Chapter 29

LYNN

After Dan drops me off at the bookstore, I manage to rope Zoey into joining me. I fill her in on everything we discovered at the storage facility and about Chelsea’s house.

Zoey is all fired up to dive into those files and help us make sense of it all.

We pick up the truck and head to the storage facility. Dan is already there, getting everything set up when we arrive. Our plan is simple: load up the truck with boxes and get out of there as quickly as possible.

As I pull up, I spot Dan standing by the door. I shift the truck into reverse, using my side mirror to guide me as Dan directs me backward. When I hear him say, “That’s good,” I stop.

Zoey and I hop out just as the ramp is pulled out from under the truck. Dan secures the ramp and looks up at me. I lean in to give him a quick kiss.

“Really!” Zoey exclaims, hands on her hips.

“Yeah, really!” I retort, grabbing a handful of Dan’s ass. He jumps a bit and chuckles, grabbing the hand truck and heading towards the storage locker.

A few minutes later, Dan returns with a stack of boxes. He maneuvers up the ramp and places them in the truck.

Zoey hops into the truck, opens the top box, and pulls out a file. The file is labeled, ~Walken Asylum~.

She starts to read through some of the articles. I watch her face as she reads.

“This is so sad. An eighteen-year-old was murdered at the asylum.” She pauses, then continues reading.

“He was drugged with a lethal dose of opioids that killed him in his sleep. Another patient there was found with the evidence in their room.

“The boy who was murdered was awaiting trial for the rape of a thirteen-year-old girl. His name was Clayton Tucker,” Zoey says, looking up at me.

“What did you just say?” I ask. She starts to read it again. “No, the name?”

“Clayton Tucker.”

I look at Dan, eyes wide. “That’s the same name as the guy who killed Dorothy’s fiancé back in 1970.”

“It can’t be the same person,” Dan says.

“Unless we’re dealing with ghosts. Think about it. Crazy Willie said the house was haunted. Jennifer felt like someone or something was watching us, and it wasn’t alive.”

I stand there, scratching the side of my head. “Shit, we need to get these files back to your place, so we can dig deep into them. I’m sure they hold answers,” I say.

Zoey puts the file away and closes the box. Dan loads the rest of the boxes into the truck. He jumps down and helps me slide the ramp back under the truck.

He kisses me. “Be careful. If you’re right about this, that means they know as well,” he says, pointing up to the sky.

I give him a pat on the ass and watch him climb into his cruiser. I jump in the truck as Zoey looks at me.

“What?” I ask.

“Are you two actually dating? Because I thought it was just a booty call,” Zoey says.

I just stare at her, considering the idea of us dating. “Yes, he’s my boyfriend now,” I say, shifting the truck into drive.

CHELSEA

I wake up from a nap, still basking in the afterglow of the amazing sex we had. I roll onto my back, then quickly roll back onto my side.

I rub my ass cheeks. They’re warm and still smarting from where he spanked me. I guess being a naughty author has its perks, and he thinks I need to be spanked.

“Well, I’m never going to stop being naughty,” I say to myself, grinning widely.

As always, there’s a fresh pot of coffee waiting for me in the kitchen. I grab a mug and pour myself a cup. I walk out to the front porch and settle into the swing. I see Detrick approaching.

“Afternoon, ma’am,” he says, tipping his hat.

I raise my mug in response. “Afternoon.”

“Ma’am, I just wanted to let you know that something’s brewing. I don’t know who or what or where, but something’s not right.”

I look at him, puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“Some of the police and your friends are jealous of you and this house. They don’t think you deserve it, and I think they might try something to get you to leave. They want to take this away from you.”

“My friends wouldn’t do that. They were thrilled for me when I got this house. They know how hard it is to write a best-selling novel.

“They’ve always wanted me to have a place of my own. I have a new love in my life, so I don’t see anything happening anytime soon.”

“Regardless, someone is coming for you, and you need to stand your ground when that time comes. This is your house and nobody else’s.” He tips his hat again and walks away.

I shrug and continue to sip my coffee. I laugh out loud. “Nobody’s taking me away.”