Ghostly Worries (A Harper Harlow Mystery Book 4) (5 page)

J
ared was exhausted
when he let himself into Harper’s house that night. The house was sparingly lit and Zander wasn’t loitering around the communal living areas, but he found Harper in a tank top and cotton shorts on her bed when he entered.

“Hey.”

Harper lifted her face, which was bare of makeup as she readied herself to settle down for the night, and smiled. “I wasn’t sure you would make it. You’re late.”

“Did you think I was going to leave you hanging?” Jared kicked off his shoes and stripped off his shirt before reaching for the button to his pants. “I would’ve called. I considered calling when I knew I was going to be late, but I had no idea I would be this late.”

“It’s okay,” Harper said, resting her hands on an open hardcover book on her lap. “I was just worried you were going to be exhausted when you got here. I put a plate with pasta salad and a sandwich in the refrigerator for you.”

Jared dropped his pants onto the floor and stepped out of them, revealing a festive pair of boxer shorts with turtles adorning them as he showed off his impressive body. “You are the best thing that ever happened to me,” he said, dropping a kiss on her cheek. “That sounds really good. I thought about picking something up on my way here, but I was too tired.”

“Zander made the pasta salad, but I made the sandwich.”

“So I’ll definitely like the sandwich more,” Jared teased, narrowing his eyes as he glanced at the book. It didn’t look like a normal fiction novel. “What are you reading?”

“It’s my high school yearbook,” Harper said, flashing a rueful smile. “Seeing Jason and listening to Zander complain about him stealing his thunder kind of made me nostalgic.”

“Oh, is that what he stole?” Jared made a face. “Mel said Zander hated him because he stole his underwear. It made absolutely no sense. I couldn’t figure out what he was talking about.”

“That was Darrin Bonkowski,” Harper said. “He stole Zander’s underwear after gym one day.”

“Well, I’m not sure if that makes things better or worse,” Jared said, sitting on the bed next to Harper. “I thought Jason might’ve stolen Zander’s underwear and that was weird enough. Hearing it really happened is confusing.”

“Yeah, Whisper Cove is lovely in many ways, but it’s still a small town,” Harper said. “Don’t worry about Darrin. I stole his underwear and paid him back.”

Jared arched an eyebrow. “How did you do that?”

“I convinced him I wanted to go skinny dipping down at the hidden cove by the lake and he got naked first,” Harper replied, not missing a beat. “He went into the water while I pretended I was so drunk it took me forever to get out of my clothes. Then I stole his and left him there.”

Jared barked out a laugh, delighted. “How did he get home?”

“He walked.”

“That’s a tough dilemma at that age,” Jared said. “I might’ve moved into the woods and become a crazy hermit guy with a beard rather than show up home in the middle of the night with no clothes.”

“Yes, he was grounded for a month and complained to anyone who would listen about how I was a tease and someone should teach me a lesson.”

Jared frowned. He didn’t like how that sounded one bit. “What kind of lesson?”

Harper shrugged. “He didn’t really say. It doesn’t matter. He was too afraid to come after me. I think Mel might’ve threatened him, but I can’t be sure.”

Jared rubbed his thumb against Harper’s cheek, marveling at her soft skin. “So you were a complete and total badass in high school, huh?”

“Not if you ask Jenny,” Harper replied. “She reminded me that Zander and I had a club only we were members of and that the other kids in our school called us band geeks without instruments.”

Her expression was so serious Jared didn’t want to laugh. Ultimately he couldn’t help himself. “Oh, Heart, that is just … too cute.” He pressed an amused kiss to her cheek. “Show me photos.”

Harper flipped the yearbook open and pointed toward the photograph she’d been staring at when Jared entered. “That was us at lunch one day.”

Jared grinned when he saw the blonde beauty with the bright smile and geeky T-shirt. She had her head resting against Zander’s shoulder and whatever he whispered had her in stitches. “Is that a ‘bookworm’ shirt?”

Harper pressed her lips together. “Maybe.”

“You’re so stinking cute,” Jared muttered, running his finger over the two-dimensional photograph. “I wish I would’ve known you back then.”

