CHAPTER TWO
Clean and dry in a pair of comfortable sweatpants, Lance took a seat at the kitchen table with Angus and his brother.
He still couldn't believe that Jackson was back.
He stared at his brother, taking in the bit of gray around his temples and a few new lines around his eyes.
It hadn't been that long since he'd last seen him, but it seemed he'd aged since his last visit.
Lance couldn't imagine the things Jackson had seen over the years during his service. Wasn't sure he wanted to know.
"She's not going to leave that spot by the back door." Angus glanced over at their dog who was lying beside the sliding glass door, eyes trained on the backyard where the ghosts lingered. "We've got to get this taken care of."
"Leave it to me," Jackson told them. "I don't have anything planned for the next few days other than dinner with Megan tomorrow night. You two have to work in the morning. If I can borrow your car, I'll drop you off at work and go get some traps. I'm pretty sure it's voles."
"Lance can ride in with me. That's not a problem. But are you sure you don't want to relax for a few days?" Angus asked.
"I'll go nuts sitting around. This gives me something to keep my mind occupied.
I'm still in a bit of shock that I really retired.
I'm not sure what to do with myself now," Jackson told them.
"I'll be working with my friend, Elliot, doing security, but I won't even meet with him for a few weeks.
He and I agreed I needed time to get used to things around here before jumping back into work. "
The doorbell rang and Lance stood. "That'll be the pizza.
" He quickly went to the door and retrieved the three boxes from the delivery driver.
The smell had his mouth watering as he walked back into the kitchen and put the boxes on the table before turning for napkins. "Are voles hard to get rid of?"
"I don't think so. First, we need to find out what attracted them to your yard. I'll research a bit. Maybe one of the flowers you planted attracts them." Jackson reached for a slice of pizza. "So, I'm not going to be in the way, am I? I can stay somewhere else. I know you weren't expecting me."
"No, of course not. You'd never be in the way.
The room is yours for as long as you want it.
Angus and I knew you'd be back sooner or later and both agreed that you're welcome here.
We're at work most of the time, so you'll have the place to yourself during the day.
And you can use my car. I can always ride with Angus or have you drop me off. "
"I'll look into buying one soon. I just need some time to get used to civilian life. Remind myself that I'm not waiting for orders or for some mission to drop into my lap. Haunt and I will deal with the voles." Jackson glanced outside. "Is Kel out there with the other ghosts?"
"He is. They're all sitting around the picnic table now after they investigated the garden a bit." Lance smiled. "I'm glad he came with you."
"Yeah, me too. We don't get to talk a lot. There's only so much you can say with the yes and no touches you taught us to use, but I think he'll be happy here since there are other ghosts for him to interact with." Jackson reached for his water bottle.
"When you two are ready, we can sit down, and I'll talk for him if you want. Have a real conversation for a change. You heard about Megan's dad, right?"
"Yeah, I was devastated for her. She was really close to him. I hear he's still around though." Jackson shook his head. "I wish I could have been here for her."
"It was a tough time for her, but he has Angus's mom, or I communicate for him when he wants to talk to her.
Currently, he's been working with the ghosts to help track the drug trafficking in the area.
They've had several major busts due to the ghosts working with police to locate the dealers and big time traffickers," Lance explained.
"How are they working with the police? Aren't you homicide?" Jackson asked Angus.
"Due to certain events that happened, my captain became aware that my mother and Lance can see and speak to ghosts.
Surprisingly, he believed them. So, when the senator died and was worried about his son's drug use, he had us form a somewhat unofficial task force of ghosts who collect the names and addresses of the dealers in town.
My mother, Lizzy, sits down every week or two with the captain to pass on information so the police know which homes to have under surveillance or which people they need to track.
It's working out well. Though Megan's brother is still using, it's getting harder for him to find drugs since his dealers keep getting arrested. " Angus grinned.
"Megan didn't mention all that in her letters." Jackson laughed. "I can't wait to hear more about this."
"Does she know you're back?" Angus asked.
"She picked me up from the airport and brought me here. She didn't want to stay and interrupt our reunion, so she headed home. We'll go out tomorrow and catch up. See if there's still enough between us to try dating again." Jackson shrugged. "We're taking things slow."
"I hope they work out. I like her," Lance told him.
