Free October Ghosts (A Southern Romance Monthly) by CJ Hockenberry Page A

That was Margo's job. Sarah worked for the legal team. You know, making sure a ticket holder doesn't sue if something goes wrong? Then sometimes she'd work the ticket booth or set the websites up for pre-sales."
    "But she didn't go to jail for rigging those things up? You could have died."  
    "I didn't want to press charges—I just wanted her off the project. And she was fired. The company owner did press charges but the evidence was circumstantial and she had alibis. I took out a restraining order on Margo's suggestion."  
    "Have you seen her since?"  
    "No. We got a cease and desist letter from her law office in New Orleans after the first Halloween episode. We didn't have all our ducks in a row so when the psychic we use saw the result, she pointed out she'd never signed a waver. We had to yank the episode. That's why we now pay and have you sign wavers."  
    "And that's it? That's the only contact?"  
    "Yeah. And she contacted Phil not me. She's not allowed to be near me or speak to me."  
    "Then why are you so nervous even talking about it? Why did the thought of her being here trigger an attack if she can't get near you?"
    And there it was. He hadn't really wanted to talk to her about this, but if he wanted to keep things honest he was going to have to. Usually this kind of thing didn't matter. He could easily dismiss it and move on to the next show. But Chloe…
    Chloe made him feel different. She made him want to know her better.  
    "Well…after that first Halloween fiasco I actually started dating one of the interns. Margo took her under her wing and started teaching her and the moment we started going out, the intern started getting harassing phone calls."  
    Chloe's expression hardened. "From Sarah?"
    "We didn't know that at first. Beth was very spiritual. A Christian, whom I got no beef with and I really liked her devotion. Someone was putting nasty letters on her car when she spent the night with me. The letters called her all kinds of bad names."  
    "Oh I can imagine."  
    "Yeah. And the longer we saw each other, the worse the letters got. Margo put in a few surveillance cameras for me so I could catch who ever it was, but they never showed up. The letters were actually left in her parents' mailbox."  
    Her mouth dropped open.  
    "So when her parents found them, they confronted us and then called the cops. They learned about Sarah and questioned her. She denied it, same as she denied ever rigging the tricks at the haunted house. No evidence, and Sarah was in New Orleans when these things happened."  
    Chloe closed the gap between them and put her hands on this face. "Matt, this is ridiculous. You can't really think this poor woman is somewhere in Roswell, waiting to hurt you? It just sounds so…obsessive."  
    "I don't think it's a coincidence that effigy showed up in your office at just the right time, do you? Yeah I'm a little weirded out. I think I have the right to be. And given what's happened, even Margo said she'd already talked to Sheriff Harhmon about some added security at the Barrett House. At least until after we're done." He took her hands in his and pulled them to his chest. "And it's not just about me. I'm worried about her coming after you."
    "Why me?"
    He swallowed and straightened his shoulders. "Because I like you. And it's very obvious to anyone else that I do. I didn't plan it, and you're not what I expected."  
    Matt wasn't sure what kind of reaction he was going to get from his confession. He hadn't planned on confessing at all because he was still a bit confused about his emotions. What he did know what that he enjoyed being with Chloe. She calmed him, made him feel invincible and not vulnerable. And she had a head on her shoulders, which impressed him. He respected her in ways he rarely respect anyone.  
    But what he worried most about were his trust issues. Those he'd have to deal with on his own.  
    The smile that pulled her sensual lips touched her eyes, and he knew at