“Um…” Presley hesitated. She hated it when people put her on the spot. “Well, when you put it that way, I suppose not.”
Logan snorted.
Presley stifled a groan. Well, that comment certainly wasn’t going to win her any brownie points from him. Not that she wanted to win any, of course. She didn’t care what he thought of her. It was just that she was already a source of contention between him and Robert. She didn’t like the idea of adding to it, especially since she wanted to learn as much as she could from them in the three days she going to be with them. Her sanity depended on it.
She let out a sigh as an uncomfortable silence descended on the SUV again. While she knew asking about ghost hunting was probably going to be a bad way to start up another conversation, particularly with Logan, she couldn’t think of anything else to talk about. Besides, she was supposed to be there to do research for her book and that meant finding out what made the average ghost hunter tick. If she didn't ask them anything, they’d get suspicious at some point.
“How did you guys get into hunting ghosts?” she asked, trying to sound casual. “Do you do it full time or is it more of a part-time thing?”
When no one answered right away, Presley thought they were going to ignore her, but then Robert spoke.
“Logan and Mav do it full time, but Brielle and I just help out now and then, mostly on the weekends.”
Presley was a little surprised to hear Robert didn’t hunt ghosts on a full-time basis. From the way he talked, she assumed he was partners with the other two men. “That isn’t a bad way to make a little extra money, I guess.”
Brielle shook her head. “We don’t get paid. We help out Logan and Mav because they helped both of us.”
Presley remembered what Robert had said about Logan and Mav letting people owe them favors. “Did Logan and Mav get rid of a ghost for you?”
“Something like that,” was all Brielle said.
Beside Presley, Robert shook his head. “I wish it had been as simple as a ghost. My situation was a little stickier than that. Trust me when I tell you there are a lot worse things than ghosts out there, Presley. If it wasn’t for Logan, my wife and kids would be—”
“Robert,” Logan said warningly.
Robert flushed. “Oh, right. Sorry.”
Presley frowned as he turned to look out the side window, wondering what the heck that had been about. Robert had obviously been going to reveal something huge, something Logan clearly didn’t want her to hear. She wanted to press Robert for details but decided it would be better to ask him later, preferably when Logan wasn’t around. The guy was a walking, talking conversation killer.
“Tell us about the book you’re writing,” Brielle said brightly.
Presley felt a moment of panic. Brielle had probably only asked because she wanted to defuse the situation, but they’d still expect her to answer—she was supposed to be writing a book. But of course, there really wasn’t a book, and she hadn't even given any thought to one. The idea that they’d ask her questions about it hadn’t even entered her mind.
They were all looking at her expectedly, so she’d better think of something—quick.
“I only just started the book, so I’m still working out all the particulars. But basically, it’s about a ghost hunter who falls in love with this ghost he discovers in a haunted house,” she explained. “For some reason—and I haven’t quite figured this part out yet—the ghost can materialize into a real woman whenever he’s around. Of course, he’s the only person who can see or touch her, and she can only materialize in the old, dilapidated house she’s trapped in, which poses all sorts of problems.”
Logan let out a snort. “That’s supposed to be a romance?”
“Sounds more like a horror story to me,” Mav said.
Presley felt her face color. Yeah, okay, the story sounded like crap, but what did either of them knew about romance? She was about to ask them that question, but Brielle put a hand on her arm.
“Ignore them, Presley,” Brielle said. “Not only are they both men, but they’re also both horribly unromantic ones. I think your story sounds very romantic. It also explains why you want to hang out with us. So you can get the ghost hunter stuff authentic, right?”
Presley nodded. “I want the tools and techniques the ghost hunter uses in my book to be believable. I also want to learn some general stuff about ghosts, too. Not that I expect to really see any. But regardless, I’d like to get a feel for what would they look like, how they act, and how you’d make them go away.” That last part was obviously the most important to her, if in fact any of this turned out to be real. But figuring she should keep going so she wouldn't raise any suspicions, she added, “I hope you guys don’t mind if I take a little literary license with some parts of your job. I know you don’t deal with life and death situations as part of your daily routine, but I’ll have to put that kind of stuff in the story to make it exciting.”
In the front of the SUV, Logan and Mav exchanged looks, the hint of smiles playing around the corners of their mouths. Presley didn’t know what she said that was so funny, but even Brielle and Robert seemed to find it amusing.
Now that they knew she was interested in the type of equipment ghost hunters used, Brielle and Robert kept up a steady stream of conversation all the way to Moores Mill. While the information they gave her would have been nice if she was actually writing a ghost hunter romance book, it didn’t really help her know if ghosts were real—other than the fact that Logan, Mav, Brielle, and Robert obviously thought they were.
When she tried to steer the conversation around to any ghost encounters they’d had, both Brielle and Robert confessed they hadn’t seen much more than shadows. Presley was surprised. She’d expected them to regale her with one scary story after another. Made-up stuff, of course, but still good stories.
“More substantial sightings are pretty rare,” Robert admitted as they turned into a subdivision. “Logan and Mav have seen a lot more than we have.”
Presley glanced at Logan and Mav, hoping they would elaborate, but to her annoyance, neither one did. She should have known. Deciding it was useless to try to pry anything out of either man, she looked out the window and was amazed when Mav pulled into a driveway in front of a two-story house on a cul-de-sac. After hearing Robert talk, she’d expected the place to be old, decrepit and creepy looking. Even in the gathering darkness, she could see it was well-kept with a manicured lawn and a fresh coat of paint. No self-respecting ghost would be caught dead in a house like this. Or should the expression be caught alive in a house like this?
She made no comment as she got out of the Hummer, especially since everyone else looked quite serious as they grabbed duffel bags out of the back. Deciding to go along with it, Presley followed them up the front walk. Maybe she’d make an appointment to see her shrink tomorrow. Something told her she was going to be taking a lot of drugs in the very near future.
* * * * *
Presley looked around as she walked into the entryway of the house, but she couldn’t see much without a light. She waited for someone to turn one on, but instead they pulled out small flashlights.