“Are you okay?” I asked.
“I hit my head.”
There was a long pause.
“Chad?”
Wilson joined me on the porch. Realizing my dilemma, he walked through the door, as shades and ghosts can do, and in seconds reported back to me. “It’s Chad alright, and he looks miserable.”
“Chad, let me in. We need to talk.”
Silence. I looked at Wilson. “What are we going to do?”
Wilson shrugged. From behind the door, I could hear the chain as it unhooked, followed by the sound of the deadlock slide open. The door opened halfway. Chad, with his hair in his eyes and looking like he hadn’t slept or shaved, squinted out from behind.
“What do you want?”
“I have your jacket. Zoey wanted me to return it.” I held up the jacket so Chad could see it.
“Leave it on the porch.” Chad started to close the door.
I put my hand against the door, and with Wilson behind me, we pushed the door open.
“What the—” Like a drunken sailor, Chad fell back against the wall and slid down to the floor with his legs and feet splayed in front of him.
“Now, now, Chad. There’s no need for language. I’m here to help.”
With Wilson’s assistance, we righted Chad to a standing position and held him until we felt he was steady enough to stand on his own.
“Did you just—” Chad’s eyes blurred, and he pointed to the door.
“Push my way in here?” I smiled at Wilson. His ability to walk through walls or muscle objects in my way made us a good team. “I suppose you could say I did. Sometimes I don’t know my own strength.”
“But how?” Chad looked as confused as he did disheveled. Bare chested, barefoot, and dressed in a ratty pair of sweatpants with nothing but a blanket hung around his shoulders, he smelled as bad as he looked.
“Good grief, Chad. When was the last time you showered? Or ate?” I pulled the blanket away from him and stared at his midriff. The man was skin and bones.
“How’s Zoey?” Chad tucked the blanket back around his shoulders and hung his head.
“Better than you are. Are you alone?”
“Yeah. I guess.” Chad’s eyes searched the room, then the ceiling, no doubt looking for signs of Lacey.
“Where are Zac and Kelsey?” I asked.
“I don’t know. What time is it?”
“Almost four,” I said. “You have anything to eat in the house?” From what I could see scattered across the floor—glass bottles and half-empty bags of chips—Chad had been surviving on beer and chips.
“There’s eggs in the fridge. Bread too, I think.”
“Good. Then while you get yourself cleaned up, I’ll make you something to eat. We need to talk.”
I whispered to Wilson to start the shower.
“What?” Chad asked.
“I said you need a shower.”
Wilson moved down the hallway. From where I stood I could hear the sound of water running.
“Yeah. Guess so.” Chad wrapped the blanket around his shoulders. “But, Zoey, could you—”
“Shower!” I pointed again in the direction of the bath.
Chad took a step toward the bathroom, then stopped. “You hear water running?”
I didn’t have time to get into the mechanics of things. I snapped my fingers. “Shower, Chad. Now. We’ll talk later.”
I was counting on the fact Chad was too hungover to question my ability to overpower him and push my way into the house or to magically start the shower when he appeared in the kitchen thirty minutes later. When it comes to men, I’m old school. Food, particularly something hot and savory, works wonders when trying to divert their attention. Chad was no different, if not a little bit easier, due to the fact he hadn’t eaten in several days.
I put a plate of freshly scrambled eggs on the table with toast, butter, and black coffee, and told him to sit. When he finished, I explained I needed him to focus.
“Chad, I need you to tell me what’s been going on.”
“Going on? Zoey’s what’s going on. Or not going on.” Chad sighed. “Dammit I’ve been a fool.”
“Poor boy.” Wilson appeared from the bath and leaned against the hallway door to the kitchen. “Women can be such a bother.”
I scowled at Wilson, then poured Chad another cup of coffee. “I’d have to agree with you about that.”
“Has she asked about me?” Chad stared down at the table.
“I’m afraid that boat’s sailed, Chad. That’s not why I’m here. I need to talk to you about Lacey.”
Chad’s eyes shot up at me. “I didn’t kill her if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“I didn’t ask if you did.”
