Unbreakable Bonds (An Angela Panther Mystery Book 2)

by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

  Ma'am. Ugh.

  I cut Bill some slack. He'd fallen victim to my mother's shenanigans so I felt sorry for him. "What can I do you for, Bill?"

  "I'm dead."

  I nodded. "Pretty much."

  "My wife and son don't know yet, ma'am. You see, my body was just found a little while ago. I need to get them a message and they told me you could help me."

  Them again.

  "Wait," I connected the dots. "You were murdered?" Murder would involve police and then my secret would be out, and I'd be labeled that crazy lady who thinks she talks to the dead. We'd have to change our names and move—dear God—Emily would never let me hear the end of it. My stomach ached.

  "No, ma'am, I wasn't murdered. Two days ago I drowned in the big lake. Fell out of my boat trying to reel in a fish. Biggest catch in years, too. Knocked my head on the side of the boat, passed out, and drowned. Never felt a thing, either. When the authorities found me, the fish was still on the hook. The police said it was a grand catch, too."

  I giggled about the fish, but the rest of it, painless or not, was depressing.

  "My wife and me? We were separated. She wanted a divorce but I wanted to come home. I didn't think she'd let me though, so I didn't try."

  I didn't know where this was going. "I'm not sure I'm following you, Bill."

  "Ever since I died, I've been with my family. My wife, she cries on the phone to her friends and mama. Says she misses me, but doesn't think I want to come back. Says she's afraid to ask for fear I'll say no. I want her to know I would have, that I still loved her. And my boy, I think he sees me. He told her I was there, but she didn't believe him. Just cried more. I want him to know that was me he saw, and that everything's going to be okay. It's going to be okay, isn't it?"

  Not jaded by fear or social stigmas, children often saw the dead. I guessed Bill's son was young, and I was sad for him and his family. I tried to reassure him. "I'm sure everything will be okay Bill, but the truth is, I haven't done this is a long time and I'm pretty rusty. Is there anything you can tell me that will help your wife believe me?"

  The prospect of riding that horse wasn't appealing, but I knew it would be worth it once I got back up and moving.

  "Jessica—that's my wife, she's a believer, ma'am. She watches them ghost hunter shows all the time. I know she'll believe you."

  "I'm still going to need something, Bill, just in case."

  "Yes, ma'am. I understand."

  I told the ghost I'd help, but not until later that day. I suspected Bill wasn't a one-shot thing and I was getting my gift back, and I wanted to manage it better than before. Plus, I needed to deal with Emily—she came first.

  "Thank you, ma'am."

  "Don't thank me yet—and Bill?"

  "Yes, ma'am?"

  "Don't call me ma'am. My name is Angela. If you call me ma'am again, I'm not going to help you."

  "Yes, ma-," he stopped himself. "I'm leaving now."

  I smirked. "Thank you."

  "And Ma," I said. "We'll deal with the cup later."

  ***

  "So you're back to helping my kind again, huh?" Ma's voiced boomed over the water in the shower.

  I yanked my towel from the rod and covered myself, soaking the towel in the process. "A little privacy, please?"

  "Ah Madone."

  I stood motionless, not sure if she'd left. "Ma? You still here?"

  "If you don't want me to see you in your birthday suit, quit talking to me for cryin' out loud."

  "I just wanted to make sure you were gone, Ma, that's all."

  "I was, but now I'm not."

  "Then leave, please."

  "Geesh. Make up your mind."

  "And you owe me a new cup."

  "I can't hear you because I'm gone."

  "Oh geez." I hung the wet towel over the shower and rinsed off.

  After I dried off, I called Jake and got his voicemail. "Call me when you wake up."

  He called right back. "That was fast," I said.

  "I'm on the toilet, playing Angry Birds."

  "Thanks for sharing."

  "You're welcome."

  "So guess what?"

  "You're reading that bestselling raunchy novel? The one you called mommy porn?"

  "Uh, no."

  "You bought sexy lingerie?"

  "What's the point? It just comes right off."

  "That is the point."

  "Oh right, but no, no sexy lingerie."

  "We'll go shopping for something this weekend," he said.

