Dead and Breakfast (32 page)

“What does it matter if they’re selling the place?” Liam asked.

Timothy yawned. “I don’t know.” He dropped his pen and stared at them. “What’s gotten you two all mopey besides everything?”

“The Cantons don’t have Inez’s ring,” Autumn said before explaining that Ralph’s sister was Bernadette Canton. “Liam and I went to Pawn Louie’s to sneak a glance at the ledger to confirm that Mick Canton bought Inez’s ring. After all, Mick had seen Liam minutes before he sold the ring.”

“If you suspect Mick Canton killed Inez, then he might not want a reminder,” Timothy pointed out. “Maybe he didn’t want the ring.”

“I don’t buy that,” said Autumn. “In Inez’s vision, he claimed the ring was an heirloom. He was pissed she wasn’t wearing it, and he wanted it back.”

Timothy’s eyes bugged. “I told you not to—”

“I’m fine,” said Autumn, her hand raised. “I’m here. It’s still me.”

Timothy exhaled. “So who did sign for the ring?”

“Some woman named Priscilla Newman.”

Timothy pursed his lips. “I’ve never heard of her.”

“Us neither,” said Liam. “We have no proof of anything except Inez was hated by everyone.”

“And I’m days away from leaving,” Autumn said.

Timothy handed Autumn furniture polish and a rag. “Please clean the winter rooms.” He handed Liam a cardboard box. “And Evelyn asked you to take down all the art and photos from the walls.”

Liam cocked his eyebrow. “Seriously? Now?”

“The Cayo waits for no man.”

Liam grabbed the cardboard box and set it down on the wingback chair. Autumn reluctantly ascended the stairs.

#

Autumn stomped up the stairs toward the January room. She wanted to track down Mr. Fletcher and brainstorm leads. Liam’s grandfather still sat in jail, meanwhile Autumn and Liam had to clean the Cayo as if nothing had happened. As if the Cayo wasn’t sold and in danger of demolition.

Autumn opened the door to the January room. Katie was there, floating between the two twin beds. She turned her vacant eyes to Autumn and put her finger to her lips. The hairs on the back of Autumn’s neck prickled.

Someone was humming a melody. Autumn set down the furniture polish and rag on the teak dresser, which had a wooden cane with a brass top leaning against it. Uncle Duncan’s yearbook rested on top of the bureau.

“Hello?” said Autumn hesitantly.

A head of gray hair popped out of the bathroom. “Oh, hello dear.” Bernadette Canton, dressed in a bright red blouse and pleated slacks, unfurled measuring tape. “I’m thinking of combining the January and February rooms to make one large suite.”

Autumn swallowed a lump. Mrs. Canton appeared a lot different now than Autumn knew who she really was. “Oh.” Autumn held up the dust rag. “I just came to tidy up.”

Bernadette shooed the idea away. “Don’t bother. We’ll be gutting the interior. No need to clean. You could put that yearbook away, though. I’m sure it’s sentimental to someone.”

Katie slowly shook her head at Autumn.

She slid the yearbook off the dresser just as the dizziness overcame her. Autumn’s vision clouded and turned black. When she opened her eyes, she was in the same bedroom, except Bernadette Canton was gone. The room had blue walls with baseball pennants tacked up above the bed. This was Uncle Duncan’s room. Was Inez in Duncan’s room?

Autumn caught her reflection in the mirror. She wasn’t in Inez’s memories. She had channeled Uncle Duncan. His curly brown hair was slicked back and his hazel eyes shone bright. His cheeks were flushed. Duncan gathered a stack of records from the trunk at the foot of the bed, giddy still from having kissed Ralph behind the St. Veronica’s gym. The two of them left the dance early. Glenda stayed behind to help Leo and Mariana clean up. Mick stormed off in a huff. Duncan had hurried upstairs to retrieve his music collection while Ralph set up by the pool.

Thunder boomed, and Duncan wondered if he should tell Ralph to move the record player inside. They could move the parlor furniture to make room for dancing.

Duncan moved the curtain aside to steal a glance at Ralph on the patio. Ralph was crouched on the ground next to Bernadette. A body floated in the pool.

Bernadette rocked back and forth on her knees. “I didn’t mean it.”

Ralph ran his shaky hands through his hair. “They’ll take you away.”

Bernadette tugged at her brother’s sleeve. “Help me, Ralphie. Take her on the boat. Take my cane. Dump them in the ocean.”

Bernadette sobbed and Ralph hugged her, smoothing down her hair. “Go home. I’ll deal with this.” She nodded and took off just as the clouds split open with drenching rain.

Duncan hurried down the stairs and onto the patio.

