The Death Planner (Storage Ghost Murders Book 6)

by Gillian Larkin

  “Not at the moment. Look, I’ve done what I needed to today. Why don’t you two leave now? I can take care of the shop, it’s not going to get busy at this time of the day.”

  “Oh no! We couldn’t!” Beth began to argue.

  Frankie said, “We can. Come on, we’ve got a lot to discuss. Grace will be fine, she’s used to being on her own.”

  Beth looked uncertain. “I’m not sure.”

  Grace held the shop door open. “I’m sure. Off you go. Enjoy your evening.”

  Beth pecked Grace on her cheek. “Thank you. You’re very kind. Please phone if you need any help.”

  Frankie grabbed Beth’s hand and pulled her through the open door. He called out over his shoulder. “Thanks, Grace. See you later!”

  Pearl appeared the moment that Grace closed the door. “Thank goodness he’s gone! He’s been getting on my nerves all day. You should have heard him proposing to that girl of his! He made a right pig’s ear of it. And you should have seen the look on her face when he’d finished his proposal. She looked as if she was ready to bolt for the door. I can’t believe she said yes! Well, you know what they say about love being blind.” Pearl folded her arms and let out a series of tuts.

  Grace had a quick scan around the shop to see if any customers were lurking in the corners. There wasn’t anyone hiding anywhere. Grace turned to Pearl. “What do you think about Beth? I suppose she seems nice enough. It’s a bit soon though, don’t you think? They hardly know each other. I think Frankie’s rushing into it.”

  “Grace! Stop babbling on! I know you don’t want things to change, but they have to. I don’t want to talk about your brother any more. Tell me what you’ve been up to.”

  “Where’s Jenny?”

  “I had to send her away. She was going crazy with all that constant scribbling on her clipboard. You heard her muttering to herself. That sometimes happens when a ghost receives a flood of memories. They can’t make sense of them and they close down their rational minds. She’ll be alright in a bit.”

  “Oh, I wanted her to hear what I found out.” Grace paused and looked closer at Pearl. “Why are you looking towards the shop door? Is there someone there?”

  Pearl’s brow wrinkled. “Not yet.” She turned back to Grace. “Come on, tell me everything.”

  Grace told Pearl about Giles and his womanising ways. Pearl shook her head and made derogatory comments about him.

  Grace concluded her tale. “So, what do you think about that? Pearl? Are you listening?”

  Pearl was staring at the shop door again. She shook her head slightly and then put her attention back on Grace. “Right, so this Angela Hansen is going to give you Giles’ address? Then you’re going to confront him? Good. You still need to talk to that Letty Leigh person again. And have another chat with Elsa.”

  Grace sighed. “I don’t seem to be getting anywhere with this investigation.”

  “You are. Thank you, Grace.” Jenny appeared at Grace’s side. “I’m sorry for putting you through all this. I’m being a real pain! And I’m sorry about turning all weird earlier, I won’t do it again.” Jenny smiled at them both. Her smile disappeared as she took in the looks that Pearl and Grace were giving her. “What? What’s wrong?”

  Grace pointed at the clipboard that Jenny was holding. “You’re writing now.”

  Jenny looked down at her clipboard. Her hand was moving back and forth across the paper. “How is that happening? I’m not controlling it! Has someone taken over my body?”

  Grace moved closer and looked at the clipboard. “Jenny, can you move it closer to me. I think you’re writing the same thing over and over again.”

  Jenny’s writing hand paused. Jenny lowered the clipboard. Grace read the three words that had been written continuously.

  Grace looked back at Jenny and said, “Alwyn and Green? Who are they? Why are they important?”

  Jenny frowned. “I don’t know.”

  “It must be important because you’ve stopped writing it now. Have you been writing that over and over since we met?” Grace asked.

  Jenny frowned again. “I don’t know. How can I be writing something and not know what it means?”

  Grace looked towards Pearl and asked for her opinion.

  Pearl wasn’t listening. She was staring at the shop door again.

  The shop door opened. Pearl clasped her hands together and said, “He’s here.”

