The Ghost from the Sea (28 page)

“When you hired the diver to put the jewels back on the boat—you wanted to return them, like you did with the emerald,” Danielle said.

Heather smiled at Danielle and then looked to Jolene, her expression now somber. “The only descendent I was able to identify attached to the jewelry was you, Jolene. And while you inherited the estate through your grandfather, I didn't think it was right returning the jewelry to you. After all, your grandfather was the one who had those poor people murdered.”

Jolene suddenly stood. “It's all lies!” she shouted.

A
lone with the
chief in his office, Danielle slouched down in the chair, her head leaning against its backrest as she stared up at the ceiling. “What now?”

“Jolene could fight you in court for the gold coins, but I don't think she will.”

Danielle lifted her head and looked at the chief who sat behind his desk. “Why wouldn't she? From what I heard, Joe and Brian had a heck of a time prying those gold coins out of her fingers before they brought her down here this morning.”

“For one thing, Jolene knows enough about the law to realize it's legally yours. And for another, I don't think she'd welcome that kind of publicity.”

“You mean because of her grandfather?” Danielle asked.

With a nod he said, “The story will come out in the paper, but it'll die down and people will forget. But if she takes this to court, the horrific deeds of her grandfather will be amplified for everyone to see. I've known Jolene for a long time. She wouldn't want that.”

“What about Thelma's jewelry? If the gold legally belongs to me, I would think Thelma's jewelry would go to Jolene.”

The chief leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desktop. “I agree.”

“It's obvious Heather doesn't, considering what she tried to do with them.”

“True. But it's really not Heather's call. If Ralph was still alive and went on trial for his part in those murders, and was convicted, his brother's will would be overturned, and Jolene wouldn't have inherited through her grandfather. Yet, since she's the next living relative, and wasn't involved in the murders, she'd probably inherit through her father, who would have been the next in line to inherit his uncle's estate back then, had his father been convicted for the murders.”

Danielle sat up in the chair. “Even if there was a trial now, I can't imagine someone of Ralph Templeton's stature ever being convicted on a letter written by someone like Ephraim Presley.”

“Agreed.”

“I don't know about the statute of limitations on these things, but couldn't the families of the victims sue her grandfather's estate? Even without Ralph being formally convicted of the crime; look at OJ. He got off on the murder charges, but the victim's families still managed to sue him in a civil court.”

The chief shrugged. “If the victim's families of the Eva Aphrodite could sue, it wouldn't get them anything.”

“I thought Ralph Templeton left Jolene a fortune?”

“He did. But it's all gone.”

“I sort of got that idea, from what she said. But are you sure?” Danielle asked.

“Like I said, I've known Jolene for a long time. My wife was a close friend with her daughter. They went to college together; she's an attorney in New York. We still keep in touch. She and her mom have always had some issues.”

“I heard Jolene had moved back to New York to be with her daughter, after her husband died.”

“She did, in a way. But she still had money coming in from the law firm, and did her own thing when she was in New York. From what I've heard, all that stopped when Clarence was arrested.”

Danielle stood up. “I guess that explains why the woman hates me.”

“There is one more thing I think you should be aware of.” The chief stood. “Your neighbors have made it perfectly clear to the city council that they don't want that wreckage left on the beach. Even the historical society has backed off.”

“What does that mean?”

“There's been talk that you should be the one to pay for having it removed, not the taxpayers, since Walt Marlow owned the yacht.”

“I suppose I could argue Jolene should pay for cleanup, since her grandfather was the one responsible for sinking it.”

“Perhaps. But Jolene doesn't have any money, and I'm sure it won't take long before everyone realizes that gold will probably be going to you.”

“Me and Uncle Sam. The IRS loves me these days.”

“On the bright side, I doubt they can make you pay for it.”

