4 The Ghosts in the Attic

by SUE FINEMAN

  Papa stared at the dreaded chair. Alex knew he didn’t want to have to depend on it, but if he walked that far, he’d be too tired to eat.

  Taylor bounced into the room. Papa sat in his new wheelchair and asked, “You like my new chair?”

  “Yeah. I got to ride on Daddy’s tractor today. It goes putt, putt, putt, putt, putt, putt—”

  “Okay,” said Alex. “We get the picture. Did you have fun?”

  “Yeah. We went out to check on the corn, then I played with Wilma and Sadie Belle. We got all muddy, so I had to take a bath.”

  Alex smiled. So that was why Taylor’s hair was parted on the wrong side. Charlie’s first time bathing Taylor by himself.

  Seconds later, Alex pushed Papa into place at the head of the massive dining room table. The nurses would eat with them tonight, and Aunt Gina, of course. She’d prepared the food according to the doctor’s guidelines, and it didn’t taste as rich as usual. It still tasted good to Alex. Everything Aunt Gina made tasted good.

  Charlie said, “Gina, you should be running a restaurant. This is delicious.”

  “No salt, no fat, no cheese… Italians can’t live this way.”

  Alex held back her laughter, but it wasn’t easy. Aunt Gina learned to cook from her mother, and to her, there was only one way to cook – her way. She obviously resented the doctor’s interference in her kitchen.

  Papa waved his hand. “This Italian can’t live with the rich foods anymore. My heart can’t take it. This tastes good. Everything you cook tastes good, Gina. And before I forget, Mario and his family are coming for Sunday dinner.”

  “I’m so glad you and Mario are okay again,” said Gina. “He’s a good boy, and he looks so much like our Papa.”

  He may look like Tony Porcini, but Alex knew Mario wasn’t a good boy. Mario had never been good to her.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Sunday afternoon, while Charlie was digging up flower beds in his backyard, Andy called to say they’d be back the following afternoon. “We thought we could make it tonight, but I’m already beat, and Julie can’t keep her eyes open.”

  “Okay. Alex said not to worry about dinner. She’ll have something ready to put into the oven. We’re moving to Vinnie’s house tomorrow.”

  “Are you sure you want to do that, bro?”

  “No, but Vinnie had a heart attack, and my little psychic daughter says he’ll die soon, so Alex wants to stay close. Vinnie invited me, in a backhanded sorta way.”

  Wilma sniffed around the spot Charlie had been digging. He could let the dog do the digging, but he didn’t want to teach her any more bad habits. She already had enough of those.

  “Okay,” said Andy. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Yeah. Uh, thanks for giving us some time together, Andy.”

  “Everything okay between you two?”

  “Yes and no. We’ll talk about it when you get back.”

  Charlie ended the call and went back to digging. He hadn’t found anything, but the flower beds would be ready to plant when he finished turning over the soil. He glanced at the back porch, where Taylor was playing ball with Bobby. Maybe she could tell him where to dig.

  “Hey, Punkin, where are those boxes buried?”

  She ran out and pointed to five different spots. He marked them with rocks and went back to digging. Within minutes, he’d unearthed the first box, a shoebox wrapped in a plastic bag. The second box looked like a tissue box. It was also wrapped in plastic.

  Dad walked out of the house. “Need some help?”

  “Sure. You and Taylor can open the boxes she told me were buried in the flower beds.”

  Dad glanced at Taylor, who was sitting on the porch steps. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “She said there are sparkly things inside, but I haven’t looked yet.”

  While his father carried the first two boxes to the back porch, Charlie dug in the third spot and pulled out a rusty metal box. “Here’s another one.”

  Donovan sat beside Taylor on the porch steps and opened the first box. He found fistfuls of money – mostly hundreds – and a small box of sparkling stones. He was no expert, but the stones looked like diamonds. Why would people live in Pop’s old house if they had this much money stashed away?

  The second box held more money and a bunch of rings and bracelets, all studded with diamonds.

  Charlie walked over and peered at the money. “Stolen?”

