Ghostly Proposal
Author: K E O'Connor
Date: 2018-01-25 05:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Cozy mystery with animals; Cozy romance; cozy murder; Cozy ghost mystery; Cozy paranormal; female sleuth; cozy humor; cozy British mystery; Cozy Mystery
Description: A mysterious car crash. A house full of ghost animals. A medium with a large problem. Lorna has had enough! With her own house haunted by a stubborn ghost, she decides to take a local job working with a medium. Figuring any ghost will be much more interested in the medium than her, Lorna is hoping for a peaceful time, organizing paperwork and trying to sort out her own ghostly problem. Her peace lasts about ten minutes before an angry ghost appears and accuses Lorna's new boss of murder! Without Helen by her side, and things with Zach strained, Lorna feels alone and out of her depth. When a se
Publisher: K.E. O'Connor

If you’ve not read all the books in the Lorna Shadow series, here’s the reading order:

Ghostly Manners

Ghostly Secrets

Ghostly Games

Ghostly Affairs

Ghostly Business

Ghostly Rules

Ghostly Waves

Ghostly Play

Ghostly Proposal

Lorna Shadow Cozy Ghost Mystery, Volume 9

K.E. O'Connor

Published by K.E. O'Connor, 2018.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

GHOSTLY PROPOSAL

First edition. January 27, 2018.

Copyright © 2018 K.E. O'Connor.

Written by K.E. O'Connor.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Table of Contents

Title Page

Title Page

Copyright Page

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 1

The dining room curtains blocked a bright, sunny day. I’d lit candles and placed them around the room. I had no clue if this would make the attempt to contact Amelia any more successful, but it added a touch of coziness to a tense situation.

Zach Booth, his brother Gunner, and Helen sat around the dining room table.

Flipper and Jessie sat next to each other on the floor, exchanging concerned looks. They must sense this behavior was not normal for an average Sunday.

“Maybe if I offer Amelia an endless supply of chocolate, she’ll make an appearance.” Helen’s bright blue gaze swept around the room.

“Do ghosts eat chocolate?” asked Gunner.

“I hope they do,” said Helen. “It’s something I refuse to give up, even when I’m on the other side. There’s no joy in life without something sweet in your mouth.”

“I’d offer her anything if we can get this sorted.” I sat at the table and looked at everyone. “I’ve been reading up on this. We link hands to make a stronger connection. It gives Amelia enough energy to manifest, if that’s her problem.”

Gunner shifted in his seat and scratched a hand across his dark stubble. “What are we connecting to again?”

“The other side,” hissed Helen. “I’ve told you all of this.”

“I maybe wasn’t listening,” said Gunner. “I’m happy for you and Lorna to go chasing around after ghosts, but I prefer the things you can grab hold of.” He tickled a hand up Helen’s wrist.

She yanked her hand away and glared at him. “This is serious. We’re trying to help your brother and my best friend.”

I tipped my head back and stared at the ceiling. I had no idea if this would work. Since returning from my last job, I’d spent almost a month coming up with increasingly inventive ways to contact Zach’s dead wife, Amelia. None had been a success, leaving me frustrated and snappy. That did not make me fun to be around.

Zach’s firm, warm hand covered mine, and he squeezed. “We’ll get this sorted. Let’s give this a try. Something has to work.”

We had to get it to work. If not, I was going to find myself a new, permanent place to live. I’d gritted my teeth through this last month, but my nerves were a mess, and I was fighting increasingly with Zach over Amelia.

“Everybody join hands, just like Lorna told us to do.” Helen held out her upturned hands.

“Fine.” Gunner caught hold of Helen’s hand and then took hold of mine. “But please don’t ask if anyone is there. I don’t think I can handle it.”

“You can always leave,” said Helen. “If you don’t believe, you’ll just get in the way and block Amelia from coming through.”

“I believe anything you tell me, sweetheart.” Gunner flashed her a smile. “But a guy has to have his limits.”

“It’s time you expanded those limits,” said Helen. “Be a supportive boyfriend.”

“I’ll understand if you leave,” I said to him. “I get this is all a bit... weird.” My ability to see ghosts was up there on the odd scale. I was used to it, but it was unsurprisingly a shock when people discovered what I could do.

I looked at Flipper. His calm, pale blue gaze was on me. He seemed relaxed, as he sat next to Jessie, Zach’s adorable, dark-eyed dog. Flipper wouldn’t be calm if there was a ghost around. I inwardly sighed and took several deep breaths. I needed to focus on Amelia. She was haunting this house for a reason. I needed her to tell me that reason, so she could move on and stop being a huge, frustrating, ghost-shaped wedge between Zach and me.

“We’re all ready when you are.” Helen smiled at me encouragingly.

I looked at Zach, and he nodded.

It was time to make contact with a ghost. “Amelia. We’re here to help. Tell us what we need to do and what’s troubling you.” I felt the lightest of breezes on the back of my neck.

“Don’t be so polite,” whispered Helen. “Tell her she’s being a nuisance and needs to leave.”

“We don’t want to make her angry,” I said. “She’ll only mess with our things again if she gets in a mood.”

“She was often in a mood,” muttered Zach.

“How’s everybody feeling?” I asked.

“Hungry,” said Gunner.

“Do be quiet,” muttered Helen. “I’ll fix you a sandwich when this is done.”

“Can I have extra pickles and mustard?”

“You’ll get nothing if you keep interrupting Lorna.”

I rolled my shoulders and tried again. “We know you’re here because of Zach. Is there something you need to tell him? Is there something you need him to do before you can move on?”

Again, I got a faint breeze brushing by me, tracing a cool tendril along my neck and down my right arm.

Gunner’s stomach gurgled. He stifled a chuckle. “I promise you, that wasn’t one of your ghosts trying to talk through me.”

“Behave yourself, or they’ll be no funny business with me tonight,” said Helen sharply. “Be serious.”

“Sorry.” Gunner gave me an apologetic look. “I am trying.”

“You’re that all right,” muttered Helen.

“I think she’s here,” I said. Again, I checked in with Flipper. He was looking alert but not concerned. Whenever he was with Jessie, he was far more chilled. I guess that’s what happened when you were with the love of your life. I looked at Zach, and he smiled at me.

Helen gasped as the candles on the table sputtered. “That must be her. Can you see Amelia?”

I looked around the room. There was no sign of a ghost, not even the faintest haze suggesting there was a ghost trying to materialize. “Not yet.”

“Let’s keep going,” said Helen. “Maybe she’s trying to come through. She can use our energy to strengthen herself.”

“That’s right.” Whenever I was around a ghost for a long period, they seemed to get stronger and solidify. They could even move things and interact with people.

I’d been here with Amelia for over a month. It had had no effect on her abilities. She had to be resisting making contact for a reason. Whatever it was, I wished she’d figure out her problems. She was seriously messing with my love life.

I blew a strand of my dark bob off my face. “Amelia. Give us a sign you can hear us. At least show us you understand we’re trying to help.”

For a moment, nothing happened. Then the table slightly shifted.

“Was that you?” Helen glared at Gunner.

“Baby, I promise you, I didn’t touch the table.” He looked at me. “Did the ghost do that?”

“It wasn’t any of us,” I said. “She can hear us. Amelia knows what we’re doing.”

“So why doesn’t she appear?” asked Helen. “What is she hiding?”

That was a question I’d love to have answered. “Zach, why don’t you talk to her? She is your wife. You know her the best.” How I hated saying those words.

“We’re not friends.” Zach’s mouth twisted to the side. “The last words we said to each other were pretty brutal. I’m not sure I can do anything to convince her to make this easy for us. Amelia had her own way of doing things. She never cared if it fit in with other people, so long as she got what she needed.”

“You could tell her to get lost if she’s going to be like that,” said Helen. “She’s not welcome here. Amelia, can’t you go away and bother someone else?”

“Maybe you shouldn’t,” I said hurriedly. We’d both experienced angry ghosts in the past. It never ended well and tended to involve being covered in ectoplasm.

“I’m not scared of her,” said Helen. “What’s the worst she can do? Hide my underwear like she’s been doing to you?”

“Lorna’s right,” said Zach. “Amelia was quick to take offense when she was alive and held a grudge like nobody’s business. Best not to antagonize her.”

“Definitely don’t,” said Gunner. “I don’t want you moving out, as well.”

My heart lurched. I didn’t want to move out. I wanted Amelia gone and everything to be right between Zach and me. But it wasn’t. I needed a break from ghost hunting in my own home. It was why I’d recently accepted a position ten miles down the road. My bags were packed and sitting in the hallway. Was it a cowardly thing to do, escaping my haunted house? Yes, but I could only take so much stress.

“Lorna is not moving out,” said Zach, “not for long, anyway.” His fingers tightened on my hand.

“That’s right. I’ll see you all every day,” I said. “A little time out is what I need.”

“You’re certain the house you’re going to isn’t haunted?” asked Gunner. “I know your track record.”

“There’s always that possibility,” I said. “But if it is, I think the owner will deal with it.”

“That’s right,” said Helen. “Delilah Merrygold is supposed to be a psychic. She’ll keep on top of any ghosts who pop in for a chat and a cup of tea.”

Gunner snorted and dropped his hold on my hand. “There’s no such thing.”

“She’s actually a medium,” I said. “And there is. She’s popular. She tours all over the UK with her shows. I didn’t know she lived around here, though.”

“Having a successful tour doesn’t make her legit,” said Gunner. “It just makes her an excellent fraud.”

“You’re such a cynic,” said Helen. “You need to be more open-minded. You see what Lorna does and you believe that.”

Gunner shot me a sideways glance. “I sort of have seen you in action. I still haven’t worked out how you do it.”

“Because you’re not open-minded enough to believe what’s right in front of you,” said Helen.

I raised my hands, trying to placate the argument brewing between Helen and Gunner. “Delilah will handle any ghosts that come my way. Her ability sounds incredible. People pay hundreds of pounds to have private sittings with her.”

“Then they’re being conned,” grumbled Gunner.

“I checked her out,” I said. “There are tons of glowing testimonials about her work all over the Internet.”

“Testimonials can be faked.” Gunner shoved his chair back and stood.

“Well, I believe in her,” I said. “I’ll work there, do the job that’s needed, and have a break from anything ghostly. Maybe Amelia will figure out what she needs when I’m not here, and this can all be sorted.” I blew out the candles. Our attempt at reaching Amelia was over.

I fought against the feelings of disheartenment that ran through me as I walked to the window and drew back the curtains. I hadn’t been certain what I would achieve in this session. Maybe bringing everyone together was what Amelia wanted. Zach always said she liked to be the center of attention. This had failed. And I was leaving.

Helen walked over and touched my elbow. “I wish I was coming with you. I don’t suppose you can convince them they need a cook or a seamstress? Or I can just do the laundry.”

“It’s not a big place,” I said. “It’s just Delilah, her husband, and her sister in the house.”

“I hate to think of you going off alone like this,” said Helen. “We haven’t worked apart for years.”

I didn’t like it either. Helen and I were a team, we always did jobs together. But I needed to get away, and this was the first thing I could find locally that suited my skills. “I’ll call you every day. We can meet up for something to eat, as well.”

“We definitely will,” said Helen. “I know what you’re like when I’m not around. You make yourself an instant soup in a mug, dunk bread in it, and call it a meal.”

“It is a meal.”

Helen swatted my arm. “You know it’s not. I wish we could get this wretched Amelia thing sorted. Then you wouldn’t have to go.”

I looked over my shoulder. Zach and Gunner were standing by the door. “It’s for the best. We all need a break from this.”

Helen hugged me. “Make sure you call me when you get there. I need to make sure you arrive safely.”

“I’m ten miles away. There’s not much that can go wrong during a short cab ride.”

“Even so, I need to know everything is fine.” She pulled back from our embrace. “I’ll miss you. This is weird.”

“I’ll miss you too, especially your brownies.”

Helen smiled. “Don’t go anywhere. Don’t think, for one second, you’re leaving without my special brownies.” She hurried out of the dining room.

I walked over to Zach and Gunner.

Gunner nodded at me. “Good luck with your new job. Sorry the whole Amelia thing didn’t pan out this time. I hope me messing around didn’t spoil things.”

“I’m sure it didn’t,” I said. “If Amelia wanted to be here, she would. She’s playing hard to get.”

Gunner kissed my cheek. “Take care with your new psychic boss. Be sure to check she doesn’t have the ability to read your thoughts. That would be weird.”

I shook my head as he walked away, following Helen into the kitchen, no doubt on the hunt for a brownie of his own.

I turned to Zach and wrapped my arms around him. I rested my head against his chest, breathing in the familiar scent of grass and his spicy cologne.

“I wish you weren’t going.” He rested his chin on top of my head.

“I wish your dead wife wasn’t haunting our house.”

He stiffened in my grasp but then relaxed. “So do I. I should have been upfront with you straightaway. I just want to figure out why she’s here and make her go.”

“As do I.” I pulled back and kissed him lightly on the lips. “I’m not far away. I’ll send you a message to let you know I got there okay.”

“Don’t forget your brownies.” Helen dashed out of the kitchen, a tin in one hand.

Gunner, Jessie, and Flipper followed along behind her. Everybody knew how delicious Helen’s brownies were.

I took the tin and gave her another hug. “Thanks. These will see me right for a few days.”

“Don’t just live off my brownies,” said Helen. “I’ll be checking in to make sure you’re eating properly.”

The sound of a car horn outside made me turn. “That’s my cab.”

Gunner wrapped an arm around Helen’s waist. “Let’s leave the lovebirds to it.”

“I’ll take your bags to the car.” Zach lifted my cases, and I followed him out the front door. Flipper and Jessie followed along behind.

The driver got out and placed my bags in the trunk.

“I’ll miss you,” said Zach. “The place won’t be the same without you.”

“I promise you, it won’t be for long,” I said. At least, I hoped it wouldn’t be. Now I was going, I wasn’t sure I’d made the right decision.

Zach seemed to sense my hesitation. “You can always change your mind. Let the agency know the job isn’t for you and you’re staying here.”

“That wouldn’t be fair to anyone,” I said. “Prestige Recruitment Agency has been good to me. I don’t want to let Josie down. She was great in finding me this place.”

“She’d understand,” said Zach. “You can say you’ve got a family emergency. It wouldn’t be a million miles from the truth.”

I reluctantly slid from his grasp. “The cab’s waiting, and the family is expecting me.”

Zach looked at the ground and scuffed his foot in the gravel. “Let me know how you get on.”

“Of course.” I swallowed my sadness as I climbed into the back of the cab.

Flipper gave Jessie one last nuzzle before hopping in next to me.

The driver gave Flipper a sharp-eyed look. “He’s not got muddy feet, has he?”

“Flipper is always clean.” I wrapped an arm around Flipper and cuddled him. At least I had him by my side. He would always look out for me.

The driver pulled away from the house. I turned and waved to Zach and Jessie. Helen and Gunner were also by the door. They both waved goodbye.

I took a deep breath. It was silly to feel sad. I was only moving ten miles away. I could see them every day if I wanted. This was a temporary measure, giving me some distance from a ghostly problem. This would work out.

I sat back in my seat as we made the short journey to my new place of work. The family lived in the town of Freedom Copse. Having checked on the map, it was a small place, made up of a dozen roads, a tiny church, and a local store.

“Are you going for a reading?” asked the cab driver.

“A reading?”

“I often get sent out this way. My money’s on you going to see Mrs. Merrygold.”

“You know her?”

“Sure, who doesn’t? I’m probably at this house at least once a week, dropping off clients.”

“Do you believe in what she does?”

The driver scratched a hand through his graying hair. “I’m not so sure. I guess if she comforts people, it’s not such a bad thing.”

“Have you ever had a reading?”

“No chance. There’s no one I want to talk to on the other side. Besides, it’s a bit creepy, talking to the dead.”

“Well, I hope it’s not too creepy. I will be working for Delilah.”

The driver glanced over his shoulder. “Don’t tell me you can communicate with the dead?”

I suppressed a smile. If only he knew the truth. “No. I will be her assistant. She’s expanding her shows into Europe next year. She needs someone to coordinate the program schedule, keep on top of the paperwork, that sort of thing.”

The driver blew out a breath. “That’s a relief. I didn’t want you telling me there was a ghost sitting in the passenger seat.”

I looked at the seat. There was no one there. “I’m pretty sure you’re okay.”

The driver chuckled. “Glad to hear it. It doesn’t bother you, going into a place like that?”

“I’m sure the house will be nice,” I said. “And I’m hoping Delilah doesn’t bring her work home with her.”

The driver laughed again. “Let’s hope not.”

We pulled up outside a Georgian townhouse. The brick was obscured by sprawling bright-green ivy that crawled up the wall almost to the roof. Outside the front door was a tangle of bushes covered in yellow roses.

“This is your stop. Welcome to the ghost house.”

I suppressed a shudder. It looked cheerful enough. I climbed out of the cab, paid the driver, and waited for him to carry my bags to the front door.

“Good luck in your new job,” said the driver. “Shout if you need rescuing. I’m never far away.” He grinned at me before jumping into the cab and driving off.

I rested my hand on top of Flipper’s head as I studied the outside of the house. It looked fine. Even if a medium lived here, the ghosts would be much more interested in her. If Delilah could talk to the dead, rather than resorting to guesswork and mime like I had to, then they wouldn’t be bothering me.

I looked down at Flipper. “Let’s see what’s inside the ghost house.”

Chapter 2

I knocked on the front door of the house. A woman with the whitest hair I’d ever seen opened it. Her hair trailed down her sides in a floaty wave.

She smiled, and lines crinkled around her eyes. “You must be Lorna.”

“That’s right. Are you Mrs. Merrygold?”

“Please, call me Delilah.” She shook my hand. “None of us are formal here. The spirits don’t like formality.” She winked at me.

That was an interesting introduction. “This is Flipper, my assistance dog.”

“I heard you came with a dog. How delightful!” Delilah stood to one side to let us into the hallway. “He is most welcome here.”

“Do you have any pets?”

“Sadly, no. Given the line of work I do, I find that they don’t enjoy being in this house.” Delilah petted Flipper. “I hope your dog is not easily spooked. He needs a calm nature to work here.”

A movement out of the corner of my eye had me turning my head. There was nothing there. “Flipper is very calm. He likes making friends.”

“Then I’m sure we’ll get along fabulously.” Delilah bent down, her long purple gown pooling on the floor as she did so. She ruffled the fur behind Flipper’s ears. “He looks like a wolf.”

“He’s as soft as butter. He won’t hurt anyone.”

“I’m sure he won’t.” Delilah stood. “I always get a sense about people and animals. He must be a charming companion.”

I grinned at Flipper. “I think he is.”

“Well, let’s start by showing you around. I understand you have a lot of experience in grand places, castles and the like. I hope you will not be disappointed here.”

“The house is beautiful,” I said. The hall we stood in was a cheerful clutter of dark wooden antique furniture, covered in knick-knacks. It had a warm, cozy feel to it.

Delilah drifted along the hallway, her white hair floating behind her. “I’ve been here for over thirty years. I could upscale if I wanted. Rose is always telling me we need a bigger place, but this is home. It’s full of memories. I don’t want to leave those behind.”

“I can understand that.” I followed Delilah along the hallway, Flipper by my side.

She gestured to the left as she passed a door. “That’s the sitting room. You’re welcome to use that.” She pointed to another door. “I give my private readings in there. I’d prefer it if you don’t come in when I’m with a client. Sometimes, the connections can be of a sensitive nature.”

“Of course,” I said. “Just let me know where is out of bounds. I won’t go poking around.”

“Here’s the kitchen, and then there’s the dining room. And, at the end of the corridor, is my absolute favorite place.” Delilah pulled open the door and stepped out into the garden. “I love it out here. Even in the winter, it’s beautiful. I arranged the planting myself and add something new every year.”

Looking around the garden, I could see why she loved it so much. An array of color hit me; from pale pinks to vivid blues, there were all the shades of nature surrounding us. Bees buzzed past, and I could hear birds singing in the trees.

“Do you like my little oasis?” Delilah’s green eyes glittered with pleasure.

“It’s stunning. No wonder you like the place so much.”

The door behind us clicked shut. I turned and looked at it. There was no wind to move it and make it close on its own.

Delilah smiled at me. “I like to sit out here and read when I’ve finished for the day. Please use the garden as much as you like. I take such pleasure in it and want others to do the same.”

“That’s kind of you.” My gaze went to the first floor of the townhouse. It felt as if someone was watching us. “Is anybody else at home?”

“My sister Rose is around somewhere. She’s like a mini-whirlwind when she gets going. You’ll hear her when she’s in Rose-mode. Fred is not about right now. He doesn’t like it when there are lots of clients about. He’s a quiet man. He has a calming way about him. I think you’ll like him.”

“I’m sure I will.” I turned and followed Delilah back into the house. I looked down at Flipper to see if he was picking up any ghostly vibes. His ears were pricked, and he had an intense look on his face.

“Let me show you my client room,” said Delilah. “I call it my parlor. I hope you don’t spook easily. It’s often busy in there.”

“I think I’ll be fine.”

Delilah’s brows rose. “The agency did brief you as to what my work involves?”

“They did,” I said. “Don’t worry. I’ve seen just about everything in my line of work.”

“You might not have seen this.” Delilah pushed open the door. The curtains were drawn over the window, and the scent of sandalwood filled the air. In the middle of the room was a round table covered in a red velvet tablecloth.

I stepped inside and took a deep breath. There was a presence in here. I shouldn’t be surprised, given I was working for a medium. The presence didn’t feel malevolent or angry. Instead, I got the sensation they were curious.

“What do you think?” Delilah sounded nervous. “I hope my... ability will not put you off?”

I shook my head. “It’s fine. Might I ask, do you have any resident spirits in the house?”

Delilah smiled and let out a sigh. “They arrive when a loved one visits me for a consultation. They never stay for long. I make sure they get the help they need so they can move on to a better place. The spirits don’t stay out of choice.”

“Why do you think they stay?”

“Because they have unresolved issues. I hope that makes sense.”

I nodded. That was my experience with ghosts as well. It was as if they couldn’t leave until they’d had their problem sorted. “I had a look at your website to see what sort of work you do. It all sounds impressive.”

Delilah’s smile broadened. “I can tell we will get along fabulously. I was cautious about getting outside help. Rose told me not to do it. She said people don’t understand what we do. But she’s working far too hard. She’s my younger sister, but only by a few years. Having you here is my way of making sure she doesn’t burn out.”

“I understand your sister’s caution. I’m guessing not everyone is accepting of what you do.” I felt something cold rub against my calf and looked down. There was nothing there.

“Everyone in the town is lovely to us now.” Delilah closed the door, and we walked along the corridor to the sitting room. “It hasn’t always been like that. There have even been a few occasions when people have daubed graffiti out the front. Some think I’m a witch.”

“That’s terrible.”

“As you said, not everyone understands the work I do.” Delilah gestured to a floral-patterned couch. “Take a seat. I’ll go get us some tea, and we can have a nice chat about your duties.”

I settled on the couch as Delilah left the room. I looked around carefully. There were no signs of any ghosts lurking in the corners.

Flipper nudged me with his nose.

“How are you doing, boy? Not too unsettled by this place?”

His gaze went to the fireplace, and he looked back at me.

I stared hard at the fireplace. I couldn’t see what was taking his attention.

A flash of movement in the corner of the room caught my eye. It was as if something was playing with me, jumping out of sight just before I saw them. “You don’t have to hide,” I whispered. “I can see you if you want to show yourself.”

The air in the room stilled. I felt a wave of light-headedness and clutched at Flipper for reassurance.

I looked back at the fireplace. There was a haze in front of it. It was a ghost. Slowly, the image of a golden retriever appeared.

Flipper ran to the ghost dog and circled it.

“You’re a lovely fellow,” I whispered. “Have you been following us around the house? Did you nudge me when we were in the hallway?”

The dog’s tongue slid out, and he wagged his tail.

“It’s lovely to meet you,” I said. “I hope we will be friends.”

Flipper stopped circling the dog and ran to the other side of the room, heading to the spot I’d seen movement just a moment ago.

“Don’t tell me there’s another one?” I watched as Flipper paced backwards and forwards.

Another hazy image appeared. Three ghost cats popped into view. They were all Siamese, sitting with their tails tucked around their paws, their eyes narrowing as they stared at Flipper.

“Wow! I’ve never seen so many ghost cats before.” No wonder I felt light-headed with all these ghost animals about.

One cat hissed at Flipper. His ears lowered, and he gave a soft bark.

“Don’t worry about them,” I said to him. “They can’t do you harm. You might like to keep out of their way, though. I don’t think they’re fans of yours.”

I grew increasingly light-headed. I sat back in my seat and fanned my face, closing my eyes and taking a few deep breaths.

When I opened my eyes, there was a menagerie of ghost animals in the room, a dozen cats, three rabbits, and what looked like an African gray parrot. No wonder I felt so strange.

I stared at Flipper with wide eyes. “So much for us not having to worry about ghosts.”

The door opened. Delilah walked in with a tray in her hands. There was a bright red teapot on it, two cups, and a plate of cookies.

She looked around the room, her anxious gaze settling on me. “Is everything okay in here?” Delilah set the tea tray down.

“Everything is fine,” I said. “I am feeling a little dizzy, though.”

Delilah poured the tea and handed me a cup. “Oh dear. It happens sometimes when people come here. You’ll get used to it. There’s nothing to worry about. And, I don’t like to frighten you, but the ghosts seem interested in you.”

“They do?” I discreetly observed all the ghost animals. They looked happy enough. Most of them were floating around, minding their own business. I could get used to them.

“Here, have a couple of cookies.” Delilah thrust the plate at me. “The undead can affect people’s blood pressure, especially if they’re attuned to them. Are you, by any chance, a sensitive?”

I grabbed a cookie and took a large bite. The sweetness definitely helped. “Maybe I am. I’m sure it’ll be okay once I’m used to the place.”

Delilah sat in the seat opposite me and took a sip of her tea. “I want you to be happy here. I don’t want these unusual circumstances to put you off. Your help is desperately needed. There’s so much to do with my European tour coming up. Rose is talking about going to America in a few years. Imagine that, me taking my show that far out.”

“I’m sure it will be brilliant.” I finished my cookie, glad the feelings of light-headedness were passing. Maybe now Delilah was in the room, the ghosts could focus their attention on her.

Delilah lowered her cup. “You seem very... calm about my abilities. It doesn’t bother you?”

I shook my head. “We all have our own talents. So long as what you do makes you happy and helps people, I can’t see any harm in it.” I looked around at the ghost animals again.

“That’s what I always say.” Delilah sat back in her seat and took another drink of tea. “There are so many lonely souls out there. I don’t mind if they’re alive or dead; if they need my help, I will help them.”

“Delilah, have you seen this stupid letter?” The door opened and a woman in a plain-brown suit, her gray hair pinned back in a bun, strode through. She stopped as she saw me. “Oh, you have company. A client? I haven’t scheduled a meeting?” She opened the large folder that had been stuck under her arm and scanned down a page.

“Rose, calm down.” Delilah rolled her eyes and smiled at me. “Have you forgotten, Lorna Shadow is starting today? She will assist you with arranging the upcoming tours.”

Rose peered at me, her nose wrinkling. “It had slipped my mind.” She snapped the folder shut. Her fingers played with the large gold pendant around her neck.

“You’re always saying how busy you are,” said Delilah. “It’s only right you get some assistance.”

Rose frowned. “I do perfectly well on my own. I never asked for an assistant.”

This didn’t sound too promising a start to my new job.

“I insist on it,” said Delilah. “It’s time you slowed down and took a break now and again. It will do you good.”

“That’s impossible,” said Rose.

“Well, if you won’t slow down, at least you don’t need to go any faster.” Delilah smiled indulgently at her sister. “Neither of us are getting any younger.”

“Which is why we need to make the most of the few years we have left,” said Rose. “Growing the tour circuit will mean we both have a comfortable retirement.”

Delilah laughed. “I’m not giving this up anytime soon. My spirits won’t hear of it. You don’t just press a button and they stop talking.”

Rose’s hawk-like gaze settled on me. “What do you think about it?”

“About what?”

“My sister’s ability?”

I resisted the urge to squirm under Rose’s intense stare. “I think it’s interesting. I’d like to learn more about it.”

Rose perched on the edge of a chair. “You believe in it?”

“I’m open-minded.”

“You need to be,” said Rose. “And you also need to be discreet. What my sister does is unique and special. We don’t want any nasty rumors creeping out about what she does.”

“I trust Lorna,” said Delilah. “She won’t do anything like that.”

“Of course not,” I said. “I want to keep my job.”

Rose glared at Delilah. “This will be a trial period. I’m not convinced she’s needed.”

I set down my cup and smoothed my skirt over my knees. I was going to have my work cut out with Rose. “I can assure you, I’m excellent at what I do.”

“Lorna has worked with royalty,” said Delilah. “The agency sent me her previous work records. She really is very good.”

“That remains to be seen,” said Rose. “We’ll start with the simple stuff, nothing you can get wrong.”

“What about the European tour?” asked Delilah. “She can help with that.”

“Not just yet.” A sly smile spread across Rose’s face. “Let’s see how she tackles the archives.”

I repressed a groan. Archives meant dirt and dust and ancient folders covered in cobwebs.

“Yes, that will be the perfect place to put you,” said Rose. “There’s not much you can do wrong in there.”

I tilted my head as I heard tapping on wood. I looked around the room. There was nothing in here that could make that noise. If it was a ghost, Flipper wasn’t picking up on it. He was watching the plate of cookies.

The tapping noise got louder. It was coming from the hallway.

“Can either of you hear that sound?”

“I suppose you think it’s a ghost?” Rose smirked at me.

If I didn’t know better, I’d think Rose was cynical about this business. She shouldn’t be; she must make plenty of money off it. “As I said, I’m open-minded. Maybe it is a ghost.” Looking around the room again, I checked in with all the ghost animals drifting around. None of them seemed concerned about the noise.

“I need to get to work,” said Rose. “Since it is so late in the afternoon, there’s no point in you starting work now. We’ll meet first thing. I’ll show you the archives.”

I smiled sweetly at Rose. “I look forward to it.”

Rose opened the door. A blur of red shot into the room.

I ducked as it shot straight toward me and shielded my head with my hands, expecting to be hit in the face by this fast-moving object.

Delilah laughed. “Don’t worry. It’s only Archibald.”

I raised my head and saw Delilah hold her arm out. A small, scarlet parakeet flapped around the room.

“That’s your ghost.” Rose shook her head. “If you’re going to be this jumpy, this is not the place for you.” She left the room after giving me another cold glare.

Archibald circled the room before settling on Delilah’s outstretched arm. His beady black eyes shot to me. He didn’t look all that happy with what he saw.

“I thought you didn’t have pets?”

“He’s not a pet. He’s family.” Delilah stroked a finger down his tummy. “I’ve had him since he was tiny. He’s very tame if you’d like to stroke him.”

I inched forward in my seat. Archibald squawked and flapped his wings. “Maybe another time. He needs to get used to me.”

“He can be funny around strangers,” said Delilah. “Archibald is protective of me. He’s got the heart of a Golden Eagle inside this tiny tummy. You’ll fall in love with him once you get to know him. Everybody does. You’ll often find him on his perch in the hallway. He likes to sit there and watch the world go by.”

He was a beautiful bird, with brilliant colored feathers and a ring of blue around each eye.

Delilah continued to play with Archibald. “Don’t mind my sister,” she said quietly. “She’s run things around here for a long time. She’s only worried you will take over.”

“I’m just here to assist. Hopefully, she’ll find me useful when she gets to know me.”

