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Kipp grinned, as much a threat as a promise. “Right, we’ll find out who did this to us.”
“I’ll be at the main entrance waiting for you to come so I can show you the way.” Then, poof, she vanished.
“Okay, this whole up-and-vanishing thing is just bizarre,” I said. “Ghosts have never used that ability in front of me before, and I’m sorry, but the idea that y’all can transport anywhere you want to, whenever you feel like it, is strange.” I pulled myself from my state of shock, jumped off the bed and glanced at Kipp. “Anyways, you have to go now.”
He sat down on the bed and bowed his head.
I snapped my fingers in front of his face to wake him up from wherever he’d gone to. “Did you not hear what I just said?”
“Yes, I heard you,” he answered, cool and collected.
Which only annoyed me—the whole reason for the past days of exhausting, humiliating events could be resolved. “Why are you just sitting there? Get moving, you have to find her body and then this whole murderous, scary nonsense can be put behind me.”
Kipp sighed, raised his gaze to mine and sadness touched every part of him. “Are you sure you want to solve the case now?”
My impatience erased in a flash. “Oh…” I paused. “Oh.”
He nodded solemnly.
“Once we solve the case, you’ll be gone,” I whispered, and even I heard the sorrow roll off my tongue.
“I suspect I will.”
I glanced down at my hands. I didn’t want that. Having him here comforted me in every sense. For once in my life, I didn’t want to help a ghost exit my life. I wanted him to stay.
He’d been in my life for only a short time, but I’d gotten used to his presence—I liked him being there. I cared for him more than I had for any man before. I wanted forever with Kipp and I simply couldn’t have that.
As overwhelming as it was to realize the time constraints we talked of just closed in on us and even though I wanted to refuse this, we needed to think of someone else. “Hannah.”
If they didn’t find her body and unearth some clues, she’d be stuck forever; hurt, lost and lonely. I didn’t want that either. The question remained, what did I want more?
In the one word spoken, the simple mention of her name, Kipp’s expression became resolved. His loyalty, his entire make-up, declared we only had one choice. “It’s time to bring Hannah home.” He stood. “Come on, we don’t want to keep her waiting.”
I fought against my heart’s desire and dressed quickly and rushed toward Zach’s bedroom at the end of the hall. I hammered on the door with loud, hard bangs as Kipp paced the hall behind me. It would’ve been easy enough for him to melt through the door, go into Zach’s room and wake him, but what would he do, breathe on him? But if Zach didn’t open the door soon, I planned to barge in, not caring if he slept in the nude.
After several more loud bangs, which included me kicking the door at the same time, it finally opened. To my surprise, it wasn’t Zach who greeted me. “Caley?”
She grinned, wearing nothing but Zach’s plain white t-shirt. “Of course it’s me and why you are interrupting us?”
“I need to speak with Zach.” My annoyance rose. Not because it surprised me she’d been with him, nor was I unhappy about it. My hesitation revolved around Caley, never compliant, always impossible.
“Sorry, he’s busy,” she replied.
Before I could object, Zach opened the door wider, with the bed sheet wrapped around his waist. “What’s going on?”
I ran my gaze over the length of Zach, unable to stop myself. My interest might lie in Kipp, but I knew a good body when I saw one. Damn, we were lucky girls!
I dragged my eyes to Zach’s face. “Hannah came to see us. She remembers where she’s buried.”
“You’re kidding.” Zach laughed and shook his head to clearly compose himself. “This is the lead we’ve been waiting for. We cannot wait until the morning. If it means we’re closer to finding out who shot Kipp, then we have to proceed quickly.” Caley opened her mouth and he promptly clamped it shut with his fingers. “Playtime is over.”
Caley dared to look offended. “You’re just going to leave me here…” she looked down at the lower half of her body, “like this?”
Zach pulled Caley back into the room and shut the door while I heard her arguing with him. I followed Kipp to the living room and sat on the armrest of the leather chair next to him. I had the urge to give him a snuggle, but since I couldn’t, I just sat in close to him. A shiver ran down my back from the chilly air of him, but I welcomed it. The coldness meant he was still here.
Zach strode into the living room fully clothed, took a seat on the couch and ran a hand through his hair to get rid of his bedhead. “All right…” he lowered his hand and gave me a firm glance, “tell me what Hannah has said.”
He’d clearly gotten Caley to calm down. It impressed me she didn’t put up more of a stink. But I suspected she understood how important the case was, maybe Zach had filled her in on all the details, and apparently, he told her she couldn’t hear the fine details. But I wouldn’t have doubted in the least if her ear was presently glued to the door, listening. “Well, after…” I glanced at Kipp.
