Battered and Buttered Waffle: Book 2 in The Diner of the Dead Series

by Carolyn Q. Hunter

  “Police business,” the deputies called back.

  Sonja hurried into the building after them. To her surprise Maddy was standing at the front desk with Marie, signing papers. “What’s happening?”

  The young woman looked up and smiled. “They’re letting me go.”

  “What? Why?” Sonja asked, eyeing Daniel as they dragged him into the back.

  “They didn’t say,” she replied.

  “Looks like they’ve got someone else in custody, hon,” Marie added.

  “I can see that,” Sonja murmured.

  Sheriff Thompson emerged from the back room. “Put him in cell two, boys.”

  Sonja quickly pushed toward him. “Sheriff?”

  “You got it,” one of the deputies replied.

  “You can’t do this,” Daniel shouted in the officer’s face. “You have no proof.”

  “Get him in there,” Sheriff Thompson ordered.

  The deputies dragged him into the back room.

  “Sheriff,” Sonja called.

  “Sonja?”

  “What is going on?” she demanded.

  “You’ll be happy to know we’ve caught the killer.”

  “Daniel?” she inquired.

  Sheriff Thompson studied her face. “Hey, I thought you’d be happy. You said the killer was someone else. Now we have him.”

  “I’m not so sure anymore,” she whispered.

  He sighed, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

  “Look, I think I might be onto something. I just need to make double sure.”

  “No, Sonja,” he replied, “We have the guy we’re after. Now let it go.”

  “Are you sure it’s him,” she insisted.

  “Sonja, we’re sure.”

  She sighed. “I’m sorry, Sheriff. I just don’t see how it could be him. Wasn’t he locked up all night long?”

  “We thought so too, but new evidence shows otherwise. He had the means and definitely had the motive.”

  She supposed there may have been either a coal chute or a window well Daniel might have crawled out of, and if they had somehow found another piece of condemning evidence, either among Daniel’s things or at the scene of the crime, then the case against him would be overwhelming.

  “Now, as much as I appreciate your help,” he remarked sarcastically, but teasingly, placing a hand on her shoulder, “I have a lot of paperwork to do.” He squeezed her shoulder and then turned around and walked through the door.

  * * *

  Sonja stepped outside just as Maddy was heading down to the parking lot. “Maddy,” she called.

  The young TV host turned around and waved. “Hi, Sonja. I’m walking back to the hotel.”

  She hurried to catch up to her. “Let me give you a ride.”

  “No thanks,” she said. “It’s a nice day. I prefer to walk.”

  “Well, I’ll walk with you for a bit.”

  “Thanks, I’ll enjoy the company.”

  The pair started walking across the parking lot. “So, you don’t know why they let you out?”

  “Not exactly. But I guess Daniel Marston is the murderer after all.”

  Sonja sighed. “I’m not so sure.”

  “They said I could go, and they were taking him in. Doesn’t they mean they have evidence against him?”

  She nodded. “They do.”

  “Then what’s the problem?” Maddy asked.

  “I feel like I’m missing something. That’s all.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t worry about it,” she encouraged.

  Sonja stopped, thinking as she stared into the distance.

  “What is it?”

  “Do you guys use makeup during your shoots?”

  She nodded. “Of course, we do. That’s normal for television—even reality television.”

  “Even the boys wear makeup?”

  “Yes,” she confirmed.

  Sonja sighed. Her theory was out the window.

  “What about purple or red eyeshadow?”

  Maddy looked startled for a moment. “Purple or red eyeshadow? Where did you get that idea?”

  “I visited Tech at the hospital today. He had purple and red eyeshadow in his bag.”

  “That’s weird,” she noted.

  “He claimed it was yours.”

  “Mine?” The surprised TV star replied. “I would never wear purple or red eye shadow. It doesn’t go well with my skin. Besides, it would look bad on camera.”

  “I guess that makes sense,” she agreed. “I think I’m going to head back out to the farm.”

  Sonja walked toward her car.

  “Why?” Maddy asked.

  “I feel like I missed something.” She knew it was right in front of her face. She just couldn’t see it yet.

