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    The Cursed
    The Cursed
    The Cursed
    Ebook369 pages6 hours

    The Cursed

    By Heather Graham

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook


    A haunted house in Key West 

    Hannah O'Brien, who grew up in the house and now runs it as a B and B, has always had a special ability to see a pair of resident ghosts. But when a man is murdered in the alley behind her place, she's dismayed when his spirit appears, too, asking for help. 

    FBI agent Dallas Samson has a passionate interest in the murder, since the victim's a colleague whose death is connected to the smuggling ring known as Los Lobos–the wolves. Now Dallas is even more committed to chasing them down…. 

    Unaware that Dallas has certain abilities of his own, Hannah calls her cousin Kelsey O'Brien, a member of the FBI's Krewe of Hunters, an elite unit of paranormal investigators. The present–day case is linked to a historical mystery involving salvagers, a curse and a sunken ship. Danger and desire bring Hannah and Dallas together, but to survive, they have to solve the mysteries of the past–and stay alive long enough to solve the crimes of the present!

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins Publishers Australia
    Release dateJun 1, 2014
    ISBN9781488708190
    Author

    Heather Graham

    New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Heather Graham has written more than a hundred novels. She's a winner of the RWA's Lifetime Achievement Award and the Thriller Writers' Silver Bullet. She is an active member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America. For more information, check out her website, theoriginalheathergraham.com. You can also find Heather on Facebook and on Twitter, @heathergraham.

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    Reviews for The Cursed

    3.5/5

    47 ratings8 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Heather Graham is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I wish I had discovered her earlier. This book was well written, with really likable characters. Hannah, the owner of the B&B was great. As was her blooming relationship with FBI agent Dallas. The mystery was interesting, and the reveal of Machete's identity was a surprise to me. It's nice when mysteries can keep you guessing. I also liked the paranormal aspect, with the main characters being able to talk to ghosts. I definitely want to read more of these books.
    • 4/5
      First, I want to say that I have really enjoyed the Krewe of Hunters series and this book had a good story to it but I didn't feel the connection between the main characters. Their romance seemed too rushed & just about sex. The story takes place in Key West with Hannah running a bed & breakfast. Someone is murdered in her back yard and that brings FBI agent Dallas to her door. The difference in this book & some of the others in this series is that at least four of the characters not only hear the ghosts trying to help them solve the murder but they can all see the ghosts as well.As the bodies pile up, the team tries to locate Wolf, the bad guy. I did figure out who Wolf was a couple of chapters before the book ended but it seemed to end rather quickly. The romance between Dallas & Hannah never did heat up. Overall, I would say this wasn't one of the best of the series. It was a okay read but I am hoping the next book, The Hexed, will be more like the earlier ones.
    • 4/5
      Hannah O'Brien runs a Band B in Key West and also conducts ghost tours. It helps that she can actually see ghosts. In fact, her B and B is haunted by two lovers. So, when one of her guests wakes the inn screaming because she had seen a ghost, Hannah soothes her and sends her and the other guests to a non-haunted hotel. She wasn't expecting to find a body when she went into the alley behind her house. Nor was she expecting his ghost to ask for help.Dallas Samson is the FBI agent who comes to work the case. It turns out the dead man was another agent who was undercover to try to infiltrate Los Lobos - a very secretive gang that deals in smuggling. Now the leader of that gang has turned his interest toward Hannah's B and B. He is convinced that there is wealth hidden there from a sunken ship.This was an entertaining paranormal romance. It is also the twelfth book in the Krewe of Hunters series. It is the first book in that series that I have read. While I am curious about some of the other characters' stories, this story stands alone quite well. Both Hannah and Dallas are interesting characters and their romance is realistic. Fans of romantic suspense who like ghosts would be the best audience for this story. I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading more books in the Krewe of Hunters series.
    • 4/5
      First, I want to say that I have really enjoyed the Krewe of Hunters series and this book had a good story to it but I didn't feel the connection between the main characters. Their romance seemed too rushed & just about sex. The story takes place in Key West with Hannah running a bed & breakfast. Someone is murdered in her back yard and that brings FBI agent Dallas to her door. The difference in this book & some of the others in this series is that at least four of the characters not only hear the ghosts trying to help them solve the murder but they can all see the ghosts as well.

