Deadly Inheritance: A Romantic Suspense (9 page)

“My goodness! He talks, too!” Candy’s left hand flew to her ample chest. “Just how did you hear about our ghosts?”

“A friend of mine, Frank Leonard,” Gabe replied easily.

“Well, well. Isn’t that cozy, you being friends with my uncle’s lawyer and all?” Candy eyed him speculatively, one long fingernail tapping the table next to her plate. “And, of course, you must be dear friends with Nora. Why, you’re friends with just about everyone, aren’t you?”

He smiled blandly. “I’m a friendly guy.”

“I bet you are. I just bet you are.” Candy licked her plump lower lip before delicately applying the napkin to the corners of her mouth.

“I’ll get the fruit,” Sarah interrupted. She pushed back her chair, picked up her plate, and rose.

The fact that Mike had made the decision to have the housekeeper eat with them reminded Nora that despite his stutter and mild nature, he was strong enough to override the opinions of others. It leant an interesting insight into the relationships of the people sitting around the table.

“None for me, thanks.” Candy’s nose wrinkled as she handed her plate to Sarah. “I’ve had too much already.”

“Th-there might be ghosts. Th-there’s evidence,” Mike stammered as the rest of them handed their dinnerware to the housekeeper. “I’ve d-d-d,” he stopped, swallowed, and took a deep breath, “I’ve researched it. Uncle Archie was always interested in the p-paranormal. He believed this house was haunted. It was built in 1843, well before the Civil War. A Southern lady died here—in fact, in Uncle Archie’s bedroom—trying to save the life of a wounded officer of the Army of Northern Aggression.” His hazel eyes sparkled green with enthusiasm, and as he spoke, his stammer once more faded. “Her brother ran her through with his sword when he found her bending over the man, feeding him soup, while he lay in their dear father’s bed. They say on warm, misty nights, you can see the pale figure of a woman carrying a bowl of soup up there to that very room.”

“How romantic,” Candy said, her fingernails clicking even faster on the table.

“Have you ever seen her?” Nora asked, surprised at Mike’s earnestness. Surely, he didn’t believe the fairy tale?

He stared down at the tablecloth and shook his head.

“Maybe you’ll see it now that you’re staying the night, Mikey.” Drew laughed heartily. “Cousin Mike was always a little nervous about staying, before.”

Mike flushed and flashed an angry glance at Drew, who only laughed harder.

“He was probably too busy to stay before,” Nora said.

“Busy. Right.” Drew shook his head in disbelief.

Kirsty’s chair squeaked when she shifted uneasily. She stared down at the table, mirroring Mike’s uneasy posture, and pushed her knife around with her fingertips. Something in her set expression made Nora think that Kirsty might have seen the Southern lady, or at least something she thought might be a ghost. The unpleasant atmosphere felt like they had had this discussion before, and Kirsty and Mike had come off the losers.

“And if you see her, you’ll die, too. Just like she did,” Candy drawled before snorting with derisive laughter. “And of course, dear Uncle Archie said he saw her. Just three days before he died. Does make you wonder, though, doesn’t it? If you believe in those kinds of things.”

A tingle arced down Nora’s spine.

She didn’t believe, did she?

“I thought he was shot,” Gabe said, studying Candy. “In the library.”

“W-while the d-doors were locked,” Mike stammered. “No one could have gotten in. Even the police can’t figure it out. They refuse to accept the obvious solution.”

“Obvious?” Nora repeated in a confused voice.

Mike nodded. “The p-paranormal. It’s the only reasonable explanation.”

Gabe suppressed his impatience with the man seated at the head of the table. Mike clearly believed in the supernatural, unlike Candy, who just used the subject to probe for weak spots in the others and then deride them. Unfortunately, Gabe almost sympathized with Candy when Mike continued to argue in favor of the presence of ghosts.

He could see now why Leonard wanted him to accompany Nora. The police didn’t have the manpower, or authority, to leave someone here to protect them. And “ghost busting” was as good an excuse as any to find out what was going on. He just hoped he could keep Nora out of trouble.

Any
more
trouble. The thought was bitter with chagrin. He should have noticed the sabotage on the bridge, should have dragged her back and done something other than stand there drooling and watching her nearly drown.

When their taste-free meal was over, the four cousins trailed out with Candy leading the way. Nora stood and watched them, before moving around the table to collect the last of the silverware.

“Leave it,” Sarah said sharply as she came back into the dining room, after carrying away a load of dishes.

Nora looked at her, a startled expression on her face. “I’m happy to help—”

“I prefer to do it myself.” Sarah took the knives and forks out of Nora’s hand. “The others go to the den after lunch. Down the hall, on the left. They’ve got them computers and a television in there.”

Nora glanced at Gabe. He shrugged. During lunch, he’d decided to take a trip to the hardware store and get some lumber to repair the bridge while it was still daylight. The ramp had been serviceable in an emergency, but he didn’t want to depend upon it. If they needed to leave, he was going to make sure they could.

