was gutted, and yet there’ve been people clamoring to get into it—and people claiming they’ve seen ghosts and blood… .” She paused. “Some people are fascinated by this stuff. Sandy was worried about it, naturally.
And now…”
She stopped speaking. There was a lot more to the “ and now… ” but she didn’t seem sure she should be talking about it.
Kelsey was aware that both men were watching her, waiting. She shrugged. “It’s odd—just before I left today, a big bruiser of a cowboy came running out of that room, IN PROCESS EDITION - JAN. 10, 2012
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screaming. He was convinced that the entire room was covered in blood. Of course it wasn’t.” She grinned. “Eventually, he calmed down and I went up to the room and looked around.”
“And?” Jackson asked her.
“It was just as the cowboy had left it,” Kelsey O’Brien said slowly.
Logan noticed that she’d hesitated before she spoke. Her words were smooth enough, but there was something she wasn’t saying. She didn’t fully trust them; however, that was okay. He wasn’t sure of his own feelings about Jackson Crow or Marshal O’Brien yet, either.
“Impressionable minds can create ghosts,” Crow said.
“Very true,” Kelsey O’Brien agreed.
But Crow homed in on her words. “What about you?
What did your mind see in that room?” She leaned back, startled, but composing herself as she returned Jackson Crow’s gaze.
“Anyone could get impressions in that room—once you know what happened there,” she replied. “And, of course, I know.”
“Does it ever distress your friend?” Crow asked her.
“Definitely. She’s sunk a lot of money into the Longhorn, especially since she bought it in bad condition—and under bad circumstances. Sandy’s wanted to own it for ages, though.”
“Anything unusual occur during your nights at the inn?” Crow asked next.
“In my room? Not a thing,” Kelsey said.
She didn’t share easily, Logan thought.
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“But you do feel the saloon is haunted?” Crow persisted.
She hesitated again, frowning, and then answered with
“What exactly do you consider haunted, Agent Crow?
When I walk through places that are steeped in history, there’s always an air about them. The Alamo? I feel like I’m walking on hallowed ground. I get that same feeling at the Tower of London and the battlegrounds at Gettysburg.
I think many people feel this way in certain places. The Longhorn Inn is no different. It witnessed history. I suppose many people imagine they see the past when they’re going through places like that.”
Crow listened, nodding, a small smile curving his lips.
“Nice reply. And not an answer to my question.”
“Well, what do you want?” Kelsey asked him, clearly irritated. “Do I pass ghosts walking up and down the stairs or in the saloon? No.”
“Have you seen them at all?”
She looked as if she’d been trapped. Obviously, she had to be competent and able to stand on her own, but Logan suddenly felt that he wanted to step in; he hated being cornered himself, and he didn’t like to watch it being done to someone else.
“What kind of haunting are you talking about, Agent Crow?” he asked. “ Residual haunting, where the same traumatic event occurs over and over again? Or are you referring to intelligent or active haunting, where the ghosts actually partake in life?”
“Either,” Crow said, shrugging. “I’m curious.” He leaned across the table, his casual manner gone. “Kelsey, I know IN PROCESS EDITION - JAN. 10, 2012
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damned well that you see what others don’t. What did you see in Room 207?”
She frowned. “What did I see? A murder.” She looked over at Logan, and he couldn’t tell whether she saw anger or appreciation in his eyes. “Absolutely nothing that could help us
And now…”
She stopped speaking. There was a lot more to the “ and now… ” but she didn’t seem sure she should be talking about it.
Kelsey was aware that both men were watching her, waiting. She shrugged. “It’s odd—just before I left today, a big bruiser of a cowboy came running out of that room, IN PROCESS EDITION - JAN. 10, 2012
9780778313298_HC.indd 53
11-12-01 3:55 PM
54
screaming. He was convinced that the entire room was covered in blood. Of course it wasn’t.” She grinned. “Eventually, he calmed down and I went up to the room and looked around.”
“And?” Jackson asked her.
“It was just as the cowboy had left it,” Kelsey O’Brien said slowly.
Logan noticed that she’d hesitated before she spoke. Her words were smooth enough, but there was something she wasn’t saying. She didn’t fully trust them; however, that was okay. He wasn’t sure of his own feelings about Jackson Crow or Marshal O’Brien yet, either.
“Impressionable minds can create ghosts,” Crow said.
“Very true,” Kelsey O’Brien agreed.
But Crow homed in on her words. “What about you?
What did your mind see in that room?” She leaned back, startled, but composing herself as she returned Jackson Crow’s gaze.
“Anyone could get impressions in that room—once you know what happened there,” she replied. “And, of course, I know.”
“Does it ever distress your friend?” Crow asked her.
“Definitely. She’s sunk a lot of money into the Longhorn, especially since she bought it in bad condition—and under bad circumstances. Sandy’s wanted to own it for ages, though.”
“Anything unusual occur during your nights at the inn?” Crow asked next.
“In my room? Not a thing,” Kelsey said.
She didn’t share easily, Logan thought.
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“But you do feel the saloon is haunted?” Crow persisted.
She hesitated again, frowning, and then answered with
“What exactly do you consider haunted, Agent Crow?
When I walk through places that are steeped in history, there’s always an air about them. The Alamo? I feel like I’m walking on hallowed ground. I get that same feeling at the Tower of London and the battlegrounds at Gettysburg.
I think many people feel this way in certain places. The Longhorn Inn is no different. It witnessed history. I suppose many people imagine they see the past when they’re going through places like that.”
Crow listened, nodding, a small smile curving his lips.
“Nice reply. And not an answer to my question.”
“Well, what do you want?” Kelsey asked him, clearly irritated. “Do I pass ghosts walking up and down the stairs or in the saloon? No.”
“Have you seen them at all?”
She looked as if she’d been trapped. Obviously, she had to be competent and able to stand on her own, but Logan suddenly felt that he wanted to step in; he hated being cornered himself, and he didn’t like to watch it being done to someone else.
“What kind of haunting are you talking about, Agent Crow?” he asked. “ Residual haunting, where the same traumatic event occurs over and over again? Or are you referring to intelligent or active haunting, where the ghosts actually partake in life?”
“Either,” Crow said, shrugging. “I’m curious.” He leaned across the table, his casual manner gone. “Kelsey, I know IN PROCESS EDITION - JAN. 10, 2012
9780778313298_HC.indd 55
11-12-01 3:55 PM
56
damned well that you see what others don’t. What did you see in Room 207?”
She frowned. “What did I see? A murder.” She looked over at Logan, and he couldn’t tell whether she saw anger or appreciation in his eyes. “Absolutely nothing that could help us
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