Sweet Vows and Promises (A Sweet Cove Mystery Book 10)

by J A Whiting

  Seeing the alarm on her sister’s face, Courtney hurried to Angie’s side. “What is it? Did you get stung by a hornet? Are you having an allergic reaction?”

  The further they moved from the garage, the more the tightness in Angie’s throat lessened. By the time they reached the stone wall, she could breathe normally again. “I’m okay.”

  The side door of the house slapped shut and Rachel used her key to lock up. “I’m all set. Thanks for waiting.”

  Angie ran her hand over her face and tried to compose herself as she turned and smiled at Rachel. “Great.”

  Walking to the car, arm and arm, Angie leaned close to Courtney. “There’s something wrong in that garage.”

  6

  The group sat in the family room at the back of the house eating vegetarian tacos, beef burritos, Mexican rice, and roasted corn while Courtney and Angie brought the others up to speed about how they felt when walking on the rail trails and standing near the garage at Rachel’s rental house on Wildewood Road.

  “It’s that garage then, isn’t it?” Jenna spoke. “Whatever is wrong in that structure must spill over to the area near the trails. That woman’s dog must sense something is wrong when it gets to a certain point on the path. It’s all because of that garage.”

  “What are you going to do about it?” Worry etched over Ellie’s face.

  “I’m going to call Chief Martin after dinner,” Angie said. “We’ll see how he wants to handle it.”

  Ellie went to the side table to get another helping of rice. “What’s in there anyway? What could make you feel so … strange?”

  “I don’t even want to guess.” Courtney had her legs hanging over the arm of the chair with her dinner plate balanced on her lap.

  “It might not be anything tangible,” Mr. Finch pondered out loud. “Perhaps whatever happened in the garage a long time ago still lingers on the air.”

  “Interesting.” Ellie stared across the room thinking over Mr. Finch’s suggestion. “How would it do that though?”

  “I have no idea.” Mr. Finch let Circe lick a bit of sour cream from his finger. “Did Miss Rachel sense anything? Did the place bother her at all?”

  “No, she was a happy camper.” Courtney handed Euclid a bit of beef from her burrito. “Rachel was oblivious to the trouble. She didn’t even notice Angie’s or my distress.”

  “That’s for the best.” Finch nodded.

  Angie sat up. “Rachel isn’t in any danger is she?”

  “I don’t think so,” Courtney said. “It must be something lingering on the air like Mr. Finch said. Maybe a crime was committed on the property. Maybe a murder weapon is hidden inside the garage. Or,” Courtney smiled, “maybe there’s a ghost in there.”

  Jenna’s eyes went wide.

  “Speaking of a ghost,” Angie said to Jenna. “Has anything odd happened in your house lately? Has Katrina been up to anything?”

  “I feel she’s in the house, but she’s being quiet.” Jenna’s brow furrowed. “She hasn’t done anything. I wonder if she’s angry about something.”

  “What’s to be angry about?” Ellie looked concerned.

  “The wedding?” Jenna suggested.

  “Katrina knows you’ve been planning your wedding.” Angie sipped from her glass of iced tea. “She knows Tom. She’s never shown any disapproval of your plans.”

  “Maybe because the wedding is so soon Katrina is starting to get … what?” Ellie put her plate on the coffee table. “She can’t be jealous and she’s always seemed to like Jenna. I don’t think her mischief with the necklace has anything to do with Tom and Jenna’s wedding.”

  “I’m inclined to agree.” Angie thought about what had been going on. “Don’t you think it’s odd that Katrina hid Jenna’s necklace under the mattress at the same time that this thing with the spooky garage started?”

  “You think the two events are linked, Miss Angie?” Finch looked over his glass frames at the honey-blond.

  Excitement showed in Courtney’s eyes. “That is a cool idea.” When she swung her legs off the arm of the chair and placed her feet on the floor, Euclid jumped onto the young woman’s lap. “How could they be linked? Let’s think.”

