Candy Canes, Corpses and the Gothic Haunt Read online

  Juniper told him what happened. “I thought maybe someone stole his keys. That would explain how they got in.”

  “I don’t like this at all. You need to change your locks. I’ll call a locksmith I know and have him get in touch with you,” he said. “I’m also going to see if a unit can do some extra drive-bys, and you shouldn’t be there alone at night.”

  “Do you believe me now that Feliz Merlot’s death wasn’t an accident?”

  He paused before answering. “I won’t go that far, but I do agree something is going on.”

  He hadn’t exactly said he’d keep the case open, but this was better than nothing. They talked a few more minutes, and Juniper promised him she’d be careful. Five minutes later, the locksmith called, and they agreed to meet first thing in the morning. Hopefully, between new locks and the alarm system, there would be no more sabotage.

  ***

  The locksmith came as promised, and by nine a.m. Juniper had brand-new locks and two sets of keys.

  Jack arrived as the locksmith was leaving. Today, he was dressed in faded jeans and a long-sleeved plaid shirt. Juniper’s stomach did a little flip.

  “What are you doing back already?”

  “Something going on I should know about?” he said, ignoring her question.

  “Sort of.” It was time to tell him what was going on.

  As he listened, his expression grew dark. When Juniper finished, he said, “And you didn’t think to tell me any of this before?”

  “Well, I—”

  He swore. “Let me get this straight. Someone’s been breaking in, he may have killed our previous chef, he broke in again last night and you had a ghost buster here?”

  Juniper felt her face flushing. “That pretty much sums it up.”

  Jack ran a hand through his hair. “Great. Just great.”

  “Maybe I should have told you—”

  “Maybe? Maybe you should have told me?”

  “I’m sorry,” Juniper said. “In retrospect, I should have said something, but I honestly didn’t think the vandalism would continue. I didn’t want to add more to your plate. Besides, your cousin thinks Feliz’s death was an accident. And, hey, you never answered me: why are you here?”

  “Because I knew something was up. I’m home for good.”

  “What about the Queen Anne?”

  “Done. If there’s anything else, then I’ll just drive up and back in the same day and don’t argue with me. My mind is made up.”

  Juniper smiled. “I love it when you get stern. Your eye twitch is so sexy.”

  “And don’t I know it… So, you disagree with my cousin, huh?”

  “There are too many things that don’t fit for his death to be an accident. I was leaning toward one of our spirits being a poltergeist, but that wouldn’t explain the missing presents. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” When Jack didn’t say anything, Juniper went over to the bar and broke into tears.

  Jack sighed. “Don’t cry, Junie.”

  He walked over, took her hand and pulled her into his chest. “You don’t have to deal with this alone. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you.”

  Juniper inhaled his sandalwood cologne and relaxed. “I get it.” It came out like a squeak.

  “I love you.” He pulled out two bar stools, and they sat. “It just would have been nice to know everything that’s been going on. I had no idea. We’re in this together, okay? This Inn might be your baby but I’m still your partner in every sense of the word and I just want to take care of you.”

  “Yeah, well, I feel the same way about you but don’t forget I’m a grown-ass woman.”

  “I’ll try to remember that.”

  “You’d better.”

  Jack grinned. “Yes, dear.” A serious look returned to his face. “But you have to promise me one thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “If Feliz really was murdered, you, me or one of our staff could be in danger, too. Any time you’re planning to be here late, tell me. Not just you, we’ll need to make sure no one is here alone.”

  “Deal.”

  “Good.” He hopped off the stool and reached over to kiss her forehead. “Besides, I have no idea how to make a charcoal board. This place would flop without you running it.”

  “Charcuterie board,” Juniper corrected.

  “See what I mean?”

  Ten

  _____________

  F INN was on the ball. By eleven o’clock, he had talked to the kitchen staff Feliz had hired and scheduled two more interviews for that afternoon. While Finn worked on recipes with a new trainee and made calls to various vendors, Juniper decided it would be the perfect time to visit a few more of her neighbors. She wanted to host a Christmas day social to honor Feliz Merlot’s memory, so it would give her an opportunity to extend an invitation. And to question them about anything suspicious they might have noticed near the Inn.

