Part 14 (1/2)
Or the hazy vision Maria claimed to have seen.
Frustrated and worried, Elizabeth was busy working at the office when Zach called. She dragged a curl of heavy auburn hair out of the way and pressed the receiver against her ear.
”You busy? It's Zach.”
”h.e.l.lo, Zach.” Her fingers tightened around the phone at the familiar deep tones of his voice. ”I'm always busy, but I'm not with a client right now.”
”I just called to see how you were, and how it went with the house inspectors.”
”I'm fine. The house is fine, too, unfortunately. I had Integrity Home Inspection and Higgins Consulting both take a very thorough look, and neither of them found a d.a.m.ned thing. In fact, they said the place was in very good condition.”
”I suppose something that obvious would have been too easy.”
”I suppose. Luckily, I don't think Carson knows they were there.”
”Lucky for one of us, at least.”
She chuckled.
”Listen, after I left San Pico on Sunday, I did a little research.”
”Yeah, what kind of research?”
”Research on ghosts. Guess what?”
”I'm not sure I want to know.”
”What you felt that night is called a cold spot. It's a commonly reported phenomenon in houses that are supposedly haunted.”
”I don't believe this. Are you seriously thinking there may be a ghost in the house?”
”I'm just telling you what I found out. I thought you might be interested.”
She rubbed the bridge of her nose, feeling the beginning of a headache. ”Considering I haven't got a single clue what else could be wrong, I suppose I am.”
”Listen, I'll be up there on Friday. I'll leave as soon I can get away from work. I'd like to take you out on Friday night.”
”Zach, I really don't think”
”I know, I know. I didn't mean to let things get so out of hand last weekend. It just sort of happened.”
That was an understatement. She had been thinking of nothing but s.e.x with Zach all week. The more she tried not to, the worse the obsession seemed to get.
”We'll just go out,” he said. ”Go to the show or something, get a pizza, maybe. You don't even have to invite me in when I bring you home. What do you think?”
Was this really Zach Harcourt? He'd been pushy back in his youth, determined to have his way. Then again, maybe he was just as determined now, in a slightly different manner. Whatever the truth, she wanted to see him even though she knew she shouldn't.
”All right, I suppose going to the show would be safe enough.”
”Hey, is the old drive-in theater on Crest Lane still open?”
”What?”
”Just kidding.”
She smiled into the phone. ”You are an evil man. What time?”
She could hear him chuckling. ”Movie probably starts at seven. Pick something out for us to see and I'll try to be there by six. I'll call if I get tied up in traffic.”
Elizabeth hung up the phone just as the intercom buzzed.
”Your next appointment is here,” the receptionist, Terry Lane, told her.
”Send her in.” Elizabeth straightened the jacket of her cream linen suit, determined to force her mind back to work and not wonder if she'd been a fool to agree to another date with Zach.
The intercom buzzed on Zach's big gla.s.s-topped desk and his secretary's voice filled the room. ”You've got a call, Zach. It's your brother.”
So much for Carson not finding out. He pushed the speaker b.u.t.ton instead of picking up the receiver just to keep a little distance between them.
”Carson. Good of you to call.”
”My a.s.s. What the h.e.l.l do you think you're doing?”
”I don't know. Why don't you tell me?”
”Fine, I will. You told Elizabeth Conners she could bring people in to inspect the Santiago house. You had no right to do that, Zach.”
”So what if I did? What the h.e.l.l do you care? They didn't find anything wrong with the place. In fact they said it was in great condition. You ought to be ecstatic.”
Silence on the end of the phone. ”I don't like it, that's all. I told her no, so she ran to you. You don't have squat to say about anything on the farm.”
”It was no big deal, all right? You're not out a dime. Liz is happy, and maybe Maria Santiago will be able to sleep a little easier.”
”I still don't like it. Keep your nose out of Harcourt Farms business.”
”I've never tried to interfere in your decisions, Carson. But remember one thing. I'm a lawyer and a good one. If I wanted some say in running that place, I'd find a way to get it.”
”Don't threaten me, Zach.”
”That's a fact, Carson, not a threat. Fortunately, for you, I don't want a d.a.m.ned thing to do with the farm. I never have. Just make sure you're putting Dad's share of the profits in his account and I'm a happy man.”
Carson grunted in reply and hung up the phone and Zach's thoughts returned to where they had been before his brother's call. Liz Conners.
She'd agreed to go out with him again. In a way, he was surprised. He'd d.a.m.ned near scared her away, pressing her so hard to get her to go to bed with him. He hadn't meant to. He'd had a feeling Liz was inexperienced when it came to s.e.x and she was already skittish where he was concerned. Somehow he'd just lost control.
It didn't happen often and the fact it had happened with Liz just showed how much he wanted her.