Ghostly Fright

by K E O'Connor

  Flipper barked and raced ahead of me, his tail up as if he’d spotted something furry to chase.

  “I heard Felicity’s old dog has taken a liking to Helen,” Horatio said. “She’s such a sad little thing. She absolutely adored Felicity. She had a bed for her in the greenhouse. That ugly little spud would sit for hours watching her work. I never understood why Felicity picked that particular breed. It was definitely not for her looks.”

  “I get the impression your sister liked quirky and unusual things. A Chinese Crested dog is different to your average dog.”

  Horatio chuckled. “You’ve got my sister right. Felicity championed the strange. I think that’s why she was so interested in poisonous plants, the kind of thing no one wanted to spend time on. Even though they were deadly, they had beneficial uses if you knew how to handle them.”

  I shrieked as an enormous skeleton leaped out from behind a bush, its arms waving over its head.

  Horatio ducked and covered his head, shrieking louder than me.

  I staggered backward, lost my balance, and crashed to the ground in my haste to escape the skeleton.

  Flipper dashed from a nearby bush, grabbed hold of the skeleton’s leg, and bit it.

  “Ouch! Stop that!” The skeleton hopped around as Flipper held on tight. “Less biting! It’s just a bit of fun. Lorna, get this dog off me.”

  “Uncle Julius?” Horatio lowered his hands and stared at the skeleton.

  The skeleton removed his mask to reveal it was indeed Julius. I was really beginning to dislike this guy. He had a habit of sneaking around and dressing up in costumes to frighten people. Here I was gently interrogating Horatio about his sister’s murder, and Julius stuck his skeletal nose in and ruined things.

  Horatio helped me up. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Just startled.” I glared at Julius as I brushed dirt from the back of my pants.

  Julius grimaced and pointed at Flipper. “It was a joke. Please, call your dog off.”

  I was tempted to let Flipper hang on for another few seconds and suggest he bite Julius harder. “Let go, Flipper. I don’t expect skeleton tastes all that good.”

  Flipper obeyed but stood and growled at Julius.

  Julius rubbed his leg and eyed Flipper with caution. “I didn’t mean to upset anybody. It’s a good idea to try these costumes before the event to make sure they’re suitably scary. I certainly got you both spooked.” He grinned at me.

  I didn’t return his grin. “You were lucky. If Flipper had considered you a serious threat, you wouldn’t be standing.”

  Julius nodded at Flipper. “I felt his teeth, but he didn’t break the skin.”

  “Which is fortunate for you,” I said.

  “Uncle Julius, you can’t keep doing this,” Horatio said. “Sorry about this, Lorna. Just yesterday, I caught him wearing a werewolf costume and strolling around the upstairs corridors of the house. I almost had a heart attack when he lurched out of the shadows at me with his fangs on display.”

  Julius roared with laughter. “That was hilarious. You can’t blame a guy for enjoying himself. I need to keep myself entertained now I’m retired.”

  “Then go to the pub,” Horatio said, “or play a board game.”

  “You’re no fun,” Julius said. “It’s almost Halloween. Everyone needs a few scares. You must be better prepared for the next one.”

  “It’s hard to think about fun, given what’s going on with Felicity,” Horatio said.

  “Oh, yes. Well, it’s unfortunate, but the police have everything in hand.” Julius shook his head and had the dignity to look shame-faced.

  Horatio sighed. “We’ll know more in a day or two. The police are running a toxicology profile on Felicity to see if they can find anything unusual. Well, more unusual than the bee venom they assumed killed her.”

  Julius twisted the skeleton mask in his hand. “There won’t be anything to find after all this time. What are you doing letting them dig up the poor girl’s remains? She should be allowed to rest in peace.”

  “We owe it to my sister to make sure nothing bad happened to her,” Horatio said.

  Julius’s expression was solemn. “I suppose so. I just can’t believe anyone would want my niece dead.”

  “I always thought what happened was strange. Don’t you remember me asking you about it after she died? Of course, no one took me seriously. You all thought it was a dumb idea.”