  Chapter 26

  An elderly man in a brown cardigan stepped into the shop. He raised a hand in greeting and said, “Hello there, Grace. Remember me?”

  Grace smiled at the old man. “Of course I remember you, Derek. How are you?”

  Pearl moved to Derek’s side and gazed fondly at him. “Derek Quill, what a sight for sore eyes you are. Grace, get him to sit down so I can see the shape of his knees. He’s got lovely knees.”

  Grace ignored Pearl’s request.

  Derek moved closer to the counter and said, “I’m doing fine. Considering … you know.”

  Grace had helped Derek’s daughter Abbie recently. Abbie had been murdered and Grace had found out who had committed the murder. Derek knew that Grace could see ghosts. Derek had accepted this easily and offered to help her with any future investigations.

  Grace said, “I was so sorry to hear about Dorothy. You were married a long time.”

  Derek smiled and nodded. “It was a good marriage. I’m glad she found peace at the end, thanks to you and what you did about our Abbie’s killer. Things change, don’t they Grace? And not always to our liking.” He chuckled. “And how are you?” He looked left and right. “Are you alone right now? Or do you have … visitors?”

  “I’m right here!” Pearl declared. She moved closer to Derek’s side.

  Derek looked directly in Pearl’s direction and frowned. “Grace, is there someone at my side? I can feel something, like a kind of warmth.”

  Grace laughed. “Yes! That would be Pearl. She lives in this shop. She’s seen you before. She helps me a lot with my cases. I think she likes you.”

  Derek chuckled again. He said, “Pearl, wherever you are, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “The pleasure’s all mine.” Pearl patted him on the arm.

  “Derek, is there a reason why you’re here? Not that I mind!” Grace said. “But I’ve got a feeling there’s something you want to say to me.”

  Jenny moved to Grace’s side and said, “Can you tell Pearl to stop looking at him like that. It’s making my tummy feel weird.”

  Derek said, “I thought I might be able to help you. I’m at a loose end and I can’t stay stuck inside my house, not now that Dorothy’s gone. I have to keep my mind active. I thought you could use my help.”

  Jenny turned her back and tutted. “She’s touching his knees now! That’s no way for an old lady to behave!”

  Grace didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t ask Derek to help her. She didn’t want to put his life at risk. He’d been through enough recently.

  Derek must have caught her hesitation. “Grace, you would be doing me a favour. I could help you with that case you’re dealing with now. The one that involves that young lass with the flower van. And that chap in the flashy car. He’s getting around, isn’t he?”

  “How do you know …” Grace began.

  Derek looked embarrassed. “I’ve been following you. I was going to approach you and ask to help but then I saw you following that lass from the flower shop and I thought, ‘Hey up, Grace is on to something, she must be working on a case’. So I followed you.”

  Grace smiled. “You must be very good at following people. I never noticed you. But there again, I wasn’t expecting anyone to be following me when I was following someone else.” She laughed. “This is getting very confusing! Derek, thank you for your offer but I’m not sure I can take you up on it. There’s a killer out there and I don’t want you to get in the way.”

  Derek nodded. “I can understand that but I can take care of myself. Why don’t you te
ll me about your case? It might help to talk to someone about it.” He bent his knees. “Oh, my knees feel warm. Have you got a heater somewhere?”

  Pearl moved away from Derek’s side. She looked at Grace and said, “Derek can help you. I know he can. Give him a chance.”

  Grace wasn’t convinced about Pearl’s motives for having Derek nearby. But it would be good to talk to a living person about Jenny’s murder.

  Grace moved towards the shop door and locked it. She took Derek through to the kitchen and made him a cup of tea. Derek listened carefully as Grace told him everything.

  Derek took out his notebook and wrote something down. He stood up and said, “I’m going to find out who Alwyn and Green are, and what connection they have to Jenny Lorrimer.” He paused and then added, “If that’s okay with you?”

  Grace smiled and nodded. “That would be great. Thank you, Derek.” She felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders for the second time that day. What was that saying? A problem shared is a problem halved?

  Derek put his notepad away. “We’ll have this murder solved in no time!”

  Grace hoped he was right.

