“Mmm,” Juniper said savouring the delicious cream cheese and maple syrup frosting. “This is almost as good as Pike’s, but don’t tell her I said so.”
“It’s an old family recipe. My grandmother used to make them every Thanksgiving. You know she used to live in your house. That’s how Lulu inherited it.”
“Really?” Juniper said, faking surprise. She wanted to hear what Helen had to say.
“She lived there until she was ninety-two, tough old bird.” She shook her head and bit into the cake. Crumbs fell onto her large bosom, and she brushed them off with a chagrined smile. “The last ten years of my grandmother’s life she began to lose it—kept saying the ghosts spoke to her. My mother and I moved in, to take care of her. Lulu’s mother lived on the other side of town and neither one of them bothered much with the family. Eventually my Grandmother worsened, and she turned on us. She was delusional; she was convinced we were stealing her money. She wrote my mother out of the will without my mother’s knowledge. It was heartbreaking. We were virtually kicked out, of course by then I’d met Frank and we were dating. It wasn’t long after that we married and my mother came to live with us until her death.”
“That is a really sad story. I almost feel guilty for buying the house.”
Helen got to her feet and switched on the fireplace. Soon, a small but cheerful fire brightened the room. “Now, now, don’t feel bad. Why do you think I was so happy when I heard you were buying it? This painting brings me some comfort but I still miss living there. My hope is that once you and Jack are done with the restoration, you’ll sell it to me. It should really stay in the family.
Juniper considered this news. They’d been so concerned that no one would buy it. This would solve that problem. “We’d be happy to,” Juniper said, smiling. “For a hefty sum.”
Helen laughed as I’d hoped she would.
“Money is no object for us, my dear… as you can see. Frank comes from old money. I bet he could even help that business of yours. He has a lot of contacts, you know.”
“I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship, Helen.” Juniper said, sticking out my hand to shake.
“Indeed.” She agreed taking it. “Did you want to see the other paintings? I keep those upstairs. One is a striking painting of Victoria before she married. It’s a reproduction of an old photo so it’s black and white but they’ve added just a bit of color to her lips. It’s so beautiful.”
Juniper followed her up the stairs, noticing photos along the wall. Her eyes lit on a family portrait, just like the one she’d seen at Lulu’s. She studied the photo. The young woman was lovely, with a cupid’s bow mouth, her long hair pinned up in an elaborate bun. But the expression in her eyes was sad, and yearning, and… it felt as though she had something to tell her.
“Is that… ? That isn’t Lulu’s picture of the family, is it?” Juniper asked, thinking it couldn’t be. It isn’t cracked like Lulu’s.
“Oh, no, of course not. That was my mother’s. There were two of these taken—one for each of the sisters. Lulu’s was passed down from her mother.”
“Really, I think there might have been three. There was one at my house but it disappeared.”
“No. I don’t think so.” Juniper followed Helen the rest of the way up the stairs and into the guest bedroom where several oil paintings hung.
“You have your own little gallery collection going on here,” Juniper said. “They are quite stunning.”
“I know. I can’t wait to see them hung once again on the mansion walls.”
A thump sounded from the floor above.
“Meaghan’s room was turned into a sewing room after she moved out so she stays in the guest suite on the third floor now when she visits.”
A muffled voice floated down the stairs… then the sound of glass shattering and more muffled crying.
Helen reached out and squeezed Juniper’s arm as she walked me back out of the bedroom. “I’m sorry but she’s been having a hard time. She must need me. Kaitlyn’s death has been so hard on all of us. Would you mind showing yourself out? We can finish our tour another time.”
“Of course, I’ve intruded on you long enough,” Juniper said turning in the direction of the stairs. “Thank you so much for having me.” Suddenly, it occurred to Juniper that she’d seen Meaghan leaving earlier.
Her face must have given away her thoughts.
“We have a back door. She probably snuck back in, she doesn’t like company.”
“Of course.”
“Great! Talk to you later.” she said and hurried up the stairs to the third floor.
