by Edie Ramer
The gun in Tricia’s hand wobbled. “You’re wrong! I am his daughter.”
“Thomas couldn’t have children. He was sterile.”
“No!”
“Yes, you stupid bitch. Besides that, Thomas couldn’t stand fat women. Why do you think I hired your mother to be our housekeeper? Did you think I’d be so dumb as to hire a woman prettier than me?”
Tricia’s face contorted. “Lies! You’re lying!” The gun exploded, straight at Isabel.
“Isabel!” Cassie reached out to the floating ghost.
And the gun swiveled toward her. Luke jumped forward, but Joe was ahead of him, halfway up the steps between them and Tricia. The gun blasted, the sound bouncing off the stair walls. Behind Luke, Cassie screamed.
Luke stood tall. Cassie was out of the line of the bullet—but he wasn’t. The bullet would go through Joe’s ghostly body and into his instead of Cassie’s.
Joe fell back, as if from the impact of the bullet, and somersaulted down the steps.
No bullet slammed into Luke.
“Joe!” Cassie cried.
Joe rolled to the landing, a red stain blossoming on his white shirt. “Cassie, I hurt,” he said, sounding surprised.
“You’re a ghost.” Tricia took a step back, and another one, her arm dropping to her side. “You can’t feel that.”
Luke jumped forward and Tricia’s gaping mouth snapped shut, her hand with the gun whipping back up. He caught the barrel, but she held onto it with both hands, her grip strong. He lifted his other hand but saw the victorious smile and knew he was too late. She was going to—
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a blur of movement. Cassie. Her arms out. Her face white. Shoving Tricia hard. Into the railing.
Tricia refused to let go of the gun, trying to aim it at Cassie even as she toppled backward, over the railing, pulling Luke with her.
“Luke!” Cassie grabbed his sweatshirt, holding him back. The gun barrel slipped out of his hands.
Plunging to the hallway below, Tricia screamed and pulled the trigger, the blast ringing out. A second later Luke heard a sickening thud. He leaned over the railing. Tricia sprawled on the floor, her legs and arms at a twisty angle, her face turned to the side. Blood dripped from her thigh. She’d shot herself in the thigh, just as she’d said she would, only by accident. The gun was on the floor against the wall, just out of reach of her right hand.
Looking down at her, he hoped she was dead, but her eyes blinked and she moaned.
At least she was in pain, he thought savagely, his adrenaline running high. From the awkward angles of her legs and arms, she wasn’t going to jump up and shoot anyone for a while. Now Cassie would be safe. And Erin. They’d all be safe from the psycho nut job.
“Are you hit?” Cassie asked, her voice thin with worry.
He turned and without words pulled her to him, holding her tight for a long moment until she wiggled free.
“You’d better call 911,” she said.
“I already did.” He heard the wail of the siren, estimating the whole scene had taken about four minutes. He’d called 911 on his cell before running downstairs from the tower. He might have faced a gun-toting housekeeper on his own, but he had Erin and Cassie to think of.
Cassie twisted out of his arms and rushed down to the landing, not waiting for his explanation. “Joe! Did she hurt you? How could this happen?”
“You tell me.” He lurched to his feet. “You’re the ghost expert.” He looked down at his bloodstained shirt. “It stopped hurting. And my skin seems to be healing.” He glanced around. The sirens stopped. “I’d better leave before I get asked some awkward questions.”
“I’ll see you later?”
“I don’t know. I’m needed elsewhere, Cassie.”
For an instant, Cassie looked stricken, then an understanding smile curved her lips.
“I’ll miss you, Joe.” She bent forward and kissed him, her lips closed.
Feeling their affection for each other, Luke ached, a stuffiness in his chest. Not because of jealousy, but because he wanted some of that affection for himself.
He could still have it, though he’d almost thrown it away. He refused to believe it was too late.
He stepped forward and put his arm around Cassie’s shoulders.
Joe faded slowly. Watching, Luke felt a sense of wonder.
How many people had ever witnessed something like this? What had he been afraid of?
Someone pounded on the door. Coming just in time to clean up.
