Ghostly Interests

by Lily Harper Hart

  “I didn’t say you were in love with her,” Mel said. “It’s perfectly okay to like a woman. Harper is … beautiful. She’s a good kid. She’s got a great heart. You know she’s fragile, though, right? She’s still getting over Quinn.”

  Jared had no idea why but Mel’s words irked him. “She says she was never in love with Quinn.”

  Mel was taken aback. “She told you that?”

  “She said they were happily dating and relatively close, but she wasn’t in love with him,” Jared said, flustered that he was even arguing the point. “She said it could’ve grown into a case of love, but they never got the chance.”

  “It sounds like the two of you had quite the conversation,” Mel said. “When are you going out again?”

  “We’re not dating!”

  Mel smirked. “Not yet. Oh, this is priceless. I can’t wait until this news hits town. Harper Harlow has been the most sought after woman in her age bracket for … I don’t know how long. Now here you come swooping into town and the first thing you do is start dating everyone’s resident crush. That’s hilarious.”

  “I’m not telling you this again,” Jared said, extending his finger in Mel’s direction. “We’re not dating.”

  “You went with her to talk to a ghost last night,” Mel argued. “Yesterday morning you didn’t believe in ghosts. In less than twenty-four hours you’ve done a complete turnabout and now we’re going to question a murder suspect on the word of a ghost.”

  “I … it can’t hurt to question him,” Jared said. “I don’t know what I believe.”

  “Harper is magic, son,” Mel said. “I don’t know if I believe in ghosts either, but I do believe in her. There’s no shame in it. People in town have faith in her for a reason. No one is going to fault you for believing in her.”

  “What if I fault myself?”

  “That’s something you’re going to have to tackle on your own,” Mel said. “Now, come on. Let’s go talk to the resident dirtbag and see what he has to say for himself. Something tells me it’s not going to be anything good.”

  Jared followed Mel wordlessly. Something told him that his new partner was right about more than just Michael Dalton. He couldn’t get Harper out of his mind and it was starting to drive him crazy.

  MOLLY was in the middle of a righteous meltdown as she paced in front of Harper’s desk.

  “The whole night all he did was talk about you. The whole night!”

  Harper knew she was talking about Eric without having to ask the obvious question. “Molly, I don’t know what you want me to say,” she said. “Eric has a crush on me. It won’t last.”

  “That’s what you said six months ago.”

  “It’s still true.”

  “Are you sure you’re not interested in him?” Molly asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously as she planted her hands on her hips. “You can tell me. I won’t get angry.”

  Harper didn’t believe that for a second. Since she wasn’t interested in Eric, though, she saw no sense in lying. “I’m sure.”

  Molly visibly relaxed. “Are you interested in Jared?”

  Harper’s shoulders involuntarily stiffened. “Of course not.”

  “I think you are,” Molly said. “You should’ve seen your face when he walked into this office yesterday. It was like your pants were on fire – and not because you were going to lie to him, if you know what I mean?” Molly waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

  “I know what you mean,” Harper said, making a face. “I also know that I’m not even remotely interested in Jared.”

  “Zander says you are.”

  “Zander also maintains that Betty White isn’t the only surviving member of The Golden Girls and that a reunion is still possible if someone could just uncover the conspiracy,” Harper pointed out.

  “That’s Zander being funny,” Molly said, her face serious. “Zander knows you better than anyone else in this world and he says you’re hot for the new cop.”

  “Zander is going to be hot when I’m done beating him with a belt,” Harper grumbled.

  “It’s okay to like Jared,” Molly said. “I know you don’t really date and you’ve been pretty obvious about putting Eric off but … it’s okay. You’re allowed to like Jared.”

  “I’ll take that under advisement,” Harper said. She lifted her eyes to Molly’s and internally debated about continuing the dating discussion. She knew it was a bad idea, but she plowed ahead anyway. “If we’re going to talk about relationships and crushes I think it’s only fair that we talk about your situation.”

