The Ghost and the Baby Page 9

  “Oh…you surprised me.” Adam sounded flustered as he turned off his computer.

  “Umm, whatcha doing?” Danielle asked as she entered the room. The question was more for Marie than Adam, yet Adam didn’t know that.

  He shrugged. “Nothing. But it was acting weird again.”

  “Still losing power?” Danielle glanced up to Marie, who looked as if she had just been caught pilfering quarters from the collection plate at church.

  “Craziest thing, when I do a search, pictures keep popping up that don’t match the search—babies and toddlers and families and more babies.”

  With an arched brow, Danielle glanced up to Marie, who only returned a sheepish shrug.

  “What were you searching for?” Walt asked.

  Adam sat up abruptly in his chair. “Nothing in particular. Which reminds me, how is Lily doing? I haven’t seen her for a while.”

  “She hasn’t had morning sickness for weeks, and she claims she’s starting to show. But frankly I don’t see it. According to Ian, she’s always tired and hungry.”

  “Great combination,” Adam said with a chuckle and then asked, “Now, what can I do for you?”

  “I guess I’ll go now,” Marie said abruptly just before vanishing.

  “I brought you that list of potential customers who had inquired about rooms,” Danielle explained as she and Walt took a seat facing Adam’s desk. “I thought you might be able to help them.” She leaned forward, handing him the paper.

  “I still can’t believe you’re closing the B and B for good,” Adam said as he accepted Danielle’s offering.

  “Not really closing it. More like reinventing ourselves.” Danielle smiled and settled back in the chair.

  “Chris told me about how you plan to expand the room raffles for charity,” Adam said as he glanced over the paper Danielle had just handed him. He then tossed it on his desk.

  “Yes. After we see how the spring break fundraiser goes, we’ll move ahead on the project,” Danielle told him.

  “By the way, have you talked to Chris this morning?” Adam asked.

  “I did early this morning,” Walt told him. “But he had an incoming call, and I told him we were leaving anyway and would talk to him later.”

  Adam glanced from Walt to Danielle. “So you don’t know? His uncle Loyd passed away last night.”

  Danielle arched her brow. “Really? I know his cancer had advanced fairly quickly.”

  “Couldn’t have happened to a nicer man,” Walt grumbled.

  Adam looked at Walt, unable to stifle a chuckle.

  “Walt,” Danielle scolded, “a man is dead.”

  “So? He tried to kill you,” Walt said angrily.

  Adam chuckled again. “I can’t say I disagree with Walt. Loyd did try to kill you and Chris. Those uncles are pure evil. I can’t believe Simon actually expected Chris to intervene and have Loyd moved somewhere more comfortable.”

  “I suspect he would have,” Danielle said. “Knowing Chris. But fortunately for him, the prison had already made plans to move him, considering his condition. I think Chris was conflicted by Simon’s request.”

  “I just hope Chris cuts off all communications with Simon,” Walt said. “He doesn’t need that in his life.”

  Adam studied Walt for a moment and smiled. When he had first met Walt—or Clint as he then wanted to be called—Adam thought he was a major jerk. But he had to admit, the man had changed since his accident, and Adam did not doubt Walt’s feelings toward Danielle. Even Walt’s obvious protective attitude toward Chris, Adam found an interesting change. Perhaps Melony was right—again.

  They chatted a few more minutes about Chris’s uncles; then Danielle changed the conversation.

  “When I first asked you about the previous owners of Pearl’s house, you weren’t sure if she was related to the Morton family,” Danielle began.

  “She’s not. Since we talked about it, I looked into it a little,” Adam explained.

  “Yeah. I know she’s not. I met Norman Bateman, the son of one of the Morton twins. He told me the house was sold before he was born, and not to a relative.”

