Ghostly Worries (A Harper Harlow Mystery Book 4) Page 9

  “He was busy and popular,” Jared said. “I think half of the single women in town were there and all of them went out of their way to talk to him. He was the life of the party.”

  “And?”

  “And he only had eyes for Harper,” Jared admitted, his stomach flipping. “I feel like the worst boyfriend ever. She’s never done one thing to make me think she’s untrustworthy and yet … .”

  “You don’t distrust Harper,” Zander interjected. “You distrust him. If he stole my thunder, trust me, he’s not above trying to steal Harper.”

  “He flat out told me he was going to try and do that.”

  Zander stilled. “I’m sorry, but … what?”

  “He waited until Harper headed toward the bar to catch up with some woman you guys went to high school with and then told me that he’s interested in Harper,” Jared replied. “He said that since we’ve only been together for a few weeks he doesn’t feel guilty about it, but he’s not going to go behind my back and try to undermine me. Everything he plans on doing is overt.”

  “What a sneaky snake.”

  Jared cocked an eyebrow. “I thought it was pretty forward of him.”

  “That’s because you don’t see what he’s doing,” Zander said. “He wants you to think he’s a noble guy out to give the princess two choices, but in reality he wants to put you at ease so his black knight can swoop in and kneecap your white knight.”

  “You need to watch fewer Disney movies,” Jared said dryly. “He was honest about his intentions. I don’t know what more I could ask from him.”

  “You’re so naïve. What did you say to him?”

  “That Harper and I were happy and I planned on keeping it that way.”

  “Did you … I don’t know … tell him that if he made a move you were going to punch him in the nuts?” Zander asked.

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because … that’s not what I want,” Jared said. “Harper is not the type of woman who wants to be controlled. If that was his plan – and part of me can’t help but wonder if it was – then he made a mistake because I’m not going to do that.”

  “So you’re just going to have faith in your relationship and sit back and do nothing?” Zander was incensed.

  “That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

  “Oh, you idiot,” Zander hissed. “You’re so lucky you have me you don’t even know it. When you realize it, though, I want a day pass for that spa out on the highway. I want a hot rock massage, pedicure, and facial. Be prepared to spring for the deluxe package.”

  Jared narrowed his eyes. “What are you going to do?”

  “Duh! I’m going to save the day. That’s what I always do.”

  Eleven

  Jared’s first order of business upon arriving at the station was to sort through the accumulated tips and files on his desk. As much as he would’ve liked to dwell on Harper and the Jason situation – and worry about whatever grand plan Zander had for stealing his thunder back – he couldn’t because work called and he was diligent when it came to doing his duty.

  He was barely into the pile when he found an interesting note. It seemed Rosie’s car had been located in the parking lot behind the deli. Since Mel was dealing with an issue at City Hall, Jared left his pile to peruse later and headed for his cruiser.

  Whisper Cove was small enough it only took him five minutes to reach the kitschy shopping center. He talked to the owner, who said he only noticed the vehicle because it had been sitting there for several days, and then headed for the car. He put on a pair of rubber gloves before trying the door. It opened without putting up a fight, which really wasn’t unheard of given the size of the town. It wasn’t like in Detroit or a bigger suburban area where locking your doors was necessary.

  Jared ran his hands over the steering wheel before kneeling so he could look at the carpet underneath the driver’s seat. He saw no signs of blood. The car was a newer model and pristine inside. There were also no signs of a purse or cell phone. On a hunch, Jared moved to the back of the car and felt under the wheel rim. His fingers touched a magnetized plastic box and when he opened it he found a spare key.

  He slipped the key into the lock, the car’s engine roaring to life. The radio was on but turned low – some Top 40 music spilling out of the speakers – and Jared turned his attention to the built-in GPS unit. He scanned the information as it popped up and then reached for his cell phone. If everything went as he hoped, he would have Rosie’s GPS information – a map to the last hours of her life – sent to his cell phone before he had to turn the car over to the county’s tech team for processing.

