by D. S. Butler
As soon as I got a free minute, I walked over to her, leaned close and whispered, “I’ve found her.”
Jess’s eyes opened wide, and she leaned in so we could talk quietly without being overheard. “Yvonne? Where was she?”
“In the woods, feeling very sorry for herself. I had hoped she’d spend some time with Loretta, which would help her adjust, but they had a big falling out. Let’s just say it wasn’t exactly love at first sight.”
Jess pulled a face. “I can imagine it was quite a clash of personalities.”
Although Jess had never actually met Loretta, she knew her well enough from my stories and descriptions.
“We’ll be able to ask her some questions this evening when we get her back to our place. Hopefully, she can give us something to go on,” I said, although I wasn’t feeling as confident as I sounded.
Jess nodded. “Don’t forget we have a family dinner tonight. We’re expected at Grandma Grant’s.”
I nodded. It had slipped my mind. But what Jess said reminded me about something Grandma Grant had mentioned yesterday.
“Grandma said she had a surprise for me. She is going to give it to me tonight before dinner. Do you have any idea what it is?”
Jess grinned, and I immediately realized she knew exactly what Grandma Grant’s surprise was. But of course, she wasn’t going to tell me.
“I’m sorry, Harper. I’m sworn to secrecy. I couldn’t possibly tell you.”
That didn’t sound good. I didn’t mind surprises usually, but when Grandma Grant was behind them, it made me a little apprehensive.
I pouted. “Oh, go on, just a little hint. I need to be prepared. I don’t like the idea of Grandma Grant having a surprise for me. It makes me nervous.”
Jess chuckled. “No can do, Harper. I promised Grandma Grant I’d keep it a secret. Besides, she’d probably put a curse on me or something if she found out I told you. You’re my sister, and I love you, but not enough to risk Grandma Grant’s wrath!”
“Scaredy-cat,” I said, although I understood Jess’s reticence. If I were in her position, I wouldn’t be spilling the details about Grandma Grant’s surprise either.
“So you had better bring Yvonne to Grandma Grant’s house after work,” Jess said, changing the subject. “Together, we can brainstorm how to help Yvonne. Does she have any idea who killed her?”
I shook my head. “Unfortunately not. She doesn’t remember anything about the actual murder. I’d hoped she could give us some idea of potential suspects, but she says she can’t think of anyone who would want to harm her. I find that unlikely, but apparently, Yvonne considers herself a paragon of virtue, who was sweet and kind to everybody.”
Jess looked disbelievingly at me. “You can’t be serious. She can’t possibly think that. You said she rubbed everybody the wrong way.”
I shrugged. “Well, not everybody. Most of the men she came into contact with seemed to like her. Archie had a huge crush on her, and he has been ever so upset this afternoon.”
“Well, this could be harder than we thought. Perhaps we’d better just leave it to Chief Wickham and Deputy McGrady. Hopefully, they will have some leads to go on.”
I smiled. But I wasn't prepared to leave it to the police, and I was sure Jess wasn’t either. I may have been niggled by the fact Deputy McGrady called me a snoop — I preferred to refer to it as having heightened curiosity — but the truth was, none of us would rest until we found out who had killed Yvonne.
I was more motivated than the police could ever be because, until Yvonne’s murder was solved, she was going to be my constant companion.
As if Jess could read my mind, or maybe because she saw the panic on my face, she said, “Bring dessert tonight. We can’t brainstorm properly without something sweet.”
I smiled. “Not a problem. Sarah is still away, but I’ve asked Archie to make us his berry cheesecake.”
Jess licked her lips. “Sounds delicious.”
* * *
Soon after Jess left, Chief Wickham and Joe McGrady entered the diner. I got them seated with menus and drinks and then went to try and find Yvonne.
She was sulking in the back room. I had hoped she would reach out to Loretta and try to smooth things over, but clearly, Yvonne was just a stubborn as Loretta. She was determined to make things difficult for me.
