Page 152 of Property of Bob

“No.”

“I heard you. I was giving you an opportunity to correct yourself.”

I leaned back in my chair. “You’ve never been through the haunted house.”

“Exactly. I would like a tour.”

“We’re not going for a tour.”

“It can be a tour while you look things over. Two birds, one stone,” she flitted her hand. “Or whatever else I can say that convinces you to let me come with.”

“We’re checking it because someone might’ve been inside, not to check the painting Pearl did.”

“I know that, Bob. I’m tired of sitting here while everyone else goes places and comes back telling me someone wants to kill them.”

Fair.

Didn’t mean I liked it.

“Ramona—”

“Don’t Ramona me.”

“You’re staying here.”

Pearl laughed and I looked at her.

She held up her hands. “I’m staying out of it.”

“Smart.”

“I want to go too, though,” she confessed.

Anchor’s head snapped toward her. Pearl smiled. “Goddammit,” he grunted.

I pointed at her. “You just said you were staying out of it.”

“I am. My wanting to go has nothing to do with your argument. I would like to show Ramona everything I did in the haunted house. That is my last masterpiece.” She hitched her thumb toward Anchor. “My creative outlet of painting houses is on hold, according to him, until the psycho on the loose is caught.”

“Pearl,” Anchor growled. “We have talked about this, and you agreed with me.”

She shrugged. “I did, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t be a little annoyed.” She batted her eyes at Anchor. “It won’t hurt for Ramona and me to come with. I can be her tour guide while you do… things.”

Shay walked into the common room with Prime behind her. “Where are we going?”

“No fucking where,” Anchor and I answered together.

Shay stopped. Prime walked around her and headed for the coffee.

“What’d I miss?” Shay asked.

“Anchor, Skull, and Bob are going through the haunted house,” Pearl explained. “Ramona and me, too.”

Shay’s face lit up. “I want to go.”

“No,” Prime called.

She glared at him. “Why?”