Daisy's Chain: A Cozy Ghost Mystery (Storage Ghost Mysteries Book 5)

by Gillian Larkin

  They walked down a few tree lined streets. Grace had a quick look around her before she spoke, she didn’t want anyone to see her apparently talking to herself. “This is a lovely area.”

  Mr Manville nodded. “When we thought we couldn’t have children June and I decided to focus on our careers. We paid off the mortgage before we were 40.”

  “That’s good. I think I’ll be paying mine off when I’m 60,” Grace said.

  “We were planning to go around the world, even planning early retirement. Then June fell pregnant. It was a miracle. We couldn’t believe our luck. And Daisy was so good tempered as a child, we never had any problems. Good as gold, worked hard at school. She was going to be a doctor, she knew that from a young age. The times me and June had to be bandaged up! Daisy loved practising on us. She must be a doctor now, or on her way to qualifying.”

  Grace slowed her step. “Don’t forget about the baby, she’d have to pay someone to look after him.”

  Mr Manville stopped, his eyes widened. “It should have been us looking after him! We should have moved closer to her and supported her! What if she had to leave university? Quick, we need to speak to June as soon as possible!”

  He moved down the road, his feet several inches off the pavement. Grace was taken back for a moment, she’d seen a ghost do that before, glide through the air. She forgot that they were dead and didn’t need to move like she did.

  She broke into a jog and went after Mr Manville. She turned down a cul-de-sac and ran right through him.

  “What’s wrong? Why have you stopped?” she asked.

  He was looking straight forward. “Our house, look at our house, it’s up for sale.”

  Grace looked over at where the For Sale sign was. It was in the garden of a well maintained detached house. There were no curtains at the windows.

  “Do you think June’s moved to be closer to Daisy? Maybe that letter that Daisy sent after my death was sent sooner than I thought. Maybe June answered and they made friends? That’s what’s happened, it must have.”

  “Maybe, but why did you feel the need to contact June if she’d already moved? And you don’t know for certain that Daisy sent a letter,” Grace said. She didn’t want to put a damper on his happiness but something wasn’t adding up.

  Grace walked closer to the house, hoping to find the answer there. Could June really have made it up with Daisy? Was everything settled? If so, why was Mr Manville hanging around? Had his anger been that strong that he still wanted to cause problems?

  “It’s a lovely house!” a voice called out.

  “It’s Marjory,” Mr Manville muttered. “Our neighbour. Warm hearted but knows everyone’s business. Don’t talk to her, you’ll be here for hours.”

  Grace ignored his advice. A nosy neighbour was just what she needed. “Hello there, yes it is lovely. How long has it been on the market?”

  “About 4 months. There haven’t been many buyers, lots of time wasters, you know how some people are,” Marjory said. “Did you want to have a look inside? You could contact the estate agent, they’ve got a number on that board, and their website whatsit.”

  Grace pretended to look interested. “I think I might. Is this a quiet area? I don’t like areas where people come and go all the time. I want to settle down somewhere. Have the previous owners lived here long?”

  Marjory laughed. “Donkeys years! June and Dan lived here for over 20 years. They were a lovely couple, well, she was.”

  Grace heard a grumble behind her from Mr Manville. She ignored him. “Where have they gone now? Somewhere nearby?”

  Marjory folded her arms and moved closer. She pursed her lips and shook her head sadly. “He died two years ago. I shouldn’t say this but it was a relief. He used to be nice but he’d turned into this awful person, always shouting, always angry. It was like he was walking round in a big ugly cloud of meanness.”

  Grace looked over her shoulder. Mr Manville looked suitably ashamed.

  Marjory carried on. “It took June ages to get over his death. I insisted on getting rid of his clothes. They were mostly decent, I know charities are always looking for good quality clothes. Apart from this hideous jacket he wore. I don’t know why June didn’t throw it out years ago, she said it was special. I put it in a charity bag anyway.”

  “What happened to June? Where did she move to?”