  “I don’t have a situation,” Molly said, feigning a look of contrition on her face. “I’m an open book and I don’t mind talking about your dating life, but I don’t have one.”

  “That’s because you’ve set your sights on Eric,” Harper replied, refusing to let the fast-talking Molly derail the conversation. “You know he’s not into you, right?”

  “I don’t have a crush on Eric,” Molly sniffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “I don’t care about him at all. He’s merely a co-worker – and an obnoxious one at that.”

  Harper licked her lips as she decided how to proceed. “Everyone knows you have a crush on Eric. Eric knows you have a crush on him. He’s not open to a relationship, though. I think you would do better to turn your attention to someone your own age.”

  “I don’t have a crush on Eric!”

  “Don’t get all … petulant,” Harper chided. “You have a crush on Eric. It’s not a crime. I think you would have a better chance with him if you dated someone else and weren’t always so … available … to help him.”

  “I’m not available,” Molly countered. “I like the technical aspects of what we do. He’s the one most knowledgeable when it comes to the computer stuff. That’s the only reason I hang around him.”

  “Fine,” Harper said, holding up her hand in a placating manner. “You don’t have a crush on Eric.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Just like he doesn’t have a crush on me,” Harper added.

  Molly scowled.

  “Honey, you’re very pretty and you could have almost any guy you want,” Harper said, taking a sisterly approach with her young protégé. “If you date someone else you might give Eric the chance to realize that you’re a catch and he might actually be interested in catching you.”

  Molly looked intrigued at the suggestion. “Go on.”

  “Eric thinks he doesn’t want you because you want him,” Harper elaborated. “Men like the chase. Date someone else and make Eric realize you’re not going to sit around waiting for him. Make him realize he should want to chase you.”

  “Do you have anyone in mind?”

  “What about Collin? He seems like a nice guy.”

  “He does seem like a nice guy,” Molly mused. “He’s cute, too.”

  “He’s definitely cute,” Harper agreed. “I’m not saying you have to throw yourself into a relationship with Collin, but if you made a date with him and he happened to pick you up when Eric was here that might work in your favor.”

  “That’s a really good idea,” Molly said, jumping to her feet. She was obviously over denying she had a crush on Eric. “That’s what I’m going to do.”

  “Good for you. Just make sure you stay away from his brother. That kid is a dirtbag.”

  Molly shuffled toward the door, turning back swiftly when a thought occurred to her. “Is that how you’re going to snare Jared? Are you going to make sure he sees you out on a date with another man?”

  “For the last time, I am not interested in Jared!”

  “How come you can see when everyone else has a crush and yet you can’t recognize it in yourself?”

  PROFESSOR DALTON was haughty when Jared and Mel walked into his office. “I told you to call my attorney if you had more questions,” he said.

  “We can do that,” Jared said. “I thought you would want us to talk this over with you before going to the press, though.”

 
; “Press? What are you talking about?”

  Jared held up the flash drive he’d found inside Annie’s closet the night before. “Annie Dresden had photographs of the two of you in bed … and on the kitchen table … and on the lawn of the library,” he said. “We know she was threatening you with going to the dean.”

  “I … so what?”

  “That gives you motive to kill her,” Mel said. “We’ve taken DNA samples from Annie’s body. They’re at the lab now. The photographs are enough to formally haul you into the station for questioning, though.”

  “I didn’t kill her,” Dalton said, his lower lip quivering. “I don’t care what you think. I’m a sex fiend. I admit it. I’m not a nice guy. I’m also not a murderer.”

  “Sir, you had a sexual relationship with a student who was threatening to go public,” Mel said. “That student showed up raped and murdered on a local beach. We’ve done some research and found that you keep a boat out at the St. Clair Marina. That gives you motive and means.”

  “You also don’t have an alibi,” Jared pointed out.

  “I’m not a murderer,” Dalton said, all signs of bravado missing. “I swear. I never hurt Annie. I wouldn’t do that.”

