Ghostly Tours (Sweetfern Harbor Mystery Book 4) Read online

  “Phyllis and William wanted to do it. If you want in on that one, you’d better hurry. Groups are filling up fast.”

  After the three hurried away to join the tour, Brenda dialed the police station. Bryce took her call.

  “Don’t tell me you have another ghost over there, Brenda,” Bryce joked.

  “Not even a peep. I wanted to run something by you.” She told him about the Halloween celebration for staff and friends the next night. When she finished, she said, “Are you game?”

  The detective’s voice carried animation. “I’ll be there early. Mac told me he will be there and he’s already got someone else lined up on call.” He laughed. “Don’t be surprised if both of us have to escape your party with no warning. It seems Halloween night can get lively around this town.”

  “I understand that. Maybe Mac will have enough patrols out that neither of you will have to go in.”

  When she ended the call, she took a few steps up toward the second floor, pausing at the landing to listen. William’s voice told the story of the murdered young husband, the first known murder in Sheffield House. His tone was low and eerie, and she could tell his audience was rapt. She didn’t catch his last phrase but the squeals from above told her he did his job. She returned to the front lobby with a smile. A few minutes later the group descended. A few said nothing but others were chatting about the mysterious death of the young husband.

  “I can’t believe his was the first murder. And in the same room as Ellen Teague,” said one guest. “I think the Captain’s Room really is haunted. They should rename it the Ghost Room.”

  Her companion answered. “I heard a lot of people in town already call it Ellen’s Room. Would you be willing to spend a night in that room?”

  The woman shuddered. “I’m not so sure.”

  Brenda took a deep breath. She had a feeling the Captain’s Room would never be known by its rightful name.

  When the last tour was in progress, Mac came into the bed and breakfast. “How’s it all going?”

  “It’s been a big success,” Brenda beamed, giving him a hug. “I think we’ll get an even bigger crowd tomorrow night. Phyllis said several in her group bought tickets again hoping to see something paranormal on Halloween night. I doubt they’ll get their wish but if they are willing to pay a second time, that’s fine with me.” She smiled at her fiancé. “Sweetfern Harbor must be quiet tonight, it seems like everyone has been here. Do you want something to eat?”

  Mac followed her into the dining room. Chef Morgan was replenishing hot cocoa and spiced apple cider in carafes on the sideboard and waved to Mac and Brenda before she returned to the kitchen. When she returned, she carried two large glass pitchers of something orange that she poured into dainty little glasses for the guests returning from the candlelight tours. Black straws were placed in the glasses, which clinked with ice.

  “What kind of specially-brewed drink is this, Morgan?” Mac asked her.

  “This is my own secret recipe. Taste it and tell me what you think.”

  Mac sipped the liquid and grinned. “That’s very good. But I think your secret recipe is pure orange Kool-Aid.”

  Morgan chuckled. “You guessed part of it Mac, but if you taste again you might pick up a few added spices.” She winked and added, “Don’t give away my secrets, now, you hear?” and turned to go back to the kitchen.

  Brenda tasted the drink and she and Mac took turns guessing at the spices. Mac was flummoxed but Brenda easily guessed that it was a mix of pumpkin pie spice and ginger. Satisfied, they carried paper plates along the table and Mac filled his plate with enough to feed two people. Brenda knew his pattern. He probably hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast, if he had even been lucky enough to have any time to think since then.

  Mac looked around the dining room, where he realized guests could wander in at any moment. “Can we sit somewhere private? I have more details about how Thornton Chambers managed to get in and out of the room where he left Luke Michaels’ body.” Brenda suggested they retreat to the quiet library, and Mac agreed. He closed the door behind them and they sat down at a small table together. “As we know, Thornton was familiar with the bed and breakfast, since he drove William over here often to see Phyllis.” Mac mentioned that William had been using his chauffeur more often after developing knee problems. “It was getting harder for him to manage the gas pedal with his right leg.”

  Brenda nodded. “Phyllis mentioned that he will have knee surgery in two weeks.”