“Yeah, well, the police have. Plenty. I even took a lie detector test. Passed it too.” Chad straightened in the chair.
“I’m not the cops, Chad. I’m not here about who killed Lacey, but I am here to ask you about her.”
“What do mean?”
“The night of the séance—”
Chad groaned. “You mean her ghost.”
“You interrupted the séance before I was able to finish. As a result, I’m afraid Lacey followed you home and—”
“She’s real then? I’m not just crazy. You know about her?”
“I’ve suspected.”
“You’ve got to help me, Misty.” Chad stood up and started to pace the room, alternating between scratching his head and wrapping his arms around his body. “You’ve no idea what I’ve been going through. I can’t sleep. Can’t eat. Can’t perform. There must be something you can do.”
“I could send her back if I did another séance.”
Chad stopped pacing and looked over my shoulder. At first I thought the idea had frightened him, that he couldn’t possibly. Then I realized, it wasn’t his fear of another séance, but Crystal. She was standing in the doorway behind me. Neither Wilson nor I had heard her come in. She glared at me.
“Another séance, Misty? Really?”
“How long have you been here?” I asked.
“Long enough to know you’re up to no good.” Crystal leaned her back up against the kitchen counter.
My eyes went from her to a knife block just inches behind her. I wasn’t sure she knew, but I wasn’t about to risk her grabbing the big butcher’s knife and coming after me with it. I took the high road and answered mildly.
“On the contrary. I came by just as I told you I would. To return Chad’s jacket. It’s on the couch if you want to check.”
While Crystal glanced back into the living room for Chad’s jacket, Wilson ghosted to her side. Slowly, without her noticing, he slid the knife block from behind her until it was out of reach.
“As far as a séance goes,” I said. “I think another might be a good idea. That’s up to Chad to decide.” I grabbed my bag and pushed past Crystal.
I got as far as the front porch. Crystal pushed me to the railing. Her face inches from my own. “Look, Misty, I don’t know what you’ve done, but for whatever reason, Chad believes you’ve put some type of curse on him. I’d tell you to leave him alone, but from what I just saw in there, I think Chad’s convinced you can help him.”
“I’m not a witch, Crystal.” I pulled my hand from hers and took a step back toward the railing. “I don’t cast spells on people.”
“But you do read people.” Crystal moved closer to me. “You know he’s tormented.”
“No more than you,” I said. I gripped the railing behind me. The only divide between the porch and a hundred-foot drop to the hillside below.
“You’re a cheap carnival trick, Misty. You don’t know anything about me.”
“Tell that to your doctor. I’ll bet he agrees with me. Your OB-GYN that is. You’re pregnant, aren’t you? Have you told Chad,
yet?”
Crystal put her hand on her belly.
“This isn’t about Chad, it’s about you and me.” I could feel the warmth of her breath on me, and the look in her eye...was she really going to push me?
Wilson stepped forward. I shook my head.
“You sure you want to do this, Crystal? I fall, and you’ll be left to explain to Detective Romero what happened. And I don’t think Romero will believe it was an accident.”
Crystal stepped back. My gamble that the Ice Queen had more logic than malice in her veins proved right. “Fine, do it your way. Do a séance. I don’t care. But it better work. Chad needs to get back to his music.”
“Oh, it’ll work. Because this time, Crystal, you’re going to be there as well.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you. And Zac and Kelsey too.”
Crystal bit her tongue. “When?”
“Tomorrow night.”
“Fine, but Zoey can’t be there. I’ll schedule something so she’s out of the house. She can’t know about Chad and me. You can’t tell her that I was here or any of the rest of it. You do, and I’ll ruin you. I’ll run smear stories on social media that will make you look like a pariah. Your name will be mud in this town. And you know I can do it. You’re a has been, Misty Dawn, and by the time I’m done, everybody’s going to know it.”
“You don’t need to threaten me. For what it’s worth. I’ll give you a little prediction. Free of charge. I’m not going to tell Zoey about you and Chad. When the time comes, you’ll do that yourself.”
