Gatekeeper by Debra Glass Read Free Book Online

know it is.” She looked at the button in her hand. “He told me he saw someone hit Amy on the head and drag her away. He told me he tried to warn her. And then I…I saw her myself—well, in my head—in a grave. The ghost said he’d help me find her.”
    “This ghost told you that?”
    She nodded.
    “Where is he now?” He looked around.
    “I don’t know.” God, he thought she was crazy. And the more Jillian talked, the crazier it sounded to her.
    Theo took a deep breath and then blew it out slowly. “Do you want to know what I think? I think I made a mistake in calling you. I think the strain of this is too much for you. And I think if it were anybody but me, Jillian Drew, the finger would start pointing to you.”
    “Me?” Jillian was incredulous.
    “Yes. I mean, look at the facts. First you stole evidence from a crime scene. And then while you’re the only person in this house, in broad daylight someone waltzes up to the front door and tapes a big mess of your sister’s hair to it. It doesn’t look good.”
    Jillian opened her mouth and then closed it. She couldn’t think of anything to say. Theo knew her better than that. Her mind fumbled for something—anything—to make him believe her. The idea of Amy in a grave was unthinkable. Outside, an entourage of police cars lined the driveway.
    “Give me that button before someone else sees you with it and charges you with a crime.” He snatched it out of her hand before she could protest.
    She gasped. “Theo, I need that.”
    He shook his head. “I have to turn it over to the crime lab.” He drew a plastic bag out of his pocket and slipped it inside. “Not a word about this to anyone. Understand?”
    She took a breath, intent on objecting but he cut her off. “You’ve already contaminated evidence that could be the key to finding your sister. Now pull yourself together and go home. We’ll call you.”
    “But…” She watched with utter gut-wrenching dismay as the one thing connecting her to Amy disappeared inside Theo’s pants pocket. She grasped his arm. His gaze fell to her hand and then lifted once more to her eyes. “Theo, promise me you’ll consider asking Lynn to profile.”
    “All right.” He gave her a paternal look and then joined the others. “Now, go home.”
    Investigators filed in and began scouring Amy’s house for evidence. One studied the sidewalk out front. Another dusted the door for prints. Others searched the house.
    Jillian sank back down on the sofa. At least Theo was going to consider bringing her partner in on the case. But what was she going to do without the button? How could she contact the spirit again without it? She’d been stupid to show it to him. Stupid!
    She inhaled. There was only one thing to do now. She had to get it back. She had to talk to that ghost again.
    * * * * *
     
    Jillian found a Civil War relic shop in nearby Franklin. A bell rang when she opened the door. “Come on in,” a voice called from behind the counter.
    Long wooden muskets and rifles with rusty bayonets lined one wall. Tarnished swords lined another. Her ghost had worn a sheathed sword around his waist. Tingles skittered down her spine at the memory of him, so close, touching her. She inhaled. Never in her life had she been so terrified. And she would never revisit the experience but for the fact her sister’s life was in jeopardy.
    One glass case was filled with carte de visite photographs, tintypes and daguerreotypes. Jillian scanned them. Many of the men depicted in the photos had the same style of moustache and spade beard as her ghost but as she guessed, none of the photos were actually of him.
    Boo curiously poked her little black head out of Jillian’s brown leather Fendi bag.
    Dusty old books crowded a shelf near the counter. Heavy, weathered old cannon balls rested on the floor. The whole place smelled old, like a quaint mixture of cedar wood and lemon oil.
    “Excuse me?” Jillian said, craning in an attempt to see