With reluctance, Luke withdrew his arm from Cassie and crossed to the foyer. When he opened the door, two deputies burst inside. Luke glanced at Joe, but he was gone. So was Isabel. Only Cassie stood there, trembling.
Luke strode over to her and held her tightly. “It’s going to be okay,” he murmured.
One of the deputies ran to Tricia’s body. The other looked at him and Cassie, his eyes hard.
“What happened here?” he demanded.
“She tried to kill us,” Cassie said, her voice raw. “Did you see a little girl out there?”
Chapter Fifty
“I’m glad she’s alive,” Cassie murmured to herself as an ambulance with a sheriff’s escort took Tricia away. Standing on the front stoop in her jacket with the fleece lining, she shivered, needing this moment away from the others to just breathe. The moon was etched faintly in the twilight sky, too early for the stars to twinkle down at her.
“I’m not glad.” Isabel became visible next to her. “You should be back in there, before that she-shark gets her teeth into your man.”
“My what?”
“Don’t act stupid. You know what I mean.”
Cassie shivered. “I’m leaving tomorrow. Vanessa can have him, if that’s what he wants. At least Erin will be happy.”
“It’s not what he wants. He wants you. He keeps looking at you.”
Pleasure warmed Cassie, then she shook her head and hunched her shoulders. “He doesn’t want the whole package. I refuse to be less of myself for him or any man.”
Luke’s voice came from the side of the house. “You’ll never be less of anything to me.”
She started and made a squeaking noise, looking to her left. Striding across the grass toward her, Luke laughed.
“You do that the same squeak when we make love.”
“Shh.” She glanced to her right, but Isabel was gone, faint laughter lingering in the air.
“She knows.” He stopped a foot away from her. “Everyone knows. That’s why your friend Joe left. He knew I was going to take care of you.”
“Take care of me?” She put her hands on her hips, realizing she didn’t mind the cold anymore. Now it invigorated her, the synapses in her brain firing, her blood flowing faster, her heart beating harder. “I can take care of myself just fine. I don’t need a man for that.”
“I’m glad. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
“Waking up with you this morning you weren’t glad.”
“This morning I was a damn idiot.”
“I won’t argue with that.”
“This morning I didn’t know you would almost die.”
“So that’s it. You feel guilty because Tricia tried to kill me.”
“Now who’s being stupid.” His voice caressed her. “I don’t feel guilty. Why the hell should I feel guilty because a nutcase decides to shoot people? I felt scared, more scared than I ever felt in my life.”
“Why? Did you think you’d be next?” She took her hands off her hips. The exhilaration was coming back, even as she told herself not to hope. But that was like telling herself not to breathe the same air as Luke, not to want to take off her clothes and warm herself against his skin, not to want to grab his face and kiss him and kiss him and kiss him—
“You know what I mean.”
“I don’t presume to know what’s in your mind.”
“You’re going to make me say it.”
Laughter bubbled up inside her, but she pressed her lips toge
ther.
“I love you, Cassie.” He looked her straight in the eyes, no hesitation, no smile on his lips. But his eyes smiled. They wooed her, they desired her, they loved her.
He loved her.
“I don’t want you to leave,” he said.
Every cell in her body wanted to jump into his arms. She held back. Not yet. Almost, but not yet. “What about my talking to ghosts?”
“Talk away. Lately I’ve found ghosts are more pleasant than live people.”
A bubble of laughter slipped out. That was her line. “How can I be sure you won’t change your mind again?”
“No one can be sure of anything in this world.” He reached for her. She had time to move out of his reach, but she stayed where she was, allowing him to curve his long, guitar-playing fingers around the back of her jacket, allowing him to pull her a few inches toward him while he closed the other few inches between them. “The only thing I’m sure of is the way I feel about you.”
Then his open mouth met her open mouth, and she lifted her arms to grab him. As she did, she knew she wasn’t letting go anytime soon.
Headlights beamed at them, coming down the driveway. At the same time the front door opened, light spilling out at them.
Erin, she thought, and let her arms drop. He kept his around her back, ignoring the two lights shining at them.