  “Apparently, while William spent time with Phyllis, Thornton spent his time surveying your premises. Once he decided on the rear fire escape as his best entrance, he knew he found a way to get in unnoticed after everyone was in bed.”

  “But that door can’t be accessed from outside without a key. Otherwise anyone could just waltz in,” Brenda said in consternation. “I know my uncle set it up securely, and I have double-checked the lock many times myself.”

  “That didn’t deter him. He had plenty of time to roam around the inn unnoticed at night.” Mac swept his hands in a wide arc and Brenda felt sick, thinking of Thornton Chambers skulking around at night, unseen. “There are plenty of places to hide around here. He managed to come back one night while everyone was eating dinner. He went right upstairs and unlocked the fire escape door without being detected. The morning Phyllis heard the moaning was the morning he decided to try out the ghost act. He pushed himself against the back wall of the dressing room and covered himself with stacked linens. When he heard her coming in, he moaned. She did hear the sounds.”

  “So it wasn’t a ghost. It was a man’s voice.”

  “Exactly. When she fled, he took off and exited through the fire escape again. There’s one last detail that you should hear,” Mac said with a grimace. “He said he spent a lot of time in the passageway between the two rooms, sometimes staying there overnight. He told us he felt like his kin had so much history here that he ought to own this place, not you. He would creep in, no matter who was sleeping there, and conceal himself in that middle passageway.”

  Brenda gasped. “That explains a lot. If he was opening doors in the middle of the night, he would have let in cold air that woke people up.” She shuddered again, picturing his stooped form in the darkness. “I can’t believe his twisted mind believed that a legacy of murder would grant him a single shred of ownership of this beautiful house.” Mac nodded in mute sympathy. “How did he get in all those times? Especially into the Captain’s Room when I spent the night in there? I don’t know about the other guests, but I know for sure I locked that door.”

  “That’s another thing,” Mac said. “Among his skills as a chef and chauffeur, he’s an accomplished lockpicker.”

  “I guess we need a security upgrade. First the fire escape door, now lock picking? I know my Uncle Randolph never had to deal with this kind of thing,” Brenda said, shaking her head sadly. “I may hire someone to keep watch on the first floor during the night. We always lock the front door around nine o’clock. If any guests are out later than that, their keys fit the lock so they can get back in.”

  “Let me know what you decide about that and I’ll help you formulate a plan to make it work for you. Now, let’s dig in. I haven’t eaten since very early this morning except for downing coffee most of the day.”

  Later that night when the bed and breakfast emptied of tourists, Brenda checked in with her staff as they finished up for the night. With a happy yawn, Allie told Brenda she had taken care of all the candles on the lower floor. Phyllis said she would go upstairs with Brenda and make sure all the lanterns were extinguished and the decorations turned off on the other floors. Finally, Brenda was satisfied that everything was in order and they came back down from the attic to the second floor.

  “I want to check the fire escape door,” Brenda said.

  “I don’t think that door is unlocked. We’ve never had to use it, thank goodness.”

  Brenda told her how Thornton Chambers had managed to bri
ng a dead body into the Captain’s Room, unseen. Phyllis gasped, glancing over at the fire escape with shock.

  “How awful. I have to admit I wondered how he managed that. Let’s check it together.”

  The door was secured as expected and Brenda thanked her housekeeper for her hard work. She felt lucky to work alongside such a good friend to make things go smoothly. Phyllis, for her part, bid Brenda good night, went to her apartment, and slept soundly until morning.

  Brenda returned to her own second-floor apartment and finally stretched out on her bed. Recalling how she rejected any idea of her bed and breakfast being haunted, she contemplated the tours so far. Even after covering expenses for supplies and the catered desserts, it was clear the Halloween tours were a hit and a profit generator. She toyed with the idea that these supposed hauntings could be a draw for tourists instead of something to hide except for one weekend a year. If overnight guests were told of the Captain’s Room history, they could decide if they wanted to stay in the room or not. From the intense interest the tour had generated, she had a feeling there would be more takers for this than they could keep up with. She smiled. As she drifted off to sleep, she pictured Allie’s beautifully painted poster image rendered on a t-shirt, with ‘I survived a night in the Ghost Room at the Sheffield Bed and Breakfast’ on the back.