      As the bodies pile up, the team tries to locate Wolf, the bad guy. I did figure out who Wolf was a couple of chapters before the book ended but it seemed to end rather quickly. The romance between Dallas & Hannah never did heat up. Overall, I would say this wasn't one of the best of the series. It was a okay read but I am hoping the next book, The Hexed, will be more like the earlier ones.
    • 4/5
      Okay, let me just say that I'm a little confused by this book. Well, actually it's the people that has me confused. This is a Krewe of Hunters book but it's got characters from the Bone Island Trilogy (Katie, Liam, and David). The confusing thing about it is that the characters are all mixed up. First, in TBIT books Liam and David are cousins, in this book they're brothers. Then in this book Hannah and Kelsey are talking about how Kelsey had taken a self defense class from Dallas then a couple chapters later when they see each other for the first time they don't know each other. Also, Dallas knows that Liam is Katie's brother-in-law but then a couple chapters later he is surprised when it's mentioned that Katie is married to David, Liam's brother. It's like Ms. Graham totally forgot what she had written.

      The plot is interesting and the history of Key West is incredible. You can tell that Ms. Graham did a lot of research regarding the sitting of this book. I always like reading this series for the mix between history and the paranormal. The romance fell a little flat. I didn't really feel a connection between Hannah and Dallas. Maybe the start of something, but not enough of something to pack up and move a thousand miles away with the man. They had only known each other for a couple days. I'll keep reading this series as long as she writes them though cause I do enjoy them and would recommend them to anyone who likes a bit of history with their paranormal romance.

      Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
    • 4/5
      4 STARS

      The Cursed I think is one of my favorite stories from Heather Graham. It has the suspense, drama, just 2 Krewe members and way heavy on the ghosts, plus humor. It does have a sex scene that I skipped over.

      The plot a couple staying at the Bed & breakfast who went on ghost tour that night while staying by the pool see a ghost with bloody knife start screaming. That morning Hannah finds a dead guy just like the ghost described by her guests. After cops leave she encounters the ghost and he asks for help. She calls her cousin who is Kelsey a Krewe member to help.

      Hannah has two ghosts that live with her. She sees spirits really well and can talk to them with no problem. The house has been in her family for generations.

      Dallas Samson is the FBI Agent in charge of case. He has talents with ghosts too. He knew the victim and wants to find his killer badly. He decides to stay at the bed & breakfast in case the murder comes back.

      Kelsey O'Brien is a FBI Agent. She and her husband are members of Krewe. She used to be a U.S. Marshall before joining the FBI.
      She is also Hannah's cousin.

      The setting is Key West, Florida.

      The pace is fast and good. I did figure out who the Wolf was before revealed. But not to far before.

      I was going to introduce all the ghosts but that would take some of the fun out of the story.

      I was given this ebook to read and asked in return to give honest review of it by Netgalley and Harlequin.
    • 5/5
      In Graham’s paranormal mystery novel, Hannah O’Brien is not only the owner of a haunted B&B, but she sees ghosts as well. When a man is murdered on her property, she’s dismayed when the deceased’s spirit contacts her for help. FBI agent Dallas Samson was a colleague of the man found murdered and believes his murder is related to a smuggling ring known as Los Lobos—the wolves. Dallas himself has some abilities as well and together he and Hannah will unite with the assistance of an elite unit of paranormal investigators to work the case. To make things more challenging, the present case is linked to a historical mystery involving a cursed treasure believed to be hidden on Hannah’s property—something “The Wolf” wants for his own. Hannah and Dallas will work together, but to survive, they must solve both the present case and the historical one as well.