  "Oh geez. Fine."

  "And I'll come in the dressing room with you."

  "Uh, no. The mirrors are horrible. I won't even try stuff on in stores because of them."

  "You're no fun."

  "You'll be retracting that statement later. So guess what?"

  "Oh great. What did Fran do now?"

  I laughed because I'd have gone there if I were him, too.

  "Aside from breaking my second favorite cup, nothing. It's not about her."

  "Then I got nothin'."

  "I saw another ghost, or heard one, at least."

  "Define heard. Like, heard noises that could be another ghost or heard another ghost speak?"

  "Heard another ghost speak. A man, named Bill. Hit his head at the big lake while fishing and died."

  "Obviously he's dead if he's a ghost, honey."

  "Oh, yeah."

  "I'm not sure what to say. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?"

  "Actually, I'm kind of excited."

  "Then that's great news!"

  I laughed. "What would you have said if I said I wasn't excited?"

  "Uh, that sucks?"

  "Figured."

  "So fill me in."

  I did. He wasn't thrilled about Bill being in the house but was happy that I was happy.

  "I gotta go, got a meeting in five minutes," he said. "Love you."

  "Love you, too."

  I finished getting dressed and read a text from Mel. "Nick's eye is a lovely shade of blackish purple. Have I told you how much I love your mom?"

  "Oh geez," I responded.

  "Said he's got an early meeting this morning but he's probably going to Carrie's. Might do another drive-by. Wanna come?"

  How do you tell a person they're not thinking straight without making them angry? I stopped texting and called her. "I don't think driving by will accomplish anything but upsetting you more."

  "I'm not upset."

  I put my phone on speaker while I applied my makeup. "Of course you're not," I said, even though I imagined little red horns growing from her head.

  "I'm pissed."

  "And that's better than angry, how?"

  "Are you coming with me or not?"

  "I can't. I'm sorry. I've got an appointment."

  "It's okay."

  "Be careful, please," I said.

  "I will. I promise."

  My spidey senses told me this would be the first promise Mel broke.

  ***

  I ate breakfast and contemplated my talk with Emily. I dug into the bowels of my brain for an approach that would keep her defenses intact, but my bowels were empty. Emily was the queen of angst and drama, and never missed an opportunity to let that be known. The conversation wouldn't be pretty. I sipped hot coffee from my not-second-favorite-coffee cup as she barreled into the kitchen, ready for a war.

  "Can we like, get this over with now?"

  My best defense against her anger was to remain calm, but as an Italian and the mother of a teenage daughter that wasn't easy. "Absolutely." I sipped my coffee and attempted to be casual and nonchalant. "You're grounded for two weeks. No car, no cell phone, no computer, or iPad. There. It's over with now." I took another sip of coffee.

  Her face reddened and tears pooled in her eyes. "That's not fair."

  "Life ain't fair, kiddo. Best you learn that now." I got up, rinsed my cup, and loaded it into the dishwasher.

  "I just went to Waffle House. At least I wasn't, li
ke, out drinking or doing drugs."

  "Sneaking out is unacceptable, Emily, regardless of where you sneak out to."

  "Fine, Mom. I snuck out. Ground me, but don't, like, take my stuff away. I only did one thing so I should, like, only have one punishment."

  I gave her my one-eyebrow up look. "And you became a parenting expert when?"

  She rolled her eyes. "It was just Waffle House."

  "With Chandler, I presume?"

  "Does that matter?" She snipped.

  My daughter was lucky I had self-control. I pointed at her. "And that's another week added for being a smart-aleck."

  "Can I at least have my phone?"

  "Nope. Not until you have an attitude adjustment." I held out my hand, palm up. "Keys, please."

  "What? Why do you want my keys? I'm grounded, remember? I can't go anywhere."

  "Rumor has it you're prone to sneaking out and I'm not taking any chances."

  She got up and stomped out of the room while muttering, "I have to get my purse."

  "Bring the phone too, please."

  She clomped up the stairs like a horse. I followed, trying hard not to giggle at the drama of it all. She threw the keys on the kitchen table, but set her phone down with care. I grabbed the keys and stuffed them in my pocket.