  The next morning, Brenda was downstairs earlier than usual. The front desk lights were still dimmed and she heard the clatter of dishes as Phyllis set the table in the dining room. The aroma of brewing coffee pulled her toward the kitchen where she greeted chef Morgan. Two servers were tying their aprons on and greeted her tiredly. Brenda offered a cheerful greeting in return, poured a cup of coffee and took it into the dining room.

  “You’re bright as a daisy this morning,” Phyllis said with a smile.

  “I have a lot to do today. Tonight is Halloween and we have to prepare for the largest group for the candlelight tours yet. And I have one more important thing to work on as well.” Phyllis raised her eyebrows. “You’ll know soon enough. By the way, I plan to lead the last tour tonight.”

  “I’m glad you are back into the spirit of it all. You did a great job the first night. You and William should go on the road together.”

  “I heard part of his show and he was very good. But I think I had an especially captive audience with that mummy on the bed. I hope I never see anything like that again.”

  Phyllis agreed with her and refilled Brenda’s cup and then her own. They sat and discussed the reactions of those on the tours. Allie came in and joined them.

  “These tours are really going over better than I thought. Now we can add another story about the mummy on the bed in Ellen’s…I mean, in the Captain’s Room. Do you want me to write that in for our last night of tours?” Allie’s excitement about gruesome happenings in the Sheffield Bed and Breakfast didn’t waver.

  “You can do that if you want,” Brenda said. “I’m planning to lead the last tour of the night. Let’s try to keep the crowd here until that tour is over.”

  “Do you mean you want everyone to stay even though they’ve already taken a tour?” Phyllis asked.

  “I want all ticket holders to go through until the last tour that I’ll give. That one will be open to anyone who wants a freebie. Don’t announce the free tour. Just tell everyone there will be a surprise if they want to wait around.”

  By now, Phyllis’ curiosity overcame her. “Tell us your plan or we’ll go on strike,” she teased.

  Brenda laughed. “I will tell you two, but you must keep it all a secret. I have a great idea how to end our first annual Halloween candlelight tours with a bang.” She motioned for them to come back to Allie’s small office behind the front desk.

  When settled, both employees were all ears. Brenda told them her plan. When finished, she said, “I think there will be plenty of room for a lot of people up there in the second-floor hallway. It’s very wide and should work well.”

  Both women agreed. “It will be hard to keep that to myself all day long, but I promised you that I would, and so I will,” Allie said with excitement. “I won’t even tell my mother.”

  Brenda thanked her and then enlisted their help. She could hardly keep the smile from her face, but it was worth it to plan such an incredible surprise for everyone.

  Chapter Nine

  Déjà Vu

  It was decided that chef Morgan and her helpers had outdone themselves throughout the Halloween weekend with the creation of sumptuous treats and delicacies. For the final evening, Brenda instructed them to make simple fare.

  “Hope Williams will deliver a batch of pumpkin and oatmeal cookies, as well as some other flavors,” Brenda told Morgan. “I want everything served to be finger food only. Make the easiest drinks to prepare. I want you to be able to enjoy tonight, too.” Morgan smiled and promised she and her team were ready.

  Brenda thanked her chef for her hard work that had contributed to the successful weekend so far. Food was not the highlight of her plans tonight, however. Meanwhile, she had a very important phone call to make. She excused herself from her staff and called the librarian.

  “I want to personally invite you here tonight, Mrs. Perch. You played such an important role in the research of the stories we have been telling the guests, after all. If you wish, someone can pick you up and drive you here.”

  “That would be lovely! I wanted to come see your tour, but I do not drive at night. I’m afraid my night vision is not as clear as it once was.”

  “Then it’s settled. I’ll have someone pick you up at seven if that’s all right with you.”

