Ghostly Deceits (A Harper Harlow Mystery Book 3) (6 page)

J
ared woke early
the next morning, taking a moment to bask in Harper’s warmth as she slumbered with her head on his shoulder and then glanced down at her quiet form. He usually didn’t get a chance to enjoy mornings with her because Zander was already in bed with them when he woke up. As annoying as he found the situation, he was surprised to realize he almost missed the sound of their low murmurs and whispers as they tried not to wake him.

Jared traced lazy circles across the back of Harper’s neck, studying her blond highlights and listening to her soft sighs as she slept. He could spend the entire day exactly like this and be happy.

As if on cue his stomach growled, causing Harper to shift.

“So much for the perfect morning,” Jared muttered, forcing a smile when Harper tipped her chin in his direction. “Good morning.”

“Morning,” Harper murmured, struggling to get her bearings. “What time is it?”

“It’s still early,” Jared said. “We have two hours until we have to be downstairs for breakfast and the first murder.”

“Is there going to be more than one murder?” Harper asked, making a comical face as she yawned. “I guess I’m not up on the rules of this thing.”

“I’m sure we’ll figure it out as we go along,” Jared said. “In fact, if you wanted to go downstairs for breakfast and then turn around and come back for a nap and skip the murder mystery, I would be fine with that.”

“We have to play,” Harper said. “That’s why we’re here. It’s not fair to Josh to skip out on the game.”

“I thought we were here to spend time alone and cuddle,” Jared said, tickling her bare ribs and drawing her close so they could snuggle. “I love how warm you are. I love how soft these sheets are. I … really am hungry.”

Harper giggled. “I guess we should get up and start getting ready.” She said the words but didn’t make a move to leave her toasty spot.

Jared brushed her hair away from her face and met her blue eyes with a concerned look. “You had a nightmare last night. I just remembered.”

“It was fine,” Harper said, rolling her eyes. “There’s no reason to get up in arms about it. It was just a dream. It wasn’t even Jim this time.”

“What was it?”

“It was a dream, Jared,” Harper chided. “It was nothing.”

“Then tell me about it,” Jared pressed. “If it’s nothing, you shouldn’t have a problem sharing it with the group.”

“Fine,” Harper said, her eyes flashing as she tried to put a little distance between them. Jared kept her snugly against his chest and patiently waited for her dream retelling. “It’s really nothing,” she said, giving up and collapsing back against him. “I was running down a long hallway and I kept looking over my shoulder. I got to a set of stairs and realized I was here … I mean, in my dream, I was in the Stokes Hotel.

“Anyway, I was so busy looking behind me because I wanted to see who was chasing me I tripped and fell down the stairs,” she continued. “When I turned there was a hand coming toward me and that’s when I woke up.”

Jared kept one arm around Harper’s waist as he rubbed his thumb against her cheek. “Do you know who was chasing you?”

“I think it was you,” Harper said. “You wanted another bath.”

Jared cracked a smile even though he wasn’t sure he wanted to let her off the hook. “That shows what you know,” he said. “We’re getting clean in that huge shower this morning.”

“Oh, good. I love variety.”

“Who was chasing you in the dream?” Jared asked, refusing to let Harper brush away his worry. “Was it Jim? You said it wasn’t, but if it wasn’t him, who was it?”

“I couldn’t see his face,” Harper replied, her expression earnest. “I am honestly perfectly fine.”

“I know you are,” Jared said, pressing his lips to her forehead. “It’s okay to be rattled, though. It doesn’t mean you’re not the strongest woman in the world. It means you had something bad happen to you and you’re still grappling with it.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re going to be better than fine,” Jared said, giving in and embracing the fun of their morning. “You’re going to be throwing a party in my honor in exactly five minutes.” He offered her a long and sultry kiss. “You’ll definitely be able to remember my face when I’m done with you.”

“Less talking and more doing,” Harper prodded.

“Seriously, I love the way you think.”

