“I see,” Rand said. For the first time, a hollow feeling of concern sprouted in his belly.
“And the oxygen tanks,” Maria prodded.
“They usually drop off full tanks of O2 for Georgia every morning,” Nick said. “But for the past few weeks, every morning we’ll wake up and find two of them already at the door before the guys make their rounds.”
“And they won’t be registered,” Maria added. “They’re supposed to have a code on them so they can be tracked. Oxygen is considered a drug in the hospital, so they need a tag before they go out. It’s like someone took them from storage and brought them straight to Georgia’s room. And only hers.”
“Georgia thinks it’s Thomas trying to look out for her,” Nick said. “She says she tells him he can’t just bring the tanks—that they have to be tagged first—but he doesn’t listen.”
“What’s weird is that when Thomas was alive,” Maria went on, “he also griped about how long it took the guys to deliver the new oxygen tanks. He said all the registration and tracking was stupid, and that it was only air—no one freaked out about water like they did about oxygen.”
“We’ve seen these things happen with our own eyes,” Nick said. “I don’t want to sit there and argue with her if this is what she’s using to grieve about her friend passing.”
“I understand,” Rand said. “What exactly can I help you with?”
“We need to ask someone who has a different point of view,” Nick said. “Someone who is a believer. We are surrounded by skeptics and… we just want another opinion to weigh in.”
“I can do that,” Rand said. “I am most certainly a believer.”
“And, from what we hear, an expert,” Maria said.
Rand and Doris exchanged a small glance.
“You could say that as well,” Rand said.
“We were hoping you could come to the hospital with us one day soon,” Nick said. “Meet Georgia. Spend some time and get to know her and ask her about her ghost friend. She doesn’t talk about it much anymore, because she knows people don’t believe her. If she knew you believed, then she might open up to you.”
Rand nodded. “Sounds reasonable.”
“Could you also evaluate the situation?” Maria asked. “Can you tell if there really is a ghost there?”
“I would be happy to meet Georgia,” Rand said to Nick. Then, he turned to Maria. “And I will check for any signs of paranormal activity.”
“Thank you,” Nick said, very relieved, as if he’d considered that Rand might decline. “Thank you so much. That means a lot to my family. We just… need help.”
“I understand,” Rand said. “I’ve assisted many people with their supernatural experiences. And your daughter sounds like a lovely girl.”
That made Maria smile.
Rand took their phone number and told them he would call to arrange a time to join them at St. Mary’s.
As they left, Nick turned and shook his hand. “Thank you again, Mr. Casey.”
“Rand, please.”
“Rand. Seriously. It’s very hard to track down someone who has knowledge about this stuff, and one that doesn’t seem kind of… out there.”
“I get it,” Rand said. Ghosts and spiritualism were definitely fringe topics, and he was happy to bring some professionalism to it.
It was serious business, after all. Even if people like Doris Galloway didn’t agree.
The couple left, closing the door behind them. Rand returned to his desk, thoughts of Georgia Collins and her ghostly friend swirling around in his head.
Instinct and experience told him that Georgia was communicating with a ghost. A hospital where terminal children frequently passed away? Where parents constantly lived in grief and fear and doubt? The energy in a place like that would easily attract a lost spirit, especially one that was not yet ready to move on.
Doris Galloway cleared her throat and Rand gave her his attention.
“Oh, right. Where were we?”
She removed her glasses. The papers were in her hand, down by her side. “Is this extracurricular ‘investigation’ something you do frequently, Mr. Casey?” she asked.
Rand noticed that Maria had forgotten to take back the photograph. Georgia’s beaming smile shone up at him from the desk. As if she were not sick at all.
“There’s a lot of confusion out there with it comes to this kind of thing, Mrs. Galloway,” Rand said. “I always try to be of assistance whenever anyone needs guidance.”
“Do you feel this work on the side ever interferes with your focus in the classroom?” Doris asked.
Rand couldn’t tear her eyes away from the picture of Georgia. She reminded him of his own daughter.
“Mr. Casey?”
Rand snapped his focus back. “Yes? You were saying?”
Doris only scowled at him. “I think I have all the information I need.” She stacked her papers with an air of finality. “Have a good weekend.”
4
Rand sat at his kitchen table with his laptop open. He wore only boxer shorts and a white undershirt. He had seven tabs open at the top of the screen, each one about Georgia’s condition.
Cystic fibrosis.
He scrolled through the articles, becoming more and more depressed at each one he read.
How is it fair for a child to get such a sickness?
And then, on top of it all, to be visited by a ghost. Georgia’s picture rested on the table beside his computer. Every time he glanced at it, he couldn’t help but smile himself.
He was so lost in his thoughts that a sudden movement startled him.
Rachel set down a cup of hot tea. “Whoa. A little bit jumpy, are we?” She wore only his shirt, her long legs bare underneath the hem.
“Where did you learn to sneak like that?” he said. “And thank you.”
She leaned over his shoulder and looked at the monitor. “Studying for medical school?”
“I wish.”
Rand closed the laptop and stood. He took her in his arms and looked down into her green eyes.
