Ghostly Interests (15 page)

Jared glanced around the small patio. “Can’t you just ask her?”

Harper made a face. “She’s not here right now.”

“Where is she?”

“She’s not my shadow,” Harper said. “She’s not hanging around me twenty-four hours a day. I found her last night. She followed us to the police station. I haven’t seen her since I left the station.”

Jared considered the statement. “Do you think she’d be at the house if we went back?”

“We?” Harper’s eyebrows nearly shot off her forehead. “Last night I was crazy and now we’re working on this together? When did that happen?”

“I’m not saying we’re working on this together,” Jared cautioned. “I’m not even saying I believe all of … this. I am saying I was wrong to dismiss you outright and I’m willing to listen to whatever you have to tell me. I … that’s the best I can do right now.”

Harper tilted her head to the side, considering. “I guess that’s fair,” she said. “I can’t ask you to believe me before I give you a reason to.”

“Are you willing to go back to Annie’s house with me and see if you can talk to her?” Jared couldn’t believe he was asking the question.

“Are you going to arrest me if I do?”

Jared rolled his eyes. “Will you please let that go? I did not arrest you. I took you in for questioning.”

“It cost me two hundred bucks to get my car back this morning,” Harper said.

“If I write you a check will you come with me?” Jared’s frustration was growing by leaps and bounds with each heated word. Unfortunately, his attraction to the annoying woman sitting next to him was growing at the same rate.

“I … yes,” Harper said, sighing as she gave in. As much as she wanted to give Jared a hard time, she wanted to help Annie more.

“Thank you,” Jared said, surprised to find that he meant it.

“Do you want to go now?”

“Can we?”

“Sure. I need to tell Zander he’s on his own for dinner and I’ll pick up something on my way home,” Harper said.

An idea occurred to Jared and before he had a chance to think better of it a suggestion was on the tip of his tongue. “We can eat dinner together.”

Sixteen

Harper thought Jared was joking when he suggested they have a meal together, but after an hour of fruitless searching at Annie’s house the duo gave up. Instead of driving Harper back to her office, though, Jared stopped at a local seafood restaurant on the lake.

Harper was floored. She didn’t find her voice again until they were both seated with drinks in their hands.

“This is a nice place,” she said, hoping her voice didn’t give away her nervousness. “I … the food here is good.”

“So I’ve heard,” Jared said, his eyes scanning the menu. “I love seafood. I’m thinking I’m going to get this shrimp Pomodoro pasta dish.”

“That’s really good,” Harper said, nodding. “I’ll probably get that, too.”

“You can get whatever you want,” Jared said. “I’m buying.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“Consider it a peace offering,” Jared said.

After the waitress took their orders, Harper found herself searching for a conversation topic that wouldn’t leave her feeling exposed. She decided that focusing on Jared was the way to go. “Why did you decide to take a job in Whisper Cove?”

Jared shrugged. “I grew up on the west side of the state, over by Kalamazoo,” he said. “I like that area, don’t get me wrong, but I always had the idea of working in a busier city going through my mind when I became a cop.”

Harper snorted. “That doesn’t explain how you ended up in Whisper Cove,” she said. “Annie’s murder notwithstanding, we’re usually not a very happening place.”

“It’s not a great time to be a cop,” Jared admitted. “Most of these local municipalities are cutting back. Whisper Cove had a job opening and it was close to the area I wanted to be in. The pay was good and the area was beautiful … I decided to take it and see how things would work out.”

“Did you buy a house?”

“I thought the Whisper Cove gossips would be all over that,” Jared said, smirking. “I’m renting a house on the south side of town right now. It’s a small ranch and I’m not in love with it or anything. Until I decide if this place is the right fit, I’m happy there, though. It’s only a few blocks from the lake.”

“Do you like the water?”

“I love the water,” Jared said. “I like the sound of water as it’s rushing into shore. I always thought it would be cool to live by an ocean, but I’m not sure if that will ever become a reality. What about you?”

“I love the lake, too. I go there every chance I get.”

“Do you think you’ll always stay in Whisper Cove?”

