Ghostly Endeavor
A Harper Harlow Mystery Book 19
Lily Harper Hart
HarperHart Publications
Copyright © 2021 by Lily Harper Hart
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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Contents
1. One
2. Two
3. Three
4. Four
5. Five
6. Six
7. Seven
8. Eight
9. Nine
10. Ten
11. Eleven
12. Twelve
13. Thirteen
14. Fourteen
15. Fifteen
16. Sixteen
17. Seventeen
18. Eighteen
19. Nineteen
Mail List
About the Author
Books by Lily Harper Hart
Books by Amanda M. Lee
1
One
“I think we should change the name.” Zander Pritchett, his dark hair gleaming, fixed his best friend Harper Harlow with a pointed look from across the table. He’d been excitable over the past few days, and while Harper was used to it, her husband Jared Monroe was less enthusiastic.
“Eat your breadstick,” Jared ordered as he perused the specials menu. The foursome — Zander’s fiancé Shawn Donovan was with them — had opted to go out for dinner as a group and Jared was already regretting the decision.
“I’m off carbs,” Zander shot back. “I’m getting married in a few months. I can’t have carbs before the wedding.”
“Says who?” Harper challenged, her mouth already full of bread.
Jared shot her a fond smile. The fact that she talked with her mouth full of food wasn’t a turnoff. Of course, they’d only been married a few weeks. He was still basking in the wedding afterglow. Nothing – absolutely nothing – was a turnoff as far as he was concerned. “I love you,” he crooned.
Confused, Harper fixed her sea-blue eyes on him. “I love you, too. What was that for?”
“No reason.” Jared shook his head and went back to studying the menu. “Jason has prime rib tonight. I think I’m going big for dinner. I might even get two baked potatoes because I love carbs.”
Zander shot the Whisper Cove Police Detective a dirty look. “Go ahead and eat your two potatoes. When your looks — and waistline — go in five years, don’t come crying to me.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Jared said dryly. “They have that chocolate cake you love with the little chocolate chips, too, Harper.”
“I know what I’m getting.” Harper was in a particularly good mood. “Prime rib and chocolate cake. I think that’s pretty much my version of Heaven.”
“I’m in there with you, right?” Jared demanded.
“Of course.” Harper bobbed her head. “You’re the one holding the chocolate cake.”
He snorted. “I knew I would be in there somewhere.”
She leaned close and batted her eyelashes. “You’re naked, too.”
He smirked. “I think we should eat fast and then head home early. I believe it’s going to be an early night for us.”
Zander’s eye roll was pronounced. “Oh, you guys have been taking early evenings all week. Ever since we got back from our trip to Salem you’ve been going to bed early because you’re ‘tired.’” He used the appropriate air quotes. “Nobody is that tired.”
“Shh.” Jared shot him a quelling look. “I think it’s time for you to be quiet.”
Zander’s eyes momentarily flashed with annoyance, but one look from Shawn had him readjusting. “And I think we should talk about what’s happening tomorrow.”
Jared narrowed his eyes but didn’t argue with the suggestion. Tomorrow was a big day for all of them and he didn’t want to rain on Harper’s parade. “Okay.” He bobbed his head in agreement. “What time do you guys close on the cemetery?”
“Ten o’clock,” Harper replied. She looked calm and yet the way she gripped her menu — her knuckles going white — told Jared she was more excited than she wanted to let on. “We’re doing the closing right at the cemetery, in the office.”
“Well, that will be fun.” Jared gave her an encouraging smile. “Do you want me to be there with you?”
The question caught Harper off guard. “Do you want to be there?”
Her husband hesitated, unsure if he was about to step into a minefield he didn’t see coming. “Um ... I thought you might want some moral support.”
“She has me,” Zander reminded him. “I’m her support.”
“You can’t have too much support.”
“I agree with that,” Shawn said. “Support should come from all sides.”
“Does that mean you’re going to be there with me?” Zander demanded. “I mean ... Harper and I are buying the cemetery together. It’s a joint business venture.”
Shawn recognized Zander’s tone — it often bordered on combative — but he refused to be drawn into a fight simply because his fiancé was nervous and didn’t want to admit it. “Do you want me there? I can rearrange things and be there.”
“I don’t know.” Zander looked to Harper for answers. “Should he be there with us?”
“I think it’s mostly a formality,” Harper replied, ruefully taking the mortgage by the horns … so to speak. “We’re basically just signing the mortgage papers and ownership documents. They said it could take up to an hour but once it’s finished, Zander and I will be the proud owners of the Whisper Cove Cemetery.”
Her eyes sparkled in such a manner that Jared couldn’t stop himself from leaning in and planting a firm kiss on her mouth. “You’re going to make an excellent business owner.”
“Stop that,” Zander hissed, pressing his menu to his chest as he leaned forward, annoyance lighting his eyes. “You’re embarrassing me.”
