Page 77 of The Aura Answer
“Gods do not walk among mere mortals.” Evie quoted one of R&R’s games or thought she did. It sounded good anyway. “Although there are days when I think demons might. Maybe gods are quieter.”
Block snorted. Or maybe it was Jax. She was getting a little fuzzy brained.
It’s easy to buy people when you know what they want. My billionaire partner told the judge he could invest in the mall project, be one of the directors, make him important. That’s what the dupe wanted—for people to look up to him. Except there was never anything there to look at. Looks like even a dippy fashion designer understood that. He didn’t sound happy.
“Can we tell Toby about the document in the book cover?” she asked, so Jax knew what she was hearing. He stiffened to alertness but continued to hold her rather than running off to check the book, bless his heart. And she meant that for real.
Block glanced at his son, who was talking to Mrs. Walker.He’ll give it all away, the idiot. Make that lawyer fellow of yours show him how it makes more sense to put the money toward building the town, at the very least. I could have done so much more...
So much more damage... But Evie refrained from speaking her weary thought. “We’ll do what we can,” she promised. “Are you ready to move on to the next plane?”
“What?” Block looked startled, and his aura lit up again. “What plane?”
“Beyond the Veil, to the Pearly Gates, whatever.” She was just a little irritated at his obliviousness, a sure sign that she was worn down.
Or hell?the former mayor suggested.Nope, not ready. You’re stuck with me a while longer.
He vanished.
“Oh, hell,” Evie muttered, before passing out.
Twenty-Nine
Evie’s eyesrolled back in her head, and her body fell limp in Jax’s arms. He freaked.
Clasping her chilly form, fighting down panic, he shouted, “Evie, damn you,wake up!”
He’d seen her slump with exhaustion, but this... Swallowing sheer terror—she was cold, dammit!—he tried to wrap her as closely as he could, butshe didn’t stir. Evie not moving was a terrifying experience. She even twitched in her sleep.
What the hell did he do now? First-aid classes didn’t teach ghostly energy drains.
This was what he’d feared from the first—that he’d lose her to her determined pursuit of justice. He just hadn’t expected to lose her to a corrupt ghost. Clenching his molars to keep from screaming, he tested her pulse. It beat faintly.
Friends and family came running, but they were as helpless as he was. The raven squawked and flew off, presumably to report to Iddy. Evie lay unmoving.
Every damned phone up here was dead despite the backup batteries and chargers he’d provided. Evie and her ghostly friends had drained them all. Mayor Larraine flung hers at a wall and shouted over the railing for medics and an ambulance.
“Half the town will be up here in a second,” he whispered to his unconscious burden. “You’d better wake up soon if you don’t want Loretta to see you like this.”
That produced a slight stir, at least, allowing him to take a breath. She was still in there somewhere.
Fighting real fear that he might lose this precious life because he knewnothing, Jax stood, carrying Evie with him. R&R rushed to clear his path, pushing back well-meaning onlookers. They formed a phalanx down the stairs and through the crowd.
Outside, people were claiming their favorite positions along Main Street to watch the parade, unaware of the drama inside the courthouse. The school chorus sang “Up on a Housetop” to the accompaniment of the school band.
Evie snickered.
Jax nearly dropped her. He forced himself to take a deep breath before speaking. “When we marry, Evangeline Malcolm Carstairs, one of our vows will include paddling you every time you make my heart stop.”
Her lashes flickered. Reuben and Roark looked at him as if he were crazed. Gracie gave ahmphand returned inside to the art display. Iddy wasn’t in sight, but Pris and Mavis were running toward them, following the raven.
“Your mother is almost here. Sure you don’t want to recover?” If she could hear him, that ought to rate a reaction.
It did. She squirmed a little.
“She needs a battery charger,” Jax told his worried friends. He didn’t know how else to explain the inexplicable.
“Her mother ought to do it,” Reuben said wryly, watching the hurricane in a candy-cane decorated caftan flying toward them. “I’m going back to rein in Larraine before she brings in helicopters.” He took the steps two at a time.