“I’m sure she will,” said Delilah. “My sister is the only family I’ve got left, so we rely on each other. Our parents died years ago, so it’s been the two of us for a long time. There’s Fred as well, but he’s not around much. His work keeps him busy.”

Glancing around the room at all the ghost animals, I could see Delilah wasn’t really alone. “Are there any ghosts in the house at the moment?”

Delilah nodded. “There are seventeen in here.”

My eyebrows shot up. She could also see the ghost animals. “They don’t frighten you?”

“There’s nothing to be scared of,” said Delilah. “The forms they return in are friendly. I think they do it deliberately, so it’s not too shocking. No moaning ghosts rattling chains around here.”

Their form? I was puzzled by her response, but at least she’d proven she was legitimate. I’d be interested to learn more about her abilities and how she interacted with the ghosts.

“I’d better let you unpack,” said Delilah. “Rose is better at the business side of things. She can explain everything tomorrow. Your room is at the top of the stairs, second door on the right. You’ve got your own private bathroom next door.”

“Thanks. That sounds perfect.”

“We’ll have dinner together this evening and get to know each other better. And you’ll get to meet Fred. I know he’s interested in meeting you.”

I kept a close eye on Archibald as I left the room; his beady eye hadn’t stopped staring at me. Flipper was close by my side. I grabbed my cases and hurried up the stairs. I found my bedroom, placed my cases down, and gently shut the door behind me.

Flipper investigated the floral-patterned bedroom before finding a spot on the carpet he liked the look of and settled down.

His head lifted almost straight away. Two ghost cats and a dog drifted through the door and into the bedroom.

He watched them intently as they drifted around before settling next to him.

“It looks like you will have company while we’re here,” I said. I hoped they didn’t upset him too much. His previous encounter with a ghost dog on board a yacht had resulted in several episodes of projectile vomiting. I’d keep a close eye on him. If the worst happened, I could always take him back to stay with Zach and Jessie.

Flipper glanced at the ghost animals before settling his head on his paws. He didn’t appear fazed by his new companions.

I unzipped my case and opened the lid. “Are you here for a reason? Or do you just like hanging out in this house?” I asked the ghost animals.

They all looked at me with interest. The dog wagged his tail.

“I don’t mind you being here, but try not to make the room too cold. It doesn’t make for a fun sleeping experience.”

As I put away my clothes and unpacked my toiletries, two more ghost animals joined us, this time, giant lop-eared rabbits.

I settled on the floor next to Flipper and stroked his head. “I hope they don’t all need our help; otherwise, we will be very busy.”

Flipper rested his head on my leg and stared up at me. “Don’t be so glum. At least there aren’t any human ghosts for us to worry about. We can handle a few ghost animals. Let’s just hope I can handle Rose.”

Chapter 3

Helen picked up her phone on the first ring. “I was worried about you. Why haven’t you called before now?”

I grinned as I sat on the edge of the bed. “I’ve been busy getting to know my new boss and unpacking.”

“What’s the place like?”

“It’s... interesting.”

“Do you like it?”

“The house is nice enough. There’s a lovely garden. I think Delilah is the real deal. She can see ghosts.”

“She told you that?”

“She picked out seventeen ghost animals sitting in the room with us.”

“Wait a second, ghost animals? So, no human ghosts?”

“Not that I’ve seen,” I said. “I don’t mind the ghost animals. They just seem to like hanging out in the house. I don’t think they want anything.”

“Maybe they’re drawn by Delilah’s energy,” said Helen. “They might sense she can see them and want company.”

“It could be that,” I said.

“What about the work?”

“I think, to start with, it’s going to be pretty grim. Rose, Delilah’s sister, has plans for me to sort out the archive. She’s not keen on me being here.”

“You’ll win her round,” said Helen. “And if you don’t, you can always come home. You don’t have to stay there.”

“I will give this place a try,” I said. “It could be interesting. Since Delilah knows all about ghosts, perhaps she can give me a few pointers.”

“You’re not going to reveal your own abilities, are you?”

“Definitely not,” I said. “Well, at least not to begin with. I want to see how Delilah handles the ghosts. Maybe she can actually talk to them, unlike me. I’ll take it slowly. I don’t want them to think I’m strange.”

“If it all goes wrong, there’s a place for you here.”

That was the second time Helen had asked me to go home. “You’re keen on getting me back. Is anything wrong?”

“No. Well, I’m not sure. Gunner has been acting shifty.”

“What’s he doing?”

“He keeps disappearing on me,” said Helen.

“Maybe he needs some guy time,” I said. “You know, he needs to watch a football match or drink too much beer and talk about politics like he knows what it’s all about.”

“No, he goes on his own,” said Helen. “I’m worried.”

“He’s crazy about you,” I said. “You’ve got nothing to be worried about.”

“I am quite clingy,” said Helen. “Gunner could be feeling trapped. We went from dating to living together quickly. Maybe he’s regretting it.”

“How could he regret living with you?” I said. “You cook him amazing meals and are always cleaning and tidying.”

“I’m wondering if I should stop doing those things,” said Helen. “He could see me more as a housewife than a hot girlfriend.”

“Can’t you be both those things?”

“I want him to find me attractive,” said Helen.

“How could he not?” I said. “You’re gorgeous.”

“I know that,” said Helen, “but I don’t want Gunner to lose sight of that and think of me as a domestic drudge.”

“It could be his work,” I said. “He’s often out at strange hours.”

“Maybe I’m overreacting,” said Helen. “I was thinking about following him one day to see where he goes.”

“Definitely don’t do that,” I said. “You have to trust him. Have you asked him if there’s anything wrong?”

“A couple of times,” said Helen. “He shrugs it off. He says everything is fine, and he thinks I’m great.”

“You have to take his word for that,” I said.

“You didn’t think there was anything weird going on with him when you were here?”

“No, not a thing.”

“And Zach has mentioned nothing to you about Gunner?”

“Nothing.” I was beginning to worry. What if there was a problem between them? I’d been so wrapped up in my own issues with Amelia and Zach that I’d missed my best friend was having concerns about her own relationship.

Helen let out a sigh. “Maybe I’m being silly.”

I turned my head as I heard a knock on the door. It opened, and Delilah poked her head around the side. “I wanted to let you know dinner is ready.”

I put my hand over the phone mouthpiece. “Thanks. I’ll be right down.”

Delilah nodded and vanished back into the corridor.

“I’m sure everything is fine with Gunner. Try talking to him again. Don’t do anything extreme like following him. He’s a police officer. He’ll spot you straight away.”

“I’ll give it another shot, see if I can get some sense out of him. Maybe if I do an extra special batch of cookies, it might tempt him to talk. He always relaxes when he has a belly full of food.”

“Speaking of which, I’d better go. I’m having dinner with the family tonight.”

“I hope it’s something tasty,” said Helen. “If it’s horrible, tell them to employ me as a cook. I’ll work for minimum wage, so long as we can work together again.”

I laughed. “No, you won’t. Let me know if you’re still worried about Gunner. I can always talk to Zach about it, see if he is hiding anything.”

“Thanks. But he’s my boyfriend. I’d better deal with him.”

We said goodbye, and I hurried down the stairs into the dining room, Flipper by my side. The ghost animals had stayed behind in the bedroom.

Sitting at the dining room table was a thin, pale man, dressed in a pale-gray suit. Standing behind his chair was an angry, dark-haired female ghost.

I dragged my attention away from the ghost. “Hello, I’m guessing I’m in the right place for dinner.”

The man raised his gaze and a small smile spread across his face. “Ah! You must be Miss Shadow.” He pushed his chair back and stood.

“That’s right,” I said as I approached him. “You must be Mr. Merrygold?”

“Please, call me Fred.” He extended a slim hand, which I shook. His skin was cool to the touch. “It’s nice to meet you.” His voice had a warbling quality to it as if he was about to break out into song at any second. “Take a seat. My dear wife will be in with dinner in a moment.”

“Does she do all the cooking?” I sat in the seat Fred gestured to.

“Some of it.” Fred settled in his own seat. “Rose helps. The food is always excellent.”

He was so thin, it looked as if he didn’t eat much at all. “I’ll look forward to it.”

“How are you finding the place?” Fred arched a white eyebrow at me. “Not too strange for you?”

“Not so far,” I said, “but it’s early days.”

“I must admit, when I met my dear wife and she told me of her ability, I was skeptical.”

“What convinced you she could speak to the dead?”

“My great aunt came through to her,” said Fred. “Everything Delilah told me made perfect sense. And she is so popular. People travel miles to have a sitting with her and hear from lost loved ones. She gives comfort in a time of great need.”

The dining room door opened. Rose stalked through, carrying a tray of green beans and potatoes. She set them out in the middle of the table before sitting in a seat. She nodded at me as she flapped her napkin onto her lap.

Delilah walked in a few seconds later. She also carried a tray. There were four plates of salmon on it. “Lorna, I hope you like fish.”

“Yes, that will be lovely.”

Delilah set the plates in front of us before sitting in her own seat.

The dark-haired ghost who’d been hovering behind Fred moved to stand behind Delilah. Her hands were crossed over her chest, and her angry gaze settled on the back of Delilah’s head.

I discreetly studied Delilah to see if she’d noticed the ghost move as everyone helped themselves to vegetables.

“Is your bedroom acceptable?” asked Delilah. “It has a lovely view of the garden. You’ll be able to see it better in the morning.”

“It’s great.” So far, Delilah seemed unaware of the ghost hovering right behind her.

“And everything else is... satisfactory?”

“Everything is just fine.”

Rose tutted. “What my sister means is have you been scared off by the ghosts?”

“Oh! No, they’re not a problem.”

“They leave visitors alone,” said Delilah. “Let me know if you feel any cold spots or feel anything touch you. They can be playful. I’m sure they don’t mean any harm by it. You can hardly mind them being around since most of them are so cute.”

I paused as I cut up a potato. “The ghosts are cute?”

“I think so,” said Delilah. “You being an animal lover, I’m sure you’ll like them.”

I looked down at Flipper. He was staring at the table, an ever-hopeful glint in his eye that some food might fall off and land in his mouth.

“My great aunt came back as an owl,” said Fred.

The potato slid off my fork. “She did?”

“They take all different forms,” said Delilah. “The most common ones are cats and dogs. But I’ve had birds, badgers, even a snake on one occasion.”

“I’m confused,” I said. “The ghosts you see are animals?”

“No. Delilah believes that, when people die, they return in animal form,” said Rose.

I snapped my mouth shut. “I’ve never heard of that before. Is that... normal?”

“Completely normal,” said Delilah. “I don’t know for certain the reason they do it. Perhaps they consider it a less threatening form. I’d much rather be confronted with a dozen cute kitties than a dozen old men.”

“I guess that does make sense.” My gaze went to the ghost hovering behind her. “You never see a ghost in human form?”

“Not once,” said Delilah. “They come to me in their animal form. We communicate with each other, and I pass on any messages to their loved ones.”

The ghost drifting behind Delilah’s chair locked gazes with me. We stared at each other for a few seconds before she moved to my right side. Flipper stood to attention, at last, distracted from the food on the table.

I watched Delilah. She didn’t even glance at the ghost. If she could see her, she wasn’t commenting on it. “Are there any ghosts in here with us?”

Delilah looked around the room. “No, there are none in here. They like the sitting room and my parlor. You’ll always find one or two in there. They seem happy to float about. Some of them engage with clients when they visit, but on the whole, I think they’re simply drawn here because of all the positive energy.”

“It must get crowded.” I was convinced Delilah couldn’t see this ghost.

“I like it,” said Delilah. “It shows me this is a haven for those who need time to adjust to their new life. Besides, they come and go. And the ghosts don’t take up any actual space, so you can have hundreds in here, and I wouldn’t mind.”

I shuddered. I would mind being surrounded by so many ghosts, even if they were ghost cats and dogs. The angry-faced ghost moved closer. I felt an icy-cold prod on my shoulder.

I shot her a glance, letting her know I could see her.

Her eyes widened. She prodded me again.

There was nothing I could do to stop her. If nobody else could see her, I couldn’t start asking who she was.

After giving me another hard poke, the ghost spun away, clearly angry that I was ignoring her.

I focused on my dinner, trying to ignore the fact the room was getting cold.

Delilah set down her knife and fork and looked around the room. “I spoke too soon. It feels like we have a presence with us.”

Maybe I’d been wrong, and she could see this ghost.

“Tell the ghost to go away,” said Rose. “I don’t want my dinner getting cold.”

“Quite right.” Fred poked his barely touched piece of fish before setting down his fork.

The ghost kept spinning around the table. She glared at me every time she made a pass.

“Does it normally get cold when a ghost appears?” I asked.

“Most of the time,” said Delilah. “You’ll get used to it. We all wear layers in this house. You need extra layers when there’s a ghost around.”

The ghost grabbed the end of the table and shook it violently.

I saw Delilah jump. She pushed back her chair and looked under the table. “There’s no one there. I thought perhaps some sneaky ghost had snuck under the table.”

“The ghosts know our office hours,” said Rose, not pausing as she devoured her pile of green beans. “Tell them to come back tomorrow.”

I could see the confusion on Delilah’s face. She really couldn’t see this ghost.

“Yes, I’ll do that.” Delilah stood up straight. “Please stop bothering us. Come back tomorrow. I will be happy to help you then.”

The ghost slowed and hovered in front of Delilah. She waved her hands in front of her face.

“That’s better.” Delilah sat back down. “It must have been a naughty spirit having fun with us, maybe trying to scare the new girl.” She smiled at me.

As hard as she tried to hide her concern, Delilah’s hand shook as she picked up her cutlery. She knew something was wrong. She couldn’t see this ghost, but the ghost could see her and wasn’t happy.

The ghost rattled the table a few more times before shooting me an evil glare and vanishing through the wall. The temperature in the room instantly rose.

“All of this excitement has rather unnerved me.” Delilah gave a shaky laugh. “We should investigate what’s going on, make sure there are no negative energies causing us problems.”

Rose groaned and threw her napkin on the table. “I’m not in the mood for one of your investigations. I’ve got paperwork to finish before bed.”

“It could be interesting,” said Delilah. “We can show Lorna more of what we do. Throw you in at the deep end, so to speak.”

“I’d like that. What would the investigation involve?”

Delilah pressed the palms of her hands together. “Then it’s settled. We can take our dessert in the parlor and have a seance at the same time.”

Chapter 4

My jaw dropped. “A seance! You do those?”

“Of course, she does.” Rose glowered at me. “They’re popular with the clients. Everyone’s seen one on the TV, where things move on their own and messages of doom get spelt out. I never understand why ghosts can’t pass on positive messages when they’re being filmed.”

“You’re talking about a Ouija board session,” said Delilah. “I’m not using one of those tonight, although I have several. A seance is much more sedate. It’s a way of encouraging the ghosts to feed off our energy and manifest. It makes it easier for them to pass on messages.”

Having recently tried a seance in my home, I knew all about them and wasn’t convinced they worked.

“You don’t have to take part,” said Fred quietly. “It’s not for everyone. If you’re not attuned to the energies, they can be rather startling to witness.”

“Do you take part?”

“All the time,” said Fred. “I seem to have an affinity with the dead.”

“So you should, since you’re an undertaker.” Rose glanced at me. “He spends more time with the dead than the living.”

Fred nodded sagely. “That is very true.”

Looking at Fred again, he did fit the look of an undertaker perfectly, a kind of creepy undertaker you’d find in a scary movie, with his cold skin and lack of appetite.

His cool hand patted the back of mine. “Delilah won’t mind if you make your excuses.”

“No. I want to be involved.” I was interested to see if Delilah could manifest the ghost who’d been rattling the table. Maybe that was what the ghost needed, extra energy to get things moving and manifest so everyone could see her.

“You might find it fun.” Delilah stood and smiled at me. “I’ll get set up. Rose, you organize coffee and dessert for everyone. It’ll be an entertaining evening.”

Rose frowned as she slammed her chair back. “I spend all day with your spooks. You’d think we could have an evening off.”

“You can never have an evening off when you work with the dearly departed,” said Delilah. “They expect us to be here to help them.”

“And, as I regularly inform them,” said Rose, “we have office hours. They won’t have lost the ability to read just because they’re dead. Why is it the dead have such bad manners?” She skulked out of the room.

Delilah gave me an apologetic shrug. “Don’t hold it against her. Poor Rose has always played second fiddle to the ghosts. I’ve been able to see them ever since I was a child. Sometimes, I used to like to play with the ghosts more than her. I don’t think she’s ever forgiven me for that.”

“It must be tricky getting the balance right,” I said. “If you see all these ghosts and she doesn’t, she will feel left out.”

“I think you’re right.” Delilah led the way out of the dining room. I followed along with Flipper, Fred walking behind us. “I make it up to her when I can. The ghosts are always around, though. They always need me. I find it impossible to say no to them.”

I knew how that felt.

Delilah opened her parlor door and paused. “This is a most sacred space for me. I bless it every day with ancient prayers and rituals. It ensures it remains a positive, safe sanctuary for me and anyone who enters.” She rested her hand on some carved runes in the doorjamb.

As I entered, I noticed the room had a snug feel to it. It also housed a dozen ghost animals, along with the angry, dark-haired ghost who’d been causing trouble at dinner. This would be interesting.

“Please, take a seat at the table,” said Delilah. “I’ll make the preparations while Rose sorts out dessert. It’s apple strudel and custard tonight.”

“My favorite.” Fred sat at the table and smoothed down his navy shirt.

I watched Delilah as she lit candles and incense. She was muttering under her breath. I strained to hear the words but couldn’t make sense of them.

Fred touched the back of my hand with an icy-cold finger. “She is an expert at this. Delilah studied for years to refine her natural ability. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Actually, I’m quite excited,” I said. “I’d like to see how a seance is done and how the ghosts manifest.”

“Have you ever been to a seance before?”

“I’ve never been to one.” Well, it was the truth. I’d had one in my own home, and that hadn’t involved going anywhere.

“We have a seance at least once a week,” said Fred. “The ghosts enjoy it. It strengthens the energy of the whole house. Tomorrow, you’ll feel this place re-energized. It brings the ghosts to life, as it were.”

“Do the ghosts take your energy? Isn’t that how they get stronger?”

Fred’s white eyebrows rose. “You know a lot about seances.”

I smiled innocently. “I’ve seen a few on the TV, that’s all. I’m no expert.”

Fred nodded. “Well, you’re correct. That is a side effect. I get exhausted after a seance.”

No wonder he felt so tired if he was constantly having ghosts sucking out his energy. It would also explain why he looked so drawn and pale.

Delilah rested her hands on Fred’s shoulders. “You’re such a dear. You’re so good to these ghosts. I know they appreciate what you do.”

“It’s always a pleasure.” Fred gently touched one of Delilah’s hands.

Delilah moved to an empty seat and sat down. “Now, Lorna, this will be straightforward. We’ll join hands, and I’ll say a few words of protection. Then we can see if the ghost who was bothering us at dinner makes an appearance.”

“Will she have a choice?”

“What makes you think it’s a she?” Delilah smiled at me.

“Oh! No reason. Maybe I sensed a female energy.”

She patted my arm. “I knew you were the right woman for this job. I also think she’s female. And, she will have a choice. She doesn’t have to show herself if she doesn’t want to.”

Rose bumped the door open, coming in backward. In her arms was a tray with bowls of steaming apple strudel, covered in custard. There was also a cafetiere and mugs for coffee.

“Place the tray on the side table,” said Delilah. “I have already blessed the space.”

Rose huffed under her breath as she placed the tea tray on the table. She dumped each bowl in front of us along with a mug of black coffee. “We’d better eat this quickly, so your blessed space doesn’t get contaminated by custard.”

“I don’t think the ghosts will mind a little dessert.” Delilah smiled benignly at her sister. “I expect, even in death, we want a little sweetness.”

“Whatever you say.” Rose sat at the table. “You’re the expert.”

A flash of annoyance crossed Delilah’s face before it was replaced with a smile. “Let’s enjoy our dessert while we let the energy flow mature.”

The ghost animals had moved closer to the table as we sat at it. The dark-haired ghost remained a few steps away, her gaze on me.

I tried to ignore her as I ate the delicious apple strudel. “Is this homemade?”

“Of course,” said Rose.

“It’s delicious.”

“It would be,” said Rose. “I made it.”

“I made the custard,” said Delilah.

“It’s all lovely,” I said.

The dark-haired ghost moved closer and gestured for me to hurry.

I scooped up my last mouthful of strudel and made a show of eating it.

The ghost shook her head and folded her arms across her chest again.

“Rose, if you’d be so good as to clear the bowls,” said Delilah. “We’re ready to begin.”

Rose grudgingly stood and grabbed the bowls, dumping them on the tray before sitting back down.

“Everybody, join hands with your neighbors. Keep a light grip on each other. When the circle has been created, don’t break it unless in an emergency. It will disrupt the flow of energy and might harm the ghost we are contacting.”

I glanced at the dark-haired ghost, who shook her head again. It seemed she didn’t agree with Delilah’s comments.

Fred’s cold hand clutched mine. It really did feel like I was holding hands with a ghost. Delilah’s fingers were soft and warm, and I felt the press of metal from some of her rings on my fingers.

“I’m sensing a strong spirit here,” said Delilah. “It’s an elderly woman. Come closer. We are here to assist you.”

I looked around the room. I couldn’t see any ghost other than the woman, and she was only middle-aged.

I noticed Delilah looking at a ghost rabbit hovering near the fireplace. Surely, she couldn’t think that was the elderly woman.

“She’s growing stronger,” said Delilah. “Everybody relax. Let her feed off your energy. If she grows strong enough, you might all be able to see her.”

“It’s never happened before,” muttered Rose.

The air in the room grew cold as the ghost animals and the dark-haired ghost crept even closer to the table. There was a sense of anticipation as if they were waiting for Delilah to notice them.

“Can you see the ghost?” I asked Delilah. “What does she look like?”

“She is here. She has returned in rabbit form.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Rabbit form? This old woman looks like a rabbit to you?”

“That’s right,” said Delilah.

“Ask her what she wants so we can get on with this,” said Rose. “My paperwork will not magically complete itself.”

“You should never hurry a spirit,” said Delilah. “This might be an unsettling experience for her. We need to earn her trust before she tells us what she needs.”

The ghost rabbit looked unfazed as it continued to hover by the fireplace.

“I’m getting the name Roger,” said Delilah.

“That’s a strange name for a woman,” said Rose.

I pressed my lips together. Roger the rabbit? Delilah couldn’t be serious. She was talking to an actual rabbit as if it was a person.

“It’s no good.” Delilah shook her head. “I am sorry. I can’t connect with your thoughts this evening. Please try again. You are most welcome here.”

The rabbit didn’t seem to care either way as it continued its inspection of the fireplace.

“Is there anyone else with us?” I looked pointedly at the ghost standing behind Delilah.

“There’s another woman,” said Delilah. “I’m picking up a sense of unhappiness.”

This sounded more promising. “Is she also in animal form?”

“She is. She looks like a scruffy, beige terrier.”

I suppressed a sigh. I was pretty sure that the terrier Delilah referred to sat a few feet away from Flipper, with a stubborn, grumpy look on his face.

“What does this woman want?” I asked.

“We’re about to find out,” said Delilah. “If the spirits will it, she will make a connection, and we can assist her.”

The dark-haired ghost standing behind Delilah made a rude gesture behind her back. She slammed into the table and rattled it.

“That must be her,” said Rose. “Tell her to be more careful. I don’t want coffee stains on this tablecloth.”

Delilah shot a worried look at the terrier, who hadn’t moved. “Yes, of course. We must all respect each other’s boundaries.”

Delilah must know the terrier hadn’t touched the table, yet she hadn’t seen the ghost do it. She really could only see animal ghosts.

Flipper hopped up from his seated position next to me. He trotted over to where the dark-haired ghost floated and stared straight at her.

“Your dog is sensing something,” said Delilah. “Animals are always sensitive when there are spirits around. Have you ever noticed him behaving in this fashion before?”

“Now and again,” I said. I hoped my face looked innocent.

“He can most likely smell the leftover apple strudel,” said Rose. “Fred’s barely touched his.”

“What I ate was delicious,” said Fred. “Please, let’s focus on Delilah’s work.”

“Thank you, my love.” Delilah’s forehead creased. “I’m getting the message now. The woman wants me to tell her husband he was wrong.”

“About what?” I asked.

“Most likely about everything,” muttered Rose. “Isn’t that always the way with men?”

“He was wrong about... the business? The last part isn’t coming through so clearly. Sometimes, the whisperings of the spirits are so quiet I can barely hear them.”

I looked at the terrier. He glared back at me. He wasn’t passing any message on to Delilah.

Delilah tried again. “Were you worried about his business? Did you have financial concerns about what he was doing?”

The terrier tilted his head to one side.

“It’s not going so well this evening.” Delilah gave me an apologetic smile. “Some evenings they come through so clearly it’s as if they’re shouting in my ear. Not tonight.”

“Maybe the spirits find Miss Shadow’s presence a distraction.” Rose glared at me. “She might not be a good fit here.”

“Have patience.” Delilah dropped her hold on my hand. “This is Lorna’s first day. I’m sure she’s excellent at what she does, and the spirits will respect that.”

“I hope so.” I looked around at the ghost animals in the room. My gaze stopped at the dark-haired ghost. Why hadn’t she made contact with Delilah? Why was she hiding from her?

“Wait!” Delilah grabbed my hand and squeezed hard. “I’m getting a message from another woman. I think it’s an Emily. No, not Emily. Is it Amelia?”

The blood drained from my face. Was she being serious? Was Zach’s dead wife really contacting her? I licked my dry lips. “What is she saying?”

Delilah’s eyes were shut tight as she rocked back in her chair. “She is strong.”

“Do you know someone called Amelia?” Rose looked at me suspiciously.

“I might.” I kept my attention on Delilah. “What is she telling you?”

“Something about a ring.”  Sweat bloomed on Delilah’s forehead.

I leaned closer. “What about the ring?”

A gasp flew out of Delilah. She arched in her seat, dropping her hold on my hand as she did so.

“That’s enough for one night.” Fred stood and patted Delilah’s shoulder. “All of this talking to spirits takes it out of her.”

I wanted to press Delilah more about Amelia and her message. If this wasn’t a lucky guess, then she was on to something, and I needed to know what it was.

“She was a strong one,” murmured Delilah. She dabbed at the sweat on her forehead. “We need to be careful of her. She didn’t feel happy.”

The dark-haired ghost lunged at the table. The candles in the room sputtered out, plunging the room into darkness.

“Everybody stay where they are,” said Rose. “I’ll get the lights on.”

I heard Rose fumbling around in the dark, looking for the light switch.

“It’s nothing to worry about,” said Fred. “This happens all the time.”

“It’s the spirits,” muttered Delilah. “They never leave us alone.”

I yelped in surprise as the parlor door slammed open.

Chapter 5

The overhead light dazzled me as it came on.

“Crystal!” Delilah was on her feet and heading to the door. “You gave us quite a fright. We were deep in communication with the other side.”

A short, curly-haired redhead stood in the doorway. “I’m sorry. I knocked at the front door, but there was no answer. I figured you might be having fun in here.” She looked around the room and smiled at everyone. Her gaze settled on me.

Rose scowled at her. “You should have waited for someone to answer the door.”

“I waited for a while.” Crystal blinked her brilliant green eyes as they adjusted to the light. “It’s chilly out there, though. And Delilah doesn’t mind me coming in whenever I like.”

“Of course not.” Delilah touched her arm. “Come and meet Lorna. She started today. She will assist with expanding the business.”

I stood as Delilah led Crystal over. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Likewise,” said Crystal. “Has Delilah been introducing you to the world of the spirits?”

“She has.”

“Crystal is my protégé,” said Delilah. “I figured it was time I passed on my skills to a younger generation. Not that Crystal doesn’t come with her own enviable ability with the spirits.”

“I’m not half as good as Delilah.” Crystal smiled broadly. “She’s taught me so much since I’ve been coming here for lessons.”

“Crystal will join me on my European tour,” said Delilah. “She might even run a couple of the shows herself.”

“We haven’t agreed on that,” said Rose sharply. “People come to see you, not your understudy.”

“Crystal is much more than an understudy,” said Delilah. “She’s like a daughter to me.” She wrapped an arm around Crystal’s shoulders and hugged her.

“You’re too kind.” Crystal smiled and blushed. “Most people think I’m a bit crazy. But the day I met Delilah at one of her shows, I knew she would help me and understand what I could see. She’s been brilliant.”

I liked Crystal’s enthusiasm. She was young, maybe no more than twenty, and an excited energy bounced off her. I could see why the spirits liked her. “We were just trying to talk to some ghosts.”

“Sadly, we didn’t have much joy tonight,” said Delilah. “Maybe the planets are out of alignment.”

“It’s got nothing to do with the planets,” said Rose. “It’s got everything to do with how tired you are. You push yourself too much. You were showing off for Miss Shadow.”

“I wasn’t!” Delilah frowned at her sister. “Besides, I won’t need to push myself now I have Crystal and Lorna here.”

“We can try the seance again, now I’m here,” said Crystal. “Maybe you just need a little extra boost to your energy.”

“No. Everything has been disturbed now,” said Rose.

Delilah looked around the room and nodded. “Rose is right. We had an agitated presence with us. She didn’t like what we were doing and kept interfering.”

“We have to get rid of that spirit before we do anything else,” said Rose. “It needs to be gone before the clients arrive tomorrow for private readings. You can’t afford to mess those up.”

I glanced over to see the dark-haired ghost frowning and shaking her head. It looked like she was determined to stay put.

I noticed Crystal also glanced at the dark-haired ghost and then looked at Delilah. Maybe she was genuine and could see her?

“Well, another time,” said Crystal. “I need all the practise I can get before we start the live shows. I have to admit I’m terrified at the thought of performing in front of a big audience.”

“You’re a natural,” said Delilah. “The public will love you.”

An angry sounding squawk came from the hallway. Archibald swooped through the door and flew around the room. The ghost animals scattered. It seemed they weren’t all that keen on Archibald.

“Who let him out?” Rose ducked as Archibald flew straight at her head.

“He doesn’t like his cage,” said Delilah.

“He leaves droppings everywhere,” snapped Rose. “I’m always cleaning up after him.”

“They’re only tiny bird poops.” Delilah cooed and encouraged Archibald to land on her arm. “When a bird needs to go, what can you do?”

“Keep him in his cage, where he’s supposed to be.” Rose flapped a hand at Archibald when he got too close to her face.

Archibald did another circle of the room before launching himself at me, his talons outstretched.

I ducked, and he missed me by an inch. Archibald squawked angrily as he made an undignified landing on the carpet. Ruffling his feathers, he strutted over to Flipper and tried to nip his paws.

Flipper jumped out of the way and ran over to me.

“You little scamp,” said Delilah. “Don’t you go causing trouble for Lorna and Flipper.” She scooped the parakeet into her arms and placed him on her shoulder. “Don’t mind Archibald. He gets excited when we hold seances. He feeds on the natural energy and behaves like a child on a sugar high.”

“There’s no harm done.” There hadn’t been, but only because I’d ducked in time. I’d have to keep an eye on our vicious little feathered friend. He clearly didn’t like strangers.

Flipper growled quietly next to me, his gaze on Archibald. I placed a reassuring hand on his head.

Delilah looked around the room. “The room is clear. The excitement must have agitated the ghosts. They have left us.”

I discreetly looked around the room. Delilah was right. All the ghost animals had disappeared when Archibald arrived. But the dark-haired ghost was still there.

