Milner & Dunn: The Haunting of Bluebird Hall E-Book

Trina Solet

• Herausgeber: Trina Solet
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

Adrian and Dustin are looking for a place to have their wedding when they come across an old mansion with a string of deaths and an apparition that Dustin can't get a handle on. To figure it out, Dustin puts himself in danger and Adrian is right by his side. The mansion hides family secrets and so does their client. Adrian and Dustin will have to uncover the strange truth, but at what cost?

Leseprobe

Milner & Dunn: The Haunting of Bluebird Hall (Paranormal Gay Romance)

By Trina Solet

Copyright © 2025 by Trina Solet

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, locales or actual events is entirely coincidental.

All sexual activity takes place between persons eighteen years of age or older.

This novel contains material intended for mature readers.

Cover image is only for illustrative purposes. Any person depicted is a model.

Milner & Dunn: The Haunting of Bluebird Hall

Paranormal Gay Romance

Trina Solet

Chapter 1

The Milner & Dunn offices were so unremarkable, just a narrow, two-story building, no one would think that they dealt with restless spirits and haunted places. It was hard for Adrian to believe it himself.

He caught sight of his reflection in the glass front door with Milner & Dunn Investigations etched into it. He hadn't changed. He was tall and blond, but he was also the same serious, bearded professorly type who never believed in the supernatural. It was so unexpected that he was a partner in this strange business, part of this world he never imagined even existed.

Pushing open the door to Dustin's office, he saw him behind his desk. He was leaning back, staring at the ceiling with his arms folded behind his head so that his fingers threaded through his sandy hair. "Busy, Mr. Dunn?" Adrian asked.

"Very, but I'll drop everything for you," Dustin told him and patted his lap like he expected Adrian to go over and straddle him. Normally he would have loved to do that, but they had plans.

"We're meeting Luna and Nessie and going to the White Rose Mansion," Adrian reminded him.

Dustin groaned. "If it was anyone else, I would say let them wait. I have my beautiful fiance to pleasure."

Adrian smiled at that. "Come on, let's go before you tempt me," he said and refused to go near him. It wouldn't take much for his resolve to break, and Dustin's smug smile told him that he knew it. The arrogant look in his hazel eyes faded and he came over and kissed Adrian.

"Let's go find that perfect place to get married."

Dustin didn't usually like spending the money he inherited from his very wealthy and abusive grandfather, but he considered renting a mansion for their wedding a good cause. They took a scenic drive to get there and now they were approaching a beautiful estate. Dustin was at the wheel, Nessie and her nanny, Luna, were in the backs seat. They were driving along a tree lined driveway up to the open gates of White Rose Mansion. The mansion had vines climbing its sides and rose bushes in its garden, many of them white, like the name of the place.

"It's another princess castle," Nessie said. Being four, that's what she called all these beautiful and expensive venues they had been visiting so Adrian and Dustin could find the perfect place to get married.

First they walked around the grounds which were perfectly designed and maintained. The walk was pleasant, but Adrian wondered, "How many of these places are we going to visit?"

"It's hardly a hardship. We're barely a half hour drive out of town," Dustin pointed out.

"It's the fifth place we've visited."

"And each visit is a fun little trip," Dustin claimed then took note of Adrian's skeptical expression. "And your little girl is enjoying herself and Luna too."

If it was up to Adrian, they would have already picked a place, probably the first or second one they visited, but Dustin wanted somewhere that was just right, and of course, it also had to be free of spiritual infestation. That last issue was a sticking point at most of the places they went to.

Going inside, they started their scheduled tour of the mansion. Their guide was a very nice lady and Nessie called her the princess. Luna was interested in the oddest details of the mansion and made quick sketches. Dustin wasn't enjoying himself. Noticing his frown, Adrian asked him in a whisper, "Is it haunted?"