“Oh, puh-leez,” Harper chuckled. “You were popular in high school. I was … that.”

“I think that is the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“You know I wasn’t technically legal there, right?” Harper’s eyes lit up as Jared shook his head.

“You’re still adorable,” Jared said. “The moment I saw you I thought that you were the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen in real life.”

“You probably shouldn’t have added the qualifier.”

“Probably not,” Jared agreed, resting his temple against hers. “Show me some others.”

“Are you sure? This must be boring for you.”

“Seeing you is never boring,” Jared said. “Show me some more photographs.”

Harper flipped through the book, pointing out a few photographs for Jared’s amusement. Zander dressed up in his
Phantom of the Opera
costume for the senior showcase was a favorite, as was Harper in her cap and gown before graduation. Near the end of the yearbook Jared stilled Harper’s flipping hands. “Is that Jason?”

“Where?” Harper followed Jared’s pointed finger. “Yeah. I didn’t even realize he was in that photo. This is my senior yearbook, but that’s a photo from near the end of junior year. They must’ve made a mistake.”

“That’s you next to him,” Jared said, shifting so he could study Harper’s profile. “You look happy.”

“Oh, geez, I knew this was going to come up,” Harper muttered. “I’m a big fan of the way you accepted an invitation to the restaurant opening for both of us, by the way.”

Jared pressed the palm of his hand to his forehead. “I knew you were going to bring that up, too,” he said. “I apologize for doing that. I don’t know what got into me. It was … wrong.”

“It was kind of hot,” Harper said, flashing a smile to make him feel better. “It’s okay. There’s no reason to be jealous of Jason, though. We dated for less than two months. Then he took off to Interlochen and I cried for two weeks. I moved on pretty quickly. Ten years later I found you.”

Jared laughed as he cupped the back of her head and exchanged a sweet kiss with her. “I just … you never mentioned him. It threw me off and you and Zander exchanged that look before admitting why you were down at the restaurant. This is all new so I kind of got worked up when I shouldn’t have.”

“Look?” Harper wrinkled her nose. “I can’t believe you noticed that.”

“I’m an observant guy.”

“The look was because we were in the middle of a mini fight when it happened,” Harper said. “Zander has his nose out of joint and thinks Jason came back in town to be his arch nemesis.”

“Harper, you don’t owe me an explanation,” Jared said. “I just … got jealous. I didn’t mean it and I’m embarrassed.”

“Well, I guess it’s good you’re hot,” Harper said, rubbing her nose against his cheek. “If you were ugly I wouldn’t forgive you. You’re just handsome enough to skate on your looks, though.”

Jared poked Harper’s ribs and he swiftly grabbed her around the waist and wrestled her to the bed, scorching her with a hot kiss as he knocked the yearbook to the floor. “I’ll show you how hot I can be.”

“What about your dinner?”

“After,” Jared replied. “I have priorities, Heart, and you’re number one on the list.”

“That was a really good answer. You don’t even have to steal my underwear. I’m going to give them to you.”

T
HE KITCHEN
was
quiet when Jared made his way into the room shortly before midnight. He didn’t want to get out of bed – mostly because Harper looked like an angel and he didn’t want to risk waking her – but his stomach refused to quit growling. He pulled up short when he found Zander leaning against the counter and eating a cookie.

“You scared the crap out of me,” Jared hissed. “Make a noise or something.”

“Sorry. I’ll chew louder next time.”

Jared arched an eyebrow as he opened the refrigerator and snagged Harper’s promised plate of food. His stomach growled in appreciation as he popped a tomato from the pasta salad into his mouth and took the opportunity to look Zander up and down. Thanks to the limited light emanating from the fixture above the sink they weren’t completely in the dark. “You look crabby.”

“I’m not crabby,” Zander shot back. “I’m … contemplating my next move.”

“Would your next move happen to be against Jason Thurman?”

“It would indeed.” Zander bobbed his head up and down. “Do you want to join my mighty avengers team and bring Jason to his knees?”

“Why would I want to do that?”

“He’s after our woman.”