  “Probably.” Donovan had been a cop long enough to be suspicious of buried treasure. He flipped through the bills. They were old bills, so they probably couldn’t be traced. He wasn’t sure the stones could be traced either, but the rings could. If they were stolen.

  Charlie handed him a third box, a small metal jewelry box that was rusted closed. “We’ll need a hammer to get this one open.”

  Donovan looked up into his son’s eyes. “Is that all?”

  “No. Taylor pointed out two other spots. I’m almost afraid to look. If the cops get involved, they could dig up the whole yard and put a stop to the renovation.”

  “On the other hand, the stones could be fake and the money could come in handy.”

  Charlie watched Taylor go back inside to play with Bobby. “How can I explain how I found these things without bringing her into it?”

  As much as he hated deceiving the police, Donovan knew they couldn’t involve Taylor. Psychic or not, the kid was only six, and he didn’t want her involved in a police investigation. “What if you dig up the whole flower bed? Like you didn’t know where to dig?”

  Charlie glanced back at the beds. “Okay. It’s nearly half done anyway, and the soil needs to be turned over before I plant anything.”

  An hour later, Charlie had all the soil turned over and two more boxes sitting on the porch. They didn’t bother to unwrap them. Donovan gathered them all and carried them out to his car. If the stones were real and not stolen, Charlie could have a small fortune in these boxes. If they were stolen, someone may have a reward out for them. In any case, someone had to check them out before Charlie could spend the money. There must be at least ten thousand in cash in those first two boxes.

  Charlie watched his father drive away with Taylor’s treasure. The little stinker didn’t tell him there was money in the boxes, just “sparkly things.” They looked like real diamonds, but they could be fake. He wouldn’t know the difference.

  If his father wasn’t Donovan Kane, Charlie might have kept the money. The jewelry looked like it had been plucked out of a jewelry store showcase. If it wasn’t stolen, why would Marsha Garrett bury those things in her backyard?

  <>

  Donovan paced in the police station while detectives broke open the little metal box and found it nearly filled with rubies and emeralds the right size to put in a ring or bracelet. At least he thought that’s what they were. The fourth box Charlie had dug up was filled with hundred dollar bills, and the last box had a mixture of diamonds and cash of various denominations.

  “Where did you say you got this?” Detective Montgomery asked.

  “My son recently bought a rundown house from the bank. He’s renovating now, and he wanted to plant flowers in the backyard, so he dug up the flower beds. This is what he dug up. He was pretty thorough, so unless there’s something buried really deep, this is all that’s there.”

  “Address?”

  Donovan gave him the address on Wilson Street. “The house belonged to my parents at one time. I grew up there. That’s one reason Charlie bought it. I can promise you these things weren’t there when my family lived in the house.”

  “When did your parents sell the house?”

  “Well over thirty years ago. My mother had recently died, and my wife died the year before. We needed the money, so Pop sold the house.” Donovan paced six steps and back six steps. “My first wife liked to shop, and then she got cancer. The insurance wouldn’t cover everything, and the captain said if I declared bankruptcy, it could ruin my career in the police department.”
>
  Montgomery laughed. “I know two officers who declared bankruptcy last year.”

  “Sounds funny now, but that’s the way things were back then.” It wasn’t funny at the time. If not for the things he and Hannah found hidden in the house, things she cashed in to pay his first wife’s outstanding hospital bill, he might still be paying on those bills.

  Searching through pictures of stolen jewelry, they saw nothing similar to the pieces Charlie had found in the flower beds, and they had no way to trace the loose stones.

  Donovan gave Montgomery the names of the people who used to live in the house and suggested he talk with the next door neighbor, Mabel O’Neill. “She’s lived there since I was a kid. Neighborhood busybody. She told Charlie Marsha Garrett was crazy, always walking around talking to herself. Maybe she saw something.”

  Montgomery scribbled some notes and shook hands with Donovan. “Thanks for bringing these things in, Mayor Kane. I’ll do some follow-up, and if we don’t find anything suspicious, we’ll return these things to Charlie.”

