Ghostly claus, p.6
Ghostly Claus, page 6
CHAPTER SEVEN
"Please, have a seat. Can I get you anything?" Melissa Franklin asked as she led Angus and Franks into the living room.
"No thank you." Franks smiled politely.
Angus followed Franks in and was surprised to find an older man sitting on the couch along with another man who sat in one of the chairs. He prayed it wasn't their lawyer and they wouldn't have to fight to get the answers they needed.
"This is my friend, Harvey Wilson. I asked him to be here for me." Melissa took a seat beside him and didn't blink when Harvey took her hand in his and rested it on his thigh. "And this is my son, Roger."
"Nice to meet you." Roger stood and offered his hand to both men.
"You as well. We're sorry about your loss," Angus told him before taking a seat in one of the other chairs. It was impossible not to wonder about how closely Melissa was sitting next to the strange man or notice the way he caressed her hand as he held it.
"Thank you. I'm still in shock. I can't believe someone shot him. Do you have any leads yet?" Roger asked.
"We're working on a few but nothing solid as of yet." Angus decided to dive right into the questions. "Did you know of anyone who had any issues with your father or who might want him dead?"
Roger shook his head. "No, but since I live in Florida and don't make it back here as often as I'd like, I wasn't that close to my dad. He never mentioned any problems with anyone. When we did talk, the conversations were usually short and consisted of him talking about how he was preparing for the holiday season. Dad was a bit obsessive when it came to his role as Santa."
"You said you were with a friend at lunch when it happened, right?" Franks asked Melissa.
She glanced at Harvey and sighed. "I'm just going to be honest with you. You'll find out anyway and I can't see any harm in telling you since Gene is gone now. I was with Harvey that day. We'd met at his place earlier in the morning, then went out for lunch after." Her cheeks turned pink. "You can confirm with the café that we were both there."
Angus cringed inwardly, aware that Gene's ghost was probably hearing this as well. It was a good thing ghosts couldn't interact with the living physically because he was sure Gene would be trying to knock Harvey out at this moment. "So you've been having an affair?"
She sighed but had the decency to look a bit ashamed.
"How long has this been going on?" Franks asked.
Harvey smiled at Melissa. "A little over a year. We met at a library fundraiser shortly after my wife died. We tried to just be friends, but well, you know how things happen."
Angus didn't. He couldn't ever imagine cheating on someone. He'd end the relationship long before he ever considered cheating on anyone. "And Gene never knew?"
Melissa sat up straighter. "You have to understand. My husband paid very little attention to me or anything going on around him if it didn't have to do with Christmas or Santa Claus. He was obsessed with his job as Santa. During the rest of the year, he was working on improving his costume, networking with the businesses in the community, and memorizing historical facts about Santa so he could tell them to the kids. My husband quit being my husband nearly twenty years ago. He would look through catalogs during dinner, and watch Christmas shows at night. Work on his costume on weekends. Most nights, he'd fall asleep on the couch and never come to bed." She sighed.
"Mom's telling the truth. Dad was totally preoccupied with Santa and Christmas. It was almost like a mental disorder. You'd think that for a kid it would be fun for them to have a father like that, but it wasn't. He was never around. He didn't have time for me or my basketball games. Didn't ask how I was doing in school or who I was dating. He wasn't a father at all. He was more like the man who lived with us. I was so relieved to go off to college and get out of here." Roger glanced at his mother. "Sorry, but it's true."
She nodded and gave him an understanding smile. "I know and I'm sorry it was that way for you. I should have left him years ago. It was just simpler to stay and do my own thing. I tried to be the best mother I could, but I know I failed you in many ways."
Roger frowned. "No, you were great. It's not your fault Dad was crazy."
Angus listened, wondering if they realized they'd just booted themselves up the suspect list with what they were admitting. He still didn't think any of them were responsible for Gene's death, but all this information was going to have to be investigated.
