Ghost of a Promise (14 page)

“
She
’
s really careful,
”
Ava whispered. Her gaze lifted to his.
“
This female spirit. She
’
s really careful not to be caught on camera or in EVPs. Have you noticed that? Everything she
’
s done has been off camera, except what happened between us that night you carried me outside and that can be explained away.
”

He crossed his arms.
“
What are you getting at?
”

She bit down on her lower lip and his blood drained from his head to southern regions. Forcing his gaze up, he tried to concentrate on her words.

“
What if you and I investigate alone, without Earl or Tom filming us? We can have one of your digital recorders in the room, but off to the side.
”

A slow smile spread across his face.
“
Brilliant.
”
He took her arm and went to leave the room, but she dug in her heels.
“
What is it, luv?
”

She swallowed again, adorably flustered.
“
This kissing we
’
ve been doing
…”

At her abrupt halt mid-sentence, he turned fully to face her. For the first time, her defenses were down. Vulnerability shone in her eyes and she was distractingly biting that lip again, making him want to lick the unease away and hold her close in the same breath.

“
What about the kissing?
”

Her shoulders sagged.
“
I
…”
Obviously at a loss, her hand fell and slapped her thigh.

“
I need some kind of direction for this conversation, Ava.
‘Yes, Jackson, let’s do more of this kissing?’
Or maybe,
‘Jackson, you drive me insane with lust, so let’s move past kissing to
—’”

“
I want you.
”
Her head reared back. She blinked in the silence, obviously surprised those words left her mouth.

He waited her out, the silence killing him. He could feel a
“
but
”
coming. I want you, but
…
Insert here what I don’t want to hear
. Unsure whether she was about to move this attraction from
Sweet, Jesus, I-want-you
to
You-just-blew-my-mind
or if she’
d give him a permanent case of
Oh-fuck
. And not the good kind.

She rubbed her forehead. “
I don
’
t do this kind of thing. When I get involved with someone it means something. You
’
re used to
…
wanderlust. I
’
m not.
”

In the silence that followed, all he could do was stare at her. He read between the lines to what she wasn
’
t saying. That this chemistry couldn
’
t amount to anything. That she was in danger of falling. That she
’
d been alone for so long she
’
d grown comfortable with it and he threatened to cut her emotional safety net.

And truly, how could one argue with that? Because if he was being completely honest with himself, she was right. The problem being, he hadn
’
t been honest with himself in so long the weight of what was happening between them shifted focus off of her and squarely onto him. Until he knew what he wanted, he couldn
’
t toy with her feelings.

Christ, he didn
’
t know what to do with real emotion.

“
I understand,
”
he said in a voice that sounded flat even to his own ears.
“
I
’
ll back off.
” He stared at the door, at a loss, suddenly vacant. Gutted.

He forcibly put one foot in front of the other and left her alone in the room.

…

Ava was in that dream again. The dream that wasn’t a dream.

She stood by the cliffs in a nightgown she didn’
t own. The crisp, biting wind off the ocean slammed at her back as she stared at two houses. The first, to her left, was dark, just like before. The one next to it lay dark as well, all but the one flicker of candlelight from an upstairs bedroom.

A face suddenly came into view from that window, the fear stealing her breath, and though she knew the man, she couldn
’
t wrap her brain around who he was. Just as quickly as he appeared, his face disappeared.

She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself as she turned to face the Atlantic, unable to hold on to thought. Even through the dark she could make out the swells crashing into the rocks below, lit by the low full moon. The roaring, rhythmic noise of the waves filled her ears, its vast, endless depths and wonder calling to her. Sadness overwrought the fear, closing her throat, though she was unsure why. Her toes dug into the grass and gravel. Nothing separated her from the drop. Nothing but air and wind.

Then the fear clamped a fist around her heart once more, this time tighter, with the force of a thousand men. She took a step back, then another, and slammed her back into a wall.

Except it wasn
’
t a wall. It was him. The man she knew but didn
’
t.

