Even though Will had helped me with the cleaning, I still felt drained as I climbed into his car after work. Although I'd never admit it to him, I was glad I didn't have to trek to the bus stop, especially since it was raining again. Yet another thing I missed about home—the long, hot summers followed by moderate winters where I didn't need to wrap up like a mummy every time I stepped outside. The novelty of everything being grey wore off years ago.

"What are your thoughts on Arthur?" Will asked. "Reckon he's telling the truth?"

"Yes, I think so. He didn't act shifty when he answered, and when you mentioned the stolen money, he looked shocked at first, then he got really angry. And more than that...it was like everything slotted into place for him. I've been talking to him since I started at Weston Corp, and until today, he's always wondered why somebody would want to kill him."

"His wife said he'd been secretive before he died. He had an argument with a neighbour too."

"Arthur's never mentioned that. I can ask him tomorrow if nobody's around."

"I really appreciate you helping like this."

What was I supposed to say to that? Custom said I should be polite, as was the British way, with a "no problem" or a "don't mention it." But I wasn't feeling very charitable towards Britain at the moment.

"I just want this whole affair to be over."

"Hmm... An affair. Do you reckon Arthur could have been having an affair?"

I choked a little. Arthur? "I don't think he's the type. His idea of a dirty weekend was probably doing the gardening."

That got a laugh out of Will, and a grin. I'd missed those grins.

"You want to pick up something to eat on the way back?"

"Shannon always cooks in the evenings. How about you? Is somebody cooking for you?"

I still knew next to nothing about Will. For all his flirting and inappropriate comments, he could have a girlfriend waiting for him at home. Lucky cow. No, Rania. Not lucky. Obviously very patient to put up with Will and his bossiness.

"I'm not great at cooking," he admitted. "And neither is my housemate. We usually live on takeout."

"Your housemate?"

"RJ. We went to boarding school together."

"I thought that in this country only the posh went to boarding school."

"Now who's being judgemental?"

"Sorry." After the number of times I'd grown upset about people judging me, I should have known better.

"You don't think I'm posh? I suppose I should take that as a compliment."

"Of course not. I mean, you're not, are you?"

"My father's a doctor, as was my grandfather on his side, and my mother's heiress to a cosmetics empire."

"My father was a doctor too," I said softly. "A neurosurgeon."

"What? But how did...?" Will trailed off.

"How did I end up penniless in England? I'd rather not talk about it. Let's just say war is a great leveller."

Tension bloomed between us, that knot in my chest growing ever more tangled until my stomach stepped in with a loud gurgle. Will reached over, opened the glove compartment, and dropped another Kinder Egg into my lap.

"Here. This should keep you going until you get home."

Dammit, I could handle bossy Will and I could handle irritating Will. I could even handle flirty, inappropriate Will. But sweet Will would be my undoing.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

In a master stroke of timing, I stepped from the passenger side of Will's BMW just as Shannon walked out of the bin storage area on the far side of the car park. Her eyes lit up as she came closer and peered through the driver's window.

"Who's this?" she asked as I hastily slammed the door.

"Uh, just somebody who works at Weston Corp."

Please, Will, just leave. But it was too late. He was already halfway out of the car before I could drag Shannon back inside.

"Shannon? I've heard so much about you."

Liar. I hadn't told him a thing. He'd researched it all on whatever dodgy databases PIs used to invade people's privacy. But even if I'd told Shannon that, I suspected she wouldn't care. Not when he gave her that smile and bent to kiss her cheek.

"Will Lawson."

She took his proffered hand and turned pink when he held onto it for a beat too long. "Shannon Doyle. So, you're a friend of Rania's?"

"Something like that."

Oh, Will. To me, "something like that" meant that Will was the man who overstepped his boundaries to ingratiate himself with my flatmate. I wasn't sure what the phrase meant to him, but Shannon interpreted it as "the man who Rania wants to get to know better."

"We're just about to have dinner," she said. "Would you like to join us? There's plenty enough for three." Even me shaking my head violently behind Will's shoulder didn't stop her from talking. "Nothing fancy—just a pasta bake with bread-and-butter pudding after."

Will's expression turned smug as he twisted to look first at me, then back to Shannon. "That's very kind..."

Please say no, please say no, please say no.

"I'd love to join you."

Shannon clapped her hands together. "Fáilte. I'll set another place at the table."

As she strode on ahead, I grabbed Will's arm. "Now that you've basically invited yourself around for dinner, please do me a favour and avoid mentioning anything to do with ghosts."

"Shannon doesn't know, I take it?"

"No, she does. It just freaks her out, and every time the subject comes up, she goes on about me needing counselling for days afterwards."

"My lips are sealed."

"And stop looking so pleased with yourself."

"I'm having dinner with two pretty ladies. Of course I'm pleased with myself."

I marched off after Shannon, putting on a show of frustration. But secretly? I didn't hate the idea of sharing a meal with Will as much as I should have.

***

"Plenty for everyone," Shannon said as she slid a big earthenware dish onto the table.

Pasta, tomato sauce, vegetables, and a crispy topping made from bread and cheese. Pretty much every meal we ate had bread in it somewhere because Shannon got to take home rejects from the line at work every day. All those loaves that were a little burnt or a bit wonky got given to the staff.

"I hope you like carbs," I muttered to Will.

"They're the cornerstone of my diet. RJ installed a gym downstairs in the garage when we both started getting fat."

So that was where he got his abs from. Not that I'd been looking or anything.

"It's so nice of you to drive Rania home," Shannon said. "It puts the heart crossways in me every time I think of her in that place alone."

"Mr. Weston's installed a new security system," I reminded her.

"But that doesn't cover the driveway, does it?"

"No, but—"

"And the maniac who killed your boss's daughter is still walking free."

"What's that saying? Lightning doesn't strike in the same place twice?"

"I was watching the Discovery Channel the other day, and that actually happens quite often."

"It doesn't matter," Will said. "I'm planning to bring Rania home each day until the guy gets caught."

"Excuse me?" When had he been planning to tell me that? "I don't need a babysitter. I've lived through a lot worse."

"Yes, and it was awful," Shannon said, lip quivering. "I can't bear to think of you getting hurt again."

I tried one more time. "But I don't finish work until late."

"It's no trouble."

Shannon reached over and patted his hand. "Thank you. We both appreciate it. And I'd be happy to make you dinner any night you like."

Oh dear. I'd walked right into that one. Shannon and Will chatted away like old friends for the rest of the meal, and either he'd spent several nights researching Irish folklore and traditions when he found out my best friend was from County Kildare, or he had a genuine love of the Emerald Isle. They didn't stop talking until Aisling cried out from Shannon's bedroom and she rushed through to settle her daughter.

"So, you're running a taxi service now?" I asked.

"I prefer to think of myself as a chauffeur. Much more exclusive." His voice softened. "I promise I won't get in your way. If I'm not actively working in Daylesford Hall, I'll just show up to collect you at the end of your shift."

"But why? You don't live anywhere near here."

He cupped my cheek in one hand, and I resisted the urge to shy away.

"Because, Miss Algafari, I like you."

He liked me? In what way? I mean, I liked ice cream, but I didn't get the urge to drive forty-five minutes out of my way every night to pick it up.

But I couldn't ask because Will was already on his way out the door.

"See you tomorrow," he said, waving before it clicked shut behind him.

Sure. If I managed to get any sleep at all.