      Graham does an amazing job of bringing real-life elements into a work of fiction. Graham has once again showcased her storytelling ability.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed the narrator for this audiobook and I thought this was another solid effort by Heather Graham in her Krewe of Hunters series. I'm once again pleased at this one being less formulaic than some of the previous books. I certainly enjoyed Dallas and Hannah and the romance that developed between them. While I didn't figure out the identify of Machete, I had figured that the Wolf was a member of law enforcement and who he was about half way through the book.
      Certainly an enjoyable and fast paced storyline.
      Jack Murphy

    Book preview

    The Cursed - Heather Graham

    Prologue

    Ghost Stories

    The children screamed in the night as they felt the fire surround them, as they felt the ash...as they breathed in a smell like bad fried chicken that drifted on the air—a smell that must have been the victims’ burning flesh!

    As he emerged from the bathroom, Stuart Bell waved his arms over his head in a ridiculously—he hoped—spooky way. He was trying to be funny. Not that the event had been funny. A dozen children and adults had once been killed in a fire here at their bed-and-breakfast. But that had been a long time ago.

    Still, he was apparently not funny at all.

    He could see that Shelly was genuinely scared—she had been since they’d embarked on the Key West ghost tour earlier that night.

    The friends who’d taken the tour with them had all shaken off anything even remotely scary at their last stop, the haunted Hard Rock Cafe, where they’d imbibed a few island specialties and discussed some of the stories their guide had been telling them—despite having been told that a member of the Curry family had committed suicide in the ladies’ room. Everyone was having a great time—except for Shelly. Judy and Pete Atkinson, married grad students, were living it up away from kids, school and responsibilities. Mark Riordan and Yerby Catalano had kept up, matching them drink for drink. Shelly, however, had sipped at one blue, flowery beverage all night but left most of it behind.

    The others had talked about the past and even laughed at the spooky melodramas their guide had recounted.

    But Shelly took such stories to heart. She was still nervous.

    He and Shelly Nicholson had been a couple since their junior year at the University of Miami, and they both believed they would stay together once they graduated; she was even looking for a graphic art job in the same city, Plantation, where he already had something lined up.

    Stuart loved Shelly. He didn’t like to see her genuinely frightened.

    She offered him a weak smile. She’d already changed into a pair of Disney pajamas—pretty obvious he wasn’t getting through those cute characters tonight. He didn’t care; he just wanted her to feel better. I know you’re trying to help, she said.

    He caught her by the shoulders and urged her down on the luxurious bed. They’re just stories, he told her. Sad memories of someone else’s past.

    "Yes, but...I can feel the stories. Does that make sense?" she asked.

    In a way, yes, he thought, given where they were staying. The owner of the Siren of the Sea bed-and-breakfast—Hannah O’Brien—believed in doing it up right. The house had been built in 1839, and the care it had received over the years was extraordinary.

    He had, he thought, done exceptionally well in choosing a place to stay for their trip down to the southernmost city in the United States.

    But Shelly whispered, "If only we hadn’t stayed here."

    Of course. Their tour that night had started out from their bed-and-breakfast. Hannah herself, a lovely young woman not much older than they were, had been their tour guide, and she’d started with the tale of the B and B’s own ghosts.

    There were several, supposedly. The most often seen was Melody Chandler, who paced the widow’s walk atop the roof, eternally waiting for her lover, Hagen Dundee, to return from the sea. He had died saving lives rather than cargo when her father’s ship Wind and the Sea had floundered just minutes after striking out from Key West, dashed to pieces on the reef by the sudden rise of a summer storm. There had been rumors of violent fighting with another salvager in the midst of the wicked storm—rumors that suggested Dundee had actually been murdered.

