Etched in Shadow: A Cassie Quinn Mystery

by L. T. Ryan

  “Cassie?” Jason was right behind her. “What’s going on?”

  She ignored him. She locked her eyes on the other woman, who had already drifted to the end of the hall. Cassie caught sight of the edge of her skirt just as she turned the corner. She couldn’t run, but she walked at a brisk enough pace that a few heads turned in her direction. If she could just see where the Ghost Doctor was going—

  “Ma’am?”

  Cassie didn’t slow down. She heard Jason talking to the nurse behind her. It would buy her another minute or two, but not much more. As she turned the corner, she spotted the Ghost Doctor at the end of the next hall. There were doors on either side, some open and some closed. Nurses carrying charts made their rounds. Doctors spoke with families in hushed tones. Cassie knew she didn’t belong here.

  The Ghost Doctor was within reach. If Cassie stretched out her arm, it would only take a few more steps to reach her. And then what? She couldn’t lock her hand around the woman’s wrist. It would pass right through, even though Cassie had never seen a ghost so present.

  But she had to try.

  As Cassie whipped around the corner, she hit something solid. Could spirits become corporeal? They could move objects in short bursts, though it took a lot of energy. Maybe that explained why the Ghost Doctor had been stealing souls. Did it somehow give her the ability to walk on this plane of existence like she was a real person?

  But as a clipboard clattered to the ground and papers shot out in every direction, Cassie realized that while she had run into another woman, and a doctor at that, it wasn’t the one she’d been pursuing.

  “I am so sorry.” Cassie could feel the blush on her face and neck. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” The woman looked down at the papers in frustration. “I knew I should’ve numbered them.”

  Cassie bent down to help her pick them up. “That was completely my fault. I didn’t see you.”

  The woman shook her head. “I wasn’t looking where I was going either.”

  Cassie gathered half the pieces of paper and shoved them into the woman’s hands. She stood and looked beyond her, down another hallway. It was full of hospital workers but devoid of ghosts. And with half a dozen people turned in her direction, Cassie knew she wouldn’t be able to come up with a good enough excuse to keep looking for her.

  “I’m sorry again.” Cassie turned and nearly ran into Jason, too. “Time to go.”

  “Did you talk to her?” Jason hissed. “The Ghost Doctor?”

  “No.” Cassie sped by the nurse that had called out to her earlier, avoiding any eye contact. “But it wasn’t a total loss.”

  Jason pushed through the door and back out into the hospital’s main lobby. They didn’t talk again until they were next to his car. “How come?”

  “Because now I know she’s here, in New Orleans.” Cassie looked up at the hospital’s façade, which reflected the bright December sun back into her eyes, causing her to squint. “The dream wasn’t random. She’s connected to Jasmine.”

  17

  Jason pulled the car against the curb outside a modest house with blue shutters and a two-car garage. A man was bent over a brand-new cherry red BMW that looked out of place against the driveway’s cracked pavement. He seemed to be about Cassie’s age, and despite the cool breeze, he wore a t-shirt and a pair of gym shorts. His muscles bulged beneath the fabric, and a light summer tan clung to his skin.

  Jason put the car in park. “That’s Jeff.”

  Jeff, Cassie had learned on the car ride over, was Mark Galanis’ older brother. Jason had been friends with them as kids, and even throughout college. Then life got in the way. Careers and girlfriends and trips around the world. They drifted apart, and Jason hadn’t seen either of them since he’d moved to Savannah.

  And now one of them was dead.

  Jeff fit the description Cassie had created in her mind while she listened to Jason’s stories. The older Galanis had played football, run track, and hosted most of their college parties. He could never decide what to do with his life, but eventually his father forced him to get a degree in business. Jason had no idea what he was doing now, but considering they’d pulled up to his parents’ house, Cassie wasn’t sure he’d ever found his footing. Then again, his car said otherwise.

  Cassie waited until Jason got out and made his way around the front of the car before she followed suit. She didn’t feel at all prepared to talk to Jason’s friend—they hadn’t come up with a game plan or anything—and she still had plenty of questions, both about the Ghost Doctor and the woman Stacey had mentioned. Vanessa.

