The Ghost Who Wanted Revenge (Haunting Danielle Book 4) (7 page)

“
I
’m just surprised
you took in someone from off the street,” Lily said before taking a bite of chocolate cake. She sat with Danielle and Walt in the parlor. While she couldn’t see or hear Walt, she knew he was there. She and Danielle had finished dinner an hour earlier, which they had shared with William Robert Wayne. He was now upstairs in the Red Room.

“This is a bed and breakfast. Taking people off the street is what we do.” Danielle sat on the sofa with a plate of chocolate cake. She took her first bite and closed her eyes briefly while savoring the taste. “This is darn good cake, if I do say so myself.” Danielle took a second bite.

“You should consider opening a bakery,” Lily teased.

“I’m already baking too much—and eating what I bake!” Danielle grinned and licked off a smudge of chocolate frosting from the corner of her mouth.

“I suppose I will have to take you dancing and work off those calories,” Walt teased.

Danielle flashed him a grin. “I’d love that. Even though it doesn’t work on calories.”

“What are you talking about?” Lily frowned, looking to where she assumed Walt stood.

“Oh nothing, a private joke,” Danielle said with a dreamy smile.

“Geez, please, I feel left out enough around you two.” Lily speared a bite of chocolate cake.

“Sorry Lily, I guess that was rude.” Danielle flashed Walt another smile, which he returned.

“Back to this new guest of yours. Why exactly did you decide to take him in? It’s not that I really care. I mean, I never thought you needed to stop taking guests because of me, anyhow. I’m just curious. Why him?” Lily took another bite of her dessert.

“I suppose I felt sorry for him.” Danielle shrugged. “He’s here to visit the graves of his wife and daughter. Just seemed so sad. And I knew who he was.”

“Yeah, Billy Bob Wayne. I’d never heard of him myself,” Lily said.

“He’s really only famous in the Phoenix area. Or was. He told me he sold his dealership a few months ago, so I imagine there is some new Billy Bob to take his place.”

“Do you know what happened to his wife and daughter?” Lily asked.

“I didn’t want to pry. I imagine he’ll go over to the cemetery tomorrow.”

“Aren’t they having Stoddard’s funeral tomorrow?”

“Yes. Marie called me up this afternoon, quizzed me about the arrest. I guess she heard all about it. While we were on the phone, she mentioned his funeral, told me if I wanted to go, I could go with her and Adam.”

“You aren’t going are you?” Lily asked.

“Heck no! You know how I feel about cemeteries in the first place. And why would I want to go to that man’s funeral? Not with his annoying ghost haunting my yard.” Danielle shuddered at the thought.

She picked up her empty cake plate—now just littered with crumbs—and placed it atop Lily’s. Danielle started to carry them to the kitchen when the doorbell rang. Setting the plates on the desk, she went to answer the front door.

A few minutes later, she returned to the parlor with Chief MacDonald. Instead of his police uniform, he wore street clothes—denims and button down shirt.

“Evening Chief, you didn’t come to arrest my friend again, did you?” Lily asked, only half teasing.

“Not today Lily. But I imagine she’ll get herself into some mischief in the future, and I’ll have to lock her up—for the safety of Frederickport.” He grinned and took a seat.

“The chief says he needs to talk to me about something, and I told him you already know all my secrets, so no reason to leave the room.” Danielle sat back down on the sofa.

In the corner, Walt summons a lit cigar. A moment later, he exhaled and watched as the smoke drifted up to the ceiling.

Catching a whiff of the spicy scent—which wasn’t there when he walked into the room—MacDonald took a deep breath. “Cigar smoke. Does that mean Walt Marlow is in the room?”

“Wow, you catch on quickly,” Lily said with a chuckle. “When Danielle told me you understood, I didn’t quite believe her.”

“I don’t understand exactly,” the chief clarified. “But I do believe she has a gift. My grandmother taught me that.”

“As for the cigar smoke,” Lily went on. “It only means he is smoking. Walt might be in the room, and there’s no hint of cigar because he doesn’t smoke all the time.”

“Fascinating. I’m intrigued that I can smell it. I would expect it would only be something Danielle could smell,” the chief said.