  CHAPTER 13

  As Sonja pulled up to the farmhouse she noticed the van parked outside. “Oh no,” she whispered. “What now?”

  She parked her car and got out. As she approached she could hear two voices talking inside the farmhouse through the screen door. She tiptoed up the steps and peeked in the open window. Benjamin and Mr. Hinkley were sitting at the table. Much to her surprise, both of them looked happy. She knocked on the door.

  “Just a minute,” Mr. Hinkley called.

  “I’ll get it,” Benjamin replied. Footsteps moved toward her and the door opened. There stood Benjamin. “Sonja, how are you?”

  “Hello, Sonja,” Mr. Hinkley called from the kitchen table. “Come in and have a cup of coffee with us.”

  She stared in confusion. “Come in,” Benjamin instructed. “We were just having coffee.”

  “Uh, no thanks,” she declined. “I just came out to see if the police had finished with their investigation out here.”

  The elderly farmer stood up from the table, leaning on his cane for support. “They have. Everything’s cleared up. They’ve got the murderer.”

  “Yes, I heard that,” she replied.

  “And I have a new farm hand,” Mr. Hinkley commented, beaming.

  Sonja’s jaw dropped, looking at Benjamin. “You?”

  “Yep, it’s me,” he confirmed.

  She could feel her heart hammering in her chest. “So you’re staying in Haunted Falls?”

  “Yes. I’m finally getting out of show business.”

  Mr. Hinkley came and stood beside Benjamin in the doorway. “He’s going to help me fix up the place, manage it.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yep. After I finished talking to the Sheriff today I got a call from the producer of The Spook Show on the phone. Turns out, with the death of Spook, they’re going to be canceling the show mid-season. When I hung up I drove straight here. I apologized for everything that happened here last night, then I offered to help out on the farm in exchange for room and board.”

  Sonja was shocked. This was something she would have never expected, Mr. Hinkley allowing a stranger to stay on his land and help out with the farm. It seemed impossible.

  “You must have made quite an impression in order to work that deal,” she observed.

  “Hogwash,” the old farmer protested. “I need the help, and honestly, I’ve enjoyed talking to Benjamin. It will be a welcome change of pace to have some company out here with me.” He smiled at the tall young man.

  “Well, I’d better actually get things sorted out,” Benjamin sighed, running a hand through his hair. “There’s equipment that needs to be returned, and paperwork that I need to finish. I can’t settle in as quickly as I’d like.”

  “Well, I’ll look forward to seeing you again,” the farmer shook his hand.

  Benjamin walked down the steps toward the van.

  “Mr. Hinkley, I’m surprised. What made you decide to let him stay here?” Sonja asked.

  “Sonja,” he muttered, holding his head down, “I owe you an apology.”

  “If anyone needs to apologize, it’s me,” she retorted.

  “No, I was stubborn. I’ve been so lonely since Marjorie passed. I’ve let my loneliness
make me sour. I’ve become a bitter old man.” He hung his head and poked his cane at the floor. “I only wanted to be left alone.”

  “I know. I invaded your privacy just as much as the Spook Crew did.”

  “Well, I realized, despite the chaos, that it was nice having people out on the farm again. There was life here again. So, when Benjamin came to apologize and asked to work as a farmhand, I immediately accepted his offer.”

  She smiled. “I’m thrilled things have worked out,” she remarked.

  For more reasons than one. She leaned down and gave Mr. Hinkley a hug. “Thank you.”

  She turned and headed down the steps, just as Benjamin was coming back up. “I think I forgot something in the study this morning.”

  “Oh, before you go,” Mr. Hinkley asked, “has either of you seen a long black rope? It usually hangs on the wall in the barn. I can’t seem to find it.”

  “Actually,” the young camerman replied, “I saw it upstairs in the guest bedroom last night.”

  Suddenly, Sonja remembered seeing it too. It had been sitting on the cane back chair in the corner of the room.

  “What is it doing up there?” Mr. Hinkley asked. “Well, you can’t always account for old age I suppose.”