“You’ve been quiet this evening,” Rachel said. “Everything all right?”
“Yeah. Just a crazy day at work.”
She smiled. “How crazy can it be being a college professor?”
He smirked. “You have no idea.”
There was an aggressive knock on the door, and then it opened.
“Dad!”
It was only then that Rand realized he’d forgotten about Libby.
“Dad!” Libby, his sixteen-year-old daughter, came around the corner of the living room and into the kitchen. She stopped short when she saw Rand and Rachel just pulling out of their embrace.
Libby gave Rachel a quick smile. “Hey, Rachel.” Then she glared at Rand. “I thought we were meeting up tonight, Dad.”
Blonde haired and tall for her age, Libby reminded Rand of Georgia Collins. Or maybe the girl had just been on his mind all afternoon.
Rand brought his hand to his forehead. “Libby, I’m sorry. It totally slipped my mind. It’s just that work… ”
Then Tessa appeared behind Libby. He felt Rachel tense up beside him.
Oh, great, Rand thought. Rachel hadn’t yet met Libby’s mother, and if it were up to him, it wouldn’t have happened until their relationship was much further along.
“So everyone’s here,” Rand muttered under his breath. “Just what I need… ” He rolled his eyes.
Tessa looked Rachel up and down, making no effort to hide it. “I see you have company. Maybe we should come back some other time.”
“No,” Libby said. “We can’t come back. We have to get this figured out now.”
“Phones are a thing, you know,” Rand told Tessa. “You could’ve called and let me know you were planning to grace me with your presence tonight.”
“We tried calling, Rand,” Tessa said, putting her hands on her hips.
Rand remembered he was standing there in his underwear. His phone must’ve still been
in his pants pocket in the bedroom.
“I’m Rachel,” Rachel said timidly to Tessa, stepping forward and extending her hand. Tessa took it with a limp wrist.
“This is Tessa, Libby’s mother,” Rand said.
“Nice to meet you. Excuse me,” Rachel said, then slipped back into the bedroom.
“Pretty girl,” Tessa said coldly. Then to Libby, “I see you’ve met her?”
“Yeah,” Libby said. “I come over here all the time.”
“You didn’t tell me he was seeing someone new.”
“You wanted to know?”
Tessa didn’t answer.
“Libby, I’m sorry,” Rand said, trying to get the conversation back on topic. “I completely forgot you were coming over tonight. Something crazy happened at work today.”
“How crazy can a teaching job be?” Libby crossed her arms. “But you remembered that we’re going hiking tomorrow, right?”
That had slipped his mind as well. “Oh.”
Libby visibly deflated. “Dad. Come on, you promised. You said you wouldn’t cancel!”
“Yeah, I know,” Rand said, running a hand through his hair. “But something came up.”
Rachel came back into the kitchen. She was wearing her jeans and t-shirt again and had brought Rand his own pants. Rand took them, but didn’t put them on.
“Something came up?” Libby asked. “What do you mean?” She glanced at Rachel. “You two are hanging out tonight, so can’t I have my dad tomorrow for the hiking trip he’s been promising to take me on for forever?”
Rachel’s eyes went wide. “Wait, what? Rand and I don’t have plans tomorrow.”
“Rachel isn’t what suddenly came up,” Rand told his daughter.
Libby looked back at him. “Then what?”
“Umm.” Rand felt all the eyes on him.
“Randolph,” Tessa said, folding her arms. “You’ve been putting this hike off for a long time. What could possibly be so important?”
“It’s something that happened at work,” he said. “I’d rather not say.”
Libby gave him a look. “You only have one class on Fridays.”
“I know. Come and sit.” He led the way into the living room and everyone followed him. Tessa and Libby sat on the couch while Rachel continued to stand, arms folded across her chest. Rand had not intended for her to meet his ex that night—or ever, if he’d had his way. But hey, these things happen. He could get it all back on track. No problem.
Libby looked up at him expectantly.
“So, I was in the office today, and I was visited by a couple. They told me about their daughter.”
Rand told them the whole story. As he did, he became very aware of Rachel’s growing confusion. Libby and Tessa, however, looked bored.
Libby already knew where this was going.
“This is different,” Rand told his daughter. “Her parents are emotional right now. I need to go in there and help them set things straight. Understand?”
Libby sighed. “Do you have to go tomorrow?”
“Libby, think of this family and their situation.”
“All right,” Libby said, without considering for long. She stood and hugged her dad. Rand embraced her back. “I knew you were going to cancel on me because of a case. You haven’t had one coming in a while, and I knew you were due for one.”
Rand kissed his daughter on the top of her head. “I know. This will be a quick one. In and out, send the spirit on its way. Then we can hike on Sunday.”
“I told Bailey I’d hang out with her on Sunday,” Libby said.
“Invite her along.”
Libby shrugged. “I don’t think she’d be into it, but sure.”
“So,” Rachel said, speaking for the first time in a while. She eyed Rand. “I thought you were a Religious Studies professor.”
Libby rounded on her father. “You haven’t told her?”
Tessa smirked and leaned back on the couch, ready to watch it all unfold.
