Page 5 of Ghost of a Chance

T he interview was going pretty good. Bri was an engaging personality and immediately Kirsty felt like they could be friends.

It had just been Bri and her mom growing up.

Bri had been forced to be independent at an early age similar to Kirsty.

But it had been Bri hustling to support the family, not her mom.

“After the commercial break we are going to get a chance to learn more about the special aspects of K.L.’s writing and how her personal experiences form the backbone of her books.”

Kirsty sat until they were given the all clear. As soon as the “Recording” sign hanging above the cameras dimmed, Bri shot her a look, her eyes twinkling.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I overheard Jasper talking to you about his book when we were backstage.”

Someone took a deep breath. Glancing to her side she saw Jasper walking toward them.

“I’m just fascinated to see you in action.

My cousin was at an event last year at the I|O Godfrey Hotel where you called a halt to the talk because you felt something.

And then you went to try to help the spirit to move on!

She had chills and said after you left, the room immediately felt more at peace. ”

Well, fuck her. Of course Bri O’Brien’s cousin was in the audience the day she had menstrual cramps and faked feeling a spirit so she could go lie down before she started moaning and crying from the pain.

“My gift isn’t always accurate.” Better to try to manage expectations. “I’ve never dealt with a spirit that was trapped in an item. It’s usually been in rooms or houses, you know?”

That was the only time she’d used it as an excuse to leave an event. She never should have faked feeling another presence in front of people. Now she was trapped. Lies were like that. One lie led to another one, and you had to commit to continuing to lie. And this one was getting away from her.

“First time for everything,” Bri said. “I’d love for you to give it a try. We’ve never had anyone like you on the show before.”

“Uh…” Like the power of speech had deserted her. This would be the perfect time to fake “feeling” a poltergeist except that wouldn’t help her out. Not now.

All of her K.L. confidence was gone. Invisible Kirsty was here and freaking the hell out.

“Will you try to talk to Jasper’s ghost?” Bri asked.

I should come clean. As the thought hit her, she glanced over at Gia who was shaking her head so hard that her Murano glass earrings were bobbling.

“Can I have a moment?”

Bri nodded as her makeup artists stepped close to do a touch-up.

Kirsty bolted to Gia. “Was that a no don’t do it or a no to my panic and me blurting out—”

Gia put her hand over Kirsty’s mouth. “That one. Go back and try. Just…use your storytelling gift and sell it.”

“Sell it?”

“I believe in you.” Gia gave her a little push toward the sofa.

Stomping heavily back to the couch she gave Jasper a glare that made him sink back as she flopped down next to him.

“I’ll do it.”

“Great.”

Jasper looked a bit pale and sheepish. Catching her eye, he sat straighter next to her on the couch holding his textbook.

Bri was having her makeup touched up. The host raised her eyebrow but stayed silent.

Based on their earlier conversation, Bri probably saw this as an opportunity to catch Kirsty’s powers at work.

“I’m so sorry. I had no idea she’d do this,” he said under his breath.

“Sure, you didn’t.”

Like she was going to believe this guy. Even if he was telling the truth, she was over him and this pushy city.

He looked like he wanted to say more, but Bri’s makeup was finished and everyone started returning to their filming spots. Instead he took her hand and squeezed it.

Surprisingly a feeling of warmth traveled up her arm. She pulled her hand away. She didn’t want to feel anything toward him but that potent cocktail of anger and regret, and she wasn’t in the mood to change that attitude.

The producer had explained earlier that this segment would be Kirsty’s last and would be about five to seven minutes. She could get through five minutes of talking to Jasper’s supposed ghost.

Clairvoyance involved awakening the third eye and seeing into the spirit world around her.

After reading a few books and watching some TV shows, Kirsty had come up with a theatrical routine to make it seem legit.

The rest was a mix of improv and telling people what they wanted to hear.

So at least she already had that in her back pocket.

“Welcome back. Before the break I hinted that we might get to see K.L.’s real talent for extrasensory perception. That’s talking to the dead. One of my staffers Jasper has been haunted for years, but I’ll let him tell the tale,” Bri said. “Jasper, tell us what happened.”

Jasper looked at the correct camera and smiled that toothy grin of his bolstered by sheer nerve.

