AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Absolutely,” Ray said.
“No,” came my reply at the same time. Thankfully, Alicia could only hear one of us.
“You should get a dog,” she said. “Something big and scary like a Great Dane.”
“Great Danes are gentle giants,” I replied.
“Fine, a Rottie then. Lincoln Post has one, and he’s terrifying.”
“Dogs don’t like me. Sorry, not an option.”
“If a dog doesn’t like someone, that’s supposed to be a red flag,” Alicia said. “But I guess that must be an old wives’ tale because I don’t see why anybody wouldn’t like you.”
“You’re not a very good judge of character,” I said. I turned to Ray. “She’s too trusting.”
“She’s thirteen and lives in a small town,” Ray countered. “She’s exactly as she should be.”
“A small town with supernaturals and crossroads,” I shot back.
Alicia frowned. “I know what supernaturals are. What’s a crossroad?”
“I meant crosswords, like puzzles,” I lied. “And your grandfather is a supernatural. You know, ghosts.” I shouldn’t have mentioned them in front of her. A kid like Alicia would have a viral video on the subject by bedtime.
Alicia seemed to accept my answer because she asked, “Why do you think dogs don’t like you?”
I couldn’t explain their fear of me. It required more information than I was willing to give. “I got bit by one when I was a kid.” The lies were pouring out of me today like water at The Falls.
“That’sonedog,” Alicia huffed. “You can’t judge all dogs by the behavior of one bad one. That’s just common sense.”
Ray chuckled. “She’s got you there.”
“I’ll see you later, Grampa.” Alicia blew a kiss to the left of Ray.
“I look forward to it. Bye, sweetheart.” He swiveled to me. “That’s high praise if Alicia likes you. You have no idea.”
“I’m honored.” I waited until Alicia had passed through the gate to talk to Ray. “I hear pancreatic cancer is a bitch. I’m sorry.”
He ducked his head. “It was quick compared to some. I consider myself lucky. Not too much suffering.”
“Then why are you here?” Not all spirits stuck around due to trauma or unfinished business, but still. Ray didn’t seem to fit the mold.
He waved a hand in the direction of his departing granddaughter. “Do you really need to ask? My heart’s still walking around free as a bird in Fairhaven.”
Nana Pratt snickered. “Ray Day.”
Ray scowled. “I don’t hear anybody hosting Ingrid Pratt Day.”
Nana Pratt shrugged. “Only because it doesn’t rhyme.”
“I’m worried about her,” Ray said, looking in the direction of the gate. “I wish I could haunt their house instead of this one. At least I could keep an eye on her.”
“Her mother works a lot, huh?”
“She’s a lawyer with a big firm in the city,” Ray explained. “She lived on the Upper West Side until she got pregnant, then she persuaded her husband to move here, where she grew up. It’s a long commute, and she works long hours.”
“And her husband?”
“Hakeem got a promotion and moved to San Francisco. The original plan had been for Alicia and Renee to follow, but that didn’t happen.”