“Yvonne, you should come into the diner because—“
“Oh, you’re talking to me now, are you?” Yvonne sniped sarcastically. “I thought it was to be silence at all times in the diner.”
Her face had such a sour look. I wanted to shake some sense into her. Unfortunately, I couldn’t because my hands wouldn’t be able to grip her, so instead, I made do with giving her a fierce glare.
The fact I was mad at her didn’t really have much effect on Yvonne. She didn’t care.
“I’m bored. You told me Loretta would help me, and all she did was be mean to me and leave me all on my own.”
“Stop complaining. I just popped in here to tell you that Chief Wickham is here. You should get out into the diner and see if you can overhear anything. They might discuss the investigation, and it could trigger a memory and help you remember what happened.”
I prepared to leave, but Yvonne’s voice stopped me. “What sort of memory?”
I groaned. “I don’t know. That’s why you have to go and listen. If you learn something about their investigation, it could help. You might hear which suspects they are looking into, or they could say something that helps us identify the culprit.”
Yvonne shook her head. “I don’t know why you’re so fixated on the idea I knew my killer. It was probably just some crazed psychopath. Why would anybody want to kill me if they knew me? Everyone loves me.”
She really was delusional. I had only known her for a few days, but I could certainly count a couple of people who may have wanted her out of the way. She had treated people badly, especially her assistant, Louise, and her sister, Carol.
If that was how Yvonne treated family, no doubt there were plenty of other people in the woodwork she had treated badly, too.
“Most homicides are committed by people known to the victim,” I said.
“And how exactly are you such an expert on the matter?” Yvonne said, looking at me scornfully.
“I don’t have time for this, Yvonne. Get out into the diner now.”
Yvonne blinked at me and looked surprised. She clearly wasn’t used to being bossed about, but I was at the end of my tether, and I didn’t have time to pander to a ghost.
Yvonne hovered behind me as I walked over to take the chief and Joe’s orders.
“I guess you’ve both had a very busy day,” I said, smiling at them both.
I was planning to fish for information and was trying to play it cool.
To my irritation, they made me straightaway. They knew me too well.
Joe smirked. “Yes, Harper. It’s been busy.”
“How are you and your sister doing?” Chief Wickham asked kindly. “It must have been quite a shock for you both this morning.”
I nodded, eager to keep them talking. “Yes, it was awful. Have you managed to apprehend anybody yet?”
“Not yet, Harper. But don’t you worry. Joe and I are on the case. We’ll soon have Abbott Cove back to the normal, sleepy, safe town it should be.”
I smiled. “That’s reassuring…So, do you have any potential suspects yet?”
“Harper,” Joe said, the warning tone in his voice coming through loud and clear. “We’ve discussed this. You’re not going to get involved, are you?”
That was the moment Yvonne chose to distract me.
She leaned over, so close to Joe that her cheek was practically touching his, and said, “He’s ever so handsome, isn’t he?”
She trailed one ghostly hand over his shoulder and winked at me.
And of course, I gaped like an idiot, forgetting I wasn’t supposed to react in public to anything ghosts did.
Joe frowned. �
�Is everything all right, Harper?”
My cheeks flushed, and I nodded.
Trying not to grit my teeth, I asked, “Absolutely. So what can I get you both?”
When I took down their orders, I turned and stalked away from the table, feeling furious with Yvonne and not particularly happy with Joe McGrady either.
I hadn’t wanted much, just a little hint as to how well their investigation was going. Was that really too much to ask?
Yvonne was still hovering beside their table, and I hoped she would have the sense to listen in if the chief and Joe decided to talk about the case.
I walked into the kitchen to give Archie their orders. I usually just shoved the ticket through the hatch for him to pick up, but I was actually quite concerned and wanted to check up on him.
Archie had taken the news of Yvonne’s death very hard. He hadn’t known her for long, but for some reason, he’d become quite attached.
“How are you doing in here, Archie?” I asked.
