The Ghost Who Lied (Haunting Danielle Book 13) Read online

  “Maybe Lily doesn’t know. Although, I suspect Joe and Brian are pulling your leg.”

  “No, they aren’t,” Kelly insisted. “Do you remember when Chuck Christiansen was arrested in Danielle’s backyard?”

  Ian frowned. “Of course.”

  “Did you know the gun mysteriously flew out of his hand and landed on the roof?” Kelly asked.

  Ian rolled his eyes. “There was nothing mysterious about it. There was a scuffle between Christiansen and Bart Haston, and during the commotion, the gun flew out of his hand and landed on the roof.”

  Kelly shook her head. “No. According to Brian, Haston didn’t touch him. And even Joe admits a number of officers witnessed it, and none of them can explain how the gun flew out of Christiansen’s hand.”

  “That’s ridiculous. Nothing mysterious about an overexcited person who moves too quickly, letting go of something he’s holding and it goes flying. Hell, I suspect we’ve all done something like that one time or another. Sounds like Joe and Brian are just messing with you.”

  “No, they aren’t. You weren’t there. And how about when Joe and Danielle were in that home invasion? Joe doesn’t remember getting the gun away from the guy.”

  “You think some ghost helped them out?” He snickered.

  “I’m just saying he doesn’t remember.”

  “That’s because he was knocked out and lost his memory.”

  “Maybe.” Reluctantly, Kelly added, “Actually, that’s what Joe said too. But what about those books flying off the shelf in the Marlow House library?”

  “Books flying off the shelf?” Ian chuckled. “Okay, tell me about it. This sounds good.”

  “One of Danielle’s guests insisted the books started flying off the shelf in the library.”

  “What guest?” Ian asked.

  “I don’t know her name. But she told Joanne, and Joanne told Brian about it.”

  “I sure haven’t heard about it.”

  “That is precisely my point!” Kelly insisted.

  “You’re losing me again, kid.”

  “Ian, don’t you think it’s strange Lily never mentioned it to you before? It doesn’t matter if it actually happened; but according to Joanne, the woman made a big deal about Marlow House being haunted—she even told the other guests. I’d just think Lily would share the story with you, that’s all.”

  “She probably didn’t think it was a big deal,” Ian suggested.

  “And what about that cigar smell?” Kelly asked.

  “Cigar smell? Are you talking about how it sometimes smells like someone’s been smoking over there?”

  Kelly nodded. “Yes. Haven’t you and Lily ever discussed it?”

  “We’ve talked about how old houses get odd smells. So what?”

  “And what about Sadie?”

  Ian glanced down at the golden retriever napping by his sister’s feet. “What about Sadie?”

  “Whenever I’ve seen Sadie at Marlow House, all that dog seems to want to do is go hang out in the attic. Doesn’t Lily think that’s strange? Her boyfriend’s dog going up to the attic alone? Wasn’t that where Walt Marlow was murdered?”

  Ian chuckled. “Lily certainly has never mentioned a haunted attic. What are you suggesting, my dog sees ghosts? Did Joe and Brian tell you this too?”

  “Umm…no. But when Joe was driving me home tonight, and I was thinking about what he and Brian had been telling me, I started remembering how strange Sadie acts over there. And I have heard animals are very sensitive to paranormal activities.”

  Ian started to laugh. “Okay, first you tell me Joe and Brian have witnessed some strange happenings at Marlow House, yet Joe thinks there’s a logical explanation, and it’s not really about ghosts. You just want to know what Lily has said about it. And now, you jump to there are ghosts, and my dog is communicating with them.” Ian laughed harder.

  Kelly stood up and let out a sigh. “I’m just saying, according to Joe, a lot of people have noticed strange—unexplained occurrences at Marlow House—lots of people. Yet you know nothing about it, and your girlfriend has never once mentioned it to you, and she lives there.”

  “Maybe she never mentioned it because there was nothing to the story.”

