Free The Ghost Who Loved Diamonds by Bobbi Holmes Page A

below his feet.
    Glancing down, Danielle
saw what was capturing Walt’s attention. “Just what do you think you’re doing?”
Danielle asked Walt, who responded with a sheepish shrug.
    Cheryl stood up
abruptly and pulled the hem of her dress down to cover her skimpy bathing suit
bottom. “I’m just looking around,” she said as she straightened her clothing
and brushed her hair back.
    “Looks like you’re
taking apart my woodwork.”
    “It’s my house too,”
Cheryl insisted.
    “What are you looking
for? More treasure?”
    “There’s probably more
here. The article said you found it in the attic. Was it in there?” Cheryl
pointed to where her hand had just been.
    “Yes. And now it’s
locked up in a safety deposit box at the bank, so no reason for you to take the
house apart.”
    Cheryl’s eyes darted
around the room. “I’m sure there’s more here.”
    “You are, are you? What
makes you sure of that?” Danielle asked.
    Walt stood by Cheryl,
leaning casually against the wall while he smoked a cigar, his attention now on
her cleavage. Glancing up briefly he noticed the unfriendly glare Danielle cast
in his direction. “Oh come on Danielle, you can’t begrudge a man for looking.”
    “You’re dead,” Danielle
snapped.
    “Are you threatening
me?” Cheryl gasped.
    “No, of course not.”
Danielle cursed herself for responding to Walt.
    “I heard what you
said!”
    “I meant to say, you’re
dead wrong. There are no other hidden treasures in the house.”
    “How do you know that?”
    “Well, for one thing, I
went through the entire house already. How do you think I found the necklace?”
Danielle lied.
    “What made you go
through the house?”
    “Well…Marie Hemming
told me Walt Marlow might have taken the necklace. And since it was never
found, I decided to have a look.”
    “Who is Marie Hemming?”
    “Her name is Marie
Nichols now. Hemming was her maiden name. Her father used to live in the house
across the street, the one Ian’s renting. He was friends with Walt Marlow and
apparently Walt once implied that he took the necklace.”
    “Who was Walt Marlow
again? I can’t keep all these names straight. I remember reading something
about it in the article.”
    “His grandfather
founded Frederickport and built this house. Walt Marlow inherited Marlow House
from his grandfather.”
    Cheryl seemed
distracted. Glancing around, she sniffed the air. “There it is again. That
cigar smell. Awful. You need to get rid of it if you expect people to stay
here.”
    Danielle smiled and
said, “Walt Marlow was murdered in this room. Right where you’re standing.”
    “Well that’s not nice,”
Walt said with a frowned. “You don’t have to sound so happy about it.”
    “I understand he used
to smoke cigars,” Danielle added, a mischievous lilt to her voice.
    “You’re just saying
that to freak me out.” Cheryl glared at Danielle.
    “I thought you read
Ian’s article about the necklace. It mentioned Walt Marlow, how he died, where
he died.”
    “Sure, I read the
article.” Cheryl shrugged. “I suppose I skimmed that part.”
    “But not the part about
the necklace,” Danielle grumbled.
    “You should have
contacted me, Dani. It was wrong of you.”
    “What are you talking
about?”
    “She was my aunt too.
You should have told me she died.”
    “You didn’t even know
her,” Danielle countered.
    “I met her before.”
    “What, when we were
kids? Did you ever write her, visit her when you were older?”
    “Dani, my relationship
with Aunt Brianna is really none of your business. But she was my aunt, and you
should have told me when she died. You should have told me she had
Alzheimer’s.”
    “How did you know
that?” Danielle frowned.
    “Ah ha! You did know! I
knew it! You knew she was impaired and you took advantage of her so she would
leave you her estate!”
    “I didn’t know she had
Alzheimer’s. Not until today. Mr. Renton told me,” Danielle insisted.
    “Mr. Renton?