Page 28 of Kiss Marry Kill
“I don’t know what you’re pointing at.” I frowned, moving closer.
She jabbed her finger. “There. Rightthere.”
I knelt down, peering closely at something that hung off the edge of one of the cactuses. I was surprised to find it was a silky white piece of cloth. Frowning, I pulled my handkerchief from my back pocket. I gently freed the cloth from the prickly pear and held it up to the light.
“That’s just like her dress.” Janelle sounded breathless.
Maxwell squatted down beside me, peering at the cloth. “It looks clean. Like it hasn’t been there long.”
I nodded. “I agree.”
“You see? She was there.” Janelle leaned against the wall of the building, looking shaken. “I told you I saw Kimora’s ghost.”
“No.” I shook my head. “You didn’t.”
Janelle widened her eyes. “But… but you’re holding a piece of her dress in your hand. How can you say I didn’t see Kimora’s ghost?”
“Because,” I sighed. “This isn’t a piece of ectoplasm.”
“What do you mean?” She squeaked.
“I mean, Janelle,” I said softly, “ifsomeone is stalking you, they’re not a spirit. They’re made of flesh and blood.”
“But why would anyone stalk me?” She blinked at me.
“I don’t know.”
Maxwell said, “Can you think of anyone… er… living who might have a grudge against you?”
“Not really.” Janelle furrowed her brow. “I usually get along with people.”
“Any jealous ex-girlfriends who might have a problem with you marrying Archie?” I asked.
She shook her head. “Archie said he didn’t date anyone after his wife died. I… I was the first person he took a chance with.”
Looking skeptical, Maxwell asked, “How long has it been since his first wife died?”
“Five years. He moved to Rainy Dale last year.”
“And he’s only dated you?” Maxwell met my gaze. “That’s awfully good self-control for a guy his age.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “How long have you and Archie been seeing each other, Janelle?”
“Six months,” she said quietly.
So before he’d gotten together with Janelle, Archie had spent four and a half years with no other women in his life? That was difficult to believe because he was in the prime of his life. I reckon it waspossiblehe’d simply been so brokenhearted he hadn’t been interested in dating anyone else. If anything happened to Max, I wasn’t sure I’d ever be with anyone else again. Perhaps Archie really had been grieving too much to look at other women until Janelle came along.
Maxwell turned to Janelle. “You married Archie, so you must love him.”
“Of course I do.” She stared at him, cheeks pink.
“Then you need to go back inside and continue on with the reception. Archie is very confused and worried about you.”
“I know he must be.” She grimaced. “But… what about this person who’s stalking me?”
I studied her. “If this person is real and not a figment of your imagination, so far they’re just watching you, right?”
Janelle blanched. “Well, if this really isn’t a ghost—”