I
nstead of turning
into her driveway, Danielle impulsively continued down the street. She parked near Chris' house. Getting out of her vehicle, she glanced up at the sky. Gray clouds blocked the afternoon sun. Pulling the front of her sweater tightly closed to ward off the damp chill, she slammed the car door shut and walked down the sidewalk, to the opening leading to the beach. Once there, she looked out to the Eva Aphrodite—and beyond it to the ocean, its waves breaking along the shoreline.

“They're gone,” a voice said.

Danielle looked abruptly to her right. Jack stood next to her.

With a shiver she asked, “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I can feel it. They've moved on. All they wanted was for the world to know Ralph Templeton was the one responsible.”

Danielle looked curiously at Jack. “How did you know that? I didn't see you there when Heather told us who was behind the murders.”

“Lily.” Jack smiled.

“Lily? I don't understand.”

“When she got back from the police station she came up to the attic, told Walt and me everything. I had just finished telling Walt what I'd heard at the station before she arrived.”

An image of Lily, seemingly alone and talking to herself in the attic, flashed through Danielle's mind. She couldn't help but wonder where Ian had been when Lily was up there, but the picture made her smile.

“If anything could convince me to stick around, it's that little doll, Lily.” Jack let out a low whistle in appreciation. “If I was alive, I'd give that Evan guy a run for his money.”

“You mean Ian?” Danielle corrected.

“Yeah, him too. She's one hotsy totsy.” Jack sighed and stared out to the ocean.

“Does this mean you're ready to move on?”

“Yes. I've already said goodbye to Walt.” Jack looked from the ocean to Danielle and smiled. “I tried to get him to go with me.”

Danielle glanced at Jack. “And?”

Jack chuckled. “I think you know. He's not going anywhere. At least not yet. He has his own hotsy totsy keeping him here.”

Danielle scowled and looked back to the sea. “Don't be silly.”

Jack laughed and then grew serious, glancing over to Chris' house and then back to Danielle. “Walt tells me you have a boyfriend.”

“He said that?”

“Not boyfriend exactly, just said you were sort of involved with someone, that the guy lived there.” Jack nodded to Chris' house. “Walt told me he could see spirits too.”

“Yes, he can.”

“Too bad I can't stick around and meet him.”

They were both silent for a few more minutes, each looking out to sea, when Danielle said, “It would be nice if you could put that thing back, before you leave.”

“What do you mean?” Jack asked.

“It's going to be a pain—for someone—to get rid of that boat.”

Jack looked over to the boat and shrugged. “I suppose if I did it once, I should be able to do it twice.”

“While that would be nice, I doubt you'd be able to. Plus, it would probably just freak everyone out.” Danielle considered the possibility for a moment and then chuckled. “Although from a marketing perspective, the mystery of the wreckage magically appearing and then disappearing would be gold for tourism.”

“Why wouldn't I be able to?”

“Moving something like that requires a lot of energy. From what you've told me, it sounds as if you never really harnessed your energy those years you were on the Eva Aphrodite, not until you brought the boat up. Probably took all your reserves—stored up from the last ninety plus years.”

“I don't imagine it'll require as much energy. After all, it's not like I'm bringing it up from the bottom of the ocean again.” Narrowing his eyes, Jack studied the wreckage, a sly smile forming on his lips.

“What are you doing down here?” a second male voice called out. “It's cold.”

Danielle turned toward the street and saw Joe Morelli walking toward her. When she looked back to Jack, he was gone.

“Hi Joe,” Danielle greeted when he reached her side. Shivering, she wrapped her arms across her body, warding off the chill. “I could ask the same of you.”

“I had to drop something off at Ian's.” He shivered and glanced briefly to the sky. It was even grayer than it had been when he had left the station fifteen minutes earlier.

“After all that happened this morning, I just had to stop. Kept thinking of all those poor people who were murdered so senselessly. Some people can be pretty damn evil.”

Burying his hands in his coat pockets to ward off the cold, Joe gazed out to sea. “Yes they can. But maybe you should go in now. It's freezing out here; looks like a good storm's brewing.”

