Page 31 of The Spirit Key
“Wait. What?”
Sigh.Okay, I hadn’t told him that part. So I did, and his eyes grew wider.
“See, she asked me for help too. Maybe that’s supposed to be my thing. What if I’m supposed to help them somehow?”
“Okay, let’s assume that’s right. Does that mean you’re meant to help that thing that came out of my chest?”
I recoiled at the thought. “No, him I’d never help. You didn’t see the face on the boy as that bastard killed him. The kid trusted him, actually cared for him, and for that, he died. No, most definitely not helping him.”
“Okay, so no on the nasty thing. But the kids?”
“The first person I know he killed was a teenage boy with blond hair and blue eyes. The girl from the diner? Blonde hair, blue eyes. Jeff? Blond hair, blue eyes. The… whatever he was, told me that the boy I saw him strangle was the one he enjoyed most, so it definitely wasn’t his first. What if he wasn’t his last? What if these ghosts that are coming to me now were all victims of his?”
Tim cocked his head. “Okay, let’s go with that train of thought. What about Jeff? What could you do when you were just a kid?”
I hadn’t thought of that, but the niggle in my mind said that I was on the right track. “I’m not sure.”
He quirked an eyebrow. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure, anything.”
“What are ghosts?”
I scratched my chin, trying to come up with an answer that would make sense, since even I wasn’t 100 percent certain. “They’re echoes of some sort. I believe everyone has something inside them, a part that gets set free when they die. Some call it a soul, some say it’s energy that’s released. I’m not sure what it is, but for some people it’s…. How do I say this? It’slouderthan others. If I went to a canyon and shouted, my voice would carry. If you went there and shouted, yours would be louder than mine and would carry farther because you’re bigger, stronger, and a whole lot louder.” I grinned when he stuck his tongue out at me. “That’s what I think a ghost is. It’s an echo of a person. Some, especially those who had something gruesome in their lives, are stronger and refuse to go silent. Others are soft, like whispers that vanish over time. No clue if there is alightthat they walk into, but they disappear.”
“What about my mom?”
I was wondering when he’d get around to asking. “Honestly, I don’t know. I wish I had some definitive answer, but I don’t. All I can tell you is that she told me she knew she was willing to do whatever she had to in order to protect you.”
“Protect me? From what?”
This time I gave him aduhlook.
His gaze bored into me, it was so intent.
This was what I had always wanted. Someone I could talk to, someone who wouldn’t want to put me away in a padded cell for the rest of my life or do weird experiments on me. Tim listened. When he reached out and took my hand, I felt warmth throughout.
“So why is it in me?”
I shrugged. “Ghosts tap energy. I’m guessing he came when your mom was sick and found you open and receptive.”
“He’s been there for a year or more?”
I shook my head. “I’m not sure. I’ve never really dealt with this kind of stuff before, and a lot of it is just guesswork.”
“So what do we do?”
“I have no idea. Your mom said I had to come home, so clearly she thought there was something I could do to help.”
Tim ran his hand over my chest. “Can I say something without sounding insane?”
I laughed. “I highly doubt it, but give it a try.”
He looked down at our joined hands. “What if Mom knew you could see ghosts? She was always going on about how you needed us to be there for you, to help you as much as we could. What if that’s what she meant when she said you were special?”
Holy shit.“I never thought of that.”
“Tell you the truth, neither did I until just now. It would explain a lot of things. Maybe you’re meant to help these ghosts after all.” He yawned as he stood up. “Come on. We need to get some sleep. And I want a blowjob beforehand.”
