Ruth gritted her teeth. “I don’t like the sound of it, either. It doesn’t make sense. Best friends don’t do that to one another. They stick by, through thick and thin, no matter what.” She glanced at Alice. “I wouldn’t do that to you.”
Alice thumbed her chest. “And I wouldn’t do that to you, either. I say we help Blissful, for Xavier.” She glanced at me. “We were going to help you anyway. You know, let you use our equipment. But this changes things. This is no longer about simply catching a ghost—this is about finding a killer.”
A bittersweet smile tugged at my lips. These two best friends were willing to help. Granted, they wanted to save their own skins, but they’d extended a hand to me last night and again today. Part of me was jealous.
I checked that. Jealous? What could I possibly be jealous of?
Friendship, that’s what.
I nodded at them. “What time do you want to meet?”
Ruth glanced at the clock. “Seven. That’s what time it’ll be dark. Meet here.”
I saluted her. “Aye aye, captain. See you then.”
FOURTEEN
Ireached the bed-and-breakfast a few minutes later. When I opened the door, I nearly raced headfirst into a tall man with short brown hair. He was perhaps early forties with bright blue eyes. He wore a crisp checkered shirt and pressed jeans.
I mean, who presses their jeans anymore?
“Sorry,” he said.
“Excuse me,” I murmured. A piece of paper fluttered to the ground behind him. “You dropped something.”
I bent to pick it up. It was a business card. “J&J Construction?”
The man smiled. “John James.” He extended a hand. I shook it. “That’s me.”
I pressed the card into his palm. “I’m not really looking for some construction right now. Here you go.”
John James took the card and smiled. “Nice hair.”
“Thanks,” I said stiffly. For some reason I didn’t think he actually meant it. Must’ve been the ironed jeans that clued me in.
I found Roan in the kitchen. “I’ve got your money.”
He rinsed his hands under the faucet and toweled them dry. “Good because I was beginning to think you were using my kindness.”
I laughed. “I’m not using anything from you.”
The twinkle in Roan’s brown eyes said he knew I wasn’t lying. “Great. I like money.”
I punched my hand into my pocket to retrieve the wallet. It was gone.Again. “What the…? That little creep! I had it in my pocket. He dropped it. Oh, I will get him.” I raked my fingers through my hair. “Crapstick!”
“I don’t know what word that’s supposed to take the place of, but it’s not very ladylike.” The smile dancing on his lips made it hard not to smile in return, but I managed.
“Very funny.” I slumped into a chair. “I had it. Ricky gave it to me. That little sneak must’ve stolen it before I left the shop. Unless that J&J guy swiped it when I bumped into him just now.”
Roan's face darkened. “I wouldn’t put it past him. Guy’s a shark.”
I tipped my head back and studied Roan. “What makes you say that?”
Roan tossed the towel on the counter. “He’s going around trying to buy half of town. Word is the building Soul Food and Spirits is housed in was up for sale. James wanted to buy it. He put in a good offer and was all set to, but then Mrs. Wilkes turned around and outbid him.”
“Did she? I wouldn’t blame her. But why didn’t she make a good offer to begin with?”
Roan shrugged. “I don’t think she had the money to compete. But then Xavier Bibb backed her.”