  “Oh, my dear,” Marjory put a hand on Grace’s arm. “June died 5 months ago.”

  Chapter 15

  Grace’s heart missed a beat. She looked at Mr Manville, he shimmered as if he was losing his form.

  Marjory took advantage of Grace’s silence. “The poor woman, I didn’t realise that she was so distraught after losing her husband. I’d have been glad to get rid of him! The doctor who examined her said it was her heart, he said it was weak. I didn’t know that, she never said. I bet it was that husband of hers, I heard them arguing, he was always telling her what to do.”

  Grace interrupted. “But you said he wasn’t always like that, do you know why he changed?”

  Marjory pressed her lips together and gave Grace a knowing nod. “I know exactly what caused him to change. It was his daughter, Daisy. I saw her at her mum’s funeral. She didn’t want to talk much but she did eventually speak to me. She told me that she’d had a baby out of wedlock and her dad never forgave her. Can you believe that? Disowning your daughter for that! It’s so old fashioned, but then they did have Daisy late in life, they were set in their ways.”

  “Does Daisy live nearby?” Grace asked hopefully.

  “She wouldn’t give me her exact address, she said she lived over on the Clover Estate.”

  “The Clover Estate!” Mr Manville burst out. “She can’t live there, it’s the roughest part of town, even the buses won’t drive through it.”

  “Do you think Daisy will come back to live here?” Grace asked.

  Marjory shook her head. “She said she feels too ashamed, she feels she’s let her parents down. I tried to tell her that she hasn’t but she wouldn’t listen. There’s loads of post for her in the house, lots of legal looking stuff. I don’t know how to get in touch with her.”

  Grace sighed. “It all sounds very sad.”

  Mr Manville said urgently, “Come on, we need to go to the Clover Estate. We have to find her.”

  Grace said to Marjory, “Thanks for your help. I’d better go.”

  Marjory’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh! I’ve put you off with my chatter! Don’t go, the estate agent has already caught me putting one couple off. Would you like to look inside? I’ve got a spare key, no one’s asked for it back yet.”

  Grace thought about the post inside the house, maybe there was a letter from Daisy with her address on. She said, “I’d love to, thank you, that’s very kind.”

  “No problem at all,” Marjory said with a smile.

  Mr Manville said, “I bet she’s been in every day, the nosy bat.”

  Grace gave him a look and then turned her back on him as she followed Marjory into the house. She noticed that Mr Manville was looking solid again, as solid as a ghost could look.

  They went in through the kitchen door. “I can see all the furnishings are still here, where are the curtains?”

  Marjory folded her arms tightly and gave Grace a defensive look. “I took them, June always said I could, if anything should happen to her. I knew she wouldn’t mind.”

  Mr Manville tutted. “Sounds like my June alright.”

  Marjory took Grace on a tour around the house. Mr Manville muttered to himself as Marjory pointed out the features of the house.

  When they got to the dining room Grace noticed a pile of official looking letters on a table. She’d also noticed a more personal almost hidden behind a carriage clock on the mantelpiece. She nodded towards the letter, hoping Mr Manville would take the hint. He walked closer to it. In a quiet voice he said, “That’s Daisy’s handwriting.”

  Grace began to cough. Marjory stepped forward and patted her heavi
ly on the back. Grace coughed louder and spluttered out the words, “Water! Please!”

  It was mean trick but Grace was past caring, she wanted to find Daisy. As soon as Marjory left the dining room Grace swiped the official looking letters, and Daisy’s, and shoved them in her bag. She resumed her coughing as Marjory came back, glass in hand.

  Grace took a slow slip and tried to work out how to leave the house quickly. She emptied the glass and gave it to Marjory. “Thank you.”

  Marjory didn’t return Grace’s smile. In a stern voice she said, “Who are you and what have you done with those letters?”

  Chapter 16

  “Mrs Wilson!” a voice cried out from behind them.

  They turned round to see a smartly dressed man glaring at them. He was holding a clipboard and a bemused couple stood behind him. He raised his board and said, “I’ve told you before not to let anyone in, they have to go through me. You lied about having a key, hand it over now and I won’t call the police.”

