“I … go away.” The clerk was clearly agitated and Harper had to hide her smile as she approached Hayley. She recognized the clerk and she wasn’t exactly thrilled to see him. “Hey, Ted.”
Ted Kramer was a former classmate and Harper and Zander hated the creepy whiner from the first moment they met him – which happened to be kindergarten. Their dislike only grew throughout the years, and by the time they graduated from high school Zander hated Ted more than Crocs, which was saying something because Zander was convinced Satan himself invented Crocs.
“Harper. Zander.” Ted’s eyes flashed as he looked over the new arrivals. “What are you doing here? Surely you’re not looking for a room.”
“Not in this bedbug infested place,” Zander replied airily.
“Don’t say things like that!” Ted snapped, wagging a finger. “I could have you arrested for libel.”
“Libel is written,” Harper offered.
“Then I could have you arrested for slander,” Ted sneered.
“Only if it’s untrue and something tells me it isn’t because you’re here,” Zander shot back, turning his attention to Hayley. “The password is Harlequin123 … no spaces.”
Hayley widened her eyes. “How do you know that?”
“Yeah, how do you know that?” Ted asked, suspicious.
“Because the hotel’s name is Harlequin and you have the imagination of a colorblind nun,” Zander fired back. “Good grief.”
Harper bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing as she collected herself. “Hayley, this is my best friend Zander,” she said after a beat. “We were downtown hanging out and thought we might check in and see how you were doing.”
“Well, I’m doing much better now.” Hayley cast a weighted look in Ted’s direction. “I can’t wait to start telling guests who are checking in about the bedbugs.”
“Oh, don’t make me spank you,” Ted threatened.
“If you spank me then I’ll have you arrested for being a pervert.” Hayley was overtly defiant and she looked amused when Ted shrank back. “I happen to know a few cops.”
“So do we and something tells me that we can get them to do what we want.” Harper rested her hand on Hayley’s shoulder and led her toward a couch in the middle of the lobby. She waited until everyone was settled to begin speaking again. “How are you doing?”
“I’m okay.” Hayley averted her eyes as she answered the question, making Harper suspicious.
“How is your father? Is he still in the hospital?”
Hayley nodded, solemn. “Mom was hoping that he would be out by now, but the doctor says his tests are still coming back wrong or something, although I’m not sure why because I don’t understand what he’s saying. No one is really talking to me so I only hear things second hand. It’s stupid.”
Harper’s heart went out to the girl. “I’m sure your mother has a lot on her mind. She probably doesn’t realize that you need more information or you’ll imagine bad things happening.”
Hayley widened her eyes. “How did you know I was doing that?”
Harper shrugged. “Zander is my best friend and he does it all of the time. We live together so I know.”
“Hey!” Zander feigned outrage. “I resemble that remark.”
Hayley giggled at the old joke. Harper realized it was probably new to her and offered up a wan smile. “I want to ask about the night of the boat wreck again,” she started.
Hayley widened her eyes, surprised. “I told you what I heard that night. It hasn’t changed. My mother says I’m imagining it … that there wasn’t anyone named Jack there … but I know he was there.”
“I believe you.” Harper forced a smile that she hoped came off as friendly rather than deranged. “Is it possible that Jack was separate from what was happening on the deck?”
“I … what do you mean?”
“Maybe you dreamed about Jack, or he was below deck with you instead of on top of it,” Harper suggested. “That doesn’t mean he wasn’t real, for the most part at least, but maybe Jack wasn’t part of what happened on the deck.”
“I … guess.” Hayley didn’t look convinced. “I don’t think it went down that way, though.”
“Probably not,” Harper conceded. “Still, I was hoping you would think back to that night. Close your eyes, in fact.”
“Okay.” Hayley did as she was asked.
“Take Jack out of the equation,” Harper prodded. “What do you hear when you don’t think of Jack?”
“I … don’t know.” Hayley screwed up her face in concentration. “I honestly don’t know. I … hear voices.”
