Ghost Ups Her Game by Carolyn Hart

Author:Carolyn Hart
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781448304288
Publisher: Severn House Publishers
Published: 2020-02-23T16:00:00+00:00

ELEVEN

In the hallway outside Nicole’s kitchenette, I Appeared as Officer Loy. I knocked.

The door opened in an instant. Jolene’s round face was slack with shock. Tears welled in her blue eyes. ‘I’m getting ready to go to my mom’s house in Rolf. I can’t stay here now.’

‘Of course. I’m so sorry, Jolene.’

‘I told the other officers, they just left, that a redheaded policewoman was talking to Nicole when I got here for lunch. They said there wasn’t a redheaded policewoman.’

‘New hires,’ I murmured. I tapped my name badge, gold letters on black, Officer M. Loy.

‘Oh. Well. I guess it’s like everything now. Here today, gone tomorrow.’ A gulp. ‘Gone …’ That brought a fresh rush of tears.

I moved forward. ‘I’ll just take a moment. I know those officers asked about Mrs Gallagher’s visit.’

That reassured her. She nodded and held the door open.

I led the way to the sofa. ‘Of course you told them all about Mrs Gallagher.’

She nodded. ‘They said Mrs Gallagher found Nicole. They said Nicole was hit on her neck and was lying in the swan seats at the carousel.’ Her lips quivered.

I wished I could take her in my arms, make the world better, strip away horror and fear and the realization that her friend no longer moved fast, spat like a cat if provoked, was fun and clever when she felt safe. I hoped Jolene would some day feel safe again.

I spoke quietly. ‘Finding Nicole’s body was a great shock for Mrs Gallagher. Nicole called, asked her to come to the park. But she arrived too late to save Nicole.’

Jolene’s face changed. ‘I guess those officers didn’t know that’s what happened. They asked what Nicole said about Mrs Gallagher. Nicole didn’t say much, just that Mrs Gallagher was really nice. They asked if Nicole acted scared of her. I said that was silly. Nobody would be scared of Mrs Gallagher.’

‘Did Nicole say anything to you about what happened when she went downstairs last night at Rose Bower?’ I kept my voice matter of fact, as if this were a question like any other, just a search for information, no big deal. Inside I hoped with all my heart for something, anything, a pointer, a hint, an arrow that turned away from Iris.

Jolene wiped her sleeve against her damp cheeks. ‘She …’ Jolene stopped. Her gaze slid way from me.

I was swift. ‘Anything Nicole said about that night can help us find the person who killed her.’

Jolene clasped her hands together. They twisted and turned. ‘The officers asked who to notify. I told them there wasn’t anybody. Just me. We were friends. We went all that way through school. Nicole’s dad left when she was real little. Her mom took some of those drugs and didn’t wake up. She had an old aunt but the aunt didn’t like Nicole, turned her out when she was in junior high. My folks let her stay with us. We were all she had. She got jobs, even as a kid, worked all the way through school, insisted my mom take that money to help with food and stuff.

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