The Death Planner (Storage Ghost Murders Book 6) Read online

  Grace waved a hand at him. “Oh, yes. I didn’t have time to read it last night.”

  Frankie shrugged. “I don’t know why not, it’s not like you were out on the town, was it? Pass me that vase.”

  Grace was tempted to throw the vase at his head but something caught her eye at the back of the van. It was Jenny. She was perched on the top of a table and was looking at Grace.

  Grace turned to Frankie and said, “Why don’t you go into the shop and open up? I’ll unload the rest of this. There’s nothing too heavy.”

  Frankie didn’t needed telling twice. He jumped out of the van and disappeared through the back doors of the shop.

  Grace turned to Jenny. “Hello again. We’re not at the storage unit any more.” She pointed towards the shop doors. “This is our shop. That delightful young man that you just saw is my brother, Frankie. How are you feeling?”

  Jenny frowned. “Confused. I think I’ve come to terms with being dead.” She looked at her feet. “I think I sort of knew that anyway.” She looked back at Grace. “I don’t understand why I’m here though. Shouldn’t I be in Heaven or somewhere?”

  Grace moved closer to Jenny. It was hard enough telling a ghost that they were dead. What she had to tell Jenny now was even worse. “Jenny, I’m sorry to say this but I think you were murdered. And I think you’ve appeared to me so that I can find the person who murdered you.” She waited for Jenny’s reaction.

  Jenny studied Grace for a moment. “I know that I was murdered.” She put her hand on the side of her neck. “Someone strangled me. With this.” She reached out for the lead that was connected to the headset. “Who would want to kill me? I haven’t done anything wrong to anyone.” A single pale tear rolled down her cheek.

  Grace moved closer. “I don’t know yet but I will find out.”

  Jenny touched Grace on her shoulder. A chill shot through Grace. Jenny said sadly, “Will you? Do you promise?”

  “I promise.” Grace didn’t hesitate. She’d always managed to help ghosts before, she hoped that Jenny wouldn’t be the one ghost that she couldn’t help.

  Chapter 4

  Jenny had floated at Grace’s side when Grace had picked up a box of files from the back of the van. That meant that Jenny was attached to something inside the box. Grace took the box into the small kitchen at the back of the shop and put it on the table. She didn’t want the box to be bought by an eager customer. She explained to Jenny she wouldn’t be able to talk to her in front of anyone.

  Jenny nodded and pulled her ghost clipboard closer. She followed Grace out of the kitchen. “What sort of a shop do you have here?”

  “I’m not really sure. Follow me through to the main part. You can have a look around whilst I deal with some customers.”

  Frankie was holding court when Grace entered the shop area. He was standing in the middle of the shop surrounded by awestruck customers.

  Grace shook her head as she heard him explaining in full detail how he’d managed to fool the other bidders by wearing his amazing disguise. There were many ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from the customers. Or should that be, the audience?

  Jenny laughed when she saw Frankie waving his arms around. “Your brother’s funny.”

  “He’s hilarious,” Grace noted drily. She needn’t have worried about speaking to Jenny in the shop as no one was paying Grace the slightest bit of attention, all eyes were on Frankie. Grace decided to put some of the new items on the shelves in case any of Frankie’s fans decided they wanted to buy something.

  Jenny wandered around the shop. She made notes on her clipboard as she went. Grace wondered what she was writing, she’d have to ask her later.

  Grace jumped as Frankie suddenly clapped his hands and declared, “Down to business! Have a good look around the shop, there are bargains here that you won’t find anywhere else! You can trust me on that.” He held up a finger in mock warning and added, “When these items have gone, they have gone for good!”

  It was like someone suddenly set a timer off. The customers scattered in all directions around the shop as if it was some sort of competition. A lamp was snatched out of Grace’s hands by an elderly man with a manic look in his eyes.

  Grace felt as if she’d been thrown into a pit of hungry lions as customers swarmed around her. Someone tugged at her blouse and yelled, “Is this for sale? Is it vintage?”

