Ghost of a Gamble (Granny Apples Mystery) (23 page)

Like Phil showed her, Emma took aim with the pistol.

“Lloyd,” she shouted into the small space.

When the startled young man turned, Emma fired.

E
MMA
sidled up to John Foster. “Granny and Lenny want to know where Nicholas is. They want to play with him.”

Foster laughed and looked at the empty air on both sides of Emma. “Sorry, guys, but I told my wife to stay at her parents’ place awhile longer.” Then he turned his attention back on Emma. “You did say he’d grow out of this ghost thing in time, right?”

“Most children do,” Emma assured him. “Then there are those like Milo who never lose it and those like me who develop communication with spirits later in life.”

“No offense, but let’s hope my son is of the first variety.”

“Humpf,” groused Granny. “He’s no fun.”

It was Saturday evening. They were at Dolly Meskiel’s home. She had wanted to have a combination going-away and thank-you party for everyone. The next morning Emma and Phil were driving back to California. Quinn was catching a plane home and they were giving him a lift to the airport on their way out of town. Milo and Tracy had decided to stay a couple more days. Milo was getting to know Lenny and acting as the conduit between him and Dolly. He was learning a lot about his father, and his spirit communication skills were no longer on the fritz.

Phil came up to Emma with a glass of wine and handed it to her. “Pretty fancy spread just to say good-bye to us, isn’t it? And I’ve just seen the hors d’oeuvres. God only knows what’s going on in the kitchen. They won’t let anyone in there.” He indicated the screens that had been placed across the entry to the dining area and kitchen to make his point.

“Smells good, though,” said John. He lifted his nose and sniffed.

“It was Tracy’s doing,” answered Emma. “She hired a caterer so Dolly wouldn’t have to fuss and went all out.” Emma laughed and looked at Foster. “Tracy is an all-or-nothing person. Always has been.”

“So, John,” said Phil, “what’s going to happen to the Garbys?”

“They’ve been charged with soliciting to commit murder and kidnapping. Lloyd Garby has been charged with kidnapping. Howard cut a deal, which doesn’t surprise me. He confessed and told us everything about the setup. It really does seem like it was all Gene’s idea. Lloyd also confessed. It’s just a matter of time before Gene does, too. There’s too much evidence against him.”

“I’m glad they’re cooperating,” said Phil. “I’d hate to see this ghost business and Emma in the limelight during a trial.”

“Me, too,” said Emma.

“Yeah,” said Foster, “but it would make for an interesting trial and would certainly boost your show’s ratings.”

“Sensationalism is more my ex-husband’s style,” Emma answered, “not mine.”

“You know,” Foster told them, “that woman from Desert Sun came forward.”

“Claudine?” Emma asked.

“No, Gloria Youngblood. She’s the one who tipped you off to the Garbys, isn’t she? At least that’s what she told us in her statement.”

Emma nodded. “But she was so frightened, there was no way I would have given you her name. She’s really the one who changed the game for us. That and figuring out the Dolan Springs location.”

Emma’s face clouded over as she took a drink of her wine. “It’s too bad about Frankie Varga, though.”

Foster shrugged. “He made his choices.”

Granny’s intel about the gun had been wrong. Frankie had more than one gun and had taken one with him when he left the trailer. He’d pulled it and fired at Quinn in anger over his truck, striking him in the thigh. He was about to fire again when Foster shot and killed him, kicking off the gunfight on Ironwood Drive.

“Still, a death is a death,” Emma said with a half sigh. “But better him than any of you.” They were all silent for a moment.

“What about Nemo?” Foster asked, breaking the silence. “Will he be causing any more problems?”

“I doubt it,” Emma answered. “When he left with Madeline, I asked him not to come back. He may or he may not, but I don’t think he’ll be causing any mischief if he does.”

“What about the money?” Phil asked Foster. “Will your family get it eventually?”

Foster shook his head. “The casino was insured, so it will go to the insurance company once it’s released from evidence. I called my great-uncle and told him about it. He was quite excited. He said the insurance company initially didn’t want to pay up because they were sure it was an inside job.”

Emma thought about Bert. It had been an inside job, but she didn’t say anything. There was no need.

“By the time they did,” Foster continued, “the casino was sold. He wanted to call up the insurance company and give them a piece of his mind, but I think I talked him out of it.” Foster laughed. “Uncle Nicky is quite a character.”

Quinn hobbled over on crutches. “Hey, sports fans.”

“Saw you talking to Laura,” noted Phil. “How’s she doing?”

“Seems okay,” Quinn answered. “She’s a pretty fascinating young woman and very resilient. I learned she’s from Oklahoma and has been on her own since she was like thirteen or fourteen.”

Emma studied the girl, who was sitting on the sofa with Dolly. The two were talking with their heads close together. Dolly was holding Laura’s hand. “Did she say anything about how she got the scars on her face?”

“Her father did that,” answered Foster. “According to her, he cut her up in a drunken rage when she was a young girl. She’s had several surgeries. After the final one healed, she took off.”

“What an awful thing to go through.” Emma’s mouth turned downward as she fought the tears threatening to well.

“Uh-oh,” said Phil. “I know that look.”

Emma turned to him. “What look?”

“That
here’s another little chick to rescue
look.”

Emma gently slapped Phil’s shoulder, but didn’t deny her tendency to help young people.

Phil turned to Foster. “Emma’s the earth mother to all lost girls and boys, both living and dead.”

Foster laughed and took a sip from his own drink. “I can see that, and it’s not just boys and girls, I’m betting.” He looked at Emma. “You went after Lloyd Garby like he was threatening your personal brood.”

