The Ghost Who Wasn't (Haunting Danielle Book 3) (13 page)

D
anielle sat alone
in her car outside the Gusarov Estate. The chief had agreed to let her come, yet insisted she wait outside in her car. Anxiously, she watched as the chief made his way up the front walk to the Gusarov’s front door, Joe and two uniformed officers by his side. Several squad cars pulled up behind her parked vehicle. In the distance, she could hear the sound of an ambulance siren. The chief had called ahead for medical assistance to meet them at the estate.

Humming with nervous energy, Danielle’s right hand brushed over her braid. No longer tidy and neat, stray tendrils escaped their restraints. Her head was beginning to throb, which wasn’t surprising considering she’d had very little to eat all day. She’d like to visit the bathroom but told herself she could wait. It was more important to see what was going to happen with Lily.

The front of the house was dark. After the chief and his entourage reached the front door, the porch light flickered on a few minutes later. Danielle watched as the door opened. She could see Stoddard Gusarov standing in the doorway talking to the chief. Stoddard was animated, his hands waving erratically as if he were desperately trying to make some point. Finally, he moved to one side and the officers filed into the house, leaving the door open.

A few minutes later, she noticed the light in Lily’s room go on. Through the closed window coverings, she could see the silhouettes of the officers moving around in the room.

“
T
hat’s not Isabella
,” one of the officers announced when he looked at the woman sleeping in the bed.

“I don’t understand, we already went through all this this morning,” Stoddard insisted. “Joe identified Isabella, didn’t you Joe?”

“I knew Isabella,” the officer said, staring down at the woman. “We went to school together. This isn’t her. It looks a little like Isabella, but it isn’t.”

“You’re wrong!” Stoddard insisted. “You just don’t recognize her because she’s been so sick. She’s lost weight. Surely you recognize her arm—her tattoo!”

“That’s Isabella! Don’t be ridiculous. Don’t you think we know our own niece?” Darlene Gusarov insisted.

Speechless, Joe stared at the woman in the hospital bed. He hadn’t really looked at her face before, not closely. At the time he’d been so certain Danielle was delusionary, all he needed to do was look at the tattoo. He’d done exactly what Stoddard hoped he would.

“I’m calling my attorney!” Stoddard announced. “This is outrageous, you barging in like this, demanding to see my niece and then making all these ridiculous accusations. You forget who you are dealing with!”

“Stoddard, maybe you should call your attorney,” the chief said calmly. “We found Isabella’s body tonight. She’s dead.”

Stoddard’s face went ashen. “What are you talking about?”

“Your niece, she’s dead.”

“You’re wrong. There’s been some mistake,” Stoddard said.

“We recognized her. But before we came over here, we took her fingerprints. We had Isabella’s on file. The body we found was definitely your niece. But the question now, who is the woman in that bed?”

“It’s Lily Miller,” Joe said at last.

“I didn’t know!” Stoddard insisted. “I thought it was my niece. I haven’t seen Isabella for months, and even Joe thought it was Isabella this afternoon! They have the same tattoo! What was I supposed to think? I didn’t hurt her! I made sure she had the best medical care! You should be thanking me!”

“I don’t believe any of this!” Darlene said. “Isabella’s still alive!”

“We found Isabella’s body tonight. Someone had put it in the Marlow family crypt at the cemetery,” the chief explained.

“Are you insinuating someone murdered my niece?” Stoddard asked.

“The autopsy will give us a better idea. But someone locked her body in the crypt.”

“None of this makes sense,” Darlene shook her head. “If you say someone put her in the Marlow crypt, how did you find her?”

“Someone obviously opened the crypt,” the chief said.

“Then I suggest you find out who opened it and you’ll have the person who murdered our niece! They were probably going to move her body!” Darlene insisted.

D
anielle continued
to sit in her car. The ambulance had arrived and she watched as the medical team rushed into the house carrying a gurney. Someone was coming down the walkway toward the street. Because of the dim lighting, she wasn’t sure who it was. It wasn’t until he was a few feet from her car did she know it was Joe.

“You were right. It was Lily,” Joe said when she rolled down the car window. He stood on the sidewalk by her car.

“Where are they taking her?” Danielle asked.

“The local hospital.”

“How does Stoddard Gusarov explain it all?”