“I have work to do,” said Rose. “Miss Shadow, I start work at seven in the morning. I’ll expect you to meet me at that time in my office.” She left the room without giving me a chance to reply.

“I could do with a sit down and a nightcap before bed,” said Delilah. “Who’s joining me?”

“I wouldn’t say no to a spot of something,” said Fred.

“Me neither,” said Crystal. “You can tell me all about the seance.”

“How about you, Lorna?” asked Delilah. “Care for a brandy?”

“I’ll call it a night,” I said. “I need to be up bright and early to start work with Rose.”

“I hope you don’t mind the early starts,” said Delilah. “My sister is always up at the crack of dawn. She needs to be. She has so much going on. I’m hoping you will help with that.”

“I’ll be happy to.” Providing she let me. Rose seemed to be a woman who liked to be in control. Anyone who offered to help could be seen as interfering.

I walked with the others out of the parlor. We said our goodnights at the bottom of the stairs.

I noticed the dark-haired ghost had followed us. I gestured for her to come with me as I climbed the stairs with Flipper.

Once I was in my bedroom, the door firmly shut behind me, I looked straight at the ghost. “So, what was all that about?”

The ghost swung her long dark hair over her shoulder. Now I had a chance to study her, I could see she was an older lady, similar in age to Delilah.

“I can tell you’re angry,” I said. “I get the feeling you’re not keen on Delilah.”

The ghost nodded. She waved her hands around and started speaking.

“Hold on,” I said, as I moved to the bed and sat down. “We need to be creative when we communicate. I can’t hear you.”

The ghost shook her head and scowled at me.

“I don’t make the rules,” I said. “I’ll ask you some questions, and we’ll see how we get along. Maybe I can help you. I’m guessing there’s a reason you’re here?”

The ghost stopped trying to talk and nodded.

“You don’t look like Delilah, so I’m guessing you’re not family. Are you related to Fred?”

She shook her head.

“Were you friends with Delilah when you were alive?”

The woman’s mouth twisted to the side. Eventually, she shook her head.

“Maybe you were friends, but had a falling out just before you died?”

The ghost nodded.

Now we were getting somewhere. “Did you work together?”

Again, she did that twist of her mouth.

My eyes widened. “Don’t tell me you were in the same line of work? Were you also a medium?”

The ghost smirked but then nodded.

“That must be weird. Now you’re dead, I guess your skills are defunct.”

That comment earned me a serious scowl.

“At least now you have all your questions answered about what’s on the other side,” I said.

She folded her arms across her chest and glared at me.

“Okay, so we’re getting off the point. Were you and Delilah business rivals?”

The ghost nodded.

“If you’re as famous as Delilah, it should be easy to find out who you were.” I pulled out my phone and was about to do a search for mediums when it was shoved from my hand.

“What’s the matter?” I retrieved my phone from the floor. “You don’t want me to know who you are?”

The ghost jabbed a finger at the door.

“You’re more interested in Delilah?”

She nodded.

“How did you die?”

The ghost mimed steering something.

“You crashed your car?”

A shake of the head.

“You died in a car, but it wasn’t an accident?”

That earned me a nod.

“If you’re here, do you think Delilah had something to do with your death?”

The ghost flapped her arms around and nodded her head vigorously.

I leaned back on my elbows. This didn’t sound promising. My boss was implicated in a murder. I shivered as the room grew colder. I looked up to see several of the ghost animals had joined us. There were two cats, three dogs, and a rabbit floating around the room.

“Do you see your ghostly pet companions?” I asked.

The ghost looked down at the animals and nodded.

“Delilah can see them,” I said, “but she can’t see you.”

The ghost shook her head and waggled a finger in the air.

“I don’t think Delilah can sense you’re here. She sees the animal ghosts just fine. In fact, she thinks they’re people. They aren’t, are they?”

The ghost rolled her eyes. She ducked down and petted the head of the dog.

“That’s what I’m thinking; they are just animals. Delilah’s got muddled with what she can see.”

The ghost looked skeptical.

“I’m telling you, Delilah can’t see you. She hasn’t been ignoring you. She doesn’t know you’re here.”

The ghost’s nose wrinkled.

“I get why that might make you angry. You’ve been hanging around here trying to get Delilah’s attention, and she wasn’t able to help you.”

The ghost pointed a finger at me and raised her eyebrows.

I nodded as I flopped back on the bed. “Yes. I guess it’s up to me to help you figure out what happened when you died.”

Chapter 6

I was up early the next morning. The bags I saw under my eyes as I stared in the bathroom mirror showed how bad a night’s sleep I’d had.

Every half an hour, one of the ghost animals had disturbed me by jumping on the bed and sticking their cold little nose under the duvet. Or they’d woken me by chasing each other around the bedroom and making the room freezing.

Having several ghost animals on your bed was also the exact opposite of a hot water bottle. I would have to do something about them quickly, or I’d become sleep deprived and miserable.

As I washed my face, I realized it was more than that. I missed home. I was missing Zach. And I didn’t like working without Helen around. It wasn’t the same. It wasn’t fun. I had no one to talk to about my crazy theories and no one to make me brownies and tea.

I grabbed my phone and sent a message to Zach, suggesting lunch. I had promised I’d be in touch every day, and it would be nice to go home and have lunch together.

It would also be good to see how Amelia was getting on and if she’d really tried to make contact through Delilah last night.

My phone buzzed. I smiled as I checked the message. I had a lunch date.

After I was washed and dressed, I hurried down the stairs with Flipper.

When I entered the office, I discovered Rose sitting in front of a computer. She had an empty mug of coffee on the desk and looked deeply engrossed in whatever she was reading on the screen.

She glanced up at me and then looked pointedly at the clock on the mantelpiece. “You’re late.”

I checked the clock. It was two minutes past seven. “It won’t happen again.”

“I trust you slept well.”

“Not too bad. It always takes me a few nights to get used to a new bed.” And all the accompanying ghost animals that had made such a nuisance of themselves.

“Don’t use your tiredness as an excuse to slack off today,” said Rose. “We’ve got lots to get through.”

I tried not to be insulted by the accusation I was a slacker. “Tell me what I need to do, and I’ll do it.”

“I’m starting you in the archive,” said Rose. “There’s not much you can mess up down there.” She pushed her chair back and stood.

I resented the fact Rose thought I would mess things up. No matter how much work this archive needed, I would do the best job I could. I would show Rose she needed me.

“This way.” Rose brushed past me, leaving a trail of lavender scent behind her. We headed along the hallway. She stopped at a small wooden door. “We keep the archives in the cellar.”

I just knew she was going to say that. I pasted a bright smile on my face. “Lead the way.”

Rose smirked at me. She opened the door and turned on the bare overhead bulb. “Be careful on the stairs; they’re wobbly in places.” She stepped gingerly down the staircase.

I waited at the top of the stairs, my hand on Flipper’s head. “What do they tell you about never going into the cellar in a haunted house?”

Flipper tilted his head and looked down the stairs.

“At least I’ve got you to keep an eye out for me. You can growl if any ghosts get feisty while we’re down here.”

“Come on, Miss Shadow. I don’t have all day.”

I ignored my concerns about the cellar and followed Rose down the stairs. I was relieved to see it wasn’t full of creepy dark corners and cobwebs. It was chilly, but the stone had been painted white, and there were rows of filing cabinets and shelving running the length of the room.

“We keep the old records of Delilah’s business down here,” said Rose. “For her upcoming tours, I want to run a series of adverts about her previous success. Vignettes of her achievements when contacting the dead, and the work she’s done helping people have one last conversation with those they cared about.”

“That sounds good.”

“I know it’s good. I want you to organize the soundbites we’ll use for the advertisements. There are newspaper clippings going back thirty years down here. They’re all in date order. I always keep everything in order. I need you to go through them and pull out effective quotes for the materials.”

That didn’t sound too bad. When Rose had threatened me with the archive yesterday, I’d assumed she’d want me grubbing around in lots of old cardboard boxes. “I’ll get started right away.”

“Be careful with everything you touch.” Rose looked at me with narrowed eyes. “Don’t get my filing out of order. I will check your work.”

“I know my way around a filing system,” I said. “I have no intention of messing up yours. That wouldn’t do either of us any good.”

Rose sniffed as she turned and headed back toward the stairs.

“What’s Delilah doing today?”

“Don’t disturb her,” said Rose. “She has a day of private sessions. She can’t be bothered by you. There will be people coming and going all day. They need exclusive, uninterrupted access to Delilah. It’s what they’re paying for.”

“Delilah must be good at what she does if she’s so busy.”

“My sister’s services are in high demand.”

“I imagine they are.” If you wanted to talk to your dearly departed dog or cat. As for trying to contact your deceased family member, I was yet to be convinced.

“Stay out of the way,” said Rose. “Don’t go pestering her with unnecessary questions. If you have any problems, you come find me.”

“I won’t pester her. I’m just interested in what Delilah does.” Actually, I was fascinated. I’d love to see one of her private sessions in action. Last night’s seance had left me confused. Delilah could see ghost animals, so she had an ability of sorts, but was that the extent of her skills?

Rose headed up the stairs. “I’ll check on you later to see how you’re getting on.”

I bit down on my sarcastic reply. Rose had made it clear she didn’t want me here. I would show her I was good at what I did. She had nothing to worry about when it came to her precious archiving system. I’d find the best quotes to promote Delilah.

I shook my head as I settled in the chair by a small desk in the corner. Why were people not suspicious that Delilah was passing on nonsense messages from ghost animals? I guess, when you’re desperate and missing someone, you grab every fragment of hope they’re still there, watching over you and wanting to help in your hour of need.

Flipper nudged me with his nose and cocked his head to one side.

“It’s just you and me today. I hope you don’t get too bored down here.” I petted his head and then stood and hunted the first file of newspaper clippings.

By the time I’d returned to the desk, two ghost cats had appeared and were sitting at the bottom of the stairs.

“Hello, you two. I hope you won’t cause me any trouble today. No messing up the archive, or Rose will have me fired.”

The ghost cats stared at me unblinking.

“That’s good. Just so we understand each other.”

I flipped open the folder of clippings and read through them. The first article outlined Delilah’s successful tour on the south coast, making contact with ten ghosts in one show. It included a brief mention of a woman who said her dead husband had told her to move on and find love, which was good, because she’d just gotten engaged to her husband’s best friend and felt guilty about betraying his memory.

I smiled as I read through several more newspaper clippings. All the offers of help and advice Delilah gave were positive. She passed on good news, blessings, and wishes. I was glad to see she didn’t scare people or unsettle them. Everything she told them seemed happy and vague enough not to cause problems. It was enough to keep them satisfied and make them think their loved one had been in touch.

I’d been focused on the newspaper clippings for several hours and hadn’t realized how cold it had gotten. I rubbed my arms briskly. I’d also been joined by some rabbits and a couple of ghost dogs since I’d been down there, and they didn’t help to keep the place warm.

“I need a sweater if you lot are planning on keeping me company all day.” I hurried up the stairs and opened the door. I paused as I heard voices in the hallway.

“Right this way, Mrs. Leadbetter.” It was Rose, sounding surprisingly soothing and quiet. “Delilah is ready for you in her parlor.”

“I hope she can help me,” wavered the voice of a woman. “I’m sure my Reg wanted to tell me something before he passed. It was something important. I’m sure of it.”

“If he did, now is the chance for him to tell you.”

I heard a door open and close. I waited another moment and then crept into the hallway. I couldn’t resist going to the parlor door and pressing my ear against the keyhole. It was too much of a temptation not to hear Delilah in action.

“Is he here?” asked Mrs. Leadbetter.

“There is a presence in the room,” said Delilah.

“My Reg?”

“Yes! Your Reg has joined us.”

I frowned. I doubted Delilah would have gotten that name unless his wife had just revealed it. I hated to think Delilah was cheating people, manipulating information out of them and making up messages from the other side.

“What has he got to tell me?”

“He says you look lovely today.”

“He always was a charmer.”

“Reg wants you to know that he’s happy for you.”

“He is? What’s he happy about?”

“He doesn’t want you to be sad,” continued Delilah vaguely. “There’s no point in dwelling.”

“I’m not dwelling on anything,” said Mrs. Leadbetter. “I’m sure he wanted to tell me something before he died.”

“Let’s see if we can find out what that was,” said Delilah.

I glanced along the hallway, not keen on getting caught by Rose as I listened at the keyhole. There was no sign of her, and her office door was shut.

A clicking noise drew my gaze farther along the hall. Archibald was on his perch, giving me an evil glare. I’d need to watch out for him, as well. I focused back on the conversation.

“Did he mention the safe?” asked Mrs. Leadbetter.

“Nothing is coming through about a safe.”

“I’m sure that’s what he meant to tell me.” Mrs. Leadbetter sounded frustrated. “There’s paperwork in there I need.”

“You’re looking for the combination to the safe?”

“Yes! Is that what Reg is telling you?”

“He’s saying not to worry.”

“But I am worried. There’s information in there I need.”

“Reg is saying he’s forgetful. Does that make sense?”

“He’d forget his own name sometimes if I didn’t tell him.”

“That’s right,” said Delilah. “He can’t remember the combination code. That must be what he wanted you to know.”

“That can’t be right. He wrote it on his hand in black pen every week, so he wouldn’t forget it. I tried to read it off his hand after he died, but the ink was too smudged. I think there was a six and a three, but I need the other numbers.”

“Reg is saying you’re right about those numbers,” said Delilah. “He says you’re almost there. Keep trying.”

“Can’t he tell me what the others are?”

“My dear, he would if he could,” said Delilah. “He seems confused. Life is very different for him now.”

“It’s the same for me,” said Mrs. Leadbetter. “I need those bleedin’ numbers.”

“Maybe try a two and a one.”

“Is that what he’s telling you? Are those the numbers I need?”

“Reg isn’t certain.”

“That’s no help. And there are three missing numbers.”

“I’m sorry, the connection is going.”

“Tell him to come back,” said Mrs. Leadbetter. “Reg can’t leave me like this. He promised he’d look after me. He can’t take those numbers with him.”

“I really am sorry,” said Delilah. “Might I suggest you find someone who can break the safe open if you need to get into it?”

“Oh, no. That won’t be possible.” Mrs. Leadbetter sounded worried. “The things in there are private.”

I hurried away from the door as I heard a chair scraping back and ducked back into the cellar.

Archibald flapped his wings and squawked in annoyance at my sudden movement.

“Be quiet,” I whispered to him.

The parlor door opened. Mrs. Leadbetter walked out. She clutched her tan purse tightly in front of her, her lips pinched together. She did not look happy with the outcome of this session.

Rose’s office door opened, and she looked out. “I trust you had a good session.”

“All I know for sure is that my Reg wouldn’t leave me like this. He shouldn’t be holding back this information.” Mrs. Leadbetter sniffed loudly.

“Perhaps come back again?” Rose touched Mrs. Leadbetter’s arm. “Another session could be what you need. We offer a ten percent discount for a repeat booking.”

Mrs. Leadbetter brushed Rose’s hand away. “I can’t afford another session.” She strode to the door and slammed it behind her. I watched as Rose went into the parlor and shut the door.

There went an unhappy customer. I wondered if all the sessions ended like that.

I turned toward the main stairs and jumped. In front of me was a harassed looking elderly man. He clutched a cap between his hands, his gaze on the doorway Mrs. Leadbetter had stormed through.

“Are you Reg?” I whispered.

The ghost’s head whipped towards me and his eyes widened. He nodded and floated closer.

“Was that your wife who’s just been to see Delilah?”

He nodded again before pointing over my shoulder and frowning.

“I don’t think Delilah got the message you were trying to send your wife.”

He raised his eyes skyward and shook his head.

“She was doing her best. Delilah’s confused about who she’s actually talking to. She is the real deal.” Well, she was if you wanted to see a few cute ghost animals.

Reg looked at me. A glimmer of hope filled his eyes, and he pointed at the door.

I knew what he wanted. It would be easy enough to help him. “I can pass on the numbers to your wife. If you hurry, I can catch her now. She sounded pretty desperate.”

His face lit up with a smile.

“Hold up your fingers and tell me the numbers.” I looked around and grabbed a notepad and pen off the sideboard. I copied down the numbers Reg showed me. Delilah had been completely off with her guesses. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

I tore off the piece of paper and rushed out of the house. Mrs. Leadbetter was at the end of the lane, climbing into a small, white car.

I ran along the lane and tapped on her window.

She blinked at me before inching down her window. “May I help you?”

I could see from her puffy eyes she’d been crying. “I work with Delilah. I have a message from Reg. He came back and remembered the numbers you need.”

Mrs. Leadbetter’s jaw dropped. “He did? That’s incredible. Delilah was certain he couldn’t remember them. What jogged his memory?”

“I’m just her assistant. I’m not sure how the world of spirits works.” I held out the piece of paper with the numbers on. “Reg said this is what you need to get the safe open.”

Mrs. Leadbetter opened the car door and stepped out. She took the paper and stared at the numbers.

“Is this what you need? Will it help?”

When she looked up at me, there were tears in her eyes. “Thank you. I’ve been so worried. There are all sorts of certificates and financial matters in that safe. And, well, Reg had a little secret.”

My eyebrows rose. “He kept that secret in the safe?”

Mrs. Leadbetter’s gaze shifted to the side. “It’s silly, what with the latest trend with all that fifty shades nonsense. He thought I didn’t know about his little fetish. He only did it on Wednesday evenings when I went to the bingo. One night, I arrived home early and saw what he was doing through a crack in the door.”

This didn’t sound good, but I had to know. “Do you mind me asking what he was doing?”

Mrs. Leadbetter’s cheeks colored. “He had a thing for masks.”

“Face masks?”

“The type you buy in a shop that’s tucked down an alleyway. He had one with zips on. It was the oddest thing. I almost laughed when I saw him in it.”

I kept a smile firmly off my face. “I understand why you might like to keep them hidden.”

“It doesn’t bother me, not really,” said Mrs. Leadbetter, “providing he kept them out of my way. We all have our little quirks, don’t we? The thing is, I don’t want anyone breaking open the safe and discovering them inside. I’d be mortified, and Reg’s reputation would be smudged. I can’t have that.”

I patted her hand. “You don’t have to worry about that now. Reg has given you everything you need.”

Mrs. Leadbetter gave me a hug before climbing back into her car. “Thank Delilah for me. I’m so pleased she figured it out and Reg came good.” She waved as she drove away.

“Reg, you dirty old dog,” I muttered to myself as I walked back to the house. I was glad I’d been able to help. Reg’s secret was safe, and his wife had everything she needed.

The sound of a rumbling diesel engine had me turning on my heel. It was Zach, just in time for our lunch date.

I raised my hand before running back to the house to grab my jacket and purse.

The doors to both the parlor and office were closed. I scribbled a note to let Rose and Delilah know I’d gone out for lunch and would be back soon and left it on the sideboard.

I could do with a break from all this ghost helping business, but I had a feeling this lunch would be all about ghosts, specifically one called Amelia.

Chapter 7

I climbed into the Land Rover, along with Flipper, and kissed Zach’s cheek.

“Good first day?” He turned around the Land Rover, and we headed home.

“So far, an interesting first day,” I said.

“Is your new boss good at her job?” He shot me a sideways glance.

“She has a certain knack for talking to the dead. The trouble is, they’re ghost animals. She thinks people transform into animals when they die, and she communicates with them.”

Zach laughed out loud. “She’s communing with cats and dogs, thinking they’re people?”

“That’s exactly it,” I said. “And she can’t see human ghosts.”

The smile on Zach’s face faded. “There are human ghosts in the house?”

“There’s one permanent resident,” I said. “I just met another. He should be gone by the time I get back. I helped him and his wife out of a sticky situation.”

“Are they causing you any trouble?”

“It’s a bit chilly in my bedroom. Some of the ghost animals enjoy snuggling on the duvet.”

“But other than that?”

“Other than that, they’re not being a problem. You have nothing to worry about.”

Zach smiled at me. “I always worry about you. It’s part of my job as your boyfriend.”

We drove for another few minutes before Zach pulled the Land Rover into the driveway and we hopped out.

Jessie was waiting by the front door. She barked when she saw Flipper.

After the dogs spent a few happy minutes dancing around each other, we all went into the house.

“Are Helen and Gunner about?” I placed my purse on the kitchen table and kicked off my shoes. It was nice to be back.

“No. It’s just the two of us. I thought it might be nice for us to have lunch together.”

I smiled as I sat in a chair at the table. It would be good to have alone time with Zach. “How are things with our own resident ghost?”

Before Zach spoke, the lights overhead flickered, and a cold wind lifted my hair.

“She’s making her presence known,” said Zach. “I think that last attempt we had at speaking to her has made her more active.”

I looked around the kitchen but could see no sign of Amelia. “Something strange happened at work yesterday.”

“You’re working for a medium; strange things are bound to happen.” Zach opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of white wine. “Do you fancy a drink?”

Although I was tempted, I shook my head. “I’ll pass. I’ve got a busy afternoon and need a clear head. My boss’s sister, Rose, is a stickler for order. If she catches me smelling of alcohol, it will be the excuse she needs to get rid of me.”

Zach placed the wine back in the fridge and switched on the kettle. “What happened at the house that was strange?”

“Last night, Delilah held a seance.” I looked around the kitchen again. “I think Amelia was trying to come through.”

Zach paused in his tea making efforts. “What did she say?”

“Something about a ring.”

“She must mean her wedding ring.”

“It can’t be anything else,” I said. “We’ve asked her about that, and she’s never hinted that’s the reason she’s still about.”

“Did Amelia say what she wanted us to do with the ring?” asked Zach.

“We didn’t get that far. Delilah almost fainted from the strain of having an actual human ghost make contact. It was all too vague to be of much value. But I was shocked when Delilah said Amelia’s name. It’s too much of a coincidence.”

“Me too.” Zach brought the teapot to the table along with two cups. “Shall we ask Amelia what she wants done with the ring now?”

“There’s no harm in trying,” I said. “Maybe she finally feels she can trust us and wants to tell us her concerns.”

Zach took a cold pasta salad out of the fridge and brought it over. “Don’t worry. There’s chocolate cake for dessert.”

I smiled at him. He knew me too well.

Zach sat opposite me. “Let’s do it now. We can get it out of the way and then enjoy ourselves. This could all be solved before the end of lunch.”

I admired his positivity. I took a deep breath and forced myself to relax. It had been a while since I’d felt comfortable in my own home.

Zach reached over and took hold of my hand. “She’ll be gone soon. If she really is doing this to be spiteful, she’ll get bored and move on to something else. That was always Amelia’s way. She would persist with something until a shiny new thing arrived. Then she’d lose all interest.”

I nodded. “Amelia, are you here? Is there something you need to tell us about your wedding ring?”

We waited in silence, only the sound of the dogs padding around the kitchen causing any noise.

“You try,” I said to Zach. “She responds better to you.”

He cleared his throat. “If you want me to do something with your wedding ring, you need to tell us what. I can sell it if that’s what you’d like. Do you want the money spent on something?”

The lights overhead flickered on and off.

“You could be on to something,” I said.

“If you want me to sell your ring,” said Zach. “Switch the lights on and off three times.”

Nothing happened.

“Try again,” I said.

“This is ridiculous,” muttered Zach. “It’s not fair she’s messing us around like this.”

I tightened my grip on his hand. “Maybe this is the best Amelia can do. Ghosts have different strengths and abilities. She might have worn herself out by dimming the lights.”

“You’re too kind,” said Zach. “If one of your dead ex-boyfriends was haunting us, I’m not sure I’d be so gracious.”

I wasn’t being kind, I was forcing myself not to say mean and spiteful things about a dead person. I bit my tongue. I was being gracious because I was no longer living here. I’d had to escape before I’d blown my top and ruined everything between Zach and me.

“Amelia, you’re getting one last chance,” said Zach. “Show us a sign that you want me to sell your ring.”

There was nothing.

“She must have gone,” I said.

Zach sighed and sat back in his seat. “We will figure this out. Maybe I should just sell the ring, anyway. It’s silly it sitting in my sock drawer. It’s not doing anyone any good in there. If I take it out of the house and get rid of it that might also get rid of Amelia. Maybe she’s only hanging around because the ring is here.”

“Try it; see what happens.” I wasn’t all that hopeful. Amelia didn’t seem attached to the ring. She might be using it as a reason to hang around and cause problems. From what Zach had told me about Amelia, she wasn’t the nicest of people when alive. That would not change because she’d died.

“Let’s eat.” Zach grabbed plates and cutlery and dished up the pasta salad.

I sampled the salad. It was tasty, with a balsamic dressing and a drizzle of lemon. It wasn’t a patch on what Helen could produce, but I appreciated the effort.

“Do you think this new job will work out?” asked Zach.

“I’m keeping an open mind about it. Rose is prickly, but Delilah and Fred, her husband, both seem okay. Fred is an undertaker. He’s unfazed by being around the dead, whether they’re in a coffin or floating around the dining room.”

“What about the ghost who lives in the house?”

“I’m still figuring that one out. She hates Delilah; that much I know.”

“Is she hanging about because Delilah had something to do with her death?”

“The ghost seems to think she was involved. She is angry and causing disruption in the house. Delilah can sense something is off, but can’t see her.”

“It’s unusual, isn’t it, a medium who can only see ghost animals?”

“It must be. I haven’t got the heart to tell her they aren’t people in animal form. She’s made a career out of this. She does really well.”

“It sounds like she’s exploiting people.”

“I don’t think she is, not intentionally. Delilah wants to help people.”

“I don’t suppose it’s worth her coming here and trying to talk with Amelia?” asked Zach. “If Amelia is coming through to her, maybe she can help with our problem.”

I hadn’t thought of that. “Give me a few more days. I’ll get to know Delilah and see if she’d be open to it. Maybe Amelia will come through again when I’m back there and tell us what her problem is.”

Zach scooped up the empty plates and placed them in the dishwasher. “Let’s hope so. Now, how about some chocolate cake?”

I grinned at him and nodded. “I’ll have an extra-large slice.”

“Before you ask, Helen made this, so you don’t need to worry about my dubious baking skills. She also left you a tin of brownies to take back.”

“Yummy. I haven’t finished the first tin she gave me.”

Zach sat back at the table and passed me the cake. “I’ve also got these.” He handed me several sheets of paper.

“Houses for sale?” I looked at him in surprise. “Why have you got these?”

“If we can’t figure out the problem with Amelia, then we need to move. There’s no harm in looking around and seeing what’s available.”

I placed the house details down. “You love this place.”

“I don’t if you’re not happy here.”

“You’ve spent so long making it perfect for us all,” I said. “And I do love it. Well, I did. I’ll love it again.”

“It’s just a house.” Zach stuck his fork into his cake. “There are plenty of others. We’ll get a good price for this since it’s brand-new. We can try again somewhere else, with no ghosts.”

“You built this house because we couldn’t find one perfect for us,” I said. “What’s to say we’ll have any luck this time if we go house hunting?”

Zach shrugged and ate some cake. “I want you to know there are options out there. We don’t have to stay here. Don’t feel you’re trapped.”

I stood, walked around to the back of his chair and wrapped my arms around him. “I don’t feel trapped. I know you’ll do everything you can to get this sorted. Amelia will not ruin things between us. She’s also not driving us out of this house.”

“I will not lose you because of this.” Zach’s hands covered mine.

“You won’t. I don’t think moving house is the answer. Amelia could follow us anywhere. We could go to all that hassle of moving and find her turning up on the doorstep the very next day.” I gave him a final squeeze before returning to my seat.

“I hadn’t thought of that.” Zach looked at the house details. “I bet she would do that, as well, follow us to be spiteful.”

“It must be more than that,” I said. “Sure, she might hold a grudge. Amelia might resent the fact you’ve found happiness with somebody else, but she must be miserable being here. I think we’re on to something with the ring. We just need to get Amelia to hang around long enough and tell us what it is.”

“Maybe it’s the ring itself,” said Zach. “Could be there’s something special about it?”

I checked the time and realized I would be late back to work if I didn’t hurry. I stuffed a large mouthful of chocolate cake in my mouth and chewed. “You do research on the ring. I’ll see if I have any more luck when I’m back with Delilah. If Amelia comes through again, I’ll be ready for her.”

Zach lowered his fork. “Do you have to go so soon?”

“It’s my first proper day on the job. I can’t be late.”

He nodded. “You’re right. I’ll drive you back as soon as you’re ready to go.”

I stuffed the rest of the chocolate cake in my mouth and stood. “Thanks for lunch,” I mumbled around the cake. “It was lovely.”

“Same time tomorrow?” Zach grinned at me.

“Maybe not. But we can meet at the weekend.” I caught hold of Flipper, and we hurried to the Land Rover.

Jessie also jumped in with us, and Zach drove me back to work.

I waved goodbye as he left, Helen’s tin of chocolate brownies clutched in my hand. I was glad we’d talked about Amelia, but I was still frustrated. I needed a way to communicate with her. I had to get her out of my house. Otherwise, my relationship with Zach would never get back on track.

Maybe I could reach Amelia through Delilah. One way or the other, I would get rid of this unwanted ghost.

Chapter 8

I yawned long and loud. I was back in the cellar, having sorted through a huge heap of newspaper clippings relating to Delilah’s success as a medium.

I’d found some incredible quotes from people she was said to have helped over the years. Rose was bound to be happy when I showed them to her. The work had also kept me occupied and my mind off the Amelia problem.

As I gathered the clippings and put them in a neat pile, I noticed a familiar face staring back at me from one of the clippings.

I pulled it out and held it close to get a better look. An attractive, dark-haired woman stared back at me. It was the ghost!

I scanned through the names under the photograph. “Rhyannon Raven.” As I said her name, the ghost slipped through the wall. I pointed at the picture. “This is you, isn’t it?”

The ghost looked at the photograph and nodded.

“Now I know your name, I can find out more about you.” I sat at the desk and typed her name in the search engine.

Thousands of results came back. “Wow! You’re almost as famous as Delilah.”

I felt a cold, hard prod on my shoulder. Rhyannon shook her head and scowled at me.

“You think you were more famous than Delilah?” I grinned at her.

The ghost nodded.

“Fair enough. Let’s see how you died.” I scrolled through the search results and discovered several articles about a car crash. I clicked open a link and read the details.

“It says here the crash was ruled an accident. There were no witnesses, and no one reported the crash. You ran into a tree at night.”

Rhyannon’s bottom lip jutted out.

“You still think it wasn’t an accident?”

She nodded and looked upward.

“You’re convinced Delilah had something to do with this?”

Rhyannon nodded.

“That will be hard to prove. From these accounts, there’s no evidence that anyone else was involved. What do you think she did?”

Rhyannon shrugged and shook her head.

“How is she involved?” I sighed and sat back in my seat.

“Who are you talking to?”

I jumped and whirled around in my seat. Fred stood at the bottom of the stairs, his gaze shifting around the archive as if he was searching for someone.

“Oh! It’s an occupational hazard.” I felt my cheeks grow warm as I stood up. “I often talk to myself when working alone. I’ve been down here all day. Sometimes, it’s nice to hear a human voice.”

“As opposed to a ghost’s?” His pale blue gaze returned to me.

“That would be something you’d have to speak to your wife about.” I clicked off the webpage showing information about Rhyannon’s car crash.

“Delilah speaks to ghosts as if they are old friends,” said Fred, “just like you were doing.”

I gave what I hoped sounded like a light-hearted laugh. “I know nothing about ghosts.”

“We all know a little something about them.” Fred moved closer. He wore a suit with a long tail and a white shirt underneath.

“Are you off to work?”

“I’ve just come back,” said Fred. “We had two burials today.”

“It must be difficult to be surrounded by sadness all the time.”

