The Haunting of Clay Manor: A Riveting Haunted House Mystery by Marie Wilkens

Author:Marie Wilkens [Wilkens, Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
Published: 2022-12-07T16:00:00+00:00

24

Amara didn’t waste any time in tracking down Betty, though the woman proved to be hard prey to find. The first stop in the kitchen revealed several staff members who greeted her warmly but no head housekeeper. Moving to the back patio, she saw Betty working in the flowerbeds that ran the length of the manor. Amara waved at her and jogged over to join her.

“Hello, darling,” Betty said. “Have you come to pick some flowers with me, too?”

Amara sat down next to her. “I thought we had landscapers to do all this.”

“Oh, we do, but I try to get out here at least once a week to try to clip as many of the flowers as I can. I know it’s silly. There are hundreds of them that we’d never be able to use…it just seems such a shame for their beauty to go to waste, though.”

Amara frowned. “Yeah, we shouldn’t be chucking them into the compost. I agree with you. What if we worked with some local groups like the elderly outreach and the rotary club to come up here once a week and pick what they could use? I’m sure the retirement home would love fresh flowers, and the county cemetery always looks a little bleak.”

“Lord in heaven, child. I think you might be a true saint! I never thought of such a thing, but you know, I could work with a couple of the volunteers, show them how to trim and cut the stock properly, and they’d be able to take over from there. Heck, that would probably cut down on landscaping costs, too!”

“As long as they leave enough for you to keep getting your break and bouquets, then I’m on board.”

“You know, I told Arnie that you two were going to make this place shine. It’s always nice to be proven right. Did you need something, sweetheart? Or is this just a friendly visit? I do enjoy those.”

“Trust me, I wish I were just coming out to shoot the breeze. Unfortunately, I do have another reason for being here. Do you know Father Tisdale?”

Betty’s hands stopped moving. Her gaze, previously torn between the conversation and the project at hand, was now locked on Amara. She could see the woman knew who Amara was talking about. Thankfully, Betty seemed open to whatever the new heir had to say. Clearing her throat, Amara toyed with the grass beneath them.

“Peter and I thought we’d have him up this evening to bless the house.”

Betty cringed and gave her a wary glance.

Amara continued, “I know he’s come out before, and those times were…less than ideal. I think we’ve come up with a plan to keep Jean distracted, but we’ll need everyone’s help.”

She chuckled. “So, you really think that old coot can clear this place of the negativity?”

Amara shrugged. “I think we have to give it a shot. We both know there is something here, Betty. I love the estate, the people, the manor, but something doesn’t want us here, and I don’t know how long I can keep looking over my shoulder.

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