Page 46 of Dead Serious Case 4 Professor Prometheus Plume

“Urgh.” I grip my hair in frustration. “You have to cross over into the light, Terry, that’s what spirits are supposed to do. Dusty doesn’t have time to babysit you, she’s supposed to be keeping an eye on my dad.”

“He’s fine, by the way,” Dusty adds. “He was up today and he’s managed some soup. He was taking a nap when I left, but while I was checking in on Martin, that’s how this one managed to give me the slip.”

I huff out a breath, searching for my patience. “Terry, you need to go into the light, that’s why it was sent for you at the moment of your death. All your family is on the other side waiting for you. Don’t you want to see them?”

“Not really,” Terry replies unenthusiastically. “I spent years trying to get away from them. I’m certainly not going to spend eternity having to listen to my mum whinge about my lack of ambition and poor judgement while Auntie Vi knits and complains about her corns.”

“Um, I’m pretty sure it’s not going to be like that.”

“I thought I’d stay here instead,” he says brightly.

“Here? On my romantic weekend away with my boyfriend?” I say dryly. “I don’t think so.”

“No, I mean here on earth. You guys seem like fun, and that Dave at the mortuary is hilarious. Once you get used to the way he speaks, he’s got a banging sense of humour.”

The bathroom door opens and Danny walks out, a towel wrapped around his hips.

“Hmm, Inspector Hayes, a pleasure as always.” Dusty hums in appreciation even though Danny can’t hear her.

Danny looks at me. “Did you say something?”

I sigh. “Terry is here with Dusty.”

“What?” Danny says loudly, banging his ear with the heel of his hand as if to get the water out.

“Oh my god, can you really not hear me? I thought you were joking,” I exclaim in alarm. “Have I broken you?”

“I’m sure it’s only temporary,” he shouts, seemingly unaware of his own volume level.

“What did you do to him?” Dusty cackles lasciviously. “Was it a kinky sex game gone wrong?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. My level of kinky maxed out at a can of squirty cream and a pair of handcuffs.” I roll my eyes at Dusty. “I screamed too loud in Danny’s ear.”

“My, my.” Dusty looks impressed. “It’s always a good night when your fella makes you scream so loud you rupture an eardrum or two.”

“Not like that. The shower was too cold.”

Dusty snorts. “And you think I’m a diva.”

“What are they doing here?” Danny yells. “Dusty and Terry? I thought he was supposed to go into the light?”

“That’s what I’m trying to sort out.” I blow out a resigned breath. “Okay here’s the deal, Terry. I can’t make you cross over, but if you’re going to stay, there are ground rules. Number one, boundaries. I have a life and I deserve some privacy. Just because you can appear at will doesn’t mean you should. Second, my home is off-limits unless it’s–”

“A life-or-death situation?” Terry adds helpfully.

“My entire life is a life-or-death situation. So no, that doesn’t qualify. I’m talking apocalyptic-level problem. From now on, I am instituting an office-hours-only policy, okay?”

He nods. “Okay.”

“And finally, and most importantly, youhaveto learn to control your whole electrical discharge thingy.” I kind of wave my hand in a circular motion, encompassing the whole of him as if that should be explanation enough. “You can’t just go around accidentally electrocuting people. It’s bad enough when you do it to spirits, but they at least can’t die. The rest of us aren’t so lucky. Keep it in your pants, okay?”

“Gotcha.” He winks at me and mimes shooting me with finger pistols.

“Oh god,” I mutter, closing my eyes at the thought of him on the loose.

“So I can stay?” he asks, looking to both me and Dusty for clarification.

“On a probationary basis.”