"It could use a cleansing," Dustin said. That didn't sound too serious. It seemed that he just wasn't in love with the place. That was fine with Adrian. The place was a bit much with its gilded fixtures, ornate woodwork and gaudy wallpaper everywhere.

They went outside again and walked through the mansion's garden. Nessie had to peer at every flower and ask Luna to draw pictures of all of them. Dustin and Adrian left them to it and strolled next to the reflecting pool.

Now Adrian could bring up another concern he had about this type of venue. "I'm worried that this kind of place is going to bring back bad memories for you."

Dustin denied it. "This place isn't like my grandfather's mansion."

"But there is something off about it," Adrian guessed since Dustin had been unhappy during the tour.

"There are remnants of death in there, no actual haunting. It just doesn't feel right," Dustin said. "And you don't like it either."

"We'll just keep looking I guess," Adrian said with a smile and Dustin put his arm through his.

"And who was the one complaining about how many venues we were visiting?" Dustin asked as they kept walking.

"I want us to find the perfect place too," Adrian admitted and they stopped to kiss under an archway of white roses entwining, a place where other couples must have taken their vows, but they wouldn't.

Driving away from the mansion, Dustin didn't take the scenic route that brought them there. They ended up passing through a neighborhood of old houses, not quite mansions, but with a lot of charm. Then Dustin gripped the wheel hard and hunched forward. His expression was pained and his jaw clenched, but Adrian didn't ask him about it, not with Nessie chattering about gardens fit for princesses in the back seat. He already knew that Dustin must have sensed something, and it happened just as they were passing a property with a lush garden behind a red brick wall.

At Nessie's bedtime, Adrian and Dustin tucked her into bed together. Dustin told her a story about a little rose princess who liked to dance and who fought bad guys with a sword made from one of her thorns. Nessie loved it so much, Adrian was worried she wouldn't be able to get to sleep from the excitement.

Dustin wound down the little rose princess's adventure by having her go to sleep in her garden surrounded by all her rose friends. That got Nessie to fall asleep too.

As they were going into the living room, Adrian wasn't surprised when Dustin brought up the property behind the red brick wall. "There is something very odd going on there. I need to visit it," he said.

Adrian wasn't happy to hear it. "You don't mean now, do you?"

"I need to get a better read on what it was I sensed. I won't be able to sleep otherwise," Dustin said.

"You want to prowl around a stranger's property at night? That's supposed to help you get a good night's sleep?" Adrian asked.

"Come on, you know I love a nighttime drive with you," Dustin said lowering his voice so it was deep and seductive.

"You're trying to seduce me into trespassing?" Adrian said.

"We'll stay on the street," Dustin assured him.

Luna was in the dining room organizing some of her sketches and watercolors on the big table. Adrian went in to let her know that they would be going out, but he got distracted when he saw a sketch of Nessie frowning at a rose. "Did that happen?" he asked.

"There was a bug inside the rose," Luna said. "But I'm calling it The Girl Who Hates Roses."

"That's slander," Dustin said as he came over to have a look too.

Luna was an art student as well as Nessie's live-in nanny so they told her they would be going out. "Have fun," she told them.

"Doubt it," Adrian muttered and they headed out.

With Adrian at the wheel, Dustin got his nighttime drive. They ended up parking in front of a takeout place just outside the old neighborhood. Now they were taking a nighttime walk down the street where the red brick wall enclosed a garden.

It was early spring so the night was kind of chilly and there was no one else walking this street. That wasn't surprising. The houses were far apart, set on large properties. Some of them were just empty lots with overgrown fields on them, the houses having been knocked down.

Looking at the place from across the street, the red brick wall hid everything but the roof. Dustin's eyes were fixed on it, looking almost feverish. It made Adrian grumble at him worriedly.

"So what is it about this place?" Adrian asked as they crossed the street and stopped where an empty lot ended and the red brick wall began.

"Turmoil," Dustin said, gritting out the word as he shut his eyes. Adrian was ready to pull him back but then his eyes snapped open. "This disturbance has to be dealt with," he stated.

