Ghostly Issues (A Harper Harlow Mystery Book 2)

by Hart, Lily Harper

  “Don’t lie,” Jared said, wagging a finger for emphasis. “You’ve done nothing but lie since I met you and I’ve had it.”

  “You can’t talk to me that way,” Lexie hissed. “I’m not even supposed to be here. I’m supposed to be at Derek’s family’s special ceremony at the cemetery. You guys set this up for this exact time so I would miss it.”

  “I’m sorry you’re going to miss out on your little show, but those are the breaks,” Jared said. “You got to preen for everyone at the funeral yesterday so you shouldn’t miss the graveside service today. You’ll have to find another venue to be the center of attention at from here on out. In fact, I think they’re going to love you in prison.”

  Lexie’s face drained of color. “Prison? You can’t be serious.”

  “Oh, I’m serious,” Jared said. “Right now we have enough evidence to arrest you.”

  “It’s all circumstantial,” Brandon’s attorney argued.

  “That doesn’t change the fact that the county prosecutor has agreed to issue warrants,” Jared replied. “They’re in the other room.”

  “That means everyone in town will hear about this,” Tim spat. “You can’t do that. It will ruin my business.”

  “Yes, because that’s what’s important here,” Mel deadpanned, rolling his eyes. “Forget the dead boy. Let’s worry about your real estate business.”

  “Don’t push me, Mel. I’ll have your job!”

  “Don’t threaten him,” Jared snapped. “I’ve had enough of you, too. If you want this to turn into a screaming match, we’ll arrest the kids right now and have them down at the courthouse for public arraignment in two hours.”

  “After we’ve had time to alert the local media, of course,” Mel added.

  Jared bit his lip to keep from laughing at the murderous look on Tim’s face.

  “Officers, I don’t think that will be necessary,” Lexie’s attorney said. “I … can we please have a minute to discuss a few things in private with our clients?”

  “Sure,” Jared said, shuffling his file back together. “When we come back in this room, though, either they’re going to have the answers we want or we’re arresting them. Those are their options.”

  “Give us twenty minutes.”

  HARPER eyed the closed guidance counselor’s office door at the high school, frustrated and annoyed that she found herself in the unenviable position of having to go to Jim Stone to ask for a favor.

  The idea came to her the previous night in her sleep – where all of her ideas appeared to sprout since she’d started sleeping complete nights pressed against Jared’s side – and now that she had gotten it into her head, she saw no other way out of her predicament.

  She raised her hand and knocked, meeting Jim’s surprised eyes through the glass. He motioned for her to enter, leaning back in his chair as he forced a tight smile.

  “You’re not going to set me on fire, are you?”

  Harper sighed. It was inevitable that they would have to talk about their past before she could make sure that Derek’s ghostly future was secure. “Not today.”

  Harper closed the door behind her and took one of the chairs across from Jim’s desk. He seemed nervous, something that thrilled her, but his stance was amiable as he waited for her to begin. When she didn’t, he shifted in his chair. “Did you want something specific?”

  “Are you sorry for what you did to Zander?” Harper asked, taking herself by surprise when she asked the question. She hadn’t been alone with Jim Stone since she kicked him in his special place senior year. He’d tried to approach her several times, but always in a crowd, and now that it was just the two of them she found she needed answers.

  “I am very sorry for what I did to Zander,” Jim said, sighing heavily. “That’s the worst thing I’ve ever done in my entire life. I’ve tried to figure out a way to make it up to him ever since, but … I don’t know what to do.”

  “You could tell the truth.”

  Jim balked. “To who? Zander is an adult. It’s too late to get him into gym class.”

  “You could tell everyone in this town that you lied,” Harper suggested. “You could tell them what a snake Dominic was – and I’m sure still is. You could tell them that Zander didn’t do any of the things you guys accused him of doing.”

  “Zander has already won,” Jim pointed out. “Everyone in this town loves him. Do you see Dominic? He’s gone. No one misses him. Look at me? I’m a guidance counselor, one of the lowest paying jobs in existence. I’ve spent years trying to make sure what happened to Zander never happens to another student here.

