by Stevie Day
“Okay,” Alice said to Janet. “I get that you can’t tell me. So I’m going to sit here with you and be calm with you, and I’m going to remember what you told me. Is that okay?”
Janet’s expression didn’t change, but she seemed to somehow understand.
So they sat together, Alice and the ghost, trying to find some way to communicate.
And just like that, Alice had it. She remembered the word, remembered what Janet had been trying to tell her.
It changed everything.
24
“How’s our little kitty friend?” Alice asked in the backroom of the animal shelter, looking in on the white and black cat, now clean and huddled up in her cage on a table.
“So-so,” Mr. Lewis said, closing the door to the shelter’s backroom behind him.
The feral cat was a pretty thing now that she was all cleaned up, the black markings on her face resembling a thief’s mask from an old cartoon.
“On the plus side,” Mr. Lewis continued, “she calmed down enough to let us clean her and give her a flea bath. She was a mess. It took a while. But she’s not really warming up to anyone. Just stays in the back of that cage. You can reach in and pet her, but she barely reacts. No purrs, at least none that I can hear.”
“Something bad must’ve happened to her,” Alice said.
Mr. Lewis nodded solemnly. “Looks that way. I don’t think she was abused, though. I think she’s been on her own for most of her life. Which isn’t long. She’s not a kitten anymore, but she’s still pretty young. Either way, hopefully now we can find a good home for her.”
Alice opened the cage door and reached in. She moved her hand slowly until it was hovering just over the cat’s head. The cat looked up but didn’t move.
“Shh, it’s okay,” Alice said soothingly. Sensing the cat was going to allow herself to be touched, Alice put her thumb and forefinger behind each ear and stroked.
The cat’s eyes closed, and she purred. A little, at least.
“You certainly have a way with them,” Mr. Lewis commented, looking over Alice’s shoulder.
Alice smiled at him and accepted the compliment. It felt good, this small interaction with the new cat. The first time they’d met, Alice had been in a near panic at the loss of her magic. Now, even though the magic had not yet returned, she felt nearly at peace again.
There was just one thing left to do. One thing to truly close the case of Janet Lombardi’s death.
Her phone buzzed, so she took it out of her pocket and looked at the screen. She tapped out a quick response and slipped it back inside.
“Hey,” Alice began, closing the cage door. “You mind if I borrow Gretchen again? I haven’t fixed my car yet and could use a ride.”
“Sure, if you’re brave enough to face her again,” Mr. Lewis joked. “Thanks for coming in this morning.”
“Happy to,” Alice said, turning her attention back to the cat in the cage. “See you later, buddy.”
The cat made a tiny squeak that Alice found absolutely adorable. It was hard to step away from the little kitty, but she had work to do.
Alice and Mr. Lewis left the room, then she made her way out to the front desk which was currently being manned by a very stern Gretchen. Alice sighed and gathered herself, not sure if she was ready to ask the old woman for yet another favor. But from the text she had received, she knew her case was about to reach a close, and she needed to get to her intended location fast.
“Hey Gretchen. Can you give me a ride again?”
Gretchen looked up from the desktop computer and stared at her blankly, saying nothing.
“If it’s not a bother. I’m about to finish up the case I’ve been working on.”
That seemed to interest the older woman. “That murder case? Wasn’t there an arrest already?”
“Yeah, but something wasn’t right. I’m calling a couple of people over to my office to kind of… Well, it’s a little complicated.”
Gretchen huffed, mumbled, “Fine,” then logged out of the computer, grabbed her keys, and headed straight out the door. With a shrug, Alice followed.
It was a short drive to Alice’s office. Gretchen pulled into a spot right in front and looked at Alice expectantly.
Alice wasn’t sure what the old woman wanted. Perhaps an update about the feral cat? “What do you think of that cat now? She’s really pretty, isn’t she?”
“The ride’s over, young lady. I have things to do.” Gretchen glared while her fingers tapped on the steering wheel.
Just then, a car pulled up and parked behind them. A man stepped out: Able Johnstone.
