The Ghost Who Lied (Haunting Danielle Book 13)

by Bobbi Holmes

  Joyce stood up and started to say something, but then changed her mind. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she sat back down and looked at Agatha. “Mother, why do you even want to go to this open house? Just the other day you were saying how ridiculous it was that someone like Danielle Boatman, with all her money, was selling tickets for her barbecue.”

  “I do think it’s ridiculous. If she wants to donate money to the local schools, she has enough money to do it herself. I don’t know why she’s trying to get us to donate our money. But I guess that’s what rich people do.”

  “So why do you want to go if you feel that way?”

  “Because I went last year, and I want to go this year. And I don’t have that many years left. And I want my family with me. Is that really so much for an old woman to ask? Are you really so selfish you can’t do this one little thing for me?”

  DENNIS PULLED his car up in front of his mother-in-law’s house and parked. Turning off the ignition, he made no attempt to get out of the vehicle. Instead, he looked over to the passenger seat, where his wife, Martha, sat.

  “I wish we could have just met them over at Marlow House,” Dennis said with a sigh.

  “I know.” Martha forced a smile. “But Mom’s hoping Gran will go with us so she doesn’t have to.”

  With a snort Dennis said, “Yeah, right. Like that’s going to happen. Her Majesty is not about to attend the shindig without her court in attendance.”

  Stifling a giggle, Martha said, “You’re probably right. If Gran wants Mom to go, she will. Frankly, I’m kind of glad we’re going. It was fun last year. Well, at least it was fun until Danielle’s cousin went missing with the necklace, but then it got kinda exciting.” Martha reconsidered her words a moment and then let out a sigh. “I guess that sounds sort of shallow, considering her cousin ended up murdered.”

  “Just a little,” Dennis said with a chuckle. “By the way, I don’t mind going with you to this thing, but I just wish we didn’t have to go with your whole damn family.”

  Martha unhooked her seatbelt and leaned toward her husband. She planted a kiss on his cheek and then sat back in her seat, still looking at him. “Okay, fess up. Last year, did you really have to work?”

  Dennis laughed. “Yes, I really did.” He leaned to Martha and kissed her nose.

  “But did you have to?” She eyed him critically.

  Dennis noticed the smile tugging on the corner of Martha’s mouth in spite of her serious expression. He grinned. “Alright, I admit it. When the boss asked for volunteers to work the Fourth, I offered.”

  Martha let out a laugh and then playfully swatted his arm. “I knew it!”

  “Hey, we needed the money!” he said mischievously.

  “Yeah, right. Maybe we did, but I know the real reason you volunteered.”

  Noticing movement in the rearview mirror, Dennis turned and looked out the back window. “And here is one reason now.”

  Martha turned in the direction Dennis was looking. Her oldest brother, Larry, was parking behind them. She waved in his direction, but he didn’t wave back. The next moment a second car pulled down the street and parked in front of Dennis’s vehicle.

  Turning back around in the seat, Dennis unhooked his seatbelt and muttered, “And there is the second reason.” In the car ahead of them was Martha’s younger brother, Shane.

  “Oh, be nice.” Martha giggled.

  “Hey, I’m always nice.” Dennis flashed Martha an exaggerated Cheshire cat grin. He opened his car door.

  AT LAST, Larry was alone with his grandmother. He had been hoping to arrive at his mother’s house before his siblings. As it turned out, his sister and brother-in-law were already parked in front of her house when he had pulled up, and then his youngest brother arrived. But now they were all in the kitchen with his mother. He figured this would be his last opportunity today to speak with Gran alone. His other brother, Henry, was sure to arrive at any minute, and when that happened, the kiss-up would probably not leave the old witch’s side.

  “Gran, I need to talk to you about something,” Larry said as he sat down beside the elderly woman.

  Pursing her lips, Agatha narrowed her eyes and studied her eldest grandson. “When are you going to cut off that ridiculous ponytail?”

  Concealing his emotions, he forced a smile. “Actually, I’ve been thinking of doing that,” he lied.

  “I wish you would have done it before today,” she snapped.

  “Gran, I need to ask you about something.”