Ralph’s eyes widened. “I didn’t—”

“I know,” Duncan finished. “But I’ll lose you if someone finds out.”

Ralph gagged, like he was going to vomit, and pressed his fist to his mouth. He shooed Duncan away. “Go back to the dance. I don’t want anyone to know you were here.” He waded into the pool, as rain pelted the surface, to drag out Inez’s body.

Duncan stepped forward, prepared to help his friend, but then Ralph cried, “Go!” The intensity of his outburst frightened Duncan so much that Duncan fled down the street, slipping on the wet asphalt.

Autumn woke to find Bernadette hovering above her, shaking her.

“Are you okay, Autumn, dear?”

Inez wasted no time in coming for Autumn’s body.

#

“I never did tell you how sorry I was about your grandfather,” Timothy told Liam. Timothy had a cardboard box on top of reception. After dusting one of Glenda’s trinkets, he’d wrap it up in tissue paper and place it carefully inside the box.

“Thanks, but he didn’t do anything to be sorry about.” Liam removed a photograph from the wall. It was one of the photos Autumn had found in the attic. Liam guessed Evelyn had them framed after all.

“I know.” Timothy inspected the cracks on a porcelain figurine. “But he confessed.”

“Doesn’t matter. I’m going to the jail to turn myself in for the scooter theft. Pops will recant his confession, and he’ll be released. I’m waiting on Mr. Fletcher to return first. I want to ensure I do this right.” Liam examined the picture of Duncan and Ralph, their arms around each other. They stood in front of a little boat. Liam nearly dropped the framed photo. “Uh, Timothy?”

“What?”

Liam ran up to him and thrust the photo in his face. “Look!” He pointed to the boat’s name that was written in sloppy, red capital letters along its side.

Timothy peered at the picture and gasped. “Ralph Blazevig’s boat was called Priscilla Newman.”

“Which means Bernadette Canton did buy that ring. She used Ralph’s boat as the fake name.”

“Pretty clever of the Blazevigs.” Timothy glanced at Liam’s expression and explained, “Priscilla Newman was the main character in these old whodunits from the sixties. She was the gumshoe’s secretary, who always solved the cases, but her boss got credit because it was the sixties and sexism and all that. Mr. Blazevig was always reading them.”

“Okay,” Liam said. “But, why would she want a ring her husband had given a former fiancé?

“It was a Canton heirloom,” Timothy said. “She must’ve wanted it returned to the family.”

“I suppose you’re right. Except, why use a fake name?”

“Because she didn’t want anyone know she purchased it.”

“Why?” asked Liam.

Timothy exhaled. “I don’t know. Because she didn’t want—she didn’t want anyone asking questions.”

“Why?”

Timothy rubbed his eyes. “Because—because she was involved.” Then like a thermometer showing a plunge in temperature, Timothy’s cheeks drained of color. “Liam, she’s here. Mrs. Canton is here. She’s upstairs taking measurements.”

Liam’s eyes darted at the staircase. “With Autumn.”

#

Autumn felt paralyzed even though Bernadette didn’t seem to realize anything had changed. Mrs. Canton pushed the yellow tape measure out until the metal tip touched the edge of the wall. She went about her business, unassuming, and quiet. She ducked into the large closet squawking something about extra square footage.

Autumn retreated back into the desk as the dark cloud of Inez’s spirit came toward her. Inez growled before she turned around and fell back into Autumn as if Autumn was the Cayo’s swimming pool and Inez its daring swimmer. Autumn clutched her chest and gasped for breath as she glanced in the mirror.

Mrs. Canton withdrew her cell phone and typed into it, completely unaware that Autumn’s eyes darkened with amber and the edge of her mouth had curved up into a sneer.

“I see you still walk with a limp,” Autumn said in Inez’s soft, lilting accent.

Bernadette’s eyes darkened. “Is that supposed to be funny, young lady?”

“So Mick married you anyway? Must’ve been so easy without me in the way.” Inez jutted out her hip and tilted her chin at Bernadette’s slight frame. “I see you lost the cane. Of course you would. I imagine the blood stains where you bashed my brains in would be unsightly to look at all these years.”

Bernadette stepped backward into the dresser, rattling a ceramic pillbox and a statuette. Her eyes darted around the room, seeking an exit, an escape. Her voice trembled. “Autumn, dear?”

Inez pressed up against Bernadette. She lifted Bernadette’s white silky scarf and pulled. Mrs. Canton yelped.

“Autumn is not here anymore,” the ghost crooned. “Only I am. Inez Cruces. You remember me, don’t you?”

