by Fitz Molly
“I’ll be floating along right with you. I don’t know how that helps except I can see in the dark better than you and hear every little whisper or step. I’ll whisper a warning if necessary.” I wasn’t sure what, if any, comfort that provided.
Tilly slipped on her jacket. “I’ve decided to sit by the koi pond for a different perspective. If I see something suspicious, I’ll hoot like a barred owl. Okay, Sunny?”
She raised her eyebrows skeptically, but said, “Sure, whatever. But you just told everyone you were coming up here to relax. Bring a book along and have a story ready for why you changed your mind. My gut tells me that someone is bound to join you.”
Tilly grabbed a well-worn copy of something off of my bookshelf. “Stories are my specialty even in the dark and when I’m half asleep.” She hugged Sunny then held her at arm’s length. “Be very, very careful out there. I don’t want to drive all the way back to Maine by myself because you slipped off the roof and ended up killing yourself. And remember, there’s a murderer in this mansion who will do anything to stop you if he has an inkling that you’re onto him.”
Sunny hugged her back. “I’ll be careful. I’d hate to inconvenience you by dying and having to move in here with Audrey.”
“Good. I’m glad that’s settled.” Tilly pulled Sunny close for an extra-long and extra-tight hug.
I envied their close bond and sense of humor that cut through this tense moment.
Tilly headed out the door, while I stationed myself on the balcony and waited for Sunny to change into her dark clothes. Movement near my koi pond caught my attention. The shape disappeared under a big hosta plant before I could identify it.
As Tilly strode across the lawn, the hosta leaves shook.
“Mocha. Are you going to keep me company out here? I brought this silly book, but of course, it’s too dark to read.” She positioned one of the pansy chairs to face the mansion and made herself comfortable. Mocha sat at the edge of the pond, alert and on guard. For what, though?
“Ready,” Sunny said, appearing next to me while I’d been distracted watching Mocha and Tilly. She’d startled me. Had I been distracted by something the night I died and never heard the murderer enter my apartment? Maybe this whole roof surveillance was an unnecessary bad idea.
“I don’t like this, Sunny,” I said. “I’ll never forgive myself if something happens to you.”
She leaned over the black iron railing. “How about this? I’ll just drop down to that roof and look over the peak to see what Douglas would have to maneuver from his window. Then, I’ll pull myself back onto the balcony. The important part is to find out if I can get over the balcony easily and quietly. Okay?”
She looked at me with such determination, I couldn’t say no, but I would use all my ghostly powers to keep her as safe as possible.
“Okay. That shouldn’t take long.” I hovered near Sunny who, with one quick motion, grabbed onto the railing and swung her legs up and over to the outside. Without hesitating, she lowered herself onto the roof below. Easy-peasy, or so it seemed to me. I relaxed some.
Then, she bent down and tightened the laces on her sneakers. That was not good planning on her part, I thought.
I watched in horror as something slipped out of her pocket. It clinked and clattered and bounced before it slid down the slate roof, gaining speed. I stared like it was all happening in slow motion as the object sailed right off the roof and into the koi pond. I heard a loud splash. The spray drenched Mocha, who yowled and sprinted to her hiding place under the hosta leaves. Tilly looked up in horror.
If it wasn’t so serious, it would have been funny.
Charlotte’s bedroom window flew open. “What the devil is all that racket?” Michael shouted. “Is someone out there on the roof?”
I panicked but sensibly moved out of his line of vision.
Sunny froze. With the moonlight, though, Michael would surely see her if he looked carefully after his eyes adjusted to the darkness.
“It’s just me, Sir Michael,” Sunny said. She crab-walked back to the spot below my balcony. “I’m such a klutz sometimes. I dropped my phone and thought I could climb down and catch it before it fell off the roof.”
“Oh.” He turned his head and looked down the roof with the koi pond visible beyond. He leaned further out the window. “Is that Tilly down there?”
“It is. She decided to sit and enjoy the stars and moonlight for a bit. I was just heading down to keep her company.”
