Page 88 of Ghost of a Chance
A small part of him was relieved that Victor had clearly mailed it back.Somehow the ghost’s powers didn’t extend to fooling the postal service.
Before this went any further, he had to apologize.He put his hand on Victor’s, gently touching him for a moment.“I’m sorry.I was too in my own feelings to be a decent friend to you.The easiest thing for me was to just stop talking to anyone who knew Paul.”
“Such a douche.”Victor frowned.At least he was honest.“How’d your mom take that?”
“She hated it and came to stay at my new apartment.Just moved in until I talked to her,” he said.“You know how she is.”
“I do.She visits me a couple of times a year.We talk about the hot mess that you are,” Victor said.
“That should keep you both busy,” Jasper said, something inside of him relaxing.Victor was hurt but still willing to be friends with him.And apparently was friends with his mom—something to handle another day.
“It does.So, what’s up with the book that makes it such a big deal?”
“We think it’s haunted and may have been connected to Paul before he died,” Kirsty said.
Victor lifted both eyebrows.“This conversation might require something stronger than a cappuccino.”
* * *
Kirsty wholeheartedly agreed that something stronger might be needed.Yet as painful as it was, it seemed like it was necessary.
Jasper was different around Victor.There was clearly a bond of friendship between the two men.So much more of him made sense now.His devotion to Chewie, the way he was so laid-back most of the time.This was probably closer to who he’d been before Paul’s death.
Yet it was concerning that he continued to keep things from her.He’d avoided the topic of the science fiction project he’d been working on with Paul.She was a writer, why hadn’t he mentioned that before?
“Do you have the book?”Victor asked after their drinks arrived.
Kirsty opened up her bag and took the book out, setting it on the table between them.“It’s this one?”
“Yes.”Jasper gave Victor a hopeful look.“I mailed it because I figured that Paul wanted to get back to you.”
“Thanks, sweetie.But he’d never trap himself in that book.I mean it’s big and ugly, two things that you know he hated.”
“You’re right.But could it be tied to him?”
“Well I can’t be quite one hundred but maybe,” Victor said.“Let me see if I can pick up his vibes.”
Victor closed his eyes, sort of like when she had meditated to talk to the ghost.But he didn’t have candles or chant out loud.He just kept his hand there, his head tipping to the side as the minutes ticked by.
“I’m not sensing Paul with this book.”
Jasper shook his head.“How do you explain things likeJudge Judyalways coming on.Lately it’s been at six a.m.”
“Why would that have anything to do with Paul?He hatedJudge Judy.”
“Uh, no, he didn’t.He had it playing all the time at our apartment,” Jasper pointed out.But his voice wavered.It was clear that what they’d suspected was true.“I constantly told him to turn it off.”
“Yeah, he mentioned that.But he wasn’t watching it.He hated that show.Said people needed to be decent, you know.”
If Paul hadn’t been turning on the TV when he and Jasper were roommates…then it proved the haunted book had been with them before Paul’s death.Or maybe theJudge Judything was just a red herring.
“It would come on in the living room when Paul was working in there.”
“I don’t know about that,” Victor said, taking another sip of his cappuccino.“But he definitely didn’t like the show.
“What else does the book do?”Victor asked.
“It always comes back to me.I’ve thrown the book out more than once and it shows up back at my place.”