  Marjory blanched. “The police? But I wasn’t doing anything wrong.”

  The man strode over to Grace and brusquely handed her a business card. “Call me to make an official appointment, please leave, I have potential buyers.”

  Grace didn’t need telling twice. She grabbed the card and walked out of the house as quickly as she could without running. She could feel Marjory’s accusing eyes following her but she didn’t turn around. Grace shot down the path and away from the house. She ran down the streets and headed towards the bus stop.

  She bent over double when she reached it, trying to catch her breath. She wasn’t built for running.

  Mr Manville was laughing. “That Marjory got her comeuppance! Ha! Serves her right!”

  Grace stood up straight. “That’s a mean thing to say, she was only trying to help. Daisy is living on a dodgy estate because of you. And now I’ve got to risk my life and go there!”

  Mr Manville stopped laughing. He looked down at the ground. “You’re right, I’m sorry. I’m a terrible man, I don’t know why you’re helping me.”

  “I’m not helping you, I’m trying to help Daisy.” Grace took out the letter that Daisy had written. She sighed with relief when she saw the address. “At least I don’t have to walk all around Clover Estate asking for her. Block G, Flat 28.”

  Grace caught the bus into town. Then she had to catch another over to the Clover Estate. Mr Manville was right, the buses refused to run through the estate. Grace had to get off at the outskirts of the estate.

  Grace slowly stepped off the bus, trying to look braver than she felt. The bus driver didn’t help the situation when he asked if she was sure she was supposed to be there.

  Grace gave the bus a longing look as it drove away. It was beginning to get dark. The high rise flats of Clover Estate loomed in the distance. Grace could see groups of people hanging around at various points on the path that led forwards.

  Grace held her head higher, clutched her handbag tighter and stepped confidently forward.

  She walked along the path and towards the first group of people. They were teenagers, some smoking, some drinking. They all went quiet as Grace walked quickly through them, a tight smile on her face.

  She was about to let out a sigh of relief when someone grabbed her arm and swung her round.

  Grace raised her handbag up, she had no idea what she was going to do with it. A teenage boy with a pierced eyebrow stared back at her. “Whoa! Steady there, Miss Abrahams, it’s me, Tom Webster, I used to be in your history class.”

  Grace looked closer at the boy. “Tom! Yes, of course, I remember you. How are you?”

  “I’ll be better if you put your handbag down. What are you doing round here? You shouldn’t be out here on your own.”

  Grace lowered her handbag. “I’m trying to find a friend, Daisy Manville. I’ve got her address.”

  Tom laughed. “I know where Daisy lives. Come on, I’ll take you. No one will attack you with me at your side.”

  There were loud guffaws of laughter from Tom’s friends as they heard this statement. Grace could understand why, Tom was as skinny as a rake. Still, a skinny bodyguard was better than no bodyguard.

  She gratefully walked with Tom along several paths until they reached Block G, Mr Manville silently at her side. Tom insisted on coming up to Flat 28 with her. “There are some dodgy people round here,” he said. Grace didn’t disagree. The light was almost gone from the day and it seemed that the night time was luring more people out of their flats.

  What was Daisy doing living in a place like this? What had happened to her since she’d had her son? What was her life like? A cold feeling washed over Grace, she hoped Daisy hadn’t succumbed to drugs or prostitution.

  Tom indicated towards number 28. “I’ll wait nearby for when you come out again.”

  “Thank you, but I’ll be okay.”

  Tom gave her a pointed look and said, “No, you won’t. I’ll wait.”

  He walked away. Grace knocked on the door of number 28 and braced herself.

  The door opened.

  Chapter 17

  The door opened a short way, Grace could see that it was on a security chain.

  A face that Grace recognised peered out through the gap and said, “Yes?”

  Grace had been considering what to say on the bus ride over. She gave Daisy a smile and said, “I’m sorry to disturb you but I work at a shop in town, with my brother, and we buy things from storage lockers.