  “I’m sorry for what happened,” he continued. “I’m … sorry you were upset. I covered for you. Don’t you remember that? You could’ve been expelled for what you did. I tried to protect you because of Zander.”

  “I wouldn’t have cared about being expelled,” Harper said matter-of-factly. “It would’ve been worth it.”

  “Zander is lucky to have you.”

  “I’m lucky to have Zander,” Harper countered. “Jared says you’re sorry, although when I told him what you did he wasn’t keen to sing your merits again. Hating you takes a lot of energy. Zander wants me to let it go because he hates being reminded of it.”

  “What do you want to do?”

  “I don’t know,” Harper said. “I want to believe that you were a misguided kid who handled everything in the worst possible way and that you truly regret it.”

  “I do.”

  “Well, then I guess we should let it go,” Harper said.

  Jim smiled. “Really? Does that mean you’ll go out with me?”

  Harper made a face. “Seriously? I can’t believe you just asked me that.”

  “I’m joking with you,” Jim said, chuckling. “Too soon?”

  This time Harper couldn’t help but return his smile. “You might want to move a little slower,” she suggested. “I can hold a grudge for a really long time.”

  “I’ve noticed,” Jim said. “So, other than telling me what a jerk I was in high school, did you have another reason for stopping by today?”

  “I do,” Harper acknowledged, her blond head bobbing. “I need to ask you a few questions about Derek Thompson.”

  Jim stilled. “Are you working with the police on his death investigation?”

  “We’re … collaborating,” Harper hedged. “In fact, Jared and Mel have Brandon, Lexie, Dylan, and David at the police station right now. They’re either going to fess up to what really happened that night or be arrested.”

  “Do you think they were involved?” Jim leaned forward, intrigued. “I have to be honest with you, I’ve never considered any of those kids dangerous. Lexie has certain narcissistic tendencies, but I’m hoping she’ll outgrow them once she gets out of Whisper Cove.”

  “I don’t know if they’re really murderers,” Harper said, opting for honesty. “I do know that they were up to no good. Derek wasn’t a bad kid. He wasn’t a good kid, but he wasn’t terrible either. I think they all got in over their heads and something terrible happened that none of them were expecting.”

  “Like what?”

  Harper pressed her lips together, briefly worried she was about to take a huge step out on a very shaky limb. Ultimately it didn’t matter if Jim thought she was crazy, she realized. Derek’s soul was more important.

  “I think they might’ve gotten involved with the wrong person,” Harper said, choosing her words carefully. “I think they were selling drugs.”

  Jim’s mouth dropped open. “I … where did you get that idea?”

  “It’s just something I’ve been going over in my head,” Harper lied. She didn’t want to admit what tipped her over to what she believed to be the truth … not yet, at least. “Can you check and see how many of them were drug tested and what company did the testing?”

  “I guess,” Jim said. “That’s a weird request, though.”

  “It would go a long way in making me feel better about you,” Harper sa
id, guileless. She wasn’t above using Jim’s guilt to her own advantage. “I have a hunch.”

  “Well, I guess I owe you,” Jim said. “Sit still. I’ll pull everyone’s files.”

  Twenty-Two

  “I’m going to be late tonight,” Jared said, holding his cell phone to his ear as he watched the energetic arguing from outside the conference room. “I think we’re finally going to get some answers, but I have no idea how long this is going to take.”

  “That’s okay,” Harper said, rummaging through her purse to find her keys next to her car in the school’s parking lot. “I may have an idea on that front, too.”

  “What’s your idea?”

  “I think they were selling drugs.”

  Harper’s pronouncement took Jared by surprise. “Why do you think that?”

  “Well, there’s a few things that have cropped up since this all started,” Harper said. “First off, Lexie goes on and on about clothes and money … and you mentioned that Jim said her father greased the wheels for her to get in at Western State even though she didn’t have great grades.”

  “Right.”

