Page 70 of Ghost Walk
Several people nodded in agreement.
Jamie ignored the Ghost Walk’s outraged (and kinda justified) murmurings. “You weren’t one of the killer’s targets before now, love. If you return to 1789, you could well become a victim yourself.”
“You’re being paranoid.”
“You’re being naive.” He shot back. “You said yourself I danced with all the girls he killed. For all we know, that madman selects women I’ve showed an interest in.”
“Exceptyousaidyourself that you danced with other girls, who the killer left alone. You’re making assumptions.”
Jamie ignored her analysis. “There isno oneI’ve a greater interest in than you. Not in this time or any other. Half the town heard me saying I planned to marry you, for Christ’s sake! He already knows you’re mine.” How did she not understand the danger? “If I’m right, he’ll come afteryounext, Grace.”
“If he does, it will be the perfect opportunity to catch him. If it’s Edward Hunnicutt, we can…”
Jamie’s precarious temper detonated. “We’re not going to use you as bait for a killer!” He bellowed. “Do you think I’d take such a risk foranything? Are you out of your bloody damn mind!?”
“I’ll do whatever it takes to solve this case, no matter how loud you shout!” Grace bellowed back. “Now keep quiet and let me work.” She pointedly turned back to her baffled tour group, half of whom were busily lodging complaints about her on their phones. “This statue is of Patrick Henry, first Governor of Virginia. His home was built here in town,” she pointed towards the mansion, “where lavish parties were…”
“It says on the plaque that the statue is of Gregory Maxwell.” Tube socks interjected. “Ninthgovernor of Virginia.”
“What?” Grace asked in confusion, surprised out of her rehearsed spiel.
“Gregory fucking Maxwellbecame governor!” Jamie yelled at the same time. If he had a new memory of that, he’d thankfully blocked it out.
Both of them turned to look at the bronze statue of a man on horseback. Sure enough, the plaque beneath it read: “General Gregory Maxwell, Ninth Governor of Virginia. Favorite Son of Harrisonburg, who singlehandedly defeated the British in the Battle of Yorktown and won Americans their freedom.”
“‘Singlehandedly defeated the British?!’” Jamie threw his hands up in disgust. “He ran off at the first sign of muskets!”
“GeneralGregory Maxwell?” Grace whispered fiercely. “He wasn’t a general in the last timeline, was he?”
“Of course not! And he wasn’t one inthistimeline, either. I guarantee it. The man was nothing but an idiot and aliar. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I’d just as soon erect a monument to King George himself.” Jamie was appalled to the depths of his being. “Who would do such a bloody awful thing?”
“Wedid this.” Her amazed eyes stayed on the huge bronze sculpture. “We changed history. We have no idea what kind of chain reaction our actions caused. Something we did must help Gregory Maxwell become governor.”
“And still you want to go back and altermore?” Jamie scoffed. “Now I have to look at his stupid, deceitful face up there for the rest of eternity. Maxwell’s cowardice killed a dozen of our own troops and they’re calling him a hero! It’s a damn nightmare.”
“You heard Aunt Serenity. Whatever we changed wassupposedto change. That’s why I have this ability. To fix what went wrong.”
“Gregory Maxwell was neversupposedto be governor. I promise you that. The man was the biggest simpleton in the Colonies. He couldn’t count to three if you spotted him one and two. …And three!”
Before Grace could respond to that, her harridan boss, Anita, came speeding up in one of Harrisonburg’s security golf carts. The ones that were only used for extreme emergencies, like shoplifting from the gift shop, lost children after a parade, and tour guides running amuck.
Jamie groaned. As if the night wasn’t bad enough. “Oh here we fucking go…”
“What seems to be the problem?” Anita demanded, all but leaping from the small cart and surveying the unhappy faces of the guests. To get there so quickly, she must have been poised to spring into action. Her shellacked hair didn’t move as her head whipped around to face Grace. “I’ve have complaints about this Ghost Walk.” She intoned in a voice that a doctor might use to announce that plague had come to town.
The blonde woman in the Lakers hat nodded smugly.
“Now’s not a good time, Anita.” Grace told her distractedly, still frowning up at the statue. “Jamie, we’re not just saving the murder victims, we’re enabling all theirdescendants to be born and changing the lives of everyone who knew them. Do you have any idea the incredible repercussions it could have to…?”
“Not a good time?” Anita sputtered. “You’re ruining this Ghost Walk for our customers. Now is theonlytime!”
“She is --like-- the worst guideever.” Lakers Hat announced and half the tour nodded. “Like, her ‘ghost stories’ are all plagiarized from last season onHaunted High.”
The woman was technically right, but Jamie still shot her a glower.
“Plus, she keeps talking to herself.” Tube Socks chimed in. “It’s really distracting, ‘cause I don’t think we got a pamphlet to explain the show. I knowIdidn’t get a pamphlet. Did anyone else get a pamphlet?”
No one had gotten a pamphlet.
