Giving Up the Ghost

by Marilyn Levinson

  His disapproval filled her with dismay. "I went to Logan's. I guess to talk to people."

  "About Cam's murder, I suppose."

  "Yes."

  She flinched when Darren punched the steering wheel. "Dammit, Gabbie, you have to stop playing Miss Marple. Who was there? What did you say?"

  "I can't remember. Don and Jack were there with their wives. And Terry and Reese." She tried for levity. "You know, the gang of four."

  "What about Fred Leverette? Was he there?"

  "I didn't see him. Why?" She did her best to gather her wits together. "Do you think he's the one who broke in? Terry said he has a rotten temper. He saw Fred shove Jill against a parked car two days before Cam was killed."

  "Gabbie, honey, anyone's capable of violence. Which is why, until I find who murdered Cam, I'm asking you--no, begging--that you stop going to Logan's to sniff out information like Sherlock Holmes."

  She gave him a weak smile. "I thought I was Miss Marple."

  "Gabriela!" He pressed his lips against hers and kissed her soundly. When they moved apart, he punched the wheel again.

  "I had no intention of doing that--at least not tonight. I'll sleep in the lounge chair and wake you every two hours."

  She grinned, happy to know he'd be staying. "You don't have to."

  "Oh, yes I do. When we get inside, you'll give me your alarm clock so I can set it for two hours from now."

  She felt sleepy again and was barely aware of his helping her into the house and up the stairs to her bedroom. She suddenly remembered. "I have to let Mrs. Green know I won't be in school tomorrow."

  "I'll call to tell them you were injured in an accident and had to be taken to the ER."

  "Okay," she agreed, and promptly closed her eyes.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Gabbie awoke the next morning with a blinding headache. For one awful moment she feared she'd overslept and was late for school. The events of the previous night rolled into her mind and she groaned. She vaguely remembered Darren rousing her twice to walk her around the bedroom. She needed a strong cup of tea.

  Her legs trembled as she crept down the stairs.

  "How are you feeling?" Cam called from the den.

  "Lousy. My head hurts."

  She felt a pang of disappointment as she read Darren's note. He'd arranged for a locksmith to come some time in the afternoon to change all the locks. He'd be at the police station all morning and she was to call if she needed anything.

  Of course he'd gone to work. She scolded herself for expecting to find him in the kitchen, eager to prepare her breakfast the moment she woke up. The need for company drove her into the den. She seated herself gingerly on the couch while Cam scrutinized her from the lounger.

  He clucked his tongue. "You look like hell. Take two aspirins and get back into bed."

  "Gee, thanks. Just what I need. A sympathetic friend."

  Cam grinned. "I am sympathetic. I'm telling you to rest up as the doctor ordered."

  "Darren's instructions, I suppose." Gabbie turned to glare at him, and an excruciating pain shot through her head. She closed her eyes and lay down slowly. "Did anyone try to break in while I was sleeping?"

  "Not a soul."

  "Good, but please stick around. I'm afraid he might come back."

  "I'm your bodyguard for the next few days. It's the least I can do."

  When the pain subsided, she had toast and marmalade with her tea and downed two aspirins. Preparing and eating her small breakfast exhausted her. She went upstairs to nap.

  As she was drifting off the phone rang. An unfamiliar male voice identified the speaker as Detective Wolfert. He wanted to know if he and his team could come now to examine the cottage or, as Chief Rollins suggested, do it another day.

  She was on the verge of telling them to come another time, but then thought she'd feel safer having a crime scene unit about. Their presence would definitely ward off intruders. "Today's fine. Let yourself in and leave the key in the kitchen when you leave. I'll be resting upstairs."

  "We heard what happened last night, Ms. Meyerson." The detective's tone was grim. "Sorry. We'll be quiet and work as quickly as we can."

  She slept soundly until one-thirty, and was relieved to discover the investigating team had come and gone. She wasn't at all pleased to see they'd left black powder on the sliding door and all over the bookcase. After a shower, she was about to make herself a tomato and cheese sandwich when the phone rang.

