An Isle of Man Ghostly Cozy Collection - DEF

by Diana Xarissa

  “Ring me when you decide what you’re doing,” Daniel said. “I’ll send a car for you if you need one and I’ll let the hospital know you’re coming.”

  “Thank you,” Fenella said. “I’ll be in touch once I’ve spoken to Shelly. She might be the one coming back, and she’ll be able to drive herself here.”

  The ride back to her apartment felt short as Fenella thought about everything that had happened. She was relieved that Harvey was okay and also happy that Winston would be going home in another day or two. She’d enjoyed his company, but he was also quite hard work. Fiona was another matter. Goodness only knew how long she’d be stuck with her.

  Constable Corlett helped Fenella get the two dogs back into her apartment. As soon as she closed the door behind him, she called Shelly.

  “Hello?” The woman’s voice was sleepy.

  “I didn’t realize it’s only six-thirty,” Fenella exclaimed as she looked at the clock. “I’m sorry I woke you.”

  “It’s fine,” Shelly said. “I needed to get up anyway to help you walk the dogs.”

  “I suppose I still need to do that,” Fenella said. “But you’ll never guess what’s happened.”

  “What?”

  “Harvey has returned!”

  “He isn’t, um, dead, is he?”

  “No, no, he’s absolutely fine,” Fenella assured her. “But he can’t remember anything about where he’s been.”

  “How odd. Is he in hospital?”

  “He is. I just took Winston and Fiona to visit him.”

  “They let you do that?”

  “They let Daniel do that,” Fenella amended. “It was lovely to see him and Winston together.”

  “I’m sure. I’m so happy that he’s okay. Does that mean you don’t have Winston anymore?”

  “I still have him, but we’re meant to be going back to visit again later today.”

  “I thought you were having dinner with Donald tonight,” Shelly said.

  “I am.”

  “Let me get myself woken up and I’ll be over,” Shelly suggested. “We can work out what happens next once I’m awake enough to think.”

  “That sounds good. I’ve been up since four and I need a shower and coffee, not necessarily in that order.”

  They disconnected. Fenella got breakfast ready for the animals and set a pot of coffee brewing before she headed for the shower. She was just drying her hair when she heard Shelly’s knock.

  Shelly pulled her into a tight hug as soon as Fenella opened the door. “I’m just so happy that Harvey is okay,” she whispered in Fenella’s ear. “I was so worried about him. He’s such a great character. After what happened with Mortimer, I was sure something terrible had happened.”

  “It was wonderful seeing him reunited with Winston,” she told Shelly. “They were both so happy.”

  “I’ll bet he didn’t want you to take him away.”

  “He didn’t, but I’ve promised to bring him back this afternoon.”

  “I’ll go with you,” Shelly said. “I want to see Harvey with my own eyes.”

  “I’m having dinner with Donald tonight,” she reminded her friend. “I need to be back in time to get ready.”

  “What time is he collecting you?”

  “Seven.”

  “So what time do you want to go to Noble’s?”

  “Maybe four?” Fenella suggested. “We could visit for a while and still be back in plenty of time for my evening out.”

  “That will work for me,” Shelly agreed easily.

  Winston began to bark at the window. Fenella gasped. “I haven’t taken them for a walk yet,” she said. “The poor things probably both need to go out.”

  Knowing that Harvey was back and would soon be reclaiming Winston made the morning walk feel like less of a chore to Fenella. “I’m going to miss this big guy,” she remarked as she and Shelly crossed the road back to their building.

  “I’m sure Harvey would be happy to let you walk him once in a while,” Shelly replied. “Especially for the next few days, while he’s still recovering.”

  “That’s an idea,” Fenella said.

  Shelly had errands to run. After a light lunch, Fenella spent some time working on her research. She rang Daniel and told him that she and Shelly would be at the hospital around four.

  “I’ll let Noble’s know,” he said. “And Dr. Slater.”

  “Thanks.”

  Fenella was just starting to think about getting ready to go when someone knocked on her door.

