Sadie's Spirit, CB Samet [book club recommendations .TXT] 📗
- Author: CB Samet
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Book online «Sadie's Spirit, CB Samet [book club recommendations .TXT] 📗». Author CB Samet
“But why did they blame her death on you? You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I walked straight into her trap. There was so much media hype about finding the girl alive that her death had to be pinned on someone. They pinned it on the ghost whisperer.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“I was done after that case anyway; with or without others knowing my failure. I was determined never to be manipulated by a ghost again.”
“Then you moved to the mountains.”
“I moved to the mountains. I took anti-delirium sedatives for a few months to help me tune out the spirits. Now I have control over when I let them in and shut them out. Once all the excitement over the case had died down, I found a quiet little county that needed a fireman.”
“Why can’t I see other ghosts given that I am one?”
Asher wondered if she wanted to see her grandmother. “I’ve never seen two at a time. Maybe you all exist on different planes.”
“Thanks for not shutting me out.” She set a hand on his leg.
He felt the warmth of her touch. When he glanced over, he saw a tear fall from her left eye. It landed on her leg and then faded.
“I wish I had been supportive of your gift. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you.”
He gave an acknowledging bob of his head.
Ledo paced around his house waiting for El Jefe to answer the phone.
This was supposed to be a simple job: he had to kill the doctor, Alejandro would steal the computer, and they would both go home ten grand richer. It seemed now that she might not be dead after all. As far as Ledo was concerned, the dead didn’t walk away from their graves, no matter how shallow. Alejandro wasn’t only backing out of his contract to complete the theft; he was actively trying to find the doctor’s body.
“What is it?” El Jefe barked.
Ledo rubbed the back of his neck. “Alejandro failed to get the computer and now he’s turned on us. He went to find Dr. Crawford’s body in the woods, but it was missing.”
“Missing?” The voice was cold and hard.
“Missing, as in maybe she isn’t dead.” Ledo had checked the news online. There had been no mention of a body found in Tallulah Gorge, so the only other explanation was that she was alive.
“She isn’t dead. I received an email from her an hour ago, so I already know you failed. She’s not only alive; she’s also in possession of the computer your buddy failed to steal.”
Ledo swore.
“I’ve spent the last half-hour discretely tracking her down. None of her co-workers or her mother know she’s missing. Since you struck her hard enough to think she was dead, I guessed she might be at a hospital.”
Ledo held his breath.
“There’s no Crawford anywhere, but there was an unidentified woman who arrived with a head injury and hypothermia last night. Do you have a pen and paper so you can jot down the address and finish what you started?”
“Sí, señor.”
Alejandro assessed the small, one-story fire station as he pulled into the parking lot. He left his car, walked toward the front door, and knocked.
He pulled out his necklace and kissed the saint for good luck.
A Hispanic man ten years older than Alejandro opened the door. He was wider than Brenner and would have been more than capable of tossing Alejandro around if he wanted to.
“I’d like to get in touch with Asher Brenner.”
“Who’s asking?” The man, whose nametag read ‘Sanchez,’ crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame.
“My name is Alejandro Martinez. This is where he works, si?”
“Perhaps. What’s the nature of your business with Brenner?”
“I think someone he knows is in danger.”
Sanchez cocked his head to one side. “You’re obviously not a reporter. If someone’s in danger, go to the police. Better yet, come inside, and I’ll call them for you.”
“No! I mean, I think if I just speak with him, we can resolve this.”
“You know, you’re not the first person to come here looking for his help with spiritual matters.”
“What?”
“He doesn’t do psychic investigations anymore, and he doesn’t do tarot cards, so you need to find someone else to meet your needs.”
“No, we need to find Dr. Sadie Crawford. She’s in danger.”
The big firefighter moved abruptly, dragging Alejandro inside the fire station and along the corridor to the kitchen.
“Sit,” he said.
Alejandro sat.
“What do you know about Sadie?”
Alejandro hoped the fastest way to get Sanchez’s help would be to tell the truth, or at least most of the truth. He couldn’t admit that his motive to help involved ridding himself of the possibility of a ghost stalking him in the future. “An ex-colleague of mine was hired to kill Dr. Crawford, and he thought he had. I went to find her body to perform the last burial rites, but it wasn’t where he’d left it. I did an Internet search and she’s not currently reported missing or dead.”
“You didn’t call the police?”
“I don’t have any proof.”
“Where was she assaulted?”
Alejandro described the location on the Tallulah Gorge trail.
Sanchez pulled out his phone and began typing with his thumbs. “The nearest hospital is Habersham Medical Center.” He pressed a button and raised the phone to his ear. “This is Juan Sanchez from the White County Fire Department. I need to know if you’ve had any Jane Does in the last twenty-four hours. Yes, I’ll hold.”
Sanchez pulled out his phone to call Asher as he drove to the hospital with Alejandro. He would have to arrange cover for the rest of his twenty-four-hour shift at the station, but his friend was in need.
“Hey, Sanchez. Slow shift?”
“Brenner, I’m on my way to Habersham Medical Center where there’s a Jane Doe unconscious in observation. I’ve got a man with me who thinks it might be Sadie.”
“Sadie?”
Sanchez waited for Brenner to say something more substantial. When he didn’t, Sanchez added, “Sadie Crawford. Your ex-girlfriend from three years ago, right?”
Brenner had confided in Sanchez about the woman who had broken his heart on more than one occasion after a few beers.
“That’s right.”
“Can you get to the hospital?”
“I just got to my cabin. I’m hopping back in my truck now.”
“Okay.”
“Sanchez, listen to me. If she’s still alive, her life is in danger. Please, please get there, and get some police protection on her.”
“What do you mean if she’s still alive? I just told you she’s alive.” Sanchez pursed his lips. What did Asher know about Sadie’s predicament that he didn’t?
“We need to see if it’s her. I’ll text you a picture of her. It’s three years old, but it’ll help you identify if she and this Jane Doe are one and the same.”
“Okay.”
“Sanchez?”
“Yeah.”
“Who’s with you claiming Sadie’s in the hospital?”
“Says his name’s Alejandro Martinez.”
“I don’t know anyone by that name. Watch your back and keep him away from Sadie.”
Sanchez glanced over at Alejandro in the passenger seat. “Okay, but what aren’t you telling
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