Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
“I can see why these plays are always sold out.” I take a sip of my whiskey. I notice that Katherine keeps glancing up at the ceiling and then over to the entryway. My room is right above us. Subtlety is not her strong suit.
“I think I’m going to change out of this suit,” I say, getting up from my chair.
“Wait, why?” Katherine springs to her feet in front of me, blocking my path. Her actions only confirm my suspicions.
“I’ll be right back.”
“It’s fine. I love the suit. There’s no need to change. Best suit I’ve ever seen, right, Jimbob?” She gives him a hard stare.
“Sure, it’s good.”
“I’d like to get more comfortable.” I try to step around her, but she blocks my path again.
“So the play. Let me show you my part.” Katherine bursts into song. Jimbob covers his mouth with his hand to hide his laughter. I have to admire her determination to keep me from heading to my room.
“Haven’t been to many plays, but I know that’s from Annie.”
“Right.” She glances around. What she’s searching for I’m not sure, but I know she finds it when her hands go to her hips and she pushes her shoulders back. “Hey! Are you saying that because I have red hair and indeed am an orphan?”
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, but the 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.