  "Gabbie, dear girl, are you all right?" Tessa said. "We just heard about your midnight visitor and the nasty bop on your head. Maybe you shouldn't stay there all by your lonesome."

  "I'm okay," she said automatically, and then realized she was feeling much improved. The pain in her head had receded to a dull ache. "How did you find out?" How dare Darren tell anyone what had happened.

  "Cindy Patel came in for a manicure. Vikram's her boyfriend."

  "Vikram?" Gabbie had never met a Vikram in her life.

  Tessa laughed. "Dr. Vikram Mehta. He's the doctor who took care of you last night. In the ER."

  "Oh," was all she could muster. As much as she liked Tessa, she was in no mood to socialize.

  "I hope they find Cam's killer real soon, before he hurts someone else." The curiosity in Tessa's voice was palpable. "I wonder what he was after."

  "I've no idea." Then, just in case Don had been the intruder, she added, "An investigating team just left, so I'm sure there's not a trace here of anything suspicious or of any value to anyone."

  "Did they find any clues? Any evidence?"

  "I really don't know, and I'm not up to chatting. Good-bye, Tessa."

  The moment she hung up, the phone rang again. She smiled when she recognized Darren's voice.

  "Hi, Gabbie. Feeling better today?"

  "Much, thank you." She heard him stifle a yawn. "And thanks for watching over me. You must be exhausted."

  "I'll survive."

  "Detective Wolfert and his men finished here while I was napping. Did they find anything?"

  "Nothing conclusive. They took fingerprints off the sliding doors in case the intruder wasn't wearing gloves." He paused. "I'm sure they were thorough, but I'd like to take a look around myself."

  "Sure," Gabbie said, eager for his company.

  "In that case, Lionel and I will be over shortly. Oh, one more thing."

  She heard the excitement in his voice. "What is it?"

  "Looks like he was after the statuette, after all. The lab found traces of blood and a hair on the back of it. They'll check for a match when the body's exhumed on Friday."

  "Any fingerprints?"

  "Just a partial too smeared to be of any use."

  "Damn. How disappointing."

  "Don't you worry, we'll get him," Darren crowed. "Now that we're investigating, pieces are starting to fall into place."

  Five minutes later the locksmith showed up, an older man with a full head of white hair and a handlebar mustache. Gabbie told him to change the locks on the front and back doors. He worked quickly and efficiently. By the time Darren and Lionel arrived, he was finishing the job.

  "Good to see you, Rex," Darren greeted him. "I'm glad you came yourself."

  The locksmith winked at Gabbie. "Once you told me this was a special case, I made it my business to see to it personally."

  Gabbie, who had been worrying because there wasn't enough money in her checking account to pay for the new locks, was relieved when Darren told Rex to make the bill out to Roland. "He'll be here in a few days. I'll make sure he gets it."

  "No problem."

  Darren and Lionel left to inspect the den. When the locksmith was satisfied that the new key fit in the lock he'd just installed, he called Gabbie. "You're all set now." He handed her two new keys, asked her to sign a work order and left.

  A short while later, Darren and Lionel came into the stuffy living room where she'd been reading. Darren shook his head.

  "Nothing. Whoever broke in must have come back fo
r the Roman statuette, either to take it or wipe it clean. I'll spread the word we found the murder weapon and order everyone I questioned to be fingerprinted. That'll shake up the murderer and, at the same time, steer him away from here."

  "Shrewd thinking, Chief, and much appreciated. How about a cup of coffee?" She rose cautiously from her chair.

  Lionel's eyes lit up. "Hey, that sure sounds like a super idea, Ms. Meyerson."

  Darren glared at his deputy. "Ms. Meyerson is just being polite, Lionel. She's not up to playing hostess, remember?"

  "I'm feeling much better, Darren, and I've even some cake to go with the coffee." The cake we never got to last night, she thought as she went into the kitchen to fill the coffee pot.

  When they'd finished all the coffee and most of the cake, Darren told Lionel to wait in the car while he had a few words in private with Ms. Meyerson.

  Lionel winked. "Take your time, Chief, take your time."

  "Daggett!" Darren thundered after his fast departing deputy.

