Haunt Couture and Ghosts Galore by Rose Pressey Page B

Now back to business.”
    I peeked out from the room and saw that Brooke was going out the front door.
    â€œI have to catch her,” I said.
    I took off from the room and toward the door. When I reached the entrance, I paused and looked outside. Brooke was walking toward the driveway. A park bench was at the edge of the yard, though, and she sat down and pulled out her cell phone.
    â€œYou have to go over there so you can hear her.” Charlotte waved her hand.
    â€œYou can go that way and she won’t even see you.” Sam pointed.
    â€œI think there’s always a chance that she can see me,” I said. “But I’ll give it a try.”
    I kept my eyes on Brooke as I made my way off the porch and over to the line of azalea bushes at the edge of the property. She still hadn’t noticed me. If she did, she never looked my way, so I assumed she hadn’t spotted me. Sure I felt a little ridiculous, but I had to finish what I’d started.
    â€œShe’s on the phone,” Charlotte said.
    â€œI have to know what she’s saying,” Sam insisted.
    I kept my eyes on Brooke. Soon she’d probably feel my stare. “I’ll try my best. Why don’t you go over there and listen so that I don’t have to.”
    â€œWe don’t go anywhere without you, remember?” Charlotte lifted one finely arched eyebrow questioningly.
    I sighed. “Yes, I had forgotten for a moment.”
    I should have remembered though. They never got very far from my side.
    â€œOnce I get closer, then you can listen in to her call,” I offered.
    Charlotte’s delicately arched eyebrows knitted together. After a pause, she said, “I suppose we can do that.”
    â€œThat would be the best thing to do,” I said.
    I couldn’t believe that I had actually followed Brooke outside. If she knew what I’d done she’d surely think I was crazy. I finally reached the edge of the yard near where she sat.
    Once at the bushes, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to get close enough to hear her without actually hiding in the bushes. I hoped that there wasn’t some scary creature underneath there. I got down on the ground and started to crawl under them.
    â€œNot one of your best moments, Cookie,” Charlotte said as she stood behind me.
    I decided to ignore her. The branches pulled at my clothing.
    If this messed up my Chanel sweater, then someone was going to be in big trouble. Who, I wasn’t sure, but someone would be in trouble. I inched my way under the brush more. The smell of damp earth surrounded me.
    Now I was under the branches completely. I just knew that a spider would be on my face soon. When I looked over, I spotted Charlotte and Sam under there with me. At least they hadn’t made me go alone. I leaned close so that I could hear her conversation. I just needed to move some of the branches back so that I could listen in better. I reached out and started to move the bush, when something touched my face and I let out a screech. After the sound escaped my lips, I knew that I had made a huge spying mistake.
    â€œWhat have you done?” Charlotte asked.
    â€œThis isn’t good,” Sam said.
    Footsteps sounded from in front of me and then next thing I knew sunlight flooded the area. Brooke was leaning down in front of me. She had pulled the branches back.
    She frowned. “What are you doing?”
    â€œThis doesn’t look good,” Sam repeated.
    â€œI don’t know how you will explain your way out of this one,” Charlotte criticized.
    Yeah, I didn’t know how I would either. But I had to say something, because Brooke was glaring at me.
    â€œI lost my earring,” I mumbled.
    â€œNo, no, that is a terrible excuse,” Charlotte said.
    Maybe she was right, but it was too late now. I’d already said it.
    â€œAre you spying on me?” Brooke peered into the bushes.
    Of course that was exactly what I was