by Bobbi Holmes
“What are you doing, Darlene?” Brian snapped, pushing her away.
“We were good once, Brian. We could be again.”
“You made your choice when you decided to stay with Stoddard. Taking second place doesn’t appeal to me.”
“Second place? I always wanted you, Brian! I thought you knew that! I had to stay with Todd. I didn’t have a choice. But it was you I wanted. You I always wanted.”
“What you really wanted was Stoddard’s money. That’s what you chose over us—not him. And now you have it all; I imagine you’re happy now.”
“I admit I didn’t want to give up the security of Todd’s money. But it was you I loved—you I always loved.”
“Why is it so important to see Danielle Boatman go to jail for Stoddard’s murder?”
Darlene just stared at Brian for a moment before answering. Tilting her head to one side, she said calmly, “Because she killed him. Maybe I was never in love with Todd—but I did love him. He was good to me. I wanted to make him happy. Seeing him die like that—it devastated me. And you—you saw it too. You watched him practically die in my arms as he named his killer—Danielle Boatman.”
“And he was wrong.”
“I don’t know how you can say that. You heard him. Help me Brian. See to it that Danielle Boatman is punished for what she did to my husband. The witness who claims to have seen her during the time Todd was murdered clearly lied. I bet anything Danielle paid the witness to give her an alibi. She can easily afford it. And then, after Danielle Boatman is sent away, we can be together. You and me. Like we should have been all along.”
Brian stared at Darlene. He couldn’t find the words to express what he felt. When she reached out to him again, her gloved hands gently cradled his face. He didn’t move away, not even when she went up on her tiptoes. Closing his eyes, Brian surrendered to the kiss. Without thought, his arms wrapped tightly around Darlene and pulled her closer.
When the kiss ended, their breathing ragged, Darlene went down off her tiptoes, and Brian continued to hold her in his arms. After several moments, Darlene pulled away and looked up into Brian’s eyes, her expression pleading.
“Will you help me Brian?” she asked in a whisper. “Will you see that Danielle Boatman is punished for what she did to Todd?”
“And then what?” Brian asked, his expression unreadable.
“Then we can be together, like we always wanted.” Once again, she reached up and stroked his face.
Grabbing Darlene’s hand in his, Brian held it for a moment, giving it a squeeze. Their gazes locked. Pulling her captured hand to his lips, he kissed it. “I’ll make sure Stoddard’s killer is brought to justice,” Brian vowed in a raspy voice.
Darleen narrowed her eyes and studied Brian. After a moment, she smiled and said, “I knew I could count on you, Brian.” Taking back her hand, she flipped her veil back over her face and straightened her dress.
Chapter Fifteen
In the chapel, Danielle sat between Chief MacDonald and Marie. Adam sat on the other side of his grandmother. Moments after sitting down, a couple took the two empty spots next to Adam. Marie turned to the new arrivals and immediately recognized them. She and Adam greeted the couple and began making small talk, while Danielle sat silently, contemplating what had just happened outside the chapel.
Danielle turned to Chief MacDonald and muttered, “Well that was embarrassing.”
“She definitely wanted everyone to know you murdered her husband,” the chief whispered.
Taken aback by his comment, Danielle frowned. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“What I meant—it’s obvious she still believes you killed Stoddard, and she wants the world to know.”
“You honestly think she believes that?”
“Don’t you? Her response seemed genuine. She reacted just as I’d imagine a grief stricken woman might in this situation, attending her husband’s funeral and faced with the person who she believes murdered him.”
“Is this what this was all about? You were testing Darlene, trying to decide if you should keep her on the suspect list or not? Is that why you wanted me to come today?”
“The spouse is always the prime suspect. And considering the size of the estate, there is motive. Judging by her reaction to you, I think we need to look in another direction.”
“Or she’s just covering her butt,” Danielle grumbled.
“You think she had something to do with Stoddard’s murder?”
