Cherringham--Ghost of a Chance (12 page)

Jack continued.

“But I don't care. Our love is stronger than any threats. We shall run away, you and I, and be together forever. Meet me tonight at the stone circle on Mabbs Hill. We shall leave this dreary village of Cherringham. I will wait for you, my sweet Emily!”

“Someone was planning to run off with the Colonel's wife?” Basil said.

Sarah already figured out the next part.

“Not
someone
, Basil. This letter, is signed … ‘your beloved Freddy’.”

And then, again the windows blew open — only this time the wind felt warm to Sarah, the breeze gentle.

Sure I shut those,
she thought.
Maybe the catch is broken …

“But the letter? It must mean …” Crispin asked … “Emily never met Freddy, never ran away …?”

“No. Because I imagine Colonel Allsop intercepted it. Fact, I bet
he
met Freddy on top of that hill. Knowing how handy the good Colonel was with a gun, I would guess if we did enough excavation up there we’d find Freddy’s body.”

Another gentle breeze.

Why gentle?
Sarah thought.

Then … an answer.

If she believed it.

If she could believe it …

The truth had come out. Freddy’s story, the secret of his murder. And the story of his great love.

A hundred years later.

She guessed — in ghostly terms — Freddy might be free to leave.

Wasn’t that the way it worked?

Or maybe
, Sarah thought, looking at Jack who now seemed more magician than detective —
Freddy just might want to stick around to see what happens to the old place?

“It all makes sense,” Lawrence said, standing up.

“Suzie,” Jack said loudly. “You can open the door now.”

He turned back to the Myrtles.

“Don't think Freddy is interested in which one of you gets to run this place. And for that matter …”

Jack walked over to Sarah.

“Neither am I.”

And with a wave at Eiss and his camera, Jack led Sarah out to the hotel lobby, past a wide-eyed Suzie who — though she had not been in the room — would have quite a tale to tell all her friends.

*

When Sarah got outside, standing next to her car, she pressed the button to unlock it, and then turned to Jack.

But she didn’t get in.

“So tell me, Jack. Just between us. You ‘steered’ that glass to get those answers out. I mean, after you somehow figured out who did what. Right?”

Jack smiled, then looked away.

As if he was pondering what answer he would give.

“Wish I could say that was true …”

“Jack.
Come on
! You're not telling me that the ghost of Freddy spelled out all those answers?”

Jack shook his head.

“You do know I was brought up a Catholic, right? Big believers in an after-life, angels, demons, and heaven and hell. So back in the day … ghosts were not much of a stretch.”

“In
that
day. But now?”

“So, I’ll tell you this. Could I have possibly had those answers in mind? Or maybe Basil? And did we subconsciously push around that glass …”

He took a breath. The night had turned chilly. Winter was waiting in the wings.

“Could be.”

“
Had
to be,” Sarah said.

“And the windows? The shutters blowing open?”

“It’s a windy night,” said Sarah. “What’s to stop Basil having a friend outside? You heard Stover — fifty quid seems to be the going rate.”

“Maybe,” said Jack. “How about the message on the mirror? The letter?”

“Magician’s tricks. The message is already written — the soot just sticks to it.”

“Okay …” he said.

But then he leaned a bit closer to Sarah.

That move … signalling something serious.

Even made her hold her breath.

“But I swear — all I did was put my fingers on the glass.”

“And Freddy did the rest?”

And Jack laughed at that. “Maybe. Why not? Your land is filled with ghosts, hmm? All those dead kings and queens …”

Sarah turned to look at the Bell Hotel that — one way or the other — would soon be undergoing a transformation.

Then back to Jack.

“And the chandelier crashing?”

“No sign of any tampering at all, Sarah.” He grinned. “No
human
tampering, that is … If Freddy wanted the truth out, wanted that letter found — well …”

“On the other hand — Eiss is quite the pro. Easy enough to lift a floorboard then make it look like it’s not been touched.”

“True enough,” said Jack. “And he could have forged the letter and put it in the trash. Maybe even in cahoots with Basil? It’s all possible, Sarah …”

She could see that Jack wasn’t really persuaded.

“You know, it’s almost late enough … that I could
almost
believe you. Believe in Freddy.”

“Almost …”

And she had to laugh.

Then she opened the door to her Rav-4.

“I will have more questions for you, Mr. Brennan. How about dinner this weekend, my place? The kids would love a visit. Usual pasta, I’m afraid …”

“Sounds perfect, counsellor. And I’ll be ready for your questions … with, as the line goes … a nice chianti.”

Before she climbed into the car, Sarah paused.

"Jack, we didn't really solve this mystery — did we? That’s a first.”

"Back in NYC, oh that happened a lot. And this being unsolved … feels kinda right to me.”

“We did solve one crime though.”

“So we did. Colonel Allsop — with the knife — in the attic!”

They laughed together, and still laughing, Sarah got into her chilly car, started it up … and waved to Jack, standing there.

Did he really believe in ghosts?

And she had a thought that she often did …

She’d got to know him so well as a friend over these last few years — but he could still surprise her
.

And that was a good feeling.

END

Claire and Terry Goodman seem to have everything. Successful business. Son at Oxford. New mansion right on the River Thames. And seemingly …plenty of money to spend. But when Jack and Sarah are asked to investigate an odd robbery at their home, secrets start to emerge. And as the truth is revealed, for someone it will be too much to bear, and murder will be the only way out …

FOLLOW THE MONEY
Cherringham — A Cosy Crime Series
by Matthew Costello and Neil Richards

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