JJ RAN OVER to where Penny and Mr. Barclay were sitting and said, “I have something you need to see.”
He dropped the stack of papers on the counter of the Cupcake Shoppe in front of Mr. Barclay.
“Why young man, I was just talking—” Mr. Barclay started to say.
But JJ wasn’t going to be interrupted. “You’ll want to read this. It’s your will.”
When Mr. Barclay took too long, JJ flipped the pages. “Look! It says here that he inherits everything.”
Penny had no trouble reading the name even though it was upside down: Gregory Clark.
Mr. Barclay went pale. “This is not my will. I mean, this is not a will I created. But this signature here at the bottom is mine.”
JJ looked triumphant. “I’ll bet Mr. Clark faked it.”
“But he’s dead now,” Mr. Barclay said. “What does it matter that he inherits everything?”
JJ had no answer to that.
Penny felt an idea come together in her mind. “What if Mr. Clark dressed up as you, got a new will made that says that he gets everything you own and all your money, and then fake signed it. And killed you. Only he didn’t get a chance to kill you, since someone murdered him first.”
Penny’s theory was starting to make a lot of sense.
Mr. Barclay mulled that over. “I don’t understand. Why would someone other than Mr. Clark then try to kill me?”
Penny said, “They didn’t want to kill you. They were after Mr. Clark.”
The question was: who?
PENNY AND JJ left Mr. Barclay in the Cupcake Shoppe, still holding the forged will.
“We’re so close to solving this mystery, I can feel it,” Penny said.
They made their way back to the library and found Emma roaming the stacks. “I’ve been looking for you guys! Did you find any more clues?” she asked, eager to do something.
JJ and Penny went up the spiral staircase to join Emma.
“Mr. Barclay is alive,” JJ said.
Emma blinked and smiled. She was crying big fat tears of joy. “I’m so glad. He’s like . . . a father. So wait—who is dead then?” She wiped her eyes.
“Mr. Clark.” Penny told her about what they found out about Mr. Clark and the fake will.
“I’ll bet his name wasn’t even Gregory Clark,” Emma said.
“That’s brilliant, Emma,” JJ said. “What if Mr. Clark’s other identity is that of an actual con man . . . ?”
Emma’s face brightened. “That con man you guys told me about, the one that Detective Walker said was in the area. Whatshisname . . .”
“Gerrit Hofstra,” Penny said. “What if Gerrit Hofstra was pretending to be Mr. Barclay?”
Emma nodded. “If he was acting as Mr. Barclay the Friday of his murder, it would certainly explain Mr. Barclay’s sudden change in character, how Mr. Barclay kept going back on his promises with everyone.”
Penny finished her thought: “It was this Gerrit Hofstra, impersonating Mr. Barclay. He sent everyone away. And he faked that will, so he could get all of Mr. Barclay’s money.”
Emma looked determined. “We should go update our files in the secret room.”
JJ hesitated. “I was going to review the ghost hunting footage from last night.”
“I’ll come along,” Penny said. “We have a bet, remember?” She wasn’t about to let JJ review the ghost hunting footage on his own. Penny wanted to see it with him, to add a skeptic’s perspective.
Emma was feeling left out and a little hurt by that. But then again, she’d messed with the camera, so she figured they’d be done reviewing in a few minutes anyway. Emma left, after telling them, “I’ll see you guys soon, then.”
Penny tried to do her best to contain her excitement about reviewing the footage. She was the one who didn’t believe in ghosts. Right?
“Let’s see what we have,” JJ said. He wanted to see if he’d caught the infamous lady in white, or that kid who supposedly haunted the hotel.
He said as he grabbed the camera, “It’s infrared footage, so it may not—what?” The camera casing was cracked! What happened?
“Oh no,” Penny said. She was genuinely upset. “What happened to the camera?”
“I don’t know.” JJ checked the memory card. Thankfully, that was still intact. The camera had run out of battery power, but then it had been almost twenty-four hours since he’d set it up. “Let’s see if the memory card is still functioning.”
Penny and JJ found a seat at the small table near the window. JJ plugged the camera’s memory card into his laptop.
Penny had to remind herself not to hold her breath. For someone who didn’t believe in ghosts, she sure was excited to see the footage. But then after the disappearing cat, the kid with the marbles . . . It was hard to stay a skeptic.
JJ opened the file and let it play. First, he saw himself setting everything up. That was boring, so he ran the video faster, to get to the good stuff. He wanted to see what those hours of ghost hunting had produced a little quicker.
“What are we watching? This is just footage of us,” Penny said.
“Wait,” JJ said.
JJ started to notice dust particles in front of the lens that looked like they were dancing.
And suddenly, they saw a white image appear.
Penny sat up straighter in her chair, eyes wide. “Is that . . . ?” Penny was too afraid to finish her question.
JJ nodded. “I think so.” It was a ghost.
“I guess I’m losing my bet. That’s a ghost.” Penny was afraid to blink as she watched the footage. The white shape took on the appearance of a human.
“Wait,” JJ mumbled. “I’m talking to this ghost.” That was weird. Was it a person after all? But no, the shape was hazy, just like he’d seen in real ghost hunting footage done by the professionals.
Who was he talking to?
He thought back to that moment, and remembered more clearly now: he’d been talking to Emma. Penny began to realize it too. “Emma,” she said.
Emma, who had appeared out of nowhere.
Emma, who avoided high fives. Who wouldn’t go into Mr. Barclay’s office . . .
Emma, who seemed to disappear at random times.
It all made sense now.
JJ and Penny looked at each other and then said at the same time, “Emma is a ghost.”