The Ghost Detective Books 1-3 Special Boxed Edition: Three Fun Cozy Mysteries With Bonus Holiday Story (The Ghost Detective Collection)
Page 59
“You like it?” He indicated the words he’d made in the snow.
“I do. But how did you do it?”
“Well, I just walked and stomped my feet really hard—” he began, and I laughed, cutting him off. “No, I get that, you moron. You’re a ghost. You’ve never left boot prints before.”
He heaved a sigh and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, squeezing. Rather than the usual icy blast, I felt… him. My coffee cup slipped from my fingers, landing in the snow with a soft thud.
“Oh, my God! Ben! You’re… solid. I can touch you! Feel you!” I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed, and he laughed, hugging me back.
“It’s a Christmas miracle,” he said.
“It is.” I closed my eyes and just held him, unable to believe I had this special moment with him. “But how?”
“No idea. Just like we don’t know how you can see and hear me. Magic? The spirit of Christmas? I don’t know, but I’ll take it. Hugging you is the best present I could ask for.”
“You getting soppy on me, Delaney?” but I didn’t release my grip on him. “Has Henry crossed?”
“Not yet. I think he wants to make sure Ken is okay.”
“And is he? Okay?”
“Sad, but yeah, he’s okay. He’s spending Christmas with his friend, Jean.”
Don’t think about Viagra, don’t think about Viagra, I chanted in my head.
“Does this mean…” I stuttered to a halt, not wanting to say the words out loud.
“Does this mean what?” His voice rumbled through his chest beneath my ear, a sensation I would never take for granted. Ben and I may have been best friends, but we didn’t go around hugging each other on a daily basis, either. I eased back and, instead, held his hand. He wasn’t warm, but he wasn’t cold either. He was just solid.
“Does this mean that when Henry crosses over, you’ll go too?”
He shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Audrey Fitzgerald, how many times do I have to tell you. I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
“There’s one thing that’s been bugging me,” I said.
“What’s that?”
“Henry’s cabin. Someone ransacked it. We thought it was whoever Ken had accidentally caught on camera, but it turns out that’s not the case at all.”
“I can answer that one,” Thor meowed, making his way down the stairs and following the words Ben had stomped into the snow.
“You can? Did you find something when you visited Henry’s cabin yesterday? Why didn’t you say so?”
He paused in his explorations and looked at me, blinked once and went back to tracing Ben’s footsteps. “You never asked. There’s a family of squirrels living in the tree overhanging Henry’s cabin. When Henry doesn’t latch his door properly, they like to visit.”
Ben laughed. “Squirrels! I’d never have guessed.”
Me either, I’d been sure it had been something nefarious linked to Henry’s death.
“But that wraps it all up, right?” Ben hooked an arm around my neck and pulled me in for another hug.
“In a big red shiny bow!” I agreed, squeezing him tight, only releasing him when the back door opened, and Amanda stepped out.
“You’re corporeal. At least for now. We have no idea if this is permanent or temporary. Does that mean the others can see you?” I whispered.
“We’re about to find out.”
“Audrey? What are you doing out here in the cold?” Amanda called from the porch. Then she looked down. “Oh. Who wrote you that?”
“A friend,” I smiled. She hadn’t seen Ben. He rested a hand on my shoulder and dropped a kiss on the top of my head. “See?” he whispered, “a Christmas miracle.”
THE END
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About Jane
Hi there! I'm Jane Hinchey, bestselling author of the Ghost Detective Cozy Mystery Series. I totally admit that I can be a snarky, sarcastic, and on the odd occasion, hilarious storyteller. I love writing anything paranormal, from murder mysteries to steamy romance, but I've discovered everything I write has an element of suspense in it. Just like life, right? You never know how your story is going to end up!
I'm an Aussie - British born, Australian raised, which makes for an interesting vocabulary on occasion, especially as I write using US English. Let's not get started on hood versus bonnet, torch versus flashlight, thong versus flip flop... believe me, that last one can get a girl into a lot of trouble if used incorrectly.
My life is pretty simple. I love reading, cats, and my family. My hero is my dad. I'm short in height but big on imagination. While I can't technically speak feline, I often have animated conversations with my ginger ninja, Maxx, and my derpy cat, Morgan.
I live by three simple rules - (1) smile every day. (2) Be kind to each other. (3) Follow your dreams. And bonus rule, always, always, have coffee on hand!
I ABSOLUTELY love talking to readers (especially when they send me photos of their pets!) Send me a message ANYTIME at www.JaneHinchey.com or come and join my reader’s group on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/JanesLittleDevils/
xoxo
Jane