Free Jacob's Coins: A Cozy Ghost Mystery (Storage Ghost Mysteries Book 1) by Gillian Larkin

Storage Ghosts
     
    Jacob’s Coins
     
     
    Chapter 1
     
    Grace
Abrahams polished the glass shelf vigorously.
    Why
did it still look smeared?
    She
rubbed it again.
    Frankie
called over to her, “Leave that alone. It’s clean enough, you’ll end up
breaking it.”
    Grace
looked at her brother and said, “It’s not perfect, it needs to be perfect. What
would Mum say?”
    Frankie
studied her for a moment. “I don’t think Mum would care. She’d tell you to get
on with something else.” He looked around the shop. “Although, I don’t know
what else needs cleaning. You’ve done everything, not a cobweb left.”
    Grace
frowned. “It doesn’t look clean enough to me. I don’t want to let Mum down.”
    “Grace,
is there any point? You know we might have to sell the shop.”
    Heat
flushed through Grace. She lifted her hand and waved her duster at Frankie.
“Don’t say that! You don’t know what’s going to happen!”
    Frankie
folded his arms and sighed. “I do know what’s going to happen. Stop kidding
yourself, we’re not making any money here. And even if we were, you know where
all our money has to go.”
    Grace’s
eyes prickled. She quickly turned back to the shelf. How could she have any
tears left? She mumbled, “But it’s the only thing we’ve got, the only thing
left from Mum and Dad.”
    “I
know, and if there was some way of hanging onto this shop, I’d do it. There’s
nothing else to sell,” Frankie said gently. “Put that duster down and get the
kettle on. I could do with a cuppa.”
    Grace
looked back over her shoulder, a small smile on her face. “What did your last
slave die of?”
    Frankie
grinned and said, “Happiness. Hurry up, see if there’s any biscuits left. Or
have you eaten them all?”
    Grace’s
smile grew. “That’s right, blame me for the empty biscuit tin.”
    “That’s
what big brothers are for,” Frankie replied.
    Grace
walked through the shop towards the kitchen. She looked at the few items that
they had left on the shelves. Some vases and plates. A table with four chairs.
And an old tea pot that had been in the shop ever since Grace could remember.
    No
wonder they weren’t making any money, they didn’t have any stock.
    Grace’s
heart sank. It felt as empty as the shop.
    Frankie
shouted after her, “I wouldn’t mind a sandwich whilst you’re in the kitchen,
ham or egg, and don’t be stingy with the mayonnaise!”
    He
was so bossy!
    Grace
forgot about the empty shop for a moment as thoughts of revenge against her bossy
brother rushed through her mind.
    Chilli
powder on his ham? Laxative on his egg?
    Grace
grinned. Playing tricks on each other was their thing. They’d been doing it
since childhood. It was ages since they’d played a trick on each other.
    She
walked into the kitchen.
    When
was the last time Frankie had got one over on her?
    She
switched on the kettle, her brow wrinkled as she thought.
    Her
hand froze as she reached towards the cupboard.
    They
hadn’t played tricks on each other since before the...
    Grace
shook her head.
    No!
    She
wouldn’t think about it.
    She
couldn’t think about it.
    She
knew what would happen if she did.
     

Chapter 2
     
    Grace
returned to the shop. Frankie gave an exaggerated look at his watch and said,
“That took a long time. Where did you get the tea from? China?”
    Grace
ignored him. She put the tray in front of him. “Enjoy your sandwich. I put ham
and egg in it, with a bit of seasoning.”
    Frankie
eagerly picked the thick sandwich up. He raised it to his mouth. He paused and
glanced at Grace. “Why are you watching me?”
    Grace
shrugged. “I like to see a man enjoying his food.”
    Frankie’s
eyes narrowed. He looked at the sandwich and then back at his sister. He put
the sandwich down and said, “Okay, what have you done to it?”
    “Nothing,”
Grace said in an innocent voice.
    Frankie
opened the sandwich carefully as if it was an unexploded bomb. He peered at the
contents. “What’s that