Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 66642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
“Two ways, they can come and talk to me if I’m in their vicinity or…”
“Or?” she asked in a strangled voice.
“Or I can call their spirts. I can force any spirit living or dead to obey me if I’m holding one of their possessions.”
Sophie jerked to her feet. “Have you made me do anything I haven’t wanted to do?”
Hurt, he shuttered his eyes. This was what he had been afraid of being accused of. Raising his eyelids, he stared at her honestly. “I’ve never used my gift to force you to do anything. I learnt that lesson when I convinced my dad to let us take turns on the ATV without helmets.”
Jody felt her arms go around him.
“I can’t even talk to them to tell them how sorry I am. They both have been rebirthed. I haven’t used that ability since they died. I won’t. I thought because I was on the mountain, I wouldn’t have any repercussions. I didn’t; they did. Silas keeps telling me Dad wouldn’t have given in to me, because he had the same gift. He gave in because he wanted to.”
“I agree with Silas,” she said softly. “You can’t blame yourself. You were only a child.”
“I always will. That’s why I would never use my gift to force you to do anything. I love you.”
“I believe you.”
She gave him a misty smile, which made him feel like Hercules.
“You may be a conceited, extremely attractive doofus, but you’re mine, too. I guess I can deal with you talking to dead people as long as you don’t talk to them around me or bring them home.”
Jody gave her a pained expression.
“I promise… there’s just a big favor I need first.”
Sophie separated herself from him.
“What’s the favor?” She glared at him suspiciously.
“You don’t need to be here when I talk to him,” Jody assured her.
“What do you need?”
“I need the letter you said Marty left you.”
Sophie frowned at him.
“Why do you need the letter?”
“The letter will allow me to talk to him without being near his body. I could look for his spirit in the afterlife, but I prefer not going that route.”
“Why...” Sophie broke off. “Never mind, I don’t have to guess where that son of bitch is. The letter is in the drawer of the dresser. Do I need to get it for you?”
“No.”
“Can I go let the delivery drivers in?”
“Go ahead. I’ll meet you at the hospital.”
“Okay.” Sophie started to leave then hesitated. “If you talk to Marty here, can he come back here whenever he wants? I really don’t want him haunting me.”
“No, he can only come when I call him.”
“I need a drink.”
Jody heard her mutter under her breath.
“I’ll chill a bottle of wine for us to drink tonight when we get home.”
“Chill a case. I’m going to need several bottles.” She swung back as if another thought occurred to her. “By the way, I don’t need to worry about you cheating me on me with dead women, do I? ‘Cause as much as I love you, that would be a deal breaker. I’m not fighting a corpse over you.”
“Of course not. Don’t be silly.”
Deciding it was prudent, he rushed up the steps of the trailer to lock himself inside as Sophie came at him with deadly intent. Damn, he was going to have to do something about her jealously streak. The way she just looked at him, he wouldn’t need the letter to get to talk to Marty; he would be his roommate in the other life.
He went into the bedroom, opened the drawer, and found a yellow envelope. Opening the envelope, he pulled out some legal papers and an unopened letter. He held it, then went outside after peeking through the window to see if Sophie was gone. Not wanting to invade her privacy, he left it unopened; it wasn’t his place to read the letter before she did. He walked to the family cemetery and stood near his great-great-uncle’s grave.
“Marty, father of Sophie. Come to me.”
Using a voice he had never used around Sophie, he waited for the spirit he had summoned.
Nothing happened. Marty thought to refuse him. He wouldn’t be denied.
“Marty, father of Sophie. I command you to come to me,” he called, using a harsher tone of voice.
Marty appeared in front of him. Jody gave him time to assimilate he was no longer in Hell.
“I want answers.”
Marty stopped looking around the cemetery to focus on him. His face was contorted in fear. “Why am I here?”
“I want answers.”
“I don’t have to tell you a fucking thing!”
Jody casually stepped forward, unafraid of the dead spirit. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I will.”
“You can’t hurt me any more than that bastard who runs Hell.”
“Believe me, I can, and I will. Don’t test me.”
Marty gave in. “What do you want to know?”