  Jared sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Professor Dalton, we’re going to have to ask you to accompany us to the Whisper Cove Police Department for formal questioning.”

  “I want a lawyer!”

  “That’s your prerogative,” Mel said. “You’re not under arrest right now. If you refuse to cooperate, though, we will have to put you in custody.”

  “I’m going to sue your whole department!”

  Jared was done messing around. “Sir, please get to your feet and place your hands behind your back. Don’t make this any more difficult than it has to be.”

  Nineteen

  “Don’t burn those steaks,” Harper ordered later that evening, glancing over Zander’s shoulder as he manned the grill on their side patio.

  “When do I ever burn the steaks?”

  “At least three out of every five times you cook them.”

  “I’m offended,” Zander said, waving the tongs he was holding in Harper’s face. “I am the best cook in this house.”

  “You wish,” Harper scoffed.

  “Honey, you burnt cereal the other morning.”

  “You don’t cook cereal.”

  “And yet you still burned it,” Zander said. “It was disgraceful.”

  The look Harper sent Zander was almost comical and Jared couldn’t hide his laugh as he watched them cavort. They both jerked at the noise, swiveling quickly to find him standing at the edge of the patio watching them. “Hi,” he said.

  “Hi,” Harper said, exhaling heavily. “I … um … we’re usually not this immature.”

  “She’s lying,” Zander said. “We’re always this immature. Do you want to stay for dinner? I have another steak in the refrigerator.”

  Jared was surprised by the offer. “I … um … sure,” he said, squaring his shoulders. “That sounds nice. Are you sure I’m not intruding?”

  “I’m sure,” Zander said, not bothering to fight the grin spreading across his face when he got a gander at Harper’s flustered countenance. He handed the tongs to her. “Watch the steaks while I go get one for Officer Monroe.”

  “You can call me Jared.”

  “Welcome to our home, Jared.”

  Once Zander made himself scarce, Jared and Harper were alone – and wildly uncomfortable with the situation.

  “I shouldn’t have just shown up like this,” Jared offered by way of apology. “It was rude, but I had something I wanted to tell you and I realized I didn’t have your phone number.”

  Harper narrowed her eyes. “You have Mel’s phone number.”

  “So?”

  “Everyone in Zander’s family has my phone number,” Harper said. “I think you came by because you wanted to see me.” The words were out of her mouth before she could give reasonable thought to the intelligence behind them.

  Jared was surprised by her words, but he couldn’t deny their truth. “Maybe I did want to see you,” he conceded. “I … can’t explain it. I haven’t been able to think about anything but you all day.”

  Harper’s cheeks warmed at his admission. “I … um … hmm.”

  “I’m going to bet you’re rarely speechless so I’m going to guess that you weren’t expecting me to say that,” Jared said. He rolled up his sleeves and took the tongs from her, edging her over with his hip so he could have room to maneuver in front of the grill. “You’re going to burn those steaks.”

  Harper had no idea what to say so she let her mouth hang open in the hope that a smart comeback would magically form on her lips.

  “The trick is to make sure the meat isn’t bloody without burning the exterior,” Jared said, focusing on the steaks. “You have the heat up too high.”

  “That’s what you have to say?” Harper asked, finally finding her voice. “That’s what you have to say after you tell me you’ve been thinking about me all day?”

  “What do you want me to say?” Jared asked, his blue eyes thoughtful as they landed on her matching set. “You told me last night you liked me because I told the truth. The truth is my mind has wandered to you and what you were doing about eight hundred times today.”

  “I don’t know what to say to that,” Harper said, her voice shaking. “I … .”

  “Mel gave me an earful about you this morning,” Jared said, not letting Harper get ahead of him in the conversation. “He said he heard we went on a date and he wanted to know how it went. I said we weren’t on a date and he claims we were.

