Ghostly Wrecks (A Harper Harlow Mystery Book 6)

by Hart, Lily Harper

  “Ah, I got you.” Mel nodded his head. “You want her to think we know what’s going on even though we’re still stabbing in the dark.”

  “Pretty much … although I would’ve chosen a different analogy.”

  “Next time.” Mel pursed his lips, offered Jessica a curt nod, and skirted around her as Jared slowed his pace. “Don’t forget to make that call we talked about,” he called out, winking at Jared once he was behind Jessica and she couldn’t see him.

  Jared merely nodded. “I won’t forget. It’s next on my to-do list.”

  “What’s next on your to-do list?”

  Mel’s ploy worked well because Jessica was clearly agitated when she cut off Jared’s path to the building.

  “It doesn’t matter,” Jared replied. “Can I do something for you, Mrs. Reiter?”

  “Yes, you can tell me what you said to my husband to get him so worked up.” Jessica crossed her arms over her chest, ignoring the heat and humidity as she attempted to outshine the sun and scorch Jared with overt anger. “He said you came to see him this morning.”

  “I did,” Jared confirmed, bobbing his head as he gestured toward the metal table located at the corner of the patio area. “Let’s get out of the direct sun. The umbrella won’t do much to cut down on the heat, but it will alleviate potential sunstroke.”

  “I don’t care about that,” Jessica barked, jutting out her lower lip as she glared. “What did you say to my husband?”

  “What did he say I said to him?”

  “I don’t have time for games,” Jessica snapped. “Do you not understand that I have a child who is convinced she heard something that didn’t happen, a husband who is shutting me out and acting very odd, and an insurance agent who keeps swearing up and down that we let our insurance policy lapse even though I pay all of the bills and know that’s not possible?”

  Jared rolled his neck, a few things slipping into place. “You’ve been in contact with your insurance company?”

  “Yes, but there’s an error and they say we voluntarily cancelled our policy,” Jessica answered. “We didn’t and I think they’re dragging their feet finding our records because they don’t want to pay out on the boat. I considered driving up to our house today to look for cancelled checks for proof, but Hayley wasn’t keen on me leaving her here alone.”

  “You could’ve taken her with you.”

  “She’s in a mood.” Jessica’s expression told Jared that Hayley’s mother was in a mood, too. “She’s upset because she thinks we don’t believe her about someone being on the deck of the ship, but we were there and we know she is imagining things. She’s just at that age where everything has to be really dramatic.”

  “Uh-huh.” Jared ran his tongue over his teeth. “Mrs. Reiter, we’ve discovered a few … um … disturbing details.”

  Jessica’s face went blank. “Like what?”

  “Like there were bullet holes on the deck of the boat.”

  “Bullet holes?” Jessica knit her eyebrows. “That can’t be right. How would they even get there?”

  “That’s the question I asked your husband this morning.”

  “And what did he say?”

  “He said we made a mistake.”

  “And I have to agree with him,” Jessica snapped. “I was on the deck during the storm. I was up there the entire time. I think I would’ve noticed if someone was shooting despite the thunder and lightning.”

  “So how do you think the bullet holes ended up there?”

  Jessica shrugged. “I have no idea. They weren’t there when we crashed.”

  Jared stilled, his mind tilting in a different direction. “Are you suggesting that someone else put those bullet holes there after you were transported to the hospital?”

  Jessica sneered at the question. “I’m suggesting that those bullet holes weren’t there when I was there because I would’ve noticed them. Did someone watch the boat the entire time after it beached? Can you say with absolute certainty that no one else could get on the boat and put those bullet holes there?”

  “I … .” Jared worked his jaw. He honestly wasn’t sure how to answer the question.

  “How do you know the bullet holes were there that night?” Jessica challenged, seizing the advantage in the conversation. “How do you know someone else didn’t return and put them there? What proof do you have for everyone concerned that those bullet holes were put there when you believe they were put there?”

  “But … for what reason would someone put bullet holes into your boat after it’s already wrecked on the beach?”