“In a minute,
Dad
,” Danielle teased.

Joe retorted with a comment but Danielle didn't hear him. Instead, she was distracted by laughter. She looked to the Eva Aphrodite and spied Jack standing on the top deck, his arms outstretched, as he looked up into the sky, laughing and shouting to the universe. The wind started to howl.

“See what I mean,” Joe said, protectively wrapping his arm around Danielle's shoulder in an effort to provide warmth, while attempting to nudge her in the direction of her car.

“Just a minute, Joe.” Mesmerized, she watched Jack.

With a frown, Joe's gaze followed Danielle's. “What are you looking at?”

“I thought I heard something.” The wind intensified, loosening strands of her dark hair from the confines of her braid. They slapped against her face, as she attempted to push them away with one hand.

“It's just the wind. Looks like it's going to be a big one.” Joe, his arm still wrapped around her shoulders, looked up to the dark sky. The wind intensified. When he looked back to the wreckage, his eyes widened, not believing what he was seeing. The massive hull rocked slightly as it inched its way toward the ocean.

“It's moving!” Joe shouted, dropping his arm from Danielle so that he could grab his phone.

Still focused on Jack and the Eva Aphrodite, she glanced briefly to Joe. “What are you doing?”

“I need to call someone. It's moving,” Joe said in a panic.

Danielle laughed. “What do you think you're going to do to stop it?”

Lightening flashed across the dark sky, followed by a loud clap of thunder.

“That was close,” Joe said, dropping the hand clutching the cellphone to his side. He looked back to the ship and silently watched as it slid toward the ocean. What he didn't see was Jack, who stood atop the upper deck, hooting enthusiastically while urging the Eva Aphrodite on her final voyage.

They could hear nothing but the wind's howl. Rain began to fall; it soaked their hair, their clothes. Silently transfixed, they stood motionless, watching the Eva Aphrodite return to the sea. Instead of sinking as one might expect it would, the battered hull stayed afloat, drifting slowly away from the shore.

Raindrops clung to Danielle's eyelashes. The storm's intensity increased. Her clothes now drenched, she made no effort to find shelter. Instead, she watched Jack, who stood proudly aboard the top deck of the departing ship. He faced her and with a flourish, gave a final salute before vanishing.

T
he first thing
Lily did the next morning was call Craig Simmons, the landscaper, who happened to be Joe's brother-in-law. He was the same landscaper Danielle had used to get the yards in order when they had first moved into Marlow House, nine months earlier. The previous day's storm had left behind debris, including several downed tree limbs, one of which hung precariously from a tree not far from the front entry.

Looking out the attic window, Walt by her side, Danielle thought that if it hadn't been for the dislodged shrubbery scattered across the front yard, one might never guess there had been a recent storm. The clear blue sky boasted not a single cloud and the sun seemed somehow brighter than normal.

Together Danielle and Walt watched the unusual heavy traffic on the street. They understood what it was about. Word had already gotten out that the mysterious ghost ship had vanished during the storm. Although, considering Joe's interview on Paul's radio show, they all knew it hadn't vanished exactly. According to Joe's eyewitness account, the sudden storm the previous afternoon had somehow dislodged the wreckage and pushed it back to the sea, where it mysteriously stayed afloat until it disappeared from view. Of course, by that time, Joe had made a call to the Coast Guard, to let them know what had just happened.

“I was wondering where you were,” Hillary called out from the attic doorway.

Danielle turned to her and smiled. “Hi. I was just watching all the commotion from up here, better view.”

“Do you mind if I join you?” the woman asked as she made her way toward Danielle, without waiting for an answer.

“I saw you walking back up the street,” Danielle said when Hillary reached the window, taking Walt's place. Annoyed, Walt quickly moved out of the way and took a seat on the sofa before summoning a cigar.

