves. The color would look amazing on her. I stepped into the room and pulled the curtain closed. When I turned around, Charlotte and Maureen were there with me. I motioned for them to get out.
“We can’t see anything out there,” Charlotte said.
I pointed again with a stern look, since I couldn’t talk to them right now. Charlotte and Maureen stomped out of the room, and I tried on the dress.
“Cookie,” Charlotte called from the other side of the dressing room wall. “Since Danielle is calmed down now, maybe you could tell her what Mandy said.”
Danielle seemed to be having a good time. Why would I ruin it now by bringing up Mandy? Though I would like to hear what Danielle said about it.
“Danielle, how’s it going?
” I asked.
“I’m coming out,” she said.
I stepped out of the dressing room. “Just as I thought. That color looks fantastic on you.”
“That dress looks amazing on you,” Danielle pointed out.
“Enough of the mutual admiration society. Tell her about Mandy,” Charlotte said.
“Danielle,” I said.
She looked at me in the reflection of the mirror as she admired her dress.
“There was something that Mandy said. I just didn’t want to upset you.”
“I knew it.” Danielle spun around to face me. “What did she say?”
Maureen and Charlotte were staring.
I cleared my throat. “Well, she said she suspected you of murdering Ramon. She said you were volatile.”
Danielle’s face turned scarlet red, and she cursed under her breath.
“She’s really mad,” Charlotte said.
I knew she would be mad. That was why I hadn’t wanted to tell her.
“Is that right?” Danielle placed her hands on her hips. “What do you think?”
My eyes widened. “I don’t think you had anything to do with it.”
“Do you think I’m volatile?” She quirked an eyebrow.
I sensed that I was supposed to say no, even if I didn’t think that.
“No, of course not.”
“You didn’t sound very convincing,” Charlotte said.
“I think you’re making her madder,” Maureen said.
They were the ones making this worse.
I waved my hand. “Get changed, and we can buy this stuff. Don’t even worry about what Mandy said.”
Danielle stared at me for a bit. With a furrowed brow and a frown, her look was not a happy one. She turned and walked back into the dressing room. I hurried back after her.
“Well, that went well, Cookie.” Charlotte said. “By the way, that dress does nothing for you.”
Just wait until I could talk to Charlotte and Maureen. Danielle was already at the counter when I stepped out of the dressing rooms. I wondered how long she would be mad. This would be an awkward drive back. I knew I shouldn’t have mentioned Mandy.
Danielle spoke again as we made it to the car. Thank goodness, she still wasn’t mad at me. What if she was the killer and I was riding around with her? I had to push that thought out of my mind. I pulled out onto the road. As we drove along, I noticed a truck on the left. It was just sitting there.
“Doesn’t that look like the truck that tried to cut us off the road?” Danielle asked.
“Actually, I think it is the truck. I suppose it’s just a coincidence that it’s here too,” I said as I hurried through the light.
I peered in the rearview mirror to see if the truck had followed us. Luckily, it wasn’t behind us.
“I’ll keep an eye out for the truck,” Charlotte said.
It looked as if she wouldn’t have to because the truck remained parked. It was just a coincidence. Thank goodness, the rest of the trip was uneventful. I’d had enough excitement for the day. Danielle never mentioned Mandy again for the rest of the trip.
After dropping off Danielle at the backside, I hoped that she wouldn’t have any more arguments with Mandy, especially now that I’d told her what Mandy had said. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I should have kept that part to myself. Danielle waved at the car as I pulled away. I’d see her later tonight at the event.
“Now what?” Charlotte asked as she appeared in the passenger seat beside me.
She wasn’t wasting any time in claiming her spot at the front of the car.
“I don’t know. We have some free time before the event tonight.”
“I know what we should do,” Charlotte said.
“What’s that?”
I knew by the look in her eyes that she was up to something.
“We should visit Ramon’s wife. I’d love to hear what she has to say.”
“That’s an excellent idea,” Maureen said.
I looked in the rearview mirror at Ramon.
He shook his head. “No way. I don’t think that’s a good idea at all.”
“Don’t you want to see your wife?” Charlotte asked.
“Not really,” Ramon said.
“Oh.” Charlotte pursed her lips.
“I think Ramon has something to hide that he doesn’t want us to find out,” Maureen said.
“And if we talk to his wife, we will find out what it is,” Charlotte said.
I had to agree with them.
“Ramon, why don’t you want me to talk with your wife? It may help with finding your killer. Don’t you want the person responsible for this to be behind bars?” I asked.
He sighed. “Yes, I do, but just don’t believe everything she says.”
