Page 16 of Sour Layer

“Did you find anything else when you went back to the Lynnfield property?” I asked.

A frown slipped onto Clark’s lips. “No, there was nothing new. I have no idea what happened to those girls or even where they might be.”

“Now that you’ve helped me find the Bennetts, I might be able to help you at the Lynnfield property. I tap into energies. If the house holds anything traumatic, I might be able to see what you can’t.”

“I’d appreciate that,” he said with a nod.

Dorothy kept her gaze down into her bowl, but it didn’t take a genius to realize that she was smiling into her soup. Had this been her plan all along?

Dinner went off without a hitch. The conversation turned to one that might have been geared toward an actual tourist. Talk about fabulous skiing and things to do around the area was at the forefront of the conversation. When Dorothy brought up the superstitions about the mountain and how locals knew not to go into the woods or hiking at night, that gave me pause.

“You think it’s haunted?”

“I think there are people up in the mountains who want us to believe it’s haunted to keep us out,” Dorothy said. “The Lynnfield property backs up to that forest, and that forest has eyes.”

Clark sighed and kept eating. Obviously, he didn’t want to argue with his mother. Who could blame him? She was probably right.

“I’m afraid I’m not related to any tree whisperers,” I said, breaking the awkward silence, “although I have a sister who sees ghosts and another who might be able to help you find the missing girls. She would just need an article of theirs to touch to help tune in.”

Clark lifted his gaze. “Thanks, but I think we’ll stick with bona fide police work. Even taking you to the property is me stepping out on a limb.”

“Okay. Forget I offered to bring in my sisters,” I said and continued eating.

Clark and I did the dishes, even though Dorothy protested that I was a guest. I countered with her saving me from the diner she’d warned me about across the street.

I washed as Clark rinsed. “Why didn’t you tell me that your sister was married to a Bennett?”

Clark shrugged. “I’m still in denial and wish she wasn’t.”

My brows dipped, and I scrubbed harder on the dish in my hands. “Why? Because he’s different, or does he have the gift of manipulation?”

“I’d rather not talk about them, so tell me about life where you live and your sisters.”

I could tell that Clark wanted to change the subject. There was some underlying cause that I wasn’t privy to, and I was okay with that. I understood the nuances of life and the ups and downs that came along with personal interactions. I saw it every day. Plus, I had tons of stories on my sisters to share.

After we cleaned the kitchen, he walked me to the stairs. I rested my palm on the carved wooden railing. “So, do you want to take me out to the Lynnfields’ tomorrow?”

“We’ll leave in the morning if that works for you.”

I patted the banister. “Sure. That works.”

I smiled at him and had started climbing the stairs when he followed.

“I don’t recall asking if you want a nightcap,” I called out over my shoulder, feeling his presence behind me.

He leaned in to whisper in my ear, “During the week, I keep a room in town. It’s easier to deal with the calls.”

“And it helps being so close to your mom to keep her out of trouble.” I got to the top of the stairs, and he followed me down the hall. I put my key in the slot and watched as he walked three doors down.

Clark laughed as he shoved his key in the slot and disappeared inside. He put on a good show at being hard on the outside and a bit standoffish, but I could see beneath his stone exterior. He was a guy who cared about his mom. One who protected his sister and this town, and one might even say he protected the Bennett she’d married, even though the tensions between the two had been thick like sludge.

I stayed up for another two hours and emailed my sisters and Abby about what I’d found out about the other Bennetts and hoped to give them more information as I spent time here. I sent a separate email to just Faith and Abby asking if they might be able to help with the missing girls. Both had the ability of psychometry. Both would be able to tap into things that I might not be able to get. Unlike me, and the energy I worked with, Abby could see the past with a single touch, and Faith could track down someone by just touching things that they owned. Both skills would come in handy.

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