The Widow's Walk by Robert Barclay Page A

“if I’d known there were gonna be this many freeloaders, I would’ve charged admission.”
    â€œI guess you’ll just have to chalk it up to the cost of doing business,” Garrett answered.
    Jay turned and watched Trent eagerly munch a cinnamon doughnut. “So what brings you here today?” he asked.
    Before answering, Trent swallowed hard. “I’m here on the boss’s orders. I think he wants the benefit of my highly valuable input.”
    â€œGreat,” Jay said. “Another intellectual running around, making suggestions . . .”
    Garrett beckoned Trent over to the aluminum table and showed him the floor plans. Like Jay had done with Garrett, he began telling Trent how the restoration was to be done. For the first time, Trent began to take an interest in Seaside, and he asked Jay a couple of salient questions.
    Moments later, Garrett detected an unusual scent. It seemed familiar, but at first he could not place it. Then he realized that it was the same light, pretty fragrance that he had sensed last night while sitting with Constance on the veranda. His heart racing, he glanced about the parlor, but still saw no evidence of her.
    And then, as if on silent cats’ feet, Constance walked into the room. She came to stand directly behind Jay then turned and looked straight at Garrett. She was dressed in the same clothes as last night and there were dark circles under her eyes, lending the impression that she had not slept. Just as Garrett was about to speak to her, she quickly placed her index finger on her lips. Understanding, he relented.
    His mind racing, Garrett watched with rapt fascination as Constance silently stepped in front of the table then looked directly at Jay and Trent. To Garrett’s astonishment, neither they nor the other workmen took any notice of her. As Constance next looked at Garrett, he saw the beginnings of a mischievous smile cross her face.
    Constance then stepped closer to Jay and she put her lips near his right ear. She blew lightly into Jay’s ear and backed away. Jay quickly frowned, scratched his ear, and looked around. Then Constance stepped closer and repeated the gesture, this time more strongly. Jay’s response was also more pronounced as he scratched his ear again, and then took a full step backward before glancing around once more.
    â€œDammit,” he said, “there must be some houseflies in here. Freaking nuisances . . .”
    Now Garrett was even more stunned. Even so, Constance had yet to prove her claims to his satisfaction. Sensing Garrett’s continued skepticism, she moved to face Trent directly. She then gave Garrett another look, followed by a quick wink.
    To Garrett’s continued astonishment, Constance began making a series of bizarre faces at Trent, sometimes coming to within an inch of being nose to nose with him. She stuck out her tongue, pulled on her ears, and then finally made a threatening scowl, none of which Trent acknowledged in the slightest. Because Garrett could imagine no possible way that Constance and Trent might have met, he found this last gesture of hers to be the most compelling so far.
    My God! Garrett thought. For everyone else in the room, it’s as if she doesn’t exist . . . What in hell is going on? Could this woman actually be telling the truth? And if so, what would cause such a thing? And how is it that I see and hear her when no one else can?
    Wishing to also prove her command over the physical things of this world, Constance then walked around to the opposite side of the table and placed her lips down near one of Jay’s pencils. She took a deep breath and blew it straight across the table, where it rolled off the edge and onto the floor. Grumbling again, Jay picked it up then mumbled something about the morning breeze.
    Garrett then watched as she strode over to the far wall. Taking a deep breath, she let go a piecing scream that would have