Page 3 of My Inherited House Might be Haunted

I went back to the sitting parlor, grabbed the paperwork, and headed for the safe. I wanted that squared away before anything else. In a house this large, it’d be really easy to lose stuff, and that wasn’t my goal with something this important.

The library had massive pocket doors with an engraved woodland scene. Really gorgeous, awesome doors. They slid open easily, and I stepped through, looking around.

Damn. I might have inherited theBeauty and the Beastlibrary.

Okay, I kid, it wasn’t that massive, but it was damn massive. I think this library took up the whole front of the house. There was not one, buttwolibrary ladders, the ceilings easily twenty feet tall, with bookshelves going all the way to the top. The book lover in me sighed dreamily. Oh, we were going to have fun in here. I’d snag books and sit in that oversized chair in front of the fireplace, a lovely fire going in the hearth, and do absolutely nothing else on the weekends. Just watch me.

Focus, focus. I was here for the safe.

Which was…where, exactly?

I looked around, saw no signs of a safe anywhere in this room, and scratched my head. Might have to call the lawyer over this one. Ooh, or Mom. Mom knew everything. I should probably get her on speaker anyway.

I dug my phone out and called her.

She answered promptly. “Hi, honey!Are you in the house?”

“I am, yeah. It’s a lot of house.”

“It is. I hadn’t seen it in person in years before the funeral, but yes, it’s very massive. Everything was transferred over to you okay?”

“Yup. My name’s on the deed and everything. I’m actually in the library. I wanted to put all the paperwork in the safe but…uh…where’s the safe?”

“Oh, right, she hid it behind a painting ofGod Speedwith a knight and a lady.”

I looked around and spotted it behind the desk. “Bingo. Is the painting on hinges or something?”

“I think it’s on hinges. It’s been years since I was even in that room.”

Mom and I had lived basically on the other side of the US since I was born. My stepdad owned a construction business, so he was pretty landlocked where he was, and my great-aunt was the type to travel everywhere in her retirement years. We’d normally seen each other two or three times a year; our relationship mostly phone calls and texts.

I put my fingertips to the painting and it swung open easily. Sweet. Also kind of fun. I didn’t realize people did this outside of movies.

All right, what was the combo? It had been written on a sticky note—ah, there it was. Eleven, seventeen—omg. “Mom. The combination to the safe is my birthday.”

“Awww. Sweetie, she loved you a lot.”

Grief threatened to hit me again. I really wished I’d been physically closer to her in life. I’d have given a lot to just live down the street from her, or in the same city, so I could pop over on a whim. I shook my head, trying to put it aside for now.

“Well, at least I can’t forget it,” I joked with her. “Opening now and…wow. There’s a lot of stuff in here. All the jewelry is yours, right?”

“Right. There’s a few paintings in the house I want as well. She did leave some things for your siblings.”

My great-aunt had liked my stepsiblings, too, so she’d left them a few things. “Yup, I got the list. I’ll double-check things and then…uh…I really do not want to ship anything to you guys.”

“No, no, let’s not risk the mail. Your father and I want to visit this Christmas and pick everything up from you then. He said make a list of repairs, too, and he’ll help you as much as he can before we have to go back.”

“I really appreciate it.” And would likely need his assistance. “In that case, for now, I’ll just—”

I heard the heavy tread of boots behind me. Like a military man marching along the floorboards. I whirled around, panic shooting through my system. What the hell was that?!

“Rhett?”

“Hang on, Mom.” I kept the phone in hand while stealthily easing back to the doors. I peeked either way in the hallway, but there was no one there.

Swords. Swords were in the umbrella stand right at hand. I snatched one up, holding it aloft. Not that I knew how to swordfight but better to be armed. I just knew,knew, that I wasn’t alone. The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up.

Abruptly, the front door opened. Just like if someone had pushed it open and strode through, not bothering to close it behind them. I stared toward that open doorway and felt my stomach drop. That wasn’t normal, right? That door washeavy, and I knew I’d closed it behind the lawyer, so there was no way it’d opened on its own.

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