The Ghost of Marlow House (Haunting Danielle Book 1) by Anna J. McIntyre, Bobbi Holmes Page A

suits
you.”
    Danielle looked up.  Walt leaned
casually against the fireplace, smoking a thin cigar. She wondered briefly why
he always wore the same suit. Perhaps when one died they were only allowed one
ensemble. The spirits she’d seen in the past—those she’d seen on more than one
occasion—never changed outfits. She then wondered—who chose the clothes? Did Walt
subconsciously make the selection or was there some fashion angel whose job it
was to dress up the newly departed prior to haunting?
    “Those things will kill you, you know,”
Danielle said dryly. When Walt frowned, she gave a little nod and said, “The
cigar.”
    “Too late.” Walt shrugged.
    “Do you have to smoke in my room?”
    “I told you it was also my room.”
    Walt watched as Danielle slipped on her
second shoe and then asked, “Where are you going?”
    “Back to the museum, to have a look at
the rest of those newspapers. Hopefully I’ll find out what happened to Angela.
Maybe get more details on your…your death.”
    “I wish I could go along. Is your friend
going with you?”
    “No. Lily’s staying here and doing a
furniture inventory.”
    “Furniture inventory?”
    “She’s going to make an itemized list of
all the furnishings in the house—noting the condition of each piece, so we can
get a better idea of what needs to be repaired or replaced. Ian may be here
helping her. I know she plans to give him a tour of the house.”
    “Ian—the man from across the street? The
man who isn’t a teacher?”
    “If you want to be useful, keep an eye
on him. Not sure how I feel about the two being alone.”
    “And exactly what am I supposed to do if
your friend needs protecting?”
    “Use your ghostly powers.”  Danielle
picked her purse off the bed and slipped its strap over her shoulder.
    “My ghostly powers? If you recall, when
I tried to touch your hand, mine simply moved through yours. The same when I
tried to pet Sadie.”
    “You also opened the parlor door for
me.”  Danielle stood by her bedroom door facing Walt.
    “True, but you said that was my energy,
that my body was simply an illusion.”
    “ Exactly , Walt. Your energy
opened that door.”
    Walt frowned and looked at his hands.
The cigar he had been smoking vanished. Lifting his hands to his face he
studied them for a moment.
    “By the way,” Danielle opened her
bedroom door. “I told Lily to have Ian bring Sadie over. If nothing else, you
can pump the dog for information.”
    “Are you mocking me?” Walt glared at
Danielle through narrowed eyes.
    “Only a little. But, I did tell her he
could bring Sadie over.”

Chapter Twelve
     
    Before entering the museum, Danielle
looked through her wallet for the membership card Millie Samson had issued her
the day before. When she walked into the museum, it wasn’t Millie who greeted
her, but another docent. She showed him the card, and then made her way to the
back of the museum to the old newspapers. Unlike yesterday, there were a number
of visitors already at the museum, wandering through the various exhibits.
    Danielle was the only one to take a
place at the newspaper table. Since the books were numbered chronologically, it
took her just a few minutes to locate the next book she needed.   Opening to
the first page, she found another article on the suicide.
    The second article was primarily a recap
of the first one, with one exception. It included an interview with Walt’s
brother-in-law, Roger Calvert. The interview took place in Frederickport.
    This is going to break my dear sister’s
heart , Roger said in the interview. When asked why his
brother-in-law would take his own life, Roger responded, I suppose none of
us really knows what goes on in another man’s heart; however, according to
authorities, he had been drinking the night he took his life. I can only guess
at the demons that plagued him.”
    According to the article, Angela Marlow
was still not aware of her husband’s death. How is that