Page 29 of A Haunting at Keystone Manor

“Not for you to know yet, my friend! It’s top secret. Seth knows, but that’s only because he’s beta reading it for me. But I promise that once it’s finished, you’ll get to be the first to read it.”

I wince. “Can I have a pass?” I ask and reach my hand out for the blunt that Seth is still holding between his fingers, forgotten for the moment.

“Yeah man,” Seth says and passes it to me. I grab it and… yes! I have a hold on it. I bring it up to my lips and inhale a little before doubling over in a fit of coughs.

“Oh my god,” I say between coughs. “Take it back, take it back!” I hand the blunt back to Seth. Jake laughs at my misery.

“Your face is turning red,” he says and pokes my cheek.

“You should try it next, Jake,” I wheeze.

Seth extends the blunt to Jake, who declines. “I’m good, thanks. Maybe later.” Seth just shrugs.

***

“I’m so high right now. Am I floating?” I ask as I lay on the couch in the living room, Jake standing over me, watching me with his arms crossed. Seth and Brandon have disappeared back into the attic, and I’m feeling good.

“You’re not high, Alex. You had half a puff. It didn’t even count,” he tells me.

“Hmmmm. I think maybe you’re wrong about that,” I retort.

He sits down next to me with a serious expression on his face, and I try to focus. “I wanted to talk to you about something. I’ve been thinking about what I want to do around here. Right now, I feel like I don’t have much of a purpose, so I thought it might be good to find a job. I want to take over gardening. I think working with my hands would be good for me, and I like the idea of being outside. What do you think?”

I sit up. “I think that’s a great idea. If you want to try your hand at gardening, I’ll make it happen. Once Kayla is out of the picture. She can’t know we’re here. But yeah, I love it. I think you’d do a great job.”

He nods, relieved. “Thanks,” he says and I take his hand in mine.

“I can think of a few ways you can show me how thankful you are for me,” I purr as I crawl into his lap.

He puts his arms under my ass and stands, carrying me to his bedroom.

Chapter twenty-one

You’re Fired!

Alex

Jake and I have been discussing ways to get rid of Kayla for a few days now. He’s adamant that his father will never fire her. She’s too instrumental to his laundering business here. But I have an idea, one that I’m not going to discuss with Jake first. It’s currently the middle of the night and we’re in his room cuddling, staring at the wall crack.

“I’ll be right back, I have to pee,” I say and wiggle out of his arms. I love being his little spoon, but daddy has business to take care of. Ew, I think. Not into daddy kink, apparently.

“Ghosts don’t pee, brat,” he says.

“Well, I have something I have to take care of. I’ll be right back, okay?” I hurry out of the room and run into the lobby. Kayla is never out here this time of night unless there’s an emergency, and right now we have no visitors. I gather my strength, pick up the phone, and dial the state police, requesting to talk to a homicide detective.

“New York State Police Department. This is Detective Mitchells, how can I help you?” asks a bored sounding detective.

I summon all of my acting abilities and whisper, “Hi, yes, I’m a guest at Keystone Manor Hotel, and I overheard one of the employees talking about burying a body on the property. She talked about how she dismembered him for asking too many questions about hiking trails! I’m afraid for my life officer!”

“Okay, we’ll send a unit out first thing. Are you in immediate danger?” he asks dryly.

“No, she’s asleep for the night I think.”

“Okay, I’m going to advise you to leave the premises immediately. Our investigators will be out there as soon as possible.”

“Thank you so much, officer.” I’m about to hang up when I blurt out, “The body is out by an old warehouse on the edge of the property!”

That done, I hang up the phone and walk back to Jake’s room. I need to tell him police will be here in the morning to dig up Andrei and arrest Kayla for suspicion of homicide. It’ll shake up operations at the hotel for a bit, but it’ll be worth it in the end. With Kayla gone, I’ll finally be truly in charge of this hotel, and my first order of business will be to give Jake a job as head gardener. If my man wants to try his hand at it, that’s what's going to happen. I’ll do whatever it takes to make his dreams come true.