“We do?” I said flatly. I thought we had questions for Tallulah.
“Yes,” she hissed. “You know, Blissful. You have things you needed to ask him.”
I rolled my eyes. Sure, I could pretend to play along with this nonexistent Jeffrey and crazy old Tallulah. What else did I have to do with my life?
Nothing, apparently.
I let Alice drag me inside. Tallulah led us to a small table with three chairs around it. “Sit, please.”
I sat on the small cane-backed chair. My gaze drifted around the room as I waited for this shenanigan of a show to start.
Tallulah smiled. “Now. Any questions you have for me will go through Jeffrey first, then to me, and he’ll answer as well. Understand?”
“Sure thing,” I said.
“Jeffrey,” she called. “Oh, Jeffrey. It’s time.”
A second later a man dressed in a black suit walked through a wall and entered the living room.
Well, what did you know? Tallulah actually had a spirit after all.
SIX
“This is Jeffrey,” Tallulah said by way of introductions. “I know you may not be able to see or hear him, but he will convey all questions to me.”
Jeffrey gave us both a brief nod. My gaze shot to Alice, who glanced in the general vicinity of Jeffrey but didn’t look directly at him.
Jeffrey, on the other hand, glanced directly at me. We were both keenly aware of one another.
“Now,” Tallulah said with a flourish of her hands, “what is it you’d like to know?”
“I’d like to know about your relationship with Cora,” I said.
Alice cleared her throat. “We want to know specifically what Jeffrey can tell us about Cora Wall’s death.”
Jeffrey turned to Tallulah. “The ladies would like to know what I can tell them about Miss Cora Wall’s death.”
Tallulah thought for a moment. Then a glint flashed in her eyes. “Miss Cora died last night at the hands of one Ruth Biggs.”
I nearly rose and strangled Tallulah. Was she kidding? She didn’t know that. I waited patiently while Jeffrey repeated—novomited—Tallulah’s lie to Alice and me.
This wasn’t going to get us anywhere. I decided to take the reins. “Jeffrey, can you please ask Tallulah about her relationship with Cora. I understand they weren’t on good terms.”
Jeffrey asked the question. Tallulah nodded. “Jeffrey, please tell our guests that I loved Cora like a sister. Yes, we had our bad times, but I got over those.” Tallulah plucked a tissue from a box and blew her nose. “It was just awful seeing her like that last night. Who would do that? Who would hurt Cora?”
“You just said it was Ruth,” I snapped.
Alice stiffened.
Tallulah shouted, “You’re supposed to wait for Jeffrey! You’re not supposed to talk to me! That’s how this works.”
I threaded my fingers together and waited for Jeffrey to say exactly what Tallulah had just conveyed.
When he finished, I spoke again. “Did Cora have any enemies?”
“No,” Tallulah said to Jeffrey. “In fact, she was engaged.”
My eyes widened. I shot Alice a look, but Alice glanced away, embarrassed.