  Now he was finally getting somewhere.

  “I DON’T understand what we’re doing out here,” Zander whined, making a face as he skirted a wide patch of goldenrod. “I thought we were going back to the beach to look for Rosie there.”

  “And I thought you didn’t want to go back to the beach and risk running into Jason,” Harper countered, her face intent as she picked her way through the heavy underbrush that led to the river. “I thought this would be a nice surprise for you. I was really doing it as a favor because I love you so much.”

  “You’re not fooling anyone,” Zander snapped, annoyed. “You’re doing this for you. I just can’t figure out why.”

  “It’s a beautiful day for a walk through the woods.”

  “It’s a sweltering day, which means it’s not a beautiful day for anything other than ice cream or cruising guys at the lake,” Zander countered. “It’s never a beautiful day for a walk through the woods in my world. You know that.”

  “You’ll live.”

  “Not if there are ticks.”

  Harper bit the inside of her cheek to keep from yelling. She loved Zander and almost always enjoyed his antics. Today happened to be the exception to that rule.

  “You know I don’t like ticks,” Zander said, trudging behind Harper as he wiped the sweat from his brow. “I read a news story that said there was a tick hiding in the woods and it grew so big it ate a small child.”

  “Where did you read that?”

  “I just told you. I read it in the newspaper.”

  “A tabloid is not a newspaper,” Harper pointed out.

  “Hey, until someone proves that Elvis and an alien didn’t have a love child and that’s not how boy band music came to be, I’m not ruling anything out,” Zander said. “Just because it’s a tabloid, that doesn’t mean it’s not legit.”

  “Actually I think that’s exactly what it does mean.” Harper stopped for a moment, tilting her head to the side to get her bearings and then adjusted her trajectory. “I promise we don’t have much farther to go and then after that we can get ice cream before the library job.”

  “I can’t believe they’re finally getting rid of Miss Swoosie,” Zander lamented. “She’s been a fixture at the library since before we were born. I could never see her, but I loved when you would tell me what she was doing in the fun zone at the library when we were kids.”

  “Yes, but apparently she’s taken to dropping books on people’s heads and the city is worried about a lawsuit,” Harper said. “She’ll be happy once we explain things to her and help her move on. Ooh, I think it’s over here.”

  “Where are we even going?” Zander asked. “You haven’t told me yet and I have to say … I’m wounded. You always tell me where we’re going.”

  “I just want to see something,” Harper replied evasively. “There used to be an old cottage out here years ago. I think it’s still a rental.”

  Zander furrowed his brow as he followed his best friend, his mind busy. He ran their morning conversation through his head and it was only then that things snapped into place. “You said that Rosie pointed at a house in your dream. You think you dreamed about this house out here, don’t you?”

  “I … don’t know.” Harper refused to lie to him. “I didn’t recognize it at the time, but I haven’t been able to get it out of my head.
The more I think about it, the more I’m certain that it’s the old cottage from out here. Now I just need to find it to see if I’m right.”

  “No offense, Harp, but you’re not psychic,” Zander pointed out. “You can talk to ghosts, but last time I checked you didn’t have any other mystical powers. Although … and follow me on this … just the other day I mentioned that I thought you might be able to read minds. What if it came true?”

  Harper didn’t want to laugh. It wasn’t a funny situation, after all. Someone was dead and possibly in a horribly violent manner. She couldn’t stop herself, though. “Then that would make you psychic, too,” she sputtered, giggling.

  “Not psychic,” Zander corrected. “Perhaps I can see the future. That’s going to come in really handy next time I get suckered in by a guy’s looks at the gym. Now I’ll be able to know if his armpits smell like sewer scrapings before I get to the awkward part of the date where I have to make up a family emergency and escape.”

  “Yes, that’s definitely going to make your dating life so much easier,” Harper said, pulling up short when she walked behind a large outcropping of trees and the cottage from her dream popped into view. It looked exactly like it had the night before, sagging front porch and all. “I knew it.”

