Page 36 of Ghostly
Marge blinked. “My husband.”
“Yes. Of course. You’re having marital issues.”
“Well, I…” Marge needlessly straightened the shawl collar of her dress. “I wouldn’t say marital issues.”
“Then why do you need me?”
“Because you’re good at these things. I read that most lawyers try to solve disputes between clients before they have to go to court, because trials are expensive. So maybe you could talk to Rex…”
“I’m not a marriage counselor. But I—” He was about to say he knew a good one, a former client of his, only he couldn’t. Not here.
“But you will help us?” Marge asked, her beady eyes hopeful.
“Look.” He used his comforting one-hand-on-the-shoulder move. “I can’t do any official services for you, I’m sorry.” A shame, too—he could use her help with finding Ida’s grave.
He hated being suspended. Couldn’t work properly, live properly, and ironically, couldn’t even take a proper vacation.
Just keep it up for another 156 days.
“All right.” Marge gave him a tiny nod of defeat. “Thought I’d ask. But no worries—”
“Wait.” Gabriel ran to the living room, grabbed his phone and returned to Marge. He scrolled to the email with the ski resort voucher. “How about this?”
Marge squinted at the screen. “Well, it is a lovely picture of the sunset in the mountains, but I don’t see how it’s going to help me.”
“The offer.” His vacation with Wynona. Gabriel ignored the invisible band that tightened around his chest and forced himself to continue. “Why don’t you and your husband take the week off? Go on vacation, relax? It’s on me.”
“But this is a very fancy ski resort.”
“And they have a fantastic sauna.” He winked. “Half an hour in there and you two will feel like newlyweds.”
Marge blushed. “I couldn’t possibly accept this.”
“Please do. It’ll only go to waste otherwise.” There’s been no word from Wynona or his bosses regarding the scandal, which must’ve meant he had to continue to lay low.
And try not to think of all the lost moments in the sauna.
“I’ll email it to you, together with a code you’ll need for the registration. Yes?”
Marge fixed the hold on her purse. “Thank you. But what about Rosalie? I can’t leave her alone.”
“Rosalie is your daughter?”
“My dog.”
“Right. Can you take her to a dog hotel? A friend?”
“There are no dog hotels nearby. Janice is allergic to dogs, and Dina’s husband hates them. I couldn’t possibly leave her in his house.” Marge sniffled. “What if Rex’s troubles are also connected to the dog? He hadn’t said anything when we got her, but you know how men are. Or what if it’s something worse? What if he’s doing cocaine, or whatever the popular thing is these days…”
Oh, no, no. He was so close to solving this. And getting a favor. “Marge.Marge.” Gabriel used a firmer version of the previous grip. “Your husband is fine. It’s only a little bump in the long road that is your marriage. You two need a break, so you can stop worrying and talk. Why…” Was he really going to say this? “Why don’t I take Rosalie for these few days? I love dogs.”
He didn’t care much about dogs—one could hardly have them in his city apartment.
“Would you? Oh, thank you, thank you!” Marge hugged him.
Gabriel glanced to the living room to make sure Ida was still outside. “May I ask for one small favor? Surely you have an archive in the library with data on the town’s past.”
This had better be worth it. And the dog had better be one of those hairless things—he wouldn’t allow it to shed all over his clothes.