  Again, Kelly arched her brow and silently shook her head. Stepping to the chair next to the one she had been sitting on, she scooped up her purse and turned back to Ian. “You really are missing the point. It doesn’t matter if there is a logical explanation for the number of things that have gone on over there, but I would have assumed Lily—being Lily—would have at least mentioned it to you. Even just to have a laugh over the cops’ active imagination.”

  “I doubt Lily is even aware of the fact Brian imagined someone hit him.”

  “Not true. According to Brian, Lily was standing right there when it happened. In fact, he landed on the floor.”

  “That’s what Brian says. You’re sounding more and more like you think Marlow House is haunted.”

  Holding her purse, Kelly shrugged. “Frankly, I find the idea that Lily has never once discussed these things with you stranger than the possibility Marlow House may actually be haunted.”

  “And I find it strange that someone like Brian Henderson is discussing the possibility that some ghost knocked him down.”

  Kelly shrugged again and turned toward the door leading to the hallway. “I’m going to go take a shower and then write that blog post.”

  Ian watched his sister leave the living room. A few minutes later, he heard the door to the guest bedroom open and close. He glanced down at Sadie, who had just lifted her head and looked in his direction.

  “What do you think, Sadie? You believe in ghosts?” Ian asked with a chuckle.

  In response, Sadie cocked her head.

  A memory flashed through Ian’s mind. It was something that had happened one year earlier at Marlow House—last July Fourth. It was before all the guests had arrived for the open house. Danielle’s cousin, Cheryl, had fallen to the floor—it looked as if she had been shoved, and she had insisted it was Danielle who had pushed her.

  At the time, Ian was on his way to the kitchen and had only glimpsed the incident from the corner of his eye. He remembered it hadn’t appeared as if Danielle had touched her cousin; however, something had pushed her. He had convinced himself it must have been Danielle.

  Ian stood up from the sofa. Slipping his hand into the pocket holding the engagement ring, he clutched its box as he wandered to the living room window. The blinds had not yet been drawn. He looked out into the darkness and could see some of the lights in the windows, across the street at Marlow House.

  FOUR

  The residents of Marlow House were up early on Saturday morning. It was July Fourth, the day of the bed and breakfast’s annual open house. The house and yard had been decorated for the festivities the previous day, with an abundance of red, white, and blue bunting, American flags, and sparkly stars. Last year the task of decorating fell primarily on Lily and Ian. But this year, neighbors Chris Johnson and Heather Donovan, along with several of the guests, helped with the decorations.

  Danielle and Joanne had spent most of their time focusing on preparing baked goods. This year, Danielle decided on cupcakes. She also made a large batch of homemade potato salad. The rest of the food—hot dogs, watermelon, and potato chips—required less preparation.

  Another change from last year, they were charging admission, which would include a tour of Marlow House. Proceeds were being donated to the local schools. Chris and Heather had volunteered to sell tickets at the back gate, while Lily, Danielle, and Ian would be giving the tours.

  The vintage croquet set Lily had discovered in the attic the previous year was set up on the side lawn—as it had been during the first open house. Folding tables and chairs were strategically set up along the side and backyard of Marlow House, and several large metal tubs waited to be filled with ice, beer, and soda.

  Chris, Heather, Ian, and Kelly had come over after br
eakfast and had helped set up the tables and chairs, but they had since returned home to get dressed for the party. Joanne, the housekeeper, was alone in the kitchen, slicing cold watermelon into wedges, while the guests of Marlow House sat around the dining room table, playing a board game.

  Upstairs, Lily had just finished changing her clothes, while Danielle was in her bedroom with Walt, taking the Missing Thorndike out of the wall safe. When Lily stepped out of her room, she noticed the door to Danielle’s room was ajar.

  A few moments later, Lily stood in the open doorway of Danielle’s bedroom and watched as the Missing Thorndike—an antique necklace bejeweled with diamonds and emeralds—seemingly floated across the room to where Danielle stood. What Lily couldn’t see was Walt, who carried the necklace to Danielle. While Lily couldn’t see him, she knew he was there.

