He laughed. “No, but thanks.”
“Ah, so there’s something going on with the ghost chaser, huh?”
“Did you come because you were bored, Lavinia, or to help me out?”
She reflected the comment honestly for a minute. “Okay, maybe I was a little bored. But I did come to help you out.”
“Want to really help me?”
“Sure.”
“Get out of my bedroom. I’ll be right down.”
Lavinia rose regally, stretching like a cat. She walked by him, rising against him, planting a kiss on his cheek. “Maybe I’ll still be bored if the little ghost chaser goes away.”
“Lavinia, we’ve been that route before. Let’s be friends, huh?”
She shrugged and started toward the door. “Your cousin still hanging around here? And that handsome friend of his?”
“Clint—and Carter.”
“Carter, yeah.”
“They’re still around, Lavinia.”
“And they’ve gone through women like toilet paper, I take it. But then again, I’m not the usual country fare, am I?”
“If you’re trying to make me jealous, Lavinia, I told you, we’ve been that route before.”
Her smiled deepened. “I’m not trying to make you jealous. I’m just bored.”
“I’m sure that both Carter and Clint will be around for dinner.”
“Good. I am hungry,” she said, and at last departed his room.
Darcy insisted on taking care of Nellie when they returned to the stables, though Sam was waiting for them, and managed to remove the horse’s saddle the minute she had crawled out of it. “They’re waiting for you, up at the house,” Sam told them.
“Waiting for us? Are we late for dinner? It’s early,” Carter said.
Sam rolled his eyes. “We’ve got a visitor.” He turned his back on them, leading Tannenbaum back to his stall.
“A mystery. How cool,” Clint said.
“What is it?” Carter asked Sam, frowning.
Harry linked an arm with his. “Let’s just go on up and see.”
It looked as if Carter still wanted to protest but he was dragged along. As they walked up the porch steps, Darcy knew that she was curious herself. They walked into the foyer, and saw a group sitting in the parlor.
Adam, up and dressed and looking very regal. Penny, flushed and a little flustered. And Matt, casual in jeans and a knit polo shirt.
And a woman.
A really gorgeous woman in tight black pants and a blue silk shirt that enhanced her assets to a T.
She stood with the others as they entered.
“My Lord!” Clint breathed.
Matt smiled broadly at Darcy across the room. “Darcy! I think the others have all met. This is Lavinia Harper. Lavinia, Darcy Tremayne.”
Chapter 18
18
M att might have been mad as a hornet that morning, but now, he was as smug as the Cheshire cat. He somehow refrained from shouting, “She’s alive. See, see! My ex-wife is alive and well.”
And stunning. Smooth, elegant, and with perfect poise and sophistication, though her eyes were still curious and judging when they fell upon Darcy.
“Miss Tremayne! I’ve been reading about you all the way up in New York.” Lavinia took her hand in a truly decent shake.
“Have you?” she said dryly, then, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Well, of course, it is,” Lavinia said. “With bones popping up all over, I’m happy to prove that they’re not mine. But if you’re a psychic, shouldn’t you know that?”
“I’ve been trying to explain to Lavinia that dealing with the mind is not always such an obvious thing,” Adam said.
“Lavinia, you are gorgeous!” Clint told her.
“Clint! I haven’t given you a hug yet.” The woman flashed Darcy a smile. “If they wanted to be honest, they’d all tell you that it’s not such a thrill to have me here, but these are true old-time Southerners, determined on the old hospitality!”
“Lavinia, really. We’re certainly pleased to have you,” Penny said stiffly.
Lavinia broke into laughter. “Her words a lie, her tone the truth! Oh, Penny, don’t go getting all flustered.” She offered her smile to Darcy again. “The boys, however, really don’t mind too badly, hm? Clint, I’m still waiting on the hug.”
She walked toward him. Clint winked at Darcy and mouthed, “Yow! Come to me, baby!”
She turned. Matt was looking at her. Still smug and pleased.
“Hey, any luck finding the bones?” Carter asked Matt.
He shook his head. “But we will find them.”
“What can I get you all to drink?” Penny asked.
“Beer for me, thanks, Penny,” Clint said. Lavinia had gone on to hug Carter and Harry.
“Ditto!” Carter said, over Lavinia’s shoulder.