  Julius gave Horatio’s shoulder a brief pat. “I wouldn’t do such a thing. You’re proving to be the smart one now if it turns out someone did have a hand in her death.”

  “I hope I’m shown up as dumb this time around,” Horatio said. “I hate to think of Felicity being done in, but it’s time we discovered the truth.”

  Julius looked down at his outfit. “Indeed. I should get changed.” He hurried away.

  Horatio watched his uncle leave. “You know, I’d be less surprised if the police thought Uncle Julius was involved in what happened to Felicity. I’m not great with money, but with his gambling debts, he’s in trouble up to his neck. He’s desperate and will do anything to get his hands on more cash so he can fritter it away and rack up more debt.”

  This was news to me. “I didn’t know Julius had a problem with gambling.”

  “Oh, sure. He’s a serious addict. Uncle Julius is always chasing the latest odds in the hope of beating the system. And he mooched money off Felicity, asking her for a loan. As far as I know, he never paid back any of the money. He’d ask for small amounts, five hundred here, a few hundred there. He was never greedy and insisted she kept a record of everything he borrowed so he knew how much he had to pay back. It never happened. Felicity complained about him a couple of times but never did anything about it. I don’t think she cared that much. So long as he stayed out of her greenhouse and didn’t interfere with what she did with her flowers, she was happy.”

  “Have you got any idea how much he owed your sister?”

  “It must be thousands,” Horatio said. “He even asked me for money a few times, but I laughed him off. I have enough trouble keeping a handle on my own finances to chase Uncle Julius for what he owes me.”

  I stepped closer to Horatio. “How would Julius killing Felicity help him to get his hands on more money, assuming that was his motive?”

  Horatio looked momentarily startled. “I don’t know for sure. Felicity’s share of the business was divided between the three of us. I got some, as did Uncle Julius, and Zara. That automatically increases the profit share we get every year.”

  “By a significant amount?”

  “Enough for me to have my eye on a new Maserati when it comes out.”

  I didn’t know that much about cars, but I knew that Italian mode of transportation was not cheap. “Maybe Julius thought Felicity had savings that would go to him when she died.”

  “There wasn’t a chance of that. Felicity ploughed everything back into the business, so there wasn’t much in her bank accounts, and she didn’t have savings. Uncle Julius wasn’t to know that, though. I was half-joking when I said it could be him, but you sound serious.”

  “I’m worried. Everyone is so surprised Luke’s involved. I want to make sure the right person gets charged with the crime if something bad happened to your sister.”

  Horatio nodded. “Uncle Julius must have been disappointed when he didn’t get much of a pay out after Felicity died.”

  “That’s assuming he is involved,” I said. “I didn’t think Julius knew much about plants. If Felicity was poisoned with something in her greenhouse, whoever did it needed to know their way around the dangerous plants to avoid being harmed.”

  “You’ve got a point,” Horatio said. “Hey, you must watch a lot of police dramas. You could be a private investigator, not a party planner. You’ve actually got me thinking the police have the wrong guy, which of course, they can’t have. They don’t take someone away without solid evidence.”

  “I do like a good cop movie.” I smil
ed at Horatio. “But I’ll stick with what I’m good at. I hope the police find out what happened to Felicity soon.”

  “Me too,” Horatio said. “It’s a real downer for the upcoming Halloween party. I suggested to Zara we cancel it, but she said it wasn’t right. We’re doing this in memory of Felicity, so it makes sense to carry on.”

  “I didn’t think Felicity liked parties.”

  “She didn’t care about them either way. She’d have grabbed some cake, avoided the small talk with the party guests, and worn ear plugs to keep out any distractions while she worked. Poor old Felicity. Let’s hope they sort this out soon.”

