Uncharted Territory (An Angela Panther Mystery Book 3)

by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

  "Wait, what?"

  I didn't get an answer because Tevin and my mother had already shimmered away.

  "Aw come on already! Don't leave me hangin' like that!"

  CHAPTER SIX

  ON THE DRIVE HOME, Mel and I over-analyzed Tevin's last sentence.

  "So hold on," she said. "The girl tells you she's scared, and then Tevin says she's got her whole life left to live. And you said she's different, that she doesn't shimmer right?"

  I nodded.

  "Hold on, lemme Google something." She pulled her phone from her purse, and swiped and tapped. "Well, that's not helpful."

  "What?"

  "I typed in ghosts that jerk, not shimmer and all I got was something about the band Coldplay and a site about ghosts, but nothing about them jerking or shimmering." She tapped and swiped some more. "Hold on. I might have something. Nope, it's nothing. Just talks about the standard ghost stuff, you know, cold spots and such. Nothing about shimmering or jerking on that site, either."

  I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel. "So, what if she's not dead?"

  "I think we can assume she's probably not." She grabbed my arm. "Holy crap!"

  I shook her hand off. "You're gonna make me wreck the car."

  "What if she's a zombie?"

  "Are you doing drugs?"

  "What? No. Why would you ask that?" She pushed her chin back. One day I'd have to gather up the nerve to tell her that wasn't a good look on her.

  "A zombie?"

  "It's possible."

  "But not probable."

  "How do you know? Have you ever seen a zombie?"

  "No, because they're not real."

  "Yeah, and a few years ago you would have said the same thing about ghosts."

  "Totally different."

  "How?"

  "Because ghosts come from people's souls, which live on, so it would've been completely plausible to think that ghosts existed. Zombies are supposed to be walking dead bodies, which is a scientific impossibility."

  "Uh-huh."

  "Google do zombies jerk and shimmer like ghosts, and see what pops up."

  She did her swipe and tap thing again. "There's nothing about that but I Googled do zombies disappear, and apparently they do. So there."

  I didn't believe her. "Show me the link."

  She stuck her phone up near the side of my face. "See?"

  I skimmed the link quickly, and then pushed her hand away. "Video games and TV shows don't count."

  She tapped on her phone screen again. "Um, you're wrong. They're not walking dead bodies. They're chemically altered people, so they're real."

  "Chemically altered people with no functional organs that can walk around killing people even though their brains no longer work. Yes, they're absolutely real."

  "I'm just sayin'." She read the site's description about zombies.

  "Oh geez. Probably some nut job created that site. Besides, if, and that's a big if, zombies are actually real—which they're not, that's not what the girl is anyway. Zombies are dead and Tevin said she has her whole life ahead of her. So basically your completely ridiculous theory is moot."

  "Fine but I still say they're real."

  "And so are UFOs."

  "Well, duh. Everyone knows that."

  If I could have, I would have banged my head against the steering wheel. Instead I made a much-needed suggestion. "Maybe you should consider going on medication."

  She giggled. "So you really think she's not dead, huh?"

  "We've ruled out zombies, so what's our other option? Teleporting? You know, like Captain Kirk from Star Trek. Oh my God! That's it!" I gripped the steering wheel and the jerked the car to the right. My tires lost traction and we veered off the road. I pulled the wheel to the left and got back on the road safely. A quick glance at Mel made me giggle. She was whiter than Casper the Friendly Ghost. "Whoops. Sorry."

  Mel put her hand to her chest. "Criminy. Don't do that. You scared the bejesus outta me."

  "Teleporting?"

  "No, I'm serious. Maybe she dies, but they revive her, and that's why she jerks, because they bring her back." I licked my upper lip. "Or maybe she's in a coma or on life support or something and her soul's leaving her body? The jerking? That could be when she's getting those things to her chest, when they're shocking her."

  "From a defibrillator?"

  "Yeah. I can't believe I didn't think of that sooner."

  "You're swag."

  "Swag?"

  "Yeah, swag. You know, like amazing. Kids say it all the time."