  Danielle looked into the mirror over her dresser and stifled a giggle as she watched the reflection of the necklace floating in midair in her direction. Fortunately, Joanne along with the guests currently staying at Marlow House were all downstairs, so there was no worry one of them might suddenly look into her room. If any of them headed up the stairs, Lily would surely hear them coming.

  While Danielle couldn’t see Walt in the mirror—a ghost did not have a reflection—if she turned toward the approaching necklace, she would see him. Instead of looking his way, she continued to stare into the mirror while she used her right hand to lift her braid out of the way. She waited for Walt to fasten the necklace around her neck. When she had worn the Missing Thorndike last year, her cousin, Cheryl, had broken its clasp. It had since been repaired.

  Lily’s gaze moved down from the necklace. With a sigh she said, “I love that dress.”

  Standing still, Danielle glanced down while Walt fastened the antique piece around her neck. “I wish I could have found a new dress to wear this year, but there just wasn’t time.”

  “That dress is perfect,” Lily insisted. It was the same vintage pale green dress Danielle had worn at last year’s open house.

  “Lily is correct,” Walt said after he stepped back from Danielle to get a better look.

  Danielle released hold of her fishtail braid. It fell back in place, hanging along the midsection of her back. Still facing the mirror, she gently touched the front of the necklace, gingerly running her fingertips over the priceless gems. Turning to Walt, she smiled. “It’s lovely.”

  “So are you,” Walt whispered.

  “You look pretty lovely yourself,” Lily said as she stepped into the room. She glanced down at her own outfit—white pedal pushers and a crisp red, white and blue blouse. Her dragon tattoo peeked out from under one of the blouse’s short sleeves. “Although I feel underdressed.”

  Danielle laughed. “Hardly, considering we’re serving hot dogs, potato salad, and watermelon on paper plates. I have to admit I feel a bit conspicuous dressed like this.”

  “Which is sort of the point,” Lily reminded her. She glanced over to where she imagined Walt was standing. “What is Walt wearing today?”

  Danielle looked over to Walt, a mischievous grin turning the corners of her mouth. “His gray pinstripe suit. And I must say, he looks rather dashing.”

  Walt flashed Danielle a grin.

  “I have a feeling that’s what he would have worn to a Fourth of July picnic back in his day.” Lily smiled. “And I bet the women would be dressing more like you back then too. Well…except for the necklace, of course.”

  “While that’s a lovely dress, tell Lily it’s not a style worn back in the ’20s,” Walt said.

  Danielle glanced down at her dress and then turned to look in the mirror. “This is more a style from the fifties.”

  “I just meant being dressed up in general. People are much more casual today.” Lily glanced to the empty desk chair. “Is Walt sitting there?”

  Danielle looked to the chair. “No, why?”

  In response, Lily sat down on it. In turn, Walt took a seat on the end of the bed while Danielle remained standing, her back now to the dresser mirror.

  “I wonder if our blogger is going to come to the open house?” Lily asked.

  Absently fondling the necklace, Danielle took a seat on the end of the bed, next to Walt. “I was wondering that myself.”

  “According to our mystery blogger, he—or she—insists the Missing Thorndike is cursed,” Lily said.

  “I know.” Danielle released hold of the necklace and folded her hands on her lap. “I guess we’ll just have to prove him wrong.”

  “Or her,” Lily interjected.

  Danielle shrugged. “Whoever. But today is going to be fun and drama free.”

  “And I promise,” Walt added, “this year I will not let you or the necklace out of my sight.”

  “Unless I go outside,” Danielle reminded him.

  “Don’t go outside,” Walt insisted.

  “Maybe you shouldn’t go outside,” Lily suggested. “At least not while you have the necklace on.”

  Danielle chuckled. “You two crack me up.”

  Lily frowned. “Why?”

  “You’ve no idea how often you say practically the same thing that Walt has just said.”

  “It’s just because Lily and I are stating the obvious. It would be best if you stay inside for the party. It’ll just make it easier for me to keep an eye on the necklace,” Walt said.

  “You both seem to forget people wear expensive jewelry all the time—out to dinner, to the theater—and nothing happens.”