    Melody had been convinced he wasn’t dead, that she would have felt it had he perished. Two weeks later, in the midst of another storm, she saw lights on the water and believed her lover had somehow survived in the ocean and been helped by a passing boat that was returning him to shore. She had raced down to what was now Smathers Beach, only to be swept away herself in the raging gale.

    Now, Melody was sometimes seen on the beach when the sun set and night came on, while at other times she paced the roof of the Siren of the Sea. Occasionally she was even observed in the backyard, where what had once been a pond was now a small swimming pool surrounded by tiled paths, lush greenery and beautiful flowers.

    And Hagen...well, Hagen had been seen opening the doors of the bed-and-breakfast time and again, searching for Melody.

    They’re real, Shelly said. I can feel them. I just—I just can’t go to sleep right now. I’m too wound up.

    Stuart felt himself perk up at those words, but the feeling was quickly dashed when she saw the hope in his eyes.

    No, I do not want to fool around, she said. Stuart, I’m sorry, but I just...can’t.

    He heard laughter from outside, soft and quiet. There were rules here at the Siren of the Sea. Hannah didn’t close the pool at night; she only asked her guests be quiet and respectful of others.

    Okay, Stuart said. That’s okay. But, if you can’t sleep, why don’t we join whoever is out at the pool? There’s even a small hot tub. Maybe that will make you sleepy.

    Shelly’s nod of gratitude was worth a night of not fooling around. He felt like a hero just from the way she was looking at him.

    She rose, diving for her suitcase and bathing suit. He quickly grabbed his own trunks and tried not to watch her change. Even though she was scared, he couldn’t help himself and was feeling pretty hot and bothered.

    Not much to see, though. She changed quickly then turned and gave him her beaming smile.

    Um, I think there are some beers in our minifridge, he said.

    She shook her head. No more alcohol, please.

    Soda?

    Sure, thanks.

    That was another high point of the Siren of the Sea. Every one of the six large bedrooms contained a minifridge and microwave. Stuart collected two plastic bottles of soda, grabbed a couple of towels and smiled at Shelly, who smiled back, looking a little less frightened.

    They left the room quietly and headed down the stairs. Whoever had been there earlier was gone. He set their sodas and towels on the old Victorian lawn chairs by the pool and jumped in. It was a small pool, only fifteen feet by thirty, adjoined by a small circular hot tub.

    Shelly followed him in. For a few minutes they swam silently, and then, in unspoken agreement, they slipped over the divide into the hot tub. They sat together for a while, still without talking. The night was beautiful. A full moon rode high in the sky, and nearby hibiscus bushes and tree limbs thick with green leaves moved gently in the breeze.

    You okay? he asked Shelly finally.

    She nodded. This was good. Thank you. She smiled. I love you. Let’s dry off. I think I can sleep now.

    They hopped out and went to get their towels. Stuart loved the period lawn chairs. They made him think of giant mansions and croquet fields, with men in knickers and women in white gowns wearing big white hats to shade their faces from the sun.

    Wanna lie here and dry off for a few minutes? Shelly asked him.

    Sure, great.

    They stretched out their towels and lay in the moonlight, hands entwined as they looked up at the stars. Hannah kept subtly arranged lights burning in the garden that gently illuminated the lawn with their soft glow. The spring day had been warm, and the night was kissed by a pleasantly balmy breeze.

    Stuart closed his eyes. It’s beautiful here, he murmured. Too bad that massive ad agency that wants to offer me the almost-big bucks isn’t down here, because I could live here.

    Easily, she whispered.

    Peace and serenity surrounded him. He really did love the Keys. There was something magical that happened once you left the mainland behind.

    The air was so soft and nice, the lounge so comfortable, that he began to drift off.

    Then Shelly screamed. It was a scream of pure and absolute terror.

    His eyes flew open as he bolted up and saw...a strange man standing over Shelly. The stranger was gripping his throat with his right hand and making choking noises. Stuart was too startled, too terrified to be sure, but it looked as though something was oozing through the man’s fingers. Blood?

