by Carly Winter
“What's that?”
“Well, I'm not sure how to put this, so I'm just going to say it and hope you don't think I'm insane.”
“Okay,” she said. “Tell me.”
“Tilly, since I was hit by lightning, I'm seeing ghosts.”
“You're seeing... ghosts?”
“Yes. Well, one particular ghost. My grandmother, Ruby.”
Tilly was silent for a moment, and I thought she'd hung up on me. I wouldn't have blamed her. “Crazy Ruby?” she finally asked.
“Yes.”
“She's been dead... what, three or four years?”
I glanced over at my grandmother and drank another sip of wine. “Yes. Three years.”
“Have you been to the doctor, Bernie?”
“No. But listen to me. That's the least of my worries right now. She's actually being quite helpful.”
“You have more to worry about than a ghost?”
“Yes. I need to solve a murder, and I don't have any idea where to start. You said you've found a couple of killers. What do I do?”
“Why do you have to solve a murder?”
“I'm afraid that if I don't, I'm going to end up dead. Ruby thinks we may be dealing with a drug cartel.”
“Are you kidding me?” Tilly shrieked.
“No. What do I do?”
“Oh, my word,” Tilly mumbled. “Go to the police.”
“Let's pretend that's not an option,” I said with a huff.
“It should be an option, Bernie. Those people are insane. Have you seen any of those documentaries?”
Apparently, a lot of people sat through the gruesome television shows. Tilly had always been pretty level-headed, so I found a bit of solace knowing it just wasn't me and Ruby.
“Yes. And this is important, so can we please get back to my question?”
Tilly sighed and she may have cursed a bit, but it was muffled and I couldn't fully hear it. “The way I solved my murders was to talk to people. Look for clues that led me to others that led me to the killer.”
“Okay, I can do that.”
“Who died, Bernie?”
“A customer of mine.”
“When did you find him?”
“I didn't. Ruby did. She came and got me. I lied to the police about it.”
“Why did you lie to them?”
“Because my ghost told me to. I wasn't thinking clearly at the time.”
“Therefore, the police may think you had something to do with it,” Tilly said with a sigh. “I don't know what's more disturbing though: you're seeing ghosts, you may be involved with a cartel, or you lied to the police.”
“Yes. It's quite the pot of... stuff.”
“Okay, start with everyone you know he came in contact with,” Tilly said. “Who checked him in? Was he anywhere in town before?”
“Got it,” I said, feeling better now that I had a bit of a plan. “Thanks, Tilly.”
“Bernie?”
“Yes?”
“Please go see a doctor.”
I glanced over at Ruby who grinned, floated up the ceiling until her nose touched it, then back down where she once again rested against the mattress. I wanted to think of her as my angel, but she was definitely the devil in disguise, and always had been.
But that's why I'd loved her when she’d been alive, and why I was so grateful for her now.
There wasn't any time to seek medical care for my hallucinations or my appreciation of them.
My ghost, whether real or an incredible figment of my imagination, had been the only one to stand by me in these horribly trying times the past few hours. If she was real, she was on my side. If not, well, she was still on my team, and my mind had conjured her for a reason. I'd keep going with her until she either disappeared or no longer steered me right.
Ruby and I had a murder to solve.
Chapter 7
Darla arrived the next morning promptly at seven with breakfast. I greeted her at the back door and noted the black Honda still sat exactly where it had previously been, seemingly untouched. I glanced around searching for anyone suspicious but found no one that fit the bill.
“Just two this morning?” she asked as we ladled the eggs into a bowl.
“Yes. The Thompsons.” I had yet to tell her about Mr. Gonzalez and she obviously hadn’t read the local news quite yet. “I guess you didn’t hear what happened yesterday?”
“No,” she said, setting the croissants out on a white plate.
“Mr. Gonzales was found dead upstairs.”
Her eyes almost bugged out of her head as her tongs clanged to the floor. “What?”
“You heard me.”
“Oh… oh my gosh. What happened? How?”