Jared stilled. He wasn’t lying when he admitted to feeling ridiculous for letting his jealousy get away with him earlier. He also refused to ignore Jason should the man set his sights on Harper, which he figured was a very real possibility. He wasn’t going to overreact and make a fool of himself, though. “What makes you say that?”

“Oh, you’re playing it cool, but I see your mind working,” Zander said, wagging a finger. “You want in on the team. Just for the record, I am the Captain America of our group. I look great in skintight rubber. You can be … the Hulk.”

Jared frowned. “I’m not joining your crusade against this guy,” he said. “I have no reason to dislike him … so … I refuse to dislike him just because I might be a little insecure.”

“Wow, it’s great that you admitted that,” Zander said. “That doesn’t change the fact that he’s after our woman.”

“I would argue with your use of the word ‘our,’ but I can’t so I’m going to let it go,” Jared said. “What makes you think he’s after Harper?”

“Oh, you should’ve seen the look on his face when he saw her,” Zander said, making a disgusted expression at the memory. “He schmoozed her and told her this outrageous story about wanting to give up Interlochen because he had a bad case of puppy love.”

“That’s probably true,” Jared said. “When you’re young and dumb you think everything is the end of the world. You think you’re going to marry your prom date. How often does that happen?”

“In my case … um … never,” Zander replied. “Harper was my prom date.”

“Of course she was.” Jared ran his tongue over his teeth. “Why do you hate Jason so much? Harper said he stole your thunder – and Mel said he stole your underwear – but I want to hear what you have to say.”

“He didn’t steal my underwear,” Zander protested. “That was another guy.”

“Harper set me straight on that.”

“It’s like my own uncle doesn’t even listen to me,” Zander grumbled.

“Zander, I’m hungry and tired so either spill your guts or I’m going to bed,” Jared warned.

“Let’s just say he always showed up and tried to make me look bad whenever he could and leave it at that,” Zander said. “He didn’t like how close Harp and I were back then and he’s not going to like how close the three of us are now.”

“And again we’re in a triangle relationship,” Jared said.

“Get used to it.”

“I’m working on it,” Jared said. “Did Harper flirt back with Jason?” He hoped the question didn’t come off too controlling, although he desperately wanted to know.

“No, of course not,” Zander scoffed. “She was happy to see him, don’t get me wrong, but she was oblivious to the way he looked at her. She’s always oblivious to that stuff. The only time she’s ever looked back is you.”

“And Quinn,” Jared added.

“She kind of looked back at Quinn,” Zander clarified. “You need to remember that Quinn died so he’s been built up in a lot of people’s memories. They weren’t going to survive as a couple if he … well … survived. She never had a chance to cut him loose so his death is bigger in her head than it should be.”

“I’m not sure you can make a death bigger than it should be.”

“Man, you are a pain in the keister tonight,” Zander snapped. “Are you seriously telling me you’re not worried about this guy moving in on Harper?”

“If I thought Harper was in danger, I would be upset and say something,” Jared said. “I trust her, though. We’re happy. I am not, however, making a complete and total jerk of myself and drawing a line in the sand with that guy because they had a high school romance. That’s just … ridiculous.”

Zander narrowed his eyes to dangerous slits. “Fine. I’ll do it myself.”

“Zander, don’t make things worse,” Jared chided. “Harper loves you dearly and no one can steal your thunder where she’s concerned. This guy is back in town and opening a restaurant. Just because he and Harper reminisced does not mean he’s interested in her.”

“Oh, you’re such a rube sometimes.”

“Okay, that’s it,” Jared said, shuffling toward Harper’s bedroom. “Sit here and stew all you want. You’re overreacting, though, and it’s a sad state of affairs.”

“Oh, it’s going to be a sad state of affairs,” Zander intoned.

“Goodnight,” Jared called out.

“I’m going to make him cry.”

“
I
didn’t get
a chance to ask you if you found out anything last night.” Harper flashed a pretty smile the next morning as Jared filled her coffee mug. “You distracted me with your … eyes.”

“Oh, gross,” Zander intoned, making a face as he sat at the table and snapped the newspaper open. “You guys are so sickly sweet in the mornings it makes me want to puke.”

