Page 22 of Cadaver Lab: Mind Over Murder

“Oh.” Oh well. She’d tried. “But at least we know we’re looking for a male. You know, for when we set up the watch.”

“The watch? Wait, I was only kidding. You’re not really going to post ghosts in my lab, are you?”

“Why not? I think it’s an excellent idea.” Natalie began pacing across the narrow space in the kitchen. “Our own neighborhood ghost watch. We should have thought of it years ago. And not just in the lab. They could patrol the entire village. We have to. It might be the only way to save Harper now she has a bull’s eye on her back and people are trying to blame her for everything from heart attacks to fender benders.” She spun to face Liam. “You know what this means, don’t you?”

“I hate to even venture a guess.”

“It’s time to call a meeting of the ghost council.”

Liam rolled his eyes. “Sure. Of course. Why not invite the Ladies Amateur Detective Society too, while you’re at it?”

“Yes.” Her eyes widened and she reached for the cell phone in her pocket. “Good idea, baby.”

“That’s me. Full of good ideas.” Liam sighed. “Since you seem to be doing better, I guess I’ll be in the lab... awaiting the new ghost watch… and trying to avoid whatever might be hiding in there.”

“Okay. Have a good day,” Natalie responded, only half listening as she typed a message into the LADS group text.

The ghost council and the LADS had to meet. They had things to do. Harper to save. Ghosts to hunt⁠—

A loud knock on the door at the front of the shop interrupted her text.

Glancing at the time on the microwave she saw 10:05 displayed. Five minutes past the time she should have unlocked the door.

Oh, yeah. She’d forgotten one more thing she had to do today. She had a shop to run.

Chapter Nine

It had to be just around lunchtime when the shop door swung open and Harper walked in.

Natalie rushed forward to meet her. “I’ve been texting you. Gabe and Millie never got back to me with an update. I was worried the sheriff actually arrested you for running Margaret Trout off the road.”

“I wasn’t arrested and I did not run her off the road.” Harper sighed, making her way back toward the meeting room where she plopped down in a cushioned chair, looking exhausted.

“What took so long,” Harper began, “was proving it. We had to get the manager from the gas station to let us review their security camera footage which showed Margaret swerved off the road and ran into the phone pole all on her own. Long after I’d already cut down Bridge Street to the Post Office.”

“Thank goodness for that footage.”

“Exactly, because all the ‘eyewitnesses’ who supposedly ‘saw’ the incident were lying. Saying she swerved because I yelled at her.” Harper wrapped up her air-quote laden rant with, “I told you. This town hates me.”

“No—”

Harper’s raised brow stopped Natalie’s protest.

“Okay, then we’re just going to have to clear your name regarding the Doug thing. And I had an idea how to do it.”

“Oh really? Do tell, because I’m out of ideas.”

Natalie moved to sit in the chair opposite Harper’s. “So Doug’s body is currently at the county coroner’s office in Morris, but when it’s returned here to Mudville for burial, what if it comes with his ghost? Then he can tell everyone you had nothing to do with his death.”

“I love you for trying, but I don’t see how any of that will help. First, he might not even be a ghost. Not everyone who dies hangs around, right? If they did we’d have wall-to-wall ghosts in this town. We don’t, do we?” Harper asked, looking horrified.

“We don’t. You are correct. From what I can see most spirits move on, but I can totally see Doug not. Can’t you just picture him not taking the door, or staircase or light or whatever brings them to heaven, just so he can hang around and be a pain?”

Harper tipped her head. “Actually, yes. I can. But to your point, what if he doesn’t tell the truth either? And even if he did, who would believe you? No one else can hear him. Only you and you’re my friend. You could make it all up.”

“Gabe and Millie could hear him and they could tell everyone. They have no reason to lie… except they live in your house and you pay for their cable TV hookup, but I don’t think anyone else knows that.”

Natalie took in the worry marring her friend’s usually happy continence.