“
I
THINK
we’re late
,” Harper said, frowning when she saw the empty foyer from the top of the stairs. “I don’t think people are going to like it if we’re late.” She scurried down the stairs and hurried in the direction of the dining room. “I blame you.”

Jared’s grin was lazy as he followed her. The only reason he bothered to keep up was because she refused to let go of his hand. “Harper, I’m sure they’re going to have enough food for us to eat when we get there. There’s no reason to freak out.”

“I’m not freaking out.”

“You’re close.”

“I am not.”

“You are so.”

“Are you two always like this when you’re late for breakfast?” Josh asked, stepping into the spot in front of the dining room doorway and fixing Harper and Jared with an amused look. “You sound like a squabbling brother and sister. That might bode well for me since I want to steal you away from Jared, Harper.”

Jared narrowed his eyes and scowled. “If we were brother and sister we would be arrested for what we just did in the shower. That’s why we’re late.”

“Jared!” Harper was horrified, and when Jared shifted his challenging eyes from Josh to Harper he realized the ramifications of what he’d said “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s my fault,” Josh said smoothly, stepping in to protect his friend. “We were always very competitive and things often got out of hand. I pushed him on purpose because I thought it would be funny. I think both of us forgot someone else was involved in this equation.”

“I’m really sorry,” Jared said. “You live with Zander, though, and he once told you he waited until he was completely naked to dump a guy because his … you know … curved to the right and he had a Charley horse and couldn’t possibly curve to the left to compensate.”

“That was a great story,” Josh said. “I really need to meet this Zander guy.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Harper asked, incredulous.

“I’m just saying you should be used to men saying absolutely asinine things about sex,” Jared said.

“The difference is that Zander isn’t telling sex stories about me,” Harper pointed out. “As far as he’s concerned, I don’t have lady parts. I’m like a Barbie doll.”

“You do have a few things in common with a Barbie doll,” Jared said, his mind wandering. “Of course, you’re anatomically correct, so that’s a big bonus.”

“You’re going to have something in common with a Ken doll if you’re not careful,” Harper warned, wagging a finger for emphasis.

Jared caught the finger and pressed it to his lips. “I am truly sorry. I won’t let it happen again. It was rude and disrespectful.”

“It was funny, though,” Josh said. “Of course, I could just think it’s funny because you’re in trouble and now I have a shot with your girl.”

“Don’t make me beat you,” Jared warned.

“Wow,” Harper intoned, wriggling her eyebrows. “This must be what it’s like to have brothers.”

Jared hung his head, sheepish. “I really am sorry.”

“You’re going to owe me,” Harper said. “Apparently I owe my mother a thank you for letting me be an only child.”

“I’ll thank her for that, too,” Jared said, slinging an arm over Harper’s shoulders. “This way Josh can’t get anyone even remotely close to you and I win.”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I was thinking,” Harper said dryly.

“Come on,” Josh said. “Breakfast is ready and then the game is set to begin. My father is in his element.”

“Is this the first time you’ve done something like this?” Harper asked, following Josh into the ornate dining room. Since there were so many people the tables remained separated and the trio settled at an empty one so they could continue their discussion without interruption.

“It is,” Josh confirmed. “My dad was against it when I suggested it, but we need ways to beef up business. I’m sure you heard about some of our … troubles.”

Jared and Harper exchanged a look.

“Harper knew a little bit about it because she’s local, but I wasn’t aware that anything had changed until we came up here,” Jared said. “I’m sorry things aren’t going well.”

“When it first happened, it was a real blow,” Josh said. “I didn’t realize how bad things were. All my father said was that they lost money in investments. I thought we were more diversified than we were. This place is expensive to keep in operation and the upkeep is … big.”

“Is that why you moved home?”

“That’s one of the reasons,” Josh confirmed. “I’ve always loved this place. I like living on an island, and with this one you’re really not very far away from civilization. I can take a boat and hit the mainland in twenty minutes if I feel like it.

