Ghost in the Polka Dot Bikini: A Ghost of Granny Apples Mystery Read Online Free PDF Page B

would be nothing more than an hour of quackery. It had taken many months of patience and perseverance on Emma’s part to prove to the young, serious woman that she was dedicated to producing a quality show with an objective view of people’s beliefs in the paranormal. Jackie was still a skeptic when it came to such things, but she eventually became a fan of Emma’s and threw herself into her work, wrangling guests and researching ideas she and Emma had for future shows. Together they made a formidable team, although Emma still had not enlightened Jackie about Granny’s presence or her own talents.
    Emma turned her attention back to her conversation with Phil. “Granny believes this Curtis killed Tessa. That he hurt her and left her to die.”
    “That’s another possibility. In which case, it would explain why he might not have returned with help. It will be interesting to see what Jackie finds out. There might be some old obituary or even news about her death.”
    “And there would be a death record. Catalina is in the county of Los Angeles. I’m sure Jackie will turn something up like that.” They were almost back to town when another idea stopped Emma in her tracks. “You know, Phil, on an island of this size, it can’t be that common for people to die without notice, especially a tourist. I wonder if the police would have records on it.”
    Phil consulted the map. “The island is policed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. There’s a station here in town.” He studied the town map again. “Looks like it’s right across from where we caught that tour bus yesterday.” They had reached an intersection. Phil looked up and studied the street signs. “If we turn left here, then right at Sumner, it should bring us right to it.”
    “Who knew?”
    Phil looked up from the map. “Who knew what?”
    “That a man would actually consult a map.”
    Phil folded the small map and gently slapped Emma on the behind with it. “Get going, Fancy Pants. There’s a ghost waiting to go wherever it is ghosts need to go.”
    The police station looked like any typical municipal building in any other town, except that it was unusually compact. Stepping up to the counter, they were greeted by a small woman with very short dark blond hair. She wore the crisp uniform of the LA County Sheriff’s Department. The name tag above her pocket read Weaver .
    From her wallet, Emma extracted a business card. “Hello,” she said to the woman, handing her the card. “I’m Emma Whitecastle. I host a TV show called The Whitecastle Report . I’m doing research for a new show on ghosts of Catalina Island and was wondering if you could help me.”
    If Deputy Weaver thought the request odd, she never showed it, keeping her face as blank as a clean slate. “If I can.”
    “I understand a woman by the name of Tessa North died on Catalina about forty years ago. Would you have any records on that?”
    “Deaths are recorded with the Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office.”
    “Yes, I understand that,” Emma explained. “We’re in the process of obtaining those records. But if Ms. North’s death was suspicious in any way, or if the sheriff’s department was called in about it, would you have any records?”
    “No, I’m afraid not,” Deputy Weaver said with a slight shake of her head. “The sheriff’s department came to the island in 1962, and our early records are not accessible. Anything prior to 1962 would have been handled by the former city police department, and I’m not sure they kept those records or where they would be kept if they did.”
    “We believe Tessa North died in 1968.”
    The young officer shook her head again, but her face remained unmoved. “I’m afraid records going back that far would not be readily available. But you might try the newspaper.”
    Phil moved closer. “Catalina has its own newspaper?”
    “Yes, sir. The Catalina Islander . Comes out every Friday. It’s been around almost a