Ghostly Deceits (A Harper Harlow Mystery Book 3) (7 page)

C
ameron Wilkinson’s
death was a thing of beauty. He was stabbed through the heart with an ornate letter opener, his body left at the foot of one of the library ladders. A pool of fake blood cascaded to the floor next to his body and Jared had to swallow his laughter when he saw the horrified look on Trask’s face.

Harper and Jared watched the proceedings with unveiled interest. They positioned themselves at the far side of the room so they could hear and see everything and yet not get in the way.

The murder mystery participants took things seriously. They snapped photos with their cell phones, they looked in the dead man’s pockets, and they scoured every inch of the library for clues.

It was lunchtime when they finally finished, and once Jared and Harper were the only ones left, Cameron Wilkinson climbed up from the ground with little pomp and circumstance and shot Harper a rueful smile. “It pays the bills.”

“I think it looks fun,” Harper said, grinning. “You made an excellent dead man.”

“It’s not my first time,” the man said. “My real name is Hal Baker, by the way. I run the Michigan Mystery Troupe. Josh said you guys are here to observe how things go instead of participate. What do you think so far?”

“I think it looks fun and your presentation was marvelous,” Harper replied.

“It looked pretty real,” Jared agreed, moving closer to Hal so he could study the man’s shirt. “What did you use for blood?”

“It’s a mixture of corn syrup and food coloring,” Hal replied. “It’s sticky and gross – and I have to take a shower before lunch – but it’s fairly believable.”

“I’ll say,” Harper said, glancing closer at the letter opener. “Is that a plastic prop?”

“Nope. It’s the real deal,” Hal said. “It’s about two centuries old. We have a number of pieces we use for this type of thing. I even have an ancient revolver. It doesn’t work, but it’s gorgeous to look at.”

Jared took the letter opener from Hal so he could study it up close. “This thing could be legitimately dangerous if someone isn’t careful,” he said. “Aren’t you worried one of these mystery mavens is accidentally going to flip out and stab someone?”

“Not really,” Hal replied. “It’s never happened before. I don’t know why it would happen now. It’s a prop. The people who come to these things are geeks. They’re not murderers.”

“Ignore him,” Harper said. “He’s a police officer. He sees danger around every corner.”

“Maybe that’s because you keep finding trouble,” Jared shot back.

“I don’t think you’re allowed to talk to me like that after what you said to Josh this morning,” Harper chided. “In fact, I’m going to expect a very long massage in the bathtub tonight if you want to get back in my good graces again.”

“Oh, Heart, you had me at bath,” Jared said, handing the letter opener back to Hal. “I hope you recover from your death quickly, Hal. I have to take my girl to lunch and then I think I’m going to have busy hands.”

Hal chuckled. “I think you’re going to have more fun than I am.”

“I think you’re right,” Jared said.

“
T
HE SKY
is getting dark
,” Harper said two hours later, pointing toward the western skyline and shielding her eyes from the sun. “I think a storm is coming.”

Jared followed her gaze and frowned. Instead of returning to their room after lunch Harper suggested a walk by the water. She loved the lake and wanted to wade for a little bit while they soaked up some rays and shared a few minutes alone. Jared would’ve preferred swimming in their tub, but he refused to be a spoilsport.

“I’ll check my phone for a forecast,” Jared said. “If it’s going to storm, that’s going to make our evening with the mystery freaks really creepy. You just know they’re going to start seeing murderers behind every curtain and crouching in every shadow.”

“It could be fun,” Harper hedged. “Although, I was hoping to spend time on our balcony tonight. We kind of forgot about that part of the plan when we got back to our room last night.”

“Yes, well … that tub is as magical as you are,” Jared said. “It has the ability to distract me in the same manner you do.” Jared didn’t witness Harper rolling her eyes because he was focused on his phone. “I’ve got some bad news for you.”

“I like a storm,” Harper volunteered. “It will cut into our balcony plans, but there’s nothing I love more than a good thunderstorm to cuddle my way through.”

“You’re definitely going to get that,” Jared said. “I think you might get more than that, though. According to this we’re supposed to get almost two full days of storms. They’re supposed to keep rolling in one after the other.”

“It’s the heat and humidity,” Harper said. “That always happens during the summer months. It’s especially bad close to the water.”

“I guess that means we’re going to be doing a lot of cuddling,” Jared said, winking at Harper. “I think I’m up for it, but I might need some motivation.” He suggestively tapped his cheek and Harper rolled up to the balls of her feet and planted a kiss on him.

“Are you happy?” she asked.

“I’m getting there,” Jared said, shoving his phone back in his pocket. “I think the storm is still two hours away.”

