Six a.m. and Jack’s return couldn’t come fast enough. He was never later than that.
“Jack?” Juniper shouted.
No response.
Crrrrreeeeeaaaaaaakkkkkkk.
The sound of the loose step under her feet made her nervous, but seeing that everything was still in place and Juniper was alone, she turned around and moved back up the stairs to the second floor. The paranoia pressed heavy against her and she couldn’t resist a quick glimpse behind her. Big mistake. She caught sight of a dark haired woman through the stained glass window running across the yard in a flash of white.
Juniper’s chest felt tight as she considered her next move. Her heart thumped in a crazy rhythm. She gauged the distance back to the bedroom where she’d left her cellphone, but who would she call, Ghostbusters? She launched into action, flying down the stairs and straight into something hard.
“Junie?”
Juniper jumped at the sound of her name.
A blinding flash of lightning followed by a shattering crack of thunder filled the foyer. Juniper blinked and attempted to adjust her eyes. She wrapped her arms around Jack and took a calming breath. Soft music emanated from the headphones that now hung around his neck and the front door was open. There were multiple bags inside the door.
Jack ticked an eyebrow upward in an exaggerated leer after she pulled back.
“You feelin’ frisky?”
Juniper opened her mouth to tell Jack what she’d just seen—what she’d thought she’d seen—but she snapped her jaws shut instead. No matter how hard she tried to come up with a logical explanation for what she’d just experienced, there was no rationalization. Maybe Juniper was having an honest-to-goodness nervous breakdown. This was it. She’d finally gone cuckoo.
“Sorry. That was inappropriate of me.” Juniper straightened and Jack’s arms fell away.
“Yes, workplace sexual harassment does seem to be a problem here. We’d best go see HR now.” His whisky brown eyes sparkled and the lines around his eyes deepened. They’d spent so much their time keeping their emotions in check that Juniper cherished the moments they relaxed and joked like old times.
“I guess I walked into that one, huh?” Juniper laughed, relaxing. “I got spooked, but I’m okay. I’m gonna go get a coffee. Do you want anything?”
“Maybe, I’ll come with you. Why don’t we have breakfast together for a change?” Jack reached for his phone as it buzzed in his pocket. “Oh, just a sec. I have to take this.” Juniper’s grin faded and her mood nosedived when she saw it was Big Boobs calling.
“Hey, Sal—” He held up his index finger in a motion for Juniper to wait a minute then he walked away.
Juniper sighed and left the house. No way, she was waiting around and playing second fiddle. She walked across the darkened road, trying to enjoy the crisp air and smell of fallen leaves. It wasn’t raining yet, but it looked like it wanted to. She peeked through the glass of Pike’s cafe. The sign said closed, but bakers, like construction workers were up at dawn. Pike was dressed in a grey and yellow apron and had her hair tucked into a white frilly cap. “It’s open.”
The aroma of pumpkin wafted through the open door.
“Ready for some coffee?” Pike asked.
“Yes please… extra strong.” A timer rang from the back, “Help yourself.”
Juniper poured a steaming hot cup and followed her into a back prep space that was messy with baking ingredients, bowls, and a mixer on the counter.
“Smells delicious,” She said as Pike pulled three pies out of the oven and put them on cooling racks.
“So, how was your first night in the haunted mansion?”
Juniper took a sip from her coffee and said nothing.
“I knew it,” Pike turned and wiped her hands on a towel. “You saw the ghost of Victoria again, didn’t you?”
Juniper just stood there.
“Sooner or later you’re going to have to tell me,” Pike said as she rolled out some dough for another pie.
“And why is that?”
“Because I’m your friend. And I won’t make fun of you or think you’re crazy for having seen ghosts. Or… whatever it was you saw, or experienced. Not that I’m saying you have, you know. Just in case you did.”
Juniper shrugged and toyed with the handle of her mug. She preferred to play her cards close to her chest but Pike was her best friend. Finally, she opened her mouth as though to say something.
Her stomach growled. “You have to feed me if you want me to talk.”
“Right. I’m a terrible hostess. I’ve got fresh apple strudel, chocolate croissants and raspberry-chai doughnuts this morning.”
Juniper reached for the apple strudel, which was still so hot she could barely touch it. “What time were you up at? You could run the world, woman, with all you accomplish in a day.”
Pike rolled her eyes as she handed Juniper a fork. “Well, the first wave starts rolling in at 6:00 a.m. so if there aren’t fresh baked goods by the time they’re here then there’s hell to pay.” She began to unload the tray of doughnuts into one of the glass cases that would later be transported to the front counter. “Which reminds me, you now have ten minutes to spill what’s bothering you before we’re rushed by grumpy old men wishing to discuss their latest ailment—everything from sleep problems to prostate trouble.”
“Please—I’m trying to eat!” Juniper shuddered, setting her fork down. The strudel was still too hot for the moment.
“I’m just saying… you’re running out of time.”
“Yes, okay. I may have gotten a little spooked this morning,” Juniper admitted, licking the apple from her fingers, “Jack came over early and he startled me.”
Pike made a gushing noise. Her eyes lit up. “He still loves you! Told you so,” She made a face. “You need to steal him back.”
