Hearts Through Time Read online

  She sighed gloomily. Why couldn’t she have met someone like him when she was alive?

  He sat in his chair and ran his fingers across the computer keyboard as he stared at the bright screen. “Another thing I’ll have to check into is the history of this building. That too might help us with this case.”

  “That is a wise decision. What would you like me to do?”

  His gaze moved from the screen to her. “Your memory is all I need right now. You’d mentioned earlier that not too long after your funeral, different people moved into the building.”

  “Yes.”

  “Did you recognize any of them?”

  “No.” Abigail paused as she thought back. “If my uncle had taken over the newspaper, would I not have seen him here on many occasions?”

  “I’d think so.”

  “I don’t remember seeing him at all.”

  Nick shrugged. “He could have hired others to run the newspaper.”

  “Possibly. But why would he do that? He had been anxious to run it the way he wanted for many years.”

  “Very true.” Nick nodded as he reached for his pen and jotted down more notes on the pad of paper.

  “Then again, sometimes when I fall asleep, I don’t wake for several weeks or even months. Perhaps this is why I never saw him.”

  “Because several months passed and he was gone by then?”

  “Yes.”

  He winked and pointed his pen at her. “That’s using your head, Abby. Good girl.”

  Never in her life had a man complimented her in such a way. Most men she’d courted had treated her as if she didn’t have a brain, or didn’t know how to use it. Even her father and his partner at the newspaper had treated her this way. Hearing Nick’s praise delighted Abigail more than she was prepared for. Her heart fluttered with the new feelings, and the urge to be close to Nick—to hold him and kiss him—nearly overpowered her. Why was she torturing herself like this? Nothing could happen, not in her ghostly state, and maybe not ever. She rose from the chair and walked to his side. He looked up at her, his expression filled with warmth. She tore her gaze away and looked at the screen. “Do you think you could find something about my uncle’s life on this thing?”

  He nodded. “I’m sure I can. Do you want to watch?”

  “Yes.”

  Nick stood so quickly he would have bumped into her if she’d been real. His face only inches away from hers, he stared at her for a few long seconds before confusion filled his eyes and he turned away. He pulled a chair around the desk and placed it next to his.

  Abigail sat first, and he followed. His fingers flew across the keys and a different screen popped up. Even as fascinating as the computer was to her, she still couldn’t keep from gazing at Nick’s face. His jaw was square, his nose straight. Dark brown eyebrows framed his eyes, and his lashes were quite thick for a man’s.

  No sound emanated the room except for the soft clicking of the keyboard, much quieter than the clanking of a typewriter in Abigail’s day. She hoped Nick couldn’t hear her uneven heartbeat over his rapid tapping on the keys.

  When he stopped and turned toward her, she sucked in a quick breath, surprised at being caught gawking, but she didn’t back away. The tenderness in his eyes told her he wasn’t upset. In fact, the way his gaze roamed over her face led her to believe he wanted to study her as much as she’d been studying him.

  He grinned. “Do you know how hard it is to concentrate when a beautiful woman is sitting next to you, checking you out?”

  She shook her head. “I have never had a beautiful woman check me out.”

  Nick chuckled. “Believe me, Abby, it’s very hard.” His gaze lowered to her lips. “And as much as I’d like nothing better than to stare at you for hours, I think we should focus on our work.”

  She sighed. “Please forgive me for becoming distracted.”

  “There’s no reason to ask forgiveness.” He winked. “If I’m allowed to stare at you a few times a day, then you should have the same privilege.”

  She laughed as heat crept into her face. As hard at it was, she pulled her attention from him and looked at the computer. Right away a familiar face jumped off the screen and caught her off guard. She gasped. It was that woman! Abigail knew she’d seen her before, but what was she doing standing next to Abigail’s father’s building?

  Six

  Nick enjoyed seeing the blush highlighting Abby’s cheeks and hearing her sigh. She was so beautiful, even in the old-fashioned outfit she wore. But lately when he looked at her, he didn’t notice her clothes. He saw a bright, sensitive, caring woman. Since she’d been dead all these years, he expected her to be gloomy, so her upbeat sense of humor surprised him.