He looked at me miserably. “I can’t stop thinking about it. I mean, why would someone want to kill such a sweet woman?”
Sweet?
Yvonne was certainly beautiful, or she had been when she was alive, but sweet wasn’t a word I would use to describe her.
She’d been rude, sulky and downright mean to her sister and her assistant. Archie had seen that just as well as I had, but for some reason, he just couldn’t accept it. To him, she had been perfect. It seemed as though her pretty face blinded him to all of her faults.
I helped Archie prepare some of the ingredients, and he began to cook the orders as I listened to him go on and on about Yvonne.
Two minutes later, I was actually glad of the excuse to get out of the kitchen to check on my customers.
I felt bad. Archie was a good man, and he had always been there for me. He’d given me a job when everybody else in the town avoided me because I seemed a little odd. He’d overlooked the fact I was related to Grandma Grant. I was very grateful to him, but I had my limits, and I couldn’t stomach listening to him sing Yvonne’s praises any longer.
I spent the next ten minutes pretending to clean an empty booth close to the chief and Joe McGrady’s table. I thought I was playing it cool.
Yvonne hovered barely inches away from Joe, looking at him with a dreamy expression on her face.
I had no idea why, but it irritated me considerably. I was so annoyed I forgot to keep up my pretense of cleaning the table and stared daggers at Yvonne.
I didn’t even realize Joe was watching me until he said, “You’ve been wiping away at the same spot on that table for the past five minutes, Harper. You’re going to wear a hole in it if you’re not careful. Your eavesdropping won’t do you any good. We're not going to talk about the investigation in public.”
I tossed my cloth back on the table and looked at him indignantly. “I don’t know what you mean. I was just distracted.”
“Why?”
Good question. I couldn’t answer honestly. How could I say I was watching Yvonne’s ghost drape herself all over him? I didn’t think that reply would go down very well. I’d be bundled in a straitjacket and shipped off to a psychologist if I told him that.
“Well,… I did find a dead body this morning. Surely that’s enough reason to be distracted,” I blustered.
Joe gave a tight smile. “Of course, it is. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so insensitive.”
“We’re not used to murders in Abbott Cove. It wasn’t long ago poor Elizabeth Naggington was killed. Two murders in a short period of time, in a small town, is unnerving.”
Yvonne’s ghost hovering around Joe’s head was also extremely unnerving, but I didn’t mention that.
After Joe and the chief had finished their meals and paid up, Yvonne thought it was hysterical to tease me about Joe.
“I swear, you looked so jealous when I got close to the deputy. You're sweet on him, aren’t you?” She laughed, flying in circles around me.
“Don’t be so ridiculous,” I gritted out through my clenched teeth. There were still plenty of people in the diner. I didn’t want to make a fool of myself. I knew if I replied it would make me look like a crazy person, but I couldn’t let Yvonne’s remark go without comment.
“You know, if you made a bit of effort with your appearance, you might be able to snare him. You could be quite pretty if…” She reached across and tried to tuck a lock of hair behind my ear, but her transparent fingers just floated right through the strands of my hair.
I pulled back and spun around, “Stop!”
Did I just say that out loud?
By the look on everyone’s faces as they turned to face me, I figured I did.
I coughed, and smiled brightly at everyone, acting as though it were perfectly natural to yell at thin air.
I could not wait to find Yvonne’s killer and get her ghost off my hands for good. This was only the first day. How on earth was I going to put up with her for any longer?
Chapter 9
After I had finished my shift, I went to Grandma Grant’s, marching up the hill and along the trail with Yvonne hovering along beside me. I was too annoyed to even speak to her, but I don’t think she’d realized. She was talking and chattering away happily. Even if I’d wanted to reply, I wouldn’t have been able to get a word in edgewise.
I was starting to realize that Yvonne had very thick skin and wasn’t really attuned to the feelings of people around her.
