Strange events are heavy on Barker Christian's mind this summer at Northshire Inn along Lake Erie. Although the inn feels sleepy, romantic, and hidden, innkeeper Barker knows all its annoying in and outs, and supernatural and grating secrets. Barker's very much aware of the drug use that occurs in room 202, and there are disturbing ghosts in room 112 that haunt the paying guests. Nor can he forget about Radcliff Roberts, the famous horror writer in room 210, who is up to something naughty during the evening hours. Two other strange events occur: Matty Lavender, lead singer of The Thorns, is missing; and a watercolor artist appears on the opposite side of the pond that some guests can see and others can't. Barker stays grounded by his interest in Cal Pipp, the inn's maintenance man. Cal is breathtaking, easy on the eyes, and someone Barker's heart desires. Only problem is Cal doesn't know Barker likes him. Until summer heats up, ghosts materialize, and a different side of Cal appears ...

The Men of Northshire Inn

“I’m not a cop. I make paperclips for a living.”


I wanted to laugh but didn’t. Missing Matty of The Thicks wasn’t anything to laugh about in my opinion. “I don’t know his whereabouts. He’s in his thirties, a full-grown man, and he can do whatever he likes. He could be anywhere.”


“I’m sure there are a dozen or more clues at the inn regarding his disappearance. Have the local authorities been by to ask questions about his vanishing?”


Why did he ask me those questions about Matty Lavender? Did he know something about the case that he was hiding? Did he visit the inn on May 2 when I was away and…causeMatty’s disappearance? Flood doors opened within my mind regarding his questions. What did he know that he wasn’t sharing with me? How much did he know about Matty Lavender that he wasn’t letting on about? I wondered. I could onlywonder.


I pulled off the interstate and changed the subject. “We’re almost to the airport. Are you taking a charter to Chicago?”


Chapter 22