Giving Up the Ghost (12 page)

Theo groaned as she pushed herself up from her chair.

Action was better than just sitting there. "Let me help," Gabbie offered, starting to
rise.

"I've got it." Theo picked up Gabbie's dish and salad plate.

The phone rang in the kitchen. Fred gave a start, and then shook his head as his
daughter hurried to answer it. "You'd think people would have the decency not to call during dinner
hour."

Liar. You thought it was your little playmate. But maybe she wouldn't be that foolish.
Angry on Jill's behalf, Gabbie felt the urge to goad him. "People call now because they figure you're
home and they can reach you."

Fred looked meaningfully at Jill. "Well, at least we haven't been getting any more of
those mysterious hang ups."

A red blush spread from Jill's throat to her forehead. "I'll be right back with the cake and
fruit."

Gabbie noticed she hadn't bothered to remove Fred's dishes from the table. Not wanting
to remain alone with Fred, Gabbie cleared his setting and carried it into the kitchen.

"Thanks," Jill said as she passed, both hands filled with dessert. "Just leave everything on
the counter. Please get the small pitcher of milk from the fridge."

Theo was nowhere in sight. Gabbie took out the milk and was about to close the
refrigerator door when she heard Theo's muffled voice coming from the hall.

"Calm down, Charlie. I can't make out a word you're saying. Did they hurt you?"

Gabbie held her breath while Theo listened, hoping the girl wouldn't suddenly turn
toward the kitchen and find her eavesdropping. She had no business straining her ears to catch
what Charlie was telling Theo. Then she felt a flair of anger. Damn it, Charlie was her student, and
she could well imagine who had come after him.

"They took out the memory card--you told that me three times. Is your camera
okay?"

Gabbie hoped fervently that losing his SD card was the worst of it. Obviously it was.

"I have an extra card you can borrow. You can shoot some more pictures on your own.
I'll go out with you, if you like." A pause. "I know the snow probably won't be on the trees, but so
what? Ms. Meyerson won't care."

"Gabbie!" Jill called. "Where are you?"

"Coming." She started walking toward the dining room when Theo's voice stopped her
cold.

"I'll think of something. Those bastards deserve a bullet right through their heads."
There was a pause, and then she said. "We're almost done. I'll come over as soon as I can."

After dessert and coffee, Gabbie helped Jill clear the table. Theo had never reappeared.
Fred looked up from his newspaper, which he was reading in a living room chair as she prepared to
leave, and called out, "Nice meeting you, Gabbie. I hope we see you again soon."

Jill walked her to the front door and hugged her. In a low voice, she said, "I'm so glad
you came, though it didn't turn out quite as I'd planned, what with Fred coming home late and Theo
being...Theo."

"Ssshh." Gabbie put a finger near Jill's lips. "I was glad to be here. You're a wonderful
cook and hostess."

Jill shook her head. "I should have known it would be like this. Theo's so resentful. Ever
since... I just thought since you and I hit it off--"

"In the bathroom," Gabbie put in and grinned to lighten Jill's mood.

Jill returned the smile. "I thought we could be friends."

"Me, too," Gabbie said. When she pulled the door shut behind her, she realized it was
true.

She looked around before getting into her car. Her gaze went automatically to the
window of the house next door, where someone had been watching when she'd arrived. The
upstairs windows were dark, but the downstairs lights were on in the room she now knew was the
den.

Pulse racing, Gabbie crossed the lawn and peered into the window. The blinds were
closed but not completely. She felt conspicuous, playing peeping tom, with no bush or tree to hide
her activity.

Inside, Charlie was watching TV. If this was Sonia's house, what was Charlie doing
here?

Then it dawned on her. Sonia and Charlie had the same last name. She must be his
aunt.

As though to verify her conclusion, Sonia came into the room and handed Charlie a cup.
He put it to his lips and began to drink. Hot chocolate? Sonia patted Charlie's shoulder and sat
beside him on the sofa in the dimly lit room.

"See anything interesting?"

Gabby jumped a foot. She spun around and gasped when she caught sight of Darren
Rollins's grinning face. "My God, you scared the living daylights out of me!"

