moment before replying, “I don’t know how practical that’d be with summer coming on. I mean, you know how hot those things can be. Not to mention how much attention a guy wearing a bubble vest in the middle of summer would attract.”
“Good point,” Heath said, and we all went back to trying to come up with an idea that might work. Finally, when nothing seemed to be coming to us, I said, “I think where we need to start is by identifying who or what this shadow is and what he wants with Courtney’s brother.”
Heath nodded. “We need to interview Luke.”
I sighed heavily. That troubled me. In fact, in spite of what I’d told Courtney, this case was making me extremely nervous. “I’m worried,” I confessed. “This spook attaches itself to people—not objects. If we interview Luke and showcase our psychic abilities, what’s to stop this shadow from attaching itself to one of us?”
“Isn’t that a risk we’ll have to take?” Heath replied.
I fidgeted in my chair. “I think we should be cautious, honey.” Heath eyed me curiously and I added, “It’s just that we’ve been sort of forced into too many dangerous encounters in the past year, and I’d like to think that we’ve learned something about assessing the danger fully before taking any unnecessary risks.”
“What’re you thinking, then?” Heath asked me.
“I’m thinking that maybe we should start with a conversation with Luke in a nice crowded place.”
“He could still bring the spook with him,” Gilley said.
“True,” I agreed. “But it’s unlikely, given what Courtney’s already told us about its behavior.”
“I think you two should also wear vests,” Gil said. Heath eyed him sideways and Gil added, “I’m serious, Heath. M.J.’s right, you two need to be careful with this one, because if it follows you home, we know who it’s going to fall in love with.” For emphasis Gil pointed to his chest.
Heath and I laughed. “Yeah, yeah, buddy,” Heath said. “Okay, for your sake we’ll wear the vests.”
• • •
I called Courtney from my office the next morning and reached her voice mail. I left her a message to call me back; then I went for a run without Heath, who was still back at my place sleeping. Instead of taking the trail, I meandered through the neighborhoods for a while, then made my way over to a small lake in the adjoining town of Medford, which had a nice running path along the water. I noticed a news van over by the lake, and being the curious type, I edged closer. Unfortunately, I might’ve gotten a little too close, because the female reporter helping to set up the camera called me over. Reluctantly I came to a stop in front of her, very self-conscious of the sweat on my brow and the cadence of my breathing. “Hello, there!” the reporter said with forced enthusiasm as she stuck out her hand. “I’m Kendra Knight from Boston Seven News. Would you like to be on television?”
I smiled. I’d had more than my share of cameras shoved in my face to last a good long time. “No, thanks,” I said, preparing to set off again. Kendra quickly shot in front of me and her smile got bigger and her eyes wider. She seemed a bit desperate. “Please?” she said. “There’s nobody around and I really need to send my producer an interview.”
“What’s it about?” I asked, thinking she might want to do an interview about jogging and health.
Kendra said, “Sorry. What’s your name?”
I didn’t like the fact that she was being so pushy, but I’d been raised in the South, where manners count. “M.J.,” I said, and she scribbled that into her notepad. “M. J. Holliday.”
Kendra stopped scribbling, and when she stopped scribbling, her grin seemed genuine. “Thanks, M.J. I’d really like to hear your opinion about the trial.”
I blinked. “Trial?”
She eyed me curiously, like she couldn’t believe I hadn’t heard about it. “Yes, the trial of Daniel Foster.” I blinked
“Good point,” Heath said, and we all went back to trying to come up with an idea that might work. Finally, when nothing seemed to be coming to us, I said, “I think where we need to start is by identifying who or what this shadow is and what he wants with Courtney’s brother.”
Heath nodded. “We need to interview Luke.”
I sighed heavily. That troubled me. In fact, in spite of what I’d told Courtney, this case was making me extremely nervous. “I’m worried,” I confessed. “This spook attaches itself to people—not objects. If we interview Luke and showcase our psychic abilities, what’s to stop this shadow from attaching itself to one of us?”
“Isn’t that a risk we’ll have to take?” Heath replied.
I fidgeted in my chair. “I think we should be cautious, honey.” Heath eyed me curiously and I added, “It’s just that we’ve been sort of forced into too many dangerous encounters in the past year, and I’d like to think that we’ve learned something about assessing the danger fully before taking any unnecessary risks.”
“What’re you thinking, then?” Heath asked me.
“I’m thinking that maybe we should start with a conversation with Luke in a nice crowded place.”
“He could still bring the spook with him,” Gilley said.
“True,” I agreed. “But it’s unlikely, given what Courtney’s already told us about its behavior.”
“I think you two should also wear vests,” Gil said. Heath eyed him sideways and Gil added, “I’m serious, Heath. M.J.’s right, you two need to be careful with this one, because if it follows you home, we know who it’s going to fall in love with.” For emphasis Gil pointed to his chest.
Heath and I laughed. “Yeah, yeah, buddy,” Heath said. “Okay, for your sake we’ll wear the vests.”
• • •
I called Courtney from my office the next morning and reached her voice mail. I left her a message to call me back; then I went for a run without Heath, who was still back at my place sleeping. Instead of taking the trail, I meandered through the neighborhoods for a while, then made my way over to a small lake in the adjoining town of Medford, which had a nice running path along the water. I noticed a news van over by the lake, and being the curious type, I edged closer. Unfortunately, I might’ve gotten a little too close, because the female reporter helping to set up the camera called me over. Reluctantly I came to a stop in front of her, very self-conscious of the sweat on my brow and the cadence of my breathing. “Hello, there!” the reporter said with forced enthusiasm as she stuck out her hand. “I’m Kendra Knight from Boston Seven News. Would you like to be on television?”
I smiled. I’d had more than my share of cameras shoved in my face to last a good long time. “No, thanks,” I said, preparing to set off again. Kendra quickly shot in front of me and her smile got bigger and her eyes wider. She seemed a bit desperate. “Please?” she said. “There’s nobody around and I really need to send my producer an interview.”
“What’s it about?” I asked, thinking she might want to do an interview about jogging and health.
Kendra said, “Sorry. What’s your name?”
I didn’t like the fact that she was being so pushy, but I’d been raised in the South, where manners count. “M.J.,” I said, and she scribbled that into her notepad. “M. J. Holliday.”
Kendra stopped scribbling, and when she stopped scribbling, her grin seemed genuine. “Thanks, M.J. I’d really like to hear your opinion about the trial.”
I blinked. “Trial?”
She eyed me curiously, like she couldn’t believe I hadn’t heard about it. “Yes, the trial of Daniel Foster.” I blinked
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