by J A Whiting
Lin almost fell off her chair. The woman in the picture was her ghost.
Felix summarized what was written in the article. “Ms. Porter had a four-year-old daughter. The woman’s husband died two years before in a boat accident. A sister is quoted as saying that Elise would never have left her child and she feared foul play. A search for Ms. Porter was conducted, but she was never found.”
Lin’s throat had tightened so strongly she couldn’t speak.
“That’s awful,” Viv said softly. “What could have happened to Elise?”
Lin swallowed. “What happened to the daughter?”
Felix pulled up a few other articles and read. “This one reports that after two weeks, Elise Porter still had not been found. The daughter went to the mainland to live with her aunt.”
Lin made eye contact with her cousin. Now they knew her ghost’s name and some of the circumstances of her life.
After thanking Felix for his help and gathering their things, Lin and Viv left the historical library and stepped out into the bright sunshine of the warm September day.
“What happened to her, Viv? What happened to my ghost?”
“She lost her life somehow,” Viv said. “She was taken away from her young daughter. No wonder that ghost is wrapped in terrible sadness.”
“Was it an accident? Did my ghost … did Elise fall into the ocean and drown? Did she stumble into the marshes?” Lin paused for a moment. “Or did someone kill her?”
The young women walked along the brick sidewalks through town.
“If it was an accident that took her life,” Viv said, “why would Elise hang around the factory building for almost two hundred years?”
“If her life ended from an accident in the factory, there would have been a story or report in the newspaper,” Lin said. A sinking feeling filled her chest. “Did someone kill her at the factory? Or near the factory?”
“And then hid her body,” Viv suggested, “so she was never found.”
Lin stopped and faced her cousin. “Let’s go see her.”
“Who?”
“Elise.” Lin turned around and headed along the brick walkways for Academy Hill.
“What are you going to do?” Viv puffed as she hurried after Lin. “Barge into the inn and demand to see the ghost who lives there?”
“I’m going to stand outside and see if she shows up.” Lin almost jogged along the streets to the inn.
“You don’t have to run, for Pete’s sake,” Viv admonished her cousin. “Your ghost has been at that inn for almost two hundred years. She’ll still be there if it takes us an extra five minutes to get there.”
Rounding the corner near the inn, Lin came to a stop and Viv almost plowed into her.
“I’m going to wait here on the corner and see if Elise shows up. I don’t want to get closer and have someone from the inn see us and wonder why we’re lurking outside the place.”
“Good idea.” Viv was still trying to catch her breath. “I need to take up jogging.”
Lin raised an eyebrow at her cousin.
“Or, maybe not.” Viv wiped the back of her hand over her sweaty forehead. “Why is it still so hot? Is it ever going to cool down?”
“It’s early September. It’s still summer,” Lin said looking down the lane towards the inn.
Twenty minutes passed and Viv asked, “How long are we going to stand here?”
Lin sighed. “I don’t know.”
“Maybe she doesn’t know you’re here,” Viv suggested. “Maybe she isn’t going to come.”
“I guess.” Lin looked dejected.
Viv said kindly, “Why don’t we head to my house and make dinner. We can sit on the deck to eat and think of what to do next.”
“Okay.”
The young women crossed the street and started away to Viv’s place when a whoosh of icy cold air surrounded Lin causing her to halt and spin around.
“What is it?” Viv whispered.
Elise Porter’s spirit stood shimmering on the corner they’d just left. She stared at Lin with big eyes.
“It’s Elise,” Lin said softly and then took a few steps into the street to get closer to the ghost, thankful that very few cars ever drove up the lane.
Lin’s heart raced as she started to speak to the ghost. “We were at the historical museum library. We found some old articles in the Nantucket newspapers.”
Elise’s eyes held Lin’s.
“The article reported that you disappeared. There was a search, but they couldn’t find you.”
The atoms making up Elise’s translucent body seemed to brighten.
Lin took a deep breath. “Did someone hurt you?”