“Not according to those clouds,” Harper said.

“We’ll watch them and see,” Jared said. “We’ll have plenty of time to get back to the hotel if it gets darker. For now, you can enjoy your wading.”

Harper smirked as she turned back to the water. She’d been dying to ask Jared a question since his conversation with Linden earlier in the day, but now she wasn’t sure if she should.

She watched as Jared sidled up beside her and dipped his toes into the water.

“That’s cold,” he said.

“It’s refreshing.”

“I think you might secretly be an Eskimo,” Jared said, kicking his toes through the water. He leaned over when something caught his eye and rummaged through the sand with his hand until he came up with a gold necklace. It glinted beneath the sun and Jared studied it with impassioned eyes.

“What’s that?” Harper asked.

“It’s a necklace,” Jared said, trying to open the hinged heart. “It’s a locket.”

“Don’t do that,” Harper said. “You might break it. You should give it to someone at the hotel and see if anyone lost it.”

“That’s a good idea,” Jared said, shoving the locket into his pocket. “It’s probably old or something, but it can’t hurt to ask.”

“Hmm,” Harper said, returning to her previous thoughts.

“What are you thinking?” Jared asked.

Harper swiveled quickly and plastered an innocent look on her face. “I’m not thinking about anything but how nice the water feels.”

“Don’t lie,” Jared chided. “You’re bad at it and I can tell when you’re thinking about something. Is it the nightmare you had last night?”

Harper scowled. “No,” she said. “You need to let that go. Although … I don’t really want to encourage you, but I remembered something else about my dream.”

“What’s that?”

“I had red hair,” Harper said. “It was a lot longer than my normal hair and it was red and wavy. Well, actually it was more of a blondish red. I think Zander would refer to it as auburn.”

“Okay,” Jared said. “Why is that important?”

“I don’t think I was dreaming about myself,” Harper explained. “I think I was dreaming about someone else.”

“Who?”

Harper shrugged. “I honestly have no idea,” she said. “I probably have murder on the brain because we’re at a murder mystery event. The only reason I’m even telling you what I remembered is because I know you’re worried I’m going to freak out because of what happened with Jim.”

“I’m not worried you’re going to freak out,” Jared clarified. “I want you to know that I’m here if you need to talk and I don’t like it when you have nightmares. There’s a difference. I think all of your dreams should be full of nudity, sex, and me.”

“Ah, well, I’ll get right on that,” Harper deadpanned, trilling as she splashed through the water. “Do you know what we should do when we get home?”

“Hammock?”

Harper chuckled. “I keep telling you that hammock isn’t a verb,” she said. “I’m glad you enjoyed our afternoon hammocking, though. I did, too.”

“I definitely want to do that again,” Jared said. “It’s too bad we couldn’t find a way to put a hammock in that bathtub. Then we’d really have the best of both worlds. We’d be happy forever and never leave.”

“I think snow would force us to leave but … .” Harper broke off, biting her lower lip. The question she so desperately wanted to ask niggled the back of her brain again.

“Tell me what’s on your mind, Harper,” Jared instructed. “I can see you thinking and whatever it is you’re worrying about is big enough that you practically have smoke coming out of your ears.”

“That’s a gross exaggeration.”

“I learned it from Zander,” Jared said. “Talk.”

Harper sighed, resigned. “It’s something you said to Linden,” she admitted. “I didn’t want to ask you about it in front of him – and if you weren’t serious and just making conversation I totally understand – but I want to know if you meant what you said.”

Jared was puzzled. “About what?”

“Do you really think you’ll stay in Whisper Cove?”

“Oh,
that
,” Jared said, his expression softening. “I should’ve realized you were thinking about that. I know I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately.”

“And?”

“I can’t make you any promises, but … I like Whisper Cove,” Jared said. “There are possibilities for me to stay with the local department full-time and still be tasked with the sheriff’s department on certain jobs. That holds some appeal.”

“But?” Harper prodded.

“But I always fancied myself walking gritty streets and solving big crimes every day,” Jared admitted. “That was my dream from when I was a little boy. Now? Well, now I have a new dream. I don’t know how to handle that, though.”

“What’s your new dream?”

“I think you’re fishing for compliments,” Jared teased, wagging a finger.

“I honestly wasn’t,” Harper said. “I want to know what you want.”

“Harper, we haven’t been dating for very long yet,” Jared cautioned. “I like you a lot, but we can’t make a plan for that far down the road. You know that, right?”

Harper made a “well, duh” face and rolled her eyes. “I’m not asking you to commit to me forever,” she said. “I’m asking if you would really consider staying in Whisper Cove. I thought you would always move on to a bigger department.”