  “You knew what?” Zander asked, joining her. “Is this the cottage from your vision?”

  “It wasn’t a vision. Don’t say vision. That’s too … out there.”

  “Yes, because talking to ghosts is normal and down to earth,” Zander said. “Is it, though?”

  Harper pressed her lips together and nodded. “What do you think it means?”

  Zander shrugged. “I have no idea,” he said, his earlier complaints forgotten. “Let’s take a look around and find out. I’m dying to see what’s inside. If it’s a giant tick, though, we’re running. I have no tolerance for a giant tick.”

  “Shouldn’t you be able to use your new power to see if there is a giant tick in there?”

  “Good point. You’re still going first.”

  JARED stared at the red line on his phone screen. It led him out of town and into the woods and he was still following it. Since Rosie’s body was discovered in town, he wasn’t sure what he would find at the end of the victim’s GPS line, but he followed all the same.

  Jared was still getting used to the ins and outs of a town that didn’t put up street signs at every intersection, although he wouldn’t trade the comforting vibe of Whisper Cove for anything. It was odd, but when he first moved to town he couldn’t wait to find a job in a bigger market so he could leave. Now he had no inclination to find another job and he couldn’t imagine settling anywhere else. Whisper Cove was his home … and Harper had a lot to do with that.

  He’d considered telling Harper what Jason said the previous evening. He firmly believed the key to a lasting relationship was good communication. He couldn’t figure out a way to tell her without sounding territorial – or worse, whiny – so he let it go. He had faith things would work out the way they should, but he was also annoyed by Jason’s intentions.

  Jared followed the line on his phone as it led him onto a dirt road that forked off into a tree-laden area thick with wild foliage. His destination ended at a small cottage in the middle of the woods. It was completely isolated and there were no dwellings in relative proximity. Jared killed his engine and climbed out of the car, cocking his head to the side when he realized he could hear the telltale sounds of a river behind the house. He couldn’t see it, but the water was obviously there.

  Jared moved closer to the house, his eyes busy scanning for signs of a struggle or personal belongings. He was so lost in thought he didn’t register he was hearing low voices until he was almost to the corner of the cottage. Then he realized he recognized the voices and could do nothing but shake his head.

  “There’s not a tick inside, Zander,” Harper said.

  “You can’t possibly know that,” Zander argued. “I maintain that there could be a really big bug inside and you can’t argue against it until you open the door and prove there’s no bug inside. Until you open the door it could be there. You can’t prove a negative.”

  “So you’re saying it’s like Schrodinger’s cat,” Harper mused. “Without proof we’re essentially stuck.”

  “You’re such a geek,” Zander muttered. “I can’t believe you snagged someone as hot as Jared – his freakishly big nipples notwithstanding – when you’re such a geek. You’re hot – don’t get me wrong – but you’re a geek. I mean … Schrodinger’s cat? It’s a good thing you had sex with him before he figured this stuff out.”

  Jared had to suck on his lip to keep from laughing. As annoying as he found Zander’s early morning visits to the bed they shared, he adored their banter. They were a joy to listen to, especially when they discovered a tangent they couldn’t ignore.

  “Here’s the problem,” Harper said. “When I insisted we come out here, I didn’t think we would find the cottage. I thought I was remembering things wrong. Now that I know that it’s real … .”

  “And that you’re apparently psychic,” Zander added.

  “And that,” Harper said, bobbing her head. “I think maybe we should call Jared. This could be a crime scene. We can’t break in, especially if there’s like blood and stuff. That could totally ruin everything.”

  “Yes, that would be a shame,” Zander agreed. “Do you want to hear my thing?”

  “Probably not.”

  “My thing is that you used to be a lot more adventurous before you started sleeping with the cop,” Zander said, ignoring Harper’s annoyed tone. “You used to have no problem breaking into places. Now it’s all ‘oh, no, I can’t upset Jared.’ What happened to you, Harp?”

