“Me, either.” I smiled as I pictured the look of delight on the faces of local antique dealers when they saw yard sale tables loaded up with antiques spread all over the lawn of the gigantic stone mansion just outside town.

“Felicity must have snuck in a sale while Idris was away.”

“I hear the old guy is pretty tight-fisted with the money.”

“Yep, he sure is.” Pepper nodded. “He controls the money Felicity inherited from Derek and Carson’s father with an iron fist. He lets her and the boys live in the mansion like they did when his son was alive, but doesn’t give her much else to live on. Rumor has it she’s been selling stuff off secretly for years.”

“I feel sorry Derek and Carson … dependent on Idris for money. Of course, they could just go out and get jobs and gain their own independence.” I grabbed my key and started for the door. “You ready?”

Pepper stood up. “So, what are you going to do about Ophelia?”

I pressed my lips together as we walked toward the door. “I’m not sure. I guess I need to do more checking. Myrna saw her near the library this morning and she was wearing a bulky coat. It might have looked like a cape in the shadow Lavinia described.” I remembered the sunlight glinting off Ophelia’s ring. “And she wears a wide ring. Not exactly the kind Lavinia thought she saw, but maybe she wasn’t accurate on that. I mean, she only saw it as she was being pushed down the stairs.”

“But why would she want to kill Lavinia?”

Pandora let out a wail and we both turned to look at the cat, who was sitting by the very spot I’d last seen Lavinia’s ghost.

“I guess that’s what I need to find out.”

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

I pulled my Jeep into the long driveway that led to the one hundred fifty year old Victorian I’d inherited from my grandmother. My heart warmed at the sight of the house that held so many wonderful childhood memories.

It was a large house, painted white with black shutters, and consisted of three stories with two living rooms and four or five bedrooms, depending on how you looked at it. The front boasted turrets on either side. Those turret rooms with their rounded walls were my favorite. The house was too big for one person, but I loved it and couldn’t imagine ever selling.