“Are you worried that means I’m going to automatically move on from you?” Jared asked.

“I … .” Harper didn’t know how to answer. “I guess I would be lying if I said it had never crossed my mind. I brought it up to Zander and he said you would probably be moving to a job that wasn’t too far away so it wouldn’t really matter.”

“Well, Zander is right,” Jared said. “Whether or not I decide to leave the Whisper Cove Police Department it will have nothing to do with our relationship. I happen to be pretty happy. I hope we’re still happy when it comes time to make a decision. Neither one of us can see the future, though. We’ll have to tough it out.”

“Tough it out?”

“Hey, all of these baths are torture,” Jared said, smiling as he reached for Harper so he could offer her a reassuring hug. “Someone has to do it. I’m taking one for the team.”

“You’re such a hero,” Harper said, laughing as Jared lifted her off the ground and swung her around.

After a few moments of cavorting, Jared lowered Harper, but he didn’t let her go. “If I decide to get another job, you’ll be a part of that decision,” he said. “Don’t worry that I’m going to change my mind on the spur of the moment and walk away from you. That’s not in me.”

“Because you’re a good guy,” Harper supplied, nodding as she pressed her lips together.

“Because I can’t get enough of you,” Jared corrected. “I don’t want to be away from you one second longer than I have to be. That’s not one day. That’s every single day. Sure, some of that can be attributed to the heady early days of a new relationship, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to want to be around you for a good long while.”

“Even if I make fun of your nipples?”

“Even if,” Jared said, tracing the line of her angular jaw. “You make me happy. I hope I make you happy.”

“I haven’t been this happy in a really long time,” Harper said.

“Good.” Jared lowered his mouth and planted a hot kiss on Harper, dragging her as close as he could without absorbing her inside of him. They were lost in the moment, the outside world disappearing, and then someone cleared their throat a few feet away.

Jared shifted his eyes to the garden path and found Josh watching them with an impish grin. “What do you want?”

“Am I interrupting something?” Josh asked, feigning innocence.

“You have the worst timing ever,” Jared said.

“I know,” Josh said, his smile slipping. “I know you’re not going to like this, but I need a favor.”

“Oh, well, great,” Jared muttered. “I can already tell this is going to suck.”

“
W
hy would
I do you a favor after you interrupted me and my girl?” Jared asked, keeping his arm around Harper’s waist as he regarded Josh. “Seriously, I was in a happy, happy place.”

“I saw that,” Josh said. “I waited as long as I could. You guys appeared to be having a deep discussion. Then you swung her around like a high school jock celebrating a touchdown. Then you started making out.

“I was afraid it was going to go further so I had to interrupt you,” he continued. “I’m truly sorry … mostly because I was hoping for nudity.”

“You’re such a pig,” Jared snapped.

“That’s because you encourage him,” Harper said. “What’s going on, Josh? Is something wrong?”

“Yes and no,” Josh replied, tugging a restless hand through his hair. “Did you see the weather report?”

“We noticed the sky,” Jared said, pointing. “The Weather Channel app says the storm is still two hours away but that when it gets here it’s going to be a two-day soaker.”

“It’s technically three different storm systems,” Josh said. “It will have the same outcome, though.”

“You always have to be right, don’t you?”

“Look who’s talking,” Josh shot back. “I really did come down here for a reason – other than spying on you and Harper, that is.”

“What’s the reason?” Jared asked.

“We have a shipment of wine sitting at the dock in New Baltimore,” Josh replied. “It’s supposed to come over with tomorrow’s ferry because we can’t spare someone to pick it up, but if the storm is too bad, there won’t be a ferry.”

“Oh,” Jared said, realization dawning. “You want me to pick it up, don’t you?”

“I know it’s a lot to ask when you’re on vacation with the prettiest girl in the world, but I’m pretty much desperate,” Josh said. “We’re not going to run out of wine tonight, but if the storm does hang on and is as brutal as they say, the ferry won’t be running and we’re going to run out of wine tomorrow.”

“What’s the big deal?” Harper questioned. “You have plenty of other liquor. Can’t they drink something else?”

“I don’t know if you saw that display at the body discovery this morning, but these are not normal people,” Josh said. “Don’t get me wrong, I think they’re funny and endearing. I’ve never seen anything like that in my life, though. They took their investigation very seriously.

“Now, if they take a fake investigation that seriously, what’s going to happen if I run out of red wine?” he asked.

“That’s a very good point,” Jared said, shifting his eyes to Harper. “Can I make it to New Baltimore and back before the storm hits?”

