After a short drive into town, she parked the car in front of the rambling Victorian house. Though the day had been slightly overcast, it seemed as if there was a thunderstorm brewing right over the house. The whole building was dark wood with dusty windows. When we walked up the creaky porch, the temperature dropped about ten degrees.
"You can sit in there," she said, pointing to the parlor. "I'll just be a minute. I already know the perfect outfit."
I stood in the dimly lit sitting room. There was a fireplace on one wall flanked by dusty bookcases. There were several doors leading off into seeming darkness. The dusty chandelier above me tinkled softly. I looked up then back down and tried not to curse.
"Good evening, Garrett," Morticia and Lilith said in unison.
"I'm waiting on Penny," I explained.
They stood there, unblinking. "She's changing." In unison, they turned and disappeared down the hall.
Something brushed against my leg. A black cat meowed.
"I hope you're not a bad omen," I said to the cat, bending down to pet him.
"That's just Salem," Penny said.
The black tights hugged her legs, which was good, because the dark-red A-line skirt she wore ended high up her thighs.
"Do you like my outfit?"
"I love it," I said. "Take it off."
39
Penny
I'll have to admit when Garrett said that, his deep voice rumbling around the room, I had half an inkling to strip down right there.
He kissed me, his hands sliding under the cape.
"Are you seriously going to do that in here?"
I shrieked. Salem startled and howled and sank his claws into Garrett's leg. He cursed as Morticia leveled her gaze at us.
"It's dirty in here. And people can see you from the street."
"I don't see how. These windows are filthy. Remind me that we need to clean them for the party."
"Leave them alone," Morticia said.
"If we had more light in here, we could get some plants," I suggested.
Morticia hissed. "Plants are gross and smell weird."
"Heaven forbid there's something green in here."
* * *
The old movietheater in Harrogate had been built in the 1940s, when the town was still booming in the post–World War II period. It was a beautiful old building constructed in the streamlined Modern style, with chrome and neon accents and a cantilevered awning. A vintage marquee announced the current features.
"Sweet!Creature from the Black Lagoonis playing," I said as we walked up to the building.
"Maybe that should be my Halloween costume," Garrett said.
"If you didn't like the Mr. Darcy costume, I feel like you won't like being in a heavy rubber suit that much either."
"I suppose you're right."
