#1Second Hand Ghosts - The Final Bet (A Paranormal Mystery) by Gillian Larkin Read Free Book Online Page A

twenty five, not twenty and not fifteen. If you want some cheap tat then go down the road, we sell quality stuff here!”
    Rose looked at me and said, “Carol’s not the sensitive type. She’d scare the ghosts away. You’d be perfect. What do you say, Kate? Will you help me?”
    “But what if I can’t see the ghosts? Don’t I need a special gift? Or a near death experience?” I said.
    “I thought your marriage was a near death experience,” Rose’s eyes twinkled.
    I laughed, “That’s true. Can I think about it?”
    “Of course. It’s time for you to go home now anyway,” Rose stood up.
    I stood up too and went to collect my coat and bag. I walked over to Rose, ready to say goodbye. She grabbed my arm and said urgently, “Don’t take too long to think about it. If you can’t do it you need to let me know as soon as possible.”
    “I will,” I told her. I looked at Rose. She looked worried. And something else, something I’d never seen Rose look before. She looked frightened.
     
     

Chapter 3
     
    I drove to Emily’s school, thinking about what Rose had asked me. I wasn’t sure it was something I wanted to do.
    As soon as Emily came out of school she began with her questions.
    “Mummy, Chloe was 7 today. How many days until I’m 7?” Emily asked. She passed me her lunch box to hold.
    “I don’t know how many days, it’s about 3 months,” I replied, handing the lunch box back to her.
    “Can we find out how many days? And then how many hours? And then how many minutes? And why do I have to carry my lunch box?” Emily finally paused for breath.
    “When we get home we’ll work out how many days to go. You carry your own box because you’re a big girl,” I smiled down at her.
    Emily chatted to me on the drive home, all through making tea and up until she fell asleep.
    I brushed Emily’s hair off her sleeping face, gently, because I didn’t want to wake her and for her to start asking questions again.
    I went downstairs and thought about Rose. I couldn’t deal with ghosts. I couldn’t even watch scary movies. Rose was much tougher than me. If I saw a ghost I’m sure I’d run screaming out of the shop.
    And what about Emily? I couldn’t have a ghost in my house scaring my little girl.
    No, I couldn’t do it. Rose would have to ask someone else. There must be someone she knows who could help instead.
    Satisfied that I’d made the right decision I went to bed.
    “I’ll tell her first thing tomorrow,” I promised myself.
    But I never got chance.
    The next day, Rose was dead.
     
     

Chapter 4
     
    I knew something was wrong the moment I walked into the shop. It felt dark and cold. Rose usually had the lights on and the radio playing in the background.
    Carol was standing behind the counter.
    “There’s no easy way to say this, Kate. Rose is dead. She died last night at home,” Carol said.
    My legs felt wobbly and I collapsed in the nearest chair. I felt as though someone had punched me.
    Carol came out from behind the counter. “Are you alright? You’ve gone a funny colour.”
    I looked up at her, “No! I’m not alright. You’ve just told me that Rose has died! Aren’t you bothered?”
    Carol thought for a while, “I suppose I’ll miss her. She paid good wages.”
    I shook my head at Carol’s response. “How did she die?”
    “She’d been poorly for months, that’s what her son said when he phoned me last night. She knew she was going to die. She wrote letters to her family,” Carol said.
    “What do we do now? With the shop?” I asked.
    The shop door opened. An elderly lady walked in.
    “Just a minute. We’ve got a customer,” Carol said and she strode over to the counter and stepped behind it.
    Never mind customers! What about Rose?
    “How can I help?” Carol asked the old lady. Carol had that look on her face that she thinks is a smile. It’s quite scary.
    The old lady peered up at Carol and said, “What’s wrong with your face? Have you got wind?”
    Carol