He quickly jerked his head inside the window and said, “What was that? Something just flew by! I felt the breeze.”
“I didn’t see a thing,” Sunny said as cool as the mist I’d left behind. “Shut that window and lock it before whatever flew by decides to fly in.” She took a little hop then jumped, grabbing the railing and pulling herself up and over, onto the balcony in one smooth motion. The window slammed closed, returning everything back to normal. For now.
I joined Sunny on the balcony. “That was a close call. And, some quick thinking on your part.”
“Maybe quick thinking but, it was dumb of me to forget to tie my laces extra tight in the first place. And I should have left my phone behind. I guess I’ll go down and fish it out of your koi pond.”
“Sorry about that, but you can have my old phone. I won’t be needing it.” That was the least I could do after this mishap. “You should bring a flashlight along. There’s one in my kitchen drawer.”
Sunny grabbed the flashlight and tucked it into her back pocket as she headed for the stairs. I floated behind her. When we were outside, I could just make out Tilly kneeling at the edge of the pond while Mocha pawed in the air over the water.
“Mocha’s acting weird. I wonder if she’s trying to tell us where your phone is,” I said to Sunny as she hurried ahead.
“Good. I don’t feel like wading in the water tonight. With my luck, I’d slip and fall, and your fish would laugh at me.”
“No, that would be Tilly and me laughing. The fish would hide under the biggest water lily they could find.”
Sunny knelt next to Tilly. “Can you see my phone in that murky darkness?”
“Is that what you dropped? It sounded like a small cannonball when it hit the water. Poor Mocha almost jumped right out of her black fur. But now I think she’s trying to tell me where it is. Feel around there.” Using the flashlight feature on her phone, Tilly lit up a spot within reaching distance.
Sunny rolled up her sleeve and stuck her arm in the pond up to her elbow. “All I feel are cold, slimy rocks.” She suddenly pulled her arm back and shrieked. “Something nibbled my fingers.”
My laughs came out in misty puffs of air. “The goldfish. I used to hand feed them. They’re only looking for a treat. Give Tilly the flashlight. That might help.”
Tilly aimed the light at the spot where Sunny was again feeling around for her phone. I hovered above, hoping my keener vision would spot something.
“What are you ladies doing? Going for a swim?” Michael had appeared out of the dark while we were all focused on Sunny’s search.
Sunny shrieked again and splashed water everywhere when she pulled her arm out. “Trying to find Sunny’s phone,” Tilly said. “What are you doing sneaking up on us?” She gave him a frosty stare.
“I was curious what you two were up to out here. It’s kind of late to be playing in the water, don’t you think?” He stepped closer. “Is that cat actually letting you search in the koi pond? I think I lost something in there, but every time I’ve come close, she hisses at me like she’s about to attack.”
“She thought you were eyeing the fish for a snack, and she had to protect her friends,” Tilly said. “Mocha’s a good judge of character from what I’ve noticed.”
Michael stepped closer to Tilly just as Sunny said, “Ah-ha! I found something.” She pulled a gold colored-fork from the depths of the murky water.
Chapter Fifteen
I felt like I’d been punched. One of Michael’s special forks
that he always brought with him everywhere he went. The night I died, he’d taken it with his apple pie to his room. As I fell, I remembered hearing a strange clinking on the roof. It was Michael who’d climbed on the roof. His fork must have slipped out when he pushed me. The fork was all the proof I needed but was it enough to convince the police? Probably not.
I had to do something. Quickly. I swirled above the water, back and forth, agitating it into waves that sloshed and splashed. I silently sent an apology to my fish for these outrageous actions, but it couldn’t be helped.
“What?” Michael stepped away from the spray of water.
Tilly advanced after him with Sunny at her side.
Mocha stayed between my dastardly murderer and my friends as I imagined exactly what he’d done a month ago. First, he switched rooms with Charlotte and climbed out her window to sneak across the roof. Then, he scrambled over my balcony railing and hid in the shadows. It didn’t take long before I came out to take my nightly look at the stars. Sir Michael Fernsby, who’d once been the love of my life, used both hands and shoved me over the railing. But his fork that he always tucked into his breast pocket slipped out, clinked on the roof, and fell into the Koi pond. Just like Sunny’s phone did tonight.
