by Bobbi Holmes
And yet…if the attorney truly believed that, why was he so insistent on pursuing Cheryl’s claim against Boatman’s estate? According to Mr. Renton, the only reason the attorney was going in that direction was to protect his client when she resurfaced.
Brian shook his head in confusion and turned off the ignition. He was weary from flipping back and forth—Cheryl did it—no Adam did it—it was a publicity stunt—no, Cheryl…
Since Danielle had shared her belief that Adam and Bill had been interested in the necklace before it resurfaced—so interested that they risked going to jail and ruining their reputations by breaking into Marlow House—Brian decided it was time to have a little chat with Bill. If he and Adam were in cahoots before, perhaps Bill had helped Adam dispose of Cheryl’s body. He toyed with the idea of having Bill brought into the station and questioned, but decided Bill might be more candid if he didn’t realize he was being interrogated.
Brian turned off his ignition, got out of the car and headed to the diner.
“Morning Bill,” Brian greeted as he sat down at the lunch counter next to Bill.
Bill glanced up, “Hey Brian, how’s it going? Any luck finding that woman who ran off with the Missing Thorndike?”
Ahh, good. He brought up the subject, Brian thought before saying, “The woman and the necklace seem to have vanished into thin air.”
The waitress behind the counter brought Brian a cup of coffee and took his order. Bill was just finishing up his breakfast of bacon and eggs.
“That necklace seems to have a habit of not sticking around,” Bill chuckled. “I think this has taught Adam he needs to be more careful about the women he picks up.”
“You’ve seen him since this all went down? How’s he doing?”
“I see him about every day because of work.” Bill shrugged. “Saw him Saturday afternoon a few hours after Joe rousted him up at the rental. At the time, I think he thought the whole think was kinda funny. A lark. Figured she went back to Marlow House. But when I saw him a few days later, he wasn’t laughing any more.”
“What do you mean?” Brian sipped his coffee and studied Bill’s facial expressions.
“He’s kinda freaked, to say the least. Figures she used him to rip off the necklace. He’s not very happy about that.” Bill chuckled and pushed his now empty plate to the far side of the counter.
“Danielle Boatman is convinced Adam had something to do with her cousin’s disappearance.”
“Well, that’s to be expected, I suppose.” Bill motioned for the waitress to refill his cup.
“It seems Danielle Boatman is convinced of a lot of things. From what I’ve seen, she has a bit of an imagination.”
“What do you mean?” Bill picked up his now full cup of coffee and took a sip.
“For some reason, she’s convinced Adam and you broke into Marlow House after she moved in. Before she found the necklace.”
Bill stopped drinking his coffee and looked at Brian. “She said that?”
“Yeah. Of course she didn’t have any proof, just a hunch.”
“So what did we get away with?” Bill set his coffee cup back on the counter.
“She thinks you were looking for the Missing Thorndike.”
“And exactly how did we know the necklace was there? Are we clairvoyant?”
“Probably from Adam’s grandmother.” Brian shrugged.
“I see at least two problems with her hunch. First, that house had been vacant since before I was born, and if I was going to break in to look for the necklace, why would I wait until someone moved in?”
“And the second problem?”
“Danielle Boatman found the necklace in the house, we didn’t. That woman is nuts. Did you know she doesn’t like people to say anything that might upset Walt Marlow?”
“Walt Marlow? You mean the guy who took the necklace?”
“Yeah.”
“But he’s been dead for almost a hundred years.”
“Exactly, see my point?” Bill smirked.
“I heard you were the one who fixed the window in the library, after the break in.”
“Yeah, I’d met her when we took some photos over from Adam’s grandma. Realized she was a fruit loop when I met her. When she gave us a tour of the house her neighbor’s dog was in her bedroom up on the bed. She insisted we leave the TV on in the room, to keep the dog company.”
“Was she pet sitting?”
“Nah, the guy who owned the dog was downstairs.”
“Maybe she’s an animal lover.”