Elise’s body shimmered so brightly, Lin had to squint her eyes.
“Did someone kill you?” Later on, Lin would wonder if she’d actually spoken the words or if Elise had been able to hear her thoughts.
There were no tears on Elise’s cheeks. Her face contorted in fury and her atoms turned bright red as if a fire raged within her. The atoms began to swirl, faster and faster, in a maniacal whirlwind. The silver necklace she wore dazzled with brilliant light and just as Lin was about to close her eyes against the painful glow, Elise’s body flared crimson and the necklace exploded into a million particles, the force of it like a tornado that sent Lin falling back against the cobblestones.
“Lin.” Viv shrieked as she ran to her cousin.
Blinking, Lin sat up, momentarily stunned.
Viv knelt next to her cousin and put her arm around Lin. “Did she hurt you?”
“No.” Lin rubbed at her eyes. “I’m okay.”
“Is she gone?” Viv looked over her shoulder.
Choked with emotion, Lin gave a slight nod as tears overflowed her lids and tumbled down her cheeks. “Someone killed her, Viv. Someone killed her.”
12
It was a busy morning at the bookstore-café with a line of people waiting to make takeout orders and almost all of the tables full with tourists and regulars. Nicky and Queenie shared the upholstered chair by the bookshelves and Lin had snagged a table when a couple finished their coffees and got up to leave. Sipping her tea and nibbling on a blueberry muffin, Lin waited for the crowd to clear so that Viv could join her for a few minutes.
The early rush lessened and Viv took a seat at Lin’s table.
“Woo. Another busy morning. Early September and there’s no sign of business slowing.” Viv leaned forward so people sitting at the nearest tables wouldn’t hear her comments. “The employees didn’t recognize Warren Topper when I showed them his pictures on the internet. I don’t recall seeing the man in here. Mrs. Topper said this was his favorite café. Really? I don’t know how that could be true if none of us recognize him.”
“I know all of you work hard to remember the customers,” Lin said. “You make people feel welcome. If nobody recalls seeing Topper, he couldn’t have been in here very often, and certainly not on a regular basis.”
Viv took a piece of Lin’s muffin. “Does Mrs. Topper know what she’s talking about? Maybe she confused my place with another café. When she said her husband might have come to the café right before he met his friends for lunch, a flash of nervousness raced through me. Even though she didn’t come out and say it, I felt like she blamed my bookstore for poisoning her husband.”
Lin kept her voice low. “Maybe Mr. Topper lied to his wife about his favorite café. Maybe he told her he was going to the bookstore when he was actually going elsewhere.”
“Huh.” Viv’s blue eyes flashed. “What was he up to? We need to have another chat with Maggie Topper.”
“I called her. We’re meeting late this afternoon when we both finish up at work.”
“Good.” Viv sipped from Lin’s teacup. “How are we going to help Elise leave the inn and cross over?”
Lin sighed. “I guess the question is what does she need before she’s ready to cross. If we figure out who killed her, it’s impossible to bring him to justice. He’s long dea
d. That can’t be what she needs.”
“Maybe it is what she needs. Maybe she wants her killer named.” Viv glanced around at the other tables to be sure no one was listening to their conversation. “Her body was never found. If we find it, maybe she’ll be free to move on. Elise is the one we need to focus on, not Maura Wells’s or Warren Topper’s murders.”
Lin ran her index finger over the smooth porcelain of her teacup. “I have a feeling they might be connected to Elise in some way.”
Viv’s eyebrows shot up. “The murders have happened nearly two hundred years apart. How can there be a connection?”
With a frown, Lin shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Viv leaned against her chair back. “Okay. We’ll keep going with all three murders. Have you talked to Libby? Do the police have any suspects?”
“They aren’t saying.”
Viv gave a half-smile. “I’ll meet you at your house later this afternoon and we’ll go see Mrs. Topper. And after that meeting, we’ll figure out what’s next.”