“Well, my college roommate—um, Paul, died of a brain hemorrhage during our junior year while studying for his physics exam. After the funeral I started noticing certain things…the TV would come on and Judge Judy would be playing—”

“Love me some Judge Judy , she tells it like it is,” Bri interrupted.

The audience applauded.

“Yes, she does.” Jasper took a deep breath. “When I turned the TV off, it would come back on,” Jasper said.

“Is that all?” Bri asked. “Your ghost is a malfunctioning TV?”

Bri’s skepticism made Kirsty almost give her a high five. But she kept her hands in her lap.

“No, there are also lights going on and off in all of the apartments I’ve lived in. Usually whenever I do something that annoys Paul. And…when I try to get rid of the book, it shows up back in my apartment a few days later.”

“That sounds like a lot to deal with. Have you heard anything like this before?” Bri turned to Kirsty.

“Not per se, but it does sound like you have some unresolved feelings about Paul’s death. It’s common for spirits to haunt people that can’t let them go,” Kirsty said. “Do you feel guilty about anything surrounding his death?”

“No. I mean we had a fight before, but it wasn’t that big a deal. I know he would have forgiven me.”

Kirsty turned toward him. The spicy scent of his aftershave reminded her of being in his arms. Of that strange night that matched his totally fake story. For a moment she lost track of the question she was going to ask. Bri jumped into the silence.

“Do you have the book with you? Could you bring it out and see if you can get Paul to do something?”

Jasper flushed, the red tone washing over his cheeks and the side of his neck, and he took the book from the couch next to him. He lifted it up, presenting it to Kirsty…and nothing happened. They all stared at the book, waiting for something.

Kirsty actually felt embarrassed for him. Why did he start this if it was going to be so anticlimactic? Maybe he just wanted attention and never thought it would be televised. But he’d taken it way too far.

“I wonder if bringing Paul into the studio has forced him to move on,” Kirsty said. “Maybe he doesn’t like being in the spotlight.”

“Not everyone does,” Bri said, disappointment clear in her voice. “Well…that was—”

She broke off as the lights in the studio burst one after another down the line.

There were gasps and screams from the audience.

Kirsty felt a cold chill along the back of her neck and she rubbed her arms, looking at the book that had slipped from Jasper’s hands and was now lying open on the floor of the studio with the pages fluttering despite there being no breeze.

The cameras stopped rolling and the house lights went up.

Bri turned toward the two of them, all smiles. “Well. That was something. I mean I had no idea what we’d get from your ghost, but that was good TV, Jasper.”

* * *

Jasper was freaking out. That had been too much. Paul always had a flair for the dramatic. Such a diva. Of course he’d gone big. Even if it meant causing chaos at his job. But now at least Kirsty couldn’t say that Paul wasn’t real.

“This is what I’ve been dealing with,” he said.

“Shut up,” Kirsty said. “That was insane. Did you two set this up?”

Bri wasn’t near them, and before she could overhear and butt in, Jasper took Kirsty’s arm and led her away from the crew cleaning up the shattered lights. The debris had hit the stage and hadn’t harmed anyone in the audience.

“Definitely not. Bri will be hurt if you suggest anything like that,” Jasper warned her. “I know she has a reputation for being ratings driven, but Bri has a strong ethical code and genuinely cares about everyone.”

Kirsty’s skin looked even paler than it had before. Her hand shook as she shoved it through her hair. “I need to talk to Gia.”

She pivoted, walking away from him without another word.

Resigned, Jasper helped out by clearing the set and picking up his book. Making sure everyone was occupied he brought the closed book up to his face. “That’s enough. No more outbursts here. Got it?”

Of course there wasn’t a response. And when had Paul ever listened to Jasper. He tossed the book on the sofa and went to find Bri who was buzzing with excitement.

“That was way better than I expected. Not gonna lie, at first I thought we were going to have to cut the entire haunted book segment before it aired, but you came through. Why didn’t you mention Paul before this?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. Usually people thought he was nuts when he mentioned that he had a haunted physics book. Not that he ever talked it up. He’d only told his mom and his housemates senior year after they kicked him out for blaring music at 2:00 a.m. and playing Judge Judy every day.

His mom humored him when he’d said he thought he had a ghost. Had even sent a Halloween card for his ghost each year. He hadn’t mentioned it was Paul…not to her. There would be too many questions. He wasn’t sure she bought into the ghost but she loved him.

“It’s not something I like to talk about. I didn’t expect you to bring me on the show.”