Blue Moon

by C. D. Ledbetter

  He shook his head. "No. I figure the house is worth $350,000 as-is. You'll probably have to go that high before they'll sell."

  Elizavon closed her eyes and leaned back. "That's what I like about you, Allan. You're not afraid to tell me what you think."

  "Why did you make such a low offer?"

  "Because Duchette's a pompous ass. Imagine that toad thinking he could pull one over on me. Just because I'm old, doesn't mean I'm senile."

  Allan smiled. "You'll never be senile."

  She withdrew a certified check from her handbag. "Take care of the details. If they reject the offer, make one for $350,000 and show the toad my check. Don't bid any higher." She held a thin hand to her forehead. "I think it's time to go home."

  Chapter 24

  Allan stayed behind to finalize the deal. It took two days to draw up the agreements, but when he left, he'd purchased the estate for $350,000, and hired a firm to begin restoration the day escrow closed. He'd also negotiated a fifteen-day escrow.

  Elizavon treated him to one of her rare smiles as he handed over the documents. "I wish all my business deals were this uncomplicated."

  "Evidently the Martines needed the money. That made it a whole lot easier to finalize." He closed his briefcase and lifted his eyes to hers. "What are you going to tell Mary Corbett?"

  Elizavon's smile disappeared. "Don't worry about it. I'll take care of her. Your job was to complete the deal. " She glanced toward the door. "Ask the maid to come in on your way out."

  She sighed as she watched his retreating figure. She really was getting too old for these impromptu jaunts. Although the trip to Louisiana had been interesting, she didn't have the same reaction Mary had to the plantation. She had hoped to at least feel some sort of sensitivity to the plantation, but nothing had happened. She didn't feel the tingling sensation she got whenever she began to review perspective stocks. Once the tingling started, she always bought that particular stock. If nothing happened, she didn't invest her money. Evidently her gift only worked in business; Mary's must be connected to the past. What a waste. At least her business acumen would keep her fed--there wasn't much Mary could buy with hers.

  Grimacing, she rubbed an aching shoulder. This last trip had set off her arthritis, and she'd been forced to call her doctor. He'd cautioned against any more trips, and suggested moving to a warmer climate.

  She sniffed. Warmer climate, indeed. She'd lived on Beacon Hill the better part of fifty years, and she intended to die here, if only to irritate the snobs who'd tried to prevent her buying this house. She even planned to be buried on the grounds, in a private cemetery. That would show those pompous toads who they were dealing with.

  The maid entered, and she ordered the thermostat pushed up five degrees. She didn't like wasting electricity, but the bitter cold made her bones ache. She glanced down at her watch. Mary would be here soon. She picked up the plantation documents and placed them in her wall safe, then returned to her chair and pulled out a checkbook. While she waited, she scribbled out a check for a thousand dollars and stuffed in into her pocket.

  A knock on the door preceded Mary's entrance.

  "Aunt Elizavon, I'm here to get your answer on the bed and breakfast plantation," she said.

  "Sit down."

  Mary chose the chair across from her, and clasped white-knuckled hands in her lap. This was it. The birth or death of her dream. She forced herself to breathe in a normal rhythm, dropped her gaze to her lap, and peered at Elizavon from under her lashes. There was a definite gleam in the old woman's eyes that hadn't been there before. Something was wrong. A sudden, unexplained fear crept through her as she waited.

  Elizavon held out the check. "Here's your finder's fee. One thousand dollars, payable to you."

  Mary stared at the check, puzzled. "What are you talking about? I didn't ask for a finder's fee. I asked you to be my partner." She didn't touch the check.

  "I went to see the plantation and bought it without you. The money is for the proposal you gave me."

  Shock rendered Mary speechless. When she found her voice, it came out in a hoarse whisper. "You what?"

  The blue eyes narrowed. "You heard me. I bought it. Escrow closes in less than fifteen days. I've even made arrangements for the restoration work to start."

  The room spun and Mary sagged in her chair. How could Elizavon do this to her? Why? She stared at her, bewildered. "Why did you do that? Don't you understand what owning that plantation meant to me?"

