Haunting Ellie

by Patti Berg

  “I hated the thing anyway. I should have let you haul it off to the dump weeks ago.”

  ‘“I’ll get rid of it now and we can get back to our treasure hunt.”

  “Why? It’s useless,” Elizabeth said, defeat ringing out in her voice, as she began picking up scraps of plaster. “I’m sure Phoebe’s diary is just another rumor.”

  “You can give up if you want, but I’ve got a nice, fat salary coming to me tonight, and I plan to earn every ounce of it.” Jon grinned at Elizabeth’s gloomy face as he began to tilt the intact portion of the statue back up on its base.

  “Okay, I won’t give up, but...”

  Jon saw a distinct frown furrow Elizabeth’s brow. “What’s wrong?”

  “There’s a hole in the bottom.”

  Jon laid the statue back on its side and together they inspected the bottom.

  “It’s hollow,” she said, looking at Jon, smiling hopefully. “Do you think we got lucky?”

  “Stick your hand inside and find out.”

  Slowly she wedged her hand and arm through the hole. “There’s something there. I can just barely feel it,” she said. “There. I’ve got it.” She pulled her arm out, and in her hand was a book bound in dark leather, its pages yellowed with age.

  She looked at Jon and grinned. “I told you that was the right board. And to think you wanted to haul this thing off to the dump!”

  Elizabeth sat on the edge of the bed, gently opened the cover of the book, and Jon saw tears welling in her eyes. What on earth could possess her to cry over a diary?

  “Listen to this,” Elizabeth said. “‘The diary of Phoebe Carruthers, a madwoman, or so I’ve been told.’”

  Jon couldn’t help but laugh. “A madwoman? Is that what she considered herself?”

  “It’s what she’s written.” Elizabeth turned to a spot somewhere in the middle of the book. “‘He thinks I don’t know what’s going on, but I do.’” she read. “‘He thinks I’m mad, but I’m not. I’m in love, and I’d do anything to have him love me in return.’”

  Elizabeth looked at Jon and smiled. “I think we’re in for a night of enjoyable reading.”

  “Enjoyable reading? What about my triple payment for services rendered?” he teased, moving in close and kissing the hollow below her ear. “Why don’t you save the reading for tomorrow?”

  Elizabeth looked at the thickness of the book and then at Jon. “It shouldn’t take much more than an hour to read. You don’t mind waiting, do you?”

  He laughed. “Mind? I’ll just tack a bonus onto that payment you owe me.”

  She crooked a finger under his belt and tugged him a little closer. “Bonuses have always been a specialty of mine.”

  Jon sucked in a deep breath. That one simple touch of her finger sent ripples of desire through every part of his anatomy. “You’re sure that reading can’t wait?”

  “Positive,” she whispered, tugging once again. “But I’ll definitely make the wait worth your while.”

  He looked at her face, her eyes, the slightest tip of her tongue wetting her lips, and the finger tucked under his belt. “Is that a promise, Ellie?”

  She nodded slowly. “I always keep my promises.”

  Oh, hell. If he could just wait till later, he knew he was in for a night neither of them would ever forget. And the only way he’d wait till later was to get away now, find something to occupy his time. Maybe he’d go home and sketch the way she looked right this moment—a seductive temptress. On second thought, if he attempted to draw that beguiling smile, he’d spend his waiting time in agony.

  Maybe he’d just go to the cafe, eat pie, drink coffee, and build up his strength and stamina for the night ahead.

  Reluctantly backing away, he looked at his watch. “Two hours? My place?”

  A devilish grin covered her beautiful face, reaffirming once again that he’d never liked angels. “Do you have a particular room in mind?”

  He quickly calculated the number of rooms in Dalton House and smiled. “Every single one, Ellie. Should take awhile, but I can’t think of any reason to rush.”

  Chapter 15

  Two hours? More like an eternity, Jon thought, as he stepped out of the hotel. He could have stayed with Ellie, of course. But she wanted to read, she wanted to learn more about crazy old Phoebe Carruthers, and reading was the furthest thing from his mind, as was research, unless that research consisted of studying and exploring all the intricacies of Elizabeth Fitzgerald’s mind and body and soul.

