The Ghost of Valentine Past Read online

  “You need minions, Chris. You can afford them.”

  “Minions?” Chris laughed.

  “Sure. To do all your mundane tasks, like clean your house and buy your groceries.”

  Chris cocked his brows. “Do you have minions?”

  “I have Joanne. But I really wouldn’t call her a minion.”

  “And then there’s Lily.”

  Danielle laughed. “I think Lily and I take turns being each other’s minion—one day it’s her, the next it’s me.”

  “Very democratic of you.” Chris grinned. He then asked seriously, “Did you talk to the chief yet?”

  “Yeah. I stopped over there this morning, right after I left the house.”

  “Have you been there all this time?”

  “No. I had some errands to run. Thought I’d stop by here before heading back home. Hope you don’t mind.”

  “Don’t be goofy. You’re always welcome. So, what did the chief say?” Chris led the way over to the leather sectional facing the sliding glass door. They both sat down.

  “I think he would’ve been happier if I’d had something more tangible on Arlene, aside from, according to my dead husband.”

  Chris leaned back in the sectional, propping one of his legs over his opposing knee. “He’ll have to take what you have. I’m just glad Joanne admitted to putting my knife in the parlor. I still think your pal Joe would love to hang this one on me.”

  “I don’t know what Joe’s problem is.”

  “I do,” Chris said under his breath.

  Danielle flashed Chris a reproving smirk. “Oh please, I’ve had my issues with Joe, but I don’t believe for a minute he would ever try to hang a murder conviction on someone over jealousy.”

  “He arrested you for murder,” Chris reminded.

  “I know. How can I forget? You and Walt keep reminding me. But Joe arrested me because he sincerely believed I’d killed my cousin. He didn’t arrest me out of spite because he was jealous.”

  “So, you do admit he’s jealous?”

  “Well,” Danielle sighed. “He does keep asking me out for Valentine’s Day. I’d really hoped he and I would just move onto a friendship phase and he’d stop trying to rekindle our non-existent romance.”

  “You could have simply told him you already had a date for Valentine’s Day.” Chris flashed Danielle a boyish grin.

  She smiled. “If my life wasn’t so complicated right now—between a murder in my parlor, a houseful of suspects, and Lucas’ spirit rambling around Marlow House, I might be tempted to take you up on that Valentine’s Day date. How about a rain check?”

  “I’d like that.”

  They sat in silence for a few moments, until Chris finally asked, “So what’s next in the investigation, do you think?”

  “I know they’re still trying to track down the private detective.”

  “Do they think he’s taken off?”

  Danielle shrugged. “I don’t know. It sure looks like he’s the one who killed Morris. After all, it was his fingerprint, and Lucas saw a man kill Morris. I have to assume that man was Mitcham. The chief hasn’t been all that sharey with me on the details. I just know they’re still looking for him. So, I have to assume they’re watching his condo and office.”

  “I really don’t like the idea of Arlene and David staying at Marlow House. When are they leaving?”

  “They paid for the entire weekend. I expect they’ll take off tomorrow by noon. Not sure what their plans are tonight. We’re not offering anything for dinner like we did over Christmas.”

  “I’ll just feel better knowing they’re no longer there, especially since you and Lily are alone, with me here now.”

  Danielle laughed. “Hardly alone. We have Walt, and he’s promised to keep an eye on them. And don’t forget Heather.”

  “Heather? She’s not on my list of favorites after she tossed me under the bus.”

  “I have to admit, she did seem quick to point the finger at you when the cops were looking for a murder suspect.”

  “We’re forgetting someone else you have over there…”

  “That’s right. Lucas.” Danielle sighed.

  Chris started to say something when the doorbell rang. He jumped up from the couch and headed to the door.

  “I come bringing pizza!” Adam announced when Chris opened the front door. “And champagne!” Adam held a pizza box in one hand and a bottle of champagne in the other. As he entered the room and Chris shut the door, Danielle stood up from the sectional to greet him.