"The other day when we spoke, you mentioned there was another man who plays Santa that Gene might have had an issue with. What can you tell me about him?" Franks asked.
"I don't know his name, but Gene would complain about the man all the time. The two of them had been fighting for the mall job for the last few years. And this year, with that stupid Best Santa contest going on in town, it made it even worse. Gene was mumbling over dinner one night that he was looking for a way to sabotage the other Santa's interview. I wasn't really listening. I do know this Santa works at the Valley Mall in Costner. Gene was saying he was glad he didn't have to drive to the next town over to work every day. I don't know much more than that. Just that he grumbled about the man all the time." Melissa sighed. "I wish I knew a name for you."
"We can find it." Angus made a few notes. "Did this competition between them ever get physical?"
Melissa shook her head. "Not that I know of."
"What about his family? Were you able to contact them?"
"I called his father and told him. I don't have a number for his brother. Gene's parents said they'd let him know. Gene hadn't spoken to his brother in a long time. He's got a gambling problem from what I was told. His parents are not physically able to come to the funeral but asked me to keep them up to date on everything," Melissa told them.
"Could we get their number from you?" Angus could look it up himself, but if she'd give it to him, it would save time.
"Of course." She pulled out her cell phone and searched. Once she had the number, she told him.
Angus quickly wrote the number down in his notebook. "The medical examiner should be calling to release the body soon so you can make arrangements."
"They called this morning," Roger told them. "We're planning to hold his funeral Monday afternoon. I'll be staying with Mom through Christmas just to help her go through my dad's things and figure everything out."
Harvey handed Franks what looked like a receipt. "I figured you'll need to confirm our story about being at lunch during the shooting. Here's the receipt if it helps. I wasn't sure if you'd need it or not."
"Thank you, this does help. We'll follow up with the café, but this will make it easier since it does have the time printed on it." Franks folded it and put it inside his notebook. "Have you been able to think of anyone else who might have had a problem with Gene?"
Melissa shook her head. "Nobody. He didn't have any close friends. Didn't have any enemies that I was aware of either. He seriously just sat in his workroom, planning out the next Christmas season most of the time."
"Could we have a look in his office?" Angus asked.
"Sure." Melissa stood. "This way."
She led Angus and Franks through the kitchen to a door. She opened it and flipped on a light. She then descended the stairs.
"Wow." Franks gasped as they came to the bottom of the stairs and a large open room that looked like it had been overtaken by Christmas. Every inch of the room was covered in something that had to do with the holiday. Photos of Santa covered the walls, pieces of Santa's suit lay on a table, and four different large, red Santa bags sat in the corner, appearing full of something. Boxes of candy canes sat piled on another table. A sewing machine sat on another table against the wall, and bolts of fabric matching Santa's suit leaned up against the wall next to it.
"He made his own suits?" Angus asked.
Melissa nodded. "He claimed it was the only way to get a perfect fit. Years ago, I'd help, but he started doing it all himself. I never came down here other than to do laundry. I left this room to him." She took a deep breath. "I don't even know what to do with all of this stuff?"
"Maybe offer it to another Santa?" Franks suggested. "The candy could go to the local library or one of the schools. I'm not sure. There has to be a market for this stuff, right?" He glanced at Angus.
"There's millions of Santas out there this time of year. I'm sure some would want this stuff. Maybe put it up on eBay or something." Angus walked around the room, stopping at a laptop that sat on a small desk. "Do you know what he used this for?"
Melissa shook her head.
"Do you mind if we took the laptop so we can see if he's been fighting with anyone through chat or email?" Franks asked.
"You two can do whatever you want down here. If you see something you want, take it. I don't want any of it." Melissa waved her hand around the room. "Do I need to stay here with you or can I go back upstairs? This room makes me uncomfortable."
"You can head upstairs. We won't be long." Angus was already unplugging the laptop from the wall.
"Thank you. Take your time. I want to know who killed him. I just can't…" She waved her hand again.
