All Dressed Up and No Place to Haunt (4 page)

Chapter 6

“I can't believe someone was murdered in Sugar Creek again. What is happening around this town?” Heather said.

Charlotte marched past us. “It's been fun, ladies, but I have a prior engagement.”

“Where are you going?” I asked.

“Sorry, it's a secret,” she said.

Heather looked at the door in an attempt to see which ghost I'd been talking to.

“Charlotte isn't sticking around,” I said.

“She's leaving for good?” Heather asked with wide eyes.

I picked the shirts up off the Ouija board and folded them. “No, she'll be back. She wouldn't say where she's going though.”

Alice was wandering around the store looking at all the clothing.

“Too bad,” Heather said as she grabbed the Ouija board and tucked it under her arm.

“I haven't figured out where she goes,” I said, placing the shirts onto a display table.

“Did you ask her?” Heather said.

“Sure, but she just smiles and floats away.”

Heather helped me straighten the shirts. “We still don't know what the new ghost wants.”

“Alice, it's Alice. And I told you I just want to help Cookie.”

I placed a shirt down on the counter. “There's more to it than just helping me, Alice.”

Heather got the gist of the conversation. “Yes, there has to be more.”

Alice strolled across the floor toward us. “If a ghost isn't prepared for her death, then maybe there are some things left unsaid.” She studied my rack of sale items.

“So you're saying you have unfinished business?” I asked.

“That's usually why they hang around,” Heather said. “It says that in all the books I've read.”

“There's no book that can tell you what it's really like,” Alice said without looking over at us.

“What's your unfinished business, Alice? Is it lost love?” I asked.

Heather pointed. “I bet that's it. It's almost always lost love.”

Alice put her arms around herself, a lonely hug. “I had someone who was special to me and I never told him how I felt.”

“So it is lost love?” I asked.

Heather jumped up. “I was right.”

“This isn't a contest to see who's right,” Alice said.

“Of course not,” I said, then repeated for Heather's benefit, “It's not a contest to see who is right.”

Heather backed off. “No, not a contest.”

“Just remember one thing, Cookie, never lose your true love,” she said, looking me in the eyes.

I laughed. “I don't have a true love to lose, Alice.”

Heather snorted. “You got that right. The girl doesn't even date. Her idea of a night off is going to the local café for takeout and then home to look at magazines and write on her blog.”

I frowned. “It's what I like to do.”

“It would be a lot more fun if you had someone special to share it with.” Heather folded her arms in front of her chest. Her bracelets jingled with the movement.

I busied myself sorting through the mail that I'd left on the counter.

“So you'll just have to help Alice find her true love,” Heather said with a wave of her hand. The bracelets rattled even louder this time.

I shot Heather a glare.

She shrugged. “Maybe then the ghost will be able to move on.”

“If it wouldn't be too much trouble,” Alice said with a bat of her eyelashes.

Heather and Alice looked at me expectantly. It looked as if I was outnumbered.

“No, no problem at all,” I said through gritted teeth.

Alice clapped her hands together. “Okay, we can go find him now.”

“Whoa, I can't do that right now. I have to close up the shop and take the cat home. Plus, it's been a long day.” I blew the hair out of my eyes.

Alice looked disappointed. “Of course. Yes, I understand.”

If she was trying to make me feel bad, it wasn't going to work.

“Of course, in return I am going to help you solve the murder,” she offered as an enticement.

“Why are you going to help me? I am not involved in this investigation. I don't have to solve the murder,” I said.

Alice quirked an eyebrow. “You owe it to Nicole.”

“How do you figure that?”

Alice crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Okay, then I owe it to her because she was wearing my dress.”

“That's not a very good reason,” I said. “And I repeat, I don't need to solve the murder. I've been there, done that, and don't want to do it again.” I rubbed Wind Song's head as she purred.

Alice placed her hands on her hips. “I'm not leaving if you don't.”

I stared at her. “You can't be serious.”

“Dead serious.” She smiled. “Pun intended.”

“What did she say?” Heather asked.

“She said she wouldn't leave until I solve the murder.”

