Page 35 of Spark
She knew Mary Jacobsen from Grandma Elle’s Sunday dinners, because Mary was mated to Elle’s grandson Tyler, but that only made it worse.
Because if Mary laughed her out of the station, then there was no way the story wouldn’t get around, and she’d be right back to her Crazy Sophie high school days.
“Want me to go with you?” Matt asked. “Chris had to go into work early today. Something about preparing for a wedding reception at the restaurant.”
“If you wouldn’t mind, that would be great,” Sophie said, with a spurt of gratitude.
Somehow Matt always seemed to know exactly what she needed.
Then he threw her for another loop. “Speaking of Chris—did you two have a fight last night?”
He tried hard to sound casual, but she heard the strain in his voice.
All of last night’s worries instantly flooded through her.Does he know that I kissed Chris? Did Chris tell him anything?
“No,” she said. “We didn’t fight. Everything’s fine.”
Matt didn’t look convinced, so she added a little white lie, and desperately hoped that he wouldn’t call her on it.
“We just had a, um, a conversation that got a little intense, that’s all. But we’re good. Honest.” Then a thought struck her. “Did he act like he was mad at me?”
Matt shook his head. Then he sighed, and took a sip of his coffee. “Okay, I was just worried that something had happened.”
She could tell that he wasn’t happy with her answer, but at least he didn’t interrogate her further.
“I have to help my Dad fix fences in the back pastures this afternoon,” he said, and Sophie was relieved at the change of topic. “But I could take a break now and head into town with you. You game for a ghost hunt?”
* * *
Bearpaw Ridge Police Station
One hour later
“You seriously think that the ghost of Silvio Ornelas is haunting the station basement?” Mary Jacobsen asked with raised brows.
She was a tall woman somewhere in her forties, with honey-colored hair pulled back in a severe ponytail. But her expression remained friendly as she studied Sophie from behind her neat desk. Best of all, she wasn’t laughing or calling Sophie crazy.
Sophie nodded and gathered her courage, glad that Mary had closed her office door before she’d made her request. Matt didn’t say anything, but she took comfort from his big, solid presence in the other visitor’s chair.
“I found some old newspaper articles that said that he committed suicide here,” she said, launching into her pitch with determination. “And Annika told me that a lot of people think that the cell block is haunted. I, ah, think it would be an interesting story angle if I could tie together two hauntings in separate locations to a single event.”
“Hm. That would certainly explain some things,” Mary said, looking thoughtful.
“Like what?” Sophie asked. Maybe Matt had been right to suggest coming here. “Have you ever experienced anything,well, weird here?”
“Other than the feeling that someone—or something—is watching every time I go down there?” Mary shuddered. “And I’m not the only one. No one’s ever seen anything, but during overnight shifts, we’ve all heard footsteps that sound like someone pacing back and forth down there, even when the cells are all empty.”
“Sophie can see and talk to ghosts,” Matt blurted.
Mary’s dark gold brows rose in surprise, and Sophie wanted to shrink into the chair. She’d been hoping that Mary would let her visit the station basement without finding out that part.
“So, I’ve heard,” Mary said, much to Sophie’s surprise. “It's true?”
Sophie nodded warily. “I…don’t like to talk about it very much.”
Mary chuckled. “I wonder why.” She sat back in her office chair. “Okay, tell me: what does speaking with ghosts involve? Lighted candles? Burning incense? Maybe crystals?”
“Um,” Sophie said in a small voice, sure that Mary was making fun of her now. “I was just planning to go into the cell where Silvio died, and, um, ask him what happened. I’ve never tried anything like this before.”
