Sin's Judgment by Ron Ripley

Author:Ron Ripley [Ripley, Ron]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scare Street
Published: 2021-01-17T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 24: On the Back Porch

Saturday, 7:30 AM

Frank was asleep in his old room in the house, and Shane sat on the back porch, an empty coffee mug in his hands and silence in his ears. His thoughts were occupied with images of Jacinta, and he allowed himself to enjoy the peace the memory of her offered him.

For almost half an hour, he remained in his seat, sitting still enough to encourage several finches to land on a railing

Closer than they usually come, he mused. The dead tend to keep them away.

The birds took suddenly to wing, and Shane knew one of his ghosts had joined him.

“Why isn’t Miss Jacinta here?” Eloise demanded.

Shane glanced at her. “She’s working, remember?”

The dead girl scoffed. “She shouldn’t have to work, Shane Ryan. You should take care of her.”

“I’d like to have her here all the time, doll,” Shane sighed, setting his coffee mug down between his thighs. He fished out his cigarettes, lit one, and looked at the dead child through the haze of cigarette smoke. “Thing is, she likes working, and I don’t want to ask her to stop. Not just because I miss her.”

Eloise folded her thin arms over her chest, harumphed, and stated, “Maybe she just wants you to ask.”

“What?”

“You aren’t very smart sometimes, Shane Ryan,” Eloise observed. “Maybe Miss Jacinta doesn’t want to stop working, but maybe she does. Or maybe she would like you to ask. It would be considerate.”

“Are you really giving me lessons in my love life?” Shane asked.

She nodded.

“You’re a dead child.”

“I’m older than you,” she retorted, “and I’ve listened to a great deal over the years. You are not a smart man.”

“Probably not,” he remarked, taking a drag on the cigarette, “but that’s the way it goes.”

“So, will you?”

“Will I what?” he grumbled, straightening up.

“Ask her to stay with us?”

Shane hesitated, and then he shook his head. “No, not yet. There’s work to do.”

“What kind of work?”

“I have to build a trap,” Shane informed her as he got to his feet.

“Are you taking Frank?” she asked.

“No.”

“What should I tell him?” Eloise demanded. “You know he’ll want to know.”

Shane shrugged. “Tell him I’m building a trap. If he asks for what, tell him it’s for a rat.”

“You aren’t being very helpful, Shane Ryan,” she pouted.

“I’m sorry, doll, I really am.” Shane smiled apologetically. “I’ll be home soon enough, okay?”

She nodded, hesitated, and then asked, “Will Miss Jacinta be here soon?”

“I hope like hell she will be,” Shane replied.

“I miss her,” the dead child confessed.

“You and me both, doll,” Shane murmured. “You and me both.”

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