Friends and Frauds (An Isle of Man Ghostly Cozy Book 6)

by Diana Xarissa

  Fenella exchanged glances with Shelly. There was something she didn’t like about Lance, but that may have been mostly because he’d unsettled Shelly so much.

  “Look at the time,” Shelly gasped. “You have to get ready for your party,” she told Fenella.

  Fenella glanced at her watch and then frowned. She had less than an hour to grab a shower, get dressed, and do her hair and makeup. There wasn’t any way she could skimp on anything, either, not for an event with Donald.

  “I should get out of your way, then,” Lance said. “But I do hope that I’ll get to see you again,” he told Shelly.

  “Um, maybe,” she replied, looking desperately at Fenella.

  “I don’t mean to be pushy or anything,” Lance replied quickly. “But when you and John were first married, he used to send me letters all about you. I’ve heard so many stories about you that I feel as if I already know you. Maybe we could have lunch together one day this week?”

  “Maybe,” Shelly said. “Let me give you my number. You can ring me.”

  She turned and walked over to the nearby table and found a pen and some paper. Fenella never stopped watching Lance as he stood in the corridor. He seemed amused by her scrutiny.

  “Here,” Shelly said a moment later, handing Lance a slip of paper. “That’s the number for my flat. I have an answering machine if I’m not in.”

  “Excellent. I’ll ring you as soon as I get settled in my new flat. I’d love to buy you lunch, anywhere you’d like. Your friend is welcome to join us as well,” he said, nodding toward Fenella.

  “That would be nice,” Shelly said.

  Fenella and Shelly both watched as Lance turned and walked back down the corridor. Once he’d boarded the elevator and the doors had shut, Fenella pulled Shelly into a hug. Smokey and Katie both came rushing out as Fenella pushed the door shut and Shelly began to sob.

  “I’m sorry,” Shelly said after a few minutes. “I don’t even know why I’m crying. This is stupid.”

  “You’re crying because you’ve had a shock. It’s perfectly understandable.”

  “But you have to go and get ready for your party,” Shelly said. “You don’t have time to deal with me being overly emotional.”

  “I have plenty of time,” Fenella lied. “I’m not leaving you when you’re this upset, anyway.”

  “I’m not quite ready to be alone,” Shelly admitted. “Let’s go over to your flat. You can get ready while we talk about Lance Thomas.”

  Fenella nodded. She picked up Katie while Shelly grabbed Smokey, and the little group made their way next door.

  After racing through a shower, Fenella did her hair and makeup at the vanity in her bedroom. Shelly sat on the bed, stroking the cats, who both clearly sensed how upset she was.

  “I assume you’ve never met Mr. Thomas before,” Fenella began as she combed her hair.

  “Never met him, never heard his name, didn’t even know he existed,” Shelly replied.

  “Then he and John couldn’t have been very good friends, could they?”

  Shelly shrugged. “I suppose they could have been friends in childhood and then drifted apart, the way that Lance claimed. I was surprised when he said that John used to write to him, though. I don’t remember John ever sending letters to anyone.”

  “So maybe Lance is lying,” Fenella suggested.

  “I was suspicious, but he was right. John hated surprises. I threw that in to see what he’d say, and he got it absolutely correct.”

  “Maybe you should ask him if you can see some of the letters that he claims to have received over the years.”

  “I’m not sure I could handle that, not right now, not with the anniversary of John’s death so close,” Shelly said in a low voice.

  Fenella put her eyeshadow brush down and crossed to the bed. She put her arm around Shelly. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I can’t imagine how difficult this must be.”

  “It’s just so strange. If you’d asked me an hour ago, before Lance Thomas knocked on my door, I’d have told you that I was dealing well with John’s death. The anniversary worries me, but otherwise, I’ve been feeling as if I’ve come a long way in the past year. But now I don’t know what to think. I feel all topsy-turvy and mixed-up.”

  “So when he rings, don’t answer the phone,” Fenella suggested.

  “I’d feel better if he didn’t live in the same building,” Shelly said quietly.

