The Ghost from the Sea (16 page)

“Apologize?”

“For thinking he took off with that money. I'll be honest, I feel awful about that. All these years, imagining he had betrayed our friendship that way. I should have looked into it more.”

“So what happened to the money? You said it wasn't where he normally kept it hidden.”

“I don't know. But if he went out on that boat, then he must have moved it like he said. It may still be out there somewhere. Maybe even across the street.”

S
adie's
wet nose persistently nudged Lily's left arm. Sitting in the passenger seat of Ian's car, Lily glanced back at the dog. “No Sadie. This isn't for you.”

The golden retriever stood on the floorboard, squeezed into the narrow space behind Ian and Lily's seats. Her butt moved with her tail, repetitively bumping the back of Ian's car seat. Sadie wanted what Lily had on her lap: a sack of hamburgers they were bringing home from the local drive through.

“Sadie, on the back seat,” Ian snapped.

Letting out a defeated whimper, Sadie climbed onto the back seat and lay down, her chin resting on her front paws. She continued to stare forward, looking into the opening between the front seats, her attention focused on what she knew was on Lily's lap.

Glancing over at Marlow House as Ian pulled into his driveway, Lily said, “Looks like Dani's home. I wonder if I should have asked her if she wanted us to pick her up something.”

“She probably ate while she was out,” Ian said as he parked the car and turned off the ignition.

When they walked into Ian's house a few moments later, Sadie lost interest in what was in the paper sacks. Instead, she rushed inside, headed for the living room, and started barking.

Ian followed his dog into the house and stood by the entrance to the living room. He watched as Sadie stared at the back wall, barking and wagging her tail. “Sometimes that dog does the craziest things. What does she think she's barking at?”

Lily walked into the living room and set the sacks of food on the coffee table. She watched Sadie, who was now sitting down, her tail wagging as she continued to stare at the blank wall. “Has she been doing that a lot lately?”

“Just the last couple of days. I wonder, do you think we have mice in the walls or something?”

Still staring at Sadie, Lily shrugged and muttered under her breath, “Or something.”

“I'll be right back.” Ian turned and headed for the bathroom, shaking his head while muttering, “Crazy dog.”

Lily walked to Sadie and stood by her side. Staring at the spot holding the dog's attention, Lily reached down and patted Sadie's neck. “Whatcha see girl? Hmm…” Lily smiled. “Is that you Jack? Have you been hanging out over here?”

W
hen Danielle arrived
at the site of the Eva Aphrodite, she was surprised to discover there was no longer a police car parked by the street, nor did there seem to be anyone guarding the area. The wreckage remained taped off, yet one section had come unfastened and flapped flag-like along the sand. Notices to keep off the boat were posted along the lower section of the hull. Those were new; she hadn't seen them the last time she had been to the wreckage site.

Standing some twenty feet from the bow, she looked up, searching for Jack along the upper deck. Raising her right hand to her brow, she used it to shade her eyes from the sunshine as she looked for him.

A flash of light along a section of remaining railing on the upper deck caught her attention. Focusing on the area, she watched as a faint image of a person began to materialize. To her surprise, the transparent image was not Jack. It was Thelma Templeton, staring down at her.

Startled, Danielle gasped and took a step back, her eyes never leaving the ghostly image. In the next moment Howard Templeton appeared. He stood next to his wife, and then another one appeared and another. Lined up along the top deck were transparent images of what Danielle imagined were once the passengers and crew of the Eva Aphrodite's last voyage. Motionless, they stared down at her. Just as suddenly as they appeared—they vanished.

“Rather unnerving, isn't it?” a voice from behind asked.

Danielle swung around abruptly, coming face to face with Jack. She could feel her heart racing. Taking a deep breath, she asked, “How long have they been here?”

Jack shrugged. “They showed up right after the last time I talked to Walt. Is it possible for a ghost to be haunted?” Now standing by Danielle's side, he looked up at the boat; there was no sign of the spirits.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I'm a ghost, right?”

“Umm…yeah. I don't get your question.”

