Ghostly Deceits (A Harper Harlow Mystery Book 3) (13 page)

“
W
hy do you believe now
?” Jared asked, holding Harper steady in her spot as she tried to push herself off of his lap. “Why couldn’t you believe before? What changed in the last twenty minutes?”

“Nothing changed,” Josh answered. “It’s more like … things slipped into place.”

“How so?”

“I saw her outside talking to thin air,” Josh supplied. “I assumed she was talking to herself. I realize now she was probably talking to a ghost.”

“You assumed I was hiding a secret,” Harper pointed out. “What secret were you envisioning?”

“Honestly?”

Harper nodded.

“I thought maybe you were on medicine to curb some mental problems,” Josh admitted. “Jared didn’t seem worried about you talking to thin air. Even if he was used to it, I figured I would get some sort of reaction out of him and if you were off your meds then he would get you back on them.”

“You thought I was off my meds?” Harper wrinkled her nose. “I’m pretty sure I should be insulted.”

“Don’t worry, Heart,” Jared said. “He just wants you to be crazy so he can rationalize you picking me over him. It’s an ego thing.”

“No, I legitimately thought she might be crazy,” Josh said. “I very clearly heard her holding up a one-sided conversation and she was very evasive when I questioned her. You’re a terrible liar, by the way, Harper.”

“I told you,” Jared said, poking Harper’s ribs. “You’re too sweet and blunt to be a good liar. I knew you were lying to me that night you were searching for Annie’s ghost. You put on a good show, but people can tell when you’re lying.”

Josh knit his eyebrows together. “You arrested Harper for trespassing at a dead woman’s house,” he said. “She was there to help a ghost. See, all of this stuff is falling into place. Where is Hal? Does he remember where he left his body yet?”

“He’s by the map,” Harper said, pointing. “He thinks you’re a boob.”

Jared barked out a laugh while Josh frowned.

“I see this ghost thing is convenient when you’re irritated with someone.”

“I’m not irritated with you, Josh,” Harper said. “I’m … worried … that you’re trying to force yourself to an outcome you might not be ready to accept because you’re desperate to stay on Jared’s good side.”

“And what outcome is that?”

“You didn’t want to believe I could see ghosts and I understand that,” Harper said. “You’re not the first non-believer I’ve met. Jared didn’t believe either.”

“You didn’t?” Josh looked relieved. “What made you believe?”

“Harper made me believe,” Jared answered. “She’s the most honest person I know.”

“That’s really sweet and romantic,” Josh said.

“It really is,” Harper agreed. “It’s also complete and total crap.”

“Excuse me?” Jared was irritated. “I just said something romantic and honest and you called it crap.”

“That’s because it is crap,” Harper said. “I adore you, Jared, but you did not start believing me because you had faith in me. You were attracted to me and didn’t want to be. That forced you to come around more than you initially envisioned.

“You didn’t start believing me until I told you where to find Annie’s car and that her keys would probably be under the driver’s side door,” she continued. “Then you were still leery until I told you about the missing iPad. You didn’t truly believe until … well … I almost died.”

“You almost died?” Josh asked. “How?”

“Harper, I believed you before that night at your house,” Jared said quietly. “I can’t identify the exact moment I knew, but I believed in you no matter what you might think. You were impossible to doubt.”

“That’s very sweet, but you’re still full of crap,” Harper argued.

“I’ll show you who is full of crap,” Jared grumbled, digging his fingers into Harper’s soft flesh as he tickled her and caused her to squeal.

“This relationship is even weirder now that I know the truth,” Josh lamented. “How can you deal with this, Jared?”

“Because I don’t want to go through life without Harper,” Jared replied. “I deal with it because I want her. To be fair, though, it doesn’t really bother me. Most people in Whisper Cove know what Harper can do and they’re absolutely fine with it.”

“Still, though, it’s weird.”

“Maybe you’re weird,” Harper suggested.

“He’s definitely weird,” Hal said, turning away from the map.

“What’s the verdict?” Harper asked.

“Is she talking to Hal?” Josh asked.

“Shh.” Jared pressed his finger to his mouth to quiet his friend.

