by DS Butler
I opened my mouth to reply, but Jess put a hand on my shoulder and gave me a warning glance. I knew she was right. Grandma Grant didn’t need any more stress at the moment, so I decided to let it slide this time.
“What do you know about Sandy Crouch?” I asked Grandma Grant.
She lifted a small glass vial and held it up to the light to inspect it. The green potion inside bubbled.
“Not much. She was married to Bernie for years, and everyone knew he was cheating on her. Finally, she saw sense and divorced him.”
“Archie said something about her inheriting Bernie’s money.”
“I wouldn’t know about that, but I think Bernie Crouch did have some money stashed away. He sold a plot of land, if I remember correctly, cheated his business partner and made a killing.”
“Who was his business partner?”
“A man called Boris Barrymore. They had some kind of squabble over the sale, but in the end, Bernie got all the money.”
Grandma Grant slapped her hands together. “Anyway, let’s forget about Bernie for now. He’s already been enough of a distraction.” She turned to Jess and me and grinned. “Now it’s time for some magic!”
* * *
Grandma Grant had all her equipment set out on the kitchen counter in front of her. She took a deep breath, smoothed back her hair and then clutched a bundle of twigs from the Christmas tree.
She turned to Jess. “Are you ready?”
Jess nodded and stepped forward, opening her red spell book.
I stood back, stroking Smudge’s fur and watching the proceedings. I wasn’t needed for this part and would only mess things up if I got involved.
Grandma Grant sprinkled the bright green potion all over the twigs and then began to slap them on the kitchen counter as she chanted a Latin phrase over and over again.
On the fifth repetition of the phrase, Jess began to read from the spell book. My sister had a way of reading that made spells sound almost poetic. She captured the rhythm perfectly, and her voice was low and soothing. Grandma Grant continued chanting and slapping the bunch of twigs against the counter until Jess had finished the spell. Then both of them raised their heads with their eyes closed for a moment of silence. Risking Grandma Grant’s wrath, I took a step forward and peeked over her shoulder.
The twigs had miraculously started to sprout green pine needles.
“I think it worked!” I said, grinning at them both.
Grandma Grant opened her eyes, looked down at the twigs in her hand and smiled.
She quickly hid her pleasure though and said, “Of course, it worked. I am a Grant witch, after all.”
I frowned and looked at her skeptically. “Sure, but you messed it up last time.”
Grandma Grant inclined her head and stared daggers at me. “That was merely a temporary setback.”
I smirked and exchanged an amused glance with Jess as we walked back out into the main living area.
Beside the picture window was a beautiful, bushy Christmas tree that only a few moments earlier had been a bundle of twigs and bare branches.
“So, will that spell work on every tree in Abbott Cove?”
Grandma Grant nodded confidently. “That’s the idea.”
But before she could bask in the glow of her success, the telephone rang, and she bustled off to answer it.
The telephone also had the unfortunate effect of waking up Bernie Crouch.
I heard a groan from the couch and saw Bernie clutching his head as he moved slowly into a sitting position.
“I had the craziest dream,” he said as he opened his eyes.
He blinked a couple of times and then his gaze darted between Jess and me, clearly wondering what he was doing waking up in our presence and on Grandma Grant’s couch.
“I must still be dreaming,” he said.
“I’m afraid not, Bernie,” I said cheerfully. “It hasn’t been a dream, and it appears, unfortunately for you, that ghosts can get hangovers.”
Bernie covered his face with his hands and groaned again.
“Are you sure this is not a dream?” he asked, peeking at me through his fingers.
“Absolutely positive. Now, since you finally seem to be making some sense maybe you can answer some questions.”
Bernie leaned back on the couch, shaking his head. “I can’t do anything until I have had an extra strong cup of coffee.”
“Ghosts can’t drink coffee, Bernie.”
Bernie shot me an incredulous look. “What on earth are you talking about? I can’t survive without coffee.”
