I have to give it to her; she’s good at stalling. A loud thump sounds from overhead, making the chandelier shake. Katherine’s eyes widen in panic.
“Earthquake!” she shouts, and she jumps, making a giant X with her body.
“The doorframe,” I tell her, playing along.
“Right.” She scurries over to it. I follow after her, except I don’t stop; I keep moving past the door and up the stairs.
“Wait, I have part two of the play to tell you about,” Katherine shouts after me. "It's haunted up there!" She keeps shouting random things, but I don't stop, not until I swing my bedroom door open to reveal… nothing. Or so it appears.
Chapter Seven
TINSLEY
When I hear the loud steps coming up the stairs, I make a mad dash toward the bed and roll under it. Crap, I should have fixed the chair. It’s still lying on its side from when I’d slipped off it. I was trying to check on top of the hutch for clues. If I were being sneaky and was extremely tall, that would be the perfect place to hide things. There hadn’t been anything but a light layer of dust.
My heart starts to race. I’m not sure if it’s the thrill of being caught or the fact I’m about to come face-to-face with Hottie McLawyer. This must be what Katherine experienced when I forced her to do the haunted corn maze with me every year over in Hollowsville.
I hear the click of the lock before it swings open, and I watch two very expensive, shiny black shoes step into the room. If anyone should be slipping on their ass, it's him! Those shoes are ridiculous in this town, just like him. They don’t belong, and I glare at them, but the thought doesn’t sit well in my mind.
Okay, I'm reaching for shit to make fun of him for, but I'm mildly, okay, maybe highly panicking. I watch him walk farther into the room. A second later, I see Katherine's fuzzy boots enter behind him. Those things are ridiculous too. They're cute, butthe bottoms have no tracks, and it's hard enough for her to walk with good shoes as it is.
He walks over to the chair, picking it up. “Told you, this place is haunted,” Katherine tells him. If that were true, she’d be nowhere near it.
“Then I guess I won’t be sleeping alone tonight.” I watch as he walks across the room and then back. I stick my tongue out at him, not caring if he can’t see it. It makes me feel marginally better. I don’t want to think about him in bed with anyone. I bet it’s a new girl each night.
Hmm, that gives me an idea. I need to start digging into his personal life. First, I need to get his name. I’m sure Betty has it. I can warn all the women in his life. I’d be doing them a favor.
“Is there anything else you need, Ms. Katherine?”
“The room is nice.” Katherine walks over to the hutch and opens it. I can picture her poking her head inside, thinking I’m there and not being subtle at all.
“I’m sure Betty could get you one.”
“Nah, this place stays pretty booked up year-round.” Katherine pauses. “You get what I’m saying? Putting down for you.”
“I honestly don’t,” he responds, and that makes two of us. I press my lips firmly together to fight my laughter. I can only imagine how panicked Katherine is, and when she gets like this, she’s very unpredictable.
"Well, then, I guess I'll be leaving, Mr. Pierce." She starts to walk toward the door. "After I use the bathroom!" She bolts across the room like he's about to tackle her. He doesn't need to. Katherine trips over something, most likely her own two feet, and down she goes. I inwardly cringe. "Ope," Katherine huffs, and her head turns and our eyes lock.
"Are you okay?" he asks her.
"Ah, yeah, but maybe you could walk me back downstairs. I’m feeling a little unsteady.” Katherine sits up before she stands. "I could trip on the stairs."
"I think you can manage." His response takes me by surprise. What a jerk! She could really be hurt. I mean, she’s not, but he doesn’t know that.
"You ah—" She shifts on her feet, and I see her in my mind wringing her hands together. "Turn-down service. Yes, Betty needs to turn down the bedding."
“I can manage turning down my bed like you can manage getting down the stairs,” he tells her.
If this was Biff, he would be trying to get into her pants, so I’ll give him credit for that. I’d murder them both. Not out of jealousy. No way. That Katherine would lower her standards, and for him being a horndog. Yes, that’s the reason for the murders.
“But you get a little heart chocolate on your pillow.”
“Not hungry.” He walks over to the door, opening it.
“There is something wrong with you,” she accuses him when she gets to the door.
“With me?” A low chuckle leaves him. I’ll throat punch him. I know what his laugh is implying. There very likely is something wrong with Katherine, but only I can say that shit.