  Chapter 27

  Grace let Derek out of the shop. She was hoping to close the shop but there were a few customers waiting outside. Grace let them in. She tried not to laugh when she saw Pearl float over to the window to gaze at Derek as he walked away.

  Grace took up a position behind the counter and Pearl came to stand at her side.

  Pearl sighed with happiness. “I had a feeling that something wonderful was going to happen today. Isn’t Derek lovely? He’s got such a gentle face, such kind eyes. If I was still alive I’d be after him like a shot!”

  Jenny appeared at Grace’s other side. “Tell her to stop talking about him like that! It’s making me feel queasy.”

  Pearl let out a loud laugh and informed Jenny what she would do to Derek if she was alive. Grace winced and closed her eyes at the colourful expressions that Pearl used, she wished she could close her ears too.

  Pearl suddenly stopped in mid-sentence and looked behind her. “Not you lot again! What did I tell you about being patient?” She rolled up her ghost sleeves and a grim look came over her. “Right! I’m coming in there!” She turned to Grace and said, “I have to go. Let me know how you get on. If Derek comes back, give me a shout.” She walked through the wall behind Grace.

  Jenny frowned. “There are a lot of ghosts that need Pearl’s help. Are you going to help them too?”

  Grace quickly glanced around the shop to see where the customers were. They were out of earshot. “Pearl doesn’t want me to help them. She won’t tell me why. Jenny, listen, I need to speak to Elsa again. I’ll have to tell her the truth about you, about why you’ve appeared to me. And I’ll have to tell her the truth about Giles.”

  Jenny’s head dropped. “I know. And don’t forget about that last wedding. I saw her talking to Letty. I want to know what they were saying.”

  Grace noted the time. “Elsa will still be working. I’ll head over to her house as soon as I’ve finished here. Do you want to come with me?”

  Jenny gave her a half smile. “Not really, but I will do.”

  Grace locked up the shop a few hours later and drove over to Elsa’s house. She’d made a phone call to Angela Hansen before she set off. Angela agreed to help her.

  Elsa seemed pleased to see Grace and quickly welcomed her into her home. She insisted on making a hot drink for them both. Grace felt uncomfortable in Elsa’s happy presence knowing that she was going to shatter her happiness soon.

  Elsa placed a cup of tea on the table in front of Grace and looked at Grace’s shoulder. “Is Jenny here with you again? Where is she?”

  Grace smiled. “She’s not sitting on my shoulder. She’s sitting on the sofa, on the right hand side.”

  Elsa turned and waved to the sofa. “Hiya!” She carefully sat herself on the left side of the sofa. “Does she want to talk to me again? Is she having a good time in Heaven? Has she seen Mum and Dad?”

  Grace took her phone out and pulled up the website where she’d found the wedding photos. “Elsa, could you look at this photo please?” Grace held the phone up.

  Elsa peered at it and grinned. “That’s me!”

  “Yes. Who are you talking to?”

  Elsa pulled a face and nodded her head in Jenny’s direction. “I can’t really say, I’m not supposed to tell Jenny.”

  Grace said, “Jenny doesn’t mind. Is it Letty?”

  Elsa pressed her lips together and nodded.

  “Why were you talking to her? And what was she giving you?”

  Elsa lowered her voice. “She told me she was in disguise, she was playing a trick on Jenny. She said that Jenny would laugh when she found out that Letty was there. She gave me a note. It was from Giles. He told me which room he was in and that I was to go up and meet him.”

  “Letty gave you the note about Giles?”

  Elsa nodded. “She said it was really important. Someone on reception gave the note to her. I told you before that I went to the room at 9 o’clock but Giles wasn’t there. Can I look at these photos?” She took the phone and smiled as she scrolled down through the images. Her hand flew to her mouth at one point and she giggled. “There’s one of me and Giles! He’s got his hand on my back. I hope no one saw us.” She scrolled some more, Jenny looked over her shoulder. Elsa froze and her mouth dropped open. Jenny’s did the same.

  Grace stood up and walked over to Elsa. “What’s wrong? What have you seen?”

