The Ghost Who Wasn't (Haunting Danielle Book 3) (11 page)

“
I
suppose
I need to call Ian. But what do I tell him? How am I going to explain why I happened to break into the Gusarov Estate?” Danielle asked Lily as she pulled into the drive at Marlow House.

“I’ve been wondering about that myself.” Lily gazed out the window considering the day’s events.

When Danielle got out of the car a few moments later she pulled her phone from her back pocket and looked at it. “Speaking of the devil.”

“What do you mean?” Lily stood outside the car by Danielle.

“Looks like I missed a call from Ian. He left a message.” Looking closer at the phone she said, “Dang, I must have accidently turned the sound off when I called Adam.” She turned the phone’s volume up, then placed it by her ear and listened to Ian’s message.

“Are you going to call him back?” Lily asked when Danielle finished listening.

“No. It seems poor Ian has the flu. He just called in to see if I’ve heard anything from your mom or the private investigator I hired. He’s going to try to get some sleep and he’s turning his phone off for a while. He’ll call later.”

“Is he at the motel?”

“That’s what I assume.” Danielle quickly checked her other messages. “There’s nothing from the PI I hired.”

“Not surprised, since you sent him on a wild goose chase. He’s obviously not going to find my body anywhere near the rest stop.”

“I’ll need to redirect the PI. Maybe see if he can find anyone who saw the people driving Isabella’s car.”

“Hey, I just noticed, the Cadillac isn’t here,” Lily said as they walked into the kitchen at Marlow House. They found Walt inside, waiting for them.

“Where have you two been? It’s been hours!” Walt demanded.

“We found my body!” Lily said excitedly. “It wasn’t Isabella Strickland they found at the rest stop, it was me!”

“Then why are you here?” Walt asked.

“Where are the Stewarts?” Danielle asked as she tossed her purse, keys and phone on the kitchen counter. “I really don’t need them walking in on me talking to myself.”

“I don’t think that’s their name. But, they went out to dinner.”

“Is it that late? No wonder I’m hungry.” Danielle opened the refrigerator and looked inside. “What do you mean you don’t think it’s their name?”

“I’ll explain, but you first,” Walt insisted.

Danielle made herself a quick sandwich and then joined Lily and Walt at the kitchen table. She told Walt about their day, beginning with what Lily found at the Gusarov Estate, what she’d learned at Marie’s, and how she’d been arrested.

“That explains why I couldn’t jump into Isabella’s dreams. Either she wasn’t sleeping at the time—or—”

“She’s dead,” Danielle finished for him.

“Yes. But it was daytime when I tried to jump into her dream. So it doesn’t necessarily mean she’s dead.”

“I suppose you could try a little dream jumping tonight, when she might be sleeping. If she’s alive I’d like to find out where she is—and what she has to do with Lily being taken by her uncle.”

“I’ll try,” Walt said.

“Umm…where’s Sadie?” Danielle asked Walt as she glanced around the room.

“She’s with the Stewarts.”

“She’s what?” Danielle screeched.

“When they left to grab something to eat, the woman told Sadie she could go with them.”

“And you let them take her?” Danielle could feel her blood pressure rise.

“Oh settle down, it’ll be all right. I figured Sadie could keep an eye on them. When she gets back she can let me know what she’s learned about those two.”

“I don’t like it, Walt. I don’t like it at all. We don’t even know those people. Ian trusted me to take care of Sadie! And I trusted you!” Danielle felt like crying.

“She’ll be fine,” Walt insisted.

“You said they went out to dinner. Why would they take Sadie to dinner with them? None of the restaurants around here allow dogs.”

“I figured they were going to grab something to eat and go down to the beach.”

“I suppose that is possible. It’s been pretty warm today. Would be a good evening for a picnic,” Danielle said begrudgingly.

“What did you mean when you said you didn’t think Stewart was their name?” Lily asked.

“I don’t believe they’re newlyweds. They’re treasure hunters,” Walt said. “The minute you left they started going through the house, looking for hidden treasure. They tried all the bedroom doors, and when they couldn’t get in there, they searched the attic.”

“And you let Sadie leave with these people?” Danielle found herself getting angry again.

“Only because I knew they were coming back. The woman—Claire—seemed to like Sadie. I didn’t see any harm.” He then added with a laugh, “And what did you want me to do, levitate Sadie to the ceiling so they couldn’t take her?”

