Harper Grant 03-A Witchy Christmas

by DS Butler

  From a few feet away, Bernie gave a sound of outrage, and I heard Loretta give a warning for me to get away from Terry. But I wasn’t ready to abandon things just yet.

  “What did he do to upset you so much?” I asked even though I knew the real answer from Bernie. I wanted to know if Terry would be honest with me.

  “That man ruined my marriage. We are only just putting things back together again now, and things will never be the same as they were before.”

  For a moment, the angry expression left Terry’s face to be replaced with one of hurt.

  “So, you weren’t involved in Bernie’s death?” I was starting to feel sorry for him now, but since I had already started my questioning, I figured I may as well go for broke.

  Instantly, Terry’s expression changed. There was no hint of the vulnerable, hurt man now. Instead, his eyes flashed angrily as he leaned forward over the table intimidatingly. His voice was cold as he said, “If I did do it, I wouldn’t tell you, would I?”

  I shivered and pushed back in my chair. He had a point.

  Just as I was about to call it quits and cut my losses, I figured I would ask one more question. There was someone else involved in this situation, someone who might know whether her husband would have been driven to murder…

  “I wondered whether it would be possible to have a word with your wife?” I racked my brains for Terry’s wife’s name I couldn’t think of it.

  Terry slammed a fist on the table attracting the attention of the rest of the customers and then he snarled at me. “Don’t you dare go near my wife! Do you understand me?”

  I gulped and nodded.

  He looked at me with such intense dislike I remained rooted to the spot. He stood up and threw a ten dollar bill on the table.

  “Keep the change,” he said.

  Then he turned and walked briskly out of the diner.

  As I watched him go, I realized I was trembling. The encounter had certainly been more than I had bargained for.

  Beside me, Loretta and Bernie were looking as shell-shocked as I felt.

  “I don’t know whether he would go as far as murder, but that man certainly has anger issues,” Loretta said.

  CHAPTER 15

  After Terry had left the diner, I stayed seated waiting for the shaking and trembling in my limbs to stop. There was something in the man’s eyes that really scared me. He seemed so angry, even though Bernie was dead, Terry clearly hadn’t forgiven him for cheating on him with his wife, but that didn’t necessarily mean he was the murderer, did it?

  The little scene Terry had created drew Archie out from the kitchen, and he scurried toward me. “Harper? Is everything okay? Was Terry not happy with the apple pie?”

  Archie stared down at Terry’s empty plate with a puzzled frown.

  “He liked the apple pie just fine,” I said. “Something I said upset him.”

  Archie opened his mouth to question me further when Dr. Madeline breezed into the diner.

  She waved at Maurice and his wife and then came and stood by the table where I was sitting.

  “Happy holidays,” she said cheerfully and then looked at me with concern. “Are you okay, Harper? You are looking very pale.”

  I nodded and tried to smile. Now that Terry was gone, I was starting to feel a little more relaxed. “I’m fine,”

  “She just had a run-in with Terry Woods,” Archie said.

  “Terry Woods? Whatever for?”

  “That’s what I was trying to find out,” Archie said pointedly.

  “It was my fault. I asked him too many questions,” I said, reluctantly spilling the details. It seemed I wasn’t going to get anything past Archie today. I knew he wouldn’t be happy with me questioning people about Bernie’s murder in the diner. For one thing, Archie had no idea I could see ghosts and would think I was just a busybody. And for another thing, he probably wouldn’t appreciate me asking questions while he was paying my wages.

  Archie put his hands on his hips and frowned at me. I was right. He wasn’t happy.

  “Oh, I thought you were going to say he was one of the customers disappointed in your grandmother’s Christmas trees,” Dr. Madeline said.

  I turned around quickly in my chair looking up at Madeline. “You know about that as well?”

  She nodded. “The whole town knows about that. I’ve actually been conducting some counseling sessions for residents who were particularly aggrieved and felt their Christmas was spoiled by their faulty Christmas trees.”

  I shook my head. “Unbelievable.”