“That bathroom is that way,” Jared said dryly, pointing. “As for the case, her name is Rosie Sawyer. She was a twenty-seven-year-old dental hygienist for that guy out on the highway.”

“Oliver Kennedy?”

“That’s the guy,” Jared replied. “He was surprised when we walked through the door. He said Rosie never showed up for work but that happened twice before so he wasn’t in panic mode because he thought she might have switched with another girl and gotten her wires crossed.”

“How do you get away with that?” Harper asked.

“We get away with it all the time,” Zander pointed out. “We did it yesterday when we opted for ice cream instead of helping Eric and Molly.”

“Yes, but we own the business,” Harper argued. “She works for a man … and in a relatively formal environment, too. I would think a dentist would be a stickler on stuff like that.”

“He has four hygienists and it sounds as if there’s a lot of nitpicking and sniping from the estrogen mafia there,” Jared supplied. “He didn’t come right out and say it, but it was obvious that the women divided into groups of two, with the older women joining together and the younger women joining together. I’m going to see Rosie’s cohort this morning. She was gone by the time we got done with Kennedy yesterday.”

Jared took a bite of his omelet and a sip of coffee before realizing the table had gone silent. He lifted his chin and found Harper and Zander staring. “What?”

“The estrogen mafia?” Harper challenged, narrowing her eyes.

“Oh, dude, you’re in so much trouble,” Zander said, pressing his lips together as he shook his head. “You’re probably lucky you got some loving last night because you’re not getting any tonight after that crack.”

“I don’t understand,” Jared hedged. “What did I say?”

“I don’t know,” Harper said, her shoulders twitching slightly as she reached for her coffee. “I think the estrogen mafia must be deaf. What do you think, Zand?”

“I think I’m back on top in the triangle,” Zander replied, winking at Jared for good measure.

“Okay, it’s clear I said something wrong,” Jared said. “I didn’t realize that the mafia comment was a no-no. Zander says it all of the time.”

“Yes, but I have sympathetic ovaries,” Zander said. “You can’t make that claim.”

“No one would ever want to make that claim,” Jared shot back. “I don’t understand what the big deal is.”

“The big deal is that you relegated those women to sarcastic chickens and insinuated they were willing to peck each other to death because of estrogen,” Harper said.

“Actually, it was more like he insinuated that those women were Jersey chickens who were willing to shove rooster heads in the beds of their enemies,” Zander said.

“No one is talking to you,” Harper warned, wagging a finger.

“Hey, I’m on your side,” Zander said. “Who is going to help you hide Jared’s body when he breaks up with you for having psychic powers now?”

“Okay, everyone needs to calm down,” Jared said, touching the tip of his tongue to his upper lip as he debated how to proceed. “I am sorry for the estrogen crack. I thought it was okay to say because Harper is so enlightened and would never act that way. She’s perfect and I forget other women aren’t perfect.”

Harper knew exactly what he was doing and she didn’t want to soften her stance. She couldn’t stop herself, though. She wasn’t really angry with him to begin with, just mildly irritated. “You’re very sweet.”

“Oh, that was smooth,” Zander said. “I have to hand it to you. That was almost masterful the way you pulled that off.”

“Thanks,” Jared said dryly, rolling his eyes. “Since I respect women so much – especially this one – I would never want to inadvertently hurt her.”

Zander’s mouth dropped open as incredulous disbelief rolled over him.

“Oh, you’re so sweet.” Harper petted Jared’s cheek as he flashed a smug look in Zander’s direction. “I don’t believe one word of that, but I’m going to forgive you for the effort alone.”

“Thank you,” Jared said, planting a loud kiss on Harper’s mouth before snagging a slice of toast from her plate. “What are you doing today?”

“I’m looking for Rosie’s ghost.”

Jared stilled. “I … do you have to do that?”

“Why does it matter?” Harper asked, grabbing the leftover tomato bits Jared ate around from his plate. “I talk to ghosts for a living. This is just a specific ghost I’m looking for.”

“I don’t want to go all caveman, but … .”