“I had a choice to make and it wasn’t easy,” he continued. “My father was at his wit’s end and had no idea what to do. He’s never had to do anything but sit back and collect on the investments. I had a business degree and an idea. He wasn’t happy, but he literally didn’t have another choice.”

“Are you considering hosting regular murder mystery weekends?” Harper asked.

“This is a test run,” Josh confirmed. “In fact … um … I was hoping you guys would spend more time watching the guests to see if they’re having a good time than actually participating in the murder mystery. I’d also like to know how the staff is handling things. Some of them have been reticent regarding the changes. I know it’s a lot to ask … .”

“Don’t worry about it,” Jared said, waving off Josh’s concerns. “Harper is a little competitive, but I’m sure she’ll be happy watching everyone else play.”

“
I’m
a little competitive?” Harper challenged.

“Fine. I’m competitive, too,” Jared said. “Still, we’ll have a good time just hanging out and watching. Is there anything else you want us to do?”

“I don’t know,” Josh replied, rubbing the back of his neck. “Can you think of other events that would help put this place on the map?”

“I don’t know anything about running a hotel, man,” Jared said. “I’m sorry.”

Harper’s hand shot up and Josh and Jared chuckled as they locked eyes.

“I think Harper has an idea,” Josh said.

“She’s the top student in my class,” Jared said. “Harper, what is your idea?”

“You can run haunted events,” Harper offered, squirming in her seat. “You have a cemetery on the property and you’re close to the woods. The house is isolated and you can do creepy murders in the fall when people are taking color tours.

“There’s not a lot you can do in the winter because of the weather and how hard it is to get to the island, but I bet you could try booking the hotel out for entire weekends for one event,” she continued. “You could do Viking themed dinners, or hunting is big in this area so you could do those strange meat dinners I’ve read about.”

“How do you know about all of this?” Jared asked, surprised and impressed.

“And how did you just whip it out like that?” Josh asked. “Seriously, those are great ideas. What else have you got?”

“Well, I don’t know about your father’s political leanings, but Zander always complains that there aren’t enough gay-centric events in this area,” Harper said. “What about a special weekend with spa people? Zander absolutely loves a good massage, steam, and facial.”

Jared snorted. “That’s also a great idea. I’m not sure Mr. Stokes would appreciate forty Zanders running around, though.”

“I’m in charge,” Josh said. “I agree with Jared. That’s another fabulous idea.”

“You could also do beach party themes … ooh, you could do a
Jaws
theme in the summer because you’re on the water,” Harper said, enjoying herself immensely.

“I think you’ve created a monster,” Jared said, leaning back in his chair. “I think you missed your calling, Heart. You should’ve been a party planner.”

“You definitely picked a good one,” Josh said. “If I wasn’t jealous before I would be now.”

“I picked the best one,” Jared said, smiling fondly at Harper. “She’s mine, though. You missed out and now you have to live with it.”

“I hear you have weird nipples,” Josh said. “Maybe if I show her mine she’ll trade up.”

Jared’s smile tipped upside down. “I’m seriously going to kill Zander.”

“
W
e’re never going
to want to leave this place,” Harper said an hour later, pushing her clean plate away and leaning back in her chair. “I cannot remember the last time I ate this well two meals in a row.”

“I cooked dinner and breakfast for you this week,” Jared pointed out.

“And they were lovely,” Harper said. “You didn’t cook prime rib and homemade omelets, though. I even got to pick out as many things as I wanted for the omelet. I think this place might be Heaven.”

Jared chuckled as he wiped the corners of his mouth and shifted his attention to Josh. “I can’t believe you’re not fat with all this food available at every meal.”

“It gets old after a while,” Josh said. “Believe it or not, there are days when I’m perfectly happy with my bowl of cereal. Of course, I’ve upgraded from Fruity Pebbles to Raisin Bran because I’m a grownup, but some habits die hard.”

“I guess so,” Jared said. “How long do we have until the body drops?”

