Madison Johns - Agnes Barton Paranormal 01 - Haunted Hijinks Page 4

  “Except that we came in the back door where there wasn’t any police tape,” Eleanor added, her eyes dancing in amusement. “And Sara and Andrew just showed up.”

  Peterson sighed. “Whatever. We’ve been at this for a while now, Agnes. Did you find any clues that we missed?”

  “Actually, yes.”

  Eleanor’s eyes widened to the degree that I thought they might pop out of her head.

  “I found a suitcase, but it was only filled with clothing. It was in the back of a closet.”

  We were marched back inside and led the way up the stairs and into the room where we had found the suitcase … but it was gone!

  “I swear it was right here,” I said in a panic.

  Eleanor was about as shocked as I was and raced to the closet, searching for it there, but came up empty. She simply shrugged. “There is something strange going on in this mansion.”

  “Oh, besides the two of you?”

  “No, I swear it was here. Why would I tell you we found something if we hadn’t?”

  “Is it possible Andrew or Sara took it?”

  I gulped. “They just got here and we never even told them about finding anything.”

  Peterson picked off a web from my shoulder. “Why do the both of you look so dusty?”

  “We were cleaning,” we chimed together, as if on cue.

  “Where? The attic?”

  “No, we never even went up there.”

  “Nope,” Eleanor added. “We’re not about to go up there. It’s haunted for sure.”

  “Haunted? Are you back to that nonsense? I sure hope you’re not planning to call in those guys from G.A.S.P. again.”

  Ghost Association Special Police, or G.A.S.P., had caused quite the stir in town before, and at this very same mansion in the past. They even recorded a ghostly voice in that third floor room.

  “I never said that, and from the sounds of it, Sara doesn’t need any more delays. Halloween is in a few days. It sure doesn’t give us much time to ready the place.”

  “What do you mean? Like the both of you will be helping out here?”

  “Yes, we agreed to ready the mansion for the grand opening. Andrew is Sara’s attorney.”

  Peterson swept a hand over his hair that was quite wet from sweat, like always. “I don’t like the idea of either of you being here. It’s dangerous. We don’t know yet if Katherine was murdered.”

  “So you’re not sure at this point if she died of natural causes?”

  “We’ll be continuing our investigation into Katherine’s death unless the coroner’s report states that she died of natural causes. As of now her death has been ruled as suspicious.” Peterson glanced around as if to make sure we weren’t overheard. “We currently have no leads in the case.”

  “Well, I know Katherine is new in town—possibly too new to have formed all that many connections.”

  “Exactly. I’ll take my leave now, but if you ever find that suitcase, bring it down to the sheriff’s department.” He turned to leave, but turned back one last time and said, “Be careful, ladies. I don’t think the East Tawas area would be able to handle it if anything happened to the two of you. You’re local celebrities around here.” With that, he left.

  Eleanor grabbed my arms and turned me to face her. “Agnes, what do you think happened to that suitcase?”

  “I have no idea, but it sure is bothersome. Do you remember seeing it when we came back in from the corridor?”

  “Shucks, I can’t remember.”

  “If it wasn’t, it would mean that someone might have been inside the mansion when we were or hidden in the secret passageway. We might have been in danger the whole time.”

  “Well, Agnes, the door was ajar when we got here.”

  That bothered me, too. At the time, I thought the ghost had opened the door for us like the last time, but now I wasn’t sure and wouldn’t be able to ask the ghost with Eleanor present, but just then the ghost shook her head sadly and I knew she wasn’t responsible for opening the door.

  Chapter Four

  “What’s going on here, ladies?” Sara asked as she waltzed into the room.

  Eleanor’s arms dropped from mine. “Well, Sheriff Peterson wanted to first assure himself that none of Katherine’s personal effects remain in the mansion.”

  Her lips formed a big O. “I hope you ladies aren’t too weirded-out now. I really could use your help. The cleaning crew will be here in a few hours and I was hoping you could supervise.” When I gave her a puzzled look, she added, “Gather your belongings, girls. It would be great if you could stay here to oversee preparations.”

