Page 43 of Ghostlighted
“What is it?” When Avi spoke from behind me, I stumbled back a step. I’d worried about Avi’s reaction to the scarecrow when I thought it was modeled on Carson. Seeing Carson in the flesh? I wouldn’t subject him to that kind of trauma.
I turned to face him. “I think you should go back to the house.”
“Why?”
“Um… because?”
Avi rolled his eyes. “You’re a ghostwriter, Maz. Surely you can manufacture a more convincing reason than that.”
“That’s different.” I waggled my fingers. “Words flow better through my hands than out of my mouth.” I leaned backward until I could see the street and, sure enough, the driver’s door opened and a blond head emerged. I ducked back. “I really think you should go back inside.”
“I know I don’t have much agency these days, but we’re friends, and you’re clearly unnerved by something. If I can help, I will. Whatever it is?—”
“It’s Carson,” I blurted.
Even though Avi’s skin was semi-transparent, I swore he paled. “Carson’s here? How?”
“I don’t know. But his car just pulled up in front of my house. I’ll go see what he wants, but I don’t want you to have to face him.”
Avi’s jaw tightened and his expression morphed into positively murderous. “Are you kidding? Maybe all I need to channel my poltergeist powers is a chance at that guy’s face.” He brushed past me, his stride longer than I’d ever seen.
“Avi. Wait.”
Much to my shock, he did. He froze just beyond Sofia’s porch, and the tension in his shoulders seemed to drain away. He turned and beckoned to me. “Come here, Maz.”
“What?” I croaked. “Why? I don’t want to see that guy either.”
“It’s not Carson. Take a look.”
I peered around the corner at the man standing at the Porsche’s rear bumper, fussing with something in his hand that I couldn’t quite make out.
“Is that?—”
“Yes,” Avi said. “Once again, you’ve mistaken Liam for his evil twin, although this version is full of hot air instead of straw.”
“For Pete’s sake,” I grumbled. “What’s he doing with Carson’s car?”
Avi squinted at Liam. “I don’t think?—”
“I hope he hasn’t talked Sofia into buying it for him.”
“That sounds like the kind of thing he would do, but?—”
“Fine. I suppose I should meet him for Sofia’s sake, anyway.” I glanced down at my T-shirt. “I’ll probably make just as good an impression on him as I did on Carson.”
Nevertheless, I squared my shoulders and marched around the porch. Yeah, there was no doubt this man was thescarecrow’s original source model. Hair, clothes, and, yes, the precise face shape. Ricky’s cousin hadskills.
Liam must have noticed my approach, because he looked up at me and his eyes widened. He stumbled back a step. “Don’t come any closer. Stay back or I’ll call the police.”
Crap. I should probably slow my roll. I stopped and raised my hands, palms out, the gesture all too reminiscent of my first meeting with Carson. The threats of police involvement were the same too, but Carson had been all bravado and aggressive confidence. Liam just looked terrified.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to frighten you. I’m Maz.”
To Liam’s credit, he recovered his composure quickly. He tugged at the collar of his ice-blue button-down and managed to look down his nose at me, his mouth pinched with obvious disdain. “You should move along. We aren’t looking to hire anybody for yard maintenance.”
“Oh, this is going to go well,” Avi murmured. “He’s never going to forgive you for seeing his fear.”
“You’re not helping,” I murmured out of the corner of my mouth.
