Chasing Ghosts

by Lee Driver

  “Yes.” Robert was relieved to finally end the lengthy menu selection debacle.

  “Oh, I’m not sure,” Father Thomas whined.

  Elaine bent her head and lasered a glare over her bifocals at the timid man. “Beef burgundy over buttered noodles?”

  “Perfect!”

  Elaine and Robert breathed a collective sigh of relief, but when Father Thomas piped up with, “Then again,” they each groaned a little too loudly.

  “Maybe we should ask…” he started. “LILY.” Robert cried out in relief as his housekeeper appeared in the doorway dressed in her traditional black and white uniform. There was so much black and white in the house this week that Robert was contemplating putting out a moratorium against wearing black after the cardinal leaves. “We were just going to come find you. We need help with a menu. Do you think pearl potatoes or buttered noodles go best with beef burgundy?”

  “Boiled pearl potatoes, of course,” Lily said. Wisps of short graying hair framed a wise and trusting face. “Buttered noodles would be too heavy.”

  “Thank you,” Elaine said with unabashed delight. She gathered up her papers before anyone could make additional changes. She passed Nick as she headed toward the doorway.

  “Did I miss something?” Nick asked, watching as the harried lady rushed out.

  “I’ll go share this with His Eminence,” the priest announced, and hurried out of the room.

  “He is a strange guy.” Nick placed a small white and gold box on the table. “Tell me what you think.”

  “Is everything set for tonight?” Robert opened the box and smiled. “You have excellent taste. She is going to love it.” He saw a look of apprehension cross his son’s face. “Having second thoughts?”

  “Who me? Absolutely not.”

  Robert motioned to the veranda. It was on these beautiful summer days that Robert wished he had a Spanish villa that was open and airy. Unfortunately, being this near the water in the Midwest brought too many insects. “You aren’t doing this for me, are you, Son?”

  “What do you mean?” Nick sat down, the ring box clasped in his hands.

  “I want you to take an interest in the business. So to placate me and also be able to enjoy sun and fun at our Martinique resort, you are going to give the impression you are settling down.”

  Nick kicked his sandals off and pressed his bare feet against the railing. “Not at all. I’m just trying to snatch Sara before someone else does.”

  “Someone like Dagger?” Robert watched his son gaze longingly at the sailboats in the distance. He changed the conversation back to his original question. “You called the clubhouse to confirm all the plans?”

  “Yes, and Lily went over the menu with the clubhouse staff.”

  “I’m surprised Sara hasn’t called after seeing that rumor in the gossip column this morning. Whose idea was that?”

  “Sheila’s.”

  Robert chuckled. “That explains a lot.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Robert rose from the chair and settled against the railing facing his son. “I believe Sheila knows Sara better than you. She knows Sara is too kind to turn you down after all the fuss being made and all the trouble you are going through. And now with that gossip column practically spelling it out for the whole town to know, there isn’t anyway Sara would humiliate you by refusing the ring. This opens the door to Dagger which is all Sheila is interested in.”

  Nick gave a shrug. “Is that such a bad thing?”

  CHAPTER 17

  “Oh shit,” Dagger mumbled under his breath as he saw the smiling face on the surveillance screen. “Padre’s here.” He pushed the button for the gate to open.

  “Wonder which subject he wants to discuss,” Sara said. “Your truck or the remains in the quarry.”

  Dagger stared at Sara’s hair. It was a mass of long tendrils. He preferred her hair straight like she always wore it. Given the weight of her thick hair, he expected the curls to be gone within a few hours.

  “Nice,” he settled on rather than telling her what he really thought. He wondered what she planned to wear tonight and whether or not he should tell her about the rumor in the newspaper. A knock on the door interrupted his train of thought. “Door’s open,” Dagger yelled. He tucked the Kimber in the top drawer of the desk and pulled his hair back in a ponytail in an attempt to look clean cut. It didn’t work. Danger flowed through his veins and guilt seeped from his pores.

  Einstein clamped claws on the grated door and screeched, “UP AGAINST THE WALL AND SPREAD ‘EM. AWK.”

