The Death Planner (Storage Ghost Murders Book 6) (6 page)

Chapter
13

Grace
woke up early the next day and soon discovered a text from Frankie. He informed
her that he would be late into the shop that morning. Grace noticed that the
text had been sent at 3 a.m. What was he doing at that time of the morning? She
quickly shook her head as an unwanted image tried to make its way into her
thoughts.

She
jumped out of bed, eager to begin her day. She sang as she put the kettle on.
Pearl was right about her being on her own, it was nice to do what she wanted
without having to refer to anyone else.

Grace
was still in a happy mood as she walked into the shop at 8 a.m. She went into
the kitchen and found Pearl sitting at the kitchen table.

Pearl
smiled and said, “You look lovely this morning, I don’t think I’ve ever seen
such a sparkle in your eyes. Are you drunk? Have you been taking some happy
pills?”

Grace
laughed. “No! I feel good today. I feel like I’ve got a purpose in my life.”
She paused, unsure whether to carry on. “I could help those ghosts of yours,
the ones that need help.”

Pearl
stood up. “No, thanks. Tell me what you found out yesterday. Did you confront
Elsa? What did she say when you said you could see ghosts? Did she slap you?
Swear at you? Show you the door?”

Grace
shook her head. “None of those. Sit back down and I’ll tell you everything.”

Pearl
did so. She listened as Grace told her about the mystery man. When she’d
finished, Pearl said, “We need to get some answers from Jenny. I think you
should try going into a vision again.” Pearl tapped the kitchen table in an
irritated manner. “I don’t mind helping these ghosts but it would be a lot
easier if they stopped wallowing in self-pity!”

“Where’s
Jenny now?”

Pearl
waved vaguely towards a wall. “Organising something or other.” She stood up and
walked towards the door that led to the shop. “You’ve got customers queuing up
outside. You’d better let them in before they break the door down. I’ll have a
word with Jenny, I might need to get tough with her. This murder business needs
sorting out quickly.” Pearl frowned and looked away from Grace.

Grace
could see that Pearl was worried about something. She didn’t have time to
question her as a knock sounded out from the shop door.

Pearl
tutted and said, “Some people are so impatient. Off you go, Grace. You do what
you have to do, and I’ll … I’ll see you later.” She vanished without another
word.

Grace
made herself a quick cup of tea. It wasn’t even 9 o’clock yet. The impatient
customers could wait a few more minutes.

Five
minutes later, Grace unlocked the shop door. She opened it a fraction and said
in a firm voice, “No shoving! No pushing! And no haggling! The price on the
label is the only price! Okay?”

The
customers nodded meekly, unused to Grace using such a firm tone with them.

Grace
gave them a smile and opened the door. She wasn’t sure where that surge of confidence
had come from. Perhaps she was channelling her inner-Pearl.

Two
hours quickly passed as Grace dealt with one customer after another. Her feet
began to ache and she became desperate for the toilet. She checked her phone a
few times to see if Frankie had an update on his expected time of arrival.
Nothing.

Grace
was about to ask a trusted customer to take over for a moment when the door
opened and Frankie came in. He was holding the hand of a woman.

All
thoughts of paying a visit to the toilet disappeared as Grace looked Beth up
and down. She had short dark hair, a slim figure and was dressed in jeans and a
light purple jumper. At first sight, she didn’t look anything special. But then
Grace looked at Beth’s face. It was a kind face, the face of someone who cared
about others. She had twinkly brown eyes which now focused on Grace.

Beth
took her hand from Frankie’s and stepped forward. She smiled at Grace, her
front tooth was slightly crooked which only added to the friendliness of her
face. She wasn’t some impossibly beautiful ‘angel’. She was normal. And Grace
took to her immediately.

Beth
handed over a paper bag and a cardboard-covered cup. “Hello, you must be Grace.
I’m sorry I’ve kept Frankie out so late. I’ve brought you a sandwich and some
coffee. You probably haven’t had time to think this morning, let alone have a
hot drink!” Beth quickly took in her surroundings. “I didn’t know it would be
this busy! Frankie, you shouldn’t have left Grace alone all this time!” Beth
leaned closer to Grace. “Do you need to go to the … you know. I have to go all
the time!”

