Ghostly Business (Lorna Shadow Cozy Ghost Mystery Book 5)

by K. E. O'Connor

  “If there are any missing their heads like the one upstairs,” whispered Zach, “get out of there. You don’t always need to go in and save the day.”

  I shrugged. “I sort of do. You don’t meet many people who can see ghosts. And sometimes they need helping.”

  Gunner cleared his throat. “You sure you don’t have time for that ghost story now?”

  “No, we don’t,” said Helen. “Come on, Lorna, we’ve got a castle to get to.”

  Chapter 2

  The four of us and the dogs piled into Zach’s Land Rover and he drove us back to the hotel we were staying in. The hotel was a quaint place with a sagging thatched roof and ceilings so low Zach had to stoop in the bathroom.

  Zach came with me as I went to collect my bag, shutting the hotel room door softly behind him as I hurried to the closet and emptied the contents into a shoulder bag. I was excited about starting this new job, and loved working in old buildings, there was always so much history to absorb.

  “I’ve got more details of other houses to read through. Do you want me to view them without you?” asked Zach. “I can take photos and send them through if I like something.”

  “Sounds good.” My thoughts were on my new job as I pulled my main suitcase out of the closet and stuffed my cosmetic bag into it. “You have a look first, and if you like it, I can arrange another viewing with you. And we’d better bring along Helen and Gunner as well.”

  “I’m not sure the two of them living in the same house is such a good idea.” Zach caught hold of my arm and spun me into his embrace. “All they do is fight.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “You do know why that is?”

  “They’re both as stubborn as each other?”

  “Stubborn! That’s your family trait.”

  Zach gave me a mock frown. “It runs in your family as well.”

  I smacked Zach on the chest. “They might both be stubborn but that’s not it. They’re into each other.”

  Zach made a choking sound. “You can’t be serious? Helen and Gunner?”

  “Haven’t you seen the way Helen goes red around him?” I asked. “And Gunner starts flexing his biceps and getting all smoldering.”

  Zach cocked an eyebrow. “Gunner smolders?”

  I laughed. “I don’t think he does. But Helen thinks otherwise.”

  “Helen behaves like that because Gunner annoys her so much,” said Zach. “And I grew up with the guy, so I know how she feels.”

  “Helen gets like that when she likes someone.”

  “So why doesn’t she ask him out?”

  “Because he doesn’t come with his own estate and a closet full of cravats.”

  Zach laughed as he pushed my hair away from my face. “Would you like to see me in a cravat?”

  “What else would you be wearing?”

  “Whatever you want me to.” He gave my lips a gentle kiss.

  “I’ll give it some thought.”

  “And while you’re thinking about the cravats, make sure you keep focused on our house hunting.”

  “I promise I will,” I said. “As soon as we’re settled in at the castle, I’ll get straight on the internet and start looking. And the location of the job is handy. If you find anything it will be easy for me to come out after work and do some viewings with you.”

  “If it weren’t for the rooms full of ghosts in this castle, I might agree with you,” said Zach.

  “I never said there were rooms full of ghosts,” I said. “That’s Gunner putting ideas into your head.”

  “There sounds like there will be more than one ghost, though,” said Zach.

  “And most of them will be benign,” I said.

  “And if any of them aren’t?”

  “Then I’ll set Helen on them,” I said.

  “What’s she going to do? Smack them over the head with a stiletto and tell them to behave themselves?”

  “She would if she could see them. And that method works with Gunner,” I said. “But seriously, I’ll take it easy. It’s not always fun being bothered by ghosts. And although you seem to think I enjoy it, I wouldn’t mind having a normal job for once. One that involves lots of paperwork and organization.”

  “So long as you take care of yourself, that’s all that concerns me.” Zac gave me another kiss and then waited as I gathered my final few things, before carrying my cases down the stairs, where we met Helen and Gunner in the hotel lobby.

