He shrugged. “Whatever I had to do.”
“Including…?”
“Including anything.”
Jason parked himself in front of his computer and opened his email. He’d told his family in Minnesota that he’d let them know right away if Merry had accepted their invitation. But she hadn’t. He wasn’t ready to take her “no” for an answer yet, damn it.
He minimized the page and stormed off to unpack, throw some laundry in the washer, and do any other mindless chore he could think of until he could talk to Merry again.
As he opened his suitcase and transferred what clothes were still clean back into his dresser and closet, his mind drifted and ruminated and obsessed.
My mother always said when it was right, I’d “just know.” A few minutes ago, I did, but now... Why did Sly call himself her father? Whoisthat guy? He can’t be much older than she is.And why did she seem okay with it?“I guess all I have to do is ask her.”
Instantly, he felt better.Of course. Stupid of me. All I have to do is ask her when she comes up to see me later.She would tell him the truth. That’s one reason he knew it was right. No games. She had always been honest with him. Hadn’t she?
He slung the bag of dirty laundry over his shoulder and headed for the elevator. As he passed his computer desk, he noticed the page he had been working on was open and stopped suddenly.Didn’t I minimize that?
Setting down the laundry bag, he reread the page. A few words had been added to the end of what he had typed.
They read,Do you want my advice?
Startled, Jason glanced around the apartment. Who the hell could have come in while he was in his bedroom and want to give him advice?
“Aunt Dottie,” he yelled.
When there was no answer, he did a quick search of the place.
Empty.
If it wasn’t Dottie, then who? Chad? Nah…
Just for peace of mind, he grabbed his lucky bat from its place of honor on the wall of his exercise room. Then he walked from closet to closet, throwing doors open and quickly adopting his “batter up” stance.
Nothing.“Crap.I must be losing my mind.”
Everything was too low to the ground to hide beneath, but just for the hell of it, he bent over and scanned the floor anyway.Maybe some anorexic child is hiding under there?
A bizarre thought reentered his mind. “The ghost?”He shook it off. “Imustbe losing it—big time.”
He set the bat down and returned to retrieve his laundry. Just as he was about to pick it up, he heard the gentle tap tap of his keyboard.
Snapping to attention, he read the wordswhilethey appeared on his screen.
You’re not losing it. It’s me, Chad.
“Fuck.” Jason took an unconscious step away from his desk.
Then the words,How’s my investigation going?typed themselves.
“Uh… Okay, I guess. Damn, this is weird, Chad.”
So what? Talk to me.
“I hired someone. He’s supposed to be the best. Dottie said you were anxious, so she was going to set up a meeting. I don’t know when it is, but I’ll find out. I promise.” Aware he was beginning to babble, Jason stopped himself.
The words,Good boy,appeared on the monitor.
A nervous chuckle escaped. “So, were you the one who wanted to give me advice just now?”
