before. “You don’t see her?”
“No.” Her gaze was following Joe’s to the place where Nancy Jo stood. “Nothing.”
“Stop ignoring me,” Nancy Jo said. “Of course she can’t see me. No one can see me. Not even Daddy. I tried and tried to talk to him, and he didn’t hear me, didn’t see me. I reached out and touched him, tried to hug him, and he didn’t even feel it.” She was blinking back tears. “He was hurting and I wanted to help him but he couldn’t feel me.”
“I can’t solve your problem, Nancy Jo,” Joe said. “I don’t know anything about this.” He turned to Megan. “Do something.”
She shook her head. “She’s your ghost. I can’t even hear her echoes. You’ll have to deal with her.”
Nancy Jo was glaring at Megan. “Is she some kind of ghost hunter? Is that why you brought her?” she asked bitterly. “I used to watch TV shows about ghost hunters. My roommate, Chelsea, and I used to make fun of them.”
“So did I,” Joe said. “I’m not laughing now.”
“Neither am I,” Nancy Jo said. “I don’t care if she’s a ghost hunter or not. I wish she could see me. I’m so lonely.”
“Why are you still here? Isn’t there some light or something you should be walking toward?” Damn he sounded stupid. But how the hell did you talk to a ghost?
“I don’t know. They keep telling me I have to leave, that I’ll be fine once I go.”
“Who are ‘they’?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I can’t listen to them. I have to stay here. It shouldn’t have happened. I wanted to live. He had no right to take it from me.” She shuddered. “Do you know what he did? He drank my blood. My blood is in him, feeding him. I can’t stand the thought of that. It makes me angry. He shouldn’t be alive when I’m dead.”
“Look, if it will help, I’ll promise you that I’ll catch that bastard.”
“I don’t believe you. You just want me to go away. I won’t go away.”
“I’m a cop. It’s my job to find who killed you. It doesn’t matter if you go away or not. I’ll still get the job done.”
She studied his face. “I don’t think you’re lying to me. But I have to be sure that he doesn’t live. He stole my blood. He stole my life.”
“I can’t do more than give you my word. Go off and do what ‘they’ say and let me get to work.”
“You’re pissed at me.”
“Hell, yes. I feel sorry for you, I want to help you, but you’re making my life damn miserable. Yes, I’m pissed at you.”
“I guess that’s better than being afraid of me. People are supposed to be afraid of ghosts.”
“I had a few moments.”
“That’s too bad.” She added defiantly, “But since you seem to be the only one who can see or hear me, you’re stuck with me.”
“The hell I am.”
“You have to help me.” Her voice vibrated with intensity. “I can’t do it by myself. I would if I could.” She hesitated, then said, “My father is angry. If you don’t find this monster, Daddy is going to do it himself. How do I know that he won’t kill my father too?”
What could he say to that? Joe thought in frustration. He could argue that she should leave revenge to him, but what about protecting the one you love? He could understand that motivation with all his mind and heart. Shielding and caring for Eve had been the rule that had driven him all these years. He was becoming more involved with Nancy Jo with every word she spoke.
Involved with a ghost? What was he thinking? “ ‘If’? I will find him, and your father will stay out of the picture.”
“I hope so.”
“I’m going now.” He held up his hand as she started to speak. “I can’t stay here having seances with you. I have a job to do.”
“But I want to help you. I need to do it.”
“Then tell me who did this. Do you have a name?”
She shook her head. “He said he was my savior. He said I should be grateful. He kept saying ‘Gift to Gift.’ “
“What did he look like?”
She didn’t answer.
“What did he—”
“I’m trying to remember. I was so scared . . . Gray eyes, short, close-cut dark hair. White at the temples. A Roman nose, sort of hooked.”
“Tall. Short?”
“Medium. But he was burly, strong, biceps like a weight lifter.”
“Car?”