  “How should I know?” Jessica gritted out. “I can’t figure out why you think we would put bullet holes in the boat in the first place, but you obviously do.”

  “I didn’t say that.” Jared kept his voice calm and even as he wiped his sweaty palms against his knees. “Mrs. Reiter, what can you tell me about your family’s financial situation?”

  Jessica jerked her head to the side and openly glared at Jared. “Excuse me?”

  It took everything Jared had not to visibly cringe. Jessica looked downright scary as she narrowed her eyes to dangerous brown slits. “Um … I was asking what you know about your family’s financial situation,” Jared prodded. “We’ve been making some calls, running some records, you know how that goes … .”

  “Actually, I don’t know how that goes.” Jessica’s voice was positively dripping with disdain. “Why don’t you tell me how that goes?”

  “Okay, I think we got off on the wrong foot.” Jared held up his hands in a placating manner. “I understand that you’re dealing with a lot of stuff, but we’re dealing with questions we can’t answer on our end, too. I don’t want to push you, but I’m not going to sit here and let you emotionally abuse me.”

  “I hardly think I’m emotionally abusing you,” Jessica groused, crossing her arms over her chest.

  “You’re not being pleasant, that’s for sure,” Jared shot back. “Now, I want you to take a deep breath so we can start from the beginning. Okay?”

  Jessica stared at him for a moment, her face impassive. “Okay, but if you irritate me I’m going to totally and completely lose it. I’ve had a really bad day.”

  Jared pressed his lips together to keep from laughing at the surreal situation, took a few seconds to pull himself together, and then rested his palms on the metal table. “Mrs. Reiter, I understand your husband is an attorney. Is that correct?”

  “He’s what’s being called an ‘up-and-comer,’” Jessica replied, a hint of pride suffusing her words. “He was all over the local television news when Bill Barnhart was on trial in southern Macomb County last winter.”

  “I remember that story,” Jared said, bobbing his head. “That was a big deal.”

  “It made national news.” Jessica puffed out her chest. “Chad was on those national news shows and everything. He was all over the place. I was very proud of him.”

  “I can see that. What about before that case?” Jared asked. “Was Chad making a good living before getting paid for the Barnhart case?”

  Jessica shrugged, her expression darkening. “Chad doesn’t like to bring his work home. I appreciate that about him. In fact, his reticence to toot his own horn is one of the reasons I fell in love with him in the first place.”

  “No offense, ma’am, but that sounds exactly the opposite of most attorneys I’ve ever met.”

  Jessica snorted, finally cracking a smile. “You and me both,” she said. “I went to law school for a semester, too. I realized pretty quickly that I didn’t want to be a lawyer even though I wanted job security. I decided to become a paralegal instead.”

  “Is that how you and Chad met?”

  Jessica nodded. “Yes. He worked for his uncle at a St. Clair Shores law office upon graduating from law school and I was a clerk there. We both remained at the office for a few years before Chad started his own law firm and I went with him. We’ve been together ever since.”

  “I guess it worked
out well for you.”

  “Is that supposed to mean something?” Jessica pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead. “You’re really starting to frustrate me. I can’t tell if you’re making snide comments just to make them or if you’re trying to get me to react in a certain way.”

  “How was that a snide comment?” Jared protested.

  “I guess it worked out well for you.” Jessica adopted a squeaky voice as she mimicked Jared. “How did you meet your girlfriend? How would you feel if I decided to get involved in your personal life? How did that work out for you?”

  Instead of backing down – which Jared believed Jessica expected – the detective let his temper flare. “I don’t think that we’re talking about my relationship or my girlfriend,” he said, his tone cold. “We’re talking about your family … your boat … your issues.

  “You can sit there and heave all of the attitude you want around but that doesn’t mean that this is going to go away,” he continued. “You have bullet holes on the deck of your boat. You’re behind on your mortgage and car payments. I’m going to guess that the reason your insurance company can’t find the policy is because it was cancelled to save money.

