Speaking of whom… Jack was no longer so young or so wild, but Juniper sure wished he would hurry up and get back. Even assuming Kaitlyn’s killer was in the wind, there was a lot of tension in this big old house. Creepy tension.
Juniper was utterly absorbed in her thoughts when she heard an odd sound.
A banging. Like metal hitting rock. She listened harder. Was that the sound of dirt being shoveled?
She backed up against the house into the shadows. The sound was coming from the other side of the bushes at the top of the hill.
She took a swig from her punch to build up her courage and contemplated strolling up there. The moon was shining brightly and she could almost make out a motion through the trees.
Was someone there? Or had she imagined it?
Were the ghosts wandering the property in addition to the house, looking for bodies to bury… Get a grip, Juniper, she chided herself. She was going to have to stop listening to those teenager’s ghost stories.
There it was again: a flicker illuminating the tree. She saw the glow of yellowish light, as though from a candle, or a flashlight.
“Pretty, isn’t it?” came a voice from behind her.
Juniper jumped a good six inches and dropped her glass, which clattered loudly on the tiles as it sprayed its contents across the terrace. She swore a blue streak as she crouched to pick it up.
“Sorry,” said Fern Baron with a chuckle. She held out her glass of punch to Juniper. “Here. Have mine.”
“No, its okay… ” Juniper looked up at the hill. The light was gone…
“I was checking out the party. That attic is amazing. I thought I was having a heart attack when the man in the mask swung down over the stairs. You need a disclaimer on that attic door.”
Juniper laughed.
“I thought I saw my daughter wander this way,” She muttered. “She thinks we don’t know that she smokes back here.”
“Oh, um, yes, I saw her, but she walked around the side with Axl and some others.” Juniper said.
Fern let out a mirthless chuckle. “She’s extremely sullen, with few social inclinations.”
“She was telling me about the ghosts. Do you think she’s really seeing them?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen them but, then again, I don’t look for them. I’ve seen her after she says she’s seen the woman in white and I can tell you, I’ve never seen her more terrified.”
“Hmm, I can relate. I’m beginning to wonder if I’m seeing things.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, this is going to sound crazy, but I saw the lady in white before you came out. Only I think it was Lulu in her costume.”
“I thought Lulu was going to her daughter’s place?”
“She was supposed to. I’m kind of worried about her.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
_____________
D IGGING into her purse, Fern pulled out a mini flashlight and headed in the direction of the hill. “Let’s go see if we can find her then.”
Juniper’s heart raced at the idea but she wound through the trees, doing her best to keep up. As much as she didn’t believe in ghosts, the thought of them now bothered her.
“Fern, do you always carry around a flashlight?”
Fern laughed. “It’s attached to my keys which happened to be in my pocket—a Christmas present from the hubby. I also got safety goggles one year.”
“Oh man. Not a great gift giver, huh?”
Lifting the flashlight a few feet, she walked a few more paces and stopped, then flashed the light back and forth in front of them. The bench that had seemed so friendly and inviting only a few days earlier took on a dark and foreboding air.
“Lulu?” Fern called out.
A movement to Junipers left set her teeth on edge. Fern whipped the light around and Juniper sighed when she realized it was only a chipmunk scurrying up a great pine that looked like it had been there for centuries.
“Let’s go back. I obviously imagined things earlier.”
Juniper’s heart was beating so loudly she wondered if Fern could hear it. Surely she could hear her raspy breath.
A movement to their right caught Fern’s attention once again, and she wheeled the flashlight around.
“Another squirrel?” she whispered.
Fern rushed ahead of Juniper a few feet. When Juniper made it to where she was squatted down she realized she was shining the light on a shovel that had been stuck in the dirt.
She tried to push away the heavy feeling of doom that was growing in the pit of her stomach. Her eyes refused to accept the sight.
They’d found a body.
Chapter Twenty-Six
_____________
“P
ETER?” Juniper whispered, saying a little prayer under her breath. His body was crumpled on the ground and there was blood crusted to his forehead.
