Us. That was promising. “How long do you hang around? Until he goes off the deep end and kills you?”
“That won’t happen. He’s back to his old self. In a couple of weeks, once he’s had time to heal from the surgery and the infection, we’ll be able to see how he’s doing, and I can break it to him then. It’s not like he’s not expecting it.”
Matt thought Sami was trying to paint the situation in the best light possible and ignore reality. “You heard the warning. I’m not leaving you alone here with him.”
She looked at him. “From the way Steve’s insisted on keeping us together, I doubt he’d let you.”
He spotted the home improvement store. “You might be right about that.”
A queue for plywood had already formed. Matt did some quick mental calculations and left Sami in the plywood line with instructions on how much to buy. He disappeared into the bowels of the store with a large cart. She had almost reached the front of the line when he reappeared, the cart full of supplies.
She looked at the load. “I understand the circular saw and drill, but why do we need block and tackle and a come-along?”
“Don’t ask. I’ll be right back.” He left the cart with her and disappeared again, this time returning with a twelve-foot extension ladder.
After checking out, Matt pulled the truck around. When they were loaded and on the road, Sami asked, “Block and tackle? Rope? Chain? A pry bar? What the hell? What’s the other stuff for?”
“The well cover.”
“Oh. I forgot about that.”
“That’s why I hid that stuff in the front compartment, in case Steve comes out while we’re unloading. No need for him to see it.”
“Good idea.”
The trailer rode a lot lower on the way home with over thirty sheets of plywood stacked inside. Sami hoped it wouldn’t be necessary to board the house because it would be a real bitch. She hoped she didn’t have to evacuate the horses either. They made a side trip to the store and purchased extra supplies, plus several jerry cans of diesel for the generator.
“Now we’re ready for anything,” she said. “Like the Apocalypse.”
* * * *
Matt backed the trailer up to the carport. “Go check on Boy Genius. I’ll unload.”
“Okay.”
Steve met her on the porch. “Wow, you filled that thing.”
“You told me to get supplies, I got supplies. What are you doing off that couch?”
“I’m going stir-crazy. Can I help?”
“Absolutely not. You want to end up in the hospital again?”
“Only if you’ll play naughty nurse with me.” Sami shook her head and pointed at the front door. She glanced behind her after Steve left. Matt looked up, red in the face. She was pretty sure it wasn’t from exertion.
He’d heard Steve’s comment.
She took Steve’s temperature before starting his IV meds. Normal. That was a good sign. Hopefully the doctor would discontinue the IV meds on Friday. She fixed lunch, and Matt took a break to eat with them in the living room.
“Did you buy the whole store?” Steve joked.
Matt smiled. “Not quite, but I’m sure your platinum card was smoking when Sam checked out.”
Steve laughed. Sami wistfully thought of the early days in their marriage when that laugh warmed her heart. It sounded deep and genuine, and she hadn’t heard much of it in the past couple of years. He had to be getting better, he seemed so…normal.
Too bad her trust had already been damaged beyond repair.
* * * *
Matt finished unloading and showered before they left for the real estate office. Sami and Matt agreed to wait until after the closing to tell Steve about Julie’s impending visit.
It started storming halfway there, adding to Sami’s jitters. She was nervous about meeting Shelly Johnson face-to-face. At the office they were shown to a conference room. They were the first ones there. The title clerk and notary came in and started going through the paperwork with them. Sami tried to tune out and simply nodded when she felt it appropriate.
The door opened, and an assistant escorted an elderly woman and middle-aged man into the room. The family resemblance was unmistakable.
Matt and Steve stood. The assistant introduced them. “Ms. Johnson, this is Steven and Samantha Corey and their attorney, Matthew Barry.” Everyone shook hands.
“My son, James,” she introduced, followed by another round of handshakes.
When they settled at the table, Ms. Johnson eyed Sami. “Apparently, your husband is extremely eager to buy this property. I’m not quite sure why.”
“It’s our anniversary on Friday.” He beamed. “Seven years.”
“Congratulations.” Shelly Johnson’s gaze didn’t waver from Sami. “Most men would buy jewelry.”
Sami felt compelled to answer. “My husband’s very generous.”
“Apparently.” An uncomfortable moment of silence. “Please excuse us for a moment. I’d like to speak with Mrs. Corey. Alone.”
Sami’s stomach tightened. The others exchanged slightly puzzled looks. James Johnson touched his mother’s shoulder.
“Mom, I—”
“James.” She looked at him. “I’ve owned this property for a very long time. Some might say too long. I would like a moment to talk to the new owner. Alone.”
Everyone filed out of the conference room. Matt, the last out, sent Sami a concerned look she couldn’t return. Shelly Johnson took her time, pouring herself a glass of water and taking a sip.
“When we talked on the phone a few days ago, you were looking for more information about the house,” Ms. Johnson said. “Have you found what you were looking for?”
Sami wasn’t sure how to answer that. “I don’t know if there are answers to all the questions I have.”
“How much have you seen at the house?” she finally asked.
“Beg pardon?”
