A Deadly Lesson (Storage Ghost Murders Book 5) (10 page)

Chapter 25

Grace
walked towards the man sitting on his own in a corner booth inside Pizza Hut,
he was staring out of the window that faced him. She’d forgotten to ask Kevin
Thompson what he looked like when she’d agreed to meet him. She glanced at the
other diners, they were in groups or couples, so she assumed the solitary man
was Kevin.

She
walked over to his side and said, “Kevin Thompson?”

Abbie
gasped. “He looks like an older Ethan! He’s even got the same glasses!”

Kevin
pushed his glasses nervously up his nose, stood up and extended his hand.
“Hello, yes, I’m Kevin. I presume you’re Grace? Thanks for meeting me here, I
know it’s a funny place to meet but I wanted to meet somewhere out of the way,
somewhere I haven’t been before.” He looked from left to right, and then back
to Grace. “Please, do sit down. Would you like a drink? Would you like some
food?”

“That
would be lovely, thank you,” Grace replied. She sat opposite Kevin.

Abbie
sat next to her and jerked her thumb towards Kevin. “Of course you want some
food! What’s he thinking? You don’t come to Pizza Hut for a drink!”

Grace
pressed her lips together, she had been thinking the same thing but was far too
polite to say anything. She studied Kevin. He was pulling on the collar of his
shirt, as if it was choking him. Beads of sweat appeared on his brow. She could
see how difficult this meeting was for him.

A
waitress appeared to take their order. As soon as she was gone Grace said, “You
mentioned in your email that you knew something about Last Hope Repossessions,
can you tell me what it is.”

Kevin
narrowed his eyes. “Can you tell me why you’re interested in them? Do you work
for them? Have you been spying on me?” His voice got louder. “Is this a trap? I
knew I shouldn’t have come here!”

There
was a hush in the restaurant as people looked their way.

“No!
No, I don’t work for them,” Grace began. She lowered her voice and moved her
head closer. “I think they’re up to no good, there’s something dodgy about that
company and I want to find out more about them.”

With
doubt still in his voice Kevin said, “Go on.”

Grace
nodded as if making a decision. She’d tell him about her meeting with Julianne
and Carlos. She’d lie about being in financial trouble. She didn’t like lying
but it was better than the alternative – telling him she was trying to
help a ghost.

Kevin
nodded constantly as Grace told him about her meeting. When she’d finished he
gave her a satisfied smile and said, “That’s exactly what they do, prey on the
weak and feeble-minded.”

“I
wouldn’t consider myself ...” Grace was interrupted by the arrival of their
food. It was time to let Kevin talk. “Can you tell me about your dealings with
the company, I’m presuming you have had dealings with them.”

“I
certainly have.” Kevin waved a hand towards the pizza. “You tuck in whilst I
tell you all about it. Be warned, you might lose your appetite as I talk.”

“I
doubt it,” Grace said as she picked up a hot slice of pepperoni pizza.

Kevin
pushed his pizza to one side and rested his hands on the table. “I work at a
certain bank in a certain town, I won’t tell you the name for security
reasons.”

Grace’s
eyes flicked to the logo on Kevin’s name badge. It had the name of the bank and
its location.

Kevin
went on. “I work in the mortgage arrears department. I love helping people
who’ve fallen behind with their payments. The relief I hear in their voices when
I tell them I can help is overwhelming, it brings me to tears sometimes,
knowing that I’ve got a gift for helping people. My customers have called me
their hero, even their guardian angel.”

Abbie
muttered something under her breath. Grace reached for her drink to stop
herself smiling.

Kevin
smiled broadly at his own memories. “I love my job. And I love training people
up to be as professional as me. I’m good with people. Anyway, a few years ago a
temp joined us at the bank. We often have temps joining us, most of them are
offered full-time contracts as they love the job so much! I like to think that
part of that is down to me.”

Abbie
made gagging noises. Grace ignored her and reached for another slice.

Kevin
gave a dramatic sigh. “This temp was different. I’d always put work before my
social life. I’ve had many romantic offers but I’ve turned them down. Work
comes first with me.”

“That’s
admirable,” Grace said.

“That’s
weird,” Abbie said.