  Under any other circumstances, the chance to stay at the mansion would sound great, but now I really was concerned about our safety. “I’d feel better if the mansion was searched. I hate the thought that the murderer might be lurking somewhere.”

  Andrew volunteered to search the mansion for us when we met him downstairs, and while he was doing just that, I gave Sara a suggestion. “It might be wise to have the locks changed.”

  Her shoulders slumped. “Again? I’ve done that a few times already.”

  “You have?”

  “Yes. I just don’t see how anyone can get into the mansion unless they are let inside by someone.”

  “Okay, whatever you feel is best. Eleanor and I will have to go and gather our belongings. Is it okay if I bring my cat, Duchess? I just can’t leave her all alone in the house. Poor dear has been sick of late.”

  “Sure, but be back here in an hour. I want someone to be here to let in the cleaners.” She handed us the keys and told us that she’d be staying at the Tawas Beach Resort.

  “So you won’t be staying here, too?” I asked.

  “I’m an actress, and it’s unheard of me to stay somewhere while preparations are being made for an opening. I need to make my grand entrance,” Sara said with a wink. “I have complete faith that you ladies can handle the details.”

  * * *

  I drove to Eleanor’s house in relative silence. It bothered me now that we were expected to stay at the mansion, and Eleanor mirrored my thoughts when she said, “I just don’t like the idea of staying at the Butler Mansion now. It just doesn’t feel safe.”

  “I agree, but we already made a commitment, one we can’t just back out of.”

  Eleanor groaned. “I know, but we need to find some way to cover the opening that leads from the cemetery. It might be how the murderer accessed the mansion.”

  “Yes, but that wouldn’t explain why the back door was open when we got there.”

  I skidded to a stop in Eleanor’s driveway, and after the dust settled, we made way for the front door. Eleanor stared at the dirty dishes in the sink and I went to work on washing them while Eleanor gathered her belongings.

  After I was done and had sat on the deck, admiring the view of Lake Huron for a time, Eleanor came panting into the room. “Whewie, my suitcase is sure heavy.”

  The waves lapped the shore as a speedboat whizzed by and I breathed in the fragrance of the lake that you can get nowhere other than Lake Huron. Sea gulls swooped low, scooped up fish and flew off with a hum of flapping wings.

  I really didn’t want to move from the lawn chair, but I finally did with a groan. When I went into Eleanor’s room, her suitcase was so packed that there was no way that it would ever close.

  “Eleanor, did you pack all of your belongings in the suitcase?”

  “No, but I wanted to come prepared.”

  “How about just taking three outfits and leave the rest behind? I’m sure there’s a washer and dryer at the mansion.”

  We spent the next ten minutes sorting through the items, deciding on a pink, purple, and green outfit. Next, the toiletries were added and makeup that included a godawful shade of red lipstick. The suitcase now closed easily, but it still was quite weighty as we lugged it to the car and put it in the trunk.

  Soon, we were off down the road toward my house and I glanced at the clock and groaned in
wardly. “We’ll never be there in time for when the cleaning crew shows up.”

  “Maybe they’ll be late,” Eleanor said.

  “Hopefully.” When we arrived at my house ten short minutes later, items flew into my suitcase, and I lugged the suitcase out to the car and, of course, the cat supplies. I then spent a half-hour chasing Duchess around the house. I think she thought it was a game, but I was less than amused. It was then that I saw the ghost and wondered if her presence might be the problem. “Would you mind?” I said.

  The ghost disappeared in a puff of smoke and Eleanor asked, “Would I mind what?”

  “Oh, nothing. I was talking to Duchess.” I finally caught her, and carried her to the car, placing her inside.

  We roared down the road with Duchess screaming ‘meow’ the whole time, loud enough to nearly split our eardrums.

  Eleanor had her hands clasped over her ears. “Holy wow. I didn’t know cats could meow that loud. It sure grates on my nerves.”

  “Mine, too, but I’d feel better having her at the mansion with us. I’ve heard cats can ward off evil spirits.”