  He’d fallen in love. It didn’t seem possible when he’d started out with nothing more than shallow thoughts of stripping her out of her clothes and sketching and then sculpting that Rubenesque body of hers. And Lord, her body was more beautiful than he’d ever dreamed ... soft and sweet and flawless. But it was all the extra things that had made his passions soar. It was the way she fought back when they didn’t agree, the way she flew through life, taking advantage of every minute as if the next might not exist. It was the way she smelled of cinnamon and sugar when he arrived in the mornings, and the cuteness of her nose when it was covered with flour or soot.

  She was everything he wanted and needed, and two hours apart was going to be a hell of a long time.

  Coffee and pie didn’t seem like a viable alternative to making love, but for now he’d have to make do.

  Trudging across the street, he gave just a moment’s notice to the unfamiliar olive drab pickup parked out front and entered the warmth of the cafe, stopping short when he stepped through the door. Sitting by the window were Matt, Floyd, and a stranger, deep in conversation while eating pie and drinking coffee or beer.

  “Hello, Jon,” Matt called out, as Jon hung up his coat and hat. “I’d invite you to join us, but I think we had enough of each other’s company last night.”

  Jon studied the contemptible grin on Matt’s face, wishing he’d rearranged his cousin’s face when he’d had the chance last night. He hadn’t used his fists in nearly twenty years, but remembering last night made him itch for a fight, made him wish he’d just gone home and suffered through his wait with pleasant thoughts. Now all his thoughts centered on how Matt could have hurt Elizabeth last night, and the realization that if Matt tried anything again—if anyone tried to hurt her—he didn’t know if he could hold back.

  Jon walked across the room, stopping for just a moment beside Matt’s table. He casually checked out the stranger with long black hair, noting something vaguely familiar about him, and studied the map spread out on the table between them. “Planning a trip?”

  Matt shrugged. “That’s always a possibility.”

  Jon couldn’t make out the details on the small section of map, but it looked like a part of the range not too far from Schoolmarm Gulch, and he had a horrible feeling Matt and his friends weren’t discussing a leisurely vacation.

  Libby pushed through the kitchen door carrying three plates laden with gravy, potatoes, and steak and slid them onto the table. Her timing couldn’t have been more perfect; it allowed Jon to leave Matt’s side and escape to the kitchen.

  “Mind if I use your phone?” he asked Jack, who was flipping hamburger patties on the grill.

  “Not a problem,” Jack said casually, as if customers used it all the time.

  Jon punched the buttons on the wall phone, waiting patiently for the ring, less patiently for an answer. By the tenth ring, he was ready to hang up when he heard the familiar voice.

  “I think something’s going to happen tonight,” he said. “Matt, Floyd, and some stranger are in the cafe right now.”

  A frown crossed his face as he listened to the voice on the other end.

  “If you know, how come you’re not doing anything?” he asked, raising his voice, then calming down when he remembered he wasn’t alone.

  He leaned a shoulder against the wall, watched Libby walk into the room and halfheartedly returned her smile while words droned on in his ear.

  “Yeah, I’ll trust you. Seems to be the thing I do best
lately.”

  Libby’s foot was tapping madly on the floor by the time Jon hung up. “Now that you’ve made that call, why don’t you call Elizabeth and let her know her brother’s here, once again being an obnoxious bore.”

  “What are you talking about?” Jon asked.

  “Oh, I forgot. You were out of town the first time Eric Fitzgerald gifted us with his presence. A real pain in the butt. Elizabeth says I must have had him mixed up with someone else, but I’ll never forget the way he strutted in here, told us his name, then proceeded to complain about the food, the town, and the hotel. He was bad enough on his own, but he’s even worse around Matt and Floyd.”

  Jon frowned at Libby’s words, then peered through the window of the kitchen door and checked out the stranger who’d seemed rather familiar. Instantly he knew why—the same high cheekbones, and coal black hair nearly as long as Elizabeth’s. He wore a gold ring in one ear and a smug smile as he conversed with Matt and Floyd.

  “I just left Elizabeth,” Jon said. “She didn’t mention anything about Eric coming to visit.”

  “I don’t think she knows, so if you won’t call her, I will.”

