“Derek showed up and was … surly,” Jared said.
“What does that mean?” Mel asked, confused. “Derek was always pleasant when I talked to him.”
“That’s because he was a teenage suck-up and you were a cop who was friends with his parents,” Jared said. “He knew you would tattle on him the first chance you got if it became necessary, so he snowed you whenever he was in the same room.”
“You don’t know that,” Mel charged. “He could’ve looked up to me. A lot of people do.”
“I’m sure they do,” Jared replied dryly. “He called Harper a ‘dippy blonde’ and mentioned something about her hanging around with your gay nephew. She tried to ask him what happened, but he said he couldn’t remember.”
“And you’re convinced she was talking to Derek and not air, right?” Mel asked, giving Jared a glimpse of his own surliness.
“You believed she could see ghosts yesterday,” Jared reminded him. “Is there a reason you’re turning on her today?”
“Derek was a good kid,” Mel replied, lowering his voice. “I don’t like her calling him ‘surly.’”
“She didn’t refer to him that way,” Jared volunteered. “I did.”
“You couldn’t see or hear him.”
“I could hear Harper talking to him, and she told me what he said during the drive home,” Jared explained. “I got the gist of what she was saying without her having to tell me, though.”
“Maybe Harper is crazy. Have you ever thought about that?”
“Don’t call my girlfriend crazy,” Jared warned.
Mel made a face that would’ve been comical under different circumstances. “She’s barely talking to you and now you’re referring to her as your girlfriend? How does that work?”
“She’s going to forgive me.”
“You hope.”
“I know,” Jared corrected. “Don’t talk badly about her. I don’t like it.”
Mel’s somber expression slipped into a smile. “Fine. You’re right. I shouldn’t talk badly about her. She’s a good girl … even if she is crazy.”
“If you say it again I’m going to tell Zander you were talking badly about his best friend,” Jared threatened. “Not only will that earn me points with him, but it will also get you in big trouble with your sister when Zander tells her what you’ve been doing.”
Jared was new to the Whisper Cove game and yet he already knew exactly where to hit Mel and make it hurt.
“That’s low,” Mel said. “You’re my partner. You’re supposed to be on my side.”
“Then don’t say anything bad about my girl.”
“You’re unbelievable,” Mel said, shaking his head and moving toward the school. “You haven’t even been out on an official date with Harper yet. Don’t you think you’re moving too fast?”
“It feels as if I’m stuck in quicksand,” Jared admitted, falling into step with Mel. “I need her to forgive me today. I think I’m going to have to cook her dinner. Zander is demanding steak and wine that doesn’t come from a box.”
Mel heartily guffawed. “Yeah. One of our cousins brought wine in a box to a reunion two years ago. He’s still bellyaching about it. He has high standards.”
“Of course he does. He’s best friends with Harper.”
“Son, you’re starting to sound sappy and whipped,” Mel said, gesturing toward the front door of the school and holding it open so Jared could slip inside ahead of him. “I haven’t seen a lovesick pup like yourself since I was in high school.”
“Get used to it,” Jared said. “Once I get Harper to forgive me, I’m going to be talking about her nonstop.”
“And that differs from now how?”
Jared shrugged. “Hopefully they’ll be happier conversations.”
“That would be a nice change of pace.”
Nine
Whisper Cove’s guidance counselor Jim Stone waited in the front lobby for Mel and Jared to appear. They’d called ahead of time so he was expecting them.
“Hey, Mel,” Jim said, shaking the older officer’s hand. “It’s good to see you. I wish it was under different circumstances.”
“You and me both,” Mel said. “This is my new partner Jared Monroe. Jared, this is Jim Stone. If anything is going on in Whisper Cove’s high school scene, Jim here knows about it.”
Jared shook the guidance counselor’s proffered hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“You, too,” Jim said. “I’ve heard a lot about you since you hit town. You’re cream of the gossip crop right now. You should be proud.”