  I’d already had a few residents approach me, moaning about the trees, and I informed them all that I was very sorry, but they should take it up with Grandma Grant. It was hardly my fault. But I really didn’t see how a Christmas could be ruined by a faulty Christmas tree. After all, Christmas was about more than sparkly decorations and pine needles.

  “Yes,” Dr. Madeline continued, “Mr. and Mrs. Townsend are particularly upset.”

  I rolled my eyes and got to my feet.

  I asked Madeline, “Do you know Violet Morton?”

  Dr. Madeline nodded. “She is one of my clients, yes. Why? I don’t think she had a faulty Christmas tree.”

  “I found out that Bernie was supposed to visit Violet Morton on Christmas Eve. He had something important to tell her, apparently, but he never got the chance. I don’t know her very well, and I wondered if you had any idea what he wanted to tell her?”

  Dr. Madeline looked horrified. “I wouldn’t dream of sharing a client’s personal information, Harper. What happens in my counseling sessions is strictly private.”

  I nodded. “Of course, sorry. I just thought since Bernie and Violet were both your clients you might have had some idea. I thought it might have something to do with the murder.”

  Madeline paled and shook her head. “I think you’re barking up the wrong tree, Harper.”

  I nodded. “You’re right. Sorry. Forget I asked. I’ll go and speak to Violet myself later.”

  At least this change in subject had made me feel a little bit better, but Archie was still looking at me with a puzzled frown on his face.

  “Why don’t you go out back and have a quick break?” he asked. “We’re quiet now. You should take a cup of tea into the back room and calm your nerves.”

  I was about to protest and tell Archie that I didn’t need a break and I was perfectly capable of continuing with my shift, when out of the corner of my eye, I saw the door open, and Mr. and Mrs. Townsend entered the diner.

  The last thing I needed was the pair of them moaning about their faulty Christmas tree, so I gave Archie a quick nod of thanks and rushed off to the back room.

  I didn’t bother with tea, but I took the chance to unfasten my apron and sank down into one of the easy chairs.

  It wasn’t long before the peace and quiet in the back room was broken by the arrival of Bernie and Loretta. “Well, that was interesting,” Loretta said. “I think you may have to work on your questioning skills, though, Harper. That was not what I would call subtle.”

  “I tried to be subtle. It didn’t work. So I decided to use the direct approach.”

  “You’re not kidding,” Bernie said. “I can’t believe you actually had the nerve to suggest going to talk to his wife.”

  I frowned. “Well, why not? I wasn’t sure he was telling me everything, and I can’t rely on you, Bernie. You can’t remember how you were killed, and even the things you do remember you don’t bother to share. You could have told us about Terry Woods a long time ago.”

  I leaned back in the chair and looked up at Loretta and Bernie hovering in front of me. “Well, you heard the entire conversation. What do you think?”

  “There’s definitely something suspicious about him,” Loretta said swaying backward and forward. “He reminds me of a man I once knew…”

  Bernie seemed very interested in this line of conversation, and I leaned forward in my chair. Loretta hadn’t shared anything about her past with m
e before. I’d often longed to ask, but there was something reserved about Loretta, and she made me feel rude if I questioned her, as though I was prying.

  Loretta glanced at us both, as though debating whether to continue, then she gave a little shrug and said, “He was a city man. He moved down to Abbott Cove, and everyone was quite taken with his fancy city ways until he showed his true colors.”

  Bernie and I looked at each other, wide-eyed.

  “And what were his true colors?” I asked eagerly. “Was he a murderer?”

  Loretta lowered her voice and said, “Worse. Much worse.”

  I sucked in a breath. What could be worse than murder?

  “What did he do?” I asked, unable to bear the suspense any longer.

  “He would do it in broad daylight,” Loretta said. “Nobody could get over the nerve of the man. The surprising thing is that he managed to get away with it for so long…”

  I was really on the edge of my seat now. “Yes, but what did he do?”

  Loretta looked over her shoulder to make sure she wasn’t overheard, which was silly considering she was a ghost, and nobody could hear her around here besides Bernie and me.

  I got the impression she was enjoying stringing this out.