  Cookies & Corsets seemed like a logical place to start. It had nothing to do with the fact that Juniper had a sudden craving for one of Pike’s peppermint cappuccinos topped with whipped cream and gingerbread. Or maybe it did. The fragrance of freshly ground coffee beans and the sound of holiday blues welcomed her as Juniper stepped inside. The place wasn’t quite as busy this morning, but there was still a good crowd—a mix of senior citizens, college students, young mothers with children, and an artist or two.

  Pike’s barista looked up from her spot behind the counter. She was seventeen and bore a striking resemblance to Zooey Deschanel—if Ms. Deschanel had pink streaks in her hair.

  “Well, if it isn’t my favorite haunted home owner,” she said with a grin as Juniper reached the counter.

  “And exactly how many other haunted home owners do you know?”

  She pretended to think about it. “Four. But you’re the only one across the road, so you get the best coffee and treats.”

  Juniper laughed. “Preferential treatment, I like it.”

  The barista reached over and squeezed her hand. “How are you? You doing okay?”

  “I’m all right.”

  “I knew you would be. It’s just such a shock.” She reached for a cup. “Do you want the usual?”

  “Yep.”

  While she fixed her peppermint cappuccino, Pike came out from the kitchen and Juniper told her about the gathering for Feliz. The baking was done for the day, so she poured herself a cup of plain old coffee and joined her at the corner table.

  Juniper spooned the last of the whipped cream from the top of her cappuccino, licked the spoon, and set it down on the table. She told Pike about the paranormal investigator, and the most recent incident with the tree, and asked if she or any of her customers had noticed anything out of the ordinary.

  Pike thought for a moment. “I can’t say that I have, but I’m not usually here at night unless there’s some neighborhood thing going on.”

  The fact that no one was open all night was throwing a wrench into Juniper’s strategy. Her neighbors couldn’t very well see anything if they weren’t there.

  “I can ask around. Some of my early morning customers are out and about all night. Maybe one of them saw something.”

  “That would be great,” Juniper said.

  “We can talk about it tonight—if you’re still coming.”

  Juniper had almost forgotten. Tonight was their monthly book club meeting at Caravan Manor.

  On the way to the counter, Pike turned back and grinned. “If worse comes to worst, we can always stake out your place. I’m always up for an adventure.”

  Juniper finished her cappuccino, thinking about Pike’s suggestion. It wasn’t a bad idea at all. As a matter of fact, it might be just the thing. Juniper left the coffee shop with a plan in her head and a smile on her face.

  The rest of the day passed quietly. The kitchen staff interviews went well. Finn seemed to know the right questions to ask and in the end decided to hire one of the two candidates. After that, Juniper sorted through so
me waitstaff applications and made a few phone calls to schedule interviews. They’d hired a few people already, but they needed to hire more.

  She’d just finished up when Jack poked his head into the parlor. “How about we both call it a night and I take you out to dinner?”

  The idea was tempting. If Juniper didn’t have book club, she’d probably have taken him up on it. “Can I take a rain check? I already have plans tonight.”

  “Another hot date?” Jack made a hurt face.

  “Not unless your idea of hot is an evening at the manor with seven other women.”

  “Well, now. That would depend on the women.”

  Juniper laughed. “I guess it would.”

  “Okay, I’m gonna head back up to the Queen Anne site then and wrap some things up so we can get paid. I’ll come back home tonight but it will be late so maybe you could stay with Pike?”

  Juniper nodded. “I’ll talk to her.”

  Jack leaned in close until their lips were practically touching. “What about tomorrow night? I’d really like to take you out. I’ve been away so much, working on the Queen Anne, and you’ve been so wrapped up in these renos.”

  Juniper leaned back in her chair. “You mean you don’t already have a hot date planned?”

  The smile widened on his face. “I do now.”

