From the Shadows (Buckhorn, Montana #2) - B.J. Daniels Page 0,70

found happiness except in making other people miserable.”

Pulling her into his arms again, he said, “I’m glad you told me.” He ran his hand down her hair. She closed her eyes, loving the feel of his caress. Being this close to him... Was he really not upset with her?

“You spent months looking for her diary.”

“I was looking for a lot more than her diary, trust me.” He drew back to meet her gaze. “Fortunately, I found what I was looking for.”

She felt the heat of his gaze all the way to her toes as the curtain of rain turned the tiny overhang at the back door way too intimate.

“We should go inside,” he said. “You’re shivering.” He opened the door, and they stepped out of the storm. His cell phone rang. He pulled it out, glancing at the screen before he said reluctantly, “I need to take this.”

She nodded and looked down the dim hallway. She could see light. It drew her toward the kitchen, where she could hear the murmur of voices. She knew she wasn’t going to be able to sleep. Not yet.

Earlier, out under the overhang at the back door, she’d confessed her darkest secret to Finn. She’d been terrified at how he would take it.

He’d seemed surprised and definitely disappointed. But it was almost as if he’d suspected it all along. Was he also a little relieved that they would never have to read what Megan had thought of either of them?

They’d been so close outside, the shelter from the storm so intimate. He’d been the first to draw away. Because he hadn’t taken the news about the diary as well as he’d pretended?

She knew why she hadn’t gone up to her room as she looked around the kitchen. Everyone was gathered around the table where a Ouija board sat next to a large, flickering candle. The faces at the table looked expectantly at it. She hadn’t wanted to be alone with her thoughts, her fears, her doubts.

Now she stood in the doorway, knowing she should leave, and yet a part of her wanted to see how this played out. There was no doubt in her mind that Jason planned to use this to his advantage in some way.

“Casey, isn’t there something you want to ask Megan?” Jason asked.

She didn’t answer, simply watched as he motioned to Patience and Jen, and they hurriedly balanced their fingertips on the edge of the planchette next to his. The candlelight cast an eerie glow over the room as everyone fell silent.

“Let’s warm it up a little,” Jason said, moving the pointer around the board slowly, his gaze locked on her.

* * *

FINN HAD WONDERED why the hotel was so quiet. After his call, he’d planned to head up to his room. Until he saw Casey standing in the hallway outside the kitchen. He recalled Jason mentioning that he’d found a Ouija board. He groaned at the thought as he moved toward Casey.

Earlier outside, all he’d wanted was to carry Casey up to his room. He knew the timing couldn’t have been worse. She was going through so much just by being here and dealing with her grief over her grandmother, packing up cherished belongings and letting go of the hotel. Not to mention this murder reunion and the guilt she’d been carrying for so long.

It wasn’t the time for either of them to even consider getting romantically involved. He’d been going through his own baggage, and now he would soon own this hotel. He still didn’t know what he was going to do with it.

The best thing he could do right now was just be here for Casey. Once this was all over... She hadn’t heard him approach but had seemed almost relieved when he’d joined her in the kitchen doorway. With Jason behind this, he didn’t like Casey being down here alone.

Jason had grinned when he saw Finn there. “Glad you’re both here. This will be fun.” Finn highly doubted that. “Let’s see if Megan is really still around. Don’t pretend you don’t want to know.” He’d glanced pointedly at Casey.

Now Finn considered those seated around the table. Most of them had spent the day drinking, and from the open beer cans around the table, they weren’t stopping now. They looked bored after their ghost scare. If it weren’t for the approaching storm, they would still be out by the campfire waiting to see Megan’s ghost again. Was it possible Jason had been behind that stunt, just as