  “Now, I understand this is a particularly difficult time for you and I don’t doubt that you’re doing your very best to deal with it,” Jared said. “That doesn’t mean I created the situation. That doesn’t mean I’m going to put up with your attitude. That also doesn’t mean I’m going to sit here and take your abuse. Do you understand?”

  Instead of answering, instead of firing back with something evil or snarky, Jessica took Jared by surprise when she burst into tears.

  “Or, do that,” Jared muttered, his stomach twisting. “Please don’t cry. I mean it. I … please … oh, don’t cry. I’m sorry for yelling at you. I … didn’t mean it.”

  “Oh, don’t back down now,” Jessica sobbed, dabbing at her eyes. “You finally found your backbone. Don’t lose it now.”

  Jared couldn’t contain his surprise. “How much of this did you know?”

  “Not much, but I was starting to suspect,” Jessica answered. “Chad has been cold and aloof lately. At first I thought he was having an affair, but I gave my nephews a hundred bucks and gas money to follow him and he only ever went to the casinos in Detroit. He wasn’t having an affair. He was simply hanging out with losers at the casino.”

  “Does Chad have a gambling problem?”

  Jessica turned her palms out as her shoulders hopped. “I don’t know that there’s an easy answer for that question. I honestly don’t. I can say that up until a year ago everything seemed to be perfect.”

  “What happened a year ago?”

  “Chuck came back into my life.”

  “I … Chuck?” Jared ran the name through his head but came up empty. “Who is Chuck? Are you having an affair?”

  “Ugh, don’t make me throw up all over you,” Jessica warned, swiping tears from her cheeks. “Chuck Detmer. He’s my brother. Er, well, my stepbrother … kind of. We were raised in the same house for ten years.”

  “Okay, well … what does Chuck have to do with your financial problems?”

  “When Chuck first tracked me down I was happy to see him,” Jessica explained. “We were close as kids. His father was married three times and had five kids with three different women. My mother was married three different times and had five kids with three different men. We always joked that it was our version of the white trash Brady Bunch.”

  “I see.” And because he did, Jared allowed a bit of sympathy to crawl into his chest and take up residence. “So Chuck came back into your life and wanted money?”

  “Not at first,” Jessica hedged. “Well, actually, he did want money at first. He simply didn’t tell us that. He grew close to me and Chad, had Hayley calling him ‘Uncle Chuck’ and everything. Then he hit us up for money when Hayley was already attached to him.

  “Because Chad is such a good guy, he helped Chuck. He actually went to some loan shark guy – I think his name was Tim Dalton or something – and we thought everything was over,” she continued. “About six months ago Chuck showed up again. He started hanging out with Chad a lot, going to the casinos and stuff. I was worried, but Chad swore up and down that he only spent twenty bucks each time he went and preferred hanging around with Chuck for the company rather the excitement associated with gambling.”

  “Did you believe that?”

  Jessica shrugged. “I think I wanted to believe it, if that makes sense.”

  “It does. A cursory look at your financial records shows that your husband is behind on bills, though. I’m guessing he’s in a lot deeper than he wants to let on.”

  “I guess that shouldn’t surprise me.” Jessica shifted her gaze in the direction of the lake. “I don’t know what to do.”

  “You need to talk to Chad and get him into a treatment program.” Jared was matter-of-fact. “There are a lot of bad people out there. Believe it or not, even though he operates mostly out of Detroit, I’ve heard of Tim Dalton. He’s a bad guy.”

  “If he’s so bad, how come the cops haven’t arrested him?” Jessica asked pointedly.

  Jared didn’t let her tone bother him. “I don’t know. It’s not my jurisdiction. Is Tim Dalton the one who landed on your boat in the lake? Did he put the bullet holes in the deck?”

  “I wasn’t lying to you when I said those bullet holes weren’t there when we were on the boat both before and during the storm,” Jessica said, her eyes somber. “No one boarded the boat before the accident. It was just Chad and me on the deck. I swear it.”