“Remember, you can’t tell her it’s a murder,” Ruby said from behind me. “You aren’t supposed to know that for sure—only the people who killed him.”
“We aren’t sure,” I said, appreciating Ruby’s reminder. The big M Word had been on the tip of my tongue. “The sheriff seems to think he was poisoned.”
Which, in all honesty, was saying the same thing as he was murdered, unless he imbibed a bleach cocktail by himself. According to my caller, that hadn't been the case.
Darla ran her hand through her hair, then bent over to retrieve the tongs. “Oh, wow. I’m so sorry to hear that, Bernie. He seemed like a nice guy. Who would want to poison him?”
“I’m not sure,” I replied. “Did you notice anything strange about him? Anything that seemed out of sorts?”
She shook her head, but then the proverbial lightbulb went off as she remembered something and her face lit up.
“Bingo!” Ruby called. “Darling Darla has a thought!”
I turned and grimaced at my grandmother. It was obvious she didn’t like Darla all that much, but if she didn’t have anything nice to say, she should keep her mouth shut.
“He got into a fight before he came in with Stan from As the Pins Drop,” Darla said. “I thought I heard loud voices so I glanced out the front window. They were standing on the walkway arguing about something.”
Okay, good. We were getting somewhere with my investigation. As the Pins Drop was the local bowling alley, of which Stan was the owner. “What did they say?”
“I’m not sure, Bernie. I couldn’t really hear any words, and you know I don’t like to stick my nose into other people’s business.”
“Of course she doesn’t,” Ruby chimed in. “If she did, her life might be a little more interesting.”
“What happened after the argument?” I asked. “Did they hit each other? Who walked away first?”
“Definitely Mr. Gonzalez,” Darla said. “He wanted no part of Stan.”
“Did he mention anything when he came in?”
She shrugged and shook her head. “Like what?”
“I don’t know. What did he say?”
“That he was tired and really wanted to lie down. He’d been driving all day.”
“Well there you go,” Ruby said. “That fits my drug dealer theory that he drove up from Tucson. This case is almost solved.”
“I wonder what he and Stan fought about,” I mused.
“You could ask Stan about that,” Ruby said. “He’s an okay guy. A bit of a bully, but not scary.”
“I don’t know, but I’m going to take off,” Darla said, giving me a hug. “Do you want to go for a run later?”
“Thanks, but no. I’ve got a lot to do around here.” Like solve a murder.
Just then, the Thompsons came down the stairs. Thankfully, they’d arrived from their exploring fairly early last night and apparently had intentions of starting their day early, which fit in with my murder-solving schedule.
“Good morning!” I said as they came into view.
“Good morning!” they replied in unison as they sat down. I noted they had on hiking boots, so I expected they’d be gone a few hours.
“This looks lovely!” Bobbie said. “Is there any coffee?”
“Of cou
rse. Let me grab some for you.”
I returned to the dining room a moment later with two steaming mugs and some cream and sugar on a silver platter. “Can I get you anything else? Ketchup? Salt and pepper?”
“No, thanks,” Bobbie said.
“Did you sleep well?” I asked.
Ruby burst out laughing and I slid my gaze over to her. She danced in circles behind them while Elvira perched on the couch, watching her with curiosity.
“Well, actually, I think we may have had an encounter with your ghost.”
I folded my arms over my chest. “Oh, really? What happened?”
“Just blasts of cold air throughout the night,” Bob said. “It was a bit creepy, but thankfully, they didn’t last long.”
“We found a blanket in the closet, so we survived,” Bobbie said with a shrug. “It’s why we chose this place. We wanted to have a paranormal experience while we’re here.”
If they could see my big spooky ghost dressed in a purple mumu twirling behind them, I was certain they’d feel cheated.
“What are your plans today?” I asked, changing the conversation.
“We’re heading to one of the vortexes to meditate and get in a quick yoga practice,” Bob said. “Then do some hiking.”
“Which vortex?”
“Probably the Cathedral Rock. We’re planning to make it a day trip.”