“It shouldn’t be a problem,” Josh said. “You’re going to have to leave now, though.”

“Okay.” Jared moved to walk up the pathway, but Harper grabbed his hand. “What?”

“I’ll come with you.”

“No, you stay here,” Jared said. “The roads might be dodgy and you’re a distraction when the weather is perfect. Besides, I brought my truck. I need to put the crate somewhere so it doesn’t get wet and the easiest place is in the passenger seat.”

“I didn’t think of that,” Harper said. “What if you get lost, though? You don’t know the area very well.”

“It’s right at the dock, Harper,” Josh supplied. “He’ll pull off the ferry, stop at the first building, show the worker the order form I’m going to give him and then pull right back onto the ferry. He shouldn’t be gone more than an hour.”

“I still think I should go,” Harper pressed.

“I think you’re cute when you worry, but you should stay here,” Jared said. “You’re not going to have a lot of time to splash around in the lake. Take the next hour and have your fun, because the only place you’re going to be splashing after that is that tub.”

Harper tried to rein in her smile, but she couldn’t muster the energy. “Do you promise to be careful?”

“I promise,” Jared said, leaning forward so he could give her a soft kiss. “You probably won’t even miss me.”

“I don’t think that’s true,” Harper said. “Be careful, though. Take your time driving back. Don’t rush on my account.”

“You’re the only reason I would rush, Heart,” Jared said, tugging on a strand of her hair. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

“
D
O
you want me to stay out here with you?” Josh asked Harper twenty minutes later, glancing at the darkening sky. “I think the storm is going to get here before the weather forecasters predicted.”

“Jared won’t get stuck in New Baltimore, will he?” Harper asked. “I mean … he’ll get back to this side without a problem, right?”

“It’s rush hour, Harper,” Josh said. “People are coming home from work. If the ferry didn’t transport people, the officials who run the service would never hear the end of it. I promise he’ll come back.”

“I hope so,” Harper said, her tone reflecting worry instead of hope. “You don’t have to wait for me. I’m going to spend five more minutes looking around and then head back.”

“Are you sure?” Josh pressed. “I can wait and walk you back if you’re afraid of being out here alone.”

“You seem to forget I run ghost tours and scare people for a living,” Harper said. “I don’t scare easily. I’ll be fine.”

“I know,” Josh said, unmoved by Harper’s blasé attitude. “Jared wouldn’t forgive me if something happened to you, though.”

“What’s going to happen to me?”

“I don’t know,” Josh said. “What if you fall in the lake and drown?”

“I promise to put my shoes on without dallying and head up,” Harper said, giving in just as the wind started whipping itself into a frenzy. “You need to go up now, though. Your guests are probably worried and they’re going to need someone to corral them.

“In fact, if you’ve hidden clues outside for the game, you might want to collect them now,” she continued. “If you don’t, I think you’re going to lose them.”

“That’s a very good point,” Josh said. “You’ve got fifteen minutes to get your cute little behind up to the hotel. If I don’t see you there in that time, I’m sending out a search party and tattling to Jared when he gets back.”

“That’s not a very adult thing to do.”

“Yes, well, Jared is going to kill me if something happens to you,” Josh replied. “I would rather tattle on you than lose my life. Be quick about this. I honestly think this storm is going to be a doozy.”

“I’m kind of excited,” Harper said. “I love a good storm.”

“Then I think you’re in for a treat.”

J
ARED
was worried
. The ferry officials ushered him onto the platform without hesitation, but the tug didn’t leave on time. Finally, Jared couldn’t take not knowing what was going on so he approached the officials. They had their heads bent together as they studied the choppy waves.

“What’s going on?” Jared asked. “Why aren’t we moving?”

“A storm is coming,” one of the men said. “It’s going to be a big one.”

“I noticed that,” Jared said. “We have time to get to the island, though. If you wait much longer, we might not make it.”

“We’re trying to get as many commuters on the ferry as possible,” the man said. “Whatever happens, this is going to be the last ferry. Once this tug pulls away, everyone on that island is stuck there for tonight – possibly tomorrow, too – and everyone on this side is going to be separated from their loved ones if they need to get over there.”

Harper’s face floated into Jared’s field of vision. “I need to get over there and I’m scared that you’re not going to leave when it’s time. We should leave now.”

“I’ve been doing this fifteen years,” the man said. “We can wait fifteen minutes.”

Jared was frustrated. “If I don’t get back over there my girlfriend is going to be stranded alone.”

“Do you think you’re the only one with that problem?”

“No,” Jared said. “I do think I need to get over there, though.”

