The Ghost and the Christmas Spirit Read online

  The Ghost and the Christmas Spirit

  (Haunting Danielle, Book 23)

  A Novel

  By Bobbi Holmes

  Cover Design: Elizabeth Mackey

  * * *

  Copyright © 2019 Bobbi Holmes

  Robeth Publishing, LLC

  All Rights Reserved.

  robeth.net

  * * *

  This novel is a work of fiction.

  Any resemblance to places or actual persons,

  living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  robeth.net

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  The Ghost and the Silver Scream

  Haunting Danielle Newsletter

  Haunting Danielle Series

  Bobbi Holmes

  Unlocked Hearts Series

  The Coulson Series

  Also by Bobbi Ann Johnson Holmes

  To Dorothy Burke, my grandma Hilda’s friend, who created the original Bridal Shoe for my sister and me, and who inspired our family’s Christmas Shoe tradition.

  * * *

  And to all those grandmothers out there who lovingly create gifts from the heart.

  One

  The attractive thirtysomething couple strolled leisurely down the Astoria sidewalk, with the man’s right arm wrapped around the woman’s shoulders. She leaned against him as they made their way from the restaurant where they had just eaten breakfast to their parked car. It wasn’t just any car. It was a black 1924 Packard Coupe, which the man had originally purchased over ninety years earlier—in his first life.

  An elderly-looking man who called himself Colin Bari watched the couple from the other side of the street. Cane in hand, Colin observed the pair, noting they had dressed for the cooler weather, with the man wearing dress slacks and a shirt with a sharp overcoat and a cockily placed fedora hat, making him look as if he came from an earlier era—which he had.

  The woman wore denims, knee-high boots, and a faux-fur jacket over her red cowl-neck sweater, with a matching knit cap. The red cap covered the top of her head and her ears, while dark curls slipped out from under its brim, almost touching her shoulders. She carried a purse, its strap draped over one shoulder. Colin suspected she was leaning close to the man not so much for his warmth, but because she wanted to be close to him.

  Colin already knew who they were—Walt and Danielle Marlow. By the easy laughter and smiles the pair exchanged, it was obvious they were in love. Colin glanced to his watch and frowned. The curio shop would be opening in just a few minutes.

  “It’s going to be such a quiet Christmas, with just you and me in the house,” Danielle said with a sigh.

  Walt tightened his arm around Danielle. “Are you forgetting our Christmas Eve open house and the fact we’re hosting Christmas dinner? Not exactly just you and me—which I wouldn’t mind, by the way.”

  Danielle let out another sigh and pressed against Walt as she continued with him down the street. “I know. I just like having people around during the holidays. I rather miss the B and B at this time of year.”

  “If you will recall, having certain houseguests last Christmas almost got you killed,” Walt reminded her.

  Before Danielle had a chance to respond, the strap of the purse she was carrying broke, sending the handbag to the sidewalk, its contents spilling out.

  “Drat!” Danielle cursed, coming to an abrupt stop. She leaned down to retrieve her purse.

  Walt knelt down beside her, helping Danielle gather up her things.

  “How did that happen?” Danielle grumbled as she shoved her wallet and a package of tissues back into her handbag.

  “Is everything okay?” a man’s voice called out.

  Walt and Danielle had just tucked the last item back into the purse when they heard the voice. Standing back up, they looked to the nearby curio shop. Its door was now ajar as a man stood inside peeking out while turning the closed sign to open as he looked with concern to Walt and Danielle.

  Hugging her handbag to her side, Danielle smiled at the man. “Aside from needing a new purse, we’re fine.”

  “I wish I could help you. But I don’t think I have any in stock—aside from a vintage pearl clutch,” the man told her.

  Danielle glanced up to the store sign hanging above its front door and window. It read Mermaid Curio—unique treasures from the sea and around the world. The man gave them both a parting nod, went back into his shop, and let the front door shut.

  She looked to Walt with a hopeful expression. “Let’s go inside and see what they have. We still need to find a couple of things for the white elephant gift exchange.”

  Walt tucked one hand in his pocket and placed his other hand on her lower back. He nodded to the store and said, “Let’s go in.”

  From across the street Colin watched as Walt and Danielle disappeared inside the curio shop. Stepping up to the edge of the sidewalk, he glanced to the right and then the left, looking for any oncoming traffic. Satisfied the road was clear, he hurried across the street, heading toward Mermaid Curio.

  When he opened its door a moment later, it sent a bell overhead jingling, reminding him of sleigh bells. Stepping into the poorly lit gift shop, he spied Walt and Danielle standing by one of the counters, talking to the shop owner.

  The man glanced up upon hearing the bell and saw Colin. He gave him a smile and called out, “I will be with you in a minute.”