Chapter 30
Wilson and I arrived home from Chad’s to find a young woman on the porch, dressed in a long, gray duster, boots, and a cowboy hat. She had settled herself on one of the green striped rockers and with her hat pulled low on her brow and a book in her lap, she appeared to have come prepared to wait. And in disguise.
Breadcrumbs.
“Now that looks interesting.” Wilson reached into the console and took out the remote for the garage.
“More than interesting, Wilson. She’s exactly what I’ve been waiting for. It’s just taken her longer to get here than I expected.” I left Wilson in the garage and greeted my caller on the steps. “Nora?”
“You remember me?” Nora looked surprised.
“I’m good with faces,” I said. “We met at Zoey’s. You were with Lacey’s cousin Joel. I remember thinking how uncomfortable you looked. I gave you my card. I knew you’d come around.” I opened the door and pointed Nora in the direction of the living room. Wilson slipped in behind us and sat on the edge of the sofa. Anxious as I was to hear what our mystery caller had to say. “But I sense you’re not here for a reading.”
“Not quite,” she said. “In fact, the reason for the cowboy hat is because I didn’t want anybody to recognize me.” Nora took her hat off and placed it on her lap. “Joel doesn’t know I’m here, and I’d rather he didn’t. Ever since I heard the news about Zoey’s arrest, I knew I had to talk to someone.”
“And you can’t talk to the police?” I sensed I knew the answer to that.
“Joel and I have already spoken to the police. Or Joel has anyway. He told Detective Romero he thinks Zoey killed Lacey. He never bought into the idea that Lacey and Zoey were running lines the night Lacey was murdered. He thinks they were arguing, and things got out of hand.”
I had heard that much before. When Detective Romero and I parted ways, it was one of the reasons the DA had pushed for Zoey’s arrest.
“So that puts you and Joel on opposite sides,” I said.
“Joel thought his cousin could do no harm. I’m afraid I see it differently. Lacey lived with us. She was no angel, and all she ever talked about was Chad. She said she hadn’t meant to fall in love with him. That she was sorry about Zoey, but that she couldn’t help herself.”
“And Zoey, far as you know, never had any idea about their affair?”
“I don’t believe Zoey would have believed you if you told her. Zoey’s as close as it gets to Hollywood royalty. In her world, Chad would never leave her. Not for someone like Lacey. A stand-in? It wouldn’t happen.” Nora played nervously with the brim of her hat.
“Even so, Lacey was convinced Chad loved her.” If Zoey hadn’t been Lacey’s best friend and deceived her, I might have almost felt sorry for the girl.
“I think Lacey wanted to believe it. Joel and I both tried to tell her Chad would never leave Zoey. Everybody knew Chad was nothing without Zoey’s money. Zoey made it all possible. The band. The trips. The promotion. Everything.”
This wasn’t the first time I had heard about Chad’s lack of financial independence. Hearing about it from Nora made me wonder if Zoey’s financial aid may have somehow been connected to Lacey’s death.
Nora continued, “Lacey said when Zoey was making a movie she forgot about everything else, Chad included. He was lonely. I think Lacey thought if she got pregnant, it’d change things. That Chad would leave Zoey for the baby and a different life.”
“You think he promised her that?”
“No.” Nora shook her head. “He told her he was working on a plan, that he’d tell Zoey and for her not to say anything. That’s why I’m convinced Zoey and Lacey weren’t arguing that night. Lacey wasn’t confrontational. She never would have told Zoey without Chad there. In my opinion, Chad was waiting for Zoey to leave for Europe. I think he would have paid Lacey off and sent her away.”
“If you don’t think it was Zoey who killed Lacey, and we know Chad was at the studio that night, then who? Crystal?”
Nora bit her lip.
“Crystal knew Lacey had fallen in love with Chad. And according to Lacey, Crystal did what she could to break them up, including seducing Chad herself. She’s a cold and calculating bitch. She loves her role as Zoey’s personal assistant, she’d do anything for her. But murder? She wouldn’t risk upsetting Zoey and the millions of dollars that are on the line if Zoey fails to complete the current movie she’s working on. She’s not going to upset the status quo. Not like that.”