  Grace pushed the woman away and ran towards the safety of the till area. Frankie was already there serving a customer. Grace stood behind him and said, “They’re mad! Have you seen the look on their faces?”

  Frankie finished serving the customer and turned to Grace. “This is what marketing does, little sister. These customers will buy anything that I put on the shelves. Trust me, I know what I’m doing.” He turned back to another customer who had appeared with an armful of dishes and cups.

  Grace reluctantly admired Frankie’s efforts. He was a pain most of the time but he had turned this shop around. He had promised her that he would make it a success, and he had. There had been a time, when their parents had first died, that they thought they would have to sell this lovely shop. But things had worked out well for them in the end.

  Grace rolled up her sleeves and turned towards an eager-faced, and spotty, teenager who had staggered up to the counter, his arms full of cuddly teddy bears. Frankie was right, his fans would buy anything from him.

  They were busy throughout the morning. Grace kept an eye on Jenny who seemed absorbed in the contents of their shop. She continually made notes on her clipboard as she flitted from one part of the shop to the other. Grace was desperate to talk to her and find out what her story was, but that would have to wait.

  The last customer left the shop at 2 o’clock. Frankie slammed the till drawer shut and said, “What a marvellous day! A productive day with a lot of profit. We can even shut up early today. We’ve already made our money back on that useless unit you bought.”

  Fear trickled down Grace’s back. “What do you mean?”

  “Those tables and chairs that you bought have gone. Even those celebration banners! I moved them into the shop when you were busy with a customer. You’d left them right at the back of the shop! No one was going to find them there.”

  Grace quickly scanned the shop. She couldn’t see Jenny. When was the last time she’d seen her? Grace gripped Frankie’s arm. “I put a box on the kitchen table. Did you sell it?”

  Frankie winced and shoved her hand off his arm. “I didn’t go anywhere near the kitchen. What’s wrong with you? What’s so special about that box?”

  Grace relaxed a little. “Nothing. It’s got some folders in it. I could always use a new folder.”

  Frankie gave her a look. “You are weird sometimes, do you know that?” He looked at his watch. “I think we’ll close up now.” He tapped his watch and nodded to himself. “I’ve got somewhere to go.”

  “Where?”

  Frankie suddenly lost his confident look. He cleared his throat. “I thought I might treat myself to a new watch. I’ve had my eye on one in that jewellers down the road. Do you think it would be alright if I bought a new watch?”

  Grace’s heart softened at his worried expression. “Of course it’s alright. You’ve made enough profit lately to be able to treat yourself.”

  Frankie gave her a lopsided smile. “I know. I’m not used to spending money on myself. I’ll have another look at the watch before I decide whether to buy it. Are you sure it’ll be okay?”

  Grace nodded. She gave him a little push and said, “You go now. I’ll close the shop.”

  Frankie gave her a grateful smile and said, “I won’t be too long. See you later.”

  Grace followed him to the shop door and locked it behind him.

  Good, she was alone. Now she could see if Jenny was still here. She hoped that Jenny was attached to the box in the kitchen. She didn’t relish the thought of chasing up whoever had bought the other items in Jenny’s locker.

  Grace walked away from th
e shop door. She called out Jenny’s name.

  A ghost appeared. But it wasn’t Jenny.

  Chapter 5

  The ghost of an elderly woman appeared at the far side of the shop. She had short, curly grey hair and was wearing a floral housecoat over a long blue dress. She was looking towards a wall and yelling that someone should clear off and leave her alone.

  Grace smiled and walked over to the ghost. “Hi, Pearl. Who are you swearing at?”

  Pearl was a ghost that was attached to the shop. Pearl had been able to help ghosts when she was alive and had provided invaluable help to Grace over the last year. Pearl had a heart of gold and a mouth as filthy as a sewer. Grace loved her.

  Pearl waved her hand towards the wall. “It’s these lot! They won’t leave me alone. Pestering me day and night about their problems!” She looked back at the wall and put her hands on her hips. “I don’t care if you do think it’s urgent! You’ll have to wait your turn!”