"We understand," Franks told her as they watched her walk back upstairs.
"This is insane. I've never seen so much Santa in one place." Angus wrapped the laptop cord around the laptop.
"Tell me about it. This is Christmas overload." Franks looked at some of the photos on the wall.
Angus came to stand beside Franks. Many were of Gene dressed in his Santa suit, many with children gathered around him or on his lap. It was easy to see how the obsession progressed over the years as the Santa suit gained more details. "I'll never look at a Santa the same after this. I can't imagine the work he put into this every year."
"All year from what it sounds like." Franks pointed to a photo. "Notice all these pictures with other families, but none of him with his own."
"It didn't sound like they were the happiest of families." Angus moved back to the small desk and started to open drawers, looking for letters or anything that might have some clue as to who wanted Gene dead. He found a stack of letters that had recent postmarks all addressed to Santa. "We need to go through these as well."
"We'll ask if we can take them. If not, we'll get a warrant. I don't think she's going to have any issue with us taking them. I get the feeling she is more than ready to move on with her life." Franks glanced over at Angus. "Harvey was a surprise."
"Yeah, tell me about it." He piled the letters on top of the laptop, then went back to searching drawers while Franks looked through a stack of files set on one of the tables. "I'm not seeing much that's going to help us. Hopefully, the computer geeks can find something on his laptop. These are all inventory lists and locations in the area that hire Santas during the season."
"Nothing more here either. Some tax documents, but most of them are years old." Angus shut the drawer. "I don't think we're going to find any answers here. If there was anything to know, we'd have been told." He wondered if Gene was there now, watching them go through his things.
"Yeah, the laptop is our best chance, and even then, he would have told us about any emails or threats if there were any." Franks turned in a circle once more. "This is a Christmas overload."
"Yeah, for me as well." Angus grabbed the laptop and letters. "Let's get out of here." He quickly headed upstairs, leaving Franks to turn off the light and shut the door. He made his way back through the kitchen and into the living room where everyone still sat. "We're going to take the laptop and these letters which he recently received. Once we go through them, you'll get them back."
Franks wrote out a receipt for the items, then handed it to Melissa. "If you think of anything else, please give us a call."
"So we can start getting rid of everything down there?" Roger asked.
"Yep, but if you find anything you think we need to see, please set it aside and give us a call." Franks offered his hand. "We'll be in touch and keep you updated."
Angus nodded to Melissa and shook Harvey's hand. "Thank you for stepping up and making this easier for everyone."
Harvey nodded. "You would have found out anyway."
Roger led them to the door and opened it. He stepped out onto the front porch with Angus and Franks and shut the door. "I know this makes Mom look guilty, but I swear she's not. She didn't do this or have it done."
Angus nodded. "We don't think she did. We'll verify her alibi and continue looking at other leads. I wouldn't worry."
"Were you aware of the affair?" Franks asked.
Roger shook his head. "No, I had no clue. She told me last night after I came home to find Harvey here with her. I can't say I blame her, but it did come as a shock. I never thought my mother would do something like that." He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "This is all so insane."
Angus couldn't imagine how he'd feel if he found out one of his parents was having an affair, but his parents were so in love that it was sickening at times. He couldn't see either of his parents doing anything like that. "We'll keep digging. You just take care of your mother and get your father buried." He gripped Roger's arm. "I'm sorry you have to go through this, especially this time of the year."
"It's fitting. Christmas was Dad's thing. It seems right we celebrate his life during the holiday too." Roger took a step back. "I'll call if I learn anything here."
"As will we." Franks gave a nod and they headed to the car.
Once in the car, Angus sighed. "This might end up being one of the strangest cases I've ever worked on."
"Makes me want to go home and take down all the Christmas decorations your mom put up." Franks laughed as he pulled away from the curb.