  “I saw your car out there,” Adam told Danielle as he walked into the kitchen and set his housewarming gifts on the kitchen counter. “I almost didn’t come in.”

  Danielle stood by the kitchen sink, watching Chris open the box of pizza. She glanced to Adam and asked, “Why wouldn’t you come in?”

  “Well…you know…”Adam looked from Danielle to Chris, back to Danielle, a smirk on his face while wiggling his eyebrows.

  “Oh…” Danielle scowled. “Always with the dirty mind.”

  “I’m starved,” Chris told them, snatching up a slice of pizza and taking a bite.

  Danielle studied Adam for a minute. “Just how do you do that?”

  “What?” Adam tucked a napkin under a slice of pizza and handed it to Danielle. “Have an active imagination?”

  “No. Wiggle your eyebrows like that.” She took a bite of the pizza, still looking at Adam. Once again, his dark brows wiggled.

  “It’s a gift,” Adam said with a dramatic sigh. He took a slice of pizza for himself.

  “Please tell me you brought beer,” Chris said, picking up the bottle of champagne and looking at it.

  “Actually, I did. It’s still in the car. I’ll be right back.” Still holding his slice of pizza, Adam dashed outside.

  “Wow, you’re a demanding client. The guy comes with pizza and champagne and all you say is, where’s the beer?” Danielle teased.

  “It is all about priorities, Danielle. Priorities.”

  When Adam returned with the beer a few minutes later, he sat with Danielle and Chris at the kitchen table.

  “I really do want to thank you for bringing the pizza and beer—and the champagne.” Chris took a swig of beer.

  “I figured the pizza and beer were to celebrate your new home. The champagne is for another celebration.” Adam lifted his can of beer in mock salute.

  “I got it?” Chris asked.

  Danielle glanced from Adam to Chris. “You got what?”

  “The Gusarov Estate,” Adam explained. “They accepted his offer.”

  “Well, that’s great!” Danielle lifted her can of beer. “Congratulations.”

  “Thanks. I haven’t even been in it yet.”

  “Want me to take you over there today?” Adam offered.

  “I just hope the place isn’t haunted,” Danielle murmured as she took another sip of beer.

  Adam stood up. “Funny Danielle.” Tossing his napkin onto the table, he headed for the bathroom.

  When Adam was out of earshot, Chris asked, “Haunted? Are you trying to be funny?”

  Danielle wrinkled her nose and cringed. “Well, actually…when I agreed it would be a great building for you, I didn’t stop to consider it’s always possible…well…”

  “Possible what?”

  “Stoddard was murdered there. Of course, he never haunted his own place; he decided to torment me instead. And after he realized I wasn’t responsible for his death, well, I’m pretty sure he moved on…but still…” She took another sip of her beer.

  “You saying Stoddard’s ghost might be at the estate?”

  Danielle considered the possibility for a moment. Finally, she shook her head. “Nah, probably not. After all I don’t remember seeing his ghost there—just Darlene’s.”

  “Darlene? His wife?”

  “Yeah, but you don’t have anything to worry about there. She’s busy haunting Pilgrim’s Point.”

  Chris glared at Danielle. “If you
got me to buy a haunted house…”

  Danielle smiled. “Nah, I’m just teasing you. It’s not haunted.” She took a quick gulp of beer and thought, I hope it’s not haunted.

  When Adam returned from the bathroom a few minutes later, Danielle changed the subject. “Hey, Adam, you know your friend Arlene, the one staying at Marlow House?”

  “Sure, what about her?” Adam sat back down at the table.

  “Any idea how long she’s been with David?”

  “You asking because of his last name?” Adam asked.

  Danielle shrugged. “What are the chances, Helen Hilton’s grandson being at Marlow House the same time Peter Morris is murdered?”

  “I’d assume the police have talked to him already.”

  “Honestly, I have no idea.” Danielle sighed.

