Visibly setting his face in a bored expression, Jonah shrugged and mumbled out, "That's okay. No big deal."
Belinda placed a hand on Jonah's arm. "It's not that I don't want to go. I have to work an extra shift at the diner tonight."
Jonah pulled away from her grasp. "Yeah."
"It's true," she said, her eyes wide and seemingly hurt. To Derek she seemed sincere, but he could tell Jonah was too hurt to even listen.
"Can we make it another night?" she asked.
Jonah shrugged.
"Definitely another night." She smiled weakly and then stood there in an awkward silence for a few moments before walking away to rejoin her friend.
As the two of them started for the exit, Kerilynn placed an arm around Belinda's shoulder and stated in a loud voice, "I'm glad you aren't going out with that guy. He smells like dirt."
"Kerilynn!" Belinda shouted and jerked out from under her arm. She whispered furiously and then marched away and out the gate, her friend following behind.
"That blows. Sorry, man," Derek said.
Belinda and Kerilynn disappeared from sight down the street.
"It was too good to be true," Jonah said. "She probably got an earful from those GBI guys yesterday and now she's afraid of me."
"Maybe she really has to work," Derek said.
Soon everyone had dispersed leaving only Austin Lawrence beside the grave and the GBI agent, Frank Jackson. Austin dropped a flower into Jessica's grave.
"I'm sorry to mention it, but Austin—”
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Jonah said with a wave of his hand and then walked over to tap Austin on the shoulder. Derek moved alongside him and saw that along with the bleary eyes of a drunk, a few tears had fallen. Austin's face shocked him. He'd never thought Austin had feelings. Probably because the dude anesthetized himself with liquor all the time.
Jonah tapped Austin on the shoulder and he wheeled around. When he saw Jonah, his eyes narrowed and his lip curled. "What do you want?"
"Ummm."
Derek appeared on Austin's right. "Ask him about the party."
Jonah nodded. "Weren't you at the party with Derek Devoe the night he died?"
Austin staggered forward a step and poked Jonah in the chest. "Are you accusing me of something?"
"Uhhh."
"Man, you're blowing it. Don't scare him off."
"No, no," Jonah hurried to say. "I just wanted to know about the party."
"Yeah. I was there. So what?" Austin shouted.
At the cemetery gate, Special Agent Jackson seemed to stand a little straighter as if alerted.
"Ahhh."
"The party." Derek rolled his eyes.
Jonah nodded and forced out the question, "Do you remember Derek leaving the party with anyone?"
Austin gave a huff. "The cops already asked me this."
"What did he say to the cops?" Derek wondered.
“Why are you getting involved?" Austin asked with a sneer on his lips.
When the bigger man advanced another step, Jonah backed up, almost stepping on the flowers adorning a nearby grave. "I...umm...What did you tell the cops?"
One step and then two, Austin kept coming until Jonah had nowhere else to go and the two were nose-to-nose. "I shoulda told them I saw you, you perv. Then you'd be in jail by now."
Austin shoved past Jonah, sending him stumbling through the flowers. While Jonah crouched down to try in vain to repair the arrangement, Austin stalked off.
Special Agent Jackson stared at Jonah for a few moments before he too departed.
"Austin Lawrence is the Slicer," Derek said.
Jonah straightened, holding a few crumpled carnations. "Austin's a bully, but he's no killer."
Derek didn't remember Austin killing him, but it made sense. "How do you know he's not?"
Jonah couldn't say, merely staring down at the broken flowers in his hands.
* * * * *
That night Jonah stalked back and forth between the door and the desk as Derek and Grandma sat on the sofa watching him.
"You've been silently fidgeting for hours. What's wrong?" Grandma asked.
He was no more in the mood to talk than he had been the first time she asked. Jonah knew his brooding about Belinda bordered on ridiculous, but somehow he couldn't stop. Derek and Grandma had tried to snap him out of it, but nothing had worked.
The cottage was almost pitch black now.
"I could use a little light," Derek said with a chuckle. "Being a ghost has made me afraid of the dark."
Jonah couldn't bring himself to laugh. He just continued to move from point A to B and then back again.