Kevin
looked off into the distance. “This temp was different, she was beautiful. I
tried to resist but we were drawn to each other, it was magical.”

Grace
put her half-eaten slice down. “Does this temp have a name?”

Kevin
chuckled. “I can’t tell you our pet names for each other.”

“No,
don’t.”

“She
was called Julie. She understood me so well. She knew how passionate I was
about my job. She said she wanted to help people too. She told me that her
brother had a company that bought people’s houses from them when they couldn’t
afford the mortgage. Her brother was struggling and needed some contacts so
that he could build up his business. She had such a good heart.” Kevin paused
and looked around the room. In barely a whisper he said, “I did a terrible
thing, something illegal. If it ever gets out I’ll be thrown in prison for the
rest of my life. I wouldn’t last in prison, I’m too good-natured.”

Grace
nodded sympathetically. “I think I can guess what you did. Did you give Julie’s
brother details of people who were behind with their mortgages?”

Kevin
nodded sadly. “I did. Julie’s brother paid me for my trouble. I must admit the
extra money came in useful and Julie was so grateful for my help – if you
know what I mean.”

Grace
put down the slice of pizza that she had just picked up again.

“Eww!”
Abbie squirmed at her side.

“Did
you ever meet Julie’s brother?”

Kevin
shook his head. “No, but he got more demanding. He threatened Julie and said I
had to get more names, even get some from other banks. We’re not supposed to do
that but it’s easy enough to do.”

“Are
you still doing this now?”

Kevin’s
shoulders dropped. “I have to. If I don’t Julie will be killed.”

“What?”
Grace sat up straighter.

“I
told Julie I had to stop giving her information, I knew it was a matter of time
before I was caught. She said she understood, she said she’d tell her brother
no more. But then ...” Kevin took his glasses off and wiped a tear from his
eye. He put his glasses back on and said, “Julie disappeared and I started to
get threatening texts from Julie’s brother. He said he’d kill her if I stopped
giving him information.”

“As
if someone would say that!” Abbie scoffed.

Grace
had another question. “What’s this got to do with Last Hope Repossessions?”

Kevin
gave her a steady look. “I made a note of the people that I passed to Julie.
All of their houses were bought by that evil company. And do you know what they
do? Of course you do, they fooled you too. They buy the house at a ridiculously
low price, put the rent up so high that people are forced to leave. Then the
evil wrongdoers sell the house at a profit!” He raised his fist. “I’m going to
take them down! I’ve got proof of what they’ve been doing!”

“Won’t
you be in trouble if you do that? Your career could be ruined,” Grace pointed
out.

Kevin
shook his head in a defiant manner. “I don’t care! I have to save my Julie. I
haven’t seen her in over a year.” He stopped and looked over Grace’s shoulder
and towards the window. He blanched, his mouth dropped open. He recovered
himself and said, “Oh, she’s there, Julie is outside.”

Chapter 26

Grace
swung her head round so fast she felt something twang in her neck. She’d
already decided that ‘Julie’ was Julianne, and that her so-called brother could
only be Carlos.

Grace’s
eyes scanned the people that were walking past the window, searching for
Julianne’s face. She couldn’t see her. She turned back to Kevin and said, “Can
you point her out?”

Kevin
gave a slight nod and raised his hand towards the window. His index finger
flicked out, and just as quickly, flicked back. He lowered his hand.

Grace
frowned and inspected the passers-by. “I still don’t know who you mean.”

Kevin
sighed. “She’s that angel, over there. I think she must be in disguise, she
must be part of a witness protection scheme, of course! She never used to wear
that much make-up, certainly not that much mascara. And her hair is different
too, pulled back, it looks too tight for her.”

A
cold feeling trickled down Grace’s back. Abbie turned a startled face to her.
In slow motion they both looked out of the window and saw ‘Julie’.

“Brooke!
It’s that two-faced cow!” Abbie shrieked.

Grace
now pointed at Brooke as she sashayed past the window, phone to her ear.
“That’s Julie? That woman there? With the big eyelashes?”

Kevin
nodded, adoration written all over his face. “She’s so beautiful.” He suddenly
ducked under the table and called out, “She mustn’t see me! She’s undercover!”