  A ghost of a smile hovered around the old woman's lips. "It was simple. You don't have the experience to run a bed and breakfast profitably. That means you add no value to this deal, so I left you out of it." She slung the check forward; it floated to the rug. "Take your money and get out."

  Mary picked up the check and placed it on the table. She lifted her head proudly and traded stares with her aunt. Her words came out slowly. "I don't want or need your conscience money." Before the old woman could utter a response, she stood up, straightened her shoulders, and walked out. A strange calm descended over her as she made her way back to the car.

  She filled the afternoon with mindless tasks, her brain numb, incapable of coherent thought. At five-thirty she left the office and drove aimlessly until she found herself in front of DeeDee's condominium. She walked up the front steps and pressed her finger against the doorbell. As soon as the door opened, she burst into tears.

  DeeDee dropped the magazine in her hand and wrapped an arm around her. "Mary! What on earth's wrong?"

  Mary couldn't answer as shudders of grief wracked her body.

  DeeDee guided her to the couch. "Did Aunt Elizavon do this to you?"

  She nodded as DeeDee wrapped an afghan around her shoulders.

  "I'll fix you a drink," DeeDee said. "You're in shock. It'll steady your nerves." A moment later she handed Mary a glass filled with whiskey. "Here, drink up."

  Mary sipped the whiskey, and by the time she'd drained the glass, the onslaught of tears slowed to a trickle. DeeDee handed her a box of tissues and she blew her nose and dried her face.

  "Feel better?"

  She nodded. "Thanks, I didn't know where else to go."

  DeeDee hugged her. "That's what I'm here for." She glanced at the empty glass. "Want another?"

  Mary nodded. "A little one. Can you add some coffee to it? I think I'd like that better."

  DeeDee disappeared and soon returned with a mug of steaming coffee. She topped it off with whiskey. "Finish it, and then you can tell me what happened." She stared at Mary's gaunt face and shaking hands. "Have you eaten today?"

  "I don't think so."

  DeeDee sighed. "What am I going to do with you? Stay there and I'll fix you a sandwich."

  Mary sipped her coffee, and felt some of her strength return. After she'd eaten, she was ready to talk. "I went to get Aunt Elizavon's answer on the plantation. As soon as I got there, she handed me a check for a thousand dollars, and told me it was a finder's fee." Tears rolled down her cheeks again, and she wiped them away. "She bought the house without me, and then had the nerve to tell me she didn't think I had enough experience to run a bed and breakfast profitably. Why did she do that?"

  DeeDee threw her whiskey glass into the fireplace. "Because she's a hateful bitch, that's why. I'm sorry I ever mentioned her name." She sighed. "This is all my fault. If I hadn't pushed you into calling her, this never would have happened."

  Mary patted her arm. "It's not your fault. I thought about her long before you did, but wanted to try every other avenue first."

  "I still feel lousy. Can I ever make it up to you?"

  "You can let me stay here tonight, if that's all right. I don't think I can face being alone."

  "No problem," DeeDee said. "You can stay in the spare bedroom."

  "Thanks." She yawned and set the empty mug on the coffee table. "Could I borrow something to sleep in? I'm ready to crash."

  Twenty minutes later, Mary pulled the covers around her chin and snuggled under the warm b
lankets. Her eyelids felt like lead weights and she welcomed the thought of sleep.

  The room grew cold and dark, and she found herself back in the tunnel. Only this time she wasn't alone. A man waited in the shadows. He raised his arm and something gleamed in his hand. Uncontrollable fear shook her body. He meant to kill her. She opened her mouth to scream, but a hand pressed against it, cutting off her air. There was a flash of light, then tremendous pain. When she looked down, her hands were covered in blood! The thick, red fluid poured from a wound in her chest, soaking the front of her dress. She wrenched the hand from her mouth and screamed as loud as she could...

  Something shook her, and she felt a sting on her cheek. She opened her eyes.

  DeeDee hovered over her, eyes wide. Her pale face glistened with sweat. "My God, Mary, what's going on? I had to slap you to get you to wake up. You scared me to death with your blood-curdling screams. You're having another nightmare!"

