Ghostly Worries (A Harper Harlow Mystery Book 4) Read online

  Harper took advantage of his momentary confusion to exert control over the situation. “You were telling me what you’re doing out here,” she pressed.

  “I’m pretty sure you’re just messing with my head now, but I’ll bite,” Jason said. “I’m here because I have to get the restaurant ready for the big opening tonight. It’s a lot of work and even though a body was found under my deck yesterday, that work still needs to be done. Your turn.”

  Harper ignored Jason’s pointed prod. “You’re opening tonight? I didn’t realize it was that soon.”

  “I should’ve been clearer when I invited you,” Jason said. “Of course, I didn’t realize I was inviting two people when I extended one invitation.”

  That was another pointed jab, but Harper felt more confident deflecting the second one. “You just got back into town,” she said. “You couldn’t possibly be expected to know Jared and I are together.”

  Jason kept his smile in place, but Harper was almost certain she saw the corners of his lips momentarily dip. “So you are a couple. I figured, but … I couldn’t be sure.”

  Harper almost thought he sounded disappointed. That was ridiculous, though. Why would he be disappointed? “We’ve been together for a few weeks,” Harper said. “It’s going well, though. I really like him.”

  “You’ve only been together for a few weeks?” Hope flared in the depths of Jason’s eyes, and the realization made Harper uneasy, although she couldn’t identify why. “I guess that means there’s still a chance for me, huh?” He punctuated the question with a light tap on her arm, like they were buddies, but there was something sincere about the question.

  “Not really,” Harper replied, hoping she didn’t sound too mean when she shot down Jason’s lame attempt at flirting. “We’re pretty happy.”

  “But you haven’t been together very long,” Jason said. “How do you know you wouldn’t be happier with someone else?”

  “I guess I don’t know that,” Harper conceded. “I feel in my heart that I’m happy with Jared, though. I’m not interested in anyone else.”

  “Fair enough,” Jason said, holding his hands up. “I can’t explain it, but for some reason I haven’t been able to get you out of my head since I saw you yesterday. It was like a blast from the past and all of sudden I was back in high school and I had a second chance to wow you with my really depressing pick-up skills.”

  “Jason, I don’t know what to say,” Harper said, instinctively thankful that the sun could be blamed for the added color to her cheeks. “It’s flattering, but … .”

  “You’re with Jared,” Jason finished.

  “I’m definitely with Jared.”

  “And you’re happy,” Jason added.

  “We’re definitely happy.” Harper flashed a sympathetic smile. “If you’re looking for a date, though, Jenny mentioned she’s open for offers. She’s been looking for a man for … well … forever.”

  “Yes, Jenny mentioned to me that she was looking for a date, too,” Jason said. “It was awkward and there was no graceful way to dodge it.”

  “I know that feeling.” Harper realized too late that her statement could be misconstrued as an obvious insult toward Jason. “I didn’t mean … .”

  “It’s okay,” Jason said, barking out a laugh. “Man, you’re exactly the same. It’s as if time has stood still where you’re concerned.”

  “Is that a good or bad thing?”

  “It’s definitely a good thing,” Jason said. “You still say whatever comes to your mind and completely wow me with your beauty. How could that ever be a bad thing?”

  Harper shrugged. “My parents aren’t keen on that ‘saying whatever comes to my mind thing.’ In fact, if you listen to my mother, she’s had to live with the shame of it for twenty-seven years and it’s making her hair go gray.”

  Jason laughed, delighted. “How are your parents?”

  “In the middle of the world’s most contentious divorce,” Harper replied. “How are your parents?”

  “They’re the same,” Jason said. “I’m sorry your parents are having a rough go of it.”

  “Frankly, I thought my parents would get divorced when I was a kid and it never happened,” Harper explained. “They waited until I was an adult to spring it on me. Somehow I think that’s worse. They stole all that angst I could’ve exploited when I was younger and now I have to listen to them arguing over who is going to get the wooden hangers and who is going to get the vintage Star Trek Enterprise pizza cutter.”