“I have no idea where my body is and I’m very upset,” Hal said. “I can’t remember. I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay,” Harper said. “The truth is your body can’t be very far away. The storm has kept everyone inside. Anyone even trying to leave would risk suspicion. Your body is here. It’s been hidden. We just need to figure out where.”

“There are storage rooms,” Josh suggested. “People rarely go inside. I can look in those.”

“You should do that,” Harper said, pushing herself up from Jared’s lap and pacing in front of the map. “I think we need to try something else, Jared.”

“And what is that?” Jared asked.

“I’m almost afraid to tell you.”

“I’m going to hate this, aren’t I?” Jared asked, his shoulders drooping.

“You’re definitely going to hate this.”

“
Y
OU ARE
unbelievable
,” Jared muttered a half hour later, lowering his raincoat hood and glancing around the tiny mausoleum with mild discomfort. “I cannot believe I let you talk me into going out in this.”

“We need help,” Harper said. “Hal believes he was murdered. We might get lucky and find out he wasn’t murdered and simply freaked out, but that’s not usually the case.

“These storms have done something to help us whether you realize it or not,” she continued. “They’ve kept a killer from being able to leave … or discard a body in the lake.”

“I never considered that,” Jared said, rubbing the back of his neck. “The lake makes an easy place to dump a body. All someone would need is a boat.”

“And there are a lot of boats on the island,” Harper said. “I checked the weather report about an hour ago. We’re going to luck out because another round of storms is coming in tonight. By early tomorrow morning, though, they’re going to be out of here … and I’m really worried that means a killer is going to be out of here, too.”

“We won’t let that happen,” Jared said, wiping some of the moisture from Harper’s cheek. “We’ll figure it out. We need help, though. Can you find your friend?”

“I’m on it,” Harper said, rolling to the balls of her feet and giving Jared a quick kiss. “I loved your story about believing in me.”

“Don’t push me on that,” Jared warned. “When this is over with I’m going to push you right back and make you play hopping soap with me until you admit I believed in you long before that night at your house.”

“I’m sure I can be persuaded to play,” Harper said. “I … .” She inadvertently jolted when Alice popped into view. “There you are.”

“She’s here?” Jared asked, relieved. “What is she saying?”

Harper furrowed her brow. “She’s not saying anything yet. You need to calm down and give me a chance to ask her some questions.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Thank you,” Harper said, plastering what she hoped looked like an innocent smile on her face as she turned back to Alice. For her part, the ghost looked confused more than terrified. “Are you Alice Thorpe?”

The ghost nodded.

“Did you know the Stokes family years ago?”

The ghost nodded again, although this time she seemed sadder.

“Did you die here?” Harper asked.

“Yes.” Alice’s voice was barely a whisper when she found the strength to speak.

“Thank you for talking,” Harper said, taking two baby steps and sitting in the marble chair toward the center of the room. The mausoleum wasn’t big, especially by modern standards, but each small area had been set up as something of a showplace. Given what she’d learned about Josh’s mother, Harper had to wonder if that was Janet’s doing. She made a mental note to ask Josh later. “How long have you been here, Alice?”

“Sometimes it doesn’t feel like I’ve been here long at all,” Alice replied. “Other times it feels like I’ve been here forever.”

“I understand that,” Harper said. “I know time has no meaning when you’re floating. I can help you move to a better place if you’re interested. I might need your help first, though.”

“And why would you need my help?”

“I’m looking for a body.”

Alice dubiously glanced around the mausoleum. “I think you came to the right place.”

Harper chuckled and nodded, encouraging Alice to get comfortable as she tried to elicit answers from her. Instead of pushing the situation, Jared made his way over to Harper’s side and wordlessly sat on the arm of her chair. He was content letting her do her thing without intruding.

“How did you die, Alice?”

“I was suffocated in my sleep.”

Alice was so matter-of-fact Harper thought she must’ve initially heard the woman wrong. “I’m sorry, what did you say?” Harper asked.

“I was suffocated in my sleep,” Alice said. “I remember it quite clearly. One moment I was asleep – I really relished sleep in those days because the baby was colicky and refused to sleep for more than an hour or two in a row – and the next moment I couldn’t breathe.