“Yeah, right,” Bill snorted. “Anyway, I gave her some business cards. Told her if she needed any repair work done to give me a call. Figured she was in the middle of fixing up that old house, might as well try to pick up some work.”
“One reason Danielle is convinced you broke that window was because you fixed it for free.”
“What are you talking about?”
“According to her, after you fixed the window she said she wasn’t paying you because you broke it in the first place.
“Hell,” Bill scoffed. “I’d be calling you up if she had refused to pay me.”
“Do you happen to have any proof she paid you?” Brian asked.
Bill looked over to Brian and frowned. “What the hell is going on Brian? Don’t tell me you’re buying her bullshit?”
“Well, it can’t be that hard to show where she paid you.” Brian flashed Bill what he hoped would be interpreted as a non-threatening smile.
“The truth is, Brian,” Bill said after a few moments of silence. “When she called me up to fix the window—on a Sunday—I wasn’t too thrilled about going over there on my day off. I told her if she could pay me in cash, I’d be happy to fix it on Sunday. Otherwise, she’d have to wait until Monday. So you gunna turn me into the IRS?”
Before Brian could respond the waitress returned with his breakfast. After she left he said, “Nahh, I’m not calling the IRS on you. I believe you. Have to admit, I’ve seen that Boatman woman doing some strange things myself.” Brian thought about the suitcase and wondered why she had lied about throwing all her cousin’s things into it. The stunt had probably ruined Cheryl’s clothes. Of course, if Cheryl never returned, it really wouldn’t matter. Was it possible Danielle knew all along her cousin was not returning, he wondered.
“So why didn’t you go to the open house?” Brian asked.
“I thought you said you believed me?”
“I do. I was just curious. I was under the impression everyone who’d done any work on the house was included in the guest list.”
“I don’t know about that. We didn’t get all that cozy. I fixed her window, she paid me cash and that was pretty much the last time I saw her. If you want to know why I wasn’t on her guest list, you’ll have to ask her.”
“You said she was crazy. What other crazy things did you see her do?” Brian asked.
“Just her general hippy dippy attitude, I guess. Explaining things to her neighbor’s dog like it was a person who understood what she was talking about. Telling us not to discuss Walt Marlow and how he died, because it would disrupt the house’s feng shui. Crap like that.”
“I see…” Brian popped a piece of toast in his mouth. He considered Bill’s version of the events.
“Doesn’t seem to me she was that convinced Adam and I broke into her house.”
“What do you mean?” Brian asked.
“Adam obviously went to the open house. He must have been invited.”
“I think his grandmother was invited, and she took him.”
“I don’t know about that.” Bill stood up. “But I got to go. Hope you find that woman and return her to Boatman. Sounds like those two deserve each other.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Danielle, if you keep turning down reservations, one of these days people are going to stop calling,” Lily insisted. “And before you know it, the summer season will be over.”
“I just can’t open the B and B yet. Not with
Cheryl missing,” Danielle said as she emptied the dishwasher.
“You need something to occupy your time. You can’t just sit around here and wait.”
“Who’s sitting around? I’m putting the dishes away.”
“You know what I mean. And at the end of the month I’ll be returning to California. I can’t leave you here like this. What if Cheryl never comes back? For all you know she’s sitting on some tropical beach somewhere laughing her butt off.”
“It isn’t just about Cheryl being missing. There are so many unresolved issues. If her attorney convinces the court she is an equal partner in the estate, does that mean I’ll have to set aside half the profits for her if I open the B and B? Everything is just too damn complicated right now.”
“This is crazy.” Lily sat down at the kitchen table.
Danielle closed the now empty dishwasher and turned to face Lily. “You want to go down to the beach? Looks like a nice day today and I wouldn’t mind getting out of the house.”
“Sure. It would probably do us both some good. How about I make some sandwiches for us to take?”
“Sounds great. I’ll go upstairs and change.”
“I need to change too. But I’ll make the sandwiches first.” Lily stood up from the table.