  “I’ll go get it for you,” Benjamin offered.

  “Let me come with you,” Sonja insisted. They walked up the stairs to the guest bedroom. Sure enough, there was the black rope coiled on the chair.

  “Got it,” he declared picking it up.

  Sonja paused, looking around the room. Suddenly, things started coming together in her mind. I’ve got it, she thought.

  “Is something wrong, Sonja?”

  “Do you have any paperwork? Files or forms that members of the Spook Crew filled out?”

  “Well, sure,” he shrugged, “but why?”

  “I just need to see some right away. It’s very important.”

  “Alright,” he remarked. “Follow me.”

  They rushed down the steps and handed the rope to Mr. Hinkley. “Why, it’s all muddy and dirty,” he complained.

  “Come on,” Sonja urged Benjamin on. “The paperwork.”

  “It’s in the van,” he commented, leading the way out the door.

  They got to the van and opened the back doors. He reached in and pulled out a ragged looking folder. “Sorry, it’s not in better condition.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” she dismissed. “As long as I can read them.” She opened the file and flipped through a few pages. She stopped on one paper. She examined it closely. “This is it,” she proclaimed.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  “I have a hunch, but I need your help with something,” she remarked. “Can you hold onto that film equipment for one more day?”

  CHAPTER 14

  Later that night, when it had just reached full dark, the remaining members of the Spook Crew got together at Mr. Hinkley’s barn to film one last farewell episode. Maddy pushed Tech up to the barn in the wheelchair.

  “I can’t believe you got Mr. Hinkley’s permission for us to do this,” she said to Sonja.

  “I told him how important it was,” she replied with a smile.

  “It only seemed fitting as a final episode of the show, contacting the murdered spirit of one of our very own team members,” Tech remarked excitedly.

  “And he agreed that you guys could film it,” Sonja replied, “so long as I was present to supervise the entire shoot.”

  “I couldn’t be more grateful,” Tech remarked. “This will be our most exciting episode yet, and maybe it will help the producer reconsider keeping the show on if he can see me and Maddy in action, on our own, without Spook.”

  Maddy rubbed Tech’s shoulders eagerly, both of them smiling.

  “Alright,” Sonja commented, “should we get started?”

  Everyone nodded.

  Benjamin brought the camera up, turned on the light, and indicated with a wave that he was recording.

  “Welcome ghost hunters and spook fans,” Tech declared to the camera. “Tonight we bring you a very special episode of The Spook Show, potentially the most important ghost hunt in our entire career. Tonight we visit the haunted barn on Hinkley Farm here in Haunted Falls—a town with a very dark history.”

  Sonja resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Tech was all cheese already, and they hadn’t even gotten into the barn yet.

  “This barn is the site of multiple horrible events. First, a rapist and a murderer hung himself in this barn after being overcome with guilt over his crimes. Secondly, I was attacked and wounded by an evil spirit the last time we were in here.”

  This time, she really did roll her eyes.

  “And third,” the ham of a TV host continued, “our very own Spook—whom we loved dearly—was murdered in this barn, hung by the rafters in the same manner as the murderer from many years ago.”

  Maddy pushed the wheelchair closer to the front door of the barn.

  “Tonight, we are trying to reach Spook.We’re seeking to speak with him one last time. If he speaks to us tonight, we’ll know for sure that he has made it to the Other Side.” He looked to Maddy, then to Sonja. “Tonight we are accompanied by local diner owner, Sonja Reed.”

  Sonja nodded to the camera.

  “She was the person who found Spook’s body. Hopefully, her presence will help bring his spirit forth. Now, we’ll head inside the barn.”

  He nodded at Sonja who opened the large barn door. Maddy rolled him inside and Sonja and Benjamin followed.

  “Here we are inside the barn,” Tech commented. “Mystic,” he called, looking at Maddy, “do you sense any presence here?”

  Maddy closed her eyes, stretched out her hands, and moved around the room. “I do,” she whispered. “I do sense some sort of energy here in the room.”

