couldn’t help a chuckle escaping from her throat. “I don’t think the person who killed Martha is lurking in my living room.”
Viv batted her hand in the air. “You know how I am.” She checked over her shoulder one more time. Lowering her voice, she asked, “Did you see any ghosts when we were all outside talking about Martha?”
“No, nothing.” Lin shook her head.
Viv harrumphed. “Why can’t they be more helpful? The ghosts should show up and nod when we’re on the right track.”
Lin poured the tea and carried the mugs to the kitchen island. “I don’t think we can hope for help like that.” Climbing onto the stool next to Viv, Lin let out a sigh. “I haven’t seen the Wampanoag ghost since I was in the garden of the cultural museum talking to Nathan Long about the landscaping job.”
“He’ll show up again.” Viv added milk and sugar to her tea. “They always do.” She sipped the hot beverage. “Have you heard from Nathan about whether or not you’ve got the job?”
“He’s supposed to let me know tomorrow. The board supposedly voted this morning.”
Viv lifted her mug. “Martha must have been there for the vote. Anton said he saw her going into the museum this morning.”
“I’m sure she voted against,” Lin said. “She thought spending money on the garden was wasteful.”
“Do you think that her negative vote might have been the last straw? Maybe someone on the board had enough of Martha obstructing their ideas.” Viv eyed her cousin. “Maybe Martha’s death has absolutely nothing to do with the stolen basket.”
“I didn’t think of that.” Lin blinked. “Could a person be that angry with a board member that they would commit murder?”
“Crazy things happen. I don’t think it can be ruled out.”
The girls sipped their tea in silence for a while.
“I’m feeling antsy.” Lin slipped off the stool. “I feel like I need to be doing something.”
Viv didn’t respond, but shifted her eyes suspiciously to her cousin afraid of what she was going to say next.
“Want to go for a drive?” Lin asked.
“Where to?” Viv’s voice sounded hesitant.
“Want to ride by Martha Hillman’s house?”
Viv groaned. “Why? You won’t be able to get near it. The police will be all over the place.”
“I know. I just thought if I drove by, maybe I’d pick up on something … or see something.”
“I suppose that would be okay.” Viv drank the last of her tea.
Nicky had been listening and let out a woof of agreement.
“Just don’t go dragging me through the woods to get to the back of Martha’s house.” Viv looked at the dog. “If that’s what your owner wants to do, then it’s your job to go along. The cat and I will stay in the truck.”
Nicky woofed again.
Lin used her phone to search for Martha’s address. “Got it. She lives just outside of town off the road to Madaket.”
“Great,” Viv deadpanned. “The last time you went to a house off of that road you found a dead body.” Viv was referring to a previous case that they’d stuck their noses into about a month ago. Rinsing her mug in the sink, she added, “You might want to stay off that road from now on.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Lin chuckled as she led her cousin, the dog, and the cat out of the house and into her truck.
14
“ W e could have walked over .” Viv watched the scenery go by as Lin drove her truck to the neighborhood just outside of Nantucket town.
“I thought of that, but we have the cat and I didn’t want a dog to bother her and besides, we can sit in the car and watch what’s going on.”
When they were getting close to Martha Hillman’s Cape-style house, Lin and Viv could see the blue lights of a police car flashing up ahead. Lin pulled the truck to the curb behind a line of other vehicles a few houses down from Martha’s. Small groups of people had formed here and there on the sidewalks to watch the proceedings and gossip.
“News travels fast,”
Viv batted her hand in the air. “You know how I am.” She checked over her shoulder one more time. Lowering her voice, she asked, “Did you see any ghosts when we were all outside talking about Martha?”
“No, nothing.” Lin shook her head.
Viv harrumphed. “Why can’t they be more helpful? The ghosts should show up and nod when we’re on the right track.”
Lin poured the tea and carried the mugs to the kitchen island. “I don’t think we can hope for help like that.” Climbing onto the stool next to Viv, Lin let out a sigh. “I haven’t seen the Wampanoag ghost since I was in the garden of the cultural museum talking to Nathan Long about the landscaping job.”
“He’ll show up again.” Viv added milk and sugar to her tea. “They always do.” She sipped the hot beverage. “Have you heard from Nathan about whether or not you’ve got the job?”
“He’s supposed to let me know tomorrow. The board supposedly voted this morning.”
Viv lifted her mug. “Martha must have been there for the vote. Anton said he saw her going into the museum this morning.”
“I’m sure she voted against,” Lin said. “She thought spending money on the garden was wasteful.”
“Do you think that her negative vote might have been the last straw? Maybe someone on the board had enough of Martha obstructing their ideas.” Viv eyed her cousin. “Maybe Martha’s death has absolutely nothing to do with the stolen basket.”
“I didn’t think of that.” Lin blinked. “Could a person be that angry with a board member that they would commit murder?”
“Crazy things happen. I don’t think it can be ruled out.”
The girls sipped their tea in silence for a while.
“I’m feeling antsy.” Lin slipped off the stool. “I feel like I need to be doing something.”
Viv didn’t respond, but shifted her eyes suspiciously to her cousin afraid of what she was going to say next.
“Want to go for a drive?” Lin asked.
“Where to?” Viv’s voice sounded hesitant.
“Want to ride by Martha Hillman’s house?”
Viv groaned. “Why? You won’t be able to get near it. The police will be all over the place.”
“I know. I just thought if I drove by, maybe I’d pick up on something … or see something.”
“I suppose that would be okay.” Viv drank the last of her tea.
Nicky had been listening and let out a woof of agreement.
“Just don’t go dragging me through the woods to get to the back of Martha’s house.” Viv looked at the dog. “If that’s what your owner wants to do, then it’s your job to go along. The cat and I will stay in the truck.”
Nicky woofed again.
Lin used her phone to search for Martha’s address. “Got it. She lives just outside of town off the road to Madaket.”
“Great,” Viv deadpanned. “The last time you went to a house off of that road you found a dead body.” Viv was referring to a previous case that they’d stuck their noses into about a month ago. Rinsing her mug in the sink, she added, “You might want to stay off that road from now on.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Lin chuckled as she led her cousin, the dog, and the cat out of the house and into her truck.
14
“ W e could have walked over .” Viv watched the scenery go by as Lin drove her truck to the neighborhood just outside of Nantucket town.
“I thought of that, but we have the cat and I didn’t want a dog to bother her and besides, we can sit in the car and watch what’s going on.”
When they were getting close to Martha Hillman’s Cape-style house, Lin and Viv could see the blue lights of a police car flashing up ahead. Lin pulled the truck to the curb behind a line of other vehicles a few houses down from Martha’s. Small groups of people had formed here and there on the sidewalks to watch the proceedings and gossip.
“News travels fast,”
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