Ghosts from the Past: The 18th Murray Barber P I Case

By Julie Burns-Sweeney

GHOSTS FROM THE PAST: Murray Barber is a detective with a difference, he can hear the dead! Has his worst nightmare just arrived? He has to investigate a fellow psychic... a professional one! A familiar face from the past resurfaces and does the late Jake have a few skeletons rattling around in his closet? Just another day in the life.... maybe? But will he make it through this time....

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Mar 30, 2015
• ISBN: 9781326215101

Book preview

Ghosts from the Past: The 18th Murray Barber P I Case

GHOSTS FROM THE PAST:

The Eighteenth

Murray Barber P.I.

Case.

by

Julie Burns Sweeney

Copyright: 2015

Published by Lulu.com

ISBN; 978-1-326-21510-1

CHAPTER ONE

She was smiling at him. A warm and welcoming smile. He felt calm and content, more at ease than he had ever felt before. Even as he glanced down at the medics working manically below him, desperately trying to save his life, the calmness remained.

So this was an 'out of body' experience? Was he going to make it? How did he get here in the first place? .... His mind spun back to his first meeting with Doctor Burnley.....

It's as simple as that. I want to know everything about him. Dr David Burnley had a full greying beard but was of a smart appearance nonetheless. They were sat in his practice surgery, Murray had been squeezed in between patient appointments and now he was listening to what his latest client wanted him to do.

Murray studied the print off of Reece Elliot's web page, he was a professional psychic! This could be awkward to say the least. Reece was thirty three, good looking with a beeming white smile and a success on stage connecting people to their lost ones. ...He's a damn con artist! If he can get away telling all these lies to any Tom, Dick and Harry, what's he getting away with by my daughter? Eh? The doctor's temper was short, maybe it was just because it was personal but Murray had put the man's intelligence a little higher than was being displayed.

How long has he been dating your daughter? Murray slid the sheet of A4 copy paper underneath his notepad and continued with his notes.

Too long!... About eight months... And he wants her up the aisle already. I've spent years making sure she has everything she needs, set her up nicely, she's my little princess Mr Barber and I'm not ashamed to admit it. If this toe-rag is after her security I won't stand for it, never mind letting him attempt to break her heart. I'll kill him for that! The look Murray saw on the doctor's face as he briefly

glanced up said the man was deadly serious.

You want me to find out if he has any skeletons in his closet as it were? And what his intentions are towards Rebbecca, your daughter?

You better find something. I don't like this fella one little bit. Murray got the distinct impression that Dr Burnley wouldn't like any boyfriend of his precious little princess! Here... The doctor took an envelope out of his desk drawer and tossed it across towards Murray. Two tickets to his show tomorrow night. Hope you can attend? Somewhat hesitantly Murray picked up the envelope. Was this his worst nightmare coming true?

It'll certainly be a new experience for me! He smiled. Inside he could feel the dread rising. Himself, a bunch of spirits and another person who could see right through him all in one great big hall with lots of other people staring.... Right. I have name, address, daughter's address, car details .... Murray snapped himself out of it, it was just another case with what could be a nice big grateful cheque at the end of it. I'll get straight on with this Dr Burnley. It shouldn't take more than a couple of days I shouldn't think. I'll be in touch drekly!

Taking the web information, his own notes and the tickets, Murray left the doctors surgery and headed back home to his flat. The traffic was heavy with the early summer tourists heading west for the Cornish coasts. The sun's midday heat beat down onto his car.  The aroma of the pasty he'd picked up for his lunch filling the car, out-doing the peppermint air-freshners of which Deb had bought him an endless supply as they were on special offer at the moment!

As Murray opened his front door he felt instantly that he wasn't alone.

Hello? he called out as he shut the door behind him. There was no reply. He walked into the lounge and dropped his car keys on the desk, switched on his laptop and headed to the kitchen to fill the kettle.

Anything interesting then? Murray jumped as Jake's voice came out of nowhere. He turned around to see an empty kitchen behind him. Jake had been a big man in life with a gruff voice and although he wasn't always around, he seemed to have made Murray's flat his base. Whether Jake was off haunting or somewhere else Murray preferred not to know, probably immoral haunting but why break the habit of a lifetime just because you're dead? Ocassionally he could be useful but the effort required to engage him often out-weighed the benefits! Murray stared at his fridge, it was the nearest he could pin-point the unseen Jake by the sound of his voice.

Over protective father. Just wants a prospective beau checked out. Wanna help or just annoy me? Murray moved towards the fridge and pulled open the door hoping it would bug Jake just a little.

Mmmm? Not sure if I'm that bored. Who is this guy? Jake's voice came from the otherside of the fridge door, he hadn't moved much.

His name is Reece Elliot.... Murray hesitated, not wanting to mention the fact that he was a psychic working the professional circuit.

What's he do? So far Jake didn't sound very interested but that was the question which could change his attitude in a flash! Murray sighed and pulled out the A4 sheet with the web information on. He unfolded it and placed it flat out on

the kitchen counter next to his mug. He then poured and stirred his coffee in silence. Jake chuckled. Then he started to laugh. Then he laughed some more.

Oh dear! Bugger you eh?...... Think you might have met your match here Murray mate?

Yeah, yeah! ... Murray took his coffee into the lounge. He might be a fake! he called back over his shoulder. Dr Burnley thinks so and doesn't like the idea of him conning his daughter.

So you want me to go and talk to him to see if he's really up for this? Murray could feel the smirk in Jake's tone.

That would be helpful. At least I'd know who I was up against. If he is a fake then he must have ways of getting his information on people else he wouldn't fool anyone.

And what if he is genuine? Jake's voice had finally become serious.

Then I just look into how he treats this Rebbecca and report back to my client.

I am so gonna be there when you meet this guy! Are you going to any of his shows?... It says here he's in town this week.... tonight.. tomorrow... and Saturday.

Yeah, I've been given tickets... Jake was laughing again. So go away and see if you can find him. I've got some background checks to do on the guy....

How am I supposed to find him?

Try the theatre, if he's on tonight I expect he'll be rehearsing or something. I'm sure you can track him down.

Ok, I think I'm gonna enjoy this!

As Jake went quiet, Murray settled himself at his computer and started a search on Reece Elliot. He was thirty two, born in Dorset to a father in the Army. He had moved around a lot as a child attending a number of different schools both in Britain and abroad. Intelligent but