A Ghost to Die For (4 page)

“Eric, Andalyn Dixon died on her twenty-first birthday, she was about fours years younger than me. So, you knew her, personally?”

“No. I met her once or twice, at social affairs. I do know that Andalyn Dixon was a popular hat model. I believe she began modeling in her late teens.”

“I see. Eric, I suspect she may have gotten herself involved with two con artists named D. D. Dare and J. W. Collins.” I let my statement sink in.

Eric stood up and paced back and forth. The names had sparked a memory and he was lost in thought. He stopped suddenly and faced me. “Those two fleecers. Ha! I warned my friends and colleagues about them. I told them not to invest in their bank. Whatever became of those two worthless scoundrels?”

I spent the next few minutes explaining what I had learned and I gave Eric the article to read for himself. I watched as he read it. Clearly, he was agitated.

“Alex has baited you, Shannon. I’ll have a word with him about this. He is perfectly capable of delving into this mystery on his own. Why would he want to involve you? His ploy makes no sense to me.”

“Eric, leave Alex out of this, please. And, I am curious. It appears that Andalyn Dixon was set up and if this turns out to be true, I’d like to clear her name. Other than the thieving Dare and Collins, can you remember anything else?”

He sat beside me again. “I would not rush to judgment about Andalyn’s innocence. Yet, I cannot say why. Honestly, my recollection of her is simply that she was beautiful and perhaps a bit too eager to climb the social ladder up to San Diego’s affluent circles.”

“Okay, I will not dismiss your thoughts about her. But, Eric, could she have been scared to death. Is that even possible?”

He laughed and then said, “So, you are querying me, because I am a ghost, if I could scare a person to death?”

“Well, not you personally. But, another ghost, one that was mean and evil to begin with. After all, people don’t really change that much, do they, when they pass over?”

As usual, whenever I’ve asked Eric about life in the spectral sphere, he ignored my direct query. “Shannon, it is possible for a person who was of an evil nature while he walked the earth to choose not to change, and to continue to be evil in spirit visitations. Albeit, to take the life of the living is a sin, no matter what realm a soul dwells in. The motive would have to be for greed, or one of the other seven deadly sins. However, I feel this may not be the situation. Andalyn Dixon’s cause of death, being scared to death sounds bogus. Follow up on Andalyn Dixon, but do so with the utmost care. I will advise you and intervene on behalf of your welfare, when possible. But even I, as a spirit guardian to you, have my limitations.”

“Eric, when you say, follow up on Andalyn, do you have an inkling she is not what she appears to be?”

“Hmm, perhaps. I cannot quite put my finger on it. Truly, I am perplexed.”

I stood up. “Thank you Eric.”

Always the Victorian-age gentleman, Eric stood, bowed ever so slightly and took my right hand. Raising my hand to his lips, I felt the soft caress of his kiss. “Until next time,” he said. And then he vanished into thin air.

I glanced at the tall grandfather clock in the hall and was surprised to discover that an hour had passed. My visit with Eric hadn’t seemed that long. The clock’s hands marked one thirty in the afternoon. Three hours remained until Rosario would be home, leaving me time enough to work on writing the brochure for the Museum of Mystery. Deep in thought, in regard to what had just transpired in my conversation with Eric, I walked slowly up the stairs to my room.

Chapter 7

I finished a draft of the brochure about four o’clock and went down stairs. I was in the foyer when the doorbell chimed. A young woman named Sue delivered the package of material I had requested from Greg Winslow. I thanked her and invited her to come in but she declined in a quirky skittish manner. Sue took a few steps into the foyer, looked around and said she needed to be on her way. Had I not known better, I’d have thought she was spooked by something, or someone. Anyway, I was happy to get the materials and I promptly took them to the large dining table to sift through them. And that is what I was doing when Rosario arrived.

“This looks interesting. What on earth are you digging into now?” Rosario had begun to sort through the newspaper photocopies.