“There is sadness,” said Fred. “But I like to ensure people have a dignified ending. Death doesn’t have to be sad. It doesn’t have to be the end, as my dear lady wife has demonstrated to you. With a funeral, it’s a way for the living to say farewell, close the door if you like, and move on.”

“That’s a nice way of looking at it.” I glanced over to where Rhyannon floated. Her gaze was fixed on Fred. “I’ve been looking at old newspaper clippings of Delilah’s work.”

“She is popular in the local press,” said Fred. “She’s a celebrity around here.”

“Does she always work alone?” My hand hovered over the newspaper clippings. Perhaps Fred could give me more information about Rhyannon and her relationship with Delilah.

“She does these days,” said Fred. “When she first started, she had a mentor. They often worked shows together, and she would pick up the tricks of the trade. Delilah doesn’t need that anymore. She’s the best in the business.”

I lifted the clipping showing the picture of Rhyannon. “I’ve seen several mentions of another medium, Rhyannon Raven. Did they work together?”

Two tiny red dots of color appeared on Fred’s cheeks. He scuffed a foot on the ground. “Ah, Miss Raven. She was a superstar in the business.”

“You know her?”

He took the clipping from my hand and stared at the picture. “I knew her well. She was a talented lady. A wonderful person.”

I glanced over at Rhyannon. She was staring at Fred with a look I couldn’t discern on her face. If anything, it looked like fondness.

“Were Delilah and Rhyannon close? Did they do shows together?”

“Now and again,” said Fred. “They were often at the same events, but it didn’t work out, so they decided not to pursue the venture.”

“How do you know Rhyannon?”

“This is a small, tight-knit business,” said Fred. “I got to know Miss Raven over the years when we met at different spiritual events. She gave me several readings for free. She could communicate with the dead and read the cards.”

“Can’t Delilah do that for you?”

He shook his head. “No, she says she’s too close to me to give an accurate reading. She doesn’t want to tell me information and then for it to be incorrect. Delilah worries I might resent her. Although, I’m not sure that’s possible. She’s always accurate with the messages she passes on. You must come to a show and see her in action. It is life changing.”

I’d already done that by listening to Delilah’s session earlier today and hadn’t been impressed. “Is Rhyannon still active on the circuit?”

Fred looked up, surprise in his eyes. “You wouldn’t know, of course. Sadly not. Miss Raven died two months ago. She had a car accident. She lost control and hit a tree. From all accounts, her death was instant. It was a terrible loss to the community. We all grieved for her.”

There was affection in Fred’s voice. I wondered if there was more than a professional relationship between him and Rhyannon.

“She had lovely long, black hair.” Fred looked wistfully at the newspaper clipping. “She would twirl it on the top of her head and let curls drift around her face. It always made me think of a dark angel. She was so talented and kind to people.”

Yes, there was something there. Could Fred have been having an affair with Rhyannon? It would be an excellent reason for Delilah to want her out of the way.

“Do you miss her?”

Fred jumped as if he’d forgotten I was still in the room. “Yes, well, we all miss her. She was a lovely lady.” He passed me back the clipping.

“Where did the accident happen?” I placed the clipping back on the desk.

“Near here, actually,” said Fred. “It was out on the main road. There’s a tricky bend in one section. If you don’t know about it and go too fast, it can catch you unawares. It’s strange, though. Miss Raven traveled that road many times.”

“To visit you?” I asked innocently.

“Not me.” Fred shook his head. “She used to do the same medium touring circuit as Delilah, so she knew these roads. She even visited here a few times. Perhaps something ran out in front of the car and she was forced to swerve. It was a tragedy.”

“It sounds it.” I glanced at Rhyannon. She was still watching Fred with interest. Maybe it was more than interest. If they’d been carrying on behind Delilah’s back, she could still have feelings for Fred.

“I’d better leave you to it.” Fred looked around the cellar, as if searching for whoever it was I’d been talking to when he arrived. “You can go back to chatting with yourself.”

I laughed. “Yes, I probably will. I do like the sound of my own voice.”

He gave me a small smile and nodded before heading back up the stairs.

I waited until I heard the quiet click of the door and then ran to the stairs and checked Fred had gone.

I turned and looked at Rhyannon. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

Rhyannon’s eyes widened, and she tilted her head to the side.

“You and Fred? Were you having an affair behind Delilah’s back? Is that why she killed you?”

Her eyes grew even wider before she shook her head.

“There’s no point in denying it,” I said. “Fred was fond of you. And it’s a great motive. Maybe that’s the reason Delilah rammed you off the road. She found out what you were doing with her husband and wanted revenge.”

Rhyannon waved her hands and continued to shake her head.

“It makes sense.” I hesitated. It would take a special woman to love Fred. He was basically a decent guy but had an air of creepiness about him. He was also surrounded by death. He worked with the dead, he was married to a woman who spoke to the dead, and he lived in a house full of spirit animals. It was just too creepy to be comfortable.

Rhyannon poked me in the arm with a cold finger.

“I’m not letting this theory go,” I said. “I now know who you are. I know how you died, and I think we’ve got a motive for your killer.”

Rhyannon shot me an exasperated look before disappearing.

She could go vanishing on me, but she couldn’t hide from the truth. Now I just needed proof as to what happened the day she died and how involved Delilah was in the car crash.

Chapter 9

Having spent another chilly night in my bedroom, I’d gotten up extra early, so I wouldn’t be late for Rose’s gruelingly early start. I was dressed and downstairs with Flipper before seven and was pleased when I couldn’t find Rose anywhere. Maybe she’d overslept. At least she couldn’t snap at me today for being late. I’m sure she’d find something else to complain about, though.

I heard a gentle tap on the front door. I pulled it open and smiled.

Helen stood in front of me. “Surprise! I thought we’d have breakfast together, and you can tell me all your news.”

“I’m so glad you’re here.” I hugged her and then ushered her through into the kitchen.

“Sorry I missed you at the house yesterday.” Helen placed a picnic basket on the table. “I had to go out with Gunner and buy him some new shirts. He wears the same old thing every day until they get holes in the elbows. It’s just not right.”

I grinned at her. “I bet he loved that.”

“He moaned every minute. That was until I took him to the lingerie department and let him pick out something for me.” Helen winked at me. “I’ve brought freshly made muffins, waffles, and fruit. You’ll have to supply the tea.”

“Tea I can do.” I filled the kettle and switched it on. “Has Gunner been behaving himself? No more sneaking off on his own?”

“I’ve not given him the chance,” said Helen. “He seemed to perk up once we’d bought the new undies. Maybe that was all he needed, a little reminder of what an amazing girlfriend I am.”

I hoped it was that straightforward. Helen deserved a happy, uncomplicated love life.

“So, tell me everything,” said Helen. “I tried to get information out of Zach, but he was hopeless. He did say you have a ghost here, though.”

“Yes. Rhyannon Raven. She’s a medium. She thinks my boss, Delilah, killed her.”

Helen’s eyes widened as she set out the food. “Did she?”

“It’s looking likely,” I said. “Last night, I discovered Delilah’s husband, Fred, might have had an affair with Rhyannon. She denied it, but the way Fred talked about her made me suspicious.”

“It’s the perfect motive for murder,” said Helen. “A woman scorned is a dangerous one. I’m always saying that to Gunner, just so he knows to be careful and treat me properly.”

I felt myself relax for the first time since I’d arrived here. Everything felt right with Helen bustling around the kitchen. She never questioned my crazy theories and was always full of support, not to mention the delicious food she always supplied. I missed working with her. I didn’t want to have to do it again.

I sat at the table and ogled the food Helen had laid out. It was like a banquet. “Are you trying to feed me up?”

She placed a muffin on my plate. “You don’t eat properly when I’m not around. You can’t let all my hard work go to waste. You have to try everything.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” I groaned as I bit into the sweet, warm muffin. It was blueberry heaven.

“I haven’t forgotten Flipper, either.” Helen pulled a plastic box out of the picnic basket.

Flipper’s ears pricked, and his gaze lasered in on the box.

Helen opened the lid. “We had a stew last night. I thought he might appreciate the leftovers.”

“From the way he’s drooling, I’m sure he would.”

Flipper followed Helen to his empty bowl in the corner of the kitchen and got to work on the food.

“Any more suspects other than the wife?” Helen took over making the tea and poured out two cups before settling in her own seat.

“There’s Fred. Maybe the affair he had with Rhyannon went sour and he didn’t want to let her go.”

“Does he strike you as a violent man?”

“Not so much violent, but he is a little creepy.”

“Anyone else?”

“Rose, Delilah’s younger sister. She pretty much hates everybody. It’s her default position.”

“She hated Rhyannon, so got rid of her?” Helen chewed on a muffin as she pondered her own question.

“Rose likes to be in charge of everything,” I said. “Although, I have to confess, her filing system in the archive is decent. I doubt I could do better.”

Helen grinned. “You two should be friends. You can swap filing tips with each other and discuss the best type of paper to use for double-sided printing.”

“You can talk. You’re always going on about the best flour to use for muffins and whether vanilla extract should be outlawed.”

“These things are important.” Helen passed me a waffle. “Why would Rose want Rhyannon dead?”

“Perhaps Rhyannon was messing with Rose’s plans to expand the business, and she decided to stop her.”

Helen rubbed her arms and shivered. “It feels like we’ve got ghostly company in the kitchen.”

“It’s just the ghost animals.”

Helen’s gaze darted around the kitchen. “Are there many?”

“Three rabbits, two cats, and a dog, so far. They usually travel in a group, so more could arrive.”

Helen blew on her hands to warm them up. “No wonder it’s so cold in here. I’ll have to bring you some extra sweaters.”

“I’m getting used to it,” I said. “We also need to add Crystal to the suspect list.”

“Who’s Crystal?”

“Delilah’s protégé. She seems sweet, though. But she would have been around when Rhyannon was still alive. Maybe they didn’t get along.”

“Crystal might have seen Rhyannon as competition. Maybe she decided to get that competition out of the way.”

The kitchen door opened. Rose hurried through, dressed in a pale-gray suit. She stopped when she saw me sitting at the table with Helen.

“You’re late, again.”

“I’ve been up for ages,” I said. “I was looking for you. When I couldn’t find you, I decided to have breakfast before we begin work.”

Rose tutted and adjusted the folders she held in her arms. “You can eat later. There’s lots of work to do.” Her gaze slid to Helen. “I didn’t know we had guests.”

“This is my best friend, Helen Holiday. She stopped by with breakfast.”

“Come and join us.” Helen held up the plate of muffins. “Do you like blueberry muffins? I made them myself.”

Rose’s gaze lingered on the muffins. It looked like Helen had found her weak spot. “I rarely eat cake. And never for breakfast.”

“These are the healthy kind.” Helen winked at me discreetly. “They’re full of fruit. You get at least one serving of your five a day if you eat one.”

Rose’s hand was slowly lifting, as if possessed, inching towards the muffins. Here was a woman who deprived herself of sweet treats.

“Try one,” I said. “Helen makes the best muffins. You won’t taste any better.”

Rose’s hand fell on a muffin, and she grabbed it.

“There’s tea, as well, if you’d like some.” Helen gestured to the teapot.

Rose frowned, but then pulled out a chair and sat down. “Five minutes for breakfast won’t do any harm.”

Helen grabbed another cup and poured Rose some tea. “I was just hearing from Lorna about your excellent work here. She was praising your filing system. It sounds as if you like to keep everything in order.”

“Naturally,” said Rose, her words muffled as she devoured the muffin. “If there’s no order, then all you have is chaos. You can’t work in that.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” Helen smiled at her brightly. “Lorna is also excellent at keeping things in order.”

“I’m sure I can learn a few things from you, though,” I said to Rose.

Rose’s attention was on her muffin. She’d already eaten most of it.

“I’ve made waffles, as well,” said Helen. “Would you like to try some of those?”

“I haven’t eaten a waffle in years,” said Rose. A trace of a smile drifted across her face. “I’d love one.”

So, this was the way to get around Rose, feed her sweet treats. That shouldn’t be too tricky.

“Are there any preserves or maple syrup in the cupboards?” asked Helen.

“They’re in the third cupboard.” Rose gestured at the wall, another muffin already in her hand.

I hurried over and grabbed a selection of preserves before returning to the table.

Helen had placed four waffles onto a plate and handed them to Rose.

Rose’s eyes widened. “I won’t be able to eat all these.”

I pushed the syrup and strawberry preserve in front of her.

“Give it a try,” said Helen.

Ten minutes later, Rose sat back in her seat and patted her stomach. “Those muffins were incredible. And as for the waffles, outstanding.” She licked strawberry preserve from her fingers.

“A good breakfast sets you up for the day,” said Helen.

She nodded at me, but I discreetly gestured at Helen to continue. It looked like Rose was happy to talk to her.

“Lorna was telling me about the work Delilah does,” said Helen. “I had a private session with a medium a couple of years ago. I found it fascinating.”

“You have?” asked Rose. “You don’t look familiar. You can’t have come here.”

“No, not here,” said Helen. “I met a lovely lady called Rhyannon Raven.”

Rose’s face soured. “Her. You don’t want to believe everything she has to tell you.”

“Her reading was vague,” said Helen. “You don’t think she’s any good?”

“She might have been when she first started,” said Rose, “but she got sloppy as she got older. And she hated Delilah. There was such a rivalry between them. Rhyannon used to undercut Delilah’s rates hoping to steal her clients.”

“Would you like the last muffin?” Helen pulled a muffin from the picnic basket.

Rose licked her lips. “I really shouldn’t.”

“It will only go to waste.” Helen waggled the muffin in front of Rose.

“Well, we can’t let good food go to waste.” Rose grabbed the muffin and took a bite.

“You were talking about Rhyannon,” prompted Helen. “Did she ever work with your sister?”

“She was more interested in getting her hands on Delilah’s husband.” Rose scowled as she pulled apart the muffin. “When I first met Rhyannon, she had a natural talent for talking to the dead. She’d often speak to Fred about the other side and his thoughts on death. I would find them huddled in some corner swapping stories and theories. I found it distasteful. She was so gaudy, strutting around in fancy clothes and flashy gold jewelry.”

“Your sister can’t have liked the attention Rhyannon paid her husband,” said Helen.

Rose snorted. “She definitely didn’t. But Rhyannon’s talent faded as her interest in alcohol grew. It dulls the connection to the other side and makes it hard for the ghosts to come through.”

“Rhyannon was a drinker?” I asked. Perhaps she’d been drinking the night she’d crashed her car.

“It’s not uncommon in this business. Legitimate mediums can find speaking to confused, lost souls difficult. Alcohol helps with that.” Rose glanced at me. “You might have noticed my sister enjoys a drink or two. I keep her in check, so nothing gets out of hand. We can’t afford to damage the successful business we’ve built.”

The front door of the house banged open and shut. Rose tutted, and she jumped to her feet. “That will be Crystal.” The disdain in her voice was clear. “I’d better make sure she’s not causing any trouble. She relies too heavily on Delilah. My sister is too soft for her own good. It will be her undoing.”

Rose left the kitchen without another word, the half-eaten muffin in her hand.

“She was fun,” said Helen.

“She liked you.”

“Only because I plied her with treats.”

“Rose hinted Fred and Rhyannon were close,” I said. “It supports the theory of adultery.”

“If my husband and friend were being naughty together behind my back, I’d have killed them both,” said Helen.

“Fred needs to watch himself,” I said. “Delilah might not have finished with getting her revenge.”

Helen grimaced. “Don’t say that. I won’t sleep at night if I know you’re in a house with a murderer.”

“We’ve done it before,” I said. “We’re still alive.”

“More by luck than anything else,” said Helen. “Besides, you had me there then. I could watch your back and make sure there were no creepy killers stalking you.”

It was true; without Helen by my side, I felt less confident about what I was doing. Still, there was no point in worrying her. I’d made the decision to move out and take this job; I had to live with it.

“Come on. Let’s finish this food,” said Helen. “Then you’d better get to work with old frosty knickers before she complains about you slacking off.”

Chapter 10

I waved goodbye to Helen as she drove away from the house before shutting the door.

Rose poked her head out of her office. “Bring me the newspaper clippings you sorted yesterday. I want to check your progress.”

I nodded and hurried down to the cellar, grabbed the file, and then returned to her office.

She didn’t offer me a seat as I stood and watched her flicking through the clippings. The smile-inducing effect of the muffins and waffles had already worn off.

“These will do.”

“I’m glad you like them.”

“There were most likely more suitable ones, but these will suffice. I want to launch the pre-show publicity in two weeks’ time and have to allow for the printers to get their act together. They always miss their deadlines. I’m meeting with them today to make sure they don’t make any mistakes.”

That would be a joyful meeting. “I can help to source promotional materials if you need it.”

“No, you can work up here today. Use the office while I’m not here.” She looked at me sharply. “Make sure you don’t make a mess. I need to know where everything is.”

“You won’t even know I’ve been here.”

“I’m sure I will.” Rose stood and grabbed her brown purse from the floor. “I’m assuming you know how to use image manipulation software?”

“Of course.”

“Get to work on adding these quotes from the newspaper clippings to the banner mock ups. You’ll find the file easily. One quote per banner will do. You don’t want to overdo things and make it look tacky.”

“I’ll get to work on that right away.” I waited until Rose had vacated her seat and pulled on her coat before risking sitting in her chair. Her desk was immaculate. Everything looked like it had been lined up using a ruler.

“I’ll be back this afternoon,” said Rose. “You can show me what you’ve done then.”

She left without saying goodbye. I heard the front door slam behind her. The atmosphere changed as soon as Rose had left the house. The tension evaporated, and several ghost animals blinked into view and floated around the room. It looked like they were scared of her, as well.

A large, brown rabbit floated over the desk and knocked over a tin of pencils.

“Don’t misbehave.” I grabbed the pencils and placed them back in the pot, trying to put the pot in exactly the same spot as it had fallen from. If I didn’t, Rose would notice.

A ghost cat ran up the curtain and shimmied along the rail before going down the other side.

“I know Rose isn’t here, but she’ll know what you’ve been doing. Pack it in.” I watched as the cat repeated its frantic circuit around the curtains. I know I shouldn’t let it, but it was fun to watch.

A black cat with a white bib appeared on the carpet. It turned in a circle several times, its nose wrinkled. The cat suddenly hunched over. It threw up a small pile of ectoplasm before blinking out of sight.

I groaned as I pushed back my seat. I scooped up the ectoplasm with a piece of card and flipped it into the bin. Fortunately, the carpet was a deep maroon color and patterned with navy flecks, so once I’d scraped my foot over the ectoplasmic residue, you could barely notice it.

“No more being sick or being naughty.” I looked around the room at the half a dozen ghost animals who had appeared. “I’ll lose my job if you keep misbehaving.”

A quiet knock came on the office door. It opened, and Crystal looked in. “Hello. I heard voices. Just wanted to make sure everything was okay in here.”

I looked at the ghost animals. “Everything is fine.”

Crystal walked in and shut the door behind her. “Has Rose finally gone?”

“She left a few minutes ago.”

“She scares me. She’s always snapping at me and telling me off. I avoid her when I can.” Crystal grinned at me as she petted Flipper. “Delilah is lovely, but her sister got all the mean genes.”

“She is a bit spiky,” I said. “I think she just likes everything done a certain way and worries we’ll mess up her careful order.”

“Rose doesn’t like the way I do things.” Crystal sat in a seat by the desk. “She thinks I’m too loud and disturb the spirits.”

“It’s more likely she’s the one who doesn’t like any noise.” I sat back in the desk chair. “I don’t think you’re noisy.”

“Rose doesn’t understand the way of the medium.” Crystal tilted her head to the side. “How about you? When we met last night, you seemed surprisingly open-minded about all of this.” She waved a hand in the air.

“I like to think I am,” I said. “We don’t know everything there is to know about the universe.”

Crystal looked around the room. Her gaze stopped at each ghost animal. “Do you see them?”

I resisted the urge to look at the animals. “Who?”

“The ghost animals in the room with you,” said Crystal. “They seem to like you. Some people are sensitive to their presence. I just wondered if you were.”

I kept my gaze fixed on Crystal. “It’s not something I know much about.”

“It can get cold when they’re around,” said Crystal. “It’s an easy way to know they’re here.”

“I thought the room was on the chilly side,” I said.

“Delilah has the heating going all year round to take off the chill,” said Crystal. “The ghosts draw on the energy in the atmosphere. It affects the temperature.”

“What are you seeing?” I was interested in how attuned Crystal was to the ghost animals.

Crystal pointed to the first dog. “You’ve got a golden retriever; he seems like a friendly guy. It looks like he wants to make friends with your dog.”

Flipper was staring at the ghost dog. He didn’t look keen on making friends. His tail was down and his shoulders hunched.

“There’s also a cat racing up the curtains. If you look closely, you can see the curtain shake. There are two more cats on the rug. One is black with a white chin, and the other one is a tabby color. And then two giant rabbits are hovering over the desk.”

I nodded. Crystal really was good at seeing ghosts.

Flipper’s head shot around. He jumped up and walked over to me.

“Oh, and then there’s the dark-haired ghost who’s been hanging around.” Crystal pointed over my shoulder. “Don’t be nervous, but she’s right behind you.”

I’d been so focused on Crystal, I hadn’t even sensed Rhyannon’s arrival. “You mean an actual human ghost?”

Crystal leaned forward. “That’s right. She used to be a medium. She died recently in a car crash.”

“You know this ghost?”

Crystal nodded. “It’s strange. Delilah can’t see her. She’s normally so good at seeing ghosts. Well, she’s great at seeing ghost animals. She gets me confused sometimes. I think she’s talking to the ghost animals when she needs to communicate with the human ghosts.”

“You see both kinds of ghosts?”

“I can.” Crystal twirled a strand of hair around her fingers. “I don’t know, maybe Delilah simply enjoys spending time with the ghost animals. The human ones can be disruptive.”

“Who is the ghost behind me?”

“Her name’s Rhyannon Raven.” Crystal clasped her hands together. “Don’t tell anyone, but I would have loved her as my mentor. She was incredible. You should look up her website. It’s still active. There are hundreds of people’s recommendations on there, all swearing that everything she told them was the truth. I saw several of her shows when she was alive. She was the real deal.”

“You don’t think Delilah is?”

Crystal looked down at her hands. “She has an ability, and I’m grateful she’s taken me under her wing. You get nowhere in this business if someone doesn’t open the door for you. I’m just not sure we do the same mediumship. The ghost animals are cute enough, but I want to help actual ghosts. I want to help people trapped here and who can’t move on. Delilah doesn’t seem so interested in that.”

I longed to share my own abilities with Crystal. She seemed sweet and genuine. But how did I know she wasn’t involved in Rhyannon’s murder? I shouldn’t confide in a suspect.

“It sounds like you won’t need a mentor for much longer,” I said.

“I’m getting there,” said Crystal. “I’m looking forward to going on the European tour next year. After that, I should have a good enough name for myself and can book my own gigs.”

“That will keep you busy.”

“I will need someone like Rose to help keep me sorted out,” said Crystal. “Although my assistant will have to be a lot less scary than Rose. Hey, maybe you’d be interested? Do you fancy a life on the road, touring around Europe and helping lost souls?”

That didn’t sound too bad. “I’ll give it some thought. I’ve got a few things going on in my life I need to get sorted before I go gallivanting around Europe.”

Crystal smiled at me. “I like you, Lorna Shadow. Delilah said you can be trusted, and I believe her.”

“That’s nice to hear.”

Crystal looked around the room as she chewed on a nail. “I don’t suppose you could help me?”

“What do you need?”

“It’s Rhyannon. She’s in this house for a reason. I want to help if I can.”

I tried to look suitably surprised. “Do you think she needs something to happen before she can move on?”

“I do.” Crystal’s expression was serious. “She’s stuck here. She needs help before she can leave.”

I really wanted to turn and look at Rhyannon to see her reaction, but I didn’t dare. “What do you need my help for?”

“I want to visit the place Rhyannon died.”

“You can’t do that alone?”

Crystal shrugged. “I can, but sometimes visiting the place where a violent or sudden death occurred has a strange effect on me. I can get dizzy and sick. Sometimes, I get thrown back into the last moment of the person’s death. It can be traumatic. I wouldn’t mind having someone by my side if I begin to act oddly.”

She had my sympathy. I knew exactly what Crystal was talking about. Plus, I wanted to look at the place Rhyannon died and see if I could pick up anything. “If you think I can help, then I’m happy to come along. Will this trip also help Rhyannon?”

“It might,” said Crystal. “Maybe she’s gotten confused and needs to see for herself where her death happened. It might jog her memory.” She looked behind me at Rhyannon. “Will you come with us?”

I made the mistake of turning and looking straight at Rhyannon. I saw her nod.

Crystal gave me a curious look. “You looked right at her.”

“It was a lucky guess,” I said. “You pointed over my shoulder a minute ago, so I figured the ghost would still be there.”

Crystal smiled. “So, what do you reckon? Shall we go for a drive? It’s only twenty minutes away. We’ll be there and back before anyone notices.”

“Since it’s for a good cause, why not?” Rose was out, and Delilah was most likely still in bed. No one would miss me.

I hurried out of the house with Crystal. Flipper and Rhyannon followed along behind.

As we got in Crystal’s car, Rhyannon vanished. I hoped she would meet us at the site. That was a bonus about being a ghost; you no longer had to wait for transport to get you where you needed to be.

“Have you always had your abilities?” I asked Crystal as she drove her bright yellow Beetle away from the house.

“Ever since I can remember. My mom said I would often sit and babble at the walls when I was a baby. I was probably seeing ghosts even then and thought they were playmates.”

“That must have been tough growing up,” I said.

“It wasn’t the greatest. I got picked on when I was younger. Kids made fun of me because I had imaginary friends that I talked to. But to me, they weren’t imaginary. It was simply that other people couldn’t see them.”

I sat back in my seat. I was glad I’d got my abilities the way I had. Almost drowning hadn’t been fun, and it had been freaky when I’d realized I could see ghosts, but at least I was old enough to figure out what was going on.

“Fred told me Rhyannon’s accident happened on a dangerous bend in the road,” I said.

“It did. But Rhyannon knew these roads. She wouldn’t have been speeding. She was a good driver. I’ve been in her car a couple of times.”

“Did the police investigate?” I asked. “Maybe there was a fault on the car?”

“They did. They couldn’t find any problems with the vehicle. They thought another car might have been involved, but no one ever came forward.”

“Maybe she swerved to avoid a person or an animal?”

“That’s possible,” said Crystal. “But if it was a person, they reported nothing to the police. They’d have seen if her car swerved and hit a tree. A person would have to be hard-hearted not to report the crash or check Rhyannon was okay.”

“Did she ever drink and drive?”

“No, never,” said Crystal. “She wasn’t much of a drinker. She came to a Christmas party Delilah and Fred held one year. I think she had half a glass of champagne the whole evening. She said it gave her a terrible headache, and she rarely touched it.”

That didn’t tally with Rose’s account of Rhyannon’s abilities fading because she drank too much. Somebody was lying. I couldn’t decide if it was Rose or Crystal. Who had the most to gain from not telling me the truth?

Crystal slowed the car and pulled into a rest stop. “We must go on foot for the last bit. The bend is up ahead; that’s where Rhyannon came off the road.”

I kept hold of Flipper’s collar to stop him from bounding off after a rabbit or a pheasant before joining Crystal. We walked along the side of the road together. It was a quiet road; only two cars passed us as we made our way toward the accident spot.

Crystal stopped and pointed. “This is it. You can still see some police tape tied to that tree.”

Some blue-and-white tape lay limply against the branch of an oak tree. As I stared at the tape, Rhyannon appeared beside the tree.

Crystal looked at me before switching her attention to Rhyannon. “And our ghost is here. It looks like she wants to help us.”

“How do you communicate with her?” I asked. “Can you speak to her?”

“Not really. I get the occasional word. It’s almost like mind reading. I get a sense of their moods and thoughts. It can take me a few days to get tuned into a ghost and figure out what they need. I guess it’s a kind of telepathy.” Crystal smiled at me. “This must sound odd to you.”

“It’s not as odd as you think.”

Crystal nodded. “Yes, I have a feeling you understand.”

“So, what do we do now we’re here?”

“Let’s have a walk around,” said Crystal. “Maybe Rhyannon being here with us will help her remember things. If someone was involved in her death, it might jog her memories about that evening. She could remember if another car was involved and pass on the information.”

We hopped down the slope and walked to the tree where the tape was wound around it. There was a large chunk of bark that had been gouged out of the tree, most likely from where the car had impacted.

I glanced surreptitiously at Rhyannon a few times. Her mouth was down-turned and her arms folded around her middle. She was not happy to be here.

“How’s Rhyannon doing?” I asked Crystal.

“I’m not getting much from her,” said Crystal. “She’s glum. She’s sad to be here.”

“You’re not getting any memories from her about the night she died?”

“Nothing like that,” said Crystal. “I know she regrets what happened.”

Who wouldn’t? “So, what do you think happened that night?”

Crystal didn’t reply. She continued circling the tree.

“You must have a theory.” I followed her around the tree with Flipper.

“I do.”

“What is it? You’ve brought me out here; you might as well tell me what you think happened.”

Crystal stopped and turned to face me. Her mouth opened, but then she shook her head. “I don’t have any proof.”

“But you have an idea?”

She caught hold of my elbow. “I think Rhyannon was murdered.”

Chapter 11

I hoped the look of surprise on my face appeared genuine. “Who would want to kill Rhyannon?”

“I don’t know for certain,” said Crystal, “but it’s a common reason ghosts stay around. Someone did them harm or did them wrong when they were alive, and they need that sorted out.”

“You think Rhyannon is here because her death wasn’t an accident?”

“I can’t believe she simply drove off the road.” Crystal gestured around at the trees. “And, well, she’d had a falling out with Delilah just before she died. The last time I saw Rhyannon, she was storming out of the house. I tried to talk to her, but she gave me the brush off. That was the night she died. I wonder if I’d gone after her, brought her back into the house and calmed her down, none of this would have happened.”

“You aren’t responsible for this,” I said. “Do you know what the argument between Rhyannon and Delilah was about?”

“It could have been any number of things. They used to work the shows together. There was a dispute over how the money should be split. Rose always insisted Delilah get more than Rhyannon because she worked harder. Rhyannon hated that. She was as talented, if not more so, than Delilah. She should have gotten most of the money.”

“What makes you say that?”

Crystal looked sideways and shifted from foot to foot. “Well, you know I said Delilah focuses on the ghost animals?”

“I do. She doesn’t pay much attention to the human ghosts. Why do you think that is?”

“Say nothing about this to Delilah.” Crystal’s cheeks paled as she stared at me. “I respect what she does. She has an amazing career and works so hard.”

“I won’t say anything. What is it?”

Crystal sucked in a deep breath. “I think Delilah only sees ghost animals.”

If I had any doubts about what Delilah could see when it came to spirits, they were wiped away. “Are you sure?”

“Sure as I can be,” said Crystal. “I was sitting in on a private client reading just last week. There were three ghosts around the table. All of them were standing in Delilah’s view, but she didn’t talk to a single one. Instead, she kept trying to link with the animals. She believed a ghost cat was this woman’s dead husband. It got quite embarrassing. I even intervened and gave her a few pointers about what the actual human ghosts were trying to pass on.”

“Do you think Delilah and Rhyannon were arguing about this?”

“I reckon Rhyannon realized Delilah’s secret. Maybe she threatened to expose her, and things got nasty between them.” Crystal played with the pendant around her neck. “I don’t like to speak badly about Delilah, but I’m worried.”