  “Lexie’s father is Max Studebaker,” Harper explained. “He works in pharmaceutical sales, but they’re not rich. They’re certainly not rich enough for the sandals Lexie was wearing that day at the school. Those cost more than seven hundred dollars, and I only know that because Zander was drooling over them in a catalog two weeks ago.”

  “Seven hundred dollars?” Jared was stunned. “Who would spend that much on shoes?”

  “Zander would if he made that much.”

  Jared chuckled. “Maybe she got them on sale or something,” he suggested. “She could’ve picked them up at a garage sale.”

  Harper snorted. “You know nothing about shoe sales,” she said. “There’s no way anyone would let those go at a garage sale. Plus, they’re new. They were from this season’s collection.”

  “And you’re saying her father couldn’t afford to buy her those shoes.”

  “The Studebakers do okay for Whisper Cove, but they’re not rich,” Harper said. “I have no idea how Max Studebaker could afford to pay off Western.”

  “Okay, that’s a good tip,” Jared said. “I still don’t see how that leads to drugs.”

  “It’s not one little thing that led me to this,” Harper said. “It’s quite a few little things. All of the kids were in summer school together … except for Derek. That suggests they were all mucking up in school. The Thompsons make a decent living, too, and yet Derek was wearing really expensive Nikes. I don’t think his parents bought those for him.

  “David wears a really expensive watch that I think costs more than a thousand bucks,” she continued. “His father sells real estate in a small community. How do they afford that?”

  “Is it all about the expensive items?”

  “We know they were hanging around the woods on a regular basis,” Harper said. “We know they were causing trouble whenever they could because they were popular and thought they could get away with it. We know Derek was drunk and fighting with the other kids. We also know Derek doesn’t want to tell us what he was doing with those kids. I think that’s because he doesn’t want to sully his own memory.”

  “I understand what you’re saying,” Jared said. “I just don’t see how you’ve jumped to this conclusion.”

  “I can’t explain it,” Harper admitted. “It’s something I … feel. I’m at the high school right now because I wanted to confirm a hunch. Jim Stone pulled all the drug tests for the kids and they were all done by Max Studebaker.”

  Jared frowned. “You went to Jim Stone on this before telling me?”

  “I didn’t want you to laugh at me.”

  “I would never laugh at you,” Jared said. “Not about something like this. Is Jim still alive or did you set him on fire?”

  “We had a talk.”

  “And?”

  “And I’m going to try not to hate him so much,” Harper said. “I can’t guarantee it, but he says he’s sorry and would take it back if he could.”

  “I’m glad, but don’t force yourself to do something you’re not ready to do,” Jared said. “I’m sorry about being late tonight. I’d still like to see you … even if it means just climbing into bed with you and curling up next to you by the time I get out of here.”

  “There’s a key in a hidden box under the railing on the front porch over by the rocking chairs. Let yourself in. I’ll get you a key of your own as soon as I can.”

  “That’s pretty progressive,” Jared teased.

  “Yeah, well … I guess that’s where we’re at,” Harper said, smiling at the happy tone of Jared’s voice.

  “Good,” Jared said. “I don’t know what to do about this drug theory of yours. The money is a concern and there are some interesting dots being connected. I’m not sure you’re right, but I think I’ve learned that it’s unwise to bet against you. I’ll keep you informed if we get anything on this.”

  “Okay,” Harper said. “I’ll be waiting for you when you climb into my bed.”

  “I’ll be there as soon as I can. You can trust me on that.”

  Harper disconnected and returned to her key hunt, her grin mischievous as she thought about different ways to surprise Jared when he crawled into bed with her. She grew frustrated when she couldn’t find her keys, and when Jim approached from behind she practically jumped out of her skin.

  “You scared me!”

  “I’m sorry,” Jim said, holding up his hands. “Is something wrong?”

  “I can’t find my keys,” Harper said. “I think I dropped them or something.”

  “Do you want to go back and look in my office? I’ve locked the school up, but I’ll open it back up for you.”