Grandma piped in with, "Aren't you supposed to be on a date with that pretty girl right now?"
"Ixnay on the ettypray irlgay, Granny," Derek whispered.
"Huh? What do you mean?" she asked.
Jonah stopped at the desk and his eyes fixed on the driver's license pinned on the bulletin board. On the desktop, the two glowing ornaments belonging to Derek and Grandma sat next to the ring and cameo.
"He means Belinda broke our date. She doesn't want to go out with me anymore.”
"She said she had to work," Derek added.
"That was just an excuse," Jonah said absently as he traced a finger over Derek's ornament.
After opening a drawer, he removed a wooden box and lifted the lid to reveal a darkened red ornament.
Grandma popped from the sofa to stand next to him. "No, Jonah."
Derek stood and crossed to them. "What?"
"He's thinking of bringing back Jessica," Grandma answered.
Until she said it, Jonah had not even been consciously aware that he really did intend to add Jessica to his collection. She'd died before her time. Shouldn't he save her from oblivion? Besides, Jessica couldn't hurt him like Belinda did and not only because of her being a ghost. She couldn't hurt him because he didn't love her like he did Belinda.
"This isn't the way to get a girlfriend," Grandma continued.
"Jessica might know something about who I left the party with," Derek said, almost as if he wished Jonah might do it, but then he shook his head. "No. Don't do it. It doesn't feel right."
"Belinda is the girl for you," Grandma added. "She practically asked you out herself. Why would she do that if she didn't want to go out with you?"
Rounding on them, he shouted, "I don't know. Maybe she was playing some kind of game. Remember all the times the kids pranked me in high school?"
"She doesn't seem like that kind of girl. You should go see her at the diner." Derek tried to put a hand on Jonah's arm but it fell through.
"Yes. Go right now," Grandma urged. "Ask her out for another night.”
Maybe Belinda really was working. Maybe she had been forced to break their date. Could he go there and see? Yeah, he thought. Take the chance on having his heart ripped out when she wasn't there?
He remembered Belinda trying to coax the feral cat into her arms. He remembered the sweetness of her kiss. She wouldn't deliberately hurt him. Her sweet and loving nature wouldn't allow that.
But she could have regretted their date and wanted to let him down easy.
He didn't blame Belinda. Who wouldn't be scared when the police told you the guy you'd been kissing was a serial killer? The pain of losing her was too much. He just wanted it to end. He wasn't cut out for this seesaw of emotion. The highest high after a kiss and the lowest low after rejection.
No, he yelled at himself. I'm just letting insecurities run away with me.
Maybe in some way he wanted Belinda to be lying so he wouldn't have to take a chance on all the risks of being in a relationship with a living person.
Mustering up his courage, Jonah placed the red ornament back in its box and closed the lid.
* * * * *
Only one customer remained in the diner, and he'd finished eating thirty minutes before. Donny, the local librarian, sat absorbed in reading a book. He didn't even acknowledge Belinda when she poured more co
ffee into his mug and placed the check beside it.
Kerilynn, who sat with both elbows on the counter and her chin propped on her hands, swiveled the stool from side-to-side with her butt. "Lord help our tips. The customers are thinner tonight than an anorexic grasshopper."
"Did you see his face?" Belinda replaced the coffee pot on the burner and then joined Kerilynn at the counter.
"Who?" Kerilynn stopped swiveling.
"Jonah. When I told him I couldn't see him tonight," Belinda answered. She just couldn't get him off her mind. She couldn't help thinking she'd made a devastating mistake. "I should've told Rocco I couldn't take Sally's shift."
"He would've fired you."
"We've barely had any customers."
Kerilynn looked around and gave a disgusted sniff. "Hopefully, there'll be a rush after the third shift at the plant lets out."
Donny glanced up from his book. "Can I get a piece of key lime and a glass of water, please?"
"Sure thing." Belinda put the slice of pie on a plate and then got a glass from the shelf. "Why does Sally get to miss work whenever she wants?"
"Sally gets the favors 'cause she gives the favors, if you know what I mean." Kerilynn chuckled and resumed her swiveling.
