Haunting Danielle 27 The Ghost and the Mountain Man by Bobbi Holmes (great novels to read TXT) 📕

Ginny reached out and briefly touched Danielle’s wrist and said, “I seriously doubt that. The man named his yacht after the woman. No, he was passionately in love with Eva, everyone knew that, which might have been the downfall of his marriage, if his wife really did plot with her brother to murder him, which you seem to think, by some online articles I’ve read. Yet now, I like to imagine they are finally together.”

Walt reached out and discreetly took one of Danielle’s hands in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“So why are you guys here?” Kelly interrupted.

“We heard about the newspapers and were curious to see them,” Danielle said.

“And I’m still curious. What was your family’s name who settled in Frederickport?” Walt asked Ginny.

“My maternal grandmother was Franny Becker Sawyer. Her paternal grandfather, Wesley Becker, started the livery stable in Frederickport. The house I inherited from my cousin belonged to our Sawyer grandparents.”

“Really?” Walt said. “Yes, the Beckers.”

“You sound like you remember them,” Kelly teased.

Walt smiled at Kelly. “You forget, I’ve done my own research on the area.”

Ginny reached out and touched Walt’s arm. “I loved your book, by the way. I heard you have a second one coming out?”

“My brother helped him get his agent,” Kelly told Ginny.

“Yes, I’m very grateful for all Ian’s help,” Walt said.

The next moment the front door of the museum opened, and in walked Joe and Brian.

“Hey, guys,” Danielle greeted them.

Kelly rushed to Joe’s side, kissed his cheek, and then took his arm, turning to face Ginny. “I want you to meet my fiancé, Joe Morelli. Joe, this is my friend I have been telling you about, Ginny Thomas. And Ginny, this is Brian Henderson, he’s one of Joe’s friends, and they work together.”

Ginny stepped forward and shook Joe’s hand and then Brian’s. To Brian she said, “Kelly told me about your harrowing adventure.”

“It was some adventure.” Brian chuckled, looking warily from Ginny to Kelly.

“Of course, I heard what they said over the news, but I would love to hear more about it,” Ginny said.

“Walt here was on the adventure too. You think you might put it in one of your future books, Walt?” Brian teased.

Walt started to say something, but Kelly immediately cut him off. She began rambling about Brian and Ginny, noting all the things she thought they had in common. Brian abruptly interrupted her and said, “I hope you will excuse me for a minute, but I’ve been trying to get ahold of Walt since yesterday, and now that he’s here, I really need to talk to him about something.” Brian reached out and took hold of Walt’s arm, ushering him outside.

“Why do I think you made that all up?” Walt said when the two men got outside.

“What makes you say that?” Brian asked in faux innocence.

Walt chuckled.

“I had to get out of there,” Brian grumbled. “Kelly is trying to play matchmaker, and damn Joe is an accomplice. I expect more from him.”

“Yes, but Joe doesn’t know about you and Heather, does he?” Walt asked.

Brian looked at Walt a moment and then said, “Heather told me, you know. I can’t believe your cat has been spying on us.”

Walt laughed. “Since Max only talks to ghosts and me, don’t worry about him spreading it around. I told Heather that Danielle and I promise not to say anything. It’s your business to keep it to yourself or share.”

“Thanks. I appreciate that. Heather also mentioned the trigger-happy ghost is in Frederickport and knew your father.”

“Apparently. That’s why Danielle and I stopped by the museum today. The woman Kelly is trying to hook you up with recently donated back issues of the Frederickport Press to the museum, going back to the first issue. We were hoping to find some clues in the old papers to help us figure out who the ghost is, or what my father might have been involved in back then.”

“The ghost won’t just tell you who he is?” Brian asked.

Walt shrugged. “He hasn’t so far. And it’s possible he’s moved on now that he’s finally realized he’s dead.”

Brian laughed.

Walt frowned. “What’s so funny?”

“I was trying to imagine myself having this conversation with Joe.”

Twelve

Brian and Walt were still standing out front of the museum, talking, when a couple walked up to them and asked if the museum was open. After Brian told them it was, they thanked him and then entered the building. A few minutes later Joe stepped outside.

“You ready to leave?” Brian asked Joe.

Joe glanced back to the museum and then looked at Brian. “I guess. Are you finished talking to Walt?”

“Yeah, I think we’re done.” Brian flashed Walt a smile, said goodbye, and then started toward the car.

“Later, Walt,” Joe muttered, reluctantly trailing behind Brian.

When they reached the vehicle, Brian said, “I need to trust the people I work with.”

Joe frowned. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“I’ll humor your girlfriend when she tries to play matchmaker, but I expect more from you,” Brian said as he unlocked the car.

“I just—” Joe started.

“Save it. Just please, give me the heads-up next time, would you? I’m too old for this nonsense.”

“Kelly only wants to help,” Joe said as he got into the car.

“Who said I needed help in my personal life?”

Inside the museum, Danielle stood alone in the front lobby with Kelly while Ginny took the couple who had entered minutes before on a tour of the exhibits. Kelly walked to the front door and opened it a few inches, peeking outside. A moment later, she closed the door and returned to Danielle.

“Terrific, Joe and Brian are leaving,” Kelly grumbled.

“I assume they have to go back to work,” Danielle said.

“What I wanted was to introduce Brian to Ginny. They would be perfect together.”

“Well, you did introduce them,” Danielle reminded her.

Kelly rolled her eyes. “They barely talked before Walt dragged Brian outside.”

“Um, it was Brian who asked Walt to go outside,” Danielle reminded her.

“Whatever…” Kelly shrugged. “No offense, but I wish you