“Okay, then,” Alice said. “Thanks for the ride, Gretchen.” She gave Gretchen a quick polite smile, unbuckled her seatbelt, then opened her car door to leave.
“Wait a minute,” Gretchen said, grabbing Alice’s arm. “Why is that man here?” She nodded her head back in Able’s direction.
“Able Johnstone?” Alice asked. “Do you know him?”
Gretchen glared into the rear-view mirror. “I know of him. Sleazy real estate agent, has his face plastered on a billboard near my house. He’s bad news.”
Alice managed to wriggle free of Gretchen’s grip and exit the car, shutting her door. She leaned down and peered through the open window. “I’ll be careful. I mean, if you’re really concerned, you can come in with me.”
“Maybe I should,” Gretchen said, already getting out of her car. She wasn’t asking.
“Alice,” Able said, approaching the two of them in a casual yet professional outfit. “What’s this about? Why’d your aunt call me over here?”
“I’ll explain in a minute,” she said. “Why don’t we head inside?”
Moments after they entered Munroe Investigations, they were joined by a fourth: Dr. Dalton. He entered the room in a huff, dressed in his usual oversized black suit, and looking paler than usual.
“This better be good, young lady,” he said gruffly. “I don’t appreciate being summoned, especially by that… that…”
“That what?” Aunt Penny asked, revealing herself as she emerged from Alice’s office, walking into the reception area and stopping in front of the small group. The redhead knew how to make an entrance.
Dr. Dalton let out an unpleasant laugh and sat down in one of the guest chairs. “You,” he growled.
Aunt Penny’s eyes narrowed as she prepared to give him another famous Aunt Penny “what for.” “Well, listen here, Mr.—”
“Thanks, Aunt Penny,” Alice quickly interjected. She gave Aunt Penny a not now look, who in response engaged in an epic eye roll and stood off to the side.
“Dr. Dalton, Able… Thanks for coming,” Alice began and motioned her arm toward the plump gray haired scowl-faced woman beside her. “This is Gretchen, by the way. She’s—”
“Another intern?” Dr. Dalton asked, the sarcasm so thick it was almost comical.
“Just my ride,” Alice said, nodding and smiling at Gretchen. Gretchen stood off to the side, her arms folded, perhaps regretting her choice to join in.
“So,” Alice started. “I called you guys here because you were both really close, in your own ways, to Janet Lombardi.”
Able nodded silently and sat down in the second reception chair, pulling it a distance from Dr. Dalton.
“And?” Dr. Dalton asked.
“And yesterday an arrest was made,” Alice continued. “Her husband, Barry Lombardi, confessed.”
“We heard,” Able said. “What a piece of—”
“Watch your language, young man!” Gretchen barked. Able sat back hard in his chair, startled by her venom.
“Gretchen, Able, please,” Alice said. “Just let me get through this.” She continued once the room was silent. “Barry confessed to killing his wife. And it’d be great if it were as simple as that. But there’s a problem: Barry didn’t kill Janet. He’s guilty of a few things, but murder isn’t one of them.”
Confused looks were exchanged between those present, with the exception of Aunt Penny
, who just smiled at Alice and gave her a quick and nearly imperceptible nod of support.
“What I believe is this: Able…” Alice turned toward him. “You were having an affair with Janet. And that affair turned very serious. In fact, she fell in love with you, didn’t she?”
“I told you that,” he said, just a trace of irritation in his voice.
“I know,” she said. “But I heard two completely different stories, one from you and one from Barry. And I want you to know, Able, that it’s your story I believe.”
Able nodded, and Alice sensed his gratitude was sincere.
“But you said Barry didn’t kill Janet,” Dr. Dalton said. “And if you’re saying you believe Janet and Able were in love…”
“I do believe that,” Alice said. “I don’t believe there’s any way Able would’ve killed Janet though.”
“Then who?” Dr. Dalton asked. “Certainly not me?”
“Why so defensive?” Aunt Penny asked, cocking an eyebrow at him.
“Because, Aunt Penny,” Dr. Dalton spat. “If your niece here summoned the two of us and is about to tell us all who the ‘real killer’ is… forgive me if I’m a little worried that I might be her top suspect.”