  Eleven

  _____________

  J UNIPER arrived to the Vianu’s Caravan Manor a few minutes late, but the ladies were enjoying some spiked tea so no one minded. Pike and Mallory Vianu were standing in the corner, deep in conversation. Everyone else was digging into the scones and clotted cream and mini cakes that the manor’s head chef, Nataliya, had laid out. It was quite the feast—giving Pike a much needed break. Juniper grabbed a scone and a mug of Spiced Cider and took her seat beside Penny.

  “Those e-books are crap,” Eve Banter said. “Back in my day, you could read in the bath and safely spill wine without having to worry. Now I can’t even take a book on vacation. Heavens to Betsy, if I get sand in it, or even leave it out in the damn sunshine, the silly thing will overheat. It’s like a Victorian woman. Pretty soon it will need its own fan.”

  “Well, they are good for reading at bedtime,” Mallory said with a chuckle as she came to join the group. “And I like how you can enlarge the font if you’re tired.”

  “Heck, no, the smallness of the screen means you only get a couple of hundred words of text on it and it gives me a thumb-ache. Besides, I hate that I can’t see what other people are reading in the park. You know, I can tell a lot about a person by what they read.”

  “Oh, Eve, you cannot, and you are beyond nosy.” Penny chimed in.

  “Juniper, dear,” The manor’s owner, Nana Vianu said, noticing her. “How are you doing today? The cards informed me that there’s been some unpleasantness at the Inn, lately.”

  “The cards,” Dani snorted. “Maybe this card,” she said elbowing Eve.

  Eve made a face. “You be quiet. In my day, Dani was a boy’s name. These moms today—”

  “We know, Eve,” Penny said, with an eyeroll. “We’ve heard your thoughts on names before.”

  “Stick this in your yap, would you?” Eve’s cousin Alma, handed her another mini cake. “The grownups are trying to have polite conversation.”

  Juniper smiled and took a swig of her cider. “Whoo. I take it Eve was in charge of the brew.”

  “What is this, ‘pick on the prettiest one here’ night?” Eve cackled at her own joke and took a swig straight out of her liquid Tylenol bottle.

  “Where is Lulu, anyway?” Eve’s cousin, Alma, asked.

  “She’s on a cruise with the hubby,” Pike replied as she put her cake down on a napkin. “After the doctor gave Peter a clean bill of health, they decided to do a bit of traveling.”

  “Who’s running the vintage clothing shop?”

  “I am. I mean I’m not ordering new inventory or anything but I’m manning her sales counter for her. It’s not like I’m not right there in the café, anyway. She’s going to return the favor when I take vacation later.”

  “Oh, are you planning a trip somewhere?” Alma asked.

  “Oh, no,” Pike said. “Just… when I do. These are delicious,” Pike said. “I’m going to have to get the recipe from your chef. The regulars would love them.”

  Eve made a face. “Speaking of chefs—”

  “Yes,” Mallory tapped Juniper on the arm. “You’ve been holding out on us, Junie.”

  Juniper had no idea what she meant.

  “Why didn’t you tell us Feliz was murdered, and you had a ghost hunter in?” Mallory said.

  So that’s what they’d been talking about. She’d figured either Pike or Eve would spill the beans, eventually. Juniper put her scone down on her napkin and took a breath. “The medical examiner said Feliz Merlot’s death was likely accidental.”

  “I take it you don’t believe that,” Nana said.

  Pike spoke up. “Of course she doesn’t. Tell them what you told me, Junie.”

  “I don’t think—”

  “Oh, no you don’t,” Mallory said. “You’re not getting out of it now. Spill it, girl.”

  “Someone’s been vandalizing the Inn. I didn’t believe Feliz at first, but now…” Juniper swallowed the lump forming in her throat. She should have been used to telling the story by now, but she wasn’t. “There were a few minor things that were more annoying than anything.”

  “Like what?” Mallory asked.

  “One morning, the mirror behind the bar was cracked when I arrived. Another time, some of the lightbulbs were unscrewed. Just the other day, the new kitchen vent’s electrical wire had been cut. Things like that.”

  “They don’t sound minor to me,” Nana said.