“Why? Are you trying to decide if you have enough time to sneak upstairs for another shower?” Josh teased.

“Oh, man.” Harper covered her eyes with her hand. “I’m never going to live this down.”

“You had to embarrass me, didn’t you?” Jared asked, making a face. “My girl gave you thirty ideas for theme weekends and you paid her back with snark. It’s pitiful.”

“I’m sorry,” Josh said, holding his hands up in a placating manner. “That was uncalled for. I can’t seem to help myself.”

“Try,” Jared said. “Harper, stop hiding your face. No one knows but the three of us and Josh is going to stop bringing it up, aren’t you?”

“Of course,” Josh said, although his eyes were mischievous. “I would never want to embarrass Jared.”

“You’re embarrassing me,” Harper pointed out. “Jared wants to thump his chest and crow, but he’s holding back because he doesn’t want to upset me. I’m not an idiot.”

“You’re definitely not an idiot,” Josh said, amused despite Harper’s tone. “I want one of you. I really do. You’re so … cute.” He reached out to pinch Harper’s cheek, but Jared slapped his hand away.

“Don’t even think about it,” Jared chided. “She’s mine. She’s going to stay mine. She would never fall for the likes of you.”

“Yes, but I own the house with the tub and shower she likes so much,” Josh reminded Jared.

“Harper can’t be bought,” Jared said. “Right, Heart?”

“I don’t know,” Harper said primly. “If he has a box of those chocolates they left on our pillows last night, I might be able to be bought. I know I can buy Zander for a month straight if I take some of those home.”

“Consider it done,” Josh said, smirking at Jared’s hangdog expression. “After all the ideas you’ve given me today, I think a box of chocolates is the least I can do.”

“I’ll still beat you if you don’t stop hitting on her,” Jared threatened.

“Sometimes you just have to put up with a beating if something is worth the pain,” Josh teased, pushing himself up from his chair. “You guys have time for another mug of coffee … or more food if you haven’t had enough. The murder mystery will start in about forty minutes, and I have to check on a few things beforehand.”

“We’ll see you later,” Jared said. “Good luck.”

“Thanks,” Josh replied. “I think I’m going to need it.”

“
L
OOK
at this
,” Harper said, her voice barely a whisper as she walked into the Stokes Hotel library twenty minutes later. The body was supposed to be discovered in the distinguished room relatively soon and Harper wanted to see it before everyone descended and ruined the ambiance. “I’ve never seen this many books in my life.”

“I think this must be what the inside of your head looks like,” Jared said, his eyes wide as he took in the two-story room. Every wall was covered with bookshelves and every shelf was packed to the brim with antique books. The shelves had wrought iron ladders attached and they slid the length of the shelves. “This really is beautiful.”

“Now this is a room I would like,” Harper said, giggling when her voice echoed. “Of course, you could fit our entire house in this place and still have room for Zander’s ego.”

“What do you think all of these books are?” Jared asked, pulling a leather tome from the shelf and glancing inside. “I think this is Latin.”

Harper glanced over his shoulder and nodded. “I think it’s a Latin textbook. I can’t be sure, though. The only Latin book I ever saw was in a poetry class I took in college.”

“I can’t picture you in a poetry class,” Jared said, slapping the book shut and returning it to the shelf. “You seem like more of a horror girl, if you ask me. King … Koontz … those types of things.”

“I do love a scary novel,” Harper admitted. “I took poetry because Zander was insistent that he was going to learn how to write it to attract men. We read and wrote it for the class, and I barely passed.”

Jared snickered. “Please tell me you have these poems hidden away at your house somewhere.”

Harper averted her eyes. “Nope. I lost them years ago.”

Jared didn’t believe that for a second. “Zander will find them for me,” he said. “I’ll just bet he will do a dramatic reading for me, too.”

“Ugh. Don’t you dare,” Harper said. “My poetry was terrible.”

“How was Zander’s?”

“He got stuck on the ‘roses are red, violets are blue, look in my pants and you’ll find something to surprise you’ vein of poetry,” Harper answered.

