Dani Sinclair - Return To Stony Ridge

“Wyatt told me to stay home today, but oh no, I just had to get some paperwork done. I felt fine other than a slight backache this morning. I had all kinds of energy when Will picked me up and drove me over here, but my water broke after he left to run an errand in town.”

“Yeah, sometimes it happens that way,” R.J. said calmly.

She smiled at him, shaking her head. “How would Stony Ridge’s favorite bachelor know that?”

R.J.’s grin was cocky. “Television. A person can learn all sorts of things watching television.”

“Yeah, well I hope you learned how to deliver a baby, because I’m not sure this one is going to wait much longer.”

“He’ll wait,” R.J. promised. “Hear that, junior? Hang in there a little longer.” He helped Alexis to her feet. “I’d offer to carry you, but Wyatt would probably punch me.”

“Hah! You’re just too much of a gentleman to point out you’d need a crane to lift me.” She looked past him to where Teri had stepped forward to stand in the hall opening. “I’m sorry for the rude welcome. I’m Alexis Crossley.”

“Teri Johnson. And no apology is needed,” Teri told her. “There’s nothing more incredible than the birth of a baby.”

“True, but you’d think they could have come up with an easier system for giving birth to one.”

Teri grinned, immediately warming to the woman.

“Let me grab my coat and I’ll come with you,” Kathy told R.J. She sent Teri a questioning look.

R.J. followed her gaze with a frown.

“Go ahead, R.J. I can wait here,” Teri offered. She knew he wouldn’t like it, but his truck wouldn’t hold all of them.

The woman called Alexis doubled over again with a groan. That cinched the matter.

“Okay if Teri waits here with Lucky? She’s not a guest.”

“Fine,” Kathy replied anxiously tugging on her jacket. “We need to go. Mrs. Norwhich is in the kitchen.”

Teri grabbed Lucky by the collar so he wouldn’t follow them. “Go.”

R.J. shot a warning look in her direction and went.

Teri turned to the silent cluster of watching women and smiled. “Hi. I’m Teri. I’m a friend of R.J.’s.”

“THE GHOST isn’t going to like this,” Boone whispered. His small face pleated with worry.

“It’s okay, Boone,” Nola consoled. “Ghosts don’t hurt people.”

Ian peered around the dim dining room as if making sure the ghost wasn’t listening. “Haven’t you ever heard of pol…pol…polter something or other?”

“Poltergeists,” Nola told him briskly. “There’s a book on them in the library. They throw things. But they don’t make people disappear.”

“Yeah? What about Corey’s mom?” Ian demanded. “The ghost got her.”

“Stop it,” Nola ordered, laying an arm on her brother’s thin shoulder. She felt him quiver and barely stopped a shiver herself. “You don’t know that.”

“Sure I do. I saw him. He was out by the fountain that night.”

Nola did shiver this time. Her brother grabbed her hand. His fingers were cold in hers. The fountain was where the police had found the missing woman’s cell phone all smashed. She’d heard them talking about it.

“You’re making this up,” she said.

“No, I’m not.”

She could see he wasn’t.

“And that isn’t the best part,” Ian added, his eyes growing large with suppressed excitement. “I heard two of the adults talking in the kitchen last night. I know who the blond ghost is and why he’s haunting Heartskeep.”

“Who?” she breathed.

Boone leaned in close as Ian lowered his voice still further.

“The man who used to live here before this house was turned into a place for people like us was a doctor. He murdered his wife and buried her in the maze. But first he hid all his money so no one could take it away from him.” Ian paused for effect. “Then he went crazy. He got shot dead right on top of where he buried her.”

Boone gripped his sister’s hand so hard his fingernails punctured her skin. Nola pulled his bony shoulders more tightly against her body, holding him close as if she could fend off the feeling of horror licking at her mind, as well.

“It’s still here, Nola,” Ian pressed. “No one ever found his money because he’s guarding it.”

“You’re making this up,” she said again.

Ian’s expression turned hurt. He drew back his head.

“Am not. Mrs. Walsh wasn’t happy when Mrs. Isley asked about the story, but she admitted it was true. Even you have to admit Mrs. Walsh wouldn’t lie.”

No, it was unlikely the kindly Mrs. Walsh would tell a lie or a tall tale like that one.

“There’s more,” Ian added conspiratorially. “The house used to be different, with dark wood walls around the balconies upstairs. There were secret passages to get onto them. Only what if they didn’t find all of the hidden passages, huh? I bet there are more. Look at all these dark walls.”

He waved a hand expansively at the dark panels surrounding them and the others followed his gesture with wide eyes.

“I bet we could find them. I bet we could find the money and the ghost, too.”

His words scared Nola. The idea was terrifying. And just a teeny, tiny bit appealing.

“That’s stupid,” she scoffed.

“Is not!”

“Ghosts don’t need secret passages,” Nola protested. “They can walk through walls.”

Ian gave her a fierce scowl. “That doesn’t mean they can’t disappear inside one. I’ve been thinking about this. We saw the blond ghost disappear in this corner next to the fireplace, right? So what if there’s a secret passage over here? We should look now while our moms are in the kitchen talking to that new woman.”

Lucky nudged her arm for attention. Nola stroked the big dog’s head absently. She was glad for his presence because Lucky wouldn’t let anything bad happen. Nervously, she followed Ian to the gigantic fireplace that nearly spanned the back wall of the dining room.

“How are we going to find a secret passage even if there is one?” she asked.

“It’s got to be the bookcase, like in the movies.”

The three children eyed the bookcases that shored up either side of the big fireplace. Instead of books their shelves were filled with wine glasses and brightly colored dishes.

“If we break something, we’re going to get in big trouble,” Nola warned.

“We’ll have to be careful, then. Move, Lucky.”

“The ghost isn’t going to like this,” Boone warned unexpectedly, his small face seamed with worry.

“What ghost?”

All three children whirled at the sound of Teri’s voice. She stepped into sight from the hall and offered them her most reassuring smile.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I was looking for Lucky.”

“You didn’t scare me,” the taller boy protested, recovering quickly.

“I’m glad. I’m Teri. You must be Ian. And you’re Nola so this must be Boone. Your mothers were telling me about you.”

Ian regarded her with a trace of belligerence. Boone peered up at her silently. The girl took her measure while resting a reassuring hand on her brother’s arm. Lucky trotted forward, stubby tail wagging. Gratefully, Teri scratched him behind the ear.

“Thanks for keeping Lucky out of trouble while I was talking to your mothers. I’m a friend of R.J.’s. I told him I’d watch Lucky, but I got to talking and forgot about him.”

“That’s okay. Lucky likes us,” Nola told her.

“I’m not surprised. Hanging with you guys would be a lot more fun than a group of boring adults. So you’re looking for secret passages, huh? I bet a spooky old house like this one has all sorts of secrets.”

The three children exchanged glances. As the oldest, Ian was obviously the spokesman.