  Mary opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Her throat felt like parchment. She placed a hand on the front of her nightshirt and felt the dampness of the material. Sweat poured down her face and neck, and her stomach churned. She took several deep breaths, then swung her feet over the edge of the bed. "Let's go to the living room. I don't want to stay in here."

  DeeDee followed her to the couch. "Good God, Mary. Your screams were terrible. I thought somebody was killing you."

  Rivers of sweat rolled off Mary's forehead and down her cheeks. She pulled an afghan across her legs and wiped her face on the sleeve of her nightshirt. "Somebody was. It was awful! There was a man, but it was dark and I couldn't see his face. He had something in his hand. A knife or gun. I'm not sure. There was a flash of light, and then terrible pain." She placed her hand against her forehead. "Blood was everywhere. All over my hands, my face, the front of my dress." She shuddered.

  DeeDee put an arm around her. "It was only a nightmare, Mary. That's all."

  Mary wrenched from DeeDee's grasp. "You don't understand!" She got up and paced. "I've got to go back to that plantation, DeeDee. The key to what happened to Magdalene is there. I know it is. Somebody killed her and I have to find out who. That's what these dreams are all about. In every dream, I die. Don't you get it? She's trying to tell me somebody murdered her, and I think the key's to finding out who is locked up in that house. I've got to get back there, even if I have to break in to do it."

  DeeDee ran a hand over her hair. "Mary, calm down. You're getting all worked up, and it can't be good for you. Come back to the couch and I'll make some hot chocolate. Then we'll talk."

  Mary curled up on the cushions, hugging her knees. "I'm sorry if I've upset you. I can't stand this any longer, sis. I have to find a way to get back to that house. Will you help me?"

  DeeDee nodded. "Hang on a minute. I'll be right back." She disappeared into the kitchen, and returned with two steaming mugs. "Here, take one. It's imported Swiss Chocolate. If this doesn't calm your nerves, nothing will." She sat at the other end of the couch and rested her feet on the glass coffee table. "There must be a way to get you inside without breaking the law. All we have to do is figure out what it is." The grandfather clock chimed three and she groaned. "I haven't been up this early in ages."

  Mary shifted and propped a pillow under her feet. "I need to leave around six so I can get a shower and change clothes before work."

  DeeDee nearly dropped her mug. "You've got to be kidding! You're in no state to go to work."

  Mary shrugged. "You forget. I've had these nightmares for weeks, so I'm used to little or no sleep. Besides, I'm going to ask Mac for a leave of absence. This has gone on long enough. I'm going back to the plantation so I can figure out what happened. If I don't, you might as well drop me off at the mental hospital. I can't take any more of this."

  DeeDee poked her lightly on the shoulder. "Will you stop talking like that? We're not defeated yet. I bet if we put our heads together, we can figure something out." She rubbed her chin. "You need to tell me everything Elizavon said, word for word. Don't leave anything out."

  "I've already told you. She bought the plantation without me."

  DeeDee remained silent for a few minutes, then jumped up and snapped her fingers. "We're going to beat the old bag at her own game. I've figured out how you can get into the house, and Elizavon's going to help you!"

  Mary stared at her sister as if she'd lost her mind. "She's never going to let me stay there."

  A big smile lit up DeeDee's face, and her eyes sparkled. "Oh yes, she is. Remember when she offered you the finder's fee? Well, tomorrow, or rather today, you're going to go back to see her. Tell her you've decided to collect your finder's fee, but not in cash. You want a month at the plantation as compensation for giving her the proposal. If she balks, tell her she needs somebody on site to make sure the restoration's being done properly. After all, you're an estate specialist. Who better than you to make sure the house is restored properly? And, offer to do it for free. That ought to sway her, if nothing else does."

  Mary threw off the afghan. "Do you really think she'll let me do that? Oh God, maybe she will let me stay there if it saves her money." She hugged her sister's neck. "You're wonderful, do you know that? I can't wait to tell her I'll take my finder's fee in nights at the house." She hugged DeeDee tighter. "Thank you for coming up with this!"

