The Moonlight (47 page)

The ground beneath, which had not seen the sun in fifty years, was an odd grayish color, and up through it protruded what looked at first like a piece of old crockery, white and smooth, but was in fact the back of a human skull.

A little digging uncovered the rest of the skeleton, but Spolino left the real spade work to Julius Berger and his lab team.  They were at it the rest of the afternoon, and the site had to be closed.  By sundown there were reporters all the way in from New York and a couple of camera crews from the networks.  The developer was furious.

“Did you know this was going to happen?” he demanded of Spolino, who appeared not even to have heard him.  “I might as well shut down the project.  Who’s going to want to rent an office building that’s over a graveyard?”

“One corpse doesn’t exactly make a graveyard,” Spolino answered.  “And this ghost won’t hide out in the third-floor men’s room.  He was never the type.”

Nicholas Guild published his first novel in 1975 and has been writing ever since. His books have been published around the world and several have been international bestsellers. He has written thrillers, historical novels and, most recently, a ghost story. Early in his career he was recognized as a writer of abundant grace, power and technical agility. Publishers Weekly described him as “a master of timing, plot and style.” Phil Thomas, The Associated Press Book Editor, said, “Nicholas Guild writes extremely well. His sentences are tight and well-constructed, and, additional bonus, his plot and sub-plots cannot be faulted.” The Cincinnati Enquirer said, “Guild writes extremely well. He does the flashbacks so well you are unaware the action has stopped and the novelist is filling you in on the character’s past.” The New York Times Book Review said, “The almost languid grace of his writing also sets the measured pace of the storytelling, while wrapping the narrative in an atmosphere thick with sensuality.” 

Visit his website at
http://www.nicholasguild.com