Troubled Spirits

by Sandy Wolters

Fiona continued to run circles around the plane, never even bothering to get out of the way of the flight attendants. She just ran right through them.

  “It’s not that. It’s Fiona. She’s here and is having a ball playing with everything in sight.”

  An attendant moved toward them just as Fiona discovered one of the screens. “Looky, Jody! There’s two TVs!”

  “No! Don’t touch…” But the little girl had reached the darkened screen before Jody could stop her. Jared and Jody watched as the computer screen came to life and then blinked out. A loud popping noise accompanied the power surge as Fiona unknowingly stole the energy. Her little body lit up like a Christmas tree.

  “Wow! Did you see that?” Jared yelled, but he wasn’t looking at the screen. He was looking at where Fiona stood.

  “Can you see her?”

  “I saw a bright orb of light. There was a brilliant flash and this beautiful, bouncing, bluish colored light appeared. It’s gone now. Was that Fiona?”

  “Yes. I’m afraid she may have fried your computer.” Jody bent down in front of the little girl and placed her hands on the kid’s shoulders.

  “Fiona, we’re going to see your parents today. Both of us need to be rested for the reunion. Why don’t you go and sit with your mother until the time comes. Can you do that for me?”

  Fiona threw herself into Jody’s arms and embraced her, slowly disappearing until she had completely vanished. Thankfully, the child had been easily convinced to go but not before Jody had the full attention of the flight crew. Her giggle couldn’t be contained when she’d realized they had watched her talking to, and interacting with thin air. Gauging by all the hushed whispers and raised eyebrows she’d caused quite a stir.

  The crew’s uneasiness become apparent as their belief of sharing a tiny space, very high up in the air, with a loon had hit home. They not only stayed a healthy distance away, but kept a close eye on what they perceived as a passenger with a few loose screws. This type of behavior was nothing new to Jody. What surprised her was Jared stepping up and having a private conversation with them. He’d immediately put a cease to all of the uncomfortable stares and chatter. She didn’t know what he’d said to them, but he’d stood up for her. By doing so, he’d unwittingly made her feel safe and protected.

  ****

  With the exception of a little turbulence, the first hour of the flight from Phoenix Sky Harbor to DFW had been blissfully quiet. Now that Jody knew who she’d be meeting and where, the few short flight hours had to be used to get as much rest as possible. Jared never once intruded on the silence between them with empty words, but instead offered quiet strength and support just by being there.

  As the jet streaked through the darkening clouds, he sat idly beside her maintaining his stoic facade. Jody knew if she were able to crack his calm exterior, he’d be wound tight, ready and willing to swoop in and do whatever task she required.

  It didn’t escape her notice that even without the benefit of conversation, he seemed to be completely aware of her needs. It unnerved her to realize just how transparent she appeared to be when it came to him. If she were thirsty, a glass of water magically appeared in front of her. If the heaviness of the upcoming meeting started to weigh her down, to distract her mindset, he’d gently play with her fingers. The more Jody thought about his actions, it became clear they were somehow instinctive, as if this whole scenario was scripted somehow. He’d prepared and memorized his role as leading man, while she’d decided to improvise.

  Thinking back on the memory of him learning about her abilities had her smiling. To say the least, he’d been a real ass. While he hadn’t believed a word she’d said when they’d first met, he seemed to be taking her abilities in stride now. Except for Nathan and Terry, that was more than any other man had ever been capable of doing. Of course, she reminded herself, they weren’t involved with each other. If he understood how constant interruptions by spirits wanting to get messages to family members put a damper on a romantic candlelit dinner, she was confident he’d run for the hills.

  As Jody reflected on Jared, she allowed herself to sneak a sideways glance at his handsome profile. It might take a while, but once a person moved past his obvious physical strength, they’d be left dealing with his even more dominant self-assurance. The man oozed confidence. She had no doubt he’d be considered the alpha male wherever he found himself. That being so, he’d surely demand something she’d never be able to give him—a partner’s complete attention. Spirits didn’t care if she wanted some alone time with a special person. They were relentless when approaching her and stepped into the mix without a qualm.

