The Death Planner (Storage Ghost Murders Book 6) (11 page)

Chapter
25

For
the second time that day Grace rushed into the shop and confronted Frankie.
“Well?” she demanded. She waved her phone in the air. “What did she say?”

Frankie
studied Grace for a moment from behind the counter. He said quietly, “What do
you think she said?”

Grace
lowered the phone. “Oh, Frankie, I’m so sorry. She said no, didn’t she? Shall I
make you a strong cup of tea?”

“She
didn’t say no!” Frankie exploded. “Why would you say that? Why do you think
Beth would say no to this?” He swept his arm up and down his body. “Of course
she said yes. Grace! Honestly! I thought you were on my side.”

“I
… erm … congratulations!” Grace gave him a bright smile. “I was only joking
with you! I knew she’d say yes.” Grace looked around the shop. “Where is she
now?”

“She’s
gone out to buy some champagne so we can celebrate our good news. Did you
really think she’d say no?” Frankie had a hurt look on his face.

Grace
looked down at her phone and willed for an emergency call to come through. Her
phone remained silent. She looked back at Frankie. “It’s only because you
haven’t known each other long. I am pleased for you. Did she like the ring?”

“She
did. She told me off for spending so much on it, but I told her she was worth
it.”

“How
much did you spend on it?”

“None
of your business.” Frankie moved away from the counter and looked out of the
window. “She’ll be back soon. We’re going out for a meal tonight to celebrate.
Why don’t you come with us, I’m sure Beth won’t mind.”

Grace
smiled. “I think she might. It’s your night. Maybe you could come round to my
place tomorrow and I’ll cook you something.”

Frankie
pulled a face. “I don’t mind coming round but you don’t have to cook. Cooking’s
not your strong point. A takeaway will do fine.” He looked out of the window
again. His look softened. “She’s walking up the street now. She’s so
beautiful.”

Grace
dragged him away from the window. “You’re behaving like a stalker.”

The
door opened and Beth stepped through holding a wrapped bottle. A shy look came
over her face as she saw Grace. “Oh, hi there. I didn’t know you’d be here.”
She looked down at her feet and said, “Has Frankie told you about our good
news?” She looked back at Grace, her cheeks were red. “I know it’s happened so
quickly, and you must be thinking I’m some sort of gold-digger. But I can
assure you that I’m not!”

Grace
smiled. “I don’t think Frankie has any gold for you to dig up.” She moved
towards Beth and said, “I’m so pleased for you, for both of you.”

“Phew!”
Beth said and then smiled at Grace. “I’m so relieved to hear you say that.
Would you like a glass of champagne?”

“Not
at the moment. Look, I’ve done what I needed to today. Why don’t you two leave
now? I can take care of the shop, it’s not going to get busy at this time of
the day.”

“Oh
no! We couldn’t!” Beth began to argue.

Frankie
said, “We can. Come on, we’ve got a lot to discuss. Grace will be fine, she’s
used to being on her own.”

Beth
looked uncertain. “I’m not sure.”

Grace
held the shop door open. “I’m sure. Off you go. Enjoy your evening.”

Beth
pecked Grace on her cheek. “Thank you. You’re very kind. Please phone if you
need any help.”

Frankie
grabbed Beth’s hand and pulled her through the open door. He called out over
his shoulder. “Thanks, Grace. See you later!”

Pearl
appeared the moment that Grace closed the door. “Thank goodness he’s gone! He’s
been getting on my nerves all day. You should have heard him proposing to that
girl of his! He made a right pig’s ear of it. And you should have seen the look
on her face when he’d finished his proposal. She looked as if she was ready to
bolt for the door. I can’t believe she said yes! Well, you know what they say
about love being blind.” Pearl folded her arms and let out a series of tuts.

Grace
had a quick scan around the shop to see if any customers were lurking in the
corners. There wasn’t anyone hiding anywhere. Grace turned to Pearl. “What do
you think about Beth? I suppose she seems nice enough. It’s a bit soon though,
don’t you think? They hardly know each other. I think Frankie’s rushing into
it.”