  “But you didn’t know about the money issues?”

  “I didn’t know the money issues were so far out of control,” Jessica corrected. “I knew something was going on. I simply didn’t know it was this bad.”

  “I see.” Jared rolled his neck until it cracked. “If you need recommendations for a treatment program … .”

  “I’m going to start researching that right now,” Jessica supplied, cutting him off. “I left Hayley at the hotel. I don’t want to be away from her for too long considering … well, considering everything.”

  “I understand that.” Jared pushed himself to a standing position. “If you talk to your husband and uncover any information that might be pertinent to this investigation – even if you think it’s nothing it might turn out to be something – I’m going to need you to tell me. I know it isn’t easy, but it’s important.”

  “Trust me, the last thing I want to do is go through this alone,” Jessica intoned. “I’m going to talk to Chad. I don’t want to do it until I’ve found a good recovery program and have my temper in check, but I’m going to do it before the day is out. I’ll give you a call if I get anything.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Reiter.” Jared shook her hand. “I’m sorry this happened and things seem so bleak right now.”

  “Yeah? That makes two of us.” Jessica mustered a half-hearted wave as she walked toward the downtown area. “I’ll be in touch.”

  Jared watched her go, sympathy threatening to overwhelm him. They had some answers but even more questions. What now?

  12

  Twelve

  “Are you sure about this?”

  Harper didn’t bother to hide her dubious expression as she followed Zander toward the mid-sized building located to the east of their afternoon job.

  “I’m sure,” Zander confirmed, pressing his hand to the back of Harper’s shoulders as he pushed her into the office. “Supposedly there’s a very nasty ghost here and it’s upsetting guests. It was termed an ‘emergency’ and I promised we would get our butts down here right away.”

  Harper’s eyes were wide as she glanced around their surroundings. “But … we’re at the zoo.”

  “Oh, gee, I never would’ve noticed that,” Zander deadpanned, flicking his best friend’s ear.

  Harper made an exasperated face as she elbowed Zander in the stomach. When he told her they had a last-minute job she was
initially reticent. She wanted to conduct more research on Jack Corgan, perhaps find an heir somewhere. When Zander explained that the job was in Royal Oak – and the property administrators were willing to pay double the normal fee if they could come tonight – Harper jumped at the chance. It was Royal Oak, after all. They could run to one of the local markets after concluding business and stock up on specialty items that weren’t often available in Whisper Cove.

  “It’s just … I’m not sure what to expect,” Harper admitted, her eyes moving to the artwork in the center of the small lobby. Three metal statues – a lion, penguin, and polar bear – stood on wide bases and stared in their direction. “They look hungry.”

  Zander followed her gaze and grinned. “I’ve always loved the zoo,” he intoned, slinging an arm around the penguin’s neck and posing, as if a camera snapped away and he would ultimately end up on the pages of a magazine. “We used to come at least once a summer, usually more often because they have those really good Italian ices. We haven’t visited once this year.”

  Harper stared at him a moment, uncertain. “We could plan a special day,” she suggested after a beat. “We’ve been busy this summer – what with Jared and Shawn and all – but if you want a special date, I’m sure something can be arranged.”

  Zander’s face was impassive for a long stretch of time before he finally spoke. “Are you under the impression that I’m feeling neglected?”

  “Well, no,” Harper hedged, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. “It’s just … you said we usually go to the zoo every summer and yet we haven’t done it this summer. The difference between this summer and last summer is kind of obvious.”

  “Yes, he sleeps next to you every night and snores like a freight train,” Zander drawled.

  “He doesn’t snore.”

  “Is that you? If so, I’m going to insist that you see a specialist at once because your deviated septum came out of nowhere.”

  Harper scowled. “Zander, I know things have been changing … but you’re still my best friend. You know that, right?”

  Zander considered messing with her, revving her up until she promised him the sun and the moon. Ultimately he didn’t have the heart. “Harp, we’re always going to be best friends. I don’t worry about that.”