  Jessie and Flipper were sitting next to each other by the door and seemed reluctant to let each other go. Flipper kept nuzzling Jessie with his nose and gently whining. I was the same when it came to Zach. I hated spending too much time apart, but our jobs often called for it. And he had a few things to finish at his last place of work before he could start looking for something local. But I’d see him at the weekends, and we kept in touch by phone. We were used to long distance.

  Gunner made a grab for Helen just before she got in the car and tried to plant a kiss on her cheek, but she shoved him away. “Keep your hands to yourself.”

  Gunner placed his hand over his heart and pulled an exaggerated frown. “I was only being friendly. Lorna will let me kiss her goodbye.”

  I offered him the back of my hand. “Just don’t try any of your funny business. Helen’s warned me what you’re like.”

  Gunner pressed a kiss to my hand under Zach’s watchful gaze. “As if I’d do anything like that. And with my baby brother standing next to us, it would be more than my life’s worth.”

  “You’d better believe it,” growled Zach. “Lorna is off the market.”

  I enjoyed feeling my toes curl as Zach became all possessive over me.

  Our suitcases were in the back of Helen’s car, and Flipper gave Jessie one last nuzzle before climbing onto the back seat and settling himself in for the journey. I checked my email on my phone, before keying in the information on the satnav to get us to Gillan Castle without getting lost.

  I waved goodbye to Zach, Gunner, and Jessie, who all stood outside of the hotel. I was looking forward to living with Zach and putting an end to these goodbyes, and was sure it would be fun to live with Helen and Gunner too. We just needed to find a place that suited us all.

  “I can’t wait to see what our new home will be like.” Helen glanced at the satnav, before heading towards the motorway.

  “It’s been awhile since we’ve worked in a castle,” I said.

  Helen glanced over at me. “And you’re not worried about the possibility of lots of ghosts? I remember when we spent a month in that French château, you got woken several times a night by icy fingers from restless spirits. And didn’t one of the ghosts trap you in the wine cellar?”

  I gave a shudder as I remembered the horrible four weeks we’d spent in France. Despite the beautiful countryside, fabulous weather, and easy work, I’d been exhausted by being bothered by ghosts. I’d had to hand in my notice, driven out by ghosts who wanted nothing more than to annoy me.

  “Maybe the French ghosts just didn’t like me,” I said. “But Gillan Castle will be different.”

  “And Yorkshire is such a lovely place,” said Helen. “You never know, you might even convince me to go out on one of your walks.”

  “Are you sure you’re all right,” I said. “I don’t think you’ve ever volunteered to come walking with me.”

  “Only if it’s sunny,” said Helen. “And if there’s a pub lunch at the end of it.”

  I laughed. “I reckon we can get that sorted.”

  Flipper started snoring as he drifted off to sleep, and I relaxed into my seat and switched on the radio, and we spent the next hour singing along to pop songs in our best out of tune voices.

  “So, what’s going on with you and Gunner?” I asked, as I turned the music down.

  “What do you mean?” Helen shot me a sideways glare. “I try to keep out of his way as much as possible. He enjoys winding me up and teasing me.”

  “You must hate the attention.”

  “And he’
s too grabby for my liking,” said Helen. “He’s all big hands and muscles. And he’s always invading my personal space.”

  “That must be horrible for you,” I said. Gunner was a good-looking guy, he shared that family trait with Zach, and Helen had noticed as well. The first time they’d met she’d come over all flustered and started pouting and smoothing her hair. Classic flirting Helen style.

  Helen let out a sigh and stared at the satnav. “Don’t distract me. I don’t want us to get lost, and we’re almost there.”

  “I’m not distracting you, but I need to know what’s going on. We’re all going to be living together, after all. I don’t want to stumble over you and Gunner having a secret tryst when I come down for hot chocolate and cookies in the middle of the night.”

  “Nothing is going on. You don’t have to worry about anything like that happening.”

  “Would you like there to be something going on?”

  “No! He’s not my type.”

  “How about if we dressed him in a nice suit and gave him a shave and a house of his own?”