“Grace!
Stop babbling on! I know you don’t want things to change, but they have to. I
don’t want to talk about your brother any more. Tell me what you’ve been up
to.”

“Where’s
Jenny?”

“I
had to send her away. She was going crazy with all that constant scribbling on
her clipboard. You heard her muttering to herself. That sometimes happens when
a ghost receives a flood of memories. They can’t make sense of them and they
close down their rational minds. She’ll be alright in a bit.”

“Oh,
I wanted her to hear what I found out.” Grace paused and looked closer at
Pearl. “Why are you looking towards the shop door? Is there someone there?”

Pearl’s
brow wrinkled. “Not yet.” She turned back to Grace. “Come on, tell me
everything.”

Grace
told Pearl about Giles and his womanising ways. Pearl shook her head and made
derogatory comments about him.

Grace
concluded her tale. “So, what do you think about that? Pearl? Are you
listening?”

Pearl
was staring at the shop door again. She shook her head slightly and then put
her attention back on Grace. “Right, so this Angela Hansen is going to give you
Giles’ address? Then you’re going to confront him? Good. You still need to talk
to that Letty Leigh person again. And have another chat with Elsa.”

Grace
sighed. “I don’t seem to be getting anywhere with this investigation.”

“You
are. Thank you, Grace.” Jenny appeared at Grace’s side. “I’m sorry for
putting
 
you through all this. I’m
being a real pain! And I’m sorry about turning all weird earlier, I won’t do it
again.” Jenny smiled at them both. Her smile disappeared as she took in the
looks that Pearl and Grace were giving her. “What? What’s wrong?”

Grace
pointed at the clipboard that Jenny was holding. “You’re writing now.”

Jenny
looked down at her clipboard. Her hand was moving back and forth across the
paper. “How is that happening? I’m not controlling it! Has someone taken over
my body?”

Grace
moved closer and looked at the clipboard. “Jenny, can you move it closer to me.
I think you’re writing the same thing over and over again.”

Jenny’s
writing hand paused. Jenny lowered the clipboard. Grace read the three words
that had been written continuously.

Grace
looked back at Jenny and said, “Alwyn and Green? Who are they? Why are they
important?”

Jenny
frowned. “I don’t know.”

“It
must be important because you’ve stopped writing it now. Have you been writing
that over and over since we met?” Grace asked.

Jenny
frowned again. “I don’t know. How can I be writing something and not know what
it means?”

Grace
looked towards Pearl and asked for her opinion.

Pearl
wasn’t listening. She was staring at the shop door again.

The
shop door opened. Pearl clasped her hands together and said, “He’s here.”

Chapter
26

An
elderly man in a brown cardigan stepped into the shop. He raised a hand in
greeting and said, “Hello there, Grace. Remember me?”

Grace
smiled at the old man. “Of course I remember you, Derek. How are you?”

Pearl
moved to Derek’s side and gazed fondly at him. “Derek Quill, what a sight for
sore eyes you are. Grace, get him to sit down so I can see the shape of his
knees. He’s got lovely knees.”

Grace
ignored Pearl’s request.

Derek
moved closer to the counter and said, “I’m doing fine. Considering … you know.”

Grace
had helped Derek’s daughter Abbie recently. Abbie had been murdered and Grace
had found out who had committed the murder. Derek knew that Grace could see ghosts.
Derek had accepted this easily and offered to help her with any future
investigations.

Grace
said, “I was so sorry to hear about Dorothy. You were married a long time.”

Derek
smiled and nodded. “It was a good marriage. I’m glad she found peace at the
end, thanks to you and what you did about our Abbie’s killer. Things change,
don’t they Grace? And not always to our liking.” He chuckled. “And how are you?”
He looked left and right. “Are you alone right now? Or do you have … visitors?”

“I’m
right here!” Pearl declared. She moved closer to Derek’s side.

Derek
looked directly in Pearl’s direction and frowned. “Grace, is there someone at
my side? I can feel something, like a kind of warmth.”

Grace
laughed. “Yes! That would be Pearl. She lives in this shop. She’s seen you
before. She helps me a lot with my cases. I think she likes you.”