“I’m sure Sadie will be all right,” Lily said. “Walt, do they think you were some jewel thief or something, stashing your loot here?”

“For some reason they seem to believe I hid diamonds in the house.”

“Diamonds? I wonder where they got that idea,” Danielle asked.

“Well that’s the odd part. They mentioned something about Isabella knowing they were here.”

“Isabella? Certainly not Isabella Strickland?” Lily asked.

“I doubt it. I think the name is just a coincidence,” Walt said.

“Although it could be Isabella Strickland,” Danielle said thoughtfully, her brows drawn into a frown.

“Why do you say that?” Walt asked.

“Adam and Bill broke into Marlow House looking for treasure. And Adam used to date Isabella Strickland.”

“But I never took any diamonds,” Walt said. “Adam and Bill were looking for the Missing Thorndike, which I had taken. But I never took anything else.”

“You forget, the Missing Thorndike had diamonds. And if you think about it, they had been removed from the necklace—twice,” Danielle reminded.

“Yes, but the first time I had nothing to do with it. Iva’s husband took those diamonds and no one knows where they went. And the second time—well that was this past summer, and we all know those are now in the necklace, back in the safety deposit box at the bank.”

“True. But I’m just saying stories get started and taken out of context. It is possible they are here because of something Isabella told him—because of something Adam told her. Marie mentioned Isabella stopped by to see Adam after his release.”

“His release?” Lily asked.

“After he was arrested for Cheryl’s murder.” Danielle explained.

“Oh…”

“I really don’t feel like dealing with treasure hunters right now. We need to focus on Lily. Maybe it would be best if I found the Stewarts—or whoever they are—someplace else to stay. I can use the excuse we’re having plumbing issues or something.”

“I don’t think they’ll go willingly,” Walt said.

“Maybe you can convince them,” Danielle suggested.

“Hank Stewart or whatever his name really is, doesn’t seem to be afraid of me. If anything, he gets quite excited when he thinks I’m present. And apparently, the cigar smoke means I’m in the room. If he doesn’t smell it, I’m not there.”

“Oh really?” Danielle rolled her eyes. “I hate to say this, but I should have listened to Joe and cancelled their reservation before they arrived.”

“I think they’re back,” Lily said after she heard sounds coming from the front of the house.

Danielle walked to the doorway and looked down the hallway to the front door. The Stewarts had just come in. But, there was no Sadie.

“Where’s Sadie?” Danielle called out as she walked down the hall toward her guests.

“Sadie?” Claire asked with a frown. “Who’s Sadie?”

“The dog. Sadie. The golden retriever.”

“I have no idea where your dog is,” Claire said.

“She was here when we left to grab some dinner,” Hunter said. “Did she get out?”

“You took her with you, where is she?” Danielle panicked.

“I have no idea where your dog is,” Claire said as she walked past Danielle.

“Don’t say anything,” Walt silenced Danielle as Claire and Hunter made their way upstairs to their room.

Danielle glanced at Walt, she looked as if she were about to cry.

“I’m going upstairs with them. I’ll see what they say about Sadie.”

“I’m going with you,” Lily said. “If they hurt Sadie, I want you to crush them Walt!”

“Why would she say we took the dog with us? Do you think someone saw us?” Claire asked as she entered the bedroom with Hunter and closed the door.

“Nah. She just jumped to that conclusion because the dog wasn’t here. No one saw us. Hell, there’s nothing she can do. And she’d be pretty stupid to accuse a guest of taking the dog. Like where exactly does she think we took the mutt? All she has to do is talk to the guy at Pier Café and know we ate there. And no one saw us with a dog. Nah, she was just hoping we took it. I bet she’s downstairs wondering how the mutt got out.”

“You don’t think anyone saw us drop her off at the cemetery, do you?”

“Wasn’t anyone around. I just hope your friend comes through with the money he promised.”

“He will. Said he’d stash the money at the cemetery when he picks the dog up tonight. He wouldn’t cheat me. He knows it would be too easy for me to turn him in. I know where he holds his dog fights.”

“Seems like good money to pay for a dog that’s not going to last very long. But hell, if he’s willing to pay, I’ll take the money!”