  Helen glared at me but then shrugged. “I like his stubble. And he’s not hideous to look at.”

  I clapped my hands together and laughed. “I knew you liked him.”

  “I don’t!” said Helen. “I like my men posh and well-educated. Gunner is neither of those things.”

  “He must have a decent education,” I said. “He’s a chief superintendent in the police. You don’t get there by not having sat a few exams.”

  “Fine, so he’s got some brains,” said Helen. “But I’ve had this dream ever since I was a little girl of living in a big stately home and being treated like a princess by some rich older man.”

  “And that’s a lovely dream to have,” I said. “But maybe real life is going to be a bit different than that. And the trouble with older guys is, well... they’re old. You want someone you can have fun with, someone to make you laugh and chase you around the room. You don't want to get stuck with some old guy with a walking frame and a comb-over.”

  “I don't mean that old! But Gunner is an enormous pain,” said Helen. “He’s always picking on me.”

  “Like boys used to do in the playground when you were growing up?”

  “Just like that,” said Helen. “He's so childish.”

  “And you had your pigtails pulled by boys who were sweet on you but didn’t know how to say it. Gunner's teasing is the same thing.”

  “This is nothing like that,” said Helen.

  “It’s exactly like that,” I said. “The two of you should sit down and have a talk. I bet when you get Gunner on his own, he’s completely different.”

  “I’d be wasting my time,” said Helen. “And I bet I find my Prince Charming in Gillan Castle, anyway. There could be some lonely gorgeous bachelor drifting around the estate just waiting for me to arrive.”

  “And if there isn’t?” I asked. “Will you consider Gunner then?”

  “I wouldn’t consider Gunner if he was the only man left on Earth,” said Helen.

  I snorted out a laugh. “He’s not that bad. And if the two of you get serious, and I marry Zach and you marry Gunner, that would make us sisters. Wouldn’t you like that?”

  Helen grinned at me. “We’re as good as sisters as it is. But I guess that is one good reason to consider Gunner. But aren’t you getting ahead of yourself? I haven’t had a single date with him. And I’m not sure he’s the marrying kind. He’s more of a flirt like mad, get what he wants, and then run for the hills sort of guy.”

  “I think you should give him a go,” I said. “It would get rid of all the frustrating tension in the air every time the two of you are in the same room together.”

  “I’m only tense when I’m around Gunner because I’m waiting for him to start winding me up,” said Helen. “That’s the only tension I can imagine you’re referring to.”

  “Remember what I said about boys and pigtails.”

  “Do be quiet,” said Helen. “This is the exit we want, and I need to concentrate so I don't drive us into a ditch.”

  I smiled at Helen, but decided not to press her any more on the matter of Gunner. They’d get there eventually, and it would be fun watching the two of them bickering until they figured out their feelings.

  And as for this job, I had a good feeling about it. It was going to work out. There might be a few ghosts in the castle, but they would be happy to drift around without getting in our way. And they’d have plenty of tourists to bother and keep out of my way. I drummed my fingers on the seat. Or was I being foolishly optimistic? I hoped not.

  “I love this song!” Helen turned the sound up on the radio and started an off-key rendition of the theme tune from the movie St Elmo’s Fire.

  I grinned and joined in with her. No, I didn’t think I was being naive. We were going to love Gillan Castle.

  Chapter 3

  “This must be the place.” Helen stopped the car and we both stared wide-eyed at the enormous sandstone colored castle in front of us. It was like something out of a medieval fantasy and looked more like a fortress than a private residence.

  Gillan Castle was privately owned, but the family, the Babingtons, opened some of the castle to the public, and they were allowed to walk through velvet roped-off rooms and admire the finery the family had acquired over generations. The gardens were also extensive, having twenty-five acres, containing a maze, a formal rose garden, and an elaborate vista of neatly trimmed hedge animals.

  Helen nudged me with her elbow and showed me the screen on her phone. “There’s a dungeon in the castle.”