Jared wasn’t sure what to make of that. “Really?”
Jim smiled. “There’s a rumor you’re dating Harper Harlow. Is that true?”
Mel snickered. “Oh, man. I forgot you had a crush on Harper, Jim. That’s going back ten years now since you guys were in high school together. Don’t you think it’s about time to let that go?”
“I never did get that date I always wanted with her,” Jim replied, his eyes twinkling. “I’m still holding out hope she’ll realize I’m the man of her dreams and drop everything and run into my arms.”
Jared fought his bristling temper. He had no reason to dislike Jim. He was merely making a joke about a woman he went to high school with. The knowledge that Jim had a thing for Harper set Jared’s teeth on edge for some reason, although he tried to play it off. “We’re dating,” he said. “I guess you missed out again.”
Mel arched a challenging eyebrow. “Since when are you two officially dating?”
“We will be dating once she gets over being ticked off,” Jared clarified. “We’re … predating.”
Jim chortled. “I didn’t know that was a thing outside of teenage circles,” he said, gesturing toward the hallway. “Let’s take this to my office, shall we? There aren’t a lot of kids hanging around, but we do have a few derelicts who have to attend classes or they won’t graduate.”
“I thought school was done for the summer break,” Jared said, scanning the hallway as they moved through the school. Whisper Cove was tiny, which meant the high school was practically miniscule. Still, Jared found it interesting to catch a glimpse of the inner workings of the school when it felt mostly empty.
“Well, yes and no,” Jim said, showing Jared and Mel into his office and shutting the door to lock out prying ears. “We technically finished classes last Friday. Instead of hosting summer school, though, the faculty stays on two extra weeks so we can prod the last few lazy students to catch up. It’s just easier on everyone to stay rather than come back.”
“That makes sense.”
“So, are you really dating Harper?” Jim asked.
“I really am,” Jared replied, scowling when Mel cleared his throat. “Stop doing that.”
“He wants to be dating Harper,” Mel clarified. “He had a good shot at it before he ticked her off. Now she’s playing hard to get … although he’s determined to get her.”
“And what do you think?” Jim asked.
Mel shrugged, noncommittal. “If I had to place a bet … I would put my money on him. He and Harper seem to like each other … when she’s not mad.”
Jim shook his head ruefully. “That’s kind of a bummer. I was hoping to have a shot with Harper one day.”
“You went to high school with Harper?” Jared asked, hoping he didn’t sound as territorial as he felt. He had no idea why Jim’s teasing interest in Harper caused his hackles to go up.
“I did,” Jim said. “She was quiet and kept to herself mostly, although Zander was gregarious and refused to let her completely disappear. They were joined at the hip even then. It drove me nuts.”
“They’re still joined at the hip,” Mel said. “Zander can’t pick out his clothes in the morning without Harper’s input, and they fight like cats and dogs whenever the mood strikes.”
“I still maintain I would’ve had a shot with Harper if Zander didn’t hate me,” Jim lamented.
“Why did Zander hate you?” Jared as
ked, curiosity getting the better of him.
“I mixed plaids and stripes one spring.”
“Oh,” Jared said, furrowing his brow. “I … seriously?”
“No,” Jim said, slapping his knee as he laughed. “It’s funny that you fell for that, though. I’ve told that joke so many times most people roll their eyes.”
“Jared is still getting used to Harper and Zander’s dynamic,” Mel explained. “He doesn’t completely get their unique blend of codependence yet.”
“Zander and I had a … misunderstanding … senior year,” Jim explained. “I was on the football team and some of the other guys were razzing him about … .” Jim broke off, unsure. “It really sounds horrible now.”
Jared had a feeling he knew what the football team was “razzing” Zander about, and he didn’t like it. “I’m taking it Harper didn’t take that well.”