“You’re right to be,” I said. “If Rhyannon was making trouble, Delilah couldn’t afford that to happen. It would ruin her business.”

“I don’t want that to happen,” said Crystal. “Delilah can see ghosts, just not human ones. If people found out, she’d be a joke. She’d have to give up her home and her career. I wouldn’t want that for her. Which is why I have to make sure no one knows about this. It’s Delilah’s secret. For all I know, she might not even be aware of it. She seems so sincere when she does the readings. She’s convinced these animals are human ghosts.”

I glanced at Rhyannon, who stood watching us. She could have threatened to go to the press and reveal Delilah’s secret. Delilah panicked and killed her to make sure the information never got out.

“I’m so confused.” Crystal sighed and gazed up at the trees. “Delilah’s been so good to me. But if your entire career and reputation are on the line, you might be forced into doing desperate things. Maybe that’s what happened here. Maybe that’s what they argued about that night. I just don’t know. All I know for sure is that Rhyannon is still here, and she needs help. I want to help her.”

So did I. “Have you spoken to Rhyannon about this? Has she given you any hints that you’re on the right line as to what happened that night?”

“She’s always hanging around Delilah, which suggests she has a problem with her,” said Crystal. “Whenever I’m in the house, I’m either with Delilah or Rose is hovering over me, so it’s hard to connect with Rhyannon when there’s so much negative energy in the room. I’ve tried a couple of times to get her to open up to me, but she doesn’t seem interested.”

“You and Rhyannon can spend time together now.” I looked pointedly at Rhyannon. “It could be helpful for you both.”

Crystal looked at Rhyannon. “I want to help you. Are you picking up anything now we’re here? Don’t worry about showing me your thoughts. I don’t see everything.”

Rhyannon regarded Crystal solemnly. She looked at me and shook her head.

Crystal sighed. “She’s not happy. I wish I knew what the problem was. Maybe I’m too close to Delilah. Rhyannon doesn’t trust me.”

It could be that. Or maybe Rhyannon knew something about Crystal and didn’t want her involved. Maybe I’d been looking at the wrong suspect and needed to focus more closely on Crystal. Rhyannon would have been a serious rival for Crystal. Maybe her ambition to rise up the ranks got the better of her, and she decided to do something about Rhyannon. She got her out of the way, so her own ambitions could succeed.

“If you’re right, and Delilah is involved in Rhyannon’s death, how can we prove it?”

Crystal shrugged. “I’ve no clue. I’ve watched a few TV police dramas, but have no idea how to figure out what happened.” She rubbed her hands together and looked up at the gray sky. “Perhaps we should get out of here? It looks like rain.”

I needed to get back to the house before Rose caught me doing something I shouldn’t. Slowly, I followed Crystal back to her car with Flipper. I kept checking on Rhyannon. There had to be a reason she was reluctant to talk to Crystal. If she could tell her what happened that night, all this could be resolved.

As sweet as Crystal seemed to be, I needed to be wary of her. She could be trying to throw me off the scent by pointing the finger at Delilah. Poor Rhyannon, she had so many people who would benefit from her being dead.

Whoever had killed her, I would help Rhyannon figure it out. This ghost would get her justice.

***

I was up early again the next morning. I’d escaped Rose’s wrath yesterday by working through lunch and getting the banners ready for when she’d returned in the afternoon.

Rose had barely commented on my work, simply shooed me out of the office and insisted I go back to the cellar, like an unwanted house spider. I’d spent the afternoon down there reading more about Rhyannon and her abilities as a medium. Crystal had been right. She had an excellent reputation. So many clients gave her glowing reports, confirming she’d contacted loved ones, helped them find a missing will, or set their mind at rest that all was well.

That research hadn’t given me any pointers into who might have killed her. I was still leaning heavily toward Delilah, but also had my doubts about Crystal. She was almost too eager to implicate Delilah in Rhyannon’s murder.

It made sense to do research into Crystal’s background, as well. But with a name like Crystal, I wouldn’t be surprised if she hadn’t changed her birth name to make herself sound more mystical and mysterious. It was a little too 1980’s soap opera for my liking but fit with the job of medium.

I headed to Rose’s office, determined I would not spend yet another day down in the cold cellar. She was just settling behind her desk when I arrived.

“Is there anything you need me to do with the banners I put together yesterday?”

“They’re suitable enough,” said Rose.

A small tortoiseshell cat hovered above the desk, right over Rose’s cup of coffee.

“I could work on Delilah’s social media presence,” I said. “We can get her Facebook page boosted and gain some likes.”

“She’s not keen on social media.” Rose glanced at me. “Besides, I keep on top of that. That’s not something you need to concern yourself with.”

I’d looked at Delilah’s online profile. It was basic, with barely any information, other than how to contact her. She was missing an opportunity to connect with thousands of people. But Rose was well and truly in charge, and there was no point in arguing with her, unless I wanted to lose my job.

She looked at me and sighed. “Since you’re here, go out to the garage. We store the pop-up banners in there for Delilah’s tours. They need checking over to make sure none of them have any damage. Give them a good clean and set them outside to dry. Don’t put them anywhere they will fall over.”

I gritted my teeth. This was not what I’d signed up for. Too many cleaning jobs like this and I’d be back on the phone to the recruitment agency asking for a new position. Still, this job kept me close to home, and that was the most important thing right now. “I’ll get right on it.”

I found gloves and a bucket, which I filled with warm, soapy water, in the kitchen. I carried it through the house and opened the front door. Flipper ran out in front of me, his nose in the air. We were followed by three ghost dogs, who also seemed keen on getting out of the house. Most likely, they didn’t want to hang around Rose and her meanness.

I walked with my doggie companions over to the garage. I pulled open one of the double doors and peered inside. Three cars sat in there, two similar looking red people carriers, and a sleek black soft top.

Setting down the bucket of soapy water, I walked around each car. It had been over two months since Rhyannon had died, so I wasn’t likely to find evidence on these cars that they’d been involved in the crash. If any damage had happened, whoever was driving would have had it repaired to hide the evidence.

I stopped at the front fender of the second people carrier. There was a dent in the left-hand corner. Nothing large, but it could have been made by knocking into another car. Surely Delilah wouldn’t have left this evidence for someone to find. Maybe she thought no one would suspect her of being involved. After all, the police had declared Rhyannon’s death an accident, so they’d have no reason to go looking for suspects.

Returning to my bucket, I spent an unsatisfying hour unfurling pop-up banners, checking for tears and fading, and then washing them. By the time I was done, six banners sat drying in the morning sunshine. They all had Delilah’s smiling face peering back at me, with slogans on them: the UK’s busiest medium: a chance to say goodbye to a loved one: allow the power of her ability to flow through you.

The whole time I’d been working, the ghost dogs had been running around the garden. Flipper had hung out with them for a while, but he seemed to get bored and was happy to snuffle around my feet and watch me work.

“After that job, we need a big breakfast.” I petted Flipper and then turned back toward the house.

Delilah waved at me from her bedroom window. She gave me a thumbs-up when she saw the banners. At least someone was pleased with the work I’d done.

I walked back into the house with Flipper and went into Rose’s office.

“The banners are all done,” I said. “You don’t need to replace any of them.”

Rose pushed her chair back and stood. “Let me be the judge of that. I’ll inspect them.” She stomped out of the office.

I looked at the filing cabinets. I was certain Rose would keep everything in immaculate order; she was that sort of woman. I hurried to the first cabinet and opened the top drawer.

I smiled as I saw the file neatly labeled cars. This was what I wanted. I pulled it out and looked through it, keeping an eye on the window to make sure Rose wouldn’t catch me snooping.

If Delilah had damaged her car when she’d run Rhyannon off the road, there could be evidence of a repair bill. It would be the sort of thing that Rose would keep. She could write it off as a business expense.

I scanned through the documents. The car insurance was there, along with the annual MOT. There was also a bill for servicing, but there was no mention of the fender damage or anything else that would relate to an accident. Maybe I’d gotten it wrong. Maybe Crystal and Rhyannon had gotten it wrong, as well, and Delilah had nothing to do with this.

Something cold slithered around my ankles. It was a small tortoiseshell cat.

I shuffled the papers back into order, closed the folder, and placed it back in the filing cabinet. The only thing this was going to get me was the sack if Rose caught me.

Ducking down, I gave the ghost cat a tickle under the chin before leaving Rose’s office. If she wanted to come and complain about something—I was sure she’d find fault with my banner washing skills—she could find me in the kitchen. It was time for breakfast.

When I entered the kitchen, it felt like I was walking straight into a freezer. Most of the ghost animals were in there.

Stepping carefully over two lop-eared rabbits and a ginger cat who appeared to be fast asleep, I made it to the kitchen counter without walking through any ghost animals.

I open the cupboard and looked glumly at the boxes of cereal. I wanted the kind of breakfast Helen normally made, with plenty of muffins, waffles, or pancakes, big mugs of tea, and lots of maple syrup. Instead, I would have to make do with cold milk and cornflakes.

I pulled out the box of cereal and placed it next to the black cat who was floating over the counter top. I went to give him a stroke, but he hissed at me and turned his back.

I shrugged. It looked like it wasn’t only Rose who didn’t want to be friendly. Maybe the cat was having a bad day. I had a feeling this would be a bad day for me, as well.

Drowning my cornflakes in milk, I sat at the table as I waited for the kettle to boil.

I looked around at all the ghost animals. I was glad they felt comfortable to be near me, but they weren’t the same as having Helen around. Or Zach. I missed them both.

Flipper rested his head on my knee and looked up at me.

I fed him a cornflake as I stroked his fur. “At least I’ve still got you.”

He nudged me with his nose. Maybe he was only here for the cornflakes.

I fed him another one. Whatever had gone on with Rhyannon, I would find out. I’d figure out her death, and I’d figure out what was going on in my own home. I might be surrounded by ghosts, but I would not be beaten by one.

Chapter 12

“Enough of your naughtiness.” I grabbed a pile of newspaper clippings that were at risk of falling to the floor as a fluffy black ghost cat batted them with a paw.

The ghost cat gave me a wide-eyed look of innocence before its paw slowly rose.

I placed a heavy book on top of the newspaper clippings. “No more misbehaving. Go chase ghost mice if you’re bored.”

Despite trying to convince Rose I would be of use to her if I worked in the office, she wouldn’t budge. I’d once again been sent to the cellar, like a naughty child in some Victorian gothic novel.

I’d been given the uninspiring task of sorting through every folder and shredding anything that was not, as Rose called it, life enhancing to Delilah.

I had two big sacks of shredded paper in front of me and plenty more to do.

The fluffy black cat floated toward me, a look of evil intent on its furry face.

Flipper’s head appeared over the edge of the desk. He followed the movement of the cat with interest.

“This one is a nuisance,” I said to him. “Feel free to show him who’s boss.”

Another cat blinked into sight, this one smaller and ginger. It followed the other cat around the desk. Within a few minutes, I’d been joined by five more cats. All of them floated around the desk, making it impossible to get any work done. Occasionally, one of them tried to swipe Flipper’s muzzle as he watched them, causing him to grumble at them.

I pushed back my chair and stood. “I don’t know what’s wrong with them today.”

The cats turned and stared at me. There was an eerie intensity to their focus.

I took a step toward the stairs. The cats watched me.

“Are they trying to tell me something?” I said to Flipper.

Flipper gave another grumble and joined me, leaving the cats circling the desk.

The cats left the desk and floated as a group to the bottom of the stairs. They all sat there and looked back at me.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you all wanted feeding.”

Several of them swished their tails. None of them moved.

I took another step toward the stairs. That prompted them into action, and the cats moved up the stairs.

I glanced at Flipper. “We’d better see what’s going on up there that’s making them so agitated.”

The cats blinked out of sight as I ran up the stairs with Flipper.

As I opened the cellar door, I heard raised voices. It was Delilah and Fred arguing in her parlor.

Looking around quickly to make sure Rose wasn’t about, I crept to the door. It was ajar, so I didn’t need to get too close to hear them.

“You’re obsessed,” said Delilah.

“My dear, you know that’s not true.” Fred’s voice sounded even more wobbly than usual. “There’s only ever been you.”

“Why do you have that picture in your wallet?”

There was a pause. “We were friends.”

“You’ve had other friends who have died. You don’t keep pictures of them.”

“Rhyannon was like a sister to me.”

My eyebrows rose. This argument was about Rhyannon.

“You must have noticed she was attractive,” snapped Delilah.

“You liked her too,” said Fred. “At least, you used to before that silly falling out.”

“Rose said it was important,” said Delilah. “She thought we were being cheated out of money.”

“Is that what you think?”

I held my breath as Delilah didn’t respond. Delilah had a right to suspect Fred if he had a picture of Rhyannon in his wallet. It leant weight to the theory that Fred had been having an affair with Rhyannon.

“Do you think we were being fair taking more money than Rhyannon?” prompted Fred.

“I thought... well, she was good at what she did. She had a knack with the spirits.”

“You used to be friends,” said Fred. “She liked you.”

“I liked her, as well.” Delilah sounded weary. “Then fame got the better of her. She got too full of herself. She changed. So did you.”

“Not because of Rhyannon,” said Fred.

“Yes, because of her. You always simpered around after her as if you were trying to win her favor.”

“I didn’t need to do any simpering. I had her favor because she was my friend.”

“You loved her.” The words came out choked.

I heard a chair scraping back and backed away from the door.

“I did, but not in the way you think,” said Fred.

“So, you admit it. You were in love with Rhyannon?”

“As I’ve said, I loved her like a sister. She was a dear friend to us both. She would hate to see you so worried about nothing.”

“You being in love with another woman is definitely something of a concern.”

“My dear, it’s always been you.” Fred’s tone sounded resigned. It didn’t sound like the first time they’d had this argument.

“Yet, you carry her picture with you.”

“I have one of you, as well.”

“That’s supposed to make me feel better?”

“No. Sorry, that was a foolish thing to say.”

“You’re a foolish man,” said Delilah. “Rose is always telling me I shouldn’t trust people.”

“Surely that doesn’t extend to me? I’ve been with you all these years and stuck by your side. I wouldn’t betray you.”

“You would if you got the chance,” said Delilah. “Rhyannon was younger than me. She was pretty. Any man would be foolish to turn her down.”

“We’ve been over this,” said Fred. “We were friends because of the work you both did. The world of mediums is a small place, so we were bound to rub shoulders.”

“You didn’t have to spend so much time with her,” said Delilah. “Why do you think I stopped inviting her here? I knew something was going on.”

“It was all innocent,” said Fred. “We liked each other’s company. She would give me readings when you wouldn’t.”

“This is all my fault?” Delilah’s tone was shrill. “I pushed you into the arms of another woman because I refused to give you a reading? Do you really want to know what the spirit world has to say about you?”

“You make it sound as if there are bad things to tell me.”

“It’s not all sunshine and unicorns like I tell the clients,” said Rhyannon. “The spirit world is full of ordinary people. Sometimes, they tell me ordinary things. Sometimes, it can be downright nasty and unpleasant. Even when you die, you hold a grudge, and you resent someone who is still alive and want to say nasty things to them. Maybe I should be more honest, tell the clients what it’s really like. How would that be for business?”

“That’s not a wise idea,” said Fred. “Stick to the sunshine and unicorns. It comforts people. I know I gained comfort from my readings with Rhyannon. If there was any bad information to pass on to me, she kept it to herself.”

“Since that’s what you’re interested in, let me contact someone for you,” said Delilah. “Who do you want to talk to?”

“You don’t need to do that,” said Fred. “I understand why you’re reluctant to give me a reading.”

“So, you turned to another woman to get what you needed.”

“To do nothing more than make contact with the afterlife,” said Fred.

“But you found Rhyannon attractive?”

I shook my head. Fred, whatever you do, don’t answer that question.

“She was a good woman.”

“And you found her attractive?” Delilah wasn’t giving up on this.

“I, well, Rhyannon was an attractive woman.”

I cringed and shook my head.

“I knew it!” Delilah’s tone grew even shriller. “I should never have trusted you.”

“My dear, wait!” There was the sound of glass shattering.

Before I had the chance to move, the parlor door was pulled open. Delilah rushed out and slammed straight into me.

“Lorna!” She blinked her eyes, and I could see tears on her cheeks. “I’m sorry. You must come back later. This is a bad time.” She bustled away along the corridor and out into the garden.

I watched her go before peeking into the parlor.

Fred sat at the table, his hand against his forehead. A shattered picture frame lay in front of him.

“Sorry to interrupt. Is everything okay in here?”

Fred glanced at me and sighed. He removed his hand from his forehead. There was a nasty gash on his head. It looked like Delilah had thrown the picture frame at him. “We just had a little accident. It’s nothing for you to worry about.”

I stepped into the room with Flipper and pushed the door closed. “Is your head okay?”

Fred pulled a white handkerchief from his pocket and held it against the cut. “It’s not deep. I’ll be fine.”

It didn’t look fine to me. “I couldn’t help but overhear your argument.”

Fred gave a small shrug. “Delilah has a jealous streak. She’s always worried I’ll leave her for someone younger. As if I would, I worship the ground that woman walks on.”

“I heard mention of Rhyannon,” I said.

Fred lowered the handkerchief and inspected the blood on it. “Yes, Rhyannon. I liked her.”

“You were more than friends?”

His gaze went to the door. “I did greatly admire Rhyannon. But I wasn’t a cheater.”

I was pushing my luck with my next question. “If you’d gotten the chance, would you have liked to have been more than friends with Rhyannon?”

His pale gaze met mine. “You have a curious nature, Miss Shadow.”

I smiled. “It’s been said before.”

Fred looked down at the shattered photo frame. He extracted the photograph and held it out for me to see. “In another life, perhaps we would have been more than friends. But I met Delilah when we were young. For me, it was love at first sight. I might have had the occasional lustful thought about other women, but they were only thoughts. Delilah was always the one I was going to be with.”

I looked at the photograph. It was of Fred standing next to Rhyannon. They were grinning at each other. It looked like a very close friendship. I could understand Delilah’s jealousy. I placed the picture down.

“As you can see, Delilah was not a fan of that photograph. It was taken at a conference we attended. All the best-known psychics and mediums were there. It was a big event. Rhyannon had just won Medium of the Year for the third year in a row. Neither of us knew that picture was being taken. She sent it to me in the post. I know it was a silly thing to do, but I had to get it framed. We were both happy that night. But we weren’t in love, not the way Delilah thinks.”

“You’ve always been faithful to Delilah?”

“I have.” Fred’s gaze lingered on the picture. “It’s not always been easy. Mediums seem drawn to me. I guess it’s my line of work. We both deal with the dead, just in different ways. It gives us a connection and a bond. I’ve had to say no to a fair few offers over the years.”

I hid my surprise. Fred didn’t have the vibe of a man who attracted women. But maybe he was right; mediums were attracted to him because of what he did. It must be hard to find someone who understood what you did when you talked to the dead. I was lucky. I had Zach, but it had taken him time to accept what I did.

“Do you and Delilah often row about Rhyannon?”

“Hardly ever, especially now she’s gone. I get the impression Rose had something to do with that argument. She likes to stir things up.”

“Rose didn’t get along with Rhyannon?”

“Rose doesn’t even get along with herself. And she knows just how to push her sister’s buttons. Apparently, Delilah found newspaper clippings about Rhyannon on Rose’s desk. I expect Rose left them out on purpose. I am sorry you heard our argument. Normally, our relationship is a much more pleasant one.”

“Every relationship has its difficulties.” Especially when it came to ghosts getting in the way of things, as I had recently discovered.

“You’re right.” Fred smiled at me. “Do you have a special someone at home?”

“I do. He’s good to me.”

“Quite right, he should be,” said Fred. “Everyone needs kindness in their life.”

My first impression of Fred had been wrong. Although he was a strange looking man, there was something good about him. “You don’t think Delilah confronted Rhyannon about the concerns she had regarding your relationship?”

Fred’s eyes widened. “Not that I’m aware of. We argued about it, but it was between the two of us.”

“Perhaps she went to speak to Rhyannon without you knowing.” And if she had, perhaps that discussion got out of hand, which was how Rhyannon ended up dead.

“Delilah is terrible at keeping secrets,” said Fred. “I’m certain if a conversation had taken place between them, I’d know about it. If Delilah hadn’t told me, Rhyannon would have.”

My gaze went to his cut forehead. “Perhaps you should get your cut cleaned.”

Fred nodded as he stood. “Good thinking. I’m sure it will look fine tomorrow. And sorry again that you overheard us. I hope you still want to work here. Delilah is thrilled you’ve come to help.”

“No problem. And I’m still happy here.” I stood to one side as Fred left the parlor.

Despite Fred trying to convince me that Delilah wouldn’t go after Rhyannon, I wasn’t so sure. And, having heard that argument, I’d just added another black mark to Delilah’s name.

Chapter 13

I was speeding my way through a dusty file of clippings, keen to give myself a decent amount of time at lunch to do some digging into Rhyannon and Fred’s relationship.

I’d spent the previous night trying to figure out if Delilah was ruthless enough to kill Rhyannon because she had an affair with Fred. The possibility wouldn’t leave my thoughts, and along with the ghost animals, I’d had another disturbed night of sleep.

I almost ignored my mobile when it rang; I was so keen to get my work done. I checked the caller. It was Zach.

“How’s it going?” I asked him, my attention still on the file on the desk.

“Lorna. Can you get away?”

“I can.” I focused on the conversation, hearing the concern in Zach’s voice. “What’s wrong?”

“We need you home.”

“Has someone been injured?” Now I was worried. “Is it Helen? Or Gunner? It’s not you, is it?”

“No. We’re all fine. But you need to get here. It’s Amelia. She’s left us a... gift.”

“A gift! What is it?”

“I don’t understand it,” said Zach. “Can you come back? Maybe she’s left this clue and wants to make contact now.”

I’d never heard Zach sound so shaken before. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

I ordered a cab, grabbed my purse and coat, and hurried outside, Flipper sticking right by me, sensing something was wrong.

What could Amelia have left that caused Zach so much concern? If this was another one of her games, I wouldn’t be happy. She’d played around with us too many times. It was time we got to the truth, and she left us alone.

I hurried toward the cab as it turned into the drive. I told the cab driver my address details and asked him to hurry.

The ten-mile journey seemed to take far too long as I sat in the back, drumming my fingers on my knees.

As I flung money at the cab driver and climbed out, I saw Zach standing in the doorway of the house.

I ran toward him with Flipper. “What’s going on? What’s this gift Amelia has left?”

“Come inside, and I’ll show you.” Zach gave me a brief kiss before ushering me through the door and into the kitchen.

Helen and Gunner were sitting at the kitchen table.

“I’m so glad you’re here.” Helen jumped up and hugged me.

“I got here as quickly as I could.” I pulled back and looked around. “Where’s Amelia? What’s she left us?”

“She left us this.” Zach placed a small, knitted blue baby’s boot on the kitchen table.

I stared at it, shock running through me. “Did you have a child with Amelia?”

Zach shook his head. “No! We talked about it, but it didn’t happen. She said she was too young and wanted more adventures before she got saddled with kids.”

“That doesn’t mean she didn’t have one,” said Helen. “She could have had a baby with someone else.”

“Did she have a child?” I stared at Zach.

“Not that I know of. She never mentioned it, but we weren’t close.”

“It’s not the sort of thing you can hide easily,” I said. “Why is she giving you a baby’s boot if she didn’t have children?”

“The boot only arrived an hour ago,” said Helen. “I found it on the floor. At first, I thought it was something Gunner or Zach had brought into the house. Or maybe Jessie. When I asked the boys, they knew nothing about it. Jessie has been asleep on the rug all morning, so it couldn’t have been her.”

“That’s when we got worried,” said Gunner.

“And we figured out it must have been Amelia,” said Helen.

“Why now?” I asked. “She’s been so elusive. What’s to say this isn’t another of her games?”

“There’s one way to find out if she had a child,” said Helen, as she flipped open her laptop. “I can do an online search. See if she registered a birth.”

I sank into a chair at the kitchen table and pulled off my jacket. “Do that. We need this figured out.”

Zach sat next to me. “Sorry about making you rush over here. I thought you’d want to know. It seemed like Amelia finally wanted to make contact, and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to sort this out.”

I smiled at him. “You did the right thing. Whatever Amelia’s reason is for doing this, it’s progress. If this has something to do with her child, then we should help.”

“I’m amazed you still want to help, given how much she’s messed you and Zach around,” said Gunner. “I’d be less charitable.”

I wasn’t feeling charitable toward Amelia either, but if she had left behind a child, I wouldn’t stand in the way of her saying a last farewell.

“Gunner, you check these search results, while I make tea.” Helen patted the back of my hand. “I think we all need it.”

“I’m on it, babe.” Gunner’s forehead wrinkled as he scrolled through the page Helen had given him to look at.

Helen hurried around, making tea and plating up a tray of freshly made chocolate chip cookies.

She placed the plate in front of me. “You get started on those. The sugar will help with the shock.”

I lifted a cookie but didn’t take a bite, despite the enticing smell. I really was in shock. Amelia had a child. Was that the reason she was still here? She wasn’t interested in Zach, and she didn’t have a grudge against me. Amelia was stuck because she’d left behind someone she loved and wasn’t ready to move on without them.

“I found something,” said Gunner.

Helen hurried over with the teapot and set it down alongside some cups. “Well? Was Amelia a mother?”

Gunner looked up. “She had a child.”

“I’m guessing a boy from the color of the knitted boot,” said Helen.

“It was a boy,” said Gunner. “But the baby died when he was a newborn.”

Helen’s hand flew to her mouth. “I didn’t think. I assumed her child would still be alive.”

I glanced at Zach and saw the stricken expression on his face. He ran a hand through his hair. “When did the baby die?”

Gunner looked at the information on the screen. “A year ago, today.”

Helen gasped. “This is the first anniversary of her baby’s death. That’s why she’s here.”

“It makes sense now,” said Zach. “Amelia got in touch with me just after the baby had died.”

“Maybe she was making peace with the people she’d done wrong,” said Helen. “That’s why she contacted you. She knew she’d messed things up by being unfaithful. She was trying to make things right.”

A curl of guilt slid through me. I’d been so harsh about Amelia. She’d gone about things terribly, but she’d been grieving for her child. I could understand why she hadn’t been thinking all that rationally.

“She seemed... different the first time she got in touch,” said Zach. “She didn’t say what was wrong, but I sensed something was off with her. She said sorry for what had happened between us, as well.”

“And six months later, she died.” Helen sank into her seat. “Maybe she died of a broken heart.”

I placed down the cookie I’d been holding. “No wonder she can’t rest.”

“How can we help her if she won’t tell us what she needs?” asked Gunner. “I get she’s messed up. I understand she can’t move on because she’s suffering a loss. But she’s making your lives difficult.”

“Maybe we can contact her now,” said Helen. “Amelia has revealed what’s causing her trouble, so she might be open to getting things resolved.” She looked at me. “What do you think? Are you willing to give it a go?”

“We can try. Since Amelia left the baby’s boot, she must have realized we’d figure this out and search for her child.”

“Let’s join hands,” said Helen. “We’ll talk to Amelia and get this sorted right now.”

I admired Helen’s optimism. I took a few deep breaths. “Amelia, are you with us?”

Other than the gentle panting of the dogs, who were both hoping someone would drop a cookie, there was no noise.

I tried again. “We know about your child. We know the loss you’ve suffered. We’re here to help if you want us to.”

“Are you getting anything?” asked Zach.

I shook my head. “Nothing.”

“Why is she holding out on us?” asked Helen. “We’re trying to help.”

“She’s always been trouble,” said Gunner. “Amelia stop messing us around.”

“That’s not helping,” hissed Helen. “If you say mean things about her, you’ll only make it worse.”

“I’m allowed to say mean things about her,” said Gunner. “She’s messing with my brother and his girl.”

I was about to try again when my mobile rang in my pocket. I pulled it out and groaned.

“I don’t suppose that’s Amelia?” asked Helen.

“No. It’s Rose.” I answered the phone.

“Where are you?”

“I took an early lunch break,” I said. “Is there a problem?”

“You’re needed here.”

“Why? Is there something wrong with Delilah?”

“My sister is fine. You need to come back, though. We have an emergency.”

It seemed like everyone was having emergency situations today. “What’s happened?”

“You’re needed here at the house. Crystal is dead.”

Chapter 14

I nearly dropped my phone, my blood running hot and cold as I processed what Rose had just told me. “Crystal is dead?”

“Get back here right away,” said Rose. “The police need to interview everybody.”

“What happened to her?” I was already on my feet, looking around for my purse.

“It was an accident,” said Rose.

“Why are the police involved if it was an accident?”

Zach raised his eyebrows at me.

Rose sighed. “The silly girl fell down the stairs. Get back here now.” She disconnected the call.

I stared at the phone. It was too much of a coincidence that Crystal was dead not long after revealing her concerns about Rhyannon’s demise. The killer must have figured she was on to them and needed her out of the way.

“What’s the problem?” asked Gunner. “You said somebody was dead?”

“It’s Crystal,” I said. “Delilah was mentoring her. She was a medium.”

“What happened?” asked Zach.

I shrugged on my jacket. “Rose said Crystal fell down the stairs. I’d better get back and see what’s going on.”

“Do you want me to come with you?” asked Zach.

“No. Stay here. Amelia might try to make contact.”

“I can come,” said Helen.

“Thanks, but I’d better go alone. Rose was peeved that I wasn’t there.”

“I can drive you,” said Gunner. “Zach and Helen can stay here and keep an eye on our pesky ghost.”

“Thanks, I’d appreciate it.”

“Stay safe,” said Zach. “Let me know what’s going on.”

I kissed his cheek, grabbed a cookie from the plate, and hurried out with Flipper.

We clambered into Gunner’s Jeep. He sped out of the driveway and onto the main road.

What had happened to Crystal? Who found out she was trying to contact Rhyannon and find out what happened to her? She’d started asking questions, and now she was dead.

“What’s on your mind?” asked Gunner. “Are you worried about Amelia?”

“No. Well, yes, but that’s not it.”

“Try not to hold it against Zach. He knows he’s been a moron. He didn’t think he’d ever see her again. I never thought she’d haunt our home.”

I glanced over at him. “I’m doing my best. I just wonder...”

Gunner nodded. “I know what you’re going to say. Would Zach have ever told you about her?”

I shrugged. Gunner was putting his detective skills to good use.

“He would have,” said Gunner. “We talked about it. It’s a part of his past he’s not proud of. Amelia messed with his head. He’s not been in a serious relationship since then. Not until he met you.”

“Zach hasn’t told me much about her.” I stared straight ahead. “What was she like?”

Gunner shot around a corner. “She was pretty, in an obvious way, but she knew it. She was easily distracted and liked Zach spending all his money on her. She behaved as if she had two different personalities; sometimes, she could be the sweetest girl, then she’d turn and be ripping into you. I used to stay out of her way as much as possible.”

I wrinkled my nose. Amelia sounded like a nightmare, a pretty nightmare.

“He’s ashamed of her; that’s why he never talks about her,” said Gunner. “Zach should have known better. He did know better, but he did it anyway. He’s different now. The time he spent on his own helped him figure out what he wanted in life.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” I said. “I don’t want him thinking I’m a mistake.”

Gunner shook his head. “He’d never do that. I’ve never seen my brother so into someone before. He talks about you far too much.”

“I guess I should be flattered.”

“You should.” Gunner grinned. “My brother now has excellent taste in women. You’re good for him.”

I had to smile. I felt the same about Zach. I’d spent a long time being on my own before we’d met. I felt at ease around him, like I could be myself.

“He’s worried, you know.”

“About what?”