  Juniper continued her story. “On Saturday night, Feliz stayed late to perfect a recipe. He called and left me a voicemail while I was in the bath that he’d found something. Then, he texted me to come right away so we could call the police.” Juniper’s voice shook and she paused.

  Pike patted her arm. “You’re doing fine.”

  “When I got there, I didn’t see Feliz anywhere. I thought he’d left for some reason. I should have known something was wrong when I found burnt milk on the stove and eggs sitting out on the counter. Feliz would never have gone anywhere and left things cooking unless it was an emergency. The white lady appeared—”

  “The white lady?” Dani interrupted.

  “The ghost of the Doctor’s wife, Victoria. I’ve been seeing her more and more lately. Anyway, she led me to the basement and then she disappeared. I finally called his cell phone and heard it ringing in the wine cellar. I followed the sound and found him.”

  The room was quiet when Juniper finished. Nana was the first to speak up. “Yep. Sounds like murder to me.”

  “What about suspects?” Penny asked. “Do you have anyone in mind?”

  “There’s a bar owner who thinks I’ll run him out of business. He also happens to be the boyfriend of Sally Snaub.”

  “She’s a bad apple, that one.” Nana said.

  The ladies all nodded appropriately.

  “Other than that, I’m at a loss. Everyone else in the neighborhood seems to like the idea of the Gothic Haunt. It’ll bring more traffic to their stores.”

  Mallory agreed. “The busier the street is, the better.”

  Pike shifted. “It could be someone who doesn’t want the extra traffic, or someone who plain just doesn’t want a taproom in town.”

  Nana drummed her fingers on the table. “The killer doesn’t necessarily have to be after you. Perhaps someone has a grudge against Jack’s family and is taking it out on your joint business venture.”

  They went through a few more options but didn’t come up with a thing.

  “I’m sorry we weren’t more help,” Nana said. “Is there anything else we can do?”

  Juniper was out of ideas. “Just keep your eyes and ears open, I guess.”

  “Maybe I should stake
out your place,” Penny said.

  “Ooh,” Eve said. “That’s a great idea. Like Richard Dreyfus and Emilio Estevez.”

  “Like who, now?” Dani questioned.

  “Oh my god, you are such a baby. Isn’t it past your bedtime or something?”

  “I can’t help if you’re a dinosaur and you keep making prehistoric references.”

  Penny was good at her job but Juniper couldn’t afford to pay her right now and Juniper knew she’d insist on doing it pro bono. If Juniper came right out and told them no, they’d try to talk her into it, so Juniper just said, “Let me think about it.”

  “What’s to think about?” Eve asked. “I say we meet at eleven tomorrow night. We can sit in the coffee shop and watch the front of the house.”

  “What about the back?” Pike asked. “Someone needs to watch the back entrance.”

  “I’ll keep an eye on the back door from the cemetery on the hill.” Penny said.

  This was ridiculous. Juniper jumped up. “No. Absolutely not. I appreciate the offer, and I appreciate you wanting to help, but I can’t allow it. You’re forgetting that Feliz was murdered in cold blood. I am not going to put any of you in danger.”

  Juniper planned to be a hypocrite and stake out the Inn after she left Caravan Manor. Other than last night when the alarm had gone off, she had no idea what time the break-ins had occurred. Whoever it was seemed to know her schedule—or, at least, seemed to know when the place was empty. Except for the night Feliz was killed, that is.

  She went home and changed into her black coat. Thirty minutes later, she was ready to catch a killer. Main Street was busy no matter the time of day or night. Between the cars driving by and those that were parked, her car wouldn’t be the only one on the street. Not that her truck was all that recognizable, since she usually walked, but still she didn’t want Feliz Merlot’s killer to see it. If he or she knew it was Juniper’s truck, they might change their mind about breaking in. Juniper didn’t want to park too close because it would be obvious, so she drove around the block once before choosing a spot three storefronts up on the opposite side of the street. It was late, so Rudolph’s boutiques were closed.

  Juniper could see the front door and windows easily from her vantage point. If the killer tried using the stolen keys on the front door, he’d have a surprise coming.