  Donovan didn’t leave until the items were documented, photographed, and a receipt written. Even if the stones were fakes, there was a lot of money here, money Charlie could use to get settled in his new house. Donovan didn’t want any of it to disappear.

  <>

  Vinnie dozed off in his chair and when he woke, Alexandra was talking quietly with the nurse. “Hey, did you come to see me?”

  She smiled and the room lit up. Even with the scars on her face, she was a pretty girl, but he couldn’t take much of the credit. She looked a lot like Vanessa had when he married her. “Come over here and give me a hug.”

  After the hug, she said, “Charlie called me a few minutes ago. Andy and Julie will be back from their vacation tomorrow, so we can move in tomorrow evening. Is that okay with you?”

  “Of course it’s okay. Bring the dog, too. What the hell. I like animals. I had a dog when I was a kid. If not for your mother, you would have had one, too.” He looked up at his daughter. “Have you heard from your mother lately?”

  “She called several days ago and said she was going to Bermuda with friends. She said she’d call when she returned, and I haven’t heard from her, so I assume she’s still there.”

  So that’s why he hadn’t heard from her. He and Vanessa couldn’t stay married, but it was a friendly divorce. He’d given her everything specified in the pre-nup and more. Unless she went on a wild spending spree, she’d live the rest of her life in comfort.

  “Is Mario still coming for dinner tonight?”

  “Yes, but you don’t have to leave because of Mario. Gina is making enough food to feed you and Taylor and Charlie, although that Kane kid can really eat.”

  She laughed softly. “Yes, he can.”

  He took her hand. “Do you love him? I mean really love him?”

  “Yes, I do, Papa. I’ve always loved him. But he’s… I don’t think he trusts me. After I kept Taylor from him, I can’t blame him. I hurt him, and I hurt Taylor, too. They should have known each other from the beginning.”

  Vinnie blamed himself for that. He’d have to do something to make up for what he’d done, and he’d have to make sure there was a marriage between Alexandra and Charlie Kane. The Kane kid wasn’t a bad guy no matter who his old man was, and she loved him.

  If his daughter wanted Charlie Kane, by God, she’d have him.

  Alex heard a commotion at the front door and glanced at the big clock ticking away on the wall over Papa’s television. Mario was early, and she didn’t especially want to see him. She kissed Papa on the cheek, said, “I’ll see you tomorrow evening after dinner.”

  “Okay, okay, but I want you and Mario to make peace before I die.”

  “We’ll try, Papa.”

  On her way out, she said hello to her three nieces and her sister-in-law, glanced at Mario’s thin lips pressed tightly together, and escaped from the house. Mario was clearly angry to see her there, but she wasn’t staying away from Papa because of Mario.

  Make peace with Mario?

  Not unless he apologized for what he’d done to her.

  <>

  By the time Andy and Julie got home Monday afternoon, Charlie and Alex had the house clean, their bags packed and loaded in their cars, and dinner ready to put into the oven. Charlie and Taylor had also bathed both dogs and brushed them out. The kid was a mess, but the dogs were clean.

  Taylor hugged her aunt Julie, then put her hand on her tummy.

  “What do you see, Taylor?” Charlie asked.

  “A baby boy and a baby girl. Johnny and Rosie.”

  “Well, I guess we don’t need an ultrasound,” Julie said, laughing. “Is she normally right about these things?”

  Alex shrugged. “Who knows? If I were you, I’d confirm that with the doctor.”

  “She was right about the sparkly things buried in the backyard at Pop’s house.”

  Andy gave him a wide-eyed look. “What sparkly things?”

  “Dad thinks they’re diamonds. There was also a little box of red and green stones – rubies and emeralds – and lots of bills. Mostly hundreds.”

  Andy let out a whoop. “How much?”

  “I don’t know. Dad took it all to the police station to make sure it wasn’t stolen.”

  “Of course it was stolen. Why else would it be buried in the backyard.”

  “Papa put some numbers behind the picture for Mommy,” said Taylor.

  Charlie exchanged a long look with Andy. “Here we go again.”

  Alex sighed. “I’ll start dinner.”