Jared’s laugh was loud enough to fill the entire room just when the butler Trask entered.

“Do you need something?” Trask asked, his gaze busy as he looked Harper and Jared up and down. Apparently he wasn’t impressed. “The mystery won’t start for fifteen minutes.”

“We’re here for the ambiance,” Harper replied, wrinkling her nose. “It’s delightful.”

“I see,” Trask said. “I believe you’re Josh’s friend from college, right? Mr. Monroe?”

“I am,” Jared confirmed, narrowing his eyes as he tried to get a handle on Trask’s attitude. “I understand you’ve been working for the Stokes family for quite some time.”

“Since Josh was five,” Trask answered. “This house has been my home for the better part of my life.”

“It’s a hotel now,” Harper pointed out. “Do you still live here?”

“I do,” Trask said, walking to the bookshelf and pushing in the book Jared handled so it lined up with the other items on the shelf. “Hopefully this hotel thing will be a temporary measure.”

“Don’t you like the house being turned into a hotel?” Jared asked.

“Of course not,” Trask sniffed. “It’s undignified. This is a grand home. It’s a showplace. It is not a spot for wayward travelers and … derelicts … to hang their hats for a night. The house was meant to house the finest family in the area. It certainly wasn’t meant to be a place where people pretend to murder others for sport.”

Harper pursed her lips to keep from laughing, Trask’s outrage amusing her. Jared was merely puzzled.

“If you hate it so much, why not find another job?” Jared asked. “I have a feeling the hotel is going to be sticking around for some time. Josh made it sound as if this is going to be a permanent business.”

“Nothing is permanent, Mr. Monroe,” Trask said. “This sad chapter in a great house’s history will not last. You can be sure of that.”

“You’re a real charmer, aren’t you?” Jared wasn’t amused in the least with Trask’s attitude.

“I am a professional,” Trask said. “I’m sure you don’t understand what that means.”

“You’d be surprised what I understand,” Jared said. “What you should understand is that Josh is doing the best that he can to save this place. It’s not some personal slap at you. It’s business, and I think Josh can turn this place into a real moneymaker if he’s given the tools to do it.”

“Of course
you
would think that,” Trask said. “You’re a police officer, correct?”

“Yeah. So?”

“While I believe you have an important job to do, you cannot possibly understand the history of this house,” Trask said. “It’s out of your area of expertise. You should excel at the mystery game, though. I would think you’d have a leg up.”

“Wow,” Jared muttered, turning his attention to Harper. “Do you want to hang out with Mr. Friendly or go somewhere else until the fun begins?”

“I’m actually curious why you would go around telling people all of this when you’re supposed to be working for the Stokes family,” Harper said, her eyes dark as they fixed on Trask. “They’re trying to build this into a business and they need strong word of mouth to do that. It seems to me that you’re working against Josh’s efforts. Why would he keep you here if that’s the case?”

“Josh was always a good boy and he’s turned into a charming man,” Trask replied. “That doesn’t mean he’s lord of the manor.”

“I think he
is
lord of the manor,” Harper countered, crossing her arms over her chest. She clearly didn’t like Trask any more than Jared did. “My understanding is that he’s in charge of all of this. Doesn’t that make him your boss?”

“You run haunted cemetery tours, right?” Trask asked, his tone derisive. “Do you really think you have the knowledge base to be involved in this conversation?”

“Hey!” Jared barked, taking a step forward. “What’s your problem?”

“I’m sure I don’t have a problem,” Trask replied, flicking a piece of imaginary lint from his shoulder. “I think you must be confused.”

“Is something going on here?”

Jared turned his attention to the doorway where Linden Stokes, Josh’s father, hovered. “Nothing is going on,” Jared said. “How are you, Mr. Stokes? I didn’t really get a chance to talk to you last night. Thank you so much for inviting us.”

