Harper Harlow Mystery 19 - Ghostly Endeavor

by Lily Harper Hart

  “Well, you’ve got our full attention,” Zander drawled.

  “Yes, anything is better than talking about Zander’s rosemary fetish,” Shawn agreed.

  “Well, after lunch, we went to the medical examiner’s office,” Jared started. “Farber there is still in love with you, Harper. I’m going to have to beat him with a stick if he doesn’t stop being freaky.”

  “I happen to love being adored,” she teased.

  “Well, since I love adoring you, that works out well.” He gave her a soft kiss, sighing when Zander lobbed another glare in their direction. “Anyway, Farber said that Cassie was strangled twice, likely because the first time didn’t take. He also pointed out that the finger marks on her neck were slim, and the first set of marks seemed to suggest that the person strangling Cassie was shorter than her.”

  Harper sat up straighter on her stool. “Wait ... .”

  “A woman?” Shawn queried before Harper could wrap her mind around what they were dealing with. “Does that mean a woman killed Cassie?”

  “Most likely,” Jared confirmed. “We can’t be sure, obviously, because I’m sure there are men out there with thin fingers. It seems far more likely we’re dealing with a woman, though.”

  “So, what does that mean?” Harper asked.

  “We went back to Chuck and Jason, asked if either of them were dating — or had dated — someone else recently. In a situation like this, I would think that jealousy had to be a factor.”

  “That sounds likely,” Harper agreed. “What did they say?”

  “Chuck has been on a few dates since his divorce. He met the women on dating apps and none are from Whisper Cove. He says they were all first dates and he didn’t like the women enough to schedule a second date after the fact.”

  “That doesn’t mean they didn’t like him.”

  “No, and we got the names of the individuals he dated. A cursory glance at the three women suggests none of them would have much of a motive. One is a single mother who works for GM. Another is a divorced mother who works for the county health department and has a sterling reputation. She’s since moved on to one of the deputies, too, something I managed to suss out in a single phone call. The other woman is single, thirty, and works as a secretary at an insurance office.”

  “Did you talk to them?” Harper asked.

  “No, but that’s a consideration for tomorrow. It seems a little farfetched to me that a woman would be jealous enough to kill an ex-wife after one date.”

  “No, but if you’re dealing with an unbalanced person, you can’t always go by what others deem as rational.”

  “That’s true.” Jared moved Harper’s hair out of the way and rested his chin on her shoulder. He was comfortable just holding her, even if they had an audience. “When we questioned Jason, he seemed a little more embarrassed. Apparently, he’s only been on two other dates — besides Cassie I mean — since arriving in town.”

  “That’s because women take one look at him and know he’s creepy,” Zander volunteered. “Women are much better judges of character than men.”

  “I think it’s more that he was convinced he would get another chance with Harper and that blew up in his face,” Jared replied. “He does a good job of covering his feelings, but it’s not hard to pick up on the fact that he’s got some residual lust for Harper. Also, apparently he thinks I’ll judge him for his lack of action.”

  Uncomfortable, Harper squirmed on the stool. “Did you have to put it like that?”

  Jared laughed and kissed her cheek. “I’m sorry to make you uncomfortable. That’s simply what I’m picking up from him.”

  “You should be careful, Harp,” Zander admonished. “Jason is psychotic. He could snap at any moment. I think you should cut him out of your life.”

  Harper balked. “He’s not psychotic.”

  “Well ... he’s a thunder-stealer.”

  “Oh, whatever.” Harper shook her head and focused on Jared. “What’s your next move?”

  “I honestly don’t know. All we’ve been able to ascertain about Cassie is that she seemed broken down by life in Whisper Cove and was desperate to get out. I think that has more to do with her father than any of the men she dated. She looked at those men as a means to an end. It was her father she was running from.”

  “That’s because he’s a jerk,” Harper said. “I remember once, when we were in high school, he showed up to yell at her for wearing makeup. Apparently she wasn’t allowed and he found out from someone that she was seen wearing makeup. He just appeared in the hallway and started screaming at her.”