  “Is that your impression of me?” Harper was obviously annoyed and instead of continuing his eavesdropping, Jared decided to make his presence known.

  “Personally, I prefer the real thing,” he said, moving to the side of the house and causing Harper and Jared to jump. “Don’t worry. I’m not a tick.”

  “You scared me,” Harper said, slapping his arm for emphasis. “How long were you listening?”

  “Long enough to wonder how you two get any work done in a day,” Jared said, chuckling. “What are you doing out here?”

  “I … this is the cottage from my dream,” Harper admitted.

  “I figured that out while listening to you,” Jared said. “You should’ve called after you figured it out but before considering breaking and entering.”

  “I wasn’t sure until we came and saw it,” Harper explained. “If you were really listening, you heard that I didn’t want to break in because I didn’t think it was fair to you.”

  “I did hear. You’re such a good citizen.” Jared smacked a loud kiss against her cheek before turning to Zander. “I heard what you said, too.”

  “Did you hear the part where Harper may be psychic and I can see the future?”

  “No, but … that sounds fun,” Jared said, glancing at the cottage. “What do you know about this place?”

  “It’s a rental,” Harper replied. “I don’t know who owns it, but it’s been a mess for as long as I can remember. I don’t think it sees a lot of tourist traffic … for obvious reasons. I bet Jenny knows who the owner is.”

  “Well, I say we figure out who owns it before breaking in,” Jared said. “I’m just spit-balling though. If you want to break the law, I’d be more than happy to arrest you.”

  “What would the bail be like?” Harper grinned as she flirted, pursing her lips until they were too enticing to ignore.

  “Steep, but I think we can work something out,” Jared said, pressing his lips against hers.

  “Oh, I’m so going to puke,” Zander muttered.

  “I think you’re just in a dating rut so you can’t help yourself from being bitter,” Jared said, his eyes twinkling. “I can’t let you guys break in. I can, however, let you sit in the air-conditioned cruiser with me while I make a few calls and g
et someone to open up this place for us.”

  “You had me at air-conditioning, man,” Zander said, slapping Jared’s arm.

  “You had me when you smiled.” Harper’s face was so pretty when she wrinkled it up into an adorable expression Jared couldn’t stop himself from kissing her again. “Just out of curiosity, though, how did you end up out here?”

  “I found Rosie’s car and followed the GPS,” Jared replied. “She picked up groceries, ice cream, and stopped at the library over the course of her last day. She definitely spent time here, too. That’s why I have to insist you two don’t break in.”

  “Do you think she was killed in there?”

  “I don’t know,” Jared answered, opting for honesty as he pushed a strand of Harper’s hair behind her ear. “I don’t want to take any chances, though. Let’s see what we can find out, shall we?”

  Twelve

  Jenny Porter was in a mood when she showed up at the cottage – and it wasn’t a good one.

  “If there’s a dead body in here I’m going to be totally ticked off,” she announced, climbing the steps to the cottage with keys jangling in her hand. “No joke. These are new shoes.”

  “Yes, but you got them from the bargain bin at the grocery store,” Zander intoned, earning a murderous look from Jenny.

  “No one is asking you to go inside,” Jared said, tugging on his limited patience as he trailed behind the feisty real estate agent. “We just need entry for an investigation.”

  “Yes, and you’re working on a murder that everyone is talking about and have the ghost-hunting duo at your side,” Jenny shot back, searching until she found the correct key on her ring. “Now, it might be cute if I thought it was ‘Take Your Girlfriend and Her Best Friend to Work Day,’ but we all know it’s not. That means you’re here for a reason, and I’m guessing that reason is has something to do with death.”

  Jared wasn’t bothered by Jenny’s tone. “We believe the victim visited this home on the day she died,” he said. “I need to know who rented it.”

  “I looked that up before I headed in this direction,” Jenny replied. “Your call made me curious. Her name was Rosie Sawyer. She rented it about four weeks ago and paid the security deposit and everything. She was paid up through the end of summer.”