  Mrs. Perch agreed. Before she thanked Brenda, she remarked, “I was so sorry to hear you had an encounter of your own at the Sheffield Bed and Breakfast – and then a mummy, I hear? I suppose these latest events will have to be added to the second book.”

  Brenda laughed. “Adding to that book is preferable to having to start a third one. I just hope this is the last crime at the Sheffield. And at least the culprit was caught and has confessed.”

  Mrs. Perch’s last comment was accompanied with a disapproving click of her tongue. “That poor Mr. Michaels being left in that freezer for so long like that. You’ll have to tell me the whole story.”

  Brenda assured her she would sit down soon and relate everything to her. It seemed even the town librarian liked a little bit of gossip, even if she preferred to think of it as research.

  That night at an early dinner, Brenda, Phyllis and Allie were anxious to get the evening moving along. Allie ate quickly and then returned to the front desk. Bryce Jones walked in and winked at her. “I’m here for the ghost inspection, ma’am. Where are all the ghosts around here?”

  “Most are upstairs on the second floor,” Allie laughed. She thought how lucky Jenny Rivers was to find a catch like Detective Jones. She knew she was only a teenager, but sometimes Allie had a hard time looking past his movie-star handsome face and perfect physique to really think about details like that. She smiled at him dreamily.

  “I’m here to see your boss, actually,” he prompted Allie politely. The young girl blushed and jumped up to fetch Brenda from the dining room.

  Brenda came out and greeted Bryce, who wanted to see the second floor. He said despite the increased patrols, it was still important to ensure that the crime scene was properly sealed. They headed upstairs so Brenda could check the locks and show him.

  “Looks like it’s pretty secure. As you know, we don’t lead tours into the room where it all happened. I’m still surprised Thornton Chambers confessed to everything so easily.”

  Bryce was adjusting the crime scene tape. “He’s self-centered. He still seems proud of what he pulled off. Now let’s get to where I come in tonight,” he said, turning to the more important business at hand.

  Brenda went over the details with Bryce. “The last tour won’t be happening until around ten or ten-thirty. William tells me tickets are sold out. I was glad to hear that since I didn’t want the tours to g
o on all night. I think we’re ready for the grand finale, don’t you?” Her eyes were alight with anticipation.

  “I agree. Someday we will both be on Broadway.”

  When Bryce left, Brenda spoke with Phyllis and Allie about one last detail. “I don’t think we should pass out candles tonight. Let’s make it even darker and spookier.” They agreed with her. It seemed Brenda really was getting into the spirit of things.

  Brenda continued, “The leader will carry a lantern at the head of the group and whoever follows at the end will carry another one. We can turn on the dim nightlights that are every few steps on the staircase. That will be enough light for them to see the steps.”

  “This will be the best night of all,” Allie enthused. “Let’s get started.” Allie was dressed as a wood sprite in a delicate pale green dress with glitter spray on her bare arms, and Phyllis had chosen a Queen of Hearts ensemble with a black-and-red skirt and matching collar. Allie had done everyone’s makeup perfectly.

  The lights along the walkway outside came on automatically as twilight fell upon Sweetfern Harbor, casting the desired spooky ambience onto the historic mansion. The full moon peeking through the silver-edged clouds only added to the spectral atmosphere that hovered over Sheffield Bed and Breakfast.

  William drove in and parked near the entrance. Phyllis noticed how stiffly he got out of his car.

  “I should have thought to come and get you, William,” she said with concern. “I don’t know why I let that skip my mind. I’ll take you home when everything is over tonight. How’s your knee?”

  William waved her off. “Don’t worry about me, Phyllis. You have enough going on tonight. Once I’m in the car, I am fine. It’s the getting in and out that is bothersome but I’m here and ready to take tickets again. Every last one has been sold. This idea has been a huge success.” He was costumed as Rip Van Winkle, with a comically long gray beard and an old-fashioned suit that was purposely patched and frayed. He still looked quite gentlemanly when he donned a straw hat and carried his corn cob pipe in one hand.