Page 18 of Chasing Your Ghost

“Oh my god,” Riley whispered. “That’s terrible.”

She licked her suddenly dry lips and swallowed the lump in her throat. Was it possible that the spirit she’d seen hanging around the previous day was Noah’s friend? There was no way for her to know for sure unless the ghost came back and stayed long enough for her to talk to him, but Riley knew that the ghost’s presence couldn’t be a coincidence.

“We’re all trying to stay positive, but it’s hard not to think the worst.”

Riley didn’t want to be the one to tell him the worst might have already happened, and even if she could tell him—which she couldn’t because he would never believe her—she needed to be sure before doing so. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“There’s not much any of us can do. We were part of the search parties when Asher first went missing, but we didn’t find anything. I think the best thing you can do is just be there for Noah if he wants to talk.”

“Of course,” she said, that awful feeling that gnawed at one’s stomach and infected one’s mind after hearing a horrifying story still feasting on her.

As a medium, Riley had heard many terrible stories, but she never got used to it— never grew accustomed to hearing about the barbaric and cruel things that people did to others. She could only hope it was a kidnapping and nothing worse, that the ghost from the previous day wasn’t Asher. But she, of all people, knew how often a missing person case became a murder, especially if it had been more than a week since the victim had disappeared.

“I’m going to get to work,” Hugh said once the silence had grown too heavy. “Need anything before I get started?”

“Is it okay if I make some eggs or something?” Riley asked.

“Of course.”

“And is it okay if I swim once I’m done?”

She needed a distraction from her dark thoughts and an escape from the grief weighing heavily on her. She knew if she stayed in her room, with nothing but her books, the memories of her dad, and her worries about who the ghost was to keep her occupied, she would never want to leave her bed and the numbing comfort it offered her. She knew all too well how easy it was for grief to grab onto you like a leech draining you of life until things like showering, eating, and getting off the couch for any reason whatsoever became near-impossible tasks.

“You don’t need to ask,” Hugh told her. “This is your home now too.”

“Right,” she replied, the word heavy with skepticism.

He sighed, his tropical blue eyes sad. “I know it might not feel like it yet, but this is your place as much as ours. If you want to watch tv in the living room, go ahead. If you want to swim, swim. If you want to use the kitchen, cook up a storm.”

“What if I want to turn the pool house into a laboratory where I work with highly-explosive chemicals?” Riley asked.

“That, I’m afraid, is not on the table,” Hugh replied with a chuckle. “But if you want to experiment with chemicals that aren’t explosive, go right ahead.”

Riley couldn’t help but smile fondly at her stepdad. “Oh, I will,” she replied after eating the last bite of her crackling Rice Krispies. She stood from the table and picked up her dirty dishes.

“I assume you’re joking, but if you need any beakers or a Bunsen burner or a lab coat, let me know and I’ll drive you to the shops.”

Riley laughed as she packed her bowl and spoon into the dishwasher. “I’ll start making a list.”

“Make sure to add safety goggles to it.”

“You got it,” she said, adding a salute for emphasis. “Good luck with your bookcase.”

“Thanks,” Hugh replied, opening the door to the garage. “There should be a few swimming towels in the closet in the pool house if you need one, and you can find frying pans and all that in the drawer under the stove.”

“Great. Thanks, Hugh,” Riley called out before he closed the door.

She found everything she needed easily, but unused to the gas stove, she nearly burnt her scrambled eggs. Still, they were edible, especially after she scattered some grated cheese over them. Unfortunately, after cleaning up the dishes she’d used, Riley’s mind was still stuck on Noah’s friend and what might have happened to him. She was more than ready for a distraction.

If possible, the outside air was even hotter as she walked back to the pool house, making her plan to swim even more appealing. After brushing her teeth and slathering on an obscene amount of sunscreen, she changed into the only swimsuit she owned— a black one-piece that had a high neck in the front, but that scooped low in the back.

Grabbing a towel from the closet and her sunglasses from her backpack, Riley returned to the outside land of sunshine, humidity, and sparkling pools. Her plan had been to lie on a pool lounger and attempt to tan for at least ten minutes, but after what could have been only one or two, she couldn’t wait any longer.

Riley didn’t bother walking into the pool via the steps. Her skin blazing hot and covered in a thin layer of sweat, she jumped right in, staying under for as long as she could to revel in the cool water.

Finally, she emerged from under the surface and smiled when she saw Noah standing in swimming trunks at the edge of the pool.

“Hey,” she said, not quite as confidently as she’d greeted him when he’d walked into the house earlier.

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