Ghost Hunter

'Whatever. My point here is, can you blame me for thinking we were making progress?'

'Having sex one time is not progress.'

'What do you call it?' he asked.

'Sex,' she yelped.

'What about the fact that I've just told you my deepest, darkest family secret? As far as I'm concerned, that's the kind of secret only a wife should know.'

'Relax, Guild Boss. You have my word of honor that I won't tell a soul about your connection to Watson Whittaker.' She winked. 'Frankly, though, I doubt if the story would do you any real damage if it did get out. Might even give you a major boost in the popularity ratings back home. People love legends.'

'I'm not really into popularity ratings,' he said in a musing tone. 'But I do take secrets seriously. The way I look at it, if you don't marry me, you've got only one other option.'

'Oh, yeah?' She gave him a challenging smile. 'What would that be?'

'You'd better run like hell.'

She blinked. 'You're teasing me.'

'I'm a Guild boss, remember? I have no sense of humor.'

Chapter 27

HE HAD BEEN TEASING HER, SHE ASSURED HERSELF SEVERAL hours later when they went out into the alley. The problem with handling Cooper was that he was so good at concealing his reactions and emotions, it was almost impossible to read him.

'Stay close,' Cooper said. He was definitely all business now as he glided forward into the heavily shadowed alley. 'I don't want to use the flashlight unless it's absolutely necessary. Keep an eye on Rose. She's our trouble indicator.'

'I'll watch for the teeth,' Elly promised.

Perched on her shoulder, Rose appeared eager for the adventure. She did not seem the least bit tense or alarmed.

The fog was not as heavy as it had been that afternoon, but it was still thick enough to hamper visibility. The lights over the rear doors of the shops glowed weakly in the mist.

Cooper chose a path that kept them out of the small circles of illumination that surrounded each door. When they arrived at the end of the alley, Elly saw that the street was deserted. The fog here was infused with the subtle green light created by the Dead City Wall a few blocks away.

It seemed to Elly that the service lane that ran behind the row of shops in the next block was darker than the one they had just traversed. It took her a few seconds to understand why.

'There are no lights over the back door of Griggs's shop,' she said in a low voice. 'Must have burned out.'

'Maybe,' was all Cooper said.

He gave Rose another look. Evidently satisfied that their trouble indicator was still untroubled, he led the way into the shadows of the second alley.

They arrived at the back door of the floral shop without incident. Rose muttered irritably when Cooper took out a pair of thin gloves, pulled them on, and tried the knob.

'I told you, she never liked Griggs,' Elly explained softly.

'The lady has excellent taste.' Cooper paused. 'Door's open.'

'Probably because there was no one around to lock up after they took the body away,' Elly said.

'Maybe,' Cooper repeated.

She was getting the impression that he said maybe in that particular tone of voice whenever he had some serious doubts about the exact answer to a question.

'It was open when I found Griggs this afternoon,' she added.

He said nothing this time, just motioned her to stand to the side. She obeyed. Cooper eased the door inward.

The heavy scent of wilting flowers wafted out. Plant psi whispered across her senses.

Rose snorted softly in disgust, but she didn't show any teeth.

Cooper flicked on the flashlight and moved through the doorway. Elly followed.

'Looks like someone got here before us,' Cooper said quietly.

Elly stopped abruptly, shocked by the scene of chaos. Buckets of flowers and greenery had been overturned, spilling water and decorative foliage across the workbenches. An assortment of vases, decorative pots, and small planters had been yanked off the shelves and carelessly smashed on the floor.

'This place was very neat and tidy when I found the body,' Elly said. 'Do you think maybe some opportunistic thieves saw Griggs's remains being carried out earlier and decided to see if there was anything worth stealing?'

'Maybe.' Cooper took another look at an unconcerned Rose and then walked through the mess, careful not to step in the wet spots. 'But I think whoever did this was searching for something in particular.' He speared the light around the room. 'Wonder if he found it.'

'It's going to be hard to tell, because we don't know what he was looking for.'

Cooper methodically checked the drawers in the workbenches. Most had been emptied. Elly dug her own small light out of her pocket and aimed it into the nearest drawer. A handful of ready-made ribbon bows, thin wires, and an assortment of other small, fanciful items designed to decorate floral arrangements lay inside.

Rose chattered excitedly and scampered down her arm.

Cooper frowned. 'What's up with her?'

Elly watched Rose hop into the drawer and start sorting through the bows and small ornaments. 'I'm not sure, but I think she may be shopping for a new addition to her jewelry collection.'

'Figures,' he said, sounding resigned. 'Other Guild bosses have loyal minions to guard their backs. I get a dust bunny who's into glitz.'

He went to a door and opened it carefully. Elly looked past him and saw the shadowed front room of the shop. The shades had been pulled tightly closed, keeping out the streetlights, but in the glow of the flashlight she could see that room, too, had been thoroughly ransacked.

'Let's take a look upstairs before we check out the basement,' Cooper said.

Elly reached into the drawer for Rose. 'Let's go. The boss is giving orders again. He's in charge tonight.'

Rose squeaked once in protest, but she allowed herself to be picked up. Elly put her back on her shoulder.

They went up the stairs. At the top of the landing Elly saw a small, one-bedroom apartment almost identical to her own.

The kitchen and living area had been torn apart. Cooper prowled through the space, saying nothing.

When they went into the bedroom, Elly was surprised to see three leather-bound volumes on the floor where the intruder had dumped them.

Cooper picked up one of the books and leafed through it with the aid of the flashlight. 'This is old. I mean, really old. It's a private journal written before the Era of Discord.'

Elly examined one of the other tomes. 'So is this one. Doesn't look like the sort of light reading I'd have expected Griggs to use to put himself to sleep at night.'

'No.'

She scooped up another volume. The leather binding was burnished and smooth in her hands. She opened it carefully and aimed the narrow beam of the flashlight at the title page.

A thrill of disbelief flashed through her.

'Good grief,' she managed.

'What?'

'Medicinal Herbs and Flowers of Harmony by Dr. Mary Tyler Jordan,' she read