The others had already started to wander off, so Nolan and Nicole took a path to the left. He flashed the light on each headstone as they passed. “Who are we looking for? Shout out a few names.”
“Connor Daley,” Nicole read from the list. “There is also Chief Bidziil.”
“Look at this.” Nolan stopped in front of one headstone. “I think that says 1882 for death date.”
Nicole moved in closer and peered down at the stone. He took his right hand and placed it gently on her lower back as she leaned in. It felt good to touch her. He didn’t want to act too forward but he really wanted to hold her hand.
“Look there,” she said pointing, “that headstone is terribly cracked.”
“They have been here for a long time.” Frowning, he shook his head. “It’s no wonder some of the headstones are missing. They probably turned to dust over the years.”
“I watched a scary movie once where they had moved a gravesite, but only took the headstones, leavin’ the bodies still in the ground. In the movie, all the spirits haunted one house.” Nicole’s eyes widened. “Do you think that really happens?”
“Probably more often than any of us know.”
In silence, they continued walking and looking at the stones. Nicole lifted the list of names up to the light. She narrowed her gaze and her eyes shifted back and forth over the paper. Suddenly, she gasped and straightened. Even in the shadows he could tell color was seeping from her face.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Look,” she said as she pointed to the name on the list. “It says Victoria Carrigan.”
“Carrigan? Is she a relative?” Nolan inquired.
“I don’t know. I didn’t think we had family here. It says she died in 1925.”
“Let’s look for her,” Nolan suggested. “If we happen to find others, then we can check them off, but let’s focus on Victoria.”
Nicole nodded. She moved next to him and hooked her arm around his. Nolan’s heart softened. They weren’t holding hands, but this was the next best thing. It made him feel heroic thinking that he would protect her from anything scary.
Using the flashlight, Nolan scanned each headstone as they quickened their pace to cover more of the area. As they rounded a turn, Nicole tripped on a corner of a broken headstone. She stumbled, and he quickly caught her before she landed on the ground.
“Oh, good grief,” Nicole muttered and stood upright before placing her hand on his chest. “Thanks for stoppin’ my fall. I’m sorry I’m such a klutz.”
“Don’t be sorry.” He grinned. “It’s nice to find a girl who falls for me.”
She laughed and teasingly slapped his arm. “Oh, you are a funny one, aren’t you?”
“Well, you laughed, so I must have been funny.” He gently squeezed the hand still on his chest. “Are you going to be okay?”
“Maybe I just need to walk slower.” She started to move away, but he kept their hands together until their fingers just gradually entwined together.
“We can walk slower,” he said, trying not to let the excitement rushing through his body come out of his voice. “As long as you hold onto me, I won’t let you fall.”
They were not directly in the half-moon’s light, but he noticed a blush filling her cheeks. Elation filled him, and he hoped she was feeling the same giddiness bouncing around inside of her as he was experiencing.
THERE WAS SOMETHING about this man that just made her want to smile constantly and her heart race. She enjoyed the way he watched her with such emotion in his glorious green eyes, but it was more than that. She liked the way he talked, the way he smiled, and the way he teased. She loved hearing the sound of his laugh when they laughed at the same thing.
As she held his hand, she felt like the luckiest woman in the world. It also amazed her that for once in her life she wasn’t trying to act like the billionaire her uncle wanted her to act like. She wanted to be a normal person, and right now, this normal person wanted to walk through the cemetery and hold this gorgeous man’s hand as if they were the only two people here.
Warmth filled Nicole’s face. She was relieved that night’s shadows kept him from seeing her face completely or else he would know she’d been blushing ever since their hands clasped. The rhythm of her heart increased, and she wanted to cuddle against him. Thankfully, that wouldn’t be possible right now.
Nolan was a tall man with strong arms, and just holding his hand made her feel so protected. She raised her gaze to his face. When he looked at her, she smiled. She wanted to hold onto him as he’d suggested, and never let go.
