Lady In White – A. J. Matthews

Author: A. J. Matthews
Liquid Silver Press

What’s scarier than ghost hunting? For Martin, it’s meeting Claudia’s branch of the Clan Mackenzie for the first time.

When Claudia brings Martin home for Thanksgiving dinner, he gains firsthand experience of how family tensions can affect even the most joyous occasion. Just when it seems Martin has soothed Claudia’s overprotective father, her sister Caroline confesses that she’s seen a ghostly lady in white, plunging Martin and Claudia into the dark world of the Daniels LaRoche hospital, a mental health facility with a shadowed history. Martin soon finds that there’s an evil presence at the old hospital, one so powerful that even he may not be able to vanquish it.

Distracted by family squabbles and the saintly Caroline’s increasingly strange behavior, Claudia and Martin have their work cut out to preserve their relationship and get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding the Lady in White.

Excerpt:

“Well, that wasn’t bad, but it could’ve gone better!” Claudia sighed as she walked into their hall and kicked off her shoes.

He winked at her. “Yes–Claudie.”

She looked up at him, a dangerous glint in her eye. “Marty, don’t go there!” She held up an admonitory finger. “Just…don’t go there.”

“Understood, lover.” Martin closed and locked the apartment door, then leaned against it. “I so wanted to get along with your dad, but he’s a tough nut to crack. I know the bottle of Scotch helped break the ice, but he still seems so suspicious of me. I told him something of what Britain is like these days, and for a while there he thought I was running from there instead of running to you.”

“Did you tell him I want to be with you wherever you are?” she asked anxiously.

“Yes, and I told him I felt exactly the same as you, darling.” He shook his head. “Family can be difficult sometimes.”

“I know.” She grimaced. “I’ve known Dad to do some mean things in his time, but I can’t believe he sold you his old truck! He could’ve let you use it while you were here, so long as you put gas in it!” She stepped on one of her discarded shoes and kicked it away angrily.

He walked over to her and took her into his arms. “It’s not a problem, love. I know a bit about cars, and it looks like a good buy.” He laughed ruefully. “Being British, I’m too polite to refuse a kind offer! But I’m sorry if I’m causing any ructions between you and your folks.” He sighed, breathing in the scent of her hair. “Mmm! You smell wonderful!”

“So do you, sweetheart.” She stroked his back. “It’s okay, honey. What problems there are between me and my folks were always there, and I guess they always will be. We’ve learned to live around them. Everything will be okay.” She even sounded half-convinced.

“You don’t get along very well with Caroline,” he said, thinking of the younger woman’s strange approach.

“Oh, we get along just fine.” She set her teeth and grunted in mock pain. “Caroline’s my kid sister; I should hate her! She should be borrowing my clothes without asking–well, apart from my bras. No doubt you saw she’s a fully paid up member of the IBTC?”

He blinked. “The what?”

“The Itty-Bitty-Titty-Committee.” Claudia touched her own breasts. “She’s not got much up front.”

Laughing in spite of himself, he shook his head. “As if I’d go around ogling my girlfriend’s sister!”

She smiled and raised an eyebrow. “I know you wouldn’t look at her that way, Marty,” she said with evident patience. “I’m just asking if you noticed it in the course of things.”

“Yes, all right, I did.” He nodded, feeling sheepish. “I did notice that much.”

“Don’t worry about it. She’d tell me immediately if you did hit on her. Caroline’s not one to steal my clothes and makeup…” She poked him in the stomach. “Or attempt to score with my handsome boyfriend! She doesn’t do any of that. The girl’s so damn saintly sometimes, she makes Mother Theresa look like Osama bin Laden! She volunteers to work on Thanksgiving every year to let other folks with family enjoy the break. Sheesh!” She touched his arm. “Don’t get me wrong; I do love her, seriously.”

“I know you do. Claudia, she’s worried about a paranormal encounter she had today. She asked me to ask you for her cell phone number, so I could arrange to talk to her about it.”

“Caroline? Caroline saw a ghost?” Claudia looked at him doubtfully. “Wow! It must’ve been due to overwork or something. She’s never seen anything spooky that I know of. That was always my department when we were kids.” She cocked her head and looked at him with interest. “Did she say what it was?”

Martin shook his head. “No; it’s what she wants to talk to me about.”

“You see what I mean?” Claudia groaned. “Rather than give you her number outright, she wanted me to know she’d approached you and not think she was trying to steal you.” She shook her head. “The girl’s so discreet, she’s unbelievable! Remind me tomorrow morning, honey; I’ll give it you then.”

“What have you planned for tomorrow?” he asked, moving into the kitchen to turn on the coffee maker.

“If the license bureau is open in the morning, I’ll formalize my Indiana driver’s license; in the afternoon I’ll start prepping my papers for the office.” She came up behind him and wrapped her arms about his waist. “What about you?” She pressed her head against his shoulders.

“I’ve got some notes to finish up on the Catskill case, and I owe the editor of Occult Times an article on the Chestnut Mansion affair. Tomorrow night we’ll pick up my new truck…” Claudia snorted in mock derision. “…and the day after I’ll drive to Wally-world and buy some clothes.”

She smiled, and kissed him. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

* * * *

As Martin prepared coffee, Claudia went through into the sitting room. He heard her turn on the TV, and then came the creak of the antiquated couch as her weight settled on it. The Channel Thirteen News came on just as he walked in with the cups, and she grinned up at him sleepily. “Tired as I am, I’m not going to wait until tomorrow to ravish you, Mr. Grey.” She chuckled. “What do you say we watch TV for a while then go to bed?”

“Going to bed is always a pleasure with you, Ms. Mackenzie.” He grinned, sat beside her, and squeezed her knee…

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Tags: A. J. Matthews, ghosts, Lady In White, Paranormal Romance, Romance
Posted under: Erotic Romance, Paranormal Romance, Romance