Page 56 of The Shop on Hidden Lane

She heightened her talent a little and opened herself to the currents of the night. “Maybe this canyon really is a natural vortex of some kind.”

The fit-looking woman walking toward them overheard the comment. She stopped, smiled, and swept out both arms.

“It’s a genuine vortex,” she said. “That’s why the original art colony was established here.”

Sophy stopped. So did Luke and Bruce.

“Sounds like you know something about the history of the colony,” Sophy said.

“A little. My name is Diane Buxton, by the way.”

“Susan Ainsley,” Sophy said.

Luke nodded. “Larry Ainsley. And this is Bruce.”

“Does he bite?” Diane asked.

“No,” Luke said. “He prefers to be adored.”

Diane leaned down to give Bruce a couple of pats. “Cute collar. You’ve got excellent taste, Bruce.”

Bruce grinned.

Diane glimpsed the fangs and straightened quickly. “You’re the couple in the honeymoon suite, aren’t you? I saw you checking in earlier this evening.”

“That’s right,” Luke said.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” Luke said.

There was a short pause. Sophy suddenly realized she was supposed to acknowledge the congratulations.

“Thanks,” she said.

Okay, that sounded a trifle brusque. She did not dare look at Luke, who was probably doing an eye roll.

“There was another couple in that suite, but they didn’t stay long,” Diane said.

Sophy stilled. “Did you speak to the other couple?”

“No, I never got an opportunity. They checked in when I did but they were gone the next morning. I remember thinking theywere a little old to be honeymooners. Probably a second or third marriage. You never know these days.”

“Did you see them leave?” Sophy asked.

“No. But it must have been very early, because they were not around for breakfast. What did you think of the gallery show this evening? Weren’t the installations amazing? Most of them, anyway. So much intense emotion. Very visceral. Light art is usually cool and abstract.”

“They were certainly interesting,” Sophy said. “Do you really think Fool’s Gold Canyon is a vortex?”

“Oh, yes. Years ago my grandparents retired to the little town about ten miles from here. They used to tell stories to us kids when we visited.”

“What kind of stories?” Luke asked.

“Ghost stories, mostly.” Diane lowered her voice to an amusingly ominous tone. “This valley has always had a reputation for being haunted. People who live in the town will tell you that it is the energy in the area that caused the original colony to be abandoned. It’s one thing to visit a vortex for a short period of time. It’s another thing altogether to live in the vicinity of one.”

“Makes sense,” Sophy said.

“And now Trent Hatch has established a new version of the original art colony,” Luke said. “Interesting.”