Gifts of the Ghost

I opened my mouth, my gaze darting between Wes and William, but a group of people surrounded us, greeting Wes and me and interrupting my plight with pleasantries.

After they walked away, Wes brought his focus back. “You look really lovely.”

The smile I’d pasted on softened. I was going to have to tell him about William, who apparently couldn’t cross over yet.

That was when I remembered he’d mentioned that he needed to protect someone else.

Could that person be Wes?

“Can we speak outside?” I motioned to the door he’d just walked through.

Suddenly serious, he nodded yes. I followed him through the ballroom door and to the right, then out a giant set of French doors onto a mezzanine.

The balcony area had a few people off to the side, but we had most of it to ourselves. I cleared my throat. “This is going to sound completely crazy, but there is something I need to tell you.”

He leaned against the balcony rail and waited for me to continue. Amusement glowed behind his eyes. That would change when he realized just how crazy this was going to sound.

“Remember when I did that research and you mentioned you were related to General Howe?” I took a deep breath to steady my nerves. “Well, I was trying to find out who had killed my ancestor, Maggie McAllister. It’s a long story, with a strange set of events, but ultimately…”

“Ultimately,” he echoed, drawing out the word.

“I have a ghost that’s haunting me,” I said, squeezing my eyes shut so I couldn’t see his reaction.

It felt like hours of silence passed. I carefully opened my eyes. Wes burst out laughing, throwing his head back in delight. I raised my eyebrows and waited for him to realize I was serious.

It took several chuckles and a guffaw or two before his laughter started to falter. Another giggle later, he clamped his lips together and blinked rapidly at me. “What?”

“Well,” I said, struggling to get the rest out. In for a penny, I guess. “Maggie was the first, and now I’ve found a ghost that is trying to right the wrongs that General Howe committed.” This was the part that was going to be the most unbelievable for him. “Well, I’m… He’s kind of haunting you, right now, but…um, you haven’t noticed him.”

“That would explain some things,” he said after a moment, tipping his head to the side. “I’ve felt like someone was watching me lately.”

Then he’d noticed, without knowing what he was noticing. “It’s been just this week,” he continued. “Odd things here and there. Like doors closing or things being moved around without me having done it. It was starting to freak me out.”

William nodded with enthusiasm; his frantic movements forgotten as he listened to Wes. “Yes! I’ve been trying to get his attention by any means available to me.”

I turned to William and spoke to the thin air. At least that was likely how it looked to Wes. “I thought you’d crossed over. What happened to not being able to leave your buried body?”

“I didn’t know I could. I sensed danger, then suddenly I was next to Wes. I can go back and forth between him and my body. Nothing else has let me appear near it yet.”

There was no way I could stay on the balcony much longer. I glanced at my watch. It’d been five minutes. Don would start looking for me soon.

Wes eyed me curiously.

I motioned toward the ghost, not that Wes could see him. “Yes, William is here.” I listened to the ghost explain how he was related to Wes. “And he has some things he wants to tell you.”

Wes’s eyebrows hit his hairline, but he remained quiet.

I relayed what William said. “When your father passes, you’ll become the next viscount.”

Wes appeared uncomfortable when I mentioned it. “Yes,” he muttered. “It’s true.”

“William isn’t here to hurt you. In fact, he says it’s just the opposite.” I tilted my head for the next bit of information. “He’s here to protect you.”

Wes crossed his arms and frowned, but he didn’t speak.

“He says that he’s not sure why he’s drawn to you, but that you are in some sort of danger. You need protection because something bad is coming, and he doesn’t want you hurt.” I glanced around and discovered Maggie stood just behind me. “Is that why you’ve appeared as well?”

She smiled serenely.

I nodded in acknowledgment of the warning. “The ghost haunting me is here, too. They came here to warn us of the danger. It’s why they’re drawn to us.”

With another glance at my watch, I tutted my tongue. It’d been eight minutes. This was taking too long.

“Is this why you haven’t moved on after I found out who killed you?” I asked Maggie.

