Page 25 of The Ghost of Ellwood

“Hello?”

“Ben,” Shane greeted in an overly friendly tone. “I looked over the pages you sent for the new book, and I think you’re on to something here. I really do.”

“Thanks.” My cheeks heated.

I had sent Shane the first chapter of the untitled ghost story to get him off my back. I hadn’t expected it to go over so well.

“Keep it up, okay, Cross?”

“That’s the plan.” And then, because I couldn’t stop myself, “How’s James?”

Silence.

“He’s good,” Shane answered, now with a sharp edge to his once friendly manner.

“Good. I’m glad.”

“Are you?”

“Look, I’m not going to pretend I’m okay with the two people I was closest to fucking me over behind my back. But Iamhappy for you guys. James deserves someone who will be there for him. That person wasn’t me.” I grabbed the ball from my desk and squeezed, inhaling deeply to stay calm. “Thanks for calling to say you like the pages. I’ll send more when I have them.”

I hung up on Shane and dropped my phone beside my laptop.

Movement from the doorway caught my eye, and just as I looked, I saw the back of Theo’s head as he walked out of sight.

Chapter Seven

“Holy shit, Ben! He really, like, appeared in the room and talked to you?”

“Yep.”

Carter paced his living room, hands on his head. I had come over once he got home from work to tell him what happened. He was taking the news just as I expected.

“What did he say? What did hesoundlike? Was he mad you were there? Did he tell you to leave?”

I laughed at his million questions and walked over to grab his small body to keep him still. “Carter? Relax. Have a seat.”

“I can’t sit down. This is too exciting.” That enthusiasm showed in his eyes too. “Tell me everything.”

So, I did.

Any sane person would’ve been uncomfortable to share such an experience. I should know. I used to be the biggest skeptic of them all and would have laughed at anyone who told the story I was now telling to Carter. But Carter believed me.

We were in this together.

“He seemed so sad,” I said, after filling him in on the details. “A little angry too, but mostly sad. I never got the feeling he wanted to hurt me. He just wants the people in his manor to respect it.”

“If you see him again, you should ask about his death.” Carter sat on the couch and kicked his legs up on the coffee table. “Wouldn’t it be some shit to have a hundred year old mystery solved and answered by the man himself?”

“I don’t know, Carter. Wouldn’t that be insensitive to be like, ‘Hey, Theo, how did you die?’ I don’t want to bring up bad memories for him.”

“Dude, memories are all he has now. Painful ones too, by the sound of it.” Carter rubbed his bottom lip as he thought. “Consider yourself, like, his therapist. By talking to you, he’ll finally be able to tell his story.”

“You want me to be like a ghost whisperer?”

He snorted. “Yeah, I guess. Just think of how much good you could do, Ben. The guy has been lonely for years.” His expression was soft. “He appeared to you for a reason. You’ve earned his trust.”

It was a lot to think about.