Kayla suddenly went so quiet that Liv pushed up onto her elbows and studied her partner’s face. "What’s the matter?"
Kayla sighed unhappily. "I asked for all the financial records for this case. Glen usually takes care of all of that. But…" Another sigh.
"But you don’t trust her."
"I did. I want to."
Liv just waited.
Kayla’s brows furrowed deeply. "But I don’t with this case. Something is different."
"Mmm." Liv lay back down. "I’m sorry," she murmured, gently patting Kayla’s chest. "Maybe you’re wrong and everything will turn out fine." But even as she said the words she didn’t believe them to be true. Part of what made Kayla so good as a paranormal researcher was her sixth sense. If she believed deep down that something was wrong, it probably was.
Or maybe it just makes it easier for me to dislike the little bitch if Kayla has doubts about her too. Ooo, see? That wasn’t nice at all.
Liv yawned and could feel her eyelids growing heavy again. She didn’t try to fight it as she let herself drift off into a light sleep.
Kayla, on the other hand, used the time to think, replaying Glen’s reactions to the questions she’d asked her the night before. The Japanese woman was nervous and slightly evasive, but not overly so.
And when I asked her about the new equipment she was supposed to have ordered over two months ago… she changed the subject or claimed there must have been a mix up in the order or the shipping.
When Liv woke up nearly an hour later, she opened her eyes to Kayla’s sleepy smile. The bed was now free of papers and the sheet had been pushed down to their feet. The room was cool but not cold and Kayla’s natural body heat was more than enough to keep Liv comfortable.
Kayla moved closer, tangling her legs with her partner’s, and delighting at the sensation of soft skin sliding between her calves and thighs. A shiver of desire raced through her. "Morning… Again."
Liv arched her back and stretched, letting lose a big yawn. "Morning." She sighed happily. "So, boss, what’s on the agenda for the today? I know you said we need the cameras and equipment to run for twenty-four hours before we disturb them."
Kayla adjusted her head on Liv’s pillow, her dark hair mixing with the pale locks that smelled faintly of peppermint. "Don’t call me that," she urged Liv quietly, growing more and more conscious of the warm skin so close to her with each passing second. "We’re… we’re partners. I don’t wanna be your boss." Her eyes dropped to the pulse point on Liv’s throat. Transfixed, she watched the graceful shift of muscles as Liv swallowed. Kayla licked her lips as a low, soft growl erupted from the back of her throat. "At least not for work."
Liv’s heart skipped a beat at the timbre of Kayla’s voice. "Ooo… I should have guessed you’d be all toppy."
The body beneath hers shook with silent laughter.
"Okay,
partner
." Liv brought her hand up and caressed Kayla’s cheek. "Are we going back to the Keith House this morning or… um…" Hands slid up her bottom and came to rest on the small of her back. "Umm…" Was Kayla’s skin always this hot? And for the first time Liv noticed the attractive flush covering the faint freckles on Kayla’s chest and shoulders. "Mmm…. You feel great," she breathed. Her thoughts began to get away from her as Kayla’s body demanded her full attention. Liv’s eyes traced the expressive curve of sensuous lips and she couldn’t remember what they were talking about. The look on Kayla’s face silently compelled her forward and she captured the younger woman’s lips with quiet, sincere passion. They tasted like tea and honey and Liv was helpless under their spell, unable to resist their beckoning softness. She hummed at the sensual contact.
When the long kiss ended, Kayla pulled back. "Wow." She laughed a little nervously, slightly startled by the unexpectedly intense exchange.
"Yeah." Liv smiled. "Wow." Then she remembered what she wanted to ask, but her hands refused to remain still and she traced Kayla’s eyebrow as she spoke. "Or maybe we could go and talk to Badger?"
Kayla gazed at her lover through half-lidded eyes. "Whatever you want." Then she pinned Liv with an incredulous glare. "You don’t mean now, do you?"
She’s kidding, right? Just try to get out of this bed!
"Well—"
"Liv." The word came out as a beseeching whine that instantly reminded Liv of her younger brother Dougie.
