The Ghost Who Loved Diamonds Read Online Free PDF

necklace. It might make things easier, especially if we’re to
find out how those stones turned out to be real.”
    “You left abruptly.”
    “How do you know what I
can or cannot feel?” Walt asked.
    “I’m sorry if I hurt
your feelings. But I meant your body can’t feel physical pain in the way a
living person can.”
    “And just how do you
know that?” Walt challenged.
    Danielle stood up,
facing him. “Well, can you?”
    “No…but…” Walt
stammered. “But how do you know that?”
    “Let’s just say I’ve
picked up a few things since I first started seeing ghosts.”
    “Oh my god…now you’re
talking to yourself!” Cheryl called out from the doorway. “And you’re back to
that nonsense about seeing ghosts!”
    Danielle groaned and
turned to face her cousin. Cheryl had changed her clothes and now wore a short
cotton dress; its hemline fell just inches down her upper thigh. Judging by the
pink straps pulled up through the neckline of the dress and tied around
Cheryl’s neck, Danielle guessed her cousin was wearing a bikini, and the dress,
its pink and orange floral print reminiscence of the sixties, served as a cover
up. Danielle didn’t see how the garment could be used as just a dress; Cheryl
would be showing the world her bottom if she leaned over just slightly. 
    “I knew you were standing
there,” Danielle lied. “I know you were telling Lily stories about me.”
Danielle sat back down at the table.
    “I think I’ll leave you
ladies to fight this out,” Walt said before disappearing.
    “The way you say stories ,
it sounds like I made stuff up. You did tell us you saw ghosts.” Cheryl walked
into the kitchen, sniffing the air. “There it is again…are you sure you haven’t
taken up cigars? Not exactly ladylike.”
    “I don’t think it’s
necessary for you to gossip about me with my friends. We’ve all done embarrassing
things when we were children. I don’t feel compelled to tell everyone I meet
about the embarrassing things you did when you were a child.”
    “Oh boo hoo, boo.”
Cheryl giggled. “Boo hoo, Boo…now that’s funny .”
    Danielle shook her
head. “Whatever…”
    “It’s not like I tell
everyone I meet. I can’t recall the last time I even thought of you, much less
talked about you. I just thought your friend might find the story amusing. And
anyway, you don’t have anything embarrassing to tell about me.”
    Danielle started to
say, what about being in pageants all your life , but stopped herself. As
much as Cheryl annoyed her, Danielle had no desire to demean her cousin. Cheryl
was proud of her years in the pageant circuit, whereas Danielle compared the
accomplishment to first place winner in a food eating contest. Danielle loathed
food eating contests.
    Cheryl nodded toward
what was left of the sandwich Danielle had been eating. “I hope you don’t plan
to serve those hideous sandwiches to your guests. If you do, you won’t be in
business a month.”
    “What are you talking
about?” Danielle frowned.
    “Lily brought me a
sandwich, it was barely edible.”
    “What is it they say, beggars
can’t be choosers ?” Danielle smiled sweetly.
    Cheryl made a grunting
sound and started to turn back to the doorway.
    “Are you going
somewhere?” Danielle asked, noting the straw purse in Cheryl’s hand.
    “I tried to take a nap.
But I couldn’t sleep. So I decided I’d go check out the beach.”
    “You might get chilly.
The beach is a little cooler here than what you’re used to. You might want to
put some jeans on and grab a sweatshirt.”
    “I’ll be fine. But
thank you for worrying about me.” With a flounce, Cheryl walked toward the
doorway. As she stepped out of the kitchen she called out, “Try not to talk to
yourself too much!”
    Danielle could hear her
cousin’s laugh as Cheryl made her way down the entry hall to the front door.
     

Chapter Five
     
    Ian sat quietly on the
small sofa in the parlor of Marlow House, listening to Lily