“Are you ready to find Victoria now?”
“Yes.” She squeezed his hand a little more.
She found it strange that he hid his secret just as she was doing. He didn’t want people to know he was extremely wealthy, and it made her feel closer to him since they shared the same secret – even if he didn’t know that about her. But she was more convinced now that he was Aaron Powers... or the cousin, Thomas Powers. It really didn’t matter that he was as rich as she was – what made the difference in how she looked at him was that he was such a sweet man who thought of her feelings. It was so nice to be with a man who didn’t think the world revolved around him.
They wandered deeper into the cemetery, looking at the headstones as they tried to find their list of names, along with Victoria’s of course. It unnerved Nicole to think that she might be related to Victoria in some way, and yet Nicole was excited to get to know her ancestor.
He stepped over a fallen headstone and quickly came to halt. He glanced at the empty space beside him and frowned.
“Oh, I’m sorry Mr. Wright. I didn’t see you floating there. Please forgive me for stepping on your ghostly foot.”
A chuckle escaped Nicole’s throat. Although he was being silly about it, she wondered if he really had seen a ghost, because she didn’t see anything. “Nolan, you might want to ask him to let you know if I get in his way.” Her grin stretched. “I wouldn’t want to cause him any more harm.”
He turned to peer into the shadows again. “Did you hear my friend?” He paused a few seconds and nodded. “Yes, I’ll tell her. Thank you again, Mr. Wright.”
Nolan’s attention swung to Nicole. His mischief smile let her know that he was joking. She was relieved.
“Mr. Wright wants me to tell you,” he stepped around in front of Nicole, taking both of her hands in his, “that he thanks you for your kindness. He also thinks you are a very beautiful woman, which of course, I agree with him.”
Laughing aloud, she stepped closer to him. His arms wrapped around her waist, holding her loosely. The closeness raised her blood pressure a notch or two.
Within seconds, their laughing subsided as she gazed into his eyes... the best she could, anyway. The urge to kiss him was strong. Dare she be the one to initiate the first move?
He licked his lips and her heart strummed faster. Perhaps she should wait and let him make the first move. He started to lower his face toward hers and she closed her eyes, waiting for the moment their lips would touch.
Suddenly, someone from behind pushed her, and she fell against him. Gasping, she swung around to see who had shoved her, but no one was there.
“What’s wrong?” Nolan asked in a voice deeper than she’d been hearing today.
“I thought... I mean it felt like... someone pushed me.”
He glanced around them. “No, sweetie. We are the only two right here.”
She laughed uncomfortably. Irritation grew in her chest. Someone had pushed her, but that’s not what upset her the most. How dare someone ruin their special moment!
His hand slipped against hers, and once more, their fingers entwined as they proceeded on their walk through the cemetery. A few minutes passed in silence and she wanted to scream with frustration. The mood had been broken. She prayed they’d get it back later tonight.
He chuckled softly. “I think it is strange how we are in the same bed and breakfast and yet it took us
almost a whole day before we crossed paths.”
“Oh, I know. Weird, right?” She looked up at him.
“What room are you in?”
“202. What’s your room number?”
His steps stopped once again, but this time when he looked at her, his eyes were wider.
“I’m right across the hall from you in room 201.”
She gasped in surprise. “Are you kiddin’ me?”
“Nope.” He laughed. “This is definitely a strange coincidence.”
“Strange... but very fortunate.”
His expression relaxed and he stroked her cheek. “Yes, very. It’s as if lady luck has been smiling on me since we met.”
Her heart twittered from his compliment. “I feel as though I’m the lucky one.”
“Why?”
“Because, you’re savin’ me from spendin’ all my time with a complainin’ cousin.”
“I rather like saving you, Nicole.”
Her heart skipped a beat again. His words were charming her quickly. “Then you can consider yourself my hero.”
He took her back in his arms, and she knew this would be their moment. Finally!