I whispered in Sunny’s ear, and she repeated my words.
“You switched rooms with Charlotte the night Audrey died,” she said, taking another step closer.
Michael backed away. “So? She didn’t want Tucker to sneak into her room that night.”
I whispered the next part of his deadly plan for her to repeat.
“You climbed out the window and crept across the roof. Then you hid on Audrey’s balcony, waiting for your chance to push her over. With that fateful push, your favorite fork fell out of your pocket. It slid down the slippery roof and landed in the pool, just like my phone did tonight.” With that last accusation, Sunny closed the gap between them.
Michael lunged for the fork and ripped it away from Sunny. “You can’t prove a thing. Everyone thinks Audrey’s death was an accident. Everyone will think you two have lost your minds.”
“That’s not a denial,” Tilly said. She poked at him with her phone and forced him to back away from them.
I hovered behind Michael until he backed into my icy presence.
“What’s that chill around me? Something weird has been going on ever since you two arrived.”
“It’s Audrey. She’s letting you know that she’ll never leave you alone,” Tilly said, “now that she’s discovered the truth of what you did.” She continued advancing toward Michael. “Sunny and I are only here to make sure that justice is served, that Audrey’s murderer is apprehended.”
I floated in front of Michael and let him see me hovering only inches away. “Admit it Michael,” I said. “Tell Sunny and Tilly the truth or I’ll haunt you forever.”
His face glowed white in the darkness.
I floated there until he whispered, “I was broke, Audrey. Yes, I climbed out the window and climbed to your balcony. I only meant to scare you a little with that shove so I could be your knight in shining armor and save you. Like old times. I hoped the scare would convince you to move back to England with me and help me save the castle for Charlotte. Something went wrong.” He sobbed and fell face-down in the grass.
“Yes, Michael. Something went drastically wrong. You killed me,” I whispered in his ear.
Tilly slipped her phone in her skirt pocket then took her scarf off and quickly tied his hands behind his back. Her quick thinking and knot tying skills were impressive.
Birdie ran across the lawn, her purple satin robe flapping behind her. “What’s going on out here?”
“Call the police, Birdie,” Tilly said. “Michael killed Audrey. He pushed her over the railing. It wasn’t an accident. He admitted it to us, and I have it all recorded on my phone. Here’s the evidence.” She peeled his fingers off the fork and held it up for Birdie to see.
Birdie stepped backward, sucked in air, and covered her mouth. “He lost that fork the night she died. Where…” She shook her head. “Never mind. I don’t even want to know. Ever since Audrey died, there’s been a different… a strange energy here in the mansion. Maybe she is still around somewhere,” she said in a dreamy voice.
It was only a few more minutes before Charlotte, Tucker, and Douglas streamed from the mansion. They raced across the lawn, arriving out of breath and speechless when they saw Michael prone on the ground.
“Daddy?” Charlotte’s cry was choked with agony as she knelt next to him. I felt for her, but she’d gained a new strength this weekend. I was sure, with time, she’d be fine. She could no longer ignore the real truth under Michael’s polished veneer. The man who only cared about money and was willing to kill for it.
Tucker tried to put his arm around Charlotte, and I saw the self-satisfied grin on his face. He wasn’t there for my daughter, but for himself. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you, Charlotte,” he dared to say.
Charlotte turned and glared. She said coldly, “I don’t need you to take care of me. This changes nothing between us.”
“We’ll see about that,” he said and gave Douglas a man-pat on the back as he returned to the mansion. I wasn’t sure what that was about, but I had my suspicions.
Douglas shifted from one foot to the other. “Maybe I should read the will tonight?” he asked even though no one was paying attention to him. My will… the root of all these problems would now reveal surprises only one person was aware of. I couldn’t wait.
Birdie nodded. “I’ll make coffee and bring it to Audrey’s office.”
