Marie decided to follow Eva’s example and conjure up her own imaginary chair when needed. At Marlow House, alone with Walt and Danielle, there was no problem utilizing her energy to pull out a chair for her to use, but in Adam’s office, it would be a problem for her grandson if he started seeing chairs moving about. Yet, even when alone at Marlow House with the mediums, Eva did not have the luxury of repositioning a real chair, because her energy was used on glitter and glam, and the Universe had not seen fit to help her move tangible objects. Marie had no idea why she had been given the gift—assuming it was a gift—but she was most appreciative.
One advantage of an imaginary chair, it could float in the air, allowing Marie to look down at the living people while avoiding the annoyance of one walking through her—or sitting on her. She hated when that happened.
Looking down at Adam, she watched as he sat at his computer keyboard. He was alone in the office—or so he thought. His assistant, Leslie, had gone to the post office, leaving Adam to his own devices. Since most of his work was caught up, he had idle time on his hands, and Marie knew what that meant.
Instead of interrupting the power to his computer when he attempted to visit one of those websites, Marie had stumbled on a new tactic, using her energy to intercept Adam’s search and replace it with her own. Instead of scantily clad women appearing on the computer monitor, images of families with young children, men with babies, and fathers frolicking with their children popped up on the screen. This perplexed Adam even more than the power going out. Marie saw it as her campaign to change Adam’s mind about having children.
Adam practically flew out of his desk chair a few minutes later when Walt and Danielle came walking into his office with a cheery hello. Both Marie and Adam had been so focused on the computer—Marie manipulating it and Adam trying to figure out what was going on—that neither was prepared for the visitors.
Both Danielle and Walt stopped in their tracks at the doorway when they spied Marie sitting in an invisible chair floating over Adam’s desk. It was a peculiar sight and took great strength on Danielle’s part not to comment on the spectacle.
“Oh…you surprised me.” Adam sounded flustered as he turned off his computer.
“Umm, whatcha doing?” Danielle asked as she entered the room. The question was more for Marie than Adam, yet Adam didn’t know that.
He shrugged. “Nothing. But it was acting weird again.”
“Still losing power?” Danielle glanced up to Marie, who looked as if she had just been caught pilfering quarters from the collection plate at church.
“Craziest thing, when I do a search, pictures keep popping up that don’t match the search—babies and toddlers and families and more babies.”
With an arched brow, Danielle glanced up to Marie, who only returned a sheepish shrug.
“What were you searching for?” Walt asked.
Adam sat up abruptly in his chair. “Nothing in particular. Which reminds me, how is Lily doing? I haven’t seen her for a while.”
“She hasn’t had morning sickness for weeks, and she claims she’s starting to show. But frankly I don’t see it. According to Ian, she’s always tired and hungry.”
“Great combination,” Adam said with a chuckle and then asked, “Now, what can I do for you?”
“I guess I’ll go now,” Marie said abruptly just before vanishing.
“I brought you that list of potential customers who had inquired about rooms,” Danielle explained as she and Walt took a seat facing Adam’s desk. “I thought you might be able to help them.” She leaned forward, handing him the paper.
“I still can’t believe you’re closing the B and B for good,” Adam said as he accepted Danielle’s offering.
“Not really closing it. More like reinventing ourselves.” Danielle smiled and settled back in the chair.
“Chris told me about how you plan to expand the room raffles for charity,” Adam said as he glanced over the paper Danielle had just handed him. He then tossed it on his desk.
“Yes. After we see how the spring break fundraiser goes, we’ll move ahead on the project,” Danielle told him.
“By the way, have you talked to Chris this morning?” Adam asked.
“I did early this morning,” Walt told him. “But he had an incoming call, and I told him we were leaving anyway and would talk to him later.”
Adam glanced from Walt to Danielle. “So you don’t know? His uncle Loyd passed away last night.”
Danielle arched her brow. “Really? I know his cancer had advanced fairly quickly.”
“Couldn’t have happened to a nicer man,” Walt grumbled.
Adam looked at Walt, unable to stifle a chuckle.
“Walt,” Danielle scolded, “a man is dead.”
“So? He tried to kill you,” Walt said angrily.
Adam chuckled again. “I can’t say I disagree with Walt. Loyd did try to kill you and Chris. Those uncles are pure evil. I can’t believe Simon actually expected Chris to intervene and have Loyd moved somewhere more comfortable.”
“I suspect he would have,” Danielle said. “Knowing Chris. But fortunately for him, the prison had already made plans to move him, considering his condition. I think Chris was conflicted by Simon’s request.”
“I just hope Chris cuts off all communications with Simon,” Walt said. “He doesn’t need that in his life.”
Adam studied Walt for a moment and smiled. When he had first met Walt—or Clint as he then wanted to be called—Adam thought he was a major jerk. But he had to admit, the man had changed since his accident, and Adam did not doubt Walt’s feelings toward Danielle. Even Walt’s obvious protective attitude toward Chris, Adam found an interesting change. Perhaps Melony was right—again.
They chatted a few more minutes about Chris’s uncles; then Danielle changed the conversation.
“When I first asked you about the previous owners of Pearl’s house, you weren’t sure if she was related to the Morton family,” Danielle began.
“She’s not. Since we talked about it, I looked into it a little,” Adam explained.
