The Last Laugh: A Ghost Mystery Story (Second Hand Ghosts Book 3) Read Online Free

trying
to have a nap.”
    I
pushed at Tommy’s arm and said, “We thought you were dead!”
    Tommy
sat up and scratched his head. He looked at me sleepily and said, “Who’s we? I
can’t see anyone else.”
    “Jake’s
here,” I told him.
    He
sat up straighter, “I am dead! You don’t look much like an angel, I thought
they’d look younger.”
    I
heard a laugh behind me. It was Jake.
    I
pointed at him and said, “You can stop that. You thought he was dead too.”
    Tommy
looked to where I was pointing. “Who are you talking to?”
    “I
told you, Jake. He’s a ghost and I can see him. For some reason you told a
priest that he committed suicide.”
    Tommy
was fully awake now, “I never did! And what do you mean, you can see ghosts?
Are you having a laugh?”
    “A
man calling himself Father Devlin said that you told him Jake had killed
himself. He said that you’d confessed to him.”
    Tommy
swore loudly.
    Jake
started to laugh again. I shot him a warning glance.
    “Did
you speak to Devlin?” I asked.
    “Is
he a creepy looking guy with shades on?” Tommy said.
    I
nodded.
    Tommy
pulled the bed covers closer to him and said, “He came round yesterday. He said
he was a friend of Jake’s mum and he wanted to make sure that I was okay after
what had happened to Jake. I never said that Jake took his own life. Father
Devlin said he’d understand if I felt guilty and that I should do the right
thing.”
    “Why
should you feel guilty?” I asked.
    “Because
of what I did,” Tommy looked down at the bed cover. Then he pointed to the
packets of pain killers. “I was going to kill myself but I must have fallen
asleep after taking two.”
    Jake
moved closer, “Aw, you silly sod. What were you thinking?”
    I
put my hand out and touched Tommy’s shoulder. I asked him again why he should
be feeling guilty.
    Tommy
looked at me with tears in his eyes. He said, “Because I killed Jake! I killed
my best friend!”
     

 
    Chapter 10
     
    I
stood up and looked at Jake, “What’s going on? You told me you slipped. Did
Tommy push you? Are you trying to cover up for him?”
    “I
did slip! I was acting like an idiot. Ask him why he said that!” Jake exploded.
    I
looked down at Tommy and said, “I told you that Jake’s here with me now. He said
that he slipped off the bridge, it was nothing to do with you.”
    Tommy’s
eyes grew wide as he looked around the room, “Where is he? I can’t see him. Is
he mad with me?”
    Jake
nodded vigorously.
    I
said, “He’s just confused. Why did you say you killed him. Tell me what
happened?”
    “We
were out round Leeds, celebrating getting our university places. We’d had a bit
too much beer. Jake’s daft when he’s sober, he was even worse when he’s drunk.
He was telling me that when he was little he wanted to be a clown at the
circus. He started doing cartwheels down the street.”
    I
looked over at Jake. He was smiling at the memory.
    “Then
he said he could walk across that bridge over the canal, like it was a
tightrope. What did I do? I encouraged him. I told him to do it backwards. And
he did! And that’s when he fell off. It’s all my fault,” Tommy hugged his bed
cover tighter.
    Jake’s
face softened as he looked at Tommy, “It wasn’t your fault. I would have done
it anyway. It’s all my silly fault. Don’t go beating yourself up, Tom.”
    I
told Tommy what Jake had said. He gave a little smile and said to the ceiling,
“Do you forgive me, Jake?”
    Jake
spoke and then I said, “He says there’s nothing to forgive.”
    I
looked again at the tablet packets, “Do you usually have so many pain killers
in your house?”
    “No,
Father Devlin left them for me,” Tommy said.
    “What?”
I cried out. “Why did he do that?”
    “I
told him what I just told you, about thinking it was my fault that Jake died.
And he said he’d have to call the police but it would be better for me if I did
the right thing and gave up my life for taking