Mom forever. She’ll find out soon enough. She may have already plucked it from my mind. Who knows with her.”
“You’re right.” He hung his head. “I’m having a tough time with this. I feel so … guilty.”
My heart sped up. “About what?”
“Vicki’s death. If I hadn’t left her alone, maybe I could have saved her.”
Survivor’s guilt, I thought.
“Or maybe you’d be dead, too.” I tried to be supportive and say the right thing, while inside I was wondering if hewas telling the truth. I couldn’t believe I was thinking like this about my brother.
I gazed up at a moth fluttering against the bright porch light. Then an idea took form. My energy returned as adrenaline kicked in.
Perry stood up slowly. “Anyway, I’m sorry for scaring you. I’m heading upstairs to bed.”
“Wait,” I said, grabbing his arm. “You can make it up to me.”
“How?”
“Come with me to the King’s Courtyard, to Victoria’s room, and try to contact her.”
He blanched.
“She might be able to tell you who killed her and then this nightmare will be over.”
Perry agreed, under duress, to come with me. We got to King’s Courtyard just before midnight.
“By the way,” Perry asked as he drove, “how are you planning on getting into her room?”
I smirked. “I have my ways.”
We pulled up to the main office. I told Perry to wait in the car. I hoped that creepy guy was behind the desk. He was, and he recognized me as I walked in, the bell jingling as the door closed behind me.
“What can I do for you?” he asked nervously.
My hopes were that he assumed I was with the cops sinceI’d been at the crime scene with Gabriel. If so, this would be easier than I thought. I wouldn’t even have to bat my eyes or flip my hair.
“I need the key to the room again.”
He hesitated, as if it suddenly occurred to him that I might not have the right to be there.
I added, “Gotta get this scene squared away so you can finally have your room back.” I flashed a smile, hoping he couldn’t sense how nervous I was. I added, “Like you said, those murder groupies will pay you big bucks to stay in there.”
He perked up at that, and moments later I held the key to room 108 in my hand. I returned to the car where Perry was sweating in the driver’s seat.
“Did you get it?”
I dangled the key in front of him. “Never doubt your sister.”
We pulled into a spot a few doors down from Victoria’s room and made sure no one was watching as we snuck up to the room and let ourselves in. I bounced from foot to foot, feeling like I’d had three cups of coffee.
“I don’t like this,” Perry whispered as I shut the door behind us. He reached for the light switch and I grabbed his hand.
“What?” he asked.
“If we don’t want to arouse suspicion, it’s best to leave the lights off.”
“But, it’s dark in here. And, you know, the ghost.”
“How old are you, eight? There’s enough light comingthrough the blinds. And since when are you afraid of ghosts? You talk to them for a living!”
“Yeah,” he said. “Little old ladies who died of geriatric diseases contact me to tell their grandchildren about the money hidden in their knitting baskets. Not murdered girls who I’ve, you know, slept with!”
“There’s a first time for everything.” I pushed his shoulders down, urging him to sit on the bed.
He jumped up. “Clare! Not there! That’s where she was killed!”
“Shh. Keep your voice down. Fine.” I pointed toward the chair in the corner. “Sit there. Just focus and let’s do this thing before we get caught in here.”
He slumped into the chair and closed his eyes. I’d seen this look on his face a thousand times. Chin to chest. Long, slow breaths. No sound, no movement. He needed complete silence for the deep concentration that was required for his gift to work.
I gazed around the darkened room at the shadows. A chill passed over me, and I rubbed my shoulders. Once again, I was glad
“You’re right.” He hung his head. “I’m having a tough time with this. I feel so … guilty.”
My heart sped up. “About what?”
“Vicki’s death. If I hadn’t left her alone, maybe I could have saved her.”
Survivor’s guilt, I thought.
“Or maybe you’d be dead, too.” I tried to be supportive and say the right thing, while inside I was wondering if hewas telling the truth. I couldn’t believe I was thinking like this about my brother.
I gazed up at a moth fluttering against the bright porch light. Then an idea took form. My energy returned as adrenaline kicked in.
Perry stood up slowly. “Anyway, I’m sorry for scaring you. I’m heading upstairs to bed.”
“Wait,” I said, grabbing his arm. “You can make it up to me.”
“How?”
“Come with me to the King’s Courtyard, to Victoria’s room, and try to contact her.”
He blanched.
“She might be able to tell you who killed her and then this nightmare will be over.”
Perry agreed, under duress, to come with me. We got to King’s Courtyard just before midnight.
“By the way,” Perry asked as he drove, “how are you planning on getting into her room?”
I smirked. “I have my ways.”
We pulled up to the main office. I told Perry to wait in the car. I hoped that creepy guy was behind the desk. He was, and he recognized me as I walked in, the bell jingling as the door closed behind me.
“What can I do for you?” he asked nervously.
My hopes were that he assumed I was with the cops sinceI’d been at the crime scene with Gabriel. If so, this would be easier than I thought. I wouldn’t even have to bat my eyes or flip my hair.
“I need the key to the room again.”
He hesitated, as if it suddenly occurred to him that I might not have the right to be there.
I added, “Gotta get this scene squared away so you can finally have your room back.” I flashed a smile, hoping he couldn’t sense how nervous I was. I added, “Like you said, those murder groupies will pay you big bucks to stay in there.”
He perked up at that, and moments later I held the key to room 108 in my hand. I returned to the car where Perry was sweating in the driver’s seat.
“Did you get it?”
I dangled the key in front of him. “Never doubt your sister.”
We pulled into a spot a few doors down from Victoria’s room and made sure no one was watching as we snuck up to the room and let ourselves in. I bounced from foot to foot, feeling like I’d had three cups of coffee.
“I don’t like this,” Perry whispered as I shut the door behind us. He reached for the light switch and I grabbed his hand.
“What?” he asked.
“If we don’t want to arouse suspicion, it’s best to leave the lights off.”
“But, it’s dark in here. And, you know, the ghost.”
“How old are you, eight? There’s enough light comingthrough the blinds. And since when are you afraid of ghosts? You talk to them for a living!”
“Yeah,” he said. “Little old ladies who died of geriatric diseases contact me to tell their grandchildren about the money hidden in their knitting baskets. Not murdered girls who I’ve, you know, slept with!”
“There’s a first time for everything.” I pushed his shoulders down, urging him to sit on the bed.
He jumped up. “Clare! Not there! That’s where she was killed!”
“Shh. Keep your voice down. Fine.” I pointed toward the chair in the corner. “Sit there. Just focus and let’s do this thing before we get caught in here.”
He slumped into the chair and closed his eyes. I’d seen this look on his face a thousand times. Chin to chest. Long, slow breaths. No sound, no movement. He needed complete silence for the deep concentration that was required for his gift to work.
I gazed around the darkened room at the shadows. A chill passed over me, and I rubbed my shoulders. Once again, I was glad
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