“This has to do with one of the displays at the Museum of Mystery. It’s in the room about local histories.” I picked up a newspaper advertisement of Andalyn Dixon modeling the latest in summer hats from her last year of life. Showing it to Rosario, I asked, “Do I look like her?”

Rosario took the article and held it up to the brightly-lit chandelier above the table. “Oh, my, you certainly do. Shannon, is this an ancestor of yours?”

“Not that I am aware of. But I cannot help but to feel a connection to her.”

“Is it because of the strong resemblance that you are interested in her?”

“No. Long story short is that yesterday, on Halloween night, I was with Alex at the fund-raiser at the cemetery and we were stationed near this woman’s grave. She died under suspicious circumstances and she was only twenty-one years old. And then, when I saw an exhibit of her at the museum, well, I could not help myself. Seeing a wax mannequin of Andalyn Dixon at the museum was the first time I had any idea of the physical resemblance between us.”

“Oh, and what was suspicious about her death?” Rosario asked.

“Rosario, it was reported that Andalyn Dixon was scared to death.”

“Oh phooey, no person can be scared to death. You don’t really believe that do you?” Now she was looking directly into my eyes, peering at me.

“I believe that a clever-enough person who wanted Andalyn dead could make her death appear so, that he or she could make it seem as if Andalyn died from sheer terror.”

“Murder. Plain and simple. Shannon Delaney, how is it you get drawn into these cold-case murder cases? Why, theses newspaper articles date back to over a hundred years ago. How in the world are you going to dig up the facts on this case?” Rosario’s query wasn’t so much a question as it was an accusation.

“You know, a little encouragement in this case would go a long way, Rosario. Really, considering all the facts so far, I do not believe that this situation regarding the death of Andalyn is a mere coincidence.”

“Oh, okay dear. I just shudder to think what your mother would say. Me, her best friend in all the world, allowing her only daughter to investigate such unsavory situations.” Rosario sighed and gave me hug. “Well, maybe a little dinner will provide for a more suitable topic of conversation. What shall we have for dinner, would you like to step out for a bite?”

I glanced at my watch. “I put in an order for pizza at Filippi’s, it will be ready in a few minutes. I’ll go pick it up and while I’m there, I’ll get two side salads. How about that?”

“Make it three salads, Alex changed his mind and is bringing his things over. I’ll go get the pizza and I’ll call Alex on my way.”

“Thanks Rosario. I’ll pick up this stuff.”

“Oh, no need to dear, we’ll just keep it informal and eat in the kitchen. I’ll be right back. Listen for the kitchen door, I suspect Alex will come in that way.”

Rats! Rosario got away before I could ask why Alex had changed his mind. I scrambled to put all the newspapers articles and photocopies about Andalyn Dixon away.

“What are you up to?”

I nearly jumped out of my skin. I spun around and t
here was Alex “You startled me. I did not hear you come in.
”

Alex stepped up to the table and began perusing the materials. “I came in as Rosario was going out. Hey, this is great information, where did you get it?” He was holding the same newspaper article that Rosario had last looked at. He held it up to my face. “Remarkable resemblance. When did you realize that you look like Andalyn?”

I gently extracted the article from his hand and neatly stacked it with the others. Then I slid all the materials back into the large file folder they were delivered in. “Never mind. Let’s go set the table for pizza and salad. Rosario will be back any minute. And while we’re doing it, you can explain why you have changed your mind.”

I set out dinner plates, flatware, beverage glasses and paper napkins. Alex was looking in the refrigerator. “It appears I should have stopped and picked up milk for us. There is enough ginger ale, some red wine and iced tea. What’s your pleasure?” he asked.

“I’ll have the iced tea. Now, tell me why did you change your mind?”

Alex poured iced tea for both of us and then sat next to me at the table. “Rosario called me and said she was staying over at her sister’s home and suggested I come on over a day early. I’ve brought Atlas with me, he’s out in the backyard. As soon as Rosario returns with the pizza, he’ll want in. Anyway, Rosario said it was okay that Atlas stays here with me. I’m taking Rosario’s room, here, off the kitchen, that way, if Atlas needs to go out late at night or in the early morning, it won’t disturb you.”

