Haunted by Kelley Armstrong Page A

It was indeed a slate, and could be erased just as easily as it had been written.
    Jolynn had never returned to Africa. She found a job, took a lover, and fell into a crowd that valued a good martini over a good deed. But, after five years, she was growing bored. When the Nix had been looking for potential partners, she’d stumbled on Jolynn and, seeing what the woman was contemplating doing to ease her boredom, the Nix had offered her help.
    Now Jolynn sat on the porch behind her apartment, mentally prattling on about what she was going to wear to the party that weekend, who she hoped would be there, and so on, the trivialities streaming from her empty head like bubbles. The Nix felt herself drifting with those bubbles, becoming weightless with weakness and tedium, fluttering—
    “Can we do it after the party?” Jolynn asked. She didn’t speak the question, just thought it, directing it at the Nix, who’d taken up residence inside her.
    The Nix roused herself with a shake. “Yes, that should give us time to plan. How do you want to kill them?”
    A pout. “I thought you were going to tell me that.”
    “I could…and I will, if you’d like, but you’ll derive more satisfaction from it if the method has some meaning to you.”
    From the mental silence, the Nix knew she was talking over Jolynn’s head…again. She bit back a snarl of frustration. Patience, she told herself. Take her hand and show her the way, and she will reward you for it.
    “We’ll work on an idea together,” the Nix said. “It might help me plan if I knew why you want to kill them. They’ve been your friends for years. Why now?”
    Jolynn brightened. “Because now you’re here to help me.”
    “No, I mean why them. What have they done to you?”
    “Done to me?”
    “Never mind,” the Nix said. “Let’s just—”
    “No, I should have a reason. It’s only right.” She squinted up at the bright sky. “Ummm, they’ve been sleeping with my man, and I’m jealous.”
    “Of course you are. That must have come as a horrible shock.”
    “Oh no, I’ve known about it for years. I don’t mind—heck, I introduced him to them.” She paused. “But it’s a good excuse, don’t you think?”
     
    Jolynn sat in her friends’ tiny kitchenette, sipping hot milk and chatting about the party. Earlier that evening, Jolynn had introduced her lover to a pretty blond nurse, and Nellie and Dot hadn’t been pleased about it. Jolynn didn’t understand the fuss. There was more than enough of Bradley and his money to go around. When Jolynn introduced him to a little tomato that he liked, more of that largesse came her way.
    Maybe that’s what Nellie and Dot were in a snit about—that they hadn’t found someone for him first. Whatever the reason, they were mad. Not mad enough to argue, but, as the Nix whispered, the situation might be useful, if things came to that. As Jolynn sipped hot milk and listened to Dot and Nellie chatter about the party, the Nix whispered ideas in her ear.
    “…not just jealousy,” the Nix said. “It has to be more than that. They’re angry because…because of something about the nurse. She has…syphilis. That’s it. They heard a rumor that she has syphilis.”
    “They did?” Jolynn nearly sloshed milk onto her lap.
    “Why didn’t they tell me? That’s horrible. If she has syphilis, she could give it to Bradley—”
    “She doesn’t have syphilis. But that’s what we’ll say, if things go wrong. Naturally, they’d be furious with you for exposing them. You tried to tell them it was just a rumor, but they accused you of being careless, thoughtless. You tried to leave, but they wouldn’t let you.”
    The Nix continued to plot. Such an imagination. She was so clever. Jolynn shivered, counting her lucky stars that the Nix had chosen her. As a child, Jolynn had always wanted an imaginary friend, but she’d never been lucky enough to find one. She’d always thought, if she did, she’d name her