Page 39 of Ghost Town Boogie

“I’ll get those suitcases,” he said, walking toward the bedroom.

She followed him. The store was closed, they were alone, and this wouldn’t take long. Anna pulled her t-shirt over her head and tossed it aside, as Colt opened the closet door and reached inside and down. When he turned, a medium sized suitcase in each hand, she was already working the button on her shorts.

He dropped the suitcases, his attention wonderfully distracted. He looked at her for a long moment, then glanced over her shoulder and said, “Clear out. Keep the others out, too, or I’ll play nothing but bluegrass for the next week.”

He looked at her and smiled, as he began to undress and she continued shedding her clothes. “Maude hates bluegrass.”

CHAPTER 15

The sun came up as it did every morning, casting soft light through the windows on the back wall. Sunrise was ordinary, that morning light greeted him every day, but today felt different in a momentous way. His heart beat on as always, but it was lighter.

Anna slept on, nestled against him. She knew about the ghosts, and she was still here. She knew, and she’d stayed. Would that last? She said she’d be in town for a while, but what could be considered a while? How long before she got tired of him talking to people she couldn’t see or hear?

He shouldn’t care, shouldn’t look for trouble that hadn’t yet raised its ugly head. Last night had been great, and wanted more just like it. More Anna, in bed and out. More rare moments of pleasure and laughter. They’d get her mother out of town today or tomorrow. After that… Colt sat up gently so he wouldn’t wake Anna. When Nina left, would Jack go with her? Would he stay near what remained of his family home, or in the Pine Street house, or would he move here and become a regular fixture along with Maude and Gerald, Nicole and all the others?

He didn’t need another spirit around, but in case Jack did go with his mother, if he was attached to her as suspected…

They had to talk today. Yesterday Jack had vanished, after saying he’d done something bad. The ghost had looked surprised, shocked, as if a memory he’d buried had come back to him in an unpleasant flash.

It wasn’t guaranteed, but maybe the something bad was the reason for Jack’s murder. And Nicole’s. And the fire.

If word got out that he’d found those pictures and the list of names, would the depot go up in smoke? This old place would burn fast, if an arsonist decided to take it down. Walter Wakefield or someone else? Who else was involved? It might not mean anything at all that Walter was in those pictures with Crystal.

If that was the case, why keep them? Why hide the crappy pictures?

Colt thought of the expression on Crystal’s face as she glanced over her shoulder…

In spite of the new, unpleasant thoughts he dozed off for a while. The disjointed dreams that came during his fitful sleep were unpleasant, stressful, and when he woke again he made an effort to stay awake. He couldn’t remember the dreams, but he didn’t want to go back there.

He hadn’t been awake long when Anna sighed and sat up slowly. Hair mussed, face flushed, she was so beautiful it hurt. She gave him a slightly wicked smile as she reached out…

Colt took her hand in his before she could touch him. “What time does your mother get up?”

“Buzz kill,” she said, pulling her hand back, rolling out of bed, and heading for the bathroom. “Early,” she said as she closed the bathroom door.

Colt raised his voice so she could hear. “Would she be shocked if we showed up together and I made y’all breakfast?”

“I don’t think so,” she called out. “I’m starving!” When she re-entered the bedroom Anna added, “I told her I might stay the night. Well, I told her not to wait up and I figure that’s the same thing. She shouldn’t be shocked.”

“You came here intending to seduce me,” he said as Anna gathered her clothes.

“I did. Are you shocked?”

“A little.”

“Complaining?”

“Hell no.”

“Good. I need a shower before breakfast.” She went into the bathroom but left the door open. “So do you,” she added in a slightly louder voice.

Colt bounded out of bed. He needed to talk to Jack before Nina Miller left town, in case the trapped spirit went with her or moved on once his tether to Seawolf Beach was gone. He needed to know what bad thing his old friend had done. But no matter what was going on, no matter what needed to be done… Jack could wait.

It wasn’t like she hadn’t warned her mother that she might not come home last night. Not that Colt’s rental house on Pine Street was home. It was just a place to crash for a while, to wait for things to shake out, settle down. There were so many decisions to be made. Would she make this cottage home after her mom went to Florida? Maybe she’d move into the apartment above the depot, with Colt. Not that he’d asked.

Last night had been great; she’d needed it so badly. But one or two great nights did not a relationship make. Still…

Colt cooked breakfast while Nina Miller glared at him. He ignored her for the most part, after a friendly greeting and a killer smile Anna’s mother apparently didn’t find at all charming. Anna did, though, so the smile wasn’t wasted.