light speed.’
‘Oh.’
‘Oh my god,’ Hope whispered in horror, ‘you actually own the Lynch house? THE Lynch House?’
‘Uh, yeah,’ Ava frowned, ‘why?’
Killian shot his wife a warning look which she completely ignored.
‘It’s only the most haunted house in the whole of New England.’
‘Haunted?’ one of Ava’s brows rose slowly.
‘That’s an exaggeration,’ Killian stared pointedly at his wife. ‘The fact is, the house comes with a history just like anywhere else, but you add into that the fact that it’s been uninhabited since the twenties and you got nearly ten decades of teenagers gossiping and making up stories to scare each other. Then those stories get told and embellished. It’s a load of bull.’
‘Tell that to Todd Hinton and Declan Tilman,’ Hope muttered.
‘An accident and a tragedy,’ Killian replied sharply as he stared at his wife.
She stared back.
‘What’s going on?’ Ava frowned. ‘I feel like everyone’s talking in code. Is there something important I’m missing here?’
‘Look Ava,’ Killian turned his attention back to her, ‘like I said, the house has a history as much as any property its age. It’s a beautiful building, a gorgeous example of Victorian architecture that frankly it was a crime to allow it to deteriorate into the state it’s in now.’
‘Well I’m looking to change that,’ Ava replied. ‘As I was telling Hope just before you walked in, I’m looking for someone to come out and take a look at the house. I need to see if it’s structurally sound and if it’s worth saving.’
‘Buildings like that are always worth saving,’ Killian scratched the stubble at his chin thoughtfully, ‘but it won’t come cheap.’
‘You let me worry about that,’ Ava answered. ‘Can you take a look at it and tell me if it’s safe?’
Hope let out a snort.
‘I mean safe enough to go inside without worrying if the ceiling is going to fall on my head,’ Ava clarified.
‘I have to admit,’ Killian’s lips curved into a slow grin, ‘ever since I was a kid I’ve wanted to see inside the place.’
‘Well now’s your chance Mr Ryan.’
‘Killian,’ he corrected. ‘Well alright then, why don’t we head out now and take a look?’
‘You’re not serious?’ Hope’s mouth fell open in shock. ‘You’re not actually going inside?’
‘It’s the only way to tell if its sound,’ Killian replied easily. ‘Don’t worry baby,’ he leaned over and kissed her reassuringly, ‘nothing’s going to happen.’
‘But…’
‘Trust me,’ he smiled.
‘Fine,’ she muttered sourly, ‘go right ahead, but if there is an angry ghost and you die, leaving me to raise five children by myself, I swear to God I’ll kill you.’
Killian chuckled. ‘I’ll be back in a few hours.’
‘If you’re not, I’ll be sending your dad to look for your dead body,’ Hope called out as Killian and Ava stepped outside with Bailey in tow.
‘Is she serious?’
‘About what?’ Killian replied in amusement, ‘the ghost, or my dead body?’
‘Both.’
He huffed out a laugh.
‘She probably is serious.’
‘Do you actually believe in ghosts?’ Ava asked curiously.
‘No,’ Killian replied as he stopped next to Ava’s shiny truck, ‘I don’t believe in ghosts, but then again I was always the more pragmatic kid. It was Kelley who was always staying up half the night under his bedclothes with a flashlight, scaring himself to death with comic books.’ He shook his head at the memory, a smile curving the corners of his mouth. ‘He loved Hellblazer… Nice truck by the way.’
‘Thanks,’ Ava beamed as she stroked the top of the doorframe.
‘You know, you look at that truck the way most women look at shoes.’
‘I’m not most women,’ she replied.
‘I’m beginning to see that,’ he mused quietly, after all it would take an exceptional woman to turn the head of his notoriously picky brother, if indeed that was what happened. Making a mental note to call his brother first chance he got he nodded toward the door. ‘Why don’t you head on up to the house? I’ll be right behind you.’
Nodding Ava climbed back into her truck with her dog and pulled out of the small parking lot, heading back up toward the house.
True to his word, by the time Ava pulled up in front of the rambling old Victorian property Killian’s rusty red pick-up pulled in right behind her and parked.
‘Hey.’
Ava turned just in time to catch a bright yellow hard hat.
‘You’re going to need that,’ he nodded to the hat in her hands and watched as she put it on. ‘Probably best if you leave your dog out here just in case. I don’t want her to get hurt; if