“What ghost?” Alice said. “Was there another ghost? I only knew about the one ghost. Are the two of y’all holding out on me?”
I raked my fingers through my hair. “No, we’re not holding out on you, Alice. After you went upstairs, there was this ghost, he was chomping on a bowl of grits—”
“Were the grits particularly hard?” Alice said.
“Um. No. I don’t think so. Why?”
“Because if they’re cooked right, they won’t be crunchy at all. He shouldn’t have been chomping.”
Note to self: grits won’t be chompy so do not describe them as such.“My mistake. The grits were soft. I didn’t hear any chomping noises. Let me correct myself.” I pulsed my hands. “Now. Would you like to hear the story?”
“Yes, please.”
“This ghost—I didn’t catch his name—said that there was another spirit in the house who wouldn’t let him leave.”
Ruth slurped her coffee. “What’s that got to do with anything?”
I nibbled my lip. “He said that bad spirit was the one looking for me.”
“Oh,” Ruth said.
“Oh,” Alice repeated.
“Not good, right?” I crossed my arms and leaned back in the chair. “So Kency Blount has a body but no idea who it belongs to.”
“Oh, she’ll figure it out.” Alice pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her glasses. “Kency will call the old sheriff and ask him for help if she has to.”
Ruth wagged a finger at Ruth. “You know, wasn’t that old place a bed-and-breakfast?”
“What old place? Kency’s house?”
“No, Alice, the home we were at last night. Didn’t it used to be one years ago?”
Alice pulled a tin from her pocket and opened it up. “Millionaire shortbread, anyone?”
I was one to watch my diet and weight, but I would give all that up for a square of this dessert. “Just give me the whole tin.”
Clearly I was stress eating. Alice took a cube for herself, stared longingly at the rest for a moment and then handed the tin to me.
I bit into the chewy piece of heaven and moaned. “Life doesn’t get any better than this. I could die now and be happy.”
Ruth snatched the tin from me. “Don’t say things like that, Blissful.” She bit into her own piece and chewed for a moment. “Besides, if you’re going to enjoy heaven, you’d better be able to share with the rest of us.”
I threw my head back and laughed. “Okay. But that doesn’t answer the question. Alice?”
Alice’s gaze darted from Ruth to me. “What question?”
“Was the Jarvis place a bed-and-breakfast years ago?”
“Oh. Maybe. Yes. I think so.”
“Well?” I glanced at both women expectantly.
“Well what?” Ruth said.
“Who were the owners? What happened to them?”
Alice shook her head. “How would I know? I’m not a nosy rosy.”
