The Ghost and The Haunted Mansion: A Haunted Bookshop Mystery

woman want anything to do with Todd Mansion?” Sadie asked.
    “It’s quite silly, really. You see, she believes that Todd Mansion is, well . . .”
    “Yeah,” Seymour piped up. “Todd mansion is what ?”
    “Cursed.”
    “What do you mean ‘cursed’?” Seymour asked.
    “Haunted would be more accurate,” Stoddard said. “Haunted by evil spirits.”
    For a few seconds no one made a sound. Then I watched Aunt Sadie’s eyebrows lift and Seymour’s jaw literally drop open. My own mind raced back to the expression of mortal dread on the face of Miss Todd’s corpse, along with that chilly cold spot.
    Seymour cleared his throat. “Look, Mr. Stoddard, I know you’re a smart guy and all, but I have a suggestion for you. Don’t ever take up real estate as a profession, ’cause you don’t know the first thing about pumping up the property to a prospective owner!”
    Stoddard sat back in his leather chair and folded his hands over his belly. “You must understand that I don’t put much stock in Timothea’s sister’s opinion. I merely mentioned the woman’s theory in answer to your question. Remember, Mr. Tarnish, the sisters were estranged for many years. Why, I doubt that Mrs.”—Stoddard caught himself—“excuse me, that Miss Todd’s sister has set foot in the mansion for decades.”
    Get her name, baby.
    “Excuse me,” I interrupted. “I’m just so curious . . . Can’t you tell us the woman’s name? We’ll keep it confidential.”
    “I’m sorry, Mrs. McClure. It’s a matter of trust. Miss Todd’s sister insists on privacy. Of course, once I’ve finished executing the will, it shall enter the public record—”
    “When will you finish executing the will?” I asked, maybe a little too urgently. Mr. Stoddard’s neutral expression changed.
    “Hard to estimate at this time,” he replied, his eyes narrowing on me with open suspicion. “Could be three months, maybe six. There’s quite a bit of paperwork; transfers; and, of course, federal, state, and local taxes to be handled.”
    Seymour loosened his Mighty Mouse tie. “What makes Miss Todd’s sister think the mansion is haunted?”
    “I really couldn’t say.” Stoddard shrugged. “I mean, Miss Todd dwelled in that house for years without complaint.”
    I frowned. “But Chief Ciders told me that Miss Todd summoned officers to her home a number of times in recent weeks. He said she was complaining of hearing strange noises.”
    Stoddard sighed. “Miss Todd discussed the matter with me, as well. She seemed genuinely frightened, though I did my best to soothe her fears. And I believe fears were all they ever were. You see, Timothea’s behavior had become increasingly erratic since a trivial incident that occurred last summer.”
    “What incident?” I asked.
    Stoddard waved his hand as if dismissing the subject. “It doesn’t much matter now.”
    Jump on that, doll. Push him for more. But don’t make him nervous. Keep it conversational.
    I cleared my throat, wrinkled my brow. “But I’d like to know,” I said. “Wouldn’t you, Aunt Sadie?”
    “Well, yes,” said Sadie. “I suppose so—”
    “It was just a problem with the gas main on Larchmont,” Stoddard said.
    “Oh, I remember that!” Seymour turned to me and Sadie. “That Wolfe Construction crew resurfacing Larchmont dug a little too deep. A backhoe ruptured the gas main—”
    “Yes, I remember, too,” Sadie said. She shook her head. “That’s the same construction company that’s been blocking Bud’s hardware store.”
    “They win a lot of the bids for the city,” said Seymour.
    Sadie turned to Stoddard. “Weren’t some of those big houses on the avenue evacuated when that gas main was broken?”
    “Only one, I’m afraid,” Stoddard replied. “The damaged gas main was right in front of Miss Todd’s gate, so she was forced to leave her home for almost ten days while the leak was capped and the pipes repaired.”
    “That would have been a terrible inconvenience,” I conceded. “But why would that have affected Miss Todd?”
    “She had a psychological attachment to the mansion,” Stoddard said. “Leaving caused her distress.” Stoddard sighed and looked down, studying the nicked desk. “At first she wouldn’t leave, despite the danger. Volunteer firemen literally had to drag her out. I convinced Timothea not to return for her own safety.”
    “Where did you take her?” Sadie asked.
    “The Finch Inn was booked, so I found a nice