Page 3 of Ghostridden
“I’m sorry for your loss, but it’s been a long trip, and Gilgamesh really wants his dinner. So if you don’t mind?” I gestured toward the door.
“Oh. Of course.” He screwed his mouth to one side, which didn’t mar the perfect symmetry of his face as much as you’d think. “I’m afraid it could be a bit of a mess. Nobody’s been inside since Avi’s death.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Really?” Not even second cousin once removed Oren? I glanced around the perfectly maintained yard and the pristine paint and woodwork.Somebodymust have cared for it. “It looks incredible.”
“Yes, out here.” He nodded toward the house next door. “The same person who handles the neighbor’s upkeep has been maintaining the exterior.”
“For over ten years?”
The attorney hadn’t mentioned any ongoing expenses attached to the estate. Surely, if someone had been doing this much work for a decade, there should have been mention ofit. But then, she’d also told me that there were boxes of Uncle Oren’s effects in storage that would be shipped to me here. Maybe the records for the handyman’s payments were in them.
“It’s been a couple of months since Uncle Oren died. I hope his bill isn’t too much past due.”
“Oh, I don’t think he’s paid for the work.”
It was my turn to goggle. “Not paid? But clearly—”
“I don’t know anything for certain. But the guy worked for Oren and Avi when they both lived here, from the time he was a teenager. Maybe there was some provision.” His expression darkened. “Or maybe he thought Oren would leave the place to him if he kept it up.”
“Uh…”
Carson showed his palms and chuckled. “Oh, not that I think there’s anything nefarious going on. But people get funny when money and property are involved. I’m a real estate agent. Trust me. I know all about that.”
I glanced at the house. “If nobody’s been inside for a decade…”
I shuddered to think what the interior might be like. Spiders. Mice. Rats.Gah! Taryn said she’d have the utilities turned on. But what would the inside of a refrigerator that hadn’t been opened in a decade smell like?
I added new appliances to my mental list ofMore Things On Which to Spend Money I Don’t Have.
This inheritance had come through in the nick of time, though, so maybe I’d get lucky again. Maybe Uncle Oren—or his apparent boyfriend—had just upgraded the entire house. Heck, ten-year-old technology was practicallyStar Trekcompared to what I was used to. Before I’d moved into Greg’s condo six months ago, I’d lived in a seventies-era apartment with orange shag carpeting, and I still drove an ’81 Civic hatchback.
But unless I could actuallyget intothe house, I’d never know about the conditions inside, and I’d probably be sleepingin the back of said hatchback, because the town of Ghost—and seriously, who named their town Ghost?—was noticeably lacking in reasonably priced motels. Or any motels, for that matter.
I peered at the keyhole again. It looked like it was jammed full of… sawdust?
“Seems this lock is non-functional.” I dangled the key chain—which contained a single key—and gave Carson my best smile. “I don’t suppose you know any other way in, from your days here in your youth?” His brow wrinkled and his lips thinned.Ooops. “Not that you’re not youthful now. I mean, all kids know the secret ways into and out of the house, right? How else could you sneak out when you’re supposed to be doing homework?”
His expression cleared a little, but still held a shadow of disapproval. “The back door is keyed the same as the front. But other than the windows—which you’d have to break to get in—the basement bulkhead doors are the only other means of egress, and they’re bolted from the inside.”
I eyed the windows—beautiful double-hung panes with the wavery reflection that denoted vintage glass which, if not downright irreplaceable, would beveryexpensive to repair. Besides, it was way too soon to start breaking things—this might legally be my house, but until I released Gil to prowl the place, it wouldn’t seem like I’d taken full possession.
“Back door, huh?”
He nodded, checking his watch. “Yes. I’m sorry, but I have an appointment at two and it’ll take me twenty minutes to get to my office in Richdale.” He pulled a business card from his shirt pocket. “Here. Feel free to give me a call if you have any questions. Maybe we can grab a cup of coffee sometime. There aren’t many options for that in Ghost, but Richdale is a college town.” He flashed his own smile, which I had to admitwas damned attractive. “The students would riot without a reasonable assortment of coffee shops and cafes.”
“Thanks.” He was pinging my gaydar like crazy, but his brand of good looks screamedhigh maintenanceand was way out of my league. But hey. New house, new town, why not a new me who wasn’t so quick to judge? “I might take you up on that.”
“I hope you do.” He backed up a couple of steps and lifted a hand. “Nice to meet you, Maz. Welcome to Ghost.”
He strode down the sidewalk and tossed his bag inside a shiny silver— Wait. Was that a freaking Porsche?
Yep,wayout of my league.
I peered into Gil’s carrier, but he was favoring me with his furry butt, the end of his tail twitching in full-on kitty diva mode.
“Not much longer, Gil. I promise.”
I hefted his carrier, trotted down the porch steps and around the side of the house. No fence, not even of the traditional white picket variety that kept nothing in or out, including nosy neighbors.