  "I guess I'll have to quit my job since I can't get to work."

  Oh, puh-lease.

  "The cafe isn't more than five miles, round trip. You can drive to and from work and I'll check the mileage. Every night I want the keys on my nightstand."

  She shook her head. "Whatever."

  I ignored that. "You never answered my question. Were you with Chandler?"

  "Yes," she mumbled. Her shoulders dropped. She knew she'd screwed up. "He was mad that I, like, blew him off for the lake. He said if I didn't meet him he'd, like, break up with me."

  Chandler needed a serious ass kicking. "He threatened you so you'd do what he wanted?"

  "It wasn't, like, a threat, Mom. He was upset. He didn't, like, mean it that way."

  My daughter was naive, and Chandler was a jerk. "He most certainly did mean it that way, and the next time he threatens you like that, call his bluff. Stand up for yourself, and he'll back down. Never let someone threaten you like that, Emily."

  "I don't want him to break up with me."

  "If he breaks up with you because you don't take orders from him, then he doesn't respect you, and if he doesn't respect you, he'll treat you like crap. Is that what you want?"

  "You don't understand, Mom. Things are different than, like, when you were my age."

  Ah, yes. That line. Emily pulled that out every time she didn't have a worthy comeback, so I retorted with my standard reply. "Things may be different kiddo, but people still want the same things."

  "But you don't know what Chandler wants. He loves me. I'm like family to him and he was really mad that I, like, chose you guys over him."

  What?

  "Chose us over him for what?"

  "The lake, Mom. He was mad because I, like, chose to stay home and do what you said and not go to the lake. He said it hurt him and that he, like, loves me more than you, so I should do what he wants."

  I had a choice to make and had to do it fast. I could say what I knew to be true, that this guy was an absolute idiot and she better run like hell from him, which would do nothing but push her even closer to him or I could be sarcastic and pretend it wasn't a big deal. I chose sarcasm. "Wow. That's pretty serious. When's the wedding?"

  She rolled her eyes. "We're not like, talking about that kind of stuff yet, Mom."

  Yet. "Good to know because your dad and I haven't started saving for it yet, either."

  Emily was serious about this kid, and all I could think of was the damage he could do to her heart, not to mention her already fledging self-esteem. It was time for drastic measures. "Guess we should get you to the gynecologist, huh?"

  Her mouth dropped and her eyes widened. I choked back a laugh.

  "Mom, I'm not, like, having sex with Chandler."

  "Not yet," I said. "But better safe than sorry."

  "I'm not having sex," she repeated.

  "You've already said that, but I still think you need to be prepared."

  "Fine, mom. Whatever."

  "I don't think you're having sex, but like I said, better safe than sorry."

  Ma spoke and I didn't even flinch. "Tell her about the bees."

  "Em, I'm not gonna tell you the story of the birds and the bees but-"

  "Seriously, Mom? I'm seventeen. I don't need the sex talk."

  Phew. Dodged that bullet.

  "I just don't want you to rush into anything."

  "I'm not having sex," she repeated.

  "I'm still making the appointment."

  "Is it a guy or a girl?"

  "She's a female."

  "Fine. I'll go." She stomped to the bathroom and closed the door.

  As if she'd had a choice.

  The conversation exhausted me and all I wanted to do was crawl back into bed, but first I had to change the computer and iPad passwords and take a picture of the car mileage, and then head out to Bill's wife's house.

  "Maybe you should take it outta her room," Ma said, referencing Emily's computer.

  "Can't believe you broke my second favorite cup." I whispered.

  "Ah for cryin' out loud Angela, it was just a coffee cup. It ain't expensive china. By the way, where's my china? Did you sell it or something?"

  "I thought you were all-knowing now. Shouldn't you know where your china is?"

  "Huh. Probably I should."

  I laughed. "It's in the basement storage closet."

  "Oh gee, thanks. Hide my stuff in the basement."

  I was a still miffed about the cup. "Why'd you have to break the cup? I got that at Disney with the kids. It had a photo of us on it, and I don't have a copy of that picture."

