Oh crap. We never should’ve gotten in the sedan.
SEVENTEEN
“Xavier asked the three of us there,” I blurted out. It was always better to think before I came up with a total lie, but there wasn’t time.
Kency cocked a brow. “He did?”
“Yep,” Ruth lied seamlessly. “He had some equipment to show us. He invited Blissful because she’d seen that ghost.”
“And he invited me ’cause I had a bag of Milano cookies,” Alice said. “Oh, and for the technical stuff. But when we arrived, his equipment wasn’t working.”
“Right. It had gone soft,” I said. I couldn’t help it; they were the first words from my mouth.
All three women stared at me.
“I mean, there was an outage. It wasn’t working properly.”
Kency hid a smile behind her hand. “You can go. But if I have any more questions for the three of you, next time we meet it’ll be in my office.”
“Sounds like a wonderful plan,” Alice said. “I’ll bring the cookies.”
“And I’ll make cinnamon rolls.” Ruth smiled like a cat about to pounce on a mouse. “You still like those, don’t you, Kency?”
Kency blanched. “Yes, I suppose. Now scat. I’ve dealt with enough mischief tonight.”
When the three of us had piled back into the Caprice, I shot Ruth a questioning glance. “What was the whole cinnamon-roll thing about?”
She waved me off. “Oh, that? It’s well-known that Kency likes certain things drizzled on her naked body.”
I cringed. “Oh, jeez. Just don’t. Is that because of the Robert Smith guy?”
Alice wiggled her brows. “Yep. That man couldn’t keep a secret. It’s always good to have something embarrassing on your sheriff, I always say.”
Ruth buckled her seat belt. “Keeps ’em honest.”
“Keeps ’em something,” I mumbled.
As we cruised toward the inn, I realized there was something I hadn’t said to these women.
“Thank you.”
Alice glanced over her shoulder at me. “For what?”
Oh, so many things. I pressed my hands together and slowly exhaled. “For helping me tonight. For taking the whole ghost thing in stride. I kind of surprised you with that.”
“You could say that again,” Ruth said. “I didn’t expect a real ghost.”
“Well now that you’ve caught one, maybe the town will think you’ll be a good hire. But I can’t promise a cardboard box of water balloons will hold the next ghost.” I tapped the container. “Susan, you’re free. Thanks, again.”
The spirit lifted from the box. She shook out her teased hair. “Y’all wouldn’t believe how cramped it was in there. I’ll see you around, Blissful.”
She zipped from the car.
“Is she still here?” Alice said.
“No, she’s gone. Not that she went far. She haunts the restaurant.”
Ruth flipped down her sun visor, opened her mirror and eyed me. “So what’ve we learned so far?”