Something about the situation didn’t feel right. Wouldn’t they have heard Meaghen return? Helen seemed sketchy—she was definitely hiding something. She was so protective of Lulu. Would she harbor a criminal?
There was a crazy amount of thumping going on now. If Lulu was capable of holding her husband captive and shooting him, what’s saying she wouldn’t hurt Helen in order to escape? Juniper’s panic rose with the frenzied noises above and she debated calling the police.
Juniper couldn’t in good conscience just walk away and allow Lulu to hurt Helen. On the other hand, Lulu could be arrested and Helen would be furious if Juniper outed her cousin as a criminal. Juniper felt torn Helen was going to buy the house and help with the business and then her and Jack’s money problems would be over. She wouldn’t take kindly to Juniper’s interference if she had everything in control. Juniper started down the stairs to the main floor but couldn’t leave without knowing that Helen was okay. Meaghen’s car is probably in the drive. That would put her at ease. Juniper walked to the bathroom window, which she could see let out on the main street. No blue car in the driveway. That’s when she noticed the white dress that hung inside the shower. It was muddy. Oh god, Juniper was right: Helen was hiding Lulu.
Juniper’s fingers hovered over the numbers on her cell. She should call the police but she just couldn’t bring herself to betray Helen. Running through her options, Juniper decided instead to send Pike and Jack a text before entering the third floor, deciding that if what Helen said was true, then Lulu was mentally ill and the attack had most likely been an accident.
Juniper climbed the staircase, into the attic-turned-bedroom.
No more banging or yelling.
No Helen, either. Juniper wondered if Lulu had knocked her out…
But then she glanced at the corner and gasped. “Lulu.”
Lulu was on the ground, her hands tied behind her back. She was breathing like she was about to hyperventilate, her eyes huge with terror, duct tape covering her mouth. Helen held a gun to her head.
“Helen?” Juniper said quietly. “What’s going on?”
“You’re going to help me now,” she said. She was breathing hard as well. That made three of them. “I’m going to follow you down the stairs and we’re going to go get that dress. Go on, now, lead away,” Helen continued. “I know you already saw it, you’re too nosy not to have.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Juniper said with a shake of her head. “Why are you doing this? You shot Peter?”
She wasn’t holding the gun in the way an experienced marksman would. But at this range, lack of skill didn’t make a gun any less lethal.
“And don’t forget about Kaitlyn.” Helen said, perking up. “That self-righteous little witch.”
“No way. You killed your own daughter?” Juniper asked, shocked. She had not been expecting that. Lulu began to cry harder. “Please remove the tape on Lulu’s mouth, can’t you see she’s panicking.”
Juniper’s mind raced. “Poor Lulu.” She whispered. She scolded herself. Why hadn’t she called the police? She was still close to the stairs, she could run. But what about Lulu—would it mean certain death for her?
“Poor Lulu… It’s always poor Lulu.” Helen mocked.
“Please tell me Kaitlyn’s death was an accident. You cannot be cold blooded enough to murder your own flesh and
blood and stuff her in a trunk like that on purpose.”
“Of course it was an accident. I never meant to kill her but she found out the truth.”
“What do you mean the truth?”
“Nevermind that. I’m not selling my sob story to you but I couldn’t let her blab, it would sink me.”
“Was Kaitlyn having an affair with Peter? Were you?” Juniper asked point blank.
Helen laughed like I’d just told the funniest joke in the world.
Juniper wracked her brain to understand. She was missing something obvious.
“That was my greatest lie. I can’t believe the town believed me. Peter was the most faithful loyal husband I’d ever met. He would never stray on Lulu. He was obsessed with her. Not like that cheating bastard Frank. I put the idea of Peter’s infidelity in Lulu’s head so they’d fight. Peter was not cooperating with my business designs and I needed Lulu on my side.”
Lulu whimpered. Juniper thought about what Lulu had been through, believing her husband had thrown her aside and now hearing he was faithful and knowing he could still die. Or did she think he was already dead? Was she blaming herself now?