“Do they belong to your parents?”
“Mom and Dad are there but … they’re not the angry ones.”
“Do you recognize the angry voices?”
“I … maybe.” Hayley slowly opened her eyes, tilting her head to the side as she ran something through her head. “Uncle Chuck, maybe. I can’t be sure.”
Harper swallowed hard. Jared told her about Chuck Detmer and his gambling issues. Something occurred to her. “When was the last time you saw your uncle?”
“It’s been a long time,” Hayley replied. “Mom doesn’t let him in the house. She says he’s dangerous even though I think he’s nice. In fact, I think Mom is kind of mean to him but … .” Whatever Hayley was about to say died on her lips as she hastily got to her feet.
Harper jerked her head to the spot where Hayley stared and locked gazes with a furious Jessica Reiter. “Mrs. Reiter, it’s good to see you.” Harper rubbed her hands on her shorts to make sure they were clean and extended the right in greeting. “We didn’t really get a chance to talk before. I’m Harper Harlow.”
“I know who you are,” Jessica spat, grabbing Hayley’s arm. “You’re the one putting crazy ideas in my daughter’s head.”
“No,” Harper protested. “I simply asked her what she heard the night of the boat incident.”
“Yes, well, you’re not part of this situation.”
“Mom, she’s trying to be nice,” Hayley whined. “She was just talking to me.”
“She’s done talking to you.” Jessica was firm as she stared down Harper. “I’m thankful for what you did for my daughter the night of the accident. I really am and I need you to know that. I cannot have you confusing Hayley right now, though. We have a lot on our plate and our family is going through something.”
“I wasn’t trying to make things worse,” Harper offered. “I just thought … .”
“It doesn’t matter what you thought.” Jessica cut Harper off with a wave of her hand. “This is my daughter. That was my boat. This situation is under my jurisdiction. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“You’re saying you don’t want me to visit Hayley again,” Harper answered softly.
“What? No!” Hayley jerked against her mother’s grip but failed to free herself. “You can’t do that!”
“I can do exactly that,” Jessica snapped, pulling Hayley toward the elevator. “I am your mother. You’re not to have anything to do with that woman again, Hayley. Do you understand?”
“But … .”
“No!”
The elevator doors dinged and Harper watched, helpless, as Jessica dragged Hayley inside. “Don’t come here again, Ms. Harlow,” Jessica said. “I’ll be forced to call the police if you do.”
With those words the elevator doors slid closed and Harper was left with nothing but worry and regret as Zander slid an accusatory look in Ted’s direction. The concierge had the grace to appear busy, but Zander knew better.
“You called her, didn’t you?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Ted sniffed. “I’m working.”
“Oh, you’re definitely going to be working,” Zander intoned. “Just wait until I get done with you. Then you’ll truly know what working is.”
Ted shifted a blank look to Harper, worried. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Harper shrugged. “I don’t kn
ow, but I’d start running now.”
Ted looked as if he was seriously considering the suggestion.
17
Seventeen
“You did what?”
Jared was furious when he heard how Harper and Zander spent their day. Harper was ready for his rather grim reaction, though, and planned accordingly.
“We got an ice cream cake and fresh red velvet cupcakes,” Harper offered, her expression bright. “We also picked up steaks, Zander is making his world-famous potato salad, and I plan on seducing the crap out of you later.”
Jared blinked three times in rapid succession. “Seriously?”
“Yes.” Harper nodded for emphasis. “I’m willing to wear an outfit.”
“Take her up on that,” Zander suggested. “I’ve always thought she would look like a fabulous stripper if she were inclined to upgrade her lingerie selection.”
Harper balked. “My lingerie is beautiful.”
“Your lingerie is serviceable,” Zander corrected. “You need to really pump up the wow factor if you want to keep Jared interested over the long haul.”
Jared’s mouth dropped open as he glanced between Harper and Zander, dumbfounded. “Seriously?”