  Horatio wandered back toward the front door of the house, and I headed to the kitchen. Concern churned inside of me. Even though Luke had been arrested, Julius had a strong motive for wanting Felicity dead. If he was in trouble with debt, he could have been desperate enough to kill Felicity in the hope of getting his hands on her financial assets. Maybe he thought he could get access to the house and sell it, or he was hoping she had other investments squirreled away.

  I had to make sure the police had the right man. They could be pinning Felicity’s murder on the wrong guy, and Julius was going to get away with it.

  Chapter 14

  “I’m off out for my usual movie night.” Julius poked his head through the doorway of the sitting room I worked in with Zara. “I won’t be back until after midnight, so don’t wait up for me, girls.”

  “As if we would.” Zara raised her head from the party plan she read. “Enjoy your evening.”

  “What are you going to see?” I asked him.

  “I always go to see the old repeats. They have a two-for-one deal at the local picture house. Tonight, it’s Gone with the Wind and Casablanca.”

  “How’s your leg?” I asked him. He was still not forgiven for scaring me earlier today.

  “Oh! Fine. It’s all forgotten.” He saluted us before leaving.

  “What’s wrong with his leg?” Zara asked.

  “He had a little run in with Flipper. It’s his own fault. Any man who dresses like a giant bone is going to get a dog’s attention.”

  Zara chuckled. “He was in the skeleton outfit again, wasn’t he? That man does love to dress up. I think he’s bored. He needs a hobby.”

  “He needs something,” I muttered.

  Zara shook her head as she looked at the door. “It’s his same old routine. Julius is a man who likes consistency.”

  “Midnight is late for a movie to finish.”

  Zara tilted her head. “I’d never thought about it. I like catching movies right after work. It’s usually quieter and gives me a chance to forget the stresses of the day and lose myself in a good adventure.”

  I nodded. Something felt off here. The only movies you watched that late in the evening were dubious ones involving actors in not many clothes. I doubted they showed anything like that at the local movie theater.

  I finished my work and left Zara in the office. She was putting in extra late hours with the party only forty-eight hours away. I’d done everything I could for the day. It was time to focus on Felicity.

  I hurried to the kitchen with Flipper and grabbed Helen. “Fancy a date at the movies?”

  She smiled and nodded as she tidied the counter. “I’m all baked out. What’s showing? Chick flick? Rom com? Or how about a hunky action movie? It will remind me of Gunner. I miss my hunky guy.”

  “None of the above. It’s old school movies. But we’re not seeing a movie. We’re on the tail of a murder suspect.”

  Her eyes widened. “I knew you wouldn’t stop investigating Felicity’s murder. Who are we following?”

  “Julius. He said he doesn’t get back from the movies until after midnight, which seems late to me. He’s hiding something.”

  “What do you think he’s up to?”

  “I’m not sure, but after a conversation with Horatio, Julius has a problem with gambling. It could link him to what happened to Felicity. Maybe he’s worried the police have re-opened the investigation and needs to conceal evidence.”

  “He’s covering his tracks? After six months, you’d think he’d have hidden anything incriminating.”

  “Let’s see what he’s up to just in case this has to do with Felicity.” We hurried out of the kitchen and watched through a window at the front of the house as a cab pulled up outside and Julius got in.

  “Wait here. I’ll get the car.” Helen hurried around the back.

  As I waited for her, I collected Milly from her usual place in the pantry. I encouraged her up with Flipper’s help and walked them to our rooms. They could keep each other company while we spied on Julius. I settled them in their beds with a tasty treat each and then hurried back to the house.

  We were soon tailing Julius into town. We drove along the main high street and past rows of shops and restaurants until the cab slowed in front of us.

  My heart sank as Julius got out, right outside the movie theater.

  “He was telling the truth,” Helen said. “Actually, the movie options look good. Maybe our evening isn’t wasted.”

  “Wait a minute. I spy a casino next door.” Dominos Gaming Emporium’s bright lights showcased the gaming facility.

  We idled by the sidewalk to see which direction Julius would head. He wandered into the movie theater but came out five minutes later with a tub of popcorn.