“I believe everyone has some degree of psychic powers,” Danielle explained.

“Should I really wow him?” Walt asked mischievously.

Danielle flashed Walt a rebuking frown. He ignored her less than friendly expression and waved his hand. The cigar vanished. He then walked to the curio shelf on the wall and removed a small figurine.

Chief MacDonald sat speechless, his eyes wide as he watched a small porcelain horse float through the air in his direction.

It took Danielle a moment to realize what had captured the chief’s attention. She frowned and said, “Stop showing off, Walt!” The porcelain horse fell into the chief’s lap.

“Holy crap,” the chief muttered, picking up the figurine and looking at it. Warily, he glanced around the room.

“Ignore Walt,” Danielle said as she stood up and snatched the porcelain horse from his grasp and then placed it back on the shelf.

“Yeah, like that is possible,” the chief said nervously, glancing around.

“You never let me have any fun,” Walt said with an exaggerated pout. “See if I take you dancing.”

“So what did you want to talk about?” Danielle asked, ignoring Walt.

The chief shook his head and then continued. “I had an interesting call this afternoon from someone I know over in the probate court. Apparently, Earthbound Spirits has filed a will with the court—Isabella’s will—which leaves them her entire estate.”

Danielle had been the one who told Chief MacDonald about Isabelle’s most current will, which Isabella had hidden at the Gusarov Estate months before her death. Danielle had acquired that information from Isabella’s spirit—something the chief knew. According to Isabella’s spirit, she had changed her will back, leaving her estate to her uncle and not to Earthbound Spirits. Since MacDonald couldn’t very well call Stoddard and tell him where to find his niece’s will, he had made an anonymous call to Stoddard, pretending to be one of Isabella’s friends.

“It’s a fake,” Danielle said. “We know Stoddard has Isabella’s most current will. Not that I care who inherits her estate, but it’s a fake.”

“That’s what’s interesting,” the chief said as he leaned back in the chair. “According to Darlene Gusarov, the night before Stoddard was murdered, he admitted to forging the will and planting it in his house. Darlene’s not contesting Earthbound Spirit’s claim on Isabella’s estate, which should be going to her now, but won’t.”

“While I’m thrilled to know that woman ends up with less money, she’s lying,” Lily said. “Isabella told Danielle about the new will. Stoddard didn’t forge it.”

The chief nodded. “Exactly. And yet, Darlene is telling the court it’s a fake, handing over half of the company to Earthbound Spirits, and why?”

“It doesn’t make any sense.” Danielle frowned.

“Is it possible Stoddard told her that for some reason?” Lily asked.

“I don’t know why he would,” MacDonald said.

Danielle stood up. “There is one way to find out. I’ll ask him.”

“Don’t tell me… he’s here?” MacDonald asked.

Danielle marched from the room to confront Stoddard’s spirit, leaving Lily to explain about the unwelcome haunting. As Lily chattered away, Walt turned his attention to MacDonald. Narrowing his eyes, he silently studied the man. Since adjusting to life—or death—as a spirit, Walt realized he was no longer adept at judging a person’s age. Everyone seemed so much younger than how he remembered from his life in the 1920s. When first seeing Danielle, he guessed she was in her early twenties—never imagining she was thirty.

The chief was obviously older than Joe and Ian, yet younger than Brian Henderson. Danielle mentioned he had several small boys. How young they actually were, he didn’t know. He supposed a woman might consider the tall, stocky man handsome, yet Walt thought he looked rather ordinary, with graying brown hair and blue-gray eyes. He gave the chief points for having faith in Danielle, and perhaps he might actually like the man if they were to meet in another time or place—yet, he didn’t particularly want to like him.

T
he moment Danielle
stepped from the kitchen to the side yard, Stoddard swooped down from above and shoved his face just inches from hers as he let out an angry howl and waved his arms, reminding her of a wounded bird trying to take flight.

“Would you please stop that for a moment. I have a question for you,” Danielle asked in a bored tone as she did her best to ignore his facial contortions. He didn’t stop immediately. When he couldn’t get her to show fear or anger, he settled down on his feet.

Crossing his arms across his chest, he faced Danielle. “What?”