Jared didn’t know Zander as well as his wife did — they’d grown up together and were joined at the hip — but he’d been around the man long enough to recognize that he was spoiling for a fight. Since Zander had interrupted his honeymoon with Harper a few weeks before, Jared found he was more than willing to engage in said fight. “Do you have a problem with me kissing my wife?”
“I have a problem with you saying ‘my wife’ constantly,” Zander fired back. “She’s not your property. She’s a person.”
“Uh-huh.” Jared shook his head. “I guess that means you’ll be refraining from calling her your best friend nonstop, since that’s basically the same thing.”
“No.” Zander’s annoyance doubled in scope. “That’s different.”
“How?”
Zander worked his jaw. “Because I said so,” he said finally. “Besides, Harper was my best friend long before she was your wife. I have dibs.”
“Of course you do,” Jared muttered under his breath.
Worried, Harper slid her eyes between the two men. They’d been going at each other for days now. Jared remained irritated that Zander finagled a way to take over their honeymoon. Zander was bothered by the fact that Jared put his foot down after they’d solved a mystery and insisted that they separate for the duration of their stay in Salem. Both men were bristling and snarling at one another on a regular basis now that they were home again. Helpless, she turned to Shawn. “How are the wedding plans going?” She was desperate to change the subject.
His heart
going out to her, Shawn lobbed a sympathetic smile toward her and then took control of the conversation. “They’re going okay. We’re having a few philosophical differences regarding the size of the wedding. Also, Zander wants pastel tuxes.”
“Black tuxes are boring,” Zander complained.
“They’re also classic and will look better in photos,” Shawn shot back. “I’m not wearing a tangerine tux. It’s simply not going to happen.”
“Oh, whatever.” Zander rolled his eyes toward Jason Thurman as the restaurant owner approached their table. Jason had gone to high school with Harper and Zander, and even though Zander often had issues with the man, he recognized he needed another ally. “Will you tell them that tangerine tuxes are magical?”
“Tangerine tuxes are magical,” Jason replied, not missing a beat.
For one brief moment Zander thought he’d found someone who could truly see his vision for the wedding. “Thank you.”
“They won’t look like melting ice cream on a hot summer day at all,” Jason drawled in response.
Zander’s eyes narrowed. “Okay, thunder stealer, I think we’re done with this conversation.”
Jason chuckled. He’d long since gotten over worrying about Zander’s moods. “I just wanted to tell you guys that the prime rib is going fast. If you want it, get your orders in now.”
Jared sat straighter in his chair. “We want it.” He gestured between himself and Harper. “We’re going to want some of that chocolate cake later, too, so put that aside.”
“We’re not running low on the cake,” Jason reassured him, his eyes drifting to Shawn. “How about you?”
“I’m going to want the prime rib, too,” Shawn replied.
“Oh, that’s not fair,” Zander lamented. “I can’t be the only one who eats healthy. That’s like pure torture.”
“Then don’t eat healthy,” Shawn suggested. “It’s one night. Live a little.”
“I need to fit into a tux in two months,” Zander shot back. “Don’t you want me to look good for you on our wedding day?”
Shawn knew better than stepping into that one. “I think you’ll be fine. Besides, you always look good. It’s impossible for you to look bad.”
Harper grinned at him. “Nice one.”
Shawn winked in return. “I’m not an idiot.”
“Fine.” Zander let out a long-suffering sigh. “I’ll have the prime rib, too. I’ll just do two workouts later in the week to make up for it.”
“That sounds like a plan.” Jason bobbed his head and signaled a waitress as she passed by. “These guys need four prime ribs with all the fixings.”
The waitress nodded and headed straight for the kitchen.
“So, tell me about the honeymoon,” Jason instructed. “Did you guys have fun?” When he’d first returned to Whisper Cove after years away, he’d hoped to rekindle his high school fling with Harper. She’d already been fully entranced with Jared by that time, however. So, even though he knew he’d always have a soft spot for her, he’d embraced what she shared with Jared because it was the best thing for her. He only regretted his decision occasionally, and mostly when they were being snuggly like they were now.
“It was awesome,” Zander enthused, taking Jason by surprise. “It’s like Halloween year-round in Salem. People wear costumes and they have amazing seafood.”
Confused, Jason drew his eyebrows together. “Um ... .”
“He went with us on our honeymoon,” Jared gritted out to the unasked question.
“Are you being serious?” Jason was flabbergasted … and maybe a little amused.
“I didn’t go with them,” Zander fired back. “I went to a ghost-hunting conference in Salem that just happened to be held the same week as their honeymoon.”
“Oh, well ... .” Jason pursed his lips as he regarded Jared. “How angry were you?”
“Pretty angry,” Jared replied, not missing a beat.
“How angry are you still?”
“Pretty angry.”