Autumn felt like she was trapped in a coffin, alive and imprisoned. She screamed like a maniac, but no one could hear her, except for Inez who hissed, “Cállate.”

Liam appeared in the doorframe and studied Autumn as she loomed over the older woman.

“What’s going on?” he asked slowly.

Bernadette’s face twisted into fear. “Get her away from me.”

Liam approached Autumn cautiously. He put his hand on Autumn’s and tried to loosen her grip on the scarf. “Autumn? You’re choking Mrs. Canton.”

“I’m not Autumn!” Inez snapped.

Liam jumped back. He raised his hands defensively. “Okay, Inez. I’m your great nephew, William.”

Inez! Don’t you touch him!
Autumn cried.

“I don’t care who you are,” Inez said through gritted teeth. She turned her attention back to Bernadette.

Liam cried out for Timothy to get upstairs.

“You followed me to the Cayo Hueso that night,” Inez whispered into Bernadette’s ear. “You snuck up behind me, and you hit me over the head with your cane.”

How do you know this?
Autumn asked.

“I hitched a ride when you channeled Duncan,” Inez told Autumn. “I saw everything you saw.”

Bernadette tried to squirm free of Inez’s grasp. “No, no.”

Timothy entered the room and skidded to a halt. “What’s going on?”

“Inez has totally taken over Autumn’s body,” said Liam.

“I’ll go get help!” Timothy cried as he fled down the hall.

“All these years, I should’ve known it was you,” Inez practically spit. “You loved Mick and the only person standing in your way was me. But you made a big mistake when you took that swing. Mick and I had ended our engagement that same night.”

Bernadette’s eyes widened. “No.”

“Oh, yes. He was done with me. I had plans to leave the island that night. You would’ve been free of me no matter what. Instead, your whole life has been a lie. Your marriage to Mick was founded on my death.” Inez wrapped her hands around Bernadette’s throat.

Liam stepped toward Inez.

“Take one more step and Autumn disappears for good,” Inez said, her hands still wrapped tightly around Mrs. Canton’s neck. “I want to hear her say it.” She squeezed harder. “Say it!”

Bernadette coughed, sputtered, but she couldn’t get out the words.

“You have to loosen your grip or you’ll kill her,” Liam said. “She can’t tell you anything if you’re choking her.”

“Say it!” yelled Inez.

Bernadette sputtered out the words. “I killed you.”

Inez’s mouth twisted into a sick grin, but her knuckles were still white. “And now, I kill you.”

Liam slammed into Autumn’s body, and Autumn tumbled to the floor. “Autumn, I know you’re in there, you have to fight this!” Liam wrapped his arms around Autumn, holding her down. Her body thrashed as Inez struggled to maintain control. Liam’s grip tightened.

I’m trying!
Autumn attempted to recall her own memories—her eighth birthday party when her father dressed as a magician, her mother’s apple pie, the family’s trip to Disney World where Autumn broke her arm—the bits and pieces of her past that made up who she was. Autumn was not going to lose herself to a vengeful ghost.

Inez pushed through Liam’s hold and leaped to her feet. Mrs. Canton grabbed a porcelain figurine and hurled it at Autumn’s body. Liam ducked as the figurine hit the floor and shattered.

Liam rushed to Autumn’s side and shielded her body. “No! You’ll hurt her.”

“She tried to kill me,” Bernadette said through gasping breaths.

“Inez tried to kill you,” Liam said. “Autumn is innocent.” He grabbed Autumn’s shoulders. “I know you’re in there. You need to fight this.”

Let me out!
Autumn pounded on the door of Inez’s mind with her fists.
My first kiss behind the school gymnasium. That time Natasha and I rescued a kitten on the side of the road. My first-place win at the spelling bee. Crying inconsolably the day my parents announced their plans to divorce.

Inez cupped Liam’s cheek. “Lion? Is that you? You’ve come back for me.”

Liam opened his mouth to protest, but then he stopped. He kissed the inside of Inez’s palm. “I missed you. I’m sorry for everything that had happened.”

“I thought you had done this to me,” Inez said, her voice whimpering. A tear gathered in the corner of her eye and slowly made its way down her cheek.

“I would never hurt you,” Liam said carefully. “You’re family. We’ve missed you all these years.”

Autumn felt the prison bars of Inez’s control tighten. Inez wasn’t ready to let go.

“I want to come back,” Inez said.

My move to Key West with Mom. The first night at the Cayo. Aunt Glenda’s old movies. Cora’s cookies. Meeting Timothy, Katie, and Liam.

“We’re the not the same anymore,” Liam continued. “I’m an old man now. And Mariana is gone.”