Ghostly Liaison (17 page)

The cops bought it. Rob, not so much.

She signed the paperwork declining the medical help and once Rob explained their doctor friend would help, they didn’t argue. Of course, he didn’t tell them what kind of doctor.

As soon as they’d been cleared to leave, Rob called Kate and explained the situation. He started the truck and drove off.

What should she say to him? Maybe if he believed in ghosts, she’d have an easier time explaining her presence without sounding like a lunatic. And if he believed, she couldn’t tell him everything. It was safer for him not knowing all the details. At least until she had some concrete proof. She let the quiet settle between them while she petted the dog’s head.

After a few minutes, he broke the silence. “Can I ask you a question? I’m not trying to antagonize you. I’m just trying to understand.”

“I’ll answer anything except why I was there.”

He chuckled. “Anything?”

Hell’s bells. What had she agreed to?

He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “Have you always seen ghosts?”

Oh crap. “What are you talking about?”

“Come on. First you mention Charlie and then I find you where Nick died. You don’t have to hide it anymore.”

“How
did
you find me?”

“You left your map behind.” He held up the folded paper.

“So…you believe me now?”

“I want to. I need…I don’t know, more information I guess.”

Well, he didn’t tell her she was nuts. That was a positive. And he actually said the G-word. Maybe he was starting to believe? That thought warmed her chest and made her smile.

“To answer your question, no, I’ve not always seen ghosts. As a matter of fact, Charlie’s the….” Wait. What about the hallucination Monday? Or the hallucinations in the hospital? Was it possible they were ghosts, too?

“Charlie’s the what?”

“I was going to say Charlie was the first, but I’m beginning to think she wasn’t.”

“Is it a recent thing? This ghost-seeing?”

“I’d say. If you had asked me a month ago, I’d have told you ghosts don’t exist.”

“What changed?”

“Lots of things.” The accident. Her death. The coma. Could one of them have initiated her ability? Or was it a combination of two or three? She certainly wouldn’t get into all that with him. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around it all.”

“I want to believe. I do. It’s just….” He took a deep breath. “Does she hate me?”

She hadn’t expected that question. “Why would she hate you?”

“Because I didn’t come when she called. She was clearly depressed about Nick’s death. If I had gotten there sooner, maybe she wouldn’t have killed herself.”

He felt guilty over something he had no control over. Now that was something she could fix. “Rob, she didn’t kill herself. She was murdered.”

Rob pulled into the driveway of the animal hospital and parked in the space beside Kate’s car. Wind rustled the trees and bushes while the sky spit rain, a tease from the storm headed their way.

A storm brewed in his head, too. Someone had killed his sister? Who? Why? Ever since Bridget laid that bomb on him, he couldn’t think straight.

He killed the engine and Bridget opened her door and promptly fell. Barnaby jumped after her.

Damn, but that woman was stubborn. Couldn’t she wait until he came around the truck?

Kate scrambled out of her car. “Bridget!”

“I’m fine.”

Like hell she was. She kept saying it, but not acting like it. Rob ran around the back of the truck and found her reaching for the floorboards. Blood dribbled down her shirt as if she had reinjured her head on the trip to the ground. He picked up the gauze and handed it to her, then scooped her up before she had a chance to hurt herself again.

“I can walk. I just lost my balance.”

“Humor me, then, okay?”

She held the blood-soaked gauze to the back of her head, but her eyes glistened with unshed tears. Kate picked up the ice pack and then led the way. Even Barnaby entered without hesitation.

“Where do you want her?” he asked.

“You can put me down,” Bridget said. “I’ll sit here at the table.”

God! How could she be so cavalier when all he wanted to do was punch something? He should have insisted she go to the hospital. Clearly, something was wrong if she couldn’t even stand without falling over.

“Take her to the first room on the right.” Kate looked at Bridget. “And no arguing. That’s where my supplies are.”

Bridget mumbled something unintelligible.

Rob found the exam room and placed Bridget on the cool stainless-steel table. Barnaby settled himself on the floor, keeping watch on her. As soon as Rob let go, she scooted toward the edge.

He grabbed onto her shoulders, stopping her. “You stay here.”

