Cloudy with a Chance of Ghosts (Destiny Bay Cozy Mysteries Book 4) by J.D. Winters

felt so bad for her. Her background was such a contrast to mine. She’d grown up in a happy nuclear family with her mother around and her father very supportive. She had a brother who loved her and sent her funny cards every now and then. She’d had the ideal High School experience, been on swim team and been prom queen one year, won the spelling bee and made honorable mention in the National Merit Scholar Program. The All-American girl. Everybody loved her. And now, suddenly, she was having to face what real life might have in store for her, despite her dreams.  
    It made my heart ache for her. I was seriously afraid that she wouldn’t be able to handle it—like I could. I’d grown up hardened by disappointment and regrets. I hated to see her have to go through all that without the tough upbringing that I’d had.  
    “It’s so late,” she said, as though looking for excuses not to do this. “Don’t you think we ought to call her first?”
    “No.” I hated to get stern with her, but right now I was afraid she needed it. If we were going to have any chance at all of helping Jagger beat this rap, we were going to have to do things we didn’t really want to do. “Then she’ll know we’re coming and we’ll lose the element of surprise.”
    She looked at me and I could see the strength creeping back, the real Jill coming through. Her eyes filled with humor. “The element of surprise. I see. So you think we’ve got that, do you?”
    I had to laugh. “Well, I don’t know. I don’t think I’ve ever tried to get it, so this is a first for me. We’ll see if it works.”
    “Right.”
    “Oh, now you’re starting to sound skeptical,” I teased. “Keep the faith, baby. I need your support.”
    “Don’t worry. I’m a pillar of strength when it comes to giving support. Help, maybe not so much. But moral support—I’m with you all the way.”
    I grinned at her. “Good enough for me.”
    It took about ten minutes and we found our way through the complex easily, pulling into a small parking lot across a green belt from the building.  
    “You are going to do the talking,” Jill told me as we climbed the steps to the front door. “Because I’m not sure what we’re here for. Is this a confrontation?”
    “No!”
    “Good. I’m not good at those.”
    “We’re here for information,” I whispered, reaching out for the door bell.  
    We could hear the bells sounding inside, but no one came to the door. We tried again, then I tried the door. It wasn’t locked. We looked at each other, squeamish to walk into a house that way.  
    “Faint heart never wins fair lady,” Jill muttered. I think she was talking more to herself than to me. We both took a deep breath and went on into the house.  
    “Hello!” I called as we made our way through the living room.  
    No answer.  
    The lights were on and the place was nice, furnished with elegant upholstery and rich woods. Whatever else Marilee was, she was evidently a woman of taste.  
    There was a stairway to the second floor. Lights were on up there as well, and something seemed to draw us there. From the looks of the layout, I assumed we would find two bedrooms and a bath at the top of the stairs.
      We looked at each other, shrugged, and turned to begin the climb up.  
    “Hello,” I called again. “Marilee?”
    A door slammed. The lights flickered. I gasped and grabbed Jill. She was breathing as though she’d just run a mile and she held onto me as though I was her last hope of salvation.  
    Her eyes were huge and shadowed. “M…m…maybe we ought to go,” she whispered breathlessly.  
    It seemed like a very good idea—but I stopped myself from running for the door. We had to do this thing and we had to follow through. I took a deep breath and started for the stairs again.  
    My mood had changed very quickly. It had seemed risky but normal enough to go into Marilee’s house, but now, for some reason, it was beginning to feel foolhardy. It