peeked through squinted eyes, trying to see through the foggy shower glass. Shampoo dripped down her forehead, and her eyes burned painfully.
Kelly opened the shower door a few inches and stuck her hand out. A mental image of someone there, someone attempting to grab her arm, almost made her pull it back. Clutching a towel, she brought it inside far enough to wipe her face. Her eyes continued to sting. Closing them firmly, she rinsed the shampoo from her hair.
Another noise made her jump. She shut off the water and retrieved the discarded towel. Wrapping it securely around her wet body, she exited the shower. There was no one else in the steamy bathroom.
In a fit of panic she lunged at the door, slamming it shut. Kelly twisted the lock into place.
She laughed at herself, seeing humor in her sudden paranoia. The legend of Moore House was actually getting to her. What was next? Would she hear bumps in the night? Rattling chains at midnight moving down the hallway?
She had inherited Moore House from her father upon his early death. She had moved into it immediately, feeling instantly at home. She and Moore House shared common ground. The people in Tinkerton gossiped about them both, spreading nasty rumors and half-truths. They were both considered freaks. Somehow she felt as if Moore House accepted her, even wanted her.
Her home was miles from town. She savored the isolation, using Moore House to hide from prying eyes. Not many people were brave enough to step inside the black wrought-iron gates that led to the property. Very few would willingly approach the massive three-story, forty-seven room Victorian mansion. Hardly anyone dared to grasp the brass knocker shaped like a lion’s head long enough to use it.
They were afraid of ghosts.
The dead didn’t bother Kelly. She was more afraid of the living.
She turned toward the foggy mirror and reached for the blow dryer.
She froze instantly, terror shooting through her limbs.
Someone had penned a note for her, using a finger to write one word on her mirror. The three letters dripped water. They were already beginning to fade, but she could read the word clearly.
Die.
Kelly’s back hit the tiled wall and she screamed at the top of her lungs like a banshee. Once she started screaming, she couldn’t stop. One shriek after another vibrated through the large bathroom, bouncing off the walls.
She bolted from the room, fright leading to flight.
She rounded the corner on slippery feet and ran out the bedroom door.
Hands came out of nowhere. They grasped her wet shoulders in a steel grip.
Another scream ripped from her sore throat.
Chapter Two
Michael Taggert’s fingers closed over Kelly Hall’s creamy white shoulders. He swung her around and pressed her spine against the wall, his heart pounding at a marathon rate. Fearing the worst, he visually inspected her from top to bottom, reassuring himself she was all right.
A short towel was the only thing between him and her naked, glistening body. The green cotton ended at her upper thighs, exposing them to his avid gaze. Her blond hair hung in wet waves around her heart-shaped face. She was pale, for all of the color had drained from her cheeks.
Her blue eyes were wide, but they didn’t focus on him. Instead, she stared past him at the wall as if she wasn’t aware of him.
She continued to scream as if she couldn’t stop. She fought desperately to break his hold.
Michael pulled her into his arms and held her close. He whispered reassuring words into her hair while stroking her back until the shaking subsided.
After a few minutes, she pushed him away. Reason surfaced in her eyes. She blinked at him as if stunned, probably seeing him for the first time.
“I…” Her neck swiveled and she stared at the open door of her bedroom. Her teeth chattered violently. “I was taking a shower and…”
“What? What happened?”
“I thought I was alone, but I heard something. There’s a word written on the mirror. Someone was in the bathroom while I was showering!”
Suspicion colored her expression and Michael knew she was wondering if it had been him in the bathroom.
“I was downstairs when I heard you scream.” His gaze slowly moved down her towel-clad body. He released her shoulders, taking a step back for his own peace of mind. He needed to keep focused on the job at hand, had to remember to play the part of the devoted fiancé without getting carried away. “What frightened you? What’s written on the mirror?”
Kelly wrapped her arms around her body in a form of self-protection.
His gaze went to the scars on her forearms. This woman was no stranger to horrible circumstances. She’d been hurt badly.
“‘Die,” she sobbed. “The word die is on the mirror, written in the steam. Someone was in the bathroom with me.” Her hands shook as she wrung them together. “Do something.”
“Stay here while I check it out.”
“No.” She shook her head adamantly and latched on to his arm. “I am not going to stay out here alone. I’m coming with you.”
“Stay behind me then,” he said, entering her bedroom.
At the moment he would have given every cent in his bank account to have a weapon. If there was someone dangerous nearby, how was he going to protect Kelly?
He felt her hands at his back, holding on to his waist with trembling fingers. Kelly was standing so close to him as they entered the bedroom together, he doubted a breath could slide between them.
She was too close. Everything about her was an unwanted distraction. The weight of her hands on his spine. The amazing floral scent of her skin and hair. The whisper of breath as she inhaled and exhaled at a steadily increasing rate.
They stepped into the bathroom and Kelly gasped. There were two words on the mirror now: Die Michael.
He turned on her. “Is this your idea of a joke?” Anger clouded his vision. He had a job to do. He didn’t have time to play games with the local head case. No matter how beautiful she was.
“But…I didn’t do that…I swear.” Kelly hugged herself again. Her entire body shook like a leaf in a strong wind. “There was only one word before. You have to believe me.”
Michael sighed. If she was acting, she deserved an Oscar. His gut told him she believed what she was saying. But Michael knew no one could have gotten into the room. They had both been standing in the hallway.
“You think I did it!” Her slender hands clenched into tight fists. She shook them at him. “I am not crazy!”
“Maybe the pills you took—”
“Get out!” She pointed at the door. “Get out of my room.”