I couldn’t help myself. I hovered next to Douglas and sent a chill his way. He deserved more than that, but soon he’d get the shock of his life.
That would have to wait, though. The police arrived with sirens blaring. Questions had to be answered. Detectives scoured the area and finally, Michael was carted away.
Exhausted and relieved, we made our way into the mansion.
Chapter Sixteen
Birdie, always reliable and efficient, had a tray with coffee, cups, sugar, and cream ready in my office by the time everyone was settled, including Sunny and Tilly.
“Why are you two in here?” Tucker asked with an angry sneer.
“Be quiet, Tucker, or I’ll kick you out. It’s my turn to call the shots around here.” Charlotte was showing a newfound authority. Several pairs of eyebrows rose and two sets of lips—Sunny’s and Tilly’s—twitched with amusement.
Douglas cleared his throat. He made a big fanfare of opening a thick manila packet that contained my will.
Birdie finished serving coffee to everyone and took the last leather chair at the end of the half-circle. “Before you start, I have a question,” she said.
Douglas looked at her over the top of his reading glasses. “There’s nothing in here that concerns you, Birdie. No offense, but Audrey didn’t leave you anything.”
“I’m curious, Douglas. What’s the date of that will in your file?”
Douglas pulled out the stack of papers with a roll of his eyes and an, I’ll-indulge-your-request-to-get-rid-of-you, expression. “Let me see.” He flipped to the end. “Audrey signed this on Friday, January 23rd, 2001. Now, I’ll get on with it if there are no further interruptions?” He looked up.
“Actually,” Birdie said, as she took her own thick manila envelope out of her beloved briefcase resting next to her chair. “Audrey hired me to write up a new will for her.”
“You? Her housekeeper?” Douglas sputtered with disbelief.
“No. I’m Audrey’s lawyer,” she said,
A lightbulb went off over Tilly’s head and she laughed. “That explains the fancy briefcase.”
Birdie gave her a thumbs up sign as she finished her resume to Douglas. “I also help with a few other tasks around here because I like to cook and clean. And the country air is good for my peace of mind. This,” she held up her papers, “is the new will, signed by Audrey on Monday, May
30th, 2008. So, you, Douglas, can pack up your things and leave. Tucker, you may as well leave, too, because there’s nothing in this will for you. Everything goes to Audrey’s granddaughter, Nikki.”
A pin dropping on my thick wool rug would have made more noise than what I heard at the moment. At least until Birdie’s announcement registered, and Tucker jumped out of his chair.
“You can’t do that,” he shouted. “Say something, Charlotte. Tell this… this imposter that you’ll contest the will.”
“No. I’m perfectly happy with Mummy’s decision, and I believe Daddy signed a prenup, so he can’t make a scene about this either.” She smiled like this was the best news she’d heard in a long time.
Tucker stormed out with Douglas at his heels. “I’ll think of something,” Douglas said.
“Let them go,” Tilly said. She sipped her coffee and smiled like she was enjoying some secret joke.
Sunny stroked Mocha, purring contentedly, after curling up in her lap.
“Is this all on the up and up?” Charlotte asked Birdie.
“Yes, dear. Your mother swore me to secrecy until this weekend. Of course, her plan was to be here to see everyone’s reaction, but I kept my end of the agreement. Everything, including Mocha, now that she’s come back, goes to Nikki with the condition that she lives here for one full year and keeps the Bed and Breakfast going. After that, she can do something else, but she can’t sell Moonlight Mansion. I promised to help. I prefer running the mansion to doing legal work, but I’ll help Nikki with any of that stuff that comes up.”
“Does Nikki know about this?” Charlotte sat shaking her head like a giant treasure chest had opened in front of her, and she didn’t know what to examine first.
“Not yet. Do you want to call her?” Birdie asked. She slid the will back in its envelope, dropped it in her leather briefcase, and snapped it shut.
“Yes. I’ll do that as soon as everything settles in my mind. I’m still rattled with all that’s happened this weekend. It’s a lot to absorb.”