    In his left hand the stranger held a knife. A huge bowie knife.

    He heard another scream and realized that, just like Shelly, he, too, was screaming in pure, gut-wrenching, primeval terror.

    He thought he saw the knife move, glittering silver and red in the moonlight as the stranger raised it and then sent it slashing down toward Shelly.

    1

    Hannah O’Brien walked into the large kitchen, ready to throw something. The past hour had been pure bedlam—guests hysterical and screaming, she herself completely baffled.

    Of course she had offered to refund everyone’s money and suggest a beautiful chain hotel for them to check into.

    She opened her mouth, not to scream, but to call out for immediate attention. Because she couldn’t think of anything else that might have happened except that one of her permanent residents had played a not-very-funny trick on her unsuspecting guests.

    Melody Chandler was already there, leaning against the refrigerator in her beautiful Victorian glory, staring at her.

    What the hell was that? Hannah demanded. Did you bring a friend in? A dying man with his throat slit, carrying a knife and trying to kill my guests?

    No! Melody protested.

    That was unbelievable. I’ve never had guests up and leave at 4:00 a.m. before. Never. And I’ve never had to refund anyone’s money before, either. Angrily, Hannah crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the ghost with whom she had shared this house for as long as she could remember. The original owner had been Hannah’s great-great-great grandfather on her father’s side, but she had actually inherited the house, already a B and B at that point, from her uncle. She had been his favorite niece, and she had loved him and the house. Sadly, he had died in his late forties from a sudden heart attack, and she had inherited the Siren all too soon. He had known how much she loved the place. She’d spent much of her time there with him, since her parents—who had lived a few blocks away on Simonton Street—had both worked.

    She knew the house backward and forward—along with its ghosts.

    She fought to control her temper. Melody, a little spooking the guests is fun, but this time you and Hagen went too far. I’m fighting to keep this place, but I can’t do that if I don’t make a profit. You two just scared all our weekend guests away. And Shelly, the poor girl who saw you, was beyond terrified. And from what she described, I don’t blame her.

    You did not listen to me, Hannah, Melody protested, staring at her with wide eyes, pleading to be believed. We did not do it. Hagen would never do anything like that. You know how squeamish he can be. And look at me. Do I look like a bleeding man with a knife? And who do I know? The same spirits you do! I do not know of a single spirit walking around Key West with a bleeding neck and a knife in his hand.

    Melody and Hagen didn’t refer to themselves as ghosts and didn’t like to be referred to that way. Of course, tourists and most locals called the city’s haunts ghosts, but Hannah was usually careful and polite, following their wishes and calling them spirits within their hearing.

    And with her temper cooling, now that the brouhaha in the house had died down, she had to admit that she really couldn’t picture her resident ghosts turning themselves into the terrifying apparition described by her now-gone hysterical guests. But if her two known household entities hadn’t been playing tricks...

    Then who...? she asked.

    Someone drifted in through the closed back door and then materialized into an excellent imitation of flesh and blood.

    Hannah was accustomed to such comings and goings. Hagen Dundee entered the kitchen and took up a protective stance at Melody’s side, slipping a ghostly arm around her. I heard, Hannah, and Melody is telling you the truth, I swear it. As if anyone could ever mistake her for a man! And I promise you that it was not me, either. We were not even here. We were at the Hemingway House, playing with the cats.

    Torturing the poor little six-toed creatures, probably, Hannah said, still angry. She’d lost business tonight, business she couldn’t afford to lose. And she was fighting to believe it had been someone’s idea of a prank; it was too frightening to think that it might be something else. Something real.

    I love cats. I would never torture cats. You know that I love all animals, Melody said regally.

    Hannah swallowed, then pursued the hope that perhaps the couple had schemed with one of their island spirit friends to scare tourists.

