Ghost Town Read Free Page B

excuse to fire me.”
    â€œMaybe so,” Trevor said, “but that doesn’t mean you have to give in to her.”
    â€œThat’s what I told him,” Amber said. She turned to Drew. “See? Trevor agrees with me.”
    Trevor held up his hands. “Whoa! Hold up there! I’m thrilled that the two of you are an item, but I don’t want to get sucked into playing relationship referee for you guys. Just think of me as Switzerland: I don’t take sides.”
    Amber laughed, and Drew smiled.
    â€œWe’ll do our best to respect your neutrality,” Drew said. “But I wasn’t about to let Dr. Flaxman bully me. That sort of behavior shouldn’t be rewarded.” He finished his last sip of coffee and put the cup down on the table.
    Amber had never met Connie Flaxman, but from what Drew had told her, the woman was, to put it bluntly, an ice-cold bitch. Drew was warm and caring, and he would do whatever it took to help his patients. Not only was he Flaxman’s polar opposite, but he was a far better psychologist, beloved by both patients and the other staff. No wonder Flaxman had it in for him. At least, that’s how Amber saw it. She knew she wasn’t exactly the most objective person when it came to Drew.
    He continued. “Besides, after what we went through back home, I’m more open to . . . expanding my horizons. I figure Esotericon is a good first step in that direction.”
    Home was Ash Creek, Ohio, where the three of them had met and become friends in high school. They had discovered that they had a mutual interest in paranormal phenomena, especially the idea that it might be possible to discover proof of the existence of life after death. They had begun conducting amateur investigations of sites around town that were rumored to be haunted. They had experienced some interesting things, but nothing had prepared them for investigating the most haunted place in town: the Lowry House. What had happened there when they were younger had so traumatized them that they had suppressed the memory for fifteen years. They had returned in early September, ostensibly for their fifteenth high-school reunion but really to confront their past and banish the demons—some psychological, some literal—that hadbeen plaguing them. In the end, they had succeeded and regained their memories but at a high price: the death of a fourth member of their teenage group, Greg Daniels.
    â€œI’m surprised you haven’t written any books about Exeter,” Amber said to Trevor.
    â€œI did a few articles on it, back when I was dating Jenn. After we broke up . . . well, I didn’t get back to town much, you know?”
    Trevor tried to sound matter-of-fact, but Amber could detect sadness in his tone. She wanted to say something to comfort him, but she decided it was best to let the matter go without comment. Coming back to Exeter had to be difficult enough for Trevor. No need to stir up old feelings any more than necessary.
    Trevor Ward was of medium height and a bit overweight, with thinning brown hair. He usually had a smile on his face, and he exuded boyish charm and enthusiasm—especially when it came to anything related to the paranormal.
    In contrast, Drew Pearson was taller, thinner, and more handsome. But then, Amber might be just a bit biased in his favor, considering that they had become lovers a couple of months ago. He had soft brown eyes and light brown hair that always looked a bit tousled, no matter how many times he brushed it. Although outwardly he seemed more reserved than Trevor, he was a deeply caring person, and it was one of the qualities she loved most about him. When he listened to you, he really listened, focusing his entire attention on what you were saying as if it truly mattered. And to him, it did.
    The last couple of months had been good for Amber. She and Drew still lived in different cities—she in Zephyr, Ohio,