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“Should you ever change your mind…” Dominic raised his brows.
Anastacia knew better than to answer, changing the subject instead. “Thank you for coming to testify at Knight’s trial. I was surprised you weren’t there for the sentencing.”
“Ah, I knew I’d find out one way or another. He shouldn’t have any delusion of freedom any time soon.”
“Well, let’s see.” Her finger tapped at her lip in faux reminiscing. “Two counts of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation for murder, witness tampering, and insurance fraud. He was lucky to get off with life without parole. I would have voted for the death penalty.”
Anastacia’s attention was stolen by some of the men taking measurements along the front of the bar. “What’s going on here?”
Dominic waved proudly at the building. “Do you approve?”
“Youbought it?”
“You mentioned something about this place a while ago. I thought I would check it out for myself now that the little snake is gone. You were right. This place is amazing. I would have loved to work with the brain behind it.” Dominic scanned over the front of the building and nodded his head side-to-side. “And with some changes in the front, I could get behind the bar idea.”
Anastacia couldn’t keep the beaming smile off her face. “You’re following the original plan?”
“It’s a good one. We all need to keep the celebration of this city alive. I also needed to expand a little. The manor was getting to be a bit tight.”
“I’m glad.” She sniffed, drying her eyes, unable to believe how emotional she was becoming. The tears all rushed together to congregate in her throat, making her voice catch.
“You okay?”
“I’m good.” She nodded and wet her lips. “I think he would have wanted to work with you, too.”
Dominic paused, looking up and down the street as if he could also see the surrounding spirits. Leaning down, he whispered to her, “He approves?”
“He would have.” Anastacia grinned wider, leaning over and planting a kiss on his cheek. “It’s in excellent hands. Thank you.”
“The pleasure is mine, baby. I'll save you a VIP table on opening day.”
Anastacia took a deep breath, absorbing the excitement of Mel’s dream being realized before she waved goodbye as she set off on her path again.
The table just outside the café in City Park had become her go-to for her days off. Long Spanish moss and plant life hid half of her table from the majority of the park, her secret garden to escape to. Organizing the last of her notes for Baker on their latest case, the calm background noise of the park gave her the perfect place to focus. The apartment was calming, but it was also silent. She needed something to remind her there was still life around her.
The bushes rustled in a cold wind at her side. A voice, barely a whisper in her ear, reminding her it was still there. The voice, still a mimicry of her mother’s, didn’t ring as loud these days. She looked forward to the day it would fade away completely.
Her eyes scanned the ponds in the foreground before she refocused on the notebook in front of her and the plate of her half-finished beignets.
With little warning, the chair at her side was filled with a body, eyes heavy on the back of her head as they waited for her to finish the note she was scratching on the page. Initially, she assumed spirit, a warm familiarity followed by a stint of cold air. This body didn’t have the accompanying coldness of a lost soul. The warmth made her mind slip back to a certain soul who was beyond her reach until she passed and found her light.
Spirit or living, the staring was a bit much for her.
“Can I help you?” she asked, her eyes still on the page.
“I was hoping you could see me...”
Her pen froze on the page, her heart leaping to her throat as her eyes closed to focus only on the voice. With a deep, calming breath, she turned to the occupied chair and opened her eyes.
Blue eyes partially covered by dark hair greeted her. “...No one else does.”
“How?” she choked out, looking around, confirming they were still hidden.
“That’s the first thing you’re gonna ask?” He cupped her cheek in his hand.
“Mel?”
“It’s me.” He nodded, the familiar grin splitting his face. Glancing down he grabbed a piece of a beignet off her plate. “Oh, don’t mind if I do.”
