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

um…well, hmm…”
    “They got married,” Randy said. I looked at him, wide-eyed, and he just gave me a big grin. He was enjoying this way too much.
    Surprisingly, Mike started laughing.
    Mother wasn’t amused. “Married? They got married?”
    “Yes, they did.”
    “Where?”
    “At the Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel.”
    “They were married by Elvis?!”
    “No.”
    “Thank God for that,” she said.
    “The Godfather.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “They had a gangster wedding, and the minister was dressed like the head of a crime family.”
    “Did they fire off guns after they said ‘I do’?” Mike snickered.
    “I don’t know.”
    Mother put her right elbow on the table, and covered her eyes with her hand. “I don’t believe it. Jim, we have to get them back here and have that marriage annulled.”
    “Why?” I asked her.
    “Because I can’t have my mother married to…” she glanced at Mike.
    “Married to my grandfather?” Mike finished for her. “We don’t have the right to tell them how to live their lives, much less tell them who they can and can’t marry.”
    “He’s right, Mother,” I said.
    “Your mother is an awesome lady, Mrs. Shaw,” Randy said. “If she had married into my family, I’d be thrilled to have her.”
    “But she’s too old to get married.”
    “Now Charlotte, you know that’s not true,” Dad said. “How many weddings have I done where the newlyweds were in their nineties? Several, and they were just as happy and giddy as if they were in their twenties. And just because she married Walt doesn’t mean she doesn’t love your father anymore.”
    I could tell by the look on her face that Dad had figured out what the real problem was with this whole wedding thing. “Mother, why don’t you plan a wedding reception while Dad flies to Vegas to bring them home? I’m sure they’ll let you have one at the nursing home.”
    “That’s an excellent idea,” Randy agreed. “I’m sure we can consult the nutritionist to make sure that we serve something healthy that everyone can eat. Alma and Walt will want to celebrate their happiness with their family and friends.”
    “That is an excellent idea, Randy,” Mother said. “Will you help me plan it?”
    There was nothing that Randy loved to do more than to plan a party. “Absolutely!” He moved over to the empty seat next to her, and the two of them began to brainstorm.
    “Well, that went better than I expected,” I said. “I figured she’d go through the roof.”
    “We still have one problem,” Dad said. “We need to go get them and bring them home.”
    “Who is this ‘we’ you’re talking about? I hope you are talking about you and Mike. I’ve got my hands full trying to do the last minute details for the dinner theatre this weekend.”
    “I can’t,” Mike shook his head. “I’m down one man at work, so I’m filling in.”
    “Why can’t you go by yourself, Dad?”
    “Can you picture me, on a plane, with your grandmother? We can barely handle being in the same room together most of the time.”
    “I’ve got some work for a client to do as well, and I’m scheduled to work at the bookstore tomorrow.”
    “I can cover your shift tomorrow, Cam,” Randy said.
    Dad and Mike looked at me.
    I rolled my eyes and sighed. “Fine, I’ll go with you.”
    Dad pulled out his phone. “Let me make a couple of phone calls. I’ll get us a flight out to Vegas, and book a hotel. We’ll probably have to spend at least one night there. Do you know where they’re staying?”
    “Yes, I do, although I think they’ve been spending a lot of time at the Four Queens and Casino Royale, where she’s banned from playing poker.”
    Dad shook his head. “Unbelievable. How much did she win?”
    “I have no idea. All I know is she ran the tables, and they politely asked her to go play slots instead.”
    “She is going to drive me insane,” he muttered as he scrolled through his contact list.
    Mike touched my arm. “Did