    Honestly, she said, "we’ve talked about this before. It’s charming and wonderful and helps business when you guys fool around and moan and groan in the middle of the night. Or, Melody, when you make an appearance at dusk, pacing the roof. Or, Hagen, when someone opens a door in the middle of the night and you’re standing in the hallway, looking tall and strong and desperate to find your beloved. But what happened tonight...it was mean. One of those people could have had a heart attack."

    Hagen looked at Melody and then walked over to Hannah and set his hands on his hips. His sandy hair was worn in a queue, and his bleached cotton shirt seemed to billow around his broad shoulders. She could have sworn she even saw specks of mud on his black leather boots. Hannah, he said earnestly, we did not do it. Then he turned his back on her and addressed Melody. Dear, I believe we need fresh air—and different company. Shall we go for a bit of a walk?

    She stepped forward and took his arm. Then, heads held high, they headed toward the back door.

    Wait! Hannah said. Please. Help me. If you guys didn’t do it...who could it have been?

    This island has spirits—and spirits, Hagen told her. Most of your ghost tourists stay on at the Hard Rock when you are done talking, and maybe they imbibed too heavily of spirits of an alcoholic nature. What I do know is that we did not do it—and you have deeply insulted us by suggesting we would do something so horrible. I really cannot stand here discussing this any further, Hannah. I am sorry. Melody, shall we take our stroll now? Perhaps down to the beach? he asked, then bowed in a courtly manner and moved as if he were really opening the door for Melody. She sailed out, and he looked at Hannah again then strode off in Melody’s wake.

    Hannah watched them go, surprised—and more than a little shaken.

    She’d grown up in this house with the two of them for company. Nothing like tonight’s events had ever occurred before. She couldn’t believe they would do anything so vile, but if not them... She didn’t even want to think that a murderous ghost might be stalking the streets of the city she called home.

    She sank down on a chair at the kitchen table, exhausted. She’d been sound asleep when she’d been startled awake, stunned and terrified herself, by the sound of screams. And Melody and Hagen were right. They didn’t begin to resemble the knife-wielding apparition that had threatened her guests out by the pool.

    She winced. It hurt to lose so much business. Weekdays in the Keys were slow this time of year. The Siren of the Sea wasn’t a major hotel to be found on every travel site on the web, though she did have a great website of her own. During Fantasy Fest and other Conch holidays, she had it made. And she had wonderful reviews on the sites where she could be found. It was still hard to make ends meet, though. She didn’t want to overprice, but she only had six guest rooms.

    Her house was worth a small fortune—she knew that. She’d received enough offers for it. But she didn’t want to sell—there was certainly nothing else in the area she could afford if she sold, and Key West was her home. She’d seen a fair amount of the world, many wonderful places, but she loved Key West.

    So... she murmured aloud, drumming her fingers on the table.

    Petrie, her humongous, long-haired, six-toed Hemingway cat, leaped smoothly up into her lap and meowed as if in deep sympathy.

    What’s going on, big guy? You’re a cat—you’re supposed to sense things.

    He merely swished his furry tail.

    Hannah stood, gently sliding Petrie to the floor, and poured herself another cup of coffee before giving the cat a few treats.

    It had all happened so fast. She had heard the screams and shot downstairs to see what was going on. Everyone in the place had been out by the pool within minutes, one college boy wielding a dive knife and Mr. Hardwicke, an elderly regular along with his wife, a heavy boot. But there had been no one there other than Shelly and Stuart, both of them hysterical. Their friends had been less than kind, insisting she’d freaked out over the ghost tour, that was all. But Stuart had been adamant that there had been a ghost—a vengeful ghost—and only their screams had driven him away. Someone had suggested they call the cops; someone else had snorted and said that cops couldn’t arrest ghosts.

    The next thing Hannah knew, they were all leaving. And while they’d spent most of the night, she’d decided it would be bad customer service practice not to refund their money.