Heather shook her head. “Well, you heard her. I guess you'll have to do it. You get a lot of stubborn ghosts.”

“I'm not stubborn, just determined,” Alice said.

“That means you're stubborn,” I said.

Why should I risk getting involved? I knew why. Because I couldn't say no to someone in need. Alice looked at me like a lost puppy, and my heart said yes. Besides, I would want someone to do the same for me. But if we were going to solve the murder and find Alice's lost love, then we would have to get to work right away—without Detective Dylan Valentine finding out. I was yet again sticking my nose where it didn't belong. I hoped I didn't get in trouble.

“I'd better go. Call me later.” Heather headed toward the door. “Bye, new ghost,” she said as she walked out the door.

“Oh, she's just doing that on purpose.” Alice scowled.

“Sometimes she forgets.” I tried to make an excuse for Heather.

Alice grimaced. “Not this time.”

As soon as I opened the carrier for Wind Song, she marched right in. This was the first cat I'd ever seen who willingly agreed to be in one of these things. Wind Song loved to travel though, and she knew this meant we were headed home. I grabbed my purse and the carrier.

“Where are we going?” Alice asked.

I placed the carrier on the floor and opened the front door. “I guess you're coming home with me.”

Alice floated out the door. Great. Charlotte still popped in and out of my house too. It was a good thing they didn't need beds because I wouldn't have the room. I locked up and then placed Wind Song in the backseat of my car. Alice was already waiting in the passenger seat for me.

As I started the car and shifted into gear, Alice said, “I'm looking forward to solving this murder. We should talk with that boyfriend, Preston, first.”

“I'm not sure how we will do that,” I said.

Alice watched out the window at the green trees and historic houses as we passed by. “Oh, you'll figure out a way.”

Within a few minutes, we arrived at my house. It was on the outskirts of town, but my backyard overlooked a new shopping-center parking lot. I had a small two-story white frame house. It had window boxes with red flowers and a couple trees in the front yard. Alice was waiting for me by the front door as I got Wind Song out from the backseat. I shoved my keys into the lock.

“That's a cute keychain,” Alice said.

It had a pink flamingo on it. Very fifties kitschy. “Thanks.”

I set my purse on the small table next to the front door and then let Wind Song out of her carrier. She raced across the floor and jumped up onto the sofa to take her spot on the back. She loved to stare at the birds from the front window.

“This is my place,” I said with a wave of my hand.

Alice touched the upholstered chair and then moved over to the fireplace. “It's cozy.”

“Maybe it's small, but it's plenty for just me.”

My decor consisted of a lot of vintage items with a distinct fifties flair—no surprise there. A silver sunburst clock adorned the far living room wall. My cream-colored sofa was new, but I certainly had a large collection of vintage furnishings. A kitschy plaster peacock wall hanging was displayed opposite the sofa.

Alice followed me into the kitchen.

After the long day, I was starving. I decided to make tomato salad and lemon-baked salmon for dinner. Of course I had to bake cornbread too. That was part of my family tradition.

As I prepared my dinner, Alice sat at the kitchen table. “By the sound of the argument, I'd say that Preston was cheating on Nicole and she found out about it.”

I sat down across from her with my plate. I took a bite of my food and swallowed. Then I said, “That's not much of a reason to kill her though.”

Alice tapped her fingers on the table. “Some people don't need a lot of reason. Maybe there was more to the argument than we heard.”

“That might be true, but I doubt there's a way for us to find out.”

After finishing my meal, I rinsed off the dishes and placed them in the dishwasher.

“I have to do some work,” I said as I walked into the living room. “You'll have to make yourself at home.”

I pulled out my laptop and settled onto the chair by the fireplace to do a little writing on my blog. I usually posted several times a week. At Charlotte's urging, sometimes I included photos of the items I found or sightings of celebrities wearing vintage items. Charlotte had been sharing her marketing advice with me, and her tips were paying off with increased traffic to my site.

Alice paced back and forth across the living room floor as I tried to concentrate.

I looked up from the screen at her. “That's not exactly occupying yourself.”

