Ghostly Despair (A Harper Harlow Mystery Book 10)

by Lily Harper Hart

  “What?” Jared had been so fixated on Harper when they parked he’d barely noticed the figure standing next to Zander. “What is he doing here?”

  “You knew he was here?” Confused, Harper shoved her hair away from her face. “How did you know he was here?”

  “It’s a long story.” Jared stroked his hand over Harper’s back and met Quinn’s gaze head-on. “Has he said anything to you?”

  Harper bobbed her head as she slowly drew away from Jared. “He told me the whole story. It’s awful.”

  “Okay.” Jared licked his lips. “What’s the whole story?”

  “He should probably tell you,” Zander volunteered, his eyes speculative as they studied Quinn’s profile. “It’s quite the tale.”

  “That sounds like a good idea,” Jared agreed, his hand extended in greeting as he stepped forward. “I’m Jared Monroe.”

  “Oh, where are my manners?” Harper’s face flushed with embarrassment as she bounded between the two men. She was fluttery, and a bit off her game. “Quinn Jackson, this is Jared Monroe. He’s my boyfriend.”

  “And they’re moving in together,” Zander added, smug. “They’re in love and happy. Don’t you even think of trying to ruin that.”

  Six

  Since Quinn’s missing person file was still open, Mel and Jared instructed him to drive to the police station for questioning. Quinn readily did, promising Harper he would be in touch, and then sat for two hours to answer everything Jared and Mel threw at him. He even promised to provide phone numbers for hospital staff back in New York so they could check on his story.

  He was so amiable, Jared found himself frustrated. He wanted to dislike the man on principle but, in truth, he realized jealousy was coming into play and it was something he wasn’t exactly proud of. Still, he forced himself to remain calm when walking Quinn out of the building.

  “So, that’s it?” Quinn fixed Jared with a quizzical look.

  “For now,” Jared replied. “We’ll call and verify the information you provided us with. Since it’s coming up on a holiday weekend, it probably won’t happen until after Thanksgiving. I’m going to guess, since you’ve legally been declared dead, you’re going to have to jump through some hoops to have all that cleared. I’m not even sure what the process is.”

  “I’ll contact an attorney and ask.”

  “That’s probably a good idea.”

  Quinn stared hard into Jared’s eyes. “You don’t like me.”

  Jared was quick to respond. “I don’t know you. I can’t say if I like you if I don’t know you.”

  “You’re worried,” Quinn countered. “You think I came back for Harper.”

  “Didn’t you?”

  “I came back to see her,” Quinn clarified. “The idea that she was suffering because she thought I was dead was too much. It’s been a long time, years. I’ve dated people since then. It’s not the same as it was back then. Basically, I guess I’m trying to say that you don’t have anything to worry about. I’m not here to ruin Harper’s life. I thought she deserved the truth.”

  Jared wanted to believe him ... but he didn’t. “Do I look worried?”

  “You don’t look happy.”

  “That’s because I think it’s a little convenient that you showed up in town on the same night a woman died.”

  “You already asked me about that,” Quinn reminded him. “I told you. I had to check in with the hospital so they could run tests if I have further memory surges. My doctor in New York insisted on it. I left my information with the secretary. That’s all on record.”

  “I don’t understand why you did it in the middle of the night.”

  “Because I couldn’t sleep. I was keyed up. I wanted to see Harper and yet I was afraid to spring my sudden resurrection on her. I would think you’d understand that.”

  “Yeah, well, we’re going to check on the information you provided.” Jared’s tone was clipped. “Don’t leave town until we get back to you.”

  “You don’t have to worry about that. I’m nowhere near done with this town.”

  Jared didn’t like the pointed comment. “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “Nothing. It doesn’t mean anything.” Quinn held his hands out in a placating manner. “I don’t want to get off on the wrong foot with you. It’s obvious you’re important to Harper. I don’t want to intrude on that.”

  “Then don’t.” Jared kept his shoulders stiff as he held open the front door. “Don’t be surprised if everyone in town knows you’re back by tomorrow morning. Now that Zander knows, news is due to spread quickly.”

