Page 31 of Ghostlighted (Ghost Townies #2)

Chapter Twenty-Four

“ S eriously? That’s great!” I started for the door. “I’ll call them back and we can?—”

“Maz. Stop. That doesn’t matter now.”

I turned back to see Avi wringing his hands. “One more person who can see you? Of course it matters. Plus, it doubles our data points. If we can figure out what differentiates us from people who can’t see you, then?—”

“Yeah, sure. Fine. Whatever.” Impatience and irritation warred with something like flat-out terror on his face. “But that’s for later. What matters now is what’s happening next door.”

“Next door? In Sofia’s house?”

“Yes, Maz. In Sofia’s house. Where I’ve been all day.”

I frowned. “There’s no need to get snarky. Er.”

“There is, if it means you’ll listen .”

I held up my palms and patted the air. “You’re right. I’m sorry. What’s going on?”

“Liam is in the house.”

“Liam? But we locked everything up. How did he get in?”

Avi gave me a flat stare. “How do you think?”

I slapped my forehead. “A key. Of course he has a key.” I’d seen his damn keychain—the gold charm had nearly embedded itself in my nose.

“He’s got his own suite upstairs. Maybe he’s finally relocated from the B & B in Richdale.

” I stalked into the kitchen and peered out the turret windows at Sofia’s house.

“Although it would have been better if he’d showed up when she was actually there ,” I muttered.

Avi, right on my heels, obviously heard me. “If that were the case, wouldn’t he be in his suite instead of Sofia’s room? Wouldn’t he be bringing luggage in instead of taking things out ?”

I gawked at him. “He’s taking things out ?”

“That’s what I just said .” Avi stamped a transparent foot, making no sound.

“Maz, Oren’s ring is there, lying right on the window ledge over the sink.

What if he sees it? What if he takes it?

He’s taking her other jewelry. Just grabbing it by the handful, not even looking at it. If he takes Oren’s ring?—”

My knees wobbled and I planted my palm on the table to steady myself. “You won’t be able to leave the house again.”

“No! If he takes Oren’s ring, it will be gone .”

“Okay. Okay.” I strode out of the kitchen, through the family room, and into the library, drumming my fingers against my leg.

When I knelt on the window seat and scanned the road, I couldn’t spot the silver Porsche anywhere.

“We’ve got to do something. But what?” I scrambled off the window seat, startling Avi, who’d been standing right behind me. “Can you get back over there?”

He nodded. “As long as he hasn’t already taken the ring away.”

“Has he taken anything out of the house yet? Anything at all?”

“No. He’s just shoving things into a suitcase he found in Sofia’s room.”

A suitcase. Her new suitcase. The one Felicia had convinced her to buy for the trip to Cambridge. I curled my fingers into my palms. “You know, I’ve never hit anybody in my life, but I really, really want to punch this guy.”

“You wouldn’t be the first,” Avi growled. “Oren hated him.”

“If we didn’t already know Oren had great taste, that would have sealed it. Can you…” Avi had a very peculiar look on his face. “What?”

“Nothing. It’s not important now.”

“No. Avi, tell me.”

He looked away and I could swear his transparent face took on a pink tinge, like the promise of sunrise. “You’ve complimented me on my writing. But that’s the first time you’ve complimented me .”

“I… What?” I rewound my remarks. Oh . “I stand by that. Oren had fantastic taste, especially in his choice of partner. Now, can you check on Liam again? Since he probably has every right to be in the house for legit purposes, we need to get proof that he’s there for sketchy reasons.”

“The stolen jewelry isn’t enough?”

“Not until he actually takes it. I didn’t see Carson’s car on the street anywhere, but?—”

“Why would Carson’s car be on the street?”

I lifted my eyebrows. “Because Liam is driving it. You saw it the other day, parked in front of the house.”

Avi shook his head. “That wasn’t Carson’s car. It had Washington plates.”

I frowned. “Are you sure?”

“Positive. I can check again, if you like. He parked in Sofia’s garage, and I can get there. I tested my maximum radius earlier today, and it’s well within access range.”

“Can you check the plate number for me? Memorize it and let me know?”

He nodded. “I should. Wait here.” He vanished.

“Crap.” I kept forgetting about Avi’s ghostly teleportation powers.

I raced into the kitchen and dug in the junk drawer for a pencil.

I found one, but no paper, so I retrieved a torn envelope from the recycling bin.

Just in time, too, because Avi popped back in, repeating the plate number over and over.

I hurriedly jotted it down. “Got it. Can you go keep an eye on him? Let me know if he’s getting ready to leave or if he’s doing other shady stuff.” I picked up the envelope. “I’m about to overstep in a big way.”

“Why? What are you going to do?”

“I’m about to activate the Vargas cousin network.” I held up my right hand. “For good, not evil, I promise.”

Avi’s smile was a little tremulous. “I’d never doubt it.” He disappeared again.

I blew out a breath, and with the plate number in hand, called the Richdale sheriff’s office. “Hello? Could I speak to Yaz, please?”

“This is Yaz.” Yaz’s voice was an indeterminate timbre—high tenor? Low alto? Not that it mattered.

“Yaz, my name is Maz Amani.”

“Oh.” Their voice warmed. “Ricky’s friend.”

“Yes.” I had to clear my throat because if the cousin network knew about me, that meant that Ricky—or someone else in the massive clan—had talked about me. “I’m about to ask for something that might be a little, well, illegal?”

“You realize you’re speaking to the sheriff’s office, right?” Their careful tone didn’t contain a hint of sarcasm.

“I know. And I’m not sure if this is in your purview or not, and if it isn’t, please say no, but I promise this is something that will help Ricky.”

“Anything I discover outside the investigation won’t be admissible. It could compromise the case.”

“If so, just tell me, and I’ll drop it. But I’m going to give you a Washington license plate number. Could you run it and tell me who the car is registered to and what the address is?”

“Is the car parked illegally?”

“Nnnooo.”

“Is it engaged in illegal activity?”

“Potentially, yes.”

“What’s the number?”

I read it off and Yaz said, “You think this will help Ricky?”

“Pretty sure. Yes.”

“One moment, please.”

I don’t think I breathed for the entire time Yaz had me on hold. Then they were back on the line, and what they told me was a game changer.

Well, except for my desire to punch Liam. If anything, that had escalated.

Ex-po-nentially.