“Oh my god! They are going to use Sadie as a bait dog!” Lily gasped.

“Bait dog?” Walt frowned.

“Dog fights, Walt. These scum—they train poor animals to fight, and they use dogs like Sadie as bait dogs. They usually wrap tape around their muzzles so they can’t defend themselves and then throw them in a pen with a couple fighting dogs to be torn apart.”

“What have I done?” Walt moaned.

“They said the cemetery? It sounds like they’ve left Sadie at the cemetery for the guy to pick up. Hopefully he hasn’t come yet. I’m going to tell Danielle. You stay here and listen to what they say. Whatever you do, restrain yourself. I don’t care what you do to them later, but we need to pay attention to whatever they say about where they’ve taken Sadie—and the man who they sold her to.”

“Danielle hates cemeteries,” Walt said.

“I know. But she’ll go for Sadie. And if you hear anything, she needs to know later, I’ll go down to the cemetery and tell her. Unfortunately, Dani needs to go now—alone—and leave us here to see what else we can find out.”

Lily found Danielle downstairs in the library, pacing.

“Did you find out anything?” Danielle asked when she saw Lily.

“It’s not good, but I think Sadie is okay for now. But you have to hurry.”

“What did they do?”

“They’ve sold her as a bait dog.”

“Oh my god? Dog fighting?”

“Yes. But whoever they sold her to couldn’t pick her up right away, so they’ve left her at the cemetery. My guess, she’s tied up down there.”

“Cemetery? I don’t do well at cemeteries,” Danielle groaned.

“I know. I’m sorry, but you don’t have any other choice.”

“Did they say where in the cemetery? That’s not a small place.”

“I don’t know. They just said cemetery, and the guy was coming tonight. Walt’s still in there with them, listening to what they have to say. If they say anything that might be helpful, I’ll come down to the cemetery and find you. I wish I could go with you, but I need to stay here, in case they say anything more.”

“Okay. I’m going to leave now.” Danielle grabbed her phone from the counter and put it in her back pocket. She then grabbed her purse and keys.

“Good luck, Dani.”

Before Danielle opened the door, she looked back at Lily. “Well there is one upside to going to the cemetery.”

“What’s that?”

“If there are any spirits around, I’ll ask them if they’ve seen a golden retriever.”

D
anielle parked
her car on the road alongside the older part of the cemetery. If the Stewarts had left Sadie for someone to pick up later, she couldn’t imagine they’d do it in the newer section and risk running into visitors. The original section of the cemetery tended to be quieter. She had visited it not long after moving to Frederickport. It was where she had met Walt’s wife, Angela, the woman who had conspired to kill him some eighty-plus years before. Danielle wondered if Angela was still here under house arrest.

Getting from her car, Danielle slammed the door shut and took a deep breath as she looked at the cemetery with its lush green lawns and standing headstones. She loathed graveyards. Under normal circumstances she’d be dreading the spirits she might run into, yet because of Sadie, she was actually hoping to meet one who might help her find Sadie before it was too late.

Stepping onto the lawn, she began walking away from the street and deeper into the cemetery while calling out, “Sadie! Here girl, can you hear me?” She didn’t expect Sadie to come running toward her. She assumed the dog had been tied up somewhere, but she hoped Sadie might bark if she heard Danielle calling for her.

“It is you!” a woman’s voice called out. Danielle turned to the right and saw Angela Marlow sitting atop her impressive headstone, her bare legs crossed as she playfully wiggled her toes. Angela wore the same fringed mini-dress she’d been wearing the first time Danielle had met her. She reminded Danielle of a flapper.

“I see you’re still here.” Danielle approached the headstone.

With a dramatic sigh, Angela said, “Still under house arrest.” While fluffing her blond curls with one hand she asked, “How is Walt? I hear through the spirit grapevine he’s still haunting Marlow House.”

“I don’t have time to chat. I’m looking for a dog,” Danielle explained in a rush.

“A dog? Funny place to look for a dog. Although a couple walked by here not long ago walking a dog.”

“A golden retriever?”

Angela shrugged. “I don’t know. A big yellow dog. I don’t know what kind.”

“Which way did they go?”

