Ghostly Liaison (24 page)

“I have a better idea.” He released her and opened the passenger door. “Get inside.”

“You’re not taking me to a doctor, are you?” Because if he was, she’d rethink that lie part. Barnaby hopped into the truck and she followed suit. Her heart rate increased, which didn’t bode well with getting her blood pressure taken.

He stood holding the door, the corner of his mouth slightly raised. “Relax. It’s not bad.”

Where could he possibly take her that wasn’t bad? As long as it wasn’t the hospital, she was fine with any place. He just better not start asking questions she wasn’t willing to answer. She needed proof before she said anything, because once she mentioned Carl, Rob would probably do something rash and only get himself hurt.

“Did he see who hit you?” Rob asked.

Oh crap. The one question she wanted to avoid. She leaned to the right as the truck turned left. “Where are we going?”

“You’re not even looking out the window. How do you know I’m not taking you home?”

“Because you didn’t make any right-hand turns coming out here.”

“Oh. That’s pretty impressive. I didn’t think you paid attention.”

“Just because I’m not watching where you’re driving doesn’t mean I’m not paying attention. So where are we going?”

“Some place safe.”

“Safe? Are we in danger?”

“I don’t know. Are we? Did Nick tell you anything about that?”

Oh great. Was he fixated on Nick? She so did not want to have this conversation. She concentrated on scratching Barnaby’s head, feeling the soft fur through her fingers, so when Rob suddenly covered her hand with his own, she nearly jumped off the seat.

“I know he told you something. And maybe you think you’re protecting me by not telling me, but you’re not.” He rubbed his thumb across her knuckles. That little action, which was probably meant to soothe her, did quite the opposite. Her poor heart was liable to jettison into space.

“Anyway,” he continued, “I’m not taking you home because I think you need a break from Charlie. Or more likely, a break from ghosts. You were having fun at Kate’s before I told you about my phone call. Weren’t you?”

The kiss came to mind as well as the shocked look on Tori’s face. She inhaled slowly. “Actually, before Artie plowed into you.”

“Yeah, but you were getting over that.” He patted her hand. “Relax. We’re almost there.”

Relax. Relax. Relax. No chance in hell unless he drugged her.

After a couple turns to the right and left, the truck jostled and stopped on an incline. She raised her head at the same time as Barnaby. Rob had parked on a driveway in front of a two-story house.

“Who lives here?”

“I do.” He opened his door and got out. The dog followed close behind.

When he said he’d take her someplace safe, she assumed a restaurant or park. How was his place safe?

The garage door rolled up and her hand hovered over the seat belt release. Wow. Her moment of truth had arrived.

The door opened. Rob stared at her. “You okay?”

No, she wasn’t okay. “Why are we here?”

He reached across and undid her belt. “Because I’m fairly certain there aren’t any ghosts here. And if there are, please tell me and I’ll take you someplace else, as well as get a Realtor. I don’t think I want to live with one.” He offered a hand to help her out, but she couldn’t move.

Why was she so nervous? He hadn’t done anything to warrant it. She was an adult. If things got, well, heated, would that be so bad? She took his hand and slid out of the vehicle. “Thank you.”

He led her inside the garage. When he reached a door, he punched the remote on the wall and the garage door trundled down.

“The place may be a little messy. Hope you won’t hold that against me.”

She stepped through the opening into the family room and breakfast nook. Mail littered the tabletop and various jackets covered two of the four chairs.

“How long have you lived here?”

“Since high school. It was my parents’ house.”

“Didn’t Charlie’s house belong to them?”

“It did. I think they had plans of buying older homes and renting them out, but that never happened. Charlie needed a place, but didn’t want to live with Mom and Dad. They rented it to her, so she was already living there when they died. Technically, we owned both houses together, but she didn’t want to live here, so I moved back. You want some ice cream?”

He walked over to what she assumed was the refrigerator.

“You collect magnets, do you?” One whole side and the front were covered in an array of colors. Pictures of a young Rob and Charlie in various sports activities littered the front, while magnets of locations covered the side.

“No. Mom did. Whenever she and Dad traveled somewhere, she’d buy one as a souvenir. Said they were cheaper than T-shirts and lasted longer.”

