Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between by J. A. Saare Read Free Book Online

When I finally passed the wreckage, I could see all of them, standing around the police at the scene. If it weren’t for the blood, head traumas and broken bodies, I would have sworn they’d all survived.”
    Goose nodded. “Very common. Sudden deaths, as you’ve described, leave the soul in flux. Most will pass over within a matter of hours, accepting their time here has passed.”
    “But not all?”
    “Not all, no. Some people have strong emotional ties to this world. The ghosts I’m generally retained to contact are those who refuse to cross over and leave behind their husband, wife, or children.”
    “I haven’t seen a child yet,” I admitted with relief. “I don’t want to either.”
    “Children are tough.” He scooted toward me to avoid a vendor’s booth. “I’ve only dealt with a handful of cases myself, and each of them involved…not so pleasant circumstances.”
    “Circumstances?” I jumped aside as someone came barreling out of a door with a huge cardboard box.
    “Abuse, murder, molestation. I only involve myself if the police are close to apprehending someone. The smallest of things can land a conviction. Children, above all others, deserve vindication.”
    I absent mindedly touched my stomach, tracing my fingers along the line of my yoga pants, knowing all too well how children deserved their vengeance.
    “Rhiannon?”
    Goose’s voice snapped me out of it, and I let my hand drift to my side.
    “Are you all right?” His face was full of concern, brows drawn together. “You went blank for a minute.”
    “I’m fine,” I answered, relieved my voice was steady. “What are we doing here anyway?”
    “We’re looking for Baxter Lomen. He vanished after Jacob. Disco said he wanted to buy a few trinkets for his”—he paused, searching for the right term—”female friends. Since this was his favorite place to shop, and we don’t know if he visited a jewelry store or an outside vendor, we’ll need to comb the area.”
    “Why do you think he’d linger around China Town?”
    “This was his little neck of the woods and his favorite place to be. He had a thing for Asian women, too, if that tells you anything. All ghosts return to their favorite places. It’s ingrained in their psyche.”
    We rounded the corner in front of Beny’s Jewelry and I stopped. Goose kept walking, unaware that I saw something. A few steps ahead, and he whipped around, confusion changing to excitement. But I wasn’t paying attention to Goose, eyes drawn to someone else.
    He stared at me just as I stared at him. His thick hair was dark, his skin barely transparent, and his eyes were the most amazing shade of green I had ever seen. He approached me, and unlike all the times before when I’d walk away, or turn in the other direction, I allowed him to.
    “What do you see?” Goose asked anxiously.
    “Gorgeous guy, in his thirties maybe, with dark hair and the most vivid green eyes.” My words were hoarse, my voice detached.
    “Green eyes, that’s him!” Goose took my hand. The contact made me jump, but I didn’t break it. A strange undercurrent passed between us, a tiny vibration. He was silent a few seconds, then squeezed my fingers in a crushing grip. “My God, you can see them.”
    I tore my gaze away from Baxter to stare at Goose. His eyes were wide in awe and wonderment.
    “How do you see him now when you couldn’t before?”
    “Your necromancy. You’re sharing it with me through physical contact.”
    My attention returned to Baxter. His long white sleeves were covered in blood, as was his chest, which had been opened wide. The shirt dangled in ripped shreds around his torn flesh. His sternum was cracked, several ribs broken or missing, and his heart was gone, leaving nothing behind but empty red casing.
    I swallowed back the bile rising to my throat.
    “They took the heart.” Goose sounded repulsed.
    “Look at his wrists.” I cringed, fighting nausea. The skin was ragged and raw. I could see