Page 79 of Be Our Ghost
“I tried to think of why she’d be so worked up. It’s not just that she was murdered so young, but also that she was forgotten. I couldn’t find anyone connected to her—no family whatsoever. That’s why I felt so sorry for her.”
Knox nuzzled her hair with his lips. “That’s because you’re so compassionate. You care about everyone, even ghosts. But I like the idea of commemorating her by ordering a plaque or a memorial stone with her name on it.”
“Thanks. I figured we could plant it in the hotel’s back garden.” There was no guarantee the gesture would satisfy Maeve, but at least she would have something to mark her death.
“You were so gutsy,” he said. “Don’t ever call yourself a scaredy-cat again.”
She laughed. “I still can’t stomach horror movies, and I’ve only read two Stephen King books.”
“That’s not what true bravery is. It’s standing up for yourself and for the people you care about. Like you did at the gala. You weren’t afraid to call out Lila and Evan for their actions. I’ve never had anyone go to bat for me like that.”
“I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I love you, Knox.” The words spilled out before she could stop them, but she knew in her heart that it wasn’t too soon.
He cupped her chin, tilting her head until she was looking up at him. His eyes shone with affection. “I love you, too. You made me realize that for all my horror-writing chops, I was the real coward. For too long, it was easier to hide in the shadows than reveal myself. You gave me the courage to speak out. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Putting yourself out there is a big risk, but the rewards are worth it.”
Back when Preston had assigned her to work onCanada’s Most Haunted, she hadn’t known what it would entail. She’d only agreed to help so she could get closer to Knox. She’d never imagined getting locked in a haunted room or confronting a ghost. Or taking the initiative with Knox by asking him over to her place and then inviting him into her bed. Or standing up to her mother and striking out on her own. Two months ago, she couldn’t have conceived of doing any of those things. She was incredibly proud of how far she’d come.
With a yawn, she nestled against Knox. “I’m getting sleepy. Tomorrow, I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”
“No rush,” he murmured. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Thirty-Three
Three monthslater
After Knox learned thatCanada’s Most Hauntedwould be airing the Duchess Hotel’s episode in late January, he met with the Damsels to organize a viewing party. Initially, he’d suggested they hold it at the Gilded Lily, but the lounge wasn’t outfitted with a TV. He’d always preferred it that way, especially during hockey season, when fans could get rabid. As a compromise, Selena suggested the breakfast room, which housed two TVs. She arranged the room’s seating to accommodate most of the hotel’s staff, along with a few special guests like Logan, Celia, Glen, and Gertrude, along with two of her great-grandchildren.
When the big night arrived, the attitude was festive, the crowd eager to see how the Duchess had fared during the filming. Charlie sat next to Knox at the front of the room. “I’m so excited. But also really nervous. What if I look like a total idiot? Everyone’s going to see me talking to a ghost.”
“You were the star of the show. Without you, the episode would have been a bust.” According to Logan, once Charlie left, the team’s equipment hadn’t registered anything else unusual. The three ghost hunters had spent the last two hours waiting for the lockdown to end.
“I know, but I kind of lost control. I just wanted to help Maeve find some peace. I’m glad we found a way to remember her and to commemorate her service to the hotel.”
At first, Preston had dismissed the idea as unnecessary, but Knox and Charlie had worn him down until he allowed them to order a granite memorial stone. At the top was an engraving displaying Maeve’s name, along with her date of birth and passing. They’d placed it in the hotel’s back garden a few weeks ago.
Was Maeve aware it existed? Had it made a difference? Knox wasn’t sure. But when he’d accompanied Charlie up to the storage room last month—to fetch the antique phonograph—she’d been unaffected.
Since Logan was attending the watch party on behalf of the show, he offered to say a few words before the episode aired. He stood at the front of the room and addressed the group. “Hi, everyone. I’m Logan Cantrell, one of the producers ofCanada’s Most Haunted. I want to thank all of you for letting us film our show at the Duchess Hotel.”
The room resounded in whoops and cheers. Charlie’s was among the loudest.
Logan grinned. “I appreciate the enthusiasm. When our ghost hunters go into lockdown to film an episode, we never know precisely what will happen. Certainly, the Duchess was a prime candidate for investigation, given the shocking events of 1924 and the anecdotal evidence surrounding the unusual occurrences in the third-floor storage room. Even so, we didn’t know if any spirits would manifest. I’d like to give a shout-out to Charlie Fraser, who was brave enough to reach out to the hotel’s ghost.”
“Her name is Maeve,” Charlie called out.
Logan nodded her way. “Right. Sorry about that. Because Charlie had the courage to address Maeve directly, she put herself at risk, as you’ll see in this episode. I do believe Charlie’s offer to ease Maeve’s pain helped diffuse what could have been a dangerous situation. In any case, I hope you enjoy the show. And I apologize for taking so long to get it on the air. We were hoping to release it before Christmas, but we got backlogged.”
Rosie spoke up. “Don’t worry about it. January’s better anyway since we were slammed in December. Weren’t we, folks?” Around her, other staff members voiced their agreement.
Her candor made Knox chuckle. Even if Preston didn’t appreciate it, the guy needed to be reminded that he occasionally pushed them too hard.
Charlie whispered in Knox’s ear. “I’m glad she said it. As much as I love Christmas, this year’s events were a lot.”
That was an understatement. Though Knox hadn’t donned a Santa hat, he’d suited up in his shiny red vest to help pitch in for the holidays. He’d been pleasantly surprised when Preston had allowed both him and Charlie to take a few days off, starting on December twenty-fourth so they could spend Christmas Day with Knox’s family. The McIntyre clan had adored Charlie (how could they not?), and she’d fit right in, entirely at ease amid the boisterous chaos.
In return, Knox had joined her and the Frasers at a New Year’s Eve party at the yacht club. Despite secretly dreading the event, he’d enjoyed it thoroughly. Hard to complain about a party featuring lavish hors d’oeuvres, expensive champagne, and an open bar. It also didn’t hurt that Randolph was nowhere to be seen since he was still recovering from a broken ankle he’d gotten while skiing at Whistler.
