“And you’ve elected me.”
“Yes. Why not? There must be some reason why you can see me when no one else can. It must mean that you have a special job to do.”
“Not that I’m just unlucky?”
“I don’t think so.” She smiled sadly. “But I could be wrong.”
He felt again that rush of sympathy mixed with exasperation that he always felt with her. “Maybe you’re right. I don’t believe in fate, but then I didn’t believe in ghosts either. Anyway, I’ll ride with it.” He turned down the lake road. “So are you going to go hunting and let me know if you run across Jelak?”
“I’m not good at hunting. I never did anything like this before.”
“Then what help are you going to be to me?”
“I don’t know. I thought maybe—I don’t know.” She frowned. “Stop acting like a cop, Joe.”
“It’s what I am. It’s why you turned to me.”
“I turned to you because I had no one else.” She was silent a moment. “But I’m glad it was you. You can be difficult, but I think you can help me if anyone can.”
“I’m only difficult when assaulted by ghosts.”
She smiled. “I don’t believe that’s true. I bet you can be difficult about a lot of things. I think I would have liked you if I’d met you before Jelak. I may even like you now.”
“What a concession. Is that why you came looking for me?”
“No, I had to let you know what Daddy was doing. And to make sure you knew I could help you . . . maybe.”
“Well, that’s definite.”
She was silent a moment. “And maybe I was lonely.” She added quickly, “Though I wouldn’t bother you just because of that.”
“That’s good. And you also wanted to tell me that crap about Eve’s blood putting Jelak over the top?”
“It’s not crap.”
“Who told you?”
“No one. I know it.”
“Then I believe we’ll differ. You’re a fledgling ghost in training. I can’t put my trust in you, Nancy Jo. Come back when you’ve had some experience.” He pulled up to the driveway in front of the cottage. “Now, is there anything else? If not, I’d like to go in to Eve and Jane.”
“No.” Her gaze was fixed wistfully on the lights in the windows of the cottage. “We take so many things for granted, don’t we? Lights in a window, people we love waiting for us . . . Then it’s all gone.” Her gaze shifted to his face. “Don’t you take it for granted, Joe.”
“I don’t.”
“No, you’ve probably seen too much of death. I was too young. I thought it would go on and on. I thought I’d live forever.”
“We all do at your age.”
“But I didn’t get a chance to grow out of it. He took that away from me.” She met his eyes. “I keep wanting to cry. I’m not usually weepy. I’ll have to get over it. That little girl, Bonnie, wasn’t sobbing and wringing her hands. There was a sort of golden serenity about her.”
“She’s had a little time to come to terms.”
She nodded jerkily. “I’ll get there.” She looked back at the house. “Go on. They’re waiting for you.”
“Are you going to just sit out here?”
She smiled. “You don’t want to be impolite and leave me by myself. That’s pretty silly, isn’t it?”
“Ridiculous.” But that’s how he felt, he realized. “But I don’t know the protocol of dealing with ghosts.”
“I won’t be here long. I know the trick now. Bonnie showed me.”
“Then I’ll say good night.” He got out of the car. “As usual, it’s been a different experience, Nancy Jo.”
“But I don’t believe you dislike it as much, do you?” She added, “You’re not afraid of me any longer?”
“I was never afraid of—Well, maybe those first few minutes.”
“But not now?” She was looking at him like a lost puppy.
“I’m not afraid, and I don’t dislike you.” He made a face. “I guess I’m getting used to you.”
“And I’m getting used to you,” she said eagerly. “That’s part of being friends. Are we friends, Joe?”
He gazed helplessly at her. He could no more reject her than he could a child in need. He said gently, “We’re friends, Nancy Jo.”
She smiled brilliantly. “Thank you.”
He turned and went up the porch steps. He glanced back when he opened the screen door.
She was gone.