“You have nothing to worry about, Dr. Dalton,” Alice continued. “I know you didn’t kill her either. I asked you here because I respect your relationship with Janet, and I felt like you had a right to hear this.”
Dr. Dalton sat back in his chair, speechless for the first time since Alice had met him.
“Able,” Alice continued. “Remember when you were telling me about what you knew about Barry and Janet’s relationship? What did you tell me was the biggest problem between the two?”
“His mother, for sure,” Able said.
“Right. His overbearing, overprotective mother.” Alice surveyed the room. “Barry Lombardi isn’t a bad guy. But he is someone who has never been able to move out of his mother’s shadow. She was part of his and Janet’s life in a way that was challenging, but that they both had managed to deal with, for a time.
“But eventually it was too much for Janet. And when she broke the news to Barry that she was leaving him, Barry went straight to his mother for comfort and support. But he got more than he asked for… You see, Barry’s mother has a hard streak. She loves her son, I’m sure. But that overprotectiveness turned deadly. There was no way she was going to let Janet humiliate her son like that. And she knew Barry wasn’t strong enough to kill her himself.”
“So you’re saying…” Able began. “Barry’s mother killed Janet?”
“Yes,” Alice said. “Once I pieced that together, it was easy to find out who Barry’s mother was. And I was surprised, shocked even, to find out that she lived right in town. And that I knew her personally.”
Alice turned and looked at Gretchen. Aunt Penny, Able, and Dr. Dalton all followed Alice’s gaze and stared at Gretchen in shock.
She hadn’t moved since she entered the room. Her face was cold, as cold an expression as Alice had ever seen.
“Gretchen,” Alice said. “Your last name is Silvera, right? But that’s your maiden name. You were divorced many years ago and had a son with that man. And that man’s last name was…?”
“Lombardi,” Gretchen answered matter-of-factly, a smug look still on her face.
There was a collective gasp in the room. Able got to his feet. “Are you kidding me?” he spat. “You killed her?”
“Sit back down!” Gretchen snapped, pointing at Able. “You killed her by turning her into a lying cheat!”
Able, stunned, sat back down. “Why wasn’t it me? I’d rather you killed me. Not her.”
“I didn’t say I killed anyone,” Gretchen asserted, her face a stone wall.
Alice stepped back in. “You said Able did it? How?”
“Like I said, by turning her into a cheat. By tempting her to ruin a perfectly good marriage.”
“But how, specifically, did he kill her?”
Gretchen let out an exasperated sigh. “You were supposed to figure that out, weren’t you? Did you not read the texts?”
“Barry deleted them.”
“The other texts.”
Now Alice knew for sure. Barry had confessed that he deleted the original texts between Able and Janet long before hiring Alice, but when she had asked for the phone and computer, he stalled to delete something else.
Planted texts that Gretchen had meant for Alice to find.
“Your son grew a conscience after hiring me,” Alice said, her eyes narrowed on Gretchen. “The ‘other’ texts, the planted ones you clearly wanted me to read that probably implicated Able as Janet’s killer—Barry deleted those too.”
Gretchen laughed humorlessly. “So that’s why you never figured it out. My son, that gutless fool.” She stared off at nothing, seemingly contemplating that statement.
“And now we have a confession, in front of four witnesses,” Aunt Penny said, a triumphant smile on her face.
Gretchen turned her head toward Aunt Penny and grinned. She pointed a long, bony finger at her. “You don’t fool me,” she said. “You may fool dear little Alice, but you don’t fool me.”
“What?”
“There’s dark in you,” Gretchen continued. “You think it’s gone, that you’ve ‘beaten’ it. Ha! You’ve beaten nothing. Fraud!”
Aunt Penny’s eyes grew wide, her mouth hanging open, no longer making light of things. Alice didn’t like it, but it did confirm her last suspicion. One she wouldn’t mention now.
“Gretchen, please,” Alice said. She walked across the room, strategically placing herself between Aunt Penny and Gretchen until the tension left the moment.