  “Hey my feathered friend.” Padre shot a salute at the macaw. “Whoa.” He took a step back. “Lookin’ good, mamacita.” Padre walked a 360 around Sara. “Curls galore.”

  “Thanks,” Sara said. “It’s different but it won’t last long. Do you want a beer, Padre?”

  “Nah. I can’t stay long. Have to get back to the office.”

  Dagger eyed him with a bit of suspicion. The shit-eatin’ grin was gone so the cop wasn’t going to play the I’ve got something on you game. Instead, Padre was wearing his trading card face.

  “I have chocolate chip cookies,” Sara said in a sing-song voice.

  Padre rubbed the small paunch barely kissing his belt buckle. “The wife has me on a diet.” When Sara flashed a pout, the cop said, “But what the hell.” He cocked his head as he watched Sara walk out of the room, then swiveled his head to the glass window. “Whose PT Cruiser in the driveway?”

  “Sara’s,” Dagger said. “It’s a girl car.”

  “But it’s a guy color,” Padre added, checking out the bright red paint.

  “Doesn’t quite have the power a guy likes.”

  Sara carried in a plate of cookies and a bottle of water and set them on the coffee table. “Are you cutting up my car again?”

  “Not me,” Padre replied as he settled on the couch.

  “COOKIE.” Einstein poked his beak through the grating.

  “You get a Brazil nut and like it,” Dagger said, shoving the nut between the grating. Einstein eyed the treat suspiciously but after a few seconds of contemplation, gingerly plucked it from Dagger’s fingers.

  Padre popped one cookie in his mouth whole, shaking his head with approval, then washed it down with water. “With all those cars you got, how come you needed to buy another one?”

  “This one is all mine,” Sara said. “Besides, Dagger’s truck was stolen.”

  “Really? When was that?”

  “About three or four days ago,” Dagger replied. “I filed a report.”

  “That right? Funny, I didn’t see a report. The only one I saw was the report on your truck being burned at the Ritz the other night.” Padre popped another cookie in his mouth.

  “My truck?” Dagger sat on the love seat cattycorner from Padre. He spent several seconds puzzling over the news and hoped it looked sincere. Sara would have been better at pulling it off. “Are you sure?”

  “Positive. Where was your truck when it was stolen?”

  “I had it at the shopping center,” Sara admitted. “I don’t know why anyone would want to steal it. The thing was a total wreck.”

  “Hey,” Dagger barked. “The truck was a classic.”

  “A classic wreck,” Sara countered.

  Padre took another cookie, this time savoring it in two bites. “You two can argue about its quality all you want. What I want to know is how a dead man ended up on top of it.”

  “The jumper at the Ritz?” Dagger asked. “Can you tell if the truck was stripped and dumped there?”

  “Was there really anything worth stripping on that junker?” Padre asked.

  “Hey!”

  “Thanks,” Sara said with a smile, then tossed a “see?” at Dagger.

  Padre pushed the plate away and downed the last of the water. “Anything else you care to share with me? Any new details come to mind on that guy who showed up at your gate several days ago?”

  “AWK, DEAD MAN ON THE FLOOR. NEED A CLEA
N-UP IN AISLE SEVEN. BROKEN NECK. AWK.”

  Dagger slowly gritted his teeth at the macaw. Sara gasped. Padre leaned back and clasped his hands across his stomach. And waited. Now the shit-eatin’ grin appeared full-time.

  After a few minutes of silence, Padre said, “Luther and I have been to the quarry. We scraped up what we could. Thought you might like to know Luther found some pretty interesting things about the man in the quarry and the man who jumped from the twelfth floor hotel window. They had the same blood type and the same fingerprints. We are hoping they were twins because anything other than that would be a little hard to fathom. I’m hoping you can help sort things out.”

  Dagger flicked his gaze to Sara who just blinked. Padre was playing a strange game of poker. He just laid all of his cards out on the table. Dagger had the choice of folding or showing his hand. He decided on the latter and started at the beginning. When he was through, Padre just sat there, either numb or trying to determine how much of it was bullshit and just how angry he should be.