If she could only think more clearly
…

He grabbed her arms and whirled her around. Adrenaline surged, pumping her blood so all she could hear was the roar. And after daring to look into his ice-blue eyes, she knew her time on earth was done. He
’
d gone mad. Fury he
’
d yet to fully unleash tethered. Wavered.

Snapped.

Ava
’
s eyes flew open as air rushed back into her lungs with a painful whoosh. She blinked away the fog and recognized her bedroom instantly, but that did little to calm her heart rate. Realizing she was fisting the comforter, she let go to rub the pressure in her chest. With the dream still lingering in the back of her mind, she sucked in another breath and glanced out her bedroom window. The golden rays streaming through did little to warm her. She rolled to sit, the quaking making the effort take two attempts.

Exhaustion. It had to be.

A glance at her alarm told her it was nine in the morning, which meant she
’
d gotten only four hours of sleep. If her life
’
s dream didn
’
t hinge on this investigation, she
’
d call it quits. In four days the crew would be taking their brief holiday leave. She
’
d catch up on sleep while they were away. Until then, she
’
d get through. Put on her big-girl panties and do what needed to be done. There was no other choice.

She showered, dressed, and made it downstairs before the others, all but Paul who sat at her kitchen island sipping coffee.

“
Morning,
”
he said.
“
Hope it
’
s okay I started a pot.
”

“
Of course.
”
She forced a smile. She poured herself a cup and joined him.
“
How was the hideaway bed?
”

“
I
’
d hate to hurt your feelings.
”

She laughed, surprised she could even do that.
“
No offense taken. The couch in the library pulls out into a sleeper if you
’
d like to try that.
”

“
Naw. Thanks, though.
”

Kerry stumbled in a while later looking like she
’
d gone a round in a zombie apocalypse. She plopped on the stool next to Paul and rested her head on the counter, her blonde hair fanning her face.
“
Headache juju, Paul. Pretty please.
”

“
Headache juju?
”

One corner of Paul
’
s mouth turned up.
“
She gets these headaches that border on migraines. Claims me rubbing her head helps.
”
He began massaging the back of Kerry
’
s head, his long fingers kneading down to her neck and back to the crown. Kerry groaned and Paul
’
s smile spread.

Ava watched them in silence. Kerry was a striking beauty, not that Ava could see her face just now. But she could easily sport the cover of any magazine with her huge green eyes and sweet, girl-next-door smile. She had a willowy frame and tanned skin, which radiated an angel-like persona to a casual observer. Paul, for his scholarly appearance, had a nice body, toned and paler than Kerry’s. His shoulders and biceps strained against his tee as he continued his
“
headache juju.
”
He had quiet, naughty professor written all over him.

Her girl bits didn
’
t clench thinking about Paul the way they did with Jackson. The two men couldn
’
t be any more different, in fact. Where Jackson was all alpha, Paul was more
…
beta. Usually, Ava went for guys like Paul. Understated, reserved.

Not that it was any of her business, but she could tell he had a thing for Kerry. Of course, she didn’t know how long or how deep his feelings ran, but Paul let the affection and admiration shine through his gaze when he thought Kerry wasn’t looking. Yeah, those two were just a matter of time.

No one had ever looked at Ava like the way Paul was looking at Kerry. It made the hollow ache inside her chest spread. Sure, she had her parents and Casey, but a bottle of Tylenol was a meager comparison to Paul
’
s headache juju. The books she read for company weren
’
t the same as friendly chatter and banter. No one knew her, the real her, even half as well as the
Phantoms
crew knew one another.

She sipped her coffee, trying to ignore the ache.

Jackson strolled in the kitchen looking fresh and irritatingly handsome in faded cords and a black crew. His hair was still damp from his shower and he hadn’
t bothered to shave. She gestured to the coffeepot without speaking.

“
Headache juju?
”
he asked, pulling up a stool.

“
Yep. Good morning,
”
Kerry mumbled from under her hair.
“
That
’
s good, Paul. Thanks.
”

With a sudden yearning, she wanted Jackson’s hands on her. After their conversation a few nights ago, he had, in fact, backed off. He hadn
’
t touched her or attempted another smoldering kiss. She didn
’
t know whether to feel bereft or relieved.