  “And sometimes people get hit over the head for a pair of expensive jogging shoes. Anyway, that necklace is supposedly cursed. So why take a chance?” Lily asked.

  “I’ll be careful. But cursed? You really need to stop reading that blog,” Danielle scoffed.

  THE BLOGGER GLANCED at the clock and cursed. There wasn’t much time. A post needed to be made before leaving for the open house. Sitting in front of the computer, the blogger began to type.

  RUMOR HAS it Danielle Boatman will be wearing the cursed Missing Thorndike to Marlow House’s Anniversary July Fourth Open House. Who will die this year? Because someone will. We don’t have long to find out who this year’s victim will be—the party starts in just a couple of hours. Will you be there?

  Last year, Danielle Boatman’s cousin fell victim to the curse. If you’ll recall, she took off with the necklace and was murdered. Before she was murdered, Samuel Hayman swapped the real diamond and emeralds for fakes. The curse caught up with him quickly, landing him in jail. When her killer took the necklace, he ended up dead before the year was out.

  Walt Marlow took the necklace before it went to Danielle Boatman. He died young, at the end of a noose, in the attic of Marlow House.

  The owner of the necklace before Marlow was Eva Thorndike. And like the others, she died young. Even the men who stole the gems from Eva suffered from the curse.

  Danielle Boatman is luckier than the rest, because she is still alive. But she has suffered this last year. Just read some of my previous posts to see what she’s been through since she found the Missing Thorndike at Marlow House.

  And now she dares to bring out the Missing Thorndike, again tempting fate. And again, someone will die. Mark my words.

  Someone will die at Marlow House today.

  FIVE

  Defeated, Joyce Pruitt plopped down on the recliner and whined, “Please, Mother, don’t make me go.”

  “You’re a grown woman, Joyce,” Agatha snapped. “I certainly can’t make you do anything.”

  “You know what I mean. Just go with Martha. She said you can go with her and Dennis. They have plenty of room in their car. Your wheelchair will fit in their trunk.”

  “I want us all to go as a family, and if you stay here, then it won’t be the entire family, will it?”

  “It’s too embarrassing; you have to understand.”

  “What, that my only child is a thief?”

  Joyce groaned. “I gave the coins back, Mother.”

  “
No, you didn’t. Danielle found them where you’d hid them. And why did you hide them anyway? You were hiding them from me, weren’t you? Ungrateful child. After all that I’ve done for you!” To punctuate her point, Agatha slapped the side of her chair with a cane.

  “I explained it to you; I was just surprised to find them in the safe deposit box, and I didn’t know what to do.”

  “What, you couldn’t come talk to your mother about it? What are mothers for?”

  “I don’t want to go over this again. Just go with Martha and enjoy yourself. I’m sure I’m the last person Danielle Boatman wants to see at her party.”

  “Don’t be silly, it’s open to the public. Anyone can go,” Agatha insisted. “Anyway, I already called Danielle and asked her about you.”

  “You what?” Joyce closed her eyes and moaned. “Please tell me you didn’t!”

  “Why would I do that? Because I did call her. And she said you were perfectly welcome to come. She understands about the coins. Not that I understand about the coins. Especially the fact you hid them and didn’t tell me until after you went to the police. And I wonder, if you thought your little part in all this would not have gone public, would you have told me? Or would you still be keeping your shameful little secret?”

  Her eyes still closed, Joyce shook her head. “I’m so embarrassed.”

  “Then you should have thought of that before you took Danielle’s property out of the bank. Or before you hid them from me. You know, had you brought them home, Danielle would never have found them.”

  Joyce opened her eyes and stared at her mother. “Are you saying you aren’t mad at me for taking the coins, just for not telling you about finding them? And if I would have brought them home, would you have wanted me to keep them? Even after Danielle was arrested?”

  “I don’t believe Danielle would have been arrested had she not found them. So you see, no one would be hurt, and we could have kept the coins.”

  Joyce shook her head. “I can’t believe you, Mother. You actually think I should have kept them?”

  “Don’t look at me that way. I’m not the one who walked out of the bank with Danielle Boatman’s gold coins.”