“I don’t know,” Harper said. “This is my home. I have a house here. I can’t see myself leaving. Even though Whisper Cove is small it’s only a half hour away from big box stores and malls. I’m pretty happy here.”

“What about Zander?”

“Oh, Zander will never leave,” Harper said, chuckling. “His mother would kill him.”

“That’s not what I mean,” Jared said. “Do you think you’ll always live with Zander?”

“Oh … I don’t know,” Harper said. “He’s my best friend.”

“I know,” Jared said. “I can tell how close you are. If he wasn’t gay I would think you were a couple.”

“If he wasn’t gay we could never be friends,” Harper corrected. “I would have to kill him for all the macho stuff he spouts.”

“Why is it okay for him to spout it because he’s gay?” Jared was genuinely curious.

“Because he’s … Zander,” Harper said, her expression rueful. “I can’t explain it. He’s always been Zander and he’s got a way about him that lets everyone in his life make excuses for the things he says and does. He’s so charming people can’t help but love him.”

“That has to be hard on you, though,” Jared said. “Eventually one of you is going to fall in love and want a permanent relationship. What happens then?”

Harper licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry. “I don’t know,” she said after a moment of consideration. “Anyone in my life would have to understand that Zander is always going to be there. He’s always going to be a huge part of my life.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Jared said. “I would imagine your close bond with Zander is … daunting … for anyone interested in pursuing a relationship with you. Do you do that on purpose because of Quinn?”

Harper’s heart rate increased and her face flushed with color. “What … who … why … ?”

Her face was so red Jared was worried she was going to pass out. He fanned his hand in front of her. “Drink some water,” he instructed. “I’m sorry I asked that. It’s none of my business. I didn’t realize you would react like this.”

Harper took three huge gulps of water and then set the glass back down on the table, her hand shaking. Instinctively Jared reached across the table and placed his own hand on top of hers.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice low. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“It’s okay,” Harper said, although she avoided meeting Jared’s pointed gaze. “I didn’t realize you knew about Quinn. It took me by surprise.”

“I didn’t until earlier today,” Jared said. “I … Mel told me. We were talking about me taking you into custody and he was explaining about your relationship with Zander and it kind of spilled out. Don’t be angry with him.”

“I’m not angry,” Harper said. “I … it’s public record.”

“That doesn’t mean you want people prying into your business,” Jared said. “I can tell you’re still messed up about it. You must have loved him very much.”

Harper’s eyes widened. “I cared about Quinn,” she said. “I did. He was nice … and friendly … and he got along great with Zander.”

“That’s good.”

“I wasn’t in love with him, though,” Harper said, her voice small.

Jared swallowed hard, confused how to proceed. “Mel made it sound like you fell apart when Quinn died,” he said. “The way he talked … I thought … he said you spent months out there looking for Quinn’s body so you could put him to rest.”

“I would’ve done that for anyone,” Harper said. “The idea of people wandering around aimlessly instead of moving on to their final resting place is troubling. I don’t like it.”

“Final resting place?”

“I guess it depends on what you believe,” Harper said. “There’s something else beyond the … wall … between here and forever.”

“How do you know that?”

“I … it’s just a feeling,” Harper said, deciding now wasn’t the time to admit she had a few another special ability besides talking to ghosts. “Unhappy spirits are the ones who stay behind. Murdered souls and tortured ghosts who were yanked out of their lives before they were ready to go often stay behind. Sometimes they need help to move on.”

“And that’s what you do?” Jared asked.

“That’s what I try to do,” Harper clarified. “It doesn’t always work out how I would like, but most of the time we accomplish what we set out to do.”

“You couldn’t find Quinn when you went out there looking for him, could you?”

“How do you know I was looking for Quinn’s spirit?” Harper asked.

“Because you strike me as someone who wants happy endings even if those endings lead to this … other place,” Jared said, internally marveling at how normal the conversation seemed despite the surreal nature of the words. “Why do you think you couldn’t find him?”

“The truth?”

Jared nodded.

“In my head I picture Quinn’s last hours being those of virtual torture,” Harper explained. “Everyone agrees that any injuries he sustained in that accident would have left him in dire straits. He was strong enough to crawl out of the car window and then he died somewhere in the brush.

