“Son, I’m not so sure law enforcement needs someone like you in it.”
Will whistled. “Chief, that’s kind of harsh, isn’t it? I mean technically he didn’t break the law.”
“Everybody out,” Clark ordered.
Will grasped Ken’s shoulder and shuffled him toward the door. The teenager hung his head as he walked, and I watched him leave. I hoped it was youth and not a flawed character that was Ken’s problem. Nothing else could be done or said on his behalf, and at least we knew Sadie hadn’t been murdered and the case could be closed. That left the mystery of the dead man in the woods.
Chapter Eighteen
“Peter Jenkins,” I read, leaning over Clark’s desk. After he had ordered me and everyone else out of his office with the Ken situation, he would not hear a word regarding my need to know who the dead man was. So, I had had to break into his office after he’d gone to locate the information for myself. When I say “break in” of course I mean I planned to walk through the wall. The problem was I had to solidify at least my hands in order to open file drawers, but I didn’t have a key. At the last minute, Ian had offered to come along with me, and I had accepted the help.
“Do you recognize the name?” Ian asked, and I shook my head.
“No, never heard of him before. Nor do I think I know anyone in Idaho, which is where he’s from. Why would he come to Summit’s Edge, North Carolina?”
“I say we go find out.”
I started in surprise at the voice and turned to see Isabelle in the doorway. She smiled and walked in, then shut the door behind her.
“Oh, no, Isabelle,” I cried, moving toward her. “Now they will know we’re here.”
She winked at me. “They won’t. I mastered a new spell. No one knows I’m here except you two. I can’t believe I pulled it off. I’m so proud of myself. Sleepless nights pay off.”
“You’re saying you…” I let my words trail off and looked at Ian. He didn’t appear to be surprised at Isabelle’s presence, but he did seem annoyed by it. Unless I missed my guess, her speaking of spells didn’t rattle him. “You know, don’t you?”
He shrugged and tucked his hands into his pockets.
“You two knew about each other all along,” I said.
“Does it matter, Liberty?”
I admit I felt a bit put out and maybe jealous. “Are you friends?”
Isabelle chuckled. “Don’t be silly. A vampire and a witch. No, we aren’t friends.”
“I do not like witches,” Ian said, staring at Isabelle. She preened as if he admired her. I think she might have been high on her success with the spell. Ian seemed intent on popping her happy bubble. “This is one of the ones I warned you about, Liberty.”
I knew what he meant—the banishing—but I wasn’t afraid of Isabelle. I believed she was on my side, and if neither of them liked each other, well I would figure out a way to deal with it. Ignoring Ian’s statement, I said to Isabelle, “What did you mean when you said we should go find out who Peter Jenkins is?”
“Just what I said,” she insisted. “You and I should go to Idaho to look into who this man is and what connection he has to you. We can’t expect Clark to do it because then we would have to tell him why we’re so interested.”
I agreed. “Then if he finds any connection to me…. I need to figure this out before the police do.”
“Exactly!” Isabelle clapped her hands. “I have some time off, and I was thinking of giving my notice soon anyway. Remember the shop?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve entered into negotiations, and I think Ken’s parents want to finish our business quickly. They want to get away from Summit’s Edge as soon as possible. I’m thinking they won’t be back, and neither will Ken.”
“I have to agree with you there. I feel so sorry for the family.” I thought over her suggestion, and it made sense to me. “Did you know?”
Isabelle eyed Ian with caution and then focused on me again. “Know what?”
I couldn’t help the groan that escaped me. “I’m out of a job again.”
“No!”
“Yes. Mayor Walsh has decided she’s not going to take the position back when her name is cleared. She said she’s going to sell the hardware store and leave Summit’s Edge.”
“Goodness, you’re kidding.” Isabelle touched a hand to her lips. “Well, this works out for us, doesn’t it? There’s no boss to hold you back?”