“This is a table for animals. I’m not an animal. I can sit in the chair.”

“And make Kate bend over to stitch you up?”

“But it’s cold.”

He folded his arms across his chest. “Then maybe you should have gone to the hospital. I’m sure it would have been more comfortable there.”

“Why are you mad at me? What did I do?”

“You nearly got yourself killed, that’s what. Why were you out there?”

Before she had a chance to answer, or come up with a way to avoid it, Barnaby leaped up and wagged his tail. He whined and licked the air.

Rob nearly blew a circuit. “What the hell is wrong with you, boy?”

Bridget grabbed his arm. “There’s nothing wrong with him. Charlie’s here.”

Charlie? He spun around the room. “What? You can see her?”

“No. But he can. He always sees her.”

Barnaby definitely saw something or someone. A someone Rob ached to see, too. Oddly, as he approached Barnaby a strange coolness enveloped him. All those times he’d suspected the AC malfunctioned back at the house, had it been her instead?

The chill disappeared as Kate entered and sidestepped the dog. “Excuse me, fella.” She examined Bridget’s wound. “I need to wash this first. Your hair is all matted and I can’t see. Can you make it to the sinks?”

“Sure.” Bridget stared at Rob as she scooted to the edge. “You gonna let me walk?”

“I will if you can stand,” he said.

The look of determination on Bridget’s face said it all. Too bad mind over matter did not apply to damaged bodies. She slowly lowered herself to the floor and once her legs remained steady, she stuck her tongue out at him.

That one innocent maneuver lit his soul. Bridget was the only woman for him and damn, if he hadn’t almost lost her.

She shuffled to the door Kate went through, holding onto the table. Turning her head toward him, she smiled and held out her hand. “You coming?”

He offered his arm and she grabbed onto it. Though she claimed to be okay, she strode slowly and used him as a crutch. Once they’d reached the sinks, he left her holding onto the counter as he fetched a chair for her to kneel upon. Kate went to work, using the spray to wash away the blood. He’d planned on staying out of the way until Bridget held her hand out.

His hand nearly swallowed hers whole. She gave him a gentle squeeze as if to reassure him. Problem was, she was the injured party. Not him.

She kept her head to the side and smiled at him. But as soon as Kate applied the shampoo, she winced and squeezed his hand. Her eyes glistened, but his girl never cried.

Kate finished and pressed a clean towel to the site. “Hold this, okay? Let’s go back.”

Bridget released his hand and held onto the towel. As she straightened, the blood drained from her face. “Can you all leave? I think I’m going to be sick.”

No. He wanted to help. But Kate turned him around and pushed him out the door.

Once the door shut, she faced him and poked him in the chest. “Tell me what really happened and not that flimsy story you gave me about her bumping her head.”

Information he sorely sought, too, but for some reason Bridget wouldn’t share. “I can’t tell you everything, that’s for her to say, but she was attacked at a construction site.” Kate’s mouth dropped open, but he continued, “The police are pretty sure the vagrant who was squatting there did it and they left someone to watch the place.”

“Good God. Why didn’t they take her to the hospital?”

“Are you kidding me? Don’t you think I tried? She refused treatment. I stopped arguing once she agreed to see you.”

Kate proceeded to pace in the hallway. “Her mother’s gonna flip. And she’ll probably blame me.”

Or him. He was still trying to smooth things over from getting caught kissing Bridget. He could only imagine how her mother would react to this news. “Do you think Bridget will tell her?”

“No, but someone has to stay with her tonight and I can’t.”

“I can.” He extended his palm, halting an argument he was sure would come. “I’ll be a perfect gentleman. If Bridget doesn’t want to call her folks, she doesn’t have to. I can be there for her.”

“You really do care for her, don’t you?”

No more lying for him. “Yes, and I know you’re not happy about it.”

She smiled and patted his cheek. “Listen, I was wrong before. I should never have interfered. Bridget likes you.”

That notion made him all warm inside. “You think so?”

“Uh, yeah. Who comforted who in there?”

He was pretty amazed at that. Seemed as if every time his mind wandered to how he’d found her, she would squeeze his hand or smile. Kind of spooky, actually. “She could have died, Kate. I barely know her and I already know I don’t want to lose her.”