  Fenella nodded. “I don’t think we can get him kicked out simply because he knew your husband, but I’m willing to try if you think it would help.”

  Shelly chuckled. “That’s very kind of you, but no. I don’t want to do anything to upset him. I still think there’s something odd about him, but I also think he might be telling the truth. John was a friendly person. At his funeral I met dozens upon dozens of people I’d never met before and they all had wonderful stories about John. Lance may be exactly who he claims to be.”

  “Does that mean you want to see him again?”

  “I don’t know what it means,” Shelly sighed. “I don’t think I’m going to decide anything tonight, anyway.”

  Fenella nodded. She got back up from the bed and crossed back to her vanity. “What can I do with my hair?” she asked, frowning at the untidy mess she’d made of her highlighted brown hair when she’d come out of the shower. “It’s overdue for a cut.”

  “Put it all up with the clip in the left side drawer,” Mona’s voice floated across the room. “But whatever is wrong with Shelly?”

  Fenella glanced around the room and then spotted Mona in the corner. Her aunt was staring at Shelly with a worried look on her face. There was no way she could explain the situation to Mona though, as Shelly couldn’t see or hear Mona’s presence.

  It only took Fenella a moment to find the clip that Mona was talking about. She twisted her hair onto the top of her head and slid the clip into place.

  “That looks fabulous,” Shelly told her with a small smile.

  “It will never stay up all night,” Fenella frowned. “But it does look nice.”

  “It will stay up all night,” Mona said. “Or at least until Donald takes the clip out.”

  “Donald isn’t...” Fenella began. She blushed bright red when she realized that she’d answered Mona.

  “Donald isn’t what?” Shelly asked.

  “Donald isn’t here yet,” Fenella said a bit desperately. “I thought I was going to be late, but Donald isn’t even here yet.”

  “As you are still in your dressing gown, that’s probably a good thing,” Shelly laughed.

  Fenella glanced down at the comfortable robe she was wearing. While Mona’s dresses were beautiful and easy to wear, they weren’t nearly as comfortable as it was. Still, she needed to get dressed. The last thing she wanted was for Donald to turn up before she was fully clothed.

  A few minutes later, she was ready. She slipped into her shoes as the doorbell buzzed.

  “You look stunning,” Donald said as he stepped into the apartment and pulled her into an embrace. “Maybe we should skip the party and stay home,” he whispered in her ear before he began kissing her neck.

  “Hello, Donald,” Shelly said brightly from the bedroom doorway.

  Donald picked up his head and smiled at Shelly. “I didn’t realize you were here,” he said, releasing Fenella. “How are you this evening?”

  “Mostly fine,” Shelly told him.”

  “Only mostly? I hope there’s nothing seriously wrong?”

  “Not really,” Shelly replied. “It’s just been an odd day.”

  Donald frowned. “Are you sure? I’ve been looking forward to seeing Fenella for days, but if you need her, I can go to the party on my own.”

  Shelly shook her head. “That’s very kind of you, but no. You two go and have fun. I’m going to curl up with two cats, an old movie, and a bag of microwave popcorn.”

  Fenella let her friend out, giving her the best hug she could while Shelly was holding the cats. �
�I’ll come over before noon for Katie,” she promised.

  “Is she okay?” Donald asked after Fenella had shut the door behind her friend. “She looked upset.”

  “She is upset. She had a visitor tonight who was looking for her husband. He didn’t know that John had passed away.”

  “Oh, dear, how difficult for her. When I first lost my wife, I was always surprised by how much such things upset me. You get yourself into a routine that works and you feel as if you’re doing fine, and then something shakes up your routine a little bit and you find yourself grieving all over again.”

  “I can’t even imagine,” Fenella said.

  “I really will understand if you’d rather be with Shelly tonight,” he said, pulling her back into his arms. “But she’s probably happier on her own, anyway. And I’ve missed you.”

  Donald’s kiss reminded Fenella of just how much chemistry there was between them. For a few moments she forgot about Shelly and Lance and even Daniel as she got lost in the man’s arms. A loud coughing noise pulled her back to reality. She took a step backwards, breaking the spell.