  This time Jason’s hearty laughter bordered on shrill. “Oh, man,” he said. “I forgot how funny your parents were. I remember the few times I got the nerve up to visit you at your house and your dad walked around with a drill and said he was looking for things that needed to be fixed. Good grief, I was terrified of him.”

  Harper giggled at the memory. “It’s funny the things you remember about high school,” she said. “I thought I would never get over the embarrassment of that, but now it’s a really fun story.”

  “We have a lot of good memories,” Jason said. “We didn’t spend a lot of time together and yet … .”

  “I bet Jared would love that story,” Harper said, missing the flash of annoyance that crossed Jason’s face when she brought up her boyfriend. “He loves stories about when Zander and I were younger.”

  “Yeah?” Jason forced his eyebrows up so he looked quizzical instead of irked when Harper glanced in his direction. “I think it’s neat that you and Zander are still so close. You guys work together, right?”

  “We do.”

  “Doing what?”

  Harper balked at the question. She should’ve realized it was coming and yet she didn’t manage to deflect it before he asked her a question she had no hope of evading. The time was here. “We own Ghost Hunters, Inc. We help identify ghosts and send them over to the other side.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Harper wet her lips as she found herself becoming defensive because of Jason’s tone. “I’m not joking. That’s what we do. If you want to say something snide … .”

  “What makes you think I want to say something snide?”

  “I don’t know,” Harper admitted. “You have an odd look on your face. I’ve seen that look before. Whenever people whip it out, it generally means that they’re going to make fun of me.

  “Here’s the thing, though, I don’t care if you make fun me,” she continued. “I’m proud of what I do. I’m proud of who I am. If you don’t like it … I don’t really care.”

  “Wow, that was a mouthful, huh?” Jason’s eyes filled with mirth. “I know about the business.”

  Harper stilled, surprised. “You do? How?”

  “You took off like a lightning bolt yesterday,” Jason replied. “Yes, I get that Zander was the one fueling the storm, but you avoided my questions about why you were at the house. After you left I asked Jenny some pointed questions, and since she’s my real estate agent she had no choice but to tell the truth.”

  Harper tamped down the urge to guffaw at Jason’s “lightning” reference, mostly because it melded with Zander’s thunder stealing theory a little too easily. Instead she focused on Jason’s admission. “Oh. I didn’t think of that.”

  “You don’t have to hide it,” Jason said. “I think it’s pretty cool.”

  “Most people think I’m crazy.”

  “I’m not most people.”

  “No, I guess not,” Harper conceded. “Still, whenever I tell people what I do I either get sympathetic stares because they think I’m insane and should be locked up or suspicious glares because they think I’m a con artist trying to steal people’s money.”

  “What does Jared think?”

  Harper wasn’t sure how to answer the question so she took a moment to think it over. Jason opted to fill in the silence with his own theory. “He doesn’t know, does he?”

  “Of course he knows,” Harper scoffed. “How do you think we met?”

  “I … don’t know,” Ja
son hedged.

  “We met on a murder case where I was talking to a ghost and he was trying to discover what happened,” Harper said. “He knows all about it.”

  “And?”

  “And he’s fine with it,” Harper answered. “Okay, he wasn’t fine with it at first. He thought I was a crackpot. He warmed up quickly, though. The ghost thing isn’t even remotely a problem between us.”

  “I see.” Jason looked mildly disappointed at the admission.

  “The only problem we have is Zander,” Harper added.

  “Zander doesn’t like Jared?” Jason was intrigued. “Is he mean to him?”

  “Zander likes Jared fine, although he’s convinced his nipples are too big for his body and now Jared has a complex about being shirtless in from of him,” Harper explained.

  “Why would Jared be shirtless in front of Zander? Does he undress at Zander’s house?”

