Edgewise by Graham Masterton Page B

that?” she demanded. “That’s Sammy! How are you doing that?”
    â€œ
Mommy’s going to be worried,
” said Shooks, and this time he spoke in Tasha’s voice. “
I think you should take us back home
.”
    â€œ
Don’t you want to come on vacation?
” he replied, and now he was talking like Jeff. In fact he sounded so much like Jeff that Lily couldn’t stop herself from turning around, to see if Jeff was standing behind her.
“Mommy won’t mind if we take a few days’ vacation. We can swim on the beach, we can go horseback riding. We can do anything you want.”
    â€œBut does Mommy know?”
asked Tasha.
    â€œI’ll call her. I promise. The trouble was, she didn’t want me to see you so the only way was to have those friends of mine sneak you out of the house.”
    â€œ
I’m cold,
” said Sammy. “
I don’t want to go on vacation. I want to go back to bed.
”
    â€œDon’t you worry. My friends are bringing a car for us. There are blankets in the back, and it’ll be warm. You can sleep on the way.”
    Lily slowly approached Shooks and said, “Jeff? Jeff, listen to me, Jeff. Where are you taking them?”
    But it was Sammy who answered. “
I don’t want to go on vacation. I want to go home.
”
    â€œJeff!” shouted Lily, taking hold of Shooks’s upraised wrists, and shaking him. “Jeff! Where are you taking them, Jeff?”
    There was a long pause. Somewhere up in the eaves of the barn an owl flapped, and gave a hollow moan that was unnervingly human. Shooks slowly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his black glittery pupils had reappeared. He looked at Lily’s hands, gripping his wrists, and he gently but firmly pried himself free.
    â€œYou heard them, then?” he asked her.
    â€œOf
course
I heard them. You spoke like Sammy and Tasha and you spoke like Jeff, too. How did you do that?”
    â€œIt’s a well-known phenomenon, Mrs. Blake. Scientists call it ‘auditory persistence.’ ”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œIt’s very simple. After we say anything, our words continue to resonate for a very long time—days, or even weeks, depending on where they were spoken, and with how much vehemence.” He tapped his forehead with his fingertip. “Anybody who has the sensitivity can pick them up. It’s a talent. I inherited it from my great-great-grandfather, on my mother’s side, who was a Mdewakanton Sioux. The Sioux call it ‘ghost talking.’ ”
    â€œSo that was actually
them
—their actual voices—Tasha and Sammy and Jeff?”
    Shooks nodded. “Absolutely. You heard them for yourself. And so far as I’m concerned, those voices prove beyond any shadow of a doubt that your ex-husband kidnapped your children and tried to have you killed.”
    â€œSo where is he now?”
    â€œIt sounds like he was planning on going someplace warm. Who knows—Mexico maybe?”
    â€œI thought you could find out.”
    â€œOh, yes. But not me personally. I don’t have the man-trailing skills for that. But I have an acquaintance who does.”
    â€œThen what are we waiting for?”
    â€œYou remember what I was saying at your sister’s house—about the price that has to be paid?”
    â€œYes. So what? I’ll pay anything.”
    â€œI know. But I have to warn you that my acquaintance may not be tempted.”
    â€œI don’t understand.”
    â€œI think you’d better meet him. Then we can see if he’s willing to help.”
    â€œAll right, then. When?”
    Lily went back home, feeling jumpy and impatient and unnerved. The house was chilly and silent. The long-case clock in the hallway had stopped, and the log fire in the living room had burned out. She went into the utility room and Sergeant was dozing in his basket. He looked up at her sadly. She could have