  “Then I started thinking about it and realized it kind of felt like a date,” he continued, using the tongs to prod the meat on the grill. “After I realized it was kind of a date I tried to decide how I felt about it. When I couldn’t come up with an answer, I asked myself how I would feel if I saw you on a date with another man.

  “I didn’t like that idea at all,” Jared said. “The thing is, I’ve been in this town for exactly seven days. I don’t know anything about you other than you’re beautiful and you talk to ghosts. I’m not sure I’m ready to date you.”

  “Who says I want to date you?” Harper challenged.

  “Your face,” Jared replied, unruffled. “We were both in Annie Dresden’s yard last night and we both know what was about to happen if she hadn’t shown up. Are you going to deny it?”

  “I … .”

  “Holy crap! What almost happened in Annie Dresden’s yard last night?” Zander barreled back out onto the patio, a cellophane-wrapped steak clutched in his hand. “You’ve been holding out on me, missy. You said nothing happened. Now I’m eavesdropping and hear something almost happened. Spill!”

  Jared wanted to be annoyed with Zander’s appearance – and he partially was – but he was also relieved because the look on Harper’s face a few moments before told him she was about to dig her heels in and deny the combustible chemistry that sparked whenever they were in close proximity to one another. Jared wasn’t sure if he could take that. Zander’s appearance gave him time to think.

  “Nothing happened,” Harper sputtered. “You’re overreacting.”

  Zander turned to Jared for confirmation. “You tell me what almost happened.”

  Jared was unsure how to proceed. “Um … .”

  “If you want to date her you’re going to need me on your side,” Zander said. “I’m going to be the best ally you’ve ever had. I need to know I can trust you, though.”

  That was an interesting proposition. “She tripped over a root and almost fell,” Jared said. “I caught her and there was a moment when we were pressed up against each other where I gave serious thought to kissing her.”

  “How did she respond?” Zander asked.

  “She almost kissed me back,” Jared said. “Then Annie Dresden showed up and the moment was ruined. We both pretended it didn’t happen. The problem is: I haven’t been ab
le to think about anything but her since then.”

  “I like your honestly,” Zander said. He unwrapped the steak and handed it to Jared. “Do you want to kiss her?”

  “I definitely want to kiss her,” Jared said. “I’m not sure about after that, though.”

  Zander narrowed his eyes. “We don’t take kindly to the ‘wham, bam, thank you, ma’am’ sorts in this house,” he warned. “Is that the type of guy you are?”

  Jared snickered. “Not last time I checked.”

  “When was your last serious relationship?” Zander asked.

  “I … .” Jared broke off, not sure how to respond.

  “It’s not a trick question.”

  “I know,” Jared said. “It’s just … I’m not sure I’ve ever dated anyone seriously. I’ve had girlfriends, but none of them have stuck around for all that long.”

  “Why? Are you bad in bed?”

  Jared’s cheeks burned as Harper covered her eyes in mortification. “I hope not,” he said. “None of the feedback I’ve received in that department has been of a negative variety. Well, I’m sure my high school game wasn’t great, but I’ve learned a few things since then.”

  “Do you sleep with women and never call them?” Zander asked.

  “No. In fact, I usually like to get to know a woman before I sleep with her.”

  “That’s a good answer,” Zander said. “How well endowed are you?”

  “Zander!” Harper scorched her best friend with a harsh look.

  “I’m asking for me just as much as her,” Zander explained. “I like to get the full picture when I imagine someone naked.”

  “I’m not answering that,” Jared said.

  “What are your intentions with Harper?”

  “I honestly have no idea,” Jared replied. “I’m not sure I can wrap my head around this whole ghost thing and yet I can’t stop thinking about her. That’s as much thought as I’ve given this.”

  “Why did you come over here?” Zander pressed. “Were you hoping she would be alone so you could kiss her?”

  “I wouldn’t have minded that, but in reality I had news about Professor Dalton and instead of tracking down her phone number – which was in the computer system on my desk – I decided I wanted to use the information about the professor as an excuse to see her.”