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Kathleen Burke, who lived in this little oasis of fantasy, was a police psychiatrist Her work deic and reason, but in her private life, she retreated into gentle escapis, the s revealed no lights

Carson rang the bell and then at once knocked on the door

A soft light bloomed inside, and quicker than Carson expected, Kathy opened the door "Carson, what’s up, what’s wrong?"

"It’s Halloween in August We gotta talk" "Girl, if you were a cat, you’d have your back up and your tail tucked"

"You’re lucky I didn’t shoith a load into say Maybe you’ve been partnered too long with Michael Co, Carson said, "I didn’t see any lights" ‘At the back, in the kitchen," Kathy said, leading the way She was attractive, in her late thirties, molasses-black with Asian eyes In Chinese-red pajaure

In the kitchen, a stea of coffee stood on the table Beside it lay a novel; on the cover, a woon

"You always read at three in the ?" Carson asked

"Couldn’t sleep"

Carson was too edgy to sit She didn’t pace the kitchen so much as twitch back and forth in it "This is your hoht?"

Pouring coffee, Kathy said, "What’s happened? What’re you so jumped up about?"

"You’re not a psychiatrist here You’re just a friend here A of coffee on the table, returning to her own chair, Kathy said, "I’m always your friend, Carson--here, there, anywhere"

Carson stayed on her feet, too wound up to sit down "None of what I tell you here can end up in my file"

"Unless you killed soht"

"Then spit it out, girlfriend You’re getting on my nerves"

Carson pulled a chair out fro of coffee, hesitated, didn’t pick it up

Her hand was treht Opened it Still trehost, Kathy?"

"I’ve taken the haunted New Orleans tour, been to the crypt of Marie Laveau at night Does that count?"

Clutching the handle of theat her white knuckles, Carson said, "I’m serious I mean any weird shit you can’t wrap your head around Ghosts, UFO, Big Foot" She glanced at Kathy "Don’t look at me that way" "What way?" "Like a psychiatrist"

"Don’t be so defensive" Kathy patted the book with the dragon on the cover "I’m the one reads three fantasy novels a week and wishes she could actually live in one"

Carson blew on her coffee, tentatively took a sip, then a longer s "I need this Haven’t slept No way I’ll sleep tonight"

Kathy waited with professional patience After a moment, Carson said, "People talk about the unknown, the mystery of life, but I’ve never seen one squirt of mystery in it" "Squirt?"

"Squirt, drop, spoonful--whatever I want to see , but I’host" "He wasn’t a ghost But he sure was soer, trying to find the right words to explain what happened …"

"Start here it happened"

"I was at Bobby Allwine’s aparteon’s latest victi up a profile on the killer He’s hard to figure Psychotic but controlled No obvious sexual component So far he hasn’t left arden-variety psychopath isn’t usually so prudent"

Kathy seemed to realize that she had seized the wheel of the conversation Relinquishing it, she sat back in her chair

"Sorry, Carson We were talking about your ghost"

Kathy Burke could probably keep her police work separate from their friendship, but she would find it more difficult to take off her psychiatrist hat and keep it off when she heard what Carson had coely defor to have beento have been brought to life by lightning capable of such nimbleness of movement, such uncanny stealth, such inhu less than supernatural and, therefore, host?"

Instead of replying, Carson drank more coffee

"That’s it?" Kathy asked "Just the tease, and then good-bye?"

"I feel a little guilty"

"Good I was ready for some spooky dish"

"If I tell you as a friend, I compromise you pro-

fessionally You’ll need to report ation"

Kathy frowned "Officer involved shooting? Just how serious is this, Carson?"

"I didn’t s him, as far as I know"

"Tell me I won’t report you"

Carson s You’d report ht And you’d write hteous as you think I am"

"Yes, you are," Carson said "That’s one reason I like you"

Kathy sighed "I’m all primed for a campfire tale, and you won’t spook me Nohat?"