Janet McNulty - Mellow Summers 07 - Two Ghosts Haunt a Grove (14 page)

“Why me?” challenged the one he spoke to.

“Because you’re the biggest sissy among us.” Kyle shoved his cousin up the steps.

Grudgingly, the man crept up the stairs poking his head outside. I watched as he cautiously walked out disappearing into the night. Suddenly, the hooves thundered again as they pounded the earth making it sound like a stampede took place. The man’s screams pierced our ears. It stopped.

“Kyle, man, there is something strange going on,” said another of the cousins.

“Let’s go,” said Kyle.

Together, the four crept up the stairs and went outside. I watched in anticipation expecting the hooves to start galloping again. I was not disappointed. Instantly, the ghost horse returned in a rage chasing Kyle and his cousins around as they frantically tried to escape.

Soft steps made their way down. I strained my neck to see. Stacy had arrived. She ran for Detective Shorts and me with a knife in her hands. “SHHH,” she said.

“Stacy, how did you get here?” I asked.

“Joseph came and got me when he noticed you being taken by my cousins.” She sliced through the ropes around my wrists. As she made her way to Detective Shorts, I undid the constraints around my ankles.

“Is that Joseph outside?” I asked.

“Yeah,” replied Stacy, “He’s keeping them busy. But we must hurry.”

Sirens reached my ears along with the roar of a bunch of motorcycles. Tiny must have contacted the cops. Either way, I wasn’t about to argue. Since Detective Shorts was unsteady on his feet, Stacy and I placed his arms around our shoulders and carried him up the stairs and out into the fresh—though still very warm—air.

“Cops!” yelled Kyle.

I watched in the faint light as he and his cousins jumped in their van and started the engine. They careened to the gate speeding as much as they could until—Crunch!—they ran right into one of the police cars entering the grounds.

Stacy and I sat Detective Shorts on the damp grass allowing him to catch his breath.

“I’ll be okay,” he said, “Just need some water.”

Stacy undid a small water bottle from around her belt and handed it to him. Grateful, he took a big swig allowing some water to dribble down his chin.

“I’ll go see if there are some paramedics,” I said as I took off for the mass of police cars and motor bikes. I guess Tiny wanted to make sure I was okay.

“Hey,” I called. “Hey, we need some paramedics over here.”

Before I knew it, handcuffs had been snapped around my wrists for what must have been the millionth time. ”What’s going on?” I demanded. “I’m not one of them!”

“You are under arrest for kidnapping of a police officer and conspiracy to commit murder,” said the officer as he mechanically repeated the charges and my rights.

“Hey!” came Tiny’s voice from a distance. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” He snatched the officer’s arm. “She ain’t one of them. She’s one of the victims!”

“Sir, you’ll have to let go or I’ll place you under arrest for obstruction of justice.”

“Go ahead and try it,” snarled Tiny.

Before the confrontation got out hand an ear piercing whistle stopped everyone. “What’s going on here?” demanded Detective Shorts.

“I am placing this woman under arrest and he is obstructing justice,” said the officer.

“Get those cuffs off of her,” ordered Detective Shorts.

“But, detective—”

“I said release her! She was kidnapped by those men over there and because of her efforts—and the efforts of her friends—I am alive and you have arrested the ones responsible for larceny, and for the murder of Philip Kellmore. Now, let her go.”

Chastised, the officer undid my handcuffs muttering a curt, “Sorry,” before walking off.

“Didn’t I tell you not to get involved?” Detective Shorts asked me with a smirk.

“You should know by now that I never listen,” I replied.

“Good thing too,” he said, “How did your friends find us?”

“Mel, called me on her cell before they captured her,” answered Tiny, “Luckily, she didn’t hang up so I recorded the entire conversation between her and that Kyle. I also took the phone to Jack and he tapped into the GPS.”

“Good thinking,” said Detective Shorts. “I’ll need you both to come to the station and give statements. Then, I’m taking a long vacation.”

I spotted Joseph in the distance. Tearing myself away from everyone, I hurried over to him. “Thanks,” I said.

“No problem,” he replied, “I’d like to think that you’d do the same for me.”

“Hey, you know, there is this ice cream parlor in town. How about we meet there with some friends in a few days.”

“Do they have mint chocolate chip?”

“I’m certain they do.”

“Tally Ho!” Joseph waved his hat and charged across the grounds on his horse. I just chuckled inside. Who would have thought it? A ghost with a sweet tooth.

Chapter 12

Several days passed before I was able to meet Joseph at the ice cream shop. Jackie and Greg came, of course, along with Tiny. As we entered the parlor, Stacy stood by the counter with Joseph.

“Hey,” I greeted her, “what are you doing here?”

“Joseph didn’t want to come alone,” she said.

Joseph tipped his hat.

“Okay, one mint chocolate chip sundae with caramel,” said the girl behind the counter as she handed the sundae over.

Joseph took it and sat down at a table in the far corner.

“Don’t ask,” I told the girl as she watched wide eyed as the ice cream appeared to eat itself.

The rest of us ordered our ice cream and joined Joseph, who seemed to be enjoying his sundae immensely; though how a ghost can eat ice cream I’ll never know. Let’s just say there is a lot about the spirit world that remains unknown.

“So what happens to the property?” I asked Stacy.

“Well, with my brother, aunt, and cousins all arrested for forgery, larceny, smuggling, and murder the Bourtonson place falls to me. I own it. Now I can build the wildlife preserve that I’ve always wanted.”

I was happy for her, but it seemed a shame to tear down such a historical monument. “Might I make a suggestion?”

“Sure,” said Stacy.

“Renovate the inn so that it looks exactly like it did when it was first built. You could turn it into a museum for people to learn about local history. The proceeds can go to maintaining the preserve. And you have a tour guide right here,” I pointed at Joseph.

“Are you sure they would listen to a ghost?” asked Stacy.

“You don’t have to tell them he’s a ghost. And people will see him if he wants them to.”

“That’s a good idea,” said Stacy. “Thanks.”

“How’s your mother?” I asked.

“I moved her to a home where she will receive the care she needs. She has her own room and I can visit whenever I want.”

“We need some rum,” said Joseph.

“Uh, they don’t serve rum here,” I said.

“Then go to the nearest tavern and get me a pint,” he said.

“We don’t drink rum,” whispered Stacy.

“Pity.”

I wonder how our little outing at the ice cream parlor looked to the people working there with five people eating ice cream and talking to something that wasn’t there. Of course, the disappearing sundae must have proven quite an interesting mystery.

“So, ready for the semester?” asked Jackie.

“Sort of,” I said, “I just hope it goes smoothly.”

Jackie giggled. My life was anything but smooth.

Look for the next book in the Mellow Summers Series:

Trick Or Treat, Or Murder

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Afterward

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About the Author

Janet McNulty currently resides in West Virginia where she moved after receiving her B.A. in History. She lives with her three cats who keep her on task.

Ms. McNulty has published a variety of books: a mystery series (The Mellow Summers Series), a fantasy series (Legends Lost), and two nonfiction books. Currently she is hard at work producing the third and final book for Legends Lost.

When not writing, Ms. McNulty enjoys just lounging around outside or reading a variety of books by a multitude of authors.

You can learn more about her and her writing at
www.mcnultyjanet.com

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