“I had to see for myself. It's really gone. Amazing,” Hillary said in awe. She paused a moment and took a deep breath. “I smell it again. Reminds me of my second husband.”

“That smell comes and goes in Marlow House. I believe the previous owner used to smoke a cigar,” Danielle said, stifling a giggle.

“There must be a hundred people down on the beach. Are you going down there?” Hillary asked.

“I was down there with Joe, when it took off yesterday. So I already saw it. I'm not big on crowds.”

“Just lucky someone didn't get hurt! Imagine if that thing had taken off and someone was standing behind it. “

“Fortunately, no one was hurt.” Danielle smiled.

“But if it's still out there—floating around—it could be a danger.”

“We don't have to worry about that,” Danielle told her.

“We don't?”

“Joe Morelli, the officer who was with me yesterday, gave me a call a little while ago. I guess the Coast Guard already located it. Doesn't sound like it's going anywhere.”

“Did it sink?”

Danielle nodded. “From what I understand, it's in pretty deep waters. They're just leaving it there. The Eva Aphrodite's final resting place.”

“Oh look! A police car just parked out front.” Hillary pointed out the window toward the street. It was Chief MacDonald, and he was walking toward Marlow House.

“Yikes, I better warn him about that tree limb!” Danielle said as she darted from the room.

F
ive minutes later
, Danielle sat alone in the parlor with Chief McDonald.

“I came to apologize to Walt,” MacDonald told her.

“For thinking he was a mass murderer?” Danielle teased.

“Pretty much,” he said sheepishly.

“He's up in the attic right now, watching all the commotion. Seems like everyone in town is here, even more than when the Eva Aphrodite showed up. And this time, there's nothing to see.”

“It solves a big problem, and saves the taxpayers some money.”

“I thought you were going to make me pay?”

“Hey, I never said I was going to make you pay,” he said with a laugh. “I was just letting you know what some people were saying.”

“Yeah right,” Danielle grumbled, feigning annoyance. She then smiled and said, “But you can thank Jack for taking her back to sea. Well, you could thank him, if he hadn't already moved on.”

“They found where she landed, by the way.”

“Yeah, Joe called me about a half an hour ago and told me. Without Jack to bring her back up again, I imagine she'll stay put this time.”

“Speaking of Jack…” the chief stood up and reached into his pocket. He pulled out Jack's Masonic ring and handed it to Danielle. “I wanted to give you this.”

Standing briefly, she took the ring and then sat back down. Looking at the Masonic emblem, she rolled the ring between her fingers. “Jack's ring.”

“I figured legally it belongs to you, and I thought Walt might want it, since Jack was his best friend.”

Smiling softly, Danielle studied the ring in her hand. “Thanks, that's sweet. But doesn't the will have to go through probate or something?”

“You don't see me turning over the gold coins right now.”

Danielle laughed.

Grinning, the chief said, “I figured, it wouldn't hurt to go ahead and give this to you. Not sure what's going to happen with everything we found in the box Heather left on the ship. The court will have to figure that one out. As for Jack Winters, I already did some checking, and it looks like he didn't have any family.”

“No he didn't,” Walt said when he appeared in the parlor a moment later.

“Hi Walt. Look what the chief brought.” Danielle held up the ring for Walt to see.

The chief looked to where he imagined Walt might be standing. “I wanted to apologize, Walt, for thinking you might have killed those people.”

“Tell the chief there's no hard feelings. I understand he was only worried about you and Lily. It'll be comforting to know you have friends looking out for you when I'm gone.”

W
hen Walt showed
up in Danielle's room that evening to say goodnight, he found her already under the sheets and blankets. But the light on the nightstand was on, and she was sitting up, leaning against the headboard, waiting for him.

“What did you mean earlier today, when you said it'll be nice knowing I have friends looking out for me when you're gone?”

He sat down on the edge of the bed next to her. There was no dip in the mattress; it was as if he wasn't even there.

