The Spirit Seer

Chapter 14

"So, what do you remember?" I ask Jayne. I called her over after my tutoring session. I figured there was no time like the present to get on with helping her. We are in my room, trying to figure out what we know so we can know where to start.

If we are going to find out how she died, then we need to plan and figure things out. I don’t know the first thing about solving a murder. I think I might be in way over my head again. How do I keep getting myself into these ghostly situations?

"Not much. I remember the morning. It was like any other morning. Nothing significant happened."

So, not much help. I think silently.

"You don't remember coming across someone who said they were going to kill you that night?" I asked only half jokingly. I knew it wouldn't be that easy but I was hoping for something. If she doesn't remember, where are we supposed to start?

"No, I think I would have taken note of that. I remember being at school and then nothing. I've been trying really hard to think about it, but I just don't know."

"Think about your normal days before you died. Who would know what you did that day?"

"At school, my two best friends would know, and my mom might know something. But my mom isn't doing very well right now."

Jayne looks sad when she mentions her mom. I wish I knew how to help her feel better. I can only imagine what it feels like to watch someone you love grieve for you and not be able to tell them you're ok.

I'm not looking forward to having that conversation. I don't think I'm ready to deal with a grieving mother.

"I don't know how this is going to go. You don't remember anything, and I can talk to your friends, but how much will they really know?" This is getting more and more hopeless. I want to help her, but I can’t conjure her answers and if nobody knows anything, I don’t know what we’re going to do.

I’m not really looking forward to talking to her friends either. I’m going to have to lie about why I want to know. It’s not exactly my idea of a good time. I'm also worried that I'll look suspicious. Why would a random innocent person start asking so many questions about a murder victim?

"I need you to go that route. I can't talk to them, but there's some stuff I can do that you can't. I've been watching the police. They don't know much yet, but they are still looking into it. I can keep watch there. If they know something we will too."

Wow, she's a sneaky thing. I hadn’t even thought of that. But that really could help. Having an inside look at what the police are doing and where they are leaning will at least give me something to go on. It’s not quite the start I was hoping for, but I guess I’ll just jump in and see where it goes.

"Okay, so you watch the police hoping for a clue and I'll talk to your friends."

"Okay"

"I know it seems like an uphill battle but we'll figure it out. It may take some time but I'm going to do everything I can to find you the answers you need."

She smiles at me. "I really appreciate that. You don't even know me. You don't owe me anything."

"I don't know how to explain it but I want to help you."

Maybe it's the guilt over ignoring the ghosts all these years that's making me want to help her so bad. I don't know, all I know is that I want to help her."

I don't know if we are going to be able to do this, but I'm going to try. What could it hurt to talk to a few of her friends?

~~~~~

I've been waiting for half an hour and Heath is late. We agreed to meet at the library at 3:30 and it's already 4, and he's still not here. We only have a few days left to work on our project and he pulls this crap? What the heck is he thinking?

I pack up my stuff and stand up when he finally walks in. He has that mask on again. The one that hides his feelings and emotions. The one that infuriates me, and I’m already pretty infuriated.

"Are you going somewhere?"

I can't believe he has the nerve. He should he apologizing and begging for forgiveness by now. He made me wait for over half an hour.

"Yes, I don't have time to waste sitting here tapping my pencil waiting for my unreliable science partner," I say pointedly.

He sighs dramatically. "I'm sorry I'm late, but I lost track of time. It won't happen again."

I shake my head. "I don't believe you. You don't care about your grades, so you don't care if we pass or fail. Well news flash I do. I need to do well on this and I don't appreciate you wasting my time."

"Come on Bailey, it's not that big of deal. I'm here now, that's all that matters."

Seriously? "You left me sitting here for half an hour. The fact that you eventually showed up isn't all that matters."

I know my voice is too loud for the library, but I can't seem to help myself. He just rubs me the wrong way. How does he not see this as disrespectful?

"I said it won't happen again."

"And I'm just supposed to believe that? You obviously don't care about respecting my time."

"Come on Bailey?"

Suddenly somebody in the library shushes us. That's the last straw. I can't deal with him. I already wasted half an hour. I don't want to waste any more time today.

"I'm done; I can't deal with this right now." I turn and walk away.

Heath follows me and finally grabs my arm to stop me. "Bailey-"

I push his hand away. And he sucks in air and grabs his side. "What happened? I know I didn't cause whatever that is."

He takes a few shallow breaths. "I think I might have a bruised rib."

That didn't sound good. If he's hurt, that might explain why he was late.

Okay, now I feel kind of bad. "How did that happen?"

"It's no big deal; I just got into a fight earlier."

He just got into a fight? Just a fight, like it’s not a big deal. Getting into a fight is a big deal. The fact that he’s minimizing it like that makes me uneasy. How many fights has he gotten into? Clearly, this isn’t his first if he acts so casual about it.

"You’re obviously in pain. Why don't we take a rain check on this? We can work together another time."

"Are you sure? I know I messed up by being late. I don't want to make it worse."

"It's fine. We'll get together later."

He nods. "Okay, thanks, Bailey."

As he walks off, I feel sort of torn. He got into a random fight. I didn't know he was like that. It makes me realize that I don't know him all that well and now I don't know if I want to.

The possible violence scares me. I never imagined that I would be friends with someone who would act so casually about a fight that was bad enough to bruise his ribs. I'm now questioning if he is someone I want in my life.