Her see-through hair waved as she nodded.

“Who else are you talking to? I mean, who is haunting you?” Wes looked around nervously.

“The ghost of my ancestor is here. Maggie McAlister. She’s here to protect me. While William here is trying to protect you.”

William shifted from foot to foot, nervous and jumpy. “He needs to read the journal of General Howe, so you can set things straight. Fix the wrongs done by the Howe family.”

I relayed the information to Wes. “This isn’t happy reading. It’s not for the faint-hearted either.” I shuddered. “I’ve been trying to get through it, but I’ve had to do it in bits.”

“Can I come by after the dance to pick it up?” Wes asked.

I gave him a wry smile. “General Howe did some really terrible things. I just want you to be prepared before you dive in. William died trying to right those wrongs. His own brother killed him to keep the journal’s secrets from coming to life.” I condensed all the information as quickly as I could in the short story version to Wes.

Ten minutes had now passed, as I looked at my watch again, and Wes stood there, staring at me.

I laid a hand on his arm in sympathy. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah, I’m just coming to terms with everything you’ve told me. There are ghosts. Also history is trying to hurt us. It’s a lot to process.” He shook his head in disbelief.

My chuckle cut through the sounds coming from inside. “I understand. I had a hard time in the beginning too. Maggie freaked me out when she first appeared to me. I’ll have to tell you about it sometime.”

With another look at my watch, I knew it was time to go. “Don is going to come looking for me, so I need to get back inside. But if you want to come by after the dance is over, then you are more than welcome to come and see the journal.”

Wes swallowed hard but nodded yes.

I didn’t want to be rude to Don, but darn if I wanted to stay out here with Wes and the ghosts. “Bye, William. I’ll see you around.”

I left Wes on the balcony and hurried back inside.

Don was watching the doorway for me but was talking to some fellow officers. When he saw me, he excused himself and made his way toward me. “Is everything okay?” he asked with concern.

“Yes,” I smiled at him, “for now. Ready for another dance?”

It wasn’t fair to Don for my mood to ruin what had been a wonderful evening. So I determined the rest of the night would be amazing.

13

Don dropped me off without a prolonged goodnight. I thanked him for a lovely evening, but even as hard as I tried, we never found that lighthearted flirtation again. Maybe because I wasn’t feeling terribly lighthearted.

My hair was curled and full of hair spray. There was no way I’d be able to sleep with all this goop in my hair. The only way to fix the problem was a shower, but I didn’t want to miss Wes if he came by.

I turned my cell on high and hopped in the shower, lathering and rinsing as quickly as I could. I didn’t hear the doorbell, and my phone didn’t make a peep.

Hair clean and brushed to air dry, I worried about Wes as I finished dressing. I hadn’t seen him return to the party after I dropped a big family history bomb in his lap. I hoped he was okay.

Shadow was curled up on my bed waiting for me with Maggie by her side.

“Is Wes all right?” I asked her.

She nodded but tilted her head as if she heard something outside of the bedroom.

Cautiously, I left the room, slightly freaked out, as the doorbell rang. I couldn’t help feeling nervous. We were dealing with ghosts who wanted to protect us.

But protect us from what?

Wes stood there in his period attire when I opened the door. A smile danced across my lips at him in his knickers. “Would you like to come in?” I asked, stepping back to allow him in.

He looked around my living room like it was his first time seeing it, but of course, it wasn’t. He was just on edge. Couldn’t blame the poor guy.

Reaching out, I squeezed his wrist gently. “Coffee, or do you drink tea?”

“I could use a cup of tea.” His added smile held a hint of desperation.

“Come on.” Sadly, I led the way into the kitchen and waved for him to take a seat at the table.

We chatted about nothing serious while we waited for the drinks to be ready. His answers to my questions pretty much stayed short, and while not curt, also were not forthcoming.

Several awkward minutes later, I placed the mug of hot tea in his hand. “The journal is in the other room. I’ll go get it for you.”

When I returned, he held the mug as if it was the only thing that was real.

I sat the journal between us.