“There’s no money either. I do have a son I have to look after.”
Isabelle grasped me by my upper arms and looked into my eyes. A warm emotion came over me that she no longer avoided making contact. I assumed she would the next time she needed to conserve energy, but it felt like we had formed a friendship.
“Libby, you have to think about the future. Will you be able to stay with Jake as you are now? Probably not. You won’t age, and as good as you’ve been at hiding your secret, you can’t guarantee forever. Think of it as a short separation to gain forever.”
No one could promise I could live forever, but I understood what she meant. To think of leaving Jake while I traveled to Idaho hurt, and I felt like I’d continue to be selfish to ask Monica to watch him. I wasn’t sure I could do it or even if she would agree.
“Let me think about it, okay?”
Isabelle smiled. “Not too long. Remember, we have to stay ahead of Clark and the police in Idaho.”
“Of course.”
After examining all the notes and reports Clark had on Peter Jenkins, which wasn’t much, the three of us left his office. I departed from Isabelle with a promise to contact her and traveled at a blink of time to Ian’s house. He joined me moments after I arrived, and I poured him a glass of blood from the decanter he had on the server. I should not get used to this sort of thing.
Ian’s fingers brushed mine as I handed him his glass. I longed to feel him, but the emotional response of the action was enough. We sat in silence, him in his chair and I in mine. After some time, he spoke.
“I am not sure about your plan, Liberty,” he began.
“Don’t.”
He fell silent.
“I know you don’t like her, and maybe you don’t agree with how I want to go about this, but just let me, Ian. I can’t sit back and do nothing. Trust me, it kills me to even imagine leaving Jake, but I had planned to—” I bit my lip.
“What had you planned?”
“Nothing. Don’t worry about it.” I couldn’t tell him now I had planned to leave on a permanent basis. Now, hope existed where there had been none. I had a clue I could explore.
He inclined his head, and I sighed in relief. “Do you have family in Idaho?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Mama always told me my daddy died in an accident before he knew she was pregnant with me. She had no other family, and we moved here when I was a baby.”
“From where?”
I realized I had no idea where we were from originally. Mama never talked much about her family or her past. She was such a sweet soul and an attentive parent, I had never felt a need to know more or want more. “I don’t know.”
We speculated on the possibilities, and then I forgot everything when he held his hand out. I took it, and he encouraged me to sit on his lap. What was I, a ghost, doing sitting on a man’s lap? A vampire at that. I didn’t know. Nor did I care. I might not feel Ian, but there was a certain amount of satisfaction just being close to him. Beads of electricity sparked between us, not visible, but they were the only thing I could feel when he touched me. I kind of liked it.
“Ian.”
“Yes?”
His smooth-shaven face was so close to mine. I wanted to reach up and touch it but didn’t dare. I wondered if he had to shave as a vampire or was he already perfect in every way. These facts were more I’d like to learn about him.
“Would you go with me?” I asked.
“I do not get along with witches.”
I frowned. “So you won’t try, just to be with me
?”
“No.”
I climbed off his lap and stood before him. “Honestly, one minute I think I know what you’re thinking, and the next I don’t.”
“I am sorry.”
“You are not.” I sounded like a petulant child and pulled myself together. My level of maturity, however, did not allow me to sit on his lap again. I took my seat opposite him.
“Liberty.”
“What?” I snapped and thought better of it. “Yes?”
“As I stated, I’m not sure of this plan of yours working, but I will watch over your son and your friend to keep them safe while you are gone.”
My heart swelled, and I jumped up to throw myself into his arms. “Thank you,” I whispered. “Thank you so much.”
I hugged him as long as the energy allowed, and then I said good night. While I looked toward the future, I wondered what it held for me and the people I loved. The one fact I was assured of was that ghosts and vampires are not compatible, and knowing it made me very sad indeed.
The End
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Audrey Claire - Libby Grace 02 - How to Blackmail a Ghost Page 14