Wilmington, NC 03 - Murder On The Ghost Walk

hadn't listened to the news in days because every time I turned it on, some precious newscaster was saying how Ashley Wilkes, a historic preservationist, had a knack for turning up corpses in old houses. What an endorsement!
    Sherman was hyper, hopping from one foot to the other, bumping against waiters. Why doesn't he take the hint and leave? But he loved the sound of his own voice. "Isn't it delicious? Nothing much ever happens in this pokey town. Now we've got two society murders and a killer on the loose."
    I looked at Melanie. Her green eyes were throwing off sparks.
    Sherman's darting gaze came to rest on her. "Someone said the police are interested in you, hon." He arched his brows. "Now that can't possibly be true, can it?"
    "Of course it's not true," Melanie snapped. She shoved back her chair and plunked two twenties on the table. "Lovely to see you, Muffie, Sherman. Do forgive us for rushing off, but we've got to go visit our mama."
    I jumped up too, thrusting my napkin on the table. Pushing back my chair, I hastily followed Melanie's lead. She was half-way out of the restaurant.
    "Give your mama our love," lame Muffie called after us. "Hope she doesn't get lost again."
    I caught up with Melanie outside the ladies room. She yanked me inside and pressed her fingertip to her lips while she checked out the stalls to be sure we were alone. Then she gave me a level, warning stare. "Don't you ever trust Sherman Warner. If anyone had a good reason to kill Reggie Campbell, it was him. And don't you ever let him get you alone, either, Ashley Wilkes. I think he could be dangerous." Her green eyes snapped.
    "Why? What'd he do?" I asked in a whisper.
    "About six months before Reggie and Shelby disappeared, there was a scandal at his brokerage house. Sherman was involved in some shady, insider-trading s cam . I happen to know because I was dating his manager Scott at the time and you know how men love to gossip when they're trying to impress you. Well, Scott let a few things slip he shouldn't have. The firm covered up Sherman's fraud, but the one person outside the firm who knew about it and who could make trouble for Sherman was Reggie Campbell. Sherman and Reggie were thick as blood in those days."
    Melanie kept her eyes glued to the door. "Scott told me he hoped Sherman and Reggie never had a falling out because Reggie had enough on Sherman to send him to prison for a long, long time."
    "So that's what Teddy was referring to," I said.
    Melanie started to leave. "Come on." I trailed along behind her. Didn't I always?
    The rain had let up. Outside on the boardwalk we bumped into Cecily and Gordon Cushman. "Ashley! How fortuitous! I was going to call you. What are you doing this afternoon? I ’m just dying to talk to you, but now's not a good time. I'll call you. My editor is so excited -- two murders ! -- a nd you made both discoveries. He's so anxious to meet you."
    I must have looked blank because she peered inquiringly at me over half glasses. "You promised to help me with my book."
    Gordon was shifting from foot to foot, impatient.
    Seeing me hesitate, Melanie interjected, "Excuse us, Cecily, we're on our way to see our mama."
    Gordon tried steering Cecily away. Cecily shook off his hand with a sharp , "Bug off, Gordon!"
    To me she said, "I'll call you, Ashley. I've told my editor all about you. He's got a lot of influence so you don't want to cross him. He'll get you a free trip to New York and an interview on the Today show with me. Why, he might even get us on Oprah! Don't you just love it?"
    "She's a ghoul," I told Melanie's back. "She had the nerve to ask me whose head I'd found -- hers or his. Those two are capable of murder, that's for sure."
    Melanie turned. "I wouldn't put it past them. Come on, shug!"

2 7

    Mama seemed happy and relaxed. The tension and fearful attitude was gone. Her doctor was trying a mild tranquilizer and it seemed to help. In the course of two days she'd found herself a suitor, a dapper older gentleman who followed her around the solarium, answering to the name she'd tagged him with, Rhett.
    "She's my Scarlett," he confided to Melanie and me. "Your mother's a pistol. Do you think she'll marry me?" He was so earnest I was touched. What a sweet old gent.
    After a lengthy visit that included "Rhett", we dashed out into the rain to our separate cars. Melanie had houses to show, so we drove off in different directions. I headed for home.
    Jon's car was parked in front of my house and I