The wallpaper was a faded beige, with faint yellow flowers stamped across it. There was a single bed, the sheets neatly made, and a closet. They were the only pieces of furniture in the entire room. It looked almost like a prison cell.

  “This won’t take us long.” I hurried to the closet and opened the door. A row of beige clothing stared back at me. “Nothing useful in there.” I closed the door.

  Crystal gestured to the bed.

  It was an old-style metal framed bed, with space underneath to store cases. I ducked down and discovered two boxes under the bed. I pulled the first one out and opened it. It was full of paperwork. I rifled through it for a couple of minutes, but couldn’t find anything useful.

  The second box was lighter. I lifted off the lid and gasped. Inside were a dozen pieces of jewelry.

  Crystal and Rhyannon hovered by my shoulder. They both grabbed pieces of jewelry and held them out.

  “These are yours?” I asked them.

  Rhyannon nodded.

  “Why is Rose taking your things?” Maybe she was a kleptomaniac and couldn’t help but steal sparkly things from people she didn’t like.

  I carefully put all the jewelry back in the box, placed the lid on it, and slid it into place under the bed.

  Even if Rose had been stealing and got caught, was it worth killing people over? Maybe she hadn’t just been stealing the odd piece of jewelry? Maybe this was something bigger.

  “Rhyannon, was Rose doing something illegal, like stealing money from the business, and you were going to tell Delilah?”

  She gave me a puzzled look and shook her head.

  A screech sounded outside the door. I heard Flipper bark, followed by scrabbling claws at the door.

  My heart leaped. Flipper must have spotted someone.

  I hurried to the door and opened it. Archibald was flapping around, while Flipper chased him, his teeth snapping at his tail feathers.

  Archibald spotted me. He screeched again and aimed his claws at my face.

  I ducked out of the way. He swooped back around, clearly planning another attack.

  “Keep quiet,” I hissed.

  Archibald flew at me again. I shut the door and heard him fly into it. That will teach him, vicious feathery thug.

  I inched the door open again. Even though Archibald was meaner than a rattlesnake with a hangover, I didn’t want him hurt.

  My blood ran cold. Rose stood outside.

  Chapter 20

  “What are you doing in my bedroom?” Two tiny red dots of color appeared on Rose’s cheeks.

  I hurried out and closed the door behind me. “I heard a noise in the room.”

  “There’s no one in there.” Rose shoved past me and opened the door. She looked around the room as if expecting it to be trashed. “What were you looking for?”

  “Nothing. Like I said, I thought I heard something. It was my mistake.” I headed toward the staircase.

  Rose ran around me and blocked my way. “You were trying to steal from me.”

  “Of course not,” I said.

  “I don’t believe you. This is what I’ve been waiting for. I’ve never trusted you. Now, I’ve got a good reason to have you out of here.”

  “I’ve done nothing wrong.” I hurried after Rose as she sped down the stairs.

  Archibald flew past us. I’m sure if he could, he’d have stuck out his tiny bird tongue at me.

  “Let’s see what Delilah has to say about this.” Rose shoved open the parlor door without knocking.

  Delilah sat at the table. Opposite her was a middle-aged woman with a jet-black bob.

  Delilah looked up, surprise in her eyes. “Is something wrong?”

  “We have a problem with Miss Shadow,” said Rose.

  The client turned and gave us an irritated look. “Do you mind? I’m trying to make contact with my husband.”

  Delilah looked down at the golden retriever who sat next to her. “He is still here. I’m struggling to make sense of what message he is passing on.”

  I sighed. Delilah would not get anywhere talking to the dog.

  “This can’t wait,” said Rose. “I’ve just caught Miss Shadow stealing from me.”

  Delilah’s jaw dropped. “Is this true?” She looked at me.

  “Of course it’s not true,” I said.

  The golden retriever jumped up and grabbed the edge of the tablecloth with his mouth.

  “Look! It’s your husband. He wants us to focus on him,” said Delilah. “Rose, dear, this really needs to wait. We’re so close to helping this lady.”

