It was a little sad to think about what might compel a man to keep notes about every minute detail of his day. Adriel was still not sure she fully understood what made mortals tick at the best of times; this was totally beyond her comprehension. She mulled it over while transferring the notebooks into two of the now-empty plastic totes and slid them under the bed. The ones marked Journal on the cover she left on top, in case Pam wanted to read them later. But for now, out of sight, out of mind.
Chapter 8
The last person—if person was the proper term for a ghost—Adriel expected to hear calling her through the screen door was Lydia. A quick calculation put the woman five days in the grave; a bit late for her to still be hanging around. Just what I need, Adriel thought, another ghost with unfinished business. Didn’t anyone just cross over anymore? Lydia’s eyes widened when they met Adriel’s. This was no eight-year-old boy, too young to fully grasp the concept of an afterlife. Last time the two had spoken, Lydia had been brand-spanking dead; this time, though, she knew the score. Adriel’s nod in her direction was subtle, but she caught the hint. Nose wrinkling—fastidious even in death—Lydia stepped into the cabin on noiseless feet.
“I need to talk to you.” For the first time in the short while Adriel had known her, Lydia appeared at a disadvantage. “And I realize I was not at my best the last time we spoke.”
Head tilted, Adriel shrugged, but met Lydia’s steady gaze. “Then again,” she continued with a pointed look, “I had no idea you were an angel.”
“That’s a subject of great debate at the moment.” Adriel said wryly, and twitched her shoulders. Her missing wings sent up phantom tingles every so often.
Lydia glanced around at the dwindling pile of boxes, the shabby but clean kitchen area, and wrinkled her nose again. “This place is a bigger dump than I thought. Did you get on the wrong side of God to end up here?”
Apparently, her acid tongue had accompanied her into the afterlife, and being an angel wasn’t proof against it. Discussing her own situation with Lydia wouldn’t get Adriel any closer to finding out who had killed the woman. “Never mind that, did you see who hit you?”
A series of emotions chased across Lydia’s face until her forehead settled into frown lines, and with a twist of her lips, she said, “I’m afraid I’m not going to be much help. The last thing I remember before waking up dead was leaving my house to go for a walk.”
“You must have some idea who had the most motive to hurt you.”
“Half the town would be on that list.”
This was not news to Adriel, who had yet to run into anyone—other than Lydia’s own husband—who genuinely liked the woman.
“What happens next?” Lydia braced herself for the answer, “Shouldn’t there have been a light, or a tunnel, or something?”
“You didn’t see either of those things before? Do you see them now?” Once, she would have been able to see Lydia’s chosen path to the other side; but now, Adriel had to rely on her own perceptions. Lydia looked left, then right. A shiver ran through the earthbound angel when she saw the reflection of the rainbow bridge in the ghost’s eyes. It was like getting a tiny glimpse of home.
“I see something. It’s calling me. Am I supposed to just go?”
“Do you trust me to find justice for you?”
Lydia eyed Adriel speculatively. What she saw must have been enough to satisfy her. “Yes, I believe you won’t rest until you’ve uncovered the truth.”
“Then go.” How unfair was it that Lydia could go home, while all Adriel could do was stand here and watch her walk away, fading as she went. At the last second, Lydia turned back.
“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry about the way I treated people. There’s no excuse for the way I acted. Try not to think badly of me. I really did mean well in my own misguided way.” When the last tiny shred of her essence left this plane, it was with a flash of light that widened for a fraction of a second, then flared out.
Zack picked that moment to knock on the frame of Adriel’s open door and poke his head inside. When he got a look at the organized chaos in which she lived, his eyes widened and he gave a low whistle. “That’s a lot of stuff.” It was a vast understatement.
“Really? I hadn’t noticed.” Adriel’s arch tone triggered a quirked smile. She waved a hand to indicate he should join her. “Can I get you anything?” By now, Adriel had watched several episodes of Big Bang Theory—enough to know social convention required her to offer Zack a beverage.
“No, thanks. I’m just here to follow up on your statement. I know it’s probably dumb to ask, but is there anything else you remember about finding Lydia? Anything to add to what you’ve told me already?”
Adriel met his gaze steadily, “No, nothing, but you should know Lydia came by here for a visit. Just now.” Given Zack’s connections to the other side, he picked up on the implications immediately.
“What is this—Grand Central Spook Station?”
“Just a quick stopover on her way across the bridge to tell me she didn’t get a look at her attacker.”
“What about last night. Did you hear or see anything?”
A slow shake of her head was his answer.
Zack heaved a sigh. “Looks like I’m going to be out this way a lot over the next few weeks.”
“Will you bring Kat?”
“She wants to come. They all do. I told them I thought you needed more time. If you’re ready to see them, all I have to do is say the word and they’ll invade.”
Was she? Running away