All Dressed Up and No Place to Haunt Read Free Page B

you. You just didn’t pay attention.”
    It was a little disturbing to know that a ghost had been following me around.
    â€œHow long had you been behind me?” I asked.
    Alice waved her hand. “Don’t worry, I’d only walked up behind you moments earlier.”
    â€œGee, that is a relief.”
    Since Dylan wasn’t free to talk to me further, it was time for me to leave. Turning, I bumped into a tall blond woman. I hoped she hadn’t heard my conversation with Alice. She would think that I’d lost my marbles.
    When I looked at the woman’s face, I realized she was the costar of the film, Jessica Duncan. The pretty blonde scowled at me.
    â€œI’m sorry,” I said.
    As if she were onstage, her frown instantly turned to a smile.
    â€œThat’s okay,” she said sweetly.
    Jessica wiped at her eyes, and the smile was gone. I didn’t see tears, but since she wiped at her eyes, I assumed she’d been crying.
    â€œThis is such a tragedy. I can’t believe it happened. How will the movie go on?” she asked.
    Since Nicole had lost her life, I figured the last thing to worry about at the moment was the fate of the movie. “I don’t know,” I said.
    â€œShe’s not that great of an actress.” Alice moved away from Jessica.
    Even the ghost didn’t want to be around her.
    â€œI was supposed to play the role that Nicole had, you know.” Jessica wiped another tear. “But Nicole got the part. She was better suited for it anyway.”
    â€œShe was a great actress,” I said.
    Jessica cast a glance at me out of the corner of her eye. “Yes, she was fabulous.”
    I detected some sarcasm in her tone.
    â€œI think I’m wanted in my dressing room,” she said and then walked away without saying good-bye.
    How had she known she was wanted? Did she have telepathic abilities? I hadn’t heard anyone call for her. Maybe she had a previous appointment.
    I turned around and headed across the lush green lawn. The concrete pathway had been blocked by police so people were cutting across a yard that they normally wouldn’t have walked on. I’d almost made it to the main driveway when I heard a shout.
    â€œHey, you. Stay off my property.”
    I looked around to see who the person was talking to. Since I was the only one there, I figured the comment had been directed toward me. When I glanced to my right, I spotted a woman scowling at me from beside a large oak tree. The gray-haired woman wore a giant floppy straw hat and denim overalls with a sunshine-yellow T-shirt underneath.
    She pointed her finger. “You stepped over on my side.”
    I stopped and looked back. “I did?”
    She placed her hands on her hips. “Yes, you did. My property includes that tree. When you were walking, you moved around it.”
    â€œOh, I was avoiding a dip in the land. I didn’t want to fall.”
    Her face was scrunched in anger. “I don’t care about your excuses. Just stay on your side. Stupid movie crew has been invading my property.”
    â€œI was just on the way to my car.”
    â€œCan you please instruct everyone to stay on their side of the land?”
    â€œYou’d better do what she says, Cookie. I think she’ll beat you up if you don’t,” Alice said.
    â€œI just work with the costumes. I don’t really have anything to do with the movie. Maybe if you talked with the producer. What’s your name? I can tell him to contact you,” I said.
    I figured if I offered some help that would calm her down.
    â€œMy name is Vera Lemon. Those dirty rotten scum know who I am. They just don’t care.” Her face was red with anger.
    Alice moved over beside Vera. “Now you listen here, missy. You’d better change your attitude. I won’t have you talking to my friend that way.” Alice yanked the hat off Vera’s head and tossed it on the ground. How