“I would be very careful if I were you,” Zander intoned.

Jared licked his lips as he studied Harper’s serious face. “Okay, you’re an adult and you’re going to do what you want,” he said. “I’m not stepping in quicksand twice this morning. Will you at least promise to be careful?”

Harper nodded. “Do you think this is a serial killer or something?”

“No.” Jared wasn’t sure how to explain his trepidation. “Rose was essentially your age, though, and people know what you’re doing when you go to a crime scene. I’m not trying to tell you how to do your job – or not to follow your heart – but I would really appreciate it if you would be careful. I’m kind of fond of you.”

Harper’s expression softened. “I’m kind of fond of you, too.”

Jared pushed a strand of her flaxen hair behind her ear before giving her another kiss. “Now I’m going to go all caveman. I need you to text me every half hour or so because I don’t want to spend the day worrying about you. Do you think you can manage that or do I need to cuff you to the bed?”

Jared was too afraid to risk a glance in Harper’s direction, but Zander’s expression told him everything he needed to know.

“So close, dude,” Zander said, shaking his head. “So very close.”

“
H
OW DID
your night with Harper go?” Mel was all smiles when he climbed into the driver’s seat of the cruiser and taxied Jared out of the parking lot an hour later. “Did she give you crap about accepting Jason’s invitation for the both of you?”

“She was quite forgiving regarding that transgression,” Jared said, rubbing the tender spot between his eyebrows. “She was less forgiving when I used the term ‘estrogen mafia.’”

Mel snorted. “That sounds like a typical woman,” he said. “Was Zander insulted on her behalf?”

“He was playing both sides of the fence,” Jared replied. “He did try to get me to join his avengers group to go after Jason last night, though. He kept referring to Harper as
our
woman. Our!”

Mel tilted his head to the side, considering. “She kind of is … .”

“Don’t finish that sentence,” Jared ordered. “I already know she kind of is and I’ve made peace with it. I would never want to get between Zander and her. That’s not right or fair.”

“But?”

“But he’s always there and he’s often annoying on purpose,” Jared replied. “Last night he was relatively serious when we chatted in the kitchen at midnight.”

“What was he doing up at that hour? He usually demands nine hours of beauty sleep – and before you think it’s derogatory or sexist that I said that, he’s the one who used those words, not me.”

“He was eating a cookie.”

“Oh, it must be serious,” Mel said. “Zander only eats carbohydrates after eight when the world is coming to an end. If the zombie apocalypse ever happens, he’s going to be so fat we won’t be able to get him out of the house.”

“I just watched him eat his weight in ice cream this weekend … and he had a cone yesterday.”

“Yes, but he says ice cream is empty calories because it’s whipped to get the right texture,” Mel said. “Don’t bother arguing with him. He believes what he wants.”

“Yeah, I’ve pretty much figured that out,” Jared said. “He’s really fixated on that Jason guy, and it’s not because he stole his underwear. Apparently that was a different guy. Darrin Bonkowski. I think that’s what Harper told me, anyway.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Mel said, making an exaggerated face. “I remember that kid. Harper got him out in the lake and then stole his clothes because of that mess and he threatened to … do some not nice things to her.”

Jared jerked his head around. “What kind of things?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Mel said. “It was a long time ago. Let it go.”

“Is that guy still around?”

“He lives over in Sterling Heights, but he doesn’t come around here much,” Mel said. “Let it go.”

“I’m not the one who needs to let it go,” Jared argued. “Zander is deadly serious about going after Jason and making him pay for stealing his thunder growing up.”

“Ah, his thunder,” Mel said. “I knew Jason stole something. What about you? Are you worried Jason is going to steal your woman?”

Jared scowled. “No. I trust Harper.”

“I didn’t ask if you were worried Harper would cheat on you,” Mel said. “For the record, though, she would never do that. I asked if you were worried Jason would steal her.”

“I’m not worried about that,” Jared said. “Harper and I are happy. We’re … good. There’s no reason to create a problem when one doesn’t exist. That’s what leads to relationship problems.”