  “I know it is a bizarre coincidence. And frankly, I know zip about this Hilton guy, other than reading about the family when the lawsuit was going on. But that was a number of years ago, and if a guy has the patience to wait around before killing the man who screwed his family out of a fortune, I’d have to assume he’d have a better alibi. Something other than, I was sleeping upstairs.”

  “What about Arlene?”

  “What about her?”

  “Did she have any grievances against the group?”

  Adam frowned at Danielle. “Where’s this coming from?”

  “She’s just trying to cover all the bases,” Chris offered. “Adam, you have no idea how stressful all of this has been. Waking up to find a dead body in the next room tends to make one paranoid.”

  “I’m not paranoid,” Danielle muttered.

  Chris patted her hand. “You know what I mean.”

  In response, Danielle rolled her eyes at Chris.

  “Maybe Arlene had some issues with the group, but she’d never hurt anyone. I know her better than that,” Adam insisted.

  “How well do we really know anyone? Especially casual friends,” Danielle asked.

  “We weren’t casual friends,” Adam confessed.

  “When you said she was someone you knew when dating Isabella, I assume she was a casual friend. So, you and Isabella were close to Arlene?”

  “Not exactly.” Adam set his beer can on the table. “Arlene and I had a brief affair, back when I was dating Isabella.”

  Chris paused mid-sip, still holding the can of beer by his mouth he looked at Adam, who was now looking from Danielle to him. Before taking a swig of beer, Chris said, “Hey, don’t look at me, who am I to judge?”

  “Oh…” Danielle cringed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”

  “Sure you did.” Adam flashed her a half smile. “Isabella and I were having some issues—she was getting deeper and deeper into Earthbound Spirits. I needed someone to talk to; Arlene was there. One thing led to another.”

  “Was that when you two broke up?” Danielle asked.

  Adam shook his head. “No. I stayed with Isabella. But we broke up not long after that. She never knew about Arlene. And I didn’t see Arlene again, until Thursday morning.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  “Ian, you and Lily need to wait out here while Joe talks to your sister,” the chief explained when Ian, Lily, and Kelly arrived at the Frederickport Police Department.

  “Is Kelly under arrest?” Ian asked just as Joe stepped into the room.

  “Under arrest?” Kelly gasped.

  Joe frowned at Ian. “Why would you ask that?”

  Ian reached out and gave his sister’s hand a gentle squeeze. “I just don’t see why I can’t sit in with her while you question her.”

  “Ian, this really will go much quicker if you just let Kelly go in with Joe,” MacDonald said.

  “If I’m not under arrest, does that mean I can just leave now?” Kelly asked, sounding more confident than she had looked just moments earlier.

  “Yes, I suppose so,” the chief said. “But I really hope you don’t do that.”

  “Okay,” Kelly said, no longer holding onto Ian’s hand. “I’ll talk to Sergeant Morelli, alone.”

  “You sure Kel?” Ian asked.

  “Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

  “I want to thank you for coming back in,” Joe said after he closed the door and gestured toward the table.

  “I just want you to know, if I don’t like your questions, I’ll get up and leave. Do you understand?” Kelly took a seat.

  Joe tossed his notebook onto the table and looked at her for a moment, before sitting down. “I’d say that’s rather a shift in attitude compared to when you first walked in the door.”

  “I just don’t like being bullied,” Kelly said primly.

  “I don’t believe anyone has bullied you, Ms. Bartley.”

  “Ms. Bartley? What happened to Kelly?”

  “I was under the impression you might take offense to an informal greeting.”

  “Just because I’m not going to let you bully me, you don’t have to pretend you don’t even know me.”

  Joe let out a weary sigh. “I’m not pretending anything.”

  “I know all about that two-way mirror.” Kelly nodded toward the mirror. “I also know how you arrested Daniele for her cousin’s murder, when she was innocent.”

  “I regret any pain I caused Danielle, and I believe she knows that. I’m not here to pass judgment on you Kelly; I simply want to ask you a few questions.”

  “Fine. Because I didn’t have anything to do with Peter Morris’ death. Just because I didn’t like the man, doesn’t mean I killed him. Heck, there are lots of people I dislike, and I’ve never killed any of them.”