But off to the side there was a movement that caught her attention. Even though the moon – or the flashlights – didn’t light up the area very well, she could clearly see a woman standing near a tall headstone. This particular woman wasn’t part of their group, either... yet she looked very familiar.
The clouds picked that second to move away from the moon and the light illuminated the woman. The dress she wore hung just below her knees. There was a small hat on her head like something the women wore in the 1920’s. Strands of pearls even hung from her neck.
An eerie chill ran over Nicole’s body the longer the woman stared at her. Was this woman a ghost? And why wasn’t she looking at anyone else?
“Are you okay?” Nolan asked in a caring voice.
He peered toward the area she was looking. Did he see her? She held her breath, hoping he’d say something about the odd-looking woman wearing century-old clothes. Nicole wanted to ask Nolan if he could see the woman but was afraid of what his answer would be.
“There...” She pointed. “There’s a headstone over yonder that’s larger than the others. Do... you see it?”
“By the tree?”
“Yes...” Her voice stopped. The woman continued to look at Nicole. Fear clutched her throat and she couldn’t swallow. Nolan’s casual reaction made her suspect he couldn’t see the woman.
“Do you want to go look at that headstone?” he asked.
“Yes and no,” Nicole said. “It seems a little spooky over yonder.”
“I’ll protect you,” he squeezed her hand. “You are safe with me.”
Nolan led the way and she stayed close beside him. It’s just your imagination, she silently told herself. The historic looking woman watched Nicole the whole way, but just as she and Nolan were within feet of the woman, she vanished.
Nicole gasped and stumbled, which tugged on Nolan’s hand and made him stop.
“What’s wrong?” Nolan asked.
“I... must be tuckered out,” Nicole said. “I thought I saw somethin’.”
“Maybe you did.” Nolan leaned closer into her.
“Well, it’s gone now,” she said. “It was probably an animal.”
“I didn’t see anything. But that’s not saying you didn’t.”
She found the strength in her legs to propel her closer to the very spot where the woman had been. The large headstone appeared very expensive, especially for most people back in those days. The fancy lettering curved in several different places, matching the bordering graphics on the stone. The weathered white cross, standing the very top, had lost most of its color from over the years.
Nolan flashed his light on the person’s name. In big letters carved perfectly in the stone read: CARRIGAN. Down below was more writing. In loving memory of Victoria Carrigan born 1902 died 1925. Our dearest daughter was taken too soon from us. Rest in Peace.
Nolan hitched a breath. “You found your relative!”
Slowly, Nicole nodded as her voice choked up. “She was only twenty-three-years-old.”
“That’s too young to die.” Nolan slid his arm around her waist. “Maybe she was sick.”
“I need to do research on her. I wonder if we’re related.” Nicole had no doubt now that Victoria was somehow related. Nicole wouldn’t doubt this was the woman who was in her dreams, which still made her mind spin with the mere possibilities of how it would happen. Yet, as she stared down at the headstone, she wondered if her ancestor needed help moving on... going toward the light into Heaven. What if Victoria was killed? She would probably want someone living to help find her killer. Could that possibly be why Nicole had seen her standing by the headstone a few minutes ago?
From off in the distance someone shrieked. Nicole jumped, and Nolan’s arm tightened around her protectively. They both turned and looked that direction. The small group over in the corner of the cemetery was running away quickly.
“I wonder if they saw someone,” Nolan said softly.
“Do you really think there are ghosts here?” Nicole asked, trying to convince herself that she really did see a ghost.
“I believe there are spirits who are not at rest for some reason or another,” Nolan answered. “Do you really believe in ghosts?”
“I don’t know what to believe,” Nicole muttered sadly. “I’ve been told that when we die, we go to paradise. That sounds like a lot better place than hauntin’ people here on earth. Why would they choose bein’ a ghost versus livin’ a good afterlife in Paradise?”
“I don’t know what causes people to stay,” Nolan said. “What made you want to come over here to look?”
