you
live?”
Grace
replied, “It’s for a shop. I run it with my brother. He’s taken to living in
the stockroom above the shop. I wanted to see if it’s possible to convert it
into proper living quarters for him. He keeps saying he’ll get round to it one
day but he hasn’t yet.”
Jessie
smiled at Grace. “Men are pretty useless at things like that.”
Grace
and Jessie ignored the muttered curse that came from Rob. He picked up his saw
and turned his back on them.
Grace
gave Jessie the address. Jessie nodded. “My dad is working nearby. I was due to
work with him this afternoon, I can pop in to your shop later on today, if
that’s all right?”
“Perfect.
Thank you. I’ll see you then.” Grace turned away. As she made her way back to
the car park she heard Rob say, “Any excuse to get away from this hotel,
Jessie? I thought you were over him.”
There
was a resigned sigh from Jessie. “Don’t start that again, you know I’m over
him.”
Archie
reappeared in the passenger seat as Grace drove away from the hotel. Grace
said, “Did you hear our conversation? Or did you go to your quiet place?”
Archie
looked straight forward. “I heard. I don’t like how Rob was talking to Jessie.
I presume the ‘him’ she was talking about being over was me. It didn’t take her
long to get over me.”
“We
don’t know the full details yet. I’m sure Jessie loved you very much.”
Archie
didn’t look convinced. “I’m beginning to doubt her innocence. What if she and
Rob planned to kill me together? They left the hotel at around the time I died,
and they had access to a ladder.”
They
drove on in silence, both lost in thought.
Grace
thought Archie could be right about Jessie and Rob. But why would they kill
him? For love, to be with each other? That didn’t make sense, Jessie could have
just called off the wedding.
That
were a lot of things that didn’t make sense, including Lily, the dancing ghost.
Grace
gripped the steering wheel. She was going to get to the bottom of this mystery
somehow.
Chapter 24
Grace
parked the van at the rear of the shop. She did a double take as she entered
the main shop premises. There were customers everywhere. There was also a
flustered-looking Frankie standing at the till, a queue of grumbling people in
front of him.
Archie
took in the scene and said, “I’ll find Pearl and tell her what’s happened, I
think your brother needs you.”
Grace
shoved her coat and handbag away and ran over to Frankie’s side. He gave her a
grateful look. Grace nodded and called out, “Who’s next?”
She
spent the next two hours dealing with the influx of customers, Frankie working
just as frantically at her side.
When
there was a lull in customers Grace asked Frankie why the shop was so busy.
He
gave her an embarrassed smile. “I think it’s my fault. I put a message on my
social sites saying that there was a 40 per cent discount on all goods this
afternoon.”
Grace’s
eyebrows rose. “Any reason for that?”
He
shrugged. “Seemed like a good idea. It’s working, the shelves are getting emptier.
I think we finally might be able to move some of that stuff out of the
stockroom.”
“Talking
of the stockroom,” Grace began. She never finished her sentence as another
onslaught of customers barged into the shop.
It
was another hour before Grace could take a proper breath. “Wow! Warn me next
time about any discounts. Has it been like this all day? You should have called
me.”
“It
started at ten o’clock. Must be pension day or something. The old codgers had
to collect their money first. I’m dying for a cup of tea, I haven’t had any
lunch.”
“Me
neither. Shall I make you something?”
Frankie
rested on the till. “I could do with a sit down. My back is killing me, I’m not
used to this hard work.”
“You
go have a rest,” Grace said.
At
that moment Jessie walked into the shop. Frankie’s mouth dropped open as he
stared at
live?”
Grace
replied, “It’s for a shop. I run it with my brother. He’s taken to living in
the stockroom above the shop. I wanted to see if it’s possible to convert it
into proper living quarters for him. He keeps saying he’ll get round to it one
day but he hasn’t yet.”
Jessie
smiled at Grace. “Men are pretty useless at things like that.”
Grace
and Jessie ignored the muttered curse that came from Rob. He picked up his saw
and turned his back on them.
Grace
gave Jessie the address. Jessie nodded. “My dad is working nearby. I was due to
work with him this afternoon, I can pop in to your shop later on today, if
that’s all right?”
“Perfect.
Thank you. I’ll see you then.” Grace turned away. As she made her way back to
the car park she heard Rob say, “Any excuse to get away from this hotel,
Jessie? I thought you were over him.”
There
was a resigned sigh from Jessie. “Don’t start that again, you know I’m over
him.”
Archie
reappeared in the passenger seat as Grace drove away from the hotel. Grace
said, “Did you hear our conversation? Or did you go to your quiet place?”
Archie
looked straight forward. “I heard. I don’t like how Rob was talking to Jessie.
I presume the ‘him’ she was talking about being over was me. It didn’t take her
long to get over me.”
“We
don’t know the full details yet. I’m sure Jessie loved you very much.”
Archie
didn’t look convinced. “I’m beginning to doubt her innocence. What if she and
Rob planned to kill me together? They left the hotel at around the time I died,
and they had access to a ladder.”
They
drove on in silence, both lost in thought.
Grace
thought Archie could be right about Jessie and Rob. But why would they kill
him? For love, to be with each other? That didn’t make sense, Jessie could have
just called off the wedding.
That
were a lot of things that didn’t make sense, including Lily, the dancing ghost.
Grace
gripped the steering wheel. She was going to get to the bottom of this mystery
somehow.
Chapter 24
Grace
parked the van at the rear of the shop. She did a double take as she entered
the main shop premises. There were customers everywhere. There was also a
flustered-looking Frankie standing at the till, a queue of grumbling people in
front of him.
Archie
took in the scene and said, “I’ll find Pearl and tell her what’s happened, I
think your brother needs you.”
Grace
shoved her coat and handbag away and ran over to Frankie’s side. He gave her a
grateful look. Grace nodded and called out, “Who’s next?”
She
spent the next two hours dealing with the influx of customers, Frankie working
just as frantically at her side.
When
there was a lull in customers Grace asked Frankie why the shop was so busy.
He
gave her an embarrassed smile. “I think it’s my fault. I put a message on my
social sites saying that there was a 40 per cent discount on all goods this
afternoon.”
Grace’s
eyebrows rose. “Any reason for that?”
He
shrugged. “Seemed like a good idea. It’s working, the shelves are getting emptier.
I think we finally might be able to move some of that stuff out of the
stockroom.”
“Talking
of the stockroom,” Grace began. She never finished her sentence as another
onslaught of customers barged into the shop.
It
was another hour before Grace could take a proper breath. “Wow! Warn me next
time about any discounts. Has it been like this all day? You should have called
me.”
“It
started at ten o’clock. Must be pension day or something. The old codgers had
to collect their money first. I’m dying for a cup of tea, I haven’t had any
lunch.”
“Me
neither. Shall I make you something?”
Frankie
rested on the till. “I could do with a sit down. My back is killing me, I’m not
used to this hard work.”
“You
go have a rest,” Grace said.
At
that moment Jessie walked into the shop. Frankie’s mouth dropped open as he
stared at
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