Excerpt 2:
“If they’re not going to let me see my parents, then the least they can do is let me in my house,” Mariah growled. “Pull over.”
“Riah, this is illegal,” Baden shot her a warning glance. He had found her walking down the road away from the museum and had offered to give her a ride.
“I said pull over, Baden.”
“Maybe you didn’t hear me,” he said, pulling over nonetheless. “It’s illegal.”
“Fine,” she opened the door, “you don’t have to come with me.” She slammed it closed and headed straight for the front door of the Dartwood manor.
“Nossa,” he muttered under his breath. Turning the engine off in one brisk movement, he followed after her.
“Riah, this is crazy!” he whispered, searching the area for any onlookers.
“No crazier than waking up with a ghost above your head in your creepy neighbor’s house.”
“Fair point,” he nodded shrugging his shoulders. “But you need to slow down and listen to me.”
“I am, and I appreciate your concern.” She smiled. “It’s cute. Really, point taken. I just don’t care.”
As she lifted the crime scene tape, he grabbed her hand and pulled her back. Two girls around their age were between them and the front door. A brunette sat impatiently on the steps while a blonde paced back and forth in front of the door as if she were guarding its entrance. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed them before. They were clad in 16th century attire, the brunette in plum and the blonde in burnt orange. Hard to miss. “Look,” he motioned toward them. Once he had, both women turned to face him. A dark grin spread across the lips of the brunette as she made eye contact with him, while a sense of dread emanated from the blonde.
“Look at what?” Mariah questioned.
“Is that a joke?” he turned to face her. “What do you mean—?” his words trailed off as he glanced back at the now vacant front yard. Wondering first how they’d run off so quickly, he realized they must have disappeared like the cloaked woman. “I think I’m losing it,” he mumbled to himself. There was no way he had seen two girls straight out of a Colonial reenactment hanging around a crime scene.
“Mariah, I’m trying to help you. This is against the law. I’ve never seen you so keen on breaking the law before.” Looking up at him she could see the fear in his eyes.
“Baden,” she lay her hand on his shoulder. “I love you. You’re my best friend, but this is my parents we’re talking about. I couldn’t care less that it’s illegal.”
Baden met her gaze and knew that there was nothing he could say that was going to change her mind. “Fine, then I’m going first.”
Grinning, she stepped back and opened her hand wide toward the door. “Ladies first.”
He met her remark with an unimpressed glare.
“What? Wrong cliché?” she bit back a laugh. “Sorry, I meant, my knight in shining armor.”
N. A. Triptow graduated from The University of Utah with a Bachelor of Arts in English Teaching with minors in History Teaching, Theatre, and British Studies. She teaches high school English and Film Studies. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Strategic Communication and Advertising from Purdue University. In her free time, you can find her reading, watching and analyzing movies and television shows, attending the theatre, going on walks or hikes, and playing board or video games with family and friends. She lives in Utah.
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