“Ah.” Despite the fact that he could read Jared’s mood by the set of his shoulders, Jason couldn’t stop himself from laughing. “I kind of wondered how Zander was going to make it two weeks without Harper. I expected to see him loitering about town and complaining to anybody who would listen about being abandoned. I guess it didn’t quite happen that way.”
“Nope,” Jared agreed, his dark gaze landing on Zander. “It didn’t happen that way.”
Sensing trouble, Harper drew Jason’s gaze to her. “It was the best trip of my life because I was there with Jared. We treated it like separate vacations most of the time, although there were a few joint meals.”
“Yes, they ignored me on the street when they saw me,” Zander drawled. “I’ve never felt so loved.”
“Then don’t take over someone’s honeymoon,” Jared suggested. “If you want to be universally loved, that’s not the way to do it.”
“Hey, I don’t see why you’re so worked up about it,” Zander fired back. “If you want to join us on our honeymoon, you’re more than welcome.”
“No, they’re not,” Shawn countered.
“Don’t worry,” Jared reassured him. “I’m planning a second honeymoon for Harper right here when you guys leave for your honeymoon. We won’t be anywhere near you. There’s nothing to worry about.”
Shawn shot him a thumbs-up. “Good man.”
“What sort of second honeymoon?” Harper asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
“I believe there will be a hammock and fruity cocktails involved,” Jared replied. “The rest is a surprise.”
“Oh.” She beamed at him. “That sounds awesome.”
“Yes, who doesn’t love a vacation in their own backyard?” Zander muttered.
Jared pinned him with a “shut up or die” look.
Hoping to direct the conversation to a safer topic, Jason cleared his throat. “So, I hear you guys are buying the Whisper Cove Cemetery tomorrow? That’s ... weird.”
Harper laughed. “I don’t think it’s that weird. The business runs at a profit and we’re going to be able to take it over for tours and double the business we already do at Ghost Hunters, Inc.”
“Huh.” Jason cocked his head. “I hadn’t really considered it, but that makes sense. You can turn that place into something cool ... and probably with very little money expended.”
“That’s the plan,” Harper agreed. “We’re even going to move the GHI office there so we don’t have to keep up the lease we already have. The money we save on the lease covers the monthly mortgage payments.”
“That’s smart.” Jason grinned at her. “Do you know what you should do? Once you’re settled and have time, you should have brochures made up that tout the ghost tours. You can put them on display here and when people come for dinner, they can take a brochure.”
“Really?” Harper sat straighter in her chair. “Thank you so much.”
“Hey!” Zander’s eyes flashed with annoyance. “That was my idea first.”
“Your idea was to put brochures in the grocery store,” Jared fired back. “Jason’s idea is better because tourists actually come here.”
“Oh, I’m done talking to you.” Zander raised his hand so he could block Jared’s face from his view. “There’s one thing we need to talk about, Harp. I brought it up before your husband turned the conversation to something ugly.” He said the word “husband” like another individual might say “cow manure.”
“I don’t remember what we were talking about,” Harper countered, confusion lining her features. “All I remember is the tangerine tuxes.”
“Which are a brilliant idea, and I haven’t given up on them,” Zander insisted. “That’s a conversation for another time, though.”
“Definitely,” Shawn agreed. “That’s a conversation for twenty years from now, when you’ll have worn me down and made it so I no longer care about having taste.”
Zander rolled his eyes but refused to be drawn into yet a
nother fight. “I think we should change the name of the cemetery.”
Harper was taken aback. “What?”
“Why?” Jared interjected. “Is there something wrong with the cemetery’s name?”
“Yes.” Zander bobbed his head. “It’s boring. I mean ... the Whisper Cove Cemetery? What’s that about?”
“This is Whisper Cove and it has one cemetery,” Jason replied, not missing a beat. “I think that’s pretty straight forward.”
The look Zander shot him was withering. “You have zero imagination. You’ve always been the tan crayon in the box.”
“And you’re the human equivalent of a car fart,” Jason shot back. “You’re loud, obnoxious, and something that hangs around far longer than is necessary.”
Harper pressed her lips together. This wasn’t how she’d imagined the dinner going. She’d simply been excited when Jared agreed to a meal with Zander. She wanted things to thaw between the two men. “What did you have in mind for a name?” she asked, hoping to distract Zander.
“Well, I considered Pritchett-Harlow Cemetery for a time,” he started.
“Why would your name go first?” Jared demanded. “Harper is the one who can see and talk to ghosts.”
“But I’m the brains of the operation,” Zander replied.
“Oh, whatever.” Jared shook his head. “Harper, do not let him talk you into anything you’re not comfortable with. He just wants to make this all about him.”
“Wrong-o, Pong-o,” Zander shot back. “I want this business to be a winner, to the point where we can all take monthlong vacations in the winter and not have to budget for the trips. I mean ... doesn’t the idea of having the month of January off to spend on a sandy beach appeal to you?”
Ghostly Endeavor (A Harper Harlow Mystery Book 19) Page 1