Page 22 (1/2)

It should have been an entirely triuht for Darcy She knew that she had done well And usually, to go with some of the torture that her existence afforded her, she was able to feel so like serenity and satisfied pleasure at a job well done

But that night…

Dinner should have been fun Penny, Clint, and Carter had all been excited about her find Clint and Carter had vied for her attention, Penny had studied her like a wise old sage who had known her stuff and was proud as a peacock herself for being the one to insist that Harrison Investigations be called into the house Even old Sam Arden, caretaker, had seemed to eye her with a new respect It was ale, having proven her h both Clint and Carter kept asking, in different ways, just how she had ed to do it She refused to explain exactly how, just saying that she had researched the story at the library, and put two and two together Clint, however, shook his head

"Two and two don’t naturally add up to four in a forest! You’re aift"

"You’ve got to explain how you really found the skull," Carter told her

"Research," she told hiate"

"That ghost in the Lee Roo to be sorry!" Penny coot to be careful," Clint said, sohost that doesn’t want to be known, and it will be more violent, because it’s afraid of you"

"What do you

"Ghosts only come out because they want to be discovered," Sa And when they had stared at him, he had continued with, "Like serial killers They always taunt the police because soht"

There had been a few minutes of unease, but then Clint had announced that he had solass and slipped out to take a walk to the porch Clint found her there

"You know," he’d told her softly, "he’s only such a jerk because he’s afraid"

"What?"

"Matt He’s afraid"

"You’ve lost ht Clint’s devastating, deep-dihter "Matt? Afraid of ghosts? No He’s not even afraid of whackos with guns and knives He’s afraid of you"

"Why would he be afraid of ainst the rail Tall, lean, char And very handsome She wondered why she couldn’t feel an almost painful physical draw to him

He’d reached out to smooth down a stray strand of her hair

"Because he really likes you--and respects you--but doesn’t want to Because you’re a beautiful redhead"

That had brought a smile from her "Thank you That’s sweet It’s also bull"

Clint shook his head "His as a total bitch She was insane over him at first, but he couldn’t be deterred from the house or his work, and she just wasn’t the kind who could live long without playing hard--all over the globe Then she started to think that he had lost interest in her, and she tried tomove with Matt It just turned him off coe went all to hell, it left a nasty taste in his mouth"

"For redheads"

"A certain kind of redhead"

"Great I’m a kind of redhead?"

"Cool Smooth Sophisticated"

"Sophisticated, huh?"

"A kind of sophistication that no one can acquire if it isn’t just natural So…Matt is going to act like a jerk That’s why you should forget all about him, and realize just how attractive I am"

"You’re very attractive"

"But you’re just not interested Still…you change your mind, I’m around Ready to rush to your defense at any moment"

"Hopefully, I won’t need any defenders"

"Don’t crushspirit!"

"If I do need a defender, I’ll be delighted that you’re there How’s that?"

"A cru, and he slipped an arm around her shoulder as he led her back into the house

Penny had hot tea and scones prepared when they got inside When it had hit eleven, Darcy had yawned, excused herself, and gone to bed Her rooht, despite the warmth outside

She’d opened the balcony door, certain herself that nothing evil was co from outside the room

Whatever watched her had a place within