Ghost Mortem (Ghost Detective #1) - Jane Hinchey Page 0,36

hours. Not to mention passing an exam. My heart sank even further. Not only did I not have anyone who could supervise me, but it would also mean moving away from Firefly Bay while I completed my studies and got my qualifications.

My shoulders slumped.

"I can help you with that," Galloway said, intruding on my thoughts. I looked at him dejectedly. "You can get the college credits via distance education. And I'm prepared to be your supervisor," he added.

I blinked in shock. That was a pretty big commitment on his behalf.

"In exchange for what?"

"I need that file."

"The one Ben said he'd give you?"

Galloway nodded.

"You could just subpoena Ben's files," I pointed out, spinning my cup in my hands, wondering why I was hesitating and not jumping all over his offer. This would solve all my problems. But it also meant I'd be committing to twelve hundred hours in his company. A double-edged sword if ever there was one.

"I could do that," he agreed. "But if we go down that road, I'd be subpoenaing everything. The entire contents of his office. Is that what you want me to do?"

My cup wobbled and I almost spilled the contents. I steadied it with both hands and quit fiddling with it. "Actually that would be a pain," I admitted. "I kinda need his stuff." For despite what he'd just told me about me not being legally qualified to be a PI, I still had every intention of investigating Ben's death. Oh, and closing the cases he'd been working on.

He grinned again. "That's what I thought. So in the interests of strengthening relations between the force and Delaney Investigations I propose to you the same deal I offered Ben with some minor adjustments. You give me access to Ben's files and I'll teach you how to be a private investigator."

Ben was being suspiciously quiet in all of this. Usually, he didn't shut up, but now, when I could really use his input, he remained annoyingly silent. I wanted to twist around and look at him over my shoulder so badly, but that would look super weird. Instead, I kept my gaze on Galloway, ignoring the cold presence at my back, knowing Ben was hovering there, as intrigued as I was by Galloway's offer.

"Take it," Ben whispered, making me jump. Yes, I'd known he was there. I just hadn't expected him to speak directly into my ear.

Galloway noticed me jerk but didn't say anything, just waited for my response, sipped his coffee as if he had all the time in the world.

"This isn't illegal, is it?" Because it reeked of underhanded subterfuge.

"It is not. But it is classified. And I will need you to not say a word about it. To anyone."

Narrowing my eyes, I studied him. "Okay, I'll give you access to his files on one condition."

His eyebrows rose. "I hardly think you're in a position to negotiate."

Ha. He didn't know me at all. Just because I was clumsy didn't make me stupid. "That's where you're wrong. Sure, you can subpoena Ben's files. But that's going to take time and you'd need a judge to sign off on it. You could probably swing it as part of his murder investigation—that'd speed things along. But you and I both know you met with Ben before he was killed, so whatever it is you're looking for isn't related to his death. Not directly. Also, you want this kept quiet, so I doubt you're prepared to subpoena his files. Your offer to help me with PI training is tempting, I admit, but I have other options in that regard too." I could move to the city for the duration of my training. It wasn't ideal but it wasn't out of the question either. Or I could nix the whole thing and close Delaney Investigations. A little piece of my heart shriveled at the thought.

He regarded me silently for a full minute. I swallowed and tried not to be intimidated. "What are you proposing?" he ground out.

"It's simple really. You tell me what this is about."

"Not going to happen."

"Then no deal."

"Audrey," Ben warned. I shot him a glare. He didn't remember what he'd been doing before he died, he didn't remember his cases, he sure as hell didn't remember what sort of deal he had going on with Galloway. And if Galloway wasn't going to tell me, then I wasn't going to play ball, pure and simple.

"You've got balls, I give you that," Galloway said, a hint of admiration in