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

it in your spare time…”
    “I’ll make it a priority,” he promised, and I bit back a groan. “First thing is to dust for prints. You did good putting it in a baggie. You’ve learned a lot hanging around me.”
    Pride in his tone kept me from saying Monica had thought of the baggie, but of course it had occurred to me as well. I accepted that he would soon get to the bottom of this thing, and we could put the incident behind us.
    “I appreciate it. Thanks again.” I turned to leave, but he called out my name.
    “Let me take you home.”
    A refusal trembled on my lips when I spun to face him, but then he offered me that boyish and hopeful grin. He ran nervous fingers through his hair, pushing it back from his forehead. My heart sank. The mark stood stark against his suntanned skin. “Um, okay. Thank you again.”
    “Don’t be so formal,” he said in a gruff but playful tone. I’d made him happy. “We’re past all that, right?”
    “Sure.”
    A short while later, we pulled up to my house, and I made to get out. Clark touched my arm, and I paused to look at him. To my surprise, he didn’t meet my gaze but instead stared out the front window. There wasn’t much to see except endless neat lawns, a few cars where neighbors were home early or had the day off. All lay in silence until school dismissed and the workday ended. Even then my area enjoyed mostly peace and quiet. I loved the neighborhood and saw myself growing old there. I had always hoped it wouldn’t be alone though.
    Clark remained silent, so I prompted him. “Is everything okay?”
    “Are you seeing Ian McClain?” he blurted.
    I started, and my eyes widened. I had forgotten about running into Isabelle during my walk with Ian. Of course she would tell her brother about the incident. She thought I cheated on him, but Clark and I were not exclusive. One date did not put us in a committed relationship.
    “You and I went on one date to see how it would go, Clark.”
    Disappointment transformed his handsome face, and then he hid it. Too late, he was always expressive when it came to me. “I knew how it would go. I thought we had an understanding.”
    “You didn’t say anything to me.”
    “I regret that. I—”
    “Ian is my friend. Nothing more. Just like you are my friend.”
    I might as well have punched him in the gut by the look of it, but I would not be one of those women who strung men along. I had made a mistake going on a date with Clark because I had the wrong reasons. Temptation continued to stir inside me, to do whatever it took to make him happy. That wasn’t fair to him or to me.
    “I like you, Clark.”
    “I hear a but,” he grumbled. “Listen, Libby—”
    Scrambling to open the door, I muttered an excuse that I had lots to take care of before it was time to head over to the hardware store. Now that I thought of it, I should have had Clark drop me there, but I had been too distracted. Before he could press me for a second date, I said good-bye and scrambled to my front door. Behind me, Clark pulled away from the curb. I took the time to enter the house before winking out to materialize at the shop. A long day lay ahead of me.

Chapter Seven
     
    A few days passed with no major issues. Clark stopped by with the results of the fingerprints on the letter I had received. Monica and I listened together to what he had to say, and I was glad she was there to keep the visit on a professional level. Yet, as I looked into Clark’s gaze, I had the feeling he had no intention of turning things personal either way. Had he written me off? If so, that was good, but it kind of saddened me feel sad at the same time. One fact he shared surprised me more than anything. “The envelope has your mail carrier’s fingerprints on it. I asked her to come in so I can rule her out, and she agreed. Her prints were not on the letter however.”
    I had worried about the person who sent the letter having worn gloves or using some other means of keeping