Page 30 of Ghost in the Night

It’d have to be a pretty big distraction, I think. I glance around the store, my eyes landing on a wedding invitation sample pinned to a bulletin board.

“Hey, Robby, when is your mom’s gala for the historical society again?”

Robby’s back straightens. “Thursday.”

I clap my hands. “That’s perfect! Both your mom and my dad will be there.”

“You right,” Myah agrees happily. “My daddy prints the programs and stuff for it. All them rich people downtown will probably be there too. Means no one will be around to snitch.”

“We could sneak in that back door right when it’s dark,” I suggest. “One visit to the house would do it.”

Robby raises his hand. “I have something to say.”

“Oh boy,” Myah mumbles.

“Okay, Robby,” I sigh. “Let’s hear it.”

He takes a deep breath and yells, “Ghosts aren’t REAL! This is crazy!”

“What are you talking about?” Myah snaps. “Of course, ghosts are for real! And that ghost is Tim Truman.”

“Or … it’s the ghost of Elizabeth Myers,” I offer. Even though Asher seemed kinda sketchy about that. But the night of the tour, he said almost every house in Savannah has a ghost in it. It could be anybody.

“I know what I see in that photo,” Myah says.

Robby pinches the bridge of  his nose like we’re giving him a headache. “And what if it’s NOT a ghost? You’re really going to risk sneaking into that house to find out?”

“I’d rather try and be sure than not try at all,” Myah shoots back.

Robby searches my face and shakes his head, mumbling, “This is nuts.”

“You said you would help,” I remind him. “So help. Weneed equipment. The real official kind that real ghost hunters use. Got any ideas?”

Robby huffs, then he rubs his chin, thinking. “Maybe we can borrow some from Asher.”

Myah raises an eyebrow at me. I didn’t tell Robby what Asher said last night. That would only add fuel to his “there’s no such thing as ghosts” fire.

“Nah. Let’s find someone else.”

“Someone like who?” Robby asks.

“Another ghost expert. I mean, this city should be full of them!”

“Maybe we should talk to my grandmama,” Myah says. “She knows all about them haints. She taught me everything I know.”

“Haints?” That’s what Asher called them. “Is she Gullah?”

Myah nods. “It’s what us Gullah people call ghosts and spirits.”

“I … got somebody,” Robby suggests.

We whip around to him. “You do?”

Hesitantly he pulls a printout from his pocket. “I’ve beendoing some research ’cause, unlike you two, I believe in science. There’s this guy that lives right in the city. A parapsychologist.”

“A what?” Myah snaps.

“He’s a professor who studies the paranormal. I think you should talk to him.”