  “I remember that.” Zander turned thoughtful as he grabbed the bowl containing the marinating steaks. “She would come to school early every day and put makeup on in the bathroom. Then, at the end of the day, she would wash her face before going home.”

  “It sounds like her father was controlling,” Jared mused. “Do you think he would kill her if she didn’t fall into line exactly how he wanted her to?”

  Harper hesitated. As much as she didn’t like John, she didn’t want to cast aspersions on him either ... especially when it involved murder. “I’m not sure,” she said finally. “I thought we agreed we were looking for a woman.”

  “John isn’t very tall,” Jared replied. “He’s like five-foot-six, right? He might’ve been able to go at her from the angle that was described to us.”

  “But ... what about his hands?”

  “That I don’t know. I didn’t pay particular attention to his hands,” Jared admitted. “We might have to make another visit to the house.”

  “Will he even let you in?” Harper was dubious. “I thought your first visit went poorly.”

  “It did. That doesn’t mean I won’t make an attempt at another visit.”

  “That’s probably smart. You can at least check on Mary. I’ve always worried about her because he’s such a jerk.”

  “I’m worried about Mary, too,” Jared admitted. “Have either of you guys ever witnessed an incident where John put his hands on Mary or Cassie in public? That would go a long way to getting a warrant if need be.”

  “Sorry.” Harper shook her head. “Even when he showed up at the high school that day, he just yelled at her. He yelled so hard in fact that I thought a vein was going to pop out of his neck. He got really red in the face, too. I was kind of hoping he would have a heart attack and keel over, if only to save Cassie from the embarrassment. I was uncomfortable on her behalf.”

  “We all were,” Zander agreed. “I don’t ever remember him touching her, though. He has a reputation as a screamer. If anybody had ever witnessed him abusing Mary or Cassie they would’ve said something ... or done something, for that matter.”

  “Emotional abuse is sometimes worse than physical abuse,” Shawn offered. “Sometimes a fist is softer than a hateful word.”

  “There’s nothing we can do about the hateful words, though,” Harper said. “John said them and got away with it because somebody would’ve had to attack him physically to get him to stop. If that would’ve happened, then he would’ve become the victim … which is just another way for him to win.”

  “So nobody did anything,” Jared mused. “He just kept getting away with it.”

  “It’s horrible,” Harper agreed. “I don’t know how to fix the situation, though. I mean ... you can’t lock him up for yelling at his wife.”

  “No, but I have a hard time believing he stopped with the yelling. I think it’s far more likely he merely trained himself not to lash out physically in public.”

  “Wouldn’t we have seen bruises or something, though?”

  Jared shrugged. “I guess that depends on how smart he is.”

  “I’ve always thought he was an idiot,” Zander offered. “Maybe we were wrong, though. I’m going to feel bad forever if he really was abusing them.”

  “Me, too,” Harper said in a low voice. “It’s really horrifying to think about.”

  “Well, let’s not think about it a
ny longer tonight.” Jared’s hand went to the back of Harper’s neck and he began to rub. “Let’s talk about happier things for the rest of the night, huh? This case will still be here tomorrow.”

  “That sounds good.” Harper leaned her head against his shoulder. “I’m probably going to have nightmares either way, though.”

  Unfortunately, Jared recognized she wasn’t the only one who would be dealing with thoughts like that. He couldn’t stop thinking about John Merriweather either. Something had to be done about the situation. He had no idea what, though. His hands were tied by the law. He needed to find a way to untie them.

  10

  TEN

  Harper’s dreams weren’t nearly as dark as she anticipated. There was a moment, when swinging in a hammock with Jared on the bank of a river, when she felt a cool breeze and thought she heard a whispered warning. It was over quickly, though, and she went back to laughing with Jared.

  When she woke the next morning, she found him staring at her face, his fingers light as he traced every contour.

  “Sorry,” he said in a low voice when her eyes popped open. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

  “It’s morning,” she noted in a rusty voice. “I normally wake up in the morning regardless.”

