Millicent added spices she found on the spice rack to the meat. “I’d be happy to give it a try. We’ll have to all pitch in if we hope to have the mansion ready on Halloween.”
I grumbled. “Oh, I know. Sara asked us to carve pumpkins, too. There’s no way we’ll be done in time. Eleanor and I have been trying to solve another case, too.”
“Not to worry. Let me handle the cleaners and the pumpkin carving. You and Eleanor need to find out who killed that woman before opening day.”
No pressure there. “I’m not sure I can do that. Why, we only have one more full day to do that.”
“It’s about five now. Perhaps you should assemble your local seniors. I’m sure somebody might have some answers.”
“Actually, I had planned to, but perhaps I can ask them to come here instead of leaving. I’d hate for Sara to find us gone again.”
* * *
Eleanor got on the horn and made the necessary calls, and it wasn’t all that long afterward that there was a rap at the door. By now, the smell of chili wafted into the drawing room when Eleanor opened the door. Elsie Bradford strutted in, very much the peacock as she pranced about, waiting for us to say something about her latest ensemble, a powder blue pantsuit like she always wore that matched her eyes. She was the social icon of the Tawas area.
“Wow, did you get a new outfit?” Eleanor said, to which Elsie blushed.
“Why, yes, Eleanor. I have this lovely online store I like to shop at.”
Next through the door were Dorothy and Frank Alton, who were already in a fight. “I told you, Frank, Eleanor wasn’t the one murdered.”
“Murdered?” Eleanor gasped. “Why on earth would you think that?”
“Well, we heard a woman was found dead at the Butler Mansion, and I knew you girls were here. I guess I got the wrong idea.”
“I guess so,” Eleanor said. “I hope you haven’t come here to murder me yourself.”
Dorothy fanned her face with a hand that had razor-sharp nails painted fire engine red, the jewels from her many rings sparkling. “Oh, course not, Eleanor. I thought we buried the hatchet long ago.”
I personally was still waiting for the hatchet to be buried for sure. Eleanor and Dorothy had been getting along much better these days, but one just never knew for how long the peace would last. I suppose just as long as Eleanor didn’t flirt with Dorothy’s husband, it might be okay. Frank Alton was almost completely bald and wore a hearing aid that was almost always turned down from the way he acted when Dorothy spoke to him. They had been married for over fifty years, and if it took turning down a hearing aid to stay married, it was all for the best.
Eleanor bit her lip, answering the door once again to let in Bill and Marjory Hays, who were dressed alike, as always. Today, they were in lime green pants with matching golf shirts. It was no secret where they spent most of their time. With the current crowd, I had hoped to get through the late afternoon without discussing their recent medical diagnoses.
I led the way into the dining room where we all sat around a quite large oval table.
Caroline floated down from the ceiling, looking curiously at the newcomers.
Elsie rubbed her arms. “It’s sure cool in here.” When she could see her breath lingering in the air after she spoke, she added, “Of course, the place might be haunted.”
“It’s a good thing we brought the candles,” Marjory said.
“Whatever for?” I asked.
“For the séance, silly.”
I shook my head sharply. “We’re not having one of those. Why on earth would you suggest something like that, Marjory? Since when have you been into that sort of thing?”
“I just love paranormal shows, don’t you?”
“Most of those shows are fakes. Oh, someone just touched me,” I mocked. “Ghosts just aren’t real.” I ignored Caroline who had her arms crossed.
“Well.” Marjory placed her hands palm down on the table. “You don’t have to burst our bubble so quickly. You had to have seen that puff of mist come from Elsie’s lips. This place has to be haunted. How else can you explain that?”
I took a glass of lemonade that Millicent brought into the room. Elsie promptly removed a flask from her purse, adding some of the liquid concealed inside and passing it around the table for the others to also use.
“So is that why you’re all here, then?”
They all bobbed their heads in unison.
“See, Agnes? They all believe in ghosts. How come you don’t?” Eleanor asked.
“Ghosts aren’t real,” I insisted.