Grace
warmed to Beth even more. She took the coffee and sandwich. “Thank you. I do
need to go, but I can wait.”

“Nonsense.
You go now.” Beth placed her handbag on the shop counter. She turned to Frankie
and said, “Get round there, Frankie. Your poor sister has been run off her
feet.”

Frankie
nodded and gave Beth a soppy smile. He looked like he was under some sort of
spell. He moved round to Grace’s side of the counter.

Beth
pointed at the paper bag. “I hope you don’t mind but I bought you a chocolate
brownie too.”

Grace
smiled at her new friend. No wonder Frankie had fallen for her.

Beth
came round to Grace’s side and said, “You go and have a break. I’ll help
Frankie.”

Frankie
gave Beth another soppy smile. Grace took the paper bag and cup with thanks.
She quickly walked away from the counter before Frankie came to his senses. She
headed towards the kitchen, hoping that Jenny would be there.

Jenny
was there. Grace stopped in her tracks when she saw what Jenny was doing.

Chapter
14

Jenny
was standing in the corner of the kitchen. She was screaming and waving her
clipboard madly in front of her.

Grace
felt like screaming too when she saw what, or who, Jenny was waving her board
at. Grace quickly put her coffee and paper bag on the kitchen table, planted
her hands on her hips and said firmly, “Right! That’s enough! Stop right
there!”

The
wailing ghosts that were converging on Jenny stopped in their tracks. There was
silence for a moment then a thin man in a business suit shouted, “She has to
help us! I have to see Sarah! I have to tell her something!”

The
other ghosts began moaning and groaning. Grace held her hands up. “No one is
going to help you if you carry on like that! Step away from Jenny. Can’t you
see that you’re scaring her?” Some of the ghosts lowered their outstretched
hands. Some took a step closer to Jenny who was now whimpering. Grace felt
anger rising in her. There was steel in her voice as she hissed, “I said that
was enough.”

All
the ghosts turned towards Grace. The thin man pointed a bony finger at her.
“You! You have to help us!”

Pearl
suddenly appeared at Grace’s side. Grace had never seen her look so angry.
Pearl raised her fist towards the ghosts and yelled, “What have I told you lot?
I told you to be patient! I told you to wait! How dare you come into this world
without my invitation!”

The
thin man began to argue, “But we …”

“Oi!
Skeleton-face! I’m talking. You get back to where you belong. Now!” Pearl
advanced on them. “I’m not even sure I want to help you any more! You
ungrateful mob of hooligans!”

A
smaller ghost gestured towards the thin man and muttered, “It was his idea,
Pearl.”

Pearl
threw her hands up. “Enough! Get back to your side and think about what you’ve
done!”

The
ghosts moved towards the far wall of the kitchen and disappeared. Pearl let out
a sigh of relief and turned to Grace. “I’m sorry you had to see that. The
buggers sneaked out whilst I had my back turned.” Pearl looked towards Jenny,
her face softened and she walked over to her. “Jenny, love, they’ve gone now.
There’s no need to cry.”

Grace
moved over to the two ghosts. She jerked her thumb towards the far wall.
“Pearl, what was going on there? What do they all want?”

“It’s
nothing to do with you. I’ve told Jenny about your visit to Elsa’s house
yesterday. Show her the photos, she might recognise that man.”

Grace
frowned as she looked at Jenny. “She doesn’t look as if she’s able to talk.”

Pearl
patted Jenny on her shoulder and said, “Come on, Jenny. We need to get this
sorted out. Wipe your tears and have a look at those pictures that Grace has
taken.”

Grace
didn’t miss the urgent tone in Pearl’s voice. She took out her phone and showed
Jenny the photos.

Jenny
narrowed her eyes. “That could be anyone. I don’t recognise the back of his
head. But it could be … no … it couldn’t be. Could it?”

Pearl
took hold of Jenny’s arm and led her to the kitchen table. “Stop babbling. Sit
down and tell us everything. Grace, you sit down too. You can have whatever’s
in that cup and paper bag whilst Jenny talks.”

Jenny
and Grace did as they were told. Pearl sat between them but she kept glancing
towards the far wall.

