“That’s odd.” Millie picked it up and inspected it for damage. “I wonder how that—”
“WOOOOHOOOOAAAANNN…”
The eerie sound drifted through the air, freezing us all in our tracks. Even the cats seemed startled, cocking their heads to one side as if to try to determine what the strange noise was.
“OOOOHGAAAAAAAHHHH…”
“What the heck is that?” Mike asked.
“Is it the pipes?” I ventured, because what else could be making that ungodly noise?
“Sorry, Sunshine, that’s not the sound of any pipes I’ve ever heard.”
We were all silent, waiting to hear more, but not a sound came. I thought I could hear Myron whimpering behind Mom and Millie.
“You don’t think it really could be a ghost?” Mom asked.
Flora, who had been dusting the top of the newel post, turned around, holding the duster feather side up.“If you’ve got a ghost, I hope you don’t expect me to clean up after it. I don’t do ectoplasmic goo. That stuff is hard to get out of linens.”
“Don’t be silly. There must be a reasonable explanation…” Millie glanced up at the ceiling as if expecting to see a ghost floating around up there.
Esther crossed her arms over her chest and turned to Victor.“Maybe it’s Jed. Perhaps he’d like to speak to you now. Go ahead, talk to him. Enlighten us as to what he wants.”
“Uhh… that wasn’t the plan. I’m sure it’s not Jed.” Victor sounded nervous.
“You mean there might be two ghosts?” Mom asked. Surely she was joking. She didn’t really believe there was a ghost in the Oyster Cove Guesthouse, let alone two of them?
Myron peeked out from behind Mom and Millie. His eyes were as big as the old silver dollars he sold for a premium down at the bank, his shoulders were rounded and his hands stuffed in his pockets as if he were trying to become even smaller than he already was. He was probably hoping the ghost wouldn’t notice him and pick on one of us instead.
“A real ghost…” he managed to utter as he glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner. “Hmmm, look at the time. Guess I can’t go look at the gazebo after all. Gotta run!”
We all watched as he dashed out the door.
Ghost or not, Myron was spooked. This did not bode well for the guesthouse at all.
Twenty-One
Nero eyed Jed.“Really, don’t you think the ghostly moans are a bit much?”
“I beg your pardon.” Jed swirled indignantly. “That wasn’t me. You think I’d stoop to those sorts of theatrics, do you? No self-respecting ghost would make noises like that.”
“You did push the figurine off. I saw you,” Marlowe said.
Jed crossed his arms over his chest.“That’s because that pompous bore Victor was arguing with my Esther.”
“Your Esther?” Maybe Jed was getting a little too attached to Esther. “Well, I don’t want to presume, but we have had some lovely conversations through her crystal ball. I think she really cares for me.” Jed got all moony-eyed and Nero tried to steer the conversation in a more productive direction.
“If it wasn’t you, then who was it?”
“Probably that fraud Victor trying to sensationalize things for that producer. He was out by the gazebo earlier.” Jed’s expression turned pensive. “Is that where the sound came from? Maybe he was hiding something out there that could produce sound? I know you have all sorts of devices in this day and age and I’ve heard sound come out of that small box Josie always seems to have in her hand.”
“Her phone?” Nero asked.
“If that’s what you call it,” Jed said. “Anyway, wouldn’t be hard to have something make those sounds. Someone should tell the person that ghosts don’t actually sound like that, though.”
“So it’s not another ghost?” Marlowe sounded relieved.
“Of course not. If another ghost were here, I’d know,” Jed said.
“What about your wife?” Nero asked. He hadn’t fully dismissed the idea that she might have come here for some sort of revenge on Jed, but it didn’t really add up. Why would she wait all this time and why try to frame him for killing Madame Zenda? He was already dead so nothing would happen to him. No, it was more likely the culprit was of the human form.
“My wife?” Jed ducked behind a chair. “You haven’t seen her here, have you? I don’t want to run into her.”
“Haven’t seen her,” Nero said. “Thought maybe you could sense her.”
“Thankfully not. That woman might have done me in. Though I think we’ll find out about that soon.”
“We will?” Marlowe asked.
Jed looked uncertain.“Maybe. Then again, maybe I don’t want to know who killed me. I might just want to stick around on this plane.” Jed sent a lovesick glance at Esther who was walking back to the table with her crystal ball. The group of humans were splitting up. Victor was heading upstairs to his room and Rose, Millie, Josie and Mike looked to be heading to the kitchen. It appeared as if everyone in the house was going about their business, despite the ghostly sounds. Wait… not everyone. Someone was missing.
“Where is Gail Weathers?” Nero asked.
“The tea-leaf lady?” Marlowe glanced around. “Don’t know. She wasn’t here when we heard the sounds.”
Nero looked at Jed.“You haven’t seen her around the place in your ghostly travels, have you?”
Jed shook his head.“Nope. Been busy watching over Esther. She’s getting my communication nicely now and let’s just say she might scratch my back if I’ll scratch hers.”
“Ohh, that sounds lovely.” Marlowe scratched at her ear. “Summertime can be very itchy, what with the pesky gnats and all.”
Nero didn’t take Jed’s words so literally. It sounded like Jed was up to something and Nero wasn’t sure he would like it. “What do you mean by that?”
“Don’t you go getting your whiskers in a bunch. Josie will benefit from it too,” Jed said. “Now, about that Gail Weathers. Isn’t she the one who always has a cup in her hand? I did see her out at the gazebo earlier today, shortly after Victor made that ridiculous announcement.”
Nero and Marlowe exchanged a glance.
“Do you think the noises could have come from the gazebo?” Marlowe asked.
Nero bestowed a fond look on the young cat. She might be prone to jumping to conclusions, like thinking there was a second ghost, but she was picking up the clues nicely.“I do think it could have. Looks like we better get out there and investigate.”
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Millie’s ample back end stuck out of the fridge as she rummaged for food. “If I was going to fake a ghost, I’d do a much better job than that clich?d moaning.”
“Well, it scared Myron. He ran out of here like his pants were on fire.” Mom pulled a box of crackers out of the cabinet. “Come to think of it, that might not have been such a bad thing if his pants did burn. Did you see all the cat hair on his cuffs?”
The fact that Myron had run out like that made me nervous. Apparently he was terrified of ghosts. Now it made sense that he’d been making a big deal about the ghost affecting the financial future of the guesthouse. “I just hope he didn’t run straight to the bank to rip up my loan papers.”
Millie backed out of the fridge with a handful of various cheeses.“Now, don’t you worry about him. I know his grandmother and if he does anything to hurt the guesthouse I’ll have her give him a talking to.”
I doubted Myron would keep the loan on his grandmother’s say-so, but at least that was something.
“He wouldn’t take the loan away, would he?” Mike’s velvety eyes were oozing with sympathy, which made me feel all funny inside.
I looked away.“I don’t know, but if he does I’m in a bit of trouble.”
“Not to worry.” Millie pulled a cheese knife out of the drawer and started cutting. “Once we find the killer and prove this ghost business is a hoax, Myron will forget all about this.”