Caroline formed into a mist and disappeared beneath the table. The next thing that happened was the table started rattling and rocking like an earthquake was happening. Chairs flew back and seniors cowered together. “Stop it now, Caroline. This isn’t funny.”
“Who is Caroline?” Eleanor asked.
“What? I-I meant—Oh darn it. I’ve gone and done it again, haven’t I?”
“Done what?” Elsie asked.
“Well, ever since Agnes’ accident she has been acting a mite strange.”
“I just think out loud, is all.”
Eleanor lifted her chin and grabbed my arm, pulling me into the kitchen. “What’s going on, Aggie? You’re hiding something and it’s time you just spit it out.”
“I have nothing to say.”
“Caroline was the name you were asking about earlier. Who is she?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps it’s the name of the ghost we followed up the stairs the other day.”
“Possibly, but how did you come up with the name? I don’t recall anyone mentioning any ghost by the name of Caroline associated with this mansion, but something peculiar is happening here. Did you see that table rock? I about had a heart attack on the spot.”
“Me, too, but I’m not interested in hunting ghosts tonight. I’m more interested in finding out if any of the others were scammed by Katherine before she died.”
“Good point, Agnes, but how are we going to get them to talk when now the only thing on their minds will be ghost hunting?”
“Leave it to me,” I said as I strode back into the dining room where Elsie had a crucifix in her capable hands with the Alton’s and the Hays’ all behind her. “Still want to have a séance?” I asked with a smirk.
Duchess was frozen in the corner of the room, her eyes glued on the ceiling. “What is up there, girl?” I asked her. I even stared at the ceiling, but there wasn’t anything there.
“Perhaps we should journey into the other room,” Elsie suggested. “This room is so drafty.”
I waited patiently while the others left the room and motioned for Caroline to stay like I had some kind of control over her. She was laughing so hard she flew through the wall, rattling the picture frames that were hanging there.
Of all the luck, I had a ghost attached to me who was also a comedian. That’s the last thing I needed. I really needed to speak to her in private about her behavior. Today’s antics did nothing to further our investigation.
I waltzed out toward the drawing room, but stopped when I spied Millicent and the cleaner in the wheelchair conversing. “You’re so funny, Robert.”
When I raised my brow, Millicent gave me a wink and continued to speak with Robert. I wasn’t sure what she was talking about, but I had hoped it was to encourage the cleaners to work harder, although Robert didn’t do all that much. But, he did clean the walls within his reach, and the floorboards.
Nobody was in the drawing room when I finally made it there, but I heard hushed voices not far off. I walked up the darkened hallway. That was a bit unsettling since I knew this house had many secrets, and I couldn’t help but think there was far more that we were yet to discover.
I stumbled for a moment and landed shoulder first into the wall, but instead of the impact I expected, the wall gave way and I ended up inside a hidden corridor. It was pitch black inside, but when I felt for the way out, all I felt was a solid wall. I shivered slightly when I felt a cold dr
aft make its way toward me. Now, not only was I trapped, but something or someone else might just be in here with me—like a spirit.
Stop it, Agnes. This is your vivid imagination having its way with you. But I wasn’t able to convince myself otherwise, so I felt for my iPhone. Once I had it in my hand, I flicked on the flashlight tool, and shone it down the corridor. All that greeted me was debris and a brick wall on either side. I made my way in a hurry when I heard a rustling behind me. I feared that it was a rat or something worse. Ghosts weren’t nearly as frightening as people were. Eleanor and I already knew that a corridor led from the Butler’s cemetery on the hill. I wished we had inspected it more that day. It really needed to be closed up and locked in some way. If not, anyone could access the mansion without anyone knowing.
Voices carried over to where I was and I quickened my pace in their direction. Instead of pounding on the wall, I listened when I heard Elsie’s voice.
“So you think Agnes has gone mad, then?” Elsie asked.
“I never said that, but she’s been talking to herself—like entire conversations. I’m very worried about her.”
“Have you questioned her about it?”