"You're not about to go bothering whoever lives there at this time of night," Adrian said. He wasn't asking. He was telling him it was out of the question.

"Oh, I don't think anyone lives there. They couldn't possibly survive it," Dustin said. "We need to find out who owns this place."

"You mean to make them pay for your services," Adrian guessed.

"They should be glad to pay," Dustin said then he boasted. "I doubt anyone but me could deal with this."

Adrian wanted to roll his eyes at his arrogance, but behind his confidence, he saw real concern. Whatever he was sensing had to be extremely bad.

Chapter 2

They were standing too close to the red brick wall that surrounded a property that Dustin sensed was haunted, and Adrian didn't like it. Only the light of one street light reached them through the branches of the trees that lined the sidewalk at uneven intervals. It was enough light for Adrian to be able to see how disturbed Dustin was by what he sensed.

"What's going on in there?" Adrian asked. "Why can't we leave?"

"I don't know enough yet. There's too much of it." Though he looked pale and unsteady, Dustin seemed like he might try to go closer so Adrian grabbed his arm. "There's something off," he insisted.

"We should leave and do your favorite thing," Adrian said.

Dustin turned to him with a smirk. "I like what you're offering,"

"I was being sarcastic. I meant research."

"I like my idea better," Dustin tells him.

"Whatever gets you away from here at this time of night," Adrian said and they started to leave.

Once they were in the car, Dustin leaned over, grabbed him and kissed him. "I needed an antidote," Dustin murmured against his lips and pressed his forehead to Adrian's.

"Maybe research can wait until tomorrow," Adrian said, his voice husky as he stroked Dustin's back and pulled him close, rubbed their beards together. He was turned on now and looking forward to getting Dustin into bed. They made out in the car some more and drove on.

Adrian wanted to get Dustin home, to feel his body against his, to be close to him, to feel his warmth and strength. At a red light, Dustin kissed him again then broke the kiss to brush his lips against Adrian's throat. Already he could feel himself getting so hard for him. He had to warn Dustin, "Save it until we get home."

"Can't wait," Dustin said and rubbed his chest. Then his hand moved down like he wanted him to crash the car.

When they got to the house, they shushed each other as they came through the front door kissing and pulling each other's suit jackets off. They made it to their bedroom without waking Nessie or disturbing Luna who was bound to be awake.

In the bedroom, they got the door locked and then Dustin pushed Adrian on the bed. As Adrian sat and watched, Dustin started undressing. "I love how you watch me. It's almost scary," Dustin said as he unbuttoned his shirt, his movements deliberately unhurried.

"And I love it when you show off for me," Adrian said. There was something irresistible in how Dustin slowly revealed his beautiful body, stripping with the certainty of knowing how good he looked, how sexy he was. Adrian was dying to have him. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he grabbed Dustin by the backs of his legs and pulled him closer.

Looking up at him, Adrian leaned back as Dustin climbed on top of him. Adrian ran his hands over his naked body and whispered in a rasping voice, "I'm a very lucky man."

"You're gorgeous," Dustin told him. "Now let's get you naked." But when Adrian started undressing, Dustin stopped him. "Let me do it. Taking your clothes off is like unwrapping a gift over and over again."

Adrian raised an eyebrow at that but then just settled back and enjoyed the way Dustin undressed him and kissed his skin as he exposed it. His lips and tongue exploring, teasing.

Once Adrian was naked, Dustin threw his arms around him, "God, I love you," Dustin said and kissed him deep and soft.

The next morning, Adrian got started on researching the house behind the red brick wall. It was on Chambers Street and it wasn't connected to any major news stories. That would have made the research easier.

Adrian felt like he was going to get stuck trying to find anything that explained the haunting. He was hoping to do it before getting started on his actual job teaching college classes in public administration. He didn't have a class until midday though so he had some time.

