The Ghost Who Wanted Revenge (Haunting Danielle Book 4)

by Bobbi Holmes

  “How long did that last?”

  “You mean the calls?” Marie asked.

  “Yes.”

  “I assume until my friend died, about fifteen years ago.”

  “And you never mentioned any of that to Isabella?”

  “The opportunity never came up.” Marie sighed. “But now that I think about it, I probably should have said something to her.”

  “Do you remember Bobby’s last name?”

  “So this is why you aren’t answering your phone,” a male voice interrupted their conversation. The two women looked up. It was Marie’s grandson, Adam.

  “Adam, dear, what a nice surprise.”

  Adam leaned down and kissed his grandmother’s cheek. She scooted over, making room for him to sit down.

  “Hi, Adam,” Danielle greeted.

  “I noticed your car out front,” he told Danielle as he sat down. “Wondered if you heard the news. I’ve been trying to call Grandma to tell her.”

  “News? What news?” Marie asked.

  “Nothing official, just what we heard over the police scanner in the office.”

  “You have a police scanner in your office?” Danielle asked.

  “Yep. Brand new. I was just trying it out.”

  “Is that legal? Should you be eavesdropping on the police?” Marie scolded.

  Adam laughed. “It’s okay Grandma. You want to know what I heard or not?”

  “Is it about Stoddard’s murder?” Danielle asked.

  “Did that horrid hitman finally wake up?” Marie asked.

  “Darlene Gusarov is dead. Looks like murder,” Adam announced.

  “Are you serious? What happened?” Danielle remembered the killer had told Stoddard, Darlene was next. Had the killer made good his promise?

  “Looks like someone pushed her off Pilgrim’s Point, after bashing her head in.”

  “Another murder? What is happening to our town?” Marie shook her head.

  “Dang, I wish I was still wearing that stupid ankle monitor,” Danielle muttered.

  “Why do you say that?” Adam asked.

  “Before Stoddard died, he not only claimed I was the shooter, he told Brian Henderson I was planning to kill Darlene next.”

  “Brian Henderson?” Adam laughed.

  “A poor woman has been killed Adam!” Marie chided. “Not a laughing matter.”

  “Sorry Grandma. It’s just that according to what I heard on the scanner, Brian is the one who found her. And according to Carla, Brian and Darlene got into quite an argument last night. She claimed Brian even got physical.”

  “Carla from Pier Café?” Marie asked.

  “Yeah,” Adam said with a nod.

  “Carla’s a little gossip,” Marie grumbled. “I’d take anything she says with a healthy dose of salt.”

  Adam shrugged. “Just telling you what I heard.”

  “I wonder what they were arguing about,” Danielle said.

  “I don’t know, but for now it takes the heat off you.” Adam grinned.

  “I was going back and forth about Darlene. But now this,” Danielle muttered.

  “What do you mean?” Adam asked.

  “One minute I’m convinced Darlene is behind Stoddard’s murder—and the next I think it has to be someone else. I wonder who inherits the estate now?”

  “That would be Darlene’s heirs, whoever they may be,” Marie said.

  “Knowing Stoddard,” Adam said. “I’m sure his attorney prepared Darlene’s will, leaving everything to him. I know he purchased some real estate with Darlene, a couple rental houses here and some along the coast. Isabella told me. No way would he let her bequest those to her family. Now it’s probably going to his other heirs.”

  “Unless she prepared a new will,” Danielle suggested.

  “You mean since Stoddard’s murder?” Adam asked.

  Danielle responded with a nod.

  “I doubt she had time.” Adam then added with a shrug, “I suppose it is possible.”

  “If her estate now goes to Stoddard’s other heirs, it is not a person, per se—it’s KS Trust,” Danielle said.

  “What’s that?” Adam asked.

  “We have no idea,” Marie said.

  “Now with Darlene gone, I wish there was some way to learn more about Isabella’s will, the one Stoddard put into probate. I still don’t believe it’s fake. For some reason Darlene lied.”

