Celeste Files: Unjust Read Online Free

him?”
    “No, I had my back turned when the Coast Guard pulled him from the water.”
    He plucked a strand of her hair from her cheek. “That’s not what I meant,” he said, his dark-brown eyes holding too much concern for a man on vacation.
    “The vision vanished when I saw him drowning.”
    He swore, then let out a harsh breath. “Another drowning vision. That’s awesome,” he said with heavy sarcasm. “What else did you see?”
    “I thought he might have squeezed me when his body surfaced, but I couldn’t be sure.”
    “And now?” When she didn’t respond, he gripped her by the upper arms. “What aren’t you telling me?”
    She reached for him, noticed the sand coating her sweaty palms and fisted her hands. “I’m worried he followed me home.”
    His eyes widened a fraction. “The dead boat captain?”
    “I’m assuming it’s him. I didn’t stay inside long enough to ask.”
    John’s forehead crinkled as he looked to the closed door again. “I don’t understand. Did you have a vision, or go into a trance?”
    “No.”
    “But he spoke to you?”
    She nodded. “And moved the curtains.”
    His grip grew tighter. “Are you telling me we have a ghost in our condo?”
    The tears she’d been holding back finally fell. “I don’t get it. I burned the sage, performed the cleansing ritual and he still was able to find a way inside. I’d almost rather have him in my head than doing whatever he was doing.” Scared, and not caring if she dirtied his clothes, she fisted the front of his shirt. “John, he threatened me,” she said, then told him about the curtain and how the man claimed she was his.
    John’s jaw tightened. “Did you call Maxine?”
    “She’s not home.”
    He let go of her and gave her the car keys. “Go in the car and get out of the heat. I’m going to pack our bags. We’re staying someplace else.”
    She snagged his hand before he could open the door. “He’ll follow us.”
    “How do you know? You told me Maxine’s ghosts never leave her house.”
    “That’s because they’re drawn to the house, not Maxine.”
    John’s face paled. The fear and worry in his eyes compounded the guilt and terror that had been weighing on her from the moment she’d fled the condo. Her gift was a curse. Her visions and trances had nearly killed her twice, and earlier this year, had put a strain on their marriage. They still did, especially where their daughter was concerned. She and John both worried she might slip into a trance while she was driving Olivia to school, or giving her a bath, which was why they’d taken in the service dog. While John had learned to accept the visions and trances, and had encouraged her to work with Maxine to find ways to control them, how could she expect him to now deal with the possibility of a ghost?
    “You think he’s haunting you? How can you be sure?”
    “I’m not.” She let go of his shirt, and wiped the sweat and tears from her face. “Look, this has to be the boat captain. Who or what else could it be? I touched the net that had dragged him under during the storm. I was there when his body was dredged from the bay.” She pulled her cell phone from her pocket. “What I need is to talk to Maxine and Barney. Barney said he knew the man, but didn’t like him. I’d like to know why and what I’m dealing with, or better yet, what his ghost could want from me.”
    “This has to be one of the most ridiculous conversations we’ve had, and we’ve had plenty,” John said.
    Her husband was all about logic and science. Since he’d witnessed firsthand what she was capable of, he believed in her psychic abilities. But ghosts were different. To a degree, she could control her visions and trances. She had no idea how to control a ghost, or how to rid herself of one.
    She flinched when her cell phone rang and looked at the screen. “It’s Maxine.”
    John leaned against the door. “Thank God,” he said, motioning for her to answer.
    “Celeste,