While Adrian did research, Dustin was recruited by Nessie to help her find the shoes she wanted to wear to preschool. For some reason she always wanted to wear whichever shoes were missing.

Luna found the shoes, but Dustin still pretending to look for them in strange places like under a lampshade, inside the coffee maker and the coffee cup. All of this made Nessie laugh like crazy. Then she noticed Luna had her shoes and she wanted to know, "Where did you find them, Luna?"

"Nowhere interesting, just kicked under the couch," Luna told her.

"You could have made up something better that that," Dustin told her, "Let's say that a squirrel stole them and stuck them in a bird's nest and you had to climb a tree to get them."

"Really?" Nessie said eager to believe something Dustin clearly just made up.

Once Luna took Nessie to preschool, Dustin came into Adrian's office. "Good morning to my favorite assistant. What do you have for me?" Dustin teased him.

"Keep up that assistant stuff and you'll be stuck doing the research," Adrian warned him. But then Adrian told him what he found out about the house on Chambers Street. "The house is listed for sale." Adrian showed him the listing.

"At a price that seems a little too high for an area that neglected," Dustin noted.

"The owner is Vera Gray, she is a local businesswoman. The previous owner was her aunt, Francine Norman."

"I'd like to know about the deaths in that house," Dustin said and sat on the edge of Adrian's desk.

"I can't tell who actually died there, but as of now, everyone who lived in that house has died. The last owner, Francine Norman, died fifteen years ago and that was five years after her daughter died as a young girl. If anyone lived there since then, I can't tell. Possibly it was rented," Adrian said.

"I'm betting it wasn't," Dustin said. "The feel of the spiritual presence in there tells me the place has been sitting empty. Decay and abandonment. Spirits festering."

"With what you know so far, what's the plan? Offer your services to this Vera Gray?" Adrian asked.

"That seems like the best option. She can afford me," Dustin said as he looked over the information Adrian had on her. "And the best place to approach her is at this fun little function." Dustin pointed at a local article about an upcoming charity event where Vera Gray was going to be a featured speaker.

"We can just call her office and ask for an appointment," Adrian pointed out.

"Why would we do something so boring when we can dress up and crash a party?" Dustin asked. "You know I like to see you dressed up."

Chapter 3

Tonight Adrian and Dustin were going to try to make contact with Vera Gray at a charity event. Adrian wasn't looking forward to it at all, but Dustin had told Nessie they were going to a party and she was excited about it.

Nessie was ready for bed but she was trying to talk her way out of it. "I want to see Daddy and Dustin all dressed up," she said.

"You won't be missing much. We'll just be wearing suits," Adrian told Nessie.

Standing in the living room and looking down at her pajamas, Nessie was wishing she was going to dress up too. "I want to go to the party."

"It's a boring, grown-up get together with lots of talking and no one having fun or even any big cakes," Dustin told her.

"You said it was a party," she said like something about this didn't make sense to her.

"Yes, a boring party. There is such a thing as a boring party," Dustin assured her. He picked her up to carry her off to bed and told her, "How about this? Tomorrow we'll have a party just for us."

"With cake," she said eagerly.

"One cupcake," Adrian told her as he followed her and Dustin down the hall to her bedroom.

Now she pouted at him over Dustin's shoulder. "One cupcake is too small for everybody, Daddy."

"The cupcake is for you," Dustin told her. "And it's going to be a very special cupcake."

"OK," she said and kissed Dustin on the cheek as they went into her bedroom.

"If that's a goodnight kiss, I want one of those too," Adrian told her and put his arms around both her and Dustin. Then they both leaned in for a kiss and Nessie giggled.

"I want two too," she said and pointed at her two little cheeks. Dustin and Adrian gave her a kiss at the same time and she wriggled happily before Dustin lowered her to her bed.

Once Nessie was asleep and they were quietly closing the door to her room, Adrian asked, "What happened to not spoiling her? You're throwing her a party with cake?"