“He was alone and he was probably scared, but he was also in tremendous pain,” she continued. “I’m guessing he knew he was dying and when it finally happened it was a relief because it meant he wasn’t in pain any longer.”

“If you believe that, why did you look for him for so long?” Jared asked.

“Because I had to be sure he wasn’t wandering around lost somewhere,” Harper said. “I didn’t love Quinn when he died. We’d been dating about six months and I cared for him a great deal. I could’ve loved him eventually. I figured I owed him a few months of my life to make sure he wasn’t holding on here when he could be in a happier place.”

“That’s a nice sentiment,” Jared said. “I still believe part of you must have loved him to expend that much effort.”

Harper shrugged noncommittally. “Maybe,” she said. “I don’t know. I know that losing him was hard. Zander never left my side, though. I believe Quinn is in a better place so I can live with his death.”

“What about Annie?” Jared asked.

“Annie will move on soon,” Harper replied. “She’s ready, but she wants to help us find out who killed her. She doesn’t want her murderer to kill someone else if she can stop him before it happens.”

“Does she have any idea who hurt her?”

“No,” Harper said. “She’s worried she was raped, though. I’m worried, too. I think that might be the reason she’s having so much trouble remembering.”

“Why do you think that?” Jared asked, buying time so he could decide how much to tell her.

“She was found nude on the beach,” Harper said. “Someone trying to hide semen and other fluids would dump a body in the lake as a forensic countermeasure. Annie doesn’t have any ties to Whisper Cove.”

“Maybe her killer does,” Jared suggested.

“That’s a possibility,” Harper conceded, nodding. “Or maybe her killer has ties to Harsens Island, or New Baltimore, or Harrison Township. Just because Annie’s body washed up on our beach doesn’t mean she was killed in our waters.”

“That’s some pretty smart thinking there,” Jared said, smiling.

“Zander and I watch a lot of television.”

Jared snorted. “I’ll bet,” he said. “Can I ask you a few questions about seeing ghosts?”

“Yes.”

“When you saw the first one, were you scared?”

“It was my grandfather and I was a child,” Harper said. “I didn’t know enough to be scared. He was in my bedroom and he was saying goodbye. I thought he was really there until my mother came in and told me what happened.”

“What did you do?”

“I told them about our conversation, but they didn’t believe me,” Harper said. “It took a long time for them to realize I was telling the truth.”

“Are you ever afraid?”

“Of ghosts?”

Jared nodded.

“I guess,” Harper said, mulling the question over in her mind. “I’m more scared of not being able to help those who want it than I am of running into those who don’t. Does that make sense?”

“I’m not sure any of this makes sense,” Jared said. “I’m trying to feel the situation out as best I can.”

“I guess I should consider that forward momentum,” Harper teased, gracing him with the first real smile she’d been able to muster since he’d walked into her office. “It’s hard for people who don’t want to believe. Most of them can never cross the gap and become believers. I understand it. I do.”

“What if I want to believe but still don’t think I can?” Jared asked.

“Do you want to believe?”

Jared shrugged. He didn’t have a simple answer. In truth, he found he was desperate to believe anything she told him. He was also struggling with the niggling worry in the back of his brain that she really was crazy. His heart, for whatever reason, refused to let him believe that, though. She was too earnest. She was too sweet. She was also too pretty and fiery. She was a compelling package. Unfortunately, it was one he didn’t believe was meant for him. “I don’t know what I want right now,” he said finally.

“At least you’re honest,” Harper said, reaching for her water.

“I think that’s my best virtue sometimes.”

Harper couldn’t help but agree even as she found hope coursing through her chest. Was there a chance he would ultimately give in and have faith in her? And, if he did, what would that mean in the grand scheme of things?

Seventeen

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into coming back here,” Harper grumbled two hours later, her toe catching on the root of a tree and pitching her body forward.

Jared instinctively reached for her, catching her slight body in his arms before she could do any real damage. She flopped against him, her chest colliding with his, and Jared’s arms were around her back before he realized what was happening.