She shrugged. “I don't know what to do. Can't you keep me company?”

Releasing a sigh, I closed the laptop and pushed to my feet. It looked as if I wasn't going to get any work done. I was tired anyway.

I glanced at the sunburst clock on the wall. “It's getting late. I should go to bed.”

I faked a yawn. I wasn't sure what Alice would do while I was sleeping, but I had to catch a few winks.

Once I entered my bedroom, Alice sat on the stool at my makeup counter. My room wasn't a refuge anymore since Alice and Charlotte had entered my life. I had found a delicate antique floral embroidered quilt to cover the bed, and romantic vintage lace curtains hung on the windows. I had an antique crystal vase on the nightstand that I kept filled with flowers. I'd bought them for myself. I grabbed pajamas from the drawer. It was pointless to ask Alice to leave the room while I changed, so I went into the bathroom. I needed my privacy.

“Of course we can talk to everyone on the set too,” Alice said through the closed door.

“Alice, you do know it's time for sleep, right?” I opened the door and pointed my toothbrush at her.

She waved her hand. “Sure, sure, don't mind me, I'm just thinking out loud.”

Yeah, I hoped she stopped soon. After turning off the bathroom light, I slipped into bed. Alice was still sitting on the stool. I felt her eyes on me.

“Of course I don't know if we'll be able to talk with that crazy woman Vera Lemon. I may have upset her just a teensy bit when I slapped the hat off her head.”

I tried not to laugh, but a little snort slipped out. I didn't want to encourage Alice, but she talked and talked. At around midnight I dozed off while she was discussing recipes. She probably continued the entire time I was sleeping. As long as she was hanging around I would have to buy earplugs.

Chapter 7

When the sun flooded my bedroom, I forced myself out of bed. I'd had nothing to drink the night before, but with Alice's nonstop yammering, I felt like I had a hangover. Once in front of my closet, I had to pick out my outfit for the day.

“You should wear the blue dress,” Alice said from over my shoulder.

“I think I want to wear the yellow dress today.” I pulled the hanger from the closet.

“No, you should definitely wear the blue one. It is a blue dress kind of day.”

I sighed, placed the yellow dress back in the closet, and then took the blue one from the rack. It wasn't that I didn't like the blue dress; it's just that I wasn't in the mood for it today. It had a cinched waist and white trim around the sweetheart neckline with a full swing skirt. I paired it with straw wedge heels and a matching purse. Looking in my full-length mirror, I decided the outfit worked okay.

“Don't forget the lipstick,” Charlotte said from across the room.

I jumped and my purse fell to the ground.

“True. You never know who you might see,” Alice said.

“Will you please stop doing that?” I said. “You nearly scared me to death.”

“That's highly unlikely,” Charlotte said.

Alice laughed. I felt a headache coming on. I picked up my purse from the floor. “Come on, ladies, I have to get to work.”

“I call shotgun because I get car sick in the backseat,” Charlotte said.

“That isn't possible,” Alice said from over my shoulder. “See, this is exactly why I didn't want to be second ghost.”

“It's like I told you, dear, you're already second. There's nothing you can do to change that now.” Charlotte marched out ahead of us.

Alice sat in the backseat, next to Wind Song in her carrier, with her hands folded on her lap. If looks could zap Charlotte into the next dimension, she'd be out of here. On the ride to town Alice came around to talking with Charlotte though. Charlotte had a way about her that charmed everyone.

“Charlotte,” Alice said, “You have to help me. I want Cookie to figure out who killed Nicole Silver.”

“Oh, was her death a murder?” Charlotte asked.

“Definitely,” Alice said.

“Cookie is good at talking with people. She'll say she doesn't want to do it, but if you push her she will. She just needs a little nudge, that's all,” Charlotte said with a wink.

“I am so glad that you have me all figured out,” I said.

Charlotte tapped her fingers against the leather seat. “It's the truth.”

I pulled up in front of the shop, shoved the car into park, and got Wind Song from the backseat. Alice and Charlotte were still discussing the best ways for me to investigate the crime. I didn't wait for them as I headed inside. Right before I opened the door, I spotted Preston Hart walking down the sidewalk.

