chin skimming Jane’s shoulder. “So are you married?”
“Not anymore. Divorced a year ago.” He
leaned his arm on the roof of the car. “You?”
Jane shifted in her seat and stole a glance
at Pierce. He raised his eyebrows, shrugged and turned his attention back to
Annice and Pete. Jane supposed she had to contain her impatience and let the
little scene play out.
Annice stuck her left hand through the
window and waggled her fingers. “No one special in my life,” she said.
The radio on Pete’s belt crackled and
brought him back to the job at hand.
“So, what were you doing back there at the
big house?” He bent lower and looked at Pierce. “You have your ID on you, sir?”
“I’m sorry—” Jane began.
“This is a friend from out of state,”
Annice interrupted. “He’s a bit jet lagged and all his luggage is back in town.
We didn’t think to tell him to bring ID with him. We were just cruising around,
showing him the area.” She flashed the cop a winning smile.
Pete shook his head. “Always a good idea to
carry ID on you, sir.”
Pierce leaned forward. “You’re right and I
apologize. But I was kind of worked up about seeing the old house. My special
interest is late nineteenth century buildings, officer. I’m an amateur
architect and the young ladies were kind enough to offer to show me the
mansion. I would really like to see inside some time.”
He told the lie with a completely straight
face.
“I’ll vouch for him, Pete,” Annice said.
“It was all completely innocent. Sorry if we raised any concerns.”
Pete straightened. “No problem if you don’t
have ID if you’re not doing anything illegal. We’ve been asked to keep an extra
eye on the old house. We received some reports of prowlers, lights at night.
Then you come screeching out of the driveway.”
“Well you know about the ghost stories.”
“Yeah, when I was a kid our scout troop
camped up here in the woods. We scared ourselves sh—silly with ghost stories.”
Pete laughed. “Well I guess you three aren’t ghosts or burglars.”
“Absolutely not.”
Pete took a step back and touched his cap.
“Goodnight then. Drive carefully. Good to see you again, Annie. Might catch you
later.”
“Sure thing, if you don’t call me Annie.”
Mercifully the engine started and Jane put
the car in gear. “Good night, Pete. Thanks.”
Though what she was thanking him for she
would have been hard-pressed to say. Thanks for giving me a scare and
shortening my life by a few years? Thanks for being an unattached male easily
distracted by my friend’s pretty face?
They drove in silence for a mile or so then
Annice’s voice came from the back. “Are you going to tell me what’s going down
here?”
“What do you mean?”
Annice sat forward again and spoke over
Jane’s shoulder as if Pierce weren’t there. “Who is he, Jane? What’s the
story?”
“Pierce and I met a couple of days ago—”
Annice turned her head toward Pierce.
“Where are you from?”
He cleared his throat. “Originally from
around here.”
“I don’t buy this. You’re both up to
something. Ghosts, haunted houses, no ID, mysterious background.”
Jane took a deep breath and a big decision.
“I’ll tell you but not tonight. Tomorrow.”
“So there is something. I was
right.”
“Yes, you’re right.” Jane had no idea if
she was making the right choice but a little voice told her she was going to
need support from someone who knew her way around. Annice was a legal
secretary. She had contact with all kinds of people.
“You’re sure? You’re not shitting me?”
Jane saw Pierce flinch at the word. Welcome
to the world of modern young women.
“I promise. I might need your help anyway.”
“It’s a deal.”
They had reached the dark parking lot where
Annice had left her car and Jane pulled in beside the low-slung Mustang.
Annice opened the door and wriggled out.
She stood on the tarmac and leaned in Jane’s window just as Pete
“Not anymore. Divorced a year ago.” He
leaned his arm on the roof of the car. “You?”
Jane shifted in her seat and stole a glance
at Pierce. He raised his eyebrows, shrugged and turned his attention back to
Annice and Pete. Jane supposed she had to contain her impatience and let the
little scene play out.
Annice stuck her left hand through the
window and waggled her fingers. “No one special in my life,” she said.
The radio on Pete’s belt crackled and
brought him back to the job at hand.
“So, what were you doing back there at the
big house?” He bent lower and looked at Pierce. “You have your ID on you, sir?”
“I’m sorry—” Jane began.
“This is a friend from out of state,”
Annice interrupted. “He’s a bit jet lagged and all his luggage is back in town.
We didn’t think to tell him to bring ID with him. We were just cruising around,
showing him the area.” She flashed the cop a winning smile.
Pete shook his head. “Always a good idea to
carry ID on you, sir.”
Pierce leaned forward. “You’re right and I
apologize. But I was kind of worked up about seeing the old house. My special
interest is late nineteenth century buildings, officer. I’m an amateur
architect and the young ladies were kind enough to offer to show me the
mansion. I would really like to see inside some time.”
He told the lie with a completely straight
face.
“I’ll vouch for him, Pete,” Annice said.
“It was all completely innocent. Sorry if we raised any concerns.”
Pete straightened. “No problem if you don’t
have ID if you’re not doing anything illegal. We’ve been asked to keep an extra
eye on the old house. We received some reports of prowlers, lights at night.
Then you come screeching out of the driveway.”
“Well you know about the ghost stories.”
“Yeah, when I was a kid our scout troop
camped up here in the woods. We scared ourselves sh—silly with ghost stories.”
Pete laughed. “Well I guess you three aren’t ghosts or burglars.”
“Absolutely not.”
Pete took a step back and touched his cap.
“Goodnight then. Drive carefully. Good to see you again, Annie. Might catch you
later.”
“Sure thing, if you don’t call me Annie.”
Mercifully the engine started and Jane put
the car in gear. “Good night, Pete. Thanks.”
Though what she was thanking him for she
would have been hard-pressed to say. Thanks for giving me a scare and
shortening my life by a few years? Thanks for being an unattached male easily
distracted by my friend’s pretty face?
They drove in silence for a mile or so then
Annice’s voice came from the back. “Are you going to tell me what’s going down
here?”
“What do you mean?”
Annice sat forward again and spoke over
Jane’s shoulder as if Pierce weren’t there. “Who is he, Jane? What’s the
story?”
“Pierce and I met a couple of days ago—”
Annice turned her head toward Pierce.
“Where are you from?”
He cleared his throat. “Originally from
around here.”
“I don’t buy this. You’re both up to
something. Ghosts, haunted houses, no ID, mysterious background.”
Jane took a deep breath and a big decision.
“I’ll tell you but not tonight. Tomorrow.”
“So there is something. I was
right.”
“Yes, you’re right.” Jane had no idea if
she was making the right choice but a little voice told her she was going to
need support from someone who knew her way around. Annice was a legal
secretary. She had contact with all kinds of people.
“You’re sure? You’re not shitting me?”
Jane saw Pierce flinch at the word. Welcome
to the world of modern young women.
“I promise. I might need your help anyway.”
“It’s a deal.”
They had reached the dark parking lot where
Annice had left her car and Jane pulled in beside the low-slung Mustang.
Annice opened the door and wriggled out.
She stood on the tarmac and leaned in Jane’s window just as Pete
Similar Books