“It doesn’t matter. They came back this way, got in a car and drove away. I tried to talk to them, but they couldn’t hear me. You’re the only one who can hear me. At least, the only one who’s alive.” Angela looked down at her toes and wiggled them again. “I have nice feet, don’t you think so?”

“The couple with the dog, you say they came back this way and got in a car, did they have the dog with them then?”

Angela looked up at Danielle. “No. No they didn’t.”

“Which way did they go with the dog, before they came back to their car?”

“You never answered my question. How is Walt?”

“Please, Angela this is very important. I need to find the dog before something terrible happens.”

“Then answer my question, and I’ll tell you. You don’t know what it’s like to be trapped here day after day and only get to talk to a few dreary souls that pass through. No one seems to stick around.”

“I promise, I’ll come back and chat with you. But please, tell me where they took the dog!” Danielle said anxiously.

Angela stubbornly crossed her arms and shook her head. “No. You have to talk to me first.”

“Okay, what do you what to know? Oh yeah, about Walt, yes he is still at Marlow House,” Danielle said impatiently.

“Why is he still there? I heard he could leave if he wants.”

“He’s not ready to move to the next level.”

Angela narrowed her eyes and studied Danielle. “Is he staying for you?”

“For me?”

“You need to remember, Walt is a married man. I am still his wife.”

“Umm—okay—first, Walt and I—what you are insinuating—not really possible. And even if it was, you tried to kill him! And the last time we talked, you didn’t even want to be called Angela Marlow, you told me you wanted to be called by your maiden name.”

“Well I’ve changed my mind,” Angela said with a pout. “I figure if I have to be stuck here, maybe Walt could stay with me. Keep me company. He’s not bad to look at, from what I remember.”

“How about we make a deal? You tell me where they took my dog, and I’ll have a talk with Walt and convince him to come stay with you. I bet he’d love to!” Danielle lied.

“You will? Honest?” Angela hopped down off the headstone.

“Yeah—sure—now please!”

“They took the dog this way. Come on, I’ll show you.”

Angela took Danielle deeper into the cemetery. Although there were a couple hours of daylight left, the afternoon clouds had gathered overhead plus the mature trees in this section of the graveyard blocked much of the sunlight. The afternoon temperatures had been in the eighties, yet walking through the shaded area it felt much cooler.

“What’s back here?” Danielle asked.

“Some of the old family crypts. Not where I’d want to spend my eternity.”

Danielle let out a whistle and called out, “Sadie.” She heard a bark come from the right and then she heard what sounded like a second bark, this one muffled.

“That’s her!” Danielle took off running in the direction of the sound. The minute she rounded the corner around several trees, she came upon a man fastening a muzzle on Sadie—who was doing her best to wiggle away.

“Let go of my dog!” Danielle shouted, racing in Sadie’s direction. She came to an abrupt stop when the man pointed a gun at her. He stood about ten feet away, holding Sadie on a short leash, the tight muzzle firmly on the dog’s mouth.

“Who are you?” The man demanded. Danielle swallowed nervously, glancing over at Angela who looked curiously at the unfolding scene.

“Do something,” Danielle whispered, nodding toward the gun.

“What do you expect me to do?” Angela asked. “If he was driving a car I might be able to get it to stop running. But he doesn’t seem to be driving a car right now.”

“Just give me my dog. You don’t want to shoot me over a dog,” Danielle said nervously.

“Who were you talking to just now?” he asked.

“Just the ghosts hanging out in the graveyard.”

“Funny girl.” The man yanked on Sadie’s leash, trying to calm her down. “This is my dog. She got away earlier.”

“So why are you pointing a gun at me?” Danielle asked weakly.

“You looked like you were gunna take my dog. I don’t like people screwing with my things.”

“She isn’t yours. Her name is Sadie. She belongs to a friend of mine.”

“I thought you just said it was your dog,” the man said with a laugh.

“I’m taking care of her.”

“Doesn’t look like you’re doing a very good job of it.”

“Just give her to me. You don’t want to shoot someone over a dog.”

“I don’t know about that. Shot people for a hell of a lot less. You willing to get shot for a dog?”

Danielle glanced around nervously, trying to get her bearings. The man stood in the shadows. He wore a dark hoodie sweatshirt and jeans. With the hood pulled up over his head it was impossible to make out his features. He was maybe six feet tall with a stocky build. Even if he didn’t have a gun, he could easily take her. Should she manage to get away, she wouldn’t be able to give much of a description, aside from height and clothing. He could be black or Irish for all she could tell.

