Page 43 of Ghost
I frowned. “We already went over this. I don’t want Damen to exorcise Mr. Weaver.”
Miles slumped back into his seat. “Damn it.”
“Just tell them what I said,please,” Mr. Weaver snapped. “Especially if you plan to stay here. I want to leave before his attention turns to me.”
I shouldn’t have helped, but then I looked at him. Something in his expression stirred my emotions.
Earlier he had been calm and composed. Annoyed, yes. But abnormal for a grouchy old man. But now he was anything but. He was terrified.
Even finding out about his death hadn’t caused this reaction.
My stubbornness softened, his distress calling out to me. “What’s wrong, Mr. Weaver? Did you find out who poisoned your pork?”
“No,” Mr. Weaver calmed somewhat, noticing I was taking him seriously. “But my idiot brother had something to do with it.”
Dr. Stephens did? He didn’t seem the sort to murder his own family. But then again, he had thought nothing about sending me—an innocent young girl—into the woods alone. He either lacked common sense, or he wasn’t entirely benevolent.
So it was possible.
But what would cause family to murder each other? That seemed rather drastic.
“What’s going on?” Julian grasped my hand, drawing my attention back to the boys. Both were giving me curious, yet expectant, looks.
“Mr. Weaver says that Dr. Stephens poisoned his pork, killing him in cold blood,” I informed them. “It might be over an inheritance, or maybe a woman that they were in love with. That’s the usual reason for these sort of actions.”
There, perfect delivery.
This was easy, and actually fun. Being Damen’s assistant wasn’t so bad. Just by being near him, I had absorbed his forensic psychology mumbo-jumbo.
Perhaps I’d pick up a second major.
It was then I realized both Julian and Miles were giving me dubious looks.
Meanwhile, Mr. Weaver groaned in response. “Now I understand why you grate on my nerves. You’re just like Gregory in his youth. Learn to control that overactive imagination and tell them what Iactuallytold you.”
“He said something else, didn’t he?” Julian’s smooth voice interrupted my offended retort. “What was it?”
“Fine.” I rolled my eyes. If none of them wanted my expertise, then it was their loss. “He needs to find Dr. Stephens to give him important news. And says that he had something to do with the poisoning.”
Julian raised his eyebrow, and I was almost offended. “I’m serious!”
“So what is the news then?” Miles tossed the pillow back to the other armchair and leaned back in his seat. But even though his posture was more at ease, his face was still pinched. “Dr. Stephens remains unreachable at the moment. He’s at the main estate, and won’t be back until Wednesday.”
I expected Mr. Weaver to demand we call his brother anyway. But his face fell instead. “I suppose I have no choice.” His eyes darted to me as his fingers moved nervously over the handle of his cane. “Bianca—”
He knew my name? I had no idea he had even been paying attention.
“Make sure you get this exactly right. No making up any wild theories.”
How dare he—
“Yesterday Gregory sought me out, needing a favor. He wanted to know if any deaths were tied to a house. This house, to be exact. It was an odd request, because we don’t speak on a regular basis. But he claimed that as Black Hollow’s previous town historian, I’d have access to files that might not be accessible to the public.”
This cantankerous man had been a historian? I thought historians were refined and elegant people. Not mean humans who yelled at innocent young women and tried to shoot cats.
Mr. Weaver didn’t notice my expression. Or if he did, he didn’t care.
Instead, he continued, waving his hand. “Most information has been blacked out, but I have my pre-retirement connections. This home used to be owned by a popular judge, Edward Cole. His son, James, killed himself here when he was twenty-four. Edward’s wife, Rosanne, died from heartache a short while later. Afterwards, Edward abandoned the property. It remained in the family until Aine Hamway purchased it, and… Why the devil are you looking at me like that?”
