Val drew a deep breath. She could have sworn someone was following her! There’s no such thing as ghosts she repeated while she wandered the old Arizona mining town. Restored to its former glory, Sweetjoy would soon be bustling when she started directing a series of jeans commercials. She eagerly awaited the plethora of activity involved with shooting commercials and hoped it would take her mind off the possibility of resident spooks.


Gravel ricocheted off her tennis shoes and skipped gaily ahead of her, disturbing the eerie silence. She pulled her auburn waves into a ponytail and plopped her bright pink baseball cap back on her head.


Stepping on something hard, she bent to examine an arrowhead. Val pocketed the treasure, hoping it would be a good luck charm. She was ready for some good luck! History buff that she was, the internet research she’d done made her curious and anxious to delve into the background of the area that would be home for the summer and squelch the idea of ghosts…


She peered into the window of a barber shop that advertised five-cent haircuts, a dance hall and a print shop. It didn’t take much imagination to visualize life here in the 1800’s. She paused outside the saloon’s batwing doors. Sensing someone’s presence, she looked around. No one was visible. She ducked inside and stood in awe at her surroundings.


An ornate mahogany bar dominated the room. A heavy mirror hung on the wall behind, reflecting the scattering of wood tables. A well-worn piano stood proudly in one corner with tattered music across its front. Val walked the perimeter of the room looking at the wall art, brewery signs and framed photographs of local people and businesses past. Her attention was drawn to a photo of an older gentleman, standing alone, holding a small leather-bound journal. He appeared to be staring right at her. Val shivered and leaned in closer…


“There you are!”
She jumped at the sudden sound. “Keri! You startled me!”
She laughed. “Sorry…Isn’t this place incredible?” She spun full circle to take in the entire room.


Val marveled at her ability to always immerse herself in the moment and enjoy life no matter where she was. “Not really…it’s giving me the creeps!”


Friends since grade school, Keri was more like a sister than her assistant. Her pale blue eyes crinkled in amusement. A riot of tousled blonde curls poked out under her white cowboy hat.


“Do you feel like you’re being watched?” Val whispered.
Keri looked up from her ever-present PDA screen, shaking her head. “No, do you?”
“Yes, ever since we got here!”
“Maybe some ghost is infatuated with you!” Keri laughed, and mimicked ghost sounds, “ooooh, ooooh!” She flitted around Val, coming to a stop beside her to look at the picture, too.


“Stop it!” Val chuckled. “We’re not here for romance, remember? We’re here to work.”
“Yeah, yeah…Speaking of work, I got a call from Calvin – “wonder boss” – earlier…”
Val sighed. “Oh, no…how bad is it?”
“Our original stuntman broke his leg.” At Val’s panicked look she quickly added, “We’re getting a replacement, don’t worry. Shooting should start on schedule.”


“There’s a lot riding on this project. Who is the new guy?”
“His name’s Dalton McCoy. I don’t recognize the name, but Calvin swears he does top quality work. Have you heard of him?”


“No…but Calvin only works with the best…” Val’s attention was drawn to the photo on the wall of the man with the journal. She couldn’t stop staring at it. Keri giggled. “Keri, I know that look! Don’t go getting any ideas about matchmaking!” Val gave her a look to drive home her point.


Keri feigned surprise and put her hand over her chest. “Me? I wouldn’t do that,” she winked. She had tried unsuccessfully countless times. “Not until we’ve met him…besides, I might want him for myself!” She looked around. “This place is great!” She pushed the batwing doors, setting them in motion.


Val wished she could drum up some of Keri’s excitement, but all she felt was anxiety, and the sense that something life-changing was about to happen.
“Hey! Check these stairs out…” Keri said, disappearing in the dimly lit back corner of the saloon.
Val hadn’t noticed them. She’d been caught up in the photos.


“Val! Come look!”
“What is it?” She climbed the stairs two at a time, and stopped at the landing. “Wow, this must be someone’s private hideaway.”


Rustic and cozy, the room had the basic comforts of home. A tall feather bed with a plump quilt and mismatched throw pillows beckoned. A loveseat and reading lamp completed the other corner. Val was checking out the titles in the bookcase when Keri emerged from a doorway, “It even has a bathroom!”


“What is this place?” Val whispered.
“I read about it in a brochure… The proprietor who refurbished Sweetjoy had this built. He stayed here occasionally to watch over renovations.”
“Let’s go. It feels like we’re trespassing.”
“Where’s your sense of adventure?”
“Guess I left it at home with my air-conditioning.”


Val turned to leave. Keri flung open the lone window and leaned outside. She dramatically inquired, “Romeo, Romeo, where are you, Romeo?” Val rolled her eyes.


Dalton finished packing his suitcase, grabbed his saxophone and Stetson and headed for his truck, grumbling the whole time. He had been looking forward to two glorious weeks of rest and relaxation, some sun, fun, and best of all, no work. His vacation was long overdue. Then, he’d gotten the phone call saying he was needed as replacement stuntman for six to eight weeks, possibly longer. Arizona in the summer! He was going to get sun, but not in the Caribbean!


Dalton pulled in to the only gas station he had seen for miles and got out to stretch. The heat was already oppressive. Paying for gas, bottled water and a sandwich, he was quickly on the road. He cranked up the radio and sang along to country songs while he ate. Just over the next rise, he saw Sweetjoy sprawled in the distance. No tropical breezes or bikini-clad women here.