  “That’s okay,” Harper said, shaking her head. “I have a spare set at home. I can call Zander to bring them to me.”

  “I have a better idea,” Jim said. “How about you let me give you a ride … and maybe buy you dinner … and then we can talk about everything and really put it in the past. I would like that.”

  Harper wasn’t sure she was up for that. “I don’t know.”

  “They’re having a fish fry out at Benny’s Pub,” Jim offered. “It’s close to town and it’s very low key. I promise I don’t have ulterior motives.”

  Harper blew out a sigh. “You know what? That sounds great. It will save Zander a trip and if I’m really going to forgive you, I guess I should hear what you’ve been up to for the past ten years.”

  “Great,” Jim said. “It’s a date.”

  “WHERE are we at?” Mel asked, opening the door to the conference room and fixing the inhabitants with an expectant look.

  “We want to talk deals,” Tim said, his shoulders slouched.

  Mel ran his tongue over his teeth and exchanged a look with Jared. “No deals.”

  “But … .”

  Jared held up his hand to quiet the room. “It’s time you people took responsibility for your actions,” he said. “That means everyone. If you cooperate, we’ll put a good word in for you with the judge. If not … you’re on your own.”

  “This is all Derek’s fault,” Lexie hissed.

  “Shut up, Lexie,” David snapped.

  “You shut up!”

  “Both of you shut up unless you’re going to provide us with answers,” Jared instructed, returning to his seat. “Before we do that, though, I want to ask about the drugs you’ve been selling.” He was playing a Harper’s hunch, and although he hadn’t gotten a chance to mention it to Mel, the older police officer kept his face blank instead of showing shock.

  “How did you know about that?” Brandon asked, dumbfounded.

  “I don’t think the fact that David is wearing a watch he couldn’t possibly afford otherwise, and Lexie walks around in expensive shoes her parents can’t afford while not holding down a job was a smart move on your part,” Jared replied, internally reminding himself to reward Harper with something specia
l when he finally got a chance to reunite with her. “Talk.”

  “This wasn’t our idea,” Dylan volunteered. “Derek was the one who started it and he brought us in after the fact.”

  “I’m assuming you’ve been getting some of your product from Lexie’s father,” Jared said, acting as if he’d been sitting on the information instead of recently gleaning it from his girlfriend. “We know that Max Studebaker fudged all of your drug tests. I’m guessing Derek wanted to date Lexie to get access to her father’s stash, because he certainly didn’t seem to like her.”

  “No one likes her,” Brandon said. “We didn’t have a choice, though.”

  “How long has this been going on?” Mel asked.

  “We started last summer,” David supplied, earning a murderous look from his father. Jared guessed Tim wasn’t aware of all of his son’s shenanigans. “Derek approached us when we were partying by the river and told us he found a great way to make extra money.”

  “It was just pot at first,” Dylan said. “None of us were keen on doing it, but Derek was flashing huge wads of cash and … well … we wanted in.”

  “This town sucks,” Lexie added. “We needed the money so we could get out of here. You really can’t blame us.”

  “Yes, that’s exactly what I was thinking,” Jared said dryly. “Where was Derek getting his product?”

  “We didn’t know at first,” Brandon replied. “He wouldn’t tell us. He was all ‘it’s a secret and you guys haven’t earned the secret yet’ about it. He was so annoying.”

  “You found out eventually, though,” Jared said. “Who was it?”

  Brandon and Dylan exchanged one last look and then gave in, resigned to their fate.

  “Mr. Stone.”

  Jared froze, his stomach churning as he exchanged a look with Mel. “Jim Stone?”

  Brandon nodded. “Derek told us that Mr. Stone blackmailed him to start moving product through the school after he caught him … um … .”

  “What?” Mel prodded.

  “Derek was gay,” Lexie interjected, rolling her eyes. “No one was supposed to know. He hid it well. He boasted all the time about nailing chicks – and he did sometimes because he didn’t want to be gay and he thought that would turn things around for him – but he was really into dudes.”