  “Who are you talking to?” Grace narrowed her eyes. “I can’t see anyone.”

  “Good! It’s going to stay that way. Those feeble-minded ghosts think they can just appear and ask for help whenever they feel like it. I’ve told them that you’re busy and that they’ll have to wait.” She ended this with a tut and a shake of her head.

  “How many ghosts are there that need my help?”

  “Too many. And take that soft look off your face. They don’t need urgent help, it’s just stuff that they should have sorted out before they died.”

  “But I’d like to help them,” Grace pointed out.

  “You don’t have time, Grace. You’ve already got a murdered ghost to deal with. I saw her come into the shop with you. There’s something urgent about that ghost. I can’t quite put my finger on it but I know that if we don’t find out who murdered her soon then something terrible is going to happen.” Pearl’s head snapped back to the wall. She let out a stream of words that made Grace’s ears turn red. Talk about turning the air fifty shades of blue. When she’d finished, Pearl clapped her hands together and said, “Right, let’s get on with it. I hope she’s not one of those ghosts who keeps crying all the time, I can’t do with them.”

  Grace nodded and rubbed her ears, they still felt warm. She turned towards the kitchen and told Pearl what she knew so far about Jenny. Grace finished with, “I hope she is attached to the box in the kitchen and hasn’t left the shop.”

  Pearl nodded. “She’s still here. I can still feel her presence.”

  Grace walked into the kitchen and saw Jenny sitting at the kitchen table, her clipboard in her hand. She smiled when Grace came in and said, “I think you need a better system for your shop. You could put all the bric-a-brac at one side and then the linens and clothes on the other. I could make a plan for you if you like.” She tapped her clipboard. “I’ve already written something down.”

  Grace sat opposite Jenny and introduced her to Pearl.

  Pearl sat next to Jenny and looked towards her clipboard. “Frankie will never go for a structured plan, it’s too organised. Is that what you used to do when you were alive? Organise people?”

  Jenny put the clipboard down and smiled. “Sort of. I organise parties and events. I love it!” She beamed at them. Her smile suddenly dropped. “Oh. I must remember to talk in the past tense. I keep forgetting that I’m dead.” She looked at Pearl. “How long have you been dead?”

  Grace moved forward in her chair a fraction. Pearl never gave out information about herself.

  Pearl let out a gruff laugh. “None of your business. We’re not here to talk about me. What do you mean, you organise parties and stuff? How hard is it to organise a party? Get some booze and cake, throw a few sandwiches together and you’re done.”

  Jenny smiled again. “You’d be surprised how many people do pay for party planners. I have a long waiting list.” Her smile faltered. “I had a long waiting list.”

  Grace saw Jenny’s shoulders sag. She said, “Jenny, tell us more about your business. When did you start it? Where were you based?”

  Jenny sat up a bit straighter. “I suppose I started when I was young. I loved having my own birthday parties. But it wasn’t the parties themselves. It was the organising of them. Mum used to help me make special invitations, handmade ones for each of my friends. We’d plan the menu, I insisted on writing it out. I made place cards for my friends, planned the activities that we’d do, and even the games that we’d play.” She put her arms around herself. “I loved it! I used to plan parties for my toys too. They had birthdays every week. Of course, they couldn’t eat the food that I’d prepared so me and Mum had to eat it.”

  “That sounds like my sort of party,” Pearl said with a smile.

  Jenny carried on, “My friends often asked me to organise parties for them. As they got older the venues changed from their homes to halls and such like. I made some good contacts with local suppliers of all the things that parties needed. Word spread and I was soon organising other kinds of celebrations like wedding anniversaries and engagements.” She looked off into the distance. “I’ll never forget the first wedding reception that I organised. I was sick with nerves throughout it, I felt sure that something would go wrong and that I’d ruin the special day for the couple.” She looked back at them. “But it was wonderful. Everything went perfectly. And I got more work because of it.”