"Awww…" Green eyes twinkled. "You’re pouting," Liv exclaimed delightedly, tweaking Kayla’s nose.
"I am not," Kayla lied. But her disobedient face creased into a guilty grin. She ducked her head and began to kiss the soft skin behind Liv’s ear. "It’s too early to go anywhere," she informed her sternly, turning her body and using strong arms to securely tuck Liv neatly beneath her.
Liv closed her eyes and allowed herself to feel the full weight of her attraction and affection for Kayla. It surged through her, making her toes tingle. "You’re right. Kayla—" She gasped when Kayla’s lips dropped even lower and began painting a trail down her chest. "You should stay… Oh, God…" she gasped when a hot mouth closed around her nipple, and her voice dropped to a low growl, "Right there."
* * *
She was nursing her third drink when the hostess led a guest over to her table then quietly disappeared. "It’s not like you to keep me waiting." Glen gestured to the empty seat across the table.
Mary MacPherson looked around uncomfortably as she crushed out her cigarette in the ashtray on the table. "It’s not like you to stand me up." Her red curls bobbed as she tilted her head downward. She glared at Glen. "Where were you last
nicht?
"
As always, Glen’s manner was detached and in control, despite her slowly building anger at the young woman’s impudence. "I don’t think I owe you an explanation, Mary. But if you must know, I was unavoidably detained."
"By that psycho woman, no doubt." Mary snorted derisively and waved over a waiter. She ordered an enormous Scottish breakfast and a pint of beer, despite the early hour.
Glen forced a thin smile. "That’s psychic not psycho. Though she was more than a little angry last night." The Japanese woman leaned forward and lowered her voice. She glanced sideways to make sure no one was nearby before she spoke. "Why didn’t the old man listen to me about keeping everything the way it was? You told me he would do exactly as I asked."
Honey-colored eyes dropped to the tablecloth that Mary suddenly found very interesting.
"Mary?" Glen clenched her fists and felt her nails digging into the smooth flesh. "I left Mr. Keith very explicit instructions to leave everything about that damn bloody wall just as he found it for Kayla. Do you have something to tell me?"
Mary bit her bottom lip and braced herself for Glen’s reaction. "Don’t overreact."
"Oh, God." Glen immediately downed the remainder of her drink in one big swallow. She pushed the empty glass away with disgust. She simply wouldn’t allow things to fall apart now. She’d come too far. "Well?"
"I spoke to the old miser a few days ago and convinced him to repaint the wall and even rip up the floor there."
"You did what?" The volume of Glen’s words hadn’t changed one iota, but they were hard and cold as granite.
Mary fought the urge to shiver. "He came over to my Aunt’s home, begging my
mither
to come back to him. Sayin’ how much he needed her on his staff and how important she was and how he didn’t trust anyone else to run his household." Mary waved her arms as she spoke, then crossed them over her ample chest. "I knew the bastard would appreciate her once she was gone. Ha!" She slapped her palm down on the table, causing Glen to jump. "It’s far too late for that now."
Glen reached under the table and took Mary’s freckled hand in her own. Something was very wrong. "What have you done, Mary?"
Mary turned away from Glen’s coal-black gaze. "Nothing more than I said I’d do."
Glen’s slender brows furrowed. "Then why—?"
Mary sighed, but her face brightened when a plate laden with steaming eggs, fragrant ham, fried bread, sausages and stewed tomatoes was set in front of her. She let go of Glen’s hand and said to the waiter, "I’ll take that." She reached out and took the pint of beer from the server before he could even set it on the table. Mary took several long drinks and wiped the thin layer of foam from her lips with the back of her hand.The muscles in Glen’s cheeks began to twitch and Mary could see her lover’s patience was at an end. She held up a hand to forestall Glen’s words. "Mr. Keith came asking about Mither. She was gone to the market, but I talked with him anyway. He said he’d do anything to get her back and told me all about your lovely para-psychiatrist."
Glen rolled her eyes, but didn’t bother to correct Mary.