“Just that. When I'm gone I want to know you and Lily will be okay.”

“Is that why you're sticking around? Because you're not sure we'll be okay on our own?”

Walt smiled and swung his legs up onto the bed. Without thought, Danielle scooted to the other side of the mattress, making room for Walt. They lay side by side—Danielle tucked under the sheets and blankets, wearing her pajama bottoms and T-shirt, while Walt, stretched out atop the bed linens, wore his blue pinstripe suit. They both leaned back against the headboard.

“You are both helpless women,” he teased.

Danielle let out a snort.

“That's not very feminine, Danielle. We will not get you married off if you go around snorting.”

Danielle giggled. “Since when did you decide I needed to get married off?”

“Don't you want to get married?”

Danielle shrugged. “I already was.”

“Don't you want to get married again? Have children?”

Danielle looked over at Walt. “What's this all about?”

“I just want to see you happy.”

Danielle smiled. “I am happy.”

“Do you miss Chris?”

“Chris?” Danielle studied Walt for a moment. “Sure. He's a good friend.”

“Have you talked to him much since he's been gone?” Walt asked.

“Yeah.”

“How often?”

“Everyday…Walt…why did you tell Jack I was involved with Chris?”

He turned to Danielle, studying her for a moment. “Aren't you?”

Danielle shrugged. “I guess…sort of. He's a good friend.”

“Has he kissed you?”

Danielle groaned and scooted down in the bed sheets, turning her back to Walt. “That is none of your business, Walt Marlow. Sheesh. I'm tired.”

The light went out. Danielle stared off into the darkness. After a moment, she said in a whisper, “Walt?”

No answer.

“Walt?”

Still no answer.

Letting out a deep sigh, Danielle snuggled down in the bed and went to sleep.

T
he sea air
caressed her face. Danielle opened her eyes. She stood on the deck of a ship—a yacht. Her hands gripped the railing as she looked out to sea. Glancing to her right she spied the life preserver hanging from the railing, the words
Eva Aphrodite
arched over the top half of the ring.

Spinning around, she came face to face with Walt, whose blue eyes looked out at her from under the rim of a Panama hat. He wore a white linen suit and when she glanced down, she noticed the dress she wore was also white. Genteelly, he took her arm and led her down the deck.

“This is the Eva Aphrodite,” Danielle said in awe, as she looked around, stunned at the transformation from a barnacle-encrusted hull to an elegant ship with polished wood decking and freshly painted wood chairs facing out to sea.

“As it used to be,” Walt said, pausing a moment to snag two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter.

“It's beautiful,” Danielle whispered. She accepted the glass Walt offered and took a sip. Pausing a moment, she looked up at him and said, “I can taste it. It tastes like champagne.”

He laughed. “I suppose I'm getting better at this.” He guided her to several chairs. They sat down.

Danielle took another sip of the champagne. “Amazing,” she murmured.

“I thought I'd use this opportunity to let you say hello to someone—or perhaps goodbye.”

Danielle looked up from her glass and noticed a young black couple walking in their direction. Dressed elegantly in the fashions of the 1920s, they were obviously lovers, the way he repeatedly leaned over to kiss her cheek, while she laughed gaily, looking into his eyes with adoration.

Recognition dawned. Danielle stood abruptly. “Emma!”

When Emma spied Danielle, she grabbed the arm of the man at her side and pulled him toward Danielle and Walt. Looking up at Walt she said, “I have to thank you again, Mr. Marlow, for inviting us.”

“Please, call me Walt.”

Confused, Danielle looked from Walt to Emma.

“I wanted to introduce you to my Emmett,” Emma explained.

“You've moved on?” Danielle asked.

“Yes, thanks to you.” Emma reached up and kissed her husband's cheek and then formally introduced him to Danielle. The four chatted a while, before Emma and Emmett walked off, disappearing into one of the cabins.

“Are they really here?” Danielle asked.