  "It was an accident. I just meant to push it a little, but I guess my mind's stronger than I thought, and it went flying right off the counter."

  I nodded. "It sure did."

  "Well, I felt bad for the guy. When I popped in and he was standing there, talkin' to you, and you were ignoring him, I decided to help him out."

  "Wait, he was talking to me and I couldn't hear him?"

  Ma yelled. "You oughta get your ears checked. Can you hear me? Hello? Angela? Can you hear me?"

  I shook my head. "I can hear you. But that doesn't make sense. Why could I hear him when you broke the cup but not before?"

  "I dunno, I wasn't there the whole time. Maybe he was talkin' soft or something?"

  "So lemme see if I got this right. You showed up and he was talking to me and I didn't respond. Then you broke my second favorite cup and he talked and I could hear him?"

  "Yup."

  I snapped my fingers. "I got it. It's you."

  "Whadda ya mean, it's me?"

  "You're the link. I couldn't hear him because you weren't there, but when you showed up, I could. I can't hear other ghosts without you here, Ma. You're my connection to the dead."

  "Huh. Ya think?"

  I nodded. "What else could it be?"

  "You think I'm the connection?"

  "That's what I'm sayin'."

  "That sounds important."

  I nodded. "I'm pretty sure it is."

  "I'm gonna have to ask about that. They haven't taught that in celestial being school."

  Oh geez.

  "I'm going to see Bill's wife's today and I think you better come with me. If I'm right and you're not there, I'm gonna look like a nut case in front of her."

  She coughed. "Well, it wouldn't be the first time."

  "Feelin' the love, Ma."

  My phone dinged with a text from Mel.

  "Went by the 'ho's but he wasn't there. Car's at the office though. Thinking of going in to see if he's there. Need a reason. STAT."

  "Oh boy."

  "She's at his office, isn't she?" Ma asked.

  "It's r
eally creepy how you do that."

  "I know. If I coulda done it when I was alive, your life woulda ended up different."

  Just thinking about that sent a shiver up my spine. "Let's not go there, please."

  "You're no fun."

  "Mel's making a mistake doing this. What should we do?"

  "Tell her to chill out and hold on a minute. I'll pop in there and check."

  "Have I told you how much I love you?"

  "Nope. And it's nice to finally hear it. Be back in a jiffy."

  "Love you, Ma!"

  I texted Mel and told her Ma was going to pop into Nick's office.

  "Have I told you how much I love your mother?" She wrote back.

  "Funny, I just stole that line from you."

  Ma was back in a jiffy, like she'd said. "Tell her to go home, he's at his desk and he ain't goin' nowhere for a while."

  I didn't like the sound of that. "I'm not even gonna ask."

  "Probably smart. Just tell her so she doesn't run in balls to the wall, for cryin' out loud. She's in her car shaking like a leaf, that girl. And tell her to switch to decaf coffee before she has a heart attack."

  I dialed Mel's number. "He's in the office. Ma says go home and stand back from the caffeine."

  "What's he doing?"

  "My guess is he's working. Go home, Mel. Don't make this worse than it already is."

  "Fine." Her voice shook. "Tell Fran thanks." She hung up before I could say goodbye.

  "She says thanks. I think she's mad at me."

  "Probably. You were kinda rough."

  "I didn't mean to be. I just don't want her to make things worse."

  "Can't think of anything worse than your husband cheatin' on you."

  She had a point. "I need to try to be more sensitive, don't I?"

  "Sensitivity was never your strong point. You're more like your dad in that you say what you want without thinking about the other person's feelings. Me? I have more tact about things like that."

  I snorted. "Uh, you don't seriously mean that, do you?" Ma was the queen of verbal diarrhea.

  "'Course I do."

  "All righty then. Let's move on. I'm probably gonna regret this, but tell me what you did to Nick."

  "Aw, Madone. Nothing big. Just blew his papers off of his desk, is all. So he's gotta do a little reorganizing. No big deal."

  Relief swept over me. Nick was almost as anal retentive as me so he was probably frustrated and confused about the sudden burst of wind. Ma really knew how to hit where it hurt. "Awesome. That'll keep him occupied both physically and mentally."