I shrugged. “I’m afraid you will have to. Ghosts can’t eat or drink anything.”
Bernie looked horrified. “Are you telling me I can never have another drink again?”
“Not while you’re a ghost you can’t. Now, let’s get down to business. What do you remember about this afternoon?”
Bernie closed his eyes and rubbed the partially transparent skin between his eyebrows, trying to massage away his headache. “Not very much. It’s all a bit hazy. Although I do remember that little tyke, Tommy Breton, kicking me on the shin and telling me I was not the real Santa Claus.”
“Anything else?” I prompted. “Like who may have wanted to kill you?”
Bernie shook his head. “It’s all a bit of a blur. I can’t believe anyone would have wanted to kill me, though. Maybe it was a case of mistaken identity.”
“I doubt it. While you were making mischief and making life difficult for my sister and grandmother, I did some investigating. Some people are saying that Sandy, your ex-wife, could have done it?”
Bernie shook his head vehemently. “No, Sandy could absolutely never have done anything like that. We had a good time together, mostly. I was a fool and cheated on her. It was all my fault the marriage ended.”
Bernie perked up as he saw Grandma Grant walking toward the fire. “Of course, I am a changed man now, completely reliable, one hundred percent faithful.”
I rolled my eyes. “There’s no point trying to butter her up, Bernie. She can’t hear you.”
“Oh,” Bernie nodded slowly. “That’s right. I forgot.”
We were quiet for a moment, puzzling over what to do next when suddenly Bernie turned to me and said, “You were there in the diner. Don’t you remember seeing anything suspicious?”
I shook my head. “I’ve been trying to remember, but the diner was so busy. It is hard to remember exactly who was there at the time. I’d actually gone into the kitchen to ask Archie to have a word with you.”
“With me? Why was that?”
I raised my eyebrows. Did Bernie really not remember or was he just pretending?
“Because you were Santa Claus and you had been drinking. You also pinched Sarah on the backside.”
Bernie smirked, but after the look I gave him, he quickly straightened his expression. “Sorry, Harper. That was very irresponsible of me. Please apologize on my behalf.”
“So, you can’t think of anyone besides Sandy that would have an axe to grind with you?”
“No,” Bernie said. “Everybody loved me.”
I sighed. I was sensing that this case was going to be a difficult one to crack.
“Well, perhaps we can talk to Sandy after Christmas. She might have some idea who else could be involved.”
“Why don’t you go and talk to her now?”
“Because I don’t want to disturb her at home on Christmas Eve. I saw her earlier at the party, and she rushed home looking upset.”
Bernie glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece above the fire. “She won’t be at home. Sandy will be in the church hall, taking part in the carol service.”
I nodded. Abbott Cove Choral Society always had a carol evening on Christmas Eve.
I frowned. “I suppose if we could catch Sandy there and try to make it look like we had run into her by accident then I might be able to get some information. Are you sure she’ll be there? She was rather upset.”
Bernie chuckled.
“Trust me. I know Sandy. She loves her singing, and there is no way she would miss the carol service. Can we go? I would like to see her again and say my goodbyes.”
I looked at the clock. It wasn’t too late. If we left now, we would probably catch her before she left.
I nodded. “Okay, we will go and see if she is there. But Bernie, you do know that Sandy won’t be able to see you or hear you, don’t you?”
Bernie’s expression fell, but he nodded. “I know. I’d just like to see her again. One last time. We did share some special moments together.”
CHAPTER 7
I stood up and put Smudge on the floor. “We’re going to try and find Sandy Crouch,” I announced to Jess and Grandma Grant.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Harper,” Jess said. “It is Christmas Eve, after all.”
I nodded but then I looked at Jess meaningfully. “I know. But there’s a good chance Sandy may have some idea who killed Bernie, and if we identify his killer, that means he could be on his way tonight.”
