Shortly after the Millers and Archie left Emma’s bedroom, Emma went into the bathroom to freshen up. When she crawled back into bed, Phil drew her into his arms and held her tight.
“Where’s that damn ring?” he asked. “I hope you’re not wearing it again.”
“No chance.” She cuddled close against his warm body. “I stuck it in the drawer of the nightstand. “I don’t want to feel that way again.”
“Well, at least the ring didn’t try to kill you.”
“No, it seemed more like Addy was trying to tell me something.”
Phil squeezed Emma tight and kissed the top of her head. “So what’s your guess? You thinking that little gal hanged herself?”
“Maybe.” She thought about how she felt when she’d been Addy in the dream and the anger of Addy’s current actions. “The depth of loss and despair I felt certainly indicates that, but why would she be so angry and killing people now?”
fifteen
“That ghost was hanged?” Granny rubbed a hand over her own neck. She’d been hanged by crooks posing as vigilantes after being accused of shooting her husband. The ghost shuddered. “We need to help her, Emma.”
Emma glanced up from the papers on her desk. “Last night you didn’t want me to help her.”
“Last night I didn’t know the poor child was strung up.”
“I think she may have killed herself.”
The ghost wandered around Emma’s home office, a space she’d created in the Millers’ guesthouse, a very large studio apartment with a bathroom and kitchenette, which also doubled as a home gym. “Where’s Archie?”
“Mother took him to be groomed this morning. Dad and Phil are playing golf.”
Granny seemed unsettled. “Are you sure that Addy killed herself?”
“Pretty sure, unless my dream meant something else.” Emma put down the script ideas from her show and looked out the large sliding glass doors at the Millers’ well-groomed back yard and garden. “There was a heaviness about the dream, Granny.”
“Well, there darn well should be. The girl was beaten and hanged.”
“Not darkness as in seriousness, but the way I felt during the dream. It was as if I’d been abandoned, or thought I had been.” She looked at the ghost, who now lingered by the oil painting Emma had picked up last year on Catalina Island. The portrayal of Avalon Bay hung over the loveseat across from Emma’s desk.
“I felt totally lost and without hope, like the darkness at the bottom of a well, with no chance of escape.” She took a deep breath. “I think that’s how Addy felt.”
Granny turned to Emma. “So now what are we going to do?”
“I called Serenity this morning and spoke to Dr. Garvey. The police were out there last night and questioned Lainey. Dr. Garvey said she’s quite shaken over Summer’s death but is holding up, although they had to sedate her last night so she could sleep. It was the first time in weeks Lainey has needed medication.”
“They didn’t let you talk to Lainey?”
“I did speak with her briefly after I spoke with Dr. Garvey. She did seem okay in spite of everything. I told her Keith gave me her ring, and she asked me to keep it until she was out of Serenity.”
“Did you tell her about Addy and the ring?”
“No, I didn’t. At least not yet. I was going to tell Dr. Garvey, but it sounds so farfetched, I’m sure they’d try to lock me up.” Emma shook her head. “It really is an outlandish theory—a haunted ring that tries to kill people. How is that even possible?”
“Some things simply defy explanation. How is it possible you and me can chat like this, with me being dead for over a hundred years?”
“Good point.”
“Or me,” said another voice out of the blue.
Both Granny and Emma turned in the direction of the voice in time to see the ghost of Max Naiman materialize.
Emma was excited to see him. Not knowing how long the elusive spirit would stay, she got straight to the point. “Max, did you know the stone in your ring was haunted?”
The spirit of the movie star drifted over to Emma. Granny perked up like an adoring groupie.
“No, not until yesterday. But right before my crash I’d started wondering if I might be possessed, like in a horror movie. I knew it was a stupid thought, but I didn’t know what else to think.”
“Did you tell anyone?”
The ghost shifted, moving back and forth in a nervous pattern.
“Emma’s here to help you and Lainey,” urged Granny.
“It’s too late for me.” Max turned, his hazy face twisted in anguish. “But you must help Lainey. I don’t think she’s out of danger yet.”
