by K E O'Connor
“And I’m fresh out of Eau Du Sleaze, so I can’t even spray that at Flipper to give him a hint of Dexter’s stink,” said Helen.
“His ears are better than ours,” I said. “We’ll take Flipper with us. He will hear any noises Dexter is making if he is hiding somewhere inside the house and trying to go unnoticed.”
“And then we’ll get Flipper to bite him.” Helen rubbed her hands together. “That will stop Dexter from running away from us.”
“No biting,” I said. “But Flipper has a good growl. That will scare Dexter.”
Flipper opened one eye and stared at me, sensing he was being talked about.
I patted my leg, and he hopped up and stretched his back before giving my outstretched hand a lick. “Fancy doing some detective work?”
Flipper’s ears pricked up, and he looked first at me and then Helen, his ice blue eyes bright with interest.
“I take that as a yes,” said Helen.
“I wonder what’s happened to Archie?” I asked. “He was nowhere to be seen last night after Juliette’s accident.”
“You don’t think our pesky ghost had something to do with her fall?” asked Helen as she shrugged on her coat.
“No, I don’t think he pushed Juliette,” I said. “He was the one to alert me there was a problem in the first place. If he’d done it, he wouldn’t want to let us know about it. But I haven’t seen him since then.”
“Maybe Archie followed the ambulance to the hospital,” said Helen. “He could be keeping an eye on Juliette.”
“He’s an odd one.” I opened the cottage door. “For all his bad behavior when he was married to Juliette, I do sense that Archie is fond of her. Their marriage was far from perfect, but maybe they got married for the wrong reasons and fell out of love when reality hit home.”
“It still doesn’t let him off the hook for all of the cheating he did,” said Helen as I locked the cottage door and we walked towards the main house.
“No, it doesn’t,” I said. “But I don’t think he’s such a bad ghost after all.”
“These movie types are always so excitable,” said Helen. “Maybe it’s just his nature. He bounces around like an overexcited spaniel and expects people to give him everything he wants. Being a ghost won’t change that about him.”
“Let’s hope Archie’s not around, so he can’t hear you describe him as a dog,” I said with a grin. “Otherwise, tonight, you’ll be the one who’s shaken awake and frozen in your sleep.”
“He’d better not,” grumbled Helen, “or I’ll have him exorcised.”
We stopped by the door of the main house and checked no one was watching us. The grounds were empty, and there was no sign of Fleur. Ben was still at the hospital, and with a bit of luck, Meredith was tucked away in the kitchen.
“Looks like it’s all clear.” Helen opened the door and peered inside.
“If anyone does find us in here, we can always say I’m collecting some paperwork,” I said. “It won’t look strange that we’re in here.”
“It will look strange if we’re both found in the bedrooms,” said Helen.
“We’d better start up there first and make sure Dexter isn’t hiding in a cupboard or under one of the beds. Get the riskiest places out of the way first.” I led the way up the staircase, pausing every now and again to listen for sounds of anyone else in the house.
“Let’s split up,” whispered Helen. “I’ll take the right side bedrooms and you the left.”
I nodded and we parted ways, Flipper coming with me. “Keep an ear out for any sound of Dexter,” I said to him as we crept into the first bedroom. The room was painted pale cream, and there was a guest bed made up. There was a dressing table, mirror, and a wardrobe in one corner. I checked under the bed, but there was no sign of Dexter. I stopped outside the wardrobe and pressed my ear against it. I couldn’t hear anything from the other side, so I yanked the door open. Other than a few expensive looking coats, there was nothing inside.
We checked the next two bedrooms without any success. I had my hand on the doorknob of the fourth room, when I heard a car engine start outside. I dashed to a window in the corridor and looked out. The brake lights of Dexter’s car were flashing, and I could see someone sitting inside.
I ran back to the stairs and hurled myself down them, Flipper at my heel. “He’s not going to get away.” I pulled open the door and ran outside. The car was already turning onto the driveway that led to the gates out of the estate. I checked my pockets, but my car keys weren’t in them.
