These Haunts Are Made For Walking (Haunted Tour Guide Mystery Book 1) (25 page)

“A little bit of help over here,” I yelled.

“They won’t help you,” Leslie panted.

Police sirens sounded in the distance and that was when I realized Tammy had been calling for the police. Duh. I should have realized that. It was hard to think when Leslie yanking on my head.

“Get the hell off me,” I said.

“Not a chance,” Leslie said.

Soon tires screeched and Brannon ran toward us. I was sure I looked a complete mess, but this was probably not the time to worry about that. Brannon reached us and pulled Leslie off me. He took her to the ground and handcuffed her.

After he’d marched her over and placed her in the back of his car, he waked over to me. “I must admit that was quite a sight.”

“Are you making fun of me? I was fighting with a killer.” I placed my hands on my hips.

“Why did you come here without me in the first place?” he asked.

“Because I make stupid decisions on a regular basis?” I asked.

“That stupid decision almost got you killed.”

“I’m human, I make mistakes, what can I say?”

He touched my arm. “You can tell me you are okay, that’s what you can say.”

My heart had just started to slow down from the fight but now sped up again.

Brannon explained, “Marion had stolen Leslie’s mother’s idea for a home décor shop. They were supposed to be partners, but Marion had forced her out and taken her money. When Leslie’s mother refused to tell anyone what Marion had done because Marion had threatened her, Leslie vowed revenge.”

“Sorry I didn’t help,” Sue said, “but I didn’t know what to do.”

I waved off her comment. “Think nothing of it.”
So what if I was almost killed and you watched as if it was a fight on the latest episode of
Bad Girls Club.

“Are you okay?” I asked Tammy.

She pushed her hair out of her eyes. “I’m fine. For someone so small you really knocked the wind out of me when you jumped on top.”

Brannon quirked an eyebrow.

“Don’t ask,” I said.

“I’d better talk to the other officers.” Brannon pointed at them.

“I guess we showed Leslie.” Tammy smiled.

I watched the scene with a feeling of accomplishment. “I guess we did.”

After a few minutes, Brannon returned. “I think we’re all wrapped up here.”

I blew the hair out of my eyes. “Good. I’m ready to get out of here.”

“Let me walk you to your car.”

Tammy and I walked with Brannon behind us. I didn’t even look over at Leslie. It still sent a shiver down my spine to know I had been working alongside of her all this time. Tammy jumped in the passenger seat and Brannon opened the door for me and stared at me.

“Thanks for saving us,” I said.

He nodded. “It’s my job.”

I shifted from one foot to the other. “Yes, yes, it is. Well thanks anyway.”

“I may get in trouble for this, but…” In one swift movement Brannon reached out and placed his hands on my face. He planted his lips on mine. At first the wind was knocked right out of me. It took several seconds for me to fully come to turns with what was happening. He moved his sexy lips across mine and my knees went weak. My body relaxed and I didn’t tell him to stop. To be honest, I didn’t want him to stop. I kissed him back. There was an unexpected measure of wildness in his actions.

Finally he stepped back. “I’ll call you.”

As he walked away I stood there breathless and still a little dazed. I managed a smile, but nothing more.

“Told you he liked you,” Tammy said when I collapsed into the car.

“Yeah, maybe it’s not just for my cardigan sweater.”

***

The next day at the library was strange without Leslie there. It was nicer. More relaxed and not as tense. I hadn’t realized how her bad attitude had left a negative vibe over the entire building. Jane Austin was much happier too. She came out of hiding a lot more now.

Tammy and I were working behind the front desk when Sue came in. She looked a little like she hadn’t slept, but otherwise okay. To be honest I hadn’t slept much either. Tammy claimed it was because I was thinking of Brannon. Sure, I liked him, but I hadn’t thought about him all night. Just half the night.

Leslie had been obsessed with Ted Alistair’s books. She’d suggested to Sue that the Book Wormers read the book for their monthly selection. Apparently Leslie had been driven crazy by her mother’s predicament and finally snapped. Leslie had decided to attempt to carry out her own murder mystery by poisoning Marion. But she hadn’t done it like I’d thought, by cupcake or coffee—she’d given Marion candy on the way into the library. That explained why no one else was hurt.

According to Brannon, Leslie had gotten the poison from an acquaintance. I wasn’t sure of the specifics, but it was scary to know that she’d been able to get her hands on it so easily. I guess when she’d made up her mind to carry out the murder as it had been done in the book nothing would have stopped her. Sue was lucky that Leslie hadn’t been successful in getting her to ingest the poison too. Maybe Leslie would have targeted all the Bookwormer women. For some crazy reason, after she killed Marion, she become angry with the other women as well. She’d been leaving them strange messages and that was why I’d seen Katherine, Sue, and Dana speaking with her.

Tammy walked through the door and gave me a pitying smile. “How are you holding up?”

I smiled back. “I’m fine now. It’s a new day at the library and things are looking up.”

Tammy nodded. “You’re right. You know, it does seem a little brighter in here.” She reached for a stack of books. “Of course we will have to hire new assistant.”

I cringed.

“Too soon?” Tammy asked.

“I just hope this one is nothing like Leslie.”

“Odds are we will not get another killer assistant.”

“I should hope not.”

Tammy walked away to put the books away. Annie popped up beside me.

“You startled me,” I said.

Sorry,
she wrote on the screen.
Good job. I knew you could find the killer.