  “I’ve nothing to give you,” Daisy said and she began to close the door.

  “No!” Grace said. She resisted the urge to put her hand against the closing door, she didn’t want to frighten Daisy. “I came across something that you might want.”

  Through the gap Grace could see Daisy’s look of concern. She quickly pulled Mr Manville’s jacket from her bag and held it up for Daisy to see.

  Daisy gasped, her eyes shot wide open. “Is that my …?”

  Grace had a lie ready, she didn’t like lying but she didn’t see that she had an option. “I think it belonged to your dad. There was a piece of paper in the pocket with his name and address on. I went to the house and spoke to Marjory, she gave me your address.”

  Mr Manville nodded at her side, “You’re a good liar, I’m impressed.”

  Grace didn’t move her look away from Daisy. The young girl looked Grace up and down, and then closed the door. A second later it opened fully. Daisy gave her a small smile. “Sorry about that, you can’t be too careful round here. Is that really my dad’s jacket? It looks like it, he wore it all the time. Please, come in, tell me more about how you got it.”

  Grace stepped through the door and wiped her feet. Daisy looked older and a bit more careworn, but she looked healthy. Grace cast her gaze around the flat as they walked down the small hallway. Everything was obviously old but it was clean. Daisy led her into the main living room. The furniture looked like it had been passed down several times, but again, it was clean. There were toys piled up in one corner of the room. A small bookcase held medical books. Had Daisy qualified as a doctor? Grace doubted it, she wouldn’t be living like this if she was a doctor.

  Mr Manville mumbled at her side, “She shouldn’t be living like this.”

  Daisy invited Grace to sit down. “Tell me how you came across Dad’s jacket. I didn’t realise Mum had given it away. Dad always said he’d part with it over his dead body!”

  There was a sudden silence. Daisy blinked and looked away.

  Grace launched into an embellished tale about how she’d bid for the plastic bag filled locker, she wanted to make Daisy smile and told Daisy the comments that the other bidders had made. They hadn’t actually said those things to her but Grace knew they were thinking it. She didn’t mention about Mr Manville being attached to the jacket. She wasn’t sure that she would ever tell anyone about her ability to see ghosts.

  Daisy was soon laughing at the ‘comments’ the other bidders made. “So when you got rid of the bags why di
d you keep my dad’s jacket?”

  Grace was prepared for that question. “I just had an instinct, do you know what I mean? I learnt a while ago to trust my instincts. I thought this jacket could be important to someone.”

  Daisy nodded. “I do know what you mean. I should have trusted my instincts years ago. Something dreadful happened because I ignored them. Anyway! You don’t want to hear about that. So you went along to my old house and met Marjory? Dad used to say she talked so much she’d give an aspirin a headache.”

  Grace laughed. “She did talk a bit. There was some post that Marjory wanted to give to you, it looks official.” Another lie, Grace hoped that Daisy wasn’t going to be talking to Marjory any time soon.

  Grace handed the letters over. Daisy’s smile faltered as she took them. “I think I know what these are, I can’t open them.”

  “She must!” Mr Manville called out. “Get her to open them!”

  Grace said, “What do you think they are?”

  “It’s about the house, and the money that’s been left to me. Marjory already told me when I went to the funeral, she must have steamed them open.”

  Grace looked around the small flat. “Don’t you want to move?”

  “Very much so. And I’d love to continue with my training. I want to be a doctor but something happened and I had to leave university.”

  “Why can’t you accept your parents’ money?”

  A tear rolled down Daisy’s cheek. “I’ve brought shame to the family, I don’t deserve happiness.”

  Chapter 18

  “She hasn’t brought shame to the family! Talk some sense into her, Grace!” Mr Manville called out.

  Grace considered Daisy for a moment. “Why do you think you brought shame to your family?”

  “I made a bad decision, I should have said no to someone.”

  “We all make bad decisions.”

  Daisy hung her head. “But I should have known better.”