might cause someone’s essence to stick around this world. Justice is a very powerful emotion. It sometimes overrides even death.”
Maryse nodded and considered everything for a moment. “So how does the ghost pick who it will appear to?”
Sabine shook her head, a puzzled expression on her face. “I don’t think the ghost has any say. I think it’s visible to someone who’s supposed to help and that’s it. If the ghost got to pick, then it would just appear to whoever killed it and slowly drive the murderer off the deep end. It couldn’t be much fun being hounded by a ghost.”
Maryse nodded. You think?
Sabine reached across the table and placed her hand on Maryse’s. “Where is all this going, exactly? This kind of stuff is so far beyond your usual fare that you’re really starting to worry me. I mean, first you want to attend that horrible woman’s funeral, then that weird inheritance, and now this?”
Before she could change her mind, Maryse leaned forward and looked Sabine straight in the eyes. “What would you say if I told you that I’ve seen Helena Henry—walking, talking, and still very dead?”
Sabine stared at her for a moment, obviously waiting for the punch line. When one never came, she removed her hand from Maryse’s, completely drained her wineglass and sat it back on the table, her hands shaking slightly. “Helena Henry appeared to you?”
Maryse nodded and told her all about her first sighting of Helena at the funeral and her subsequent visit to her cabin, then the disastrous will reading. She left off the breaking and entering part of her day. Sabine already had enough to absorb.
“Murdered?” Sabine sat up straight as she finished her tall tale.
“That’s what she says.”
Sabine inclined her head and tapped a long, black nail on the table. “Well, if she says it’s so, it probably is. I mean, what would be the point of lying now? Besides, if she’s still hanging around, then there’s obviously a problem.”
“That’s great to know and all, and very unfortunate for Helena, but why do I have to be involved in this? Why me?”
Sabine gave her a small smile. “Hardly seems fair, right? The most horrible human being you’ve encountered in your entire life, and now she shows up after death. What are the odds?”
“I don’t even want to know. I just want to get rid of her.”
Sabine turned her palms up and shrugged. “I don’t think you can get rid of her until you figure out who killed her. It sounds like that’s the problem.”
“But I don’t care who killed her.”
Sabine shook her head and gave her a sad look. “That’s not true, and you know it. You’re the fairest person I know. Don’t tell me it doesn’t bother you that Helena was murdered. I’m not buying it.”
“Unbelievable. I barely tolerate the living and now I have to be associated with the dead?” Maryse sighed and slumped back in her chair. “Okay, so maybe the fact that she was murdered bothers me…a little. But what am I supposed to do about it? I’m not the police. I’m a botanist. Studying plants does not exactly equip one to solve a murder.”
“I don’t think you were selected because of your crime-solving skills,” Sabine said, her expression thoughtful.
“Then why would the forces of the universe select me at all?”
“I don’t know. But you must be tied into everything. Maybe it’s something to do with the game preserve.”
Maryse groaned. “Are you sure?” This just kept sounding worse.
“I don’t see any other explanation. Maybe the next time you see Helena, you ought to ask her.”
“Yeah, right, like she’s been forthcoming so far,” Maryse said. “Besides, Helena was as shocked as I was that I could see her. I’m sure of that. So if she’s visible to me for a reason, why didn’t she say so?”
Sabine narrowed her eyes. “Helena may not have expected your ability to see her, but she knows good and well what she’s gotten you into. There’s something she’s not
Maryse nodded and considered everything for a moment. “So how does the ghost pick who it will appear to?”
Sabine shook her head, a puzzled expression on her face. “I don’t think the ghost has any say. I think it’s visible to someone who’s supposed to help and that’s it. If the ghost got to pick, then it would just appear to whoever killed it and slowly drive the murderer off the deep end. It couldn’t be much fun being hounded by a ghost.”
Maryse nodded. You think?
Sabine reached across the table and placed her hand on Maryse’s. “Where is all this going, exactly? This kind of stuff is so far beyond your usual fare that you’re really starting to worry me. I mean, first you want to attend that horrible woman’s funeral, then that weird inheritance, and now this?”
Before she could change her mind, Maryse leaned forward and looked Sabine straight in the eyes. “What would you say if I told you that I’ve seen Helena Henry—walking, talking, and still very dead?”
Sabine stared at her for a moment, obviously waiting for the punch line. When one never came, she removed her hand from Maryse’s, completely drained her wineglass and sat it back on the table, her hands shaking slightly. “Helena Henry appeared to you?”
Maryse nodded and told her all about her first sighting of Helena at the funeral and her subsequent visit to her cabin, then the disastrous will reading. She left off the breaking and entering part of her day. Sabine already had enough to absorb.
“Murdered?” Sabine sat up straight as she finished her tall tale.
“That’s what she says.”
Sabine inclined her head and tapped a long, black nail on the table. “Well, if she says it’s so, it probably is. I mean, what would be the point of lying now? Besides, if she’s still hanging around, then there’s obviously a problem.”
“That’s great to know and all, and very unfortunate for Helena, but why do I have to be involved in this? Why me?”
Sabine gave her a small smile. “Hardly seems fair, right? The most horrible human being you’ve encountered in your entire life, and now she shows up after death. What are the odds?”
“I don’t even want to know. I just want to get rid of her.”
Sabine turned her palms up and shrugged. “I don’t think you can get rid of her until you figure out who killed her. It sounds like that’s the problem.”
“But I don’t care who killed her.”
Sabine shook her head and gave her a sad look. “That’s not true, and you know it. You’re the fairest person I know. Don’t tell me it doesn’t bother you that Helena was murdered. I’m not buying it.”
“Unbelievable. I barely tolerate the living and now I have to be associated with the dead?” Maryse sighed and slumped back in her chair. “Okay, so maybe the fact that she was murdered bothers me…a little. But what am I supposed to do about it? I’m not the police. I’m a botanist. Studying plants does not exactly equip one to solve a murder.”
“I don’t think you were selected because of your crime-solving skills,” Sabine said, her expression thoughtful.
“Then why would the forces of the universe select me at all?”
“I don’t know. But you must be tied into everything. Maybe it’s something to do with the game preserve.”
Maryse groaned. “Are you sure?” This just kept sounding worse.
“I don’t see any other explanation. Maybe the next time you see Helena, you ought to ask her.”
“Yeah, right, like she’s been forthcoming so far,” Maryse said. “Besides, Helena was as shocked as I was that I could see her. I’m sure of that. So if she’s visible to me for a reason, why didn’t she say so?”
Sabine narrowed her eyes. “Helena may not have expected your ability to see her, but she knows good and well what she’s gotten you into. There’s something she’s not
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