Juniper pulled her cell phone out of her handbag to call the detective. The battery was dead. “Do you have a cell phone,” She asked. “We need to call for help!”
Fern reached into her own pocket and shook her head. “Shoot, I must have left it in my purse.”
“Okay, let’s not panic,” Juniper said, clearly on the verge of panicking. “This isn’t a horror movie, and we aren’t stuck out in the woods somewhere. We’ll go back inside and borrow a phone.”
“What about Axl and my daughter?” Fern said. “You said they were wandering around back here. What if… I dunno. What if they go after him?”
“They,’ who?” Juniper asked.
“The Doctor and his wife? Whoever did that to Peter?”
“Oh Lord, let’s go find a phone. Do you think there’s any chance he’s still alive?”
Fern bent down, “I don’t feel anything but the Detectives inside, let’s go find him.”
“You’re right.”
Juniper ran toward the house, Fern hot on her heels.
The back terrace was quiet. They raced to the bottom of the hill just as Helen Patone was coming out of the back door.
“Helen,” Juniper said, completely out of breath. “What are you doing here? I thought you were taking Lulu to her daughter’s?”
“I was supposed to but I haven’t been able to find her. I figured she was here. What’s the matter? You look upset.”
Juniper looked back at the bushes. “Have you seen the Detective? It’s an emergency.”
She reached out to touch me. “You’re shaking. Is someone chasing you?”
“We’re fine, but we found Peter.”
“Peter? Well, good…”
“Where is he?” Axl stepped from around the side of the house. He had a wild look in his eyes.
Juniper had to stifle a scream. She took a step back.
“He’ll pay for what he did to Kaitlyn.”
Fern shook her head. “I think he already has.”
Juniper grabbed Fern by the wrist and tugged her, “I’m sorry, but we really have to go and find the Detective.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
_____________
T HE clouds hid the moon as if it were going to rain, making the night black and foreboding. There was an otherworldly feeling enveloping the yard, all search lamps focused on the dirt pile.
“He still has a pulse!” I heard one of the officers say. “It’s faint. Probably been in these woods for a few days now.”
One of the younger policemen spoke into his police radio and then walked Juniper around the house while emergency personnel fussed over Peter. There were several people huddled together, Juniper, Pike, Eve, Fern, Axl and Helen. An officer took them one by one and asked the same questions, in different ways, over and over. Juniper’s eyelids had that scratchy, heavy feeling that comes with sheer exhaustion. Finally he took Fern aside.
“This is not where I envisioned Peter running off to,” said Pike, taking another sip of her beer as they stood by and watched the mysterious scene.
“You can say tha
t again,” Juniper agreed. “It’s also not how I envisioned the Halloween Ball.”
“Do you think we can leave soon? I really want to get to the hospital.”
No sooner did she utter the words than a policeman came over.
“Pike? Detective Lumos would like to speak with you now,” he said. “Follow me,” he said.
Juniper and Eve were chatting on a bench while the detectives questioned Pike and Fern separately when they noticed Helen mumbling to herself. “I can’t believe she really did it. I just can’t believe it. I should have believed her.”
“Believed what, Helen?” Juniper asked, perking up.
Helen’s face went blank like she hadn’t realized she’d spoken out loud. “Nothing. I don’t know anything. I don’t know where Lulu went.”
Eve furrowed her brows at me. It was late by now, and the partygoers had started to wander up the hill in ghoulish curiosity. Juniper recognized a few faces but none of them were Lulu.
Juniper tried again, “Helen, do you think Lulu attacked Peter?”
“I’m sorry. I need to find someone.” Helen turned and ran off, leaving Juniper and Eve wondering what had just happened.
Part of Juniper felt guilty for all the bad thoughts she’d had of Peter recently. He may have been a bad husband, but he didn’t deserve to be hurt and left for dead. She wondered what Pike was thinking. Did she suspect Lulu as well? Had Lulu hurt Peter? Had she killed Kaitlyn?