Jenny
said, “I told you that Elsa started working at a florist’s shop, didn’t I?
Well, she started having an affair with a married man who was a customer. I
never met him, all I know is that he was called Giles. I didn’t even know his
second name. He went to the florist to buy flowers for his sick wife. I told
you how gullible Elsa was. Apparently, he no longer loved his wife but he
couldn’t leave her because she was too poorly. Elsa fell for his story and soon
became involved with him. She was happy to have whatever bits of time he could
throw her way.” Jenny shook her head. “The amount of times she phoned me in
tears because he’d let her down …”

Grace
put down her coffee. “Do you think it could be Giles in the photo?”

“I
don’t know. I had a good talk with Elsa after Giles had let her down on her
birthday and I told her she deserved better. She agreed and a day later she
told me that she’d ended it with him. I believed her.”

Grace
said, “Was Elsa still involved with him at the time of your death?”

“Absolutely
not.” Jenny’s brow wrinkled. “That’s what Elsa told me anyway.”

Pearl
added, “She could have lied. People are stupid when they’re in love. This Giles
fella could have been the one who murdered you. Did he know that you were
leaving everything to Elsa in your will?”

Jenny
shrugged.

Pearl
carried on, “It’s possible that he did. If your Elsa is as gullible as you say,
he could have convinced her to kill you for the money.”

Jenny
leapt to her feet. “Never! Elsa would never do that!”

Grace
shared a knowing look with Pearl. It wasn’t unknown for family members to
murder each other.

Grace
said, “We need to get to the bottom of this. Are you ready to try another
vision? We might go back to the wedding. Jenny?”

Jenny
wiped a tear away and nodded. Grace retrieved the headset from the cupboard
and, after a quick peek in the shop to make sure Frankie and Beth were
occupied, returned to the kitchen.

Grace
held the handset out. Jenny touched it and they were immediately taken back to
Jenny’s university lodgings.

The
young Jenny was looking in the mirror, her new headset in place. Her friend
spoke from the doorway. Grace was prepared, she turned to look at Jenny’s
friend.

A
sudden pain shot through Grace’s stomach. She screamed and collapsed to the
floor.

Jenny’s
friend spoke again sending fresh spasms of pain through Grace. Through clenched
teeth, Grace pleaded, “Jenny! Make it stop!”

Chapter
15

Grace
squeezed her eyes closed and curled into a ball. It was a few moments before
she realised that someone was calling her name. She opened her eyes to see
Pearl looking down at her.

Pearl
reached out her hands and moved them towards Grace’s stomach. A warmth flooded
through Grace. It felt like someone had placed a hot-water bottle over her. The
pain seeped from her stomach in seconds.

Pearl
studied her. “Grace, are you alright? Speak to me.”

Grace
tried to smile. She realised she was lying on the kitchen floor. She got to her
feet. Her knees felt weak and she collapsed into the nearest chair. She turned
to Pearl and said, “What just happened to me? I didn’t think I could get hurt
in a vision.”

Jenny
started to cry. “It’s my fault! Something happened in my past and now it’s
hurting you!”
Pearl made a shushing noise towards Jenny. “Grace, tell me what it felt like. I
saw you clutch your tummy just before you collapsed.”

Grace
winced at the memory of the pain. “It felt like someone had kicked me in the
stomach.”

Pearl
nodded and said firmly, “Betrayal, that’s what it is. I felt that many times
when I used to help ghosts. Are you okay now? You gave me such a fright!”

Grace
nodded. “I was trying to look at Jenny’s friend when it happened. Does that
mean that Jenny’s friend betrayed her?”

Pearl
and Grace looked at Jenny who was still crying. Grace heard a sigh of
exasperation coming from Pearl. She didn’t blame her, she was starting to feel
the same.

Grace
said, “Jenny, you have to stop crying. I can’t help you when you’re like this.
You have to tell me who was in that university room with you. You have to remember.”

Jenny
sniffed and gave them a watery smile. “I know. I’m sorry. I never cried this
much when I was alive. I remember who she is, and I remember what she did.”
Jenny sat down. Sudden concern crossed her face. “Grace, if I talk about her,
will you be in pain again?”