“I can provide you with some bottled water, which you’ll definitely need,” I offered.
“That would be great. Thank you!”
“That’s an excellent place to meditate,” I said. “Would you like more information on Cathedral Rock, or do you feel pretty educated on it?”
Bobbie shook her head as she buttered her croissant. “No. Please, tell us more.”
I explained Cathedral Rock was a magnetic vortex full of yin, or feminine energy. “It’s a very soft, nurturing flow of energy that enhances your meditation practices. But with all vortexes, it also augments your moods. If you’re feeling happy, you’ll experience bliss. If you’re a bit on the cranky side, you may get incredibly irritated.” I gave them a wink. “Make sure you’re in a good mood before you go, and watch your thoughts while you’re there.”
“What about the Bell Rock vortex?” Bobbie asked.
“That’s more of a masculine energy,” I replied. “An electric vortex is a great place to get your chi moving through you—like a hard yoga flow or some serious chanting.”
“You should tell them it’s also a great place for tequila shots,” Ruby chimed in. “The chanting is so much more effective after tequila.”
I ignored her and chatted with the Thompsons until they had finished their breakfast. Once they left, I cleaned up the table and started in on the dishes. With breakfast over and my guests out of the house, I looked for Ruby, who was nowhere to be found.
“Ruby?”
I found Elvira napping on the couch. Apparently, Ruby had disappeared for a while. Maybe she’d gone to her tunnel she’d mentioned—the peaceful place. After taking a seat next to Elvira, I glanced around the big living room and sighed. The house felt empty without Ruby’s constant chatter and dancing. Surprisingly, I missed her company and a small chill of fear traveled over me. I also felt safer with her around, which was ridiculous since I was the only one who could see her, besides my cat.
“I’m sure she’ll be back,” I whispered, stroking Elvira’s head.
Until then, I had things to do.
First and foremost, I wanted to talk to Stan at As the Pins Drop and see why he was arguing with Mr. Gonzalez. Second, the police had shown great interest in the smoothie cup, so I should probably go speak to Sarah. But I had no idea what to ask her besides whether she’d poisoned the man.
Third, I wondered if there was a way for me to get into that car and find out exactly what was in there. If I knew what they’d hidden in it, maybe it would give me some clue as to who the killer was. However, on the flipside of that, if Ruby had been correct and it was drugs, I didn’t want to tangle with a cartel.
“Boo!”
I sprang from the couch and whipped around to find Ruby in a fit of giggles. “I’ve been doing that for three years and it’s so much fun to finally get a reaction from you. Even Elvira doesn’t move anymore!”
“Don’t do that again!” I yelled as she walked around the sofa and sat down. “You scared me to death!”
“Okay, party pooper. I’m sorry. Come sit with your old grandma.”
I took a deep breath and joined her. Even in death, ‘old’ was never a word I’d use to describe Ruby. Crazy? Yes. Wild? Definitely. Silly? For sure.
Ruby grinned and clasped her hands in her lap as she stared me down. “Now, let’s talk about why I can go outside with you and where we’re going.”
I’d forgotten about that detail from my ventures out to the mysterious car parked behind my house. “Have you tried to leave again?”
“Oh, heck yes. I tried to leave last night to go down to Tip ‘Em Back, but it was a no-go.”
Pursing my lips together, I tried not to smile. My guess was that a bar wouldn’t be at the top of the list for most grandmas.
“Well, today we should go see Stan. Mr. Gonzalez fought with him before he checked in, and we agreed we need to find out who killed him.”
“Sure. Sounds good. Where else are we going?”
I narrowed my gaze on her. “I… I don’t know, Ruby. Did you have somewhere in mind, like the bar?”
“Well, I’m glad you asked, but I decided the bar would be pretty boring if I can’t drink and talk to anyone, but it might be fun to go another time and just listen in on conversations. For today, I was thinking we could take the ATV out for a spin.”