Tomorrow was going to be hectic enough with our parents and Lily arriving and poor Grandma Grant trying to keep her magic under her hat, so to speak.
Grandma Grant rushed over and grabbed me by the shoulders. “Absolutely, you must go and see Sandy right now! I think that’s a very good idea.”
She twisted me around and gave me a little shove toward the front door.
Bernie frowned. “If I were a more sensitive man, I might think you wanted to get rid of me.”
I smiled sheepishly, feeling guilty, and said, “We just want what is best for you, Bernie.”
And if that happened to coincide with a less stressful day tomorrow for us, that was only a good thing.
Bernie didn’t look convinced. He raised an eyebrow and looked at Grandma Grant. “I can see I am going to have to put on a charm offensive to get your grandmother to like me.”
I shook my head. He was asking the impossible, especially as I would have to act as their go-between.
“Come on, Bernie. Let’s go and see Sandy,” I said and opened the front door.
I waited for Bernie to drift outside and sighed.
This was going to be a long night.
Now that Bernie had completely sobered up, it was a lot easier to get him back into town.
The journey through the thicket was practically trouble free, even though the night was now pitch black, and I had to use the light from my cell phone to see the way. Bernie was happy to float along beside me, chatting about his memories of Sandy, and I had to wonder why they had ever split up. The way he spoke about his ex-wife made it seem as though they’d had an almost perfect relationship.
I hoped Sandy would be at the carol service. She had looked quite upset earlier, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she’d blown it all off and stayed home tonight.
When I suggested this to Bernie, he shook his head. “No, Sandy loves the Christmas carols, and if anything, tonight she will appreciate them even more because they’ll remind her of our time together.”
As we reached the end of the thicket, I turned to Bernie and said, “Remember, I won’t be able to speak to you in town. I know it’s dark, but I don’t want anyone to see me talking to thin air and think that I have lost my marbles.”
“Fair enough,” Bernie said. “It just takes a little bit of getting used to. I used to enjoy chatting, so it’s hard when nobody can hear me even though I can hear them.”
I nodded. I could understand that.
“And another thing,” I said to Bernie just as we stepped out of the thicket and onto the small trail that led to Main Street, “I am not sure why, but for some reason, you are able to interact with solid substances even though you are only a new ghost, so that means you have to be really careful. If you knock into something or pick something up, you could give one of the residents of Abbot Cove the fright of their life.”
Bernie chuckled. “That actually sounds like fun.”
I gave him a warning look, and Bernie put his hands up. “Okay, Harper. I promise to keep my hands to myself while we are in town.”
Bernie did as he was told. He didn’t talk to me as we walked toward the church hall. It only took a few minutes to get there, and when we did, we could see that the carol evening was already over. Crowds of people were leaving the church hall.
I was surprised to see so many residents. I thought most of them had been at Sarah’s party, but from the flushed cheeks on Mr. and Mrs. Townsend and some of the others, I realized many of them had gone to Sarah’s party first and then come here for the carol service.
I’m not sure Mrs. Butler, the head of the choral society, would have approved of that.
“There she is,” Bernie said giving me a nudge.
I shot him a look, reminding him he shouldn’t be touching anything. It was an odd sensation to be touched by a ghost like that. The only long-term ghost I knew was Loretta at the diner, and she had an excellent control of her abilities. She could interact with solid substances but only when she wanted to, which meant I could walk through Loretta without noticing, much to her chagrin. Bernie would learn that skill in time, but I hoped he wouldn’t be a ghost long enough to learn that lesson.
I walked over to Sandy Crouch, nodding hello to Mr. and Mrs. Townsend as I passed them.
“Sandy, can I have a word?”
She had her car keys in her hand. Despite the fact she lived in the new residential area, which was only a ten-minute walk away, like many people at the service, she had driven, not wanting to walk back home on a cold, dark winter’s night.
Sandy looked at me suspiciously. I had been among the group of people at the party when Mrs. Townsend had accused her of being responsible for Bernie’s death. I had hoped she might have forgotten that I’d been there, but clearly, she hadn’t.