  “Yeah. He didn’t look happy to see me either.”

  Finally, something we have in common, Jared internally muttered.

  HARPER, ZANDER AND SHAWN sat around the living room table when Jared let himself into the house. Harper and Zander were in the middle of a story — Quinn’s resurrection tale, of course — and Shawn was flabbergasted as he listened.

  “Can you believe that?” Harper asked, her voice unnaturally high. “He had amnesia.”

  “Yes, it’s like something out of a Lifetime movie,” Zander drawled. “Not weird at all.”

  “Knock that off, Zander,” Harper warned, extending a finger as she shifted her eyes to the door and offered Jared a smile in greeting. “How did things go?”

  Jared had no idea how to answer. “I don’t know. I’ve got nothing to compare the situation to.” He heaved out a sigh as he sank onto the couch and rubbed his forehead. “Starting tomorrow, we have to track down the information he provided us with. Hopefully we’ll know more then.”

  “You look tired.” Harper leaned close and ran her thumb over Jared’s cheek, her eyes cloudy. “Are you okay?”

  The simple fact that she seemed so concerned relieved some of the weight Jared was carrying around on his shoulders. “I’m okay, Heart.” He cupped the hand she held to his face. “I’m more worried about you.”

  “Why wouldn’t I be okay?” Harper blinked several times in rapid succession. “You don’t need to worry about me. I’m fine.”

  “I can see that.” Jared chose his words carefully. He wasn’t in the mood for a big battle. “I’m simply worried that this is a lot for you to deal with.”

  “I’m not going to pretend it’s not weird.” Harper rested her head on Jared’s shoulder as he slipped his arm around her. He almost wanted to weep she felt so good pressed against his side. “When I first saw him standing there, it was like something out of a dream. He looked different, but kind of the same.”

  “Yeah.” Jared stroked his hand down the back of Harper’s head. “He seemed forthcoming when we interviewed him, provided us with hospital information and everything. He understands this won’t be cleared up right away, that we need to make some calls, and with the Thanksgiving holiday coming up, that might be difficult.”

  “Yeah.” Harper rested her hand on Jared’s chest. “Is it wrong that I’m kind of angry?”

  Jared’s eyebrows winged up. “At me?”

  “No. What did you do?”

  “I ... nothing. At least last time I checked.”

  “I know it’s wrong to be mad at Quinn because he couldn’t control all of this, but I’m mad,” Harper admitted. “It’s not that I’m furious with him or anything — he’s the victim in all this — but I’m irate at the situation. How could no one think to run Quinn’s information in other states to see if they could match him to missing-person reports?

  “I mean, think about it,” she continued. “If New York had bothered to check reports out of Michigan, Quinn would have been returned here when he recovered. He probably would’ve gotten his memory back so much quicker and not suffered the way he did. Things would be totally different.”

  Jared swallowed hard. He didn’t want to think of the way things would be different. “We can’t go back in time and change that, Heart. It’s probably best not to focus on it.”

  “I know.” Still, she didn’t look happy. “It’s sim
ply frustrating.”

  “I get that. It’s a screwed-up situation and we’re going to do our best to sort it out. You can’t change the past, though. It’s important to look toward the future.”

  “Wise words.” Harper playfully poked his side. “Speaking of the future, I see pizza in ours because everyone was too excitable to cook. Is that okay with you?”

  Jared nodded. “Pizza sounds great.”

  “YOU WERE HOLDING back at dinner.”

  Zander found Jared stuffing pizza boxes in a garbage bag shortly before ten. Shawn had already retired for the evening, Harper following suit. That left only Zander and Jared to clean up.

  “I wasn’t holding back at dinner,” Jared argued. “I was merely ... thoughtful. It’s a strange situation.”

  “It’s an absolute nightmare,” Zander corrected, causing Jared’s lips to curve. “When I saw him standing next to the truck I couldn’t believe it. I thought I was trapped in a nightmare. The look on Harper’s face ... .”

  Jared pressed the heel of his hand to his forehead. “Did she look happy?”

