The Ghost from the Sea by Anna J McIntyre

Author:Anna J McIntyre [Holmes, Bobbi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Anna J McIntyre

It was almost 5:00 p.m. when Joanne finally left for the day. Instead of going to the attic in search of Walt, Danielle went to the living room, where she found Max curled up on the sofa, sleeping. When she sat down on the sofa next to him, he opened his eyes and yawned.

“Hey, Max. You have a rough life.” Smiling, Danielle reached out and stroked the cat’s neck.

Standing up, Max strolled over to Danielle, walking onto her lap. After making himself comfortable, ignoring her grunts due to his excess weight, Max settled down and began to purr. Looking down at the black cat curled up on her lap, Danielle smiled, while gently rubbing the white fur along the tips of his otherwise black ears.

“I thought you’d come upstairs,” Walt said when he appeared in front of the sofa a moment later. Both Max and Danielle looked up at Walt.

“Hi Walt,” Danielle greeted in a subdued voice. Max yawned and then settled his face back on his front paws, closing his eyes. He began to purr again.

Walt took a seat across from Danielle. “I saw Joanne drive off. How did it go at the museum?”

Danielle shrugged indifferently, while still stroking Max’s neck. “I met the new board member. Jolene Carmichael. She grew up in Frederickport, just moved back. Her husband was Doug Carmichael.”

“Doug Carmichael? Should I know who that is?”

“Probably not. He was Clarence Renton’s partner in the law practice. Jolene moved to New York to be with their daughter, after her husband died a number of years ago.”

Waving his hand, Walt summons a lit cigar. Before taking a puff, he narrowed his eyes and asked, “Was he also embezzling from clients?”

Danielle shrugged. “I wondered that myself, when she told me who she was. She’s also the granddaughter of one of your old business partners.”

Prepared to take another puff of the cigar, Walt paused, flashing Danielle a brief frown. “Business partner? Jack was my only business partner, and as far as I know he never had any children.”

Studying Walt’s expression, Danielle licked her lips and then said, “Ralph Templeton.”

“Ralph Templeton?” Walt stood up. “I haven’t heard that name in years.” He began pacing the room.

“From what she told me, her grandfather’s brother—Howard, and Howard’s wife, were on the Eva Aphrodite when it went missing.”

Walt sat back down and looked at Danielle. “So, why did you call Ralph my business partner?”

“According to Ben, you and Ralph went into some business venture together.”

Walt shook his head. “That’s not true. Ralph Templeton would be the last man I’d do business with.”

“According to Ben, you and Ralph were negotiating some business deal, his brother was against it, and after the Eva Aphrodite went missing, you two moved ahead with it—whatever it was.”

Leaning back in the chair, Walt smiled at Danielle. “Where is Ben getting all this information?”

Licking her lips again, her gaze meeting Walt’s, Danielle said, “From Ethel Pearson’s diary.”

If Danielle expected a reaction, she didn’t get one. Leaning forward, Walt continued to stare at her, a frown on his face, as if he was attempting to place Ethel Pearson.

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