Grace
raised her eyebrows and looked at Pearl. The elderly ghost shook her head and
explained, “Grace is fine now but she can’t go back into any visions with you.
Tell us everything, no matter how painful.”

Jenny
began, “She’s called Letty. We were at high school together. We became best
friends within minutes of meeting each other. You just have a connection with
some people. Anyway, we went to the same university. Letty knew about my plans
to become a professional party organiser. She didn’t know what she wanted to do
and so she agreed to take the same course as me. We made plans about the
company that we would set up together.

“That
day, the one in the vision, is when Letty gave me the headset as a present. I
was overjoyed, as you could see. She left me a note with the present. It was a
peculiar note and I thought it was a bit strange at the time. The note wished
me luck. Letty had written that she was my number one supporter and I should
never forgot that. She went on to say that she would be right at my side
forever.”

“She
sounds like some sort of stalker,” Pearl pointed out.

Jenny
nodded. “I got a bit of a funny feeling when I read it, but then I put those
feelings to one side as being innocent. Letty was my best friend, I knew she
wanted the best for me.”

Grace
said, “Did Letty take all the same classes as you?”

“She
did. She wasn’t very good at them and I sometimes thought she could try harder.
I mentioned that to her one day and she said what was the point? She said she
would be riding on the coat-tails of my success and I was the one who needed to
work hard.”

“She
sounds like a stalker and a controller,” Pearl noted. “You should have cut her
out of your life.”

Jenny
hung her head. “I couldn’t. She was my best friend.” She looked up. “Towards
the end of my course I started looking for jobs. One came up for a company in
Manchester, the same company that I told you about earlier. I’d been doing
research and I knew that they were one of the best. It would be a dream to work
for them. I applied for the job.”

Pearl
interrupted, “Don’t tell me, did Letty apply for the job too?”

Jenny
nodded. “I felt terrible when I got an interview and Letty got a letter saying
no, thank you. I was tempted not to go for the interview but Mum convinced me
otherwise. I got the job. When I told Letty she said she was pleased for me but
I could see a hardness in her eyes.

“I
moved to Manchester as soon as I left university. I stayed in touch with Letty but
she became colder with me. I was too busy with my work to think about her much.
But then I saw her at one of the events I was helping to organise. It was a
christening and the guests had moved to a hotel after the church business was
over. I saw Letty moving around the guests, giving out cards. She came over to
me and informed me she had set up her own events business and she was drumming
up clients.”

“What
a cheek!” Pearl said. “Trying to steal your clients like that! What did you
say?”

“I
stupidly wished her luck. She then turned up at every event that I was involved
in. She blatantly gave out her cards. My bosses soon realised what was going on
and approached Letty. She told them that I’d said it was okay. And she added
that I kept her up to date on the events we had on our books. All lies of
course. I was lucky not to be sacked.

“It
wasn’t long after one of the bigger weddings that I had to move back to Leeds.”

Grace
said, “Did Letty stay in Manchester?”

Jenny’s
eyes welled up. “No, she followed me. Things got even worse.”

“How?”
Grace asked.

“How
what?” Frankie said as he strolled into the kitchen. “Are you alright? Beth
said she heard a funny noise earlier, it sounded like a scream. She told me to
come and check on you.”

Grace
quickly made an excuse up. “I slipped off my chair. Just a moment, that was
about ten minutes ago! I could have been lying here in excruciating pain!”

Frankie
grinned. “Well, you’re not, are you? What do you think about Beth? She’s
amazing. She’s kind-hearted, she laughs at all my jokes and she …”

“Yes,
she’s great. Was there anything you wanted?” Grace was eager to get back to her
conversation with Jenny. Both Jenny and Pearl were staring at Frankie in an
impatient manner. It was a good job that Frankie couldn’t see them.

Frankie
said, “We have to go out now. Would it be alright if you came back into the
shop? You can have a full day off tomorrow if you like. I wanted to take Beth
out for a special meal.” He looked so hopeful that Grace couldn’t say no.

She
shot a quick apologetic glance towards Jenny, and ignored the muttered words
that were coming from Pearl.
 

“Please?”
Frankie asked.

Grace
stood up. She didn’t have a choice. “Of course I’ll look after the shop.”