The two cousins rang the bell and Maggie Topper opened the door to greet them, led them through the house and out to the back porch overlooking the beautifully landscaped yard. When they were seated in the comfortable chairs, Viv started the conversation.
“I spoke with my employees at the bookstore and none of them recognized your husband. Is it possible that he confused the name of the café he liked to visit?”
Maggie looked at Viv with a neutral expression. “Perhaps your employees are mistaken. Viv’s Victus. That’s the name of your store, right?”
“It is,” Viv nodded.
“That’s where Warren liked the coffee.”
Viv realized it wasn’t worth pressing the issue. “Could you tell us the names of your husband’s friends? The two men he met for lunch that day.”
“Paul Monroe and Lenny Page. They both have summer homes on the island.”
“Are they from New York City?” Lin asked.
“Yes, they are.”
“You mentioned when we were here last time that you had gone to a friend’s home before your husband left for his lunch meeting,” Lin reminded the woman. “Who did you visit?”
“Rosalind McKenna. She lives near Miacomet beach.”
Maggie seemed to be getting tense so Lin asked her about her property. “Your home is lovely. You told us it’s been in the family for many years?”
“Yes, it has. Nearly two hundred years. It’s been handed down from generation to generation. We treasure the place.”
“You have a lot of land?” Lin asked.
“Five acres. It was larger initially. When my ancestor built the home, it had fifteen acres, but some of the acreage was sold off over the years. I intend to keep it as is. No more selling off any land ... unless, of course, the price is right.”
The doorbell rang and Maggie told her guests that the housekeeper would answer it. In a few minutes, a tall, good-looking man in his mid-fifties with light brown hair and brown eyes came out of the house to the porch and Maggie rose to greet him.
“Paul.” The two hugged and then she turned to make introductions.
“This is Paul Monroe. He was a close friend of Warren’s … and of mine.”
The man took a seat. “I came by to see how you’re doing,” he told Maggie.
“As well as can be expected.” Maggie pushed at her bangs.
Paul addressed Lin and Viv. “You help out the police?”
Lin nodded and then fibbed, “Only on an as-needed basis. The department is often short-handed and we do some research for them when time allows.”
“Can you tell us what happened when Warren arrived to meet you for lunch?” Viv asked.
Paul shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. “What a day. It still seems surreal.” After taking in a deep breath, he said, “Warren arrived. Lenny Page and I were already at the bar waiting for him. He ordered a gin and tonic. The three of us talked. Warren’s face became flushed. He was sweating. I thought it was a reaction to the alcohol. We went on conversing, but then Warren began to seem unsteady, he started to sway a little.” Paul looked over to Maggie. “Would you rather we discuss this inside?”
Maggie had her hand at her throat. “No. I’m okay. Go ahead.”
“I asked Warren if he wasn’t feeling well. He didn’t respond. He started to tug at his collar. Even though his cheeks were red, his face grew pale. Some spittle formed at the corners of his mouth.” Paul shifted in his seat. “Warren’s eyes rolled back in his head and then he … Warren collapsed.”
“He was unconscious?” Lin asked.
“He certainly seemed to be. While Lenny called ‘911’, I knelt beside Warren and spoke his name, but he didn’t seem to be awake. Restaurant employees rushed over to help. There wasn’t anything to be done. It was a terrible, terrible day.”
“Had Warren been concerned about anything lately?” Viv asked.
“No. He seemed his usual self,” Paul said.
“Was he angry about anything?”
Paul sat back in his chair. “He didn’t express any anger when we were together.”
“So he wasn’t afraid or worried?” Lin asked.
“Not when he was with me.” Paul shook his head.
“Any financial concerns?”
Paul looked surprised. “No.”
“Was he experiencing any trouble at his office?” Viv asked. “With an employee? A client?”
“Warren never mentioned anything of the sort, at least nothing of importance. We all have some minor issues at our firms from time to time. It was just business as usual.”