  Uncomfortable with the fact her musing seemed consumed with the man sitting next to her, she refocused and tried to see herself as others do. It was common knowledge that many people thought of her as scatter-brained. They had no reason to believe otherwise when her focus shifted away in a split second, sometimes even in mid-sentence. One minute she’d be absorbed in a conversation. The next, she’d be looking around trying to find the living person to whom the next spirit in line demanded addressing. Much of her social time on dates was spent preoccupied on channeling spirits which made men surly at best. Where men were concerned, she’d learned long ago that spirits were a real ego buster. Whoever happened to be unlucky enough to be a part of her life would inevitably feel second best. It wasn’t a fair assessment of her or her feelings, but she certainly understood it. In any case, she didn’t need a high IQ to know any man that found himself involved with her suffered a huge disadvantage.

  Jody felt a slight shift as the plane started its descent, a physical sign confirming the imminence of the impending meeting. The closer the reunion got, the more uncomfortable she became. So much rode on the gathering between mother, father, and child. She didn’t doubt herself or her abilities in the least. No. The real problem in this situation, as she saw it, was the countless unknowns. Unfortunately, she had no real control over any of them.

  What if she couldn’t get the Hinton’s to listen to her? It had only been about a month since Fiona had died. That was such a short period of time, and it put her at a real disadvantage. Many people just weren’t ready to hear from the dead so soon after their passing. Would Fiona be stuck in some kind of limbo if she couldn’t get her mother and father to listen to her message? Would the little girl ever be able to move on and find peace? The stakes were high for both her and Fiona. If it didn’t go well, she had no clue what would happen to either of them. Knowing Fiona wouldn’t just disappear and go away quietly was the only absolute certainty in this whole situation.

  Out of the blue, Jody lurched forward as nervous jitters punched her in the solar plexus. The blow to her midsection left her squirming. As the anxiety level rose, her breathing became erratic, leaving her gasping for air, a sure sign a colossal panic attack was imminent. Oh God! No! This can’t be happening in front of Jared! Trying her best to control the situation and relax only made the anxiety stronger. Just as little pinpricks of light filled her vision, the dizziness hit. Miraculously, before she could slip away, Jared’s hand found hers and held on tight. Never saying a word, he shifted his weight and gently put his arm around her.

  “I’m here for you. It’s going to be all right. No matter what happens today, we’ll see this through together.”

  Jody clung to him as he pulled her from the brink of a major mental come apart. She felt a magical tidal wave of warmth roll from his body and envelop her like a warm blanket made for snuggling. With each breath she took, his heat soothed and mended every single crack in her shattered armor. Clenching her eyes, she focused on the gift of strength he’d graciously offered for the second time that day. Once again, she’d found herself wondering what she’d done to be so lucky to get his help.

  ****

  On the drive from the airport to the Dallas Ritz-Carlton, Jody worked to relax her neck by slowly rolling her head and then allowing it to fall back against the seat. Trying her best to remain grounded, she focused
on her surroundings as she glanced out the window of the rental car. In a perfect parallel to her melancholy mood, the sky boiled with heavily laden, angry storm clouds which were so familiar to Texans living in tornado alley. Instead of feeling welcomed, she had to do her level best to buffer the ominous feelings the cityscape projected.

  Her actions would soon shake Fiona’s parents to their core. Jody had suffered through the loss of loved ones herself. That being said, nothing could prepare her for dealing with the kind of suffering these people had lived through over the last month. If they’d just give her a chance to speak for their daughter and listen to Fiona’s message, she prayed it would help the healing process begin for them. Maybe they’d be able to live their lives with some peace of mind. They’d know their darling baby girl was still with them and above all else, okay. That information wouldn’t bring her back to them, but it should help with their grief. Best case scenario, Fiona’s messages would make living each day a little easier for them.