“He was.” Emma’s words held no humor. She’d shot Lloyd without so much as a second thought or shake of the hand. The bullet from her gun caught him in the shoulder just as he turned to face her. He now had an injury to match his father’s. Soon after, they’d heard sirens approaching. Surrounded by Mohave County deputies, the Garbys surrendered. Foster had called the sheriff as soon as Frankie was down.

“That’s my girl,” Phil said with pride, putting an arm around her. “She’s a dead shot on the range,” he told Foster. “A natural.” He gave Emma a squeeze. “And to think you fussed when I taught you about guns, saying you’d never need it.”

She gave Phil a small smile. “That I did. But I hope I never need it again.”

Phil gave her a quick kiss on the side of her forehead. “Me, too.”

“Well, I don’t think you’ll need to worry about Laura,” said Quinn. “Dolly’s applying to be her mother figure.” They looked back over at the sofa and saw the two fortune-tellers in an embrace. “And Milo is going to be her mentor.”

“Yes,” said Emma. “He seems quite eager to test her skills and see where she is with them. He’ll be very good for her. He’s already told me that Laura is a ball of raw talent that needs shaping.” She looked around. “Speaking of Milo, I haven’t seen either him or Tracy for a while.”

Foster indicated the hallway. “I saw the two of them head that way a bit ago.” He was about to say something else when he noticed Dolly waving him over to the sofa. “Excuse me,” he said to them with a smile. “I’m being summoned.”

Quinn adjusted himself on the crutches and looked at Phil. “So did you ask her?”

“Ask me what?” Emma looked at the two men with suspicion.

Phil cleared his throat. “I’m thinking that instead of sticking Quinn on a plane in the morning, he can ride back to Cali with us. He could stay at one of our places in Julian until his leg is better.”

The surprise on Emma’s face melted into a smile. “I think that’s a great idea, but you don’t need my permission to have a sleepover with your little friend.”

The two grown men laughed, then Quinn said, “Please, Mom, please. I don’t have school for at least three weeks.”

“School?” Emma asked.

Quinn nodded. “I’m giving a short lecture series at a university in about a month. I can prepare while my leg mends.”

Emma laughed. “Okay, but don’t call me Mom. Save that for Phil’s aunt Susan. It won’t matter if you stay at my house or Phil’s; she’s going to fuss over you until you beg for mercy.”

Quinn grinned. “Sounds great to me.”

“Did I hear right?” Granny floated over. “Is Indiana coming to stay with us?”

“Yes, Granny, he is,” Emma confirmed. “For a couple of weeks until his leg heals.”

“Hot diggity!”

“Granny votes yes,” Emma told the men.

Quinn looked around until Emma pointed him in the right direction. “Thanks, Granny.”

“He can rock with me and my man Jacob on the porch. Does he like
CSI
? Old movies? We can watch TV together. I need someone to work the remote when you’re not around.”

Emma laughed. “Granny has plans of her own for you,” she told Quinn.

“And I can teach you how to communicate with her,” added Phil.

Quinn was surprised. “You understand Granny?”

“I don’t hear her, but we’ve worked out a little routine.”

Phil’s demonstration was interrupted by an exclamation from Dolly. “Oh my!”

All eyes turned to Dolly, then to where her eyes were fixed. She was staring at the entrance to the hallway. Coming down it was Tracy and Milo, arm in arm. Milo was dressed in a dark suit and Tracy in a white tea-length lace dress. Her hair was pulled up. She was wearing makeup and holding a bouquet of sterling roses, which Emma knew were her favorite flowers. No one spoke, but gaped at the two of them with open mouths.

Tracy nudged Milo. “Welcome to our wedding,” he announced, his voice a little shaky.

“What?” exclaimed Emma, going to her friend. She turned to Dolly. “Did you know about this?”

Dolly shrugged. “I was sworn to secrecy.”

Emma looked at Tracy with tears in her eyes. “You didn’t tell me?”

“We wanted it to be a surprise,” Tracy said with a big grin. “Surprise!”

“Can I hug you or will it mess you up? You look so beautiful.”

“Emma Whitecastle, if you don’t hug me right this minute, I’m going to smack you with my flowers.”

The two women embraced, then Emma hugged Milo. “But what about your family in Chicago?” she asked Tracy.

“They can give us a big reception if they want,” the bride answered. “But after what happened this week, we decided to get married now while we’re all together safe and sound.”

“And while Lenny is with us,” added Milo. He looked over to his right, where the ghost of Lenny Speidel beamed with pride. Milo looked at Dolly. “What more can I ask for than to have both of my parents here on this special day.”

Dolly touched a tissue to her eyes and smiled.

With her hands on her hips, Granny said to Emma, “Maybe this will give you and the cowboy the kick in the pants you need.”

Emma frowned at the ghost, but Milo laughed out loud. Everyone else looked confused until Milo said one simple word of explanation: “Granny.”

Emma touched Tracy’s shoulder and grinned. “I can’t believe you pulled this together in just two days. You usually need a week to decide which movie to see.”

“It wasn’t rocket science,” the bride explained with a smile. “There are only eight guests and the dress is off the rack.” She linked an arm through Emma’s. “Now, come with me. There’s a bouquet for you in the kitchen because you’re my maid of honor.”

Milo approached Phil. “I was hoping you’d be my best man.”

Phil stuck out his right hand to Milo. “I’d be honored.”

The ceremony was held on Dolly’s patio under a trellis of flowers, performed by a justice of the peace who did not look like Elvis.