Danielle gave Lily a quick smile and then left the kitchen. When she reached the second floor landing she heard what she thought sounded like a woman’s voice coming from the Red Room.
Cheryl? Danielle asked herself. Has Cheryl come back? Hurriedly she walked to the closed bedroom door and flung it open. Sure enough, Cheryl was standing in the middle of the room cursing angrily.
Turning to the open door, Cheryl looked at her cousin and asked, “Where is it?”
“Cheryl! My god, where have you been?” Danielle blurted.
“What did you do with my things? Everything is gone. Where is my suitcase?”
“The police took it,” Danielle said as she stepped into the room. Her first impulse was to hug Cheryl but by Cheryl’s angry expression that didn’t look like a terrific idea. Danielle was surprised at the sense of relief she felt seeing her cousin safe and sound, and not in danger.
“What do you mean they took it? Why would they take my suitcase?” Cheryl shrieked.
“For one thing you ran out of here with the necklace and disappeared for a week.” The joy Danielle initially experienced quickly faded into annoyance.
“You had no right to give them my things! Call them and have them bring my stuff back.”
“What is all this ruckus?” Walt asked when he appeared the next moment.
“Who are you?” Cheryl demanded of Walt.
“Can you see him?” Danielle asked.
“What kind of question is that? Of course I can see him. Who is he? Have you already turned this place into a stupid inn?”
“Madam if you can really see me, what am I doing right now?” Walt asked.
“Good lord, stop jumping up and down on your foot. You look ridiculous,” Cheryl snapped.
“Well I’ll be. She can see me too. Your cousin must share your gift.” Walt said.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but please leave my room,” Cheryl demanded.
“This is my house, I will not leave this room,” Walt countered.
“Your house? What have you done, Dani? Did you get married again while I was gone?”
“Of course I didn’t get married again.” Danielle’s head began to spin.
“What’s with all the shouting?” Lily asked from the doorway. “Are you arguing with Walt?” Lily glanced around the room.
“Cheryl’s back,” Danielle explained.
“She is? Where is she? Did Joe call?”
“What do you mean where am I?” Cheryl frowned at Lily.
“Well?” Lily asked, looking curiously at Danielle. “You said Cheryl is back, where is she? Do they have her at the police station?”
“Lily…” Danielle looked from Cheryl to Lily. “Can’t you see her?”
“What do you mean?” Lily glanced around the room again.
“She’s standing right there.” Danielle pointed toward the end of the bed.
“I am getting a bad feeling about this,” Walt murmured as he wandered toward the bed and sat down on the edge of the mattress.
“Get off my bed!” Cheryl shrieked.
Ignoring Cheryl’s tantrum, Walt scooted back on the mattress, pulled his feet up on the bed, leaned against the headboard and summonsed a cigar.
“Are you okay, Danielle?” Lily asked in a quiet voice. Danielle stood mute, looking frantically from the bed to Lily. Lily took a deep breath and said, “Walt’s here, I can smell the cigar. Is something going on between you too?”
“Yes, Walt is here,” Danielle said quietly. “So is Cheryl.”
“Well duhh,” Cheryl snapped. “Is Lily playing some sort of stupid game? Pretending she can’t see me because she doesn’t like me?”
“We’ll be right back,” Danielle said as she grabbed Lily’s wrist and dragged her into the hallway, shutting the door behind her.
“Cheryl’s dead,” Danielle said once they were alone in the hallway.
“What are you talking about?” Lily looked back at the closed door.
“Cheryl is in the bedroom. She can see Walt. But you can’t see her.”
“Are you sure, Dani? You’ve been under a lot of stress lately.”
“Yes I’m sure. She’s dead, but she doesn’t realize it yet. I can’t just blurt it out to her. I’m not sure what she’ll do.”
Inside the bedroom Cheryl looked at Walt and said, “What in the hell is going on around here? What’s up with Lily and Dani? Did my cousin rent you my room, is that why you’re still in here?”