Rand rubbed the back of his head again. “Umm.”
“Told me what?” Rachel asked.
“I am a religious studies professor,” Rand said. “I mean… my class is listed under the Religious Studies department. My actual class, though… is about paranormal activity.”
The room was silent for a very long time.
“You mean like… ghosts?”
“Yeah.”
Her brow furrowed, as if her brain was trying to figure out if it had processed that correctly. “You teach a class about ghosts?”
“Well. Yeah. But not just about ghosts. About the spiritual side of death, resurrection, the afterlife, and how ghosts sometimes get trapped here on earth. And how we can recognize them, and how to deal with them when we encounter them.”
“Oh,” Rachel said, although Rand could tell he was losing her. “And… people come to you as some sort of expert on this?”
“It’s been known to happen.”
“You called this a ‘case.’ Lawyers have cases.”
“Right,” Rand said. “So yeah, I guess it happens a decent bit.”
“And so you’re, like, a teacher by day, ghost hunter by night?”
“Well…” Rand searched for the words. “Paranormal activity mostly happens at night. It’s the best time to detect them.”
“Show her your room of equipment,” Tessa said, the smirk still on her face.
Rand shushed her.
“Equipment?” Rachel asked.
In truth, Rand was not embarrassed or ashamed of what he did at all. Quite the contrary. But when it came to his romantic relationships—particularly the new ones—he had to be careful about how he revealed the details. Most of them were skeptics, and their acceptance was usually easier after they had been dating a while. But he and Rachel had only been seeing each other for just over three weeks.
“I think I should go,” Rachel said.
Without waiting, she took her keys from the table and walked toward the door.
“Rachel, wait,” Rand began, but without another word she was gone.
I’ll definitely have to do some damage control later, Rand thought.
“I can’t believe you hadn’t told her,” Libby said.
“It’s only been three weeks!” Rand shot back. “You shouldn’t have brought it up!”
“You brought it up,” Libby shot back.
“Only because you demanded I tell you why I couldn’t take you hiking!”
“I have a right to know why you’re cancelling on me again! And why don’t you put your pants on?”
Rand snatched his pants from the coffee table and shoved his legs into them. He hopped up and down as he yanked them on, almost tumbling over. “The most important thing here is the Collins family. I’m going to meet them tomorrow at St. Mary’s.”
Libby sighed. “Okay. I’ll get over it. Sorry for messing up your evening with Rachel.”
“How old is she, by the way?” Tessa asked from the couch.
“Mom!” Libby said.
“Here, take a look at this picture,” Rand said, ignoring Tessa and walking to the kitchen. He returned with the photograph of Georgia. She’s your age, you know.”
Libby studied the picture for a long time, then broke out into a smile. “She seems so happy.”
“I know. That’s why it’s so crazy that she’s sick.”
“What does she have?”
“Cystic fibrosis. Ever heard of it?”
“Yeah, but I don’t know what it does to you. I’ll google it.” Libby looked up. “I want to meet her.”
“What? Why?”
“Because she seems nice. Take me with you tomorrow.”
“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea. They’re only expecting me.”
“Come on, Dad. Please?”
“Maybe some other time.” He took the picture from Libby and dropped it on the coffee table, as if doing that would make her forget her request. Libby could be quite stubborn, and once she got an idea
in her head she rarely let it drop.
Later that night, just before he went to bed, his phone rang. It was Rachel.
“Hey,” she said sleepily.
“Hey. You all right?”
“Yeah,” she said.
“Sorry about earlier. I forgot Libby was supposed to come over. She usually doesn’t bring her mother, though.”
“It’s no problem. Tessa’s very pretty.”
Rand ignored that. “And I’m sorry for not mentioning the other thing. It’s true—I’m a ghost hunter on the side, for lack of a better term. I still spend most of my time teaching, though.” He let the words hang there, but Rachel said nothing, waiting for him to elaborate. “It’s just every now and then, the material I teach… word kind of gets around. People start realizing that they’ve experienced these things before and they get curious, or afraid. So they come to me and tell me they’re scared and don’t know what to do. Most people don’t believe them when they say they are dealing with a haunting. So I feel obligated to step in and help them out.”
“I know,” Rachel said. “I get it. I’ve thought about it a lot, and it all sounds kind of crazy to me, but I can get around it. I can find a way.”
Rand rolled over in bed, slightly confused. This was usually when women broke up with him. “You’re all right with it?”
“Yeah. I mean, you’re helping people, right?”
“They tell me I helped them.”
“And not hurting anyone?”
“No, of course not.”
“And not scamming anyone?”
“Please. I never take money for these types of cases.”
“Okay. Then I would love to hear more about it.”
“Good. Maybe you can come hiking with me and Libby on Sunday?”
“I think you should spend that time with your daughter. The next night we can go for dinner and you can tell me all about what you found at St. Mary’s. I feel so bad for that girl.”
“Me too,” Rand said. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”
“Good night, Rand.”
He set the phone down and rolled over again. As he drifted off, he reconsidered the conversation. Perhaps it would’ve been best if they had broken up.
The Tenth Ward Page 3