“Son, we’re doing the best we can,” the man said. “Get back in your vehicle. The rain is almost here. We’ll leave as soon as humanly possible.”

Jared could only hope that was true. If he was separated from Harper because of this storm, he was definitely going to beat up Josh.

“
W
HAT
is that noise
?” Zander asked, screeching through the phone as Harper pressed it to her ear during the walk back to the Stokes Hotel. “It sounds like you’re in a tornado.”

“You’re not far off,” Harper said. “There’s a huge storm heading this way. You’re safe, right?”

“I’m fine, Harp,” Zander said. She could practically see him rolling his eyes through the phone. “Storms always hit worse on the water than they do on land. Where are you?”

“Walking back to the hotel.”

“In the middle of a storm?”

“It’s not storming yet,” Harper replied. “It will be soon, though. Jared had to go to New Baltimore to pick up a case of wine so we don’t run out and I’m really worried he’s not going to make it back before they shut down the ferry.”

“It’s going to be okay, Harp,” Zander said. “Even if Jared does get stranded, you have your own room and you’re at a fake murder event. It’s not a real one so there’s no reason to get worked up.”

“I’m not worked up.”

“You sound worked up.”

“I might be a little worked up,” Harper conceded after a beat. “It’s not about the storm, though.”

“Okay, I’ll bite,” Zander said. “What’s troubling you?”

“Jared told his friend’s father that he’s considering staying in Whisper Cove no matter what now.” Zander was so quiet on the other end of the phone Harper worried she’d lost him. “Zander?”

“I’m here,” Zander said, recovering quickly. “How do you feel about that? Are you happy?”

“I’m … torn,” Harper said. “On one hand, if he stays in Whisper Cove we’ll be close to one another all the time. I like that. On the other, he’s always dreamed about being a cop in a grittier city.”

“Even if he takes a job in Detroit or Warren, he’ll still be able to commute to Whisper Cove,” Zander pointed out. “It’s not the end of the world.”

“He said that, too,” Harper acknowledged. “The other part that worries me is that he would be safer in Whisper Cove. The past few months notwithstanding, our crime is generally a lot less violent. I don’t want to worry about him not coming home.”

“Because Quinn never came home,” Zander supplied, referring to Harper’s former boyfriend who disappeared after a car accident and was presumed dead. She searched for his ghost for months, convinced he was wandering the countryside looking for peace. She never found him. The police said he lost too much blood and the injuries he sustained would’ve been catastrophic. She knew he was dead. She still worried his spirit was out there.

“I know it’s wrong to say because Quinn was a good guy, but I never cared about him the same way I care about Jared,” Harper said. “It’s early, but … I like him.”

“I know you like him,” Zander said dryly. “Trust me. The whole town knows you like him. He likes you, too. It would be great if he stayed in Whisper Cove. That’s what you want. Why are you worried about this?”

“Because I’m afraid it’s not what he really wants and he’ll end up resenting me if he stays and misses out on his chance to do something bigger,” Harper said.

“Harp, I … .” Zander didn’t get a chance to finish his statement because Harper lost her signal at the same moment a huge bolt of lightning landed in the field across the road from the hotel.

Harper’s eyebrows flew up as she scanned the area, her heart rolling when she saw a figure standing close to the edge of the road. Harper moved in that direction without thinking things through and she was almost on top of the woman before she realized she could see through her.

“Oh, crap,” Harper muttered, staring the ghost down. Up close she was pretty – beautiful even. She had long auburn hair and sad blue eyes. “Are you lost?”

The ghost didn’t respond.

“I can’t stay out here,” Harper said. “The storm is almost here. I’ll come back to help you when it passes. I promise. Where will you be?”

The ghost didn’t speak. Instead she pointed in the direction of the cemetery and Harper shot her a wry smile.

“Of course. You’re in the cemetery.”

A terrific roar of thunder washed over Harper, echoing against the water as the waves beat against the shoreline’s rocky coast.

“I have to go,” Harper said, taking a step back. “I’m sorry. I’ll come back. It’s not safe out here. You’re already dead so that’s not an issue. I will be dead if I don’t get inside right now. I … .” Harper jolted when another rumble of thunder shook the ground. “I have to go.”

Harper was ready to run when she swiveled, pulling up short when she saw Josh standing behind her. “You scared the crap out of me,” she hissed, slapping his arm. “That was not funny. What are you doing out here?”

“Looking for you!”

“Oh.”

“Who were you talking to?” Josh asked, his eyes busy as they focused on the empty spot the ghost stood moments before.

“Um … myself?” Harper had no idea how to answer.

“I think you and I need to have a talk.”