“Did you, by any chance, tell your wife Isabella’s will—the one you found in your house—was fake? That you forged it?”

In response, Stoddard started shouting again, telling her the will wasn’t fake and asking her what she was trying to pull. “If you’re trying to hurt my wife by…”

“Quiet please, and listen!” Danielle shouted. Miraculously, he did. “I know the will isn’t fake. I know it was not forged. Just who do you think is responsible for you finding it in the first place?”

“What are you talking about?” Stoddard frowned.

“Your niece’s spirit told me about the will. She explained she changed her will months ago—taking Earthbound Spirits out of it and putting you back in. She then told me where to find it. That’s why you received the anonymous phone call.”

“Then why did you ask me that question?”

“Because your wife has told the court you forged Isabella’s will—the one you found—and Earthbound Spirits has filed a second will with the courts leaving them your niece’s estate instead of you.”

“Why would Darlene say something like that?”

“I have no idea. I was hoping you knew.”

Stoddard was silent for a moment and then narrowed his eyes and glared at Danielle. “All this is your fault, if you hadn’t killed me!”

Disgusted with his new outburst, Danielle turned and headed back to the house, leaving Stoddard hurling insults in her direction.

“
H
e says
he never told Darlene that,” Danielle said when she walked back into the parlor. “And I believe him.”

“Why would she tell a lie like that?” Lily asked.

“That’s what I’d like to know. As far as a motive for murder, Darlene is at the top of my list, primarily because she had the most to gain financially. But now this. Why would she tell the courts her husband forged the will and just give away half of the company?” Danielle asked.

“I can only think of one reason. Some sort of payoff.” MacDonald suggested. “Maybe she and Earthbound Spirits were in this together. With Stoddard gone, they divide the company. Although, from everything we’ve uncovered so far, there doesn’t seem to be any connection between Darlene and Earthbound Spirits—no phone calls, no meetings, nothing.”

“But the investigation has only been going on a few days; it’s entirely possible there is a connection you’ve missed,” Danielle suggested.

“Let’s say we do find something—phone calls, meetings—why would Darlene give up such a large share of the estate to get rid of her husband? Isabella’s share was a fortune—why wouldn’t Darlene just wait and find someone she could pay to do the job for far less money?” MacDonald asked.

“I don’t know, maybe hitmen are simply hard to find?” Danielle shrugged.

They were silent for a few moments. Finally, the chief asked, “Are you going to Stoddard’s funeral?”

“I wasn’t planning on it. Why?” Danielle frowned.

“It might give you a chance to get a closer look at all the players. Maybe you’ll pick up something useful,” he said.

“I told you; I just see spirits. I don’t read minds or have ESP or anything like that.”

“I understand. But would you consider going? You’re the only ones I can discuss this with. I need someone I trust who I can bounce ideas off, and if you go tomorrow, maybe you’ll pick up something I missed. Not because you have any special psychic powers. I can’t very well announce Darlene is lying, that she’s giving away half of her estate for some reason, or even suggest that possibility. I have nothing to back it up, aside from the fact Isabella’s ghost told you where to find her will.”

Danielle let out a deep sigh and said, “Okay, I’ll go.”

L
ily and Will sat
in the dining room of Marlow House while Danielle served them a breakfast of homemade blueberry muffins, scrambled eggs, bacon and fresh fruit. She had set three places at the table and intended to join them once all the food was brought out from the kitchen.

“We could have eaten at the kitchen table, like we did last night. I feel bad making you go to all this trouble,” Will said.

“Don’t be silly.” Danielle refilled each of their coffee cups before sitting down at the table. “Eating in the dining room is more civilized. And I can’t have people saying Marlow House is anything but civilized!”

Lily looked down the long dining room table with all the empty seats. “Yeah right. And it’s real cozy too.”

“Oh hush Lily!” Danielle laughed.

“So what are you ladies doing today?” Will asked.

“I’ll be doing the same thing I do every day—lay around the house and wait for the nurse to arrive and hook me up to the IV,” Lily grumbled. Danielle reached over and patted Lily’s hand.

“Does it hurt when she hooks you up?” Will asked.