  “Alright,” Tech replied. “We have a confirmation that there is a definite energy in the room. Now let’s see what we can pick up on the Seer.” He slipped the device out of its pouch and lifted it, looking around the room. “If there truly is an entity or spirit here, hopefully, we can catch a glimpse of it.”

  There was the sudden sound of quiet whispers on the air.

  “Do you hear that?” Maddy observed. “I can hear them trying to speak to us.”

  “Turn me that way,” Tech instructed, pointing toward the beam where Spook had been hung. He held up the Seer, looking directly into the device’s screen. “I think we’re getting something here.”

  Tech squinted and pulled the Seer close to his face.

  There was a sudden bang, followed by a sickening snap. Tech’s eyes grew wide. He shouted, dropping the Seer in the dirt.

  “What is it?” Maddy asked. “What did you see?”

  Tech’s face had gone pale. “I-I saw a face in the Seer. Coming toward me.”

  “Was it Spook? Was it Spook’s face?”

  He looked up, “It was.” He turned to look at the camera. He was visibly shaking. “This beam here, where I just witnessed the face coming toward me in the Seer, is where Spook’s body was found.”

  “I can feel his presence,” Maddy added. “It’s incredibly strong.”

  “Speak to him, Mystic. Speak to him,” Tech cried.

  “Spook,” Maddy yelled out. “If you are truly here, if you can hear me, speak to us.”

  A voice rang out through the barn. I’m heeeeere.

  “That’s him,” Maddy declared, her eyes brimming with excitement.

  Tech was shaking uncontrollably now. “It’s him? It’s really him?” He whispered.

  I know what you did . . . the voice echoed.

  “Stop it. Stop that voice,” Tech cried. “It’s not Spook. It can’t be Spook.”

  You won’t get awaaaay . . . the voice went on.

  “No, no, no.” The frightened TV host looked all around the room and pushed his wheelchair backward.

  “What are you doing?” Maddy whispered.

  “No, it’s a trick,” he cried. “It’s not real.�
��

  “Tech. Calm down,” she pleaded.

  He pushed his wheelchair back further, turning, trying to see the entire room at once. He pushed the chair until he was directly under the beam where the body had hung.

  “You’re not real,” he shouted.

  Then, everyone gasped. Tech screamed.

  A blue shadowy figure dropped down like a rock, right in front of Tech, and hung there from an invisible cord. The figure’s eyes bulged out and looked directly at Tech.

  Sonja felt her heart hammer in her chest as she stared through the translucent figure.

  “No, no,” he screamed. “Leave me alone. I killed you. You’re dead, Spook. You’re dead.”

  Instantly, light flooded the room. Tech blinked, and looked up. The figure was gone.

  Sonja stood near a large flood light. “That’s all we needed.”

  Tech looked over at Sonja. “What? What’s going on?”

  “You just admitted to the murder of Spook.”

  “I-I don’t understand,” Tech muttered.

  “We rigged the place,” she responded. “We had sound effects and other special effects set up to scare you into confessing. Benjamin helped me.”

  “But, I heard his voice.”

  “We used sound bites from old clips,” Benjamin replied. “I just remixed them to say the right thing, and to sound spooky of course.”

  “And everything we filmed is going directly to the police and to Sheriff Thompson.”

  “That-that’s not possible,” Tech tried to argue. “I couldn’t have killed Spook. I was up in the guest bedroom the whole time. My leg is broken.”

  “No,” Sonja retorted. “Your leg wasn’t broken. Not yet, anyway.”

  His face twisted in fear. “No. It’s not true.”

  “I’m afraid so,” she confirmed. “I didn’t figure it out until I realized why you had that makeup in your bag. You see, it all started in the barn when Daniel pretended to break your leg. Sheriff Thompson was partially right. Daniel was in on the murder. Daniel himself told us that he is a professional trainer for stuntmen. He would know exactly how to kick your leg and make it look real, real enough for all of us to believe it had actually happened. After that, Maddy and Spook carried you into the house, and while they were carrying you, you slipped the note and the locket into Spook’s pocket. That way he wouldn’t know where the note had actually come from and would only assume it was from Maddy.