“I have the ring, Max,” Emma told him. “The ghost that killed you and Summer can’t hurt her.”
“You don’t know that for sure. That ghost might decide she doesn’t need the stone to go after her victims. Maybe she thought Summer was Lainey.”
Emma rose from her chair and approached Max. “Are you thinking Addy—that’s the name of the ghost in the ring—has a bone to pick with your family in particular?”
He shrugged, then twisted his neck several times, as Emma remembered him doing while he was alive. Max had suffered several injuries while doing his own stunts for movies, and his neck had always been tight after. It was funny how old personal tics and habits followed an individual into death.
“I don’t know, Emma,” he answered honestly. “Once I told Joanna about how I felt I was being possessed. She laughed—told me to get off the booze and stay off. I wasn’t drinking at that time, but I started up again shortly after out of sheer desperation. I can’t tell you how often thoughts of killing myself entered my mind before I finally sent that car over the cliff.”
Emma stared at him. “So you did kill yourself?”
“Technically, yes, but I remember at the time feeling I had no control over my actions.”
“Like Summer Perkins climbing up on the ledge. I don’t think she did that on her own.” Emma turned to stare out the window, then turned back to Granny and Max as a thought occurred to her. “But Lainey managed to turn the wheel at the last minute on both car accidents. And she fought to keep the knife from hitting a vital organ.”
Max shook his head. “All three times I was there. I got her to yank the wheel of the car, and I deflected the knife.”
Emma was intrigued. “You were able to do that physically?”
“I don’t know how I was able to do it. I think it was more about concentrating on her mentally, like bringing her out of it at the last minute as I tried to physically move her.”
“So it was some sort of emotional connection you made with Lainey?” In her head, Emma took notes. She was always learning from the ghosts about what they could or couldn’t do. Often they themselves didn’t understand the full range of their abilities.
Again, Max shrugged, but this time his neck remained stationary. “I remember putting all of my energy into it, like I was pushing a heavy car, trying to get it to move, while begging her to snap out of her trance. When it was over, I was so exhausted, I simply faded.”
“Like you did when you used your energy to push Joanna back down into her chair yesterday. Or how she always feels weight on her when she thinks you’re around.”
“Yes. Dealing with Joanna is exhausting. It was when I was alive, too.” He let out a sad little chuckle. “I’ve been trying to force her to pay attention to me, even though she can’t see or hear me.”
“She knows you’re there, Max. Believe me, she knows, even if she didn’t believe you when you told her about being possessed.”
Emma saw Max starting to fade and rushed to her next question. “Why does Joanna avoid dealing with Lainey?”
“They were never close,” he told her, his voice becoming feathery. “Joanna was always jealous of Lainey and of the time I spent with her, but it has become worse since Linwood entered the picture.”
“I need to know about that ring, Joanna.”
“Charming office, Emma. You can work out while you … ah, do whatever it is you do.” With disdain, Joanna indicated the treadmill and other exercise equipment that took up half of the guesthouse. “Must be how you keep your trim figure.”
“Nothing like multitasking,” Emma answered with false cheerfulness.
Joanna Reid was seated on the loveseat across from Emma’s large desk. She wore immaculate linen trousers and a mint-green silk top accessorized by a gold necklace and diamond stud earrings. Emma wore navy blue capri pants and a white tank top. On her feet were white Keds.
After her dream of the night before, Emma had called Joanna several times that morning, demanding answers. Once Joanna understood that Emma was going to be a pest about asking her more questions, she gave in, agreeing to meet Emma Sunday afternoon at the Miller home in Pasadena.
“Where’s the ring now?” asked Joanna.
“In a safe.”
“Please get it for me, and I’ll be on my way.”
Emma shook her head. “Can’t do that. I spoke to Lainey this morning, and she asked me to hold it for her. It’s hers, after all. You gave it to her.”
“I can call Lainey, too,” Joanna sneered. She took out her phone. “You’ll just have to give it to me in the end.”
In spite of her intention to remain calm and professional, sarcasm escaped Emma’s lips. “You don’t call your daughter the entire time she’s at Serenity Place, and now you expect to call and make her do something she clearly doesn’t want to do?” She narrowed her eyes at Joanna. “Do you even have the number to Serenity Place?”