“Kaitlyn called her brother for a ride that night. She was in your attic and she found… well never mind what she found.” Lulu paused to collect her breath. “It doesn’t matter—none of it matters. Her next call was going to be to Lulu and Peter. Axl was busy, thank the lord and so he called me rambling about Kaitlyn being drunk and belligerent in your attic. I told him to never mind that I would take care of it and I went over there. She was drunk and mean and she was ready to expose me. It got heated, and she tripped and hit her head. I had no choice but to set Peter up.”
“Why do you need the dress?” Juniper asked.
“Why do you think? The ghost shall strike again.”
“The ghost,” Juniper said, thinking of the neighbor’s story. The ghost appeared on Tuesdays and Saturdays. That was when Helen said she had meetings.
Juniper could see in her peripheral vision that Lulu was working on freeing her hands.
She had to keep Helen talking, to give her time.
“So you were the one who I saw on the hill the night of the Halloween party? That was some great acting skills, pretending to be shocked that Peter had been shot and then blaming Lulu the way you did at the hospital.”
“Brilliant, if I do say so myself. When Lulu told me how she’d showed you the dress—I just knew you’d assume the worst come time. After I ditched the dress, I ran into you and your nosy neighbor. The wig was sticking up out of my purse, I about collapsed afterward when I realized. I thought the gig was up, but I guess you didn’t see it.”
“No, I didn’t. So what are you planning to do with Lulu?”
“Well I was planning to hold her and eventually have her committed but now you’ve gone and changed my plans, haven’t you?”
“I don’t understand.”
“Go get the dress and you will. Thing is, Juniper, Lulu was never crazy, not in the way you’re thinking. I used to give her psychotic meds that would make her act crazy—so that she wouldn’t live in the house, forcing Peter to sell it to me.”
“But it backfired. He wouldn’t sell you the house, would he?”
“No. He was protecting his crazy wife—thought she wouldn’t get any better until it was out of the family and off limits for her to visit.” Helen shook her head and said again, “He was a stubborn man.”
Juniper frowned. “You killed Peter McCloskey because he was protecting his wife? You are one cold hearted woman.”
Her eyes scanned the room for a weapon. There was nothing close enough. There were some gardening tools, but they were on the other side of the attic. If only Lulu and I were reversed in our positions.
Helen’s eyes went flat. She squinted at Juniper and stood straighter like she knew what she was thinking. “I’m just trying to get back what was rightfully mine. Go get the dress. Otherwise, I’m going to shoot Lulu right now and blame it on you. I’m not kidding, Juniper. I’m losing my patience.”
“But—”
Lulu broke free, grabbed a shovel against the wall beside her and brought it down, hard, on Helen’s instep. She cried out and started hopping around on her good foot. Lulu leaped up and kicked Helen in the kneecap. Her leg buckled, and she crashed to the ground like a sack of potatoes.
Juniper ran toward them, launching herself at Helen when she saw her trying to point her gun. Juniper grunted as she landed on her full force and grabbed for the hand that held the gun. Juniper jammed it into the floor board, and then Lulu, standing over them, stomped on Helen’s wrist.
She cried out again and let go of the weapon.
Juniper went for the gun. Lulu went for Helen.
She started yelling, swearing, roaring in rage as she kicked her, landing blow after blow. Blood poured from a broken nose, and a kick to her gut made her double over in pain.
“Help!” Helen yelped, her voice panicky and high-pitched. “Get her off me!”
“Lulu,” Juniper said. “Enough. I have the gun.”
Lulu continued, landing another blow on Helen’s already injured knee. Helen screamed.
“Lulu.” Juniper took her by the shoulders and physically drew her away from her cousin. “That’s enough.”
“But she… she killed my daughter and my husband…”
“Kaitlyn was your daughter?”
Lulu’s eyes met mine, huge and solemn, as always. But then she smiled.