“There he is,” Alice yelled from over my shoulder.

I had hoped she wouldn't see him.

“You have to go talk with him,” she demanded.

“Put the cat inside and go talk to him before he gets away.” Charlotte motioned with her hand.

It was two against one, and there was no way they'd stop harassing me if I didn't talk with the man. I was surprised that the film star was out walking around in Sugar Creek. Wasn't he worried about being recognized? A big, muscular man walked beside him. With his towering height and thick mane of dark hair flowing all the way to below his shoulders, he looked like Bigfoot.

Preston looked even more handsome in person. His hair was perfect, his skin was perfect, and his features were perfect. I couldn't spot a flaw anywhere. I guess that was why he was a celebrity. I got Wind Song out of her carrier, and she hopped up in the window as if she wanted to watch the scene unfold. Luckily for me, Preston was walking in the direction of my shop.

I wondered if Heather had opened yet. She usually got there later than I did though. I hurried down the sidewalk in the direction of the men. Alice and Charlotte walked beside me.

“Don't forget to ask him about the argument,” Alice said.

“I can't do that,” I said out of the corner of my mouth.

The man with Preston glared at me as I approached. He stepped in front of Preston. His actions took me off guard.

“Hello,” I said. “I worked on the set of the movie with the costumes.”

The man looked me up and down. His stare made me feel like running in the opposite direction.

“I just wanted to welcome you to Sugar Creek. My name is Cookie Chanel.” I held out my hand.

“Are you serious? That's really your name?” Preston asked, stepping around the muscular man.

“I don't think I like this man,” Charlotte said.

“Me either,” Alice sized him up taking in every last detail of his appearance.

“Yes, that's my name. Well, it's Cassandra, but everyone calls me Cookie.”

He raised a perfect eyebrow. “Sure.”

“Anyway, I'm very sorry about Nicole. My condolences.”

His expression changed. “We were engaged.”

“Oh, I didn't know that.”

“It will be hard to finish the movie without her.”

“I can imagine. Will they give you some time before you have to be back on set?” I asked.

He shook his head. “Probably not much.”

I thought back to when I saw Nicole in the water. It was a scene I wanted to erase from my mind.

Preston moved to step past me. “Well, we're getting coffee. It was nice meeting you.”

“Try Glorious Grits down on Main Street. Their coffee's always fresh,” I advised him.

“Is that it?” Alice asked. “Aren't you going to ask him more questions?”

“What else am I supposed to say?” I muttered, hoping Preston didn't hear me. “That conversation was awkward enough. I don't think I could have asked any more questions. Especially with that big ape hovering around him.”

I went back to my shop. Heather's still wasn't open, so I'd have to tell her about my encounter with Preston later. She'd be sorry that she'd missed it. The air shifted as Alice and Charlotte moved around me. I could tell they were upset with the way I'd handled the interaction with Preston. I couldn't help it. They'd have to learn to deal with it. With any luck they'd give me the silent treatment all day. I glanced back and spotted Preston and his bodyguard walking toward the coffee shop. There was something odd about Preston, but I couldn't pinpoint it.

Charlotte shooed me away from her. “Don't just stand there. You should go back and talk with him.”

“Don't you want to get coffee?” Alice said.

“No, not really.” I started walking toward the café.

I knew I looked like a crazy woman talking to myself while I stood on the sidewalk since no one was around. I hoped that my odd behavior had gone unnoticed. The muscular man paused in front of the café, and I wondered if he would catch me staring at him. Without seeming to notice me, the man turned to his left.

He walked over to a black Mercedes parked at the curb, opened the door, and reached in. Preston was waiting by the coffee shop door, but not paying attention to what his companion was doing. He seemed to be studying the sign in the window that advertised a chicken barbecue at the local Methodist Church.

After a couple seconds, the man backed out of the car and closed the door. I watched as he joined Preston at the coffee shop. They talked for a moment without going inside. I thought maybe they were going to leave, but then they went into the shop. At least now I knew what car they were driving, although I guess that had little to do with anything. I could be on the lookout for them again though.