  It took Harper a moment to realize what Jason was asking. “Oh, no. Zander and I live together.”

  “You do?” Jason was back to being amused. “That’s got to be rough on Jared.”

  Harper made a face. “Don’t be mean about my Zander,” she chided. “He’s an amazing friend and man.”

  “I agree,” Jason said. “He’s also territorial and has a problem whenever anyone shows you any interest.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “He hated me in high school.”

  Harper didn’t have the heart to tell Jason that it wasn’t girlfriend jealousy but guitar jealousy fueling that rift. “Zander had attitude with a lot of people in high school. He doesn’t dislike Jared, though. They get along pretty well. In fact they were up eating cookies together at midnight last night.”

  “Well, that’s cozy,” Jason said. “If Zander likes Jared, why does Jared have issues with Zander? I’m not going to ask about the nipples thing. That’s just a little too weird.”

  “Try living with the situation,” Harper said dryly. “Jared’s only problem is that Zander climbs into bed with us some mornings. He doesn’t like waking up to an extra person in bed.”

  “I can’t blame him there,” Jason said. “It sounds as if you have quite the cozy set-up at your house. I’m kind of jealous.”

  “It’s nice,” Harper said, smiling. “I’m sure you’ll get a cozy set-up of your own once you get settled.”

  “I hope so,” Jason said, his expression crossing over to wistful. “I can’t worry about that too much right now, though. I have the opening tonight.”

  “Right,” Harper said, bobbing her head. “I should let you get to it.”

  “While you do … what?”

  “While I look for a ghost,” Harper replied, not missing a beat. “I love the view here, don’t get me wrong, but I was trying to help a lost soul when you found me.”

  “I guess that’s why you jumped out of your skin when you saw me.”

  “A little bit.”

  “Well, hey, I’ll let you get back to your work and go about my day if you promise to come and check out the restaurant tonight,” Jason offered.

  Harper balked. “I’m not sure … .”

  “I’m inviting you and Jared … and Zander, if that’s your thing when going out,” Jason said. “I promise. I want you all to have a good time.”

  “I’ll see what I can do,” Harper said, flashing a warm smile. “Jared might have to work late. He’s got that pesky murder investigation and all.”

  “And you?”

  “I just have to talk to Jared first.”

  “Okay,” Jason said, offering Harper a half-hearted wave as he moved toward the deck stairs. “I’ll come looking for you if you skip the opening. You won’t like it if I have to make a scene and drag you back here.”

  “I’m quaking in my flip flops,” Harper teased, watching Jason ascend the steps in silence until a hint of movement caught her attention. When she looked to her left she found Rosie Sawyer’s nearly transparent ghost watching his retreat with great interest. In fact, Harper couldn’t be sure, but she was almost positive the look she saw reflected on Rosie’s face was one of regret. The expression was gone before Harper could study it further, though. The second Rosie caught Harper staring at her she blinked out of existence.

  That was weird, right?

  Nine

  “How was your day?” Harper slipped her hand into Jared’s as they walked up the cobblestone pathway that led to The Landing a little before eight. He looked tired, but when she broached the subject of attending the opening, he gave her no argument, instead changing into dress pants and a shirt in record time. He cleaned up well. “I didn’t get a chance to ask you before I ambushed you with this.”

  “You didn’t ambush me, Heart,” Jared countered. “You brought up a subject and I thought it was a good idea.”

  “So how was your day?”

  “Long,” Jared admitted, squeezing her hand. “We got a few tidbits, but we’re still trying to turn them into leads.”

  “Meaning?”

  Jared related an entire day’s worth of interviews in a few short minutes. When he was done, Harper was flummoxed.

  “So Rosie Sawyer spent her time picking out men online and then rating them by how much money they made?” Harper wrinkled her nose, making an expression Jared found utterly adorable. “I hate it when the victim isn’t likable.”

