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Beuest to the house

Frazier and Beth were still sipping coffee when Jake and Jackson went in to pick them up for the ride back to the house

They both looked a little brighter for having escaped the house for a while, but Beth was grave

"We have anotherperson," Beth said

"What?" Jake asked her

She lifted her coffee cup and indicated the television above the diner’s counter

"The news just had a thing about it That reporter--I think you knew her?--Marty Marty Dean She didn’t show up for work today, and her station has plastered her picture on the news a dozen times See--it’s who you know," Beth commented to Frazier "This wonored us when Charles disappeared, but they’re all over it now because she’s "

"It’s true," Frazier said "Her coworkers believe she wouldn’t miss work Ashley was upset about Charles She knew hi on when he turned up ram, and neither did Ashley If I hadn’t known Adam--"

"Think about the people who don’t know Adaht have found Charles alive if anybody had really been looking," Frazier said

Jake stared at the television An old Western rerun was playing

"What did they say about Marty Dean?" he asked

"She rushed out on a tip yesterday afternoon, said she’d be back for the eleven-o’clock news, but she didn’t make it," Beth said "She still hasn’t shown up"

"But she was in New Orleans, right?" Jackson asked

Beth nodded "Yes, she disappeared fro--a really bad feeling

But the police in New Orleans would certainly be on the disappearance Forty-eight hours or not, the et them back and look in on Toby Keaton," Jackson said

It was nice, riding with the other women, even if their previous acquaintance made her the odd man out

Jenna was a welcoetic, but it was really the accent, Ashley decided Alish or any variety, whether Irish, Scottish or Welsh

And Jenna oohed and aahed over the river, over the ce She seeal Plantation, and as they rode, she told Ashley that her expertise was in nursing

"A federal agent--in nursing?" Ashley asked

Jenna waved a hand in the air "I have other talents," she said

"Oh?"

"I’ela," she said flatly "But I speak with the dead"

"A little subtlety ht be in order!" Whitney called out

Ashley twisted around in the saddle to see Angela, as also rolling her eyes

"The cameras, the shadows, Jake…is this a paranorela said

"We’re a special one," Whitney told her

"We look for what’s real," Jenna said "But wewhat everyone can’t There, does that clear it all up?"

"Just like Mississippi ular behavioral-sciences unit," Angela said "Then Adaina, died Jackson knew all about for each work already, finding those he wanted"

Ashley studied the that ghosts had killed Regina Holloway I suppose we’re inJackson knows that things happen out of the nor people usually prove to be behind it," Angela explained "He’s a true skeptic--a prove-it-to- is what?"

"Ghosts do exist," Whitney said "And no one sees theela"

Ashley looked ahead as they rode on

Had Angela seen Marshall Donegal yet? She hadn’t seen hiht find a ela smiled "Well, I also believe there has to be hu you the truth We investigate for ghosts Not because they’re evil, though, honestly, evil hosts They’ll encroach on someone’s mind, but they can’t carry out evil deeds It’s like hypnotis you won’t do, you still won’t do it, no ination"

"Wait a host ravely "What we’re saying is that…well, if the evil in a man’s soul or spirit remains behind, it can act as fuel to someone who is already a er are yearning only to bring soht have loved To bring about so What about a ghost who lingers over a hundred and fifty years?" Ashley asked