  “Mr. Garus?” she said when she opened the door. “But aren’t you meant to be in the hospital?”

  The man laughed. “You must call me Harvey,” he said firmly. “I checked myself out. The doctor was fussing over me far too much. Whatever happened to me, I’m fine now, and I couldn’t stand the thought of lying around in bed for another twenty-four hours just so that man would agree.”

  Fenella couldn’t help but smile. “I’m glad you’re feeling better,” she said. “I know Winston will be happy to see you.”

  All three animals were curled up together in front of the windows. Harvey smiled at them and then cleared his throat. Winston was the only one who opened his eyes. When he spotted Harvey, he jumped to his feet and barked happily several times while rushing to the man’s side.

  “It’s good to see you, too,” Harvey told the dog as he rubbed his back and head. “So good.”

  “Sit down,” Fenella suggested. “Would you like some tea or coffee or a cold drink?”

  “I don’t want to impose. You’ve already kept Winston for me for several days, after all.”

  “I didn’t mind,” Fenella said, happy that her words were mostly true. “And I don’t mind getting you a drink, either. What would you like?”

  Before the man could reply, someone knocked on the door.

  “Are you about ready to go?” Shelly asked when Fenella let her in.

  “I’m not, but it doesn’t matter,” Fenella replied, gesturing toward the living room.

  Shelly took a few steps forward and then nearly ran to Harvey’s side. “I’m so glad you’re okay,” she whispered as she hugged the man tightly.

  “It’s nice to see you. I understand you helped rescue poor Winston,” Harvey replied. “I can’t thank you enough.”

  “It’s really Fenella you need to thank,” Shelly replied.

  “If you have any ideas on how I can thank her, I’d be grateful,” the man said.

  Shelly grinned. “You could let her walk Winston once in a while,” she suggested. “I think she really likes him.”

  “You’re welcome to come and visit any time you’d like,” Harvey told Fenella. “And if you want to take him for a walk, you’d be more than welcome to do that as well. He needs a lot of walking.”

  The trio chatted easily for an hour or more over tea and biscuits. Winston sat next to Harvey the entire time, not taking his eyes off his owner.

  “I think he’s worried you might disappear again,” Fenella said, nodding at Winston.

  “I don’t blame him. I’m worried too,” Shelly said.

  “I’m not going anywhere,” Harvey said firmly. “Except home. I’m getting a little bit tired. I’m sorry.”

  “Fenella has plans for this evening, but I’ll come over around seven and take Winston for a nice walk before bed,” Shelly told the man as he gathered up all of Winston’s things.

  “I’d appreciate that,” Harvey replied. “I have a nurse staying with me for the next twenty-four hours or until I get tired of listening to her, but she won’t want to take Winston for a walk.” He walked to the door with Winston at his heels. As they stopped so that Harvey could attach Winston’s collar, Fiona rushed over to join them.

  “You aren’t going with them,” Fenella told the little dog.

  Fiona looked up at her and then over at Winston. She took a step closer to the big dog, ducking between his legs and almost hiding under his large body.

  “She’s hoping you won’t
notice if she sneaks out with him,” Shelly laughed.

  “Did Shelly say you had plans for tonight?” Harvey asked.

  “Yes,” Fenella replied. “I’m having dinner with a friend.”

  “Why don’t I take Fiona with me, then?” Harvey offered. “I can’t imagine she’ll be any trouble, but if she is, Shelly can bring her back after she’s walked Winston. Otherwise, I’ll keep her for a day or two. I assume someone is trying to find her a permanent home?”

  “I’m not sure about that,” Fenella said. “But I’ll ring Mr. Stone tomorrow morning and find out.”

  “Come on, then,” Harvey told Fiona. “Get your lead on and you can come too.”

  The little dog bounced around excitedly while Fenella attached her leash. “I’m going to miss them both,” she said before Harvey opened the door.

  “You may have Fiona back tomorrow,” Harvey told her. “This is just a trial.”

  Fenella nodded and then let the trio out of the apartment. She watched, feeling sad, as they made their way onto the elevator before she shut the door behind them.