“I didn’t realize what was happening until it was too late,” she continued. “I fought for a few moments, but the hands … those awful hands on top of the pillow … they cut off my air supply early and weakened me. I never really had a shot.

“I think I knew it was coming,” she continued. “I kept having dreams about being chased. I could never see the face of the man following me, but I think it was death.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Harper said, meaning every word and swallowing hard. That explained the dream. It was Alice’s nightmare and fear manifesting while she slept. It was strong enough to remain behind and infiltrate Harper’s head decades after the fact. “I’m sure that was a hard way to go. Do you know who killed you?”

Alice shook her head. “I have an idea, but no proof.”

“Who?”

“I would rather not say,” Alice said. “It was a long time ago. While I don’t know exactly how much time has passed, I know it’s been a long time. I’ve seen the grounds change. I’ve seen the fashion change. I’ve seen the house change. It’s a hotel now. Nothing is static.”

“Did you live in the house?”

“I did,” Alice said. “I was the lady of the house.”

Harper frowned and glanced at Jared.

“What?” Jared asked, sensing the shift in her mood. “What did she say?”

“She said that she was smothered in her bed by a pillow over her face,” Harper replied. “She said she knows a lot of time has passed because the house and grounds have changed. She also says she used to live here.”

Jared frowned. “I don’t understand,” he said. “I’m fairly certain that Josh’s father was an only child. That’s why it was such a relief when Josh came home. He’s an only child, too. He’s the only heir. I don’t believe there ever was a sister. Maybe Thorpe is her married name, though.”

“Are you Linden’s sister?” Harper asked.

“No,” Alice said, shaking her head. “I’m Linden’s wife.”

“But … .” Harper turned back to Jared, her mouth agape. “I’m so confused.”

“Now what?”

“She says she’s Linden’s wife.”

“That can’t be right,” Jared said. “Janet and Linden have been married for decades. She’s Josh’s mother.”

“I’m Josh’s mother,” Alice clarified.

“What do you mean?” Harper asked, leaning forward. “How can you be Josh’s mother?”

“I gave birth to him,” Alice replied. “I believe that’s how one becomes someone’s mother. Didn’t your mother explain about the birds and the bees to you?”

“There’s no reason to get snippy,” Harper chided. “I’m trying to understand. Josh calls Janet his mother. She’s been the lady of this house for a very long time. I don’t understand how you’re Josh’s mother when Janet has been pretending to be his mother for most of his life.”

“It’s not a complicated story really,” Alice said, her ethereal fingers busy as they played with a gold chain around her neck. “I married Linden two months after our high school graduation. We were childhood sweethearts and we were very excited to get married. Janet Marcil was my best friend. She stood up for me at our wedding.”

“Oh, well, this sounds like it’s going to a creepy place,” Harper said, reaching for Jared’s hand. He willingly gave it and then sat back and waited for Harper to get all of the information so she could relay it back to him.

“I always knew Janet had a crush on Linden,” Alice explained. “She was very happy for me, though. She was Josh’s godmother. She doted on him and loved him like he was her own.”

“How much time did you have with Josh before you died?”

“Three months,” Alice replied. She pulled her necklace out and revealed a golden locket, just like the one Jared found on the beach. She opened it and showed Harper a photograph of a tiny infant. “They were the best months of my life. I loved that baby.”

Harper nodded, her stomach churning. “Did you love Linden?”

“I loved Linden, too,” Alice confirmed. “There were times I worried Linden could never love me the way I loved him – his eye wandered at times – but I think he truly loved me when it came down to it. I didn’t have a lot of choices once the marriage was proposed by our fathers, so I made do.”

“You’re saying it was basically an arranged marriage,” Harper said, her mind busy.

“Not exactly,” Alice clarified. “I loved Linden and chose to date him in high school. I had a feeling we would get married, and I was fine with that. Once we graduated our fathers took over and told us when we would marry. It was a marriage of convenience, but I like to think it was a marriage based on love, too.”

“Were you having problems with Linden when you died?”

“I was on top of the world when I died,” Alice replied. “I was exhausted but happy. That’s why I didn’t react to the pillow over my face until it was too late. I couldn’t believe anything bad could happen when I was that happy. I tried to fight it … but I was too weak for some reason.”