“I can’t say that for certain, but he never seemed too involved with the day-to-day tasks. He had the manager, Bill, running most of it. Bill’s wife, Joan, is the bookkeeper and Leonard runs the nursery section.”
“Leonard? He’s capable of running part of the business?”
“Not sure about that.” Jeff shrugged. “Hammond was always off on some new scheme to make money. The guy was fascinated with treasure hunting. He loved diving sunken ships. I think he was pretty sure he was going to hit the jackpot one day. About a year ago, he asked a few of us to join him on a dive in the Caribbean. I refused to go. I thought he was too much of a daredevil, taking stupid risks, putting himself in danger. I had enough of danger serving in the military. That was something I didn’t need any more of in my life.”
“Someone told me that Hammond had some trouble with gambling.”
“I heard that, too,” Jeff said. “I’m not surprised. I think the guy struggled with good judgment. I shouldn’t speak ill of the dead, but Greg seemed like someone who could make a mountain of trouble for himself.”
Lin hesitated, then decided to tell Jeff about Viv’s experience with Hammond. “He was obsessive over her house. He frightened Viv.”
Jeff narrowed his eyes, clearly annoyed at Hammond’s behavior. “What in the world? Those seem like the actions of a desperate man.”
“But what could he have been so desperate over?” Lin questioned.
“What is it about your cousin’s house that could have attracted Greg?” Jeff pondered.
“We’ve been racking our brains trying to figure that out.” Lin sighed. “I doubt there’s any treasure hidden in some nook or cranny of Viv’s antique Cape.”
“It’s a historical home, but Greg only cared about historical things if he saw a dollar sign hanging from them.” Jeff finished his beer.
“You know, I was at Hammond’s business the other day.” Lin’s face was serious. “I went there to see if I could find out anything about Greg and why he was so obsessed with Viv’s house.” Thinking about the visit she paid to the landscaping company and the two men she’d talked with made Lin shake her head. “I thought Leonard and Bill were kind of odd. Bill didn’t seem to care in the least that his employer had been murdered and Leonard seemed to take delight in making me uncomfortable.” Lin’s lips turned down in distaste. “Anyway, Nicky scooted under a desk in their office and I had to fish him out. When I was trying to grab him, I saw a book on the floor under Hammond’s desk. It was about ghost mysteries on Nantucket. You think Greg could have been interested in things like that?”
“I’ve no idea. If he could make money from something ghost-related then he’d probably be interested.” Jeff shrugged. “Did you look through the book?”
“No, I didn’t want to linger in that office. Last night, Viv gave me a copy from her bookstore though. I just haven’t had time to look at it.”
“Is it here?” Jeff’s eyes were bright with interest. “Shall we have a look?”
“I left it in the living room.” Lin and Jeff got up from the table and went into the house. Lin thought she’d left the book on the side table next to the easy chair, but the tabletop was empty. She bent to see if it had fallen to the floor, maybe knocked there by the dog’s exuberant running. “It isn’t here.” Lin stood up, her hands on her hips, and glanced about the room. “Where could it be?”
“You sure you brought it in? Could it be in your truck?” Jeff checked the bookshelf and the other tables in the room.
“It’s not in the truck. I walked home last night.” Lin’s face was creased with annoyance. “Maybe I took it into the room I use for an office.” She hurried in there and looked around. She came out empty handed.
“How about the kitchen?” Jeff suggested.
Lin and Jeff looked in cabinets, on the floor, on the table, and around the countertops.
“I’m sure I brought it home.” Lin breathed out an exasperated sigh.
“Well, it will turn up.” Jeff gave Lin’s shoulder a squeeze. “Let’s go clear the table. I’d better head home. That alarm is going to go off tomorrow morning and I’ll sleep right through it.”
The two went to the deck and gathered the dishes, glasses, and cutlery and brought it all inside and loaded the dishwasher. When they finished, Lin walked Jeff to the front door. Nicky roused from his blanket and stumbled over to rub his head against the man’s knee. Jeff bent and scratched the dog’s ears. “See you later, little guy.”
“Thanks for picking up the dinner.” Lin stood inside the front door.
On the front landing, Jeff shuffled from foot to foot. When he made eye contact with Lin, her muscles tingled and she felt all soft and weak. Electricity jumped between the two of them. For a second, Lin thought the handsome man would lean in for a kiss, but he hesitated and the moment was gone.
“Um.” Jeff looked unsure. “Would you like to get dinner with me in town some night?”
Warmth spread through Lin’s body. She couldn’t believe he was asking her out. Her eyes beamed at him. “Yes. I’d love to.”
Jeff breathed a sigh of relief, nodded, and gave Lin a dopey smile. “I have your number. I’ll give you a call.” As he made his way to his truck, he walked with a spring in his step.
Lin closed and locked the front door and leaned against it with a wide grin on her face. Her heart was beating fast. She hadn’t felt so happy in a very long time.
Crossing the living room to go to the kitchen, Lin looked out of the glass door to the deck and noticed something they’d left on the outside table. She opened the door and went out to retrieve it.
Reaching for the object, a shudder ran down her back when she saw what it was. The book she and Jeff had searched the house for was lying on the table, open to chapter eleven.
Chapter 12
Lin flung the front door open with shaking hands and Viv hurried in from the dark night pulling her sweater around her. “How on earth did this happen?”
“We searched the house for that book and then it showed up on the table right where we had eaten dinner. It wasn’t there when we were eating.” Lin’s face was pale and her movements were quick and twitchy.
The girls walked into the kitchen and Lin put the tea kettle on to boil water. When she turned back to her cousin, Viv had an odd look on her face.
“What?” Lin’s eyes widened.
“You know very well how the book must have gotten out there.” Viv had her arms wrapped around herself.
Lin let out a groan. “I know. It’s so annoying having a ghost manipulating things. I don’t like thinking some stupid ghost is in here spying on me.”
“Whoa.” Viv hunched over and took quick glances over her shoulder. “Jeez, don’t make him angry. What if he gets angry?”
“The real question is, why not just come out and tell me what he needs to say. Why all this cloak and dagger nonsense?”
“Oh.” Viv looked faint. She sat down on one of the counter stools. “Don’t say dagger. Hammond was stabbed. Maybe you need to use a more respectful tone when speaking about the ghost.” She swallowed. “Have you seen anyone … ah, floating around in here lately?”
Lin removed the kettle and poured water into the two mugs. “I wish I had. I would give him a piece of my mind.”
“Can ghosts hear what you’re saying?” Viv asked nervously. Her eyes darted around the room.
Lin placed a mug in front of her cousin and sat down next to her. “I have no idea.”
Viv wrapped her hands around the warm mug. “Did you look at the book yet?”
Lin shook her head. Wearily she stood and moved to the side counter where she picked up the Ghost Mysteries of Nantucket and carried it back to the center island.