“Just make sure you don’t cage her or you will. She needs you right now, but she also needs breathing room. Something she hasn’t had in quite a while. Are you going to be okay with that?”

Whatever it took to keep her, he’d do it. But did Bridget need him? It didn’t matter. He liked having her in his life. He only hoped she felt the same about him.

* * * *

Nausea surged, causing her mouth to water. Bridget closed her eyes and breathed slowly. But as soon as Kate and Rob left the room, pain flared in her temples, announcing Charlie’s appearance. That was all it took to bring up lunch, or whatever remained in her stomach.

“Ewww. Maybe I should be happy I can’t smell. What the hell happened to you? Did you fall off your bike? You should wear a motorcycle helmet if you’re so klutzy.”

If it were only that simple. Bridget kept her voice low. “What are you doing here?”

“After that spell or whatever you put on me kept me from following you, I waited on the corner. I saw Rob drive by and followed you here.”

Bridget turned on the tap and rinsed her mouth. “Spell? What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about whatever you did to keep me from following. I kept going back to my room. Well, your room, now.”

She pulled off a paper towel and wiped her face. “I didn’t do anything. I wouldn’t know how. So, you weren’t there?”

“No. Did you find Nick? How’s he look? Is he doing okay? I mean, besides being extremely bored. I can only imagine—”

“He wasn’t there.” Bridget hated being blunt, but Charlie gave her no choice.

“What do you mean? He has to be there.”

“If he was, he never showed. I called for him. Told him that you sent me.”

“That doesn’t make sense. Why would Carl kill me if he hadn’t killed Nick, too? Maybe he didn’t actually die there. Maybe Carl killed him someplace else?”

“Ever think he didn’t become a ghost? That maybe he had the good sense to move on?”

“Hey! I would have moved on if I saw there was someplace to go.”

“Would you? Really? You seem more like the kind of person who demands retribution.”

“Nick was that way, too. He must have died someplace else.”

“Fine. Let’s say he did. You have any idea where that someplace else would be?”

“No.” Charlie floated back and forth in her pacing mode. “You never said. Did you fall off your bike on your way home?”

“No. I think there was a squatter at the building and I scared him into attacking me.”

Charlie’s eyes widened. “So there was someone else there.”

“I just said so, didn’t…I? Oh, crap.”

“You didn’t see Nick because—”

“I wasn’t alone. Damn.”

“You have to go back.”

“Oh no I don’t. Not until that guy is caught. And I’m certainly not going alone.”

Charlie pleaded, causing Bridget’s headache to flare. Only one way to shut her up and they stood on the other side of the door.

Looking over her shoulder, she called out, “I’m ready to go now. You can come back in.”

“Oh, that is so not—” Charlie misted away just as Rob and Kate entered the room.

It might not be fair to Charlie, but once Rob entered the room, the pain in the front of Bridget’s head disappeared. Now if she could only get the one in the back to leave.

Rob placed a hand on the small of her back. “Feel better?”

“Yeah, I do.” She looked over to her cousin. “Ready to stitch me up now?”

“I’ll be able to use a local, but if I remember correctly….”

“They don’t last very long on me.” Even when the dentist had shot her full of Novocain, his pain-free window of opportunity had been small. Good thing she had only needed the one cavity filled. And she’d been asleep during the removal of her wisdom teeth. “You can’t knock me out?”

“No. But they can do that at the hospital.”

“You should go anyway,” Rob said. “You could have a cracked skull.”

“I’m not going. End of discussion.” Bridget placed her right foot on the floor. Dizziness took away her equilibrium and she grabbed the counter. Maybe she
had
lost too much blood.

The hospital was not going to happen, though. Not unless she passed out. That meant no passing out.

Rob grabbed her elbow. “What do you need?”

A lift would be good. She kind of enjoyed being carried in his arms. How old-fashioned was that? “Can I lean on you?”

He placed her hand onto his arm. “Any time.”

Kate headed for the exam room and they followed, albeit slowly. The room spun around as if she’d gotten off a twirly ride. Thank God she had Rob for support, since it didn’t appear the spinning would stop until she rested. Her bed seemed to be calling her.