Spirit.â
Elizabeth leaned back in the chair. She had been doing social work since she graduated from college. She had dealt with hundreds of unusual problems, but this was a first.
âJesus is different. Heâs the Son of God and he isnât haunting your house. Do you really believe thereâs a ghost in your bedroom?â
âThere is a ghostâor I am going to die like my mother.â She started to cry again.
Elizabeth rose from her chair. âNo, youâre not,â she said firmly, stilling Mariaâs momentary lapse into tears. âYou are not going to die. But just to make sure there isnât a tumor, Iâm going to arrange for a visit to the clinic. Dr. Zumwalt can do a CAT scan. If thereâs anything wrong, heâll be able to tell.â
âWe do not have the money for something like that.â
âThe county will take care of it, if Dr. Zumwalt thinks the test needs to be done.â
âWill it hurt?â
âNo. They just take a picture of the inside of your head.â
Maria rose from her chair. âYou must promise not to tell Miguel.â
âI wonât tell your husband. This is just between you and me.â She could only imagine what Miguel Santiago would say if he found out his young wife had started to believe their house was haunted.
âWe will go to the clinic tomorrow?â
âIâll have to make the arrangements. Iâll call you as soon as I know the date and time, then Iâll pick you up and take you there myself.â
Maria managed an uneven smile. âThank you.â
âRaul is going to ask me if youâre all right.â
âTell him I am fine.â
Elizabeth sighed. âIâll tell him Iâm taking you in for a checkup just to be sure youâre okay.â
She nodded and flicked a glance toward the bedroom. âTell him not to tell Miguel.â
Â
Carson Harcourt drove up in front of the two-story stucco fourplex on Cherry Street, climbed out of his Mercedes and started up the walkway to apartment B. The area was quiet, the neighborhood one of the safest in town. He was only a few minutes late and he figured, at any rate, Elizabeth wouldnât be ready when he got there.
Women never were.
A brisk rap on the door. He was surprised when a fully dressed Elizabeth Conners pulled it open.
Carsonâs gaze ran over her floor-length dark blue sequined gown and he found himself smiling. His spur-of-the-moment invitation to the benefit was nothing short of genius. He had noticed she was pretty, of course. Heâd had a hunch, once she abandoned the boring but professional business suits she always wore, she would be far more than that.
âYou look gorgeous,â he said, meaning it. She was a little taller than average and slenderly built. As he assessed her curve-hugging gown, he saw that she had nice full breasts, smooth shoulders, a small waist and well-shaped hips.
I should have done this sooner, he chided himself.
âThanks for the compliment. You look very dashing yourself, Carson.â
He smiled. Heâd always looked good in a tux. The black showed off his blond hair and blue eyes, and the single-button style set off the width of his shoulders. Too bad it was still so damned hot. Heâd only been out of the air-conditioned car for a couple of minutes and already he was sweating inside the collar of his white pleated shirt.
âLetâs get going. Itâll be cooler in the car.â
Elizabeth nodded and took his arm. Carson led her toward his silver Mercedes and settled her in the passenger seat. The air conditioner blasted full force the moment he turned the electronic key in the ignition. It had been a while since heâd had time for female companionship. As he glanced over at Elizabeth, he thought that maybe it was time for that to change. He would see how well they dealt together tonight.
The benefit was in full swing by the time they