  “I wondered why you told Sara that your cat has been sick lately. Well, hopefully Duchess can keep the ghosts away.”

  I highly doubted that would work, but at this point I wasn’t all that concerned about ghosts that I didn’t feel could hurt me, but a real life murderer was quite another thing.

  Before I headed back to the mansion, I flew through the drive-thru at KFC and Ella took our money, asking us where we were going in such a hurry.

  “We’re overseeing preparations at the Butler Mansion,” I said, trying to hold Duchess back from jumping out the opened window.

  Eleanor leaned toward the driver’s side and added, “We’re staying there until the opening.”

  Ella crossed herself. “You two are nuts. No way would I ever stay at a haunted mansion.”

  “That’s nonsense. That mansion is no more haunted than that lighthouse at the point.”

  “Yeah, that’s also haunted. Good luck to you both, then.” Ella slammed the drive thru window in a hurry and she was waving her arms, no doubt retelling the story to her co-workers.

  I drove back to the Butler Mansion and saw a van waiting in the parking lot. Two young men were standing outside smoking cigarettes, but another was in a wheelchair.

  I wrestled Duchess from the car and made my way for the front door, greeting the men. “Are you the cleaning crew?”

  One of the men said, “Yes, and we’ve been waiting outside in this heat for over half an hour.”

  “Sorry about that.”

  “Then why not wait in your van in the air conditioning?” Eleanor asked.

  “Air conditioning?” the man in the wheelchair said. “That cheap boss of ours bought a hunk of junk that has no air.”

  These men sure seemed to have chips on their shoulders already, so I unlocked the door and turned to say, “Make sure you put those cigarette butts in the ashtray by the door here. I don’t want the groundskeeper to fuss about picking them off the ground.”

  They put out the cigarettes and stomped them beneath their feet, not lifting a finger to put them where I requested. If Duchess hadn’t been squirming so, I would have given them a piece of my mind.

  One of the men carried the man who was wheelchair-bound inside, placing him back in his wheelchair that had been carried inside by the second man. “You need to install a ramp,” he grumbled.

  “How are you able—?”

  He swiveled his chair around, balancing it on only the back wheels for a moment before he rolled his eyes, and spat, “Oh, you’re one of those.”

  “What?”

  “You think that just because I’m stuck in this chair that I can’t do anything. I assure you I can do my job just fine. There are discrimination laws, you know.”

  “Sorry. I meant no offense.” I crept away while Eleanor gave them instructions on what had to be cleaned and would later meet me in the kitchen.

  I sat Duchess down and she darted away. I then pulled out the food from the bags Eleanor had in her arms that she had brought from her house. “I don’t care for how those men are speaking to us,” I said. “They’re making me a little uncomfortable.”

  “Well, you did insult the man in the wheelchair.”

  “I didn’t mean to. You can’t tell me you weren’t shocked to see a man in a wheelchair part of a cleaning crew.”

  “I was, but I know how easily people with handicaps can get offended. I think it’s great he wants to work.”

  After we ate, we retrieved our belongings from the car and made ourselves comfortable in rooms on the second floor. Eleanor’s room was opposite mine and while I was alone, the ghost appeared, floating to sit next to me on the bed.

  “You’re getting me into so much trouble.”

  She hung her head.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to offend you, too, but I don’t understand why you’re here.”

  The ghost shrugged. Duchess chose that moment to dart into the room, but she skidded to a halt, eyes wide as saucers, as she stared at the ghost who wrapped her arms around me. Duchess then ran from the room, striking her head on the wall outside of the bedroom.

  The ghost let me go then and I had to ask, “Are you afraid of cats?” When she nodded, I just had to laugh. “Did you see the ghost here earlier?”

  She nodded.

  “Did the ghost have anything to do with Katherine’s death?”

  She shrugged and that brought my spirits down a tad. I had hoped for more clarity, but I suppose if a ghost did have something to do with a murder, it would be mighty hard to prove.