“I was happy to see you, too,” Linden said, his smile welcoming as his eyes darted worriedly in Trask’s direction. “It’s been a long time. You’re certainly not the rabble rouser you were back then.”

“I hope not,” Jared said, smirking. “Josh isn’t either.”

“No, he’s grown into a fine man,” Linden said. “I understand you have, too. You work at the Whisper Cove Police Department, right?”

Jared nodded.

“How did you end up there?”

“I really wanted to work for a bigger department but there weren’t a lot of openings,” Jared explained. “I thought I could start at Whisper Cove and work my way to another department in a few years.”

“That sounds smart,” Linden said. “Whisper Cove is a beautiful area.”

“It is,” Jared agreed. “Now that I’m there and I’ve seen all that the town has to offer, I’m not sure I want to move on to a bigger job. I haven’t made any decisions yet, but I think the smaller job might be the perfect job now that I’m in it.”

“I think your decision hinges on Ms. Harlow more than the job,” Linden said, his eyes twinkling as he glanced at Harper. “I can’t say that I wouldn’t be swayed by her either, though. She is a vision.”

Jared couldn’t be sure, but he was almost positive he heard Trask snort.

“I wouldn’t say I’m a vision,” Harper said, moving closer. “I do love Whisper Cove, though.”

“Harper Harlow,” Linden said, his voice taking off a faraway quality as he racked his brain. “You aren’t related to Phil Harlow, are you?”

Harper sighed. “It depends,” she answered. “What did he do?”

Linden chuckled. “He didn’t do anything, my dear,” he said. “We went to summer camp together several years in a row. I always found him delightful. He’s your father, correct?”

Harper nodded. “He is my dad.”

“That would make Earl Harlow your grandfather,” Linden said. “I knew him through business dealings he had with my father. They worked together on a development near the shoreline a good fifty years ago. He was a wonderful man.”

“He was,” Harper said, an odd lump lodging in her throat. Her grandfather died more than twenty years before and she still missed him. Ironically, it was her grandfather’s death that revealed she could see and talk to ghosts. He visited her after passing away and before moving on. Her parents didn’t believe her at the time when she said her grandfather was there, but they did now – even though they weren’t remotely interested in her job. “I miss him a lot.”

“I’m sure you do,” Linden said, his expression thoughtful. “Did your grandfather ever take you golfing with him?”

Harper nodded. “He did,” she confirmed. “He would let me drive the cart even though I could barely reach the pedals.”

“I know,” Linden said. “You ran his cart into mine one day at the course in New Baltimore. You were tiny, barely up to my waist. That blond hair of yours was wild and you kept denying you drove into my cart on purpose and instead claimed a woman in an evening gown ran in front of you and caused you to swerve.”

Harper stilled, surprised. She had no memory of the incident, but if she had to guess she didn’t think it was a woman she saw, but a ghost. She thought her grandfather was the first ghost she encountered. Perhaps she was wrong. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I don’t remember that.”

“You were very small and your grandfather bribed you with ice cream not to tell anyone what you did, if I remember correctly,” Linden said. “You got Blue Moon and your mouth and tongue were stained for hours.”

“It’s weird that you two have met,” Jared said.

“It’s a small world,” Linden agreed. “Well, we’ll have to catch up later. I would love to hear how your father is doing, Ms. Harlow. Is he still as crazy as ever?”

“You have no idea,” Harper said.

“Well, I have to make sure a murder goes off without a hitch. Will you excuse me?”

“Absolutely,” Harper said, flashing him a smile before she shot Trask a sneer as he followed his boss out the door.

“That was interesting,” Jared said once it was just the two of them. “You knew Josh’s father.”

“I didn’t really know him,” Harper argued. “My grandfather knew him.”

“You were tight with your grandfather, right?”

Harper nodded. “I loved him.”

“Well, maybe Linden will have some good stories for you later on,” Jared said. “For now, we have to prepare ourselves for a fake murder. I don’t know what to expect, but it has to be better than a real murder.”

“And people say you’re not smart,” Harper teased.