“This is the most interesting afternoon I’ve had in a long time,” Angela said cheerfully.

“I want you to lie down,” the man ordered.

“Excuse me?”

“I want you to lie down, face down. I don’t want you looking at me when I come over there. I’m going to tie you up. You should be thankful. I could just as easily kill you. And then I’m leaving with my dog.”

“Please, please don’t take Sadie!”

“Shut up and get down on the ground!” the man said angrily.

“What is going on here?” a woman’s voice asked.

Danielle glanced toward the voice. A petite woman with short red curls stood next to Angela.

“That man over there is stealing the dog. And he plans to tie the woman up—or shoot her if she doesn’t do as he says,” Angela explained.

“Is that right?” the woman said angrily.

“I said get down on the ground!” the man ordered as he wrapped the leash around a tree, holding Sadie in place so he could take care of Danielle.

“Umm….do you think you can help me?” Danielle asked the woman.

“So you can see me?” the woman asked brightly.

“Yes, yes I can.”

“Who are you talking to?” The man looked around, waving his gun.

The redhead flashed Danielle a smile. In the next moment, she was standing next to the man. She picked up a rock and effortlessly brought it down on his skull. He fell unconscious to the ground, his head bleeding.

“I did it!” the woman said excitedly. “I actually did it! I picked up the rock!”

“I wish I could do that!” Angela said longingly.

Danielle rushed to Sadie, removing the muzzle and untying her from the tree. Excitedly, Sadie jumped on Danielle and repeatedly licked her face, her tail wagging. The redheaded spirit used the leash to tie up the unconscious man.

“I don’t know how to thank you,” Danielle said, as she took her cellphone out of her back pocket.

“You’re the first person I’ve found who can actually see and hear me.”

“If you wouldn’t mind, I’d really like to call the cops and get them down here before this guy wakes up.”

“Sure, no problem. Maybe when they’re gone, we could have a little talk?”

“Not until I finish talking to her!” Angela said in a pout.

“I promise, I will talk to both of you—but first, the police.”

“
I
have
to give it to you Boatman, you sure as hell aren’t timid when it comes to bashing a man over the head,” Brian said as he checked the vitals of the unconscious man.

“Is he alive?” Joe asked.

“Yeah. Lucky for him Boatman didn’t try for a second round, like with Clarence.”

By the sound of the moans coming from the man in the hoodie, it was obvious he was regaining consciousness. His movement continued to be restricted by the ropes binding his hands.

“So tell us again what happened,” Brian ordered.

“I’m sorta surprised to see you two,” Danielle grumbled. “Figured you both would have gone home by now.”

“You saying you waited to knock this guy out until after you thought we were off duty?” Brian asked.

“No, but…I’m just surprised to see you again.”

“What happened here, Danielle?” Joe asked.

“This guy tried to steal Sadie. He had her in a muzzle.” Danielle pointed to the muzzle lying on the ground. “And he pulled that gun on me.” She pointed to the gun Joe was putting in an evidence bag.

“Any idea why he’d want to steal your dog?” Brian asked.

“He was going to use her as a bait dog. He’s into dog fighting.”

“How do you know that?” Brian asked as he hauled the man to his feet and unfastened the ropes.

“She’s lying!” the man spat. “I found her dumb dog running loose and just tried to get her on a leash. I didn’t know if she was going to bite me so I put a muzzle on her. When she found me with her dog, she started freaking out. She’s crazy!”

“Danielle, why do you think he’s into dog fighting?” Joe asked.

Danielle looked at the man and then at Joe. She couldn’t very well tell Joe that Walt had eavesdropped on the Stewart’s conversation, but she couldn’t risk Joe letting the man go.

“He told me.” Danielle calmly lied.

“He told you?” Brian frowned. “Why would he tell you something like that?”

“Because,” Danielle stared into the eyes of the man who had just minutes earlier been holding her at gunpoint. “Because he intended to kill me. He told me he was going to kill me and then use Sadie as a bait dog. He even described how his dogs would tear her up.”

“You lying bitch!” the man exploded. “I wasn’t going to kill you! I told you I was just going to tie you up! But I should have killed you!”