Page 75 of Ghost of a Chance
It wasn’t just this new information that had him worried.She couldn’t blame him.She’d resisted him from the beginning, using her job as an excuse.They had no hold on each other beyond this ghost hunt.
Nothing else bound them together except for the tenuous strands of emotion knitting between them.
“Yes, and for you.”
Jasper’s lips thinned for a second and then he leaned forward to kiss her.Something moved inside of her.A sense of safety and comfort.That elusive emotion that she had only started to feel in his arms was back again.
Seventeen
Pizza for dinner seemed a natural place to start in retracing his steps the night Paul died.They entered the pizza place around seven, and it was busy but not too crowded.Gia and Dan joined them so they could go over their notes on the investigation.
Kirsty wore her huge black peacoat, and when she took it off he grew hot.She wore a body-skimming black-and-white striped turtleneck over a miniskirt, black tights and her chunky boots.He’d been eyeing her legs since she’d come downstairs.She looked like a dark goddess.It was all he could do to concentrate on ordering a pitcher of beer and pizza.
Her hair was stick-straight again, she’d gone for her normal heavy eyeliner, bright red lipstick and he suspected she wore mascara because this morning her lashes hadn’t been that long.Her goth girl armor was strangely comforting.
“Do you like mushrooms or not?”she asked, giving him an odd look.
“Uh, yeah.I’ll eat anything on a pizza except pineapple.”
“Steer clear of Dan’s Hawaiian then.Gia and I like olives, mushroom and sausage…want to split a big one with us?”Kirsty asked.They were sitting side by side in a booth and he liked the proximity.He put his arm on the back of the banquette.
“Jasper.”
“Yes.I’ll share a pizza with you,” he said, staring down into her eyes.Now that he’d confessed that he didn’t want her to leave, his emotions were flowing like a river that had burst its banks.
“Great.I’ll go order.Beer all around?”she asked.
Everyone agreed as they were getting Ubers for the rest of the night.Something he hadn’t done in a long time.Drinks with friends.Going out after work didn’t really happen that often.Though the isolation was his own doing.
“This place feels so lived-in.Reminds me of my parents’ place in Detroit.”Gia smirked, her eyes twinkling.“So when Kirsty gets back, we can catch up on everything.Professor Thompson sent over the class syllabus.I emailed it to you,” Gia said.
“Thanks.”Even if it might end up being useless.
Kirsty slid back, giving them all the amount they owed her.Everyone Venmoed her the money before she pulled out her notebook.He loved watching her write.Her fingers were elegant and confident when she held a pen.She jotted down the date and then drew a line under it.
“What have we got?”she asked everyone.
He skimmed the email Gia sent.Paul’s class schedule seemed normal.It didn’t ring any bells.
“While you were gone there wasn’t anything to film.I edited the clip we got this morning.It might be worth it to try to be in the living room before the TV comes on at six.Maybe see if you feel anything?”Dan suggested.“I’d love some reaction shots.”
“Good suggestion.We can try it tomorrow unless we end up drinking too much tonight,” Kirsty said, making a note.
“I thought the plan was to drink too much,” Gia said.
“Plans don’t always work out,” she said.There was a shift in her voice that he struggled to place.
“Indeed.”Gia gave Kirsty’s shoulder a light squeeze.“I got the class info and shared it with Jasper.I’ve also been in touch with the local bookstore.They’re excited that you’re coming in next Tuesday, which has nothing to do with the investigation but I didn’t really have much to do today,” she admitted.
“Thanks for taking care of that.We do sort of have a new line to look into.”Kirsty took a deep breath.“Professor Thompson said this book wasn’t being used when Paul was in his class.It’s actually from the early 1990s.Any chance you want to see if you can figure out where this specific book came from and who’s owned it?”
“Uh, that’s not going to be easy,” Gia pointed out.
Jasper agreed.“There is a stamp on the front cover.Peterson’s Used Books.”
“I’ll look at it.Think it’s from Vermont?”
“I’ve never heard of it, but I don’t frequent bookstores,” Jasper admitted.“I’m more a comic books guy.”