  “Ahem,” Mona said. “Sorry about that.”

  Fenella wasn’t sure if she was angry with her aunt or grateful to her. There was no doubt in her mind that Donald had intended that kiss as a prelude to something. She took another step away from him and then glanced at the clock. “We should probably get going. We don’t want to be late.”

  Donald glanced at his watch. “No, I suppose we don’t,” he agreed. “This is one of my favorite charities, after all.”

  “What charity is it tonight?” Fenella asked as she grabbed her handbag and checked that she had her keys.

  “Manx Cloan,” Donald replied. “Cloan is the Manx word for children and the charity does wonderful things for any and all children on the island.”

  “How nice,” Fenella replied, feeling as if it sounded exactly like every other charity that Donald supported.

  “It’s a wonderful group, but I mostly support it because the woman in charge, Liz Martin, is amazing,” Donald laughed. “But you’ll see when you meet her.”

  Fenella was pretty sure that when Donald said “amazing” he meant gorgeous, but she tried to reserve judgment about Liz Martin until later.

  “Where is the party?” she asked as Donald slid behind the driver’s seat of his racy black sports car. He’d already tucked her into the passenger seat.

  “On the grounds of Peel Castle,” Donald replied. “Liz loves the island’s history. She holds the event at a different historical site each year. I’m sure Liz hopes that she’s promoting the island’s history as much as her charity.”

  “I’ve only been to Peel Castle twice since I’ve been on the island,” Fenella said. “It’s a wonderful site and once I’m driving I hope to visit it regularly. I have to say, I can’t quite imagine it as a location for a fancy charity fundraiser, though.”

  Donald nodded. “You’ll be surprised what Liz will have accomplished. There will be marquees, tents in American English, and I’m sure the catering will be excellent. It’s going to be a wonderful evening.”

  Fenella nodded, but she knew that she’d be worried about Shelly no matter how nice the event was. Donald drove across the island at a steady pace. Fenella found herself staring at him, wondering if she was right to want to end their relationship. When traffic forced Donald to slow down, he reached over and took her hand.

  “I don’t know what you’re thinking about, but I hope you aren’t planning to break things off with me,” he said softly.

  Fenella sighed. “I feel as if I should,” she admitted. “We aren’t right for each other.”

  Donald chuckled and squeezed her hand. “I know I don’t deserve you, but I’m trying hard to be a better person. I’m tired of playing games with beautiful women who are only after what my money and social position can bring them. You aren’t interested in either of those things, which means I have to win you on my own merits. It’s quite distressing to find that my merits are rather lacking.”

  Fenella shook her head. “That isn’t it at all,” she said quickly. “I’m just not ready for a serious relationship right now. I’m still sorting out my new life and getting over my last relationship.”

  “And yet, I suspect if I were Daniel Robinson you wouldn’t be saying the same thing,” Donald said softly.

  Fenella felt herself blushing brightly. “Daniel isn’t even on the island right now,” she said.

  “Which is why you’ve been letting me take you out so much,” Donald suggested. “And now he’s due back in a few weeks and you’re getting rid of me.”

  It sounded awful when he put that way, but Fenella knew there was some truth in what he was saying. She really did like Daniel a lot.

  As they approached Peel, Donald pulled his hand away so that he could shift into a lower gear. The twisty roads that led to the castle needed his concentration, so Fenella sat and stared out the window instead of replying. Once Donald was safely parked in the castle’s parking lot, he turned and took both of her hands.

  “Just for tonight, maybe you could forget about Daniel and try giving me a proper chance,” he suggested in a low voice. “Forget everything you’ve heard about me and all the warnings I’m sure you’ve been given about me. Judge me tonight on how I treat you and how I behave. If I do anything that upsets you, we can end things after the party.”

  Fenella nodded slowly. Donald was right. At least some of the reason why she kept him at arm’s length was because she’d been warned about him so many times. Maybe she should start judging him on his behavior, rather than on what other people said about him.