  DeeDee smiled, then stood up. "Now that we have a plan, do you think we might try to get some sleep?" She eyed Mary carefully. "You aren't going to have another one of those nightmares, are you?"

  "I don't think so. Most of the time I only have one."

  "Good. Why don't you stretch out on the couch? It might be more comfortable for you, and that way, if you can't sleep, you can watch television."

  Mary reached out and hugged her. "I don't know what I would do without you, sis. You're wonderful."

  DeeDee watched her for a few moments. "You know, after all this, I think I might go down to Louisiana with you." Her lips twitched. "In fact, I know I'm going. Elizavon would have a fit if she knew I was there." Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "It'll be our little secret, and once we solve this mystery, I'm going to tell her I was there, just to watch her explode."

  Mary chuckled. "One step at a time, sis. We still have to get her permission."

  DeeDee waved her hand as she left the room. "Piece of cake. See you in the morning. If I were you, I'd go see her on my lunch hour. A surprise attack always works best."

  The first thing Mary did when she got to work was make an appointment to speak to Mac. His assistant checked his schedule and said he could see her at two o'clock. Mary spent the rest of the morning rehearsing her ultimatum. At twelve, she gathered her wits and drove to Beacon Hill. The first time she pressed the buzzer, nobody answered. She held her finger against it, determined to get inside.

  "Who's there?"

  Like they didn't remember her from yesterday. "It's Mary Corbett. I need to speak to Aunt Elizavon."

  Silence. Two could play that game. She placed pressure on the button once more.

  "She says you don't have an appointment."

  Mary gritted her teeth. "Tell her I want to discuss the finder's fee."

  More silence. She held up her finger to the security camera and motioned toward the buzzer.

  "She said the check's in the mail. Go away."

  At least she'd gotten a response. She took a deep breath and tried one more time. "Tell her I said the least she could do is give me five minutes of her valuable time. She owes me that much." She waited ten minutes, and was almost ready to give up when the gates swung open. Surprised, she jumped into her car and drove to the rear of the house. She grinned at the maid and kept her coat. "I won't be staying long. Please take me to my aunt."

  Elizavon sat in the same chair as before, but Mary didn't make the mistake of taking the smaller one across from her. She walked over to the fireplace and stood beside the carved mantel. She cleared her throat. Well, it was now or never. "I've thought about your generous offer of a
finder's fee, and have decided to accept."

  Elizavon reached for the check, but Mary placed a hand on her arm. "Don't bother with the check. I want a month's stay in the plantation while it's being restored as compensation for putting together the proposal."

  The old woman sputtered, then found her voice. "Absolutely not. How dare you dictate terms to me, young lady. Just who do you think you are?" Her lip curled and she pointed to the door. "Get out, and don't come back."

  Mary folded her arms and leaned against the mantle. This was starting to get interesting. "No."

  Elizavon's mouth opened in surprise. "What do you mean, no?"

  Time to give the old bat a taste of her own medicine. "You heard me. I'm not leaving until you hear me out. You gave me five minutes of your time, and I'm taking it." She locked stares with the old woman, and some of her courage evaporated. She forced herself to breathe naturally. "You told me the restoration work starts immediately after escrow. Who's going to keep an eye on the men and make sure the work's being done properly? If you hire someone, you'll have to pay them. I'm the perfect choice. Because of my job, I know what houses from that period are supposed to look like, and my being there will keep them from robbing you blind. I'll send you periodic reports and photographs of the work so you'll know you're getting value for your money. All I want is a few weeks to roam around the house and figure out what happened to Magdalene. After that, I don't care what you do. I can find another bed and breakfast. What I can't find somewhere else is the answer to my nightmares." She smiled a crooked smile. "You help me. I help you."

  The old woman's lips twitched, but she pulled them into a frown. "How can I be sure you'll guarantee me value for my money?"

  Mary held her temper. "I know what type of building materials are needed for specific jobs. Contractors frequently cut corners by using inferior materials, yet charge the customer for top quality. I'll make sure that doesn't happen. You'll also need someone to validate that the carpentry work blends in with the original wood. Satisfied?"