“I don’t need it. I’ll call Lainey’s cell phone.”
“Cell phones aren’t permitted by patients. You have to go through the main desk to reach anyone.”
Ignoring Emma, Joanna punched a button on her cell phone and put the device to her ear. After several moments and no answer on the other end, she ended the call with a hard jab at the screen of her phone.
Emma leaned forward in her desk chair. “Whatever influence you may have had on Lainey in the past, or whatever intimidation you used to get her to do what you wanted, it’s over, Joanna. It ended when she checked herself into Serenity instead of the Baja facility, and she’s only going to become stronger after this.”
“That Baja clinic would have been the best place for her.”
“An overpriced luxury prison where they drug their guests day and night?”
Joanna stared at Emma, her mouth open. “It is not. It’s highly regarded. Lin knows a lot of people who’ve been there and rave about it.”
“Lin recommended it? So you didn’t check into it yourself before insisting your daughter go there?” Emma was disgusted, and she let it show.
“My father and I did some checking into that place this morning,” Emma continued. “He’s a doctor, you know. Turns out it’s nothing more than a cushy place for the rich and famous to stash the more embarrassing members of their family. Or it’s a haven for those pretending to seek help, especially those under court order. Drugs are handed out like candy. Last year a patient overdosed on heroin.”
“You’re lying.”
“I wish I were.” Emma sat back in her chair. “Lainey and her doctor chose Serenity Place because of its reputation for therapy without drugs. Your daughter is flourishing there, and you’d know that if you had any maternal decency.”
Joanna jumped to her feet, her face full of rage. “You know nothing about me.” She slung her purse over her arm and started for the door, then turned sharply about on her designer shoes. “I came here because you wanted to ask me questions. I accommodated you, and this is how you treat me?”
“You haven’t answered any of my questions. It’s obvious you came here to get the ring. Did you know it was haunted?”
“A haunted ring? Don’t be ridiculous.” Joanna made a sound of disgust in her throat. “When you told me that on the phone, I thought you were having a breakdown of your own.”
Emma rose and took a few steps toward her. “Where did that stone come from, Joanna?”
“I told you. I got Max a new wedding ring. That stone was set in his ring when I bought it.”
“And where did you buy it?”
Joanna hesitated before answering. “A shop over on Fairfax. A small shop that specializes in vintage and estate jewelry. I wanted to get him something special.”
“The name, Joanna.”
“I don’t remember.” Seeing Emma’s skeptical look, she added, “Really, I don’t. A friend recommended it to me. It’s a small family-owned store near the old farmers’ market.”
“Well, that’s a start.” Seeing Joanna hesitating about opening the door, Emma decided to try to reel her back in. “Would you like something to drink, Joanna?” She went to the mini fridge in the kitchenette and opened it. “I have diet soda and Snapple tea, also diet.”
“Nothing stronger?”
Emma checked again. “There’s a nice chardonnay in here, too. It was opened yesterday.” She glanced over at Joanna. “Or I could go into the house and get the hard stuff.”
Joanna Reid walked back to the loveseat and perched on the edge like a bird ready to take flight at the slightest hint of danger. “I suppose the wine will have to do.” She put her purse down on the small ottoman that also served as a coffee table.
Emma pulled the bottle out of the fridge and got down two rose-colored wineglasses from the cupboard above. Uncorking the bottle, she filled each halfway, emptying the bottle. She walked over to the loveseat and handed one to Joanna before sitting on the opposite side of the loveseat.
“There’s a ghost in the ring,” Emma said, cutting directly to the issue at hand. “The ghost of a young woman who is very angry. She convinced Max to kill himself and did the same with Lainey.”
Joanna took a sip of her wine. “Do you really expect me to believe that?”
“You believe Max’s ghost has been haunting you, so why not a haunted ring?”
“I was wrong. He’s not haunting me. I was just being paranoid.”