"Sorry," Darren said, not sounding sorry at all.

"I--I was wondering who was watching me before, when I came to visit the Leverettes. It
was Sonia Russell."

As they walked across the lawn to Gabbie's car, Darren said, "Have a tough time getting
through dinner with America's most dysfunctional family?"

"Yes. No," she said. "How did you know?"

The streetlight backlit Darren's face. He was grinning again, showing teeth white
enough for a toothpaste ad. "We've all been there, done that. Jill asks and we go out of kindness." He
lowered his voice. "I'm sure you've heard Jill and Cam were involved. Things have gotten worse for
the Leverettes since he died."

"God! What an incestuous town. Do you all keep tabs on what's happening in each
other's home? When people go to the bathroom? Have sex?"

Darren's tone turned solemn. "Gabbie, I'm the law here. I make it my business to keep
abreast of things."

Breast.
Her face grow warm as she imagined his hands running down her
breasts. She suddenly felt hemmed in. It was time to make tracks. She unlocked her car, and
then turned to him as an awful idea occurred to her. "Were you spying on me?"

He grinned. "Spying on you?"

"Before Sonia was spying on me. More important, Charlie's there now. He called Theo
during dinner and I overheard her part of their conversation. He was upset because someone
roughed him up. I'd guess Barrett and Todd." Her dread of involvement overcame her. She put her
hand over her mouth.

"I shouldn't have said that. It's really none of my business."

The grin disappeared. "Of course it's your business. Evil is everyone's business."

He jutted his chin toward Sonia Russell's house. "She called the station, but when I tried
to talk to Charlie, he wouldn't say a word. Looked scared as a bunny rabbit and fought to hold back
his tears. He's worried things will get worse if they find out he snitched."

Gabbie threw her hands into the air. "It's wonderful how fear works to protect the
bullies of the world."

"Not always, I hope. Did you get any specifics?"

The compassion in his voice humbled her and urged her to answer. "They took the SD
card from his camera. We--the Photography Club, that is--were out in the woods this afternoon,
shooting pictures. Can't you do anything about those bullies?"

"Believe me, we're working on it. But with kids like Charlie refusing to file a complaint,
it's damn near impossible to press charges."

"Interesting how it was Barrett and Ross who found Cam's body on the beach," she
said.

"Interesting, meaning maybe they pushed him over the edge to his death?"

"Just mentioning what I read in the library." She started to get into her car a second time
when she felt his hand on her shoulder. She hoped he didn't hear her breath catch in her
throat.

"Want to go out for a cup of coffee?"

"Aren't you on duty?"

"I fix my own hours. Work a hell of a lot more overtime than I put in for."

Go for it, encouraged her adventurous side. Get out while the going's good, commanded
her voice of reason. Having had enough excitement for one day, Gabbie opted for the straight and
narrow.

"I'm kind of tired." It was true enough, so why did it strike her as a flimsy excuse?

"That's too bad." After a pause, Darren said, "Would you like to do something tomorrow
night?"

"You mean Saturday night?"

"Yes. Is that a problem?"

Gabbie considered. She hadn't been out on a Saturday night in months. Neither the idea
of going to a movie alone nor watching TV with a ghost was appealing. She needed some fun in her
life. One date with a guy she found attractive wasn't cause for alarm. Besides, she told herself, she'd
have Darren's undivided attention and the perfect opportunity to milk him for information about
the various suspects.

"Sure. Why not?"

The grin was back. "Great! Let's make it for dinner. And I don't mean Logan's."

"I could use time away from Chrissom Harbor, too," Gabbie admitted. "I thought I'd
found a quiet spot where the natives would leave me to myself. Instead, I find myself caught up in
various situations."

Darren raised his eyebrows. "What were you escaping from?"

Gabbie shrugged. "Just...things."

She was afraid he'd press her for answers, but he merely nodded and said, "The
restaurant I have in mind is some distance from here. I think you'll like it."

"Great. Surprise me." She waved as she drove away, and was pleased that Darren waited
until she was halfway down the block before he got into his car.

* * * *

Cam called out to her as she climbed the stairs to her bedroom.

"Tomorrow, Cam. I'm exhausted."