He reached for it, but I placed my hand over his. “Listen. It’s a harsh look at his life. He confessed everything he did that was evil. A very detailed look at what a horrible person he was.”

With a nod, he took a deep breath. “I’m ready.”

“There are details that will make you cringe,” I warned and took my hand from his.

With his hand still on the journal, Wes looked at me with his big puppy dog eyes. “I would have told you I was going to become a viscount. Eventually.” He pulled the journal toward his spot. “I don’t want the title or estate. I’ve been trying to find a way out of it for years.”

After opening the book to the first page, Wes looked back at me. “It’s one reason I haven’t settled down or tried to start a family. It would lock them into continuing the lineage.”

Heck. Being a viscount sounded fun to me, but I hadn’t grown up with it and whatever all it entailed. “You’re just Wes, the vet, to me. My friend. I’m not mad you kept it to yourself. It’s hard to explain everything when you first meet someone.” I shrugged. “Besides, a title like that might be something a different type of person would go after. You have to be careful until you get to know your friends, I imagine.”

He nodded enthusiastically. “That’s true. I do. Some people, some women, go after titled men like they’re prizes to be awarded.”

Looking relieved, Wes sucked in a deep breath and focused on the journal again. “How far did you read in the journal?” He took a sip of his tea.

“I haven’t finished it yet, but I got through most of it. Do you want to read it with me here? I can sit with you.”

He opened it and read a couple of pages, his eyes widening as they scanned the slanted handwriting. “This is a complete disaster,” he declared, slamming the journal shut.

“There are some things that might matter to your family,” I admitted with a sigh.

“Like what?” He tilted his head, waiting for me to respond.

“General Howe had a child out-of-wedlock while married to his wife, who remained in England. The baby was with an American soldier’s wife.”

William appeared at my elbow. “If that story was told to the correct people, Wes’s title would be removed and given to the correct people. It would pass to the Americans. That child was the true heir, the firstborn, if the child was a boy.”

“Um, William says that you can tell your family about the news from the journal. Your title might be pulled, and you would be free,” I said, relaying the ghost’s words. “Although that’s what got William killed. He tried to do the same thing.”

Wes stood abruptly. “I need to talk to my family. Thank you so much for sharing this journal with me.” He gave me a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.

There wasn’t even time to process that Wes was leaving before he was gone.

William stared at me with sad eyes before also disappearing, but Maggie continued to stand next to me. She was just as confused as I was at Wes’s reaction to my news.

Wasn’t losing the title exactly what he had wanted?

14

Morning came early and with errands. There were last-minute touches to have the shop perfect for the Grand Re-Opening. Aunt Linda would be there already, and I didn’t want to be a slacker.

Wes and his predicament weighed heavily on my mind as I drove into town. I shot him a text as soon as I parked.

Would you like me to grab something from the Deli for you? Otto makes great subs.

While I waited to hear from Wes, I threw myself into the work at the shop.

“How did things go with the ghost last night?” Aunt Linda questioned as she carefully placed price stickers on the shelves.

Shooting her a wry grin, I only paused my straightening for a moment. “Well, Wes now knows I talk to ghosts. He came over to look at the journal.” I filled her in on the rest of the conversation and what the ghost thought was a solution to righting the wrongs of their ancestor.

“What are you going to do about the love triangle you’ve found yourself in?” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Hmm? Dashing Deputy Don and Woo Woo Wes, the Viscount Vet?”

I laughed at the thought. “Woo Woo?”

“Gotta stick to alliteration. That’s how the greats do it,” she said with a chuckle at her attempt at humor.

Waving the feather duster at her, I set her straight. “Nah, it’s not a love triangle. I’m too busy trying to solve murders with ghosts to worry about my love life.”

Aunt Linda raised an eyebrow and jerked her head toward the door. “You might need to tell Don that. He’s on his way in.”

Sure enough, Dashing Deputy Don himself was making his way to the shop door with a vase of flowers.

Panic flooded me, but I didn’t have time to hide as he stepped through the door, the cheery bell announcing his arrival.