  "Huh. Haven't heard that one yet."

  "You probably have and just didn't pay attention. You do that a lot."

  "I beg to differ."

  "I speak truth," Mel said. "Whether you wanna hear it or not."

  "I'm going to figure out how to check the hospitals around town. Maybe I can find her." I bounced in my seat. "I'm so glad we figured it out."

  "Wait. So if she's in a coma or on life support, how would she know about you? How would she know to come to you?"

  "I don't know." I pointed to the phone in her lap. "Do me a favor, Google near death experiences and tell me what you find."

  She did. "Wow, a lotta people say they've had them, and there's a lot of websites about them. Lemme borrow your charger. My phone's almost dead." She pulled the cord from my phone and connected it to hers.

  I exited the highway and got stuck at the light at the end of the ramp. Mel peeked up from the phone and glanced to the right, the direction toward Nick and Carrie's apartment. Her face twitched, and I knew she was still harboring a whole boatload of emotions and would probably do so for a long time. My heart hurt for my best friend. "He doesn't deserve your awesomeness. Your sway."

  "You mean my swag."

  "That, too."

  My phone buzzed, notifying me of a voicemail. "Oh crap."

  "What?"

  "Pam Ryan called."

  "Who?"

  "Lacrosse mom."

  She raised an eyebrow. "Uh, I thought there was a no-new-friend-unless-we-both-liked-her clause in our friendship agreement?"

  "She's not a new friend." I filled her in on Pam, her father, and her hints about telling her friends about my gift.

  "Lou Sassole?" She guffawed. "Someone actually named their kid Lou Sassole? That's freaking awesome."

  "I know, right? I kept laughing about it and felt horrible."

  "I bet. Growing up must have been terrible for him. Hey, Lou Sassole, what'd one butt cheek say to the other butt cheek?" She paused for effect. "Man, we can't stop this shit." She slapped her knee with her hand, and repeated the punch line through her laughter.

  Tears streamed down both of our cheeks.

  Mel spoke in a New Jersey accent. "Hey, Jimmy, why you gotta be such a tight ass all da time? You gotta hang out with my buddy Lou more. You know him right? Lou Sassole."

  "That poor man."

  She wiped a tear with the side of her finger. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, huh?"

  "I sure hope so."

  We laughed for a few minutes, and it helped to relieve the tension I'd felt building up over the past few days.

  "So what do you think she's calling about?"

  "To be my new best friend, obviously."

  "Over my dead body."

  "Ha, not even then. You'd haunt her."

  "Damn straight."

  "I think she's gonna try to get me to talk to her friends or something but I'm not sure. And it's not only that. She just rubs me the wrong way. I don't trust her. The whole bad-mouth another mom from the lacrosse team? I don't wanna get tangled up in that crap. The last thing I need is to be the topic of lacrosse mom gossip. You know how fast that crap travels?"

  She rolled her lips together and nodded. "Probably a little late for that, don't you think?"

  "No. Why?"

  "If she didn't have a problem slamming another lacrosse mom to you, I'm pretty sure she's not gonna keep your secret. It's kinda a biggie y
ou know, so she's probably called all her friends by now and filled them in on her new bestie the ghost whisperer."

  Since we were at another stoplight, I banged my head into the steering wheel. "You're right. I know you're right."

  She twisted her ponytail. "Yup. Nailed it, didn't I?"

  "I think so."

  "So, what're you gonna do?"

  "Ignore the call."

  "What about when you see her next?"

  "Easy," I said, flicking my hand in the air. "I accidentally deleted the message."

  "Like that one ever works."

  "Maybe Jake or Emily can take Josh to practice? Then I won't have to see her."

  "And his games?"

  "Crap. Didn't think about that."

  "Looks like you're gonna have to deal with this one. I think the universe is sending you a message. A loud one, too."

  "Sometimes the universe is a pain in my ass."

  "Better to have a pain in the ass then a loose asshole."

  "Touché."

  "Hey, at least the universe didn't let your husband knock up some chick half his age."

  "I think the universe did you a favor, getting Nick out of your life."

  "I hope so."

