Janet McNulty - Mellow Summers 07 - Two Ghosts Haunt a Grove by Janet McNulty Read Free Book Online Page A

authenticated. Either he screwed up, or he’s lying.”
    “How could someone get so much ivory?” asked Greg.
    “What do you mean?”
    “Well, acquiring ivory for carving is next to impossible. Trading it has been barred internationally to prevent animals being killed for their ivory tusks. So how could one man get so many items made from something that people are no longer allowed to buy and sell?”
    “He claims he inherited it from his great-grandmother,” I said.
    Greg’s expression mirrored my own. I didn’t buy the store owner’s story either.
    “Which is why I don’t think his items made from ivory are genuine. They have to be fake.”
    “That is quite an operation. Making a bunch of fake ivory stuff and dressing it up to look old,” said Greg.
    “Yeah.”
    I sipped my tea and glanced around the room. A man with a young woman on his arm sat across the dining area. He looked familiar, but I couldn’t place it right then. However, I was willing to bet that the woman he was with was not his wife. “Who’s that?” I asked Greg.
    Greg looked where I pointed. “That’s Kyle Kellmore.”
    Kellmore! Of course, that’s why he looked familiar. Now that I thought about it, I saw his father’s jaw on him. “How do you know?”
    “His face has been in the paper. You really need to read it more often.” Greg stood up and walked over to where a bunch of newspapers lay on a table for the taking. He grabbed one and handed it to me. “Here.”
    I glanced at it. The headline read: Prominent Businessman Dies—Son Inherits. I glanced back at Kyle Kellmore. For a man that had recently lost his father—considering the guy died only two days ago—he didn’t seem that upset, especially with his face planted on young, hot thing on his arm. I know some people don’t get along with their parents, but you’d think that he would at least pretend to be sad.
    “Doesn’t seem that shaken up,” I commented.
    “Some people deal with death differently,” said Greg.
    Different is right. Kyle and miss toy were sticking their tongues down each other’s throats. Something wasn’t right. They’re trying to kill me. Mr. Kellmore’s voice echoed in my head. He was adamant that someone was going to murder him and then he died. Suddenly, his accusations rang true to me.
    “I want to know more about him,” I said.
    “What?”
    “Kyle Kellmore,” I said, “Something isn’t right. I want to know more about him and any other family he has.”
    “I’ll get Jack to look it up,” said Greg, “In the meantime you can start by reading that article.”
    I took the paper. Our food arrived as I read the front page article about Kyle Kellmore.
    Philip Kellmore, owner of Kellmore Development, died last Monday from a heart attack. An aging man in poor health, his death came as little surprise.
    Ownership of Kellmore Development passes to his surviving son, Kyle Kellmore. “We will continue in the ventures my father took before his passing,” said Kyle in an interview.
    Recently, Philip Kellmore purchased the property of Joseph Bourtonson—an abandoned estate who many say is the residence of Smiley’s Ghost—with the intention of building a resort. Plans of construction have been put on hold as the family deals with their tragic loss.
    “I think for now we need to amend ourselves with my father’s death,” said Kyle Kellmore, “At some point, Kellmore Development will have to decide what direction we wish to go in now that we are denied my father’s wisdom and guidance.”
    For now it appears that Joseph Bourtonson’s property will remain untouched, something I’m certain the ghost appreciates.
    See Property Dispute page 8A for more.
     
    I turned to page 8A. A smaller headline read: Sister of Kyle Kellmore Disputes Claim to Bourtonson Property .
    Stacy Kellmore, sister to Kyle Kellmore and daughter of the late Philip Kellmore, has filed a property dispute regarding the inheritance of Kellmore Development, but most