“
I had another dream.
”
She focused on her cup, feeling his eyes on her, but she did her best to ignore him.
“
I saw his face this time.
”
She went on to tell the rest of what she remembered.

“
If you saw a picture, could you place him?
”
Paul was wired now, obviously on to an idea.

She shivered.
“
Needless to say, I won
’
t forget his face.
”

“
I can
’
t believe we didn
’
t think of this. You have family photos in your parlor, some dating back to the late 1800s. Maybe the man you see is in there or in one of the albums.
”

Ava shook her head.
“
The original Trumbles and Kerricks predated photography. Peter Trumble tore down the Kerrick house right after they left to return to England. In my dream, both houses are there. Besides, I don
’
t have Kerrick pictures. If we
’
re to take this dream seriously, the man we
’
re looking for wouldn
’
t be in photos.
”

“
And by process of elimination, he has to be John Kerrick,
”
Kerry said.
“
Sarah didn
’
t have any brothers. John was the only man in that house.
”

“
Not necessarily,
”
Jackson supplied.
“
John Kerrick was meeting with a man in secret. It could be him Ava
’
s seeing.
”

Paul
’
s grin was sly.
“
No pictures, but there might be illustrations. Wealthy families would have likenesses painted or drawn. I might be able to find some.
”
He stood, energy seeping in waves.
“
I need your computer.
”

Ava waved her hand.
“
Be my guest.
”

Paul tore from the room, only to poke his head back in seconds later.
“
Go through your albums anyway. You never know.
”
And he was gone again.

Kerry shook her head.
“
His enthusiasm this early in the morning is criminal.
”

Chapter Thirteen

“
We
’
ve tried getting Jackson to rile the spirits,
”
Sammy said, clearly frustrated. They hadn
’
t had any activity in three nights now.
“
We tried having Ava tell them about losing the house. Nothing
’
s working.
”

Jackson folded his hands on the dining room table, thinking they hadn’
t had activity since he
’
d backed away from acting on his attraction to Ava. Maybe the spirits sensed their tension.
“
We need to try Ava
’
s idea. Leave us alone without a camera.
”
They
’
d held off on doing that, wanting to try other things first, but it was time to attempt something new.

Sammy sighed.
“
Okay, let
’
s do it.
”

“
I
’
ve been thinking,
”
Kerry said.
“
Ava
’
s dreams are focused outside by the cliffs. It wouldn
’
t hurt to put her out there.
”

He and Sammy exchanged a look, then sought Ava for a response.

She shrugged.
“
I told you, whatever you want. I
’
m game.
”

Though there was a four-foot stone wall separating her yard from the cliffs, it still made him nervous. If she got too close, or she slipped into another episode, she could plummet. He pictured her, arms reaching for him in a free fall, the wind tearing at her hair, her eyes wide with panic
…

“
Bugger,
”
he mumbled and scrubbed his face.
“
She
’
s not going out alone.
”

“
But Jackson
—”

The irritation in her voice was no match for what reared inside him.
“
I said not alone. Period.
”
He looked into her eyes and prepared for the sucker punch they always gave him. Refusing himself the pleasure of those grayish eyes with the fascinating navy outer rim did nothing to alleviate his want. Avoiding her only made the desire stronger. Fiercer.

She must
’
ve sensed part of his determination because she made no attempt to fight. Normally he
’
d love to square off with her, but not on this. Not on what could be her life. He didn
’
t know why, but he was restless. Like something bad was coming, building. At first he just thought it was the irrational need to protect her or the even more irrational connection they shared. But no. It was more.

“
Why don
’
t we investigate outside tonight? Together,
”
he said, softening his tone. The eyes of his team were on him, probably wondering where their relaxed, comical leader had gone. He wondered the same thing. Never one to bear such intensity, he didn
’
t feel like himself. Shaking it off, he looked at Tom, their cameraman.
“
You can film us from the window. We
’
ll take a digital recorder for audio.
”

Sammy
’
s mouth thinned.
“
Kerry and I will take the parlor. Now that the journal is out, maybe we
’
ll get a hit.
”

Ava had picked up the display case for the journal in town earlier that afternoon. From a distance, he
’
d had watched her delicately place the aged pages inside and secure the case to the stand. She
’
d set it in the parlor away from the window where light couldn
’
t do damage. He
’
d then stood and watched her, unnoticed from the other room, for the next half hour as she paged through photo albums. By her expression, she didn
’
t recognize the man from her dream.

