Page 44 of Ghost of a Chance
Apparently that was his olive branch.She smiled.“Good to know.Maybe we can make him believe that talking to us is his idea.”
“How?”
“No clue.I need some coffee.I always think better with one.”
Chewie had found a warm place near the back door where some determined sunlight was trying to make an appearance.She concentrated on making her coffee from the pod machine.
Her panic at trying to figure out that concerning voice from the night before made it easier to understand Jasper.For a moment, it had felt like she was the one being haunted.If that was what his life was like, no wonder he was so certain about the afterlife.
* * *
Obviously it would be better if he hadn’t taken Kirsty’s statement from the night before personally, but Jasper wasn’t built that way.He’d thought they were bonding, getting closer.But in the end she’d dismissed him, like so many other people in his life had before.
She clearly didn’t know him, no matter how fated their encounter seemed to be.She was essentially a stranger to him.A very pretty, slightly irritating one.But still a stranger.
He ranted to Chewie on the walk, trying to make sense of Kirsty, but the dog only moaned and whined, rubbing his muzzle on Jasper’s sweatpants in commiseration.It wasn’t the first time Chewie heard about his problems.
Finding her with the séance kit, obviously trying to figure things out, had taken him aback.She had to be as frustrated as he was at not getting results.Admittedly, it could be because of her own career and reputation…but something told him that wasn’t the case.
While she started making her coffee, he lingered in the hallway like he was back in eighth grade, awkward and unsure of every move.He’d always been semipopular but inside he never felt like he belonged.So here he was again, letting his self-doubt prevail, hanging back waiting for a sign.
Just then the TV clicked on.“Baloney!”Judge Judy exclaimed as he raced to the other room to turn on the camera that Dan had left set up.But it was too late.They’d be lucky if the footage showed anything.
Kirsty joined him a moment later, two mugs in her hands.She gave him one.“Did you get it on film?”
“Too late.I got in here after it came on.But at least you heard it too,” he said.The remote remained on the top of the television, in view of the camera, so any footage would show it wasn’t tampered with off-screen.
She nodded toward the camera.“Should we film something so you have some footage?Maybe us talking about what just happened?”
“We can do that as a voice-over.The sound quality will be crap from where we are.”
Both hands wrapped around the mug, she stared at him over the rim.“You’ve never mentioned this but… WhyJudge Judy?”
“I wish I’d asked him when he was alive,” Jasper said.There was a lot he wished he’d talked about with Paul, but honestly, at twenty it had seemed like they had a helluva lot more time.
“I bet.I wonder how he always finds theJudge Judyshow?”Kirsty asked.“I mean I know she’s on a lot, but the channels are different.”
“It’s always on YouTube TV.She has her own channel.”
“Did you think about canceling your subscription?”
Rolling his eyes, he walked over to the remote and turned the TV off.“I don’t have one and I’m sure the Airbnb owners don’t either.Thanks for the suggestion.”
“Hey, you don’t have to be sarcastic.”
“And you don’t have to act like I’m barely able to get myself out of bed in the morning,” he pointed out.
“I didn’t meant to imply anything like that.You know Sherlock Holmes always says once you eliminate the improbable—”
“Canceling the subscription isn’t improbable.”
“You’re being contrary.”
“I feel justified.”
“Why?I sort of apologized.”
“Sort of.”