  Jon captured Libby’s hand before she grabbed the phone. “Let me talk to him first, get him to go over and see her. She doesn’t want to believe he’s involved with Matt, and I don’t want her to see them here together.”

  “She’ll find out sooner or later,” Libby added. “Matt’s going to get arrested one of these days, and his friends are bound to end up with him. How do you think she’ll feel if her brother ends up in jail?”

  Jon shook his head, but he knew perfectly well how she’d feel. She’d talked so much about Eric. She loved him in spite of his irresponsibility, in spite of his wandering ways. She’d love him even if he ended up in jail, but seeing him there would hurt her terribly. And Jon had sworn before that he’d never let anyone hurt her again.

  “He might not listen, but I sure as hell want to give it a try.” Jon squeezed Libby’s fingers. “Could you bring me a beer? Might make this a little easier.”

  A moment later he pushed through the door, grabbed a chair from an empty table, and set it down between Matt and Eric. “I just found out you’re Elizabeth’s brother,” Jon said, straddling the chair and offering his hand to Eric. “I’m Jon Winchester.”

  “Matt already filled me in,” Eric said, leaning back, sipping at a beer. “Hear you’ve been keeping my sister company.”

  The man had an attitude, all right, one Jon didn’t particularly like. “We’re good friends. I’m surprised she didn’t tell me you were in Sapphire.”

  “If you’re such good friends, you already know I don’t keep Elizabeth apprised of all my comings and goings.” He leaned forward, staring directly at Jon. “This is a business trip, not a social one. There’s no need for her to know I’m here.”

  Jon clinched his fists, making every attempt to control his anger. “You prefer Matt and Floyd to your sister?”

  Eric grinned. “I don’t see where that’s any of your business.”

  “I couldn’t agree more,” Matt added.

  Libby pushed between Jon and Eric, shoving the beer Jon had requested right into his hand. She was frowning at him, her head shaking, and Jon knew she was warning him to back off. He probably should, too. He had the feeling that Eric Fitzgerald didn’t care about anyone but himself and that any efforts Jon made to change him would be useless.

  Jon downed a good quarter of his beer. Useless or not, he had to make another attempt to sway Eric from Matt. Eric might not be worth the trouble, but for Elizabeth’s sake, he had to try. “While Matt was filling you in about me and Elizabeth, did he happen to mention that she’d had to fend him off with a broken wineglass last night?”

  An instant spark of fury blazed in Eric’s eyes and Jon hoped the words he’d just spoken would sink into Eric’s head and make him see what kind of man he was dealing with.

  Eric glanced past Jon to Matt. “Is that true?”

  Matt shrugged. “A slight misunderstanding. The Lone Ranger here came in and saved the day.”

  Jon gripped Matt’s collar just as he’d done the night before, and his chair went skittering across the floor as he dragged Matt out of his seat.

  Eric grabbed Jon’s arm, yanking him away from Matt, who slinked back into his chair, his fingers massaging the skin at his neck. “If he says it was a misunderstanding, it was a misunderstanding,” Eric said, his face just inches from Jon’s.

  Jon twisted out of Eric’s grasp. “You’ll listen to him rather than your sister?”

  Eric chuckled. “Elizabeth’s not easy to get along with. Just ask any of her old acquaintances in L.A.”

  This time Jon grabbed Eric’s shirt and moved in close, almost eye-to-eye with him. Maybe he was overreacting, but he didn’t like this man and he didn’t like the way he spoke about Elizabeth. “I know what your sister’s like,” Jon said through gritted teeth. “So does everyone in Sapphire. We also know that if it came to making a choice between believing her or Matt, Matt would lose.”

  Eric laughed, twisting halfway out of Jon’s grasp. Their height was nearly the same, but Jon out-weighed Eric by a good forty pounds of muscle, muscle he could very easily exert right now.

  But Eric twisted again, doubled his fist, and connected with Jon’s chin.

  Jon stumbled back a few feet, taken by surprise by Eric’s strength. The blow didn’t stop him, though, it merely fueled his rage. In a matter of seconds, Jon’s knuckles smashed into Eric’s jaw, knocking him into the table.

