“Whatever is keeping Billy here with you, he factors in,” she explains, motioning toward Jackson.
“What do you know about my death?” Billy snarls, losing the calm and cool attitude he tries to project. “It was you, wasn’t it?”
The guy shrugs. “What’s it to ya? You’re dead now. What’s it matter?”
Billy’s eyebrows pull together as he appears to consider Jackson’s questions. “It might be the only thing that matters anymore.” He turns toward me. “Get this ape to spill the details. It might be what finally sends me on.”
I consider all that I know. It’s been said that those spirits that stick around have unfinished business. It was also said that the spirits I can communicate with are somehow tied to me.
“Tell me what’s happened since the manifestation of your abilities,” Natalia commands, breaking into my train of thought.
I run through all the sordid details in order, and she listens raptly, jotting things down on a notepad she pulled from under the table. She nods, frowns, chews on her lip, but never interrupts. When I’m done, we sit in silence for several moments. My eyes scan the room, looking from one person to the next. Billy remains standing behind Natalia like her very own—worthless—protector. The newcomer Jackson sits with his back against the wall and one leg bent, picking at something on his leather pants. Nina remains seated next to me, wide-eyed, and Corinne has been texting through it all.
“Let me ensure I have this all correct,” Natalia says, breaking up the silence. “You and your husband Garrett were in an accident. You don’t remember what happened, but through your contact with Corinne, you saw a flash of red.” She stops, looking to me. “Do I have that right so far?”
“Yes.”
She nods to Billy. “He claims he was run off the road by a red truck. See where I’m going with this?”
I shake my head slowly.
Her eyes cross. “You were both in accidents where people died by being run off the road by someone in a red truck.”
My eyes widen and shoot to Billy, who looks equally surprised.
“I never said my accident was caused by a red truck.”
She shrugs. “Flash of red, red truck. Could you consider the possibility for one moment?”
I rub at my temples, thinking over the events of my accident, concentrating on the moment I remember seeing red. The sensation of spiders crawling across my skin is an indicator that she might be right. The red I saw could’ve very well been a red vehicle. Based on the size of my vehicle and the height at which I saw thered flash, it was likely something larger than my own car. A truck. A red truck.
Holy. Shit.
“This isn’t just about your accidents. Whoever was responsible for Billy’s was likely responsible for yours too.”
I slump back into my chair, reeling from this revelation.
“Why? I mean... does it have something to do with their name? Garrett?” I’m grasping at straws here.
“No. That’s just stupid,” Natalia says, picking at her nails. “That’s merely a coincidence.”
“A rather uncanny one,” I say, taking a deep breath. “What about Ollie Craft?”
“He was probably tied to the dishes. Not you. He appeared because they were in your possession. Once they were returned, he left.”
“What about the new guy? And the woman?” Corinne asks, joining the party.
“Woman? You didn’t mention a woman.” She glances around. “There are no other spirits here.”
I’m not ready to tell Natalia that I know the missing woman from the news is dead. But even thinking about Jenna seems to conjure her. She manifests right next to Natalia and the gifted medium appears none the wiser.
That is, until the scream once again blasts through the room, forcing us all to protect our ears. My eyes slam shut, and that’s when things get even weirder.
A scene plays out like a movie reel in my head.
Jenna walking to her car. Someone grabs her from behind. A dark, remote location. Someone hitting her over the head repeatedly. Another location in the country where two men dig up the earth, throwing her body inside and covering her.
My eyes fly open, and everyone is staring at me. I don’t say a word.