  Cassie shook herself out of her thoughts and slammed the door shut behind her. Jeff looked up, then did a double take. His grin widened, and he tossed his sponge back into the bucket.

  “Broussard, is that you?” Jeff jogged to the end of the driveway to meet them. “Damn, it’s been a minute.”

  “Hey, man.” They shook hands, which turned into a one-armed hug. When they broke apart, Jason introduced Cassie. “We were in the neighborhood.”

  “That’s awesome. Last I heard you were in Atlanta?”

  “Savannah, actually.” Jason looked at ease, but Cassie could see the wheels turning. They were here for some answers, and he’d get them, one way or another. “What have you been up to?”

  “Not much.” Jeff looked back at the house and his face fell slightly. “Living with my parents. It’s just temporary, but it makes me feel like I’m in high school again.”

  “I’m staying with Granny Mabel and my mom while I’m in town. I know exactly what you mean.” There was a beat of silence. Cassie caught the moment Jason chose to strike. “Hey, I heard about Mark. I’m so sorry, man.”

  “Thank you.” Jeff looked like he meant it. His face, which had been all smiles and jokes, grew tight. “Yeah, took us all by surprise, you know? Man, he would’ve been so happy to see you. It’s been, what, ten years at least, right?”

  “Yeah, about that long.” More calculations. “What happened?” Jason held up his hands. “You don’t have to tell me. I was just talking to Stacey, and she mentioned it. But she didn’t tell me anything else.”

  “Stacey was great. She’s been checking in on my mom every week to see if there’s anything she can do. I think Mom just likes having another girl to talk to.” Jeff shifted from one foot to another. “But yeah, we don’t really know. He got into a bad car accident. He was riding his bike and this guy in a truck didn’t see him, apparently.” The tone of Jeff’s voice told Cassie he thought that was bullshit. “He went to the emergency room. They patched him up, but he’d shattered his leg. They told us he’d walk again, but it wouldn’t be the same. He might have to use a cane for the rest of his life.”

  “Oh, shit.” Jason’s entire body language conveyed his sympathy. He put a hand on Jeff’s shoulder and squeezed. “I’m so sorry, man.”

  Jeff forced a smile. “So, how do you two know each other?”

  Jason let his arm fall. “We work together in Savannah.”

  “Total coincidence we ran into each other here,” Cassie supplied.

  “Have you met the fam yet?” Jeff’s smile widened into a real one. “They’re great.”

  “I’ve met some of them.” Cassie looked at Jason. “We hung out with a bunch of his cousins.”

  “How’s everyone doing?” Jeff waggled his eyebrows. “Does Kiki ever ask about me?”

  “Not even once.” Jason’s voice was playful, but Cassie sensed this was a joke that had gone stale years ago. He allowed another beat of silence during which he sobered. “Jasmine died.”

  “What?” Jeff looked between the two of them as if waiting for them to say they were joking. “How? When?”

  “About a week ago. She had another surgery. Everything seemed fine, and then she crashed.”

  Jeff’s eyebrows pinched together. “I’m so sorry, man.”

  “It’s actually why we’re here.” Jason had stopped trying to be subtle. “We saw Stacey beca
use something didn’t sit right with the whole situation. She didn’t know much, but she mentioned Mark. I was just wondering if something similar happened?”

  Jeff backed up a couple of paces and walked back over to the bucket of soapy water. He pulled out the sponge and got back to work before he responded. His words came slowly, as though he were calculating every sound that came out of his mouth.

  “Mark was pretty beat up after the crash. He had to have a couple surgeries, but they all went well. It was his leg that gave him the biggest problem. They were able to save it, but they said walking would be difficult for a while.” Jeff finished scrubbing the passenger-side door and moved on to the hood. “He was on a lot of different medications. One day, he just stopped breathing. They think he reacted poorly to one of the prescriptions.”

