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Ju half a mile, she swirled around and saw that Matt was back

"I can’t find anyone," he told her, his voice polite, and still curt

"Wait aher hands on her hips "You’re the one so convinced that there aren’t any ghosts, that so’ here So why are you soaround on the balcony?"

He had that chiseled stone expression one that she had learned when she had first met him at the Wayside Inn His arms were still crossed over the breadth of his chest

"Sorry But I didn’t hear anything And I have really sharp ears"

"Even when you’re sleeping?"

"Even when I’"

"Anything is possible"

"Glad to hear you believe that"

"I think I told you to keep your balcony doors locked If I’m not er in the night"

For aher jaw as she stared at hinant

"What?" His attitude changed He stepped forward, lifting her chin, searching out her eyes "You were hurt?"

She shook her head, still feeling his fingers against her cheek and chin He was too close, but she didn’t draay "I’m not…hurt But there was someone here, and…well, I don’t…it was just a way for the person to disappear"

"A real person?"

"Yes"

"Not like Clara She said that a ghost struck her in the face You didn’t fall…trip…or bang your head another way?"

There was concern, anda certain triuhosts Well, he had ghosts, whether he wanted theht A real person had been on the balcony

"There was soht," she said He hadn’t moved The scent of his skin see She didn’t want to ainst his bare chest

He was closer, soer-feathered over her hair then, touched down gently on her temple "Where…uh…were you struck?"

"I…uh…side of the head"

"Is there a bump?"

She shook her head "I don’t think so"

"Are you dizzy?"

"No" A lie, but her state of physical rubber had nothing to do with the knock on the head

"You’re all right? Really all right?"