Free Who Invited the Ghost to Dinner: A Ghost Writer Mystery by Teresa Watson

this evening.”
    “Well, not to be crass, but being found dead during a performance does kind of ruin things.”
    “Good point.”
    “Not to mention that it makes your mother a prime suspect if the police determine that Susan was murdered.”
    “What? Randy, are you crazy?”
    “She was overheard arguing with Susan during the dress rehearsal.”
    “But she didn’t threaten to kill her!”
    “No, but Susan did threaten to withhold their yearly donation to the church, did she not?”
    “Yes, but that’s no reason to kill someone. It’s certainly not the first time that someone with money believes that they hold all the power because of their bank account. Donations have been withheld before, and they’ll probably be withheld in the future. You just learn to adapt.”
    “Don’t forget you also had words with her that same night. That will certainly make you a suspect as well.”
    “Well, aren’t you just a little ray of sunshine tonight?”
    Randy smiled. “Moonbeam, actually. It is nighttime. I do have one question for you. Why was Joey Ingram here if his wife wasn’t on the guest list?”
    “Susan refused to come because she wasn’t put in charge,” I said. “She made it quite clear that she wanted absolutely nothing to do with any part of this dinner or the show. When she found out that Showalter was going to be here, she demanded that Mother give her a seat. Mother refused, not out of spite, but because there were no available seats. I don’t know why Joey is here. This doesn’t seem to be his type of thing.”
    Mike came back, shaking his head. “I can’t find Joey anywhere. I looked everywhere, but given the size of the park, he could have easily gotten away without being seen. You forgot to put someone on the back door, Randy.”
    “I didn’t even think about it,” Randy replied. “The caterer’s van is out there, and she’s been going in and out all night. Did you ask her if anyone had come through there?”
    “She wasn’t outside when I was there.”
    “Maybe she’s in the main room, helping the waiters,” I suggested.
    “Where was she when you saw her, Randy?”
    “Standing by the buffet tables, talking to Charlotte. After that, I don’t know.”
    Mike pulled me aside. “Listen,” he said quietly, “this was not how I expected our evening to go.”
    “I know.”
    “I’m not sure how long I’m going to be here, but it will probably be late.”
    “It’s part of your job, Mike. I knew that when we started dating. I’m fine with it.”
    “I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”
    We could hear the sirens getting closer. He gave me a quick kiss. “Thanks for understanding.”
    “Is there anything I can do to help?”
    “As much as it pains me to say this, keep your ears open. You might hear something that people won’t be willing to tell the police.”
    “You want the gossip.”
    “I want the gossip.”
    “Can I enlist Randy’s help?”
    Mike shook his head. “Not directly. Just ask him later what people were saying as they were leaving. Text me when you get home so I know you’re safe.” Giving me a kiss on the cheek, he squeezed my hands and went outside.
    “Okay, so for a cop, he’s not too bad,” Mac said from behind me.
    It took everything I had not to scream. “I’m sure he’ll be glad you approve.”
    “I didn’t say that,” Mac replied. “I’m just impressed that he wants to make sure you get home all right.”
    “We can’t really talk here,” I told him.
    “I get it. You don’t want people to know that you talk to ghosts.”
    “Something like that.”
    “I can respect that. It’s kind of like snitching to the cops about what’s going on in the casinos. You don’t want to be seen ratting people out, so to speak.”
    “Is that what happened to you?”
    “Are you crazy? Do I seem like the kind of person who has a death wish?”
    I didn’t say anything.
    He thought about it for a moment. “Well, that was awkward, wasn’t it? Although