  Jared had to fight the Dallas traffic which became increasingly tangled and slowed their progress to a snail’s pace. Knowing she was in good hands, Jody tried her best to stave off impatience by allowing her mind to shut down until they reached their location.

  ****

  Entering the lavish two-bedroom suite, Jody dropped her bag on the floor and moved to the couch as if on autopilot. She’d been trying to put on a strong front for him, but as she crossed the room, Jared couldn’t help but worry. Seemingly unaware of her surroundings, she sat on the overstuffed couch, wringing her hands in her lap. He didn’t know how she had the strength to go on. She appeared to be lost in some kind of altered state in which he couldn’t understand but wanted to help her through more than anything he’d ever wanted before.

  For Jody’s safety he’d tried to keep a close eye on her without being overbearing about it. Her mind and body seemed unable to assimilate anything around her. That scared the holy bejesus out of him. Her inability to understand the lack of awareness of her surroundings as a problem only increased his apprehension regarding her safety. While she physically sat in front of him, only a part of her seemed to be there.

  Thoughts of her fragility had Jared swiping his hands through his hair out of frustration. After they’d landed, she’d been so preoccupied he’d had to lead her around, gently guiding her in the right direction. He knew with a certainty she would’ve walked in circles for hours had he not been there—ending up lost or worse. Thinking of how helpless she was in this state, through no fault of her own, had him questioning the wisdom of what she’d called the Universe and its guiding forces.

  The urgency of the moment had him moving toward her. Jared sat and reached for her hands, feeling gratified pleasure when she tightly held onto him. He tried to relay a sense of calmness instead of the dread which had overtaken him since they’d landed.

  “Are you ready for me to make the call?”

  Those beautiful green eyes peered up at him with such admiration his heart skipped a beat. Slowly Jody’s grim expression softened a bit as she finally answered with a nod.

  Jared filled his lungs with a deep breath to calm his nerves, pulled his phone out and dialed the number he had for Mr. and Mrs. Hinton. The pressure was all on him now. He felt his hand shake uncharacteristically as the importance of this one phone call hit him. He silently prayed he didn’t screw it up. He put the phone on speaker mode and steadied himself as it started ringing.

  One ring. Two rings. Three…

  “Hello?” The woman’s voice seemed weak, almost a whisper.

  “Mrs. Sarah Hinton?”

  “Yes.”

  “Hello. My name is J.D. Bastion. I’m a private investigator from the Phoenix area. Your name and your husband’s name have come up in a matter I’m investigating. I’d like to meet with you both to discuss a critical element of the case.”

  Jared started to sweat as both he and Jody listened to nothing but dead silence. He began to worry that Mrs. Hinton had hung up on him.

  “Ma’am?”

  “I don’t understand what you’re saying. What investigation?”

  Hoping to get the woman whose daughter had been responsible for turning Jody’s world upside down on board with his request, Jared poured on his professional persona. His only show of nerves had been when he’d started pacing as he spoke. He hoped the unease he felt didn’t reveal itself through his intonation. As he talked, he made sure his voice commanded attention and offered compassion all at the same time. He tried to fulfill the personification of strength and authority people expect when dealing with a professional P.I.

  “I’m sorry, Mrs. Hinton. I’m not at liberty to discuss the matter over the phone. I need to meet with you and Mr. Hinton as soon as possible concerning an important issue related to a case I’m working on.”

  Confusion laced her voice. “We live in Fort Worth, Texas. We can’t go all the way to Phoenix to meet with you, especially since you won’t tell me what this is regarding. My husband is a trucker and has a very busy schedule.”

  He facepalmed himself and shook his head at his stupidity. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Hinton. I didn’t make myself clear. I’m at the Ritz-Carlton in Dallas. It’s only about forty minutes away from you.”

  Mrs. Hinton’s breathing became heavier as her voice edged with stress. “I don’t understand what you’re saying. Why would you come all the way from Phoenix to meet with my husband and me? What investigation? Why do you need to speak with us? What’s this about?”

