Page 47 of Shake Your Boo Thang

“And you must be the famous Monsieur Poirot.”

He slowly reaches out a hand, fingers curled in, to let Poirot sniff him.

“It’s truly a pleasure to meet you, sir,” he says softly.

Poirot takes his sweet time letting Beau’s offered hand hover there before he deigns to saunter closer and give him a little sniff. Evidently, Beau is acceptable because he shoves his face into the hand, demanding attention.

“Look at that fabulous whisker mustache! Your daddy was right about that.”

Beau scratches behind his ears and under his chin, and Poirot leans into it with a loud purr.

Watching my cat accept Beau into his domain has more effect on me than I could have anticipated.

I haven’t brought anyone back to my flat for a hookup since the accident. Sure, I’ve had friends and family who’ve come to visit, but even they didn’t stay overnight. It’s only a one-bedroom flat, and I like to keep my personal space private, but Beau being here doesn’t have me on edge the way I would have expected, especially now after the heat of our passion has passed. And I want him to stay the night.

Poirot is also rather fussy about the people that he’s willing to get near, but the fact that he accepted Beau so readily is a sign that Beau may just be right.

Perhaps there’s more to our meeting than mere coincidence.

Maybe, just maybe, it was destiny after all.

CHAPTER

FIFTEEN

Thanks to everyone who commented on my last episode. Some of you are real globe-trotters and have seen so much of the world! I must admit, I’m a smidge jealous.

But I’m working on remedying that problem. After all your suggestions and some of my own independent research, I’ve decided my first international adventure will be in merry old England! What better place to do some serious ghost hunting? The United Kingdom is considered one of the most haunted countries in the world, and with its centuries of war, bloodshed, political intrigue, and public executions, it’s bound to surprise me with the range of intriguing spirits I might meet. At least, that’s what I’m hoping for!

Don’t worry, I’ll be taking plenty of notes for the show.

—Beau’s Boos and Beyond, Episode 63

Beau

An annoying ringing noise yanks me out of a very enjoyable postcoital slumber, and Callum groans as he gets up and fumbles around in his discarded pants for his phone.

He listens on the other end of the line for a moment, not offering a whole lot except the occasional grunt, then finally says, “Perfect. We’ll meet you there at 10 a.m.”

Bleary-eyed, I yawn and sit up in bed as he tosses the phone onto his nightstand. He and I are both gloriously naked, and I take my time eyeing him up and down, trying not to drool.

Good golly, Miz Dolly, he’s one fine piece of man.

Callum tries to scowl at me but his lips twitch, and I can tell he’s fighting back a laugh.

“Don’t look at me like that. We don’t have time for any funny business. We’ve got to get ready to meet Liz.”

I blink a couple of times. “Meet her where?”

“At the London Archives.”

That gets my attention.

“I take it she found something?”

His brow furrows. “Yes and no. There wasn’t anyone prosecuted. From what she found, they declared the fire accidental and closed the case. But with six deaths, she’s got questions too.”

It’s my turn to frown right back. “Yeah, that does seem awfully strange. You don’t get quite so many lingering spirits in the place where they died when the cause was an accident. That’s not to say it never happens, but for them to linger that long—for decades—their unfinished business usually has more to do with how and why they died than what they failed to complete in their lives. We’ll have to go back to Salon de Spin and see if we can interview any other spirits tonight.”