The older woman smiled. “There’s no reason to play coy, Mrs. Corey. I am well aware of the house’s special nature. I saw enough proof with my own eyes, and I know enough of the background.”
Sami carefully considered her answer. “I’ve seen enough.”
“And yet you still want to buy it?”
She nodded.
“Why?”
Sami didn’t have answer. Might as well tell the truth. “My husband is in love with it.”
“Ah. And how in love is your husband with you?”
Why are we having this conversation? “I’m not sure I understand the question.”
“Your husband had surgery recently, I heard through the grapevine. How has he been acting?”
“Fine, other than he was very sick with infection.”
“And is that how you received those?” She pointed to Sami’s right hand. “Infection?”
Sami dropped her hands in her lap. “I sliced my hand open on the barbed wire fence when petting one of my horses.”
“That’s not how you hurt your wrist.”
“Ms. Johnson,” Sami said, impatient, “what does this have to do with us buying the house?”
Shelly Johnson sat back, and Sami sensed the inner strength this woman possessed.
Sami also saw an image in her mind, of a figure in the bedroom doorway, and a much younger Shelly Johnson screaming, hysterical.
Back in the present, Ms. Johnson nodded. “The house has a way of showing you things, doesn’t it?”
“We want to buy the house.”
“You understand your husband is in danger as long as the two of you stay there, don’t you? I warned you about that.”
Sami shook her head. “He’s fine.” She involuntarily reached for the onyx pendant around her neck. “He’s fine, and yes, the house apparently has some stories to tell, but as writers, it’s extra fodder for our work.”
“I can’t talk you out of this, can I?”
“I would think the offer of extra money is more than enough incentive.”
She waved
Sami’s comment away. “My son is handling this. I’m too old to fight him anymore. I don’t have the energy. He never knew his father. I’m convinced the house killed Jim. I don’t know exactly how, but it did. My son wants me to let go once and for all. He’s been after me for years to sell it, and he finally put his foot down when your husband offered well over the asking price. He never lived there, I won’t allow it.”
She leaned forward, more intense. “He never saw, never felt what I did. He doesn’t understand. As long as I’ve owned that house, I’ve controlled who lived there. Since I’ve owned it, no one else has died in the house. I always made sure I could take it back, because I knew no one would live there very long. Now you want it, even though you know what it’s capable of. Don’t you love your husband?”
Sami’s mouth set in a grim line. “Ms. Johnson, I do love my husband. And that’s exactly why I have to buy this house.”
She studied Sami for a moment and nodded. “Okay. I have a feeling you think you know what you’re doing. I hope you’re right.”
“That makes two of us.” Sami got up and opened the door. Matt entered first, trying to mask the concern on his face.
Steve kissed her on the cheek. “Everything okay?”
She forced a smile. “Fine.”
Ms. Johnson’s son reclaimed his seat next to his mother. “Mom, you okay?”
She nodded. “I’m an old woman trying to make myself let go of the past.”
* * * *
They left the office with copies of the signed paperwork. Everything would be filed the next morning at the courthouse, but for all intents and purposes, the house was Sami’s.
“What did she say to you, Sami?” Steve asked from the front seat. He’d been unusually quiet since they’d returned with the supplies.
The rain still poured, loudly hammering on the SUV’s roof. Sami sat in back on the passenger side, behind Steve, and caught Matt’s eye in the rearview mirror.
“She wanted to tell me about the house’s history, about her husband, nothing much. I think she’s sad to let it go. Her son pushed her to sell.”
“That’s weird,” Steve said. “Her husband died there, and she didn’t want to sell it?”
“I don’t know. She had some good memories, it was their first house.”
“I suppose,” Steve said, “but she sure seemed reluctant to sell.”
Sami took a deep breath. “She’s convinced it’s haunted.”
Steve was silent for a moment, and she saw Matt glance at her in the mirror.
“Haunted?” Steve finally asked.
Sami seized the opening. “Yes, apparently that’s the local lore. In fact, Julie Prescott, the woman I told you about, who owns the new age store in town? She’s coming out tomorrow to look at it. When I told her where we lived, she practically begged me to let her see it.”
“Oh?” She couldn’t interpret Steve’s tone of voice.
Matt caught her eye again, and she ignored him. “Yes. I’ve got some great ideas for my book, but I need to spend some time with her so I can learn some of the things I need for the story. One of my characters is into all of that. Julie’s going to help me with research.”
Steve remained silent for a moment. “Well, it’s probably a waste of her time, but if it’s going to help you with your book, I’m all for it. I hope she’s not too disappointed.”
The rain finally let up, and they stopped for dinner on the way home. Sami called Julie from the restroom.
“It’s all set for tomorrow.” She quickly caught her up.
“Great! I did more research, and I think I have the grave locations. Might not be exact, but I’m hoping I can figure them out.”
“Remember, pretend you haven’t been to the house. My husband doesn’t know about your other visits.”
“Right. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Sami returned to the table, and Steve excused himself. “I’ll be right back.” Matt and Sami watched him slowly work his way to the restrooms.
“Well,” Matt asked, “what do you think?”