"She deserves a party every day. And I hope you don't consider one cupcake spoiling her," Dustin said.

"You were ready to get her a full size cake before I downgraded it to a cupcake," Adrian told him.

"Give me some credit. It would have been one of those cute, small cakes," Dustin said.

"The ones that have a mountain of decorations on top of them?" Adrian asked and Dustin grinned at him.

"But I think I might have told Nessie the truth. I'm afraid this charity function will be hellishly boring," he sighed.

"We're going there on business, aren't we?" Adrian pointed out.

Dustin turned, stepped up against Adrian and threw his arms around his neck. Smiling, he said, "You're right. We will make our own fun."

"I didn't say that," Adrian said but he had to return Dustin's smile. Plus he knew that the sight of Dustin all dressed up would be irresistible to him, like pretty much every sight of him no matter what he was wearing or not wearing.

"You look like a man who wants to have some pre-party sex," Dustin noted.

"Stop reading my mind," Adrian said as Dustin backed him into his office. From that, Adrian could conclude only one thing. "I'm guessing that you want me to bend you over my desk."

As they pulled up in front of Hotel Palmieri, Adrian checked his tie in the car mirror and Dustin grinned at him. "You don't need to bother, you're always perfect."

"Actually my tie is crooked," Adrian told him as he straightened it.

On the other hand, Dustin was perfect. It made Adrian want to disarrange him in the worst way and also want to keep his hands off so he wouldn't.

As they handed the car over to a valet, Adrian wondered, "How did you get us in, anyway?" But maybe he shouldn't have.

"I have my ways," Dustin said and put his arm through Adrian's.

Going into the events hall, they didn't see Vera Gray, but Dustin did see some former clients, a Mr. and Mrs. Suttler, and they didn't look thrilled to see Dustin.

It turned out that Mr. and Mrs. Suttler were embarrassed that people would find out that they hired someone to deal with a ghost problem. Dustin had to reassure them, "I am always discreet. No one will hear a word about it from me."

Right after saying that, Dustin filled Adrian on every detail of their case which involved Dustin seeing visions of a naked grandmother chasing a poodle down their mansion hallways.

"Discretion was built for images like that one," Adrian informed him.

"You only have to imagine it. I had to see it, though indistinctly," Dustin told him and Adrian grimaced at him.

"Either way, don't bother listing them as references," Adrian said while they drank some wine and waited for Vera Gray to make an appearance.

When she showed up, she made the rounds saying hello to people while Dustin sized her up. She was confident, middle aged, wearing a slinky dress with too much jewelry on. She was always talking to someone, making it difficult for them to approach her without interrupting. "She's popular," Dustin said, "We might have to catch her as she's coming out of the ladies' room."

"We will not be doing that," Adrian informed him.

Finally, they got their chance. Vera was alone, for the moment anyway, and Dustin and Adrian went over and introduced themselves. Vera was on her guard like she was sure they would try to sell her something, and she was mostly right.

Dustin didn't beat around the bush with her. "We understand you own a property on Chambers Street. We were passing it while looking at a possible venue for our wedding. I'm sorry to tell you, the house is haunted. Here's my card if you'd like us to resolve that for you." Dustin handed over his business card then put his arm through Adrian's like he was done and they were going to walk away. Was that really his whole spiel? He usually schmoozed, charmed, conned.

"Interesting approach," Adrian said as they strolled away. "I thought the whole point of coming here was so you could charm her. What happened?"

"What do you mean by that? I'm always charming," Dustin said. "And she'll contact us. I guarantee it."

Adrian reconsidered Dustin's approach. "She's businesslike and serious so you were direct with her. Is that what works with someone like that?"

"If I tried to charm her, she would have been suspicious," Dustin said as they grabbed drinks.

"I think she's suspicious anyway," Adrian said and he glanced in Vera's direction to confirm it.

"I can provide some excellent testimonials, believe it or not."

