"Well now, sleepyheads." Archie pretended to be irritated. "I thought you'd all decided to sleep through breakfast, and no one thought to tell me."

"Sorry, Archie." Katie turned her cup over and helped herself to some coffee. "We all had a very late night."

"Yes." Walter sat down and reached for his cup, as well. "It was very eventful."

"A ghost tried to drown Delia." Blake grabbed a cup, but no one filled it. He frowned and reached for the orange juice instead. "And then our mother's ghost came and kicked her ass—butt."

"Language." Katie warned. She smiled at the other two children as they entered the room.

"You weren't there, Blake!" Delia slid into her chair and grabbed a strawberry from the bowl. "Archie, I saw Mommy last night!"

"That's what I heard." Archie seemed confused. He looked at Katie and Walter.

"It's true." Walter shrugged and laughed. "I never would have believed it until I saw it with my own eyes."

"Miss Gallagher blasted Arabella away with her laser hands." Delia told him.

Archie looked at her curiously. "Is that so?"

"Now, children." Walter shook his head and laughed. He turned to Archie, excited. "I believe, with all my heart, that the ghost of my wife appeared last night and saved Delia from an angry spirit—the same one that killed my sister and tried to take your grandson, Elvin."

Archie sat down, his face paled. "You all saw that?"

"I saw it, too." Bill came into the dining room and sat. He began loading his plate with bacon. "It was her, all right."

"She looks just like I remembered." Clarissa said.

"Prettier." Blake corrected.

"Well, that's something." Archie nodded. "It takes a powerful spirit to appear around so many people."

"What do you mean?" Katie asked softly. The others were busy chatting away about their shared experience last night.

"The living project life." Archie explained. "And life is a natural barrier to death. That's why ghosts don't appear all the time, or to a lot of people at once. It just takes too much energy. That's why ghosts only appear to one person usually. And why no one ever believes that person."

Katie nodded. It had seemed that Mrs. Barrington's energy—what she had drawn from Grandma and maybe from Katie, too—seemed to burn off quickly. She must have really wanted to have her whole family together one last time.

"Bill salted and burned Arabella's bones." Katie glanced across the table at Bill and smiled. "Hopefully that keeps her gone."

"That seems like something you got from that TV show about those brothers." Archie raised one eyebrow. "How do you know that will work?"

Bill shrugged. "We'll know soon enough, I guess."

**

Katie knocked on the door of the study and opened it part way. Walter was inside, sitting at his desk. He stared at the empty fireplace, but his expression was calm, peaceful.

"Mr. Barrington, are you alright?" She stood in the doorway. "It's been kind of crazy."

"Yes." He smiled and turned to her. "Yes, it most certainly has been that."

She shrugged. "I gave the children the day off today. They're so tired. They were up most of the night."

"Yes. Good." He sharpened his gaze on her. "You should take some time, too."

"I might lie down awhile." She sighed. She did feel tired. Maybe a nap would chase away some of the cobwebs. "I just wanted to make sure—"

She was interrupted by the doorbell.

"Who the devil is that?" Walter stood and started for the door.

"I'll get it." Katie turned to go answer the door.

They both went down the hall together. Katie stood back while Walter answered the door.

Marcus Jones stood on the front step. He had a plain file folder in his hands. "Mr. Barrington, I came to tell you that I have done some investigation of the video Mr. Chesterfield found in the mail."

Walter led him to the sitting room off the hall. Katie followed. "And?"

"I have to tell you..." Officer Jones looked down at the folder in his hands. "It's quite disturbing."

Walter frowned and held out his hand for the folder. "It could not possibly be more disturbing than watching that video."

Jones frowned and indicated Katie with a nod. "Are you sure you want to discuss business in front of an employee?"

"I can leave." She turned toward the door, but Walter shook his head.

"Nonsense. Miss Gallagher has earned the right to be here." Walter reached for the folder. "Go ahead and say what you have to say, Officer Jones."

"Very well, Walter." Jones handed him the folder. "We lifted some stills from the video file you received, hoping to cross reference them with any known criminals. No luck."

Walter frowned as he examined the enlarged images in the folder. "So we don't know who this woman is?"

"Actually, we do." Officer Jones pointed to the rest of the photos in the folder. "You should know her, too."

Walter shook his head and rifled down to the last of the photos. It was picture of a young woman in a business suit. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a neat bun and her makeup was classic and subdued. But her expression, her smile, was one of power. She was the woman from the videos.

"Who is she?" Katie asked.

"I don't know her." Walter stared at the photo, completely mystified. "Who is she? And why does she hate me enough to kill people connected to me?"

"Yeah. I didn't recognize her either." Marcus Jones nodded. "But one of the other officers said they saw her picture on a stock prospectus. It was difficult to track down. There's no photo even on the RPR website. This is from last year's annual report. It's Naomi Reynolds."

"What?!" Walter sat down hard. He stared at the photo in his hand. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Who is Naomi Reynolds?" Katie asked.

Walter shook his head as if he couldn't believe it. "She's the widow of Roger P. Reynolds, and the current CEO of RPR, Inc."

"Your business rival?" Katie gasped. "Why would she want to commit murder?"

"We don't know the full answer to that yet." Jones shook his head. "But she clearly had a plan to drive you out of business."

"By killing people?" Walter sneered. "That's insane!"

"That may very well be the case." Jones nodded and frowned. "You saw what she did to all those people."

Walter frowned and pushed the sheaf of photos away, as if he were disgusted by it.

Katie took the folder from him, stared at Naomi Reynold's photo. The woman was smiling, but there was no joy in that expression. The emotion behind that face was something else, entirely. "So, have you arrested her yet?"

"Well, that's the thing..." Jones looked uncomfortable. "We're unable to locate Mrs. Reynolds at this time."