“No, Joanna, you weren’t. As I’ve told you before, Max has been visiting you, and he’s worried about Lainey. Max was with me at the condo when Summer fell.”
Joanna nearly dropped her wineglass but managed to hang on to it. “That’s impossible.”
“He was there. He tried to help Summer, but the ghost in the ring got to her first.”
“Did you tell the police that?”
“No, I didn’t. Do you really think they’d believe it?”
“Why would anyone believe that nonsense? Including me?”
“Why, indeed.” Emma twisted the stem of her glass between two fingers. “But in spite of what you’re saying, I think you do believe me. At least you believe that Max has been trying to reach you. He also thinks Lainey is still in danger, even though she doesn’t have the ring.”
Joanna took a big swallow of the wine. “Do you think she’s still in danger?”
“I’m not sure. It depends on what the ghost in the diamond wants. I’ve made contact with her.”
Tilting her glass, Joanna drained the wine like water. Emma noticed the nervous gesture and continued. “Her name is Addy. I think she died in the latter part of the 1800s or possibly around the turn of the century, perhaps by hanging herself.”
Joanna appeared shaken. “Do you have any more wine?”
“No, and besides, it’s a long drive back to the Westside. You need to stay sober.”
Joanna hung on to the wineglass, clutching it to her chest like a favorite teddy bear. She didn’t look at Emma but stared off toward the far wall.
“Do you know anyone in your family’s history or Max’s named Addy? It could be short for Adeline or Adelaide.”
Joanna shook her head. “No.” She turned and faced Emma, refocusing. “No,” she repeated, “I don’t.” She took a deep breath. “Didn’t you say ghosts can’t hurt us—or was that simply your own personal theory?”
“I th
ink this ghost influenced or enticed Max and Lainey into hurting themselves. Same with Summer.” Emma put her wineglass down. “Max told me he stopped Lainey each time.”
“What?” Joanna’s mouth hung open.
“It’s true. He was there with Lainey in the car and the time in her condo when she tried to stab herself. He was somehow able to stop it at the last minute. He’s watching over her, Joanna, like a guardian angel.”
“He always did love that child to distraction. Not sure why death would change that.”
Emma studied her. “Are you jealous of Lainey? Of her relationship with her father?”
Joanna gasped. “Don’t be ridiculous. Just because I’m not the smothering type of parent you are, don’t think for a minute I don’t care about my child.”
“And what’s going on with Linwood?” Emma hoped the quick change of topic would throw Joanna off balance.
“What do you mean? What does he have to do with this?”
“You seemed nervous around him. You’re a lot different when you’re on your own.”
Again Joanna jumped to her feet. “My relationship with my husband is none of your business.” She slammed her wineglass down, nearly breaking it. Grabbing her bag, she headed for the door again. “Whatever is threatening Lainey, get to the bottom of it. Contrary to what you might think, I do care for my daughter. After, you and Max can both go straight to hell … if he’s not there already.”
sixteen
Emma fed the parking meter next to her car and pressed the lock button on her key fob. As soon as her SUV gave off the alarm-set tone, she started walking up Fairfax. She’d cruised the few blocks in the vicinity of the farmers’ market twice before spying several small jewelry stores just north of Beverly.
Phil had left early in the morning to return to San Diego and his law practice. They’d spent a good part of Sunday evening going over the facts they had so far on the ring and the ghost. Emma was going to do some research into the ring’s history. She didn’t know if jewelry stores kept information on estate pieces, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask. Tucked inside her purse in a velvet pouch was Lainey’s ring.
Her landmark was the farmers’ market at Fairfax and Third. Joanna had said the jewelry store was near it. As she drove by, Emma glanced at the famous collection of souvenir shops, restaurants, and food booths that had been a tourist destination for decades. Today it was referred to as the “original” farmers’ market to distinguish it from the dozens of community farmers’ markets that rotated throughout Southern California on a weekly basis. The area around it had exploded over the years and included the upscale Grove, a mega shopping and entertainment complex, but the white clock tower still stood at the market as a reminder of a quaint and slower time.
Gem of a Ghost: A Ghost of Granny Apples Mystery Page 12