  “Go ahead. I’m not stopping you.”

  “I’ve been offered a job in Vancouver, at another water company.”

  “Vancouver?” Agatha frowned.

  “It’ll give me a chance to spend more time with Curt.” Curt was Larry’s young son, who a year earlier had moved to Vancouver with his mother after his parents’ divorce.

  “Are you asking for my permission to go? I told you to fight Cynthia when she wanted to move out of state with your son. But did you listen to me? No.” With a grunt, her lips again pursed, Agatha shook her head.

  “Gran, you know Cynthia’s parents live in Vancouver. I understood why she wanted to be near them.”

  “And you have family in Frederickport!” Agatha snapped.

  “I need to be closer to my son.”

  “You should have thought of that before you got a divorce.” Agatha sat back in her chair and eyed her eldest grandson. “I suppose you’ll do what you want. You always do.”

  “Gran, I’m not here to ask for your permission. I was hoping…that maybe you could give me a loan.”

  Widening her eyes, Agatha let out a snort. “A loan? What for?”

  “It’s expensive to move. I’ll have to find a place to rent, and that means a down payment. And I have three more months on my current lease here, but if I want the job, I have to move in three weeks.”

  “You want money?”

  “Just a loan. I promise. I’ll pay you back as soon as I can.”

  “And how do you expect to do that? If you were responsible, you’d have something in savings and wouldn’t have to come to me.”

  “It’s been a rough year, Gran. With the divorce. Please. Just this once.”

  Stubbornly she shook her head. “No. Not a penny.”

  “Won’t you even consider it? Don’t you even want to know how much I need?” he pleaded.

  “It doesn’t matter if it’s a dime or a million dollars. Like I said, not a penny. You have no business traipsing off to Vancouver, following that woman around. Your home is in Frederickport. And after I die, then I suppose your share of the inheritance will give you the freedom to move wherever you want. But for now, your place is in Frederickport.”

  “I GUESS I’M GOING,” Joyce conceded. She sat at her kitchen table with her daughter and son-in-law, drinking coffee, while her youngest son, Shane, looked through her refrigerator.

  “Mom, this is probably for the best.” Martha reached across the table and patted the older woman’s hand. “You can’t avoid Danielle Boatman forever, and if you go today and get this awkward first confrontation out of the way, then you can move on. And Gran did say Danielle was fine with you going today. Seriously, Mom, you helped her out when you went to the police and told them what happened.”

  “Joyce, Martha is right,” Dennis weighed in. “And the fact is, I bet most people would have kept what they found in their safe deposit box.”

  “I just wish Mother wouldn’t have called Danielle.” Joyce groaned.

  Shane closed the refrigerator and looked over to the kitchen table. “So when are we leaving?”

  Joyce glanced up at the wall clock. “We’re just waiting until Henry gets here. Then we can go over there together. It’s what Mother wants.”

  “Well, I’m going to use the john,” Shane said as he headed for the doorway. Once in the hallway, he walked toward the bathroom, passing the doorway leading to the family room, where Larry sat with his grandmother. Shane paused a moment and
listened. It sounded as if they were arguing. With a chuckle, he shook his head and continued down the hall.

  He paused a moment at the coat rack, where a purse hung from one of its hooks. He knew it belonged to his mother. Looking down the empty hallway toward the doors leading to the kitchen and family room, he hastily turned his attention back to the handbag. Opening it, he pulled out his mother’s wallet. Inside were two twenty-dollar bills. He removed the bills and then paused. Glancing back down the hall, he let out a sigh and then returned one of the twenties while shoving the other one in his pocket. Returning the wallet to his mother’s purse, he smiled and continued to the bathroom.

  Five minutes later, as Shane exited the bathroom, the front door opened and a male voice shouted, “Hey! Where is everyone?” It was the middle brother, Henry.

  By the time Shane reached the doorway leading to the family room, Henry was already inside. Pausing by the doorway, Shane could hear his brother talking to their grandmother.

  “Hello, beautiful!” Henry greeted her cheerfully.

  “Oh, you scamp, you’re always late!” Agatha chided, yet she didn’t sound angry.

