Ghost Writer - Pandora Pine Page 0,66

I just don’t know if he used it on his wife.” Jude wore a worried look.

“Peg didn’t mention any kind of weird experiences other than hearing the knocking whenever she’d been with her lover.” Cope prayed Marc hadn’t drugged his wife, but he’d learned early on, people were capable of anything when money was involved.

“Maybe the haunting gave Marc a different angle to pursue. Since she was hearing things on her own, maybe he didn’t have to drug her.” Jude sounded hopeful more than anything.

“And, worst of all, he used us to prove his wife was crazy. We didn’t find a ghost in their house because there are no such things, according to Marc.” Cope grabbed a cookie. “We proved his fucking point for him.” He took a bite from the cookie. “Damn, these are good.”

Jude found a smile. “I grabbed them from West Side Sweets when we dropped Kevin off at the shop.” He reached out for Cope’s hand. “There’s one more thing.”

Christ, how much worse could things get for Peg? “What’s that?”

“It has to do with Everly.” Jude looked absolutely sick to his stomach with worry.

“Everly?” Cope’s heart started to pound. Had something happened to the little girl while he napped on the couch?

“She’s okay, but Ronan and I think she could sense something was wrong with the typewriter.” Jude gave their joined hands a squeeze.

Taking a deep breath, Cope felt his heart start to slow. Everly was fine, thank God. “Jesus, you scared the hell out of me. Now that I’ve caught my breath, explain what you mean.”

“I didn’t want you to accidentally find your birthday present, so I kept it at Ronan’s house. We were having your party over there anyway, so it made perfect sense.” Jude shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Ronan thinks Everly’s little outbursts of temper and refusing to cuddle are the result of the spirits in the typewriter.”

Cope’s eyes widened. “I thought her behavior was odd, but all toddlers go through phases. I figured the terrible twos struck a few months early.” It never crossed Cope’s mind that the typewriter and its spirit hitchhikers could be the cause of the little girl’s distress. “She’s still being persnickety, right? I thought Kaye said that yesterday.”

“Yeah. We wondered if there was some kind of psychic residue left in the house. Do you think that’s possible?”

“Maybe. Since I can’t see or speak with Brooks or his mystery guest, I have no idea. It makes sense.” Poor Everly, she’d have no way of knowing how to help herself feel better.

“How the hell did this case get so out of control?” Jude sat back in his chair, scrubbing his hands over his face.

“Da?” Wolf laughed.

“Where’s Daddy?” Jude pulled his hands back from his face. “Here I am!” Both he and the baby started laughing.

“While you were gone, I did a little brainstorming.” Cope smiled at his husband and son. He loved the way Jude and the baby interacted with each other.

Jude didn’t look at all surprised. “I had a feeling you didn’t spend the whole afternoon asleep.”

“Once I figured out all the things that were bothering me, I was finally able to sleep.”

“What was bothering you?” Jude grabbed another cookie.

“I’m starting to think The Beecher House is evil.” Cope felt his anxiety rise just from saying those words out loud.

“What, like the house in The Amityville Horror?” Jude sat back in his seat with a stunned look on his face.

Cope shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe. That’s what’s pissing me off about all of this. We don’t have one solid answer.”

“I think I know how we can get some.” A smile curved Jude’s lips.

“How’s that?” Cope was open to anything at this point.

“We have new evidence to speak with our client about. All we need to do is call Peg and arrange to meet her at the house. You’ll try to get in touch with Geneva, and I’ll fill Peg in on what I learned today.”

“That poor woman.” Christ, Cope couldn’t imagine what it would be like to find out your husband was trying to poison you.

“Yeah, she seemed like a nice lady when we met her today. How she ended up with a lowlife like Waller, I’ll never know.”

A long, loud trumpet toot filled the room. “Dada!” Wolf hollered triumphantly.

“For the love of God, Wolfie!” Jude gagged, before slapping his hands over his mouth.

“I love how our son celebrates when he shits his pants.” Cope started to laugh. “I hope that doesn’t continue into preschool.”

“Since you’re the