    Now the sun had risen on another beautiful Key West morning. Bright and early, just about 7:00 a.m., a westward breeze was coming in, the foliage was moving gently in the breeze, and the dead heat of midday was not yet burning the pavement.

    She went to right one of her Victorian lawn lounges, which had toppled over in the commotion.

    And that was when she saw them.

    Drops of red that led off through the bushes and...

    Disappeared.

    She hunkered down to study the spots and froze.

    They were blood. Real blood. Not astral blood, spiritual blood, ghostly blood or imaginary blood from an apparition of some kind. Real blood meant that someone or something living had come through the yard—not a ghost. There were outside lights by the pool, but at night these drops would have been invisible.

    Hannah pushed her way through the foliage where the blood trail seemed to end, though the drops might have disappeared into thin air or they might have been soaked up by the dirt. She couldn’t really tell. The yard here in back of the pool grew rich and lush all the way up to the bushes that lined the brick wall and the white wooden gate that led to the small alley behind her house. Vehicles couldn’t traverse the narrow way; it was a footpath, normally used only by those who already knew it was there.

    The gate was unhooked. There was a bloody handprint on it.

    Gingerly, afraid of what she would find, Hannah pushed it all the way open.

    And there he was. A man lying just two feet from the gate, sprawled faceup, staring wide-eyed up at the sun.

    A brilliant crimson ribbon ran around his neck.

    And his fingers curled as if he had been holding something....

    Like the hilt of a knife.

    * * *

    How did you know there was a body in the alley? Dallas Samson asked, after introducing himself and flashing his FBI badge.

    The young woman who had summoned the police was standing behind the crime scene tape that now stretched across the alley and up to her gate. Detective Liam Beckett was with her. Beckett was a city cop—and a friend of Dallas’s. Apparently Beckett was a friend of the young woman’s, too. She was extremely attractive, Dallas noted almost dispassionately. He filed away everything he noticed about possible suspects and witnesses in the back of his mind, so it was second nature to make a physical assessment. She was about five-five, maybe a hundred and twenty pounds, sleek and slim, with deep blue-green eyes and a mane of golden hair. She was, however, tense. She stood straight—almost frozen. Not panicked, but icy. Almost as if she were battling not to show any emotion, doing everything in her power to remain stoic and calm. He realized he’d barely taken his eyes off her. And the tension he was feeling himself was making him come off like a drill sergeant. He couldn’t help it—not with a dead body lying in the alley and her standing there not answering his question.

    He sure as hell wasn’t helping her any, but it rankled that she’d been talking easily with Liam when Dallas had arrived, and now she was just staring at him without saying a word.

    Her brows hiked up as she finally considered her reply to his query.

    She was taking too long to answer. The tension he was feeling increased.

    He pursued his question even more impatiently. Let me rephrase. Do you usually wake up bright and early and come out to the alley looking for bodies?

    Liam cleared his throat reprovingly, and Dallas winced inwardly. He’d let his temper get the best of him, making him rude and sarcastic. He wasn’t usually that way, but he was feeling a hell of a lot more tense than the blonde—than any of them, at the moment.

    But, then, he’d known the dead man.

    And he didn’t like the way the man had been found.

    Hannah called me immediately, Liam said, frowning. And, I assure you, it’s the first time she’s ever called me about a body.

    Of course, Dallas said. Sorry. So, you knew he was here because— he paused, looking at Liam —because he was in your yard—and still alive—last night? He realized the implication that she might have saved him was in his voice. He hadn’t meant it to be, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t true.

    He looked around and noticed that there was a lot of confusion at the scene. A couple of uniformed officers had been first on the scene, followed by Liam—and he’d been right behind. Now techs were dusting and setting out numbers by everything they found, and looking for evidence, and the medical examiner was with the body. She had touched the body, trying to see what she could do for him before realizing he was dead. If she’d been a screaming basket case, he would probably be having an easier time dealing with her. But though she was calm now, she had been screaming when she’d dialed 911. The uniformed officers had probably arrived within seconds—they were just down the street from Duval, because the department always patrolled the bar and club scene there, no matter how late—or early—that was.