  “Katrina might know what happened in the garage,” Angie said.

  “She might be trying to warn Jenna of something.” Courtney patted the big orange boy. “I wonder what would happen if Jenna approached the garage.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Ellie nervously braided and unbraided a section of her hair.

  “Sure it is,” Courtney said. “Especially if there’s a ghost at the rental house. The ghost might make contact with Jenna and then we could use that information to figure out what’s going on.”

  Jenna groaned. “I can’t get involved with all this. I have too much to do. The wedding is coming fast.”

  Angie said gently, “It might be helpful if you could come with us if Chief Martin wants our input.”

  “I’ll come.” Jenna nodded to her twin sister and gave an impish grin. “On one condition. You have to help me make the bridesmaid’s jewelry.”

  “I have to make my own?” Angie said with mock indignation.

  Jenna shrugged. “That’s the price you have to pay. My paranormal skills are in big demand, you know.”

  Courtney laughed and rolled her eyes. “Yes, big demand.”

  Angie’s phone rang and she picked it up to look at the caller ID. “It’s Rachel.” She stepped into the hallway to take the call. When Angie came back into the family room, her eyes were like saucers and her breathing was fast and shallow. “Rachel. I could barely understand her. She’s practically hysterical. She wants us to come right now.” Angie’s hand shook as she put the phone on the table.

  Jenna stood up. “Why? Did she manage to tell you what’s going on?”

  Angie shook her head and reached for her sweater. She glanced around the room. “Who’s coming with me?”

  Everyone hurried after Angie as she rushed to the front door. Knowing Ellie would prefer to stay at home and avoid whatever was happening at Rachel’s, Angie grabbed the keys to Ellie’s van and said, “Call Chief Martin. Tell him where we’re going and why. Tell him what Courtney and I felt at the garage.”

  In the growing darkness, the Roselands and Finch could see Rachel sitting on the front steps of the ranch house with her head in her hands. She leapt to her feet when the van pulled down the driveway and came to a stop. A wind had picked up and Angie noticed clouds racing across the sky and the scent of coming rain in the air.

  “What is it?” Angie touched the young woman’s arm as Rachel brushed at her tear-stained cheeks. The question caused a torrent of tears to start and Rachel’s body shook as she tried to tell the Roseland sisters and Mr. Finch what was causing her distress. Babbling without relaying any important information, Rachel suddenly turned and vomited into the grass. Mr. Finch handed Rachel a handkerchief.

  “Did someone hurt you?” Jenna asked with concern.

  Gasping for breath, Rachel shook her head and pointed in the direction of the garage.

  “Is someone in back?” Courtney stood straight. “Is someone threatening you?”

  “The garage.” Rachel managed to squeeze the words from her throat.

  “I’ll stay with Miss Rachel,” Finch said making eye contact with the others.

  A police car arrived and Chief Martin strode across the lawn.

  Angie stepped forward to meet him. “Rachel said something about the garage.”

  The chief introduced himself and asked, “What’s happened that’s upset you?”

  Another flood started making it impossible for Rachel to reply, but again she pointed to the side yard beyond the house. In a few moments, she squeaked, “A body.”

  Chief Martin moved his hand to his holster. “Is anyone back there with the body?”

  Rachel shook her head.

  “Mr. Finch, would you mind bringing Ms. Marsten inside while we take a look out back?�
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  “I’d be happy to.” Mr. Finch clutched his cane with one hand and held his other arm for Rachel to take hold of and the two shuffled towards the house while the chief, Angie, Jenna, and Courtney moved cautiously to the garage.

  “Stay back until I get a look.” Chief Martin flicked his flashlight on and held his gun in his hand. One of the garage doors had been slid back, and the chief stepped inside.

  A floodlight positioned on the back of the house illuminated the yard and the front of the garage. Angie slid her arms around her sisters’ waists as they waited for what seemed like hours. A light came on inside the garage and in a few seconds, the chief emerged and waved the young women forward.

