The Death Planner (Storage Ghost Murders Book 6) by Gillian Larkin Read Free Book Online Page B

brother! Humph! He’s driving me mad. He’s
been on the phone ages with that bit of fluff he’s calling his girlfriend! You
should hear what he’s been saying! Going on about his feelings and how he can’t
believe his luck in finding her. Pah! What a load of tripe! It turned my
stomach listening to him gushing on and on.”
    Grace’s
mouth twitched but she didn’t let her smile escape. “You didn’t have to listen
to him. You could have disappeared.”
    “What?
And miss what he was saying? No chance.” Pearl let out a cackle of a laugh. “He
went into great detail about what they had done last night. Do you want to know
what he said?”
    Grace
held a hand up. “I certainly do not! What time is he going out again?”
    Frankie
walked into the kitchen, his phone clamped to his ear. If he noticed Grace
apparently talking to herself he didn’t say anything. Grace could see that his
attention was elsewhere. He crooned into the phone, “Beth, babe, I can’t wait
to see you either. I’m on my way.” He laughed. “No, you say bye first.” Another
laugh. “No, you.”
    He
walked towards the flowers, picked them up and left the kitchen without a look
or a word for Grace.
    Grace
folded her arms and gave him a hard stare hoping that he would catch her
annoyed look.
    Pearl
whooshed over to Frankie’s retreating back and yelled, “You selfish idiot!
Grace! Throw something at him! Quick!”
    Grace
turned away from her brother as he walked through the door. Pearl came to her
side and immediately caught her sad look. “What’s wrong? Don’t let him get to
you. You know how thoughtless he is.”
    Grace
waved a hand at Pearl, annoyed with herself for suddenly becoming emotional.
“It’s not that, Pearl. What if this thing between Frankie and Beth is real?
What if he moves out? What if they get married? What if they don’t want
anything to do with me?” Grace’s voice became louder.
    “There,
there, lass. Calm down. This romance of Frankie’s could fizzle out in a day.
What’s really going on, Grace?”
    Grace
wiped her eyes. “I think I’m scared of being on my own. I’ve never been on my own
before. There was always Mum and Dad. And Frankie of course. I’ve had a few
boyfriends but nothing serious. Do you think I should start looking for
someone, someone to settle down with?”
    “No,
I bloody don’t!” Pearl exploded. “What’s wrong with being on your own? You can
do what you want, when you want! Don’t think you have to be with someone just
because Frankie has a girlfriend. Do you really want a man in your life at the
moment?”
    Grace
thought about Pearl’s question. Then she remembered how relaxed she’d felt at
home, about how she could eat what she wanted, and watch what she wanted on the
telly. She smiled at Pearl and said, “Why are you so wise?”
    “I
don’t know, I just am,” Pearl replied. She tapped Grace on the arm. “The right
person will come along at the right time. And it’ll be someone who accepts your
gift. Now, forget about idiot-boy upstairs. Did you find Elsa?” Pearl looked
around the kitchen. “Where’s Jenny? I could have sworn I saw her come in with
you.”
    Grace
heard a mumbling coming from the corner of the kitchen. She walked over and saw
Jenny crouched on the floor. Jenny was fixated on her clipboard and was
scribbling furiously.
    Pearl
cocked her head. “What’s she going on about?”
    Grace
lowered herself next to Jenny and listened. She frowned and looked back at
Pearl. “She’s going on about flowers, food and guests. Pearl, what’s wrong with
her?”
    Pearl
looked closer at Jenny. “She’s covering something up. She knows something but
her mind is protecting her, her memories won’t come forward.”
    Grace
gently called Jenny’s name. Jenny didn’t respond, she kept scribbling on her
board and muttering to herself.
    Grace
stood up. “I’d better get on with my investigations.” She told Pearl what they
had found out about Elsa, and what