Maybe he should get a few metal plates and his welding gear and make the bridge a little more permanent, as well. A permanent bridge would be a lot less prone to sabotage.

Either way, he needed to leave now in order to return before dark.

He grabbed Nora’s arm when she headed for the door, a disgruntled look on her face. “I’ve got an errand to run. You want to come with me?”

“How long will you be gone?” She studied the hallway in an abstracted way.

“A few hours.”

“Where are you going?”

“The hardware store, and maybe to my place. To get a few things. I’m not sure I should leave you here alone.”

“I’ll be fine. I want to talk to my cousins. It seems kind of weird that I never met any of them before, now that I think about it.” She looked at him with troubled eyes. Then she shrugged. “But neither of my parents were really into family, particularly my dad’s family. And I guess after my dad walked out, Mom didn’t want anything to do with his relatives.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to go?”

“Yes. Oh—I know!” She caught her breath and grabbed his forearm, her eyes shining. “As long as you’re going out, how about bringing back pizzas for dinner? I’ll let the others know. I’m pretty sure they’d be happy to have something different. Just get a variety, like one cheese, one pepperoni, and one with everything. Do you need any money?”

A smile tugged at his mouth. So she’d been just as unimpressed with their last meal as he’d been. “No. I think I can handle that.”

“And a cell phone. Mine drowned. Just one of those temporary phones would be fine.”

“Anything else?”

“No.” She grinned up at him, placed a hand on his shoulder, and stood on tiptoe to press a quick kiss on his cheek. “For luck.”

She blushed furiously when he stared down at her. He felt…dumbfounded.

He must have looked it, too, because her blush faded and she gave a low laugh as she shook her head. The knowing, mischievous twinkle in her brown eyes made him feel like he’d missed something important.

Once again, the space between them crackled with life.

He hated that feeling.

“You’d better get going if you’re going to get back before dark,” she said before she winked. “Just in case Mike’s right. If some poor Southern lady is wandering around, I don’t want you to miss her.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” He examined the empty hallway. He shouldn’t leave her here. Not alone. Once more, the hairs on the back of his neck prickled. They were being watched. “Maybe—”

“What’s the worst that could happen?” Her mouth twisted. “Don’t answer that. Just get back as soon as you can.”

Nora helped him unfold the ramp and get it into position across the moat. When she stood up, she stared at her hands and then brushed them against her sweat pants. Then she studied her palms again and picked one long hair off her right hand. She held it up for a minute before letting it go to drift slowly down into the silent green water below them.

"So, you know I kind of got the impression that you thought I was crazy to be so obsessed with starting a no-kill shelter. Kind of like I’m a ‘bunny hugger’ or something. Crazy,” she said out of nowhere. She paused and eyed him, giving him the opportunity to defend himself.

Nothing leapt to mind.

“Isn’t that kind of rich coming from a man who carries around a dog ramp in the back of his truck?” She touched the ramp with the toe of her slipper.

“It’s a ramp. Not necessarily a dog ramp.”

“Right.” She nodded, hands on hips. “And that explains the dog hairs that were clinging to it and balled up in the corners of your truck.”

His mouth tightened. Although he controlled his emotions well enough to avoid blushing, he could feel the tips of his ears burning. “That hair—”

“Was definitely dog hair. I’m a vet. I know my dog hair. Just how many dogs do you have?”

“Dogs? Plural?” How the heck could she possibly know?

“Dogs. Plural. There was more than one kind of dog hair on both the ramp and in your vehicle.”

“Three,” he admitted.

“Strays, or what?”

He cleared his throat and fought an internal battle with himself. She didn’t need to know, and just because he had dogs didn’t mean he was some kind of soft-headed, metrosexual pajama boy.

“They just showed up, one at a time. Over the years.” What was he supposed to do? Kick them to the curb? “I really need to get going.”

“A lab, a poodle, and some kind of white terrier.”

“How did you—never mind. They aren’t pure breeds—they’re just dogs. Mutts.”

“Of course they are. A man like you would never deliberately adopt a poodle, would he?”

This time, he felt his face turn a hot crimson. “Poodles were bred to be hunting dogs. They’re smart. And tough.”

“Of course they are.” She tilted her head to one side, studying him. “I didn’t hear or see your dogs when I went to your house. Where were they?”

“My sister’s. I’d just gotten back from a job when you showed up. She keeps them when I’m away.” His embarrassment eased. He wasn’t the only one with pets. He grinned. “She’s got a couple of dogs of her own. And a cat.”

“Just one big happy, hairy family. But you get my point, right? I’m no more sappy and sentimental than you are. I have a goal, and I’m going to achieve it, no matter what. So quit trying to talk me out of it.”

“There is no doubt in my mind that you will succeed.” He set one foot on the dog ramp and felt it start to bow under his weight. A metal plate or wooden planks—definitely. “I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

“Take your time. Visit your pets. Just be back before dark.” Despite her bravura, a flicker of anxiety darkened her eyes.