  Jason and Cassie exchanged a look. They were two for two with complications causing a death. But was that a legitimate excuse, or was the Ghost Doctor causing people to die prematurely? Doctors wouldn’t be able to find the real reason if it were a ghost, so the only explanation would be that they missed something during recovery.

  “That’s what they said about Jasmine.” Jason took a step closer. “That there were complications. Do you believe them?”

  Jeff stiffened. He didn’t make eye contact. “Why wouldn’t I believe them?”

  “You said everything was going fine with Mark. That he was recovering, and then he stopped breathing. The same thing happened with Jasmine. She made it through her surgery, she was fine for about a day, and then her heart gave out.”

  “Jasmine had a lot of medical issues. It makes sense.”

  Jason worked his jaw but kept his voice even. “What about Mark? Did he have a lot of medical issues?”

  “He’d just been in a major crash, man.” Jeff looked up. There was pain in his eyes. And anger. “Why are you asking me this?”

  “Because I think something else is going on here.” Jason lowered his voice even though no one else was around. “Do you think the hospital is covering something up?”

  Jeff turned to him with fists clenched. The sponge dripped suds all over his shoes. “Jesus Christ, man.” He threw the sponge back into the bucket and picked up the hose. But he didn’t turn it on. His knuckles were white against the green. “How could you even say that?” He finally looked Jason in the eye. “Mark is dead. Nothing is going to change that. Nothing will make it better. Just drop it.”

  Jason opened his mouth to say something, but whether it was to apologize or defend himself, Cassie wasn’t sure. The door to the house opened and an older woman poked her head out. She smiled from ear to ear. “Jay Broussard, is that you?”

  Jason waved, but he couldn’t bring a smile to his face. “Hello, Mrs. Galanis.”

  “He was just leaving, Ma.” Jeff leveled Jason with a glare. “Don’t you dare say anything about this to my mother. She wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

  “See you around.”

  Jeff turned on the hose and began rinsing off the car. Jason and Cassie had to choose between backing off or getting soaked. Jason stood his ground for half a second, then relented. They walked back to the car with their heads hanging low.

  Jason waited until he pulled away from the curb. “Jeff’s family wouldn’t be able to afford a car like that after racking up Mark’s hospital bills.”

  “Then where did Jeff get it?”

  “My guess is some sort of settlement.” Jason stared straight ahead. “If it was a malpractice lawsuit, they could’ve settled. Forced Jeff to sign an NDA. Even if he wanted to talk about it, he couldn’t.”

  “Didn’t seem like he wanted to, though.”

  Jason shrugged, but there was a weight to his shoulders now. “Some people don’t find comfort in the truth.”

  “So, what now?”

  Jason rolled to a stop at the end of the street and waited while cars zipped by in front of them. “Well,” he started. She could hear the hesitance in his voice. “I guess it’s time to tell you why I moved to Savannah.”

  18

  It turned out that the reason Jason had left New Orleans was because his fiancée had broken things off with him. Cassie listened to the story in silence, taking in every word, while she was hyperaware of not reacting in a way that betrayed her feelings.

  In theory, she didn’t have a problem with Vanessa. Nor was she jealous. Jason told her they had been drifting apart for a while, neither one happy with their direction in life. Vanessa had been brave enough to say something first. Jason hadn’t disagreed, but that didn’t mean it hadn’t stung.

  That was ten years ago. They hadn’t stayed in touch. Jason had moved soon after, wanting to start over. His family had told him not to run away from his problems, but Jason didn’t see it like that. He’d needed a clean slate somewhere else, somewhere no one knew him. That way, he could forge his own identity away from everyone else’s expectations.

  Cassie didn’t think that sounded so bad.

  Everyone expects a teenager to go through different phases as they figure out who they want to be. Not enough people talk about the fact that even twenty- and thirty-year-olds struggle with their identity. Hell, she was climbing toward forty, and she was still trying to figure out her life.

  If Cassie knew for a fact that moving to a random city where she didn’t know a single soul would give her the time and space to figure all of this out, she’d do it in a heartbeat.