"That's so unfair," Belinda said, slamming the glass on the counter so hard it shattered in her hand, driving a spike-like shard into her palm. Already nauseous with the pain, Belinda couldn't bear to look, and just held her hand still as if to stop time. But inexorably a red droplet escaped and dripped down onto the counter.
Kerilynn rushed over and grabbed Belinda's hand.
"Those dang defective glasses. Third one that broke today." Kerilynn gently turned the palm upright and pried open Belinda's fingers. Blood spread through the lines of the palm like red rivers from the ocean pooling around the shard at the center.
The sight made Belinda gag, quickly followed by lightheadedness, as if her head would float away from her body. She swayed and only Kerilynn's hold on her arm kept her upright.
Kerilynn plucked out the glass shard and new blood gushed out.
Belinda's stomach lurched as her familiar aversion to blood took over. She pressed her uninjured hand to her mouth. "Ughhhh. I'm gonna puke," she mumbled between her fingers.
"Hold on," Kerilynn said wrapping a clean white towel tightly around the wound. "I'll get the first aid kit."
A red blossom flowered on white.
"Urrrrpppp." Belinda made a staggering dash toward the swinging doors leading to the ladies' room.
She probably wouldn't make it, but she had to try. The humiliation of being sick in the middle of the diner was too much. Somehow she got herself into the handicapped stall. She just hoped she didn't crack her head on the toilet when she passed out. How ridiculous would that be?
* * * * *
This is stupid, Jonah thought as he walked. What am I doing?
But he couldn't just go back to the cemetery and admit to his grandmother—or Derek—-that he'd come all this way but stopped before actually checking on Belinda.
The diner, with its long line of windows in a tan cinderblock wall, came into view. Just a few more feet and he'd know for sure.
Fixing his gaze firmly on the ground, Jonah kept moving until he saw the point where the tan wall met the sidewalk. Taking in a deep breath he forced up his head and stared through the glass. A customer Jonah recognized as the head librarian sat reading at a booth but, as he expected, Belinda was nowhere in sight.
She could be in the kitchen.
Just then Rocco emerged through the swinging doors, wiping his hands on his apron, and glowering as his gaze darted about.
I have to make sure, Jonah thought. I have to know.
After a moment's hesitation he went inside. Rocco pinned him with a glare as soon as he got through the door. The librarian ignored them both.
"Ummmm. Where's Belinda?" Jonah asked.
Rocco gave a huff and placed hands on hips. "I don't know where the hell she is. Or Kerilynn either."
Jonah forced himself on. "But I thought... She said... Isn't Belinda supposed to work tonight?"
"Is she?" Rocco shouted. "I'm just the boss here. Why would anyone tell me anything?"
Belinda had lied.
Even though he'd suspected as much, having the proof affected him far worse than he could have imagined.
If I don't think, I'll be all right.
Jonah's gaze fell.
One foot in front of the other. Breathe in. Breathe out. Pull the door handle. Move through. Breath in. Breath out. You can do this.
"I guess you don't want to order anything," Rocco shouted at his departing back. "But then why bother? Who comes into a diner to order food?"
Right foot. Left foot. Move, damn you!
Once outside, a cool breeze slapped him in the face.
Soon, without conscious thought, Jonah's body took over. His legs moved faster and faster. Jonah found himself running back toward the cemetery.
* * * * *
With all evidence of a cut hidden away by a heavy bandage job consisting of two cotton bandages and an entire roll of medical tape, Belinda felt strong enough to leave the bathroom.
Kerilynn led the way back into the dining room where Rocco stood glowering at the door.
"What's all the shouting about out here?" Kerilynn asked. "It's louder than the print on my mama's housecoat."
Rocco turned on one heel and settled his glower on them. "Where have you two been? You're neglecting the customer. Right, Donny?"
The librarian glanced up. "Huh?"
"Never mind, sweetie," Kerilynn said. "Go back to your reading."
"I cut my hand," Belinda explained to Rocco.
"Yeah," Kerilynn added. "On one of your defective glasses. She should sue you."
