Janet McNulty - Mellow Summers 07 - Two Ghosts Haunt a Grove (9 page)

He waited impatiently for me when I walked in. “Shut the door.”

I did.

“What’s up?”

“Well, since the other night when I went ghost hunting with you guys I haven’t been able to get it out of my head. So I looked up the transference of deeds for the Joseph Bourtonson’s place. The county owned it before Philip Kellmore bought it. He had received the deed last month.”

“I’m not seeing a connection,” I said.

“On the surface there isn’t any. But then I delved into the dispute filed by Stacy Kellmore against her brother Kyle. The dispute is not over the inheritance like the paper portrays, but over the Bourtonson property itself. Only the property.”

“Yeah,” I said, “I was up with Detective Shorts over a copy of an updated will by Philip Kellmore. But it wasn’t signed.”

“Updated will?”

“According to it, the property was to be divided between the siblings.”

“That would fit the dispute. She claims her rights to it were violated. Anyway, there is Philip’s sister, Alicia Kellmore. She is basically the matron of the family and runs everything, especially now that Phillip is dead.”

“How does this tie into the Bourtonson place?”

“According to Philip Kellmore’s credit card statement, he gassed up at the Last Stop once a day for the last week.”

The Last Stop was a small, family owned gas station about halfway between here and the Bourtonson estate. “Not unusual if you’re planning to develop the property.”

“Except he rarely visited his developments, especially to this extreme. And these stops were all done at around 2 in the morning.”

Okay, now that was odd and Jack had my attention. “Two in the morning? What was he doing there at two in the morning?”

“Good question,” said Jack. “And he had gone there the night before he died.”

“And talked to me.”

“I told you I had something.”

“Jack, do you think Mr. Kellmore stumbled upon something? I mean something illegal, not a ghost.”

“It’s possible.”

“Pot farm?”

“No,” said Jack, shaking his head. “College kids go up there all the time and plant a few, but no one bothers doing an entire farm there.”

“I wonder what it was and would have been worth killing for. Is there a way to make someone with a heart condition have a heart attack?”

“Plenty,” said Jack, “I knew a guy with a bad heart. The slightest scare would have triggered an attack. Philip Kellmore was old and known to have a bad heart. His constant trips up to that place and the stress at work wouldn’t have helped. So he may have seen something that scared the hell out of him, I’d say it’s possible.”

“Like if he was a big believer in the ghost legends and then thought he saw it.”

“Possible,” said Jack, “Anyway, I’ll keep digging and let you know what I find.”

“Thanks.”

I left his office and headed for the exit. Once outside, I yanked out my phone. Thanks to Detective Shorts, I now knew where Stacy lived. I dialed Greg first.

“Hello?”

“Greg, you off work?”

“Yeah.”

“Meet me at my place in twenty minutes.”

“Why?”

“Just do it.”

I hung up and dialed Jackie. “Jackie?”

“Mel, where have you been?”

“Doesn’t matter,” I said, “I’ll pick you up in twenty.. Wear boots and jeans.”

“Mel—”

I flipped my phone closed. Okay maybe I was a bit rude, but I hadn’t time to waste. I needed to talk with the family and Stacy Kellmore was a good place to start.

Chapter 7

I pulled into the apartment complex right on time with both Jackie and Greg waiting outside for me. “Get in,” I said.

“Mel, what is this about?” demanded Jackie.

“I know where Stacy Kellmore lives and need to speak with her.”

They both folded their arms.

“Please,” I begged, “I’ll explain on the way.”

That did it. They jumped in the car and I took off for Joseph Bourtonson’s place again.

Instead of taking the lonely road that went straight to the abandoned inn, I veered to the right at the fork in the road heading deeper into a wooded area. This was where Stacy Kellmore was supposed to be. Driving slowly, I kept a look out for anything that indicated we had found her. Nothing so far.

“Are you sure you know where you’re going?” asked Jackie.

“Pretty sure,” I replied. “According to Kyle his sister lives up here and has for quite a while. Sort of an outdoors, hippie type.”

“Great,” muttered Greg, “Another weird one.”

“I don’t think it’s going to be that bad,” I said.

“We’re lost,” Jackie piped up.

“No, we’re not,” I replied, growing more irritated.

Where was she? I knew this had to be the place. It was the only area that was close to the property.

A man seated on a horse caught my eye. He was a bit see-throughish; not at all like the hooded figure we saw a few days before. I slammed the brakes.

“What?” asked Greg, concerned.

The man on the horse turned casually and trotted off. Quickly, I hit the accelerator and turned the wheel determined to follow him and find out who he was. The car bounced and rocked violently as I sped through the wooded terrain on a trail barely wide enough for it.

“Mel!” screamed Jackie as she held on for dear life. “Mel, what are you doing?”

I didn’t pay any attention. I knew that that was the ghost I had seen earlier and he was leading me to something. Hopefully to something worthwhile. The car jolted again as my rear tire slammed into a giant rock. I took my foot off the accelerator a bit.

“Mel!” screamed both Jackie and Greg.

Suddenly, a woman darted out in front of me. With lightning fast reflexes I slammed the brakes bringing the car to a screeching halt missing the woman by inches. I jumped out of the car. “I’m terribly sorry—”

“Are you insane?” demanded the woman.

“No.”

“What the hell are you doing out here driving at ninety miles an hour! This place is no place for vehicles or maniac drivers!”

“I’m sorry,” I said, feeling very guilty at almost hitting her, “It’s just I saw this man on a horse and—”

“Man?” The woman stared at me suddenly alert, the near collision forgotten.

“Yeah,” I said.

