Hearts Through Time

FIVE

The only time Nick could work uninterrupted on the Carlisle case was Saturday. With the other offices closed, he had the building to himself. And Abby, of course.

He hurried to his desk and switched on the computer. In the past few days, he hadn't had the time to research her family. Now he couldn't wait to dig deep and find some answers.

"Abby? Are you here?"

The clock on the wall ticked in silence as he waited. When she didn't show, he growled and returned his focus on the computer screen. He typed in "Carlisle Empire, 1912, California." Several links popped up, and he clicked on the first one. It was an old newspaper article about Edward Carlisle's death. Nick zoomed in and enhanced the article to read it better. The piece highlighted Edward's life and how he'd made his money in the newspaper business. There was a picture of the mansion where he and his only child lived, and the place looked vaguely familiar. Nick wouldn't be surprised if the mansion still stood today. On another page was a photograph of the very building where Nick sat in his office.

Nick exited that site and clicked on another link, hoping to find out where the money had ended up. After searching three more links, he found what he was looking for. It turned out that Alexander and Julie Carlisle had inherited Edward's millions.

Nick sat back in his chair and linked his fingers over his chest. "Abby?" he called out loudly. "Wake up. It's time to start working."

A white mist appeared in the middle of his office. Abby materialized, as beautiful as she was when he'd seen her last. He wished he didn't notice how pretty she was, and that he didn't want to stare into her enchanting eyes all day.

She yawned as she walked closer. "I was sleeping."

"Sorry to wake you, but we have work to do."

"I know."

"I found something on the Internet. Looks like your father's newspaper was passed to your uncle and his wife."

Abby's eyes widened and she rushed to his side to stand behind the chair. He pointed to the web page still displayed.

"Oh my. That explains a lot."

He looked at her over his shoulder. "What do you mean by that?"

"My father's newspaper made a lot of money. His brother thought he could run it better, which was the reason he had not spoken to my father for many years. Looks like he didn't run it better at all."

"You think your uncle ran it into the ground, then?"

She remained silent for a moment then nodded. "That would certainly explain why new people moved into the building and turned it into a jewelry shop."

"Now you're thinking." Nick gave her a wink.

She chuckled. "Come to think of it, my uncle wasn't known for using the brain God gave him, so I'm certain this was what happened to Father's business."

Nick motioned to the chair across from him. "Sit and let's write some names. I want to hear about everyone who had something to gain or lose from your father's death—and yours."

She breathed a deep sigh before moving away. A slight breeze tickled Nick's neck. Did I just feel her breath? Her intoxicating berry scent was also getting stronger. He shook the thought from his mind—after all, she was still a ghost.

She rested her elbows on the desktop. "Let us start with Uncle Alexander."

Nick took out a pad of paper and a pen and wrote down the name.

"Uncle Alexander was adopted when my father was in his youth. Father told me that although he treated his brother as flesh and blood, his parents always gave my father special treatment over his brother. Uncle Alexander received the last of everything. When they both moved out of the house and married, Uncle Alexander still competed with my father."