  “I expect they only use it for staff who misbehave.”

  Helen tutted at me as she scrolled through the information on her phone. “And they have rooms dedicated to different kings as well. Oh, and there’s also a torture chamber.”

  “That’s one for you,” I said.

  “Oh dear, and there’s something else.” Helen shot me a worried look.

  “What could be worse than a dungeon and a torture chamber?” I was still admiring the roof turrets and flags waving over the top of the impressive roof.

  “It says here that it’s one of the most haunted places in the country.” Helen grimaced at me. “I hate to say it, but Gunner was right.”

  “Don’t let him hear you say that,” I said. “He’ll hold it over you for ever.”

  “We’ll have to hope the ghosts are all friendly,” said Helen, as she put her phone away. “And they don’t need your help.”

  “Old ghosts don’t usually need help,” I said. “It’s the newly deceased ones, the ones who ran into trouble not so long ago and have issues that need to be resolved that are the most difficult. I don’t mind encountering a few thirteenth-century ghosts in the dungeon. And even if I do, there’s not much I’ll be able to do to help them. If they were killed or came to a grisly end, then their killer is long since dead, so there’s no point in them hanging out here and getting in our way.”

  “Let’s get our bags and go take a look,” said Helen. She parked the car around the side of the castle and let Flipper out. We pulled our suitcases out of the trunk, before walking past the public entrance and to the private access which read staff only.

  As we waited for the door to open, a large black cat strolled past us. Flipper’s ears pricked up and he took a step towards the cat. The cat’s hackles instantly raised and it hissed at Flipper.

  I patted Flipper’s head. “Better luck next time. Not all cats love you. You might look a bit scary to them.”

  Flipper whined and looked back at the cat who was now spitting and stepping backwards slowly, its narrowed green eyes not leaving Flipper, just waiting for him to start chasing.

  “I meant to tell you, there’s a lot of cats living in the castle,” I said to Helen.

  “Most likely to keep the mice and rats down,” said Helen. “These places always have a problem with vermin.”

  “Josie didn’t say why there are so many her
e,” I said. “Maybe the owner just likes cats.”

  “Well, I definitely prefer cats to rats, so I don’t mind a few cute fuzzballs hanging around the place,” said Helen. “Although I’m never a fan of clearing up their mess when they bring up a fur ball or two.”

  The staff door opened and a middle-aged woman with bright red cheeks looked out at us. She wore a black dress, covered by a red apron with dusty handprints smeared on it. “May I help you?”

  “I’m Lorna Shadow and this is Helen Holiday,” I said. “We’re here to start work for Lady Cordelia.”

  “Are you the new personal assistant and seamstress?” The woman smiled at us both. “I’m Daphne Jones, house cook. Come in, the two of you.” She stood back from the door and pushed it open wider, gesturing at us as she did so.

  We both nodded a greeting as we walked into a dimly lit corridor with brightly patterned floor tiles. The pleasing smell of baking bread drifted towards us.

  “Lady Cordelia said to expect you,” said Daphne. “Our butler is off sick, so I’ve been running around doing two jobs. I’m a bit behind on the cooking, and things are manic here today. The castle is open for visitors, and Julius, Lady Cordelia’s son, has just said he wants guests for afternoon tea. How am I supposed to rustle up two dozen scones out of thin air? Not to mention the sandwiches and little cakes he likes. That boy tries my patience sometimes.”

  “I can help with that,” said Helen. “I love cooking.”

  Daphne’s dark brown eyes widened and she smiled at Helen. “I think I’ve just been sent an angel. Can you really help?”

  “Of course!” Helen smiled at Daphne. “Give me five minutes to put my bags away and I’m all yours.”

  “Well, looks like Lady Cordelia did a good thing hiring the two of you. Let me show you to your rooms and then we can have some tea while we bake.”

  “Sounds lovely,” I said, hoping I wasn’t being included in the baking offer. My skills when it came to baked goods revolved around eating them, not making them.