“How can you deal with seeing this every day?” Bridget wasn’t sure she could handle that kind of reminder if her parents had been abruptly taken from her.

“Strangely enough, it’s kind of comforting. I just think of them on a cruise or some kind of vacation.” He opened the freezer. “I’ve got chocolate-chip cookie dough or Oreo. What sounds good?”

The conversation switch caught her by surprise. An offer for ice cream was the last thing she’d expected to hear, but it sure sounded great. “Oreo.”

She sat in one of the uncluttered chairs. Habit had her separating his mail into two neat piles: bills and junk. Rob pulled out two bowls.

“If you don’t mind me asking, how did your parents die?”

“Drunk driver. It happened quick and they were together, which they always said was the way they wanted to go.” While he scooped out the icy treat, his eyes glistened.

Whatever got her onto this conversation? If she didn’t change the subject, she’d get them both crying. “Is ice cream a weakness of yours?”

He placed a bowl in front of her and moved a chair to sit close. His smile glowed. “Who doesn’t love ice cream?”

* * * *

Rob scraped out the last bit of ice cream in his dish, the spoon clicking against the glass. He’d lick the bowl if he were alone. Bridget had only finished half her serving.

“Don’t you like it?”

Her eyes did not reflect her smile. “As a matter of fact, I love it. It’s been ages since I ate any.”

Why’d he thought ice cream would solve all her problems? She was probably still freaked out about being attacked. He reached out and covered her hand with his. “Hey. I brought you here to relax, so no worrying, okay?”

“Yes sir.” She saluted and chuckled before digging back into the bowl.

Maybe she’d relax if she opened up. Didn’t she realize he could help if she only spilled about Charlie’s murder? Holding all that in couldn’t be healthy. But getting her to open up, now that would be the trick. He didn’t need it backfiring and having her pissed off at him. “Who do you think has a better shot at survival? A person with all the facts or a person going in blind?”

The smile disappeared and the spoon stopped midway to her mouth. “Sometimes knowing all the facts can lead to overconfidence.”

“You think I’ll do something rash, don’t you?”

She put her spoon down. “Yes.”

At least she was being truthful. “Can you go to the police?”

She shook her head. “I have no proof yet.”

“But there’s proof? Is that what Nick told you?”

She swirled the remaining ice cream with her spoon and kept her head down. “He had none, but he thinks there’s some to be found.”

“Then let me help. Tell me who killed Charlie.”

She shook her head. “No.”

“You think it’s better I speculate and take care of matters on my own? Is it someone at my work? Maybe I should start asking questions.”

Her eyes widened in horror. “No. That’ll only make it worse.”

Crap. It
was
someone at work. “How do you figure?”

“Rob, he’s already killed to shut people up. You don’t have to know who he is for him to come after you.”

“Exactly why I should know who it is, so I can avoid him.”

She lowered her head and played with the corner of an envelope from his stack of mail. He’d cracked that surface of hers, but had he made enough headway for her to tell him everything? She must see the logic in his defense.

“Bridget… How am I supposed to find the proof if I can’t talk to anyone and don’t know what I’m looking for?”

“I can find the proof. It’s not safe for you.”

“And it’s safe for you? He’s already attacked you once.”

She lifted her head. “I didn’t say that.”

“Oh come on. I’m not stupid. Who else would have hit you? And what makes you so sure he won’t strike again?”

“I’m not, but—”

“And won’t he suspect something’s up if you suddenly show up at my work?”

“Why would I—”

“Isn’t the proof at my work?”

“Oh.”

Beating her down like that gave him a nasty taste in his mouth, but she left him no choice. “Charlie’s my sister. Don’t you think I deserve to know what happened to her?”

She bit her bottom lip and her eyes filled with tears. The spoon clattered in the bowl.

“Bridget. I want to help her, too. Let me help her. Tell me who killed her.”

She scooted away from the table and went to the family room, wiping her eyes. “Rob, please. I can’t.”

He walked up behind her and grabbed her shoulders. “You can. You just won’t.”

“It’s not safe for you.”

