Page 65 of Dead Set on You
Lupe puts a hand to her forehead. “Híjole.”
Lupe forbids us to leave.
She plants herself at a table—one beer for her, one for Rafael—and commands Rafael tosit. “Start talking,” she says. “All of it.”
Rafael throws a glance my way.
I hang back near the bar, arms crossed, equal parts impatient and curious, trying to ignore the pulsing that’s started at the base of my head.Mostly, I hope we were right about bringing Lupe into this. Because right now? She’s slowing us down.
Rafael starts with the condensed version: the coma, the hospital, the shortened timeline, me waking up in his apartment. Nothing about The Conditions™.
“So—you’re the only one who can see her?” Lupe asks.
“Seems like it.”
“Unfortunately.”
We speak in unison. She only hears one of us. Rafael throws me a look. I smile sweetly.
“And what’s the game plan? How are you guys fixing her?” Lupe scans the room as if to pinpoint my location. She looks over Rafael’s shoulder. I’m standing behind her.
“We haven’t gotten into the weeds—” Which is funny, because that is not Rafael’s strong suit. “But … we have a name.” I groan. “Operation Ghostbuster.”
Lupe beams. “Love that!”
“We’re not calling it that,” I say, rubbing my temples. A dullthump, thump, thumpagrees.
“E’s not a fan,” he says, cradling the beer bottle, “but I think it’ll grow on her.”
“It won’t,” I deadpan.
Rafael smirks. “You underestimate my abilities.”
I look up at the ceiling.Anyone?Rafael’s answering chuckle makes me wonder if hedeservesa lifetime of Evie Pope trailing him.
“What did you try so far?” Lupe asks, placing her phone on the table.
“Abuela, for now, but we have some other ideas.” Rafael finds my eyes. “The medium.”
“Solid start, primo. But we need to thinkbigger.” Lupe swipes across her phone. “Like … that psychic who predicted the Cubs win? She owes me a reading.” She continues typing, pausing to look at Rafael. “And you remember when I dogsat for Gracie?” He nods. “Met a Reiki healer–slash–dog groomer. Haven’t used them yet, but maybe we can get them to come to the hospital. That’s what we need.”
Rafael looks the way I feel—skeptical. “Lupe—”
Lupe’s undeterred. “Chakra cleanses, moon water, salt circles, séances—and there’s something called a water rebirth.”
Rafael blinks. “A what?”
“It’s when you dunk her body in water and hope her spirit gets the hint.”
“Lovely. I probably need a good bath,” I mumble.
Rafael’s lips quirk. “Maybe that’s plan B.”
“Or Z,” I add.
“There’s this other lady on TikTok who reads past lives through teeth. Maybe there’s—”
“An exorcism?” If we’re going for crazy, then let’s go.