“He’s insisting he thought it was Isabella. Claims the tattoo misled him, like it did me.”

“He claims the tattoo was there when they found her?” Danielle asked incredulously.

“Apparently.”

“That’s bull,” Danielle scoffed.

“I honestly thought it was Isabella this afternoon.”

“We often see what we want to see.”

“I still don’t understand how you knew Lily was here. Or how you found Isabella’s body.”

“Maybe you need to stop wondering how I happen to know things and start focusing on the real criminals—like whoever put Isabella in that crypt or Stoddard Gusarov, who knew that wasn’t his niece he had locked up in his house.”

A flurry of commotion behind Joe caught their attention. Turning toward the house, Joe and Danielle watched as the medical team returned with the gurney—now carrying Lily’s unconscious body—made their way to the ambulance.

“The chief wants to know if you have her family’s phone number,” Joe asked.

“I suppose it might be better if he call them, instead of me.” Danielle grabbed her phone and searched for the Miller’s phone number. After finding it, she jotted the number down on a piece of paper and handed it to Joe.

“I suppose you’re going to the hospital?” Joe said.

“I’ll have to go home first and drop Sadie off.”
And tell Lily to get herself to the hospital and reconnect with her body, if possible
.

“We’ll talk later.”

Danielle responded with a nod and rolled the window back up. As she pulled away from the sidewalk, she picked the cellphone back up and pressed the speed dial for Ian.

“Hello Danielle,” came Ian’s voice two rings later.

“Thank god you have your phone back on!” Danielle clutched the cellphone with her left hand as her right hand steered the car.

“I woke up about five minutes ago. I was getting ready to call you.”

“We found Lily!”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s alive, Ian. She’s in a coma, but she’s alive.”

“Where is she?”

Danielle quickly gave Ian the abbreviated version of the day’s events. Ian was so relieved to learn Lily was alive he focused more on questions regarding Lily’s health. Danielle was able to skim over the harder to explain details—yet she knew those questions would eventually be forthcoming.

“Before you come back, I was wondering if you could find out something,” Danielle asked.

“What’s that?”

“Stoddard Gusarov insists Lily had the tattoo when they found her at the rest stop. I don’t believe that. It doesn’t make sense. Can you track down the cops that found her, talk to the medical team that worked on her. See if anyone remembers her having a tattoo. If we can prove he lied, then maybe we can figure out what he was up to.”

“I sure as hell know Lily didn’t get herself tattooed over Labor Day. But yes, I’ll look into it.”

When Danielle got off the phone with Ian, she called the private investigator she’d hired.

“I wanted you to know they found my friend and she’s alive. As it turns out she was the woman they found at the rest stop on Labor Day.”

“So someone made a false identification?” the investigator asked.

“It looks that way. The authorities intended to identify Lily’s body through her dental records, which they were hoping they’d have this week. But all that’s moot considering they’ve found Lily alive.”

“So what do you need me to do?”

“I’d like to find out who died in Lily’s car. I suspect she might be one of the people who attacked her at the rest stop and took her car.”

“I’ll see what they’re doing about it and get back with you.”

“Thanks.”

When Danielle got off the phone she briefly considered stopping by the cemetery and talking to Isabella again. She pushed that thought aside. Danielle was anxious to get back to Marlow House and update Walt and Lily on the evening’s events. She could talk to Isabella tomorrow—in the daylight. Hopefully, Isabella would still be around.

Marlow House was pitch-dark when she pulled up into the drive. There didn’t appear to be a single light on. Parking the car by the side of the house, Danielle entered through the kitchen doorway with Sadie.

When she turned on the light, she found Walt and Lily sitting at the kitchen table, waiting for her.

“I thought you’d never get home!” Walt said as he stood up. He shifted his attention to Sadie. “I was so worried about you, girl!”

Sitting by Danielle’s side, Sadie turned her head from Walt and closed her eyes. A low growl rattled from her throat. Walt stopped in his tracks.

“It’s okay girl, you’re home,” Walt said gently.

Danielle glanced down at Sadie and frowned. “Umm…I think she’s pissed at you.” Danielle reached down and stroked Sadie’s neck.

Standing up, Sadie opened her eyes and lifted her head. She walked toward Walt and then strolled through his body as if he were not there, making her way to the other side of the kitchen, where she lay down and closed her eyes—her back to Walt.

