Colton's Cowboy Code by Melissa Cutler

Author:Melissa Cutler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2015-06-08T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

On the porch of the Big House, Hannah glanced over her shoulder in the direction that she’d felt someone’s eyes on her throughout the evening. Movement, a splash of white, caught her eye near the bunkhouse. The skin on her neck prickled. She stood still, watching the night, but saw nothing else. It had to have been a curtain blowing in the breeze because someone left a window open. Had to be.

She flung the main door of the Big House open a little too hard. It banged against the wall, the sound echoing in the silence within. She didn’t draw a full breath again until she’d locked the front door and flipped on every light operated from the switch panel in the foyer.

“Hello, Edith? Are you still around?”

Nothing. As usual, Edith had retired for the night with the setting sun. Maria must have left already, too. Knowing that Edith and Big J were somewhere in the house should have proven a comfort to Hannah, but her unease only ratcheted up. So silly. She was freaking herself out for no reason.

She made it up the stairs in record time. Subdued lighting glowed throughout the hall from wall sconces. The floor-to-ceiling window at the end of the hall was nothing more than a black rectangle, showing the darkness of the ranch’s land. Brett and his brother were out there in the night, patrolling to keep her safe. She had nothing to worry about, tucked away inside a perfectly secure home.

Her attention pulled toward the hallway that led to Abra’s suite. The crime scene.

Stop thinking about it, Hannah. For real.

She hugged the envelope to her chest and scuttled to her room. As usual, Edith and Maria had left a light on for her inside.

She opened the door and at the first glimpse of movement, yelped and stumbled back. Someone was in her room. She pressed herself to the hallway wall on weak knees, breathing and wondering what the heck she should do next.

Maria appeared in the doorway. “Oh, my God, Hannah. I’m so sorry I scared you.”

Hannah sagged against the wall and let her hand holding the envelope flop to her side. “It’s just you.” She let out a peal of nervous laughter. “Oh, God. My heart.”

“Are you okay?” Maria asked.

“I think so.”

Maria disappeared into the room again, then reappeared holding a glass of water. “I knew you were working hard and I thought you might like a late-night snack when you got home. I’m sorry I scared you.”

Hannah accepted the water and drank deeply from it, feeling her heart beat in her throat as she swallowed. “Truthfully, I was already spooked before I opened the door. Got myself all worked up over something I thought I saw on the walk back here. Of course, it was nothing.”

“Was it the ghost? A woman?”

Hannah clutched the glass and gaped at Maria. “You’ve seen her, too?” she whispered.

Maria nodded. She wrapped an arm around Hannah and led her into a chair in the suite’s sitting area.

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