My heart sank and I realized I’d have to tell her I’d unloaded her beloved ATV a while back. The sale had been a spur of a moment thing. Shortly after Jack opened his business, I'd been at Darling's Diner and he’d come in to introduce himself. He’d mentioned he was looking to buy used ATVs. He'd handed me the cash and I'd taken him to the storage facility where it had been housed. “I… I had to sell it, Ruby. I needed the money.”
“Dang it!” she yelled, her brow furrowed. “I was afraid you were going to say something like that! You haven't mentioned Flash at all.”
Leave it to Ruby to name her ATV.
“We can rent one!” I blurted, wanting to please her. “We’ll rent one from Jack!”
“Who’s that?”
“Jumping Jack’s Jeep Tours,” I said, but her brow still pinched in confusion, and I realized she didn’t know him. He’d opened up his shop shortly after I arrived. Even though I talked him up to all my guests, I could see Ruby hadn’t paid much attention. She had called it selective hearing while alive. “He rents ATVs and does jeep tours. We’ll see him this afternoon after we talk to Stan.”
“Okay,” she agreed with a nod. “You should think about getting another ATV, though. You know how I love to ride them.” She stood and stretched her arms to the sides. “Give me a holler when you’re ready to hit the road.”
As she faded away, I realized life outside of these four walls had changed, and I had no idea how Ruby would take it.
Why was she stuck on this plane? She had said she’d been told the reason but hadn’t heard most of it.
Although I was really beginning to enjoy having her around, it wasn’t fair to her. Once we’d solved the murder, I needed to find a way to get her to her final resting place.
For now, I’d make her happy and rent the dang ATV… after we visited As the Pins Drop.
Chapter 8
The bowling alley sat up the road about a mile, and with it being such a nice day, I decided to walk. Ruby strolled next to me humming a tune, something by Lynyrd Skynyrd, if my memory of our summers together served me correctly.
“What a beautiful day,” she said, lifting her face to the sun. “I wish I could feel the heat on my skin. Being dead makes me pretty pale, and I always looked better with a tan.”
&
nbsp; I laughed, despite the fact I must have seemed insane to anyone paying me any attention.
“Where did that cute little restaurant go that used to be here?” She stopped in front of what was now a jewelry shop. “I loved their BLT sandwiches.”
“I'm not sure when they closed,” I said. “Maybe two years ago?”
“Oh, Bernie! Look at that mood ring!”
After stepping up to the window next to her, I followed to where her ghostly hand pointed. The large, pale oval shined a greenish hue.
“You need to buy that,” she said. “Dang it all, how I wish I was alive so I could wear it!”
The longing in her gaze brought tears to my eyes. Ruby loved to live, and it once again crushed me she had been caught in this strange middle area between life and death.
But, I certainly didn't need a mood ring. “I don't think—”
“Don't say no, Bernie! Do it for me! Let me live vicariously through you!”
Nothing like a little guilt to sway my decision. “Okay, fine,” I replied with a huff. “Come on.”
A woman who reminded me of a younger Ruby greeted us with a smile when we entered. Her long, blonde hair hung to her waist and she wore a flowy tie-dye dress.
“I'm interested in the big mood ring,” I said, pointing to the window display.
“Look at all the pretties!” Ruby exclaimed. “Oh, my word! It's probably a good thing I'm dead or I'd have to find a rich boyfriend to afford everything I want!”
I pursed my lips as I tried on the ring. It fit perfectly and when I stretched out my hand in front of me, it looked like it belonged on my finger. “What do you think?” I asked.
“It looks great!” the woman behind the counter said, surprising me because I hadn't been talking to her.
“Oh, that's definitely a keeper,” Ruby said. “It was made for you.”
The oval remained blue and I smiled at the saleswoman. “What does the blue color mean?”
“Let me get you a chart,” she said, turning away from us for a brief moment while she pulled open a drawer. “Here it is.”
Ruby glanced over my shoulder as I read the paper. The ring remained in the blue range, meaning peace, happiness and relaxation. “See? I'm a good influence on you,” Ruby said. “You're as calm as an ocean inlet on a clear day.”