  “This is my time,” snapped the woman. “I need to speak to David.”

  “Rose is mistaken,” I said. “There’s nothing for you to worry about. Please, finish your session.”

  “There absolutely is something to worry about.” Rose jammed her hands on her bony hips.

  I could tell she would not leave this alone. She was determined to get me fired.

  “We can’t trust somebody in our house if they’re stealing.” She jabbed a finger at me.

  “I’ve stolen nothing. You can check your room.”

  “Rose’s room?” Delilah gave me a curious look. She held onto the tablecloth as the dog continued to tug on it. “What were you doing in her bedroom?”

  “You see!” Rose’s expression grew triumphant. “She was in there snooping around to see what she could take. You need to check your personal belongings, as well; she might have already been through those.”

  The golden retriever was getting agitated and gave the tablecloth another hard yank.

  “This is not the place to be angry; we’re worrying the spirits.” Delilah grabbed hold of the tablecloth again. “We can’t have them agitated.”

  “Miss Shadow must be punished,” said Rose.

  The last of my patience evaporated. “For goodness’ sake. I’m not a thief.” I looked at Delilah. “And you’re talking to a dog.”

  “Excuse me?” said the client.

  I shook my head. “Not you. Delilah, you’ve been talking to that golden retriever sitting next to you, haven’t you?”

  Delilah’s eyes widened. “Well, of course I have. This is the lady’s late husband.”

  “No, that’s not him.” I moved around the table. “That’s just a ghost dog. You have ghost animals all over this house.”

  “She knows that,” snapped Rose. “She makes contact with them every day. And you know full well they aren’t animals.”

  “But they are,” I said. “Delilah can absolutely see the ghost animals and talk to them. What she can’t see are the actual ghosts of people.”

  “You’re mistaken. They’re the same thing.” Delilah’s face paled, and her hand fluttered against her chest. “I mean, aren’t they? I’ve been speaking to them for years.”

  “What kind of messages have you been getting?” I asked. “I’ve heard you say it’s tricky getting them to make sense.”

  Delilah cast a worried look at Rose. “They can be jumbled. I thought it was because they were confused about their passing. They needed time to make sense of their deaths.”

  “That’s right,” said Rose. “That makes perfect sense.”

  “No, it doesn’t. They will not pass on significant messages about missing wills, or lost money, or where they want their ashes scattered. They’re just ghost animals.”

  “Is my husband here or not?” The client looked around the room. “Or have I been accepting messages from a ghost dog all this time?”

  “I’m afraid so,” I said to her.

  “Don’t listen to this woman,” said Rose. “She’s a thief and a liar. And she’s fired. Miss Shadow, you are to leave this place immediately. Don’t think you’ll get a good reference, either. I shall have strong words with the agency we hired you through.”

  I shook my head. “You’re not my boss. Delilah gets to decide whether I stay or go.” I looked at Delilah, whose lips were flapping, but no words came out.

  The client turned and glared at Delilah. “Is this true? You’ve been taking my money and talking to an animal?”

  “No, my dear, of course not.” Delilah cast a fretful look at the dog, who was still working on the tablecloth. “That’s how I see people after they’ve passed.”

  “What’s to say they’re not just ghost animals?” asked the client. “It makes sense now, why David is proving so tricky to talk to. He was always a straight-talking man when alive.”

  “People change when they pass into the spirit world.” Rose adopted her gentle, slightly patronizing client voice. “Perhaps he’s not as assertive as he used to be.”

  “Where is my husband?” asked the client.

  “That’s most likely him.” I pointed to the corner of the room, where a weak-chinned man stood, a look of confusion on his face.

  “He’s actually here?” asked the client. “You can see him?”

  “Of course she can’t,” snapped Rose. “She has no abilities.”

  “You were happy enough with my abilities yesterday,” I said to Rose.

  The golden retriever finally succeeded in dragging the tablecloth to the ground. He bundled it between his paws and began to mate with it.

