Read Online Dead and Breakfast by Kimberly G. Giarratano - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kimberly G. Giarratano
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don’t think she could spare you a few nights a week?”
Autumn adjusted the strap on her messenger bag that was cutting into her shoulder. “What do you mean?”
Mr. Blazevig scratched his cheek. “Well, I could use another tour guide to take over some shifts. Um . . .” His cheeks reddened. “The doctor thinks I shouldn’t work so much.”
Mr. Blazevig ran a moderately busy ghost tour company where he escorted visitors around Old Town, showing them Key West’s most haunted attractions and telling stories of tragic demise. He did at least two tours a night, every night. And then he was back at the cemetery the next day, tending to the graves.
“Can I think about it?” Truth was, Autumn’s mother kept her pretty busy at the Cayo Hueso. If she wasn’t cleaning rooms, she was organizing Glenda’s old files, helping Cora prepare dinner, or sweeping the front porch. Plus, she hesitated to take on extra work, especially since she needed time to complete her scholarship application.
“Of course, dear.” He smiled at her, although the corner of his eyes drooped. He returned to pruning the growth surrounding the headstones.
Autumn fingered the diamond ring in her skirt pocket. She yearned to slide it back on her finger and channel Inez again, but she needed to stall. Autumn glanced at the time on her cell phone. Liam was hopefully finishing up his shift and getting ready to leave the Cayo. If Liam confronted her about the ring, Autumn knew she couldn’t lie to him. Although, her gut told her Liam already knew she had it.
Autumn directed her thoughts to the old photo she’d found in the attic. The one with her uncle and his Navy pals. If she were going to properly investigate Inez’s death, she’d need to gather more information. And Mr. Blazevig, who was somewhat of an expert in all things paranormal, would be a good start.
“Mr. Blazevig?”
His head was still bent over his work. “Yes?”
“Do you know a ghost story about a woman named Inez? She died at the Cayo Hueso sometime in the mid-1960s?”
The old man tensed his shoulders for a moment. “Uh, can’t say that I have, Autumn.”
Autumn dug around in her bag. “I have one more question. I found an old photo at the Cayo of Uncle Duncan and some navy buddies. I was wondering if you could identify them for me.”
Autumn already knew everyone in the photo, but she was fishing for something. She handed the photo to the old man.
Mr. Blazevig straightened and brushed the dirt from his threadbare pants. He removed reading glasses from his shirt pocket before holding the photo at arm’s length.
“I recognize Uncle Duncan, of course.” Autumn pointed to a tall, skinny gentleman. “Is that you?”
Mr. Blazevig laughed. “Sure is. I was always a bean pole.” He tapped his crooked finger on the largest man. “That strapping Nordic gentleman is Mick Canton. Scandinavian on his mom’s side. And that man is Leo Breyer. We were all stationed together at the naval base here. We did our tours overseas, but somehow we all managed to come back to the island.”
Autumn nodded. “You guys were close, weren’t you?”
Mr. Blazevig handed Autumn back the photo. “We were very good friends for a long time. I was so sad when Duncan died. He and I were particularly close. Like the brother I never had.”
Autumn had wondered if her uncle was the glue that held them together and if his death made them drift apart. Because as far as she knew, Mr. Blazevig, Leo, and Mick never saw one another anymore. But then she discovered that there had been a girl they knew—a girl who had died and was now haunting the Cayo. Maybe their suspicions of one another damaged their friendship.
“Thanks, Mr. Blazevig.” Autumn slipped the photo back into her bag. “I’ll let you know about the job.”
“Please do.” He crouched back down on his knees and plunged the shovel into the dirt to remove a clump of weeds. “It’s not too often I find a person I can
Autumn adjusted the strap on her messenger bag that was cutting into her shoulder. “What do you mean?”
Mr. Blazevig scratched his cheek. “Well, I could use another tour guide to take over some shifts. Um . . .” His cheeks reddened. “The doctor thinks I shouldn’t work so much.”
Mr. Blazevig ran a moderately busy ghost tour company where he escorted visitors around Old Town, showing them Key West’s most haunted attractions and telling stories of tragic demise. He did at least two tours a night, every night. And then he was back at the cemetery the next day, tending to the graves.
“Can I think about it?” Truth was, Autumn’s mother kept her pretty busy at the Cayo Hueso. If she wasn’t cleaning rooms, she was organizing Glenda’s old files, helping Cora prepare dinner, or sweeping the front porch. Plus, she hesitated to take on extra work, especially since she needed time to complete her scholarship application.
“Of course, dear.” He smiled at her, although the corner of his eyes drooped. He returned to pruning the growth surrounding the headstones.
Autumn fingered the diamond ring in her skirt pocket. She yearned to slide it back on her finger and channel Inez again, but she needed to stall. Autumn glanced at the time on her cell phone. Liam was hopefully finishing up his shift and getting ready to leave the Cayo. If Liam confronted her about the ring, Autumn knew she couldn’t lie to him. Although, her gut told her Liam already knew she had it.
Autumn directed her thoughts to the old photo she’d found in the attic. The one with her uncle and his Navy pals. If she were going to properly investigate Inez’s death, she’d need to gather more information. And Mr. Blazevig, who was somewhat of an expert in all things paranormal, would be a good start.
“Mr. Blazevig?”
His head was still bent over his work. “Yes?”
“Do you know a ghost story about a woman named Inez? She died at the Cayo Hueso sometime in the mid-1960s?”
The old man tensed his shoulders for a moment. “Uh, can’t say that I have, Autumn.”
Autumn dug around in her bag. “I have one more question. I found an old photo at the Cayo of Uncle Duncan and some navy buddies. I was wondering if you could identify them for me.”
Autumn already knew everyone in the photo, but she was fishing for something. She handed the photo to the old man.
Mr. Blazevig straightened and brushed the dirt from his threadbare pants. He removed reading glasses from his shirt pocket before holding the photo at arm’s length.
“I recognize Uncle Duncan, of course.” Autumn pointed to a tall, skinny gentleman. “Is that you?”
Mr. Blazevig laughed. “Sure is. I was always a bean pole.” He tapped his crooked finger on the largest man. “That strapping Nordic gentleman is Mick Canton. Scandinavian on his mom’s side. And that man is Leo Breyer. We were all stationed together at the naval base here. We did our tours overseas, but somehow we all managed to come back to the island.”
Autumn nodded. “You guys were close, weren’t you?”
Mr. Blazevig handed Autumn back the photo. “We were very good friends for a long time. I was so sad when Duncan died. He and I were particularly close. Like the brother I never had.”
Autumn had wondered if her uncle was the glue that held them together and if his death made them drift apart. Because as far as she knew, Mr. Blazevig, Leo, and Mick never saw one another anymore. But then she discovered that there had been a girl they knew—a girl who had died and was now haunting the Cayo. Maybe their suspicions of one another damaged their friendship.
“Thanks, Mr. Blazevig.” Autumn slipped the photo back into her bag. “I’ll let you know about the job.”
“Please do.” He crouched back down on his knees and plunged the shovel into the dirt to remove a clump of weeds. “It’s not too often I find a person I can
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