“That’s the important thing,” Jared teased as he watched her shove a huge forkful into her mouth, love for her spurting up from out of nowhere. He still marveled at the way his adoration of her could spring up and grab him by the throat. It was overwhelming and somehow warm at the same time. “All is good in the world as long as there’s decent potato salad.”
“You joke, but that’s the way we live our lives,” Zander offered as he joined the group. He had as much food on his plate as Shawn. “I had no idea that walking around looking for fake clues could work up such an appetite.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s the fresh air and exercise,” Jared drawled.
“I exercise all the time.”
“You exercise your mouth all the time.”
“Harp, did you hear what he just said to me?” Zander turned petulant. “He’s being mean. Ban him from using the love machine.”
Harper wrinkled her forehead and sipped from her Diet Coke as she considered the statement, swallowing before speaking. “Am I the love machine in this scenario?”
Jared bobbed his head and poked her side, causing her to squirm. “You’re my love machine.”
“Oh, don’t be gross,” Zander muttered. “I can only take so much, and you two have officially crossed the line.”
“You’re such a joy to be around when you have bad hair,” Jared muttered, although the way his lips curved told Harper he was having more fun than he wanted to let on.
“We should talk about something serious.” Harper decided that changing the subject was in everyone’s best interests. “I saw a ghost while we were out there.”
Jared jerked up his head. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“Because your new girlfriend wouldn’t stop following you around.”
“Stop referring to her that way.” Jared was deadly serious. “I know you think it’s funny — which actually makes me a little sad because it wouldn’t hurt my ego if you would at least pretend to be jealous — but Becky and her nonstop attention makes me uncomfortable.”
Harper heaved out a sigh. “We’re just joking.”
“I know. She looks like she’s twelve, though.”
“Some dudes are into that,” Zander noted with his mouth full of hamburger.
Jared extended a warning finger. “Don’t make me come over there.”
Harper gently nudged down Jared’s hand, determined to take control of the conversation. “I think all this togetherness is irritating a few people.”
“I’m fine,” Shawn offered. “I’m having a good time.”
“I wasn’t talking about you.” Harper flashed him a genuine smile. “You’re the good one. In fact, you’re practically perfect.”
“Hey,” Zander and Jared groused at the same time.
“You guys, however, are acting like children,” Harper shot back. “This is a difficult time for all of us. We need to work together rather than antagonize one another. Do you think we can all agree to do that?”
Jared and Zander eyed each other for an extended beat.
“You’re supposed to say yes,” Harper prodded.
“We’re debating,” Zander replied finally. “I guess we can work together. I think you’re bucking for a miracle if you want us to refrain from antagonizing one another, though.”
“I’m not the problem here,” Jared countered. “He’s the problem.”
Harper tilted back her head and pinched the bridge of her nose, slowly counting to ten in her mind before continuing. “So, the ghost …”
Shawn smiled at her, sympathy on full display. “Did you recognize her? I mean ... she wasn’t with the group earlier in the day or something, was she?”
Harper shook her head. “No. I mean, I guess she could’ve been, but I have to believe I would’ve recognized her if that were the case. I think she was here before we arrived.”
“Is she an old ghost?” Jared abandoned his argument with Zander and focused on his fiancée. “Could she have died up here years ago and gone unnoticed?”
Harper hesitated and then held out her hands. “Anything is possible. That doesn’t feel right to me, though. I think she died within the last few months.”
“You must have a reason for believing that.” Jared refused to let it go. He was convinced, had she not gone into the ghost hunting business, that Harper would’ve made a fabulous detective. Of course, her penchant for breaking the law probably would’ve killed that dream fairly quickly. “What stands out about her?”
Harper bought herself a few moments by shoving another forkful of potato salad into her mouth. By the time she’d chewed and swallowed, she had a better feeling for why she felt the way she did. “She was dressed in a hoodie and wore a pair of Converse that I’m almost positive were on the website two weeks ago. They actually move product pretty quickly when it comes to patterned shoes, so ... I don’t have proof. It’s a theory, though.”
Jared was thoughtful as he studied her profile. “Okay, we’ll go with that theory.” He went back to his dinner. “If we have another woman who was killed in this campground — or even close to it — I don’t think it can be coincidental. The murder rate up here is minuscule. They just don’t have the population to support it.”
“So, you think we’re dealing with a serial killer, then,” Shawn mused.
“We don’t even know that Leslie was murdered,” Jared argued. “Until we get word on that, I can’t say either way. She honestly could’ve fallen. Yes, it would’ve been an odd fall, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility.”
Harper tugged on her bottom lip. “Leslie is likely back as a ghost. My dream proved that.”
“And you’ve said yourself — multiple times, I might add — that murder isn’t a prerequisite for a soul to cling to the living,” Jared pointed out. “She died suddenly. We can all agree on that. Maybe she didn’t realize what was happening when she fell.”
Harper wanted to argue
