Who Invited the Ghost to Dinner: A Ghost Writer Mystery Read Free

tell him his grandfather is married.” He got a thoughtful look on his face. “Doesn’t that make you two related now?”
    “No, it doesn’t.”
    “Better make sure. It could put quite a crimp in your relationship.”
    I rolled my eyes and shook my head as I pulled my phone out to call everyone.
     
    ***
     
    “Cam, don’t forget that we’re going to be setting up for the dinner and a show on Thursday night,” Mother said during dinner. “I need you there to make sure the tables are set, the costumes are ready, and that everyone knows their lines.”
    “I thought that was your job.”
    “It was, until Cynthia McDaniels called last night. She got into an argument with Simon Edwards, the lead male actor, and absolutely refuses to work with him anymore.”
    “What was the argument about?”
    “He called her an interfering, dominating control freak who knew nothing about acting, and that if she didn’t leave him alone, he was going to shove the script down her throat and quit.”
    “If he was upset with Cynthia, I’m sure the language he used was more colorful,” Mike chuckled.
    “Yes, it was,” Mother agreed, “and Cynthia enjoyed telling me every single word. She is an irritating woman.”
    “But if it wasn’t for her,” I told Mother, “we wouldn’t be holding the dinner theatre in the first place.”
    “I know,” she sighed. “Frankly, I wish this wasn’t happening right now. But I felt it was better if she stepped aside, and surprisingly, she agreed. We really should be focusing on more important matters.” She turned her steely gaze on Mike. “Speaking of which, I heard you arrested Pete this morning. Did he tell you where my mother is?”
    “I didn’t arrest him,” he replied. “I just brought him in to ask him a few questions.”
    I snorted.
    “However, someone made him leave, so I wasn’t able to find out anything.”
    “And you just let him walk out the door?”
    “I didn’t have a legal right to hold him, and the person who rescued him told me that I couldn’t force him to answer my questions.”
    “Who is this person? I’ll have a talk with them and tell them to mind their own business.”
    Mike looked pointedly at me. Oh, he did not just throw me under the bus. “Your daughter.”
    “Camille!”
    “Before you have a cow, Mother,” I said while continuing to glare at Mike, “hear me out.”
    She started to say something, but Dad put his hand on top of hers. “I’m sure Cam had a very good reason for what she did, Charlotte. Let her talk.”
    “Browbeating Pete won’t help you find Grandma Alma or Walt. The best approach is on neutral territory. Just have a nice, friendly conversation with him.”
    “We’ve tried that, and we didn’t get anywhere,” she said.
    “Mother, you marched into the nursing home and demanded he tell you where they were at, or you were going to make sure they kicked him out. That’s hardly a nice, friendly conversation.”
    “Besides,” Randy said, “he told Cam where to find them.”
    Mother gasped and glared at me. I glared at Randy, who just sat back and smiled.
    “Did he really tell you?” Mike asked me.
    “Yes.”
    “Where are they?” Mother wanted to know.
    “Vegas.”
    “Las Vegas?” she said. “He must be joking.”
    I shook my head. “I verified it before I got here. They’re definitely there.”
    “Did you talk to her? Did you order her to come home?” she said.
    “No, I did not talk to her. The woman who answered the phone knew who I was talking about immediately. I couldn’t tell if that was a good thing or a bad thing. She mentioned something about Grandma Alma being banned from the poker tables.”
    Mike and Randy laughed, my father shook his head, and Mother looked like she wanted to cry.
    “But there’s something else you need to know.”
    “Don’t tell me she owes them money,” Mother said.
    “No, no, they owe her money, actually, which is why she’s banned from playing poker. No, they,