The last bit made Rocco's eyes widen and his mouth drop open for a few moments before he finally said, "Sue? Me?"
"Kerilynn, stop. You're going overboard. Just like with the bandage." Belinda held up her hand.
With a snort, Kerilynn took Belinda by the arm and ushered her to a booth. "You probably need stitches. At least sit down and have some juice to help with the blood loss."
Blood. She swallowed...hard.
"Yes. Drink some juice," Rocco agreed rushing over to get the juice from the small refrigerator under the counter. "And why don't you take the rest of the night off?”
Kerilynn, who was settling Belinda on the bench, gave her a wink and a half smile.
Now Belinda saw her friend's game.
"Really?" Belinda asked.
Rocco nodded. "You're hardly working anyway.”
"Thanks," Belinda said, getting up. "Maybe I can still catch that movie with Jonah."
"Jonah?" Rocco squinted in confusion, as if trying to make a complicated math computation. "That guy was just here asking where you were."
Oh no. Belinda placed a hand on the table to steady herself. "What did you tell him?"
"That I didn't know where you were."
Her knees buckled a little and Belinda leaned more heavily on the table as she swayed. "He's gonna think I lied to him about having to work.”
Kerilynn took her arm and pushed her back into the booth. Rocco set a glass of OJ in front of her.
"Drink," Kerilynn ordered. "You don't have to go anywhere this instant."
"I don't even have his telephone number," Belinda murmured.
"You'll just have to talk to him when he comes in tomorrow." Kerilynn put a hand on her shoulder, holding her in place. "You can't go to that creepy cemetery tonight."
"But he must think I lied,” Belinda began.
"He did look squirrelly when I said I didn't know about you working tonight," Rocco inserted.
"You said what?" Belinda pushed Kerilynn's hand from her shoulder and stood up. "I have to go."
Belinda didn't get more than two steps before Kerilynn grabbed her arm. "Do I have to take Louie to you to make you rest? Wait until tomorrow to talk to Jonah. What's he go
nna do tonight? It's not a matter of life and death."
Chapter Six
Another shovelful of dirt hit the growing pile to the left of Jessica Bundy's grave. Jonah worked on autopilot, still not wanting to let his thoughts go to Belinda and her betrayal.
No, not betrayal. Self-preservation.
Belinda obviously recognized his brokenness couldn't be fixed.
This is best. This is what I know.
He'd never felt about Jessica as he did Belinda, but perhaps that was a good thing. Whenever he'd seen Jessica around Ambrosia, something he couldn't explain tugged at him like deja vu. Something about her commanded his attention. Not attraction—although Jessica's beauty was undeniable. His reaction to Jessica more resembled a nagging memory, just on the tip of your mind. You know you know something but you can't bring it to the forefront of your brain.
A movement near the cemetery tree caught his eye some fifty feet away: Derek fidgeted as he watched Jonah with wide eyes.
Jonah rammed the shovel blade into the ground, scooped a heavy load of soil. Grandma abruptly appeared and the dirt flew through her and onto the pile. She glanced across the grave obviously noting the wooden ornament box there and then made eye contact with Jonah. He pulled his gaze away and went back to digging.
"Jonah, stop this right now. No more souls!" Grandma scolded.
"I need her," Jonah replied quietly.
Derek stepped forward. "I agree with your grandmother. Creating a non-human girlfriend can't turn out good."
"It's wrong. Sick," Grandma added.
His grandmother's condemnation rubbed the last of Jonah's protective shell away. The rage just below the surface burbled up and out, like lava from a volcano. Unstoppable. Why did God offer him a glimpse of happiness with Belinda and then rip it away again? But then, why did God do any of the stuff he did?
"I'm sick am I?" Jonah stopped digging and climbed out of the grave. He threw the shovel down and marched to the caretaker's cottage.
"What are you doing?" Grandma asked, following him.
He slammed in and stomped to the desk. As he passed Sir Fluffybottom, the cat hissed, arched its back and then scuttled away into the corner of the room. Jonah opened the desk drawers one by one searching for an empty box.
Caught Dead Page 7
