Ghost On Duty (Destiny Bay Cozy Mysteries Book 2) (15 page)

“Sure,” I said. “In fact, I have something I still need answers to.”

He sank into the seat and looked at me questioningly. He was carrying an oblong box and he set it on the table. I looked at it, curious, but not about to ask what it was.
 

“What’s your question?” he asked me.

“First, I need to know. Did you ever find out what happened to the guns in Ned’s house?”

“Oh sure. Jasper had broken in and stashed them in the cave where he hung out when he lived back there behind the house. It was well-hidden against the cliff rocks, but we finally found it—and the stock pile of weapons.”

I nodded. “Good. And here’s another question. I want to know how you and the captain knew I was out at Lance’s ranch—and that I was in trouble. You never did tell me that.”

He shrugged. “We’d spent some time going over the case at the station and we’d narrowed the suspects down to three men, including Lance. I remembered that you were going to be seeing him at the voting and I got a little jittery about it. I tried to call you but I couldn’t get through.”

“Yeah, my cell was out of juice,” I said, feeling dopey. When was I going to get the habit of charging my phone in a timely manner?

“My arm was still useless, so I got Detective Arnold to drive me and we went by your aunt’s place. Nobody answered the door, but I could hear Barnaby squawking in the back yard. He was yelling your name…”

“What? He doesn’t know my name.”

“Are you sure about that? It sure sounded like it. Anyway, I went around to see what all the noise was about.”

“That parrot.” I shook my head, biting back a grin. “He’s hopeless.”

“Yeah, I didn’t get much out of him. But that older lady came out to help me.”

“Older lady?” I swallowed hard and my voice got a bit shaky. “What older lady?”

“Hawaiian type, straw hat and muumuu. She said you were out at Rancho Verde with Lance Mansfield.”

I gaped at him. “She said that? In real sentences?”

He looked at me as though I were a bit daft. “Yeah. Real sentences. Just like everybody else.”

“Okay.” I grabbed his arm. “Tell me what she said. Exactly. The very words.”

He thought for a minute. “Okay, she said, ‘Mele goin’ out to see that rancho verde place with that Lance fella’. Better go quick. I think she gwanna need you.’”

I stared at him. He’d done a pretty good imitation of her island accent, but that wasn’t what had stunned me. Aunty Jane had spoken to him. Real words. And he hadn’t noticed that she was a ghost. This was a true first, and I could hardly believe it had really happened. He not only saw her—he heard her. I mean—he wasn’t even Hawaiian!

“How did she know?” I whispered, more to myself than to Roy. But it came to me in a flash. Dante. He must have communicated to her somehow—even though he was out there at the ranch with me.
 

Oh, my dearly beloved ghosts! Without them…. Tears came into my eyes.
 

“You okay?” he asked.
 

I nodded.
 

He picked up the box and opened it, drawing out a beautiful white orchid lei. The next thing I knew, he’d put it over my head and it was resting on my shoulders.
 

“Oh,” I said. “It’s…it’s beautiful!”

“Merry Christmas,” he said, and touched my cheek for barely a second. His eyes were glowing in a way that sent chills down my spine.
 

“Wow.” The lei was gorgeous, fat and crisp. “Where did you get this?”

He shrugged. “My aunt and uncle have a florist shop in Destiny Bay. I went by there today and thought of you when I saw this.”

“So that’s how you know the names of orchids.”

He barely smiled, looking restless. “Come on. Let’s go out and walk down the village street. I want to feel the magic. How about you?”

I smiled. I’d promised myself I was going to avoid Roy. I’d said I didn’t need the aggravation. I’d sworn off him. But tonight was a wonderful night and I needed him to help me celebrate. After tonight, who knew? But tonight—

I looked at him. He was so handsome and his eyes were warm and affectionate.
 

“Let’s go,” I said, and took his hand as we left the shop and headed toward the lights.

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Recipe for Kalua Pig

Kalua pig is made by using a traditional method of Hawaiian barbecue. Mesquite wood is burned in a large hole in the ground, heating rocks which will line the imu (cooking hole) and are also put inside the pig. Ti leaves and banana leaves are involved and a luau is scheduled. This is difficult to replicate in a modern home, so we'll use the oven method instead!

Recipe for Kalua Pig

5-6 lbs shoulder or butt pork roast
 

A little minced garlic

2 TBS liquid smoke

1-2 TBS Hawaiian Black Sea Salt
 

Heat oven to 325 degrees F

Rub liquid smoke, garlic and salt on pork.
 

Wrap the meat in layers of foil so that the juices won't escape as it cooks.
 

Place wrapped meat in shallow baking pan with 3-5 cups of water and roast in oven for 5-6 hours.
 

Remove from oven. Let cool enough to handle. Remove foil and shred pork. Eat with barbecue sauce. The next day, use for poor boy sandwiches with cole slaw and more barbecue sauce.
 

(Alternate method-same ingredients, put in crock-pot without adding water. Use less salt. Cook on low for 6 hours)

(Some people put a peeled banana into the mix for roasting in order to get some of the flavor of the original recipe)

The Destiny Bay Romances available now!

All Available from my website:
http://helenonthecoast.wordpress.com/

or

my Amazon page

Destiny Bay Romance-Forever Yours

Book 1-
My Little Runaway
- free!

Book 2-
Wife For a Night

Book 3-
Too Scared to Breathe

Book 4-
Make Believe Wife

Book 5-
Promoted to Wife

Book 6-
Not the Marrying Kind
 

Destiny Bay Romance-Baby Dreams

Book 1-
Husband Wanted:Will Train
- free!

Book 2-
The Baby Invasion

Book 3-
Waiting for Someone like You

Book 4-
Tick Tock, Baby Clock

Book 5-
Jilted 

Book 6-
Waiting for Baby Kate

A Destiny Bay Romance~The Ranchers

Book 1 -
Native Silver
- 99c

Book 2 -
Destiny Ranch

Book 3 -
Sweet Desperado

Book 4 -
Stealing Shane’s Girl

Book 5 -
Luck Be A Lady

Book 6 -
Don't Tell Me You Love Me

Destiny Bay Romances-Islanders

Book 1 -
Saved by You
- 99c

Book 2 -
Found by You

Book 3 -
Tempted by You

Book 4 -
Rescued by You

Book 5 -
Charmed by You

Book 6 - Blessed By You (coming soon)

Destiny Bay Romances-Forever Yours-Sweet Editions

Book 1-
Run, Run, Runaway
- 99c

Book 2-
A Little Blackmail

Book 3-
Moving Too Fast

Book 4-
A Piece of Heaven in Utah

Book 5-
A Cowboy in the Castle

Book 6-
A Time to Choose

An excerpt from

A Ghost For Christmas

Destiny Bay Cozy Mystery Series Book 1

Chapter One

The first thing I saw as I pulled up in front of my aunt’s funky little cottage of a house was the man in the front bay window. I knew right away he wasn’t real, but that didn’t stop my heart from nearly jumping out of my chest at the sight of him. I hadn’t seen him for years. I’d hoped I’d never have to see him again.
 

I parked badly, almost crashing into the picket fence with its multiple off-kilter and extremely colorful birdhouses perched on many of the stakes. My hands were shaking. I switched off the engine, then closed my eyes and tried to settle my breathing into something calm rather than the gasping hysteria my body wanted to go into. When I finally opened them again, sure enough, he was gone.