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She cleared her throat "Look, I definitely wasn’t attacked by the ghost of an FBI agent The man who attacked me was solid There’s no connection between the two of them And I should never walk into an alley, no ot that I understand it now"

"You saw Tom Garfield, and you didn’t tell me?" he asked quietly

"I couldn’t--"

"I asked you to tell iving a tour, and he didn’t even co to… I don’t know Make contact, I guess I host, and I’m supposed to introduce you to him Well, I don’t know him My God, this is the most insane conversation we’ve had yet," Nikki finished

The door to the roohtened in her chair

Neither of the to have this conversation in front of the cops, whether they knew about Brent’s connection with the next world or not

"Detective Massey," Nikki said, surprisedaround here, huh?" Massey said, sed "I’m sorry Did you just drop in to say hi, or do you think this purse snatcher is in on drugs andat her strangely, and Nikki noticed that Brent seemed concerned by Massey’s attitude

Massey himself looked a little perplexed

"Okay… what?" Brent said

"This is nuts," Massey said

"What?" Brent pursued

"There was a young cop named Robinson as one of the first on the scene," he said

Nikki frowned, then nodded "Robinson Yes, he ith the officer who took the report They’re partners, I take it"

"Tall, sliuy?" Brent said to Massey

Massey nodded

"Well?" Nikki said

Massey sighed and pulled out a chair at the table "Okay… the guy who tried to take your purse… you didn’t see hiht?"

"Oh, I saw him Do I knohat he looked like?" Nikki asked "No He earing a ski ht, h"

"And… uh… real?" Massey asked He flushed as they both stared at hi attacked by a ghost, right?"

Furious, jaw clenched, she sat back "Detective Massey, I ahtly

"And very , and I chased hihtly under control, but ready to lash out in her defense if need be

"Is there a reason why you’re asking this?" Brent de his head "Please, don’t take offense, either of you It’s just that Robinson was on duty when another wo snatched She didn’t see the man who took her purse, but she was certain she kneho had stolen it Robinson used to be a sketch artist, then went back on the street He wants to apply for detective"

"I hope he makes detective, if that’s what he wants," she said politely "But what does all this have to do with anything? I told you, I can’t describe the guy"

Massey glanced over his shoulder, at the closed door "Don’t either of you repeat what I’rowl that couldn’ton?" Brent deave Robinson a description of thearound before her purse was stolen The thing is… she gave him a description of Tom Garfield An exact description You… uh, didn’t happen to see thearound in the alley, too, did you, Nikki? I mean, hell, I know To around this parish, or else… "

"Or else what?" Brent asked sharply

Massey glanced his earily "Or else his ghost is stalking the town, and I’ll be daure out what that has to do with a purse snatcher"

Chapter 15

Brent was silent most of the way as they walked back to Nikki’s place He still seemed tense, so she kept silent herself until they were back in her apartment

She didn’t knohy, but the ain, she had the bizarre feeling someone had been in her ho her key from the lock "I don’t know"

"Is it Andy?"

"No"

"Then… ?"

"I honestly don’t know I just keep having the feeling that so the questions she was about to ask didn’t bode well for her host had been walking around in ed "Maybe I don’t know Let’s check the place out"

They did, but there was nothingjust slightly out of focus

She alking toward the kitchen, telling herself that she was sie, when Brent took her by the shoulders, fiercely turning her around to face him