    I never saw him in my yard. Two of my guests—former guests—saw him. But they didn’t realize he was real. They thought they were seeing a ghost.

    The young woman—Liam had introduced her as Hannah O’Brien—seemed to be growing aggravated with him. He didn’t really blame her. He was usually a lot better at a crime scene.

    They thought a real man—mortally injured and bleeding—was a ghost? Dallas demanded.

    Yes.

    How the hell...? he muttered.

    I can’t read their minds, she said sharply. There was something almost regal about her. Maybe that was what bugged him. It compelled him, and that irritated him. He took a breath and tried to regain a professional calm.

    All right. Can you start at the beginning for me? he asked.

    I was sound asleep. I heard a scream and came running downstairs—they were in back of the house by the pool. I looked out and saw two of my guests. One of them was insisting she’d seen a ghost in my yard, Hannah explained. "She—her name’s Shelly Nicholson—had been on my ghost tour. She and her boyfriend, Stuart Bell, were absolutely convinced they’d seen a homicidal ghost. But there was nothing there.

    I tried to calm them down. I told them...I told them that ghosts weren’t real, and even if they were, it wasn’t likely they’d be able to kill anyone. I got them to quit screaming and talk it through. Nothing budged them. They insisted they’d seen a bloody ghost holding a bowie knife. By then, everyone in the place was out there and freaking out. So I got everyone checked out and sent them down to the Westin, and then, when it was light, came back out to look around. She hesitated for a long moment, glancing at Liam. I don’t even know of any Key West ghosts that supposedly run around bleeding and carrying a bowie knife. She stopped, struck by the thought that the man on the ground was now eligible to be a Key West ghost legend.

    A bowie knife? Dallas demanded.

    She nodded. That’s what Stuart said. He was one of the people who saw the...ghost.

    How did he know it was a bowie knife? Dallas demanded.

    "How do I know? Maybe he saw The Alamo a zillion times!" she snapped back, her irritation showing.

    He doesn’t have a knife now, Dallas pointed out.

    No. He wasn’t holding it when I found him, she said. I looked around, and I didn’t see a knife anywhere. But if you looked at his hand...

    Yes, Dallas said. "It does look as if he’d been holding something. You touched the body. Are you sure you didn’t move his hand? Even by accident?"

    "No, I definitely didn’t move his hand. I was kneeling on his other side, and I was still there when Officer Mann got here and told me to move away carefully so I didn’t contaminate the crime scene. I did not touch his hand."

    Dirk Mendini, the medical examiner down from the coroner’s office in Marathon, rose and walked over to them just then. He indicated his wish to speak with the detectives by angling his head.

    Excuse us, Hannah, will you? Liam asked gently.

    She nodded. Okay if I go inside and clean up? she asked.

    She had the dead man’s blood on her, and Dallas found himself wondering if she was compassionate or just stupid. She’d heard the man had been wielding a bowie knife, but still she’d approached him before she was sure he was dead and not a threat.

    He realized he was feeling bitter toward her, and he knew he was wrong. He wanted to blame her for the death, even though he knew he had no right to do so. He was frustrated and wanted to lash out, but he had to get himself under control.

    Apparently he took too long to speak that time.

    She stared at him and said, I’ve already been photographed and swabbed for blood. Poked and prodded and questioned. The technician said he had everything he needed.

    Dallas nodded curtly. He looked beyond her. It was just after seven in the morning—ridiculously early for a Key West morning—but even so, a few onlookers had gathered in the narrow alley. He let his eyes sweep over them. A tall, bald man who looked as if he had been a prizefighter at one time seemed to be watching Hannah with concern. A young woman with the light coloring and facial features of one of the Eastern

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