  Adam nodded. “Yeah. That’s what I found out too. I looked into the property records. The owners after the Mortons were a Mr. and Mrs. Darin Burnette. A couple of years before Mrs. Burnette’s death, the husband’s name was taken off the deed. When she died, the house went equally to their two daughters. One of the daughters sold out her share to her sister. The house was then in the name of that sister and her husband. When they died, the house went to their three children, who apparently have also passed away. Their children then inherited the property. Seven different people were on the deed, and I am assuming they are the great-grandchildren of the Burnettes—from the daughter who bought out her sister.”

  “Do you know if any of them live in Frederickport?” Danielle asked.

  “Yes. One of them had a local address. The name wasn’t familiar, and I don’t remember it. But if you want me to look it up again, I will,” Adam offered.

  “Sure. I doubt I will do anything with it, but if you can get it,” Danielle said.

  Adam turned his computer back on and began a search. “Nice to see no baby pictures are popping up,” he muttered as he continued looking for the property record. Danielle and Walt quietly exchanged glances.

  “Here it is,” Adam said at last. “One of the owners who sold out to your neighbor is an Andy Delarosa.”

  Danielle shrugged. “Never heard of him.”

  “He lives on your side of town.” Adam looked at the computer monitor again and then frowned. “By his address, I’m pretty sure he lives next door to Presley House.”

  “Or what was Presley House. Last time I went by there, it was still a vacant lot,” Danielle said.

  Adam looked up from the computer. “Is there some reason you’re thinking of talking to him?”

  Danielle shrugged. “Probably not. I was curious about my neighbor Pearl, and why she’s so cantankerous. I had this crazy idea I might learn more about her from her relatives who sold her the property, but what do I do? Walk up to this Andy guy, knock on the door, and ask, why is your cousin Pearl such a shrew?”

  “So how is this Pearl related to him?” Adam asked Danielle.

  “Any chance one of the names on that deed was Pearl Huckabee?” Walt asked.

  “Pearl Huckabee, that’s who’s on the deed now,” Adam said.

  Danielle turned to Walt. “Why would her name have been on the deed before?”

  Walt shrugged. “We didn’t consider that maybe she owned a share of the house with her cousins and she just bought them out.”

  Adam shook his head. “No. Her name wasn’t on the deed before.”

  “Then my assumption, if she really is related to the previous owners, and the house has been in her family for years, as she claims—she’s the child of the Burnette daughter who sold her share to her sister,” Walt explained.

  Hand in hand, Walt and Danielle walked to the Packard after leaving Adam’s office. Just as they reached the vehicle, a short woman with curly red hair stepped out from one of the shops, blocking their path. Danielle and Walt stopped abruptly. Danielle immediately recognized the woman. She always thought she looked like an angry Strawberry Shortcake doll. It was Ruby Crabtree.

  “Ruby?” Danielle said in surprise.

  Standing before the couple, Ruby eyed them up and down curiously. “Is it true? Is the bed and breakfast staying closed for good?”

  “We plan to use it for some charity events, but it no longer has a business license to operate as a bed and breakfast,” Danielle explained.

  “Interesting,” Ruby mused.

  “Funny we should run into you like this. We were just talking about you today,” Danielle told her.

  Ruby arched a red brow. “You were?”

  “I understand you might be related to our new neighbor—the one who is opposed to having a B and B in the neighborhood.”

  “Ahh, you m
ean Pearl Huckabee. I just want you to know, I think it’s a shame she got you closed down. This town needs places like yours. Never thought it hurt my business. Some people like staying in motels; others like places like your B and B.”

  “So you are related?” Danielle asked.

  “Suppose we are. I don’t know her. Never met her. But it doesn’t really surprise me she got your place shut down.”

  “Why is that?” Walt asked.

  “Contrary bunch, if you ask me. Her grandmother was my father’s sister. Dad used to say he couldn’t blame his brother-in-law for running off on his sister. He was surprised he stuck around as long as he did,” Ruby said with a snort.

  “Is Pearl your cousin?” Danielle asked.