  “Still ... you look like an angel when you sleep. Has anybody ever told you that?”

  “That I look like an angel when I sleep? I think you’re the only one. It does make me wonder if I look like a devil when I’m awake, though.”

  “Only when you’re plotting with Zander.”

  “I never plot.”

  He snorted. “You two have a specific look you share when you’re plotting. Do you know how I know? I’ve seen the look and then figured out after the fact — usually when you’re doing something goofy — that you were plotting.”

  “That sounds like a gross exaggeration. I’m an angel. Haven’t you heard?”

  “My angel.” He cuddled her close and then cast a sad look at the nightstand clock. “We should probably get up if you want breakfast before my shift.”

  “Food is overrated. I’ve decided I want to live on love.”

  He grinned at her. “Well, I guess we could do that. I can pick up a breakfast sandwich on my way into the office.”

  “See, now you’re thinking.”

  JARED WAS A FULL FIVE MINUTES LATE when he arrived at the office, something that wasn’t lost on Mel.

  “You’d better at least have brought me something greasy,” the older detective groused when he saw the bag Jared was carrying. “I’m talking a sandwich and hash browns, the greasier the better.”

  “I guess it’s lucky you have a good partner, huh?” Jared dug in the bag and tossed a wrapped sandwich and hash brown on Mel’s desk. “I’m not an idiot. I know better than coming in here without food for you. After that first time, I swore it would be the last time.”

  Mel didn’t look convinced. “Um ... I hate to break it to you, but you’ve been back from your honeymoon for less than a week and you’re already late. That’s the definition of ‘idiot’ if you ask me.”

  “Oh, did somebody get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?” Jared teased as he flopped into his chair. “Before you answer, know there is no wrong side of my bed. I wake up with an angel every morning.”

  Mel made a disgusted sound deep in his throat. “And that’s why you were late. I should’ve known … and braced myself for the lovefest. How long is this sloppy love phase you and Harper are trapped in going to last?”

  “Until we’re a hundred and ten ... and then we’re going to die together. It’s going to be like The Notebook.”

  “You’re sick,” Mel muttered, although he appeared happy with his breakfast sandwich. “Bacon. The gift that keeps on giving … and giving … and giving.” He let loose a lusty sigh. “I’ve been watching what I eat ... but one little sandwich won’t hurt me.”

  Jared smirked. As far as he could tell, Mel’s definition of “watching what he ate” consisted of the older detective watching it as he shoved it into his mouth. He opted not to comment on that today, however. “What’s the plan?”

  “I was thinking we would head to the travel agency where Cassie worked and talk to her co-workers.” Mel’s mouth was full but that didn’t stop him from talking. “I informed Ted Kingman — he’s the owner — the day her body was found, but we haven’t been over there yet.”

  “That sounds like a plan.” Jared unwrapped his sandwich. “We need a direction to look. We’re getting nowhere.”

  “That means we have to hit it harder. Somebody killed Cassie Clifton. If Farber is right, it was a woman. We need to come up with a motive for why someone would want to kill her if we expect to find suspects.”

  “I guess her co-workers would know best. They probably spent the most time with her.”

  “That’s what I’m counting on.”

  WHISPER COVE AIR, LAND, AND SEA was housed in a small building on the main drag. There were only three offices inside — and three additional desks for the secretaries — and only a handful of customers.

  Mel pointed himself at Mallory Cummings first. “Hey, Mal.” He flashed a smile for the woman’s benefit. She was pretty, trim, and always dressed to the nines. Mel knew her as a friendly woman. He also knew — thanks to his sister — that Mallory liked to gossip. He figured that would benefit them now. “How are things?”

  “We’re understaffed,” Mallory replied as she gestured toward the far desk. “We have an intern working Cassie’s post, but she can’t do anything on her own. We have to sign off on everything because she’s not actually authorized to book flights and hotels. It’s a pain.”

  Mel nodded in understanding as he sat across from the woman. “Have you met my partner, Jared Monroe?”