  After double-locking the door, he very gently put his arms around Gabbie. She nestled against his chest and sighed. "I'm glad you came to check out the den."

  "Me, too." He slipped her earlobe between his lips.

  Darts of pleasure shot through her body. "Mmm, that's nice."

  He whispered, "I'm glad you think so, because it's your quota for today."

  "My head hardly hurts anymore. I'll be glad to return to school tomorrow."

  "How about I stop by tomorrow night to see how you're doing? I'll bring dinner."

  A warning bell went off in her brain, and she drew back from his embrace. "I don't know, Darren. This is getting to be a habit."

  "A nice habit, don't you think?"

  "I suppose," she agreed, and told herself they had to work together until they found Cam's murderer. "Did you speak to any of the suspects today?"

  "I talked to Terry and Jack by phone. They still claim they know nothing about any cigarette deal. And they both denied coming here last night. I checked out their financial affairs. Last June Terry became a silent partner of that gym he's always going to."

  "That's interesting."

  "Interesting, but far from conclusive. I couldn't find out if he'd paid in cash. Besides, he was named best salesman last year, which means he made plenty of dough."

  "And Jack?" she prompted.

  "No big purchases in addition to what I've already told you about his paying off a substantial loan he'd accrued from two failed businesses. But the loan was paid off a year ago, probably with money Adele inherited from her uncle."

  "So, we're back to square one."

  "Far from it, and I've only just begun."

  * * * *

  She was surprised at how good it felt to be back in school, hearing the kids chattering as they changed classes, being greeted by some as if she'd always been part of their scenery. No one mentioned Monday's bomb scare. After all, today was Wednesday. Monday was long gone. History.

  Her first two classes flew by. Gabbie took pleasure in imparting information, as well as in coaxing answers from students, answers they knew as long as they'd done their reading assignments, but lacked the facility to put into words.

  Both Charlie and Theo were absent. She made a mental note to find out how Charlie was getting along. And she'd call Theo. She'd promised to keep an eye on her, and she'd do so at the first opportunity.

  When she passed Todd in the hall, he gave her a grin edged with malice. Where was Barrett? She hoped he was absent. When sixth period began and he didn't show up, she sighed with relief. Then she berated herself. She had no intention of expending energy worrying each day whether or not he would make an appearance.

  The sun was high overhead when she left the building. The temperature was mild enough to have melted some of the snow, and the streets and sidewalks were slushy and wet. Gabbie drove to the library, where she waited until Sonia was alone at the circulation desk to ask how Charlie was feeling.

  "He has a bump the size of a peach on the back of his head and two broken ribs. But he's up and about, no thanks to those hooligans. Someone ought to give them the punishment they deserve."

  Gabbie lowered her voice. "Did Charlie say who beat him up?"

  Sonia let out a mirthless laugh. "He doesn't have to. Everyone in town knows who's responsible, including Darren Rollins. He questioned those two animals and let them go. I'll have you know, our police chief's not half the man he used to be."

  Gabbie swallowed, all too aware that she was referring to the fact that Cam and Darren had beaten up the boys who had raped her all those years ago.

  "I'm sorry, Miss Russell. Please give Charlie my best wishes and tell him we missed him in school."

  "Oh, I will." Sonia barked the humorless laugh again. "Sorry to hear they attacked you as well."

  "I don't think--"

  Sonia waved a finger at her. "Take care, Ms. Meyerson. Chrissom Harbor's a dangerous place, and that cottage has seen one murder already. Maybe you should find yourself somewhere else to live."

  * * * *

  After a stop at the supermarket, Gabbie went home and made herself a tuna sandwich for lunch. She took two aspirins because her head was aching, both from her injury and from her encounter with Sonia. The woman was definitely unpleasant and possibly deranged. But what if she knew something? After all, she lived next door to the Leverettes and might have seen Fred and Cam arguing.

  She went into the den and leaned back carefully in the lounger.

  Cam appeared almost immediately. "You look all done in," he commented from his perch on the edge of the desk.

  "I'll be all right after I rest up a bit. But I've been wondering about something, and I'd appreciate your input."

  "Shoot."

