Dead People by Edie Ramer Page A

she said, the words babbling out of her mouth even though no one had ever accused her being a babbler and she should leave in a dignified silence. “I knew she might be listening to us talking about her. She’s so deep into denial, she doesn’t want to admit she went before her time.”
    Isabel could be listening right now, but the damage was done already. She’d won, they were leaving. Isabel should be happy.
    “You still believe she was murdered.”
    She stopped at the counter. “Like a kid believes in Santa.”
    “I never believed in Santa. What are you going to do about it?”
    “Nothing.” She grabbed her purse from the counter. “My name isn’t Nancy Drew, and you no longer require my services. If you want to find out who the killer is, you handle it.”
    “I’m not one of the Hardy boys either. And I’m leaving too.”
    She crossed to the stools by the kitchen counter, and he curved his hand over her shoulder.
    “Take the back door. I don’t trust Isabel not to harm you.”
    She glanced over her shoulder at him. “Then you shouldn’t stay here by yourself.”
    “She won’t hurt me.”
    “Because you’re so strong and masculine?”
    “Maybe I am.” He lowered his voice, a crooning sound, and his eyes darkened.
    She stepped away from him. Otherwise she would’ve been tempted to slug him. She grabbed a sweater off the kitchen chair and strode toward the back door.
    He followed her outside. Not like a puppy following her. Like a wolf stalking her.
    The sun’s rays hit the blue waters of the lake, picking up white sparkles that blinded her. She squinted and glanced behind her. Sparkles still dancing in her eyes, she saw him as if he were an image in a Disney movie. Any second Tinker Bell would land on his shoulder and a deer would nuzzle his shoe.
    “I don’t need you to walk me to my car. Goodbye, Luke.”
    Without another word, she walked away. This time he didn’t follow her.
    It was over.

 
    Chapter Ten
     
    “Help me, help me. I don’t know why I’m here.”
    Cassie neared the old iron-gated cemetery on the side of the highway, the voices coming through her window, open an inch. Her hands shook and she clenched the steering wheel. She didn’t want to stop, but their pleas pulled at her heart. The confusion, the heartache, the tears. Unbearable, haunting her heart.
    They needed her.
    “Close the goddamn window.”
    Cassie jumped and looked at Joe sitting in the seat next to her, as if he’d been there all along.
    Which he hadn’t.
    “Jesus, they’re loud today.” He gave the cemetery a look of disdain.
    He didn’t deserve it, but Cassie pressed the button to roll up the windows. “Where were you?”
    His head swiveled toward her, his eyebrows raised, his forehead puckered. Then his brows slashed together. “Something happened while I was gone. What?”
    “I was attacked,” she said, making her voice casual as she drove past the cemetery.
    “That bastard. I’ll—”
    “Not Luke.” She chuckled but it came out as small choking sounds, a breath away from turning into sobs, and she stopped. “The ghost. Isabel.”
    “What?” His voice raised. “We never attack people.”
    “Not true. Remember that psycho in Florida, the millionaire’s nephew supposedly mauled to death by a pet tiger?”
    “The one whose sister really killed him.” Joe’s chest puffed up. “I solved that case.”
    “Yes, you did.” Dead for more than half a century, and he still needed his ego stroked. “If I’d been his sister, I would’ve killed him earlier.”
    “I would’ve loaned you my gun. But it wasn’t you he attacked, it was his own relatives. The whole family is loony tunes. And at least you got rid of him. Why did Isabel blow up?”
    “My guess is she overheard me telling Luke someone killed her, and the shock made her crazy. She threw a few things around. It was more of a tantrum than anything else.”
    He made a derisive noise. “Newbies.”
    “She’s been a ghost for three