Just when I was ready to turn around and leave, I spotted something on the ground by the Mercedes. Alice and Charlotte must have noticed it at the same time.

“What is that?” Alice asked.

“It looks like a bag,” Charlotte said. “Some kind of a blue duffel.”

“Oh, you have to go check it out,” Alice said.

She was awfully bold considering she wasn't the one who would get caught.

“Yes, you definitely have to get a closer look,” Charlotte urged.

Normally I would have said no way, but something about the situation intrigued me. After crossing the street, I tried to act causal as I strolled down the sidewalk toward the abandoned bag. If I acted normal, no one would suspect I was up to something, right? Finally I made it to the black Mercedes. Now I had no idea what to do.

“Get the bag,” Alice nudged.

“What if someone sees me?” I said out of the corner of my mouth.

Charlotte sighed. “No one is watching, just get it.”

“What if there's something creepy in it?” I asked.

“What do you think it contains? A bunch of poisonous snakes?” Charlotte asked.

“Possibly.”

Charlotte scanned the area. “The longer you stand here, the more likely it is that someone will see you. So just act causal and pick up the bag.”

The ghosts were losing their patience with me.

“There's a fallen branch there by the tree. Pick that up and poke the bag with it. If there are snakes in there you'll know it,” Alice said.

I released a deep breath. “Okay, I'll do it.”

This seemed crazy. Then again, so was talking to ghosts. I reached down, grabbed the stick, and jabbed the bag. I jumped back just in case something came after me. Nothing moved or made a noise.

Charlotte looked smug. “See, I told you it was safe.”

I glanced over my shoulder to make sure no one was coming. When I was reasonably confident, I reached down and grabbed the blue duffel. It probably just held some clothing, but I had to admit, I was interested in seeing the contents. I guess I was curious about who had killed Nicole, after all. If it contained harmless items, I could return it to Preston and talk to him some more. I wouldn't mind another close look at those incredible eyelashes.

“Unzip it and see what's inside,” Charlotte said.

“This kind of gives me the creeps,” I said. Nevertheless, I carried the bag toward my shop and set it down on the hood of my Buick.

“You can't let a little feeling like that stand in our way,” Alice said.

No, of course not. She wasn't the one intercepting the bag.

As I stood there with my hand on the zipper, I knew that I shouldn't look through the duffel, but I had to make sure it belonged to Preston, right? I unzipped it and rummaged through the contents. There were a few self-portrait photos of Preston flexing his biceps. A few articles of clothing, like T-shirts and gym shorts, and some protein bars.

“It must be Preston's gym bag,” I said.

The words had barely left my mouth when I saw the other item. It was a jewelry box.

“What's that?” Charlotte asked, standing on tiptoes to peer over my shoulder.

I opened the little black velvet box. The diamond ring was huge and sparkled more than I remembered. I'd seen the ring before, when it had been on Nicole's finger. At least I was pretty sure it was her engagement ring.

How had Preston gotten it back? Had she given it back during their fight? Had they broken up? Preston didn't mention it today. He had acted as if their engagement was still on when she'd been killed. Now that I had seen what was in the bag, I didn't know what to do with it. It contained the expensive ring, so I couldn't just put it back on the sidewalk next to the Mercedes.

“What do I do with it?” I asked.

“See if the car is unlocked,” Charlotte said.

“It probably has an alarm.” I walked over to the vehicle and peered in.

I couldn't tell if the doors were locked unless I tried to open one. I doubted that the man would leave the car unlocked. Sugar Creek seemed like a safe town until dead bodies started showing up. With my adrenaline high, I reached out and grabbed the handle. When I pulled the door, it opened and no alarm sounded. Whew.

“That was a touchy situation,” Alice said.

“You're telling me.”

I tossed the bag onto the seat and slammed the door shut. I couldn't believe Preston had been so careless with the ring. At least it was out of my hands now. Maybe I should have told him I'd found it and that his car was unlocked. Then again, I didn't want him to think I was a celebrity stalker. I'd just leave it where it was.