Casually tucking his hands into his pant's pockets, he stared up at the wreckage as he talked. “Reminded me a little of a picture show. I can remember going to the theatre, sometimes the film would just flicker, and sometimes too much light would come through. Not sure if the film was damaged or the guy in the projection room did something wrong. But, that's what they rather remind me of. They just appear like that, all lined up. And then, they're gone. They don't say anything. Don't even acknowledge me in any way. I have to wonder, can they even see me? Are they really there—in the same way I am?”

“So they just sort of appear and then go away?”

Jack nodded. “I don't even want to come down here any more. I know I need to move on, but I'm not really sure how. And…I don't think I can.”

“Where were you when I first got here?” she asked. “I didn't see you on the beach.”

Jack shrugged. “I've been hanging out over at George's house. It's familiar. Plus, over there I have someone I can talk to.”

Danielle smiled. “Sadie?”

“Strange how that works. I never had a dog. Figured keeping one as a pet was for old people who wanted company. I understood work dogs, like ones that herd sheep, but as pets? Why?” Jack shook his head. “I think I was wrong. Dogs are a hell of a lot smarter than I ever imagined. And better than most people I know.”

Danielle laughed. “Well, I would have to agree with you there. Walt's rather fond of Sadie too.”

“Yeah, she told me.”

“Walt wants to see you.”

“Why? So he can tell me what a disappointment I am as a friend? No thanks.”

“I think he wants to apologize.”

Jack looked at Danielle with a frown. “Apologize, for what?”

“For thinking the worse of you. For not realizing you'd never steal from him.”

“Are you saying Walt now believes me?”

“Jack, were you down here when the police took a trunk off the ship?”

Jack shook his head. “No. As I said, I don't like coming down here. Not since they showed up.”

“Have you been able to remember anything about how you died or where you were at the time?”

“No. I remember going to pick up Sally. But that's all I can really remember. It gets all hazy after that.”

“Sally was your girlfriend, right?”

“She was a doll I was seeing.”

“Like you were seeing Thelma Templeton?”

Jack turned to Danielle. “What about Thelma?”

“I know how she tried to pick up Walt at a speakeasy and when he declined, you decided to step in.”

Jack let out a snort. “I can't believe he told you about that.”

“In a manner of speaking,” Danielle mumbled.

“Nothing happened between me and Thelma.”

“But you left with her.”

Jack shrugged. “Yeah, we walked out together, but when we stepped outside, her husband Howard was standing there, waiting. She looked surprised to see him. I made some excuse, like I just happened to walk out at the same time, and then I went home. That was the last time I saw her.”

“So you didn't go on the Eva Aphrodite to see her again?”

Jack laughed. “With her husband on board? I don't think so. Risky enough seeing a married woman, no reason to be stupid about it. A cuckhold husband won't spend any time behind bars for killing his wife's lover.”

“So you don't remember anything about getting on the boat that night?”

“Why do you keep asking me that? I think I'd remember getting on the Eva Aphrodite that night. So it probably wasn't when I was still alive. Not sure why my spirit was sent to that boat. Hell if I know. Maybe God supported prohibition and wanted to teach me a lesson.”

“I think you were killed onboard the Eva Aphrodite.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because, the other day the police found your body—what was left of it. Your skeletal remains were found in a trunk on board the wreckage. It still had your ring.” Danielle pointed to his right hand. “Your ring was in the trunk with the body. And according to Walt, that trunk was already on board. You were shot. They think in the chest, maybe the stomach. Somewhere lethal. The bullet was also in the trunk.”

“I was shot? Who would shoot me?”

“I don't know. That's what I'd like to find out.”

Taking his hands out of his pockets, he combed his fingers through his hair. “I don't know why anyone would want to kill me.”

“Jack, everyone onboard the Eva Aphrodite was murdered, each shot in the head. Their skulls were found scattered around the ship. You were the only one hidden, stuffed in a trunk.”

“
H
ave
you always been able to see people like me?” Jack asked Danielle as they walked back to Marlow House.

“Probably. But the first time I was aware of it was when I saw my grandmother at her funeral. I was just a little girl at the time.”

“How did you end up at Marlow House?” he asked.

“When Walt died, his estate went to Katherine O'Malley.”

Jack stopped walking. He looked at Danielle, who stopped after he did. “Who's Katherine O'Malley?”

