"Yes. " All business, he decided, and sat at his desk. "And I told you I only do personal genealogies if something about the family history interests me. I'm - obviously - caught up in a book right now and wouldn't have much time to devote to a genealogical search and report. "
"You didn't name your fee. "
"Fifty dollars an hour, plus expenses. "
She felt a quick clutch in the belly. "That's lawyer steep. "
"An average genealogy doesn't take that long, if you know what you're doing and where to look. In most cases, it can be done in about forty hours, depending on how far back you want to go. If it's more complicated, we could arrange a flat fee - reevaluating after that time is used. But as I said - "
"I don't believe you'll have to go back more than a century. "
"Chump change in this field. And if you're only dealing with a hundred years, you could probably do this yourself. I'd be happy to direct you down the avenues. No charge. "
"I need an expert, which I'm assured you are. And I'm willing to negotiate terms. Since you took the time out of your busy schedule to speak to me, I'd think you'd hear me out before you nudge me out the door. "
All business, he thought again, and prickly with it. "That wasn't my intention - the nudging. Of course I'll hear you out. If you're not in any great rush for the search and report, I may be able to help you out in a few weeks. "
When she inclined her head, he began to rummage on, through, under the desk. "Just let me . . . how the hell did that get there?"
He unearthed a yellow legal pad, then mined out a pen. "That's Rosalind, right? As You Like It?"
A smile whisked over her mouth. "As in Russell. My daddy was a fan. "
He wrote her name on the top of the pad. "You said a hundred years back. I'd think a family like yours would have records, journals, documents - and considerable oral family history to cover a century. "
"You would, wouldn't you? Actually, I have quite a bit, but certain things have led me to believe some of the oral history is either incorrect or is missing details. I will, however, be glad to have you go through what I do have. We've already been through a lot of it. "
"We?"
"Myself, and other members of my household. "
"So, you're looking for information on a specific ancestor. "
"I don't know as she was an ancestor, but I am certain she was a member of the household. I'm certain she died there. "
"You have her death record?"
"No. "
He shoved at his glasses as he scribbled. "Her grave?"
"No. Her ghost. "
She smiled serenely when he blinked up at her. "Doesn't a man who digs into family histories believe in ghosts?"
"I've never come across one. "
"If you take on this job, you will. What might your fee be, Dr. Carnegie, to dig up the history and identity of a family ghost?"
He leaned back in his chair, tapping the pen on his chin. "You're not kidding around. "
"I certainly wouldn't kid around to the tune of fifty dollars an hour, plus expenses. I bet you could write a very interesting book on the Harper family ghost, if I were to sign a release and cooperate. "
"I just bet I could," he replied.
"And it seems to me that you might consider finding out what I'm after as a kind of research. Maybe I should charge you. "
His grin flashed again. "I have to finish this book before I actively take on another project. Despite evidence to the contrary, I finish what I start. "