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He slid the signed pages back toward her. “You’ll want to initial on page nine, and again here.”

Her pen trembled just slightly as she signed her name. The deal that could breathe new life into Widow’s Point—or turn it into a spectacle—was now official.

“Congratulations,” Delaney said, standing. “Looks like Dead Reckoning will have its next season’s anchor. And you’ll get some more funding for the project.”

Amy tucked the folder into her bag and forced a smile. She shook Delaney’s hand as she left.

When she stepped out into the sunlight, the warmth felt thinner somehow. The deal was done—but beneath the relief sat a hush of uncertainty, like she’d stepped into a new world with no map to guide her.

Sully stood near the window of Amy’s makeshift office, his hands shoved into his pockets as he watched Mason Stark charm Amy. The man had been talking nonstop and had been practically bouncing off the walls since he arrived. The sunlight streaming in through the tall windows made Mason’s perfectly white teeth gleam, and Sully couldn’t help but think the guy looked more like a game show host than a ghost hunter.

“This place is incredible,” Mason said, gesturing grandly at the room around him as if it were sacred ground. “You don’t see locations like this every day. The history, the atmosphere, the craftsmanship—it’s all here. You’ve got a bona fide treasure, Amy.”

Amy, sitting behind her desk, offered a polite but cautious smile. Sully could tell she was trying to balance her excitement over the funding with the unknown of this venture.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, making the damn bracelets jingle. It was one of her nervous tells. “It’s definitely unique,” she said. “But it’s also a work in progress. We’ve still got a long way to go, and I need to be sure the renovations stay on track even throughout filming. Sully has concerns about safety, both for his crew and yours. It is an active construction site.”

“Of course, of course,” Mason said, flashing another dazzling smile. “We’ll work around your schedule. I’ve been doing this a long time, Amy… Sully. We know how to keep things running smoothly. You won’t even know we’re here.”

Sully resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

Mason continued, oblivious or maybe just indifferent to the tension in the room. “We’d start with a walk through,” he said, pacing slightly as he spoke. “The medium will do an initial sweep, get a feel for the energies in the house. Then we’ll set up our equipment based on their findings, and we’ll spend several nights capturing footage, getting readings, and conducting experiments.”

Amy tilted her head, her brow furrowing slightly. “Experiments?”

“Oh, we will attempt interactions with the energies to stimulate a reaction. And of course, just the usual—EVP sessions, temperature readings, electromagnetic field monitoring, motion sensors, high-speed photography. Standard stuff,” Mason said with an easy shrug, as if this were the most normal thing in the world.

Sully leaned against the window frame and stared outside, fixing his attention on the gravel driveway where Mason’s sleek black SUV was parked next to Sully’s battered truck. The contrast annoyed him more than it should have.

Sully wasn’t the kind of guy to buy into this ghost-hunting nonsense, but he was sure the town was going to eat it up. If Mason and his team showed up with their gadgets and mediums, the rumor mill would go into overdrive. And their presence would likely have Sully kissing whatever was left of his workforce goodbye. It was a gamble for him, but entirely Amy’s decision. He would have to live with whatever that was.

“We’ve been doing research regarding the history of the mansion,” Amy said. “You should know—”

“Uh… ut.. Ut. Shhh… Say no more, pretty lady!” Stark shushed her.

Sully shifted his weight and glanced over his shoulder just in time to see Mason lean slightly toward Amy. “The key,” Mason said, his voice dropping like he was letting her in on some big secret, “is for us to go in with fresh perspectives. We don’t want to know too much about the history beforehand—it could bias our findings. Sure, I already know about the two murdered women, but I haven’t told any of my crew about them, so we’ll let the story reveal itself as we work. Once our medium identifies the energies present, we will see if we can draw parallels.”

Sully’s lips twitched, but he kept his mouth shut. Barely.

Amy, however, didn’t miss the look. She turned toward him, her own expression tightening. “Something to add, Sully?”

He met her gaze evenly. “Nope. Just listening.”

Her eyes narrowed, but she didn’t push it. Sully knew she was still irritated with him and he also knew he needed to back off. This was her call in the end, not his. He wasn’t here to argue. He was here to make sure they understood the implications of doing this on an active construction site.

Mason, obviously sensing the tension but choosing to ignore it, clapped his hands together. “So, what do you think?” he asked, his excitement bubbling over. “Are we a go?”

Sully turned fully toward Amy. He could see the hesitation in her posture. She’d been fighting for her vision of the mansion since day one, pouring everything she had into it. He knew it meant a lot to her, even if they didn’t always see eye to eye on how to get it done.

Finally, Amy reached into her bag and pulled out some documents. “I reviewed the terms with my attorney this morning. I just ask that before you begin recording, you let us know. The plan is to have everyone out of here before you begin. If you capture or interview someone who works for either Sully or me, please inform us right away. As employers, we have an obligation to protect their rights. Would you agree to that, Mr. Stark?”

Sully was impressed. Even though her damn bangles clinked as she spoke, she made an impression. The girl had done her homework.

“Sounds reasonable,” Mason replied.

“Then we’re a go,” she said quietly, calmly, then slid the signed documents toward him.

Mason grinned, practically vibrating with excitement. “Fantastic! You won’t regret this.”