Derek
chuckled again. He said, “Pearl, wherever you are, it’s a pleasure to meet
you.”

“The
pleasure’s all mine.” Pearl patted him on the arm.

“Derek,
is there a reason why you’re here? Not that I mind!” Grace said. “But I’ve got
a feeling there’s something you want to say to me.”

Jenny
moved to Grace’s side and said, “Can you tell Pearl to stop looking at him like
that. It’s making my tummy feel weird.”

Derek
said, “I thought I might be able to help you. I’m at a loose end and I can’t
stay stuck inside my house, not now that Dorothy’s gone. I have to keep my mind
active. I thought you could use my help.”

Jenny
turned her back and tutted. “She’s touching his knees now! That’s no way for an
old lady to behave!”

Grace
didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t ask Derek to help her. She didn’t want to
put his life at risk. He’d been through enough recently.

Derek
must have caught her hesitation. “Grace, you would be doing me a favour. I
could help you with that case you’re dealing with now. The one that involves
that young lass with the flower van. And that chap in the flashy car. He’s
getting around, isn’t he?”

“How
do you know …” Grace began.

Derek
looked embarrassed. “I’ve been following you. I was going to approach you and
ask to help but then I saw you following that lass from the flower shop and I
thought, ‘Hey up, Grace is on to something, she must be working on a case’. So
I followed you.”

Grace
smiled. “You must be very good at following people. I never noticed you. But
there again, I wasn’t expecting anyone to be following me when I was following
someone else.” She laughed. “This is getting very confusing! Derek, thank you
for your offer but I’m not sure I can take you up on it. There’s a killer out
there and I don’t want you to get in the way.”

Derek
nodded. “I can understand that but I can take care of myself. Why don’t you
tell me about your case? It might help to talk to someone about it.” He bent
his knees. “Oh, my knees feel warm. Have you got a heater somewhere?”

Pearl
moved away from Derek’s side. She looked at Grace and said, “Derek can help
you. I know he can. Give him a chance.”

Grace
wasn’t convinced about Pearl’s motives for having Derek nearby. But it would be
good to talk to a living person about Jenny’s murder.

 
Grace moved towards the shop door and
locked it. She took Derek through to the kitchen and made him a cup of tea.
Derek listened carefully as Grace told him everything.

Derek
took out his notebook and wrote something down. He stood up and said, “I’m
going to find out who Alwyn and Green are, and what connection they have to
Jenny Lorrimer.” He paused and then added, “If that’s okay with you?”

Grace
smiled and nodded. “That would be great. Thank you, Derek.” She felt as if a
weight had been lifted from her shoulders for the second time that day. What
was that saying? A problem shared is a problem halved?

Derek
put his notepad away. “We’ll have this murder solved in no time!”

Grace
hoped he was right.

Chapter
27

Grace
let Derek out of the shop. She was hoping to close the shop but there were a
few customers waiting outside. Grace let them in. She tried not to laugh when
she saw Pearl float over to the window to gaze at Derek as he walked away.

Grace
took up a position behind the counter and Pearl came to stand at her side.

Pearl
sighed with happiness. “I had a feeling that something wonderful was going to
happen today. Isn’t Derek lovely? He’s got such a gentle face, such kind eyes.
If I was still alive I’d be after him like a shot!”

Jenny
appeared at Grace’s other side. “Tell her to stop talking about him like that!
It’s making me feel queasy.”

Pearl
let out a loud laugh and informed Jenny what she would do to Derek if she was
alive. Grace winced and closed her eyes at the colourful expressions that Pearl
used, she wished she could close her ears too.

Pearl
suddenly stopped in mid-sentence and looked behind her. “Not you lot again!
What did I tell you about being patient?” She rolled up her ghost sleeves and a
grim look came over her. “Right! I’m coming in there!” She turned to Grace and
said, “I have to go. Let me know how you get on. If Derek comes back, give me a
shout.” She walked through the wall behind Grace.

Jenny
frowned. “There are a lot of ghosts that need Pearl’s help. Are you going to
help them too?”