“Oh, sure. I like having Atlas around. Maybe I can take him out for walks. Uh-oh, I said the W word and Atlas heard me. Look, he is peeking in through the kitchen window.” I laughed at the sight. Not too many dogs could peek into a window without standing up on their hind legs, but Atlas, Alex’s huge Irish Wolfhound could.

Alex turned to see his dog spying on us. He chuckled. “I call that gatoring. Looks like my great gray ghost wants in on this conversation.” Alex got up and let Atlas in. Atlas made a beeline for me.

“Well, hello there handsome. Looks like you’ll be my roommate for a few days.” Atlas wagged his tail at this news and then sat down. “Okay big guy, a few rules are in order. First, when you are in close proximity to food, you must sit or lay down. And when you are in my room, no hogging the bed. Understand?”

Atlas thumped his tail on the floor and offered his left forepaw to me. I shook it and said, “That’s a deal.”

“I’d be careful about making deals with him, especially offering him the comfort of your bedroom. You know how protective he is of you. He’ll end up being the great gray shadow in your life.”

“Oh, I don’t mind. If I’m home, he can keep me company while you are teaching at the college and if I leave, I’ll put him in the backyard and make sure the gate is locked.”

Alex smiled and said, “Thank you. I should warn you, I’ve cut down on my class schedule this semester. I’m teaching on Tuesday afternoons, only. What with the economy, the college has had to cut back on courses and teaching just the one day a week is fine with them. I don’t mind, I’m positioned on enough boards as a consultant in maritime history that the income is more than adequate.”

Adequate, I mused. At approaching the age of thirty, Alex’s wealth and investments would carry him through the rest of his life, without ever working another day, if he so chose. Rosario walked in and the aroma of pizza was so sumptuous that Atlas wasn’t the only one drooling.

In all, it was the perfect evening. After dinner and doing the dishes we stayed at the kitchen table and chatted about Rosario’s upcoming vacation. And because she was spending the night at her sister’s home, so the two of them could help each other pack for the cruise, I gave Rosario her birthday present. She loved it, as I knew she would. Rosario left at a little after ten that evening. Then, Alex and Atlas settled into Rosario’s room, and I turned in shortly after that.

Before climbing into bed I opened my bedroom door a crack, just enough that if Atlas decided he needed to check in on me, I would not have to get up, he could easily shove the door open on his own. I fell asleep as soon as my head touched the pillow.

Chapter 8

I woke, but kept my eyes closed. Lying still, I let a shiver run through me and focused on remembering every single detail of my dream. Once I achieved total recall, I opened my eyes.

“What the heck!” I sat up and rubbed my eyes. I blinked and Atlas was staring into my face. My outburst had alarmed him. I reached out to pet his big head. “It’s okay big guy. What am I doing here, on the divan?” His answer was to trot off in the direction of the kitchen.

I got up and gathered the blanket around me, that was when I heard Alex say, “Stay right there.” I turned in his direction to see Alex and Atlas in the parlor, standing a few feet away. Alex held a large service tray in both hands. The aroma spilling forth from the coffee carafe convinced me to sit back down. I hugged the blanket around me and looked up at Alex.

“Are you steady enough to hold a cup?” Alex asked.

I
reached out with both hands trembling. “Yeah, I think so.” I cradled the warm coffee cup in both hands. The very presence of its warmth and what it stood for brought me to my senses. I sipped carefully, nothing quite like the reality of the taste of strong black coffee to bring one back into the world of the living.

Alex had pulled an armchair up close to me, leaving just enough space between our legs and feet for Atlas to lodge himself between us and lay down on the carpeted floor. I could not help but to giggle, just a little, while thinking to myself, that I have a one hundred and eighty pound dog at my feet and a tall, dark and handsome man at my fingertips. How bad of a dream could it have been? But this was reality and Alex’s somber look brought me back to it. “So which one of my heroes dragged me down the stairs?”