“Yes, and she keeps telling me that she’s thinking out loud. I just think she might have rattled her head more than the doctors have said. They said she was fine, just a concussion.”
“I had a friend who had an accident once,” Marjory began. “After her concussion, she went into full-blown dementia.”
I bit a fist. Dementia my patootie How dare these girls assume I was off my rocker?
“I-I’m not sure what’s going on, but I don’t think that’s it. She’s been fine in every other way. I just wish she’d open up to me. We’ve been friends for a long time and this is the first time I’ve felt shut out.”
Elsie patted Eleanor’s hand. “Don’t worry, old girl. Things will work out, I’m sure, but perhaps it’s not all her fault. I daresay this mansion is haunted. Is it possible she’s been possessed?”
“Like by a demon?”
“Yes,” Marjory said. “Demonic possession is on the rise.”
Eleanor snorted out a laugh. “Where, besides in some horror movie?”
“I often thought my sister Mildred was possessed before she died,” Elsie said.
“Didn’t you say she was bi-polar?” Eleanor asked.
“Well, yes.”
“Enough of the Agnes bashing. I’m sure she’s neither possessed, nor has she lost her mind. I just need to get to the bottom of what’s really happening.”
I searched the wall for something, anything that might help me get out of this corridor. There was whoosh of air behind me. Caroline appeared and led me down to where there was a metal lever on the wall. I pulled it down and the wall opened up for me. I raced through the opening before it closed up, panting. It took me a few minutes to regain my composure before I made my way toward the library. I walked right through Caroline who was waving her hands frantically to stop me from going inside. Nope. I wasn’t about to let anything stop me from speaking my mind, although it did occur to me that perhaps I shouldn’t let them know I had overheard their entire conversation.
I sprang into the room, and all eyes were on me, looking at me peculiarly, or so I thought.
“What happened to you?” Eleanor asked, a look of concern overtaking her face.
“Whatever do you mean, Eleanor? I’m just fine.”
Elsie and Marjory’s faces turned down into noticeable frowns, like you might see when someone wanted to tell you something but didn’t. I didn’t take a cue from that, though.
“Maybe you outta take a look in the mirror,” Bill suggested. “You look like you were stuck in a broom closet.”
“Bill,” Marjory scolded. “That’s not very nice. I’m sure Agnes has a good explanation about her whereabouts and why she’s covered in cob webs.”
I raced over to a mirror that hung on the opposite wall and took in my appearance. Eleanor rushed over and began pulling off the cobwebs as I brushed dust from my clothing the best that I could. “Oh, wow. I never expected to get that dirty. I assure you, it’s quite explainable—” I clammed up then because I didn’t want to tell them the truth. I’d rather have a discussion with Eleanor about the matter later. I wasn’t sure it’s common knowledge about all the hidden passageways in the mansion, so for now I’d keep that to myself. I really wanted to tell Eleanor about the ghost, but I just was so unsure how she’d take it. I even wondered if she’d believe me at all.
“I-I …” Eleanor’s eyes narrowed slightly as I added, “I must have brushed against one of the walls. There are still plenty of cobwebs in this place.”
“Yes, like inside your rattled head,” Eleanor said in a whisper as she passed me on her way from the library.
I shrugged and left the room to catch up with Eleanor. “Wait up, Eleanor. I have something to tell you.”
Eleanor turned in a huff. “I’m done with your wild tales. It’s obvious that you’d rather not tell me what’s really going on.”
Before I could say anything, Eleanor made her way toward the drawing room. I took my leave and cleaned myself up before I returned. Mr. Wilson was engaged in a discussion about trout fishing with Frank Alton, who nodded like he heard every word he had said when I returned.
The room had a white fireplace and mantle and not a thing gothic looking in the room. Leather sofas and chairs were arranged around the room with a large-screen television affixed to one of the walls. Dorothy Alton clicked through the channels until she came to the news, settling herself back on the loveseat next to her beloved Frank.
The news reporter made an announcement about the woman’s body found at the Butler Mansion, identifying her as Katherine Clark. According to the reporter, the police had no current leads in the case and were asking the public for tips.