  “Her mother was. But I never knew them, even though we lived in the same town. You see, my aunt converted to Catholicism, and my father was a good Protestant. He never forgave his sister for joining the Pope’s church. I remember when I was in grade school, going by the house and seeing a bunch of kids playing in the yard. They would have been cousins. But I never went up and introduced myself. After she died, the house went to my cousins. One of the girls bought out her sister. Her kids eventually inherited the property, and when they passed away, it went to their children. Sickly branch of the family. My cousin’s kids all died fairly young. From what I hear, their children who inherited the property never got along and rarely used the house. I know this because one of them lives in Frederickport, Andy Delarosa. I suppose he is my second cousin.” Ruby shrugged. “Or maybe third?”

  “You know Andy Delarosa?” Danielle asked.

  “Yes. Do you?” Ruby asked.

  “No. I just heard he was related to Pearl,” Danielle explained.

  “He stopped by the motel and introduced himself after he inherited a share of the property. About five years ago, I think. He’s a young fellow. To be honest, he’s a bit of an airhead. He was curious about the family, not so much that he cared a hoot about genealogy, but what he could use to his advantage. Not sure what he thought that was exactly. According to him, that side of the family never got along much. Of course, I couldn’t give him any information. He told me about his mother’s cousin who wanted to buy the house. That was Pearl. I guess she’s wanted to buy that house for years.”

  Fourteen

  After talking to Ruby, Danielle decided to put her neighbor out of her mind and move forward. With the bed and breakfast officially closed and Walt keeping Max in check, Danielle didn’t imagine there was any reason for Pearl to confront her again—at least not until the new sign was installed or the raffle winners arrived for their week at Marlow House. The next two weeks went by quickly, and during all that time, Danielle hadn’t had a single confrontation with Pearl. Easter was less than a week away, and in five days the raffle winners would be arriving to collect their prize.

  It was late afternoon on the last Monday of March, and down the road from Marlow House, on the other side of the street, Andy Delarosa sat in a parked truck, watching Pearl’s house. Andy had borrowed a friend’s truck. He didn’t want to risk Pearl recognizing his car, and a truck was better suited for what he needed to do. Slumped down in the driver’s seat, he peered over the steering wheel and watched. He had run into Pearl at the community center last week, when she had been signing up for a quilting class. According to the information on one of the flyers he had picked up, the first class was to start this afternoon. He had been wondering how he was going to get Pearl out of her house so he could do what he needed to do—before it was too late. Running into her at the community center had been providence—providing she went to the class today.

  Andy had been sitting there for about fifteen minutes when he spied Pearl’s car backing out of the driveway. He smiled and turned the key in the ignition. With the truck’s engine now running, he slumped down further in the seat and watched as Pearl drove by, heading to town. Glancing in his rearview mirror, Andy sat up a little straighter and steered the truck out from the side of the road and headed down the street, in the opposite direction Pearl had gone.

  Instead of entering Pearl’s driveway, Andy continued up the street, made a right turn, and then another right and drove down the alleyway, heading back toward the rear entrance of Pearl’s property. As he drove by Marlow House, he took note of the new garage. As a child he had crawled through loose posts in the wrought-iron fencing separating the two properties to make a fort behind Marlow House—where the garage now stood. Back in those days the yard had been a virtual jungle with its overgrown bushes and foliage, a tangle of brush and vines. He had kept his annoying cousins out of his fort by convincing them Marlow House was haunted.

  Andy parked the truck behind Pearl’s house. He was thankful she hadn’t done any real yard work yet. The overgrown trees along the back of the property line would conceal the truck from view so he could do what needed to be done.

  Lily Bartley passed her neighbor Pearl Huckabee on her way home from school Monday afternoon. She gave Pearl a friendly wave. Their eyes met briefly, and Pearl failed to acknowledge the gesture—not with a smile or return wave. It didn’t surprise Lily, but she felt better about herself, knowing she was at least trying to get along with the grouchy neighbor.

  When she pulled her car into her driveway a few minutes later, she already knew Ian was not home. Nor was Sadie. So instead of going into her house, Lily got out of her car and headed across the street to Marlow House to see Walt and Danielle. The moment she walked up on the porch, the front door opened before she even had a chance to ring the bell.