“Do you know if Warren stopped somewhere before he came to meet you?” Lin questioned.
“I don’t know if he did or not,” Paul said.
“Did Warren have a friend or acquaintance in town that he might have stopped to see?”
“In town? I don’t believe so.”
“He didn’t mention having to stop somewhere before meeting with you?” Lin asked.
Paul rubbed the side of his face. “I don’t recall if he said anything like that.”
“How long have you known Warren?”
“Since we were in our mid-twenties. We went to law school together. His career path led him into investments and finance. I joined a law firm.”
“Was he comfortable in his position?” Lin questioned. “Did he want to continue working for some time?”
“Warren loved his work. He traveled a good deal, but he was used to it.”
“Where did he have to travel to?” Viv asked.
“Not far. Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, D.C.”
Lin directed her question to Maggie. “He traveled often?”
“Every other week or so. He’d be gone from two to five days.” Maggie stood up. “Excuse me for a minute. I need to go into the house for a moment.”
When she was gone, Paul said, “I don’t know how Maggie is handling this nightmare.”
Lin said, “I’m sorry to ask this, but we need to cover all the bases. Was Warren faithful to Maggie? Was there any trouble between them?”
Paul’s face took on a look of concern. “I … I don’t know their private details. Warren didn’t confide such things to me.”
“If there was another woman, would Warren have talked to you about it?” Viv questioned.
“I’m not sure.” Paul’s eyes moved uncomfortably around the porch.
“If he and Maggie were having any marital or financial struggles, would Warren have talked to you about that?” Lin asked.
Paul said, “Warren never brought up anything like that so I’ll assume everything was fine between them. Financially, there were no troubles. Maggie inherited wealth and then increased it. Believe me, there are no money worries in this family.”
Maggie came back outside and sat down. “We’re having a memorial service for Warren and a luncheon here in two weeks. There will be two tents, one for the service and one for the sit-down lunch.” The woman rubbe
d her eyes and looked around the yard. “I need to get someone to do some landscaping back here. I want everything to be prefect for Warren.”
Paul glanced over at Lin and then said to Maggie, “You have the owner of the best landscaping company on the island right here on your porch. Ask her to do it.”
“Oh, that’s right.” Maggie made eye contact with Lin. “Could your company handle it? On such short notice?”
“I think we might be able to,” Lin said. “My partner and I could come back to talk to you about what you hope to have done for the service and then make a decision if we can fit it in.” As soon as the words were out of Lin’s mouth, a shiver of unease washed over her skin.
“That would be wonderful, “Maggie said. “I’d be forever grateful.”
Lin looked out over the expansive rear yard and something about it made her heart sink.
13
“I felt dread when Maggie Topper asked if Leonard and I would landscape the backyard before the memorial service for Warren is held there,” Lin said as she prepared the mushroom and onion appetizers.
“Why dread?” Viv sat at the kitchen island sprinkling shredded cheese over the tops of the mini quiche. “Maggie Topper is loaded. Why not take the job and put some extra money in your bank account?”
“We’ll listen to what she wants and if it’s reasonable to manage it in two weeks, we’ll do it, but there’s something about being on that property and knowing the husband was poisoned, it just gives me the creeps.”
“Charge her extra then … for your pain and suffering.” Viv sipped from her wine glass.
“Yeah, maybe.” Lin absent-mindedly reached up and rubbed her thumb over her horseshoe necklace.
“You know what?” Viv said noticing her cousin’s finger touching the necklace. “Your cottage’s layout is similar to your necklace.”
Lin cocked her head. “What do you mean?”
“You’re wearing a horseshoe necklace. Your house is designed in a horseshoe shape … a U-shape with the deck in the middle of the U.”
“I never thought of that.”
Lin’s house had a master bedroom and bath located at one side of a U, a small guest bedroom and the living room were at the base of the U, and the kitchen and dining room were located on the other side of the U. The deck was in the middle, accessible from the master bedroom, the living room, and the kitchen.
