Janet McNulty - Mellow Summers 07 - Two Ghosts Haunt a Grove by Janet McNulty

in his office. His sister has filed an inheritance dispute.” I showed him the article.
    “You’re not going alone.”
    “What if I take Tiny with me?”
    Greg relaxed some. “That I could live with.”
    We finished our meal and left.
    Greg dropped me off back home. He had an early morning at work and would be there all day. Jackie had already gone to bed so I decided to call Tiny and set up tomorrow’s snooping. He answered on the first ring.
    “Tiny, I need some help breaking into some guy’s office.”
    “Really? Where at?”
    That’s what I love about Tiny. He doesn’t care if you want to break the law just as long as you include him in your schemes.
    “Kyle Kellmore’s office.”
    “You’re investigating that haunted place aren’t you?” accused Tiny.
    “No,” I lied, “His father’s death doesn’t feel right and the creep came onto me anyway.”
    “He what? I’ll send my boys over.”
    This was not going the way I wanted it to. “Tiny, I need to snoop around his office. His sister has filed a lawsuit of sorts and I need more info, the kind people don’t willingly give.”
    “Where’s it at?”
    “Kellmore Development. He invited me over. I figured I could use the invitation to my advantage.”
    “Yeah, I think I know what we can do. Three thirty work for you?”
    “Yeah. See you then.”
    I hung up. Even though I had to work tomorrow, I’d figure some way to get off before three thirty. I glanced at the clock and noticed that it was midnight. Time for bed.
     

Chapter 6
    Morning came a bit too early for my taste. I grudgingly rolled out of bed as the morning sunlight peeked through my curtains and hit me in the face. If only I could have had a few more minutes—or hours.
    “Rise and shine, sleepy head,” came Jackie’s voice from the hallway. Boy was she perky this morning. Knowing that I had little choice but to get up, I hopped in the shower and dressed. Jackie had coffee already brewed by the time I ambled into the kitchen. I poured myself a cup and a bowl of cereal.
    “And how are we this morning?” sang Jackie.
    “You’re a bit too happy this morning,” I said. “What’s up?”
    “Oh, nothing,” replied Jackie, “It’s just that I know you got in a bit late last night and probably didn’t get much sleep, so I thought I’d rub it in, Miss I’m Going To Be Late For Work.”
    I glanced at my watch. Goodness gracious, I was going to be late. I wolfed down the rest of my cereal and chugged my coffee before rushing out the door. My feet pounded down the stairs I rushed to the parking area and my car. Why is it I’m always late?
    I arrived at the Candle Shoppe just in the nick of time. How many tardies is a person allowed before they’re fired? Luckily, Mr. Stilton didn’t see me sneak in through the back. I plopped my stuff in my locker, straightened my shirt, and walked over to the cash register.
    “Hey, Mel!”
    I looked up. Tammy stood right there
    “Slow start this morning?” she asked.
    Leave it to her to notice that I was a bit late. “A bit of one, yeah.”
    I finally took in her outfit. It nearly blew me away. The woman wore a skirt that looked like it was made out of doilies—at least she had a slip on underneath—a tangerine orange blouse with yellow lettering—though I couldn’t make it out—a green head band holding back her curly hair, and bright pink sandals, the kind that wrap up your leg. I started to wonder if maybe she was colorblind besides having no sense of fashion taste. Yuck! Tammy looked like a walking neon sign.
    “That is an interesting outfit,” I said.
    “You think so?” Tammy whirled around, “I made the skirt myself and the rest I got at a thrift store. They have so much interesting stuff. I don’t know why people throw things away.”
    Because it’s awful, I thought to myself. “Well, only you can pull it off,” I said with a smile, while secretly wanting to vomit. “Well, we better get back to work.”
    The store