“I came to apologize,” I said, hoping to smooth things over before I launched into my questions. “I don’t think you had anything to do with Bernie’s death.”
Sandy gave me a slight nod, but she didn’t relax. “Apology accepted. Now, if you don’t mind, I need to get home.”
“I’ll walk you to your car.”
Sandy looked surprised but didn’t object.
“I wondered if you had any idea who might have wanted to kill Bernie?” I asked, deciding not to waste time beating around the bush.
A look of irritation passed over Sandy’s face. “Why are you so interested anyway?”
“Tell her how much I loved her and how sorry I am that I had to go without saying goodbye,” Bernie burst out.
I gave a slight shake of my head, hoping Bernie would take the hint and shut up.
It was hard to have a conversation with a boisterous ghost hanging around.
“I spoke to Bernie earlier today, and he mentioned you,” I said. “I suppose because I was there when it happened, I feel like I should have done something or seen something that could help the police investigation.”
Sandy sighed. “I am sure there wasn’t anything you could have done. Bernie lived a full life. A little too full on occasions.”
Bernie zoomed around happily, floating in front of us as we walked to the car.
“Oh, we did have some good times together,” Bernie said. “Sandy was the only woman I really loved. I was an idiot for cheating, tell her that, Harper.”
I rolled my eyes. Bernie really wasn’t helping my investigation.
“He told me today that you were the only woman he’d really loved and said it was all his fault the marriage ended.”
Sandy stopped walking abruptly and turned to face me. She put a hand on my arm. “Did he really say that?”
Her eyes were shining with tears as I nodded.
She put a hand to her mouth and smothered a sob. “Oh, Bernie…”
Bernie, seeking to comfort Sandy, floated over to her and put his arm around her shoulder. Unfortunately, it didn’t have the intended effect. Sandy leaped in the air with a shriek.
“Something touche
d me,” she said, spinning around and looking at the empty air behind her. “What was it, Harper? Is there something on my back? Is it a bat? A creepy crawly?”
I pretended to brush something off her coat as I glared at Bernie. “Um, no, I think it was just some snow starting to fall.”
I put my own arm around Sandy’s shoulders, leading the way to the car as she continued to look around her and up at the sky, looking for the imaginary snow.
I would have to have words with Bernie after this was over.
As we reached the car, I asked, “I heard about one person who had a falling out with Bernie…Boris Barrymore. Do you know anything about him?”
Sandy turned around and said, “That was years ago. Boris Barrymore was Bernie’s business partner, and they dealt in real estate and land sales. Bernie cut a deal without Boris for quite a bit of money. Boris was upset.”
Interesting. “I’ll mention his name to Chief Wickham and Deputy McGrady. I think Boris is somebody they will want to talk to.”
Sandy paused beside her car and shook her head. “It’s ancient history. I’m sure Boris has forgotten about it by now.”
Sandy got into her car and gave me a wave as she started the engine. I waved back and then turned around, walking back toward town.
I didn’t hurry Bernie because I thought he had some thinking to do, and for a long while, he floated in the same spot, watching Sandy drive away.
CHAPTER 8
I wasn’t sure how much time Bernie would need on his own. He needed a little privacy after saying goodbye to Sandy, but I wasn’t worried about leaving him alone. He knew where to find me.
But it wasn’t long before Bernie caught up with me. I’d reached the top of Main Street and was just about to turn left onto the trail when he reached my side. He gave me a wide smile, but I could tell he was feeling sad after saying goodbye to his ex-wife.
“I am sorry you didn’t get to say goodbye properly,” I said.
Bernie kept the cheerful smile plastered on his face and shrugged. “That’s okay. I’m just glad I got to see her again.”
I tried to choose my next words carefully. “It was interesting that she mentioned Boris Barrymore. Why didn’t you mention him before?”