  Now he noticed a different expression cross her face. Narrowed eyes studied the picture on the web page, tight lines creasing her forehead and pulling at her lips. He glanced at the monitor to see what had caught her attention. Another photograph in an old newspaper was displayed, this time of a young woman standing in front of Edward Carlisle’s building.

  “That is her!” Abby pointed at the woman.

  “Her who?”

  “Your lady friend, Vanessa. I told you I had seen her before.

  That is the woman in my mind. I remember seeing her in this building back then.”

  Nick clicked on the picture and zoomed in. The young woman’s face came into view, and the likeness to Vanessa was remarkable. “What’s the year on this article?” he muttered as he scanned the page.

  “It says 1917.”

  “Five years after your death.”

  “Yes.”

  He leaned closer to read. In the article, Cassandra Brown

  announced the opening of her jewelry store, Cassie’s Gems. “How do you know Cassandra Brown?” he asked. “I don’t know her, but I have seen her before—in my time.

  The article says she owned a jewelry store, and this building was once a jewelry store.” Abby glanced at him. “She does resemble your lady friend, don’t you think?”

  The likeness was uncanny, Nick thought. It was as if Vanessa had stepped back in time. The woman in the article looked about Vanessa’s age of twenty-four, or perhaps a little younger. If Vanessa squeezed into one of those high-neck, long-sleeved, puffy-shoulder gowns, pulled up her hair, and wore a wide, feathered hat, she would look just like the woman in the picture.

  “She’s a spitting image of Vanessa.”

  “Do you think they are related?” Abby looked back over her shoulder at Nick. “I mean, Vanessa’s father owns the building now, and it appears from this article that Cassandra Brown owned it in 1917.”

  Nick nodded. “It’s very possible. There’s only one way to find out.” He breathed an irritated sigh. “But that would mean taking Vanessa out to dinner so I could ask her questions.”

  Abby frowned. “I suppose you have to do it, even as horrible as the idea sounds.”

  Chuckling, he shook his head. “You don’t know the half of it. She doesn’t listen to me when I tell her I only want to be friends. She’s nothing but lint stuck on static clothes. That’s what it feels like when she clings to me.” Nick looked down. “I hope that doesn’t sound too rude.”

  Abby laughed. “No, I understand perfectly.”

  “Too bad you can’t come with me.” He grinned. “I enjoyed what you did to her the other evening when she wouldn’t leave me alone.”

  Abby shook her head and stared at him with wide, innocent eyes. “Whatever are you talking about?”

  “Now, don’t play coy with me, Miss Carlisle. I know Vanessa isn’t that clumsy. You were the one who spilled the sauce on her dress, made her trip, and splashed water on her face.”

  “You knew it was me?”

  “How could I not? Vanessa isn’t like that at all. She prides herself on being very graceful.”

  Abby squirmed in her chair. “I don’t know what came over me, but I could see how uncomfortable you were, and I didn’t want her getting close to you like she’
d been doing.”

  “Well, it worked. I thought you were reading my mind.” He winked. “I owe you one.”

  She glanced down at her clenched hands. Nick had never met a woman so unsure of her beauty. She was completely innocent.

  He reached in the pocket of his jeans and pulled out his cell phone. “I guess I’d better get it over with now.” He punched in Vanessa’s number, hoping it would go straight to her voice mail.

  On the second ring, Vanessa’s voice purred a greeting.

  “Hi, Vanessa. It’s me, Nick.”

  “Oh, hello,” she snapped. “What do you want?”

  “I owe you a dinner.”

  “You owe me more than that. My dress was ruined.”

  He rolled his eyes. “And I’m sorry, but I’d like to make it up with dinner if that’s okay.”

  There was a pause at the other end, and when Nick’s gaze met Abby’s wide green eyes, he almost forgot he was in the middle of a phone conversation.