“That’s one of the few times I saw her completely lose control,” Jim said. “I didn’t go after Zander, but I didn’t do anything to stop the other guys from going after him. I was a coward and … well … Harper doesn’t like cowards. I asked her to the spring dance two days later and she threatened to set me on fire. I’ve never gotten over it.”
Despite himself, Jared couldn’t help but smile. “Well, I’m sure you regret it now.”
“I do,” Jim agreed, nodding. “I regret it more because of Zander than Harper, though. When you’re young and looking at things from a narrow perspective you don’t realize the damage you’re doing until it’s too late to fix it.
“Whisper Cove is – and was – a small town,” he continued. “Zander was different, and I thought that meant something at the time. Now that I’m an adult and sitting on the other side of this desk I can see how wrong I was.”
“You could apologize to Zander,” Jared suggested. “He’d probably appreciate it now. He’s an adult. He must understand that you were a kid and you didn’t mean for anything to happen.”
“Oh, I’ve tried apologizing to Zander three times,” Jim said. “Each time Harper gets between us and threatens to set me on fire again.”
Jared visibly relaxed. “She’s feisty.”
“She is,” Jim agreed. “Good luck with her. I hope she forgives you. She hasn’t threatened to set you on fire, has she?”
Jared shook his head. “I guess I’m not that lucky.”
“Not that I don’t love talking about Harper and her feisty personality – for days on end, mind you – but we’re here to talk about Derek Thompson,” Mel prodded. “I need to know what you can tell me about him.”
“Yeah, that’s a terrible thing,” Jim said, leafing through the file on his desk. “I pulled his file after I got your call. There’s not a lot in here because he wasn’t a troublemaker. He had a few detentions for being rowdy, but nothing even remotely serious.”
“He was a good kid,” Mel said, starting to sound like a broken record.
“I don’t know what you want me to tell you,” Jim admitted. “Derek was popular with the boys and girls. He was active on the football and track teams, and he tore through a lot of the female population before settling on Lexie Studebaker. He was with her for half the year … and I think they were still together when he died, although I’m not a hundred percent positive.”
“What kind of relationship did they have?” Jared asked.
Jim shrugged. “That’s always hard to say because teenagers are the kings and queens of drama,” he answered. “The problem you have with kids this age is that they feel things so keenly they’re convinced it’s love and that it’s going to last forever.
“When I was in high school most of the girls thought they were going to marry their prom dates,” he continued. “Do you know how many did? Two. Do you know how many of those are still married? None. It’s … very theatrical. That’s the one thing that never changes about high school.”
“What aren’t you trying to say?” Jared prodded. “Now isn’t the time to be coy. Derek is dead and there’s a good chance he was murdered.”
Jim stilled. “You don’t know how he died?”
“We know he died from a blow to the head,” Mel replied. “The problem is we’re still trying to ascertain if he fell or was hit. The medical examiner is going over the toxicology results right now and we should know more in a few hours … tomorrow at the latest.”
“I don’t know how to feel about that,” Jim admitted. “These kids believe they’re immortal, so an accident will elicit a different sort of drama than a murder.”
“Go back to Lexie,” Jared ordered. “Tell us about their relationship. It’s okay. We’re not going to go after her because of something you say. We’re trying to get a feel for his life away from his parents.”
“Lexie is a cheerleader who thinks she’s going to be on top of the world for the rest of her life,” Jim explained. “She’s very pretty … and she knows it. She doesn’t particularly seem … dialed in, I guess would be the proper way to put it … to what others are feeling.”
“What does that mean?” Mel asked, confused.
“I think he’s saying she’s a bully,” Jared supplied.
Jim shot Jared a rueful smile. “That’s putting it nicely,” he said. “Lexie finds power in tearing others down. She’s been validated for two straight years as queen of the Whisper Cove social scene. I think she’s going to get a rude awakening when she goes off to college and realizes she’s a no one in a sea of other no ones, but until then she enjoys torturing others.”
“Can you be more specific?”