  "Sonia thinks Barrett and Todd broke in the other night and threw the paperweight at me."

  "I doubt it. Seems to me they caused enough mischief with their bomb scare that day to need the thrill of breaking in here, too. And why would they? Unless you think they murdered me and were looking for the statuette?"

  "No, I don't. Besides, I had the definite feeling only one person broke in. And Darren saw just one set of footprints in the snow." She thought a minute. "Did you and Fred ever argue because of your relationship with Jill?"

  "Nope. We made a point of avoiding one another. Why do you ask?"

  "Just wondering." She gave a nervous laugh. "I'm trying to figure out what prompted Sonia to suggest that I move out of the cottage. It sounded ominous."

  "Don't waste your time and brain power. Sonia Russell doesn't need a reason to act weird. Half the things she says don't make sense."

  Relieved, Gabbie's thoughts returned to Todd and Barrett. "I just realized Todd was in school today and Barrett wasn't. It could mean absolutely nothing, but as a rule, either they're both in school or both are absent."

  Cam didn't comment. His expression was thoughtful, as if he was busy working something out. "Does Barrett play sports?"

  "Not that I know of," she said. "I can't see him as a team player. He needs a stooge like Todd, not peers on his level. Why do you ask?"

  "Whoever threw that paperweight has good aim and a strong arm. Did you know Fred Leverette used to pitch for his high school baseball team?"

  "Hmm. Maybe I could talk to him and sound him out."

  "Leave that to Darren," he ordered. "As far as I'm concerned, he's our man." When she didn't answer, he went on. "Fred had both motive and opportunity that day. He makes his own hours at the lab."

  "Do you think he's a thief as well? Would Fred have taken the five hundred thousand dollars?"

  Cam let out a snort of laughter. "Why not? He's the type to rationalize the money was coming to him. Recompense for my relationship with Jill. Even though I'd bet he's had his little playmate all along."

  Gabbie grimaced. "I hate to think of Theo living alone with him."

  "Don't worry about that. Fred adores Theo. Believe me, he'd never harm his daughter."


  His words did nothing to ease her sudden sense of foreboding. "I wonder why Theo didn't come to school today. I think I'll take a ride over there. After all, Jill asked me to keep an eye on her."

  She was putting on her parka when Cam called, "Gabbie, don't go there. I know you're really after Fred. He's not someone you want to tangle with. Besides, he's probably at the lab."

  So Cam sensed something, too. She turned and gave him a sweet smile. "If he's at the lab, I'll be safe and sound."

  At the Leverettes' house she was almost relieved that Fred's old Ford wasn't in the driveway. No one answered the doorbell. Disappointed, she rang again, but got no response. She tried the door. Locked.

  On impulse, she walked across the lawn to Sonia's house. The front door stood ajar. She slipped inside and was assailed by the sound of young voices raised in argument. Theo and Charlie were going at it in the kitchen.

  "--the stupidest thing I've ever heard of!" Theo shouted. "Where is it? Where'd you put that damn gun?"

  "Why would I tell you anything, after the way you turned on me?"

  Gabbie heard the slap of hands hitting thighs. "I'm not turning on you. I'm trying to keep you from ruining your life."

  "Mind your own business, okay?"

  "Okay, I'll mind my own business. Then what? You shoot Barrett. They find you and throw you in jail. Charlie, don't ruin your life for that creep. He's not worth it."

  "It would be worth it, Theo, to wipe him off the face of this earth."

  "Then tell Chief Rollins about the things he did to you."

  Charlie's cynical laughter chilled Gabbie to the core.

  "Oh, right. You're so naive, if you expect the law to help me. Everyone knows he and Todd called in that bomb threat, but they got away scot free."

  "They wouldn't have if you'd told the police you saw them."

  "Yeah, like they'd believe me. And even if they did, I have no proof. It's my word against theirs."

  Theo's tone was scornful. "You kept your mouth shut and they went after you anyway."

  "That won't happen again."

  "I knocked, but I guess you didn't hear me," Gabbie lied as she strode into the kitchen.

  Theo and Charlie turned to stare at her, surprise, guilt and resentment apparent on their faces.