  “No hurry,” Colin called back, his accent barely discernible. “I’m just browsing.”

  Neither Walt nor Danielle paid any notice to the new arrival, nor had they heard him call out to the shop owner. Instead they chatted amongst themselves while studying a curious item in Danielle’s hand. She turned it from side to side, trying to figure out what it was exactly. As best she could tell, it was a large gold high-heel shoe that someone had enthusiastically embellished with snippets of artificial poinsettia, tiny glass balls, and a multitude of what she assumed were fake gemstones.

  “What exactly are you looking for?” the shop owner asked as he stood behind the counter, watching Danielle examine the curious item.

  Still holding the gaudy shoe, she looked up to him with a smile. “I’m looking for a couple of things to buy for a white elephant gift exchange.”

  The man nodded to the unusual object in Danielle’s hand and said, “I would think that Christmas shoe might be just the right thing. Assuming this is a gift exchange for Christmas.”

  Danielle arched her brow and looked back at the shoe in her hand. “Is this what this is, a Christmas shoe?” If anyone had ever worn the lone shoe, it was unwearable now, as the artificial flowers and other bob
bles weren’t just glued onto its exterior but inside.

  The shop owner reached out and turned the shoe over in Danielle’s hand, revealing the Christmas paper glued on its sole. “Considering the poinsettias and Christmas paper, that’s what I’m calling it.”

  Danielle ran several fingertips over the bottom of the shoe, noting its roughness, suggesting many layers of wrapping paper had been decoupaged on its sole. “Yes, it’s for Christmas,” she said.

  “Then this would be perfect,” the man said with a mischievous grin.

  Danielle looked up to him and extended her free hand. “I’m Danielle Marlow, and this is my husband, Walt. We’re from Frederickport.”

  “Marlow? That wouldn’t be Marlow House B and B, would it?” the man asked as he shook her hand.

  “It used to be a B and B.” After taking back her hand, she dug it into her purse and pulled out a business card.

  “I’m Bud Darrel. You can call me Bud. I own this shop,” the man explained. He accepted the business card after shaking Walt’s hand.

  “Nice to meet you,” Danielle said, turning her attention back to the shoe.

  “What exactly does one do with that?” Walt asked with a frown, glancing from the shoe to Bud.

  Bud shrugged. “I suppose it’s some sort of Christmas decoration. It was one of the items in a trunk I purchased from the Winterborne auction. I was just unpacking it. In fact, I haven’t even had a chance to price any of the items. The trunk arrived last night, right after closing. I was just going through it before I went to unlock the door and turn the open sign around.”

  “Winterborne auction?” Danielle asked with a frown.

  “Eloise Winterborne owned one of the oldest and largest houses in town. She passed away about six months ago. The estate recently auctioned off most of her personal items. I picked up this trunk.” He pointed to an antique trunk several feet away. “After looking inside, I have a feeling they just shoved a bunch of junk in there that should have been tossed out or taken to the thrift store. But I was bidding on the trunk, not its contents.”

  Danielle set the shoe on the counter and walked over to the trunk. She ran her hand over its intricate carving. “No, I imagine you didn’t. This is quite exquisite.”

  Bud perked up. “You interested in it?”

  Danielle shook her head and walked back to the counter with Walt. “No. Not really our style. But it is lovely. However, I am sort of interested in this shoe.” She picked it up again and grinned at Walt.

  Bud shrugged. “I suppose it would make a good white elephant gift.”

  “How much do you want for it?” Walt asked.

  “Umm…how does five dollars sound?” Bud asked hopefully.

  “Deal,” Danielle said, setting the shoe back on the counter and looking around. “I need to find something else.” She glanced at the other items strewn across the counter and then looked back up to Bud. “Is all this stuff from the trunk?”

  “Yes. Just what’s on the counter. Why don’t you go look around the store? I’m sure you’ll be able to find something else. There are more Christmas items over there.” Bud pointed to the front of the shop.

  Danielle was about to check out the suggested Christmas items when Walt reached in front of her and flipped over an upside-down picture frame. When he turned it over, it revealed an old black-and-white photograph behind the glass.

  “I don’t believe it,” Walt murmured under his breath, picking up the frame for a closer look.

  “What is it?” Danielle asked, looking at the photograph in the frame. It was a picture of two men standing on a dock. One held up a large fish while grinning proudly.

  “It’s George,” Walt whispered under his breath. He looked to the shop owner and asked, “How much do you want for this?”

  Bud, who had not heard Walt’s whisper, glanced over to the framed picture. “I don’t think the frame is an antique. The picture looks a little water damaged around the edges. What would you say to five dollars for that too?”

  “Sold,” Walt said, looking to Danielle. “You want to pay the man?”