“She was his housekeeper at the time.”

“Must have been one good housekeeper,” Jack snorted.

“I think Walt may have felt a little sorry for her. She was an unwed mother, had a young daughter. That daughter married my grandfather's brother. She was my great-aunt by marriage. She left me her estate, which included Marlow House.”

“Don't tell me the little girl was Walt's!” Jack asked in surprise.

“Are you talking about my aunt?”

“What other little girl was there?”

“Are you suggesting Walt hired his mistress after she had his illegitimate child, and then made her be his housekeeper?” Danielle asked incredulously.

“It certainly doesn't sound like the Walt I knew. But he did leave his estate to her, and he did jump to the conclusion I stole that money, so maybe he was never the Walt I thought he was.”

Danielle started walking. “No, Katherine was not his mistress. Walt changed his will after he got married so—”

“Walt married? I suppose that shouldn't surprise me, but it does. How many children did he have? I always imagined I'd have children someday.”

“No children. Walt died just a few years after you, in 1925. He met his wife and within a year he was married and murdered.”

Jack stopped again. “Walt was murdered too?”

Danielle paused and glanced up at Marlow House. It was only one door down. “Yes, by his brother-in-law, at Marlow House. Made it look like a suicide.”

“Why did he do it? What happened to the wife?”

I
an stood
at his front window and watched Danielle as she walked up the other side of the street. She had just paused in front of the house next door to Marlow House.

“Lily, I'm not sure that Bluetooth headphone was such a terrific idea for Danielle.”

Lily walked over to the window, stood next to Ian, and looked outside. “What do you mean?”

“It looks like she's walking up the street talking to herself.”

Lily peeked behind her and spied Sadie, who was busy attacking the dog bone Ian had given her five minutes earlier. Glancing around the room before turning back to the window, Lily smiled to herself.
I've a feeling I know who Dani's talking to, and it's no one on the phone.

W
hen Danielle reached
her front door, Hillary pulled up in front of Marlow House and parked her car. As Danielle and Jack stepped inside, Walt was waiting for them in the entry.

Danielle wanted to go with Walt and Jack and see what they had to say. She was naturally curious. Yet Joanne stepped into the entry as soon as she closed the front door, making it impossible for her to continue her conversation with Jack or to engage in one with Walt. The two spirits disappeared, and a moment later Hillary walked through the front door.

Slipping off to the attic to see what the two ghosts were saying proved to be more challenging than Danielle had imagined. She spent the next hour talking to Hillary, who wanted to know everything about Marlow House's history. By her questions, it was obvious she had already read every online article mentioning Marlow House, including what Ian had written. Yet, that didn't stop her from seeking more details.

When Hillary finally excused herself and went up to her room, Chris called. Danielle spent the next hour alone in the parlor, talking to Chris on the phone and updating him on all that had happened since their last phone call.

Finally, off the phone, Danielle stepped out of the parlor and came face to face with Stella, who informed her Rowland wasn't feeling well and had gone to their room to lie down. Stella was sure it was food poisoning.

“I told him not to eat those fish and chips. Too greasy.”

Danielle chose not to remind Stella she had also eaten the fish and chips and wasn't sick; she didn't want her surly guest to start pointing her finger at Marlow House's kitchen. Danielle suspected Rowland had feigned illness to get a break from his harpy wife.

I
t was
after 9 p.m. on Sunday. Lily had gone up to bed, Rowland was asleep in the downstairs bedroom, and Danielle managed to slip away from Stella, who was now watching television alone in the living room. Since Stella had no reason to come upstairs, Danielle decided to take this opportunity to slip up to the attic and see how Jack and Walt's reunion was going. Fortunately, the door to Hillary's room was closed.

“I'm surprised you stayed away so long,” Walt greeted when Danielle came into the attic. He sat with Jack on the sofa; each had a thin lit cigar.

Danielle's eyes went immediately to the cigar in Jack's hand. “You figured out how to do it?”

Jack took a puff and said, “These really aren't bad. I always preferred cigarettes, but this will do.”

“If you weren't already dead I'd be tempted to lecture you on the dangers of smoking,” Danielle said as she perched herself on one arm of the sofa, while waving away the influx of cigar smoke.

