“Well…” Laurel stretched out the word. “For all we know, itishaunted. I can ask Celia more about it. Even though our hotel isn’t on her regular beat, her tour only covers seven spots. Maybe there’s a haunting here she’s heard of. Since she works at the provincial archives, she might know more about the hotel’s history.”
“The Duchess has been around for over a hundred years,” Selena added. “At some point, it must have played host to a traumatic event or a gruesome murder. Maybe it’s been featured on a true crime podcast.”
“That would be ideal,” Charlie said, then immediately felt guilty. “Sorry, I didn’t mean I was hoping someone died gruesomely, but…um…”
“We get it,” Laurel said. “Hopefully, you can find something juicy. If it works out, we can include ‘as seen onCanada’s Most Haunted’ in our promotional materials. Talk about great publicity.”
“Thanks,” Charlie said. “I have Sunday off, so I’m going to start watching the show. If any of you want to join me, you’re welcome to come over.”
Selena gave her a sly smile. “Wouldn’t it be more fun if you watched it with Knox? Then you could take notes and discuss strategy.Together.”
“I…I don’t know. I hadn’t thought of it.” Could she be so bold as to invite Knox to her place? “What if he turns me down?”
“Then brush it off like it’s no big deal,” Rosie said. “But you won’t know until you ask.”
Charlie drew in a shaky breath. “Okay. I’ll ask him.”
Three
Ten minutesbefore Knox was due to arrive at her apartment, Charlie dashed into the bathroom and checked her appearance in the mirror again. After trying on multiple outfits, she’d chosen a short-sleeved top with a fun floral print and faded jeans. A little makeup, some hoop earrings, and her favorite beaded bracelets completed the look. A nice change from the blazer-and-skirt combo she usually wore as front office manager of the Duchess.
As she was touching up her mascara, her hands shook so badly she had to set down the tube.
Just breathe.
Why was she so jittery about having Knox over? She’d never had any qualms about popping into the Gilded Lily to chat with him. Or hanging out with him in the staff room on those occasions when their breaks lined up. And last December, she’d persuaded him to work with her on a bunch of the hotel’s holiday events. He’d even dropped by her parents’ house last year when he helped her haul a fully decorated Christmas tree to the Duchess.
But she’d never been alone with him in her apartment. Just the two of them, without the steady bustle of the hotel to distract them.
A sharp rap on her door made her heart seize up. He was early.
Before she could reach the door, it swung open. Her mother, Irene Fraser, entered the apartment, clad in a pale pink dress and matching kitten heels, a pair of diamond earrings glittering beneath her sleek blond bob.
Charlie walked over to her and caught a whiff of honeysuckle—her mother’s signature scent. “Hey, Mom. Shouldn’t you be heading to that cocktail thing at the Thomsons’?”
Both her parents had active social lives, filled with golf games, charity fundraisers, dinners, and events at the yacht club, where they were long-standing members.
“Didn’t I tell you, sweetie? The renovations on their kitchen still aren’t done. It’s so hard to find decent help in this city. So, we offered to host the gathering at the last minute. I’d love it if you’d join us.” She raked her gaze over Charlie. “You’d just need to change into something…presentable.”
Charlie could think of nothing more excruciating than spending the evening with her parents’ wealthy acquaintances. “Thanks, but I’ve already got plans.”
“Is one of your friends from the hotel coming over?”
“Yep.” She didn’t elaborate, hoping her mother would assume she was hanging out with Rosie or Laurel. If she mentioned she was entertaining a male guest, she’d be hit with a barrage of questions.
“Well, if you get done early, you’re welcome to stop in,” her mom said. “The Bouchards are coming, and they hinted Randolph would be joining them. From what I heard, he’s single again. Might be the opportune time to win him back.”
Charlie repressed a shudder. “Mom,I’mthe one who broke things off.”
“True, but that was three years ago. After all that time, you haven’t found anyone to replace him. Don’t you think you might have been a tad hasty?”
Never. If anything, she shouldn’t have gone out with him in the first place. From day one, he’d interspersed his compliments with sharp little barbs—about her job, her clothes, and her sweet tooth. Whenever they went out for dinner, he always ordered for her (“the little lady will have the kale salad”) and got annoyed if she hinted at wanting dessert. After they’d gotten engaged, he’d pressured her to spend a fortune on designer clothes, salon visits, and expensive gym memberships, just to meet his exacting standards. If she’d married him, he would have stripped her personality down to nothing.
“I’m in no hurry to get married. Not anymore. But thanks for inviting me.”Now, please leave.She didnotwant her mother still standing here when Knox arrived.
“All right, dear. Have a nice evening.” With that, her mother turned to go, closing the door behind her.
Not for the first time, Charlie regretted moving out of the three-bedroom apartment she’d shared with two of her friends. But once Randolph had proposed, he insisted she come live with him. By the time she’d had the courage to end things, her roommates had found a replacement. She’d decided to save money by temporarily moving back home. Though after three years, the arrangement could hardly be called temporary. At least her apartment was in a separate living space, located above her parents’ spacious three-car garage. But at age twenty-eight, it was embarrassing to admit she didn’t have a place of her own.