  "You know we'll laugh about that one day, right?"

  "Ya think?"

  "Not really," I said.

  "Yeah, me neither. But I'm fine, really. Everything's good. Or getting there, at least."

  "One day at a time, right?"

  "Right."

  I dropped Mel off at her house with a plan to figure out how to check hospitals for the girl in the white gown, and a firm commitment on my end to pretend Pam Ryan never called.

  ***

  I stopped at the grocery store to pick up something for dinner and ended up in the ice cream aisle, eyes glued to a gallon of Cookies and Cream. As I checked off the multitude of reasons why it wasn't a good idea, a female spirit showed up. She wasn't much older than me. I wished everyone could die old and wrinkly, having lived their lives to the fullest but my experience taught me that death wasn't picky. I grabbed the gallon and dropped it into my cart.

  "Diabetes is a real buzz kill," she said. "If you'll excuse the pun."

  "Is that what did you in?"

  "Yeah. I was young, too. Only forty-one."

  "I can tell. I'm sorry."

  "Meh, it is what it is. My kids eat better now. Wouldn't listen to a word I said as I sat connected to that dialysis machine but once I bought the farm, they gave up all the crap and are in great shape. So I guess my death meant something, huh?"

  "Of course it did."

  A woman at the other end of the aisle glanced at me. I waved and she acknowledged me by pretending I didn't exist. "Would you like me to talk to your family for you? Give them a message or something, so you can go into the light? You do see the light, right?"

  "I see the light but I'm sticking around for a bit. I've got some unfinished business but when I'm done, if I need you, I know where to find you."

  I knew that whole unfinished business thing all too well. "That works."

  "My kids are here, picking out vegetables with their dad and his new girlfriend. I'm gonna head over there and drop some tomatoes on her feet. I'm not sure I like her all that much."

  I laughed. "Good luck."

  "Thanks," she said and then she shimmered away.

  I pulled the ice cream from the cart and put it back in the freezer. Picturing my kids and Jake with another woman made it unappealing. As I headed to the other end of the aisle, I caught the woman I'd waved at before staring at me. She glanced away when I caught her eye. She probably thought I was talking to myself but I didn't care.

  ***

  That night I fell asleep on the couch with the TV on and Gracie lying on the floor. I dreamed I was in a cemetery with Tevin and the girl in the white gown. I was next to an old statue of an angel holding a bouquet of flowers and a marble mausoleum flanked with columns. The mausoleum was stunning and I had a strong urge to run my hands down the stone columns. When I did, my entire body tingled.

  My Indian spirit guide, Alo, appeared next to the girl and nodded in my direction. "The answer is within your reach."

  Tevin took a can of red spray paint and spritzed the front of the angel. When he finished, he pushed the monument over from behind, and said, "Won't be long."

  I shook myself awake, dropping a couch pillow on top of Gracie in the process. "Sorry, girl." I took the pillow and tossed it to the other side of the couch and then rubbed my eyes. The TV's soft glow illuminated the room and I saw the girl, hovering near the chair in the corner.

  "Please, it won't be long."

  Gracie's ears stood at attention and she sniffed the area where the girl hovered.

  I jumped up. "Wait, don't go. Who are you? Where are you? Are you alive?"

  "I…I don't know. It's dark here. I don't like it. Please, I'm scared. Hurry."

  "Where? Hurry where? Tell me something, anything. Please, I want to help you." I stepped toward her, my hands reaching out in front of me, and hoped I had more time before she disappeared. "Just tell me—"

  She jerked, faded in and out, and then disappeared completely.

  I flung myself back on the couch. "Un-freaking-believable."

  Gracie sniffed the area again, and then sauntered back to her spot in front of the couch and lay back down. Unlike me, she wasn't at all disturbed by what had just happened.

  ***

  I woke up the next morning with dried drool both on my face and the couch pillow. Jake left a note on the coffee table. "Went for a ride with Paul. Be home around two. Coffee's fresh." I tossed the note back onto the table. Jake wouldn't be home at two. He and Paul rarely paid attention to the time when they rode but it never bothered me unless we had plans, which we didn't, so I wasn't upset.

