Wilmington, NC 03 - Murder On The Ghost Walk

away on business."
    "Humph! What business? Man never worked a day in his life. Like they say, he earned his money the old-fashioned way -- inherited it."
    Apparently in Tommy's book, an idler was a worse sinner than an adulterer.
    "Hate to think of that pretty woman being left inside a wall like that. Not even getting a decent Christian burial."
    "Now, Tommy, we don't know yet who those skeletons are. The police are trying to make an identification."
    "It's got to be them. Who else could it be? Nobody else is missing, are they?"
    Good question, I thought. Detective Yost would know about missing persons. Detective Yost was the key to everything. Now if I could only find some way to ingratiate myself with him.

8

    I hadn't seen Teddy Lambston since high school, so it was a surprise to find him waiting for me in my studio after lunch. "Well, I declare, Teddy, what are you doing here?" I declare? How quickly we revert to downhome-isms.
    Teddy shot to his feet. " Hey, Ashley!" He held out his arms and I walked into them. We hugged. Teddy had always been such a sweet guy in high school. I remembered in junior high, he'd taken a lot of ribbing about being a mama's boy. Then in high school there were rumors he was gay, but I didn't listen to the gossip. Just because he's not macho, I reasoned, doesn't mean he's homosexual. And so what if he is? That's nobody's business but his.
    Teddy hadn't changed much since high school. His curly, honey-blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail , the way he'd worn it then.
    I remembered how he used to call me up and we'd gossip on the phone for hours. Then I went away to college and we lost touch. Even when I came home for holidays, I never ran into Teddy.
    "I came by to say hey because we're going to be working together. Isn't that great? It'll be like old times."
    Confused, I said, "That's terrific, Teddy, but what do you mean?"
    "I'm Mirabelle's new assistant."
    For a moment I was speechless. "Well, congratulations. That's wonderful. You know, we really have some catching up to do. I haven't seen any of the old crowd in ages. So you're working for Mirabelle now? How well do you know her?"
    "We've only just met, but already I like her. She has a way of making you feel special, don't you think?"
    Oh, dear, this was bad. Poor Teddy, he was always such an innocent and so gullible. I suppressed a giggle. Little "Lambston" being led to the slaughter. "Oh, very special. What will you be doing for Mirabelle?"
    "Well, for right now, I'll be the liaison regarding the kitchen remodeling. I'll help expedite things."
    Liaison? That's all we needed on this project, one more person to slow things down. Then I reconsidered. Maybe Teddy could help, act as a buffer between me and Mirabelle when she got into one of her huffy moods. He was such a pussycat, perhaps he could placate her. Yeah, dream on, Wilkes. No one could.
    So busy was I plotting my strategy, I almost missed what he said next. "My degree is in television production, you know, and I've had good experience, so once the Lifetime series begins, I'll be assisting the producer. Till then, you can call me with questions about the kitchen and I'll get back to you with Mirabelle's answers."
    He seemed to sense his new role might be an intrusion. "Sorry, Ashley, it's the way she wants it."
    "That's OK , Teddy. Not your fault. And, you know, this might be for the best. Sit down. Let's catch up. Where have you been all these years?"
    Teddy surveyed my studio, admiring the colorful tools of my trade. "I like what you've done here, Ashley."
    Bookcases were filled with catalogues offering vintage fixtures. Reproduction wallpaper books were stacked on the shelves, and sample cards of fabric swatches hung from pegs. An antique Welsh cupboard had been put to use as a display case for gimp and fringes, long silky tassels, brass hardware. Teddy was impressed, yet had no way of knowing I wasn't going to be able to pay the rent here much longer.
    "Sometimes I think I should have gone into decorating," he mused out loud. "I have a flair for it like mother did."
    "Yes, I remember how talented she was. And you were one of the best artists in school."
    "But instead I studied television production at New York University."
    "New York University! I don't believe this! I went to Parsons. It's on Fifth Avenue and Thirteenth Street. We were just blocks apart."
    "Both of us in New York a t the same time! I didn’t know.”
    "No one in the old gang seemed to know where