Page 56 of The Magical Bed & Breakfast

Ivy grinned. “Are you sure she’s real?”

“Well, she has to be.” Kate waved her hand at the bones.

“I mean…are sure she’s not aghostcat?”

“Casper the friendly ghost cat?”

“Well, you only ever see her shadow…maybe she’s otherworldly.”

Or from a different time merging into the present.Kate shook her head. What was she thinking? She dealt with reality.

At least she had until she moved here.

And met Rory.

And saw cat shadows.

“…the bones all stay together,” she spoke the words thoughtfully, “or they did until my vandal smashed them.”

Ivy clapped her hands. “Magic!”

Kate let out a long sigh. “Okey dokey, my inn is haunted by a cat. And you call that…”

“The magic of Hazard.”

“The magic of Hazard,” Kate repeated.

Ivy nodded solemnly. “The best kind.”

*

Kate entered theGazette offices and was quickly ushered back to meet with the owner, a poised, smartly dressed woman who rose to shake her hand. “Danielle Fullilove, welcome.”

“Katrina Mayfield, QHM Media. We represent Mr. Rollins of Endeavor Street.”

“Please be seated. Normally for this type of meeting, you would meet with our editor, Slane Nilson, but my cousin Whitney requested I take the lead. No need to be so formal. I know who you are. I hear the Hazard Inn is coming along quite nicely.”

Kate hid her cringe at the name. She really needed to decide on a new one and get that news out in the community, but that was for another time. She took a subtle breath, determined to keep this meeting on track. She recognized the disarming technique. “It is. Prior to purchasing the inn I worked full time for QHM, and I’ve been asked to step in and assist on behalf of Mr. Rollins.”

“Rory.”

Kate nodded.

“Throckmorton.”

Kate gave a tight smile. “Rollins. He did legally change his name.”

“Oh,” Danielle leaned back. “I wasn’t aware. I understand you wish to discuss the piece we ran on him earlier this week. Was there a problem?”

Kate nodded. “Yes. Tell me, how much vetting did you do on the interviewee?”

*

Rory settled intohis Zoom call with Kyler. He was tucked into his room at the inn. He wanted privacy for this meeting—he wasn’t sure how it would go. What would Kyler’s reaction be when he got down to the reason he called? “Got a question for you, but I need you to keep it…” He paused. How best to say this?

“Secret,” Kyler filled it in for him.

Rory let out a frustrated sigh, “Exactly.”

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