“Congratulations!” He held out the vase to me as he looked around, taking in the work we’d done. “The place looks wonderful. Better than ever.”

“You didn’t have to bring these,” I said, sniffing the fragrant aroma of the flowers as I set the vase near the register. “But they are absolutely lovely.”

“Yes, I did.” He smiled at me.

“The shop definitely needed some flowers to celebrate the reopening with,” I said, quickly trying to make the gesture about the shop and not me. “Thank you.”

“I just wanted to wish you luck on your first day back.” He pointed to his badge. “I’ve got to get back to work.”

Darn. He really did look dashing in his uniform. Threading my arm through his, I walked him out to his cruiser.

He tipped his hat to me. “Have a good day.”

“He’s a cutie,” Aunt Linda commented as I re-entered the shop. “You’d better jump on that. A lot of girls would kill to have a man in uniform personally delivering them gifts.”

“Auntie, it’s not like that.” I bent to smell the flowers again. “Besides, I have unresolved things with Wes.”

She snorted. “It most certainly is like that. Both men like you, and you’d better be careful, or you’ll have to choose between two good men,” she warned knowingly, making a triangle with her fingers.

I rolled my eyes and resumed working on the candle arrangements and straightening the shelves. She was right, but I didn’t want to admit that to myself, much less to her.

My followers were going to want to see the shop now that it was finished. I took a few videos of the inside and outside, talking about all the work we’d done, and giving proper credit to Aunt Linda, before seating myself in the back. It would take a few minutes to edit them before posting.

I’d just sent another text to Wes about lunch when the bell over the door chimed again.

“Are you the shop’s owners?” an older woman asked with a younger companion in tow.

“Yes, we are.” Aunt Linda smiled and moved to help the two ladies with their purchases.

“It’s such a gorgeous place,” the other one gushed as they each picked out candles in a variety of colors.

Those two led to others, and before long we had a near-constant stream of people stopping by to check the new setup and buy a few things. It was so busy that I couldn’t check my phone or finish my video edits until it was almost lunchtime.

Nothing from Wes. He hadn’t responded at all.

I frowned. “Auntie, I’m going to grab lunch.” I stepped into the back to give Wes a call while she took over ringing up the customers.

On the second ring, he answered. “Hey, I’ve taken the day off. I’m still reading through the journal. This afternoon, I’m picking up my brother from the airport.” The poor guy sounded frazzled and apologetic.

“How are you doing with it all?” I didn’t want to push, but I was dying to know what he thought.

“It’s a lot to take in and process. I want to be successful and finish what the William guy started.” He chuckled. “This ghost guy is serious about letting me know he’s here. He’s been slamming doors and moving stuff all day.”

He went silent for a second, then came back and spoke hurriedly. “Look, I have to go, but thanks for reaching out. I’ll get back to you later. Bye.” He hung up, and I was left staring at the phone in my hand.

Unsure of what to do, I noticed Maggie in the doorway. “Can I help you?” I asked kindly.

Maggie wrinkled her nose at me.

With a sigh, I let my shoulders slump. “I’m really sorry for the delay in helping you move on. I don’t know what else to do. Kim is behind bars. I’m safe now, right?”

She shook her head no. Sadness filled her features before she disappeared.

15

Two days had passed since the shop’s grand reopening and business had been steady. Things outside of the shop had been uneventful, but sadly, my texts to Wes had still gone unanswered, and I didn’t want to bother him with another phone call. While I wanted to check on him, I decided I needed to focus on helping Maggie move on.

“I think we should go back over to the house and finish going through stuff,” I suggested while we locked up the shop. “Maybe we’ll find another clue about Maggie.”

Linda pursed her lips, then nodded decisively. “Agreed. We can grab dinner and then spend the rest of the evening going through things.” Aunt Linda nodded again, pleased with the idea, but paused at her car. “We’re going to have to decide what to do with the house soon. The insurance will get back to me with an estimate of what they’ll cover. We’ll have to figure out if there will be enough to tear it down and have a new one built.”