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measure for ectoplasm or some such thing to detect the presence of spirits?”
    Jeff, a handsome guy with a cocky grin, leaned toward her. ‘You don’t really believe that stuff, do you? I suppose spinning tales about weird visitations helps attract guests. People like to think they’re staying in a haunted house.”
    “The manager is the one who hired experts to chase the spooks away, or at least coax them into leaving people alone,” Marla said. Unless he’d hired them as a show for his superstitious labor force, that is. She’d have to catch Dr. Spector later to see if he’d found anything significant. One thing was certain: Polly didn’t want the spirit hunters to uncover any family secrets. She’d said as much to Marla earlier.
    Marla smiled at Lori, who wore her coppery toned hair in a short bob. “I’ll get Dalton so I can introduce you. I don’t know what’s keeping him this long.”
    As though he’d heard, Vail glanced at her before ending his conversation. He loped over to them wearing a heavy frown.
    “I tried to convince the officer to do a more thorough investigation, but he wouldn’t listen to me.”
    “That’s too bad. Dalton, this is my cousin Lori and her husband, Jeff Levine. They live in Jacksonville.”
    “Pleased to meet you,” Jeff said, shaking hands. He glanced to his right as though startled. Marla followed the direction of his gaze to Seto Mulch, who stood staring at them. Some unspoken communication seemed to jump between the two men before Jeff nudged his wife. “Hey, Lori, let’s clear out.” He gave them a weak grin. “We don’t want to hold up these lovebirds. They’ll have things of their own to do.”
    Before Marla could protest, Jeff hustled off toward the main building. Lori, throwing her an apologetic look, scurried in his wake.
    “What kept you?” Marla said, focusing her full attention on her betrothed. ‘You’re not running the police force here, you know. That man’s accident was awful, but—”
    His slate gray eyes bored into hers as he gripped her shoulders. “It was no accident. The deceased had marks on his forearms as though he’d tried to defend himself. He didn’t fall. He was pushed.”

Chapter Four
    “Pushed? How is that possible? The painter was on a ladder.”
    “Notice the open window on the third floor? Somebody could’ve leaned out, put their hands on that ladder. The victim saw this person, struggled for control, and lost his balance.”
    “Butler is trying to put the blame on ghosts.”
    “Spirits can be mischievous, but they don’t kill people. Bad guys are usually responsible for doing the deed.”
    “You’re saying this was deliberate, not an accident? Even so, it’s not your precinct.”
    Vail gave a rueful chuckle. “You’re right, but the local cops could at least take it seriously. They won’t even do an investigation.”
    “Why not?”
    “They’re convinced this was merely an unfortunate occurrence, nothing more. They think the workers are careless. Someone was electrocuted less than a week ago repairing faulty wiring in the tower. The officer I spoke to doesn’t think very highly of the workforce, most of whom, he says, don’t speak English.”
    “In other words, they’d rather look the other way,” Marla concluded.
    “Exactly.”
    From reading the newspapers, Marla understood small-town mentality, but to hear Vail practically admit it existed here was disheartening. This place had once belonged to her family, after all. She had the feeling that link hadn’t ended with its sale.
    “I have to talk to Aunt Polly. There are too many confusing things going on at this resort, and I’ll bet she can explain a lot of them.”
    But when she called the elderly woman’s number from the main lobby, she got no response. “I’ll try again from our room,” she told Vail as they stepped inside the tower elevator. She shivered. “It’s awfully cold in here, isn’t it?”
    “I know how to warm you up,” he