When we approached Grandma Grant’s house, Yvonne finally fell silent as she looked around the grounds and the house itself. From the exterior, it did look very impressive. It was an extremely large house and had an air of faded grandeur. Although the exterior was quite well-maintained, most of the house inside wasn’t used. Grandma Grant mainly kept to a couple of the rooms—the kitchen, her bedroom, and she occasionally used the old-fashioned parlor.
“Your family must have money,” Yvonne said, and she looked impressed at the size of the lot. “I had no idea. Why on earth do you work in a diner if your family has money?”
I scrunched up my face, trying to summon the willpower to ignore her comment about my job, but I couldn’t help myself. “I’ll have you know, Yvonne, there is absolutely nothing wrong with working in a diner. And although this is the old Grant family house, we’re not exactly rich.”
I pushed open the front door and walked into the hallway, leading Yvonne through to the kitchen, where Grandma Grant was leaning over the stove, and Jess was sitting at the kitchen table. We always ate our meals in the kitchen. There was a grand old dining room at the back of the house with a twelve seater table, but we never used it.
“It’s a little old-fashioned,” Yvonne said, looking around and taking in her surroundings.
She was right about that. Grandma Grant had the kitchen remodeled just after she’d gotten married, but it hadn’t been updated since. She liked it the way it was, which was just as well because, although she had a thriving business, selling her plants from her small nursery, she wasn’t exactly rolling in enough cash to fund the renovations on a house this size.
I ignored Yvonne’s comments on the decor and said hello to Grandma Grant and Jess.
“Yvonne is with me,” I announced and waved in her general direction.
Grandma Grant and Jess did their best to welcome the guest they couldn’t see, wishing Yvonne good evening and asking her to make herself comfortable.
Yvonne beamed widely, clearly happy at being the center of attention.
“Oh, thank you. That’s very kind,” she said. “I must say dinner smells delicious. I can’t wait to tuck in.”
I frowned and wondered when the best moment would be to break it to Yvonne that ghosts didn’t eat. It also occurred to me that Yvonne might think Grandma Grant and Jess could hear her. I had a lot of explaining to do tonight.
But before I could dwell on that, I realized Yvonne was right. Dinner did smell good. Really good.
“What’s for dinner,
Grandma?”
Grandma Grant stood by the stove in front of a heavy cast-iron pot and held a ladle in one hand. “I’ve made butternut squash stew.”
I’m sure she’d cooked that for us on another occasion, and I couldn’t remember it smelling so delicious. My suspicions were immediately raised.
I carried the cake box containing the cheesecake up to the counter and set it down. “Archie made us a berry cheesecake for desert.”
Grandma Grant lifted the lid of the cake box, and her eyes sparkled. “Oh, that does look good.”
“Dinner smells delicious, Grandma,” I said.
Grandma Grant beamed happily. “Thank you. It’s a new recipe.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Really? A new recipe or a new spell?”
Grandma Grant looked indignant, and I knew for sure that the lovely smell coming from the cast-iron pot was down to magic.
“It’s hardly a big deal,” Grandma Grant said. “Just a little taste spell. You and Jess are always complaining about my cooking. You should be pleased.”
“You always told us we weren’t allowed to use spells for frivolous things like cooking.”
Grandma Grant grabbed her oven gloves and lifted the casserole pot off the stove. “Like I’ve said many times before, do as I say, not as I do, Harper.”
Before I could reply, Yvonne piped up. She’d heard the muttered conversation about spells and put two and two together. “So you’re witches! It all makes sense now. That’s why you can see me.” She turned to Jess. “Can you do magic, too? What sort of spells can you do?”
I realized Yvonne thought everybody could hear her. She didn’t understand that I was the only one who could communicate with ghosts.
“Yvonne, Jess can’t hear you.”
Yvonne frowned. “Oh, so she isn’t a witch?”
“We are all witches. I just happen to be the only one who can see spirits or ghosts and hear them as well.”
Although sometimes I really wished I didn’t have that particular talent.
“And what about your grandmother?”