  After Danielle paid for the purchase, Bud walked to the cash register. Once he was out of earshot, Danielle asked Walt in a whisper, “Did you say George?”

  “The man holding the fish. That’s George Hemming. Marie’s father.”

  “Are you sure?” Danielle asked.

  Walt nodded. “Absolutely. I suspect that might be the perfect white elephant gift for Adam. After all, George was his great-grandfather.”

  “That’s a little better than a normal white elephant gift. I wouldn’t mind putting it in a nice frame.”

  Walt shook his head. “I’m afraid you might destroy the photograph if you try to remove it. That water damage he mentioned—the photograph appears to be stuck to the glass.”

  “I suppose you’re right. Anyway, I can’t be giving Adam something too nice for a white elephant gift.” Danielle chuckled and asked, “But how did this Winterborne woman get a picture of Marie’s father?”

  “I suppose we’ll have to show Marie when we get home and ask her if she recognizes the other man in the picture. Perhaps it’s someone from the Winterborne family, and they were friends with the Hemmings.”

  “Did you know any Winterbornes?” Danielle asked.

  Walt shook his head. “No. The name’s not familiar. But I know that’s George holding the fish. I would recognize him anywhere.”

  Asking Marie Hemming Nichols about the man in the photograph would sound impossible to Marie’s grandson Adam Nichols, if he had heard Walt’s suggestion. After all, Marie had been dead for over two years. But what Adam didn’t know, his grandmother’s spirit wasn’t ready to move on, and instead she had stuck around—as a ghost.

  Adam would also not understand how Walt could have possibly recognized his great-grandfather, a man who had died years before Walt’s birth. But what Adam didn’t know—what most people didn’t know—George Hemming had been one of Walt Marlow’s best friends. That was before Walt had married Danielle, before he had been a ghost, before he had died in 1925.

  Most people—the non-mediums of Walt and Danielle’s acquaintance—believed the Walt Marlow who was now standing in the curio shop was simply a distant cousin of that other Walt, one who shared his name, lived in the house he once lived in, and was a bestselling author.

  One thing Walt and Danielle had learned, life—and death—could sometimes be complicated.

  Two

  Visitors to Mermaid Curio showed little interest in the antique crystal and china lining the shelves on aisle two. It seemed no one wanted great-grandma’s fine china these days. In spite of the fact Colin Bari had remained in aisle two during Walt and Danielle’s entire visit to the shop, he was no more interested in china and crystal than the others. His motive for being there was to eavesdrop without being seen.

  The moment Walt and Danielle walked out the front door of Mermaid Curio—Danielle carrying the paper sack holding her purchase—Colin stepped out from the second aisle and made his way to the front window. The end of his cane tapped along the wooden floor as he hurried to see where the Marlows were now heading. For a man who appeared to be in his seventies, the use of the cane seemed more a fashion statement than function for Mr. Bari.

  Bud started to say something to him, but the phone rang. As he answered the call, Colin moved closer to the window, the palm of his right hand resting on the pane of glass. Colin continued to watch Walt and Danielle as they headed for the Packard. The next moment a car pulled up alongside the vintage vehicle and parked. He watched as Danielle, who had just opened the passenger door to the Packard, seemed to recognize the driver of the other car. She hastily tossed the sack with her purchase into the Packard, shut the car door, and then went to greet the driver as he got out of his vehicle. She gave him an exuberant hug and then appeared to be introducing him to Walt. The two men shook hands. Colin stood silently and watched them chat for a few minutes before they parted ways. The tall
dark man turned and walked toward the front door of the curio shop while Walt and Danielle got into the Packard and drove away.

  “What can I help you with, Mr. Bari?” Bud asked after he ended his phone call.

  Colin turned from the window and smiled at the man. “I’m just doing a little browsing—getting some ideas for Christmas gifts.”

  “If you tell me who you’re shopping for, maybe I can give you some suggestions,” Bud offered.

  “I appreciate that, but for the moment, I prefer to just browse.” Colin gave the man a friendly smile.

  In the next moment the man who had been talking to Walt and Danielle outside walked into the shop. Once again, the bell over the door jingled.

  Recognizing the newcomer, the shop owner called out, “Mr. Jackson, you’re still here.”

  “Please, call me Mathew. Yes. I’m hoping to get out of here tomorrow.” Mathew Jackson stepped up to the counter and shook Bud’s hand.

  From his place at the window, Colin studied Mathew Jackson for a moment, trying to place him. Jackson was tall, stocky, with closely cropped black hair and skin the shade of coffee with just a touch of cream. It was then he remembered. Ahh, he is Emma Jackson’s grandson, Colin thought.

  “I am still interested in your grandmother’s oak dresser,” Bud told Mathew.