  “Who are you trying to kid?” Padre stood to leave. “I would have thought you’d be more forthcoming after all we’ve been through. But lately I get more information from your bird.”

  “Just give me a minute of your time to show you the video.” Dagger retrieved the videotape while Padre reluctantly sat back down. He shoved the tape into the player, and dropped the remote into Padre’s lap. Dagger retrieved a beer from the bar as the tape replayed the scene from the gate when Demko had leaped over the fence with little effort. He stood behind the couch as Padre replayed the video.

  Padre rubbed his eyes and sank back against the couch cushions. “I’m getting too old for this,” he said under his breath. “And you never saw him before.”

  “Never,” Dagger said. “I do have his laptop from the hotel.” Dagger held up a copy of the contents Skizzy had burned onto a CD. “There are instructions from someone named Connie to follow Cardinal Esrey and to get ‘the package’, whatever the hell that is. Most of the documents on the computer were coded. Since he failed to do whatever he was supposed to do, his twin showed up to probably pick up where the first left off. Maybe the package is the cardinal himself, but I doubt it. Instead of following Esrey to the Tyler residence, he seemed to wait until he was gone so he could search the hotel room.”

  “Or maybe being from out of town he didn’t know the cardinal wouldn’t be in his hotel room that night,” Padre said. “But that doesn’t explain what he wanted with you.”

  “He was told to hire a private eye to do his leg work and then to get rid of said person.” To show he was cooperating, Dagger grabbed a paper from the desk and handed it to Padre. “These are the prints off the guy I killed…in self-defense,” he added.

  “I thought there wasn’t much left of the guy in the quarry,” Sara said.

  “Luther found a finger or two. Still don’t know how that guy blew up so thoroughly.”

  “I don’t either. I haven’t seen anything like it,” Dagger admitted.

  Padre gathered up the CD and fingerprint copy and stood. “I am curious why you aren’t surprised that the man who leaped from the window matched your guy’s fingerprints. Makes me think you might have been in the hotel room.”

  “I saw what was left of my truck. It looked too much like the damage done to the guy in the quarry. I don’t believe in coincidences.”

  “Neither do I,” Padre said.

  Sara looked at the clock above the desk. “I have to get ready.” She started for the staircase.

  “Hey, congratulations on…” Padre caught the signal from Dagger. “…your new car.”

  Nick met Sara at the curb. She was surprised he had sent a limo to pick her up. What kind of celebration was he planning? Nick gave her a kiss as she stepped out of the vehicle. He took a step back and held her at arm’s length. “Wow, you look fabulous.”

  Sara had chosen a knee-length turquoise sleeveless dress. A multi-strand necklace in silver and turquoise beads hung in tiers from her neck. She was surprised Nick was dressed in a tuxedo and more surprised that people were snapping pictures. This was normally not seen at the country club. They were strict with security. But everyone appeared to be dressed formally. Out of force of habit, she called on her enhanced hearing and picked up certain phrases: “Beautiful couple…couldn’t have made a better choice…”

  “What’s with the tuxedo?” Sara asked. He did look striking. But then Nick would look great in anything he wore, which was why he was in such demand as a model.

  “This old thing?” Nick laughed and led her up the stairs to the canopied entrance. Sara stole a glance over her shoulder at the onlookers who were still snapping pictures. She was starting to get the uneasy feeling that something wasn’t quite right.

  More guests in formal attire lingered around the lobby under the massive chandelier. Sheila and her mother practically ran up to her in their exuberance.

  “Sara, you look absolutely stunning,” Sheila gushed.

  “Just beautiful,” Anna Monroe echoed, clutching a sequined handbag.

  “Hey, what about me?” Nick said. He accepted a kiss from Anna.

  Sheila wrapped her arms around Sara and gave her a hug. Tiny pinpricks started to dance across Sara’s skin. Sheila never touched her, much less gave her a hug. Something wasn’t right. Maybe it was the sight of so many people gathering in the dining room that was making Sara nervous. Crowds did that to her. Maybe she could convince Nick to select a table outside, away from the main dining room.