  And she’d told Jason as much.

  When they pulled into a parking spot in front of a diner an hour later, Cassie was nervous, but not apprehensive. Jason had texted Kiki for Stacey’s number, and then gotten Vanessa’s number from Stacey. After a brief call full of nervous laughter, Vanessa had suggested they grab a bite to eat.

  Both Cassie and Jason hadn’t gotten out of the car yet, and she was the first one to break the silence. “How are you feeling about seeing her again?”

  More nervous laughter. “It’s strange, for sure. Like, will I even recognize her? Will she still be the same person from ten years ago? I’m not. Maybe she won’t recognize me.” He turned to Cassie. “Thank you for being here. I know this is weird, and I’m sorry—”

  Cassie held up a hand. “It’s weird, but we’re all adults.” She smiled. “Besides, this is about Jasmine. And Vanessa clearly wants to help. We can deal with a little discomfort.”

  Jason nodded and pushed open his door. Cassie’s stomach churned, but she did the same. The cool air dried some of the nervous sweat that had beaded along her hairline. Her head cleared, and her resolve strengthened.

  The bell to the diner rang as they pulled the door open. It was a small establishment with about a dozen retro Formica tables scattered across the floor. All the chairs were a bright, cherry red, and the staff wore uniforms to match.

  An older woman with short, curly hair and ruddy cheeks called out to them from behind the counter. “Sit wherever you like, hon. I’ll be with you in a minute.”

  Jason scanned the room. Cassie noticed the instant he spotted Vanessa. His entire body went rigid, and he lifted a hand in greeting. Cassie followed his gaze and watched as a woman stood and waited for them to join her.

  Vanessa was one of the most beautiful women Cassie had ever seen. Her skin was a flawless deep brown, and her eyes were a hypnotizing shade of hazel. She had wrapped her long caramel-colored braids on top of her head, which made her look taller than she already was. Cassie couldn’t help but notice her toned arms, which looked like they belonged to someone who swam or played tennis regularly.

  Vanessa couldn’t wait until they made it to the table. A smile erupted across her face, and she took three enormous steps forward to meet them halfway. There was no hesitation as she wrapped her arms around Jason. “Oh my God, you look exactly the same.”

  “So do you.” Jason laughed, sounding less nervous. “Thank you for meeting us.”

  “No problem.” Vanessa let go of Jason and pulled Cassi
e into a tight hug. “My name is Vanessa. It’s nice to meet you!”

  “Cassie.” She was so surprised, her name came out as a gasp. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

  “Sorry.” Vanessa let go and fiddled with the cross hanging on a chain around her neck. “I’m just excited and nervous. And I had a lot of coffee today.” She settled into her chair and widened her eyes. “A lot of coffee.”

  As Cassie sat across from her, she noticed the badge Vanessa had left lying on the table. “You work at the hospital?”

  Vanessa bobbed her head. “I’m a nurse.”

  “I knew you’d do it someday.” Jason’s voice held a hint of pride.

  Vanessa rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. “Jay was the only one who believed in me. Even when I didn’t. My family thought I was wasting too much money going to school. But it was the only thing that made me feel like I was contributing to the world.”

  “I know how that feels.”

  “Yeah?” Vanessa beamed. “What do you do?”

  “Oh.” Cassie blushed. “I work at the museum with Jason.”

  “In Savannah,” Jason offered. “I’m a security guard, and Cassie helps put exhibits together and handles a lot of the art pieces.”

  “That’s awesome. Is that how you two met?”

  Cassie nodded, but the waitress who had greeted them earlier saved her from having to explain further. “What can I get y’all?”

  The three of them scrambled for their menus. Jason and Vanessa ended up ordering burgers, while Cassie stuck with the diner’s world-famous Reuben.

  “A pickle and fries good for all y’all?” A chorus of yeses sounded, and the waitress tucked her notepad into her apron pocket. “All right, I’ll be back with those in a jiff.”

  Jason waited until the woman was out of earshot before he pointed to Vanessa’s left hand. “I guess congratulations are in order?”