Nicole held her breath, not wanting to answer. Now that she was finally allowing her heart to accept a man into her life, she didn’t want to put a halt to their relationship. Her heart would break if Nolan thought she was crazy for seeing ghosts. Although he’d told her that he believed, she worried that he might change his mind if she told him about her dreams – and seeing Victoria by her headstone.
“Because the headstone was larger than the others.”
Inwardly, Nicole’s heart clenched. She just wasn’t ready to tell him the truth.
TEN
Nolan hadn’t known Nicole for very long, but already he could read her expressions. She was hiding something. His gut feeling told him that it had something to do with ghosts. He’d noticed the way she had stared at Victoria’s headstone, and it wasn’t because it was larger than the others in the cemetery.
He also received the impression while talking to her, that she had a difficult time trusting him. He could understand that since he tried to protect his own heart for several years. It was unfortunate he still fell easily for women’s charms. After all, he’d come to Colorado to help heal his broken heart after losing Elizabeth, and yet he still fell head-over-heels for Nicole the first time he saw her standing in front of her broken-down vehicle.
Laughing to himself, he shook his head. He was a sucker for love... Or was he just a sucker who wanted to find true love?
Nicole took a few pictures of the headstone with her phone. The flash on her phone brightened the stone, making Victoria’s name stand out more. Once finished, she slid the phone back into the pocket of her pants and reached for his hand. Smiling, he took her hand, happy that she wanted to continue their close contact.
“Your hands are cold.” Nolan rubbed her hand between his two hands. “Do you want my jacket?”
“I am a little cold,” she said. “The temperature here is so very different from Texas.”
Nolan let go of her hand and took off his leather jacket and placed it around her. She slid her arms into the sleeves. His jacket nearly hung on her petite frame, and he smiled. She still looked good wearing his jacket.
“Let me know if you get cold,” she told him, “and I’ll give it back to you.”
/> “I’m good for now.” He took her hand again. “So, do you want to go look for more names?”
“Do you?” she asked.
Nolan had enough experiences with women to know that when they repeated the question back to him, most likely they weren’t very enthused about doing that particular subject. He sighed and shook his head. “It is getting late. Maybe we should go hang out with the others and they’ll take us back.”
“This has been fun,” Nicole added. “I wonder what tomorrow’s adventure will be?”
“I have the agenda in the Jeep. I know I’ve looked at it, but I can’t remember what I’d read.” He chuckled. “I guess I’ve had other things on my mind that has distracted me.”
It didn’t take long for the others to gather together as they headed back to the bus. Once on the bus, Nicole leaned her head against Nolan’s shoulder as she cuddled his arm. His heartbeat quickened. He liked this... liked it too much. But he wasn’t going to question why she had fallen for him so quickly. He’d soak up the moment as much as he could.
When the bus stopped back at the jailhouse, they were told to meet back here tomorrow afternoon at three o’clock and they would tour the haunted hotels in the area. Nolan led Nicole to the Jeep and they began their drive back. She didn’t hold his hand this time. Instead, she leaned against the door as she gazed out the window.
“I hope you can get some rest tonight and not have nightmares,” he said, not really knowing how else to break the silence.
Her body stiffened and her head snapped toward his. “Nightmares? Why do you say that?”
“Because we were in a cemetery, and because of all the ghost stories we’ve heard tonight.”
“Oh.” Her shoulders relaxed as a gush of air escaped her mouth. “Yes, I definitely don’t want any nightmares.”
“I’m sure Bailey will keep you busy tomorrow morning with shopping.”
She chuckled. “Yes, I’m sure she will.” She paused briefly. “You know, I’d actually forgotten about her. I hope she had fun at the club.” She pointed to the clock on the Jeep’s dashboard. “Actually, I bet Bailey is still there. She usually doesn’t get home until two in the mornin’.”
The Billionaire's Setup Page 7
