Iris Johansen - Blood Game

“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.

She had learned the trick.

JANE’S CELL PHONE RANG AT TWOthirty in the morning, waking her from a deep sleep. She didn’t recognize the ID.

She did recognize the voice.

“Sorry to wake you,” Caleb said. “I couldn’t sleep.”

“And I was sleeping very well.” She got up on one elbow. “It couldn’t wait until morning?”

“Probably. But then I’d have to run the gauntlet with Eve and Quinn. I want to talk to you.”

“So talk.”

“Meet me on the porch in five minutes.”

“Why?”

“I want to see your face, your expressions. I don’t like telephones.”

“Why choose me? Why not Eve?”

“You’re more open to me. I could tell that the moment I met you.”

“You mean you think you could talk me into something.”

“No, I wouldn’t make the attempt. I pick and choose.”

“What did you do to Patty’s grandfather?”

“Meet me outside, and we’ll talk about it.”

“If you come near the porch, the police officers in that squad car will stop you.”

“I’ll drop by and have a talk with them. I’ll show them how harmless I am.”

“You’ll get your ass shot.”

“Five minutes.” He hung up.

She slowly hung up. She should stay in bed and ignore Caleb. He was a disturbing influence, and Joe was right in treating him warily.

To hell with it. She had never been afraid of disturbances. They were what made life interesting. And Caleb was a disturbance that would have a gigantic payoff if she could find a way to use him to help Eve. He was right, she was open to him, to anyone who could end this hellish situation.

Besides, she was curious. He was an enigma, and she wanted to know more about him. She threw back the covers and got out of bed. She drew on her terry robe and headed for the door. Toby was running ahead of her as she tried to move quietly through the house.

Caleb was sitting on the top step of the porch when she opened the screen door.

“Turn on the porch light. It will make the cops in the squad car feel better. And I’ll be able to see your face.” He looked at her and smiled. “It’s beautiful up here. You must love to visit. Come sit down.”

She switched on the light and glanced at the squad car. “I can’t believe they didn’t stop you. The least they could do was to call us and check.”

“I told you, they could see I was harmless.”

“Yeah, sure.” Even leaning casually against the porch rail, he looked anything but harmless. She dropped down beside him, then had to shift over as Toby squeezed between them. “Did Patty’s grandfather think you were harmless?”

“You won’t let that go. It must have upset you.”

“I don’t like puzzles. What happened with her grandfather was a puzzle.”

“And I like puzzles. It keeps the wits sharp. That’s important.”

“Patty’s grandfather,” she prompted.

He smiled. “I just talked to him. I reminded him what a wonderful granddaughter he had in Patty. I suggested he mellow out and enjoy life a little more.”