  <>

  Three hours later, Charlie carried Alex and Taylor’s things into their apartment at Vinnie’s house, then carried in his bag. His bedroom was half a block away from Alex’s apartment. It was nice, in a ritzy sorta way, but he couldn’t live like this for long. There were so many expensive things sitting around he was afraid he’d break something and spend the rest of his life paying for it. He was constantly grabbing things Wilma brushed off the tables with her wagging tail.

  Vinnie invited Charlie, Alex, and Taylor into his sitting room for dessert – Taylor’s favorite ice cream and store-bought cookies. Charlie glanced at Alex and quipped, “Apparently Gina didn’t cook tonight.”

  “No,” said Vinnie. “She had dinner with Sophia and her family. My cook made dinner.”

  Wilma had followed them into the room. She nudged Taylor’s arm and the kid snuck her a bite of cookie. Vinnie called the dog over and gave her another bite. Wilma wagged her tail and gulped it down.

  “You’re spoiling my dog,” Charlie said.

  “Nice dog. She’s good with the kid,” said Vinnie. “I always liked dogs, but Vanessa didn’t want them in the house. She wouldn’t even let Alexandra have one of those little frou-frou things with the bows and nail polish.”

  Charlie scratched Wilma’s head. “We’ve always had dogs, mostly collies. They’re gentle, protective, and great with kids. The man who sold Andy the farm a few years ago had a collie with a litter of puppies, so that’s where we got them. Our family took four puppies and the mother.”

  Alex cocked her head. “The man didn’t keep the mother?”

  “He asked Andy to take her. He died a few weeks later of bone cancer.”

  “Was his name Otis?” Taylor asked.

  Charlie nodded. “You remember the ghost at the farm?”

  “Yeah.”

  Vinnie held out another bite of cookie for Wilma. She wagged her tail, sat by his side, and waited for more.

  Charlie said, “That’s it, Wilma. No more cookies for you.”

  They said goodnight, and Charlie helped Alex put Taylor to bed. He sat with her and read the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. Before he finished the story, Taylor was asleep. “She’s had a busy day,” he said quietly to Alex.

  “Yes, she has.” They walked into Alex’s sitting room. “Do you want to sleep with me, Charlie?”

  “No, not in this house.”

  “Yo
u don’t want to be here, do you?”

  “I don’t want to be here any more than you wanted to live with my parents.”

  He held her close for a minute before saying goodnight and going to his own room. It wasn’t time for bed yet, but if he stayed in her apartment, he’d end up in her bed.

  If Vinnie caught them together like that, he’d probably have another heart attack.

  <>

  A week later, Vinnie couldn’t sleep. His nurse had dozed off in the rocking chair, so he sat in his wheelchair and quietly rolled to the kitchen to get a snack. Charlie was already there, with his nose in the refrigerator. “Hungry?”

  “Yeah. You, too, or were you looking to see if I was sleeping with your daughter?”

  Vinnie pushed the thought away with his hand. “You wouldn’t sleep with Alexandra in my house any more than she’d sleep with you in your parents’ house.”

  Vinnie rolled closer. “Did Gina hide any cannoli in there?”

  Charlie pulled out a plastic container filled with them. “I thought you weren’t supposed to eat these things.”

  “Who cares? I’m dying anyway, and I’m not going out starving. Give me one.”

  Charlie handed one to Vinnie, then ate two himself. “I love these things.”

  “Gina is a good cook. So was my mother.”

  “Alex can cook, too. She made an Italian meal for my family. I’ve never seen my father eat so much.”

  Vinnie cocked his head. “Your family likes my daughter?”

  “What’s not to like? My mother thinks she’s great, and Dad likes her more all the time. My brothers and their wives like her, too, and my sister respects the way she fought off her attacker.”

  Wondering how to put it, Vinnie decided to just spit it out and see what kind of reaction he got. “Have you considered marrying her?”

  “I’ve considered it, but there are… complications.”

  “What if I took those complications away? I know you don’t make much money farming. What if I offered you a business of your own? Would you marry her then?”