“I think he’s lost the ability to form full sentences,” Zander noted, leaning closer to Harper. “That might work to our advantages. Quick, strip down to that new bra-and-panty set you bought this afternoon and maybe you’ll be able to completely skate on the boat trip while he’s shocked and awed by your gumption.”
Harper sighed as Jared’s cheeks flushed with color. “Why do you always have to make things worse, Zander?”
“I never make things worse.”
“You’re making things worse right now.”
“You’re both making things worse right now!” Jared exploded, gripping the back of the couch so hard his knuckles turned white. “I don’t even know where to start with what you just told me. I just … I think you’re trying to kill me.”
“No, we talked about that,” Zander said, somber. “Harper doesn’t think she’ll be able to survive if something happens to you. She’s a little worried about how attached she is to you and thinks she’ll never recover if she loses you.”
Despite his anger, Jared’s expression softened. “Yes, well, we both feel that way. You don’t have to worry about that, Heart. Do you want to know why?”
“Because you think you’ll live forever?” Harper asked hopefully.
“No, because you’re irresponsible and you’re going to die long before I do,” Jared replied, not missing a beat. “I’ll be the one left grieving.”
“Oh, that’s kind of sweet.” Zander slipped an arm around Jared’s shoulder. “You’ll still have me, big guy. We can console each other.”
“Really?” Jared pressed is lips together as he shifted his head. “If you don’t stop touching me I’m going to break your arm.”
Zander remained where he was. “Threats of violence only turn me on.”
“Okay, let me rephrase that,” Jared intoned. “If you don’t stop touching me I’m going to lick all of your shirts. I’m going to make sure my tongue is blue before I do it, too.”
Zander narrowed his eyes to dangerous slits as he slowly removed his arm from Jared’s broad shoulders. “There’s no reason to be rude.”
“Especially since we got steak, ice cream cake, and cupcakes,” Harper added, her nerves clearly on display.
Jared pressed the heel of his hand to his forehead, anger and worry swirling in the pit of his stomach. “Do you want to hear what I did with my day?”
“I’m not sure.” Harper opted to answer honestly. “You still look really angry and I thought for sure we were going to be able to calm you down with a good food bribe.”
“Yes, well, some things are more important than food,” Jared said. “You’re one of them.”
“Oh, that was definitely sweet,” Zander cooed. “Show him your new bra.”
“Don’t show it to me,” Jared snapped, furious. “Dammit! Do you understand that I spent the morning in Royal Oak because Tim Dalton was released from jail? I had to see him to make sure he wasn’t on his way to Whisper Cove to finish what he started yesterday!”
The color drained from Harper’s face. “What?”
Jared realized after the fact that he picked the absolute worst way to tell her. She was so frustrating, though, that he couldn’t seem to stop himself from blurting it out. “Heart, I’m sorry.” He took a step toward her and cringed when she stepped back. “I shouldn’t have told you that way.”
“No, what you should’ve done is text or call her,” Zander countered. “She should’ve been made aware that she was in danger. That would’ve been the responsible thing to do.”
“I did text her.” Jared gritted out the words as if through braces made out of gravel and openly glared at Zander. “I texted her six times.”
“You didn’t.” Harper dug in her pocket for her phone. “I would’ve heard the alerts.”
“Unless it was when we were on the boat and the texts were lost because there’s no service out there,” Zander murmured, snagging the phone from Harper and pressing the “text” icon as he ignored her growled protest. “They’re here, but they didn’t roll in until hours after he sent them.”
“What?” Harper snatched the phone back and frowned as she perused Jared’s increasingly panicked messages. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t … think.”
“No, you didn’t think,” Jared agreed. “You acted without thinking. You didn’t think about me and how I would feel. More importantly, though, you didn’t think about keeping yourself safe. That’s even more of a slap than being lied to.”
“I didn’t lie to you,” Harper protested, although there wasn’t a lot of force behind the words. “I simply didn’t tell you we were spending time with my father. I didn’t realize I had to ask permission to see my parents.”