“Are you staying?” he demanded.
“Erin,” she began.
“Erin’s a child. She liked you before, she’ll like you again. Don’t hide behind her.”
She shook her head, even as she frowned. Was that what she’d been doing?
“This is about me and you. I know you’ll be a good mother.”
A car door slammed but she ignored it, staring into Luke’s eyes. “A mother to just Erin? Or does that mean you want my children?”
“Not right way.” He laughed low. “I want you for myself a little first.”
“Don’t.” Tears welled up, even as footsteps crunched on the driveway towards them. “You know what I mean. A child of mine might be...like me.”
“That’s what I’m hoping,” he said. “That a child of yours will be just like you.” His voice lowered. “Adorable.”
Tears slid down her face
“Still making the ladies cry,” a man’s voice said.
Through her tears, she saw Luke glance to his left and scowl. “Danny? I should’ve guessed. If you’re looking for Vanessa, she’s inside.”
“I’m right here, Danny.” The front door opened, Vanessa’s voice amused. “I’ve been watching the show, Luke being romantic.”
“Why watch them when we can put on our own private show?”
Luke snorted. Cassie turned in time to see a tall man with long hair step into the foyer, take Vanessa into his arms and kiss her passionately.
“Looks like love is in the air,” Luke muttered, holding Cassie with one arm around her shoulders. “As soon as they’re done, I’ll introduce you to the drummer from Dirty Secrets.”
“The one she...” Had an affair with while you were married, she finished in her mind.
“That’s him. My personal Satan.” His eyebrow cocked up, and so did one side of his mouth.
“Mommy?” Erin’s voice behind Vanessa sounded uncertain.
Cassie winced and tried to pull away, but Luke held her to his side.
Danny released Vanessa and she twirled around. “Honey, guess what?” Her thin, high voice sounded uncertain. “Danny and I are going to get married as soon as I get better.”
“I want you to marry Daddy.”
“Your daddy and I don’t love each other that way.” Vanessa scooted down, face to face with Erin. “I love you, you know that. I’ll be a better mom with Danny around. He’ll make sure I won’t get sick again. Do you understand what I mean?”
“I understand.”
“That’s wonderful.” Vanessa hugged her and kissed her cheek, then stood.
Cassie stared at her. Was she deaf? Couldn’t she hear the forlornness in Erin’s voice? See the abandonment and hurt in her eyes?
“I have to take your mom back to California,” Danny said. “The doc gave her until midnight or he’ll kick her out of the program.”
“I’ll call you, darling. Goodbye. You too.” Vanessa leaned toward Luke as though she wanted to kiss him, and he leaned back, his expression repulsed.
Vanessa gave a hard laugh, then Danny slid his arm around her back, nodded at Luke and hurried her away. The door remained open, and Cassie looked at Erin standing in the front doorway, just inside the house. Alone.
Giving a wordless exclamation, Cassie tore out of Luke’s grip, stepped inside and knelt down. As her arms lifted, Erin threw herself against her chest and started sobbing.
Cassie rocked her. “I know,” she said, “I know, I know.”
A noise made her look up. Luke. Tears running down his cheeks. She held out her hand and the next second he was on his knees next to her and Erin, his arms curved around both of them.
“I know,” she said to him too. “I know.”
She knew heartbreak, and she knew sorrow, and she knew that finally, everything was going to be all right in the end. The “ever after” was still a question to her, but “all right” was plenty good enough for now.
Chapter Fifty-one
Trick or treat was over for the day when the doorbell tolled. Luke was in his studio, Erin at a Halloween sleepover with her friends. Cassie put aside her laptop in the library and hurried to the front door. If any reporters had ignored the “No Trespassing” sign by the road, she was calling the Sheriff Department.
Looking out the peephole, she recognized the large shape of Darleen Windmeyer.
She stepped back. The bell tolled again. Footsteps stomped down the stairs. She looked around as Luke reached the hallway and strode toward her.
“If that’s the paparazzi, I’ll handle it,” he said, a hard note in his voice that she hadn’t heard since the night Tricia was taken away in the ambulance. The night their lives changed.