  “Where is the ladies room?” Sara asked.

  Nick pointed down a long hallway. “Don’t be long.”

  “I won’t.” Sara hustled down the aisle, past waitresses in black and white uniforms and couples reeking of money. She found refuge in one of the stalls and took a deep breath, closing her eyes to block out the sights and focusing inward to block out the sounds. The door to the lounge opened and voices, excited and bubbly, filtered through. She tried to ignore them and focus on calming her panic attack. But certain words again drew her attention.

  “It’s such a pity…he is so gorgeous…”

  “I know...why does he want to get married?” “I hear the ring is a shocker.”

  “He’s proposing tonight…”

  “In front of God and everyone. Even the press is here.”

  “Look…today’s paper.”

  Sara’s eyes snapped open. They couldn’t possibly be talking about Nick! She heard them mention a gossip column in the morning paper. Sara hadn’t seen today’s paper. But who else could they be referring to? Nick was dressed for a big event and had told her this was a special night. Then again, Dagger would have made sure she had seen the column if it had mentioned Nick.

  The women continued exchanging rumors.

  “He could have any actress or model…”

  “But why a local…?”

  “She is pretty. Native American I’m told…”

  “But still, she isn’t from old money.”

  The voices drifted as Sara heard the outer door close. She opened the stall door slowly. She was alone. Rushing to the sitting area, she found the newspaper and quickly scanned the column.

  “Oh no!” Sara’s heart pounded. Yes, Nick was nice. Yes, she liked him. But love? The article didn’t name her but did have a dated picture of her with Nick. The last thing she needed was reporters and photographers following her to find out where she lived, then uncovering her relationship with Dagger which would ultimately lead to them trying to find out all they could about Dagger.

  She opened the door to the women’s lounge and took a quick peek down the hall. She didn’t see anyone she knew in the lobby. Staring down the opposite hall she saw a door marked kitchen and another door with a red exit sign. She went for the kitchen, grabbing her cell phone from her purse.

  Sara dialed quickly and when the phone was answered said, “Can you come get me?”

  CHAPTER 18

  Eunie set a cup of tea in front of Sara and
placed one on the table for herself before sliding into the booth across from her. “It’s been a long time since I drove up to the back entrance where the hired help go,” Eunie said.

  Sara didn’t say anything, just stared at the laminated table top. The diner was tucked between Cedar Creek Mall and a strip mall. She rested her chin in her hands and finally flicked her gaze to Eunie. The rotund woman was a mirror image of her husband, Simon. They were both a bit top heavy and wobbled when they walked, as though their spindly legs couldn’t hold them up. Her hair was a nest of steel wool and hovered over eyes that were the kindest Sara had seen since her grandmother’s.

  “I had to get out of there,” Sara finally said. “I can imagine Nick having an orchestra there, him with the microphone proposing to me and what could I have done? With all those people looking at me I wouldn’t have been able to say no. So I just left.”

  “Just left?”

  “Well, I gave a note to one of the cooks to give to Nick asking him to come to the kitchen, that they were having a problem. Then I told him ‘Sorry, but the answer is no.’ Do you think that was insensitive of me?”

  “No, it was honest to tell him.”

  “He looked so hurt. I felt horrible.” A tear made a lazy trail down her cheek but she wiped it away quickly. “I’m afraid if I stayed any longer I would have given in.”

  Eunie held her cup in both hands, elbows on the table. “Somehow I think he’s going to bounce right back.”

  “But he’ll never speak to me again. I sort of yelled at him for blindsiding me. I told him it wasn’t a gentlemanly thing to do but he said that wasn’t the way he planned it. It was Sheila’s suggestion that I…”

  “Sheila.” Eunie set her cup down and shook her head in disgust. “She must be enjoying this, always telling Nick he could do better.”

  Sara sank back against the seat. “I can imagine Nick’s humiliation when people started asking him where I was. I heard the press was there. I’m sure Sheila made sure the gossip columnist was invited.”