  “Renton was Isabella’s attorney,” Adam said.

  “Ian already talked to him. All he found out was that Renton seems to be a fan of Earthbound Spirits.”

  “He saw him at the prison?” Marie asked.

  “Yep.” Danielle nodded. “But he didn’t say much one way or another about the validity of the will, just that he was glad it was going to Earthbound Spirits.”

  “There is always Gloria; she’d know,” Adam suggested.

  “Gloria Commings, Renton’s assistant? From what I understand she left town, and no one knows where she went,” Danielle said.

  “I went to school with Gloria. She was one of those girls who always had to follow the rules. Took her job seriously. Renton’s arrest came as quite a blow to her. She couldn’t get out of town fast enough,” Adam explained.

  “Well if she didn’t know what he’d done, she wasn’t to blame,” Danielle said.

  “True, but that’s not how she sees it. Gloria would know if that will was Isabella’s or not. She’d tell you the truth,” Adam said.

  “Adam, you know how to contact Gloria don’t you?” Marie asked.

  “Sure I do.” Adam grinned.

  “You know where she is?” Danielle asked.

  “Yeah. Like I said, Gloria and I go way back. I’ll call her for you. See what she says.”

  “Thanks Adam. I’d appreciate that. If the will is legit, you think she’d be willing to give MacDonald a statement?”

  “I’m sure she would. Like I said, Gloria is a straight arrow.”

  “Another thing,” Danielle said. She looked at Marie. “Before Adam showed up, I was asking you if you remembered Bobby’s surname.”

  “Who’s Bobby?” Adam asked.

  “That was Isabella’s father.” Marie said.

  “Then wouldn’t it be Strickland?” Adam asked.

  “No dear.” Marie patted Adam’s knee and then looked at Danielle. “I remember it was the same last name as one of my favorite actors. I once asked him if they were related. Of course I knew they weren’t.”

  “What was the name?” Danielle asked.

  “John Wayne. I loved his movies. Don’t you just love John Wayne?” Marie asked.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Danielle tossed her keys and purse on the kitchen counter at Marlow House. After parking her car in the driveway a few minutes earlier, she had dodged Stoddard’s ghost, who hurled curses at her the moment she stepped out of her car.

  A sound from the kitchen window caught her attention. Looking toward the sound, she saw Walt, who had just closed the blinds.

  “Thanks,” Danielle greeted. “I was going to do that.”

  “The police need to solve his murder so we can get rid of him. I prefer the windows open so I can smell the sea air.” Walt waved his hand, summonsing a lit cigar.

  “So we get to smell cigar instead?”

  Walt shrugged and took a puff.

  “Is Lily sleeping?” Danielle asked.

  “No, she went out with Ian. They took Sadie to the beach for a walk.”

  Danielle glanced to the corner of the kitchen, where Lily had parked her walker. “She didn’t take it?”

  “I don’t imagine it would work very well on the beach. Plus she seems to be doing much better today.”

  “I’m glad she’s getting out more. I saw Will’s car out front, where is he?” Danielle glanced to the doorway leading to the hall.

  “Up in his room. He just took a shower. I think he’s getting ready to go out. I heard him tell Lily that he’s leaving in the morning.” Walt leaned agai
nst the counter and watched Danielle. “Is there something wrong?”

  “Wrong?”

  “You seem…edgy. Nervous.”

  “Where do I begin?” Danielle sat at the kitchen table. “But if Will comes in here, you stick around. Don’t leave me alone with him.”

  “What’s wrong?” Walt took a seat at the table.

  “I think Will might be Isabella’s father.”

  “Her father?”

  “At lunch Marie told me Isabella’s father was named Bobby Wayne. Strickland was just a name her mother took after the two separated.”

  “I thought you showed Marie Will’s photograph, told her his name, and she didn’t recognize him.”

  “She knew Isabella’s father as Bobby Wayne, not Will Wayne or Billy Bob Wayne. She didn’t recognize the name. It’s been years since she’s seen him. He was just a teenager back then, so the picture didn’t trigger anything. Not to mention the fact that Marie is ninety.”