  “He would sit outside a house and wait until nobody was watching… and then…”

  Bernie let out a frustrated sigh. “Well, goodness gracious, Loretta. What did he do? Just tell us.”

  “I will tell this story in my own good time, thank you very much,” Loretta said primly.

  I wanted to beg her to spit it out, but I bit my tongue. I might not know many personal details about Loretta, but I knew she was stubborn, and if we pushed her too far, she would refuse to tell us the story at all.

  “As I was saying,” Loretta continued, “he would wait until no one was looking, then he would climb over the garden fence, quietly creep over to the clothesline and remove a pair of ladies bloomers!”

  I waited for what was coming next.

  “And?” Bernie asked. “What did he do then?”

  Loretta looked scandalized. “What do you mean ‘and what did he do then?’ Isn’t that bad enough?”

  “Well, it’s not a very nice thing to do,” I said. “But I don’t think it’s really worse than murder.”

  “Well, you have your opinion. I have mine. All I can tell you is that Terry Woods reminds me of that man. There’s something dark and unhinged about him.”

  I was surprised by Loretta’s reaction. “Well, I have to agree he was quite intense and angry, but I did provoke him.”

  Bernie held up a finger. “Oh no, Harper, you mustn’t blame yourself. There’s no excuse for intimidating a woman like that. He meant to scare you, and that’s wrong. Okay, you may have been a bit nosy but…”

  I shook my head impatiently. “But do you think he could have killed you?” I asked Bernie. “That’s the important thing. Do you think he could be the killer?”

  Bernie shrugged. “I really wish I could remember, Harper. I know you think I’m not focusing or concentrating hard enough on trying to solve my own murder, but I’d love to be able to remember. It’s driving me to distraction. I suppose he had a good motive.”

  “And he does have a temper,” Loretta chipped in, reminding us both. “I definitely think there’s something suspicious about him.”

  I had to agree. I was just about to tell Loretta so when there was a knock at the door.

  I jolted in my seat and hoped I hadn’t been talking too loudly. Sometimes it was so easy to forget that no one else could hear Loretta and Bernie.

  I didn’t understand why someone would be knocking, though. Archie wouldn’t have bothered.

  I put a finger to my lips to warn Loretta and Bernie to stay quiet, not because anybody else could hear them, but because I could do without the distraction, and then I opened the door and saw Dr. Madeline’s apologetic face.

  “I’m very sorry to trouble you, Harper,” Dr. Madeline said, “but I have two people here who are insisting on talking to you.”

  As she said the words, I already knew what was coming and braced myself. She stepped to the side and behind her were the diminutive figures of Mr. and Mrs. Townsend. But their size didn’t fool me. They could both be a force to be reckoned with when they were angry. And from their flushed cheeks and narrowed eyes I guessed they were extremely angry right now.

  Mrs. Townsend stepped forward and stabbed a gnarly finger in my chest. “Harper Grant, we want to have a word with you about your grandmother and her dodgy Christmas trees.”

  I stifled a sigh. That was the story of my life.

  CHAPTER 16

  I braced myself for Mr. and Mrs. Townsend’s reprimands. I thought it was pretty unfair. Grandma Grant should really be the one dealing with this, but she was lying low.

  I guess things could have been worse. If Grandma Grant had decided to meet things head on, she’d probably do more damage, although it was hard to see how that was possible.

  I let my mind wander as Mr. and Mrs. Townsend’s flushed and angry faces looked up at me and jabbered on.

  I did feel bad for them. After all, they had paid for a Christmas tree and had received what basically amounted to a bundle of twigs. I opened my mouth to try to apologize once more, but Mrs. Townsend raised her finger and waggled it in my face. “And another thing…”

  I groaned.

  “Did you hear that?” Mr. Townsend said, looking at his wife and then Dr. Madeline. “She groaned. I don’t think she is taking this seriously. If you’re not careful, Harper Grant, you will turn out just like your grandmother.”

  That did it. Grandma Grant may have been difficult and always getting herself into scrapes that Jess and I had to try and sort out, but she was family. My family. And I wasn’t going to stand there and listen to anyone criticizing her in my presence.