“Well, that’s just awful,” Bernice said as she pulled a pipe from her pocket.
“Bernice, you’ll have to take that smoke outside. There’s no smoking in the Butler Mansion.”
Bernice wet her lips with her thick tongue and shot back with, “Since when do you abide by rules, Agnes? It wasn’t all that long ago that you were butting heads with Sheriff Peterson about your investigations. Eleanor mentioned that you two found that Katherine’s body.”
“It’s true, but I get along much better with Peterson these days.”
“We found her body,” Eleanor said. “Did any of you know her?”
I searched the group for any sign that they had, in fact, known the woman, but everyone had blank expressions on their faces, other than Elsie who had her eyes fixated on a yellow vase on the end table.
“How about you, Elsie?” I asked.
She locked eyes with me then and said, “I’d rather discuss this with you and Eleanor privately.”
“I understand, but have any of you ever been approached by anyone asking you to invest in a solar energy company?”
“Sure have,” Mr. Wilson said. “But it weren’t no lady, that’s for sure.”
“Meaning what?” Eleanor asked.
“Just that it was some floozy I met at Barnacle Bill’s.” When Eleanor’s face reddened, he added, “I was there for Mexican Monday. They have the best wet burritos in town.”
“Go on, Wilson,” I encouraged him.
“She was dressed in a red dress and was damn near spilling out of it. I don’t remember much about the company she wanted me to invest in. When I told her I wasn’t looking for investments at my age, she disappeared real quick like, which was just as well since my food had arrived.”
“Did you notice where she went?”
“Nope. I was starving.”
“Do you know what Katherine Clark looks like?”
“I can’t say I do. That name doesn’t sound familiar to me.”
I had no clue what I would do now since I didn’t have any pictures of Katherine.
“There was some strumpet after my Frank the other day at the pier, but
she ran off when I threatened to feed her a mouthful of knuckles.” Dorothy paused for a moment, and continued, “Now that Wilson mentioned it, she wore a red dress, too.”
“It’s awfully embarrassing to admit you were swindled,” Elsie said. “I’m a very proud woman, but since some of you have been so candid, I have to admit that a woman in a red dress gave me a stock tip about a solar company, International Energy, I think she called it. She told me I could get in on the ground floor. I don’t know why, but I gave her the money. She sounded so convincing and the forms I filled out looked official.”
“Did you check up on them first, like online, or have an attorney look over the documents?”
Elsie hung her head. “No, Katherine told me time was of the essence. So I went to the bank and withdrew the funds.”
“Why not write a check?”
“She wanted cash. They put a hold on substantial checks. You know that, Agnes.”
I squeezed Elsie’s shoulder. “It’s not your fault, Elsie. We senior citizens make for perfect victims. It makes me sick that someone would be taken in like that. How much did you give her?”
“Twenty thousand.”
Frank Alton whistled. “Wow, Elsie. You’ve never been one to let your cash stray far from you.”
She squared her shoulders. “No need to rub it in, Frank.”
“Don’t blame my Frank just because you made a bad decision. I sure hope you won’t lose your house,” huffed Dorothy.
Elsie sat down in a huff. “I’m not that stupid, Dorothy.”
“Well, you sure were stupid enough not to at least check out the woman. You could at least have checked on Facebook.”
“Oh, are you on Facebook, Dorothy?” I asked.
“Yes, but I’m only on there to keep track of my family. That granddaughter of mine has been dating one of the Hill boys on and off. I can’t tell you how upset that makes me.”
I imagined she might feel that way since the Hill boys are part of the Michigan Militia, but there’s no sense fussing about anyone your grown-up granddaughter decides to date. I should know, since my granddaughter, Sophia, dated Trooper Sales before she ended up pregnant. But, he made it right and married her before the baby was born. Besides, Curt and Curtis Hill weren’t all that bad. They’d helped me out on occasions like when my awning came crashing down after Eleanor had crashed into it once.
Madison Johns - Agnes Barton Paranormal 01 - Haunted Hijinks Page 8