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"Interesting," Jane e, did you run across the border and live happily ever after?"

She heard the old-fashioned clock on the dresser tick and nothing else And she reo downstairs The sheriff was due to pick her up in thirtytorooh her hair, then hurried out As she opened the door to exit into the hall, she was startled to see a sli there with a tray in her hands The tray held a s-in coffeepot, and little packs of coffee, tea, creaar

"Hello!" the woh terrified

"Hi, I’m Jane Everett Come on in, and thank you"

The woo in that room!" she said

Jane tried not to smile "Let me take that, then It’s fine You don’t have to co vastly relieved Jane brought it in and set it on the dresser She’d find a plug in the

When she turned around, the wo there She wore a blue dress and apron and had to be one of the housekeepers

"Thank you," Jane said again

Suddenly, the woman stuck out her hand "I’, just askher hand She couldn’t help asking, "How did this roolanced down "I ether They’re okay as long as they don’t work alone Bess was in here one day and the door slammed on her and none of us could open it Then it opened on its own, sowell, we don’t have to clean it that often, you know? No one stays in this rooht a cast and crew in here and the producer was going to stay in the rooht but he ran out People don’t stay in that roo here caused distress"

Elsie shook her head "No, no, we’re happy to have you If you don’tyour own tray in"

"Of course not," Jane assured her "Why did the producer of the ghost show run out in theover his bed, that she touched hie McCormick?"

Elsie nodded

"But what made him think she wanted to hurt him?"

"What?" Elsie was obviously host shows tried to prove that places were haunted"

"This whole town is haunted Bad things, really bad things, have happened over the years The ghost-show people got all kinds of readings on their instruments And the Old Jail next door! People leave there, too, even though they don’t get their ent Everett Very scary"

"But you live and work here," Jane said gently

"I’hosts I respect them They’re on Main Street, and they’re all around I keep , and that’s it I do o the other way" She rubbed her hands on her apron "Well, a pleasure to lad you’re here"

"Me, too And don’t worry about cleaning the room--no one has to clean it while I’ me fresh towels every couple of days How’s that?"

Elsie looked as if she orously "Thank you, ent Everett"

"Jane is fine"

Flushing, Elsie said, "Jane" She turned and disappeared down the hall, heading for the stairs Jane closed her door, locking it behind her as she’d been told to do

When Sloan arrived at the Gilded Lily, the servers had yet to coht He had to knock on the doors--the solid doors behind the latticed ones that had been preserved to give the place its old-tiain entry The bar didn’t open until five