  Angie’s heart pounded with such force she thought everyone must be able to hear it. What was in there? The sisters hesitated, then they each took deep breaths and began to walk.

  The chief’s pale face looked even whiter in the glare of the spotlight. His facial muscles sagged and his jaw tensed. “Things never cease to amaze and appall me.” He needed a second to go on. “There’s a body in the backseat of that old car in there. It’s been there a long time.” The chief made eye contact with each sister. “I’d appreciate it if you’d have a look, but I understand if you can’t.”

  Courtney pulled herself up to full height. “It’s okay. We’ve seen plenty. We can do it.” She turned to check her sisters’ faces to be sure they agreed.

  Angie swallowed to clear her throat. “Yes, we want to help.”

  As Jenna gave a nod, she gripped Angie’s hand. “Let’s go.”

  7

  The sisters stood outside the van. Mr. Finch sat on the backseat with the side door open. After the three young women had entered the garage and inspected what was inside, Chief Martin escorted them back out and asked Mr. Finch if he might have a look.

  Investigators and the coroner had been called and authorities bustled about setting up lights, photographing the interior of the garage, and poring over the vehicle and its contents.

  Angie couldn’t believe her eyes when she, Jenna, and Courtney had picked their way through the junk in the building and reached the car. In the back of the vehicle, the fully-clothed, withered and shrunken mummified body of what looked to be a man lay prone on the seat. No one said a word, they just stood staring at the man, amazed that he had been dead so long that he now resembled an Egyptian mummy. Stunned by the discovery, no one had said much.

  Rachel was inside the house speaking with a detective. Even though the landlady told her not to go in the garage, Rachel wanted somewhere to store her suitcases and boxes and thought it would be okay to put them in the garage temporarily. She found some old keys in the shed and decided to try them, admitting that she hoped to be able to park her car in the garage and thought that if she worked to clean out the structure, parking in there would happen sooner than later. Angie guessed Rachel would never attempt that sort of thing again.

  “How long has that … man … been in there?” Jenna shuddered.

  “If the body was stored in a warm, dry spot,” Mr. Finch said, “it would not take as long as you think for the body to become, ah, mummified.”

  “How long?” Angie asked.

  “Two years, perhaps.”

  “Really? I thought he must have been dead for like a hundred years.” Courtney watched the comings and goings of law enforcement officers. “It is a he, isn’t it?”

  Finch gave a nod. “The clothing on the body would indicate a man.”

  “Why the heck is he on the backseat of an old car in somebody’s garage?” Courtney shook her head.

  “There are two main questions,” Finch said. “Who is the man and who killed him.”

  Angie said, “I’ll add a third … how did he get in the garage? He wasn’t killed in the garage, was he? It’s not that hot and dry in there to, you know, mummify him. Is it?”

  “Chief Martin will tell us.” Jenna wrapped her arms around herself to ward off the evening chill. “He’ll get the reports from the coroner and the investigators.”

  Another car drove up to the house and an officer and the landlady, Elise Wender, got out of the car. Elise wore jeans and an old sweatshirt and her face looked pinched and drawn. She glanced at the sisters as the police officer escorted her to the small tent that had been set up in the backyard. The flap was held back for her and Elise disappeared inside.

  “Did she do it?” Courtney asked.

  “What about her brother? He’s more likely the murderer,” Jenna said, “since he owned this place for years.

  “That’s what Elise said anyway.” Angie kept her eyes on the tent.

  “You don’t believe her?” Jenna faced her sister.

  “Who knows what to believe?” A sad frown pulled at Angie’s mouth. “Sometimes people tell lies.”

  Finch sighed. “It seems we will have our work cut out for us.”

  “Maybe the police will figure it out right away.” Jenna looked hopeful. “Maybe they won’t need us at all.”

  Three pairs of eyes stared at the tall brunette, their expressions skeptical.

  “We can hope.” Jenna gave a little shrug.