“She was, and she was going to tell me! That was the secret.” She nodded and tears poured down her face. “She looked just like me, don’t you think? I always thought so. I’m not crazy, Juniper. I’m not.”
Juniper laughed in nervous relief. “Yes. I know. Let’s tie Helen up and call the police.”
“They’re already on their way,” said Jack as he entered the doorway, huffing and puffing. “I called them before I broke the window to get in—I tried texting you back but you weren’t responding, and I was afraid you were hurt.”
Jack crossed the room and took the gun from Juniper. His hand was bloody from punching through glass. There was a fierce, determined glint in his eyes, but there was something else that Juniper couldn’t identify as he locked his gaze on her. Juniper didn’t think she could have looked away if she wanted to.
But she didn’t want to look away.
He set the gun behind him on a desk and pulled her into him. He’s going to kiss me, she realized, and then his lips were on hers and she couldn’t form one coherent thought.
It was like the time they’d been remodeling their first house and she’d touched the exposed wires. Except this wasn’t a little jolt of electricity. Something sparked when their lips touched and that energy fizzed through every inch of her, all the way down to her wobbly knees.
He lifted his head, and she blinked. There were other things going on...important things, she knew, like Lulu tying Helen up, but at the moment, she didn’t care about them. She didn’t remember wrapping her arms around him, but she was gripping his shoulders as tightly as she could.
His face looked the same as always, tightly controlled, but there was something about his eyes, a softness, a tenderness that surprised her. “So, I’m confused… why is Helen the one tied up?”
“That’s all you have to say?” Juniper said, leaning back against his arms, against the solidness of his hands on her back and shoulders. “After a kiss like that?”
“A kiss should never require explanation,” he said, then his face turned serious. “I was so afraid.”
That caught her off guard. Jack, afraid?
“I thought I was too late and you’re the best friend I’ve got.” he said.
Chapter Thirty
_____________
O ne week later, Helen was in police custody and Jack and Juniper stood in the foyer of the Doctor’s House, reading over an outrageous offer from their real estate agent, Jack Sr.
The Halloween decorations were gone and n
ow there were only freshly painted paneled walls with ornate moldings. Polished antique crystal chandeliers hung from decorative plaster medallions overhead. It looked lovely and after just one open house, they were sitting on a multitude of offers.
“Dad said the buyers loved the idea of the secret passage,” Jack said. “The wife’s a writer, and the husband’s an architect.”
“That’s great, Jack. I’m so pleased.”
“Spirited Construction will make more money on this one house than we’ve made from all of our other flips combined.”
Juniper nodded, sadly, taking another long look around the room. “We’ll have enough to go our separate ways.” She could no longer hear the strains of the classical waltz. They had found the wireless speaker that Helen had planted in the ceiling in the dead-end passage so she could scare away potential buyers. “I’m sure Big Boobs will be thrilled to see us dismantle the company.”
He shrugged. “Yes. She would love that. Actually, she gave me an ultimatum—her or you.”
“I see. Well, I guess this is goodbye then.” Juniper held out her hand. Jack took it and pulled her in close for another electrical, toe-sizzling kiss. When he broke away, Juniper’s heart was pounding.
“Why must you keep torturing me like this?”
Jack pushed her back but hung onto her arms. His face was deadly serious. “You know, Junie, when I found you in the attic. All I could think about was how empty my life would be if I lost you...you’re the best part of my day...” he swallowed.
“You’re just figuring this out now,” she said lightly. “What about big boobs? Does she know any of this?”
“I broke up with her last month.” He pushed a strand of hair away from the corner of her eye. “I’ve been trying to find a way to ask you out,” Jack said.
“Are you kidding me? What took you so long?”
“You’re kind of intimidating.” Jack closed the narrowing distance between their lips and kissed her hard. He pulled away with a muttered curse, “And not the most forgiving of people… besides, every time I turned around that pesky detective was sniffing around. You’re not seeing him, are you?”
Cookies, Corpses & the Deadly Haunt Page 13