“And that right there is another lie,” Jared said, his tone going icy. “You didn’t go out there to spend time with your father. You would’ve told me if that was your goal. You went out there to find a ghost and you didn’t mention it because you knew I wouldn’t like it. At least respect me enough to admit that.”
“I do respect you,” Harper argued, her eyes filling with tears. She wasn’t the type to cry at the drop of a hat and she felt shame when her eyes began burning. “I … you mean everything to me.”
On almost any other day Jared would save Harper from whatever emotional anguish he could, but he refused to save her from this. They had to come to an understanding, and she needed to feel true ramifications before that could happen. “I clearly don’t mean enough.” Jared took a step away from Harper when she tentatively reached in his direction. “I can’t really be around you right now and yet I cannot leave you alone given what’s happened. So … I will be out on the porch for the rest of the night. I hope you enjoy your steaks, potato salad, ice cream cake, and cupcakes.”
Harper was horrified. “But … .”
“Not now.” Jared shook his head. “I need time to think. You guys are under house arrest for the rest of the night. I do not want to see either of you trying to sneak out either. If I do, I’ll find a reason to arrest you.”
With those words Jared turned on his heel and walked out of the house, leaving Harper and Zander with nothing but her tears and his guilt.
“I knew this was a bad idea,” Zander hissed. “You never listen to me. Why do you never listen to me?”
ZANDER CARRIED a plate filled with a steak and potato salad to the front porch as the sun began its inevitable descent into the horizon.
Jared, sweating and uncomfortable, barely spared a glance for him. “I’m not hungry.”
“If you don’t eat Harper will fall apart,” Zander said, placing the plate on the table next to Jared. “She’s really upset.”
“Good.”
Zander cocked an eyebrow and slowly lowered himself into the seat next to Jared, keeping a wary eye on
him in case the police officer tried to punch him in an effort to vent his obvious frustration. “If you wanted to hurt her with what you said … well … good job.”
“Believe it or not, that’s the last thing I want.”
“And yet you did it all the same.”
Jared wrinkled his nose as he shook his head, gripping the arms of the chair as he breathed through his nose. “I love her so much that sometimes I think it’s going to overwhelm me.”
“I know that. She loves you, too.”
“I need her to think before she acts.” Jared chose his words carefully. “I need her to be more careful.”
“She didn’t do what she did to hurt you. You have to know that.”
“I do know that. The problem is that she didn’t take my feelings … or worry … or her own safety into consideration at all when she took off and spent the day poking her nose into things she shouldn’t be poking her nose into.”
“Well, to be fair, Jack Corgan is a ghost and she’s the only one who can stick her nose into his business,” Zander pointed out. “And now that she knows he exists and that her grandfather could see ghosts, too, she’s not going to stop until she speaks to him again.”
Jared’s shoulders stiffened and he finally cast a confused look in Zander’s direction. “What?”
“Oh, I don’t think she got to that part of the story before going off on the food tangent,” Zander muttered. “Yeah, Jack Corgan said he’s been waiting for her to come looking for him and that he met us when we were kids. I obviously didn’t realize it because I can’t see ghosts – and I think he said some nasty stuff about me so I automatically don’t like him – but he told Harper that her grandfather could see ghosts, too. Apparently Jack and Grandpa Harlow liked to hang out from time to time.”
“Hmm.” Jared rubbed his chin. “That will probably make her feel better once it has time to sink in. She hates thinking she’s alone in the world and this means she was born into her powers and not the recipient of some horrible cosmic gag gift.”
Zander couldn’t help being impressed. “You really do know her, don’t you?”
“I like to think so,” Jared replied. “I care about her a great deal and I’m not doing this to be mean. I need her to really think about what she did today – everything she did –because going to the hotel was equally stupid. What if Tim Dalton would’ve gone to the hotel looking for the Reiters? He would’ve run directly into her.”
Ghostly Wrecks (A Harper Harlow Mystery Book 6) Page 15