Page 33 of The Spirit Key
“I promise.” I crossed my fingers behind my back. Childish? Yes. But I was determined to see this through.
“And don’t think I don’t know you have your fingers crossed behind your back.”
Asshole.
IT DIDN’Ttake us long to get to the house where Burton died. As we were driving down the street, an overwhelming sadness took hold of me. I’d never known such despair, even when I was trying to drown mine in drugs and alcohol.
“He’s here somewhere.”
“How do you know?”
“I can feel his sadness.”
I put a hand on Tim’s arm, and he gasped.
“That’s him?”
“Wait, what?”
He sucked in a breath. “What could have happened to make a child so unhappy?”
“You can feel that?”
He nodded, and tears trickled down his face. “He’s lost, lonely, and his heart is broken.”
That was the feeling I got too. I had no idea what happened, but it must have been horrible.
We pulled up in front of the place, and I saw him sitting on the stairs. He was pudgy, with bright red hair, and he had his face in his hands.
“He’s crying.”
“Scotty, maybe we should—”
I snarled at him. “Should what? Leave this poor kid to suffer? Are you really that heartless?”
He chuckled and gripped my leg. “No, cranky. I was going to say maybe we should be cautious. Someone else owns the house, and I don’t want them shooting us for being on their property. Is there a way we can do this in the open lot next to the place?”
Oh. Shit, I’d done it again. “I’m sorry.”
He leaned in and kissed me. “Don’t be. If what I’m feeling is half of what you are, I know it’s tearing you up. You’re so softhearted, and that’s what made me fall for you.”
Instead of answering, I opened the car door, got out, and shut it. As I walked to the front yard of the place, Burton looked up.
“Hi, you must be Burton.”
He gasped. “You can see me?” He stood and moved slowly toward me.
“I can.”
Now that I had engaged him in conversation, I had no idea what to say.
“Can you help me? I can’t find my mom or dad anywhere. They left and never came back, and I need them to come home.”
He reached out a trembling hand, and this time I didn’t hesitate. I took it, and a jolt of electricity went through me….
I was sitting in my room, looking at the computer and crying. I scrubbed a hand over my eyes and stared at the words on the screen.
Just do it. You know you want to. My mom says they worked for her.
