Ding Dong Dead by Deb Baker

would ever get done with their snack break, I’d tell her that I’m going to make a great ghost hunter. This job,” she said, “I can handle myself.”
    With a great show of dignity, Nina sauntered toward the doorway to meet her date.
    Nina, Gretchen thought with a sense of accomplishment, will be gone for the duration of the rehearsals .

10
    “Where were you all day?” Gretchen asked her mother from a lounge chair near the pool. After spending hours on her feet, it felt good to get off them. She appreciated all the months of the year they could sit outside as they were now. Arizona living had its advantages. Nimrod slept on her lap after a busy day of socializing at doggy day care.
    Caroline sat down beside her. “I ran errands and dropped off completed projects. The business still needs some attention, if we don’t want to lose customers. Work is piling up. I’ll be glad when this project is over, and we can get back to our usual routine.”
    Her mother looked tired, pale, and anxious. With everything she had going—her work as an author, touring and promotion, the doll repair business, and now the museum restoration—no wonder she looked exhausted.
    Wobbles purred next to Gretchen while staring intensely at the sleeping Nimrod, always on the alert for unwanted attention. He never let down his guard. The teacup poodle loved Wobbles, but the sentiment wasn’t returned, although Wobbles did tolerate the energetic puppy. Tutu was another story altogether. Wobbles and Tutu defined the phrase fighting like cats and dogs .
    “Daisy’s staying with us tonight,” Gretchen said. “She’s freshening up in the spare bedroom.”
    “Wonderful. I’ve missed her company.”
    “She said she has important news but wanted to wait until we were both together before announcing it. Something special, she says, and she’s very excited.”
    “My ears were ringing.” Daisy came outside, all radiant and scrubbed, wearing a terry robe from the closet. Gretchen had gone out of her way to stock the spare room with luxuries to lure their occasional guest. “Hey, doggie.” She scooped up Nimrod.
    The homeless woman had an affinity with animals. Even Tutu loved her.
    “Sit down and tell us your news,” Caroline said.
    “First tell me about the museum. How is it coming along? When will it open?”
    “We’ve only begun,” Caroline said. “But I’m thrilled with the results so far.”
    “I wish I could say the same about the fundraiser,” Gretchen added. “Today I learned that we don’t have anyone to handle lights. But I’ll figure out something.” She patted the seat of the lounge chair next to her. “Sit down and tell all.”
    “I can’t sit. I want to bounce right off the stars.” Daisy whirled, robe twirling. “Nacho proposed!” she said. “We’re getting married.”
    Gretchen and Caroline yelped with pleasure. Daisy blushed. Her middle-aged face took on a young girl’s glow.
    “I’ll have to put my acting career on hold,” she said. “But it will only be temporary.”
    “Sure. You can always go back to acting later,” Gretchen agreed.
    One of Daisy’s consuming delusions was her belief that Hollywood scouts would discover her on the crowded streets of Phoenix and she would become an Oscar-winning actress. It hadn’t happened so far, but Daisy remained optimistic.
    Today, the bride-to-be was more grounded than usual.
    “When and where is this extraordinary event taking place?” Caroline asked.
    “At the courthouse on the first of June. We don’t want a lengthy engagement, but we need to give our out-of-town friends time to arrive. Everyone we know is invited.”
    Gretchen could picture an entire homeless community descending en masse to converge on the Phoenix courthouse.
    They’d never make it through security.
    And where would the couple honeymoon? In Eternal View Cemetery? Would they dine at the rescue mission? She couldn’t completely wrap her mind around their future together, but