“And end up like Xavier, passed out on a stranger’s front porch. Give it up, Sam. Hillvale is not inhabited by evil or negativity. It’sa bunch of old hippies who hug trees and believe in earth spirits instead of a Great Creator or whatever. People need to believe in a larger power than their own.” He tucked in his wrinkled shirt and wondered if he’d have time to change before the sheriff and his crewarrived.
“That’s what I would have thought until I was out on that mountain during the fire. I know I have a smart mouth,but I’m usually cautious and never mean. I said things to Carmen—a complete stranger—that I never would have said under any other conditions. And you were behaving like a Neanderthal and even Harvey had a greedy gleam in hiseye.”
“Tension, stress, human nature. Don’t make too much of it.” Walker waited for her to finishdressing.
“So you think my planter boxes are normal, and Xavierimagined ghosts in the cemetery, and Val found your father’s skeleton by accident?” She shimmied into a pair ofjeans.
“Or she knew he was there all along and just decided it was time for the world to know. Don’t let the Lucys get to you. They know things others don’t because they’re a close-mouthed bunch and don’t tell all they know until they decide it’s time to be said. Xavier’s storyis a good example.” He checked out the window to be certain no more bodies were on the doorstep and no crazies were burningcrosses.
“You skipped over the planter boxes,” she reminded him. She watched him from beneath long lashes as she braided herhair.
“I don’t know anything about flowers,” he admitted. “They look pretty and much better thanbefore.”
“Fine then,” she saidwith a shrug. “We’ll collect some of my ghost compost on the way down the hill. Cass said I could use herwheelbarrow.”
“Ghost compost?” he asked warily as she marched for the front door. He’d stupidly been hoping for a kiss or a hug or some token of affection after the night they’d shared. But they were doing sex, not affection, he remindedhimself.
The arguing was just thesame.
“The dead lady promised me compost and she provided,” Sam said airily as she grabbed a walking stick and headed down the outside stairs. “Or perhaps you need to take your car back to town. I want that compost before someone else collects it, so I’mwalking.”
Abandoning his car, Walker followed her along the overgrown path to Cass’s place. He watched in puzzlement as she waved herhand at a half-rotted wooden shed and the doors fell open as if on well-oiled springs. She disappeared inside, and he peered in afterher.
The immaculate interior was easily twice the size of theexterior.