“A Coke for me,” Harry called, next in line for the buxom hug.
“Darcy?” Matt asked politely.
She met his eyes and smiled sheepishly. “A big anything,” she told him.
“Not too big. I just found out myself that Adam bought you a present today,” Matt said.
“Oh?” Darcy looked at Adam.
“I’ve been thinking about it a long time. Sam helped me out after I made it out of bed,” Adam said.
“How are you feeling?” Darcy asked him.
“Much better. Sleep helped a lot,” Adam said.
“Yes, it does,” Matt said. “Darcy, I’ll get you a beer. Better yet, come with me to the kitchen—if that’s all right with you, Adam?”
“Certainly,” Adam said.
“What’s going on?” Darcy asked.
“Your present is in the kitchen,” Matt told her.
She followed him, and as he walked to the refrigerator, she looked around. Then she heard a sound and solid bark. Matt grinned, handing her the beer.
“A dog?” she said.
“Adam thought that, since you didn’t seem able to stop yourself from running around in the middle of the night, you should have a big dog. She’s around the counter in her crate, waiting to meet you.”
Darcy walked around the counter. Her tail wagging away, one of the most beautiful German shepherds Darcy had ever seen was waiting impatiently.
“She’s gorgeous!” Darcy said.
“You can let her out.”
“She full-grown?”
“Almost full-grown, and fully trained. And once she gets to know you, she’ll be your most loyal fan, and most ardent protector. Hopefully, you won’t send her after me. Now that you know that Lavinia is alive and well.”
Darcy had slipped the bolt on the crate and the dog was sniffing and licking her hands. She looked at Matt. “I never really thought—”
“Yes, but now you don’t even have to suspect, huh?”
Darcy gave her attention to the dog.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly.
“I’m sorry, too,” he said.
“For?” she asked, looking up at him.
“For the times I have tried to convince myself that you were just too eerie to get really close to,” he said flatly.
“I’m still eerie.”
“Not to me.”
She smiled, but wondered if she really believed him.
“Lavinia is really as gorgeous as everyone said.”
“Yes, she is,” he agreed, but he shoved his way close to her, despite the dog. “So help, huh?” he asked.
“Help?”
“Stick close.”
“You need protection from her? Do you doubt yourself?”
“Not for a minute. But she’s really the touchy-feely kind.”
“Um,” Darcy said, studying his eyes. “But you really do seem to be in a good mood tonight. And I was warned that you were in a real temper this morning. You must be happy to see Lavinia.”
“I’m happy for you to see Lavinia,” he said.
She smiled, then became serious. “But the bones were stolen,” she reminded him.
He ran his fingers down her cheek, the touch gentle, his voice like lead. “You mean more to me than the bones, but trust me, I’ll find them. I have the best forensic help you can get anywhere in the world.”
“Oh? Is that why you’re not still down at the funeral home?”
“I’ve asked a friend in the FBI for help.”
“To find old bones?”
“Do we know that they’re old bones?”
She shook her head in response to his question, still studying his eyes. He shrugged then. “You don’t have to mention that fact. Everyone will know soon enough. It’s no great secret. But for now…”
He was interrupted by a bark. The shepherd stood looking up at them, wagging her tail.
“What’s her name?” Darcy asked.
“Oola.”
“Oola?”
“According to Sam, her breeder was very fond of the play The Producers,” Matt explained with a smile.
“I see. Oola! Come on, let’s go and tell Adam thanks!”
Darcy returned to the parlor with her beer and her dog. Matt followed behind with the two bottles of beer for Clint and Carter and a Coke for Harry.
“Thank God I wasn’t drowning!” Carter said.
“A dog!” Clint exclaimed.
Darcy hunkered down with Oola, smiling at Adam. “She’s beautiful and a great gift, thank you so much, Adam.”
“I’ve had a dog in mind for you for some time now,” Adam said. “Sam just happened to know the right folks. She’s house broken, six months old, and she’ll bond to you like glue, so he assures me.”
“Great animal,” Clint said.
“Great protection,” Matt said.
“Do ghosts get dangerous?” Lavinia asked.
“Apparently, the pursuit of them may be,” Matt said. He was staring at Harry. “That uniform is great on you,” he said.