sight of her. And if he’d ever thought that his attraction to her had simply been a byproduct of spending so much time together, that doubt had vanished. Even after years apart, he reacted to her on such a primal level it was impossible to deny that there was just something about her that called to him. That made him want to forget the lingering words of a dead man and take the chance he’d been regretting all this time.
Jordan pursed her lips, looking incredibly delicious as she tried to work out what she was going to tell him, or at least, how much. He knew her far too well to believe she wouldn’t leave out certain details, whether consciously or not. But either way, at least he’d have a place to start. Perhaps another piece of the puzzle surrounding that house. All these years and he’d yet to unearth anything more useful than what they’d gathered before the incident. But then, he’d never been able to bring himself to go back.
Her gaze met his as she pushed her fingers through her hair. “The beginning. That’s ten years ago where that house is concerned.”
He cringed at the hurt tone to her voice. He knew how close she’d been to her brother, which was why he’d never made a play for her before getting the nerve to ask Dave. Of course, Dave’s response hadn’t helped.
He nodded. “Why don’t we start with what time you arrived at the farm?”
“I got there around ten, I guess. Nigel was supposed to meet me, and we’d planned to be long gone before midnight.”
“But he didn’t show.”
It wasn’t a question, and she simply shook her head. “Bastard finally answered my damn texts at eleven thirty. Said he’d gotten tied up . That he couldn’t make it after all.” She snorted. “He hadn’t wanted to go there from the start. I should’ve guessed he’d blow me off like that.”
“Did he say why?”
“He didn’t need to. Why do you think it took me that long to finally visit the damn place? I never could get a friend to agree to go, let alone a colleague. Then it took forever to get the management company to actually say yes. They’ve been overly restrictive for the past several years, only granting the odd permit. Everyone seems to think that house is evil. Hell, maybe it is.”
“It’s definitely harboring something that’s capable of evil.”
“Such as?”
“Let’s just stick with your story.” He uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. “So Nigel tells you he’s not coming, but you decide to go in anyway, right?”
She glared at him, taking to her feet as she paced across the room, leaning against the wall as she stared out the window. “I wasn’t about to let what might have been my only opportunity go to waste. Not after getting this far. So yeah, I went in. It’s not like I haven’t investigated on my own before. I put in years hunting alone before anyone would take me seriously.”
“I’m more than aware of how hard you had to work to make a name for yourself. I wasn’t judging—”
She cut him off with a hard stare.
“Okay, so maybe I was judging. But not in the way you think. It’s just after everything that has happened in that house…that’s still happening…I thought you might err on the side of caution.”
“Caution doesn’t solve mysteries.”
“No. But it ensures you’re still alive to tell the world the answer.”
She huffed and looked away. Cal sighed. What was it about her that immediately put him on the defensive? He needed to remember that he was the one who’d left town. Who hadn’t had the balls to go back to that damn house and figure out what was tormenting people. Why Dave hadn’t been able to shake its presence.
He eased off the chair, moving in behind her. “I’m sorry. You’re right. You had every reason to proceed. And I know Avery and Blake would have done the same damn thing if they’d ever been granted permission to return. But it seems they don’t possess half the charm or persistence you do. All of their
Jordan pursed her lips, looking incredibly delicious as she tried to work out what she was going to tell him, or at least, how much. He knew her far too well to believe she wouldn’t leave out certain details, whether consciously or not. But either way, at least he’d have a place to start. Perhaps another piece of the puzzle surrounding that house. All these years and he’d yet to unearth anything more useful than what they’d gathered before the incident. But then, he’d never been able to bring himself to go back.
Her gaze met his as she pushed her fingers through her hair. “The beginning. That’s ten years ago where that house is concerned.”
He cringed at the hurt tone to her voice. He knew how close she’d been to her brother, which was why he’d never made a play for her before getting the nerve to ask Dave. Of course, Dave’s response hadn’t helped.
He nodded. “Why don’t we start with what time you arrived at the farm?”
“I got there around ten, I guess. Nigel was supposed to meet me, and we’d planned to be long gone before midnight.”
“But he didn’t show.”
It wasn’t a question, and she simply shook her head. “Bastard finally answered my damn texts at eleven thirty. Said he’d gotten tied up . That he couldn’t make it after all.” She snorted. “He hadn’t wanted to go there from the start. I should’ve guessed he’d blow me off like that.”
“Did he say why?”
“He didn’t need to. Why do you think it took me that long to finally visit the damn place? I never could get a friend to agree to go, let alone a colleague. Then it took forever to get the management company to actually say yes. They’ve been overly restrictive for the past several years, only granting the odd permit. Everyone seems to think that house is evil. Hell, maybe it is.”
“It’s definitely harboring something that’s capable of evil.”
“Such as?”
“Let’s just stick with your story.” He uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. “So Nigel tells you he’s not coming, but you decide to go in anyway, right?”
She glared at him, taking to her feet as she paced across the room, leaning against the wall as she stared out the window. “I wasn’t about to let what might have been my only opportunity go to waste. Not after getting this far. So yeah, I went in. It’s not like I haven’t investigated on my own before. I put in years hunting alone before anyone would take me seriously.”
“I’m more than aware of how hard you had to work to make a name for yourself. I wasn’t judging—”
She cut him off with a hard stare.
“Okay, so maybe I was judging. But not in the way you think. It’s just after everything that has happened in that house…that’s still happening…I thought you might err on the side of caution.”
“Caution doesn’t solve mysteries.”
“No. But it ensures you’re still alive to tell the world the answer.”
She huffed and looked away. Cal sighed. What was it about her that immediately put him on the defensive? He needed to remember that he was the one who’d left town. Who hadn’t had the balls to go back to that damn house and figure out what was tormenting people. Why Dave hadn’t been able to shake its presence.
He eased off the chair, moving in behind her. “I’m sorry. You’re right. You had every reason to proceed. And I know Avery and Blake would have done the same damn thing if they’d ever been granted permission to return. But it seems they don’t possess half the charm or persistence you do. All of their
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