A Strange There After by Missy Fleming Page B

teased
as I followed him into the house.
    Behind us, Abby giggled. “This is going to be
fun.”
    “Obviously that’s working,” Boone grumbled
before stopping and staring. “Nice crib.”
    “I’m glad you approve. So, what did you find
out?”
    He flopped down on the couch, putting his
feet up on an antique apothecary coffee table. “Nothing.”
    I waited expectantly, glancing between the
two.
    “He’s right,” Abby confirmed. “This is Invasion of the Body Snatchers territory. Science Fiction.
All we found were mentions of possessions where the possessor is
stronger and overpowers the body’s actual inhabitant, pushing them
into the background. Pretty much as we expected.”
    “You are one of a kind. Which means we’ll
have to figure this out on our own. Lucky you found me when you
did,” Boone said from the sofa.
    “Really? You’re going to be that guy?
Are you always such an ass?”
    “I hope you’re more fun as a living person,
otherwise I’m not sure this is worth the headache.”
    “Play nice, you two,” Abby warned, but I
noticed her trying not to laugh. “Let’s get back to the tree. Was
it Catherine?”
    I sighed, leaning against the fireplace
mantel. “I doubt it. There’s something else here. Two somethings,
actually. Supposedly, Catherine made a deal with an entity, a man.
I’ve gotten that much. I think he gives Catherine the power to do
what she does. But, of course, Catherine isn’t talking.” I took a
breath, making a spontaneous decision to not tell them as much
about him—not until I knew more about what he wanted. “Then,
there’s the woman. She’s crazy, at least in my opinion. She wants
to hurt me more than the man. He’s not violent. He’s been kind of
helpful, definitely the more powerful of the two, the one with
influence and answers.”
    “Slow down,” Abby pleaded. “Just repeat that
last bit, please. You keep fading in and out.”
    I obliged, taking my time and grinning when
she flashed me a thumbs up.
    “Makes sense,” Boone interjected. “A normal
ghost can’t do the things Catherine has done. This other spirit,
the male one, might be connected to another plane, drawing the
power from it and channeling it into Catherine. The million dollar
question is why?”
    “Which is what we have to find out,” Abby
said.
    “Double the fun,” Boone joked. “What ticked
it off and turned the tree homicidal?”
    “That was the female spirit. I don’t know if
she cares, and maybe it’s unrelated, but...” I glanced at Boone,
uneasy because I figured he’d think I was stupid. “Last night I
tried to get my body back. I kind of put myself in a position that
matched Catherine’s sleeping form. It worked, for a few seconds,
but I got pushed out pretty quickly.”
    “Rookie move.” Point proven.
    “At least I tried. I’m sick of sitting around
and letting my life pass me by. And I’m going to try again,
tomorrow night.”
    Boone groaned as Abby asked, “What happens
tomorrow?”
    “There’s a wrap party Jason is taking
Catherine to. She’ll be distracted, mingling and trying to impress.
It’s the perfect opportunity.”
    “I really can’t picture you and Mr. Movie
Star together.”
    I spun on Boone. “Did I ask your
opinion?”
    “No, but maybe you should.”
    “What does this have to do with anything?” I
growled.
    “It tells me a lot about your intentions,
what motivates you.”
    “Do you really think you can do it?”
    I sent Abby a grateful smile for interrupting
us, trying to shake off Boone’s remark, then remembered she
couldn’t see it.
    “I have to try, and since you guys didn’t
find much else, what do I have to lose?”
    “Um, everything?” Abby tossed out.
    “Yeah, what she says.” Boone stood and
stalked over to me. “Look, I’m not saying it’s the worst idea in
the history of man, but you need to be careful. Don’t forget about
this.”
    He reached out and grazed my neck, where the
welts from the tree branch continued