"Please, Gabbie. I'm desperate for news."

Gabbie trudged back down the stairs and plopped down on the den couch, where she let
out a gigantic yawn. "I pay rent here, you know. I'm entitled to some privacy."

"I know, I'm sorry, but I had to hear all about your dinner at Jill's. Did she mention
me?"

"Not once," Gabbie said ungraciously. "She was too busy juggling dinner and playing the
good hostess. It wasn't easy, with her family out to undermine her efforts. Fred came home late--I
got the definite impression he'd been with a woman--and Theo was insolent and deserved a good
swat on her butt."

"Poor Jill."

"I like her, all right, but the evening was too gut-wrenching after my own descent into
hell." She bit her lip, shocked by her revelation, but Cam hadn't noticed. He was too wrapped up in
self-recriminations.

"It's all my fault," he muttered. "She wanted to go away with me. She told me her life
was unbearable, but I was too intent on putting CH far behind me to listen."

"Too selfish, you mean."

"Right." He sank onto the couch and covered his face with his hands.

Gabbie discovered she was suddenly wide-awake. If she went to bed now, she'd only
toss and turn. She sat down on the couch again, leaving two feet between them.

"Tell me about the last day."

He looked at her quizzically. "You really want to know?"

"Of course. Besides, telling me might jog your memory. You might remember the
identity of the murderer."

"Let's see. I spent the morning packing and doing last minute things--stopping the mail
and the newspapers. I called the rental office to cajole Mary Hanley to put real effort into renting
the place."

"Mary Hanley," Gabbie said, "Tell me more about her."

Cam's eyes widened in astonishment. "You don't seriously imagine she bumped me
off?"

Gabbie shook her head. "Why is it every time I mention a name to you or to Darren, you
both assure me the person is innocent?"

Cam grinned. "Somewhere, somehow, you saw Darren tonight."

Damn! She wished she hadn't mentioned Darren's name. Still she wasn't about to lie.
"He caught me peeking into Sonia's window. She was comforting her nephew after his run-in with
some kids, probably Barrett Connelly and Todd Ross."

She fidgeted as Cam's grin grew wider. "Darren's a good guy. I'm surprised he hasn't
asked you out by now."

She opened her mouth to answer, and then thought better of it. Not that it mattered.
Either she was as transparent as glass, or Cam had the knack of reading people.

He laughed, an eerie, hollow sound. "So you guys are getting together. Great. I knew you
were his type."

"I am not his type. He is not my type. This is about you. Remember, you asked me to find
your murderer and Darren's my best source of information. Which is why I agreed to have dinner
with him tomorrow night."

Cam winked. "Still, I get these vibrations about the two of you."

"Cam," she said firmly, "don't say another word on this subject, even as a joke, or I'll
never set foot in this room again. I may even pack up and leave town ASAP."

Something in her voice made him realize she meant what she'd said, because he went
quiet and nodded. "Sorry."

"That last day--what time did Jill come over?"

"About four o'clock. She knew a limo was coming at six-thirty to take me to the airport.
Her eyes were all puffy and I knew she'd been crying. We'd said our good-byes the night
before.

"She told me she'd tried to keep away but felt she had to give our relationship one last
shot." He swallowed, as if remembering. "She insisted we belonged together and my leaving her
behind was criminal." His voice went soft. "She said she didn't know if she could live without
me."

"I'm pleased to see that she can," Gabbie snapped. "What time did she leave here?"

"I've no idea, but she didn't stay long. When I told her this was the best way and I'd send
for her when I was settled, she gave me a cynical smile. 'Sure you will,' she said, and walked out
before I could answer."

"So," Gabbie said, "if Jill didn't throttle you as you deserved, that means someone else
came along and did the job."

"And stole the money. Don't forget the money."

"I did for a minute," she admitted. "Where did you get all that cash? You never
said."

"A business deal."

"You mean the land you bought from your four friends and sold to the developers?"

"Of course not. That happened several months earlier."

"Did Jill see the cash?"

"Probably. A courier delivered it just before she arrived, and I was stashing it in the
bottom drawer of the desk." He peered at her. "Five hundred thousand in hundred dollar bills take
up a lot of room."