  Elsa turned the phone to Grace. “Giles! He’s …”

  Grace took the phone and looked at the image. Giles was standing with Letty. He had his arms around her waist and was leaning in for a kiss. Letty was looking at him with affection.

  Elsa frowned. “I don’t understand. Why would Giles be doing that to Letty? He’s my boyfriend.”

  Grace sat back down. The feeling of a million pennies dropping clattered into her mind. Of course. She looked at Elsa. “You’ve never met Giles’ wife, have you? Have you ever seen a picture of her?”

  Elsa shook her head. Jenny said, “Grace, what are you getting at?”

  Grace held up the phone. “I think Giles is married to Letty.”

  They all jumped as a loud knock sounded at the front door. Grace stood up. “I’ll get that, Elsa. I hope you don’t mind but I asked a friend to come here.”

  Elsa started to cry. “I can’t believe Giles lied to me. Why? Why would he do that to me? What else has he been lying about?”

  Grace’s heart twisted at the pain she saw on Elsa’s face. She walked towards the front door and opened it. Angela Hansen stood there. Elsa’s pain was going to get even worse.

  Chapter 28

  Elsa was quietly sobbing when Grace brought Angela into the room. Angela shot Grace a quizzical look. Grace indicated for her to sit down.

  Grace knelt at Elsa’s side and put her hand on her arm. “Elsa, there’s someone here I want you to meet. Her name is Angela, she knows Giles too.” Grace moved to sit at Elsa’s side but Jenny was still sitting there so she stayed where she was.

  Angela smiled at Elsa and said, “Do you remember me? We worked together a few times. I knew your sister.”

  Elsa nodded and wiped away a tear. “Jenny’s here now. She’s sitting next to me.”

  Angela’s smile faltered for a second and then she carried on. She gently explained how she knew Giles, how they had met and how they had become more than friends.

  Grace took hold of Elsa’s hands as slow tears trickled down her cheeks. Poor Elsa, her heart must be breaking into a thousand pieces. Grace reckoned that Jenny’s look of concern must mirror her own.

  Angela concluded with how she’d finally broken up with Giles that afternoon. As simply as she could, she explained to Elsa that Giles had been after her money. He’d admitted that to her when she broke up with him for good following Grace’s visit.

  Angela turned her attention to Grace.
“I followed him when he left my house after his second visit today. I know where he lives. Someone else must live there because I saw a second car in the driveway.”

  Elsa said, “Grace thinks he’s married to Letty.”

  Angela frowned. “Letty?”

  “Her business name is Letitia Leigh.” Grace said and let this information sink in.

  “Letitia Leigh!” Angela exclaimed. “If Giles is married to her then he must know that I’ve been in touch with Letitia many times about work! Do you think Letitia, or Letty, knows about me?”

  “I think she knows about me,” Elsa said sadly. “She gave me a note from Giles at the wedding. Then they were together in another photo.”

  Angela looked from Grace to Elsa, and back again. “What wedding? What photos?”

  “The one where Jenny died,” Elsa told her. “Jenny’s here with me now. I told you that.”

  Grace took a deep breath and told Angela all about the wedding and the photos. Angela nodded throughout. Then Grace told her about seeing ghosts.

  Angela held her hand up. “Nope! You’ve gone too far! I don’t believe in ghosts at all. It’s a load of nonsense!”

  Jenny spoke and shared a confidence that only she and Angela knew about. Grace repeated it.

  It was now Angela’s turn to cry. She shook her head vigorously. “No! It’s not happening! It can’t!”

  Grace stood up and said, “It’s your choice whether you believe me or not. I’m going to confront Giles.” She looked down at Elsa. “You can come with me if you like. I want to ask him what he’s done with your money. I’m sorry if this upsets you, Elsa, but I think he’s stolen it.”

  Angela jumped to her feet. “Hang on a minute! This doesn’t make sense. Why has Jenny really appeared to you? Is it just to look out for Elsa? Or is there something else?”

  Grace looked at the carpet, as if trying to find the right words there. She didn’t need to.

  “You think Jenny was murdered!” Angela cried out. “You think she was murdered at that wedding. And you think Letty, or Giles, had something to do with it!”