  “It sounds like it was the perfect job for you,” Grace said. Her thoughts flitted to her own thirtieth birthday. Her eyes welled up and she blinked away the tears that threatened to escape. Her parents had died on her thirtieth birthday. Dad had been driving her car towards a restaurant when he’d crashed. She turned her attention back to Jenny. “Tell us more about your job. Were you at an event when you were … murdered?”

  Jenny lowered her head. “I was. I think it was at a wedding.” She looked up, her brow wrinkled. “I can’t remember much about it. Grace, how are you going to help me if I can’t remember much about my death?”

  Grace pulled the box from the storage locker towards her and tipped the contents on to the table. “I think you’re attached to one of the items in this box. If I can find out what it is then I might be able to take you into a vision.”

  “Pardon?” Jenny asked.

  “When I’ve helped ghosts before we’ve touched the item that they’re attached to at the same time. When that happens we’re taken into a vision of the past, it’s usually something that will help me figure out who killed them.”

  Grace looked at the items on the table. There were four folders full of paperwork. There were a few pens and pencils, a business card and a clipboard. The clipboard seemed to be the same one that Jenny had been using earlier. Grace thought for a second that Jenny might be attached to that but then she saw something else.

  Grace held up the headset, it was identical to the one that Jenny was wearing. “I think you might be attached to this.”

  Pearl pointed towards it. “What’s that lead for?”

  Jenny said, “It used to go to my battery pack and receiver. I know it’s old-fashioned but this headset means a lot to me. A special friend gave it to me.”

  Pearl nodded. “You told Grace this lead was wrapped around your neck, is that right?”

  Jenny looked down at the table and gave her a small nod.

  Pearl turned her attention to Grace. “This headset could be the murder weapon, you’d better be careful with it, there could be incriminating fingerprints on it.”

  Jenny bolted upright. “Gloves! The killer was wearing gloves! I just had a memory of something soft against my neck, like some sort of material.”

  Pearl sighed. “These murderers never make it easy for us, selfish pigs.”

  Still holding the headset, Grace stood up and said, “I’ll take this outside. If you are attached to it then you’ll come with me.” She opened the kitchen door and walked out into the yard. She waited.

  Jenny appeared at her side within seconds and said, “Now what?”

  “No
w we go into a vision of your past.”

  Jenny shivered. “I don’t like the sound of that. I’m scared. What if we see the face of the murderer?”

  “That would be a good thing. Jenny, the vision is not real. People can’t see us or hurt us. It might upset you but I’ll be right at your side. Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Pearl shouted at them from the open doorway. “Come back inside! If you’re going into a vision I want to be part of it too!”

  Jenny’s face lit up. “Is Pearl coming with us too? I’d like that.”

  Grace walked towards the kitchen door. “She can’t come into the vision but she can see us inside it.”

  Pearl gave them a gleeful smile as they came back into the kitchen. She said, “It’s like watching the telly. Get on with it then!”

  Grace held the headset out towards Jenny. “Ready?”

  Jenny replied, “Ready.” She moved her hand towards the headset. Her hand floated through it but it was all that was needed.

  The kitchen around them began to fade.

  Chapter 6

  Grace looked at their new surroundings. She recognised the kind of room that they were now in. She turned to Jenny and said, “Is this your university accommodation?”

  Jenny’s eyes were as wide as saucers and her mouth was hanging open. Grace repeated her question. Jenny pulled herself together. “Yes, this was where I stayed in my first year. How can this be happening?”

  Grace answered, “I’ve no idea. Look, the door’s opening.” She heard Jenny’s gasp as a younger version of herself ran into the room clutching a box.

  The Jenny at Grace’s side said, “Oh! I remember this!” She shook her head. “Look how young I am! Look how skinny my legs are!”

  They watched as the Jenny in the vision took something out of the box. She threw the empty box to one side and ran over to the mirror.

  Grace pointed. “It’s your headset, the one that you’re wearing now.” She looked down at her own hand. “And the one that I’m holding. This feels strange.”