"So do I," Jackson admitted.
The sound of the doorbell surprised Lance. "Are we expecting anyone?"
"Not that I know of." Angus was up and headed to answer it.
Lance listened and grinned when he heard Lizzy's voice.
"There's my favorite son," Lizzy said.
"Your only son, Mom," Angus told her. "Hey, Dad, what brings you two over?"
"Megan called us and told us Jackson was back in town. We wanted to bring over a welcome home cake. We won't stay for long." Lizzy walked into the kitchen, grinning as she set a cake on the table next to the pizza boxes. "Welcome home, Jackson. It's Martin's chocolate strawberry cake."
Betty, her mother's best friend who happened to be a ghost, waved at Lance and made her way to the backyard to talk with the other ghosts.
Jackson stood and hugged Lizzy. "Thank you. You didn't have to do this." He released Lizzy and offered his hand to Martin. "But I'm glad you did. Will you join us?"
"No, we need to get back home. I need to be at the golf course by seven in the morning," Martin informed them. "We just wanted to say hello and invite you all to dinner on Friday night. Bring Megan as well. We'll be dining at Desorio's. Does that work for everyone?"
Lance glanced at Angus who shrugged.
"I'll have to speak with Megan, but I'm free." Jackson glanced at his brother.
"Yeah, Angus and I are free," Lance told them, surprised by the offer, but a little excited for a night out at such a nice restaurant.
"I've already spoken to Megan," Lizzy informed them. "She's already agreed." Lizzy frowned as she noticed Haunt by the sliding glass door. "What in the world is wrong with her? She didn't even jump up to say hello." Lizzy stepped over to the dog and crouched to pet her.
"She's digging the flowerbeds up," Angus told them. "We might have voles or something she's after." He glanced at his father. "Any idea how to remove them?"
"I know there are poisons, but it's more humane to use traps. Care if I walk out and look?" Martin asked.
"Just don't let Haunt out. She's on a leash until we get this cleared up." Angus went over to hold the dog as his mother and father walked out back with Jackson.
Lance glanced at Angus. "Did you know they wanted to take us to dinner?"
"No, I haven't talked to either of them in a few days. Honestly, Desorio's means suit and tie, so I probably would have tried to talk them out of it." Angus shrugged.
Lance laughed. "I like the way you look in a suit and tie."
"Yeah, I do too. I just don't like the way I feel in one." Angus let Haunt go after making sure the door was shut tight. He walked over and took a seat again. "Your brother looks good."
"He does. I'm so relieved he's home. We got that bedroom uncluttered just in time." They'd been storing boxes in there since Angus had moved in and had just finished clearing it out the week before. "I doubt he'll stay here very long. He'll want his own space."
"Maybe he'll move in with Megan." Angus reached for another slice of pizza.
"Maybe, but I don't see him in an apartment.
Guess time will tell. For now, it will be nice having him around.
" Lance smiled. "I didn't really believe him when he kept saying he was done with the military.
I thought he'd change his mind and stay, but I'm glad he didn't. I worried about him a lot over the years. "
"Now you can worry about him here." Angus grinned.
"You know me so well." Lance laughed, then jumped up to grab Haunt when he saw everyone headed back inside.
The dog fought him as she tried to escape as soon as the door was open.
Lance held tight despite her wiggling in his arms. Once everyone was in and the door was once again shut, he let her go.
"Well, I'd say it looks like voles, but it could be shrews or even small gophers. Hard to say. I'd get a few traps and see what you catch. You can release them down by the Fairway Bridge or out near the racetrack." Martin washed his hands at the sink. "Haunt sure did tear up that area, didn't she?"
"You should have seen her when I got home. She was covered in dirt." He went on to tell them about how she'd run back out after her bath and gotten mud everywhere. "I'm not sure it's worth replanting. It's already late in the season."
"Could do pumpkin, but you'd better make sure you are rid of whatever's out there or they could eat your seeds." Lizzy stole a slice of pepperoni off Angus's pizza.
"You're lucky you're my mother. Anyone else would have gotten their hand slapped," Angus teased.
"There's plenty. Take a slice or two," Lance told them.
"We've already eaten. I just had to annoy my son." Lizzy bent and kissed Angus's cheek. "We'll be going. Betty is staying to visit with the ghosts but won't be in your way."
