ask?”
“None of them seem to like you too much.” Cassidy shrugged.
“How many of your exes sing your praises?” Ben laughed.
“Oh.” Well that definitely made sense of a few things. “Not too many I guess.” She admitted smiling weakly.
Cassidy tried to ignore the stab of jealousy that shot through her. Of course he had exes, he was a thirty year old man who’d grown up in a small town. He’d probably dated most of the women his age at one time or another. It made sense, but that didn’t mean she had to like it.
Cassidy felt herself nodding off as they finished the drive back to Cedar Hollow. It was too dark to see much out of the windows anymore and she could feel the exhaustion overtaking her. The only thing that was keeping her awake was her racing mind. Too many questions, she wondered how many answers Ben had.
“Can I ask you something?” She asked sleepily. Ben glanced over at her and nodded.
“You said that everyone in my family had died of unnatural causes. Is that true?” It was time to face the hard questions. They weren’t going to disappear.
Ben sighed. “Everyone but your great-uncle. He was 92 years old and died in his bed, I think it’s safe to say that it was his time.”
“And the others?” Cassidy pressed.
“Every death was ruled accidental, but they were all suspicious. ” Ben answered solemnly.
“How do you know that?” Cassidy was whispering again, even though they were alone in the truck.
“It was practically legend around Cedar Hollow. Kids said the old Miller place was haunted. That your family was cursed. No one has that much bad luck.” Ben shook his head and Cassidy felt a chill.
Just then they pulled to a stop in front of the old house. It was another dark night, just like the night she’d arrived , the moonlight smothered behind a heavy cloud layer. The house loomed in front of them dark and foreboding. Cassidy had to rub away the goosebumps on her arms. It did look like a haunted house. Suddenly she wondered how many of those “accidental deaths” had actually occurred inside the house.
Chapter Nine
Cassidy stared at the ceiling for nearly an hour before she got out of bed. She had tossed and turned all night, but she’d made the decision not to get out of bed until she’d made a decision about what she was going to do. She should leave. She knew she should. Someone was trying to hurt her. She should be running as far away from here as quickly as she could. But why? Why did someone want to hurt her? Was there some sort of connection to the mysterious deaths that had befallen her family? What had happened to her family? She had too many questions to leave now. She needed answers.
Supposing the decision was made , Cassidy climbed out of bed, ignoring the saying about what curiosity did to the cat. She dressed in a khaki skirt with a white blouse accessorizing with nude pumps and a broad tan belt. It was a little too formal for what she had planned for today, but it was all she had. She pulled her hair into a French twist and added a little mascara before brushing her teeth and heading downstairs.
It was late morning and she’d expected Ben to already be out in the gardens, she was surprised to find him sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper.
“Good morning.” She said nervously, not sure where they stood at this point. Would he be hostile? Would he be friendly? Her stomach twisted with anxiety.
“Morning.” He said casually and she exhaled in relief. “How did you sleep last night?” He asked conversationally, placing the paper on the table.
“I’ve slept better.” Cassidy admitted.
“Want some coffee?” He offered standing from the table.
“Love some!” She agreed eagerly pulling up a chair.
“You look all dressed up.” Ben observed casually as he set the cup of coffee in front of her, he placed some cream and sugar on the table for her as well. “Do you have some big plans for the
“None of them seem to like you too much.” Cassidy shrugged.
“How many of your exes sing your praises?” Ben laughed.
“Oh.” Well that definitely made sense of a few things. “Not too many I guess.” She admitted smiling weakly.
Cassidy tried to ignore the stab of jealousy that shot through her. Of course he had exes, he was a thirty year old man who’d grown up in a small town. He’d probably dated most of the women his age at one time or another. It made sense, but that didn’t mean she had to like it.
Cassidy felt herself nodding off as they finished the drive back to Cedar Hollow. It was too dark to see much out of the windows anymore and she could feel the exhaustion overtaking her. The only thing that was keeping her awake was her racing mind. Too many questions, she wondered how many answers Ben had.
“Can I ask you something?” She asked sleepily. Ben glanced over at her and nodded.
“You said that everyone in my family had died of unnatural causes. Is that true?” It was time to face the hard questions. They weren’t going to disappear.
Ben sighed. “Everyone but your great-uncle. He was 92 years old and died in his bed, I think it’s safe to say that it was his time.”
“And the others?” Cassidy pressed.
“Every death was ruled accidental, but they were all suspicious. ” Ben answered solemnly.
“How do you know that?” Cassidy was whispering again, even though they were alone in the truck.
“It was practically legend around Cedar Hollow. Kids said the old Miller place was haunted. That your family was cursed. No one has that much bad luck.” Ben shook his head and Cassidy felt a chill.
Just then they pulled to a stop in front of the old house. It was another dark night, just like the night she’d arrived , the moonlight smothered behind a heavy cloud layer. The house loomed in front of them dark and foreboding. Cassidy had to rub away the goosebumps on her arms. It did look like a haunted house. Suddenly she wondered how many of those “accidental deaths” had actually occurred inside the house.
Chapter Nine
Cassidy stared at the ceiling for nearly an hour before she got out of bed. She had tossed and turned all night, but she’d made the decision not to get out of bed until she’d made a decision about what she was going to do. She should leave. She knew she should. Someone was trying to hurt her. She should be running as far away from here as quickly as she could. But why? Why did someone want to hurt her? Was there some sort of connection to the mysterious deaths that had befallen her family? What had happened to her family? She had too many questions to leave now. She needed answers.
Supposing the decision was made , Cassidy climbed out of bed, ignoring the saying about what curiosity did to the cat. She dressed in a khaki skirt with a white blouse accessorizing with nude pumps and a broad tan belt. It was a little too formal for what she had planned for today, but it was all she had. She pulled her hair into a French twist and added a little mascara before brushing her teeth and heading downstairs.
It was late morning and she’d expected Ben to already be out in the gardens, she was surprised to find him sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper.
“Good morning.” She said nervously, not sure where they stood at this point. Would he be hostile? Would he be friendly? Her stomach twisted with anxiety.
“Morning.” He said casually and she exhaled in relief. “How did you sleep last night?” He asked conversationally, placing the paper on the table.
“I’ve slept better.” Cassidy admitted.
“Want some coffee?” He offered standing from the table.
“Love some!” She agreed eagerly pulling up a chair.
“You look all dressed up.” Ben observed casually as he set the cup of coffee in front of her, he placed some cream and sugar on the table for her as well. “Do you have some big plans for the
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