Dead People In Love (Haunted Hearts) by Edie Ramer Read Free Book Online

shouted. Herb roared. Rose tipped sideways, a surprised look on her face. Olivia jumped back a step, then pointed the gun at Donovan.  
    Cassie threw the vase.
    Donovan leapt over Rose’s legs, his head down, straight at Olivia.
    The vase hit Olivia’s arm and she stumbled back.
    Cassie’s heart hammered harder. Everything was happening in slow motion, but she could see Donovan was still too slow. Olivia would shoot him. He was going to die.  
    She’d be next.
    “NOOOOOOO!”
    The yell blasted the air, and Olivia’s gaze jerked. So did Cassie, looking sideways at a white outline of a figure streaking at an impossible speed toward Olivia. Like something from a graphic novel.
    Olivia screamed and stepped back again, into the hall. Out of Cassie’s sight.
    Donovan stopped his forward rush. Standing straight. Staring. His jaw dropped.
    Herb, Cassie thought. The white streak was Herb.
    She reached Donovan’s side in time to see Herb meld into Olivia. His icy body and her human body becoming one.
    Olivia screamed. An unearthly sound.
    It cut off abruptly.
    Her face showed through the back of Herb’s head, as if she were peering through a thick window. Her mouth still open in a silent scream. Her eyes wide with horror. Unmoving and still.
    Cassie put her hand over her heart. Olivia was being literally frozen by a man-sized ice cube.
    If Cassie yelled for Herb to stop, maybe he would leave Olivia’s body. Maybe she would move again. Breathe again. Talk again.
    Maybe her heart could beat again.  
    Donovan made a hurt sound and dropped to his knees, bending over Rose. “Grandma,” he said softly. A second of silence stretched out before his voice rose in a wail of grief. “Grandma!”
    Cassie didn’t open her mouth and yell, still watching the tableau in front of her. As if she were gazing at a painting. Practically hearing the seconds tick by. Her own heart beating slowly now in powerful thumps.
    And still Olivia stood frozen. Something was happening to her face. The spark in her eyes fading. Dying.
    Behind her, she heard Donovan fumbling, then faint beeps of phone numbers being pressed. A short silence, which her breath held... “My grandmother’s been shot.” His voice was hoarse. “I think she’s dead. Help me. Help me.”
    Herb cried out and his outlined body separated from Olivia’s. Her eyes and mouth still open, she toppled to the wooden floor, her head thudding.  
    With one glance, Cassie saw she was lifeless. Gone.
    Except she wasn’t all gone. A whitish blue image stood above her, looking down, a slightly puzzled look on her round face.
    Olivia’s ghost. Her gaze met Cassie’s.
    “What happened?” she asked. “What happened?”
    “You’re dead.” Cassie made a shooing gesture. “Go away.”
    She turned back to see Donovan on his knees, his hands on the center of Rose’s chest, pumping. Pausing. Pressing down. Pausing. Pumping...
    “Rose!” Herb called.
    Rose’s eyes opened, only it wasn’t one Rose, but two.  
    “Rose!” Herb called again.
    With a glad cry, one of the images surged upward toward Herb. His arms out, he caught her. Embraced her. Kissed her.
    “Finally,” she said, staring into his eyes, her hands caressing his head. A joyful smile lit up her face. “Finally.”
    The tears in Rose’s eyes had to be from remnants of her live self, because ghosts didn’t have tear ducts. They couldn’t cry.
    But Rose’s eyes didn’t seem to know it, blinking back a sheen of moisture as she separated from Herb and turned to Cassie.
    “We have to go.”
    Cassie nodded.
    “Tell Donny to stop giving me CPR. Tell him it’s not his fault. Tell him I’m happy. Tell him I’m going to look for Frankie and give him a hug from Donny.”
    Cassie nodded with each instruction.
    “One more thing.” Rose laughed. “Tell him to marry Bridget.”
      The two turned to each other, their hands grasped. Beaming, they disappeared.
    As if she’d been released from a spell, Cassie let out a long