They donned their coats and hats while the others prepared for their investigations. Stepping outside into the biting wind, he grabbed Ava
’
s hand.
“
Please, don
’
t get too close to the cliff ledge. For me,
”
he added when she just stared at him.

She nodded and they made their way across the lawn. Frozen leaves crunched beneath his feet as he surveyed their surroundings. To the left, on the other side of the stone wall, the Trumble private cemetery lay quiet. A hundred yards ahead was the cliff wall where a couple of iron café tables were placed between two massive oaks. Salty brine clung to the breeze, barely masking her clean linen scent.

His hands shook when he set the digital recorder down on the table and turned toward the house. From the doorway, Tom had his camera perched on his shoulder, ready to roll. Jackson nodded and turned to Ava.
“
I
’
m going to sit on the bench over there, out of view.
”

“
What do I do?
”

The tremor in her voice had his throat closing. He cleared it as red waves of her silky hair caught the wind from under her cap, brushing her shoulder. She looked pale in the moonlight and he could make out her freckles with clarity. Her teeth were working that lower lip again. He was ten kinds a fool to think he could keep away.

Focusing on her question and soothing her tension, he grinned to disarm her nerves.
“
Just do what you
’
ve been doing, luv. Talk to them. Ask questions. Be yourself. I
’
ll be right over there.
”
Should you need me or want me
.

She straightened her resilient spine and lifted her chin, forcing another grin from his mouth. She had so much more character and heart than any other woman he’d been with. He’d done that on purpose, he realized. Chosen women he couldn’t get attached to, or which he had no personal investment. It was safer. A drifter like him couldn’t offer more. Except, was that what he really wanted, to keep traveling through the world like a vagabond, leaving no mark? Perhaps the restlessness inside him would ease if he stopped moving. Maybe he’d find peace.

Ava was maternal and warm. A sweet welcome to the constant stream of strangers. Her quick wit and fiery drive never ceased to amaze him. He could spend an eternity just listening to her voice, watching her work her magic in the kitchen. It hit him too hard that maybe he was just waiting for her all along. If he was being honest, he could settle for no less than her if it meant finally standing still.

And this house. This town. At first, the mansion and its inhabitants wanted him out, even with the strong sense of home that still lodged deep in his chest. But things started shifting as of late. Instead of the urge to bolt, it seemed like the house wrapped its arms around him and offered solace. Begged him to stay. People said hello to him on the street, asked how his day went. There was fresh air and breathing room. And God, you couldn’t fault the view.

Ava turned to face the cliff, jarring him out of his own head. He’d never entertained such dreams of his own, best not start now. He seated himself a few yards away and she rolled her shoulders.

“
I
’
m having dreams about you,
”
she said into the night, over the roar of wind and surf.
“
Are you trying to tell me something?
”
She kept her gaze trained over the rough Atlantic and continued.
“
Who
’
s the man I
’
m seeing? Please, I need to know your name. I
—”
She stammered and he surged to his feet.
“
I might lose the house.
”

Weariness and misery were etched in those few words. They pierced his heart. He fought the urge to walk closer, but he sensed she needed to do this alone. After several moments, she pulled a chair out from under the table and sat down. Fingers clutched in her lap, she leaned back as if settling in.

“
Do you know me? I wonder why you
’
re still here. Is it because you love this place as much as me? Are you searching for something?
”
She set her elbow on the table and her head in her hand. She mumbled something he couldn
’
t hear before raising her face again.
“
Tell me who you are.
”

Jackson fisted his hands, aching to touch her. To soothe that empty note in her voice. The gleam in her eyes from unshed tears tore at him. This place he
’
d never been, this woman he barely knew, was bringing out emotions and needs he didn
’
t recognize. Couldn
’
t put a name to if his life depended on it. Perhaps he never bothered to allow them to surface, to feel, focusing instead on school or work or friends to drown his own desires. Truth was, before now he didn
’
t know what he wanted, not from life, with work, or in his personal life. Ava tugged at that truth, made him expose himself for the shadow he
’
d become.