  “So it’s Isabella and her mother’s graves he came to visit,” Walt murmured. “Interesting, considering he abandoned Isabella’s mother before Isabella was born.”

  “That may not be the true story.”

  “He didn’t abandon them?”

  “Not exactly. According to Marie, Isabella’s grandparents broke up the marriage and drove their son-in-law from Frederickport. I guess they really were in love, and Marie doesn’t believe he married her for the Gusarov money. I’m not sure how or why he left, but he kept in contact with one of Marie’s friends up until the friend died, checking on Isabella and her mother.”

  “I thought you said Will had a lot of money.”

  “I’m sure he does. His car dealership was very successful. I have no idea why he stayed away.”

  “I could see how an inexperienced young man might be intimidated by the Gusarov family. From how it sounds, they were once influential in the same way my family was. Yet, once he got older and financially successful, I would expect him to return, if he were truly interested in his daughter and wife’s welfare.”

  “Ex-wife. From what I understand they were divorced.”

  “But still, Isabella was his daughter. I know if I ever had a daughter, I would never abandon her.”

  “That’s not all the news. Darlene is dead.”

  “Darlene? You mean…” Walt nodded to the kitchen window, its blind closed. “His wife?”

  “Yes.” Danielle stared at the closed window.

  “What happened?”

  “I don’t know all the details, but apparently she fell from Pilgrim’s Point.”

  “That’s quite a fall. What was she doing up there?”

  Danielle shrugged. “Like I said, I don’t know all the details. Adam stopped in the restaurant when I was having lunch with his grandmother. He’d heard it on the police scanner.”

  “Police scanner?” Walt frowned.

  “It’s a device that picks up the radio frequency used by the police. So you can listen in to what they’re saying.”

  “Hmmm…interesting…I think I saw something like that on a television show.”

  “Adam says it sounded like someone hit her over the head and then shoved her off the cliff.”

  “I imagine the fall alone would kill her.”

  “All I know for sure is that’s she’s dead.”

  “Are you worried?” Walt asked.

  “Worried? How?”

  “Stoddard did tell Brian Henderson you planned to kill her next.”

  “The police understand Stoddard didn’t know what he was talking about.”

  “I hope you’re right.” Walt nodded toward the closed window. “Does he know yet?”

  “Stoddard? No. But that doesn’t surprise me. After all, for decades you never knew your wife had died.”

  “Yes, but Stoddard’s experience seems to be quite different from mine. Even different from Cheryl’s,” Walt said.

  “How so?”

  “Neither Cheryl nor I realized we were dead. At least, not right away. I lived here for close to a century, not realizing the truth. And if you hadn’t told Cheryl, she might still be stumbling around in a haze.”

  “You have a point. Stoddard knows he’s dead. Knows he was murdered. Unfortunately, he gets confused on the who murdered him part.”

  “I thought someone was in here with you,” Will said from the doorway.

  Danielle stood up and turned to Will, blushing. “Hi. I guess I was thinking out loud.”

  “I do that sometimes too.” Will laughed and walked into the kitchen.

  “What have you been up to today?” Danielle went to the sink, getting herself a glass of water.

  “I took a drive this morning,” Will said as he walked to the table and sat down. “I’ll be leaving in the morning, and I wanted to tell you how much I appreciate you letting me stay here.”

  “We had our share of excitement—glad you didn’t walk into it and get caught in the crossfire.”

  “Glad you’re okay.” Will smiled.

  Danielle walked back to the table and sat down. “You said you took a drive this morning? Where did you go?”

  “You don’t think he had something to do with Darlene’s death, do you?” Walt asked. Silently, Danielle glanced at Walt.

  “Just drove up the coast a ways.”

  “You didn’t happen to go by Pilgrim’s Point, did you?”

  Will stood up abruptly and walked to the sink. “You don’t mind if I help myself to a glass of water, do you?”