“Then who else?” I asked.
“I’ve been asking myself that same question. I keep wondering if maybe Kelsey might have done it.”
“Kelsey? Don’t tell me Chad had an affair with her too?”
“Hardly. Kelsey and Zac, they’re solid. Kelsey’s relationship to Chad is purely financial. She’s his writing partner. He writes the melody. She does the lyrics. The trouble is, once Chad and Lacey started to fool around, Chad stopped focusing on his music. Kelsey called him on it. Told him he was throwing his career away and needed to get back in the game.”
“Do you think maybe Kelsey was angry enough to do something about it?”
“According to Lacey, Chad thought Kelsey and Zac were taking advantage of him. Before they hooked up with Chad they were nobody. Just a drummer and his girlfriend writing cheap melodies.”
“That’s a good theory,” I said. “But not enough to prove murder.”
“I didn’t think so either, and I’ve been hesitant to say anything. Particularly since Joel’s convinced Zoey murdered his cousin. Except, I remembered Lacey saying how she’d written a poem for Chad, that she wanted him to put it to music. I didn’t pay much attention to it until I was cleaning some stuff up in her room and found it. I thought if I showed it to you maybe you might be able to do something with it.”
Nora took a notebook from her bag and set it on the table. On the cover, Lacey had scrawled her name in pink magic marker with a heart above it.
“Inside are a bunch of poems Lacey wrote and the lyrics to a song she and Chad were working on. Chad wrote something in the margins.” Nora opened the book and flipped to a page. “Here, take a look.”
Nora handed me the book and I read the comments out loud so Wilson could hear. “Crazy good lyrics—the one about the jealous lover is a hit! Better than anything the band
’s done before. I’ll lay down tracks on our next session. You rock, babe!”
“Kelsey knew Lacey was sleeping with Chad. What if she found out it was more than that—that Lacey was writing lyrics as well—and it was too much for her? I think she worried she and Zac might be replaced and decided to do something about it.”
The notebook gave me pause. Nora was like a missing piece to a puzzle or a breadcrumb the Universe had placed in my path. I never felt Nora fit in with Zoey’s friends. From the moment we met I sensed she was an outsider. Yet here she was, right in front of me with the very clue I needed. Lacey’s poems with Chad’s scrawls promising to record her missives on his next visit to the studio. Had Kelsey felt threatened and murdered Lacey in a jealous rage? Or was it Crystal who feared Lacey had gotten too close to Chad and put an end to their affair because she knew Chad couldn’t? I wasn’t sure.
Chapter 31
I thanked Nora for coming and closed the door behind her, then told Wilson to bring me my bag. I needed to call Detective Romero right away.
“Not so fast.” Wilson took my hand and led me back to the couch. “You should sit down. There’s something I have to tell you.”
“Whatever it is, it’ll have to wait. I need to talk with Detective Romero. He needs to know Crystal had AJ’s original notes and release papers from the DOC all along, and she’s hidden them from Zoey. And I need to tell him about Kesley. I can’t imagine how Romero missed it. This writing partnership between Chad and Kelsey...it goes to motive. And—”
“Stop! Misty. Sit down.” Wilson grabbed my bag off the coffee table, held it above his head, then gently shoved me back onto the chair. “Sorry, Old Gal, but you’re not calling anyone until you’ve heard me out.”
“Why? What’s going on?” I leaned forward, but Wilson put his hand on my shoulder and refused to let me up.
“I wasn’t quite sure how to tell you, but while you were talking to Zoey and searching Crystal’s room, I made a discovery of my own.”
I expected the next words out of his mouth to be that he had stumbled across some long-lost artifact from the Chamberlain’s movie history, but the gray look of concern on Wilson’s face told me this was much more serious than a newly found souvenir. I braced myself. Perhaps he had learned the universe was about to call him back, and he was going to bid me farewell. I wasn’t sure I was ready for that, but Wilson wouldn’t be the first shade I’d be forced to say goodbye to unexpectedly. “Okay,” I said. “What exactly did you find?”
The House on Hallowed Ground Page 19