  “I’ll have you know, Mr. Townsend, I wouldn’t mind turning out like my grandmother one bit. She is a good, strong woman.”

  That was probably overstating my case just a bit. I really hoped I didn’t turn out like Grandma Grant when I was older.

  Dr. Madeline put a hand on my shoulder in a show of solidarity. “Yes, your grandmother is a good, strong woman, and she is prepared to make amends for her mistakes. I think you’re being unfair to Harper by blaming her.”

  Mr. Townsend folded his arms over his scrawny chest and scowled in a way that showed all his wrinkles.

  Mrs. Townsend made a scoffing noise in the back of her throat and shook her head.

  Suddenly, Archie’s head poked out from the kitchen hatch, and I looked at him pleadingly, silently trying to communicate I needed him to save me from this situation.

  Thankfully, he seemed to get the message and bustled over.

  “What’s all this about? I hope you’re not keeping Harper from her work, Mr. and Mrs. Townsend,” Archie smiled and chuckled at his own joke.

  I thought it was quite clear they were keeping me from my work. The Townsends were practically holding me hostage at the corner of the diner.

  We all looked up as the bell above the door chimed, and Sandy Crouch walked into the diner.

  She was looking a lot better than the last time I had seen her. She had more color in her cheeks, and her eyes were no longer red. She was an attractive woman, and I wondered again why Bernie had cheated on her.

  Voices sounded behind me, reminding me that Bernie and Loretta were still there.

  “That’s your ex-wife, isn’t it?” Loretta nodded at Bernie as she flew in front of me to get a better look at Sandy.

  Bernie moved so he was hovering beside her. “Yes, things didn’t work out between us, but we had a good relationship in the early days, and she’s taking my death hard.”

  Sandy Crouch was oblivious to us watching her and strode across the diner smiling. She waved at Maurice and his wife and exchanged a few words.

  I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but suddenly Sandy roared with laughter.

 
; “She doesn’t look too devastated,” Loretta commented dryly.

  Bernie looked a little put out. “Of course not, she is making an effort when she’s out in public. We saw her the other day, and she was very upset, wasn’t she, Harper?” Bernie turned to me, and I rolled my eyes. He wasn’t going to catch me out that easily.

  Being accosted by the Townsends had made my day bad enough already. I wasn’t going to make it worse by talking to ghosts in the presence of all the other customers.

  I took the opportunity to excuse myself, saying I had to go and serve Sandy.

  As I walked away from Mr. and Mrs. Townsend, Archie and Madeline moved with me.

  “Are you okay, Harper? It can’t be easy dealing with someone like your grandmother. If you ever need to talk things through, I’m here for you.”

  I cocked an eyebrow. “That is very kind of you. But I’m used to my grandmother, and I’m perfectly fine thank you.”

  I could just imagine Grandma Grant’s face if I told her I’d started seeing Dr. Madeline to talk through my issues, especially if one of my issues was her!

  I knew some people were helped tremendously by counseling, but I was lucky enough to have a good life. I might have a few issues— such as being able to see and talk to ghosts, but apart from that, I figured I was relatively well-adjusted. And being part of the Grant family meant my life was never boring.

  Dr. Madeline gave me a tentative smile and sat down at her table.

  I approached Sandy Crouch. “Hello Sandy, how are you doing?”

  The smile left Sandy’s face, and she adjusted her features into a more sober expression. “I’m bearing up, thank you, Harper,” she said. “It’s been a very sad period, but I’ve done enough moping around. It’s time to move on.”

  I was quite surprised by Sandy’s words. When we’d seen her on Christmas Eve, she was ever so upset, and now it was only Boxing Day, and yet she seemed to be completely over Bernie’s death. Still, I supposed everybody dealt with grief in different ways.

  I took her order for a shrimp sandwich and headed out into the kitchen to give the order to Archie. Then I returned to Sandy’s table to pour her a glass of iced tea. Unfortunately, as I did so, Mrs. Townsend took the opportunity to collar me again. “So, Harper, how exactly are you going to make your grandmother make amends for the Christmas trees?”