“About what?”
“His reaction to you telling him about Julie.”
She shrugged. “It’s hard to say. He seems very tired. I hope he plays along tomorrow.”
“He seemed open to it. The worst he can do is say no.”
Sami didn’t think that was the worst, but kept the thought to herself as Steve returned.
“Oh, I meant to ask you about your necklace,” Steve said after he sat down.
Sami looked up from her food. “What?”
He pointed to her onyx pendant. “That’s new. Where’d you get it?”
Sami touched it. “Oh, this? Julie gave them to us the other day at her shop.” She glanced at Matt and couldn’t see his, although she suspected he wore it under his shirt. “It’s supposed to bring good luck.”
Steve smiled. “Well, we got the house, and you got me home from the hospital, so apparently it’s working. She seriously thinks the house is haunted?”
“I guess so. Maybe she’s got some voodoo”—she shook her hands in the air—“she thinks can scare the ghosties away.”
Matt forced a laugh, but Steve appeared genuinely amused. “I promise I won’t tell her you said that,” he said.
“Actually,” Sami continued, fixing her gaze on Matt, hoping he’d play along, “I think Julie’s interest lies more with Matt than with the supernatural.” She took a sip of tea while Matt nearly choked on his.
Fortunately for her, Matt picked up right away. “I seriously doubt,” he said, using his napkin to mop up slopped tea, “she’s interested in me.”
She gently patted Steve’s arm and leaned in. “You should have seen her, fawning all over him. She asked about his wife. I said he’s single, and she nearly jumped him right then. She practically ravished him putting the necklace on him.”
Steve’s eyes widened and he laughed. “Whoo-hoo, you go, dude!”
Sami kept her gaze steady on Matt, knowing he’d get her back later. She’d have to remember to tell Julie to act the part.
Something lifted Steve’s mood. For the rest of the meal he acted chattier and more animated.
* * * *
The rain had slackened, but by the time they reached the park it returned with a vengeance. The main road was sloppy, and Matt switched to four-wheel drive to climb the first hill. Sami felt the wheels spin in the sloppy muck, catch, and they crested the top. He drove slow and carefully and parked close to the house, but the plywood stacked in the carport made a dry exit impossible.
“Hold on and I’ll get the umbrella,” Matt said.
“That’s okay.” Steve was out the door and up on the porch before Matt could untangle it from under his seat.
Matt looked at Sami in the mirror. “You realize I will get you back.”
She knew what he meant. She grinned. “Hey, you said we had to act, so act.” She bolted for the porch before he could reply.
* * * *
Pog glowered at them from the window seat. “Steve, go sit. I’ll get your meds ready.” Sami went to the kitchen and gathered everything, dumping a cup of kibble into Pog’s bowl.
“If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to change.” Matt went upstairs, and Pog bolted from his seat, following him.
Sami started Steve’s meds. “Are you okay? You look tired.”
He nodded. “I confess. I went to the basement while you were gone.”
Sami looked startled. “You did what?”
“I’m sorry but I wanted to help. I put the clothes from the washer into the dryer.” Was that relief on her face?
“Oh. You didn’t hurt yourself?”
“No, but I probably shouldn’t have gone down there. Then I went upstairs and took a shower. That was too much fun for one day, I think. Too many stairs.”
She wagged her finger at him. “Are you trying to end up in the hospital?”
He shook his head. “Nope. I’m tired of feeling useless.”
> She sat next to him and softened her tone. “You’re not useless, Steve. But you need to learn to let others do for you. I wish you’d let Matt stay here while I went to the store.”
“I’m okay, Sami. I need to start doing things.”
“Wait until your sutures are out. Promise?”
He nodded. “Okay.”
“Good.” She glanced at her watch. “It’s been a long day, and I need a shower. Will you be okay? I’ll be back before your meds are done.”
He nodded. She patted his arm. “Can I get you anything?” she asked.
“No, I’ll be fine.”
He watched her go. It had all been a bad dream. If he went to the bathroom and lifted the toilet tank lid, there would be no bottle. In fact, he wouldn’t look. It wouldn’t be there anyway, why bother? He knew for certain Sami and Matt were not having an affair. When Sami talked about Julie, he saw Matt’s expression change. Matt was one of his closest friends, but as long as he’d known him, Matt rarely mentioned details of his love life. From the way he responded to Sami’s jibe, he must be interested in that woman.
Okay, so someone was coming to the house, like in his dream. It was something he put together in his subconscious. Sami had mentioned taking a class and his imagination took over.
Maybe she’d even mentioned it before and I forgot about it.
Steve lay back and closed his eyes. What seemed like a minute later, he felt gentle tugging on his arm. Sami, her hair damp from the shower and wearing shorts and a T-shirt, unhooked the IV.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I was trying not to wake you.”
How could I have dreamed horrible thoughts about her? “It’s okay.” He reached out and stroked her left wrist, the one without the wounds. She didn’t flinch. “Do you know how much I love you?”
She blinked, smiled. Was it a sad smile? “I love you, too, Steve.”
“You must love me to put up with me.”