"It needs some drastic repairs," I told him. "Morticia and Lilith will continue to live there while the carriage house is renovated, then we'll start on the main house."
"We also need to get rid of the ghost," Penny added. I nodded.
"Wait, you actually believe in the ghost?" Hunter asked me.
"Of course I do," I told him. "He's destroyed several of my cars and drove out those other buyers."
Penny leaned against me. "I don't think it’s a real ghost. It's just some Halloween fun."
"Do you know who is haunting the house?" Sebastian asked the twins.
They shrugged. "One of Mimi’s old boyfriends. He was always into old cars. Would never shut up about it."
"Her boyfriend? I thought it was someone scary like the headless horseman or a serial killer or something. It figures that it was Bobby," Ida declared, setting down an empty glass and picking up another one. "Don’t tell me Bobby's been haunting your house. Of course he would. He was always insufferable. Well, I’m going to take care of this right now. He can’t just be haunting people willy-nilly."
"What about the food?" Sebastian asked.
"This won't take long," Ida assured him. "Keep my drink on ice for me, would you, sugar?"
"I'm coming with to see this ghost banishment," Hazel insisted, wiping off her hands.
"Don't you need like salt or holy water or something?" Penny asked as we all followed a tipsy Ida downstairs.
"No," Ida declared. "If it's Bobby, he just needs a stern talking-to."
We followed her the several blocks to the old Victorian house that was now mine and Penny's.
"Bobby!" Ida yelled when we stopped in front of the house. "Now Bobby, you listen here! You can't go around haunting people."
"Is this a normal occurrence in Harrogate?" Sebastian asked.
"She's very drunk," Penny told him. "So yes. Yes, it is normal."
The wind picked up.
"I think this house must be in some sort of geographical depression," Penny said to me. "It has strange weather patterns."
"It's a ghost!" I said decisively. "All evidence points to a ghost."
"I mean it, Bobby!" Ida shouted above the wind.
I suppressed a shiver as the temperature dropped.
"I knew your mama! She was a good woman!" Ida said loudly, shaking her fist at the house. "She wouldn't want you carrying on like this. Get out of there! Go haunt someone else. Oh, you know who you can haunt? Myrna. I was supposed to win the big bingo prize last week, but I didn't, and I know it's because she cheated!"
The wind howled, and the shutters on the house clattered. I closed my eyes against the dust and leaves that were kicked up.
"I mean it, Bobby!" Ida threatened.
The wind subsided, and the clouds opened up, light from the setting sun shining on the house.
"It still looks creepy," Hazel said, "though a little less so."
"I think I need another drink," Ida said.
83
Penny