“Aww girl, don’t be mad at me,” Walt begged. “I was so worried about you.”

Sadie lifted her head briefly, opened her eyes and glared at Walt. She made what sounded like a grunting noise, before turning her head from him again. Ignoring Walt, she rested her chin on her front paws and closed her eyes.

“I’m so sorry.” Walt sounded heartbroken.

“She’ll get over it, Walt. Give her time. Where are the Stewarts?” Danielle asked.

“They went back in their room,” Lily explained. “Spent most of the evening poking through the library, looking for their imaginary diamonds. By the disgusting sounds coming from their room a little while ago, they’re back to playing the honeymooners.”

“You’ve been found, Lily!” Danielle blurted out.

“What?”

“After the police left the cemetery, I went to talk to Isabella. Her body was at the cemetery all along. According to what she said, she never let Frederickport.”

“So how does this mean I’ve been found?”

“When Joe was on his way home he drove by here, didn’t see my car so he wondered if I’d had car trouble at the cemetery. He found me there—with Isabella’s body.”

“Oh my god, how did you explain everything?”

“I didn’t. Not really. He called the chief and all these people showed up—it was Cheryl and the beach hut all over again. One of the officers knew Isabella personally and insisted it was her. After running her fingerprints, they knew the dead body was Isabella Strickland which of course meant…”

“That Isabella Strickland wasn’t the woman at the Gusarov Estate.”

“Exactly. I followed the police over there. When I left, they were just taking your body to the local hospital. I gave Joe your parent’s phone number. They’ve probably already called them.”

“What about Ian?” Lily asked.

“I called him on the way over here.”

Danielle’s phone began to ring. She pulled it from her back pocket and looked at it.

“Lily, it’s your mom,” Danielle announced before taking the call.

D
anielle’s head
rested on a crown of curls, reminding Walt of a sleeping princess. Hovering protectively over her bed, he watched as she and Sadie slept.

Danielle woke to the sound of Sadie’s snoring. Pushed to the far right side of the bed, Danielle opened her sleep laden eyes and looked over at her bed partner. The golden retriever sprawled across the length of the bed, stretched out on her back, taking up more than three-fourths of the mattress’ width. Her sleeping head hovered just inches from Danielle’s face, making grunting snore sounds.

“Bed hog,” Danielle grumbled, giving Sadie a gentle nudge. Feigning sleep, the dog refused to budge.

“Let the poor girl sleep,” Walt scolded. “She’s had a rough night.”

Danielle sat up in the bed and looked over toward the fireplace where Walt stood.

“She’s not the only one. How long have you been standing there?”

“Does it matter?” Walt asked.

“I don’t like it when you watch me sleep.”

“If it makes you feel any better, I was watching Sadie. Not you.”

“Are our house guests still asleep?”

“Yes.”

“What time is it?” Danielle picked up her cellphone off the nightstand and looked at the time. “I’m supposed to be at the police station at nine.”

“What about the Stewart’s breakfast?”

“I need to tell them they have to leave. There is too much going on. I’ll make them a reservation down at the Seahorse Motel. That’s right on the water.”

“They aren’t going to leave willingly.”

“They tried to dognap Sadie! I can’t have them here.”

“And you can’t prove it.”

“Plus Lily’s parents are arriving this afternoon. I told them they could stay here.”

“You have plenty of room. I’m telling you, the Stewarts are not going to go willingly.”

“What am I supposed to do, let them stay indefinitely?”

“No. But I don’t imagine you’ll be able to get them to leave sooner than they originally planned. Weren’t they staying for a week?”

“Yes,” Danielle groaned.

“Maybe you need to find out who they really are. Like I told you, I don’t think their name is Stewart.”

“I’ll see what I can do. I wonder…”

“What?” Walt asked after Danielle didn’t finish her sentence and was silent for a few moments.

“You said they mentioned something about an Isabella saying diamonds were hidden here. If it was Isabella Strickland, then it must mean she knows them. I should go ask her. See what she can tell me.”

“I thought she was down at the cemetery last night, when you found Sadie.”

“She was. I told you she was the one who nailed that creep with a rock.”

“Didn’t she see the Stewarts when they brought Sadie down there?”