“We already know she isn’t the nicest person, considering what she intended to do with Lily.”
“I understand, but that doesn’t mean she wanted Stoddard dead. Her grief seems sincere.” MacDonald glanced to the front of the chapel and watched as Brian helped Darlene to a seat on the front row, next to Chuck Christiansen.
Danielle followed the chief’s gaze and spied Darlene and Brian. “Who’s that Darlene is sitting next to?”
“Chuck Christiansen. Was Stoddard’s right hand man.”
Ahh, the man Adam mentioned. The one who is really in charge at Stoddard’s company.
After Brian helped Darlene to her seat, he looked around the chapel. When he spied the chief, he gave a nod and started walking toward MacDonald and Danielle.
“Don’t tell me, he’s sitting with us,” Danielle groaned, glancing over to the empty seat next to the chief.
“Brian did come with me. He’s a good man, Danielle. I wish you two could work out your differences.”
Danielle and MacDonald continued to watch Brian. On route to the empty seat next to the chief, Brian paused a moment to speak to a man sitting several rows up.
“He hates me.”
“He doesn’t hate you.”
“Maybe he doesn’t hate me, but he does seem to delight in seeing me locked up. If you listened to Henderson, you’d assume I’m the cause of all the problems in Frederickport. I don’t know, maybe he just has an issue with women.”
“Well, you may have something there,” MacDonald murmured.
“What do you mean?”
“About women. I admit his attitude toward women is—well, cynical. I guess that’s the best way to describe it.”
“What, did he hate his mother? Get dumped by some woman?”
“His wife left him about five years ago. I’m not gossiping by the way—this is common knowledge.”
“Oh, of course not,” Danielle smirked. “Men never gossip.”
“He was pretty broken up about it.”
“Were there any kids?” Danielle asked.
“No. It was Brian’s second marriage. They were married for quite a while. If I’m not mistaken, it wasn’t long after their twenty-fifth anniversary that she left him. I remember they had this big party, and not six months later they were filing for divorce.”
“So she left him?” Danielle asked.
“That was my understanding.”
“You said it was his second marriage. What happened to the first one?”
“I never met his first wife. Not sure what happened there. They didn’t have any kids either.”
“So he has a lousy track record with women; why take it out on me?”
“I never noticed the cynicism back then, after his last divorce. It wasn’t until a little over a year ago that I noticed it.”
“What happened back then?” Danielle asked.
“Not really sure. I know he started seeing someone. Wouldn’t say who she was, but he seemed a lot happier. And then he just changed. He never mentioned who he’d been seeing, but when one of the guys asked about his girlfriend, he snapped that there wasn’t any girlfriend. From then on, I noticed the change in his attitude. It’s not that he dislikes women exactly. Let’s just say, he doesn’t seem to trust them. Figures they all have some angle.”
“And you think that is a good trait for a cop?” Danielle asked.
“I never felt it affected his work—or how he treated women during the line of duty.”
“What about me?�
� Danielle asked.
“In all fairness, Danielle, your behavior since coming to town has been suspect. Can you really blame Brian?”
“Sheesh…” Danielle slumped down in her seat and looked ahead. “With friends like you, who needs enemies?”
The chief chuckled. “Trust me; I’m probably the best friend you could have right now.”
Danielle glanced over to the chief and sighed. “I suppose you have a point.”
A few moments later Brian Henderson took a seat next to the chief. As he sat down, he flashed Danielle a less than friendly look. In return, Danielle looked away from Brian and the chief and stared toward the front of the chapel.
Marie noticed Brian’s arrival. Leaning forward in her seat, she turned in his direction. “Did you get Darlene to settle down and get control of herself?” Marie asked Brian in a not so quiet voice.
“Grandma,” Adam scolded under his breath.
“Oh, don’t hush me, Adam. I’m not the one that was carrying on like a fool out there, in front of everyone!”