  “Oh, all right,” Vanessa answered. “I’ll let you take me out and make it up to me.”

  “Thank you. How about tonight? Are you free?”

  “Well, I did have other plans, but I’ll cancel them to be with you.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate that. I’ll pick you up at seven.”

  She gave him her new address and he jotted it on the pad of paper in front of him. After he hung up, he met Abby’s gaze.

  “Are you sure you can’t leave the building and come with me tonight?” he asked.

  She laughed and shook her head. “I’m sorry. You’re on your own.”

  “It won’t be fun without you.” After seeing Vanessa trip on her heels, spill sauce on her dress, and drench her face with water, Nick knew it would be an adventure to have his ghost friend with them at dinner. Hopefully, he’d be able to leave quickly after getting the pertinent information, and he already looked forward to reporting the news to Abby.

  This isn’t a date, Nick told himself. A date was when he took a woman out, had a great time, and didn’t leave until morning. Well, that was the old Nick’s idea of a date. The new Nick’s strategy would be to get through the evening without having to kiss Vanessa.

  He released a heavy sigh as he walked to her townhouse. In the past, she had been a hard woman to resist. So far, he’d done a great job of avoiding temptation since coming back to Sacramento. If she had a clue as to how important information about Cassandra Brown was to him, Vanessa would have him on his knees begging like a dog for a bone.

  That couldn’t happen. As much as he wanted to know about the woman in the newspaper article from 1917, giving in to Vanessa wasn’t the way to get it.

  Determined to be more professional than charming, he’d worn a gray suit and white shirt. If Vanessa was anything like he remembered from their past, she’d want to go somewhere that showed off her new dress and jewels—and the token man on her arm.

  He buzzed her front door, and within seconds she stood in front of him. Just as he’d expected, she wore a dress meant to weaken a man’s control. Red, glittery silk clung to her body and brushed the floor, displaying one bare shoulder and featuring a slit up the side that showed most of her thigh. Her hair was piled on top of her head in curls, with little wisps around her ears and neck.

  Nick gave her his best smile. “You look great tonight, Vanessa. Did I interrupt something important?”

  She pouted. “Don’t be silly, Nicky. I’m dressed like this for you.”

  Silently, he groaned. “So, I assume you’re ready to go?”

  Vanessa hooked her arm through his elbow, but instead of heading out the door, she pulled him inside. “Would you like a drink?”

  “We’re not going to get one at the restaurant?”

  She laughed. “What restaurant? I’d planned on having dinner here.”

  “Are you kidding? Dressed like that? Why would you want to stay inside?”

  She slithered up beside him and cuddled against his arm. “Because we haven’t seen each other in a long time and we need to catch up.”

  Nick knew he would have to spend the entire evening struggling to get away from her. “If you say so, but I’ll have to call and cancel our reservations.” He broke away and walked into her apartment. “Do you have a phone book? Oh, never mind. I’ll just call information.”

  As he flipped open his cell phone and punched in the number, he glanced around her apartment. Vanessa loved to flaunt her wealth, and everything in the front room was expensive and flashy.

  She grabbed his phone. “No need to do that. Maybe we’ll go there later.” She hung up the call, then placed the phone back in his hands.

  He slid the phone in his pocket. “How about that drink? My throat is suddenly dry.”

  “What would you like? Your favorite, bourbon?”

  “I don’t drink alcohol anymore. Do you have bottled water?”

  “What?” Vanessa’s voice rose in disbelief. “You don’t drink alcohol?”

  “Haven’t for a while now.”

  “Why? You’ve changed too much, Nicky. I’m not sure I like this new man.” She marched to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. “You’re not fun anymore.”

  “Sorry to disappoint you, but I’ve learned many lessons over the past few years. I didn’t like the man who partied for a living.”

  She walked toward him with a bottle of water in her hand. “Was it because of that scandal when the movie producer’s wife fired you?”