  “Okay, time for you to get ready for your romantic evening out with Donald,” Shelly announced. “What are you going to wear?”

  9

  Fenella blinked at the sudden change of subject. “I don’t know,” she said after a moment. “I don’t know where we’re going.”

  Shelly laughed. “If it’s Donald, it will be somewhere expensive. You can be sure of that.”

  “Oh, dear,” Fenella said. “I don’t like the idea of men spending a lot of money on me.”

  “Don’t be silly, darling,” Mona said. “That’s what men are for.”

  Fenella frowned at her aunt. “Maybe I should cancel the date,” she said tentatively.

  “Do you like Donald?” Shelly asked.

  “Yes, I mean, I think so,” Fenella stuttered out a reply. “He intimidates me, though. He’s much more worldly and sophisticated than most men I know.”

  “Nonsense,” both Shelly and Mona said at the same time.

  “He’s just a man, no different from any other,” Mona told her.

  “He may have a lot of money, but that doesn’t make him any better than you,” Shelly said. “And you are a much better, kinder, and smarter person than him.”

  Fenella chuckled. “I don’t know about that.”

  “I do,” Shelly said emphatically. “I know Donald, and I’m not sure that I’d go out with him if I were young enough to attract his attention.”

  “Why not?” Fenella demanded.

  “He’s just a bit ruthless and single-minded,” Shelly said. “It works in business, but I’m not sure how it would work in a personal relationship.” She looked at Fenella and then laughed. “Who am I kidding? If he asked, I’d let him take me out for incredible dinners and drag me all over the island to posh events. It would be incredibly fun, at least for a little while.”

  “If that’s your idea of fun,” Fenella muttered.

  “It’s my idea of fun,” Mona told her.

  “Let’s find me something to wear, then,” Fenella said, giving up on arguing with the two women. While she was nervous about the evening ahead and unsure of how she felt about Donald, she was also excited about seeing him again and looking forward to an elegant meal prepared by an excellent chef. In her bedroom, she didn’t even bother to look in her own wardrobe. She knew she didn’t have anything suitable. Instead, she pulled open the wardrobe that was full of Mona’s clothes.

  “She had such gorgeous things,” Shelly said as she ran her hand through the clothes. “I wish I had a few of these dresses for special occasions.”

  “You can borrow anything you’d like,” Fenella offered.

  Shelly glanced at her and then shrugged. “I’m both heavier and shorter than Mona was,” she said. “I really appreciate the offer, but I can’t imagine anything would fit me.”

  “Have her try on the green dress,” Mona said from behind Fenella. “You would never wear it anyway and it would suit Shelly.”

  “Maybe you should try this one,” Fenella said, pulling the green dress from the wardrobe. She’d never noticed it before, but her aunt was right. It wasn’t a color that she’d consider wearing, but Shelly loved bright colors and the style seemed right for her as well.

  “Oh, I love that,” Shelly said. “There’s no way it will fit. I can’t be that lucky.”

  She took the dress into the adjoining bathroom while Fenella flipped through the hangers, looking for something for herself. Shelly was back only a moment later.

  “It fits,” she announced excitedly. “How does it look?”

  “Like it was made for you,” Fenella said honestly. “It’s fabulous on you.”

  “There are matching shoes,” Mona said.

  “Let’s look for matching shoes,” Fenella suggested. “Mona usually had them.”

  “I’m sure my feet will be too big for them, even if there are some,” Shelly replied. But she was wrong. The shoes, once found, were a perfect fit as well.

  “I can’t believe it,” Shelly said. “I was sure Mona had smaller feet than I do.”

  “I’m just glad you found something you like,” Fenella replied.

  “Are you sure you don’t mind my borrowing it? I’ll take good care of it and have it cleaned before I give it back.”

  “I don’t want it back,” Fenella told her. “The color is all wrong for me. You keep it or give it away if you get tired of it.”

  “I can’t imagine getting tired of it,” Shelly sighed. “I feel like a princess in this dress.”