  Mallory turned her expressive blue eyes to the younger detective. “I don’t think we’ve been officially introduced.” She extended her hand. “I’ve seen you around town, though. You married Harper Harlow, correct?”

  Jared’s smile was easy as he shook the woman’s hand. “I did ... and I thank my lucky stars that she’s in my life every single moment I’m awake.” He paused a beat. “Actually, I’m grateful for her in my sleep, too. I guess it’s an all-day thing.”

  Mallory smiled in response but there was a hint of mischief in her eyes that didn’t go unnoticed. “It’s nice that she found someone. We were all worried. I mean ... she was always such a peculiar girl. She claims to see ghosts, for crying out loud. I’m guessing you find that exotic, though, huh? You’ll probably outgrow that eventually. Things are only exotic when you’re young.”

  Jared managed to keep his frown in check ... although just barely. “I love my wife.”

  “Of course you do. Why else would you marry her?” Mallory seemed to be expecting an answer to her question.

  “I love everything about my wife,” Jared stressed. “As for ghosts ... she can definitely see and talk to them.” A year ago, he would’ve been uncomfortable saying that. Now he knew better. “She’s good at what she does and Whisper Cove is lucky to have her.”

  Sensing trouble, Mel cleared his throat to draw Mallory’s attention to him. “We all love Harper.”

  “Yes, there’s nothing weird about her at all,” Mallory drawled. “She’s perfectly sane. You’re obviously here for a reason, though. What is it?”

  “Cassie,” Mel replied simply. “We need some information on her.”

  Mallory made a tsking sound with her tongue. “I figured that was why you were here. I don’t know what to tell you. She pretty much kept to herself. Well, when she wasn’t hitting on Ted, that is. That was just pathetic.”

  Mel pursed his lips, darting a quick look toward Jared before continuing. “Did she and Ted date?”

  “Oh, no.” Mallory was adamant when she shook her head. “They didn’t have a thing in common. Ted is much too professional to date in the workplace. It took Cassie several weeks to figure that out, however, so she wasn’t my favorite co-w
orker at the start. Then she let it go and wasn’t terrible. Not great, but not terrible.”

  Jared didn’t consider himself an expert on women — even when he thought he knew all of Harper’s moods he discovered a new one — but he was fairly certain that Mallory had a crush on her boss. She was glad that Ted hadn’t invited Cassie’s flirting. She was upset, however, that Ted wouldn’t date her given his no-fraternization policy at the office.

  “How hard did Cassie pursue him?” Mel asked.

  “Oh, it honestly wasn’t that long.” Mallory let loose a haphazard wave. “I shouldn’t speak ill of the dead that way. It was mostly harmless. In fact, Cassie only made the one attempt. She asked how much Ted made, whether he got free travel vouchers or anything, and then let it go. I think she was looking for a sugar daddy.”

  Jared didn’t find the information all that surprising. “What about other men?” he queried. “Did she show interest in any of the customers? What about any of the locals?”

  “She always showed interest at the start. That only lasted until she found out how much money was involved, though. She cared about the money, not the man.” Mallory’s gaze temporarily darkened. “She didn’t understand how great Ted was, so she backed off when it became apparent he didn’t have the sort of money she wanted.”

  “That sounds ... interesting.” Mel wet his lips. “Did she ever talk about Chuck? She would’ve started here before her divorce was finalized.”

  “Oh, she said a few things.” Mallory screwed up her face in concentration. “She basically made him sound boring. If you’re looking at Chuck as the killer, I have to say that I don’t think it’s possible. He simply doesn’t have the juice to carry something like that out.”

  Mel didn’t disagree. He still had to ask. “Did you ever witness any fights between Chuck and Cassie?”

  “See, here’s the thing.” Mallory leaned forward and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “There was no spark between the two of them. I mean ... some people spark.” Her eyes furtively flicked toward the nearest office door, to where a name placard on the wall indicated it belonged to Ted Kingman. “When you spark with someone, it’s undeniable.”