"I kind of believe it. You do good work. Sometimes," Adrian said and held Dustin's gaze for a long moment while he pretended to look hurt.

"Considering you think I'm nothing more than a con man, I'm surprised you want to marry me."

"I guess I can't help myself. I couldn't stay away from you and then I fell in love with you," Adrian said with a resigned sigh.

"God I love you when you get all emotional and open up like this," Dustin whispered huskily though Adrian had been perfectly deadpan. "Tell me more."

"You've had enough of hearing how irresistible you are. Do you want to dance or leave?" Adrian asked him.

"So you're asking me to dance," Dustin purred.

"If that's what you heard," Adrian said and Dustin chuckled and pulled him toward the dance floor.

They danced and noticed that Vera sometimes watched them. She didn't approach them though. Once they were done and ready to leave, Dustin said, "I want to swing by the Chambers Street house."

Adrian was surprised. "Really? Are you monitoring it for some reason?"

Dustin confirmed it. "What I sensed was chaotic, like it was in flux. I want to see if anything has changed."

They drove to the quiet, dark street that had too few working streetlights. They parked a block away and walked to the red brick wall of the property. But once they got close, Dustin clutched at Adrian, overwhelmed by whatever he sensed.

"Damn it," Adrian huffed as he grabbed him and pulled him away. Once he was further from the property, Dustin seemed better, but Adrian was still concerned. "What did you sense?"

Dustin pointed ahead of them. "Someone stirred things up."

Where the shadows were at their darkest, Adrian saw someone jumping over the wall and running off down the street. "Someone broke in?" Adrian said.

"I knew something was throwing me off," Dustin said. "But I won't know what's going on until we get inside."

Adrian held onto Dustin's arm but he didn't think he really planned to go in there right now. "We won't be doing that until after Vera Gray gives us permission," Adrian said aware that she wasn't even a client yet.

"She better hurry," Dustin said.

"Are you sure you're OK?" Adrian asked as Dustin kept staring toward the house behind the wall though all there was to see was darkness.

Dustin nodded. "I'll be fine. It was just a little overwhelming. It's different now."

"In flux," Adrian said as he looked at him. "OK. Let's go home."

Dustin nodded. They walked back to the car while the wind made some dry leaves tumble on the pavement. Adrian couldn't sense anything about that house, but Dustin already seemed a little obsessed with it even though they didn't even have a paying client yet. That wasn't like him. He usually cared about money a lot more than this.

Putting an arm around him, Adrian told him, "It wouldn't hurt if you showed a little greed and self-interest right about now."

Dustin stared at him. "You're so right. If I'm going to throw myself into whatever is going on back there, we better get paid."

Chapter 4

Adrian was sure their pursuit of Vera Gray at the charity function was a failure, that the house on Chambers Street would stay haunted and hopefully no one would buy it. But to his surprise, the very next day, Dustin had an invitation to lunch from Vera.

Adrian expected him to go alone. But when Dustin called him at work to give him the news, he insisted that Adrian had to go with him. "I need you as my bodyguard," he said.

"I thought I was your assistant," Adrian said.

"You're everything to me," Dustin said in a low, seductive voice.

"Ease off. That's too much to just get me to go to a business lunch with you," Adrian pointed out, and of course he said yes.

Adrian met Dustin at a very expensive restaurant in the center of town. The place was full of high level business people having lunch meetings, which was exactly what Dustin and Adrian were doing there. They got a table and waited for Vera to join them.

"Are we early or is she late?" Adrian asked.

"I wanted a little time alone with you so I could do this," Dustin said as he squeezed his thigh under the table. Adrian took a deep, steadying breath and raised an eyebrow at him. "Can you blame me when every inch of you is so sexy?"

"Why are you dialed up to eleven today?" Adrian asked him then he grunted as Dustin's hand went higher. Adrian grabbed his hand. "Stop it." He looked around but none of the business people seemed to have noticed anything.

"I love it when you're uptight," Dustin told him.