Juniper didn’t have a chance to think about anything else before she felt a hand on her shoulder.
“Officer,” She said with a nod.
“Ms… ?”
“Palmer. Juniper Palmer.”
“Yes.”
“Detective Lumos would like to speak with you now,” he said. “He’s out front.”
Juniper followed him to the driveway where she met Detective Lumos.
“Looks like your house is a crime scene again. Where’s your partner?”
“He got called out of town. One of our other properties sprung a leak.”
“You own other properties?”
Juniper nodded. “There’s not nearly as much murder happening there.”
There was a rustle in the crowd of onlookers and Juniper noticed Helen trying to make her way through.
“I said I need to speak to Detective Lumos right now!”
“Come on, please don’t make trouble for me, Mrs. Patone. Just wait your turn,” said the uniformed officer. “You’re up next, anyway. Just wait until he’s done.”
Helen broke through the imaginary line everyone else was observing. A different police officer tried to shoo her back.
“No, I mean it. It’s important I speak to the officer in charge,” she said. “I know who hurt Peter!”
A murmur arose from the crowd, and onlookers started voicing their opinions.
Detective Lumos straightened, fixed the crowd with his take-no-prisoners gaze, and then lowered—rather than raised—his voice. “Bring her over.”
He turned back to me, muttering, “I’m going to speak with Helen now. You can take Pike to the hospital. I know she’s eager to see if Lulu’s there.”
Juniper nodded and walked away, although she couldn’t resist turning back. She couldn’t help but wonder just what Helen was up to.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
_____________
T HE door to the emergency room opened, and a doctor walked out. Pike, Eve and Juniper stared at him, and Juniper was pretty sure they were all holding their breath.
“I’m Dr. Cider. Are you here for Peter McCloskey?” he asked.
Helen barged through the doors and marched up to the group.
“Yes,” Pike said. “Is Peter all right?”
“Are you family?”
“Yes.” She said, lying proficiently. “He’s our Uncle.”
The doctor eyed Helen and Eve, who were clearly too old to be Peter’s nieces, and frowned.
“I’m his sister-in-law.” Helen clarified.
“I’m the youngest niece.” Eve said, daring him to challenge her.
“He’s stable,” Dr. Cider said, relenting. Thankfully, he recognized a losing battle when he saw one, “he’s slipping in and out of consciousness. He has a concussion, and there is another injury—a clean removal of the tissue.”
Helen gasped. “What does that mean?”
“A bullet would account for this. It’s consistent with other flesh wounds I’ve treated.”
“Oh my God. How could she?” Her knees buckled, and she started to slip to the floor, but Juniper and Eve caught her before her knees hit the tile.
“Stop jumping to conclusions,” Pike said as she righted Helen. “What caused the concussion?”
Dr. Cider shook his head. “Until Mr. McCloskey is able to tell us, I can’t say. My best guess is that he was struck in the head at some point and shot.”
“Or maybe he hit his when he was shot…” Helen suggested.
“Perhaps,” Dr. Cider agreed, “but given some other details, I’m not ruling out the possibility that someone struck him on the back of the head. Held him and took him to another location only to shoot him later.”
“Good Lord,” Helen said. “You think he’s been held captive, too?”
Helen started to wobble again and Eve poked her in the ribs. “If you buckle, you’ll be the next one with a concussion.”
Helen straightened up and shot Eve a dirty look.
“We’re keeping a close watch on him for now,” Dr. Cider said, ignoring the exchange. “If you’re sticking around for a while, I’ll pop back in and update you if there are any changes.”
Pike reached out to shake the doctor’s hand. “Have you seen his wife yet?”
Dr. Cider frowned. “No, the police said they haven’t located her yet. I’ll tell her you were in and asking about her if I do see her.” He gave them all a nod and left.
Juniper looked over at Pike, a sliver of fear running through her. “Where is Lulu?”