  “No, help yourself.” Danielle watched Will as he silently got himself a glass of water without answering her question.

  “So, did you drive by Pilgrim’s Point?” she asked again.

  “Pilgrim’s Point?” Will turned to face Danielle and took a sip of his water. “I’m afraid I don’t know where that’s at.”

  “Really? It’s a well-known landmark around here.”

  Will shrugged. “Doesn’t sound familiar.” He finished his water and set the glass in the sink. “Why do you ask?”

  Danielle shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Will remained standing by the sink, staring at her, waiting for an answer.

  “I heard there was an accident up there today. Just wondered if you saw any of the commotion. Lots of police cars, ambulances, that sort of thing.”

  “Accident? What kind of accident?”

  “A woman fell. She was killed.”

  “How sad,” Will said. “Was it someone you knew?”

  “It was Darlene Gusarov.” Danielle watched for his reaction.

  “Isn’t her husband the one who was murdered?”

  “Yes. The one they arrested me for.”

  “Do they know what happened?” he asked.

  “I don’t know. I just heard about the fall. I don’t know any of the details.” She failed to mention Darlene’s fatal head injury.

  “Too bad.” Will stood up.

  “What are you doing this afternoon?” Danielle asked.

  “I’m going to visit my girls one last time. Then grab something to eat and get to bed early. I have a long drive ahead of me.”

  “Do you still think he’s Isabella’s father?” Walt asked when Will left the room.

  “I don’t know. But there is one way to find out.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I could go down to the cemetery and see whose grave he visits.”

  “You would do that? You hate cemeteries!”

  “Considering how it’s been in my own backyard since Stoddard died, I think I can handle a cemetery.”

  “Does it really matter if Will is Isabella’s father?” Walt asked.

  “I don’t know, maybe. What if he’s in some way involved with Stoddard’s murder? And Darlene’s?”

  “What’s his motive?” Walt asked.

  “I don’t know. Revenge maybe.”

  “Why take his revenge out on Stoddard? Sounds like his parents were the ones who interfered with the marriage. As for Darlene, she wasn’t even around bac
k then. Why kill her?”

  “I don’t know.” Danielle stood up and started pacing the room. She paused a moment and looked at Walt. “Don’t you think it’s a strange coincidence he showed up now? Right after the murder?”

  Walt shrugged. “And maybe he’s not Isabella’s father.”

  “Why are you finding excuses for Will? Not long ago you seemed to be suspicious of him. You said you were going to keep an eye on him.”

  “I did. But from what I’ve seen, he just seems like a nice guy. I simply like him. I thought you did too.”

  Danielle sighed. “I did…I do.” She sat back down. “But still, if he is Isabella’s father, it seems odd he showed up now… and wanted to stay here. You have to admit, wouldn’t most people check out after a murder attempt on the premises?”

  “Then follow him to the cemetery. See what graves he visits. If you’re worried he’s in some way involved in the murders, don’t let him see you. You can always question him later, when he returns to Marlow House.”

  “So you can protect me? Like you did with Smith?”

  “Are you ever going to let me live that down?”

  “Live that down? Not the best idiom, considering your state,” Danielle smirked.

  “I promise; I won’t put the guy in a coma if he gets out of hand. And I promise to intervene before things get too out of hand.”

  Danielle grinned, but didn’t say anything as the kitchen door opened in the next moment and Sadie rushed in, followed by Ian and Lily. Lily leaned on Ian, who helped her into the kitchen.

  Danielle stood up and faced the open door. Behind Lily and Ian was Stoddard, who jumped up and down, flaying his arms. She tried to ignore him, focusing her attention on Lily. “Will told me you took a walk. How did it go?”

  “I think I wore her out.” Ian chuckled, leading Lily to a chair.

  “It was nice getting out, but I am such a wimp,” Lily grumbled.

  Danielle slammed the door shut on Stoddard and turned to the table, where Ian and Lily now sat with Walt. Sadie curled up under the table on Walt’s feet.