“Nahh, I’m just being a big ol’ baby.” Lily flashed Will a guilty grin and took a bite of her muffin.

“I’m going to a funeral this morning. Perhaps I’ll see you at the cemetery?” Danielle asked.

“Funeral?” Will frowned. “I’m sorry. Was it a close friend?”

“Close friend? No. Definitely not.” Danielle shook her head and grabbed some bacon.

“Doesn’t sound like you were fond of the departed,” Will observed.

“Stoddard Gusarov, I mentioned him last night. The one who was murdered earlier this week.”

“The one who held Lily?” Will glanced from Danielle to Lily. During dinner on Friday night, they had told Will the story of Lily and the Gusarov family and of Danielle’s brief arrest for Stoddard’s murder.

“Yes. The SOB who is responsible for this lovely tattoo.” Lily looked at her arm and cringed.

“I don’t know if it makes you feel any better, but that’s really a beautiful tattoo. Although, I don’t imagine you can see the beauty, since it was forced on you,” Will said.

Lily looked at her arm again. “You really think so?”

“I do. While the tattoo artist totally lacked character and ethics, he’s not without talent. The colors, the details are brilliant. And it’s not that big.”

Danielle noticed Billy Bob—or Will as he wanted to be called—didn’t sound as countrified in speech as he had been when they first met, although he still dressed the part of the drugstore cowboy.

“I guess. I might as well get used to it.” Lily sighed and went back to eating her breakfast.

“I never thought to ask, but when you lived in Frederickport, did you know Stoddard Gusarov?”

“I knew who he was—the family had money.” Will shrugged. “I didn’t know him well. Yet, from what I did know about him, his actions toward Lily don’t really surprise me.”

“Will I be seeing you at the cemetery this morning?” Danielle asked.

“When is the funeral?” he asked.

“10:30. They’re having a reception at the Gusarov Estate afterwards, which I’ll definitely be missing.”
I don’t care if MacDonald wants me to go to that too, not happening.

“I’ll probably be going over there this afternoon, when it’s quieter.” Will looked up at Danielle. “I am a little surprised you’re going to the man’s funeral, considering what he’s done.”

“I suppose I’m going more to check out the possible suspects,” Danielle confessed.

“Really?” Will raised his brows.

“I did get arrested for the murder. Someone obviously went to a lot of trouble to frame me.”

“You be careful, young lady. If someone is trying to frame you, remember, they’ve already killed one man. These are obviously dangerous people.”

D
anielle called
Marie and told her she would be going to Stoddard’s funeral after all. She didn’t want to show up after turning down Marie’s offer for a ride, without telling her she had changed her mind. Marie immediately reissued an invitation to pick Danielle up for the funeral. In truth, Marie was offering the services of her grandson, Adam, as Marie, at age ninety, no longer drove. Danielle declined the offer, explaining she didn’t plan to attend the wake after the services at the Gusarov Estate. Marie wouldn’t take no for an answer and said Adam would be happy to drop Danielle off at Marlow House after the funeral and before the wake.

“
I
’m
sorry you had to do this,” Danielle told Adam as she climbed into his car later that morning. “But your grandmother wouldn’t take no for an answer.” She shut the car door and buckled her seatbelt.

“Hey, no need to explain. Trust me. I know Grandma.” Adam put his car in drive, heading towards Marie’s house to pick her up.

“Yeah, your grandma can be pretty stubborn.” Danielle leaned back in the car’s seat and looked out the window.

“Speaking of Grandma, she’s been pretty worried about you. What is this about you getting arrested, again? I heard something on the radio, but just got the tail end of it. What in the world going on with you?”

Danielle gave Adam a quick recap of her arrest and subsequence release.

“Sounds like someone is going to a lot of effort to frame you.”

“Why did they have to pick on me?” Danielle grumbled.

“That’s pretty obvious.” Adam glanced over to Danielle, who was now looking at him. He looked back down the road. “I doubt it is anything personal.”

“It feels pretty darn personal!”

“They obviously want someone to take the rap for Stoddard’s murder so the cops will stop investigating. You have a good reason to be pissed at the guy, so you make a good target.”

