The Ghost in Mr. Pepper's Bed Read online

  Chapter 31

  Getting Nellie ready to go home to Australia had been a challenge. They’d spent the week since the murder of Poppy had been solved, buying out different stores for things that, according to Nellie, were difficult to buy in the land down under.

  Melanie Mitchell’s DNA was found on the letter she’d sent to Nellie about Poppy and her fingerprints were found on the retrieved knapsack. After the forensic proof was put in front of her, she admitted her guilt and asked for forgiveness. She actually was glad to come clean. The day she left for sentencing in Pineville, Melanie never looked back.

  So with a bit of sadness at losing a good, new friend, Sonya drove Nellie to the airport for her flight home and helped get her luggage through the airport check-in. It had been a struggle managing the four heavy suitcases, but Nellie was delighted to have so many things to take back to her family.

  As she was ready to go through the gate, she handed Sonya an envelope.

  “I’ve got something for you. It’s just a way of saying thank you for helping me and Poppy. Once the nature center is done, I’ll be back to put Poppy’s ashes inside the memorial. For now, they’re resting at the Willow Valley Cemetery. I hope you’ll be able to come to the consecration.”

  “Of course, I’ll be there. Would you like me to open this while you’re here?” Sonya held up the card.

  “Oh, please wait till I’m gone, will you?” Nellie asked. “It’ll make me feel better if you open it once I’ve gone through the gate.”

  Sonya nodded and gave the dear friend a tight hug.

  “Have a safe trip and you’ve got my email address, so let’s stay in touch. Okay?” Sonya asked.

  “Will do.”

  Nellie picked up her purse and walked through the gate. The two women gave each other one more bright, happy, smile and waved goodbye. Once Nellie was enveloped by the crowd, Sonya looked down at the envelope. She pulled it open and pulled out a card. Flipping it open, to her utter shock she saw inside a check for fifty thousand dollars. Sonya, for at least ten seconds, stood in one place staring down at the numbers. After counting the zero’s twice, she looked up and discarding her usual restraint yelled as loud as she could, “THANK YOU, NELLIE TURNER!”

  Out of the sea of heads and barely audible over the ocean of voices, Sonya heard, “YOU’RE WELCOME, SONYA CARUTHERS!”

  There was nothing left to do but go home and put on her dancing shoes. She had a date to keep at the farewell party for Mr. Pepper at his lodge that night. As Sonya walked out of the airport’s main entrance with a bounce in her step, she thought about Fritz and Eloise. Would they be good and not cause a scene at the dance?

  In the end, they were both perfect ghostly guests at the farewell party, and to their credit, even did the jitterbug together on the lodge’s piano, always a favorite place for dancing, especially for those who have the courage to give it a try.

  Thanks for reading!

  Sigrid’s Other Books

  The Marsden-Lacey Cozy Mystery series

  It’s a beautiful summer and the busy village of Marsden-Lacey, England, has murder on its mind. Someone just whacked everyone’s least favorite villager, Sir Carstons, on his villainous head. That’s when American expats, paralegal Martha Littleword and book expert Helen Ryes, find themselves knee-deep in Yorkshire murder. Spirited empty-nesters, they throw their newbie detective hats into the ring, only to discover that a murder mystery can quickly turn from adventurous lark into personal peril.

  With a dash of Southern charm and humor, and the help of a few quirky villagers, the girls just might survive. They’ll also have to figure out how to handle the local catch-of-the-day, Piers Cousins, and the cantankerous Chief of Police, DCI Johns. Will they or won’t they? If they do, they might solve a murder, or two, along with a hundred-year-old mystery involving a Brontë sister and a famous piece of English history.

  Helen and Martha’s adventures begin with Two Birds with One Stone, which is available to borrow with Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited program.

  About the Author

  Sigrid Vansandt lives in the Ozarks of Arkansas. She loves spending time with family, friends, and her little dog, Amos.

  Living where she does, there’s lots of opportunity to dip into the wonderful and varied world of good food, good stories, and great characters.

  An avid reader of all things British and the American South, she enjoyed combining the two cultures into both the Marsden-Lacey Mystery series and now her new series based in southern Missouri, The Willow Valley Mysteries.

  Thank you for reading!

  Email Sigrid at: [email protected]

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