"He said the scientist would come and test the house and prove it wasn’t haunted." She stabbed a tomato with her fork and brought it to her lips. "He told me that the blood on the walls was likely sheep’s blood or some other poor farm animal’s, and that that would prove this whole incident had been nothing more than a terrible prank. Probably by some rival inn, worried about his precious Keith House opening up, and trying to scare him away." She popped the tomato in her mouth. "And the fancy scientists would run a bunch of other tests to show there was nothing to be afraid of."
Glen rubbed the bridge of her nose tiredly, wondering how many drinks she’d consumed the night she found Mary MacPherson even remotely interesting. She was pretty enough and lively in bed to be sure. But the time spent the night before with Kayla, despite the fact that they’d argued like bitches in heat for most of it, was a dream compared to this. "So far, that’s exactly what we want to have happen," she told Mary carefully.
"Ay. It is." Mary set down her fork, and lifted her warm gaze to meet Glen’s. "But I told him that mither
might
come back to work for him if she didn’t have to look at that nasty bloody wall ever again." She waved her hands dismissively. "The bald bastard argued with me,
of course.
But I made sure he’d move quickly by explaining mither was looking for another job. One that paid far better and wouldn’t cause her feet to ache."
Glen’s dark eyes narrowed. "And you did all this because...?" Her jaw worked silently as Mary hesitated in her answer. "This had better be good, you fool," Glen snapped. "Kayla, who is far smarter than you," she ignored the flash of hurt in Mary’s eyes, "is now suspicious."
Mary lifted her chin and glared at the short woman.
Kayla Redding isn’t better than me
, she told herself. "I might not be a genius and I surely haven’t gone to any fancy university, but I won’t sit here and be insulted either.
You
asked me here this morning."
And you still need me.
There was a long second of charged silence between them, while Glen acknowledged silently that making Mary angry wasn’t going to get her the answers she needed. She softened her gaze and reclaimed Mary’s hand. "I apologize."
Mary nodded. "I had him paint the walls for one very simple reason. The blood that dripped down them wasn’t from some poor bastard dog or chicken."
Glen instantly paled. "You," she paused and swallowed, hoping she had misheard Mary’s last words, "you’re trying to tell me—"
"The blood was human."
Glen’s closed her eyes and leaned back bonelessly in her chair. "Oh, my God." She let go of Mary’s hand and pinned her with flashing, fearful eyes. "What have you done?" she whispered.
What have
I
done?
* * *
"Hello, Brody," Liv greeted warmly.
The tall young man’s head snapped up from the magazine he was reading in the booth at the gates of Cobb Manor. "Hello!" His eyes lit up and he tossed his reading aside, stepping outside to join them, and straightening his kilt as he stopped next to Kayla. The breeze blew his shaggy reddish hair in his eyes and he shook his head a little to dislodge it. "I didn’t expect you
lasses
today." Unconsciously, he reached up and fiercely scratched his lightly stubbled cheeks. A sheepish grin curled the corners of his mouth when he realized what he was doing. "One day and I’m already thinking a beard isn’t for me."
"Looks good though," Liv complimented.
Kayla blinked, then her brow furrowed. Her own hand lifted to her smooth cheeks.
"Stop it," Liv laughed, pulling Kayla’s hand down from her face and not letting go once it was back at her lover’s side. Its natural warmth seeped through her skin and Liv was hard-pressed not to sigh.
"Your father is going to continue telling us a little family history."
"Ah, excellent!" Brody was never one to pass up a chance at spending some time with the ladies. "Maybe I’ll join y— Ouch!" A stinging smack to the back of Brody’s head interrupted his words. "Hello, mither," he said without turning around. "I was just—"
"Haud yer wheesht, you worthless thing! I won’t hear anymore talk of you leaving your job. Who would take the tickets?"
"Bu—"
Sylla rested her hands on her wide hips. "And didn’t you just ask your
faither
for next Friday off?" she reminded him impatiently.
Brody’s eyes went a little round.
Sylla waggled her finger at her only child. "Don’t play the innocent with me, young man. And I know you asked for next Monday off as well…"