Deadly Inheritance: A Romantic Suspense Read Online Free Page A

really worried about that aspect. And I can take care of myself.”
    “You don’t really believe in ghosts, do you?”
    She smiled a warm smile that made his own lips twitch in response. “Well, that is the question, isn’t it?” Her head tilted to the side. “I don’t think I do. But I’ve never been in a haunted house. You never know how you’ll react until you face the situation, do you? Seriously, though, I think whoever is trying to scare us away is doing so under the aegis of a ghost. And I don’t really want to be awakened every night at midnight by someone in a white sheet wailing over my bed, trying to frighten me. If we had a ghost buster, and everyone knew it, well, it might be quiet for the two weeks.” Some of the amusement left her face. Her eyes grew dark. “I think, if you prove there are no ghosts, it might rip away the murderer’s disguise and bring him out into the open. I don’t think he’d like that. In fact, I think the mischief would stop altogether, and no one would be in danger, then. And it would give the police time to unmask him. Does that make sense?”
    “In a twisted way, yes,” he replied grudgingly, realizing that she was serious. And afraid of facing the situation alone.
    That warning note had bothered her more than she cared to admit.
    “Our current animal shelter is fairly close to the edge of the grounds.” Her gaze turned inward, her eyes shining and a soft flush infusing her face with a quiet beauty as she softly explained. “I—well—I’d like to make a deal with my cousins to donate some of the property. We could sell it and use the proceeds for the shelter. I don’t know if they’d agree, but wouldn’t it be wonderful?” A small, half-hearted chuckle escaped her. “I know—I’m crazy. But it would be so great if we could get the funding. We could spread out and have real runs for the dogs. And proper kennels. And none of that’ll be possible if Autumn Hill turns into a white elephant no one will buy. And it might if people really do start believing it’s haunted. I know,” she flushed and stared at the edge of his desk, wrapping her arms around herself, “crazy. But I really want this to work out.”
    “Sure.” Studying her, he added gently, “But if someone wants to be afraid, they’re going to be afraid, regardless of what anyone tries to prove.”
    “You sound so sure.” She tilted her head to the side and eyed him, her face unreadable despite the sunlight streaming in from the window behind him and illuminating the soft curve of her cheek. “I always thought that people who debunked hauntings were secretly hoping to discover that spirits really exist.”
    “You do believe in ghosts.”
    “Let’s just say that I have an open mind. I don’t believe my uncle’s house is haunted, or that the spirits are out to get me. But I don’t want anyone to scare me away during the two weeks that I have to stay at Autumn Hill, either. Mr. Leonard thought I should take this threat seriously and that you could help me. Now, are you willing to go or not?”
    His hand hovered over the manila folder on his desk. Two weeks wouldn’t make a difference to Clark. He scooped up the four grand, unlocked the drawer safe in his desk, and put it inside.
    Done. Decision made.
    Debunking a haunting was child’s play. But as Frank Leonard guessed, Gabe was more interested in the theory that a killer might be behind the haunting and trying to frighten five people out of their inheritance.
    That made him mad when he looked into Nora’s troubled eyes. She deserved better than an anonymous threatening note and two weeks in the company of a murderer.
    So maybe he could make sure no one tried to frighten her and speed up the police investigation.
    Failing that, he could at least keep her alive.

Chapter Three
    Nora stood on her front porch with her duct tape-patched, blue roller bag at her feet and glanced at the time on her phone. Déjà vu . Once more, she was standing