“Yeah. I know she’s not. I met Norman Bateman, the son of one of the Morton twins. He told me the house was sold before he was born, and not to a relative.”
Adam nodded. “Yeah. That’s what I found out too. I looked into the property records. The owners after the Mortons were a Mr. and Mrs. Darin Burnette. A couple of years before Mrs. Burnette’s death, the husband’s name was taken off the deed. When she died, the house went equally to their two daughters. One of the daughters sold out her share to her sister. The house was then in the name of that sister and her husband. When they died, the house went to their three children, who apparently have also passed away. Their children then inherited the property. Seven different people were on the deed, and I am assuming they are the great-grandchildren of the Burnettes—from the daughter who bought out her sister.”
“Do you know if any of them live in Frederickport?” Danielle asked.
“Yes. One of them had a local address. The name wasn’t familiar, and I don’t remember it. But if you want me to look it up again, I will,” Adam offered.
“Sure. I doubt I will do anything with it, but if you can get it,” Danielle said.
Adam turned his computer back on and began a search. “Nice to see no baby pictures are popping up,” he muttered as he continued looking for the property record. Danielle and Walt quietly exchanged glances.
“Here it is,” Adam said at last. “One of the owners who sold out to your neighbor is an Andy Delarosa.”
Danielle shrugged. “Never heard of him.”
“He lives on your side of town.” Adam looked at the computer monitor again and then frowned. “By his address, I’m pretty sure he lives next door to Presley House.”
“Or what was Presley House. Last time I went by there, it was still a vacant lot,” Danielle said.
Adam looked up from the computer. “Is there some reason you’re thinking of talking to him?”
Danielle shrugged. “Probably not. I was curious about my neighbor Pearl, and why she’s so cantankerous. I had this crazy idea I might learn more about her from her relatives who sold her the property, but what do I do? Walk up to this Andy guy, knock on the door, and ask, why is your cousin Pearl such a shrew?”
“So how is this Pearl related to him?” Adam asked Danielle.
“Any chance one of the names on that deed was Pearl Huckabee?” Walt asked.
“Pearl Huckabee, that’s who’s on the deed now,” Adam said.
Danielle turned to Walt. “Why would her name have been on the deed before?”
Walt shrugged. “We didn’t consider that maybe she owned a share of the house with her cousins and she just bought them out.”
Adam shook his head. “No. Her name wasn’t on the deed before.”
“Then my assumption, if she really is related to the previous owners, and the house has been in her family for years, as she claims—she’s the child of the Burnette daughter who sold her share to her sister,” Walt explained.
Hand in hand, Walt and Danielle walked to the Packard after leaving Adam’s office. Just as they reached the vehicle, a short woman with curly red hair stepped out from one of the shops, blocking their path. Danielle and Walt stopped abruptly. Danielle immediately recognized the woman. She always thought she looked like an angry Strawberry Shortcake doll. It was Ruby Crabtree.
“Ruby?” Danielle said in surprise.
Standing before the couple, Ruby eyed them up and down curiously. “Is it true? Is the bed and breakfast staying closed for good?”
“We plan to use it for some charity events, but it no longer has a business license to operate as a bed and breakfast,” Danielle explained.
“Interesting,” Ruby mused.
“Funny we should run into you like this. We were just talking about you today,” Danielle told her.
Ruby arched a red brow. “You were?”
“I understand you might be related to our new neighbor—the one who is opposed to having a B and B in the neighborhood.”
“Ahh, you mean Pearl Huckabee. I just want you to know, I think it’s a shame she got you closed down. This town needs places like yours. Never thought it hurt my business. Some people like staying in motels; others like places like your B and B.”
“So you are related?” Danielle asked.
“Suppose we are. I don’t know her. Never met her. But it doesn’t really surprise me she got your place shut down.”
“Why is that?” Walt asked.
“Contrary bunch, if you ask me. Her grandmother was my father’s sister. Dad used to say he couldn’t blame his brother-in-law for running off on his sister. He was surprised he stuck around as long as he did,” Ruby said with a snort.
“Is Pearl your cousin?” Danielle asked.
“Her mother was. But I never knew them, even though we lived in the same town. You see, my aunt converted to Catholicism, and my father was a good Protestant. He never forgave his sister for joining the Pope’s church. I remember when I was in grade school, going by the house and seeing a bunch of kids playing in the yard. They would have been cousins. But I never went up and introduced myself. After she died, the house went to my cousins. One of the girls bought out her sister. Her kids eventually inherited the property, and when they passed away, it went to their children. Sickly branch of the family. My cousin’s kids all died fairly young. From what I hear, their children who inherited the property never got along and rarely used the house. I know this because one of them lives in Frederickport, Andy Delarosa. I suppose he is my second cousin.” Ruby shrugged. “Or maybe third?”
“You know Andy Delarosa?” Danielle asked.
“Yes. Do you?” Ruby asked.
“No. I just heard he was related to Pearl,” Danielle explained.
“He stopped by the motel and introduced himself after he inherited a share of the property. About five years ago, I think. He’s a young fellow. To be honest, he’s a bit of an airhead. He was curious about the family, not so much that he cared a hoot about genealogy, but what he could use to his advantage. Not sure what he thought that was exactly. According to him, that side of the family never got along much. Of course, I couldn’t give him any information. He told me about his mother’s cousin who wanted to buy the house. That was Pearl. I guess she’s wanted to buy that house for years.”