  Nick took the water from her and sat on the sofa. “That was the final blow, yes. But it started way before then. By the time I was sharing the front page of the tabloids with Leslie Blake, I realized what a shambles I’d made of my life. I realized that living the wild life didn’t make me happy. I regretted ruining my life that way, and I promised myself to try each and every day to be a good, upstanding person. I want to be taken seriously as a lawyer. I’ve cleaned up my life, Vanessa, and that’s the way my life is going to stay—clean!”

  She curled on the sofa next to him and laid her head on his shoulder. “Do you want to talk about Leslie Blake? I’m dying to know what happened between the two of you.”

  “Let’s just say I wasn’t thinking about my career like I should have been. She didn’t like the way I was living, and she wanted a lawyer who would dedicate himself to her divorce. I don’t blame her for firing me.”

  “So, now you’re putting your career before women?”

  “Yes—and my morals. I tried it the other way and it didn’t work. The way I want to live my life now will be so much better. I’m going to devote myself to my cases and my clients. They deserve that.” Nick casually pushed her off him as he shifted and faced her. “Which moves us to the next subject. My cases.”

  Vanessa scrunched her forehead. “What do you mean?”

  “I want to tell you about a case I’m working on. In doing some research, I ran across a woman from the early 1900s.” He chuckled. “I swear, Vanessa, the woman looks just like you. She appeared to be about your age when she bought the building.”

  “What building?”

  “Your father’s. Of course, back then it wasn’t your father’s, but it’s the same, nonetheless.”

  She sat up straighter and folded her arms. “Are you trying to tell me a woman who resembles me owned the building in the early 1900s?”

  “Yes, that’s what I’m saying. Her name was Cassandra Brown. By chance, do you happen to know who this woman is?”

  Vanessa rolled her eyes. “How would I know anyone who was alive back in that time?”

  Under his breath, Nick counted to ten. He’d forgotten Vanessa had to have things explained so she didn’t have to use her head. “I wondered if she was a distant relative.”

  Vanessa’s gaze narrowed during the lengthy pause. Nick knew not to disturb her while she was trying to think, so he waited, hoping she would know the woman.

  Soon, Vanessa’s eyes widened and she smiled. “I don’t know anyone named Cassandra Brown, but my gre
at-grandmother was named Cassandra Westland. My father told me once that I look a lot like her.”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  “No. She owned the building before her son took over. Then the oldest son took charge, and after that until it fell into my father’s hands.” She touched Nick’s arm. “And you’re not going to believe this, but she’s still alive.”

  “What?” He almost jumped off the sofa. “She’s still alive? Why, she’s got to be at least one hundred years old.”

  Vanessa nodded. “She’ll be 118 this year.”

  “Amazing! I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone that old.”

  “It’s hard to believe. She swears she’s only ninety, but her birth certificate proves her age.”

  “Do you think I could meet her? Will she talk to me? I wonder if she’ll remember anything about when she bought the building.”

  Vanessa shrugged. “I couldn’t tell you that, but if you want, I could arrange a meeting. She’s in a nursing home, and only family members are allowed to see her.”

  “Would you do that for me?”

  “Of course.” She leaned against Nick and batted her eyes. “You know I’d do anything for you.”

  Good grief, he thought. And to think I used to date women like her. Back then he didn’t care if his girlfriend had a brain. Thank heavens he wasn’t the same man today.

  He looked into her eyes and forced a smile. “So, you said we’re having dinner here? Have you ordered already, because I’m starving.”

  Vanessa gave him her evil eye and moved off the sofa. “I’ve changed my mind. Let’s go out.”

  He breathed a sigh of relief. “Great idea.”

  They didn’t talk much on the way to the restaurant, but once they were seated, Nick took her hand from across the table and squeezed. “This is nice, don’t you think?”

  She arched a brow. “What’s nice?”

  “Two old friends getting together.”

  She pouted. “Why can’t we be more than friends, Nicky? I’m currently single, and I know you are too.”

  He rubbed his thumb across her knuckle. “I want to get my practice running, and I can’t do that with a woman on my arm. Being with women almost ruined me, remember? I won’t let it happen again.”