  “Oh, dear!” Delilah grabbed hold of the cloth and tried to remove it from the randy ghost dog’s paws. He growled and held on tight.

  “Was that noise David?” asked the client.

  “No, that was just a ghost dog,” I said. “He likes the tablecloth.”

  “This nonsense has to stop,” said Rose. “Delilah, tell Miss Shadow to leave at once.”

  Delilah gave up in her fight for the tablecloth and slumped into her seat. “That will have to be replaced.”

  “Don’t worry about the tablecloth. This needs to be sorted out,” said Rose. “Miss Shadow is harming our business.”

  Delilah looked at me. Her shoulders sank. “Can you really see this woman’s husband?”

  “I think so.” I looked at the client. “Can you describe your husband to me?”

  “No.” She folded her arms over her chest. “You claim to be a medium. You tell me what my husband looks like.”

  I studied the ghost. “I wouldn’t say he was a handsome man. He’s going bald on top. He’s got a weak chin and is on the short side.”

  “Don’t be rude.” Rose turned to the client. “I’m so sorry for this. I can offer you a discount on your next visit if you will overlook this charlatan’s nonsense.”

  The client gave me a half-smile and ignored Rose’s simpering. “It is an accurate enough description. David wasn’t a looker, but he was a lovely man. He was always good to me.”

  David floated closer, a tentative smile on his face.

  “Is there something you need from your husband?” I said. “He’s here now. He looks like he wants to make contact.”

  The client smoothed down her bob. “Can you tell me if he’s happy?”

  I looked at David. He nodded. “He seems to be.”

  “He doesn’t miss me?”

  David floated closer and patted her hand.

  The client gasped. “Was that him? Did he just touch me?”

  “He did. It probably felt cold.”

  The client nodded. “Like an ice cube on my skin. Why is he still here? I feel him in the house. I can’t see him, but sometimes, his slippers move, and there are dents in the cushions of his favorite chair as if he’s still sitting there. I can plump them up, but the next day, they’re back to the same position. Is that him?”

  David gave me a sheepish smile before nodding again.

  “That’s him,” I said. Rose sighed loudly behind me, but I ignored her. “Do you mind him being in the house?”

  The client rubbed her forehead. “I guess not. He does me no harm. But I’m worried about why he’s still here. If he’s staying for me, then he doesn’t need to. I’ll be okay on my own. Of course, I miss him, but I don’t want him to feel he’s trapped here having to look over me. We’ve got the children; they keep an eye on me. They always come around for their Sunday lunch, same as always. I’m not alone.”

  I looked at the soppy expression on David’s face. “He’s happy to hear that.” I focused on David. “If you don’t want to stay, you don’t have to. Your wife sounds like a clever lady, she can take care of herself.”

  The client pulled a handkerchief from her purse and dabbed her nose. “It’s not that I don’t want him here; make sure he understands that. I just don’t want him to think he has to stay. There must be more to being a spirit than hanging around your old haunts, so to speak.”

  “I wouldn’t say I’m an expert on that,” I said.

  “You’ve got that right,” muttered Rose.

  I glared at her and then looked at David. “Are you ready to move on?”

  He gave a slow nod before pressing his lips to his wife’s cheek.

  She gave another gasp, and her hand flew to her cheek.

  David nodded at me before blinking out of sight. The tension in the room instantly lifted.

  Delilah sat up straight. “He’s gone, hasn’t he? I feel a change in the atmosphere.”

  “That’s right.” I smiled at the client. “David heard what he needed to. I don’t think he’ll be back. You won’t need to worry about his slippers moving anymore.”

  She gave me a swift nod before standing. “Thank you. This wasn’t quite the session I imagined it would be, but I’m glad to have things sorted. We can both move on now.” She touched my arm before hurrying out of the room.

  None of us moved as we heard the front door open and close.

  Delilah straightened her skirt and then looked at me. “So, you can see ghosts. All this talk about sensing them, it’s much more than that. You are a true medium.”