Walter stood abruptly. "That's preposterous! Just go to her office and arrest her!"

"Oh really? Why didn't I think of that?" Jones rolled his eyes and fired back. "Look Walter. She's not at her home and she can't go back to her office. But we'll find her."

Katie cocked her head. "What do you mean, she can't go to her office?"

"Apparently, there were some threats made to certain board members. They were credible enough that a state judge issued a restraining order." Jones explained. "There was also an emergency vote of the board of directors last night. Naomi Reynolds is no longer in charge of RPR."

"What?! They voted her out?" Walter laughed humorlessly. "Well, it serves her right."

"Remember that people have died, Walter. Including your wife." Marcus Jones frowned. "It's no laughing matter."

"I remember, Jones. I will never forget those images." Walter said coldly. "But I can't say I have any sympathy for her."

Officer Jones nodded. "I don't want you to be sympathetic, Walter. I want you to be careful."

Katie looked at Walter, then at Officer Jones. "What do you mean, careful?"

Jones was blunt. "I mean, she has nothing left to lose. She's already on the hook for two years' worth of murders. What's one more?"

Katie gasped. "You mean you think she'll try to kill Mr. Barrington?"

"That's exactly what I mean." Officer Jones looked at Walter seriously. "Be very careful."

"Nonsense. Now that she knows she's found out, she no longer has a reason to frame me." Walter shook his head. "She has even less reason to make an attempt on me. She's more likely to try and get out of the country."

"Maybe." Officer Jones turned to leave. "Maybe not. In any case, take this seriously and watch your back. Call me if you even think you see her."

Katie followed him to the front door. "Thank you for letting us know."

"Keep your eyes open." Jones said. "And lock this door behind me."

Katie shut the door and was about to set the security system, when Walter entered the hall from the sitting room.

"Katie." He had a strange look on his face. "Please find Bill and have him meet me in my study."

Katie spoke carefully. "Mr. Barrington, you're not thinking of sending Bill to look for Naomi Reynolds, are you? Officer Jones just said she was extremely dangerous."

Walter said nothing.

"Mr. Barrington," She tried to appeal to him again. "I know you wouldn't put Bill in that kind of danger."

He seemed to think about it a moment, then snapped out of it. "No, of course not. But I do want him to check the security on the property."

"Of course." She nodded slowly. "We want to make sure everyone is safe."

"Yes, of course." Walter's look suddenly became even more intense. "If anyone confronts Naomi Reynolds, it's going to be me."

**

Katie found Bill by the garage. He was detailing the town car. "Oh my gosh, Bill. There you are!"

"What's up?" He shut the vacuum off as she approached. "Was that Marcus Jones I just saw leaving?"

"Yes, it was. Bill, I think Walter's going to do something crazy." She blurted.

"Why?" He straightened defensively. "What did Marcus Jones say to him?"

"Oh!" Katie exclaimed. "You're not going to believe this, but Naomi Reynolds is the killer! Naomi Reynolds is the werewolf!"

Bill had trouble believing it. "What? Why? That doesn't make any sense!"

"The police matched her photo to the surveillance videos. And she's been kicked out of her company." Katie tried to explain, but there was so much. "She was trying to destroy Walter's business."

Bill thought about it. He was surprisingly calm. "Naomi Reynolds is a werewolf."

"Yes, Bill!" Katie nodded. "She was the one who killed Mrs. Barrington and all those others."

Bill nodded slowly, processing the information. "And turned me."

"Officer Jones thinks she'll try to get to Walter." Katie wrung her hands. "He's acting really strangely. I think he's actually hoping she tries."

"I hope she does, too." Bill's face became rock hard. "Maybe I'll just save her the trip and go find her myself."

"Bill!" Katie was horrified. "You can't be serious!"

"Oh, I'm full moon serious." He tossed the vacuum hose to the ground and slammed the car door.

Katie grabbed his arm before he could walk away. "Bill, wait! What's the plan?"

"It's pretty simple." He said. "Find her. Kill her. Stop being a werewolf."

Katie shook her head vehemently. "No. She's dangerous."

Bill narrowed his eyes. "Believe me, Katie. I'm more dangerous."

"She's a murderer and a werewolf!" She tugged at his arm.

He frowned. "I'm a murderer and a werewolf, too."

"But she's been found out." Katie tried to reason with him. "She has nothing left to lose."

"Katie, don't you see? I'm stronger than her because I have everything to gain." Bill laughed. He started toward the house. "I need to talk to Walter. He needs to know how to protect himself."

Katie followed, nervous now for another reason. "You're not going to tell him you're a—"

"I don't need to. He's seen the video. He knows what Naomi is." Bill was walking fast now. "She's targeting people around Walter, remember? That means you and the kids are in danger, too. Only you know exactly what we're up against. You have to protect the children. Do you have a gun?"

"What? No!" She stopped in her tracks. "Of course not. I'm a nanny."

"I'll get you one of Walter's." Bill kept walking. "Do you know how to shoot?"

"Doesn't matter." Katie hurried to catch up with him. "The gun would have to be loaded with silver bullets, right?"

"No. I'm going to need all the silver bullets in my gun. I have to be the one to kill her in order to break the curse." Bill's plan was taking shape in his head. "But I'm thinking a clip full of regular bullets will at least slow her down. Can you do that?"

Katie nodded. "To protect the kids, yes. I can do that."

"Good." Bill opened the side door and entered the house. "I'll go talk to Walter."

Katie closed the door behind her and set the security system. She sighed. She'd told Bill she could shoot Naomi Reynolds to protect the children. But she wasn't sure she could actually take another person's life, even in dire circumstances. It was counter to everything she believed in.

"Oh Katie." She whispered to herself. "If it comes down to it, can you really pull the trigger?"