Grace
quickly glanced around the shop to see where the customers were. They were out
of earshot. “Pearl doesn’t want me to help them. She won’t tell me why. Jenny,
listen, I need to speak to Elsa again. I’ll have to tell her the truth about
you, about why you’ve appeared to me. And I’ll have to tell her the truth about
Giles.”

Jenny’s
head dropped. “I know. And don’t forget about that last wedding. I saw her
talking to Letty. I want to know what they were saying.”

Grace
noted the time. “Elsa will still be working. I’ll head over to her house as
soon as I’ve finished here. Do you want to come with me?”

Jenny
gave her a half smile. “Not really, but I will do.”

Grace
locked up the shop a few hours later and drove over to Elsa’s house. She’d made
a phone call to Angela Hansen before she set off. Angela agreed to help her.

Elsa
seemed pleased to see Grace and quickly welcomed her into her home. She
insisted on making a hot drink for them both. Grace felt uncomfortable in
Elsa’s happy presence knowing that she was going to shatter her happiness soon.

Elsa
placed a cup of tea on the table in front of Grace and looked at Grace’s
shoulder. “Is Jenny here with you again? Where is she?”

Grace
smiled. “She’s not sitting on my shoulder. She’s sitting on the sofa, on the
right hand side.”

Elsa
turned and waved to the sofa. “Hiya!” She carefully sat herself on the left
side of the sofa. “Does she want to talk to me again? Is she having a good time
in Heaven? Has she seen Mum and Dad?”

Grace
took her phone out and pulled up the website where she’d found the wedding
photos. “Elsa, could you look at this photo please?” Grace held the phone up.

Elsa
peered at it and grinned. “That’s me!”

“Yes.
Who are you talking to?”

Elsa
pulled a face and nodded her head in Jenny’s direction. “I can’t really say,
I’m not supposed to tell Jenny.”

Grace
said, “Jenny doesn’t mind. Is it Letty?”

Elsa
pressed her lips together and nodded.

“Why
were you talking to her? And what was she giving you?”

Elsa
lowered her voice. “She told me she was in disguise, she was playing a trick on
Jenny. She said that Jenny would laugh when she found out that Letty was there.
She gave me a note. It was from Giles. He told me which room he was in and that
I was to go up and meet him.”

“Letty
gave you the note about Giles?”

Elsa
nodded. “She said it was really important. Someone on reception gave the note
to her. I told you before that I went to the room at 9 o’clock but Giles wasn’t
there. Can I look at these photos?” She took the phone and smiled as she
scrolled down through the images. Her hand flew to her mouth at one point and
she giggled. “There’s one of me and Giles! He’s got his hand on my back. I hope
no one saw us.” She scrolled some more, Jenny looked over her shoulder. Elsa
froze and her mouth dropped open. Jenny’s did the same.

Grace
stood up and walked over to Elsa. “What’s wrong? What have you seen?”

Elsa
turned the phone to Grace. “Giles! He’s …”

Grace
took the phone and looked at the image. Giles was standing with Letty. He had
his arms around her waist and was leaning in for a kiss. Letty was looking at
him with affection.

Elsa
frowned. “I don’t understand. Why would Giles be doing that to Letty? He’s my
boyfriend.”

Grace
sat back down. The feeling of a million pennies dropping clattered into her
mind. Of course. She looked at Elsa. “You’ve never met Giles’ wife, have you?
Have you ever seen a picture of her?”

Elsa
shook her head. Jenny said, “Grace, what are you getting at?”

Grace
held up the phone. “I think Giles is married to Letty.”

They
all jumped as a loud knock sounded at the front door. Grace stood up. “I’ll get
that, Elsa. I hope you don’t mind but I asked a friend to come here.”

Elsa
started to cry. “I can’t believe Giles lied to me. Why? Why would he do that to
me? What else has he been lying about?”

Grace’s
heart twisted at the pain she saw on Elsa’s face. She walked towards the front
door and opened it. Angela Hansen stood there. Elsa’s pain was going to get
even worse.