She bristled slightly. "I am the most open person I know!"

"Yes, you are; too open. You're much more willing to believe in something paranormal than normal."

"Oh," she said, glaring at me. "That's it! Put your money where your mouth is!"

"A bet, you mean? I'm perfectly willing, not that I have much money, but what I have I will happily use to back myself."

She got to her feet. I stood up in front of her.

"Then we're agreed. We will have a bet as to who can prove"—I raised my eyebrows—"or disprove a paranormal being or event." She thought for a moment. "Beyond a shadow of a doubt."

"Beyond reasonable doubt," I agreed, and we shook hands. "You know, I'm skeptical even without a bet."

"Yes, I know you're perfectly happy trying to rain on my mystical parade. But this adds just a smidgen of spice to it, don't you think? A little friendly competition?"

"Mmhmm. How much is the bet for?"

"Oh, we're not betting for money," she said, waving away such a mundane thought. "This is our honor we're betting, here. Honor, and the right to say 'I told you so' to the other person."

I laughed at that. "Sounds good to me. For every haunted house we visit, for every psychic you take me to see, for every crackpot who claims he has crop circles, I'll show you the truth behind the paranormal facade."

Her smile lit up her eyes as she opened the door to the tiny hallway. "We can start this afternoon. This area is a hotbed of paranormal activity, but most well known is the faery ring just outside of town. Get your faery-hunting clothes on, Portia. The game is afoot!"

Chapter 2

"Na then, t'get ta the faery circle, gwain ye doon the road past Arvright's farm—ye know where that be, then?"