A Specter of Justice Read Online Free

Clyde’s rage, especially since he targeted me as the victim of his second shot.
    â€œSo, what’s the money for?” I asked.
    â€œAn educational trust fund. Cory thinks if we can get enough seed money, in fifteen years when the twins graduate from high school, there will be a nest egg large enough to send them to college.”
    â€œCount us in. That doesn’t sound stupid at all.”
    Shirley bounced up and down on the chair cushion like a kid. “Thank you! Thank you! Cory will be so pleased. She didn’t think you’d do it.”
    â€œOf course, we’ll do it. Why would she think otherwise?”
    â€œWell, not everyone believes in the supernatural. Cory was afraid you wouldn’t play your role with conviction like she said you did on the witness stand.”
    The conversation had suddenly spun in a direction that left me adrift.
    I made a stab at regaining my bearings. “This is the stupid part, right?”
    The joy vanished from Shirley’s chalk-white face. “You’re backing out?”
    â€œHow can I back out when I don’t even know what I’m in?”
    â€œThe ghost tour. You’ll be a host on the ghost tour.”
    I made a time-out signal. “You neglected to mention any ghost tour and it sounds pretty important. Why don’t you fill in that little detail.”
    She took a deep breath. “You know several companies conduct ghost tours through Asheville. Something for the tourists.”
    â€œNakayla and I went on one last year. A walking tour after dark. Yeah, it was fun.”
    â€œSome are walking, others go in open-air buses and vans, and the guides spiel the history of who was killed where and what spirits have been reported. Well, Cory and I would like to do something more elaborate. Have some re-enactments and hosts at the various sites so there’s not just one guy talking on a PA over traffic noise.”
    â€œI’m not dressing up as a ghost, Shirley.”
    â€œNo one’s asking you to. There’s a difference between being a ghost and being a host.”
    â€œIt had better be more than the letter g.”
    Shirley looked confused for a moment, and then laughed. “The letter g. That’s a good one. Use it in your speech.”
    â€œYou need to finish your speech first.”
    She stood and started pacing between the sofa and the chairs. “I’ve lined up people to play the ghost parts. I belong to a spiritualist group.”
    â€œReally? You?”
    She either missed or more likely ignored my sarcasm.
    â€œYes. The Asheville Apparitions. For about five years now. We meet every couple of months. Share articles and books of interest. Describe any paranormal activities we’ve experienced.”
    â€œWorking for Hewitt’s got to be a paranormal activity.”
    â€œI’m talking about out-of-your-body, not out-of-your mind.” She stopped pacing. “But Hewitt’s all for this.”
    â€œYou had Cory ask him, didn’t you?”
    â€œOf course. Right now she can ask him anything. Hewitt suggests we do it in early fall when it starts getting dark earlier.”
    â€œAren’t you going to be stepping on the toes of the other ghost tours?”
    â€œNot really. We’re only doing it one night, and we’ll be selling sponsorships. That’s where the real money comes from, not the ticket sales.”
    â€œAnd you and Cory are organizing the event and lining up sponsors?”
    â€œWe’ll have a steering committee. Mostly Asheville Apparitions, but we’re looking for other volunteers. We’ll need drivers and food preparers for snacks we can sell along the route.”
    â€œWalking or riding?”
    â€œBoth. The tour will go for a couple of hours. We’ll walk through central Asheville but then take buses to some sites too far to walk. That’s where you come in.”
    â€œI’m a bus driver?”
    â€œNo.