Flipper gave an excited sounding bark and looked up at me.
“We’re going to have to make a run for it,” I said to Flipper. I set off across the grass at an angle. If I hurried, I’d be able to stop the car at the next turn.
I slipped on the gravel but righted myself and continued my crazy sprint across the grass. I wasn’t sure what I’d do when I caught up with the car, if I caught up with it, but I was determined Dexter wasn’t going to escape without being questioned about his involvement in Juliette’s fall.
Flipper kept up with me, loping along happily with his tongue hanging out as we continued to race after the car.
I gasped out air as I turned the corner. I’d missed the car, and there was no way to stop Dexter from getting away. But I still ran on. I rounded the next bend and let out a cry of relief. The car was idling on the side of the lane. The driver had his mobile phone to his ear. As I neared, I could see it was Dexter.
I thumped on the back of the car window and saw him jump. “Stop right there.”
Dexter stared at me with wide eyes before edging down his window. “What on earth are you doing?”
“Stopping you from escaping.” My words were barely audible as I tried to get air into my lungs.
“What are you stopping me escaping from?”
“You know what,” I said. “Juliette’s fall last night. Bit of a coincidence you were here when it happened.”
“Juliette’s had a fall?” asked Dexter. “First I’ve heard of it.”
“A likely story,” I said. “You must know what’s been going on. There’s been an ambulance and police here.”
“At the house?” Dexter glanced over his shoulder. “How is Juliette?”
“Alive, no thanks to you,” I said.
Dexter lowered his phone into his lap. “I don’t exactly know what you are accusing me of, but this is all news to me.”
“You were at the house last night. Your car has been sitting parked outside the main door.”
“Yes, it was,” said Dexter. “And yes, I did turn up last night. I spoke with Juliette regarding the money Archie owes me. And after some negotiation, she agreed to give me what I need.”
“I don’t believe you,” I said. “Why would she do that?”
“Because she knows what Archie was like,” said Dexter. “And yes, maybe I did take advantage of him when he was alive, but he owed me a considerable sum of money that he'd been stalling on paying. Having spoken to Juliette, I could see that Archie’s left her in a mess, so we agreed she would only pay me fifty percent of what I am owed.”
“It’s got nothing to do with her,” I said. “If Archie owed you money, then it’s hard luck on you. He’s dead now.”
“That’s not true,” said Dexter. “The debt doesn’t die with the person; it simply moves onto the estate he left behind.”
I didn’t know enough about the legalities when it came to debt to argue about that. I tugged at the car door, but it was locked. “You need to confess your involvement to the police.”
“You’re being ridiculous,” said Dexter. “And I think I’m being particularly generous. I know Juliette isn’t fond of me, but I want to see her right. It will leave me in a tight spot financially for a while, but I’ve got the wheels in motion on a new business venture, so it won’t be long before I’m back on my feet again.”
“I can ask Juliette to confirm this,” I said. “She will tell me if you're lying.”
“Ask away,” said Dexter.
That made me pause. “Why don’t you know anything about Juliette’s fall?”
“She let me stay in one of the converted apartments near the stables,” said Dexter. “I’d had a few drinks and wasn’t up to driving. I don’t think Juliette wanted me here, but she could see I was in no fit state to leave, so she gave me one of the rooms and left me to it. The apartments are some way from the main house. I fell into a dead sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. I missed all the goings-on.”
I shook my head, still not convinced of Dexter’s innocence. “You still need to speak to the police.”
“I’m not going to hang around for any police to question me.” Dexter gave a derisory snort. “If you think I’ve got something to do with this, then they most likely will as well. And I bet you’ve given them my name and told them I’ve been up to no good.”
I gave a shrug. “Your name may have been mentioned.”
“Then it’s time for me to go,” said Dexter. “Don’t need to be questioned for something I didn’t do.”