I looked at Charlotte again. She quirked an eyebrow.
“That means believe everything she says.”
I bit back a laugh. “Okay, tell me where to go.”
“You need to turn around. It’s in the opposite direction.”
I made a turnaround in a McDonald’s parking lot and headed in the opposite direction.
“How far is it?” I asked.
“About thirty minutes.”
“Why is everything so spread out?” I asked.
“It’s a big city.”
“You’re used to a small town,” Charlotte said.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” I said.
Chapter 15
Grandma Pearl’s Pearls of Wisdom
There’s a new day tomorrow,
and it hasn’t been touched yet.
We arrived at an upscale subdivision. Large stone signs welcomed us to Stonebridge Estates. Shade trees lined the streets, and sprinklers pirouetted across the green, carpet-like lawns.
“It’s the second street on the right, fifth house on the left.”
I made the second right and counted down to the house.
“It’s a beautiful house, Ramon,” Maureen said.
The house looked as if it was only a couple of years old. It was big, with a brick and stone façade.
“We just moved in about a year ago,” Ramon said. “I suppose my wife will have to move out now.”
“Probably not,” Charlotte said. “I guess you had a nice hunk of insurance that would pay the house off, right? If not, that’s bad financial planning on your part.”
Charlotte, always the businesswoman.
“I did have an insurance policy. My wife was the beneficiary.”
“Uh huh,” Charlotte said with a click of her tongue.
I knew what Charlotte was thinking. Had his wife killed him for the money? I walked up the flower-lined path to the front door and rang the doorbell. The entry was huge and made me feel small and slightly intimidated about what I was about to do. Wouldn’t Kristina be surprised to know that I was standing on the front porch with the ghost of her dead husband?
“I suppose I could go on in. After all, it was my house,” Ramon said with a laugh.
Only a few seconds passed until the front door was opened. It was Ramon’s wife, Kristina. She looked me up and down as if she recognized me. Her dark hair fell past her shoulders in the same style as when I’d first seen her. A form-fitting black tank top and a pair of skinny jeans was her outfit today. Delicate pearl earrings dotted her earlobes in contrast to her casual clothing.
“Good afternoon, Ms. Gooden. My name is Cookie Chanel. I wondered if I could talk to you about your husband?”
“Do I know you?” she snapped.
“I don’t think you’re going to get past the gatekeeper,” Maureen said.
“I work with the owner of the horse your husband was going to ride in the Derby.”
“Good thinking, Cookie,” Charlotte said.
Kristina quirked an eyebrow, as if she wondered why the heck I would want to talk with her.
She stepped out of the way and gestured. “Come inside.”
That was easier than I thought. I step
ped into the house and gazed up at the grand double-sided spiral staircase. Kristina motioned toward the room on the right as if she didn’t want me to linger in the hallway too long.
“We can sit in here.”
The room was decorated in black and white. White chairs were placed in front of the fireplace, along with a black and white striped sofa.
“This seems like something you’d like,” Charlotte said. “Very forties glam.”
Charlotte sat in the white chair in front of the fireplace. She crossed her legs and placed her hands on her lap. Kristina walked over and sat on top of Charlotte. Charlotte let out a scream and jumped up.
Kristina had the funniest look on her face, as if she’d sensed something.
“I feel so violated,” Charlotte said as she dashed across the room.
She should watch where she’s sitting. I sat on the sofa. I was almost afraid to sit down and mess up the lovely room. Kristina started talking before I even asked any questions. Technically, she didn’t even know why I was there other than to talk about Ramon. I could have wanted anything.
Kristina shook her head. “He was cheating on me.”
“Oh boy,” Maureen said.
“Maybe I should wait in the car,” Ramon said.
“Sit down and listen.” Charlotte barked the order.
Ramon didn’t listen to Charlotte and disappeared. She would let him have it later. Whatever Kristina was about to tell us must be bad.
“He was cheating? How do you know this?” I asked.
Kristina stared me straight in the eyes and said, “I have video proof.”
“Oh boy,” Charlotte said.
“Can we see?” Maureen asked.
I glared at her when Kristina wasn’t looking. I really didn’t think that was a video I wanted to watch.
“I can show it to you, if you’d like,” Kristina offered.
“Yes!” Maureen said.
“That really won’t be necessary,” I said.
Watching such a video hardly sounded enjoyable to me.
“Sometimes Cookie spoils all the fun.” Charlotte leaned in for a closer look at a picture on the mantel. “Look at this photo. I think she cut Ramon’s face out.”
I wished I could get a closer look at that.
“Who was he cheating with?” I asked. “Do you know this person?”
