She becomes a babysitter at the Pebble Beach Hotel and Golf Resort, where her usual charge is moody eight-year-old Jack Slater.

Suze soon realizes that Jack is miserable because he is a mediator like her, and teaches him that ghosts do not mean to do any harm, but just want help to go to the afterlife.

She attempts to bring the letters to the Carmel Historical Center, where the conservator, Dr. Clive Clemmings, expresses his belief that Jesse was not murdered but ran away from his wedding.

The following day, Suze is confronted by the police, who inform her that Clemmings is dead and Hector de Silva's portrait is missing.

Paul stops them from questioning her further, saying that he can "attract more flies with honey rather than vinegar", and she finally agrees to go on a date with him.

Suze realizes that Paul has been working with Maria and Felix, using their date to stop her from preventing Jesse's exorcism.

They barely make it back to the Mission, only to find Maria and Felix Diego attacking Father Dom.

On behalf of School Library Journal, Debbie Stewart criticized Darkest Hour for its numerous coincidences and the fact that "almost every male in this book is a 'hottie'".