“It’s Tricia’s mother.”
“Fuck.”
“You songwriters have a way with words.”
“Just like you therapists.” His expression softened, he bent down to kiss her.
The blaring doorbell stopped him. He straightened, his scowl deepening as he pulled the door open, keeping Cassie out of sight.
“I’m Darleen Windmeyer, Tricia’s mother.” Darleen sounded hesitant. Cassie pictured her taking a deep breath that lifted her humongous breasts. “I’m so sorry for what she’s done.”
“Did you come to apologize for her?” Luke asked in a take-no-prisoners voice. “If that’s the reason—”
“Not you. I’m here to apologize to Mrs. Shay.”
“Isabel? You do know she’s dead. Murdered by your daughter.”
“I know Mrs. Shay is a ghost. I want to apologize to her for what my daughter did. It’s the least I can do.”
“You’re as crazy as—”
Cassie stepped around him, her hand on his arm stopping him from saying anything else. “Hello, Darleen. Come into the house and I’ll call Isabel.”
“Thank you so much.” She stepped up spryly for a woman of her heft, and Cassie remembered her job, cleaning the clinic, which must have kept her limber.
Twilight had fallen, giving the outside an eerie look. The perfect night for summoning ghosts, she thought as Luke pushed the door closed, shutting out the dusk and the October chill.
“Let’s go into the family room.” Cassie motioned for Darleen to precede her. Tricia had just tried to kill her two weeks ago. It was unlikely Darleen came to finish the job, but it didn’t hurt to be careful.
“How is Tricia?” Cassie gestured for Darleen to sit on the sofa.
“Her bones will heal.” Sitting, Darleen frowned. “She refuses to believe her father was a trucker from Milwaukee. He died in a pile-up when she was three. I feel bad because I let her think he was a wealthy man.” She looked
down at her tree-trunk sized thighs in their black stretch slacks.
“Why didn’t you tell her the truth?” Cassie asked, sitting in the chair across from Darleen.
Luke stood to the side of her chair, his hand on her shoulder. Although Cassie didn’t look up at him, she sensed his concentration, guessing he watched Darleen to make sure she didn’t pull out a gun. Like daughter, like mother.
“If I had, she would have found out what he did.” Her voice was low, and Cassie leaned forward. “Not because he had a wife and three kids. It’s because the night he died, he was drunk and his semi struck an SUV, killing a family of five.”
Luke squeezed Cassie’s shoulder, and she put her hand over his, feeling Darleen’s pain.
“That’s not all. I lied about her father being rich because I wanted her to have something to look up to.” Darleen’s eyes pleaded for understanding. “Is that so bad?”
Isabel appeared at an eighty degree angle between the sofa and the chair. “I’m dead because of your lies.”
“I know and I’m sorry for it.” Fat tears trickled down Darleen’s cheeks. “I feel so bad for you. I wish I could make up for it. Is there any way you can forgive me?”
Isabel stared at her, her expression stony.
“Please. I’ll go down on my hands and knees and beg if that’s what it will take.”
“Do it.” Isabel’s gaze sharpened.
Darleen pushed up from the couch. Looking at her blotchy, tear-soaked cheeks, Cassie stood. “Isabel,” she said, her voice warning.
Isabel gave her a dark look and shrugged one shoulder. “Oh, all right.” Her voice was petulant. “I forgive you.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Shay, thank you.” Darleen hurried towards Isabel, her arms outstretched to hug her. “Is that okay if— Oh!” She jumped back. “You’re cold.”
“That’s what happens when you’re dead.”
Cassie shared a look with Luke. Trading Joe for Isabel as a ghost friend was not a good bargain. Cassie missed Joe, but understood he had his own life—or death—to lead.
Luke stepped between Isabel and Darleen. “You got what you came for. I think you can leave now.”
“I will, I will.” She reached into her coat pocket, and Cassie saw Luke tense, his gaze on her hand. When she came up with a tissue, his body relaxed slightly. He put his hand on her elbow, drawing her away.