Free Madison Johns - Agnes Barton Paranormal 01 - Haunted Hijinks by Madison Johns

back.”
    “I know, but there was nothing stopping him from showing up at the mansion and choking Katherine silly.”
    “I’m aware of that, but Jack seemed pretty upset that she’s dead. I think he’s come to the realization that he’ll never get his money back. At least his son wasn’t all that upset about the missing money.”
    “Well, it was Jack’s money from the sounds of it. I just would hate for my son to show up one day and try to take my purse strings.”
    “From the sounds of it, Jack had agreed to allow his son to do that.”
    “Yes, well, he wasn’t too happy about being kept on that short of a financial leash.”
    “True, but boy, Jack sure wasn’t the man I thought he was.”
    “I’m wondering about that. Other than calling me fish lady once, he wasn’t himself at all. He’s never been kind to either of us.”
    “People sometimes do put up fronts.”
    “I’ve known him longer than you and I’m telling you, I’m just not buying his calm demeanor. He’s on the top of my suspect list as far as I’m concerned.”
    “We really need to find out if there really is an International Energy. I can’t think that Jack would come up with an elaborate story like that.”
    “I’m not saying he made up that part, just that his temper might have gotten the best of him when she swindled him. I can so see Jack throttling that woman.”
    I could too, actually. “We need more proof than that. We need to find out if Katherine might have had an accomplice, or if anyone else in town had been taken to the cleaners by her.”
    “Most seniors we know don’t have the kind of money to invest like that.”
    “Elsie Bradford does, but I don’t really understand why senior citizens need to invest their money. It’s not like they need a ton to enjoy their lives.”
    “That’s true, but not everyone has much at all. Many of them are barely making do on their social security checks. Not really the type of folks who can afford to invest money at all.”
    “We need to do some checking around, and soon.”
    “Hopefully, by that you mean tomorrow, because I’ve about had it for today,” Eleanor admitted.
    “Believe me, I know it.” I stood and stretched and asked Martha, “What’s up with your brother? I haven’t seen Stuart since he left my house in a rush the other day. I sure hope he hasn’t left town.”
    Martha rubbed a cloth over the picnic table, cleaning it. “Stuart? Well, he’s been busy, I guess.”
    My hands went to my hips and I demanded, “Do you know where he is or not?”
    She shrugged. “I have more important things to do than worry about Stuart.”
    “Like lounging on the beach all day?” Eleanor asked.
    Martha smiled kindly. “You know yourself, Eleanor, that you’d rather be doing that instead of hanging around with my mom all the time.”
    “I don’t hang around with your mother all the time, but actually we’re in charge of getting the Butler Mansion ready for the opening on Halloween.”
    Martha clapped her hands together. “That sounds splendid. Are you planning to make the place look all Halloweenie inside?”
    I made a face at the ghost who was still up a tree with the howling ghost dog below. Since nobody reacted to hearing the beast, I just had to wonder if it was all in my head. Then again, why was I able to hear the dog barking, but I couldn’t understand a word the ghost said?
    “Are you okay, Mother?” Martha asked.
    I snapped my neck around and sputtered, “Y-Yes, I’m fine. Why?”
    “Well, for one thing you keep making faces at that tree over there. Is there something over there that you see, but we don’t?”
    “Yeah, Aggie? Is there?” Eleanor also wanted to know.
    They both had the most peculiar expression on their faces and I knew they must be worried, so I laughed it off. “For a moment, there were a couple of squirrels, is all. Ever since my accident, my mind sure has been wandering.”
    “Yes, like right out of your head. You better give