“That you won’t want him after all of this,” said Gunner. “He’s not all that good about talking about his feelings. He misses you not being in the house. He blames himself.”

“He sort of should. It is his dead wife who is messing us about.”

Gunner laughed. “As Helen keeps reminding Zach and me. You’ve got a great best friend in Helen.”

“I know that. I hope she’s not being too mean to Zach. I do miss him when I’m not there,” I said. “I thought the time away would help. Maybe it is. Amelia has made her first move. She’s revealed something important to us. It could be what we need to get her moving out.”

“Let’s hope so,” said Gunner. “I don’t mind you messing around with these ghosts, but it freaks me out knowing there’s one floating around our home.”

“You get used to it after a while,” I said. “It’s not like she’s peeking at you when you’re in the shower.”

“She’d better not be.” Gunner grinned at me. “Helen’s got a jealous side. She won’t like it if she thinks I’m offering a peep show to a ghost.”

I laughed. “Even if it was a ghost snooping on you, she would hate it.”

Gunner pulled up outside the house and nodded toward an ambulance and a police car parked in the driveway. “It looks like you’ve got company. If you need me to do any discreet asking around about what happened to Crystal, just let me know.”

I grabbed my purse and jumped out, Flipper following me. “I might take you up on that. Thanks for the ride and the advice. I’ll get things sorted with Zach. Don’t worry. I’ve got no plans to leave your brother.”

“That’s a relief,” said Gunner. “He can be a right mopey bugger when life is not going his way.” He gave me a wave before driving off.

As I reached the front door of the house, it was pulled open. Rose stood on the other side, anger radiating off her. “We thought you’d fled the scene of the crime.”

“Crime!” I stepped inside and looked around. “I thought you said Crystal’s death was an accident?”

“You know what I mean.” Rose slammed the door. “The police are interviewing Delilah. She found Crystal at the bottom of the stairs. She’s in shock.”

“Did anyone see what happened?” I peered at the stairs. “Did she fall over something?”

“Crystal must have tripped and fallen,” said Rose. “She would always wear those ridiculously long dresses and pointed-toed boots. She must have gotten tangled up in them and lost her footing. She broke her neck. They took her out a few minutes ago. She’s in the back of the ambulance.”

Something cold pressed against my leg. A cat dashed past, closely followed by another. I looked around and saw two ghost dogs heading my way, panic in their eyes. Instinctively, I sidestepped to avoid them running straight through me.

“What’s wrong with you?” Rose glared at me. “Why do you keep hopping around like that?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.” I forced my attention away from the animals, who kept racing about the hallway. Crystal’s death must have unsettled them.

“You need to get yourself together,” said Rose. “The police want to interview you next. Don’t go acting strangely around them, or you’ll give the business a bad reputation.”

“I’ll do my best to act normally. I’ll tell them everything I know,” I said, “but I wasn’t here when the accident happened. I’m not sure how useful I’ll be.”

Rose sighed. “This is such a terrible waste of time. There’s so much work to do. I’ve had to cancel the rest of the day’s clients. We’re losing money.”

“I’m sure Crystal wouldn’t have wanted that. I expect she tried very hard not to die.”

Rose tutted before stalking into her office and shutting the door.

I pulled off my jacket and headed to the kitchen with Flipper. I made myself a cup of tea and sat at the table. I was worried about Crystal and what had happened to her.

Rhyannon flickered into view, a panicked expression on her face.

“I’m glad you’re here,” I said quietly. “Did you see what happened to Crystal?”

Rhyannon flickered in and out of view. She was gesturing with her hands, but I couldn’t see her clearly enough and couldn’t make out what she was gesturing about.

“Calm down,” I said. “I know it’s horrible what happened to Crystal, but if you know anything about it, you need to tell me. Did you see her fall?”

Rhyannon nodded, but her image kept shimmering in and out of focus.

“Concentrate on me,” I said. “Use my energy if you need to. I can’t see you properly.” It was weird; it was as if someone was blocking Rhyannon from coming through and communicating. My thoughts went to Delilah. If she had something to do with Crystal’s accident, she wouldn’t want anyone knowing about it. She would definitely not want Crystal’s ghost appearing and accusing her of murder. Maybe she could block spirits from coming through and speaking with her.

Flipper jumped to his feet as two ghost dogs barreled into the kitchen and raced around.

“It looks like you’re not the only one having problems,” I said to Rhyannon. “What’s going on with all the animals?”

Rhyannon watched the dogs before shrugging. She gestured at me again before shaking her head and vanishing.

I drank my tea, watching the dogs chase each other around, Flipper close behind them.

There was a knock on the kitchen door. It was pushed open, and a police officer looked around the door. “Are you Lorna Shadow?”

“That’s right.”

“I’ve got a few questions about the death of Crystal.” She walked into the kitchen. She was about my age, with a neat blonde bob and kind eyes.

“I’m happy to answer them. I’m not sure I’ll be all that helpful, though. I was out when the accident happened.”

“Mind if I sit down?”

I gestured to a seat. “Go ahead. Would you like some tea?”

The officer shook her head as she pulled out a chair and sat opposite me. “No thanks. I drink too much of the stuff.” She opened a small notepad and took a pen from her top pocket. “Can you tell me what you do here?”

“I just started working for Delilah,” I said. “I’m her new personal assistant. Well, I guess I’m actually her manager’s personal assistant. Rose tells me what needs doing, and I do it.”

“You like working here?” The police officer raised her eyebrows. “It’s not a little... unusual for you?”

I smiled. “It is unusual. I don’t mind it, though. Delilah is nice. The work she does is interesting.” I made sure not to pay any attention to the ghost animals bounding around the kitchen with Flipper.

“She is eccentric,” said the police officer. “Mrs. Merrygold was trying to make contact with Crystal in the... what did she call it, the spirit world? She said she’d tried to connect with her and find out what happened.”

“Did she have any success?”

The police officer smiled. “She didn’t. I’m not surprised. I’m a firm believer in tangible things. Something as ephemeral as the spirit world or ghosts is not something we’d be able to use in court.”

“This was an accident?” I asked. “Rose said Crystal most likely tripped and fell down the stairs.”

“Whenever there’s an unusual death, we need to investigate,” said the police officer. “How well did you know Crystal?”

“Not all that well,” I said. “I met her a few times. She seemed nice.”

“Mrs. Merrygold mentioned you went out with her the other day, just the two of you. What did you do?”

I sucked in a breath. I didn’t realize we’d been spotted leaving the house. “We went for a drive. She was showing me around since I’m new to the area.”

“That’s nice of her,” said the police officer. “What did you talk about when you went on this drive?”

I felt myself grow warm and shifted in my seat. “Nothing in particular. She told me a little about what she did and how happy she was to be working with Delilah.”

“You didn’t get a sense there was anything wrong? She didn’t confide in you about anything?”

She did, but it wasn’t anything to do with her being worried about her own life. “No. We just chatted and were getting to know each other.”

“Do you have any reason to believe anyone would wish to do Crystal harm?”

I hesitated. There was a very good reason someone would want to hurt Crystal. If Rhyannon’s murderer thought she was onto them, they would have targeted Crystal to keep her quiet.

“Miss Shadow?” asked the police officer. “Was Crystal concerned about anything?”

“No. She was excited about being here. She was looking forward to going on tour with Delilah next year.”

“The medium’s tour.” The police officer checked back over the notes she’d made.

“That’s right. She was planning on doing a few shows on her own to get more experience.”

The police officer nodded. “And you were out of the house at the time of the accident? Where were you?”

“I was at home.”

“Where is home?”

“Ten miles from here,” I said. “I was needed there. I had to leave in a hurry.”

“There’s nothing wrong, I hope?”

“Nothing I can’t get sorted,” I said. “So, what happens next?”

“We’ll take Crystal away,” said the police officer. “Once we’ve determined the cause of death, we’ll be back in touch.”

“I feel sorry for Crystal,” I said. “She was young.”

“She was,” said the police officer. “It’s a tragedy. Such a waste of life.”

“I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful.”

“You have been. We need to make sure everything is above-board, but I’ve heard nothing that concerns me.” The police officer shut her notepad and tucked it into her pocket. “If I have any more questions, I’ll be in touch. Will you be here?”

“I will,” I said. “I live here.”

“Very good. Thanks for your time. I’ll see myself out.”

The police officer left me sitting at the kitchen table feeling guilty. I hadn’t done anything wrong. I definitely had nothing to do with Crystal’s death, but I was worried. Someone must have pushed her down the stairs. Someone wanted to get her out of the way. That meant there was a killer in this house.

A cold breeze drifted past my head. I twisted in my seat. A faint haze emerged behind me.

“Rhyannon, is that you?”

The haze drifted around the kitchen table. Flipper stopped chasing the ghost dogs and followed it closely.

“Try to focus Rhyannon,” I said. “Did you see what happened to Crystal?”

The haze shivered, and Crystal appeared.

Chapter 15

“Crystal! You’re here. What happened to you?”

Crystal’s ghost was faint and kept blinking in and out of sight. Every time I got a glimpse of her, she looked terrified, her eyes wide and her hands flapping in front of her face.

“This must be a shock for you, but try to stay calm.”

Crystal’s hazy image shot around the kitchen, leaving tiny patches of ice on everything she touched.

I watched her for a few seconds. She might not even realize she was dead. I needed to go slowly.

“Take a few deep breaths,” I said. “Come and sit with me. Tell me what you think is going on.”

Although her form was indistinct, Crystal was already a strong ghost. As she swept through the kitchen, the salt and pepper shakers on the table rolled to the edge and fell off. I only just saved my mug of tea from the same fate.

“Please, Crystal, this isn’t helping. Do you know what happened to you?”

She slowed her frantic spinning around the kitchen and stared into space, her eyes frantically blinking.

I blew out air. It was so cold I could see my breath in front of me. “That’s better. Now, let’s make sense of what’s going on. What’s the last thing you remember?”

Crystal turned and looked at the kitchen door. She pointed at the stairs. “Staircase.”

I almost dropped my mug. “I can hear you!”

“I... on stairs. Hand.”

“Wait, slow down.” I was shocked. This was the first time a ghost had ever been able to speak to me. “Repeat the sentence again. Were you on the stairs? Is that the last thing you remember?”

Crystal shot around the room again. The overhead lights flickered on and off as she got herself worked up.

“Wait! You said the word hand. Do you mean someone’s hand touched you before you fell?”

She slowed and nodded.

“You were pushed down the stairs?”

Crystal’s eyes widened. She turned and looked at the kitchen door again.

“Is that what you’re remembering? This wasn’t an accident?”

Crystal’s bottom lip wobbled, and she nodded.

Rhyannon popped into view. Crystal gestured at her frantically.

Rhyannon shook her head, grabbed hold of Crystal, and they both vanished.

“Wait!” I had more questions for Crystal. Maybe she’d seen who’d pushed her and could identify her killer. I was certain, if she could identify who shoved her down the stairs, I’d also discover who’d run Rhyannon off the road.

I needed to get answers. I hurriedly made a pot of tea and walked to Delilah’s parlor. The door was shut. I knocked and then entered.

Delilah, Fred, and Rose were sitting around the table.

Rose gave me an irritated glare. “This is a private family matter. You’re intruding.”

“I thought you might like some tea.” I placed the tea tray on the table.

“You’re such a good girl,” said Delilah. “Tea is what I need after such a dreadful shock.”

“I might have a small brandy with mine.” Fred stood and walked to the drinks tray in the corner of the parlor. “Would anyone else like one?”

“Not for me,” sniffed Rose.

“I’ll have one,” said Delilah. “Make it a large one.”

“What were you doing with Crystal the other day?” Rose continued to glare at me. “I heard my sister tell the police you went out with her when you should have been working.”

“Nothing in particular,” I said. “She took me out for a drive. Crystal wanted to show me around.”

“Where did you go?”

I sucked in a deep breath. They might as well know. “This will sound odd, but she took me to see the place Rhyannon died.”

Delilah’s face paled. “Why would Crystal do that?”

I looked at each of them, trying to spot any signs of guilt. “She thought Rhyannon’s death wasn’t an accident. Crystal wondered if she would make better contact with Rhyannon if she visited the site.”

“Why take you with her? What have you got to do with all of this?” Rose’s eyes were narrowed to tiny slits.

“She wanted someone with her,” I said. “Crystal was uncomfortable going to the accident site alone.”

“She was such a sweet girl,” said Delilah. “I think she was lonely here, what with us old fogies for company. I understand why she’d want to make friends with Lorna.”

Rose snorted as she poured out the tea. “This is stewed. I think it’s odd Crystal took you to the crash site.”

Delilah tilted her head. “Crystal said she thought you had abilities.”

My eyebrows rose. “She did? What made her say that?”

“She said you talked to yourself.”

“I’ve heard you do that, as well,” said Fred quietly. He set the glasses of brandy on the table before sitting down. “That time in the cellar, it sounded like you were talking to Rhyannon.”

“You were?” Delilah looked at the stewed tea in her cup before grabbing her glass of brandy.

“That was just me,” I said. “I often talk to myself. Sometimes, I talk to Flipper. He’s not much of a conversationalist, though.”

“You don’t have to hide your abilities,” said Delilah. “We’re open-minded here.”

“Lorna doesn’t have abilities,” snapped Rose. “She can barely manage the tasks I give her.”

“Hold on a second,” I said, “I’m great at what I do. I’ve done everything you’ve asked of me, including washing down those grubby banners. You’ve got nothing to complain about.”

Rose sniffed again. “Your work is adequate. You cannot be relied on, though. You keep disappearing without telling us where you’re going.”

“That happened once. And I had a family emergency.”

“It’s happened more than once,” said Rose. “You need to be here at all times.”

I realized Delilah was still studying me.

She smiled. “Do you see ghosts?”

I looked around the room. There were two ghost cats, but no sign of Rhyannon or Crystal. “I don’t think I see them in the same way you do.”

“But you sense them.” Delilah’s eyes brightened. “I always know when I meet someone with similar skills. I get a warm feeling in my stomach. I got that the first time we met.”

“What nonsense,” said Rose. “You’re making that up.”

Rose’s rudeness pushed me over the edge of politeness. If she realized her sister was my prime suspect in these murders, she wouldn’t be so abrupt.  “What if I told you that a ghost informed me that Rhyannon’s death wasn’t an accident? Somebody ran her off the road. Rhyannon was killed.”

They were silent for a moment. Even the ghost cats stopped washing and stared at me.

“The police said her death was an accident,” said Fred.

“Is that what you think?”

“I really couldn’t say.” Fred stared down at his teacup.

“We’ve been over this,” snapped Rose. “Rhyannon liked to drink. She must have been drunk behind the wheel of her car and lost control.”

“I don’t think that’s likely,” said Delilah. “She was always careful about things like that.”

I couldn’t help but notice the evil glare Rose was giving Fred. Did she know something about it? Did she think Fred was either covering up what happened or was involved in some way?

“Did a ghost really tell you that?” asked Delilah. “Rhyannon was murdered?”

“It’s more of a feeling I get,” I said. I wasn’t ready to reveal my full abilities, not with the dagger-like looks Rose was shooting me. She might try to have me burned at the stake, especially since I was technically Delilah’s rival and, therefore, bad for business.

“I’m going for a lie down.” Fred downed his brandy and stood. “All of this has been a shock. I’m not as young as I used to be.”

I watched Fred leave. He was hiding something. I grabbed up the tea things. “I’ll get these back to the kitchen and brew a fresh pot.” I left before either Rose or Delilah had time to protest.

Fred had stopped at the foot of the stairs, his hand on the banister.

“Fred.” I hurried after him. “What’s wrong?”

He turned, his face looked pale and lined. “Poor Crystal. It’s such a terrible thing. I hope this isn’t all mixed up with what happened to Rhyannon.”

“What do you mean?” It seemed Fred was also having concerns.

“Well, if what you’ve told us is correct, and Rhyannon was murdered, it sounds like Crystal knew that. The killer wouldn’t want her to spread rumors about what happened. It might have gotten the police interested.” His gaze drifted to the top of the staircase. “What if she was pushed down the stairs?”

My hands tightened on the tea tray. “Who do you think would do that?”

Fred shuddered. “There’s not many of us left to choose from. Maybe Rhyannon’s killer is picking us off one by one.” He looked over his shoulder at the parlor door. “Who will be next?”

Chapter 16

After Fred’s worrying revelation, I’d hurried to make more tea for Rose and Delilah. When I’d returned to the parlor, Delilah was on her second large brandy. I left them to it. I needed time alone to figure this out.

When I got to my bedroom with Flipper, I barricaded the door with a chair. I didn’t want the killer sneaking in and finishing me off after I’d revealed what the ghost had told me.

I checked my mobile and saw three missed calls from Zach and five from Helen, along with a voicemail message from her asking me to call.

It would be good to talk through the options and see who Helen thought could be involved in these deaths.

She picked up on the first ring. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. For now.” I settled on my bed, and Flipper hopped up beside me. “Crystal not so much. She was shoved down the stairs and broke her neck.”

“She was killed?”

“That’s what she told me. Her ghost is already here.”

“How ghastly. Any idea who did it?”

“Well, it’s one of three people, and they’ve all got good motives. I’m struggling to have a front runner.”

“Weren’t you keen on Delilah?”

“It could be her. Or it could be the adulterous husband. Or the vicious sister.”

“What do the police think?”

“So far, they think it was an accident. I talked to them but couldn’t help much. I couldn’t tell them Crystal’s ghost appeared and told me about foul play. That would have put me top of their suspect list, with Rose prodding them to that conclusion if she could help it.”

“Good thinking. Keep quiet until you know more. What else did Crystal tell you?”

“Crystal’s strong for a new ghost. And, I’m still amazed by this; I could hear her.”

“Wow! Does she know who killed her?”

“I don’t think so. Rhyannon appeared and whisked her away. She was in a panic about what was going on. Nothing I said helped.”

Helen sighed. “Lorna, come home. You sound in a right mess over there. We miss you. Zach’s been trying to get hold of you, as well. He’s even more worried than I am. And I’m so worried I’ve eaten half a tin of cookies.”

“I know. I saw his missed calls. Let him know I’m okay. He doesn’t need to be concerned.”

“He’s right here. You can talk to him.”

“No. I’ll speak to him tomorrow,” I said. “I’ve got a lot to think about.”

“You’re not still thinking about Amelia?”

“Not for the last half an hour, but she’s on my mind. Did she do anything after I left?”

“No, she didn’t make contact. Maybe she’s gone. Maybe Amelia just needed us to know she’d lost a child.”

I doubted that. Amelia wasn’t finished with us yet. “We’ll find out soon enough.”

“Don’t let this put you off visiting.” Helen sounded worried.

“I’ll visit. I’ll be back soon.”

“I don’t know what I’ll do if I have to live in a house with two smelly men.”

“You’d survive,” I said wryly. “And Zach isn’t all that smelly. He mainly smells of grass.”

“You know what I mean. It’s not the same without you. This is our home. We all live here together.”

“Stop worrying about something that hasn’t happened yet. I’m not leaving for good.”

“But you’re not coming back, either.”

“I will. I promise. I want to help this family. That’s if Rose doesn’t get me fired first. That woman really doesn’t like me.”

“That’s another reason for you to come back here,” said Helen. “There are enough ghost helpers in that house. They don’t need you as well.”

“That’s the trouble; they do,” I said. “Crystal was the only legitimate one here. Now she’s gone, Delilah will be talking to the ghost animals and trying to get them to tell her what happened.”

“Then let the ghost animals figure it out.”

I sighed and looked at two cats who were floating on the end of the bed. “I wish I could.”

“Well, if you’re not coming home, then at least be careful. I don’t like the sound of this house. You’re living with a killer.”

“It’s been done before,” I said. “We both survived.”

“Yes, but I was with you then,” said Helen. “You’re all on your own.”

I looked at Flipper and the ghost cats. “Not exactly. I’ve got four-legged friends watching out for me.”

“Lock your door tonight,” said Helen. “If the killer knows you’re onto them, they might come for you next.”

“That’s already dealt with. I’m safe in my bedroom.” I looked at the chair jamming the handle on the door. “No one can do me any harm in here.” I lifted the phone away from my ear. I could hear someone singing.

“Get an extra bolt so you can lock yourself inside if you need to.”

“Hold on a second.” I hopped off the bed, removed the chair, and opened the bedroom door. I poked my head out into the corridor.

“What’s going on?” asked Helen. “Someone’s not trying to get in your room, are they?”

“Nothing like that. Someone’s singing,” I whispered. I crept closer to the sound and stopped outside Delilah’s bedroom. I hadn’t heard her come up the stairs, but that was definitely her.

“Who is it?”

I crept back to my room and barricaded myself in again. “That’s weird. Delilah sounds far too happy, considering she’s just lost someone she described as being like a daughter to her.”

“Then it must be her,” said Helen.

“Maybe she’s drunk,” I said. “She did have a lot of brandy.”

“She’s celebrating getting rid of Crystal,” said Helen. “You need to tell the police. Tip them off about your suspicions.”

“I can’t do that. Until I get proof of Delilah’s involvement in these murders, my hands are tied. I’ll sound like a crazy person if I speak to the police. What can I say: a ghost told me Delilah killed them? That would be the end of everything. No, I will stay here and see what else I can find out.”

“Okay, this is my final try at getting you to change your mind,” said Helen. “I’ve just put two trays of triple chocolate brownies in the oven. One tray has your name on it. Get back here tonight, and you can have the lot. Zach and Gunner won’t get a look. They’re all yours.”

I laughed. “It’s a tempting offer, but you’d better feed them to Gunner and Zach. I’m staying here and figuring this out. There are now two ghosts who need help. I can’t walk away from them.”

“You can! Or you risk becoming a ghost.”

I wrinkled my nose. “You usually encourage me to help, no matter how much danger I put myself in.”

“That’s because I’m always there looking out for you. That halves the amount of danger.”

“I need a couple more days. I’ve got to speak to Crystal again, once she calms down. She could have all the answers, but until she reappears, I won’t know.”

Helen sighed. “I know I’ve lost the fight when you turn down my brownies.”

“It was a close call. A whole tray of brownies to myself sounds like heaven.”

“There are three kinds of chocolate in them. Did I mention that?”

I laughed again. “You did. Zach and Gunner will love them.”

“Don’t go doing anything foolish,” said Helen.

“As if I would.”

“You always do, but you usually have me there to get you out of it.”

She had a point, but I would not give up now. “I’ll be extra careful.”

“Stay safe. I’ll speak to you tomorrow to make sure you weren’t pounced on in your sleep.”

We said our goodbyes. I double-checked the chair was secure by the door. I decided to stay in here for the rest of the day. No one seemed to be working, and I had Helen’s treats to stop me from going hungry.

I’d have to sneak out later to walk Flipper, but I didn’t want to risk bumping into the killer until I had more information about what was happening.

I lay back on the bed. A decent night of sleep could help. It would help me figure out what was going on in this house. Maybe a cat nap would do for now. I closed my eyes, but couldn’t relax, as all the motives and suspects filled my head.

I shivered, opened my eyes, and saw the two ghost cats snuggled on my feet. “Flipper, help me.”

Flipper happily bounced onto the bed and glared at the cats.

They didn’t budge. Their eyes stayed shut.

I sighed and turned onto my side. “The cats can stay. You can be my hot water bottle.”

Flipper snuggled down next to me, and I wrapped an arm around him. That felt better. I felt safe with Flipper.

But with cold feet and a head full of suspects, sleep felt like a long way away.

Chapter 17

I was up early the next morning, pacing around my bedroom, trying to get Crystal or Rhyannon to make contact. I needed them to appear, so I could question them about what had happened to Crystal. But for whatever reason, they wouldn’t show themselves. Why did ghosts never appear when I needed them? They were almost as bad as Amelia.

I had a quick shower and got dressed. I hurried down the stairs and into the kitchen. Delilah was sitting at the kitchen table, her head in her hands.

“Is everything okay?”

She raised her head slowly, her eyes bleary and puffy. “I’m feeling a little fragile after yesterday.”

I walked to the kettle and switched it on. I imagined all the brandy she’d downed had something to do with that. “I’ll make you a coffee, shall I?”

“Coffee would be lovely.” Delilah massaged her forehead. “I’m in such a pickle. I was relying on Crystal to help with the European tour. Now she’s gone, I need a new protégé.”

“It must be tricky finding someone with that particular skillset.”

Delilah looked straight at me. “It’s not that difficult. Tell me more about what you sense when there’s a ghost around.”

I shook my head and concentrated on putting coffee into the mugs. “That’s not my sort of work. I’ll stick to the filing and accounting. It’s what I’m good at.”

“This work can be rewarding,” said Delilah. “I’ve helped many people get past their grief.”

“I’m sure it is,” I said, “but you must need a certain set of skills to do it well. It can’t be enough just to see ghosts.”

“It’s true; you need empathy and patience. The living and the dead come with their own set of challenges. But you strike me as a kind person.”

“I was talking more about your talent with the ghosts. What if, for example, you can see them, but you can’t talk to them?”

Delilah’s eyebrows rose. “Well, that would be unfortunate. That’s not such a useful skill to have.”

I poured boiling water into the coffee mugs. “I agree.”

“I’m sure there’s a way around it.” Delilah accepted the black coffee from me. “Maybe, if you are limited to seeing them, you can get the ghosts to write things down for you.”

“Or mime what they want.” I settled at the table opposite her. I’d never had much luck getting ghosts to write things down.

“That’s also possible.” Delilah smiled slightly. “You’re talented. Are you sure I can’t tempt you to join me?”

“It’s best if you look for someone new. This isn’t for me.” A small part of me was tempted. It would be a relief not to have to hide my ability. But I enjoyed my work. I was good at organizing and planning and making sure the paperwork was complete. I helped ghosts when they had no one else to turn to. I considered myself a place of last resort, someone the ghosts turned to when they were desperate.

Delilah patted my hand. “If you ever change your mind, you know where I am.”

I smiled, then sipped my coffee. But for how much longer? If Delilah had killed Rhyannon and Crystal, she needed to face up to what she’d done.

“Have you seen Crystal since she passed?” I asked her.

“Not yet,” said Delilah. “If she can, I’m sure she’ll appear, if only to say goodbye.”

“Ghosts don’t always come back?”

“Not always. If they don’t have any reason to be here, then they won’t hang around. Crystal’s death was a horrible accident. Maybe she wanted to move on quickly and forget all about it.”

“And if she comes back?”

“It will be nice to see her one last time and say goodbye.”

“You don’t think Crystal has unfinished business here, given how sudden her death was?”

“I agree it must have been a shock for her. But she was a sensible young lady. She had no family, and she was single. That’s often a common reason people won’t move on; they’re missing those they left behind.”

Rose bustled through the door. Her eyes narrowed when she spotted me. She strode to the table and dumped two paracetamol in front of Delilah. “Take these. The first client is here.”

Delilah groaned. “Can’t you send her away? I’m not sure I can put on a performance this morning.”

“That’s your fault,” said Rose. “I told you not to have that third brandy. You’ve only got yourself to blame.”

“I’m grieving. I’m not hung over.”

Rose snorted. “Whatever is wrong with you, you need to pull yourself together. Mrs. Thomas is a regular. You can’t afford to let her down. She always pays in advance.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but Rose glared at me. This would be a disaster. Delilah could barely stand. How was she going to communicate with the dead? She’d probably start talking to a ghost dog and declare this woman’s Uncle Johnny was telling her about a fortune he’d buried.

“I can stall Mrs. Thomas for five minutes,” said Rose, “then you need to be in your parlor.”

“Can’t you help me, Lorna?” Delilah looked at me with pleading eyes.

“What can I do?”

“You said you can sense spirits. Go see if you sense anything about this woman’s family. She’s been coming to me for months now. She wants to connect with her late husband. I’ve not had any success in reaching him. I think he’s already passed, but she doesn’t believe me.”

Rose scowled at me. “She’ll only make things worse. We can’t afford to risk Miss Shadow being involved in this. She could lose us money. Mrs. Thomas could demand a refund if she doesn’t see you.”

“I’ll lose her as a client anyway if she sees me in this condition,” said Delilah. “Please, Lorna. I need your help.”

“This won’t end well.” Rose folded her arms across her chest, and her scowl deepened.

I took a deep breath and finished my coffee. I would show Rose just how good I could be. I had no clue whether this woman’s husband was around, but if he was, I would make contact with him and help her. “Why not?”

Delilah smiled at me. “Are you serious? You’ve just saved me from an embarrassing situation. I shouldn’t drink; it always makes the spirits foggy. All I want to do is go back to bed.”

“I advise against this,” said Rose. “You’re sending in an unknown to do something extremely sensitive. You’re putting the whole business at risk.”

“It’s one client,” said Delilah, “and she’ll understand. Tell her that Lorna is my new protégé, and she’s very talented. Make sure Mrs. Thomas knows I’m not well.”

Rose shook her head. “I’ll make the best of this terrible situation, but I will sit in on the session. If Miss Shadow steps out of line, I’ll stop it immediately. And I get to decide what happens next.”

I knew exactly what she meant. If I messed this up, she would fire me. I stood and matched Rose’s scowl. “I’m sure you will. Lead the way.”

Rose looked down at Flipper, who was standing, ready for action. “He’s not coming.”

“He has to. He’s my assistance dog.”

“All I’ve seen him do is eat treats and sleep.” Rose’s eyes narrowed. “What exactly is he supposed to help you with?”

“Let the dog go, as well,” said Delilah. “Mrs. Thomas likes animals. Maybe she’ll find his company soothing.”

Rose tutted. “Most likely, he’ll make her allergies play up.”

“You’ll do a great job,” Delilah said to me, before resting her head on her hands and closing her eyes.

Rose muttered under her breath as she led Flipper and me along the hallway. “Do not mess this up. If the client insists on a refund, I’m taking the money out of your wages.”

I’d expect nothing less from Rose. “I know what I’m doing.”

“I’ll believe that when I see it.”

I bit back a sharp response as I saw a woman in a blue dress sitting with her purse on her lap in the hallway. I hurried into the parlor and settled myself at the table. I had no clue what I was doing. I never used a specific method to make contact with a spirit. I simply helped them if I saw them.

I smoothed down my hair, made sure Flipper looked happy, and then rested my hands in my lap as I waited for Mrs. Thomas.

The door opened softly. Rose shot me a sharp glare before ushering in Mrs. Thomas.

“This is Miss Shadow.” Rose was using her patronizing client voice. “She will give you the information you need.”

Mrs. Thomas gave me a nervous look. “I’ve only ever seen Delilah.”

“I’ll help you if I can,” I said. “Take a seat.”

Rose shut the door behind Mrs. Thomas and then moved to a seat in the corner. She sat in it with her arms and legs folded, seeming determined to make me feel as uncomfortable as possible.

I ignored her and smiled at Mrs. Thomas. “What can I help you with today?”

“It’s Humphrey,” said Mrs. Thomas. “I’ve needed to speak to him since he passed. He died four months ago.”

“Is there anything, in particular, you want to say to him?”

“I want to know what he did with our savings.”

“You can’t find them?”

Mrs. Thomas glanced over at Rose. “He said he’d put them somewhere safe. The silly bugger was always moving them.”

“He didn’t tell you the account information? I’m sure you can look up that sort of thing online or go into a branch of the bank, and they will help you.”

Rose snorted quietly.

“He didn’t believe in banks,” said Mrs. Thomas. “My husband kept the money in an old tin box. He used to move it around a few times each year. He was paranoid someone would find it.”

I’d been closer to the truth than I realized when I’d thought about buried treasure. “Your husband moved this box full of money, and he didn’t tell you where it is?”