“Finally an advantage to being dead!” Jack said cheerfully before taking another puff.

“Have you two figured out what happened to Jack?” Danielle asked.

“The last thing he remembers is going to the motel, everything else is basically a blur until he remembers being onboard the Eva Aphrodite.”

“What about the money?” Danielle asked.

“If you're talking about the money Walt thought I stole—”

“I apologized for that,” Walt reminded Jack.

“Fair enough,” Jack said with a shrug. He then addressed his answer to Danielle. “It has to be where I left it. Unless of course, someone found it.”

“And where would that be?” Danielle asked. “According to Walt, he looked for it at the Hemmings house when you went missing, and it wasn't there.”

“Yes, but I moved it. Walt was concerned someone would break into George's place, and they'd find my hiding place. I didn't understand why bringing it over here would make any difference.”

Walt stood up. “You always had to argue over everything.”

Jack frowned up at Walt. “It's true. What difference would it have made, here or across the street? As long as it was well hidden.”

“Where you put it was the first place a crook would look,” Walt said.

“Which is why I moved it, to show you I could find an excellent hiding space.”

“Which was where?” Danielle asked.

“That's the problem, he can't remember.” Walt laughed.

“You can't remember?” Danielle asked.

“That's not entirely true. I'm sure it's somewhere at George's.”

“Are you saying there's over a million dollars worth of gold hidden across the street at Ian's?” Danielle asked.

Jack frowned. “Who said anything about a million dollars? It was only a couple thousand dollars.”

“Wasn't it in gold coin?” Danielle asked.

Jack shrugged. “Sure, so what?”

Danielle laughed. “Because about ten years after you were killed, the United States government made it illegal to hold gold coins or bullion. It was all recalled and melted down. It's legal to own gold coins today, and that money you hid is now worth a fortune. That's assuming it's still hidden and wasn't melted down.”

Jack shrugged and puffed his cigar. “Over a million you say?”

“I think so.”

Jack watched the smoke from his cigar swirl upwards. “If I knew it was worth so much, I would've looked for it when I was at George's. Although, not sure what good it'll do me now.”

“Do you think it's possible George found the treasure?” Danielle asked.

“If he did, it wasn't before I was killed. George knew about the missing money, and he would have given it back to me if he had found it.”

“Marie has never mentioned anything about finding a hidden treasure at her parent's house. As for Adam…” Danielle began to laugh. “Oh my, Adam would be so busy buying crazy things with that money; I can't imagine him keeping something like that to himself. Unless, of course, he was afraid he might lose it.”

“You think Adam found the money?” Walt asked.

Danielle considered the question a moment, “I rather find that hard to believe.”

“You find what hard to believe? And why are you up here alone talking to yourself?” Stella asked as she walked into the attic and looked around.

Danielle's heart lurched at the unexpected visitor. She abruptly stood. “Stella, what are you doing up here?”

“I was wondering the same thing about you.” Stella glanced around the room. “Who were you talking to?”

“I…I was just talking to myself,” Danielle stammered.

“I thought you said you were going to bed?”

“I just came up here to see if I turned off the lights.”

Stella started walking around the room, curiously peeking into each corner and nook. “And you decided to stay and talk to yourself?”

Danielle started walking toward the door. “Did you need me for something?”

“No, I was just bored down there alone. Rowland is snoring away. Thought I'd check out the attic. This is the room where you found that necklace, isn't it?”

Danielle looked helplessly at Walt and Jack, who responded with shrugs. She spent the next twenty minutes answering Stella's questions and showing her where she had found the necklace. Finally, she convinced Stella she needed to close up the attic and go to bed; it was getting late.

Begrudgingly, Stella made her way down from the attic with Danielle. When she wanted to continue talking, Danielle reminded her that Lily and Hillary were asleep in their rooms, and if they talked, they might wake them up.

As Stella made her way down the stairs from the second floor to the first, Danielle went to her bedroom. Her plan was to return to the attic after she was convinced Stella had gone to bed for the night. There was also the possibility Jack and Walt would simply come to her room to resume the conversation. In the meantime, she decided to lie down on her bed and close her eyes. Just for a couple of minutes.