Gretchen finally turned her attention back to Alice.
Alice continued, “I don’t know how you did it, Gretchen, but I do know you killed Janet. Release yourself, and your son, from the guilt. Just tell us you did it, and how.”
“Ha,” Gretchen said. “Now, why would I do that? I’m just a kindly old lady.” She let her voice suddenly go shaky, her posture becoming hunched over. Somehow she looked thirty years older. “Little old me? I could never kill anyone.”
“So you’re really that heartless? You’re really going to let your only son spend the rest of his life in prison for a crime you committed? Because that’s what’s going to happen to him. He’s going to rot away in prison, overwhelmed with guilt for something he didn’t do, because his mother led him down a dark and hopeless path.”
All the energy drained out of Gretchen. Softly, in a sad and defeated voice, she said, “You’re right. I supposed it’s either him or me, isn’t it? It should have been Able, but my son was too cowardly to commit to the plan…”
“Is it time I call the police over?” Alice asked. “Are you ready to confess to killing Janet Lombardi?”
Gretchen looked hard at Alice, the hate very apparent. Mean Gretchen had never looked meaner.
“Yes, fine,” Gretchen said. “I killed Janet Lombardi.”
Fifteen minutes later, Gretchen sat alone in the backseat of Eve’s police car while Emmitt took statements from everyone who had been at Munroe Investigations. The twins were completely befuddled at first by the confession everyone described, the two still holding onto the idea of the death having been natural. But Gretchen, wanting to spare her son from the murder she committed, claimed with great enthusiasm that she had used an ancient and untraceable poison to do the deed. It was enough to put her in handcuffs at the very least, and her unhinged demeanor would hopefully keep her locked away for life.
Alice approached the window of the backseat, which was partly rolled down.
“Here to gloat?” Gretchen grumbled.
“It was the ‘J,’ wasn’t it?” Alice asked. “You put a hex on the ‘J’ on Janet’s keyboard, and all it took was one touch to unleash a powerful blast of dark magic.”
Gretchen glowered at her.
“All these years you called me a witch, and I laughed it off. But you were bei
ng honest; you’ve always known I was a witch, because you’re a witch too. That’s why you had Barry hire me. It wasn’t just the planted texts. You figured you could predict all my moves, what spells I would cast, and that would lead me straight into the frame job you had set up for Able Johnstone.”
“I figured you’d be much like your aunt. Go straight to the dark magic, and you did, didn’t you?” She sneered.
“You’re right. I did. But whatever traps and illusions you set to make me suspect Able, I didn’t trigger them because I lost my magic conjuring up Janet’s ghost.”
Gretchen blinked and scoffed. “You conjured up her ghost? I had thought you’d go for more pedestrian spells.”
“I like to go big, I guess.”
Gretchen started cackling. “So you lost your magic. Good! You don’t deserve it. Don’t deserve any magic. You nickel and dime your way through life, being namby-pamby, talking to kitties and puppies and, oh, you’re so much like him, so much like my Barry. So weak. So weak.” She shook her head in her disappointment.
“I’m not weak,” Alice said. “And neither is Barry. Maybe now that you’re out of his life, he can finally prove you wrong.” Alice paused, her eyes narrowing. “It was worth losing my magic if it meant locking you up.” Gretchen’s mouth was agape as Alice turned and walked away, pleased to never have to see the old woman again.
25
Alice sat at her desk at Munroe Investigations, looking out at Aunt Penny through the glass of her office door. Aunt Penny was fidgeting around the reception desk, which she had pretty much claimed as her own.
It had been a melancholy morning. Aunt Penny would be leaving soon, returning to her life in nearby Elmdale. The case was closed and, although Alice’s magic hadn’t returned, they both felt she had gotten past the panic and fear that had plagued her immediately after the encounter with Janet’s spirit.
They’d had breakfast and gone over the case, laughing at things that probably weren’t funny at all at the time when they had happened. Alice had cried a little when Aunt Penny told her she’d be leaving later that morning, but she had reminded Alice she was only an hour and a phone call away.