Chapter Thirteen
“I want every literal-statement shirt you can find,” Harmony told her sisters as they helped her drag her suitcases up from the basement the next morning. “As long as they’re tight and V-neck.”
“That about sums up all our shirts,” Destiny said. “You want the suggestive ones?”
“Especially the suggestive ones.”
“This sucks,” Storm said. “Des, tell her that going back to that place is chancy.”
Destiny looked thoughtful. “There are chances . . . and there are chances.”
“That’s a lot of blooming cryptic help,” Storm snapped.
Harmony handed the rebel a suitcase to fill. “That’s Destiny.”
“How witchy is the ghost?” Storm piled in the shirts. “Is she as scary as me?”
“Scarier. She hovers over the castle running roughshod over anyone who steps inside. Hang around long enough, and you become as negative as she is . . . unless I’m there.”
“And the guy who offered you the job?”
“Thinks he’s the center of the universe. A brass-ass technocrat who barely looked up when I went inside. Then he stalks my way like a loose-limbed panther, despite the finest steel rod money can buy shoved up his ass.”
Storm chuckled. “Hey, you’re starting to sound bitchin’, like me.”
“Thanks. He wears clothes as black as his hair and more expensive than our van.” Harmony pulled out her sock drawer. “His eyes are clear and whiskey bright, and his voice . . .” touched her everywhere, made her shiver and—“He’s closed to emotion, but I can read him, because he’s attached to the castle. He’ll be a challenge.” One she couldn’t wait to tackle. “He’s not happy about having me around. He thinks I’m trouble.” She raised the shirt she’d set aside: Here Comes Trouble. “I’m wearing this to work today.”
Storm touched her heart. “I’m so proud.”
Trouble ahead, Harmony’s sensible side shouted. Free-spirit psychic witches didn’t mesh well with tight-assed technocrats. But she didn’t care. If she was gonna get burned, let the smoldering begin.
“You know how, when we meet a new guy, we nail his potential after two minutes, no first date required? Well this guy’s got true potential, if I can loosen him up. Anybody mind if I take the toys from that obsession party we gave? I’ve got a hard nut to crack.”
“As long as you don’t really crack his nuts.”
“Guess that depends on his performance. Besides, someone has to teach him to be spontaneous. He’s way too controlled. I plan to enjoy removing that steel rod from his spine.”
“And that’s the only rod you have designs on, right?” Des laughed. “As if we didn’t know.”
“She’s gonna melt his brass ass,” Storm said. “When can we meet him?”
Harmony wasn’t ready to tell Paxton that blondes like her came in a three-pack. “You’ll know when it’s time. Rent a boat, but don’t leave it by the cement steps. There’s a landing on the west side, with a small Gothic door not far away. I’ll unlock it when I know you’re coming. Let’s play three musketeers when you get there; use the ‘power of three as one’ before Gussie suspects I’m not alone. Wear matching outfits, and bring one for me. Storm, don’t forget your blonde wig.”
Des sat on one of Harmony’s suitcases to zip it. “So do you know why you were sent there?”
“At least part of it is to persuade Paxton to keep the castle in the family. I think another part is to set the castle free of Gussie—or to set Gussie free of the castle. I sense there’s more, but I’m still working on instinct. Your job, while I’m playing ghost tamer, is to think about ways for us to help Gussie move on.”
“Be careful,” Des said. “It’s a plus that you can quiet her, but it’s frightening as well. You’re polar opposites. I don’t want you getting hurt. She might be stronger than you.”
“I think she is. But you’ll know if I need you. I’m not worried, so you shouldn’t be.” Gussie was not only stronger than her, she was quite possibly stronger than the three of them together—which she wouldn’t tell her sisters—especially if she read the dolphin symbolism correctly, and the sea provided her with an unlimited energy source.
It was all quite scary, but Harmony felt useful for the first time in her life, and she’d deal with whatever unimagined ghostly manifestation jumped out at her . . . when it jumped.
She grinned. Besides, Paxton Castle contained some mighty powerful perks, and one of them was King-sized . . . she hoped.