  Joe smiled. “I’m happy to hear that.”

  He pulled out his cellphone and opened his browser window. “Could you please tell me if you’re familiar with this website?” He showed her his cellphone.

  Leaning forward, she looked closely at the small monitor. “Why sure, that’s the website on cults. They have a thread about Earthbound Spirits.”

  Joe set the phone down. “So, you’re familiar with the site?”

  Kelly shrugged and visibly relaxed. “Sure. Is that why you brought me in here, to ask me about that website?” She leaned forward again. “Oh…I get it. You want to use it to locate people who had it out for Peter Morris. I bet you’ll find a bunch.”

  “Is there a reason you didn’t mention the website when you spoke to us earlier?”

  Kelly frowned. “Why would I do that? You didn’t ask me for a list of websites. I told you I did research for Ian. You knew he was doing an exposé on Earthbound Spirits.”

  “Does this mean you’re familiar with CultCurious?”

  “Oh, CultCurious. Yeah, he’s a regular on there.”

  “Have you two ever exchanged private messages?”

  “No, never. But I’m pretty sure he has with other posters.”

  “Why is that?” Joe asked.

  “Every once in a while someone will post something like, thank you CultCurious or you’re the best, CultCurious. But it’s never something in response to a previous post; so, I have to assume it’s in response to something they talked about in private.”

  “What kind of things did you post about on the board? I assume you posted there.”

  “At first, I mainly read it. The different members shared their stories—you know, about how some friend or relative got sucked into the cult. Or how someone they knew turned over all their money to Earthbound Spirits. Stuff like that.”

  “Did you ever post?”

  “After a while, when I wanted to ask a question. I didn’t really share on the board.”

  “You never discussed your friend, Candice?”

  “Yes, but never publicly, only in private message.”

  “Why only in private message?”

  “Anyone can join that site and read what people are posting. I was there to find others who’d been hurt by Morris’ group. I wasn’t there to vent or find support. When I messaged someone from the group, I was always upfront with them. I let the
m know I was working on a story about the cult. And then I would share a little bit about Candice’s story, without getting into specifics. I just wanted them to know I understood. That way, they were more inclined to share.”

  “Did anyone ever suggest you hire a private detective?”

  Kelly frowned. “You mean someone like Mitch?”

  Joe paused and studied Kelly. “I thought you didn’t know what he did for a living?”

  “Danielle told me, after you talked to me the last time. She recognized his name, told me Will Wayne had hired someone by that name to investigate Peter Morris.”

  “Well…did anyone?” Joe asked.

  Kelly frowned. “Did anyone, what?”

  “Suggest you hire a private detective to help you with the article.”

  Kelly shifted uncomfortably in the chair, fidgeting with her purse.

  “So someone did suggest you hire a private detective? Someone did mention Mitcham to you? Is that it?”

  Kelly let out a sigh. “No, of course not.”

  “Then what is it?”

  “I guess I sort of gave some of them the impression I was a private detective—after all, I was researching Earthbound Spirits. I didn’t say that exactly, but a couple people sort of got that idea.”

  “Was this on the open board, or in a private message?””

  “Only in the private messages. So you see, why would they suggest I hire someone if they assumed that’s what I did for a living?”

  “Did you ever have any contact with CultCurious?”

  Kelly shook her head. “I told you I never exchanged messages with him. And I don’t remember ever responding directly to any of his posts. Although, a couple times he responded to mine.”

  “How do you know CultCurious is a male? Or do you?”

  “I don’t really. I suppose it could be a girl. Why are you so interested in CultCurious?”

  “I really can’t say at this time.”

  “I do remember one thing,” Kelly said hesitantly.

  “What?”

  “Once I was in a private chat with one of the regulars there—JoJo45—and she told me CultCurious had asked about me in a private chat. I guess he wanted to know what my deal was, since I’d ask questions on the board, but never shared any stories.”