I ran to the front of the car and stood there blocking Dexter's path. Flipper joined me and growled at the car head lights. “You can’t just leave.”
“But I’ve got what I need.” Dexter inched the window down further and leaned his head out. “There’s no reason for me to wait around. You need to get out of my way.”
“Juliette deserves justice,” I said, “as does Archie.”
“What’s Archie got to do with this?” Dexter roared the car engine and flexed his fingers on the steering wheel.
I raised my voice. “Because his death wasn’t an accident.”
Dexter eased his foot off the gas pedal. “You’re still convinced my friend was killed.”
“I do. And I think you’re involved.”
“What do you mean?”
I moved towards the car. “You killed him.”
Dexter sat back in his seat and his hands dropped off the steering wheel. “You really think I’d kill my oldest friend?”
“He wasn’t your friend. You were only after his money.”
“Archie had more than enough money to go round,” said Dexter. “And yes, I did dip my fingers into his generosity a little too often, but we were close. He was like a brother to me. I’d never harm him.”
For a second, I felt confused. Either Dexter was telling the truth or he was an incredible liar. The sound of a horn being beeped made me turn round, and I saw a police car at the entrance of the Musgrave estate. “It’s not me you need to convince; the police are here. And they will want to talk to you.”
Dexter looked round, a panicked expression on his face. “But I’m innocent.”
“Convince them.” I pointed to the police car as it approached us. “But they are interested in your involvement in Juliette’s fall. And I’m sure they will ask some questions about how Archie died as well. Two falls on the same set of stairs so close together is going to raise alarm.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Dexter. “Archie fell off his horse.”
“That’s not what he tells me,” I said.
“You’re not making any sense. I’m innocent,” said Dexter again. “You have to believe me.”
“It doesn’t matter what I think anymore.” I walked round to his door and tugged on the handle again. “Time for you to face up to what you’ve done.”
Chapter 19
“So you stopped Dexter getting away and the police arrested him?” Helen smiled at me from across the table. It was late afternoon, and we were back in the cottage. All thoughts of work had been abandoned. The police had arrested Dexter and taken him away for questioning.
I felt relieved that he’d finally been caught, but also shaken that Dexter had made it clear he would run me and Flipper over if we hadn’t gotten out of his way. It was fortunate the police arrived when they did.
“You could have been hurt.” Zach sat next to me, Jessie nestled against his legs. “You shouldn’t have chased after him on your own.”
“I didn’t have much choice,” I said. “I was searching one of the bedrooms and heard the car start. I had to get to him before he escaped. If he’d left the estate, we may never have seen him again. Juliette’s attacker would have gotten free. And I had Flipper with me. I knew he’d protect me.” I patted his head, which lay on my lap.
“Do you think the police are going to question him about Archie’s death as well?” asked Helen. “Seems like Dexter has a liking for shoving people down the stairs to get rid of them.”
“I hope they do,” I said. “I know I would if I was leading the investigation.”
“My brother can help with that,” said Zach. “He can make some inquiries as to how the investigation is going. That will help steer them towards questions about Archie.”
“Your brother is a handy person to know.” I gave Zach a quizzical look. He didn’t often talk about his family.
Zach gave a shrug as he dunked a biscuit into his tea. “My brother practically runs the police force these days. He had a promotion recently and sent me a picture of him holding up some medal for good conduct. Tells me he gets to do what he likes. I’ll have to introduce the two of you one day. But much like me, he won’t approve of your amateur sleuthing.”
I frowned at Zach. “But I had to stop Dexter.”
“Yes, she did,” said Helen. “You should be congratulating Lorna, not telling her off for preventing a killer getting away.”
“I’m not telling her off.” Zach gave a weary sounding sigh. “I want to see Lorna safe. It’s not so much to ask.”
“And you can see, I am safe,” I said to him gently, realizing he was only looking out for me. “I didn’t come to any harm.”