“No. According to Isabella, she didn’t see them. Oh…” Danielle looked up to Walt. “I don’t think I mentioned it, but I saw your wife last night.”

“I believe you mentioned something about it.” Walt took a seat on the sofa.

“And you didn’t even ask me how she was doing? Not one single question. Aren’t you curious?”

“The woman tried to kill me.”

“Yes, for which she’s being punished.”

“Oh horse feathers! I wouldn’t call being confined to a cemetery a fitting punishment for ending a man’s life!”

“True. But she did try to stop her brother. You need to give her credit for that.”

“I suppose…” Walt shrugged.

“Umm, I did promise her I’d ask you something. I forgot all about it.”

“What in the world would she have to ask me?”

“Apparently, she’s rather lonely down at the cemetery. Bored. She’s been rethinking your marriage—her mistakes—and she wondered…” Danielle began to giggle.

“What’s so funny?”

“She want’s you to move down to the cemetery with her!”

“Surely you aren’t serious?”

“She seemed serious enough. The only reason I agreed to ask you is, it was the only way she’d show me where they’d taken Sadie.”

“Sounds like Angela. Even in death she’s selfish.”

“If I happen to run into her when I go see Isabella, what would you like me to tell her—you know, about her request?”

“Tell her when hell freezes over. And then I’ll gladly take her ice skating.”

“I’m sure she’ll appreciate that.” Danielle grinned.

Sadie began to stir. Danielle reached over and ruffled her fur. The dog rolled over, stood up and gave a quick shake as if she were getting out of a bath. She looked over at Walt, let out a short bark, and then began wagging her tail.

“It looks like she’s not mad at you anymore,” Danielle said with a smile.

Sadie leapt off the bed and jumped onto the couch, sitting on Walt. Her body moved effortlessly through his transparent form.

“Still creeps me out,” Danielle muttered under her breath.

“I’m just relieved she’s safe,” Walt said as he smiled down at Sadie.

“Oh, I had another question for you.”

“More about Angela?”

“No. This one’s about your family crypt. I told you last night that we found Isabella in there.”

“If you think about it, an excellent place to stash a body. Since the Marlows are all gone—at least this branch of the family—no reason for the crypt ever to be reopened. If Isabella’s spirit hadn’t intervened, they would have gotten away with murder.”

“They still may. The police don’t know who put Isabella in there.”

“Do they think she was alive when she was locked in the crypt?” Walt asked, sounding horrified.

“No. It didn’t look that way, and from how the cops were talking, they didn’t seem to think so. And when I talked to Isabella, she said she woke up there—as in woke up in death. I’m pretty sure she was already dead when her body was entombed. But my question to you: why weren’t you buried there?”

“Me?” Walt frowned.

“It’s a huge mausoleum. Your grandparents are there, your parents. You and Angela could have easily been entombed there too. Why weren’t you?”

“What a chilling thought.” Walt cringed. “After my grandfather died one of the first changes I made to my will was where I’d be buried. I never wanted to end up in that grim place.”

“The idea of a family crypt bothered you?”

“Horrified me.” Walt shuddered. “I find those buildings of death morbidly grim. I knew it’s what my grandfather wanted. I suppose he’s furious I’m not there, which is just one of the many reasons I’m not anxious to move on to the next level.”

“I suppose I can understand. Some people have an aversion to cremation, others to burial. I have one friend who insists when she dies she just wants them to prop her in the corner and let her dry out naturally.”

“Lovely.” Walt smirked. “I imagine that’s one last request that won’t be honored.”

“I suppose you’re right.” Danielle chuckled. “Have you seen Lily this morning?”

“She told me to tell you she went to the hospital.”

“Good. I hope she gets back in her body soon. I have a feeling the longer she stays disconnected, the more difficult it will be for her to jump back in.”

“By the way, the Stewarts didn’t stay in their bedroom all night.”

“Really? What did they do?”

“They went downstairs to the parlor to watch television. Mrs. Stewart—or whatever her name is—was complaining because there isn’t a television in her room.”

“Oh goodie. I will be sure to point out that the Seahorse Motel has a TV in every room!”

“I have a question about what they were watching—they called it a marathon. They kept playing one episode after another of the same show. Mrs. Stewart loved it—she seems to be a bit of a Dumb Dora. I found the show quite unbelievable.”