  “I have to make an entrance. But there was no one to greet me,” Henry said with faux disappointment. “Where is everyone?”

  Standing outside the doorway, out of sight, Shane continued to eavesdrop. By the voices and conversation, he gathered Larry was no longer in the room with their grandmother.

  “I imagine all in the kitchen. They just left me here all alone,” Agatha said with a pout.

  “I’m here now; you won’t be alone.”

  “When we go to Marlow House, I really want to see the upstairs this year. I wasn’t able to last year. But your mother insists it will be too dangerous for me to try the stairs.”

  “I tell you what, Gran, why don’t you let me help you up the stairs. I’ll bring up your wheelchair and give you the tour.”

  “You can carry the wheelchair up the stairs?”

  “Sure, Gran. For you, anything.”

  SIX

  Tucked into the right front pocket of Ian’s tan slacks was a small velvet pouch holding the engagement ring. He had been tempted to leave the ring at home, but with Kelly staying with him for the weekend, he feared she might stumble across it. Ian wanted Lily to be the first one to see her ring, not his sister.

  Standing on the front porch of Marlow House, Ian knocked on the door. The gesture was a mere formality; he didn’t intend to wait for someone to answer. If unlocked, he would walk right in. Just as he reached for the door, it opened. Standing before him was the youngest of Police Chief MacDonald’s sons, six-year-old Evan.

  “Hey, Evan,” Ian greeted as he walked inside the house.

  “Where’s Sadie?” Evan glanced around Ian.

  Ian closed the door behind him. “I’m leaving her home today.”

  Evan’s expression fell into a disappointed pout. “First Walt is busy and now Sadie’s not coming,” he grumbled under his breath.

  “Walt is busy?” Ian asked with a frown.

  Evan froze a moment and then looked up to Ian, his eyes wide. “I like Sadie,” he stammered.

  Cocking his head, Ian studied Evan. “What did you mean about Walt is busy?”

  “Nothing. I didn’t mean nothing.” Evan shook his head. “Everyone is in the living room.” Evan turned abruptly and ran down the hall, racing for the kitchen.

  In the living room Ian found Danielle, Chris Johnson, Chief MacDonald and the chief’s oldest son, Eddy. Who he didn’t see was Walt, who lounged casually against the fireplace mantel, smoking a thin cigar.

  “Hey, Ian. Lily’s upstairs,” Danielle greeted him when Ian walked in. She remained seated on the sofa. “She should be down in a minute. Where’s your sister?”

  Ian greeted both the chief and Chris with a quick handshake and then said, “She’s across the street, waiting for Joe. She plans to come over with him.”

  The chief glanced to the doorway leading to the hallway. “I wonder where Evan took off to.”

  “Last I saw he was off to the kitchen. Probably to get one of those cupcakes,” Ian said with a chuckle as he took a seat.

  “Can I go see where he is, Dad?” Eddy asked.

  MacDonald gently swatted his son’s back. “Go ahead.”

  “When I was talking to Evan a minute ago, he said something about Walt being busy.”

  Eddy, who had dashed to the doorway, paused and looked back at Ian.

  “What do you think he was talking about?” Ian asked.

  Danielle and Chris exchanged glances while Walt listened intently.

  “I bet he’s talking about Walt Marlow’s ghost,” Eddy blurted out.

  The adults in the room all turned to Eddy, who stood by the doorway, preparing to dash from the room.

  “Ghost?” Ian asked.

  “Enough, Eddy,” MacDonald scolded.

  “Well, he asked, Dad. And Evan thinks he can see Walt Marlow’s ghost.”

  “You heard what I said, enough, Eddy,” MacDonald repeated, his voice sterner.

  With a shrug, Eddy dashed from the room.

  “What was that about?” Ian asked.

  MacDonald shook his head. “Just boys and their imagination.”

  “Where’s Sadie?” Danielle asked abruptly.

  “You knew Sadie wasn’t coming over,” Walt said with a chuckle. “Trying to change the subject?”

  “That’s what Evan asked,” Ian said as he sat down. “I’m beginning to think people only like me for my dog.”