  “Hello, Lily,” Danielle cheerfully greeted her, opening the door wider for her friend to enter.

  “Wow, that is service,” Lily said with a laugh as she walked into the house.

  “I was looking out the parlor window and saw you coming up,” Danielle explained as she shut the door behind Lily. “Walt’s in the parlor. Come on in. We’re waiting for the sign people; that’s why I was looking out the window.”

  Lily followed Danielle into the parlor. “You’re getting the sign today?” She then looked at Walt, who was just standing up from the sofa as she entered the room. “Hey, Walt.”

  “Yes, they’re supposed to be here any minute,” Danielle told her.

  “Hi, Lily. You want to sit on the sofa?” Walt asked, still standing.

  “Nah, go ahead and sit down, Walt. I kinda prefer the chairs.”

  Lily took a seat across from the sofa as Walt sat back down, and Danielle sat next to him.

  “You are looking radiant, Lily,” Walt told her.

  “You mean fat?” she grumbled.

  Danielle laughed. “Hardly, Lily. You aren’t even showing yet.”

  “Well, tell that to my jeans that wouldn’t zip up this morning,” Lily said.

  “I think you look beautiful,” Walt told her.

  Lily flashed Walt a grin. “You’re sweet. And I suppose it is silly to complain about not being able to zip my pants. That’s sort of what happens when you get pregnant.”

  “You ready for your trip?” Danielle asked. Lily and Ian were planning to spend spring break in California with Lily’s parents.

  Lily shrugged. “Not really. I haven’t started packing yet—but I have started my packing list.”

  “What’s a packing list?” Walt asked.

  “My mother always starts packing for a trip a month in advance. Well, maybe not a month, but at least two weeks,” Lily explained. “Used to drive me nuts. I prefer to pack the night before we leave. But I don’t want to be stressed that I might forget something. So I start a list—writing down everything I want to take. So when I pack, I just go down the list, and that way I don’t forget anything even if I pack at the last minute.”

  “Unless you forget to put something on the list,” Walt reminded her.

  Lily shrugged. “Yeah, well, that can happen.” Lily turned to Danielle and asked, “So you get your sign today?”

  Danielle glanced to the parlor window. “They called about
ten minutes ago, said they’re on their way over.”

  “Good news, I passed our lovely neighbor Pearl on the way home. Looks like she was headed to town. Or, if we are really lucky, an extended trip out of town.” Lily grinned.

  Danielle let out a sigh. “Good. I was rather dreading her seeing them put the sign up. I can just see her coming over here and giving the installers a hard time. Seems like she has an opinion on everything we do, and it is usually a negative one. I would rather the sign be installed before she sees it.”

  Just as Pearl parked in front of the community center, she heard her cellphone make a sound, signifying an incoming text message. She turned off the car’s ignition and then fished the cellphone from her purse. Looking at the message, she let out a curse. The quilting class had been cancelled.

  “Now they tell us?” Pearl grumbled as she shoved her phone back in her purse. Turning her ignition back on, she decided to stop at the Burger Shack before heading home. She didn’t feel like cooking dinner tonight, but she had skipped lunch. An early dinner of a take-out burger sounded like a good idea.

  Just as Pearl was about to pull into her driveway thirty minutes later, she noticed a large truck parked in front of Marlow House and some activity in the front of the property. Curious, she drove past her house, slowing down as she started to pass by Marlow House. Her eyes widened in surprise as she spied several men preparing to install a large sign by the front gate.

  “This is a residential neighborhood,” Pearl grumbled as she quickly parked her vehicle in front of the truck. Hastily getting out of her car, she hurried toward the house. Waving her hands wildly, she shouted, “Unless that is a for sale sign, you need to take it down right now!”

  Confused, the men installing the sign paused a moment and looked Pearl’s way as she hurried to them. Pearl failed to notice Walt, Danielle, and Lily, who stood on the sidelines watching—first the men putting up the sign and then Pearl.