“What was the show?” Danielle asked.

“Gilligan’s Island. Silly. Unrealistic.”

Danielle began to giggle. “Well it is Gilligan’s Island. So tell me, what about it did you find so…umm…unrealistic?”

“The coconut pies.”

“Coconut pies?” Danielle frowned.

“If they are stranded on a deserted island, how is it they are able to make coconut pies? I once helped the cook make piecrust when I was a child and it took both flour and lard. I don’t believe either of those ingredients are a commodity one might find on an uninhabited island.”

“Really? The pie? That’s where you draw the line at unrealistic? You didn’t find anything unusual about Ginger’s wardrobe?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Ginger’s wardrobe. She had an endless supply of evening gowns. That didn’t bother you, just the pies?”

“I assumed she was like most women and traveled with an extensive wardrobe. You should see what Angela packed for our honeymoon!”

Danielle stared at Walt a moment and then just shook her head. “Actually, the pies are the one realistic thing about the show.”

“How do you see that?”

“Easy. The island has an abundance of coconut trees. From a coconut you can make coconut milk—and from the left over pulp you can make coconut flour. You can also get oil from the coconut which can be used for lard or shortening in the piecrust and coconut sugar, so basically all the ingredients for the pie are found in the coconut.”

Walt considered Danielle’s explanation for a moment then asked, “True, but wouldn’t that take some sort of machinery to exact the coconut oil and flour?”

“That’s why they have the professor, to make whatever they need.” Danielle smiled.

“Humm…perhaps. But it still seems a little farfetched.”

“Like I said, it is Gilligan’s Island!” Danielle laughed.

She stopped laughing when she heard a door slam.

“It must be the Stewarts, they’re awake,” Danielle whispered.

“I’ll keep an eye on them while you get dressed.”

“Okay.” Danielle jumped out of bed as Walt vanished. Sadie let out a bark.

“
D
id
you just hear a dog bark?” Claire asked as she and Hunter started to walk down the stairs.

Hunter paused and looked back down the hall. “Sounded like it came from Boatman’s room.”

“You don’t think she found the dog, do you?”

“There’s no way she could have. I tied him up real good. He couldn’t have gotten loose.”

“She you mean,” Claire corrected.

“What are you talking about?” Hunter asked.

“You said he couldn’t have gotten loose. The dog was a girl.”

“It was a bitch you mean, and what do I care?”

“But what if she found the dog?”

“There is no way she would have thought to go down to the cemetery to look for that mutt. Let’s get out of here. I want to get down there and get our money, before someone else finds it. Then we can get back here and have some breakfast.”

Claire and Hunter were halfway down the staircase when Danielle opened her bedroom door. Sadie rushed out of the room, heading to the stairs. She stopped at the top of the staircase and looked down at Hunter and Claire. She began to bark. The pair froze and looked up at Sadie, who continued to bark and snarl angrily.

“It’s the dog,” Claire said under her breath as she clutched the handrail.

“I can see that,” Hunter snapped.

“Good morning,” Danielle said cheerfully when she reached Sadie. She looked down at the Stewarts and gave Sadie a gentle pat, telling her to stop barking.

“I see you found your dog,” Hunter said, his eyes fixed on Sadie.

“Yes. Some awful man tried to steal her. He’s been arrested.”

“How do you know he was trying to steal her? Maybe he just found her?” Hunter asked.

“I don’t know about that. The police have him. I imagine they’ll sort the whole thing out. Where are you two off to?”

“We were going out for breakfast,” Claire blurted out.

“Really? Then I guess that means you won’t be having breakfast here. It’s probably for the best; a few things have come up.” Danielle started walking down the stairs, Sadie by her side.

“Why did you say that?” Hunter grumbled under his breath.

“I don’t know. I thought I had to say something,” Claire whispered as she walked with him to the first floor landing. Once downstairs, they waited for Danielle to join them.

“I suppose we could have breakfast now, here,” Hunter said. “We just thought you were still sleeping,” he lied.

“Something came up last night—a family emergency, you might say. I’m expecting some more guests this afternoon and I’m afraid you’ll have to move. I can get you a nice room at the Seahorse Motel.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Hunter said. “It’s our honeymoon. We don’t want to stay anywhere else.”