  I shuffled to the kitchen and poured myself a cup of coffee, checking Gracie's bowl to see if she'd been fed. She had. How Jake had fed the dog, made coffee, got ready, and then left the house on his louder-than-a-freight-train Harley Davidson without waking me was a miracle. I had mommy ears, the kind that heard every single sound, even those only animals could hear.

  I sat at the kitchen counter, stared blankly into my full coffee cup and rehashed the dream. It had to mean something. I knew that dreaming about my spirit guide—whom I'd only learned about a few months prior—was his way of communicating with me. My mother could hang out with him at her will but I wasn't allowed that kind of casual contact.

  I pulled myself up from the barstool and peeked out the front window. Emily's car was gone. She must have had to work early but I hadn't heard her leave. Either I slept like the dead or my hearing was going. I decided it was just a good night's sleep, though part of me knew my body and everything in it was changing. I just wasn't ready to accept that. Unless he'd left without my knowledge too, it was just Josh and me in the house so I could talk freely with my mother, something I needed to do.

  I drained my coffee cup, refilled it and added a shot of French vanilla creamer instead of regular cream. I sat back at the counter, swirled the coffee in my cup and slowly raised it to my mouth. I slurped and moaned as I drank, exaggerating every motion and sound. "This coffee is just heavenly." I sipped and moaned again. "There's nothing better than a hot cup of luscious coffee. I'm so glad I can have this whenever I want it."

  As I'd hoped, Ma shimmered in. "They send people to Hell for that, ya know."

  "For slurping? That's kind of harsh, don't you think?" I slurped again.

  Her jaw clenched. "Not for slurping, for apparition abuse."

  "Excuse me?"

  "Ya know, celestial being bullying. They send people to Hell for that." She shook her finger in my face. "You oughta keep that in mind."

  I chuckled. "They do not." I picked up my cup and positioned it under my nose, gently swishing the coffee around, letting the aroma float out with the steam so I could inhale the nutty smell. "So good."

  "You got no manners. You le
arned that from your father."

  "Dad had manners. Great ones, in fact." I smiled, thinking of my father. It was nice to finally be able to think about him and not feel like I was suffocating. My life wasn't the same without him, but ever since he'd come to me and gave me the confidence I needed to help Matthew Clough and his family, regardless of the possible consequences, I knew he was close by, watching over me. My father wanted me to be happy and not dwell on his death, and I'd made a conscious effort to do that, though some days were much easier than others.

  Ma waved her hand. "He used to fart and blame the dog."

  I spit out my coffee. "No, he used to fart and blame you."

  "My Buddy never did that."

  Buddy was my mother's fiancé after my parents divorced. He died of a heart attack before they'd had a chance to marry, but since Ma passed, they'd reunited.

  "Blame you or the dog?"

  "Nah, fart. He was a true gentleman. Still is in fact."

  "Dad was a true gentleman, too. You just don't wanna give him credit for anything because of the divorce."

  "Ah Madone, I give him credit for all kinds of stuff."

  "Oh yeah? Like what?"

  "Like for giving me three great kids for one."

  I wasn't expecting that. "And?"

  "And for being a good dad."

  I definitely hadn't expected that one, either. "He was a great dad."

  "And for takin' me to Hawaii and Puerto Rico even though I had to sit through all those stupid company dinners listening to people talk about insurance."

  "Coulda been worse, you know."

  "Yah, I know."

  "So fine, you do give him credit for stuff. I'm glad." I slurped the coffee again, and plastered an obnoxious fake grin on my face.

  "So rude."

  "You know if I could, I'd make you coffee every single day for the rest of your life." I waved my hand. "Your eternal life, that is."

  "Yah, I know." She hovered close to my cup, and stuck her face through it. "Drats. Can't smell a thing."

  "Sorry."

  "So whatcha need? Did The Cheater hurt our Mel again? You want I should go give him a what for?"

  "No, Ma, I do not want you to give Nick a what for ever again. Okay? You gotta let that go. What's done is done."