"She's always welcome," Lance told her. "As are both of you."
"My favorite son-in-law." Lizzy came over to kiss his cheek.
"Not yet, but someday." Lance hugged her.
"Thanks for the cake. You sure you won't stay and enjoy it with us?" Jackson asked as he got plates from the cupboard.
"Nope, we have one just like it at home. You three enjoy. We'll see you on Friday, seven o'clock at Disorio's. We've already made reservations." Lizzy waved a goodbye to the ghosts through the window. "Call us if you need anything, Jackson. We're always around."
"Thank you." Jackson started to cut the cake.
"I'll walk you out." Angus stood.
Lance watched them go, then smiled at his brother. "What makes you special enough to get Martin's famous cake?"
"I have no idea, but you won't hear me complain. This is the stuff I've missed over the years." Jackson put a large slice on a plate and handed it to Lance.
"I imagine there's a lot you missed. I'm so glad you're back." Lance stared at his brother. "You're really going to stick around this time?"
"I'll stay in the area. I'm not sure how long I'll stay with you, but yeah, I'm officially done with the military.
Here to stay. I'm taking a couple of weeks to adjust, then will go work for my friend Elliot.
He's the one that has that security agency I talked about before.
I'll be working jobs throughout Texas, but he claims there's plenty of work around here to keep me close to home if I want.
" Jackson set another plate of cake aside for Angus, then cut his own slice.
"Anything new with you I need to know about? "
"Not that I can think of. A lot's happened, but nothing we can't talk about later. Nothing lifechanging or important." Lance took a bite of cake and groaned. "So good."
Angus walked back in. "Thanks whoever cut me a slice." He sat down and pulled the plate toward him. "Dad said that if you need help with yard tomorrow to give him a call. He'll be around after his golf game. Mom said not to cook because she's bringing dinner over tomorrow night for us."
"She doesn't need to do that," Jackson said.
"Don't go thinking it's all about you," Lance told him.
"I mean, this time it probably is, but she cooks for us a lot.
We often come home to find food waiting for us.
Which reminds me, Lizzy and Martin have a key to the house, and so does Franks, though he never uses it.
But don't be shocked if you walk in and find Lizzy in the kitchen.
She's afraid we'll live off frozen dinners if she doesn't feed us from time to time. "
"Which we might." Angus grinned.
"Maybe, but we have been better about cooking." Lance glanced out the window to see the ghosts lost in conversation. "I bet Kel's excited to have others around he can talk with."
"I think so. I know leaving the other guys was hard on him too, but I think we were both ready for change.
He might have stayed had it not been for you and the ghosts here.
I think that was a big draw for him. While I knew he was with me, we could hardly talk the way you can talk to ghosts.
" Jackson scraped his fork across his plate to get the last of the cake, then got up to take the dishes to the sink.
"You guys okay if I crash early? I spent all day on a plane, and my body has no clue what time it is. "
"Go relax. Sleep in tomorrow and take it easy for a few days. We'll both be busy at work. Other than asking you to let Haunt out on a leash for a few days, we're good." Lance shook his head. "I'm still stunned you're finally home."
"Me too." Jackson playfully slugged Lance's shoulder. "We'll catch up soon."
"Count on it." Lance watched his brother head out of the room, then looked at Angus. "What a night, huh?"
"Not the quiet evening at home I'd planned on, but I'm glad Jackson is home safe.
Now if we can figure out how to solve the pest problem in the backyard, everything will be good.
" Angus stood and started putting the cake and pizza away for the night.
"I need to make sure my suit is decent for dinner on Friday.
I can't remember if I had it dry cleaned after that last court hearing I had. "
"I think we did." Lance mused how seldom they dressed up since they each owned one suitcoat. Somehow, he figured most men had several by their age.
"All stuff we can figure out tomorrow." Angus set the last of the dirty dishes in the sink. "Let's go find something on TV and relax for a while." He glanced at the door where Haunt was still staring out at the backyard. "You want to come sit with us, girl?"
The dog glanced their way, then snorted as she lay down with her head on her paws, her gaze returning to the backyard.
"We'll be back to let you out before bed." Lance laughed at the dog before heading to the living room, and the couch where he could finally relax with Angus by his side.