“I don’t know but she didn’t do this,” Pike whispered. “She’ll turn up.”
“You sure about that?” Helen chimed in.
“Yes, I absolutely am. She’s a good person. She wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
Lulu did seem awfully gentle but anyone could be violent if they were cornered. Surely Pike knew Lulu best of all, then again, Helen was family and she seemed to doubt her cousin’s innocence.
“Are you going to stick around here?” Juniper asked Pike.
“Yeah, I think Lulu will come here once she finds out what happened to him. Besides, someone has to be with Peter. Lulu wouldn’t want him to be alone.”
“I have to go.” Helen said suddenly.
“Wait,” I called out, but she darted down the hall and through the hospital doors before I could finish my sentence.
Eve nodded. “I’ll stay with Pike. You go see what Ms. Thang is up to.”
Juniper hurried out the parking lot but Helen had already disappeared. What was she up to? Juniper thought the situation over—Helen definitely knew more than she was letting on. She’d need to think up an excuse to go over there.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
_____________
T HE Patone’s house smelled of pumpkin and bacon. It was an odd combination, but it made Juniper’s mouth water. Inside, Helen hovered in the doorway, a stained apron tied around her waist, eyes swollen and red from crying. A girl with brown hair and a plump figure, the spitting image of Helen, pushed passed me and headed for a small blue car parked in the drive.
“Here’s your Tupperware back. I just wanted to say thank you for all your help with the party and for the spooky treats you made. The bat wings were a real hit.”
“It was my pleasure. Cooking keeps my mind off things.”
The phone rang.
“Please take a seat in the kitchen. I’ll just be a moment.” Helen motioned to her left but scooted down the hall.
I perched on a stool at the counter where the contents of the re
frigerator seemed to be on the counter, a dozen eggs, bacon, and milk. A few remaining pieces of bacon still sizzled and popped in the huge old iron skillet.
It sounded like she was talking to the police —probably to do with Peter.
She returned and began putting things away.
“Don’t mind my daughter, Meaghen. She’s been staying with us, because of… well, since Kaitlyn’s murder. She wasn’t happy with us about insisting that the Haunted Halloween Party go on.”
“I understand. Your family’s been through a lot,” Juniper said, suddenly regretting her decision to drop by. Helen seemed overwhelmed.
“We’ll be all right… ” She hesitated, and the phone rang again.
“It’s okay. Please answer it.”
She hurried from the room again but this time Juniper couldn’t make out the conversation because she was whispering. Juniper wandered out into the foyer admiring the family photos along the wall—awkward middle school pictures of all the Patone kids. There was even a shot of Lulu and Peter with the Patones. Meaghan’s hand rested on her mother’s shoulder while Kaitlyn’s rested on Lulu’s. The set-up reminded me of the old sepia photo Lulu had stolen from the house, the one of the doctor and her sister’s family.
“Isn’t that a beautiful shot of the family?… ” Helen’s eyes filled with tears. She took a deep breath and blew it out, seeming to regain her composure. “Lulu was so happy then. I wish she would turn herself in. I just know it wasn’t her fault that she shot Peter. You don’t know Peter like we do.”
Juniper thought of the day she’d seen Helen slap him. She wanted to ask her what they’d been arguing about but that was the job of the police. The less, Juniper involved herself in, the better.
Helen stuck out her chin, then frowned. “He was quite abusive, and he was always threatening to put her back in the mental institution—a monster, really.” Helen went on. “I still think Peter was the one who killed Kaitlyn, no matter what that officer said… but I have no proof. I bet Lulu lost it when she realized he seduced my poor baby girl and killed her.” She started to tear up. Juniper saw a Kleenex box on one of the tables and got one for her. “Kaitlyn was like a daughter to Lulu. I’m sure she had one of her mental breaks and Peter’s shooting was probably an accident that she had to cover up.”
Cookies, Corpses and the Deadly Haunt: Haunted House Flippers Inc. (Bohemian Lake Book 2) Page 12