  Zander slid him a sidelong look. “No. She seemed confused.”

  “Confused and then happy?”

  “No. What is your deal? You’ve been acting weird all night.”

  “Oh, really? I can’t believe that.” Jared’s tongue was practically dripping with sarcasm. “Why would the fact that my girlfriend’s former boyfriend just came back from the dead make me weird?”

  “Don’t scowl like that,” Zander automatically instructed. “You’ll give yourself wrinkles.”

  “I don’t really care about wrinkles.”

  “Everyone cares about wrinkles.”

  “I don’t.” Jared viciously shoved the boxes into the garbage bag. “I care that the man Harper was with until she thought he died is back and I’m terrified that means she’s going to end our relationship.”

  Zander’s mouth dropped open. “Oh, dude.”

  “Just ... don’t.” Jared pinched the bridge of his nose. He felt like an idiot ... and then some. He hated looking vulnerable, especially in front of Zander. Even though he admonished Harper to the contrary, he wanted to go back in time twenty-four hours and forget any of this had ever happened. “I know I’m being an ass. You don’t have to point it out to me.”

  “You’re not being an ass.” Zander slowly lowered himself to the ground, his back to the refrigerator, and fixed Jared with a pointed look. “You can be an ass when you want to be — usually when you’re telling me what to do — but, in general, you’re not an ass.”

  “How great.”

  “Yes, it’s truly lovely,” Zander drawled, his lips curving into a smug smile. “Harper loves you. Don’t doubt that.”

  “Except the guy she cared about before me is back,” Jared grumbled, dropping to the floor so he could sit across from Zander. “I know you said she didn’t care about him like she does me but ... I’m afraid.” It was hard for him to admit it. “I’ve felt sick all day. I’m so afraid I’m going to lose her now that I can’t even concentrate.”

  “You’re not going to lose her.” Zander wasn’t often sympathetic to the plight of others, but Jared’s emotional distress touched him. “She loves you. She never loved Quinn. I’ve told you that a hundred times.”

  “Yes. It was easier to accept when I thought he was dead. Now he’s back and Harper is ... thrilled ... that he’s not dead. Do you know how that makes me feel?”

  “Annoyed that he isn’t dead?” Zander queried.

  “Yes, and that makes me a horrible person. I was happier when I thought that man was dead. That makes me the worst sort of jerk.”

  “It does not.” Zander offered a dismissive wave. “I don’t want him back either. I never liked him.”

  “You’re fine being a jerk, though,” Jared pointed out. “I’m a good boyfriend ... and I should want what’s best for Harper. You saw the look on her face. She’s ecstatic that he’s back.”

  “No, she’s happy that he’s not dead,” Zander corrected. “That’s a different thing entirely. She’s numb, in shock. All she knows is that the guilt she felt over keeping Quinn in Whisper Cove when he wasn’t all that happy here can be put away.

  “Now, don’t get me wrong, a different sort of guilt is going to slip in when she has a good night’s sleep,” he continued. “She’s going to blame herself for Quinn going through years of turmoil not knowing who he was. She’ll blame herself for not realizing he was suffering from amnesia and was out there needing guidance even though it’s ridiculous to think anything of the sort. She’ll get over it eventually, though.

  “You’re looking at this the wrong way,” he said. “She doesn’t want to get back together with Quinn. You can’t think things like that. I swear, other than him grabbing her arms to keep her steady when she almost tripped, they didn’t touch one another. There were no hugs or kisses. It was almost ... clinical.”

  Zander’s description of the meeting gave Jared hope. “That’s something, right?”

  “She loves you, Jared. You have to know that.”

  “I do know that.” Jared bobbed his head in confirmation. “I can’t help but wonder if Quinn’s return shifts things for us, though. They were together first.”

  “They wouldn’t have survived. How many times do I need to tell you that?”

  “I want to believe you. The thing is, you said it yourself, Quinn’s death turned him into something of a martyr in Harper’s mind. She elevated him onto a pedestal that didn’t exist before his disappearance.”