Brian leaned forward and looked down the row to Marie. “She’s fine Mrs. Nichols,” he said in a loud whisper. “She’s just been through a lot, losing Stoddard so unexpectedly—so violently.” He glanced over at Danielle.
“Don’t look at Danielle like that,” Marie ordered. “She had nothing to do with Stoddard’s unfortunate death.”
“Yes, I understand that Mrs. Nichols.”
“Grandma, maybe we could discuss this later, people are starting to stare,” Adam said under his breath.
Marie glanced around. Sure enough, those sitting near her were staring. “What are you all gawking at?” she snapped. They quickly diverted their attention back to the front of the chapel.
A few moments later, Brian and Marie each settled back in their seats. Music began playing through the chapel speakers. The memorial service was about to begin.
Danielle was preparing to daydream once the minister began his portion of the service, when Stoddard appeared in the row ahead of her. He sat backwards in the seat, facing Danielle. The sudden sight caught her by surprise, and she jumped slightly. Worried someone had noticed her reaction, she glanced around. Those around her did not seem to have noticed. Brian, MacDonald, Marie, Adam, and even the couple next to Adam were looking to the front of the chapel, where the minister stood.
What Danielle found especially troubling was the fact there was already a man sitting where Stoddard perched. The man and spirit appeared to dissolve into a single two-headed form—the man head looking toward the pulpit, the ghost head staring at Danielle.
“You have no right being here!” Stoddard shouted. “Murderer!”
Danielle wanted to stick her fingers in her ears and block out the noise. He was a loud and persistent ghost, who continued chanting in a high-pitched tone: Murderer, Murderer, Murderer, Murderer!
With each chant, Stoddard’s frustration accelerated. Danielle tried to ignore his presence, but it was difficult, considering the sound of his voice rang in her ears, blocking out all other noise. If someone spoke to her now, she doubted she would be able to hear.
Stoddard’s hand moved through the back of the pew, and through the hymnal holder. Mesmerized, Danielle watched as Stoddard’s ghostly hand repeatedly punched through the back of the pew, moving through the hymnal holder and the book held there. Each time his hand moved in her direction he spread wide his fingers and tried snatching hold of her skirt’s hem. She scooted back in her seat, adding distance between herself and the angry spirit.
MacDonald heard Danielle rustling in her seat. He glanced toward her and noticed her attention was not focused at the front of the chapel, where the minister stood, but at the back of the man’s head sitting in the next row, directly in front of her. Frowning, he looked at her face and noted her peculiar expression.
“Are you okay?” he asked in a whisper. She didn’t respond, so he leaned forward and asked again. When she still did not answer, he reached over and touched her shoulder. Danielle lurched back from the unexpected touch and then looked over to Brian, her eyes wide.
“Are you alright?” he asked again.
Danielle couldn’t hear his words, yet she had no problem reading his lips. Shaking her head, she whispered, “It’s Stoddard.”
“Where?” he asked, looking around.
Danielle nodded toward the unruly spirit. MacDonald saw nothing out of the ordinary, just the church pew and the back of a man’s head.
“This is why you aren’t in jail!” Stoddard shouted. “You’ve tricked the police chief, haven’t you? You’ve spun your lies! You’ve tricked him! I should have known it was something like this. I told Henderson it was you.”
Stoddard spied Brian Henderson sitting next to the chief. “Do something, Henderson! Do your job! I told you what you needed to know!” When Brian failed to notice Stoddard’s antics, Stoddard refocused his attention on Danielle.
“If they won’t do anything, I will!” he said angrily.
Without conscious thought, Danielle glanced down at her arm, which Stoddard had scratched earlier. The visible mark was angry and bright red. Stoddard noticed where she was looking and glanced down at her arm. He smiled when he spied the red scratch mark.
“I did that, didn’t I?” Stoddard began to laugh.
Danielle took a deep calming breath. Don’t give him power, she told herself.