  “That little sneak,” Helen said. “He makes a show of going to see a movie and then goes gambling.”

  “Gambling away Felicity’s money.”

  “Should we go inside?” Helen asked. “We need to see what sort of sums he’s putting on the table.”

  “It will be too obvious if we go in. But from what Horatio said, he’s not gambling tiny amounts.”

  Helen sighed and slumped in her seat. “How about the movies since we’re here? It seems a shame to waste the evening.”

  I did enjoy a classic. “Okay, why not?”

  Helen parked the car, and we were walking to the ticket booth as a white van pulled up. Five guys dressed in dusty work overalls hopped out. They wandered past, laughing and joking with each other.

  I turned as I heard one of them say Luke’s name and something about the police. I grabbed Helen’s elbow. “Did you hear that?”

  Helen was studying the movie options. “I hear the sound of popping corn, warm and covered in sugary butter.”

  “Not popcorn! I’m not certain, but I think that group is talking about Luke’s arrest.”

  Helen stared after the group of men. “Are you sure?”

  “No! Let’s tail them, though. There can’t be many Lukes who got arrested recently.”

  We hurried along behind them, keeping close enough to hear their conversation.

  “I have no clue what they’ve got on him, but the rumors are true. It looks like Luke’s not getting out any time soon,” the tallest of the men said.

  “Walsh has got a dodgy past, but I thought it was all behind him,” another guy said. “What sort of mess as he got himself into?”

  “It’s serious enough to hold him without charging him for this long,” the other guy said. “It sounds like there’ll soon be a job opening at Fleur de Bloom. Maybe I’ll apply.”

  “And leave the luxurious surroundings of our building site?” A guy in a baseball cap shoved his friend in the arm. “You’ll miss us if you leave to rub shoulders with that bunch of flower sniffing toffs.”

  “I won’t miss the early starts, freezing cold weather in winter, or working weekends. And I won’t miss the terrible mugs of tea you make.”

  “Luke worked hard at Fleur de Bloom. They won’t be interested in you. You know nothing about flowers. The only kind you know anything about are the ones you pick up at the local garage when you need to apologize to your girlfriend.”

  I glanced at Helen as we continued to follow the men. “Maybe they know more about Luke and his shady past.”

  “Let’s ask them.” Helen strode into the bar they ente
red.

  I slowed as I looked at the faded name on the door: Lymington Working Men’s Club.

  I snitched my nose. Did working men’s clubs still exist? Wasn’t there some rule passed that made men’s clubs sexist and forced them to let in women, as well?

  Before I had a chance to stop Helen, she’d pushed through the door and followed the group as they headed to the bar.

  I hurried after her. As I got inside, my stomach clenched. The place was busy, but there was not another female inside the room other than Helen and me.

  Helen didn’t seem to notice as she continued to pursue the guys.

  “Wait up,” I called after her, keeping my voice low to avoid drawing attention.

  She slowed and turned, her hands on her hips. “What’s the matter?”

  “We shouldn’t be in here.” I caught hold of her arm and tried to propel her to the door. “Look around.”

  “It’s just a bar,” Helen said. “The carpet needs replacing, but other than that, it’s okay.”

  “The décor isn’t the problem. We’re the only women in here.”

  By now, we were drawing plenty of attention from the room full of men.

  Helen’s mouth opened as she checked out the rest of the customers. “Why aren’t there any women in here?”

  “Because this is for working men only, love,” a man standing by the bar shouted. “You two do not look like men in drag, which means you have to leave.”

  Several of the men at the bar laughed.

  The group of guys we’d been pursuing turned as they heard this exchange and looked at us.

  “We’ll only be a moment.” Helen tilted her head at the group. “Let’s ask them what they know.”

  “We’ll get kicked out if we try to stay.”

  “Oh, nonsense. We’re doing nothing wrong. Our gender should not exclude us from this dingy place.” She dragged me over before I could stop her.

  I noticed the barman shoot us daggers as we approached.

  Helen shoved me forward. “You do the talking.”