  “Now we just have to find something that will make me feel like a princess,” Fenella told her. “And quickly. It’s getting late.”

  “What color do you feel like tonight?” Shelly asked.

  “I think I need some extra self-confidence for this date,” Fenella confided. “Maybe black?”

  “Red,” Mona said firmly. “The perfect dress is on the left side of the wardrobe, about three or four dresses in from the end.”

  Fenella followed her directions, sighing as she pulled out the dress. “It’s very red,” she said.

  “Isn’t it great?” Shelly asked. “It isn’t fire-engine red. It’s a little darker, but it’s still a statement dress if I ever saw one.”

  “What exactly is it saying?” Fenella wanted to know.

  “It’s saying ‘Here I am, watch out, world,’ or something like that,” Shelly told her. “You have to at least try it on now that you’ve found it.”

  Fenella slipped into the dress and studied herself in the full-length mirror in the bathroom. It showcased her curves and was definitely attention-getting. “Do I really want attention?” she muttered to herself as she opened the bathroom door.

  “Perfect,” Shelly said. “Donald will be speechless.”

  “Is that a good thing?”

  “Of course it is. Now what about shoes? And you need some lipstick to match as well. Too bad we don’t have time to paint your nails, although I’m not sure we could match the color,” Shelly mused.

  “There are matching shoes.” Mona told her where to find them. “I suggest you put your hair up so that it doesn’t interfere with the neckline of the dress.”

  Fenella did her hair and makeup as quickly as she could, all while getting advice from both women. She found she had to keep biting her lip to avoid responding to Mona as the woman talked her through twisting her hair onto the top of her head.

  “You look wonderful,” Shelly assured her once she was ready to go. “Now I’ll get out of your way before Donald gets here.”

  Wishing that Shelly would take Mona with her, Fenella opened the door for her friend and shut it behind her. After making sure that Katie had everything she needed for the night, she found herself pacing around the living room while she waited. Donald was more or less on time.

  “You look fabulous,” he greeted her when she opened the door. “I’m not worthy.”

  Fenella laughed. “You
look pretty good yourself,” she said as she took in the man’s custom-tailored suit. His tie was dark blue with a red stripe that almost exactly matched her dress.

  “I thought we could try the new restaurant just a few doors down,” he told her. “It’s very good.”

  “And it’s convenient,” Fenella smiled.

  “For one of us, anyway,” Donald laughed.

  Feeling more confident than usual in Mona’s dress, Fenella locked up behind them and then took Donald’s arm. They chatted about nothing much as they rode the elevator down to the lobby and then walked the short distance to the restaurant. Fenella was surprised to see a small line of people waiting in the doorway as they approached.

  “Is it that popular already?” she whispered to Donald.

  “The chef has world-class credentials,” he told her. “This is currently the hottest restaurant on the island.”

  The man standing in the doorway was nearly as wide as he was tall. He was wearing all black and staring straight ahead. Donald caught his eye.

  “Donald Donaldson,” the man said.

  For a moment Fenella wondered why, but then she noticed that he was wearing a Bluetooth headset. A moment later he nodded, presumably at the voice in his ear, and turned to open the door behind him. He motioned for Fenella and Donald to enter.

  “How come they get straight in?” a man who was waiting shouted angrily.

  Donald escorted Fenella inside before she could hear if the man received an answer or not. “How come we get straight in?” she asked Donald as the door shut behind them.

  “I have business interests in the place,” Donald explained as a man in a tuxedo rushed toward them.

  “Donald, so happy you could join us tonight,” he said, shaking Donald’s hand. “You said you were bringing a guest, but you didn’t tell me to expect someone so lovely.”

  Fenella felt herself blush at the unexpected compliment.

  “But let me show you to your table,” the man said. He led them through a small lobby where a few people were sitting at tables sipping drinks. “Unless you’d like a drink first?” he stopped and motioned to an empty table in the lobby.

  “Drinks first?” Donald asked Fenella. “Or straight to our table?”