“Not this time,” said Zach. “But I know it won’t be long before you’ll be chasing after another ghost and trying to help them. And what’s to say that time, you’re not so lucky.”
“It’s not luck,” said Helen. “Lorna’s brilliant at what she does. And I’m sure Archie agrees with me. She figured out who killed him.”
I looked round the cottage, trying to get a glimpse of our absent ghost. “Yes, that’s a bit strange. Archie’s been missing for a while now. I assumed he was staying with Juliette to keep an eye on her while she’s recovering in the hospital, but hoped he’d be back once we’d caught Dexter. He’ll be pleased to know his killer has been arrested.”
“Unless Dexter isn’t the killer,” said Zach. “Could be Archie is on his own hunt for justice.”
“But there’s no one else,” I said. “We’ve ruled out Juliette and Fleur.”
“What about Ben?” asked Zach.
I shook my head. “There’s no way Ben has a killer instinct. He was in bed when Juliette fell.”
“He could have been pretending to be asleep,” said Zach. “It would have been simple enough to duck back into their bedroom and fake having just woken up when he heard you and Helen arrive.”
“I’d not thought of that,” said Helen. “Don’t say we’ve got the wrong person.”
“You were convinced it was Dexter,” I said to her. “What’s changed your mind?”
“Nothing,” said Helen. “Dexter is the most likely suspect. But if Juliette had died in that fall, he’d have gotten nothing from her. Ben benefits the most from Juliette’s death.”
“I’m sure it was Dexter.” Still, something niggled at the back of my mind. I couldn’t figure out what it was. Dexter had seemed so surprised when I’d accused him of harming Juliette and Archie. But he could just be a good liar.
“You’re right,” said Helen. “Dexter is a sly one. He probably had a plan for getting his hands on Juliette’s money, even if she did die.”
“Dexter mentioned he’d done a deal with Juliette, agreeing to take a percentage of the money owed to him by Archie,” I said. “If anything was put down in writing, it would be good to take a look at it and see if he was being truthful. If there’s no sign of any paper
work, it would suggest he was lying.”
“And Juliette could have denied him any money and Dexter lashed out in anger,” said Helen.
“Why would they be arguing at the top of the stairs?” asked Zach.
“Or doing business in any of the upstairs rooms?” I asked.
“Unless there was more to their relationship than we realized,” said Helen.
I groaned and held my head in my hands. “Juliette hated Dexter. There’s no way they are in a relationship.” This mystery was twisting my thoughts into a mess of confusion. “Let’s see if we can find any details about their financial agreement first. That will convince me of Dexter’s involvement.”
“By then, Dexter may have already confessed to everything anyway,” said Zach.
“And we can get back to normal.” I stood and pulled on my boots.
“Normal for us,” said Helen with a grin.
I smiled at her. “Normal for a woman who can see ghosts and whose best friend has no problem being hassled by pushy members of the undead.”
“Where do you want to start looking?” Zach shook his head at us both.
“Juliette’s cabinet would be a good place to begin,” I said, “then the study. But if we have no luck downstairs, a search of her bedroom would be worthwhile.”
“I can help you look,” said Helen. “The laundry needs doing, and I can leave the darning for later.”
I looked over at Zach. “How about you?”
“I wish I could,” said Zach, “but I’ve got a delivery of manure expected soon. I’ll keep a look out for anyone coming to the house and text you if you’re likely to be disturbed.”
“There aren’t many people around to disturb us. Ben and Juliette are still at the hospital,” I said. “Meredith might be holed up in her kitchen at this time of day. But I haven’t seen Fleur.”
Zach grimaced. “If I have to, I’ll head Fleur off if she’s going to cause you trouble. But just don’t get jealous if you see me talking to her.”
“You know I’m not the jealous type.” I had to smile as I said those words. I wasn’t able to control my feelings of jealousy whenever I saw Zach with another woman. I guess that meant I really did like him.