  He climbed out of the car and raced around it to hold open her door for her. As he helped her from the car, he kissed the top of her head. “I already care far too much about you,” he murmured as she adjusted her dress and then took his arm.

  The steps up to the castle were uneven and Fenella was glad she’d taken Donald’s arm as she walked up them in her heels. They seemed a very bad idea when she thought about the uneven terrain within the castle walls, but she soon discovered that she had nothing to worry about. Wooden boards had been laid all along the ground from the front of the castle into the tents and beyond. While they weren’t as stable as solid floors, they would keep Fenella’s heels from sinking into the ground as she walked.

  They’d only gone a few steps when a pretty blonde woman rushed toward them. “Donald,” she exclaimed. “I knew you’d turn up eventually.”

  Donald made an exaggerated glance at his watch and then shook his head. “The invitation said seven and it’s only quarter past. I’m right on time.”

  The woman, who was probably in her mid-forties, laughed. “I suppose you are. You know I prefer everyone to be early.”

  “And generous,” Donald suggested.

  “Oh, yes, of course, that,” the woman replied. “But where are your manners? Who is your lovely friend?”

  “I am sorry. Liz Martin, this is Fenella Woods. Fenella, this is Liz, the amazing woman behind Manx Cloan,” Donald said.

  Fenella took the offered hand and smiled at the blonde. “It’s very nice to meet you,” she said.

  “Likewise, I’m sure. But don’t let Donald fool you. I’m only a tiny part of Manx Cloan. There’s an entire committee who do ninety-nine percent of the work. I just stand out in front of them and steal all of the glory,” Liz said.

  “That isn’t even close to true,” Donald laughed. “Manx Cloan is Liz’s baby, really, although she has plenty of real babies to keep her busy, as well.”

  Liz laughed again. “My babies are all growing up,” she said. “I have five children,” she told Fenella. “But the oldest is eighteen now, so not a child at all.”

  “Five children?” Fenella echoed. “I can’t imagine.”

  “My husband and I didn’t exactly plan it that way,” Liz said in a confiding tone. “But if we had to go back, we wouldn’t change a thing. Bill is here somewhere with the li
ttle one. He’s meant to be taking her home before the auction gets started, but knowing him, he’ll let her stay. He’s terrible at disciplining the children, even after five of them.”

  “You wouldn’t change that either,” Donald said.

  Liz looked surprised and then laughed again. “You’re right, really. Bill is an amazing father and the kids adore him. I wouldn’t change him, even if I do get frustrated with him sometimes.”

  “But what else have you been doing lately?” Donald asked.

  “Me? Nothing much. Raising the kids, running Manx Cloan, oh, and I went back to school again,” Liz said.

  “What are you studying?” Fenella asked.

  “Manx language and history,” Liz replied. “I’m hoping to do a PhD, actually, but it’s going to be a lot of work.”

  “You have a PhD, don’t you?” Donald asked Fenella.

  “I do, in history, actually,” Fenella said, feeling a bit like she was showing off.

  “Really? You must meet Marjorie,” Liz said. “She’s the librarian and archivist at the Manx Museum. Maybe you’d like to do some research there?”

  “I hadn’t really thought about it, but maybe that would be interesting,” Fenella said.

  “Marjorie will be here later. I’ll try to remember to introduce you,” Liz said. “But now I must dash. I’m sure someone needs me to do something somewhere.”

  The woman gave Donald a quick hug. “Don’t forget to bid on everything and spend lavishly,” she told him. Donald laughed.

  “I’m exhausted just from talking to her,” Fenella said as they watched the woman dash away.

  “She loves life and she squeezes as much as she can into every moment. Her children are lovely, by the way, and her husband is very nice, even if he does spoil the children,” Donald told her.

  “I’m almost jealous,” Fenella teased. “You sound quite enamored of Mrs. Martin.”

  “I am,” Donald admitted. “If she weren’t so happily married, I might even be tempted to try starting something with her. Sadly for me, she and Bill are absolutely devoted to one another.”