Free Wishbones by Carolyn Haines Page B

huge outcropping of rock that created a magnificent display of foam and spray as the waves crashed over it.
    I removed my shoes and walked along the warm sand playing tag with the surf like a child. This was exactly what I needed. The tight knot of muscles let go as I inhaled the salt breeze and remembered the joy of being young and unencumbered.
    By the time I turned back to the mansion, I was renewed and eager to see my friends. I was also ravenous. I hurried, wanting to slip into something cooler than jeans before Graf arrived with Tink and the crew.
    The path that led to the mansion approached from the west, the side of the house where my room was located. I could see my balcony as I climbed the winding path that clung to the incline in a series of wooden steps and steep dirt.
    From this view, the house was lovely. Many of the rooms were illuminated, and it looked like a palace waiting for a party. The wind chimes showered the night with music.
    As I approached, I froze. Someone was standing on my balcony.
    I eased closer, moving through the palm fronds and the small trees that contained heavenly night blossoms. When Ihad a clear view, I stopped. A slender, dark-haired woman gazed out toward the water. Something about her made me think that she had done this many times.
    Night had fallen, and though the moon was full, I couldn't see clearly. Her features were indistinct. It could easily be Estelle. She was the same size and build, with the same flowing black hair. But I couldn't be certain.
    I'd locked my door when I left, but that meant nothing in a house where the daughter would surely have keys to all the rooms.
    "Hey!" I called out. "Hey, you!"
    Either the figure didn't hear me or she ignored me. She continued to gaze out toward the ocean, as if she waited for some signal.
    "Hey!" I yelled louder and jumped up and down, waving my arms. "What are you doing in my room?"
    I was about to run the rest of the way to the house when I felt a firm grip on my arm. I turned to see one of the burly security guards eyeing me with suspicion.
    "That woman is standing on the balcony outside my room." I pointed to the second floor, and we both looked.
    The balcony was empty.
    "Shall I help you into the house?" the guard asked in perfect English with a Spanish accent. I recognized him from the night before. He was the same man who'd been outside the front door when I'd seen the woman leave. He'd also claimed that the door hadn't opened.
    "What's your name?" I asked.
    "Daniel Martinez," he said. "The owner of Promise Security Agency, at your service." He almost gave a bow.
    "Did you see that woman on the balcony?"
    He shook his head. "I didn't see anyone, but it's dark. Let me check your room."
    "Okay."
    We walked into the house together. When we came to my room, the door was locked. I opened it with my key. Daniel did a quick walk-through of the room and adjoining bath and found nothing.
    "The light here can play tricks," he said. His smile revealed strong white teeth and his dark eyes danced. "The locals say this house is haunted, though. Perhaps you saw the ghost."
    "The ghost of whom?"
    He gave a one-shoulder shrug. "The owner, the mistress, the murdered maid. Aren't the stories all the same? A ghost must be unhappy to remain behind to haunt a place." His smile widened. "And it's almost always a woman, yes? Something to think about."
    Great, a security guard with a misogynistic comedy routine. "Thanks for your help, Mr. Martinez."
    "Call me Daniel. I hear you're going to be a huge star when you return to the States. Perhaps I can get your autograph later."
    I must have looked like a gaffed fish because he laughed. "No one has ever asked for my autograph," I confessed.
    "Maybe if you leave one for the ghost, she'll go away happy."
    "Clever."
    "Call me if you need anything, Ms. Delaney. I'm at your service."
    When he left I locked the door and searched the room myself. There was no evidence that anything had been tampered with. Then