Page 23 of The Grave Robber

“Him?”

Aunt Lil narrowed her eyes. “I feel like there’s more tothis story than she’s letting on.”

“But let me just say,” Halle continued, “ghosts were humansonce, too. And humans,allhumans, lie.”

Aunt Lil gasped. “Did she just call me a liar to my face?”

“No, Aunt Lil. I don’t think she’s talking to you.”

“Well?” Halle asked, tapping an impatient foot on the floor.A bare, impatient foot with ankles and calves as graceful as a swan’s neck. Sheopened her arms to our surroundings. “Do you see anything?”

“You mean like a ghost?”

Her lids slammed shut again, and her fingers curled intofists at her sides as though bracing for the worst. “Yes. Do you see him?”

Back tohimagain.

“Is he talking to you?”

“The ghost?”

“Yes, the ghost!” she said, keeping her eyes squeezed shut,her temper finally uncorking. This was the Halle I knew and loved—the one withthe hairpin trigger.

“I don’t see anyone but you.”

She opened her eyes slowly, one lid at a time, and glancedaround. A dawning registered on her face and set her jaw. “Then you’re afraud.”

“Am I?” I took a seat again. “I thought we were past thisphase.”

“Either that or, I don’t know. Maybe he’s out.”

“Out? Out where? Working the night shift at 7-Eleven?”

She whirled around. Looking for the departed? “You saidghosts are always popping in and vanishing when you least expect it. Maybe he’sin the vanished stage. Which is too bad, really.” The relief that visiblywashed over her was hard to miss. “I guess you should go then. No telling howlong he’ll be gone. Thanks for stopping by, though.” She walked to the door andheld it open, her brows raised in expectation.

“All right.” I stood and stretched but instantly regrettedit as pain shot down my side. It was worth it, though, to watch the hope gatherin her eyes and shimmer like stardust. “I’ll leave.” I paused for dramaticeffect before adding, “As soon as you tell me why you think it’s a man.”

“What?” she asked, taken aback.

“Why do you think your ghost is male?”

“Oh, that,” she hedged. “I just figured most ghosts aremale.”

“They aren’t.”

“Right. Well, I saw him once.”

One of my brows, the more sophisticated one, rose insurprise. “Did you?”

“Yes. I forgot to tell you.”

“But you don’t see ghosts.”

“True, but he’s been with me a long time. I was bound to seehim eventually, right?”

I walked over to the counter, crossed my arms over my chest,and parked a hip there, studying every expression and emotion that flickeredacross her face. “But how could you see him if you don’t normally see thedeparted?”

She let out a sound that was part frustrated sigh and partgrowl. I liked it. “How should I know? It’s just what people do. Sometimes,they see an apparition, but most of the time, they live their lives completelyoblivious to such things. Right?”

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