“Unfortunately for them, they didn’t figure a witness would come forward as my alibi.”

“You didn’t say who that witness was.” He glanced briefly at Danielle again.

“The chief would prefer I not say right now.” Danielle shifted uncomfortably in the seat.

“Let’s just hope whoever killed Stoddard doesn’t come after your witness—or do something to discredit his testimony.”

“I figure the best thing I can do is try and figure out who killed Stoddard.”

“Is that why you’re going to his funeral? I wouldn’t be going if it wasn’t for Grandma.”

“You never liked him much, did you?” Danielle asked.

“Not much. But I didn’t dislike him enough to kill him.”

“Oh, I never even thought...”

Adam laughed. “I didn’t think you did. Just thought I’d put it out there anyhow. Truth is, it wasn’t as much about me disliking Stoddard. It’s that he never cared for me. Figured I was out to marry his niece and then get my hands on his precious company.”

“Your grandmother wanted you to marry Isabella, didn’t she?”

“Grandma would be thrilled if I’d settle down with any halfway respectable woman and start giving her great-grandchildren.” He glanced over at Danielle and chuckled. “After all, why do you think I’m driving you today?”

“Yeah, well that’s not happening,” Danielle snorted.

“I guess I should be insulted.” Adam didn’t sound insulted.

“Maybe I’ll find you a nice young lady you can’t resist and then Marie will stop trying to play matchmaker.”

“Gee thanks, what did I ever do to you?” Adam frowned.

Danielle considered giving him a list—beginning with the time he broke into Marlow House looking for the Missing Thorndike. Instead, she decided to change the subject.

“So, who do you think are the likely candidates for Stoddard’s murder?” she asked. “You’ve lived in Frederickport all your life.”

“I suppose wife number three would be on the top of the suspect list. From what I understand, Darlene will be inheriting Stoddard’s estate. Now, had Isabella not died, and if Stoddard had known Isabella changed her will back, I imagine Isabella would be inheriting the bulk of the estate. Stoddard was big on keeping the family business in the family. Of course, if Darlene had children—then a different story.”

“I understand Darlene is pregnant.”

Adam briefly glanced over at Danielle. “Where did you hear that?”

“I can’t recall,” Danielle lied. She couldn’t very well tell Adam that Stoddard’s ghost told her.

“I find that hard to believe.” Adam said.

“Why do you say that?”

“I saw Darlene last night at The Gray Whale. She was pounding them down pretty heavy. I’m just surprised she’d be drinking like that if she were pregnant. She was smoking too, now that I think about it.”

“Unfortunately, some people keep drinking and smoking through a pregnancy.”

“I guess. Just thought she was smarter than that.” Adam shook his head.

“So, Darlene would be at the top of your list?”

“Yes, but if she’s pregnant like you say, I’d be tempted to take her off the suspect list. Does a woman really knock off the father of her unborn child? And considering the pregnancy, it insures her place in Stoddard’s pocketbook—if not his heart.”

“I know a woman’s risk of being killed by a lover or spouse increases when pregnant, yet have never heard about the reverse situation.” Danielle paused a moment and glanced over at Adam. “Adam, how did you know about Isabella changing her will back to leave everything to Stoddard?’

“Grandma told me.”

“How did your grandmother find out?” Danielle didn’t believe it was common knowledge.

“Grandma knows everyone in town. She may be ninety, but she probably knows more about what goes on in this town than most.”

“I guess she doesn’t know the latest.”

“Latest?” Adam asked.

“From what I understand, Earthbound Spirits produced another will—leaving Isabella’s estate to them.”

“I imagine it is the old will.” Adam shrugged. “Probably will be tossed out.”

“According to Darlene, Stoddard never found Isabella’s new will. According to Darlene, there was no new will—Stoddard confessed to forging it. So now Isabella’s estate is going to Earthbound Spirts, not Stoddard’s heir.”

Adam let out a low whistle. “Not saying that surprises me. When Grandma told me about the new will Stoddard supposedly found, the thought went through my head that Stoddard forged it. But that doesn’t make sense; why didn’t Darlene just play dumb and let the courts sort it out? Could have gone her way. There’s a lot of money at stake.”