With renewed vigor, Stoddard reached through the pew again, this time knocking the hymnal book up and out of its holder. It landed on the floor with a loud thud. Those around Danielle looked in her direction. Their gazes dropped to the floor where the hymnal landed. MacDonald had witnessed the book’s apparent launch from its holder.
Marie, now looking down at the book on the floor, frowned, confused at how it got there, since Danielle had been leaning back in her seat. While Marie tried to figure it all out, MacDonald leaned down and calmly picked up the book. Instead of placing it back in the rack, he set it on his lap and looked over at Danielle, whose complexion had lost all color.
Those around Danielle who had looked her way were now turning their attention back to the minister. Marie did as well, although she did so with a look of confusion on her face. Only MacDonald continued to study Danielle.
Gleeful over his accomplishment, Stoddard laughed wildly. The menacing sound filled Danielle’s head. He continued to laugh—louder and louder.
Taking a deep breath, Danielle closed her eyes. Dear Lord, Thank you for my many blessings. Protect me from this troubled spirit. Keep me and those around me safe. Help Stoddard find his way home.
The laughter stopped. The only sound came from the minister standing at the pulpit. Danielle opened her eyes. Stoddard was gone.
Chapter Sixteen
Danielle didn’t see Stoddard again until she returned to Marlow House after the funeral service. She found him waiting for her on the front porch. Instead of hurling insults, he silently glared at her as she made her way up the front walk.
Inwardly seething, his arms by his sides, he balled his hands into tight fists. “How did you do that?” he demanded.
“Do what?” Danielle asked, trying her best to maintain an appearance of calm. She glanced back at the road and watched Adam and Marie drive away, en route to the Gusarov Estate for Stoddard’s wake.
“You did something at the chapel. I could hear your voice in my head. It got louder and louder and then I was back here.”
“Back here…” Danielle grumbled, and then added under her breath, “You would have to end up here.” Annoyed, she continued on her way to the front door, walking past Stoddard. When she reached the door, she turned and faced him. “I would think you’d have gone home, for your wake.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? You aren’t getting rid of me, Danielle Boatman!”
“But don’t you want to see your wife, all your friends?” Danielle forced a smile. “It might be the last time you see them all together.” I suppose you could have seen them
at the funeral service if you hadn’t been obsessing on me.
“Don’t try to act like you care. You’re the one who did this to me!”
I don’t really care. I just want you gone. “I told you. I was not the one who shot you. You admit you didn’t see the face of your killer.”
“It was you. I heard your voice!”
With a sigh, Danielle opened the front door and walked inside Marlow House, leaving Stoddard alone on the front porch.
“How was the funeral?” Walt greeted.
Closing the door behind her, Danielle flashed Walt a weary smile. “I should have stayed home. It was horrible.”
“Horrible how?” Walt asked
“First,” Danielle glanced around. “Where is everyone?” She walked over to the entry table and set her purse on the tabletop.
“Your guest left about an hour after you did. Lily’s nurse is here.”
Danielle glanced over at Lily’s closed bedroom door. “Ahh, IV time. Let’s take this up to my room. I really don’t want the nurse overhearing me talking to myself,” Danielle whispered.
She picked her purse back up off the table and walked over to Lily’s door. Opening it, she peeked inside. Lily sat up on the bed, the IV tube hooked up to the pic line in her arm, as the nurse sat in the corner jotting down notes in a journal.
“Hi. I’m back,” Danielle greeted.
Lily waved her in. “Come tell me about the funeral.”
The nurse glanced up from the journal and smiled at Danielle.
“I’ll talk to you later. I’m going to run upstairs and change my clothes.”
“Yeah, sure,” Lily sighed. “Say hi to Walt for me.”
Once in her bedroom, Danielle tossed her purse on the bed and kicked off her shoes.
Taking a seat by the fireplace, Walt leaned back and studied Danielle. “So what was so horrible?”
Raising her brows, she asked, “Aside from the fact it was a funeral?”
“It’s not like it was a funeral of someone you even liked.”
