Ballroom Forever by Natalie Cross

Author:Natalie Cross [Cross, Natalie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC022070 FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Cozy / General
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2024-01-16T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Four

The rear entrance to the Crystal Gardens Ballroom was far less grand than the front.

“It’s an alley,” Lucy said, feeling a need to keep her voice down despite the fact that there was no one else around. Not just an alley, but a run-of-the-mill, super-creepy alley filled with cigarette butts and dumpsters that might as well have stink lines coming from them. “How are we going to get anywhere?”

James took her hand, pulling her out of the rain and into the snook of a doorway that offered minimal shelter from the weather. “Trust me.”

A thrill shot through her, warming her more than even a fire could. Why not? her inner secret rebel whispered. The secret inner rebel who also found it necessary to appreciate how cute James looked, his hair shaggy with rain, his overcoat clinging to his frame.

James checked twice, likely to ensure no one else was coming, then pulled Lucy through the door and into a small vestibule. Surrounded by four walls, it didn’t seem like much of a hiding space, particularly not if they wanted to watch the evening American Smooth finals.

“Where are we?” Lucy giggled, and didn’t even have time to hate herself for it.

James grinned at her, his smile open and free. “Come on.”

By that point in the day, a little high on rebellion and damn fine British cookies, Lucy might have agreed to anything. “Is this about the Blackstone ghost?” she asked. She waggled her fingers toward him like phantom octopus tendrils. “Woo-woo.”

He playfully tapped her hand. “Hardly. But there is definitely a ghost. I’ve heard it before, moaning and crying in the walls. She’s a woman, lost and alone.”

That sounded eerie and far less date-like than she had been thinking. “Seriously? You’re going to invoke the ghost thing? We’re at a dead end.” She gestured around them at the four blank walls of the vestibule. “Unless this is some sort of weird locked-room mystery, Sherlock.”

James arched an eyebrow. It should have been a thoughtless gesture, not in the least bit appealing or sexy, but damn her if she didn’t want to kiss him.

And Lucy never thought that way.

“Come on, Watson,” he said. He pressed a flat palm against one of the empty walls, and with a loud and final-sounding click, the panel swung open.

Lucy’s mouth dropped open, and she physically had to restrain herself from clapping her hands like a five-year-old at an amusement park.

The staircase was dark, musty, and spider-webbed, and Lucy had never seen anything cooler.

James laughed as he led her toward the stairs. “You are the first person I’ve ever met who appreciates this.”

“That cannot be true. It’s a freaking secret staircase in a wall!” It smelled like mouse droppings and rancid soup broth, but still. So cool.

“It’s even better up top.” He squeezed her hand then, like they were joined in this conspiracy, and her heart flip-flopped like the traitor it was.

“Okay.” It wasn’t the best repartee she could muster, but maybe she could be forgiven because secret staircase.

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