“I would have known, but there was a fire in the shed. He had a map in there with the locations of where he buried it. I’ve had a few digs around in the garden, looking at spots that seem to have been disturbed recently, but found nothing.”

I looked around the room. Other than the usual ghost rabbits, cats, and dogs, there was no sign of a human ghost.

“Do you need something to hold?” Mrs. Thomas pulled a watch from her purse. “That’s what Delilah always does. She says it helps to make contact with the spirits if you hold something dear to them.”

“I’ll give it a go.” I took hold of the gold watch. I almost dropped it when a trickle of cold crept up my arm.

Mrs. Thomas peered at me. “Are you sensing something? You’ve gone ever so pale.”

I looked down at Flipper, who gazed up at me. “There might be someone here. Let me concentrate for a moment.”

Flipper got to his feet and stared into the corner of the room.

I followed his intense gaze.

Mrs. Thomas did likewise. “Is that him? Are you seeing Humphrey?”

My hand now felt ice-cold as I continued to clutch the watch. A ghost was coming through. I blinked my eyes a few times. The room felt like it was tilting sideways. A stout man with a double chin, wearing gray slacks and a sweater with a hole in the sleeve, appeared in the room.

I took a deep breath. “Did your husband have a favorite sweater he always wore?”

Mrs. Thomas’s eyes widened. “He loved a hideous old woolen thing.”

“It had a diamond pattern on it?”

Mrs. Thomas nodded eagerly. “That’s right. Is he here?”

Rose sat bolt upright in her seat and stared into the corner of the room.

“I think so. He’s not got much hair on top and has big sideburns.”

“That’s right. He had a big everything.” Mrs. Thomas blushed. “I mean, he was a big man. He enjoyed his food.”

“It looks like nothing much has changed in the spirit world,” I said.

Mrs. Thomas smiled wistfully. “That was the problem; he ate all the deep-fried stuff. I tried to get him onto salads and veggie burgers, but he was having none of it. Humphrey loved his roast dinners and was always going out for fish and chips. His love of unhealthy food killed him. He died with half a burger on his plate. Landed face first on it. Poor love. The ketchup went everywhere. I haven’t been able to get the stain out of the tablecloth.”

Movement out of the corner of my eye had me turning my head. Rhyannon and Crystal appeared and were staring at me. The timing couldn’t have been worse. I couldn’t abandon Mrs. Thomas just after I’d made contact with her husband. I decided to speed things up.

“Humphrey, your wife needs to know where you buried the money,” I said to the ghost. “She lost the map in a fire. Can you help us?”

I saw Humphrey’s eyes widen. He looked at his wife and shook his head.

“What’s he saying?” asked Mrs. Thomas.

“At the moment, nothing. He looks a bit shocked.”

“I bet he is.” Mrs. Thomas shuffled in her seat. “He loved that wretched shed more than me. He spent so much time in there. If it had been another woman, I’d have been jealous.”

Humphrey smiled at that comment.

“He finds that funny,” I said. Cold slid along my back. Rhyannon and Crystal were now standing right behind me. Rhyannon prodded me in the arm.

“See if you can get him to talk,” said Mrs. Thomas. “I’m getting desperate. I’m in arrears on the fuel bills and need to get them sorted. And I still have to pay all the funeral costs.”

I nodded. “Humphrey, where’s the money?”

Humphrey scratched his head. He started talking.

“Wait a moment, show me. I can’t hear you.”

“I thought you said you could speak to spirits,” said Mrs. Thomas.

“I do it in a slightly different way than other mediums,” I said. “We don’t talk to each other. Well, they can hear me, but I can’t hear them.”

“How is he supposed to tell you where my money is?”

“We’re working on it.” I rubbed my hands up and down my arms, goose bumps covering me as Rhyannon and Crystal continued to hover around me.

Humphrey mimed eating something round. He moved his hands up and flung his fingers wide.

I got him to repeat the gesture a couple of times. Once he’d finished, he pointed out the window at a tree.

“Do you have fruit trees in your garden?” I asked Mrs. Thomas.

“Only an old apple tree. I always wanted Humphrey to cut it down, but he never would. Where our house is built, there used to be an apple orchard. He said it showed the history of the place if we kept the tree.”

I looked back at Humphrey. “Is that where you buried the money? You buried it under the apple tree?”

He smiled and nodded.

I looked at her. “That’s where you’ll find the money.”

Mrs. Thomas jumped to her feet, a big smile on her face. “Are you sure? I never go down the end of the garden; it’s so damp under the tree.”

“Your husband is certain that’s where the money will be.”

Mrs. Thomas grabbed hold of my hands and squeezed. “Thanks ever so much.” Her gaze turned to one of concern. “Are you sure you’re okay? You’re ever so cold.”

“It’s a side-effect of the job.” I handed back her husband’s watch. “Ghosts make me feel cold.”

Mrs. Thomas was already heading to the door. “I must get back to the house and start digging. I’ve got a new holiday I want to pay for.”

So much for needing the money to pay overdue bills.

Rose stared at me for a moment before jumping from her seat. “Let me show you out, Mrs. Thomas.”

I slumped back in my seat. I was freezing cold and shaking. I looked at Rhyannon and Crystal. “Couldn’t you have waited five minutes? I’ve frozen half to death, thanks to you.”

Rhyannon scowled. She rushed toward me, and everything went black.

Chapter 18

It was dark. My palms were sweating as I gripped the steering wheel. The headlights behind me grew closer. I couldn’t outrun them. My car slid to the side, the surface beneath the tires slick with the recent rain.

A squeak of panic shot out of my lips as the car behind me nudged my fender.

I stomped on the gas, but I wasn’t going any faster. My foot was already on the floor. I needed to get somewhere where there were other people.

With a dry mouth and racing heart, I focused on the road ahead. I was five miles from the nearest town. Once I was there, I’d be safe.

I gasped in relief as the car behind me backed off. She’d come to her senses and was letting me go. I squeaked again as she pulled out and raced up alongside me.

I glanced over, but couldn’t see the driver inside. It had to be her. It had to be Delilah. After our argument, she’d warned me she’d get even.

This wasn’t what I’d expected. I hadn’t expected her to chase after me. I thought she would try to isolate me in the community. Mediums could be a funny bunch; they close rank if anyone steps out of line. I assumed I’d get fewer invites to events or shows. That was fine by me. All those crowds were exhausting.

I gestured for her to back off. Instead, her car edged closer to mine. Was she crazy? She was going to run me off the road.

My heart ricocheted in my chest. Maybe that’s what Delilah was trying to do? Sadness intermingled with my panic. We’d once been so close. I’d considered Delilah a good friend. There weren’t many people who understood the work we did. I’d confided in her and Fred.

My eyes widened as I saw a bend up ahead. I couldn’t slow down, but with Delilah right alongside me, I was trapped. Her car nudged mine, and I screamed as the steering wheel took on a life of its own. The wet road and my speed won out, and I lost control of the car. The last thing I saw was a tree trunk.

“Miss Shadow.”

I felt my shoulder jerked. I sat bolt upright in my seat and looked around. I’d fallen asleep in the parlor. Or had I been asleep? Rhyannon had shot through me so quickly, it felt like my energy had been sucked out as she shoved a memory into my head.

“Miss Shadow. Pull yourself together.” Rose poked me with a bony finger. “What’s the matter with you? I come back from seeing Mrs. Thomas out, and you’re fast asleep.”

“I... I’m not sure. That session must have taken it out of me.” I looked around the room again. There was no sign of Rhyannon or Crystal.

Rose sniffed. “Well, whatever you’re playing at, you can leave now. Don’t get used to sitting in Delilah’s chair. This was a one-off. She’ll be back working this afternoon.”

“Yes, fine.” I waved my hand weakly in the air. I didn’t have the strength to argue with Rose. I was still trying to make sense of the images I’d just seen when asleep, or when I’d been in my dream state, or whatever it was that just happened.

“Come on. Get out of here now.” Rose flapped her hands at me. “I need to cleanse the atmosphere.”

“Sure. You do what you need to do.” I stumbled to my feet, Flipper leaning against my leg in a show of support, and left the parlor.

“Oh, and Miss Shadow,” called Rose.

I slowed and turned toward her.

“You have a visitor. He’s outside.” She sniffed again. “Male callers are not approved of here. Keep your conversation with him short. He is not to stay long.”

Male callers? Rose made it sound as if we were living in Victorian times.

Taking in a few deep breaths, I walked slowly to the front door and opened it. Zach stood outside by his Land Rover.

I tried hard to walk in a straight line as I approached him. “This is a nice surprise.”

Zach wrapped his arms around me. “I missed you. When you didn’t want to speak with me yesterday, I got worried.”

“I wanted to speak to you.” I tucked my hands into Zach’s pockets to warm them up. “I was tired; that’s all.”

“You’re freezing cold!” Zach looked down at me. “Don’t they have heating in this place?”

“It’s my fault.” I snuggled against him, happy to absorb his body heat for a few more minutes. “One of the ghosts in the house was trying to show me something. She got too close for comfort.”

“She didn’t hurt you?”

“No, she just made me feel like an ice-pop.”

Zach tightened his hold on me. “What did she show you?”

“What happened to her when she died. Rhyannon was run off the road by someone. She thinks it was my boss.”

Zach took off his jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders. He rubbed my arms, bringing a vestige of warmth to my limbs. “You’re not so sure that’s true?”

“It most likely is her,” I said, “but there are other suspects I haven’t completely ruled out. Now Crystal’s dead, as well. Someone in this house is not playing fair. They need to be stopped.”

Zach tipped my chin up with a finger. “Do I need to tell you to be careful?”

“No more than usual.” I smiled at him. “How’s everything at home?” I deliberately didn’t use the A word.

“That’s also why I’m here,” said Zach. “Ever since Amelia showed us that knitted baby’s boot, I’ve been wondering what we can do to help her.”

“She hasn’t done anything else since then?”

“It’s been quiet,” said Zach. “But perhaps one way we can help her move on is to have a commemoration of their passing, for Amelia and her son, to show them they won’t be forgotten.”

“That could work,” I said, even though I didn’t really want to remember Amelia. “What do you have in mind?”

“Something permanent,” said Zach. “I was wondering about selling the ring and using the money to buy something living. Perhaps a tree? I’d like it to be something positive, something that has life. Not so much to remember Amelia by, but I think she’d like that for her son.”

I kept my jealous, possessive thoughts to myself. Zach was trying to do the right thing here. “It will be a good use of the ring. I hope it will work.”

“So do I,” said Zach. “I want you back home.”

“I want that, too.”

A ground floor window opened. Rose poked her head out and scowled at me. “Miss Shadow, you’re needed inside.”

I raised a hand in acknowledgement. “Rose doesn’t approve of gentlemen callers. I get the impression she thinks you will corrupt me.”

“Chance would be a fine thing. She tried to send me away when I arrived,” said Zach. “I insisted on seeing you.”

“Rose is one reason I’m uncertain about Delilah’s involvement in all of this,” I said. “She has a grudge against everybody. I bet that included Rhyannon. She also didn’t think much of Crystal when she was alive.”

“Miss Shadow.” Rose’s shrill voice made my eye twitch. “Get back inside. I’m not paying you to go on a date with your man friend.”

“I’d better go,” I said to Zach. “Rose is desperate to fire me, despite me just having helped her.”

“Maybe you should let her fire you,” said Zach.

“It’s tempting.”

He kissed my forehead. “Stay safe. Let me know how everything goes with your ghosts. If you need a ghost hunting companion, you know where I am.”

“I do.” I watched as Zach drove away, before turning back to the house, its dark windows staring back at me. I hoped it would be easy to stay safe in this house. With Rhyannon and Crystal’s killer still on the loose, I wasn’t sure how safe this place was anymore.

***

I struggled through the rest of the working day, keeping myself awake, thanks to lots of caffeine. I declined dinner with the family and decided on an early night. I was just laying out my pajamas when Rhyannon and Crystal appeared in a chilly flourish.

“I want a word with you,” I said to Rhyannon. “What were you playing at earlier? I passed out, thanks to your behavior. You should have given me some warning you were going to rush me and fill my head with your memories.”

Rhyannon looked at the ground.

“Don’t go feeling sorry for yourself,” I said. “I’m the one who can barely stay awake, and my fingers have been frozen all day.”

Rhyannon glanced at Crystal and shrugged.

Their lack of sympathy for my frozen bones was obvious.

“Have you got anything to say about this, Crystal?”

Crystal shook her head. It seemed like the power of speech had left her.

I sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. Flipper joined me. “This dream I had, or the memory you showed me, it was of you driving the night you died, wasn’t it?”

Rhyannon nodded.

“I saw Delilah’s car. Did you see her in the driver’s seat?”

Rhyannon shook her head.

“So, somebody else could have used her car to run you off the road?”

Rhyannon pouted and folded her arms across her chest.

“It is possible,” I said. “The garage is easy to get into. Anyone could have used that car. Is that all the evidence you have that Delilah killed you?”

Rhyannon slowly nodded.

“What about you, Crystal? Are you still convinced someone shoved you down the stairs?”

Crystal nodded.

“Which means we could have two killers in this house.” I stroked my fingers through Flipper’s fur. “Rhyannon, you’re convinced Delilah killed you, but there’d be no reason she’d want to get rid of Crystal. She really liked you. I could see that when she first introduced us. And, she needs a protégé to help with the expanding business. Delilah is doing herself a disservice by killing Crystal.”

The ghosts looked at each other, confusion on their faces.

“Delilah killed Rhyannon after a falling out. Crystal was killed by...” I looked around the room, hoping to get inspiration. “Maybe Rose? Or did Fred not like you? I don’t suppose you had a jealous boyfriend who came after you?”

Crystal gave me a small smile and shook her head.

I looked at the door. This still didn’t feel like a safe place to be. I hopped up and made sure the door was secure and the chair was jamming the door handle.

“All I’ve got to go on are your memories, Rhyannon. I could sense you were panicked; maybe you made a mistake.”

Rhyannon shook her head.

I flopped back on the bed. I needed to find out how many killers were living in this house before I became their next victim.

Chapter 19

The house was quiet as I hurried down the stairs with Flipper the next morning. Both the office and parlor doors were shut. I stopped by the parlor door. There were quiet voices on the other side. Delilah must have a private session with a client.

Archibald eyed me from his perch in the hallway.

“Not today, my feathered friend. I don’t have time for your games.”

He snapped his beak at me as I passed.

As I entered the kitchen, I discovered Crystal and Rhyannon in there. They both acknowledged me but didn’t seem keen on making contact. They looked miserable as they floated around the kitchen. There were three ghost cats in there, as well. They were also quiet. It felt as if no one knew what to do next, and I included myself in that.

I ate some muesli and drank a mug of tea. What soul destroying piece of work was Rose going to thrust at me today? Maybe she would make it so horrible here, I would have no choice but to leave. One thing I knew for sure, I wasn’t leaving until Rhyannon and Crystal had been helped.

Crystal vanished as I rinsed my bowl and mug before drying them and placing them back in the cupboards. I was putting off having to see Rose. She sucked the joy out of every situation.

Crystal flashed back into view, her eyes wide and her hands flapping in front of her.

Rhyannon floated swiftly to her side and grabbed hold of her. Crystal kept flailing her arms and pointing out of the kitchen.

She gestured for me to follow her and then shot through the door.

Rhyannon gave me a puzzled look before chasing after Crystal.

“Let see what’s upsetting Crystal.” I left the kitchen with Flipper.

Crystal hovered outside Rose’s office door. I grimaced as I approached. She hated me going in there. In fact, she hated me, period.

I tapped gently on the door. Maybe she wouldn’t hear me.

Crystal rattled the door handle.

“You can quit doing that,” I hissed at her. “Rose is looking for an excuse to be angry with me.”

The door was yanked open. Rose stood on the other side. “What’s the matter?”

I glanced at Crystal. She pointed to the silver pendant hanging around Rose’s neck. “Nothing’s wrong. I was wondering what you wanted me to do today.”

Crystal continued to jab her finger at the pendant.

“I want you to continue working in the cellar.” Rose sighed and turned away. “But that’s not going to happen. Delilah has other plans for you.”

This sounded interesting. I followed Rose into her office and watched as she sat down. She didn’t offer me a seat.

“What does Delilah want me to do?”

“She took a phone call from Mrs. Thomas last night. She couldn’t stop raving about how happy she was with what you did for her. She said she went home, dug under the apple tree, and found the savings. Mrs. Thomas kept saying you were a miracle worker.” Rose scowled and stabbed a pencil on a piece of paper.

“I was happy to help,” I said. “Delilah seemed a little fragile yesterday.”

“She was hung over after drinking too much brandy with Fred,” said Rose. Her sharp gaze made me want to squirm. “How did you do it?”

My eyebrows lifted. “Do what?”

“Tell Mrs. Thomas what she wanted? How could you have known about that tree?”

“Maybe I simply passed on a message from her late husband.”

Rose grimaced, her small teeth showing. “I’m not convinced. You’re clever at what you do. I just haven’t figured it out yet, but I will. No one cons me.”

“I’m not trying to con you.” I forced my clenched fingers to relax. “What does Delilah want me to do?” I kept my focus on Rose, ignoring Crystal’s frantic arm flapping.

“She wants you to be her protégé.” Rose’s wrinkled nose suggested she thought the idea was terrible.

I shook my head. “I’ve already said that’s not the sort of work I’m interested in.”

“I agree,” said Rose, “but my sister won’t listen. She’s determined you’re to work here.”

“I’m too set in my ways to start down a new career path,” I said. “I will thank her for the offer, though.”

“I wouldn’t bother. It will only get her hopes up.” Rose scribbled on the paper in front of her. It looked like our conversation was over.

Crystal swiped at the pot of pencils on the desk, and they clattered to the ground.

“For goodness’ sake.” Rose jumped up and gathered the pencils. “Did you do that?”

I shook my head. “I haven’t moved from this spot. Maybe it was a ghost?”

“If you are a medium, you’d know if that was true.” Rose slammed the pencils back into the pot. “So, are there ghosts in here?”

I glanced at Rhyannon and Crystal. “You might not be alone.”

Rose’s gaze shifted around the room. She rubbed her arms before returning to her seat.

Crystal shoved my shoulder and jabbed a finger at Rose.

“I was just admiring your pendant,” I said.

Rose looked down at it before stuffing it inside her cream blouse. “What’s it to you?”

“It’s lovely. I wouldn’t mind buying one for myself.”

“You can’t.”

“Where did you get it from?”

“I don’t know. Someone gave it to me.”

Crystal shook her head and scowled at Rose.

“You must ask them where they bought it.”

“I don’t have time to run personal errands for you.” Rose leaned back in her seat. “Go make some tea. Try not to stew it this time.”

Rose was definitely not keen on talking about her pendant.

I left the office. Rhyannon and Crystal were in hot pursuit behind me.

I waited until we were in the kitchen before speaking, so no one would overhear us. “What’s so special about that pendant?” I asked Crystal.

Crystal pointed to herself. “Mine.” The word was faint, but I just caught it.

“Rose is wearing your pendant? Where did she get it?”

“Lost,” said Crystal.

“Maybe Rose made a mistake,” I said. “If you lost it here, she could have mistaken it for hers.”

Crystal shook her head rapidly. She pointed at her chest again. “Mine.”

“Why would she steal it from you?” I asked. “It’s not as if she’s short of money.”

Rhyannon screwed her face into a scowl and skulked around the room, swinging her arms and stamping her feet.

I suppressed a smile. “Yes, she can be a dragon when she wants to be.”

Crystal pointed above her head.

“What do you mean?”

“Search room,” said Crystal.

I backed away from them. “We can’t go snooping around in Rose’s room. She will go mad if she catches me. You two will be fine; she doesn’t see you.”

“Stealing,” said Crystal.

I nodded. If Rose was light fingered, it could put her in the frame for murder, especially if she’d been discovered stealing and needed to stop her theft being revealed.

“Okay, we’ll take a quick look in her room. She’s busy in her office, so we’ve got a few minutes before she wonders where the tea is.” I ran up the stairs, stationing Flipper outside the door as my guard dog, before hurrying into Rose’s bedroom.

The wallpaper was a faded beige, with faint yellow flowers stamped across it. There was a single bed, the sheets neatly made, and a closet. They were the only pieces of furniture in the entire room. It looked almost like a prison cell.

“This won’t take us long.” I hurried to the closet and opened the door. A row of beige clothing stared back at me. “Nothing useful in there.” I closed the door.

Crystal gestured to the bed.

It was an old-style metal framed bed, with space underneath to store cases. I ducked down and discovered two boxes under the bed. I pulled the first one out and opened it. It was full of paperwork. I rifled through it for a couple of minutes, but couldn’t find anything useful.

The second box was lighter. I lifted off the lid and gasped. Inside were a dozen pieces of jewelry.

Crystal and Rhyannon hovered by my shoulder. They both grabbed pieces of jewelry and held them out.

“These are yours?” I asked them.

Rhyannon nodded.

“Why is Rose taking your things?” Maybe she was a kleptomaniac and couldn’t help but steal sparkly things from people she didn’t like.

I carefully put all the jewelry back in the box, placed the lid on it, and slid it into place under the bed.

Even if Rose had been stealing and got caught, was it worth killing people over? Maybe she hadn’t just been stealing the odd piece of jewelry? Maybe this was something bigger.

“Rhyannon, was Rose doing something illegal, like stealing money from the business, and you were going to tell Delilah?”

She gave me a puzzled look and shook her head.

A screech sounded outside the door. I heard Flipper bark, followed by scrabbling claws at the door.

My heart leaped. Flipper must have spotted someone.

I hurried to the door and opened it. Archibald was flapping around, while Flipper chased him, his teeth snapping at his tail feathers.

Archibald spotted me. He screeched again and aimed his claws at my face.

I ducked out of the way. He swooped back around, clearly planning another attack.

“Keep quiet,” I hissed.

Archibald flew at me again. I shut the door and heard him fly into it. That will teach him, vicious feathery thug.

I inched the door open again. Even though Archibald was meaner than a rattlesnake with a hangover, I didn’t want him hurt.

My blood ran cold. Rose stood outside.

Chapter 20

“What are you doing in my bedroom?” Two tiny red dots of color appeared on Rose’s cheeks.

I hurried out and closed the door behind me. “I heard a noise in the room.”

“There’s no one in there.” Rose shoved past me and opened the door. She looked around the room as if expecting it to be trashed. “What were you looking for?”

“Nothing. Like I said, I thought I heard something. It was my mistake.” I headed toward the staircase.

Rose ran around me and blocked my way. “You were trying to steal from me.”

“Of course not,” I said.

“I don’t believe you. This is what I’ve been waiting for. I’ve never trusted you. Now, I’ve got a good reason to have you out of here.”

“I’ve done nothing wrong.” I hurried after Rose as she sped down the stairs.

Archibald flew past us. I’m sure if he could, he’d have stuck out his tiny bird tongue at me.

“Let’s see what Delilah has to say about this.” Rose shoved open the parlor door without knocking.

Delilah sat at the table. Opposite her was a middle-aged woman with a jet-black bob.

Delilah looked up, surprise in her eyes. “Is something wrong?”

“We have a problem with Miss Shadow,” said Rose.

The client turned and gave us an irritated look. “Do you mind? I’m trying to make contact with my husband.”

Delilah looked down at the golden retriever who sat next to her. “He is still here. I’m struggling to make sense of what message he is passing on.”

I sighed. Delilah would not get anywhere talking to the dog.

“This can’t wait,” said Rose. “I’ve just caught Miss Shadow stealing from me.”

Delilah’s jaw dropped. “Is this true?” She looked at me.

“Of course it’s not true,” I said.

The golden retriever jumped up and grabbed the edge of the tablecloth with his mouth.

“Look! It’s your husband. He wants us to focus on him,” said Delilah. “Rose, dear, this really needs to wait. We’re so close to helping this lady.”

“This is my time,” snapped the woman. “I need to speak to David.”

“Rose is mistaken,” I said. “There’s nothing for you to worry about. Please, finish your session.”

“There absolutely is something to worry about.” Rose jammed her hands on her bony hips.

I could tell she would not leave this alone. She was determined to get me fired.

“We can’t trust somebody in our house if they’re stealing.” She jabbed a finger at me.

“I’ve stolen nothing. You can check your room.”

“Rose’s room?” Delilah gave me a curious look. She held onto the tablecloth as the dog continued to tug on it. “What were you doing in her bedroom?”

“You see!” Rose’s expression grew triumphant. “She was in there snooping around to see what she could take. You need to check your personal belongings, as well; she might have already been through those.”

The golden retriever was getting agitated and gave the tablecloth another hard yank.

“This is not the place to be angry; we’re worrying the spirits.” Delilah grabbed hold of the tablecloth again. “We can’t have them agitated.”

“Miss Shadow must be punished,” said Rose.

The last of my patience evaporated. “For goodness’ sake. I’m not a thief.” I looked at Delilah. “And you’re talking to a dog.”

“Excuse me?” said the client.

I shook my head. “Not you. Delilah, you’ve been talking to that golden retriever sitting next to you, haven’t you?”

Delilah’s eyes widened. “Well, of course I have. This is the lady’s late husband.”

“No, that’s not him.” I moved around the table. “That’s just a ghost dog. You have ghost animals all over this house.”

“She knows that,” snapped Rose. “She makes contact with them every day. And you know full well they aren’t animals.”

“But they are,” I said. “Delilah can absolutely see the ghost animals and talk to them. What she can’t see are the actual ghosts of people.”

“You’re mistaken. They’re the same thing.” Delilah’s face paled, and her hand fluttered against her chest. “I mean, aren’t they? I’ve been speaking to them for years.”

“What kind of messages have you been getting?” I asked. “I’ve heard you say it’s tricky getting them to make sense.”

Delilah cast a worried look at Rose. “They can be jumbled. I thought it was because they were confused about their passing. They needed time to make sense of their deaths.”

“That’s right,” said Rose. “That makes perfect sense.”

“No, it doesn’t. They will not pass on significant messages about missing wills, or lost money, or where they want their ashes scattered. They’re just ghost animals.”

“Is my husband here or not?” The client looked around the room. “Or have I been accepting messages from a ghost dog all this time?”

“I’m afraid so,” I said to her.

“Don’t listen to this woman,” said Rose. “She’s a thief and a liar. And she’s fired. Miss Shadow, you are to leave this place immediately. Don’t think you’ll get a good reference, either. I shall have strong words with the agency we hired you through.”

I shook my head. “You’re not my boss. Delilah gets to decide whether I stay or go.” I looked at Delilah, whose lips were flapping, but no words came out.

The client turned and glared at Delilah. “Is this true? You’ve been taking my money and talking to an animal?”

“No, my dear, of course not.” Delilah cast a fretful look at the dog, who was still working on the tablecloth. “That’s how I see people after they’ve passed.”

“What’s to say they’re not just ghost animals?” asked the client. “It makes sense now, why David is proving so tricky to talk to. He was always a straight-talking man when alive.”

“People change when they pass into the spirit world.” Rose adopted her gentle, slightly patronizing client voice. “Perhaps he’s not as assertive as he used to be.”

“Where is my husband?” asked the client.

“That’s most likely him.” I pointed to the corner of the room, where a weak-chinned man stood, a look of confusion on his face.

“He’s actually here?” asked the client. “You can see him?”

“Of course she can’t,” snapped Rose. “She has no abilities.”

“You were happy enough with my abilities yesterday,” I said to Rose.

The golden retriever finally succeeded in dragging the tablecloth to the ground. He bundled it between his paws and began to mate with it.

“Oh, dear!” Delilah grabbed hold of the cloth and tried to remove it from the randy ghost dog’s paws. He growled and held on tight.

“Was that noise David?” asked the client.

“No, that was just a ghost dog,” I said. “He likes the tablecloth.”

“This nonsense has to stop,” said Rose. “Delilah, tell Miss Shadow to leave at once.”

Delilah gave up in her fight for the tablecloth and slumped into her seat. “That will have to be replaced.”

“Don’t worry about the tablecloth. This needs to be sorted out,” said Rose. “Miss Shadow is harming our business.”

Delilah looked at me. Her shoulders sank. “Can you really see this woman’s husband?”

“I think so.” I looked at the client. “Can you describe your husband to me?”

“No.” She folded her arms over her chest. “You claim to be a medium. You tell me what my husband looks like.”

I studied the ghost. “I wouldn’t say he was a handsome man. He’s going bald on top. He’s got a weak chin and is on the short side.”

“Don’t be rude.” Rose turned to the client. “I’m so sorry for this. I can offer you a discount on your next visit if you will overlook this charlatan’s nonsense.”

The client gave me a half-smile and ignored Rose’s simpering. “It is an accurate enough description. David wasn’t a looker, but he was a lovely man. He was always good to me.”

David floated closer, a tentative smile on his face.

“Is there something you need from your husband?” I said. “He’s here now. He looks like he wants to make contact.”

The client smoothed down her bob. “Can you tell me if he’s happy?”

I looked at David. He nodded. “He seems to be.”

“He doesn’t miss me?”

David floated closer and patted her hand.

The client gasped. “Was that him? Did he just touch me?”

“He did. It probably felt cold.”

The client nodded. “Like an ice cube on my skin. Why is he still here? I feel him in the house. I can’t see him, but sometimes, his slippers move, and there are dents in the cushions of his favorite chair as if he’s still sitting there. I can plump them up, but the next day, they’re back to the same position. Is that him?”

David gave me a sheepish smile before nodding again.

“That’s him,” I said. Rose sighed loudly behind me, but I ignored her. “Do you mind him being in the house?”

The client rubbed her forehead. “I guess not. He does me no harm. But I’m worried about why he’s still here. If he’s staying for me, then he doesn’t need to. I’ll be okay on my own. Of course, I miss him, but I don’t want him to feel he’s trapped here having to look over me. We’ve got the children; they keep an eye on me. They always come around for their Sunday lunch, same as always. I’m not alone.”

I looked at the soppy expression on David’s face. “He’s happy to hear that.” I focused on David. “If you don’t want to stay, you don’t have to. Your wife sounds like a clever lady, she can take care of herself.”

The client pulled a handkerchief from her purse and dabbed her nose. “It’s not that I don’t want him here; make sure he understands that. I just don’t want him to think he has to stay. There must be more to being a spirit than hanging around your old haunts, so to speak.”

“I wouldn’t say I’m an expert on that,” I said.

“You’ve got that right,” muttered Rose.

I glared at her and then looked at David. “Are you ready to move on?”

He gave a slow nod before pressing his lips to his wife’s cheek.

She gave another gasp, and her hand flew to her cheek.

David nodded at me before blinking out of sight. The tension in the room instantly lifted.

Delilah sat up straight. “He’s gone, hasn’t he? I feel a change in the atmosphere.”

“That’s right.” I smiled at the client. “David heard what he needed to. I don’t think he’ll be back. You won’t need to worry about his slippers moving anymore.”

She gave me a swift nod before standing. “Thank you. This wasn’t quite the session I imagined it would be, but I’m glad to have things sorted. We can both move on now.” She touched my arm before hurrying out of the room.

None of us moved as we heard the front door open and close.

Delilah straightened her skirt and then looked at me. “So, you can see ghosts. All this talk about sensing them, it’s much more than that. You are a true medium.”

“So are you,” I said.

“You’re not going to believe her, are you?” Rose moved to stand next to Delilah. “She’s a con artist. She probably planted that client here, so she could go through that whole charade. She’s not a medium. She’s not talented like you. And you don’t just see ghost animals.”

Delilah’s attention went back to the golden retriever, who was determinedly mating with the tablecloth. If he carried on like that, he would have to marry that tablecloth.