  I stretched and made way for Eleanor’s room, where she was bouncing on the mattress. “Wow, Agnes. This mattress must be memory foam.”

  It sure is great, but let’s check out the third floor room. I’d feel better if I could assure myself there wasn’t a ghost lurking up there.”

  Eleanor reluctantly followed me, and we carefully went up the narrow stairs that led to the third floor. Once we were back in the small room, I could see the carpet had been replaced with a burgundy area rug. Along one wall was a built-in bookshelf with children’s books on the shelves. I stared out the window and saw the cleaning men were bringing in supplies. A truck rumbled into the drive.

  “That looks like Bernice,” Eleanor said.

  Cat Lady was how we knew her the best. She has a slew of cats at her place and she makes some awful moonshine. I couldn’t imagine why she’d be here.

  Eleanor left the room and out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a rocking horse in motion. I turned in a hurry, not willing to let my mind wander right now. My ghost companion motioned with her lips, “Don’t look at me.”

  I left the room in a hurry and made it downstairs, just as Bernice wobbled in the door. “Hello, girls!” she shouted. “Rumor has it that you two were holed up here, and I just had to see it firsthand.”

  I motioned Bernice through the door that led into the dining room so we would be out of hearing range of the curious looks from the cleaning men who were in the process of dusting.

  “Who told you we’d be here?”

  Bernice took off her dusty hat and set it on the table, plopping down in a chair. “Well you know … the senior phone tree. Ella called Elsie, and Elsie called me. Mr. Wilson will be here shortly to check to make sure his sweetheart, Eleanor Mason, is okay.”

  I smiled tightly. “There certainly has to be something more interesting to talk about in East Tawas today.”

  Bernice slapped the table with a resounding thump. “Not as interesting as the fixes you girls get yourselves into.”

  I wasn’t about to rise to that barb. “I see. Well, we’re simply overseeing the opening of the bed and breakfast on Halloween.”

  “I see. Is that what all that clamoring is about in the next room?”

  “Yes, it’s the cleaners.”

  “Cleaners with big attitudes,” Eleanor added. “I sure wish w
e weren’t tied up here at the mansion. We found Katherine Clark’s body here yesterday and we haven’t even been able to do much in the way of investigating.”

  “Eleanor, I’m sure Bernice doesn’t really want to—”

  Bernice rubbed her chin that had several long hairs sprouting from it. “If it’s help you girls need, it’s help you’ll get. Just tell me how I can be of assistance.”

  Well, I’ll be, this might just work. “If you could keep a watch over the cleaning crew, we could leave to check out a few things. I promise we won’t be too long.”

  Eleanor marched through the dining room to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator and peeked inside. “It looks like the fridge is stocked,” she said, and she then closed it. “Help yourself to home, just stay out of the way of the cleaning crew. I highly doubt they have much in the way of work ethics.”

  “Not the way they left cigarette butts outside when I told them to put them in the ashtray outside,” I added in irritation.

  “Not to worry. I’ll set those boys straight if they don’t stay on task. What’s up with the wheelchair-bound one?”

  “He’s with the crew and already a bit testy as it is. I’d stay away from him, if I were you.”

  We left the dining room and gathered the cleaning crew together, introducing Bernice. “She’s in charge while we’re out.”

  The man in the wheelchair spat, “Sure, whatever you say, boss.” He wheeled away and the other two stared me down until Eleanor took that moment to pull me toward the door.

  Chapter Five

  Once we were inside the car, I said, “I just don’t like those cleaners. They make me nervous.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about them.” She pulled out the mail she had tucked in her purse earlier, examining the return address. Eleanor craned her head in my direction. “Looks like these are all from Jack Winston.”

  “Jack Winston? As in, resident-dirty-old-man-who-dates-only-young-bimbos?”

  “Yup, looks that way. Oh, but if we question him, this is not going to go well. He doesn’t even like me.”

  “Well, he’s sure crotchety, but it’s the only clue we have to start with. We really need to ask Sara more questions, too, when we see her again. We didn’t get a chance to ask how she came to hire Katherine, or if she knew her personally.”