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in the depths of his dark eyes. “All right, Clara, let’s go take a look.”
    Clara edged behind him, then followed as he left the office and strode with long footsteps through the foyer, up the stairs, and to the Lee room.
    Naturally, there was nothing there.
    Clara walked over to her broom. “I was standing right here.”
    â€œClara, maybe you saw the draperies drifting in. The French doors are open.”
    Clara indignantly straightened her five-foot-one frame. She could see that Matt felt as if he was living a repeat of a silly performance. He was trying to be patient; he felt like throwing his hands up as if the whole world had now gone insane. “I know the difference between drapes and a ghost!”
    Matt ran his fingers through his ink dark hair, shaking his head. “Clara…I don’t know what to say. There’s nothing here at all.”
    Clara sniffed. “Matt, it’s gone now. But there was something here! Why can’t you believe me? You should. It wasn’t all that long ago that we rented the room to the Thomases. She came running out of the room in the middle of the night, stark naked, and screaming! All right, I wasn’t here when it happened, but I sure heard all about it.” Clara paused, biting her lip. “Okay, I laughed like hell, I’ll admit, but…Matt, there’s something going on.”
    â€œClara, Jeannie Thomas herself said later that she’d had alot to drink that night. Her husband didn’t see or hear a thing, and all it did was cause a big argument on the first night of their marriage. Clara, Jeannie drove me crazy and came here and specifically asked for this room, having heard that it was haunted. Don’t you see? The bride wanted there to be a ghost, and so there was. History can be tragic, Clara. And there was some tragic history associated with the place. But come on, now! You’re a sensible woman. In your heart, you know that you’re just letting your imagination run riot.”
    â€œMatt, I quit.”
    â€œOh, Clara!”
    She knew that he couldn’t afford to lose another maid.
    â€œHow about this, Clara. You don’t quit, but you don’t clean this room. How’s that?”
    She reflected on his offer. “Who is going to clean it?”
    â€œWe’ll let Penny come in here and take care of this room. Penny thinks it’s the greatest thing in the world that the place has a reputation for being haunted.”
    â€œYou know, Matt, I can’t help it. I was definitely one of those to scoff at such absurdity, but I can tell you now—this house is haunted!”
    â€œClara, maybe it’s haunted, and maybe…hm.”
    â€œMaybe what?”
    â€œMaybe Penny is playing tricks, she wants the house to be haunted so badly. Or maybe someone is…I don’t know. Breaking in here. Making things happen.”
    â€œHow?” Clara asked incredulously.
    â€œWho knows,” he murmured.
    Clara again planted her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowing. “Who the hell would break in here? Who would have the balls—since it’s your place—the town sheriff?”
    â€œI don’t know. But since you think there was someone in here, I intend to find out.”
    Clara shook her head. “We’re the ones who have been lyingto ourselves, Matt. The whole darned house may be haunted, but this room…this room is menacing!”
    â€œGhosts don’t menace people, Clara.”
    She sniffed. “You don’t believe in ghosts, so how do you know what they do?”
    â€œClara, I don’t believe in ghosts, but from everything I’ve seen and read, I’ve never heard of a ghost actually hurting anyone.”
    Clara shook her head again, appearing to be the one wise beyond all earthly knowledge. “Well, Mr. Matt, I’ll have you know, that isn’t true at all! Haven’t you ever heard of the Bell Witch in Tennessee?