“Well, she makes fun of kids for the way they dress and if their parents can’t afford the right shoes,” Jim responded. “Whisper Cove isn’t a rich community. It’s not a poor one, though, either. Lexie seems to unilaterally decide what is cool and everyone just … lets her.”
“How did she and Derek hook up?”
“I have no idea. I’m into the gossip scene, but even I’m not into it that far. I just know they hooked up over Christmas break and decided to rule the school together for the second half of the year.”
Mel narrowed his eyes. “What does that mean?”
“Derek was a good kid,” Jim said. “He also had a mean streak and he was very competitive. He and Lexie fed off each other. I was glad they were accepted to different colleges because I think some separation would’ve been good for them.”
“Derek was going to Central Michigan University,” Mel explained for Jared’s benefit. “Where is Lexie going?”
“She got accepted to Western Michigan University … but just barely,” Jim replied. “In fact, she’s had some academic problems. She’s one of the students here this week to make up for a few … lapses … during the school year.”
“What kind of lapses?” Jared asked.
“Lexie is a smart girl who doesn’t want to apply herself,” Jim said. “She thought she could coast through on looks and what she thinks is charm, and then she was waitlisted at Western. Apparently her father placed a call … and gave a hefty donation … and she suddenly found herself part of the student body. She still hasn’t received her diploma because she failed algebra, though, so her attendance at Western is contingent on passing the next two weeks here.”
“And that’s what she’s doing right now?” Jared pressed. “Algebra?”
“She and a few other students failed algebra because they rubbed Dan Stevens the wrong way,” Jim offered. “He retired at the end of the year and his replacement is running the auxiliary classes this week and next.”
“How many kids in that class were tight with Derek?”
“I think most of them were,” Jim said, searching his memory. “I can take you down there if you want. It will probably be easier to question them in a contained environment.”
“That would be helpful,” Jared said. “Is there anything else you can tell us about Derek before we talk to the kids?”
“Just that I think he would’ve outgrown his small-town mentality and realized what was im
portant eventually,” Jim said. “At his heart, Derek was a good kid who sometimes made bad decisions. Since I know what it’s like to make bad decisions when you’re that age and live to regret them, I saw a lot of potential in him.”
“But not in Lexie?”
“I don’t want to say she’s a bad person,” Jim cautioned. “She’s just … got a lot of growing up to do. You can tell when someone is a fully formed human as a teenager. Lexie is nowhere near being a fully formed human yet. She’s … eons … away.”
“Well, I can’t wait to meet her,” Jared said.
“You probably won’t be saying that in twenty minutes. Come on. I think they’re all eating lunch in the courtyard right now.”
Ten
“So … why are we at the high school?” Eric asked, nervously hurrying to catch Harper as she cut across the field between the high school and downtown. “I thought we were supposed to check out that house and then go back to the office.”
“Yes, but it’s boring at the office and I want to see if anyone who might know Derek Thompson is up at the high school,” Harper replied, undaunted by Eric’s quiet meltdown. He was convinced they were trespassing, and no matter how many times Harper told him the high school was public property, he refused to believe her.
After their fruitless search at Tina Donnelly’s old place – the elderly woman passed away almost six months before and her heirs were trying to unload it for the inheritance – Harper bought Eric lunch and spent the next hour trying to direct him toward any topic of conversation that didn’t involve Jared. Since she couldn’t find a ghost at the cottage, that endeavor proved harder than she would’ve liked.
She knew what Eric wanted, and it wasn’t something she couldn’t give him. While she liked Eric as a friend – and found him wonderfully entertaining at times – she wasn’t interested in him in a romantic sense. Unfortunately, there was only one man she felt that way about … and she was determined to remain angry with him no matter how cute he was.
“Why are we involved in the Derek Thompson case?” Eric asked, furtively glancing around. “We could get arrested because we’re old and on a high school campus. You know that, right?”
Ghostly Issues (A Harper Harlow Mystery Book 2) Page 7