AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As they walked toward the door of the building Tucker pulled up, and Damon and Kay waited for him to join them. “That was quick,” Kay said.
Tucker let out a whoosh of air. “False alarm. Apparently, Jed had sold the guy the box of nails he had in his pocket and didn’t give him a receipt.” Tucker scowled. “But I’m not so sure Jeannie wasn’t telling me a story.” He held the door open for Damon and Kay to enter. “Once she rushed through her flimsy explanation, she hounded me with questions about Nora’s ghost.”
Dora, the redheaded receptionist who’d had the job at the police department since Kay could remember, greeted them with a polite hello and a curious stare at Damon before her face lit up with recognition. Kay noticed he winked at her, and she did a mental eye roll before they walked down the hall to where space opened up to reveal two desks and an office. Farther down the hall were two holding cells. One, Kay knew, was full of office and cleaning supplies as well as boxes of old files. The other was probably dusty. The mainland town they shared community services with didn’t see much more criminal action than Night Meadow Island.
Kay said, “Jeannie probably came up with a reason to get you to the store because she wanted an exclusive.”
“’Fraid so,” Tucker said as he moved to sit behind his desk, and a roller chair creaked under his weight.
Roger Shaw, the chief of police, stepped out of his office with an authoritative presence that was due to his personality as well as his size. “I hear Nora’s ghost is where she belongs.” He held out his beefy hand to Damon. “Roger Shaw.”
“Yes, sir,” Damon said as he shook Roger’s hand. “Damon Hawke. You probably know me as a Brannigan though.” Roger stiffened just the slightest as Damon continued. “It was actually Kay who did all the work. I was just her back up.”
“You don’t say.” He looked at her. “I appreciate your help, Kay.” His eyes narrowed as his gaze darted between them. “Think we’ve got cause to worry about any more hauntings?”
“No,” Kay said firmly, because she had no intentions for a repeat performance.
“Ah—” Damon touched her arm. “Chief, sir, we’re fairly certain it won’t happen again, but unfortunately, with ghosts you can never be sure. They tend to have minds of their own when it comes to these things.”
“Damon,” Kay warned. She was afraid he was revealing why he’d really come to Night Meadow Island to see her, and she’d had enough experience with schemes in her lifetime to recognize one blossoming before her eyes.
“Well, then,” Roger said. “I’m glad I did the paperwork before you got here. It’s best to be prepared for these things.” He glanced at Tucker. “Officer Eagan thinks it’s a disaster waiting to happen if he’s on one of these ghost hunts when other incidents on the island might demand his attention.”
“Like today,” Damon confirmed.
Kay shot him a warning glare to shut up as Roger continued. “The law on the books says an officer must be present when dealing with paranormal activities on Night Meadow Island.” He smiled at Kay in his fatherly, disarming way. “I think we’re well past the reason for that law.”
Kay nodded. She was aware of the law that had been put into place over a century ago when her ancestors had been banished to the island for being witches. It was why Tucker had been involved the first go around with ridding a house of a ghost, and it was an integral part of how Kay had planned to get him to spend time with her. She’d used that law to her advantage, but now her stomach sank. She had a feeling the law was about to be her problem.
Roger said, “Kay, I’d like to deputize you and put you in charge of all ghost hunting missions on the island.”
“Wh— Ah—” Kay closed her eyes for a moment and tried not to let out a groan. One thing she knew about Roger was that his authority was never to be questioned, not openly anyway. He was the kind of man who needed to think something was his idea. And when he did, he moved full steam ahead. No matter what she did or said, she was going to walk out of the station deputized as the island’s new ghost hunter. A title she’d hold until she and her family figured out a way to get her out of the responsibility. She lifted her chin to take it with grace. “Chief, I’d be honored.”
“And, Damon, I heard you were an integral part of today’s success.”
Damon shrugged. “It’s easier with two. Kay would have done fine with one of her sisters too. But—” He glanced at Kay. “The Brannigans owe this town for what happened at the cemetery when I was a kid. I’d be happy to offer my services on any future ghost hunting missions, free of charge of course.”
“That would certainly be a step in the right direction. I’ll take you up on the offer.”
Damon elbowed Kay as if they were besties who’d just gotten a job at the same place. “I’d be honored to work with Kay.”
It was all Kay could do not to groan or kick or scream. She wasn’t sure if the situation was a result of her poorly planned scheme or if Damon had just pulled a clever one of his own. Either way, a Brannigan and a Knight were now on the same team. Her stomach flipped with a mix of excitement and dread, and she wasn’t sure which one she was supposed to feel.
6
Damon
The grinon Damon’s face couldn’t have been bigger without cracking his cheeks. Fate was in his corner, because Kay being deputized was a gift. It set up his plan perfectly. Now he didn’t have to tiptoe around Officer Tucker Eagan on the scene of the ghost hunting missions. It would have been difficult to keep the law from figuring out they were part of a reality show and not based on complete truth. It would have also been hard to portray Tucker in a respectful way when his abilities weren’t the least bit useful for paranormal activity.
Although, having a policeman afraid of the ghosts would have been a nice touch. But not enough to make Damon want the third point of his love triangle present, even after it was made clear to Kay that Tucker was not who she should be with. And it was time to put that aspect of Damon’s operation into play.
He watched as Chief Shaw went through the motions of deputizing Kay, and he signed the paperwork as a witness. He also filled out the necessary documents to officially be her assistant in future paranormal investigations.
“Congratulations, Deputy Knight,” he said as they moved to leave the station. She shot him a glare, apparently not thrilled about the development. When they got to his car, he paused by Kay’s door. “You do realize you’re not quite done here.”
Kay frowned. “How so?”
“You still need to ask Tucker out. Don’t think I forgot what you said.”