  “So are you,” I said.

  “You’re not going to believe her, are you?” Rose moved to stand next to Delilah. “She’s a con artist. She probably planted that client here, so she could go through that whole charade. She’s not a medium. She’s not talented like you. And you don’t just see ghost animals.”

  Delilah’s attention went back to the golden retriever, who was determinedly mating with the tablecloth. If he carried on like that, he would have to marry that tablecloth.

  “I always thought it was a quirk in my abilities. I believed people came back in animal form. I assumed they picked their favorite animal and materialized to look like that. I wondered, occasionally, if they were just animals. Some of the messages I got from their jumbled thoughts were so odd. There were lots of comments about favorite places to sleep and long walks.”

  I suppressed a smile. “I don’t blame you. All this seeing ghosts business can be confusing.”

  “Miss Shadow, you cannot see ghosts,” said Rose.

  “I don’t know what else I can do to convince you I can,” I said to her. “I helped you yesterday, and I just made contact with your client’s dead husband.”

  “Lorna is right,” said Delilah. “We’ve been fortunate she’s come into our lives at the right time. What with the loss of Crystal, I need someone with a true talent to help me, especially now I have a weakness in my own abilities.”

  “You don’t have a weakness,” snapped Rose.

  “You really don’t,” I said. “Many people truly love their pets. You would do a roaring trade in passing on messages from people who have lost their animals.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” said Rose.

  “I’m not. Think of it as a niche market. How many other mediums specialize in passing on messages from lost animals? I’m sure you’d do incredibly well.”

  “A pet medium?” Delilah twirled a strand of her hair around her fingers. “That’s an interesting thought. I’ve always loved animals.”

  “This is such nonsense.” Rose glowered at me. “And we’ve got off the point of me coming in here. I caught Miss Shadow stealing. She was sneaking out of my bedroom when I caught her.”

  Delilah frowned at her sister. “You have nothing in your bedroom. I’ve been in there enough times to know there’s nothing of value that’s worth stealing.”

  Rose’s mouth opened and shut a few times. “I want her gone. I don’t trust her.”

  “I trust Lorna,” said Delilah. “She’s been nothing but helpful since her arrival.”

  Fred pushed the door open and ambled in. He stopped, his gaze going to each of us. “Perhaps this is a bad time.”

  Rose pounced on him. “Fred, you don’t trust Miss Shadow, do you?”

  Fred’s eyes widened, and he scuttled back. “I don’t know Lorna well. She seems nice enough to me.”

  Rose tutted. “She’s stealing from us.”

  “What has she stolen?” asked Fred.

  “I’ve stolen nothing!” I said.

  “I’m not certain yet,” said Rose. “I’ve yet to check what’s missing. But Miss Shadow is up to something, and it will be to our detriment. She needs to go.”

  “Shall I make some tea?” Fred inched back toward the door, obviously keen not to engage in this confrontation.

  “Stay where you are,” ordered Rose. “We’re not leaving this room until we’ve figured out what to do with Miss Shadow.”

  I stared at Rose. That sounded like a threat.

  “I know exactly what to do with Lorna,” said Delilah. “She’s staying right here.” She gestured to a seat at the table. “I believe in your abilities. I believe you see ghosts. And I don’t think you’ve been stealing from us.”

  Rose sighed and tutted again. “Then she was trespassing. She had no right to be in my room.”

  I inched down into the seat and focused on Delilah. “What if I told you I’d seen the ghosts of Rhyannon and Crystal?”

  “Then I’d say you’re lying, as usual,” said Rose.

  Delilah gestured with a hand, silencing Rose. “How are they?”

  “They’re not happy,” I said.

  “They will hardly be full of the joys of spring, considering they’re dead,” said Rose.

  “And that’s the problem.” I focused on Delilah, whose steady gaze remained glued to me. “Did you kill them?”

  Chapter 21

  Rose made several spluttering sounds.

 

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