  Beer bottles and plates crashed to the floor. Floyd rushed to get out of the fray; Matt shoved out of his chair and casually leaned against the wall to watch.

  Eric regained his footing. Jon tightened his fist for another swing ... and the cafe door burst open.

  “What’s going on in here?” Elizabeth yelled. She ran across the room, grabbing Eric’s arm just as Jack restrained Jon.

  Tugging out of Jack’s grasp, Jon slowly rubbed his chin. “I’ve just had the pleasure of meeting your brother,” he said sarcastically, and suffered Elizabeth’s glaring frown.

  “Who provoked the fight?” she asked, her eyes blazing.

  “He did,” Eric stated, jerking away from his sister.

  “I didn’t like the company he was keeping,” Jon told her. He hated the anger in her eyes, the way she directed it right at him. But Eric’s companions weren’t the real reason for the fight... it stemmed mostly from Eric’s treatment of his sister. It didn’t appear to matter to Eric that she’d raised him, sent him to college, and catered to his every whim. Eric Fitzgerald was no damn good; but Jon couldn’t hurt Elizabeth by telling her so.

  Elizabeth sank down in a chair and Jon watched tears well in the corners of her eyes as she looked from Eric to Jon and on to Libby and Jack. “Thanks for calling me, Lib,” she said.

  “I’m sorry I had to, hon.” Libby grabbed her husband’s arm and drew him out of the room, as if she knew they’d done all they could for now.

  “Floyd and I are going to my place,” Matt said, slapping Eric on the shoulder. “Join us when you get through here.”

  “Shouldn’t take long,” Eric tossed back, then leaned down, grabbed an unbroken beer bottle from the floor, and drank the remains.

  Elizabeth looked dazed by all that had happened, and Jon touched her shoulder, wanting to talk, needing to explain, but she shrugged away and didn’t look even once in his eyes. Instead she looked at her brother, who was lightly rubbing the knuckles of his right hand. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming to Sapphire?” she asked him.

  “I’ve been busy.”

  “With Matt and Floyd?”

  “I told you a long time ago that Matt was my friend. We had some business to take care of and then I planned to stop by.” Eric put a hand on Elizabeth’s shoulder and Jon could see her tense, but she didn’t push him away, not the way she had when he had touched her.

  “Do you have any idea what tho
se two friends of yours are like?”

  “I’ve never questioned you about your friends,” Eric said, glaring at Jon. “I haven’t always approved of them, either.”

  A tear fell down Elizabeth’s cheek, and Eric gently brushed it away, surprising Jon by his tenderness. “I haven’t meant to hurt you,” Eric whispered. “I had every intention of visiting you before going home.”

  “I don’t even care about that anymore,” she said, grabbing his hand and holding it tightly. “Please, Eric. I don’t trust Matt or Floyd. Stay away from them—please.”

  Eric grinned. “We have a partnership with Matt, remember?” All the love he’d shown a moment before had disappeared.

  “I don’t have a partnership with him any longer,” Elizabeth said. “You’d be wise to forget all about your agreement too. Besides, it isn’t anything legal or binding.”

  “You might go back on your word, but I won’t.”

  “Please, Eric,” she implored, but he only laughed.

  “I’m not a seventeen-year-old kid anymore. You can’t tell me how to run my life.”

  “No,” Elizabeth said, wiping away her tears. “You’re twenty-six and I always hoped you’d become a little more responsible, but you haven’t. I’m not going to beg you. I’m just going to ask you one more time. Go back to the hotel with me. Forget about your friendship with Matt.”

  Eric shook his head. “Sorry, sis. A deal’s a deal, and what I’ve got going with Matt is something I aim to follow through on.” He crossed the room, grabbed his coat, and headed out the door.

  Elizabeth rushed after him but stopped in the doorway. She didn’t move for the longest time. Then she slowly turned around and looked at Jon.

  “Are you happy now? You wanted to know if he was involved with Matt. Well, I think you just got your answer.” She didn’t say anything more, just walked out of the cafe.

  Rushing after her, Jon caught her arm and stopped her in the middle of the road. He tilted her face toward him. “I’m sorry you had to see what happened in there. I’m sorry about your brother.”

  “But you’re not sorry you hit him, are you?”