He crossed the ramp as quickly as possible, but even so, it almost gave out beneath him. When he got to his vehicle, he gave Nora a final wave. The tall double-doors dwarfed her. She looked so small and forlorn, like one of those little brown birds fluttering between the paws of a huge, gray cat.

She was tougher than she looked, however, and he wouldn’t be long. His gaze lingered on her until she shut the door.

“Hey, cool truck,” Don Bain strolled up, hands in his pockets. “If I could drive, I’d get a monster like that one. Say, you must be one of them cousins. I’m Don.” He jerked his right hand out and shook Gabe’s hand.

“No,” Gabe said. “I’m not one of the family. Just a friend.”

“I work the grounds.” He frowned at the house. “Ain’t you afraid of that place? Strikes me as kind of spooky. Never wanted to go inside, even if the old man let me.” He stared at Gabe, “Say, what’s it like inside, anyway?”

Gabe shrugged. “It’s a house. You’ve never been in there?”

“Naw. Rules, man. Not allowed.” Bain cocked his head to one side. “Say, I don’t suppose you’ve heard anything? About me? I just got this job a couple of months ago, and then the old man just up and killed himself. Couldn’t believe it. Just crazy. Now, I don’t know what’s gonna happen to me. Have they said anything?”

“No one has said anything to me. You might try asking Frank Leonard. He’s the attorney handling the estate.”

Bain chuckled and took a step back, raising his hands. “Lawyers cost money, man. Hell, they’ll charge you just for breathing. Are you sure you haven’t heard anything? About my job? I don’t know if I can find another one, not without a car.” He ran a hand through his lanky hair. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do if they fire me.”

“Ask Leonard,” Gabe replied, annoyed for no good reason other than he didn’t particularly like the man.

He seemed like the kind of lazy guy who wouldn’t do any real work unless someone was watching him. In fact, it looked like he hadn’t done any maintenance at all. The unkempt grounds made Autumn Hill look deserted. Where clumps of grass managed to survive, long seed-heads waved in the breeze, and brown drifts of leaves from scraggly maples fluttered and rattled across the patchy ground.

Bain shrugged. “Going to town?”

“Yes. Do you need anything?”

“Naw.” He shoved his grimy hands back into his pockets. “Guess I ought to get the grass mowed. What grass there is. Wouldn’t think it’d need mowing this time of year, would you? But what with the rain and all, it’s still growing.”

“Great.” Gabe turned away and climbed into his truck. He watched Bain wander away in the rearview mirror until he disappeared from view around the back of the house.

Twenty miles to the hardware store, another ten to his house. Two to his sister’s house, if he wanted to check on his pets and see if Moira needed anything. So an hour each way for travel time, and it was already one-thirty. It was November so sunset was around five-fifteen. Four hours. Easy. He’d be back long before the light faded.

The road from Autumn Hill wound through long stretches of salt marshes, small clusters of homes, empty fields, and raggedy woods, and without much traffic, he relaxed behind the wheel. It was a relief to be outside and free of the oppressive atmosphere of the house. But then a twinge of concern about Nora made his grip on the steering wheel tighten. He should have insisted she come with him.

Even though it was daytime and she had her four cousins to keep her company, he couldn’t forget that sensation of being under observation and the possibility that one of them might be a killer. Why was she so stubborn and unwilling to listen to reason?

He just hoped she’d stick with her cousins and stay out of trouble. While he didn’t trust any of them, Mike and Kirsty seemed harmless enough. Unfortunately, Drew and Candy were sharks, smiling as they swam around, sniffing for weakness and blood in the water.

The more he thought about it, the more dangerous it seemed to leave Nora alone for any length of time.

He accelerated. Forget about Moira and the dogs. Just get the phone for Nora, the supplies for the drawbridge, and get back to Autumn Hill.

A long, curved bridge rose into view, spanning a narrow inlet and wide stretches of reedy saltwater marshes. He shifted down and tapped his brake. The pedal went all the way to the floor without any resistance. Cold washed over him. He gripped the wheel tighter and straightened as he pumped the brake. Nothing. His heavy vehicle swung around the bend, wheels squealing and picking up speed. He shifted down, the gears shrieking as he yanked at the emergency brake. No resistance—the lever jiggled in his hand as if completely disconnected.

Sabotage
. He wrenched the steering wheel to stay on the asphalt. The truck fish-tailed. The back wheels kicked up a spray of gravel from the verge, before rattling as he drove onto the bridge. He scanned the road, desperate for inspiration—something to slow him down.

Nora was alone
. He had to survive.

The guardrails flashed by, ending abruptly at a straight stretch of road bounded on both sides by saltwater canals and marshes. Beyond that, the black asphalt curved to the left and vanished from view into a small patch of woods. The heavy vehicle picked up speed and swept through the straight stretch.

The sharp curve was coming up. Danger, Speed Limit 30 MPH signs flashed by. Curve in road.