“Thanks for the confidence, Annie. That really means a lot.”

It had been hard to start the new job and even harder when something like that had happened. I was just glad that now we could all put it behind us. Even though the Book Wormers had been unhappy with Marion, she could now be remembered for the good times they’d had and not for her unsolved murder. I’d discovered through a little more research last night that the ghost following me around town had in fact been Marion’s great-grandfather. I guessed he had just wanted to help find the killer. Where he’d gone to now I had no idea.

I like what you’re doing at the library.

I smiled. “That makes me feel even better.”

Jane Austen jumped up beside me and meowed. The cat pawed in the direction of Annie.

“I think she sees you,” I said.

Jane Austen meowed again as if answering me and then jumped down and strolled away. What would Annie say now that the murder had been solved? She’d been so consumed with finding the killer before.

Tammy headed back toward the front, so I wouldn’t be able to talk with Annie much longer. “I can’t talk much now, Annie,” I said.

She smiled softly. The screen on the computer lit up.
It’s time for me to leave.

“What do you mean? Where are you going?”

To the big library in the sky.

I laughed. “Will you come back for visits?”

If you’re good I’ll stop back in on occasion.

I nodded. “That sounds like a good plan. Thank you, Annie, for helping me. Without you I never would have figured out who the killer was.”

Yes, you would have. You didn’t need me.

“But you said I did.”

Even I can be wrong.
She smiled.

Tammy bounced around the corner. “Who are you talking to?”

When I glanced over Annie had disappeared. I wasn’t good at goodbyes anyway. So maybe it was best that she’d left without a final goodbye.

“Uh, no one,” I said.

I had to admit that I was proud of myself for sticking with this job when I could have run back to my ex. I was ready to hang around for the next chapter. Tammy quirked an eyebrow, but didn’t ask again.

“Anyway, we’ll have to place an ad for another assistant,” Tammy said, starting the conversation up where she’d left off.

My computer made a noise and I whipped around to look at the screen. I expected to see a message from Annie, but it was just an email from Mrs. Agnew. Seeing her name made my stomach hurt. I hoped she wasn’t firing me via email. Although I guessed that would be better than the humiliation of doing it in person. I clicked open the email.

Things are looking up at the library. It’s only been a short time, but you’re doing a good job. Please keep it up.

Surprisingly, she had managed to send me an email. Maybe she’d be open to the social media thing after all.

At that moment my phone dinged. I reached for it just knowing that it was a text from Annie. But when I looked at the screen my heart sped up. I didn’t think this text was from Annie. I wasn’t sure who this was from.

I’ll see you on the tour.

I typed out a message to the number asking who the person was, but the message came back as undeliverable. As if the phone number didn’t exist. I looked around for another ghost, but saw nothing unusual. It had to be from another ghost. How else could I explain it? Would another ghost be on the tour tonight?

Movement from my left caught my attention. When I looked up I spotted Brannon standing at the counter right in front of me. I couldn’t help but smile.

“Just wanted to say hi and see how you’re doing.”

After the kiss, I was still confused. Brannon hadn’t mentioned it since it happened and I didn’t know what to say. I settled on, “I’m okay.” That was when I finally decided to ask. “I saw you with your ex at the festival.”

He quirked a brow. “Is that why you were hiding from me?”

I scoffed. “I wasn’t hiding.”

“I saw you run away from the booth.”

I waved my hand. “Oh that? I just had to look for a funnel cake…”

He stared at me as if he wasn’t buying my excuse. Finally, he said, “She came back to town to ask or my forgiveness.”

What were the odds that my ex had done the same thing at the same time. It was like they had coordinated the trips.

“What did you tell her?”

He ran his hand through his hair. “I told her I forgave her.”

I looked away, but didn’t say anything.

“But I also told her that I couldn’t get back together with her in a relationship. That part of my life is over. It has been for some time now.”

I smiled. “I’m happy to hear that.”

“Do you have a tour tonight?” he asked.

“No, not tonight. Mrs. Clatterbuck should be happy about that.”

“I wouldn’t worry about her,” Brannon said.

“She doesn’t want me to disturb the dead.”

His face changed. “You realize that’s because she
is
dead.”

I was sure the color drained from my face. “What? You’re trying to tell me she’s a ghost.”

He nodded. “That’s what I’m saying.”

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?’ I asked.

“I thought you knew.” 

“No, I didn’t.”

He seemed kind of calm about this revelation. “How would you like to go on a little ghost hunt tonight?”

A shadowy mist darted across the room behind him. It looked as if maybe I was going to have to deal with all the ghosts lurking around Devil’s Moon sooner rather than later. At this point I figured I’d better learn more about what I was seeing.

“Sure, I’m game,” I said.

Rose Pressey is a USA Today bestselling author. She enjoys writing quirky and fun novels with a paranormal twist. The paranormal has always captured her interest. The thought of finding answers to the unexplained fascinates her.

When she’s not writing about werewolves, vampires and every other supernatural creature, she loves eating cupcakes with sprinkles, reading, spending time with family, and listening to oldies from the fifties.

Rose suffers from Psoriatic Arthritis and has knee replacements. She might just set the world record for joint replacements. She’s soon having her hips replaced, elbows, and at least one shoulder.

Rose lives in the beautiful commonwealth of Kentucky with her husband, son, and two sassy Chihuahuas.

Visit her online at:

http://www.rosepressey.com

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