  “She did, and I was frustrated when it happened,” Zander acknowledged. “The thing is, even when that happened, it wasn’t love she was feeling. It was guilt. Harper has never loved anyone but you. I mean ... she loves me, but not in a romantic way. You’re the only one to get that lucky.”

  Jared didn’t want to admit it — insecurity wasn’t a normal emotion for him — but Zander’s words gave him hope. “I’m probably just projecting. I’ve never been in this situation before.”

  “Nobody but soap opera heroines have been in this situation,” Zander said. “All you have to do is remain mellow and calm. Harper is going to be on a roller-coaster of emotions for a good forty-eight hours, and then she’s going to come screaming back to reality.”

  “And what reality is that?”

  “That Quinn can’t be trusted.” Zander was matter-of-fact. “I didn’t trust him before he disappeared. He was always smarmy and seemed to be up to something ... although I could never figure out what. I don’t expect that to change now that he’s returned.”

  “If his amnesia story holds up, he could very well be a different person,” Jared pointed out. “I’ve heard of traumatic brain injuries that changed a person’s personality. We might be looking at that here.”

  “Perhaps,” Zander mused. “I don’t think so, though. He had the exact same personality I remembered on display this morning. Sure, it was all wrapped up in a bunch of ‘golly gee, I can’t believe this happened’ and ‘one of the first things I remembered was you’ statements, but I still don’t trust him.”

  Jared gave Zander a considering look before letting out a shaky sigh. “I don’t trust him either. I just assumed it was because of jealousy, which was hard to admit even to myself. He makes me uneasy, as if everything Harper and I have been building is contingent upon what he says and does.”

  “That’s not true.” Zander was firm. “Trust me. Harper is still dealing with shock because she can’t believe he’s alive. She’ll return to reality quickly, though, and that future you guys have been planning will be just as important as ever.”

  “I hope so.”

  “I know so.” Zander awkwardly patted Jared’s knee to offer comfort. “Trust me. This is all going to be okay. You’re still going to move in April.”

  Jared made a face. “December. We’re moving next month.”

  “You just made more lines on your face. That’s not good.”

  “Yeah, yea
h.” Jared rolled to his feet before extending a hand to help Zander up. “You’ll watch Harper for me when I’m at a work, right? If Quinn is up to something, I don’t want anything happening to her.”

  “Oh, you don’t have to worry. As long as Quinn Jackson is back in town, I’ll be watching her like a Kardashian watches a television camera. You don’t have to worry about that.”

  “Thank you.”

  “No, thank you.” Zander’s smile was serene. “I finally have someone to share my Quinn hate with. The day is looking up.”

  HARPER WAS IN BED, a furniture catalog open on her lap when Jared walked into the bedroom. He wordlessly stripped out of his shirt and pants before crawling into bed next to her.

  “What are you looking at?”

  “Kitchen tables,” Harper replied, lifting his arm so she could snuggle in at his side. It was such an endearing action that Jared couldn’t stop himself from clutching her a little tighter than normal.

  “Do you see something you like? We can get whatever you want.”

  Harper’s eyes were curious as they shifted to Jared’s face. “I’m still looking. I thought we would decide together. That’s one of the joys of moving in together, right?”

  “Yeah.” Jared’s fingers were soft as they caressed Harper’s cheek. “I love you.”

  Harper’s eyebrows shifted higher. “I love you, too. What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I just ... it’s been a long day.”

  “It has,” Harper agreed. “Do you want me to put the catalog away and shut off the light? You obviously need sleep.”

  “No, I want to look at tables with you.” Jared meant it. “Turn back to the beginning of the section and show me some options.”

  “Okay.” Harper was happy to acquiesce. “For the space we’re dealing with, I think a rectangular table would be better than a round one. Maybe with a buffet at the end for that one wall.”

  “I know what you’re talking about.” Jared kissed Harper’s forehead and briefly pressed his eyes shut. He honestly didn’t care about the table. The fact that she was excited to look with him was more than enough to get him through the night. This closeness was all he needed. “Do you know what kind of material you want the table to be made out of?”