Chapter 67
The Ghost
Isaw Mary’s ghost, just like I had seen my mother’s before the fire that almost killed me at Church Heights.
I had woken to her voice crying out, “Wake up.” I’d seen her hovering over my bed.
At least I thought I did. Unless it was just another false narrative in my fucked-up mind. Should I tell Ethan what Mary said?
I chewed on my bottom lip as I crossed the foyer, on edge. Thick silence filled the walls, and the house was in darkness, only small rims of light from the night lamps stretching into shadows.
Find him and forgive him.
Her voice had sounded so real. I sucked in a breath as my mind grappled with what to do.
An ice-cold hand grabbed my shoulder.
“Shit,” I gasped, jumping out of my skin and whipping back, my hands shooting up automatically.
Josh held out his palms to match mine. “Sorry, I come in peace, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Fuck. Don’t sneak up on me like that.” My voice came out harsher than I’d intended as we headed into the kitchen.
“In my defense, I hardly snuck up. I called your name before I touched your shoulder.” Josh grabbed a shiny green apple from the bowl and took a bite.
With my mind I turned the light on, and I opened the fridge door and took out the butter and cheese.
“Who are you forgiving?” Josh asked around a mouthful of apple.
“What?” I swung back.
“I heard you say forgive him.”
Did I whisper it out loud? I must have.
“Everything alright, Amy?” Michael asked as he walked in with Ethan, both staring at me with worry. Did they hear it too?
“Fine.” My cheeks burning, I busied myself grabbing bread. I was just seeing ghosts, having them whisper in my head, nothing strange about that at all.
“Amy, who do you need to forgive?” Ethan asked, his voice firm.
My face bloomed hotter as I slapped two pieces of bread on the counter.
“We all heard what Josh said. Did he hurt you?”
I stilled, shocked. All their eyes were on me. Josh and Michael’s were filled with concern and pity. Ethan’s were filled with anger.
“No, God, no. I—”
His teeth clenched. “Who are you forgiving, then?”
Find him and forgive him. Those words were spoken in my head. Just like Karson told me he loved me in my head. They had sounded so real …
Every cell in my body curled up as I muttered, “I saw Mary, or I thought I did.” I looked at the floor, unable to meet their eyes, my hands wringing in front of me. “She spoke to me.” I cringed as I peered up.
Josh’s mouth dropped open. Ethan exchanged concerned glances with Michael.
“What?” Georgie said from the door, her eyes swollen from crying. “You can see ghosts?”
“I don’t know. I may have imag—”
“Where is Karson?” Ethan asked, cutting me off.
“Out. He left ages ago … didn’t you hear him leave?” Even as I asked, I knew from the look on their faces they didn’t. “He said he was going to finish this.”
Ethan’s face drained of color.
Michael pinched his brow. “He must have gone out the back.”
Ethan grabbed his phone. “Bob’s still looking for Sarah … or he was.” His voice cracked. “I’ll call him and make sure he’s alright.”
“I will call Monique,” Michael said, his face strained.
Panic prickled down my spine. Had he found her, hurt her? Hurt any of them.
Ethan left the room, while Michael paced to the window. “Monique, are you alright? Karson left the house some time ago.” I couldn’t hear her response but his face relaxed, so I knew she was fine.
Ethan returned, his face pale. “Bob can’t get hold of Marg. He hasn’t heard from her since last night.”
Michael rubbed the back of his neck, then put the phone on loudspeaker. “Did you hear that, Monique?”
“Fuck,” Monique muttered. “Where would he take her?”
“What does that mean?” Georgie asked, her eyes darting around the room.
Ethan thrust his hand through his hair. “It means Karson has her and he will do whatever it takes until Sarah comes out of hiding.”
Find him and forgive him.
Chills rolled over my skin like waves.
“He must have picked her up last night.” Michael paced the room. “My guess is he has her here somewhere. He’d need somewhere he knows she wouldn’t be found, somewhere relatively secluded and not too far from home.”
“How many buildings does Karson own here?” Josh asked.
Ethan was pacing now too. “Twenty or thirty, maybe more. Most are in the business district. He could have her in the basement of any one of them.”
“Can we get her tracked?” I suggested.
“Yes,” Ethan replied, “but by the time we get samples to the witches, it would take too long.”
“It’s worth a try, I’ll call BJ,” Georgie said, spinning on her heel, the sound of her shoes clicking as she ran across the foyer filling the room like a heartbeat, like a clock counting down.
Tick-tock.
Another cold shiver washed over my skin.
“How many of the buildings are empty?” Josh asked. “Like you said, he’s not going to want to risk anyone finding her.”
Michael nodded. “He’s correct. But I don’t know how we can find out.”
“The real estate agent,” I said quickly. “He might know.”
Michael and Ethan nodded at each other, as Monique said through the phone speaker, “I’ll call him now.”
“Will he hurt Marg?” I asked, my voice so thin it was barely audible.
Something uncomfortable flashed across Ethan’s face. His non-answer was the answer. My legs wanted to collapse. The thought of what he might do to her—
Forgive him.
“We have to find him before …” I trailed off. He’d had her for hours, so she was probably already suffering.
Ethan made a sound of frustration, his hand shaking as he took his phone out of his pocket and dialed. I’d never seen Ethan’s hands be anything but steady, no matter what was happening. “Don’t worry, Bob. We will find her.”
“I’m on my way. Please, Ethan.” Bob’s voice cracked. “Don’t let him hurt them.”
My heart squeezed at the sound of despair and fear in Bob’s voice.
Ethan closed his eyes and tilted his head to the ceiling. He looked crushed, but the lie came out strong. “We won’t.”