  “Yes, that is a bummer,” Jared agreed, releasing Harper’s hand and slipping his arm around her slim waist. “Did I tell you how pretty you look tonight? I’m a big fan of the dress.”

  Harper glanced down at her simple floral frock. It was long enough to make sure she didn’t inadvertently flash anyone but short enough to show off her tanned legs. The spaghetti straps gave her shoulders a “barely there” appeal and Jared couldn’t stop marveling at her sculpted arms as they walked.

  “I … um … thank you.”

  “Oh, you’re cute when you’re embarrassed,” Jared said, kissing the tip of her nose. “I hope this place has good food because I’m starving.”

  Harper stared at the line at the front of the door for a moment, conflicted. “Maybe we should go somewhere else tonight,” she suggested. “You’re already tired. We might have to wait an hour to get in here.”

  “Don’t worry about that,” Jared said. “We’ll put our names in and then wander over to the sand and sit. If I’m lucky, the wind will be just strong enough to blow your dress up.”

  Harper made a face and remained silent while Jared gave the hostess their names. The young woman looked him over appreciatively, but he seemed oblivious to her attention. He led Harper to a secluded spot on the beach where they were close enough to hear the hostess call for them and yet far enough away to have a conversation without prying ears picking up the details.

  “Here.” Jared made room between his legs, allowing Harper to rest her back against his chest and keep her hands on the edge of her skirt should it fly up thanks to the wind. “Oh, it feels good out here. The breeze is nice.”

  “It’s been so hot this week,” Harper lamented. “I was hoping we could go down to the river and hang out this weekend, but if you’re still working on this … .”

  “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Jared said, brushing his lips against her ear. “We have a few days before that. I’m motivated now. You know how much I love to hammock.”

  Harper giggled at the secret joke. Before dating her, Jared had never been in a hammock. Now he was addicted to the one she and Zander erected close to the river. He wanted to spend every moment he could in it – as long as Harper was with him, of course. “We can hammock as often as you want.”

  “That’s good,” Jared said, resting his hands on top of Harper’s and helping her keep the dress in check. “I think I’m addicted to hammocking. I now know why people don’t talk about it. It’s a life-changing event.”

  “You’re cute.”

  “You’re cuter,” Jared said, inhaling deeply as the fresh lake wind kissed his skin. “What did you do to
day?”

  “I came down here looking for Rosie.”

  “Any luck?”

  “She’s down here,” Harper replied. “I saw her. She’s hiding, though. I don’t know if she’s confused … or scared … or just doesn’t like me.”

  “Who couldn’t like you?” Jared tickled Harper’s ribs, delighting in the way her body melded against his. After a few moments of play, though, he sobered. “We might need you to talk to her. We can’t find her phone so we have no idea what dating service she was using. We have a call in to the phone company, but they’re citing privacy laws and such.”

  “What about Rosie’s parents? Can’t they sign off on it?”

  “Her father is dead and her mother is in Arizona,” Jared replied. “We’re working on it.”

  “What do you think about what the co-worker told you about Rosie?” Harper asked, genuinely curious. “If she stalked some of these guys, they might have killed her because she got too aggressive or something.”

  “I’ve considered that,” Jared said. “If she went after them, though, why not call the police?”

  “Maybe he didn’t think the police would understand,” Harper said. “I mean, think about it. Whenever you hear about stalking and domestic violence it always features a female victim. It’s considered ‘nutty but harmless’ when a woman chases a man around. If a man does the same thing he’s considered dangerous. Maybe he didn’t think the police would believe him.”

  “That’s a possibility.”

  “What about the medical examiner?” Harper asked. “Did you get a cause of death?”

  “Yeah, she was strangled.”

  Harper cringed. “That’s not a pleasant way to go.”

  “No, but I still think someone had to care about her – at least a little – to put her body under the deck the way they did,” Jared said. “If someone thought she was trash they would’ve thrown her out like garbage. She was placed under that deck, not thrown or discarded.”