"Yeah, doesn't leave you in the holiday spirit, does it?" Angus shook his head. "I guess everyone has an obsession." He leaned his head back. "Stop at Starbucks on the way. I need caffeine and something better than that sludge in the office."
"Done." Franks turned up the radio.
Angus closed his eyes, thankful it wasn't Christmas music.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Lance walked out of his room after a long shower and smiled at the smell of spaghetti sauce. He made his way into the kitchen, not shocked to find Jackson at the stove cooking. "That smells amazing."
"Figured I couldn't come visit without making my spaghetti sauce at least once." Jackson grinned over his shoulder. "Grab a drink. Dinner will be ready in about five minutes. I let Haunt out back to play. She kept getting underfoot."
Lance noticed a fresh salad already on the table as he moved past Kel who was sitting in one of the chairs. He gave the ghost a nod before going to the fridge. "She knows better. She can stay out there until we're done. You want anything?"
"Grab me that pitcher of iced tea I made earlier," Jackson said. "So how was your day?"
"You want details?" Lance teased.
"Without the details." Jackson laughed.
"It was okay. Nothing too intense. I had the body from that murder in town. The guy who plays Santa at the mall. Then I had a younger man in his late twenties who died of a massive heart attack." Lance set the tea on the table, then opened the can of soda he'd gotten for himself. "I've never seen so many young people dying from heart attacks and strokes as I'm seeing the last few months. It's sad. Managed to catch lunch with Angus though, that was nice."
"He seems nice. How'd you two meet?" Jackson asked.
"He was watching an autopsy I was working on. We just clicked. He dropped by one afternoon to update me on a case we'd both worked on, and he asked me out." There was a lot more to the story, but until he found a way to tell Jackson about his ability to see ghosts, he couldn't share that. He glanced over at Kel, wishing he could get time alone with him to talk. "Have you been busy?"
"Non-stop it seems. I've been in Sudan for the last few weeks. It's nice to finally get home and not worry about getting called out. I did get a little time in Germany to relax, but it went by quickly." Jackson set a bowl of pasta on the table.
"You dating anyone?" Lance asked.
"Nope. There's been a few hook-ups, but nothing worth mentioning. I'm not in one place long enough to have anything serious. Women know not to expect much when I meet them. I am going out with Megan sometime next week. I ran into her at the grocery store, and we talked a little." Jackson set a huge bowl of pasta sauce on the table.
Lance inhaled the scent. He loved his brother's sauce. He'd never managed to make it the same way Jackson did. It was something he might have to get Cel to help him with some time. "Wow, I didn't know she was still in the area. I thought she'd gotten married." Lance remembered Megan from when he'd lived with Jackson long before Jackson had gone off and joined the military. Lance was sure they would have married if Jackson hadn't left town.
"She did. She's divorced and back living here. She's working for a lawyer in the area. I get the feeling her marriage was pretty bad. She didn't go into details, but I can read Megan like a book. I'll find out more when we go out." Jackson sat down. "She looks good. Seems happy."
"You two didn't keep in touch at all, did you?" Lance asked.
"No, she was really upset when I left. She never understood why I'd choose the Navy over her. I tried to tell her I wasn't choosing. I wanted to stay with her and still join, but she didn't want that life. Said she couldn't handle being a military wife. I had to respect that. It's not an easy life for a spouse."
"Ever regret joining up?" Lance asked.
"Not really. There are times I hate it. Like when you had your accident, and I couldn't just be there for you. I hated you had to trust others to help you." Jackson stared at the scar Lance had on the side of his face. "I wanted to jump on a plane and be here for you, but I couldn't. The process of getting leave that quickly isn't easy. Especially when I'm in the middle of something big like I was then."
"I would have loved to have you here, but I didn't need you. I got through it. Sam and Carrie were great to help me. There wasn't much to do. I spent weeks in bed. You would have just been sitting by my bedside. I'm glad you didn't drop everything to come home. I told you as soon as I was able not to come."
