Free A Ghostly Murder by Tonya Kappes Page A

Sue asked.
    She peeked over my shoulder when I pulled out the cabinet drawer with the P .
    â€œPreston, Preston,” I repeated, running my finger down the tabs.
    â€œAre you looking into my file?” Mamie’s voice cracked with worry.
    â€œYes. I need to know what type of illness you really had or even if you did.”
    â€œI was always sick. Or at least I had symptoms that Doc Clyde could never diagnose. But my file is none of your business.”
    â€œDo you want me to help you or not?” I asked.
    â€œI just don’t see how this is helping me.”
    My finger stopped when it got to Preston. I should’ve known that it was going to be the biggest file in the entire client list.
    â€œGood gravy.” I let out a heavy sigh. “How am I ever going to get this thing read before little Miss Receptionist gets here?”
    My eyes darted around the office. I wondered where I could put it and get it later.
    The handle on the door jiggled. I slammed the cabinet shut and ran back into the waiting room, putting the file on the bottom of the stack of Southern Living magazines that were neatly piled on the floor underneath the table.
    If the one I was looking at was from five years ago, surely no one would go through the stack on the floor.
    â€œEmma Lee.” Doc Clyde seemed to be surprised to see me sitting in the chair. “Is Ina not here?”
    â€œShe ran across to Higher Grounds to get her scone Cheryl Lynne made especially for her.” I stood up. “You know, I’ve been feeling really good for the past twenty-­four hours. I think I was having a bout of allergies.” I sniffed. “I just wanted to pop over and let you know that all is fine.”
    He stood with his mouth open. The deep wrinkle between his unruly brows creased even more.
    â€œBye.” I gave a slight wave and headed out the door.
    I waited a few more seconds before I peeked my head back in. Doc Clyde wasn’t in the waiting room. Quickly I tiptoed over to where I had left the file and grabbed it.
    â€œIna Claire? Is that you?” Doc Clyde yelled from the back.
    I tiptoed back over to the door and left.
    â€œWhere are you going?” Ina Claire met me on the sidewalk.
    â€œAll done. Clean bill of health.” I smiled, hugging the file tight to my body.
    Ina Claire shrugged and disappeared through the office door. I took my phone out of my back pocket. I was going to be late for my date with Fluggie Callahan.

 
    Chapter 9
    I still don’t see what my medical file has to do with figuring out who killed me,” Mamie cried from the passenger seat of the hearse.
    The old mill was past town, deep in the country. The drive was beautiful. The road curved around the countryside and gave a good view of the mountains. It was a beautiful morning. The sun had already chased the morning fog away.
    â€œNo stone unturned.” I repeated the mantra I had taken to heart since I had become a Betweener.
    I had learned I was sort of a ghost private detective. After all, it was me that had to figure out what happened to them. Medical history included.
    â€œYou’ve been dead awhile, and if you don’t have any next of kin for me to question, I’ve got to start somewhere.” I looked over at her. “Plus your headstone reads, ‘I told you I was sick.’ ”
    â€œI know. I laughed so hard when I thought of it.” Her face hardened. Her lips puckered around her gums. “I never thought I was going to die from the hands of a murdering sonofabitch!”
    â€œDo you know anyone who had a beef with you?” I asked. “Besides Granny.” I eased the hearse around the road and pulled into the gravel drive of the old mill.
    Granny and Mamie obviously had a beef, but no one seemed to want to talk about it.
    She shook her head. The pillbox hat jiggled. She pulled a ­couple bobby pins from her hair and used them to keep the hat in place.
    My phone