Cold Cases and Haunted Places
Page 50
“Ladies, perhaps you could let us do our jobs now?” Byron said, and we made our way out of the boathouse. Byron DeLoof and his officers rounded up Fiona and Skeetch. They had also summoned the WPPD patrol boat to catch Chef Courtney. She’d wisely decided to flee, though she likely wouldn’t get far.
Either way, we were out of danger, and so was Ms. Dolores.
“How did you know what he was up to? How did you know to call the police?” I asked Dolores.
“He agreed that it was a good idea to leave the police out of it after my nephew nearly poisoned me. Does that sound reasonable to you?” Dolores asked the three of us.
“No…no, it does not,” I said.
“He didn’t want police here, that was a huge red flag. I called the police the minute Skeetch left me alone after we all met in my office.”
“What about your nephew?” Georgie asked.
“Bruce? He’s honest as the day is long,” Dolores explained. “You know I put my jewelry out all the time. I leave my necklaces and baubles in his path to test him. They’re always where I left them. I even do the individual pearls, as a trap. And they’re always accounted for. Bruce might not be management material, but he’s not greedy.”
“Did you know they’d found the Bannockburn cargo,” I asked Dolores.
“No, I didn’t, not until tonight. It means I can give it to all those families,” Dolores said. Her voice shook with emotion at the chance to fulfill a promise that had lasted generations.
“You’re one of those families. You lost your grandfather. Maybe you should use a little of the treasure to advertise this place? I think your hauntings are over,” Pauline suggested.
“It looks like Skeetch teamed up with Courtney and Fiona to ruin this place,” I said. “They were keeping people away so they could find the treasure, maybe even force you to sell.”
“I’m so grateful to you three,” Dolores said as we walked back up to the mansion.
“Your grandfather Lars gets some credit too,” Georgianne added.
“He lit the way,” I said and pointed to the lighthouse.
Dolores looked toward the old lighthouse, dark again, but tall and strong in the night sky. She turned to us.
“You know the saying: When you want to get something done, ask a busy witch,” Dolores said and winked at us.
“I’m not sure that’s the saying,” Pauline said.
“It should be,” I replied.
“Well, massages on the house tomorrow? To salvage your girl’s weekend,” Dolores suggested.
“It’s a deal,” Georgianne replied.
A concerned Kim and Bruce appeared in the foyer. They rushed to Dolores. They looked her up and down with concern, and it was clear that she was in good hands.
“I never trusted that Skeetch,” Kim said, and Bruce nodded. We handed Dolores off to Bruce the Masseuse.
“Thank you so much,” Bruce said.
“You’re welcome,” Pauline clapped her hands together. “I’m getting online right now. We need to let everyone know about this place and how wonderful a girl’s night out we had!” The marketing was underway.
“More like girl’s fright out, but sure, five stars,” I whispered under my breath so only Georgianne could hear.
“Highly recommend,” Georgianne replied.
A complimentary bottle of wine waited for us in the Fitzgerald Room. We uncorked it and congratulated each other on solving the mystery, and on helping Dolores find the Bannockburn treasure after all these years.
We considered celebratory dancing around the couch but decided against it. No witch in her right mind wanted to risk spilling a drop.
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The End
Marzie, Georgianne, and Pauline are a part of a much bigger empty nest coven in Widow’s Bay. In Widow’s Bay witches don’t get their powers until the last chic flies the coop. Hot flashes are just a witch getting warmed up! Read about the witches, vampires, and werewolves of Widow’s Bay here, starting with Resting Witch Face.
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