“I always thought it was a quirk in my abilities. I believed people came back in animal form. I assumed they picked their favorite animal and materialized to look like that. I wondered, occasionally, if they were just animals. Some of the messages I got from their jumbled thoughts were so odd. There were lots of comments about favorite places to sleep and long walks.”

I suppressed a smile. “I don’t blame you. All this seeing ghosts business can be confusing.”

“Miss Shadow, you cannot see ghosts,” said Rose.

“I don’t know what else I can do to convince you I can,” I said to her. “I helped you yesterday, and I just made contact with your client’s dead husband.”

“Lorna is right,” said Delilah. “We’ve been fortunate she’s come into our lives at the right time. What with the loss of Crystal, I need someone with a true talent to help me, especially now I have a weakness in my own abilities.”

“You don’t have a weakness,” snapped Rose.

“You really don’t,” I said. “Many people truly love their pets. You would do a roaring trade in passing on messages from people who have lost their animals.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Rose.

“I’m not. Think of it as a niche market. How many other mediums specialize in passing on messages from lost animals? I’m sure you’d do incredibly well.”

“A pet medium?” Delilah twirled a strand of her hair around her fingers. “That’s an interesting thought. I’ve always loved animals.”

“This is such nonsense.” Rose glowered at me. “And we’ve got off the point of me coming in here. I caught Miss Shadow stealing. She was sneaking out of my bedroom when I caught her.”

Delilah frowned at her sister. “You have nothing in your bedroom. I’ve been in there enough times to know there’s nothing of value that’s worth stealing.”

Rose’s mouth opened and shut a few times. “I want her gone. I don’t trust her.”

“I trust Lorna,” said Delilah. “She’s been nothing but helpful since her arrival.”

Fred pushed the door open and ambled in. He stopped, his gaze going to each of us. “Perhaps this is a bad time.”

Rose pounced on him. “Fred, you don’t trust Miss Shadow, do you?”

Fred’s eyes widened, and he scuttled back. “I don’t know Lorna well. She seems nice enough to me.”

Rose tutted. “She’s stealing from us.”

“What has she stolen?” asked Fred.

“I’ve stolen nothing!” I said.

“I’m not certain yet,” said Rose. “I’ve yet to check what’s missing. But Miss Shadow is up to something, and it will be to our detriment. She needs to go.”

“Shall I make some tea?” Fred inched back toward the door, obviously keen not to engage in this confrontation.

“Stay where you are,” ordered Rose. “We’re not leaving this room until we’ve figured out what to do with Miss Shadow.”

I stared at Rose. That sounded like a threat.

“I know exactly what to do with Lorna,” said Delilah. “She’s staying right here.” She gestured to a seat at the table. “I believe in your abilities. I believe you see ghosts. And I don’t think you’ve been stealing from us.”

Rose sighed and tutted again. “Then she was trespassing. She had no right to be in my room.”

I inched down into the seat and focused on Delilah. “What if I told you I’d seen the ghosts of Rhyannon and Crystal?”

“Then I’d say you’re lying, as usual,” said Rose.

Delilah gestured with a hand, silencing Rose. “How are they?”

“They’re not happy,” I said.

“They will hardly be full of the joys of spring, considering they’re dead,” said Rose.

“And that’s the problem.” I focused on Delilah, whose steady gaze remained glued to me. “Did you kill them?”

Chapter 21

Rose made several spluttering sounds.

Fred hurried over to Delilah. “My wife would never harm anybody. Lorna, what are you suggesting?”

“Rhyannon is convinced Delilah ran her off the road. She showed me what happened the night she died.”

Delilah’s hand fluttered over her chest. She glanced up at Fred, and he shook his head.

Their silent exchange spoke volumes. “Did you have something to do with Rhyannon’s death?”

Delilah lowered her head. “I did. I’m responsible.”

Rose gasped. “What are you saying?”

“I didn’t mean to do it,” said Delilah. “It wasn’t deliberate. We were arguing about splitting the profits from a show. We were co-headliners and had agreed on a profit share, but then things changed.” She glanced at Rose.

“I know the show you’re talking about,” said Rose. “You put in a much better performance that night. It was only right you got a bigger cut of the profits.”

“Rhyannon didn’t see it that way,” said Delilah. “She thought we should stick to the original straight down the middle split. I wasn’t all that bothered; the money was good. But Rose insisted we take a bigger cut.”

“You did a better job,” said Rose. “Rhyannon knew that. She was being greedy.”

“What happened when you argued with Rhyannon?” I asked Delilah.

“She refused to hand over the cheque. The argument got out of hand. After doing a show like that, emotions are heightened. I pick up traces of how the spirits felt. That night, I’d had a particularly spiteful soldier trying to get through and make contact with his fiancé. He wouldn’t accept the fact she wasn’t even in the room.”

My eyebrows shot up. “A soldier? An actual ghost?”

“Oh, no,” Delilah gave a quiet laugh. “I thought it was a soldier. He appeared in the form of a Rottweiler. He kept barking and snapping and talking about rings. He was most likely talking about some kind of rubber ring chew toy. But that night, I’d convinced myself he was some out-of-control squaddie looking for trouble. I came off the stage in a proper temper and took it out on Rhyannon.”

“I remember that evening,” said Fred. “It took me a long time to calm you down.”

Delilah patted his hand and gave him a sweet smile. “You’re so good at doing that. I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t around.”

“You argued with Rhyannon and then what?”

“We came back to the house after the show. I was still angry. Then Rose started talking about changing the deal. Rhyannon made a run for it,” said Delilah. “The cheque was made out in her name. She said she was going to cash it and not give me a penny. Rhyannon ran to her car and drove off. I couldn’t let her get away with that, so I chased her.”

“And ran her off the road?”

“No. At least I didn’t think I had. It all got a bit silly,” said Delilah. “I chased her for ten minutes. Then my temper eased, and I saw what an idiot I was being. Not only was I risking Rhyannon’s life, who, even though we’d argued, was a friend, I was also risking my life. The road was wet and slippery, and I’m not that good behind the wheel even on a bright, sunny day. I overtook Rhyannon and left her to it. I decided I’d get Rose to chase her for what we were owed.”

That didn’t match with the memory Rhyannon had shown me. “Rhyannon’s convinced you ran her off the road, though. Why would she think that?”

Delilah shook her head. “I don’t know. But when I left, she was definitely fine. I came home, and Fred calmed me down. We had a couple of brandies to calm my nerves and then went to bed. Then the next day...”

“The next day, Rhyannon’s car was found, and she was in it,” said Fred quietly.

“It was all my fault.” A small sob fell from Delilah’s lips. “She must have lost control after I left. I was chasing her and frightened her. She made a mistake and crashed. I killed Rhyannon.”

“For goodness’ sake.” Rose strode around the room. “Be quiet. You did no such thing.”

“She would still be here if I hadn’t chased her,” said Delilah. “It was so silly, arguing over money. It’s not as if we need it.”

“We do need it,” said Rose. “We have to invest in the European tour. And this place needs an update. The heating system is almost prehistoric. The money from that show would have paid for a new boiler.”

“Even so, I should never have argued with her. This is all my fault.”

“That woman’s death has nothing to do with you,” said Rose. “Rhyannon made a mistake. It was an accident.”

“An accident I helped cause,” said Delilah. “I can’t live with the secret anymore. Ever since her death, I’ve had horrible waves of anger and sadness running over me. At first, I thought it was because Rhyannon was haunting the house.” She pointed to a Siamese cat floating by the rug. “That cat appeared the night Rhyannon died. I thought that was her.”

I looked at the cat, who flipped over and licked its butt. “I don’t think Rhyannon’s returned in cat form. When I’ve seen her, she’s always been very human looking.”

Delilah gave me a rueful smile. “Yes, I know that now. But I’ve had conversations with that cat when I was on my own. I told the cat I was sorry, and I didn’t mean for the accident to happen. I hoped she’d forgive me and move on. I hoped it would help me stop feeling so sad.”

“What about Crystal’s death?” I asked. “She was suspicious about the way Rhyannon died. Crystal was convinced it wasn’t an accident, and she ended up dead. Were you also involved in that?”

Delilah shook her head vigorously. “Oh no, she must have fallen down the stairs. I had nothing to do with that.”

“Will you stop talking,” said Rose. “This is nonsense. Rhyannon ran her car off the road, and Crystal was just clumsy and fell down the stairs. None of this has anything to do with you.”

“It does, though.” Delilah looked at me. “Is Crystal telling you her death wasn’t an accident either?”

“She thinks she was pushed.” I looked at them all in turn. “It seems too much of a coincidence. She asks awkward questions, and the next thing, she’s dead.”

“Of course, you would think it’s me,” said Delilah. “If I was responsible for Rhyannon’s death, then I would want Crystal out of the way.”

“My dear, you loved Crystal like she was a daughter. I don’t believe you would have harmed her,” said Fred.

“I didn’t. I promise you,” said Delilah.

“Perhaps we should contact the police,” I said. “Neither Rhyannon nor Crystal can rest until they figure out what really happened to them.”

“We’re not having the police here again,” said Rose. “They’ve asked the questions they need to. They’re convinced both deaths were an accident. There’s no point in stirring things up. My sister is not a criminal. Unlike you.”

“I think we should get the police back,” said Delilah. “I need to tell them everything. I didn’t tell them I chased Rhyannon the night she died. I was scared they’d think I killed her.”

“No! They’ll send you to prison,” said Rose.

“That’s what I deserve.”

“You don’t.” Rose hurried to her side. “You had nothing to do with their deaths.”

“I need a clear conscience,” said Delilah. “I can’t do my work when my conscience is so muddied with guilt. I’ve even had trouble communicating with the spirit animals since Rhyannon’s death. Now I know why. I’m covered in guilt, and I need to confess.”

“You have nothing to confess.” Rose glared at me. “This is all your fault. You should be ashamed, upsetting my sister like this.”

“I’m trying to help two women who were killed,” I said. “I make no apologies for that.”

“You don’t need to,” said Delilah. “I can’t help you with what happened to Crystal, but the police need to know about my involvement in Rhyannon’s death.”

“There must be another way.” Rose’s hand went to the pendant she wore, and she twisted it in her fingers. “Keep quiet. You’ll get over your guilt. No one needs to know about this. So what, you followed Rhyannon in your car. She was the one behind the wheel. She was the one who lost control.”

“Rhyannon showed me that the driver of the other car nudged her off the road. It made her lose control. If that was you, Delilah, then you did kill Rhyannon.”

Delilah hung her head. “Is Rhyannon here? Can I speak to her?”

“Neither of them are here,” I said.

“You’d better call the police,” said Delilah. “Let’s get this over with.”

“No!” Rose’s top lip was damp with sweat as she grabbed her sister’s hand. “You will not confess to something you didn’t do.”

“How do you know I didn’t do it?” asked Delilah. “I was the last person to see Rhyannon alive. Maybe I did hit her car. Or I scared her so badly she ran off the road. I did this!”

Rose looked at me and then back to her sister. “I was also there that night.”

Delilah’s eyes widened. “You were?”

“I followed you and Rhyannon. I saw you race off after her. I know how soft-hearted you can be. You’d let her take that money and cheat us out of what we were owed.”

“It was you,” I said to Rose. “You drove Rhyannon off the road?”

She glared at me. “I had no choice. It was only meant to scare her. I nudged her car a couple of times. It was more of a warning than anything else.”

“Rose, no! You can’t have done that.” Delilah clutched her sister’s hand. “Please don’t tell me you did this.”

“It was for your own good,” said Rose. “Nobody cheats my sister and gets away with it. I was protecting our assets and your reputation.”

“My reputation?” Delilah blinked slowly. “I don’t care about that. It’s not worth killing for.”

“It’s more than that one night and the lost money. I knew there was something off with your ability,” said Rose. “I can’t see those pesky ghosts, but some of the messages you gave to people were so odd. It would take me ages to talk them around once they’d left the parlor, convincing them you were legitimate and the spirit world was a confusing place.”

Delilah gave a sad laugh. “All this time, I was talking to animals. I wasn’t helping people at all. You were covering for my failings.”

Rose gave me another cold look. “Thanks to Miss Shadow’s interference, we know you’re seeing spirit animals, not human ghosts.”

“You never said you doubted me,” said Delilah.

“You’re making plenty of money doing what you do. I just filled in the gaps and reassured clients. Then Rhyannon started asking awkward questions. She quizzed me about your abilities and what I thought of them. I wasn’t going to tell her anything. Then, she got greedy. She demanded more money. She was making threats that she would reveal your abilities to the national press, get them asking questions about how good you are. I couldn’t let her do that. I had to stop her.”

Delilah dropped her hold on her sister’s hand. “So, you ran her off the road?”

“I didn’t even realize what I was doing until it was too late,” said Rose. “After it happened, I checked on her. It was obvious she was dead. There was nothing I could do to help. I tried to make it look like a robbery. You know, she was run off the road and thugs stole from her. I grabbed the bag she had in the back. It didn’t have much in it, mainly stage outfits and jewelry.” Her fingers went to the pendant around her neck. “No one questioned the missing bag. The police were happy enough that it was an accident.”

“That pendant you’re wearing isn’t yours,” I said.

Rose’s fingers curled around the pendant. “How do you know that?”

“Crystal showed me it belonged to her. She also led me to a box under your bed full of jewelry. I’m guessing that’s also not yours.”

“I knew you were trying to take my things.” Rose looked at Delilah. “See! Miss Shadow has just admitted she was snooping in my room.”

Delilah rubbed her forehead. “That hardly matters now. Did you steal from Crystal and Rhyannon?”

Rose tilted her head back. “They had everything I didn’t. They were talented and beautiful, and they had a bond with you I could never have. You all saw ghosts. I felt like an outsider. No matter how hard I tried, I was always the odd one out.”

“Rose, that’s not true.” Delilah shook her head. “You’re my sister. You are a huge part of my life. I don’t care you can’t see ghosts.”

“I do, though,” said Rose.

“So, you took their things to get back at them?” I asked.

“What if I did? Rhyannon had so many shiny things, she didn’t even notice they’d gone.”

“And what about Crystal?” I asked her.

Rose sighed. “She also got suspicious of Delilah’s talents. Crystal was the real deal when it came to talking to the dead. She just had this irritating knack. I had to make sure Crystal stopped her snooping.”

“Rose, you didn’t push Crystal down the stairs?” Delilah’s voice shook as she spoke.

Rose lowered her head and then nodded. “I saw the opportunity and took it. I knew she’d taken Miss Shadow to see the accident site.”

“How did you know that?” I asked.

“I put a tracker on Crystal’s phone. I do it with everyone who works with Delilah, so I know what they’re up to and where they are.”

My hand slid into my pants pocket where my phone was.

Rose saw the movement. “Don’t worry. I’ve not gotten around to your phone yet. Besides, Crystal knew about it; it wasn’t a secret. She must have forgotten it was on there when she took you to the crash site. I pieced the rest together. It wouldn’t have been long before Crystal was making things difficult for us.”

A shiver ran down my spine. If I’d moved any slower, I would have been Rose’s next victim.

“Rose, you have to confess,” said Delilah. “These poor women can’t move on until you do.”

“I’ll go to prison.” Rose blinked at Delilah. “You can’t want that for me.”

“I don’t,” said Delilah. “What you did was wrong. I won’t be able to stay in this house knowing it’s haunted by two women who were murdered.”

“I killed them for you,” said Rose. “I killed them so the business would remain successful and your secret would never come out.”

“I didn’t ask you to,” said Delilah. “I’d rather everyone knows I can only see spirit animals rather than human ghosts. I’d rather have Rhyannon and Crystal still alive.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” said Rose sharply. “You’d do anything to ensure your tour is a success.”

“I wouldn’t kill,” said Delilah. “You should have talked to me. We could have figured out something. Rhyannon was my friend, and I adored Crystal.”

“Rhyannon wasn’t a friend,” said Rose. “She had designs on your business and your husband.”

Fred made an odd sound in the back of his throat. “There was never anything going on between Rhyannon and me.”

“Not for want of her trying,” said Rose. “And, if my sister hadn’t been around, you’d have been all over Rhyannon like a cheap suit.”

Fred made the same strange noise. “Now who’s the one talking nonsense?”

Rose waved a hand dismissively at him. “You’re not important, but my sister wants you around, so I had to make sure you wouldn’t stray.”

Fred frowned. “I would never do such a thing.”

“And I had to keep this business protected and stop Rhyannon and Crystal from ruining everything. I had to keep it all safe.”

Delilah sighed and slowly stood. “Sadly, this business and I are no longer your concerns.”

Rose’s eyes widened. “What are you saying? I did this for you. This was all for you.”

“No, it was all for you,” said Delilah. “You’ve always been too controlling. You always used too much force to get what you want. This time, you’ve gone too far.”

“You would be ruined if it weren’t for me,” said Rose. “You’re as much to blame for this as I am.”

Flipper jumped up and spun in a circle. I could hear Archibald squawking in the hallway. He was a mean little critter, but he knew when there was a ghost around. I shivered as Rhyannon and Crystal appeared in the parlor.

Delilah looked at me. “Do I sense something is here?”

I nodded. She definitely had some abilities. “Rhyannon and Crystal have arrived.”

Rose’s worried gaze raked around the room. “Tell them to stay away.”

The ghosts exchanged an angry glance but didn’t move.

Delilah shook her head. “I am sorry, ladies. I do feel guilty. I regret my fight with Rhyannon. I am so sad about what happened to Crystal. It should never have come to this. I should have explored my abilities more closely and seen I was lacking.”

“They don’t need your pity,” snapped Rose. “They’re dead. You can’t even talk to them. You’re a fraud.”

The ghosts advanced toward Rose. Although she couldn’t see them, she felt their approach and shrank against the wall. “I was only protecting my sister.”

“You were protecting yourself,” said Delilah. “Lorna, dear. It’s time you called the police.”

Chapter 22

I was curled up on the sofa at home, next to Zach. I had a huge mug of hot chocolate in one hand and a cookie in the other.

Helen sat opposite me on the other sofa with Gunner beside her. Jessie and Flipper were snoozing on the rug.

“So, Rose was arrested?” said Helen.

I’d been telling them about yesterday’s events, with Rose confessing to both murders. “She was raging about everything she’d done for the business and everything she’d done for her sister. I felt a bit sorry for her. She has a guard dog mentality when it comes to Delilah. She was determined to protect her, no matter the cost.”

“And two people ended up dead because of it,” said Gunner. “I bet you’re glad to be out of there.”

“It’s only for a week,” I said. “I promised Delilah I’d go back and help her. She’s lost her sister, a good friend, and her protégé. She’s a bit of a mess. Fred is taking her away for a week in the sun to help her get over it and figure out what she wants to do next.”

“And she knows about your ability,” said Helen. “You’re not thinking of a career change, are you?”

“Definitely not,” I said. “Delilah is always so tired because of all the ghosts absorbing her energy. And she drinks way too much. I think it’s the stress of that job. I’ll stick with what I know best, paperwork.”

“What about the ghosts?” asked Zach.

“I saw them briefly, just as Rose was being taken away for questioning. They were happy. Rhyannon realized she’d gotten confused when she was driving. She remembered seeing Delilah’s car, but Rose drives the same color of car. It would have been easy enough to mess up the memories with all the stress she was under. They’ve left the house now. They can rest easy knowing who killed them and that their killer is going to prison for a long time.” I ate some of my cookie.

Everyone was quiet. We were all trying hard to ignore the Amelia-shaped elephant in the room.

Zach shifted in his seat and leaned forward. “I’ve been doing work on the memorial.”

I swallowed the suddenly hard lump of cookie. “How’s it going?”

“The ring fetched a good price. I planted a few small trees and created a water feature.”

“You’ve been busy.”

“Gunner helped,” said Zach. “It only took an afternoon.”

“I dug the holes and carried the stones,” said Gunner. “That’s all my brother sees me as good for when it comes to gardening.”

“Where is it?” I glanced out the window. I hoped he hadn’t put it in our back garden. I felt sorry for Amelia, but I didn’t want a permanent reminder of her anywhere near me.

“I borrowed a bit of space from a local farmer,” said Zach. “He had a patch of land he was using for wildlife conservation. I asked if I could add the memorial to it, and he was more than happy. He thinks the water feature will help to attract newts and frogs.”

I let out a quiet sigh of relief. “What does Amelia think?”

“This is the first time I’ve mentioned it in the house,” said Zach. “I thought it would be a nice surprise for her. Perhaps we can contact her while we’re there. Maybe she’ll see it and finally be happy.”

I brushed crumbs from my fingers and stood. “Let’s go over there now.” Amelia needed to go.

Zach joined me. “Are you sure about this? I know how strange this must be for you.”

“It is strange,” I said. “But if this will help Amelia move on, then we need to do it.” I looked around the room, hoping to glimpse our elusive ghost.

“We’ll come with you.” Helen nudged Gunner with her elbow.

“You don’t have to.”

“We want to, don’t we?”

“I can think of nothing I’d like more.” Gunner grimaced before grabbing another cookie and stuffing it into his mouth.

“Don’t eat them all. I don’t want you losing your six pack.”

“Don’t worry, beautiful, I will always stay in shape for you.” Gunner gave Helen a kiss on the cheek. “Some fresh air in the countryside will be perfect.”

All four of us, plus the dogs, piled into Zach’s Land Rover. The short drive to the farmer’s field was a quiet one. A somber mood had descended on the group. I understood why. It wasn’t a happy occasion. I pushed against any feelings of annoyance I had over Amelia. She’d lost a child. I had to remember that. This would help her move on. She would see her baby’s death was being remembered appropriately, and so was hers. I had to hope it would be enough, and she’d stop haunting us.

Zach pulled up opposite a metal gate. We all got out and climbed over the gate.

“If I’d have known this was going to be an aerobics class, I’d have dressed appropriately.” Helen struggled over the gate in her pencil skirt.

“I’ll carry you if you like.” Gunner made a show of trying to scoop Helen into his arms.

She giggled and pushed him away. “Don’t be silly.”

Zach wrapped an arm around my shoulders, and we walked behind Gunner and Helen. Jessie and Flipper romped around the empty field, enjoying the unexpected walk.

“Thanks for agreeing to come take a look,” said Zach quietly. “I’ve been an absolute idiot about Amelia. I never meant this to cause problems between us. I didn’t know about her child.”

“Of course I was going to come,” I said. “And you’re right; you were an idiot. A big, dumb idiot. But I still love you. You’ve put up with so much from me, with all my ghost seeing business. Most men run a mile when they realize what I can do. You stuck by me, even when I put the ghosts first, second, and third.”

“Maybe we can have a chat about that,” said Zach. “Once we get rid of our own house ghost, you could have a break from ghost hunting, as well.”

I smiled at him but shook my head. “You know it’s a part of my life. It helps if we don’t have them in our house. I agree with that. I’ll see if I can put you at the top of my list of priorities. Although you might have to come second after Flipper.”

“I can live with that.” Zach kissed my forehead. “This is the place.”

We rounded a bend and stopped. In front of us were three small oak trees. Sitting to the right of them was a sunken metal trough with a small solar panel attached. Water cascaded down a series of stones before filling the trough. Several newly-planted lilies and rushes edged the trough.

“It will look better in a few months’ time when the plants have bedded in,” said Zach. “Everything here requires zero maintenance. The farmer picked the trees he wanted, and we went for a native variety. This will be great for the wildlife.”

I took a moment to look around. It was a lovely, peaceful spot, with birds singing around us. “You picked a great location.”

“Does Amelia think so?” asked Helen.

I took a deep breath. “Let’s find out. Amelia, are you here?”

We all waited. Even the dogs came and sat by us as if expecting something was about to happen.

“I brought the baby’s boot if that’s any help.” Zach pulled out the knitted boot and passed it to me.

I tried again. “Amelia, this site is for you and your baby. It’s a lasting memorial for you both.”

A shiver ran through me, and Flipper whined.

“Is she here?” whispered Helen.

“Somebody is.” The cold, shivery feeling intensified.

I felt Zach’s hand on my arm. “You don’t need to do this. We can come back another time.”

“Give me a few more minutes,” I said. “Someone is trying to come through.”

“What’s that?” Gunner pointed to one of the trees.

I squinted and saw a faint haze. “You can see that?”

“Not really,” said Gunner. “It’s as if my eyes keep blurring. Maybe I need glasses.”

“You don’t need glasses,” said Helen. “You’re seeing your first ghost.”

“Amelia?” I took a step closer to the trees, Flipper staying by my side. “Is that you?”

“I see nothing,” said Zach.

“You most likely won’t.” I focused on the haze. Slowly, inch by inch, the image of a tall, dark-haired woman, with a down-turned mouth appeared. She was striking in her looks, with large, dark eyes and a wave in her hair.

She looked down at the baby boot in my hand and frowned.

“I think Amelia has just joined us.”

“What does she think of the memorial?” asked Helen. “I hope she appreciates the hard work Zach and Gunner have done.”

I gestured at the water feature and the trees. “This is for you and your child.” I held up the baby bootie. “We thought this might be a fitting way to show you won’t be forgotten.”

Amelia’s sharp features softened as she looked at the work Zach and Gunner had done. She drifted closer, and her fingers touched the baby bootie.

“I am sorry about what happened to your child,” I said. The words didn’t seem enough. I could see the grief in Amelia’s eyes.

Her head dipped, then she looked at me and smiled.

“What’s she doing?” whispered Helen.

“Give us a minute.” I stared at Amelia. “Is this what you want?”

She nodded. Her gaze shifted to Zach, who stood just behind me, his hand resting on my back. She floated over and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

Zach flinched, and his hand went to his cheek. “Was that Amelia?”

I shoved away my silly feelings of jealousy. Amelia was a ghost. “She’s saying goodbye.” At least, she’d better be after all the nonsense she’d put us through.

Amelia turned and nodded. She pointed at Zach and glared at me.

“I’m with Zach now. We’re happy. It’s time for you to go.”

Amelia’s eyes narrowed.

“You had your time with him, and you messed up. I’m sorry for your loss, but you can’t take your grief out on us.”

“Lorna’s right.” Zach moved next to me. His arm went around my waist. “Amelia, what we had is over. It has been for a long time. I love Lorna. I’m with her now, and she makes me very happy. It’s time you left us alone.”

Amelia wrinkled her nose. She took a long look at the baby’s bootie before floating back to the water feature.

“I think she understands,” I whispered to Zach.

Amelia floated around the water feature, her fingers tracing down the branch of a tree.

“Does anyone else feel dizzy?” asked Gunner.

“It’s normal,” I said. “Maybe you’re sensitive to ghosts.”

Gunner snorted. “Not a chance.”

My focus remained on Amelia. “She’s fading.”

“Does that mean she’s going?” asked Zach.

“It does.”

Amelia looked at the baby’s bootie one last time and then blinked out of sight.

“What just happened? I feel weird.”

I turned to see Gunner looking pale. “Our ghost has just left the building.”

“At last.” Helen kept a tight hold on Gunner as he leaned forward and took deep breaths. “Now you must believe in ghosts. You almost passed out, thanks to one.”

Gunner ran a hand through his hair. “That’s got nothing to do with it. I’m just working too hard. Ghosts don’t affect me.”

Helen kissed his cheek. “You’re such a hero.”

Gunner grumbled under his breath.

Zach turned to me. “So, she’s really gone?”

“She has. I think this is what Amelia wanted, to make sure her child wasn’t forgotten.”

“She could have done it without messing us around all this time.” Helen walked over with Gunner by her side. “Amelia almost broke you two up.”

I nodded. She’d come close.

“I’d never let that happen.” Zach hugged me to him.

“It won’t, so long as there are no more secret wives you’re hiding from me.”

“I promise, no more secret anythings.”

“I’m glad that’s sorted,” said Helen. “This is such a beautiful spot. You boys did a good job.”

“I’m glad you approve,” said Gunner, the color returning to his cheeks.

Helen nodded. “With the babbling water and all the greenery, even I might be swayed to venture out for a hike if it looks this lovely.”

“We live in the countryside. It all looks like this,” I said.

“Not all of it,” said Helen. “I don’t like the cowpats and the fences you have to clamber over, but the countryside has a romantic charm to it.”

“You think this place is romantic?” asked Gunner, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

“Don’t get any ideas. This isn’t a date.”

“No, but it’s as good a place as any for romance,” said Gunner.

Helen tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

“How about this?” Gunner turned Helen toward him and dropped to one knee.

Helen stared at him. “What are you doing?”

“You want romance, I will give it to you.” Gunner’s hand went to the inside pocket of his jacket.

A squeak flew out of Helen’s lips.

I grinned at Zach. “Did you know this was going to happen?”

“He’s been talking about it for a while,” said Zach. “Gunner didn’t say when he would do it. Maybe he didn’t have a plan and was waiting for the right moment.”

Gunner took hold of Helen’s hand. “Helen Lenore Rosemarie Holiday, will you do me the great honor of becoming Mrs. Gunner Booth?” He held out a black ring box.

Helen squeaked again. “You’re proposing to me in a field?”

“You said it was romantic. We’re beside a beautiful water feature, with our best friends watching.” Gunner looked over at us and grinned. He flipped open the lid of the box to reveal a large diamond solitaire. He couldn’t have picked a better ring. It was perfect for Helen.

“Oh my,” breathed out Helen.

Gunner arched an eyebrow and looked up at her. “Well? What do you reckon? Do you fancy a life of fun and adventure as my wife?”

Helen looked over at me. “What do you think?”

I held my hands up and shook my head. “I will not risk answering that question.”

“No, of course. This is my decision.” Helen looked down at Gunner and blinked. “I...”

A look of concern crossed Gunner’s face. “Don’t leave me hanging, beautiful. You’re the love of my life. I’ve never met anyone I’ve enjoyed being bossed around by more. You make me a better man, and I want to keep getting better with you by my side. Helen, I love you. Will you marry me?”

A huge smile spread across Helen’s face. “Of course I will, you fool.” She held out her left hand. “Now put that ring on my finger.”

Gunner made a show of mopping his forehead before pulling out the ring and sliding it onto Helen’s finger.

“It’s beautiful.” Helen kissed Gunner.

“Just like you.”

Helen gave a little hop before turning and flinging herself into my arms. “I’m getting married!”

“I noticed.” I hugged her, happy to see my best friend so thrilled.

Helen pulled back, a serious look on her face. “I must get planning. I’ve got a few ideas, but there’ll be so much to do. There’s the dress, the venue, the food, the cake. Oh, and what about decorations and music? And then the honeymoon, and—”

Gunner pulled Helen back toward him and kissed her. “We’ve got time for all of that. Let’s enjoy the fact we’re engaged for five minutes before you go into crazy-bride planning mode.”

“How about a celebratory meal at the pub?” asked Zach. “I want to celebrate the fact my brother is getting hitched.”

“That will be perfect.” Helen smiled. “And I get a night off of cooking for all of you.”

Gunner slung an arm around her shoulders. “You love cooking for us. You always complain if I order takeout.”

“That’s because my food is so much better than takeout.”

“That’s why I’m marrying you.”

Helen frowned. “You’d better be joking.”

I laughed. “Come on. Let’s go eat, and we can discuss wedding plans.”

As we walked toward the village, I slowed and glanced back at the memorial. This was a happy place and had given Amelia the peace she needed to move on. I was glad. She’d been a stubborn ghost and had been wrong to interfere in our lives, but grief makes people do strange things. Now this was over, we could all move on.

“Lorna, come on.” Helen gestured for me to catch-up. “I have to talk to you about bridesmaid dresses and color schemes.”

I grinned as I hurried toward her, Flipper by my side. We were all moving on. I had a feeling the next few months would be busy.