  “When I looked out the front window, I saw you crossing the street,” Chris told Ian. “I said something about you being on your way here, and Evan ran out of the room to greet you at the door. But I suspect you’re right, in this case, he was more interested in greeting Sadie.” Chris chuckled.

  Abruptly changing the subject, the chief said, “Hey, did you hear Alan Kissinger left town?”

  “Left town? Isn’t he still a person of interest for what happened at the bank?” Danielle asked. “Not to mention what his cousin did here.”

  “We know where he went. The bank transferred him to another branch. After what happened here, I guess they felt they needed to move him.”

  “Why not fire him?” Chris asked.

  “I don’t think they really have anything substantial to fire him on. Even the FBI hasn’t been able to link what happened with the safe deposit boxes directly to Kissinger. But according to Susan, the new job is not a promotion. He’s now an assistant manager,” the chief explained.

  “So that’s who told you?” Danielle asked.

  “Yes. She called me last night and let me know.”

  “Maybe he had nothing to do with the safe deposit boxes, but I still believe he’s the one who sent his safe-cracking cousin after the Missing Thorndike.”

  “Ahh, you mean the cursed Missing Thorndike?” Chris teased.

  “Oh hush,” Danielle scolded.

  “Well, if you think about it, if Kissinger was responsible for sending his cousin after the necklace, and he has since been demoted, perhaps there is something to that story about a curse,” Chris suggested.

  “I suspect the bad luck has more to do with people making poor choices and then having to deal with the consequences of those choices. What is that old saying, crime doesn’t pay?” Ian countered.

  Chris shrugged. “A curse sounds more interesting.”

  “I’m not sure what poor choice I made to get myself killed,” Walt muttered. “I take that back—I married a gold digger.”

  Chris glanced at Walt and smiled.

  Ian turned to Danielle and eyed the heirloom necklace. “The Thorndike looks great on you, by the way. You should wear it all the time.”

  Danielle laughed. “Right.”

  MARLOW HOUSE’S JULY FOURTH celebration was formally scheduled to begin in less than thirty minutes. Joanne was in the kitchen, completing some last-minute tasks, while Evan and Eddy helped her haul cans of sodas to the buckets of
ice already set up outside. The guests staying at the bed and breakfast had finished their board game and had since taken off for a walk along the beach before the party. Unlike others attending the barbeque, they wouldn’t have to pay for an admission ticket.

  Lily still hadn’t come downstairs, so Ian decided to see what was taking her so long. After he left the living room and Danielle was confident he was out of earshot, she looked at the chief and asked, “Does Eddy know about Walt?”

  “Not exactly,” the chief said in a low voice. His gaze flashed to the open doorway Ian had just exited through.

  “I was wondering that myself,” Walt said.

  “Eddy overheard Evan and I discussing Walt. He asked me about it, which caught me by surprise. I had no idea he had heard us talking,” the chief explained.

  “When was this?” Chris asked.

  “Just the other night. Earlier that evening, at dinner, I was talking to the boys about coming here this afternoon for the barbeque, and then later when I was alone talking with Evan, Eddy overheard.”

  “What did you say exactly?” Danielle asked.

  “Enough for Eddy to get the gist of the conversation—that Marlow House has its own ghost.”

  “Why do they always have to say ghost?” Walt asked.

  Chris glanced over to Walt and rolled his eyes. “Because that’s what you are, Walt.”

  “Eddy knows?” Danielle groaned.

  “Not exactly. I told Eddy he misunderstood the conversation. I told him that was what normally happens when you eavesdrop on someone. You think you know what they’re talking about, when you really don’t.”

  “And he believed that?” Chris asked.

  MacDonald shrugged. “I thought he did. At least, until a few minutes ago.”

  IAN WAS on his way to the staircase leading to the second floor when he spied Evan stepping out from the kitchen, en route to the downstairs bathroom. Stopping in the middle of the hallway, he waited for the boy to reach him.

  Noticing the chocolate frosting on the edge of Evan’s mouth, Ian said with a grin, “You’ve been sampling the cupcakes, haven’t you?” Ian pointed to the corner of his mouth.