  “In the face of all we’ve seen,” Mr. Finch smiled, “we have never given up hope.” Finch made eye contact with the three sisters. “And despite seeing more than our share of trouble, deep in my heart, I know that most people in our beautiful world are good.”

  Courtney reached into the van and gave Finch a hug. “I’m glad you’re with us, Mr. Finch. You always make me feel better.”

  Chief Martin crossed to the group with a heavy step. “So. Any thoughts?”

  Angie swallowed hard. “I haven’t even processed my impressions yet. The situation is so odd. It was a surprise to see the body like that.”

  “I think we need some time to sort things out.” Jenna shivered as the wind whipped through the tops of the trees with a mournful moan.

  You know,” Courtney offered, “I didn’t feel dizzy or anything when we went into the garage. When Angie and I were here earlier, I was so lightheaded I could barely stand.”

  Finch stroked his chin. “Perhaps whatever caused your earlier sensations was trying to get your attention when you were here the first time. When you returned this evening, there was no need to pick at you since you had arrived to help.”

  Courtney thought about Finch’s theory and decided it was a possibility.

  “Um.” The chief shifted from foot to foot with a puzzled look on his face. “So.”

  “What would you like us to do?” Angie asked.

  “Ah. I think it would be helpful if you talked to Ms. Marsten … ask some questions about why she wanted to come to town, what she plans to do when summer ends. See if you think her intentions are aboveboard.”

  “You think there’s more to what she’s told us?” Jenna tilted her head.

  “Is it just coincidence that Ms. Marsten arrived on the day the body was discovered? I can’t rule anything or anyone out right now.”

  “Anything else you want us to do?” Angie asked.

  “Talk with the landlady. Who knows if her story is true. We’ll be looking into information on the deceased brother, try to piece together what kind of life he led, see if things match up with what the landlady is telling us.” The chief looked back to the bustle going on around the garage. “We all know that people are sometimes more forthcoming with you than they are with law enforcement. If we put all of our skills together, we should get this solved fast.”

  A shudder of anxiety tickled Angie’s back. Not fast enough.

  “The body will be transported to the coroner’s office for testing. There will be an autopsy.” The chief’s face was somber. “Would you consider visiting the body either at the morgue or once it’s released to the funeral home?”

  Angie’s stomach clenched.

  “Why would that be helpful?” Jenna asked.

  “I don’t think it could hurt.” Despite the cool evening temperature, the chief removed a handkerch
ief from his pocket and wiped some beads of sweat from his forehead. “I’m getting too old for this.” Stuffing the cloth back into his pocket, he said, “Since you felt something here today and when you were on the trails, maybe you could pick up something from the body. I don’t know how your, ah, skills work, but the body, or its spirit….” The chief shook his head. “Oh, heck … I don’t know, but something seemed to be reaching out to you. Maybe sitting with the body, you might learn something of value.”

  “I see.” Angie dreaded the idea, but would do what she could to help.

  “I wonder.” Finch spoke. “It might be better to make a visit before the body is tampered with by the medical examiner. If something of the man’s spirit is still here, it might not linger for long. It’s just a thought.”

  “Okay.” Chief Martin gave a quick nod. “I’ll see about getting you in before the examination begins.”

  Someone called to the chief from the garage and he nodded and started away. “As always, thanks for your help. I’ll give you a ring tomorrow.”

  “This case is different than usual.” Angie leaned against the side of the van. “A lingering spirit?” She groaned and shook her head. “It kind of creeps me out.”

  Courtney’s eyes lit up. “I think it’s kind of cool. And anyway, why is it any different than Jenna seeing or sensing ghosts?”

  “I don’t know.” Angie rubbed her shoulder trying to release the built-up tension. “It just feels different.”

  Jenna heard the side door of the house close with a bang and looked up to see Rachel headed their way. The young woman’s face looked like rubber and her eyes were red as beets. Fatigue pulled at her eyelids.