“You don’t have any idea, do you?”
“You look sort of familiar.” Cheryl narrowed her eyes and studied Walt.
“Who do I look like?” Walt took a puff off the cigar.
“Your clothes…are you an actor? Did Dani hire you?”
“An actor? Why would she hire me?” Walt wondered how she had jumped to that conclusion.
“You look a lot like the guy in the portrait. The one who took the necklace.” After mentioning the necklace Cheryl gasped and grabbed at her throat. “It’s gone. The necklace, it’s gone.”
“Why do you think I’m an actor?”
“She’s obviously hired you to play as if you’re that guy who was murdered here. Another one of her publicity stunts. But I can’t think about that now. I need to remember where I put that damn necklace.”
“Why did you take the necklace?” Walt asked.
“That really is none of your business. And I want you to get out of my room. Dani will simply have to put you somewhere else.”
“I’m not an actor,” Walt said as he got from the bed and stood before Cheryl. “My name is Walt Marlow.”
“Walt Marlow?” Cheryl frowned. “That’s not funny. Walt Marlow was the guy who was murdered here. You aren’t him. You’re just someone Dani hired that looks like him.”
“Want me to prove it?” Walt asked with a grin.
“Sure, go ahead. And when you’re done proving it you can get out of my room!”
Walt suddenly disappeared. Startled by his unexpected departure she jumped back and frantically looked around the room.
“Where did you go?” Cheryl squeaked.
“Right here!” Walt gleefully shouted as he reappeared in front of her.
Wide eyed and speechless, Cheryl stared at Walt.
He leaned toward Cheryl and whispered, “I’m a ghost….BOO!”
Cheryl let out a blood chilling scream. Danielle rushed back into the room and found Cheryl huddled in the far corner of the room. Walt sat on the side of the bed attempting to contain his laughter.
“I’m sorry,” Walt started laughing again and then managed to stop. “Really I am…” He began laughing again. “It was just so easy,” he choked out before breaking into another fit of l
aughter.
“What’s going on?” Lily asked Danielle in a whisper as she glanced around the room, unable to see any ghostly activity.
“What did you say to her?” Danielle glared at Walt then looked back to Cheryl. “Cheryl, what happened?”
“Damn him,” Cheryl said angrily, no longer frightened. “What is he some sort of magician or something? Tried to make me think he was a ghost. Even pulled some silly disappearing trick. This isn’t funny, Dani!”
“No…no it isn’t…” Danielle murmured, glancing over at Walt who hadn’t quite controlled his fit of laughter.
“Hey, I’m sorry, but you would’ve had to have been here,” Walt said guiltily.
“Cheryl, I don’t know how else to do this without just coming out and saying it. This is Walt Marlow. He is…well…our resident ghost.”
“Ha ha, Dani. You’re just punishing me because I took off with that necklace. By the way, why haven’t you asked me about the necklace yet?”
“I guess I feel there are some things more important than million dollar necklaces.”
“Like what?”
“Like explaining to my cousin that the reason she can see Walt Marlow is because she is just like him.”
“What are you talking about?” Cheryl frowned.
“I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but you’re a ghost, just like Walt. You’re dead.”
Cheryl stood there a moment staring at Dani. Finally she broke into laughter.
“Right, Dani Boo. Seeing ghosts again.” Cheryl continued to laugh.
“I can prove it,” Danielle said.
“Oh yeah? What are you going to do have your actor do his disappearing act again? Nice trick but I’ve seen it before in Vegas.”
“Pick up that vase,” Danielle said, pointing to an empty flower vase sitting on the dresser.
“What will that prove?” Cheryl asked.
“Just go ahead and do it. Pick up the vase and you’ll see.”
Cheryl let out a sigh and walked to the dresser a bored expression on her face. With a disinterested shrug she reached for the vase. Instead of picking it up, her fingers moved through it as if it were air. Startled, Cheryl jumped back and stared at the vase. She reached for it again with the same result.