A Deadly Lesson (Storage Ghost Murders Book 5) by Gillian Larkin Page B

travelled around the world with a
good friend. Have you ever done that?”
    Brooke
smirked. “I knew someone who wanted to do that once. She was a real loser. I
shouldn’t tell you her name, but it was Abbie. Doesn’t matter if you know it,
she’s dead now. She wanted to go round the world, she even thought I’d go with
her. As if! She was such a pain. I met her at primary school, followed me round
like a lost puppy. I felt sorry for her. She had an adopted sister, Julianne.
Julianne was the pretty one. It’s supposed to follow that Abbie had the brains.
But she didn’t. She couldn’t even pass her driving test! What an idiot, I
passed mine on the first go. There again, Abbie did have an idiot of a driving
instructor. Two idiots together.”
    Out
of the corner of her eye, Grace saw Abbie sinking further and further into the
chair. Grace said, “That must have been awful for you, having someone hanging
round you like that.”
    Brooke
pulled a look of disgust. “I can’t believe I let her hang around so long. She
was always asking for my opinion. She had no idea of what to wear, or who to
talk to. I had to tell her everything! Honestly, I could have wrung her neck
sometimes. I’m glad she’s dead. How are you paying the deposit?”
    Grace
pressed her lips together. Brooke was a heartless so-and-so, it was obvious to
anyone. But saying she was glad Abbie was dead was out of line. Brooke had just
become a suspect.
    Brooke’s
phone beeped again. Grace coldly said, “I’m sorry, am I keeping you from
something?”
    “Yes.
It’s my boyfriend, Ethan. I’m supposed to be meeting him soon. He’s another one
that Abbie bothered. She actually thought he liked her! Ha! Loser.”
    Grace
turned to look at Abbie properly. Abbie turned shock-filled eyes towards her
and said, “I can’t believe it. Why would she say that about me? I thought she
was my friend.”
    Grace
shook her head sadly. Abbie could do without a friend like that, even if she
was now dead. Grace stood up. Brooke looked up from her phone.
    Grace
took great delight in raising her voice loudly and saying, “I won’t be booking
a holiday with you. I find your manner rude and totally unacceptable. I shall
take my business elsewhere.”
    Grace
thought she heard a faint cheer from the back end of the travel agent’s. The
spider legs on Brooke’s face didn’t move. Brooke said, “Whatever.”
    Grace
moved a bit closer and said, “I don’t think you understand. You’ve lost a lot
of money today from me. I’ve a good mind to speak to your manager.”
    Brooke
sniffed and said, “I am the manager. Have you finished? The door’s over there.”
    Abbie
shot out of her chair and around to Brooke’s side. She peered at her phone and
then nodded her head. She said to Grace, “I know where she’s meeting Ethan.
Let’s follow her.”
    Grace
really wanted nothing more to do with Brooke but it would be interesting to see
Ethan. Did he really dislike Abbie too? Or was Brooke lying? If they were a
couple had they planned to make a fool of Abbie? And – had they made a plan
to get rid of her?
    Grace
couldn’t think of any more scathing words to say so she settled for a
disapproving look. The look was wasted as Brooke had already turned her
attention back to her phone.
    Grace
left the shop and stepped into a side alley. She couldn’t talk to Abbie in
public.
    “Well,”
Grace began. “Are you sure she wasn’t like that when you were alive?”
    Abbie
shook her head. “She was always nice to me. Other people didn’t like her, but
she said they were jealous of our friendship. I don’t know why she’s meeting
Ethan, she always said she hated him. He can’t be her boyfriend! I don’t
understand what’s going on.”
    “Me
neither.” Grace peered around the wall. “She’s left the travel agent’s. Let’s
follow her. If we meet Ethan are you prepared to hear what he says about you.”
    Abbie
nodded sadly and looked down at her purple trainers. “I wish