“And it’s not safe for you, either. You leave me no choice, then. I’ll talk to Carl. Maybe he knows who held a grudge against Nick. I’ll feel like a heel bringing up his death, but—”

She swiveled around. The blood drained from her face and her widened eyes filled with fear. “No! You can’t talk to him.”

It all made sense. How scared she’d acted after talking to Carl. “Charlie said Carl killed her? That’s ridiculous.”

She grabbed his shirt. “Promise me you won’t talk to him!”

He placed his hands over hers. “Bridget, honey. There’s no way Carl could be involved.”

“But he is. Nick saw him attack me. And Carl pushed Nick to his death. Nick doesn’t think Carl meant to hurt him, but Charlie was planned. Carl went to her to find out what she knew and who she told. But she didn’t know anything, Rob. He killed her for nothing except to cover his own ass.”

Her words punched him in the gut and all the air left his lungs. Carl had been like a second father to him. To learn he was capable of such heinous things… “Why?”

“Nick suspected Carl was embezzling funds and confronted him.”

“He’s been stealing? No. I would have noticed something like that.” But maybe he had. How many suppliers had changed without explanation? Then there was Margo, and Mac’s painting contract.

“Whether or not you noticed, you can’t confront him, Rob. It’s too dangerous.”

Anger burned inside his chest. He kicked the coffee table and his game controllers fell to the floor. “I can’t let him get away with this. She was my sister! And he nearly killed you.”

He collapsed to the couch, holding his head. Tears ran down his cheeks. They’d trusted that man and he turned on them for what? Money?

She sat beside him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “Rob, I’m so sorry. I didn’t want you find out this way.”

He swiped at his eyes. “Were you ever going to tell me?”

She released him and scooted away. “Yes. Once I had the proof. Now that you know, well, maybe you can find it. Can you have your books audited? Make it look routine?”

He waved a dismissive hand. “We already do that.” Of course, it wasn’t the same accountant they’d used in past years either. “What else did Nick say? Did he give you anything to go on?”

“No. He only wanted to talk about Charlie. Then the wind kicked up and the lights came on and I woke up in your truck.”

“Whoa. Back up. What do you mean the lights came on? You didn’t mention lights before.”

“I didn’t? Huh. But there was a bright light.” Her eyes widened. “Do you think he moved on? Could that be it?”

“But if Carl killed him, wouldn’t he want to stick around for justice? Like Charlie is?”

“Carl wasn’t his unfinished business. Charlie was. And once he realized he’d never see her again, maybe that’s all he needed to go. I wish I’d known. I would have said good-bye.”

“I’m sure he understands why you didn’t.” He leaned back into the cushions and closed his eyes. How did life become so complicated?

“I’m sorry for dragging you into all this.” She lowered her head and played with the string on her hoodie.

“You didn’t drag me into anything. You opened my eyes.” And right now he viewed the most beautiful woman he’d ever known. He tugged on her arm. “Come here.”

She hesitated at first, but after wrapping her in a hug, he managed to get her head on his shoulder. He’d lost his parents and his sister. He wasn’t losing her, no matter how hard she resisted.

Of all the crazy, stupid things she could have done, telling Rob about Carl had to be the craziest and stupidest. Sure, he acted all cool, except for the kicking the table part, but deep down she was sure his rage boiled and mind worked overtime, thinking of ways to get Carl.

If only he’d found out after she’d gotten the proof. Then he could lash out at Carl all day long, because Carl would be behind bars and unable to hurt Rob.

He ran his fingers up and down her left arm. Thank goodness she’d worn the zip-up hoodie or he’d feel more than she wanted.

“Aren’t you hot?”

She was. In more ways than one. “I’m fine. Do you have any ideas of how we can secretly prove Carl was behind the killings?”

“I might, but I don’t want to talk about it right now. Why don’t you take this off?” He tugged on the sleeve.

“Because I don’t want to.” Maybe being in his arms wasn’t such a bright idea, no matter how much she loved it. She squirmed to sit up, but he held her tighter.

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to upset you. I know you probably have scars. They don’t scare me.” He took her hand and slipped it under his shirt.

What the heck? Feeling him up was not on her agenda, no matter how much she craved it. Feeling would lead to other things. Things she might not be able to stop. She tugged to get free.