“That’s Ella Lockwood, the girl I told you about.”
“I don’t understand. Can you see her?”
A hint of hysteria tinged my voice. “Not only can I see her, she spoke to me. An actual ghost, see-through and everything! This isn’t happening. I need to sit down, but she’s too close to the chairs.”
Vivian pressed a slender hand to her throat. “She can’t hurt you. The poor thing is more scared of you than you are her.”
“You seriously underestimate the horror of seeing dead people,” I whispered. “What do we do? Make her go away.”
Vivian rolled her eyes. “Tess, you can’t snap your fingers and get rid of a ghost. They have to leave on their own when they’re ready. My entire line of work is based around that concept.”
“That’s why I’m here.” I ground my teeth together. “Do the thing you do with your customers.”
“It’s not that simple.” She approached Ella slowly, holding up her hands as if nearing a skittish animal. “Excuse me… Ella, right? You need to walk toward the light. Everything will be okay.”
Ella stared blankly at us. Her form was a faint flicker in the dark room. She gestured with her pale hands.
“There isn’t any.”
Vivian’s brow creased. “There’s no light?”
Ella shook her head, sending her blonde curls swirling in the air.
I tapped Vivian on the shoulder. “Is that bad?”
“It’s not ideal,” she responded under her breath, pulling me aside while Ella drifted over the floorboards, intrigued by a shelf of colored medallions. I watched out of the corner of my eye, afraid to lose sight of her.
“She has unfinished business, doesn’t she?” I asked.
“Murder victims usually do. A light won’t appear until she’s found peace. What I don’t understand is, how can you see her? It’s rare for someone who isn’t a medium. Often, people can sense a spirit, and we attribute that kind of experience to a haunting—but it’s unusual for non-mediums to see them, let alone hear them speak.”
I opened my palm, revealing the ring’s symbols. “This might be why. It’s a spell marker. They’re supposed to fade when an illusion does, but Ella’s was cut short. If she died while under my spell, it could explain why there’s a connection between us.”
“That makes sense.” Vivian bit her lip in thought. “A medium’s purpose is to help the dead. Witches help the living. But the lines got blurred, and your magical link wasn’t severed with her death. Your connection might be what’s keeping her tethered to this side—which means, if you want her gone, you’ll have to help her…again.”
Another complication. Between Argus, the detective, and now, Ella, I was giving black cats and broken mirrors a run for their money.
“When did she first appear?”
“Midnight, after the final chime.”
Vivian nodded. “Time of death. It’s when her ghostly form will be strongest. As the night wears on, she’ll fade, but she’ll reappear once her essence grows strong again.”
This was insane. “So, what does she need to cross over?” I asked anxiously. “A chance to say goodbye to her family? A letter to her lover? What?” A frigid chill flowed through my body, and I let out a strangled cry as Ella’s haunting face appeared inches from mine.
“I need you to find my killer.”
Vivian chuckled. “You asked.” Moving away from us, she picked up a tea set and placed it on the séance table. Pulling out the chair next to her, she patted the cushion. “Here, Ella, you can levitate on this one.” She poured herself a cup of cold tea and added a spoonful of sugar, leaving mine unsweetened before nudging it across the table.
A witch, a medium, and a ghost try to solve a murder. It sounded like the beginning of a joke, yet that was what Vivian expected us to do. I took the final chair with a reluctant frown, and Ella’s gaze connected with mine. I felt a pang of sympathy. Why had she been killed? Was it a random act, or something more sinister? Knowing the answer wouldn’t make the outcome any better. A woman’s life had been cut short. Her plans for the future, all her hopes and dreams, stolen by a faceless monster.
Vivian rapped her knuckles on the table, bringing our gathering to order. “Ella, I know you must be frightened and probably a little confused. My name is Vivian James, and I’m a medium. I work with ghosts who find themselves unable to cross over. We can help you transition to the other side. It won’t be easy, but we’ll do everything we can to simplify your journey.”
Ella rubbed her bare shoulders. She appeared so vulnerable hunched over the table. “I feel strange. It’s like waking from a dream and not knowing where you are.”
“Tell us everything you remember,” Vivian said.
Ella’s brow crinkled. “I hardly remember anything. There are holes where memories should go.” She paused, arranging her thoughts. “It’s odd. I know what I have to do, but I don’t know how to do it.”