“Holy, jump to conclusions much. He just worries about our project houses getting broken into and sometimes he switches up his hours so that we’re not as predictable,” Juniper uncrossed her legs and pushed herself away from the counter. “We’re business partners and friends. That’s it. It’s been four years and, in case you forgot, he’s planning to marry that witch.”
Pike reached out and pulled Juniper back down. “The fact that you still hate her tells me you care.”
“Nonsense, I just don’t like how controlling she is.”
“Controlling, because she doesn’t want him spending all his time with you?” She flung her hand out, gesturing from Juniper’s head to her toes. “Have you looked in a mirror girl? No woman would want her man hanging out with you all day and night.”
“Well, for one thing, he’s my ex, and things obviously didn’t work out for a reason, and two, we’re in business together, so she needs to deal with it.”
Pike snorted. “Or you could just put her out of her misery by taking him back.”
Juniper looked at her friend and smiled. You had to love the girl’s persistence.
“Anyway, his coming into the house combined with the storm startled me from my sleep and in my heightened state of wimpy-ness, I kind of sort of, saw the ghost again, or at least I think I did.”
Pike put down her croissant and leaned in until she was clutching Juniper’s arm. “You think you did?”
Juniper nodded. “She was running.”
Juniper heard someone let out a little gasp that sounded like air leaving a balloon. The girls both walked out front.
“Lulu?” Pike said.
Juniper frowned. “Huh?” She swung her gaze to the front door, even as Pike darted toward it. Lulu stood in the door frame, arms juggling several stacks of boxes.
“You gonna move all your stuff in? I don’t think we can fit another dresser.” Pike joked.
Lulu looked like she was going to cry. She hurried into the back with Pike in tow.
Juniper saw that as her cue to take off. She didn’t want to get into anyone else’s business. This town knew far too much about what was going on wit
h one another as it was. “I’m just gonna take some treats for the crew. I’ll leave the money under the cash register.” Juniper bellowed hoping Pike could hear her.
She had just gotten a box full of doughnuts ready and a tray of coffee when in walked the detective, flanked by a sour looking Helen Patone and her son, Axl.
“Juniper, I’m glad we ran in to you. Have you seen Kaitlyn?” Helen bit her lip. She looked genuinely upset.
Juniper looked around the store. “Not since yesterday.”
She was just about to leave when Pike rounded the corner. “Detective Lumos, I made your favourite Danish.”
“Thanks, Pike,” The Detective looked down, “but I’m here with Helen and I’m on duty. I don’t suppose you’ve seen Kaitlyn yet?”
“Nope, not yet.”
A worried look crossed his face. “We were hoping she’d be back by now. She didn’t come home last night.”
Helen took a step forward, pointing a finger at Pike, “And we know the two of you had a fight yesterday.”
The detective glanced over at Helen. “Why don’t you wait outside? You’re distraught.”
“We did have an argument yesterday, but it was nothing heated,” Pike retorted.
“That’s not what we heard.” Helen sniped back.
Juniper felt the need to diffuse the situation. “Look. Isn’t it possible she spent the night at her boyfriends? It was Saturday.” She smiled brightly and ran her hand through her hair. Detective Lumos looked good this morning, and she looked… well she hadn’t even checked to see how she looked. Maybe Pike was right, and she needed to put some effort into her appearance.
“She doesn’t have a boyfriend,” Helen hissed.
“Well I saw her getting into a red sports car on Friday.”
Lulu rounded the corner, still looking disheveled.
“Lulu, does Peter still drive that red Camaro?” Helen asked.
“Yes. Why?”
Juniper shook her head. She could see where this was going. “I’ll see you guys later. I’ve got to get back over to the house.”
“I’ll be right behind you.” Pike said. “Sarah gets in for her shift in five minutes.”
The house was bustling with activity when Juniper returned with coffee and doughnuts for the volunteers. Jack was on a ladder polishing the huge chandelier that hung from the ceiling, its crystals reflecting a rainbow of colors from the foyer’s double entry stained glass windows.
“Hey Slacker! Nice to see you back.”
“Oh Jack, that looks amazing, but you make me so nervous.”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
Juniper set down the coffee and treats and motioned upstairs. “Is Kaitlyn here?”
“What? Why would she be here this early? Princess only stops by in the evenings to point out all of our faults.”
Juniper shook her head. “She didn’t go home last night and mommy dearest is not happy.”
“Uh-oh? She’s sure to get the credit card taken away for that one.”
Juniper chuckled, carefully passing by him to reach the second floor. Jack always knew how to make her laugh. “Well, at least the town’s finest takes missing adults seriously. That way if this ghost gets me tonight… you won’t have to wait forty-eight hours to report it.
“I’ll protect you.” Pike said, suddenly appearing at the bottom of the stairs.
“That was quick!”
“Yeah, I had to get out of there or be arrested for assaulting Helen.”
Pike and Juniper entered the narrow staircase and trotted up the steps that led to the third-floor attic space.
Juniper paused at the top to open the door and saw something out of the corner of her eye in one of the old servant’s quarters.
