Hannah noticed that Hagen and Melody had materialized by the kitchen door. Hagen looked furious, as if he would have ripped the man in two if he could. He strode angrily toward Bentley—then walked through him.
Bentley, however, felt something. His grip on Valeriya tightened, and Hannah flinched as she saw the necklace of red at Valeriya’s throat darken.
Bentley’s eyes narrowed. “What the hell is going on in here?” he demanded.
“The ghosts,” Hannah said.
“What?”
“Melody and Hagen. They really do haunt the house.”
Bentley smiled and shook his head. “Amusing, Hannah. As always, I do like you best,” he told her.
Kelsey shrugged. “It’s okay with me. But you should let Valeriya go. She’s useless. And if you have to worry about anybody, it’s me, so you should have that knife at my throat.”
“Hannah, check your cousin’s pocket. I’m betting you’ll find some of those plastic zip-tie cuffs. Am I right, Kelsey?” When she nodded, he smiled.
“Bentley, you weren’t listening,” Kelsey said calmly.
“I heard you. But you’re going to try to save the day. So you need to be cuffed. Much easier for me than trying to hold on to you,” Bentley said.
“You want something from me, Bentley,” Hannah said thoughtfully. “And I don’t believe you want to kill us. So why don’t you tell me what you want and I’ll help you if I can.”
“Aren’t you nice, Hannah. Yeah, right. In real life, what do you see? The big sweaty construction guy next door. Well, Hannah, you know what? You’re right. I don’t want to kill you. I’ve made mistakes because of you. And it will hurt me—it will haunt me—if I have to kill any of you. But I will if I have to. Kelsey, make things easy. Give her the cuffs.”
“So it will be easier for you to shove me to my knees and shoot me in the back of the head?” Kelsey asked.
“I told you, I don’t want to kill you. I just want the treasure. I know you know what’s going on. The Wolf wants the treasure, too, but he wants me to find it because it’s cursed. But I don’t believe in curses. I have a way out. I just need one particular piece. And I really want to leave you alive. So come on, help me out here.”
Kelsey produced the cuffs from her pocket.
“Put them on her,” Bentley said to Hannah. “And be sure they’re tight enough. You don’t have to hurt her, but make sure she can’t slip out of them.”
“How on earth do you think this is going to work out?” Hannah asked. “I don’t have the treasure chest. You’ve worked in this house long enough to know that. And Dallas and Logan will be back soon, not to mention there’s a policeman out in front. He’ll be in here—”
“No,” Bentley said quietly, “he won’t.”
Hannah felt a horrible chill.
Hagen said, “The bastard killed him. Why didn’t we know it was him? He was right next door!”
“I didn’t know, either,” Hannah said.
“Who are you talking to?” Bentley demanded. “Your ‘ghosts’?” He laughed. “Handcuffs. Now. And cell phones, while you’re at it.”
Kelsey nodded and told Hannah, “Pull them on. It’s easy. They’re like garbage bag ties.”
Hannah looked at her worriedly but did as she was told.
“Cell phone this pocket,” Kelsey said.
Hannah got out Kelsey’s phone and then her own. She saw that she had missed five calls from Dallas.
He would come save her, she thought.
“Bentley, you need to get out now. Dallas and Logan—”
“Can’t possibly get back here in time to do you a damn bit of good,” he said smoothly.
“You can’t know that! They’re close,” Hannah said.
“I’m afraid not. The medical examiner has found another body,” Bentley told her. “The Wolf,” he added quietly, “makes sure of all things.”
“What can we do?” Melody asked. She was trying to shove Bentley, but needless to say, he wasn’t moving.
He felt something, though, Hannah thought. He just didn’t know what it was.
“Nothing,” Hannah said.
“Don’t do that—just don’t, Hannah,” Bentley said. “I’m not one of your ghost-tour guests.”
“It’s a history and legends tour,” she corrected. “And the spirits are real, Bentley. Not to mention there are more of them. Melody and Hagen are here now, but Jose Rodriguez is around somewhere. So is Yerby Catalano. They’re both pretty bitter. Let Valeriya go. Make me your hostage. I’m the one you think has what you want.”
“I don’t believe in ghosts any more than I believe in curses. Get that straight. And, by the way, you definitely have what I want.”
“How can you say that?” Hannah demanded. “You’ve been in this house more than almost anyone.”
“As a matter of fact, I actually know the house better than you do,” he told her, suddenly thrusting Valeriya away from him. Sobbing, she fell to the floor in front of Hannah, who instinctively reached down to help her.
When she looked up again, Bentley had slid the knife back into a sheath at his calf and was holding a gun. She didn’t know what it was, but it certainly looked lethal enough.
“Now, Hannah, where is it?”