  Trying to ease his building headache, he massaged his brow. This call had started to go horribly wrong. Jared felt Mrs. Hinton slipping away, and would never be able to live with himself if he were responsible for screwing this up for Jody and Fiona.

  Jared and Jody’s eyes made contact when they heard a muffled conversation through the speaker. The next voice that spoke on the phone belonged to a very perturbed Mr. Dallas Hinton. “What the hell is this about? You’ve upset my wife. Who is this and what exactly do you want with us?”

  “Mr. Hinton, as I told your wife, I’m a private investigator from Phoenix, Arizona. Your name and your wife’s name have come up in an investigation. It’s crucial I speak with you. I’ve set up a conference room here at the Ritz-Carlton in Dallas to meet with you both at your earliest convenience.”

  “Why would I—oh, wait a minute.” The pause on the other end of the line seemed to go on forever but gave Jared hope.

  “Does this have to do with Aunt Leona’s death?”

  Jared’s surprise had him glancing at the screen of his phone in disbelief. He thanked his lucky stars for Aunt Leona. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he hoped he didn’t go to hell for using her death as his way in with these people. “I’m not at liberty to discuss the details of this investigation over the phone. However, I can tell you the investigation does revolve around a family member’s death.”

  Seemingly satisfied the secretive investigation had to do with his aunt’s death and possibly an inheritance, Dallas Hinton acquiesced. “Okay. We’ll meet with you. What time should we be there?”

  Jared smiled and gave Jody a great big thumbs-up. “How about an hour?”

  “Hold on a minute, please.” Mr. Hinton had either muted the phone or covered it with his hand. “Thanks for waiting. I’ll be there, but my wife isn’t feeling well. She hasn’t left the house since…” His words trailed off. The unspoken conclusion to his sentence left no doubt what had kept her in the solitude and safety of her home.

  “Mr. Hinton, I cannot discuss anything without your wife being present. It’s imperative she come with you.”

  There was another muffled sound as if Dallas once again covered the mouthpiece. A moment later he responded. “All right. We’ll both be there.”

  “Good. I’ll be waiting. Just check in with the front desk, and the concierge will show you where to go. And please remember, I need to speak with both of you at the same time.”

  “All right. We’ll both be there.”
r />   Chapter Sixteen

  Jared marveled at Jody’s ability to compose herself under such stressful circumstances. Up until this moment, she’d been a mental and physical mess. Somehow, along the way, the tables had turned, and his nerves were now on the brink of shattering. To keep himself from going stir-crazy, he paced the floor. Walking at a quick treadmill speed seemed to be the only way that kept the butterflies from swarming in his stomach.

  As he completed his latest pass of the room, Jared glanced over at Jody’s slight form as she sat seemingly unruffled at the conference room table. Like a beautiful statue, her hands were folded in front of her, and her eyes were peacefully shut as if she didn’t have a care in the world.

  When he realized her lips were moving slowly and purposely with inaudible dialog, his curiosity had him leaning toward her. Closing the distance between them, he heard her whispered words and felt oddly comforted when his name crossed her lips. She’d included him in what had been some sort of prayer for wisdom and protection, and it made him love her all the more. Her selflessness of thinking of him at a time like this overwhelmed him.

  He watched what could only be described as a miraculous transformation came over her. No longer looking broken and on the verge of a collapse, somehow, she appeared completely revitalized as if she’d had a week’s worth of sleep. Still seated at the conference room table, her sudden unflappable demeanor filled him with a sense of tranquility. Her prayers now completed, the only hint of movement around her were wisps of sun-streaked hair as they floated gently around her face on the air conditioned breeze. She took his breath away. He reached out to her with his senses and found nothing but serenity.

  Absorbed in his observations, he jumped with a start when a light rap sounded on the conference room door. Jared sought out Jody’s eyes and waited for a nod to signal her readiness. Having her consent, he took a deep breath and purposely rolled his shoulders to brace himself for what he’d find once the door opened.