And hell, with her he didn
’
t feel like a shadow.

After some time, she clicked off the recorder and turned to him with a shrug.
“
I tried.
”

He forced his feet to move.
“
You were wonderful.
”
He straightened the lapels of her blue pea coat, the same shade as the navy in her eyes, and smiled.
“
Shall we stroll through the cemetery next?
”

Her gaze darted in that direction, but he couldn
’
t read her reaction.
“
Sure,
”
she said at length.
“
Nothing like a moonlit stroll between headstones to lighten one
’
s mood.
”

He laughed and lifted the walkie.
“
Ava and Jackson heading to the cemetery. Tom, come out and follow us, would you?
”

They waited until Tom had joined them, camera at the ready, before walking to the north wall. There wasn
’
t a gate, so Jackson set his hands atop the wall and hopped over before reaching his hand out to assist her. She stepped on a rock to get leverage and rose up, set her bottom down, then straddled the wall. He stared at her denim-clad legs, thighs clutching the wall, and envisioned those legs wrapped around his waist as he pumped inside her tight, liquid heat. His pants shrunk on the spot.

Remembering the camera was on them, he clamped down the desire to slide his hand up her thigh. As if reading his thoughts, her gaze darted to his and swiftly away. She swung the other leg over and jumped down. Except he was right there to catch her and every glorious inch of her sweet, sweet curves slid down his front until her feet reached the ground and their bodies were in perfect alignment. His hands dropped to her hips.

Tom
’
s camera dinged off.
“
Jackson, hold this a sec, would ya?
”

Jackson held out his hand without taking his eyes off Ava. The weight of the camera barely registered when Tom passed it over. He was too busy focusing on his other hand sliding up her waist and under her coat to pay much heed. He took an involuntary step forward, their breaths mingling as they shared the same air. And suddenly, the seaside temperature wasn
’
t so bitter. Heat spread from his belly out, down, until his skin was dowsed in flame. Her cheeks were pink, from the cold or the heat, he didn
’
t know. He leaned in and her lashes lowered, a gasp exiting that perfect little mouth he wanted to devour.

“
Do I need to set the hose on you guys?
”

She stiffened in his arms, and he took a second more to hold her before stepping away, the cold returning.

He looked at Tom
’
s wry smile.
“
A hose wouldn
’
t douse this,
”
he mumbled and handed back the camera.

In silence they walked between the rows of headstones, and he was very careful not to touch her again. Some of the graves closer to the cliffs dated back to the 1800s. They kept going until reaching the last row where Ava hunkered down.

“
This is Peter Trumble
’
s grave.” She brushed aside some dried leaves to reveal the faded carvings.

There wasn
’
t much to it, really. Just the man
’
s name and the day he died. But below his name, the phrase,
I will walk this earth for all eternity until you are in my arms once more
, was carved.

“
Apparently that was the last thing he said before he died. The headstone was replaced in 1910, as were all the ones in this row, but they made sure the quote transferred over.
”

She stepped to her right and crouched down to swipe the leaves off another headstone. This one had the same characteristics of Peter
’
s headstone, but bore the name Sarah Jane Kerrick. No date of death, just the word,
Lost
, below her name.

“
Of course, she
’
s not buried here. Peter had the original headstone erected when his parents died, and left explicit instructions that he be buried right next to her stone.
”

Didn
’
t sound like a man who killed a woman for treason or betrayal. He wondered if Peter
’
s love for Sarah carried over into his afterlife, determined to endlessly walk the halls of Trumble Mansion until he found her. He tried to wrap his mind around loving someone that deeply. He tried to force words from his throat, but nothing would form.

Ava brushed the dirt and grass off her knees and pointed.
“
The more recent plots are toward the road. Did you want to head that way?
”