“I’m so glad you’ve gotten the jealousy out of your system,” Mel said. “As for our morning, I found Sarah Littleton, who was Rosie’s friend at Kennedy’s office, and she’s waiting for us at her apartment.”

“Let’s do it,” Jared said. “Harper is insisting on looking for Rosie’s ghost today, and it’s making me a little nervous.”

Mel frowned. He was well aware of Harper’s abilities, although he couldn’t decide whether he believed the rumors or not. He knew there was something different about her – special even – but he was so pragmatic his mind revolted at the mere thought of accepting the supernatural. “Are you worried she’ll stumble upon Rosie’s ghost and be upset?”

“I’m worried she’ll stumble upon Rosie’s ghost and go looking for a killer,” Jared clarified. “I’d rather beat her to the punch this time. Let’s go.”

S
ARAH
Littleton offered
Mel and Jared coffee in her small apartment kitchen before joining them at the table.

“I’m not sure what I can tell you.”

“Your boss said you and Rosie spent time together outside of work,” Jared said. “We need to know her regular routine.”

“She didn’t really have a routine that I know of,” Sarah replied, twirling a strand of hair around her finger as she nervously fidgeted. “We weren’t really all that close. I mean … we went out to the bar on the weekends, but that was mostly because we were both looking to find someone to settle down with.”

“And you went out together because of that?” Jared asked.

Sarah nodded. “Most of my real friends are married and Rosie had the same problem,” she explained. “I wasn’t nearly as picky as she was, but she had an easier time of finding men … at least at first.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“She could find men fine,” Sarah replied. “She’d hook them in and set up a first date without breaking a sweat. Every single time she would find something wrong with them, though.”

“Like what?” Mel asked.

“Most of the time it had to do with money,” Sarah said. “Rosie knew how expensive shoes were … and cars … and suits. She would always say things like ‘he’s wearing a two-hundred-dollar suit, but he’s got on ten-dollar shoes.’ I never paid much attention to that stuff because I’m more into looks and muscles, but she was really interested.”

“It sounds as if she was obsessed with money,” Jared prodded, ignoring the “looks and muscles” comment as best he could. “Was she dating anyone specific these past couple of weeks or months?”

“She never dated anyone more than a few times,” Sarah answered. “She would either find something wrong with them or they would find something wrong with her. She would always lie and say they didn’t dump her, though, but I knew she wasn’t telling the truth.”

“How did you know that?”

“Because when she found someone she liked she would go all out and kind of … um … follow them around.” Sarah was uncomfortable with her admission. “She wasn’t a stalker or anything, don’t get me wrong, but she’d make sure she always knew what they were doing.”

“I can’t imagine that went over well,” Jared said.

“It didn’t,” Sarah confirmed. “A couple guys caught her and called her crazy. Other guys dumped her because they thought she was obsessed with money. One guy caught her going through his wallet. He thought she was stealing, but she told him she was just running his credit report. He kicked her out right away.”

Jared and Mel exchanged a weighted look.

“That sounds a little more stalker-y than you originally let on,” Jared said finally. “Did she follow these guys around?”

“Yeah, that’s how she found out two of them were seeing other women,” Sarah replied. “She had a fit both times.”

“Do you remember any of these guys’ names?”

Sarah shook her head. “No, I’m sorry.”

“Are you sure?” Jared couldn’t help but be disappointed.

“I’m sure,” Sarah said. “They’re probably all in her online dating profile thing, though.”

Jared stilled. “Dating profile?”

Sarah nodded. “She was part of one of those groups, although I don’t know which one.”

“I don’t suppose you know where she kept her computer, do you?” Jared asked, tamping down his irritation. He couldn’t believe Sarah didn’t volunteer that information earlier.

“She had it all on her phone,” Sarah said. “She didn’t have her own computer and she wouldn’t use the one at work for dating. That was for online shopping.”

“We can’t seem to find her phone,” Mel mused. “That’s a little … convenient.”

“Well, I guess we know what we need to be looking for, huh?” Jared said, forcing a smile for Sarah as he got to her feet. “Thank you so much for your time. If we have other questions, we’ll be in touch.”