Grace
watched Brooke walk past the restaurant. Whoever she was talking to you was
making her smile. Who was she talking to? And how was she involved with Last
Hope Repossessions? Was she involved with Julianne and Carlos? Had Abbie found
out about their dealings? Were they all involved in Abbie’s murder?

Too
many questions. Grace grabbed her handbag, opened it and flung some money onto
the table. Abbie bounced on the seat and said, “What are you going to do? Are
you going to follow her? Knock her to the ground?”

“Yes,”
Grace muttered under her breath. “Follow her! Not knock her to the ground.” She
bent down and looked at Kevin under the table. “I have to go. I’ll be in
touch.”

Kevin
put his finger to his mouth in a shhing gesture and nodded.

Grace
dashed out of the restaurant, Abbie flew at her side.

“I
can’t see her! There are too many people!” Grace called out, not caring who
heard her.

Abbie
flew higher and said, “I can see her, she’s heading towards a park. This way!”

Abbie
hovered three feet above Grace and headed to the left. Grace followed her and
soon found herself in a park. Benches lined a path. Grace saw Brooke sit down
at one near a play area. Grace looked from side to side. “I can’t hide
anywhere! She’ll see me.”

Abbie
descended to her side. “There’s a tree behind that bench, you hide there and
I’ll get as close as I can to Brooke. She looks like she’s waiting for
someone.”

Grace
scuttled off the path and followed Abbie. She was trying her best to look
casual but it seemed from the looks of people walking their dogs that she
wasn’t being successful. Abbie indicated to a tree near the bench. Should Grace
just sit down next to it? That would look better than trying to hide her body
behind the trunk of the tree, it wasn’t a particularly fat tree.

Why
were there so many dog-walkers around? And why did they have to stare? Grace
made a show of fanning herself with her hand and, even though it was a damp
November day, she said out loud, “Gosh! I’m so warm! I need to have a rest.”

Abbie
shook her head and mumbled to herself. Grace sat on the unpleasantly damp
earth, still smiling at anyone who looked her way. Abbie flew away. Grace
peered around the tree, Abbie was floating in front of Brooke. Grace tutted.
There really wasn’t any need for those hand gestures that Abbie was making. But
there again ...

“Excuse
me, young lady!”

Grace’s
head spun back to the owner of the voice. An elderly man was looking down at
her, concern in his eyes. “Yes?” Grace said.

“Are
you all right, my dear? Not the best place to sit, you’ll give yourself piles.
And I’ve had piles! Ah! The size of melons. Have you fainted? Shall I give you
the kiss of life? Do you need me to press on your chest?”

Grace
pulled her coat closer and said, “No, thank you. I’m just having a sit down.”

The
old man raised his walking stick towards the bench where Brooke was sitting.
“Why don’t you sit over there? I could sit with you for a while, make sure
you’re okay.”

“No,
really, I’m fine. I had a ... hot flush, that’s all,” Grace said, wishing he’d
go away.

The
old man chuckled. “I know about hot flushes! Betty, my late-wife, used to get
them when we first met! Ha! Then she got them as she got older, went through
the change and all that.” He peered closer at Grace. “Are you going through the
change? You don’t look old enough.”

Grace
stood up and wiped sticky mud from the back of her jeans. She wasn’t going to
get any peace with this old fella around.

The
man’s face brightened. “Are you going for a walk? I’ll tag along with you, it’s
nice to have a natter. Me and Betty used to come to this park nearly every
day.”

Grace’s
attitude towards the old man changed in an instant. It was obvious he was
lonely. Perhaps she could spare him a few minutes.

Abbie
whooshed to her side. “She was meeting someone, wait ’til you hear this!”

Grace
didn’t look at her. Abbie turned her head to see who she was looking at. “Who’s
he? Some sort of pervert?”

Grace
said to the old man, “I have to go back to work now, it’s a ten minute walk
away. Would you like to walk with me? I’d love to hear about you and Betty.”

The
man seemed to grow two feet. He beamed at Grace and crooked his arm. She took
it and they headed towards the park gates.

It
was hard to listen to Abbie ranting at her side at the same time as listening
to the lonely old man talking about his wife – but Grace managed.

Anyway,
she didn’t need Abbie to tell her who Brooke had been meeting. She saw him as
he sauntered out of the park a few paces in front of them.

Carlos.