“What is it?” Pike asked, practically bumping into her.
“Someone’s been here. There’s a wine bottle on its side that wasn’t there yesterday.” Juniper did a double take. There was also a sleeping bag and a candle in the corner on top of the Oriental rug.
A scratching sound came from the main attic where they’d been working yesterday.
Pike pushed passed her as if she heard it too.
“Did that trunk just bark?” Juniper asked, confused.
“That has to be our imagination—either that or it’s the ghost of our dear doctor’s wife.”
“I don’t think ghosts bark,” Juniper said crossing the room.
“Last one!” Axl called out as he carried a box up the stairs. “Need anything else up here?”
“Liquid courage.” Pike retorted.
“Um…” Axl walked back towards the stairs. “Sure. I’ll see what I can do.”
Get a grip, Juniper told herself staring at the trunk. Blowing out a long breath, she stepped closer and lifted the lid. Her nose twitched at the smell and then she realized why.
Curled up inside, eyes fixed in a blank stare like the dummy on the floor, was a body. The little dog that had been closed in with the corpse began to bark.
Chapter Six
_____________
T here was an anguished cry from behind her. “Kaitlyn!”
Juniper jumped at the sound, having been so focused on the macabre scene that she hadn’t heard Axl return. He had tears in his eyes, and behind him were some of the other volunteers.
The dog sprung from the trunk and ran to Axl’s feet. Pawing at his pant legs until he picked it up.
“Okay, everyone, listen,” Juniper said, her heart pounding and a wave of nausea washing over her. “Let’s… not touch anything. Let’s go back outside and…”
She realized Pike was already heading down the steps, a phone to her ear, speaking to a police dispatcher.
“Pike’s calling the police,” She said. “Come on, Axl, let’s step outside.”
She turned to usher the gang out, but Axl pushed past her and went to kneel beside the trunk that held his sister’s body. He set the dog aside and reached his hand in.
“Don’t touch her!” Juniper said.
“She’s dead,” said Axl.
Juniper put a hand on his shoulder and, as gently as she could, urged him to come with her.
“Who could have done this!” wailed one of the girls.
“Please. We have to get her out. She looks uncomfortable.” Axl pleaded.
“We can’t touch her. There could be evidence.” Juniper rationalized.
“Oh, God. This is all my fault!” Axl cried. “She called me from here around seven asking if I’d give her a ride home. Only I had a date, so I’d already left and she was here by herself… and now she’s dead! Kaitlyn! I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault, Axl,” Juniper said, wrapping her arm around his shoulders and leading him down the stairs and out the main door.
Still with the phone at her ear, apparently on hold, Pike stood and urged the group out onto the porch.
Juniper gave an initial statement to the first policeman on the scene and then waited on the porch while they checked out the scene. The forensics team had arrived by that point and was combing the Doctor’s House for evidence.
With the volunteers clustered outside, she walked to the road and took in huge gulps of air.
Small houses lined the road, with curious neighbors lingering out front of them. It was the kind of neighborhood, where people knew one another, where you hung laundry on the line and chatted with whoever passed by, where you would find packs of kids playing games in the street—not the kind of place where you found dead bodies.
It only took a few steps for Jack to reach her side. He lightly touched her elbow and called her name. On a normal day, she would have immediately smiled, and turned her full attention to him. Today was not a normal day.
He gripped her arm harder. “Junie, look at me,” he demanded.
“Did you see anyone in there? Besides the volunteers.”
“No.”
“I’m so glad you weren’t hurt.” He put his other hand on her shoulder and pulled her in for a hug. It h
ad been a while since Jack hugged her and this was twice in one day. It felt way too good. She pulled away but allowed him to hold her hand.
Pandemonium was breaking out by the minute. The lawn and street were slowly flooding with neighbors.
A young policeman was trying to take control and get everyone to go back to their homes and stores. Unfortunately, everyone was talking at once and no one was listening.
Juniper looked over her shoulder and saw Helen approaching her and Jack.
“I’m so sorry, Helen.” Juniper whispered, wrapping her free arm around the older woman. Jack hung steadfast to Juniper’s hand, realizing she still needed the support.
For once Helen was speechless. She wasn’t even crying—she just wordlessly shook her head like she was in shock.
“Where’s Frank? Helen? Someone needs to find Frank,” Juniper said, speaking calmly.
“I'll do it,” Jack said, finally letting go of Juniper’s hand.
Helen nodded her head and allowed a medical attendant to place a blanket around her shoulders and steer her away. Juniper took the opportunity to find Pike, and they watched as Detective Lumos came out of the house, taking control of the growing mob. Clearly things like this didn’t happen every day in this sleepy little town.
Exasperated, the detective shouted, “I want everyone's attention. Everyone and I mean everyone, who does not belong here needs to go home or back to work now. Anyone who was on the property before or during the discovery has to stay. Stay out of the way but no one is to leave the area. Does everyone understand? Good. Get going.”
At that moment, Lulu appeared. Her face was pink and her breathing rapid as she pushed through the crowd. “What’s going on? Why are these people out front?”
Cookies, Corpses & the Deadly Haunt Page 4