Free Audrey Claire - Libby Grace 02 - How to Blackmail a Ghost by Audrey Claire

have a decent winter.”
    “And Sadie?” Ian prompted.
    Bernie slumped in his seat, his fingers gripping his pants leg. “I hate that it happened. Some of the tourists have already left, and the festival was cut short after it was found out that Sadie was murdered. This is not going to be a good summer for me. I don’t know who hurt Sadie, but I wish I could sock him in the nose!”
    Ian leaned back, satisfied, and I was too. I doubted Bernie had seen anything, including me winking out in a panic. He would do nothing to affect his summer business, and if he had seen who had, he would be very quick to turn them in. Mrs. Cavendish was another matter, but between crying for Sadie and trying to ply Ian with tea and cake, I couldn’t get anymore out of her than I had at the police station.
    “More tea, Ian?” Mrs. Cavendish offered yet again in a girlish tone.
    He flashed a bright smile and murmured, “Please. Thank you.”
    I blinked from her to Ian’s full glass and back again. Ian did not drink anything but wine and blood, but I couldn’t tell her that. Wait, am I jealous? I thought it over, and it seemed ridiculous, so I dismissed the idea. Ian and I were friends, and to feel anything over this woman’s obvious flirtation with the vampire was silly. Either way, I knew it was time to go.
    I stood. “Thank you so much for letting us visit with you, Mrs. Cavendish. Bernie, always a pleasure to chat.”
    Bernie scrambled to his feet and dug out a couple of crumpled business cards from his pocket. He handed one to me and one to Ian. “If you ever need a driver, please call me. I’m cheap, and I can be anywhere within about ten minutes or so.”
    I couldn’t help the grin on my face, and Ian flicked an eyebrow skyward. Ten minutes was an eternity for both of us to get anywhere in Summit’s Edge.
    “Of course,” Ian said and took Mrs. Cavendish’s hand in his. The blush on her face made her look years younger. I thanked her again, and we departed.
    “Next?” Ian asked when we were on the street again.
    “I guess we can swing by the mayor’s office. It’s getting late, but you never know.”
    Ian agreed, and we were lucky again to find Sharon exiting the building. I called to her, and she stopped to look over her shoulder at us. The wary expression made me groan, but as before, the moment Ian began to speak, she melted.
    “I don’t think we’ve met before,” Sharon said to Ian, stepping closer. She was of such a small stature, she had to throw her head far back to look into his face. “You’re Ian McClain, aren’t you? All the women said you were cute, but I never imagined…”
    I rolled my eyes when Sharon giggled and batted her lashes.
    “Ian, this is ridiculous,” I complained.
    “Why is she here?” Sharon swept me from head to foot with a glare. I started to feel like I was the one invading her privacy and I needed to let her be alone with Ian.
    My partner somehow managed to unhook Sharon’s hand from his sleeve. “Answer Liberty’s questions,” Ian snapped in irritation, and Sharon whirled to face me, her eyes wide and expectant.
    I started to speak and then stopped. The glassy look worried me. “You… Ian, you compelled her!”
    He made a rude noise under his breath and walked a few steps away. My suspicions were confirmed when Sharon didn’t follow him but stayed there with me, hanging on my next word. I realized it had been a mistake and Ian hadn’t meant it. Sharon’s over-eagerness had gotten to him. My reclusive neighbor was not used to this much social interaction, but hadn’t he demonstrated self-control, even lack of emotion, countless times? Sharon shouldn’t have been able to push his buttons so easily.
    “I apologize,” he said, coming back to my side.
    “Is this why you don’t come out among the living much? Because we’re all so weak toward you?”
    He shrugged. “Partially.”
    “You said you can’t turn off the charm.”
    “I can suppress myself.”
    “What