Jackie and Greg got out of the car as well.

“Was he dressed in black?” asked the woman.

“No,” I replied, cautiously, “He was a bit see throughish and ghostly white.”

“Oh, well, next time be more careful,” said the woman, her tone changing 180 degrees, “The woods are no place for city folk.”

“Mel, really what was that all about?” demanded Greg.

“I’m sorry,” I said to him before turning back to the woman, “Look, we’re looking for Stacy Kellmore. She’s supposed to live up here or something.”

“And what do you want with me?” asked the woman as she took off her hat letting her blonde hair fall around her shoulders.

“Stacy?” I asked.

“Yes, that’s me. I’m Stacy Kellmore.”

“My name is Mel and this is Jackie and Greg. I just got done talking with your brother and wanted to talk to you about the property dispute you filed against him.”

“I don’t see why this is any of your business,” Stacy brushed some dirt off of her jeans.

“Please,” I began.

“Look, Stacy,” Jackie interrupted me, “Mel talks to ghosts. Your father sought her out and told her he was murdered and now she is trying to solve it.”

Thanks, Jackie. Way to go. Just let the entire secret out. Now Stacy probably thought that I was nuts.

“Really?” said Stacy, the look on her face indicated that she believed Jackie, “Why didn’t you just say so?”

“Most people don’t believe me,” I replied.

Stacy glanced around as though she searched for something. “I’m not most people. My place is this way. You can leave the car here no one’s going to bother it.”

She walked through a patch of trees and underbrush with the rest of us in tow. I was glad that I had decided to wear my boots and told Jackie to do the same. I’m not sure how long we walked, but I worked up a good sweat; not that it was hard to do in this heat and humidity.

After a while we came upon a camper with a generator. Traps and plants lay all about with a few tables and chairs.

“You live out here?” I asked.

“Mostly,” said Stacy, “I have an apartment back in town, but I’m only there when the weather is bad or winter. I prefer the outdoors. Being out in nature is invigorating.”

“Your brother said that you were a hippie,” said Greg. I suddenly regretted telling him everything Kyle had told me on the trip up here. “But you don’t seem so crazy to me.”

I could have smacked him.

“Not sure how I should take that,” said Stacy.

“Stacy, Greg didn’t mean—”

“Don’t worry about it,” Stacy interrupted me, “I’m used to it. My brother and cousins have called me a lot worse and nothing compares to what my aunt used to say to me. I spend as little time with them as possible.”

“So why are you out here?” asked Jackie.

“I work for the wildlife preserve. I spend my days tracking the wildlife, their eating, mating, and hibernation habits. I also research the effect humans have on them. For over five years I have been coming up here conducting research. When I get enough, I will submit it with a request to turn this place into a preserve, including the Bourtonson place.”

“So that’s why you filed the dispute,” I said.

“Partly,” Stacy opened a cooler and pulled out a bottle of water. “Thirsty?”

“Yes,” Jackie practically lunged for one. I couldn’t blame her. It was hot.

“What’s the other part of it?” I asked as I took the water offered to me.

“My father bought that place at first with the intention of building a resort. You know, a place where people could come and relax.”

“And you didn’t like that idea?” asked Greg.

“Oh, I have no problem with it,” said Stacy, “People need a place to unwind. But as I’ve said, there is quite an animal population up here and as we continue to encroach on their territory, they have no place to go. So I talked with my father and showed him my plans of building a preserve.

“At first he was a bit resistant, but after spending some time out here with me he changed his mind. Kyle, of course, was livid.”

“So he knew?” I asked.

“Of course he knew,” replied Stacy, “My father never kept secrets. A few weeks ago he told both Kyle and I that he was changing his will. He had decided that the Bourtonson property was to be divided in half. Half of it would be turned into a resort and the other half would be set up as a wildlife preserve, in which a portion of the profits from the resort would go to it for maintenance. I was thrilled by the idea.”

“Let me guess,” said Jackie, “Kyle wasn’t.”

“Not in the slightest,” said Stacy, “He threw a tantrum right there in my dad’s office.”

“How come the police don’t know any of this?” asked Greg.

“Why would they bother?” said Stacy, “They ruled my father’s death a heart attack.”

“Did your father ever make out another will?” I asked.

“He said he was going to have one drawn up and signed this week. Unfortunately, he died before it could happen.”

“And because of that, the original will is the one that stands,” said Greg.

“Yes, giving my brother all of my father’s business and its assets which includes the Bourtonson place. Do you think my brother murdered my father?”

“I don’t know at this point,” I replied, “It’s just that things don’t add up.”

“Well, my brother is a scumbag, but you might want to look at my aunt. There’s a cold blooded witch right there.”

“Your aunt?” said Greg.

“Yeah,” replied Stacy, “She lives at my father’s place, which is now my brother’s house. My mom lives there as well, but she’s been ill with Alzheimer’s. They keep her locked up in a room on the top floor and won’t let me visit. It’s my Aunt Alicia who runs things.”

“Where is your father’s house?”

“It’s on the south end of town. Nice big place on about thirty acres of land.”

“Mel,” said Jackie, “I don’t think her aunt is going to want to speak with us.”

She was right about that. I got lucky with Kyle giving me an open invitation, but showing up unannounced at his house was another matter.

“You could sneak in with the servants,” said Stacy.

My ears perked up. Was she actually offering us a way to break into what had been her father’s home? “Pardon?”

“My aunt always has people coming and going. Plumbers, electricians, caterers, and the hired help. She hires gardeners, but they are normally not allowed in the house. In fact, she is having a party tomorrow that is being catered by the Winebridge Catering Service.”