“Just before midnight, please.” Her body faded a little more. “Without the house being occupied, I’m drifting, honey girl. My thoughts are not as clear, and my memories are not as sharp as when I was alive. I’m afraid—”

We were interrupted by Eric coming up the stairs. “I think maybe someone found us, I heard voices and feet on the stairs.”

“Get in here.” I grabbed him and dragged him into the bedroom. “Gran?”

“The closet. I don’t think the realtor knows about it.” She pointed at the closet I used to play in as a child. There was a sliding panel within it that led to a secret room. A tiny one. I didn’t know how both Eric and I would fit in there, but we didn’t have a choice.

I pushed him in first, and there was really no room left for me unless we got nice and cozy. “Don’t get any ideas,” I whispered as I climbed pretty much on top of him, squeezing my legs around his hips, and slid the panel shut behind us. He gave a squeak because he ended up grabbing my butt when I slipped, and he had to grab me, so I didn’t bash backward into the door. We were truly in an awkward position should anyone find us there.

The sound of our breathing was loud in the dark, and I could smell Eric’s last meal. It had included fish and garlic.

“Quiet.” I kept my voice pitched low as other voices curled toward us from downstairs, getting closer. Not being found was rather important at the moment. Were they the ones looking for Eric?

Crap, I didn’t know if I could defend him properly. So far it had been more about luck and timing.

Monica’s voice floated up through the house, no doubt as they climbed the first set of stairs. For just a moment, I relaxed. The realtor we could deal with. If it had been demons or one of the other Hollows members, we would have been screwed. Funny how I put the Hollows group into the untrusted . . . or maybe not, considering Joe.

“Yes, of course, I understand that you don’t like the idea of the house going to auction, but Mr. Walker, let me assure you that it will go for a much higher price,” she cooed. “More money for both of us.”

Himself’s voice was hard, exactly as I remembered it when I woke up at night alternately hating him and cursing myself for loving him. “I understand that, but the longer we wait, the more time my ex-wife has to figure out a way around the court order. She’s a sneaky cow like that.”

I froze in place, my body both freezing cold and burning at the same time as I involuntarily gripped Eric harder. He whimpered.

“Miserable piece of—,” I growled. Duck, duck, duck. God, I hated him!