Page 94

“Since I live here,” Cleo added, “the same.”

Sonya told them, then waited for the reaction.

“Sounds like you handled it.”

“She—they,” Trey corrected, “have handled it all along. You’re up there every day, Cleo. Nothing like this?”

“Not since she shut me in the bathroom up there, and went atSonya in the library at the same time. I admit that scared the crap out of me. Other than that, just banging and shaking now and again.”

“Her dress was torn.” Trey looked at Owen.

“Fearless Jones.”

“Point being he damaged the dress.”

“So maybe we can damage her?” Letting out a breath, Sonya slid onto a stool. “I like the idea of some payback, but I don’t see how you hurt a dead woman.”

“We could try an exorcism.”

Sonya shook her head at Cleo’s suggestion. “The Exorcistis classic, and a favorite movie of mine.”

“Hell of a book, too,” Owen put in.

“Hell of a book,” Sonya agreed. “But I’m not playing around with that in real life. Plus, if we did manage to evict her, wouldn’t she still have the rings? Maybe we’d be a lot more comfortable, but it wouldn’t necessarily break the curse, would it?”

Beyoncé sang out with “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).”

And Sonya let out a half laugh. “I’d say that’s Clover’s upbeat way of saying I have to put the ring—or all seven of them—back where they belong.”

“Which she’s wearing,” Trey pointed out.

“Exactly. She goes, they go—or maybe. And I won’t risk the maybe.”

“It’s not just because you fell for the house.”

She shifted to Trey. “No, not just. I’ve witnessed what she did to women on what should’ve been one of the happiest days of their lives. What she did to the woman who brought my father into the world.

“It’s personal. And that, seeing that? Only more personal.”

“Collin left this place to you for a reason.” Trey skimmed a hand down her hair. “He never had kids, but his brother did. His twin did.”

“He loved this place. I’d say he left it to you because he figured you had the best chance of stopping her before the next bride comes along and makes it eight.”

Owen took a look in the oven as he spoke. “Hey, this looks good,”he added. “Anyway, I also figure he must’ve tried to do it himself at some point.”

“He did love the place,” Trey confirmed. “And Johanna, so I can’t imagine he didn’t at least try. He never said anything about it, but wouldn’t he have to try?”

“It has to be a woman.” Cleo spoke decisively as she got down plates. “What was done was done by a woman, to women. It has to be a woman, a Poole woman.”

“I hadn’t thought of it exactly that way,” Sonya considered. “But that sounds right.”

“I think it’s more than that.” Trey took the plates for the table. “I hadn’t thought of the woman thing either, but Cleo makes a strong point. A Poole woman, that follows.”

“I can handle these,” Owen said, and began to deal with the beans. “Not just any Poole woman,” he continued. “His twin’s daughter.”

“I was going to add some butter and herbs to those.”

“I’ve got it,” Owen told Cleo, then continued. “His twin’s daughter who can and has gone through the mirror.”