Read Online #1Second Hand Ghosts - The Final Bet (A Paranormal Mystery) by Gillian Larkin - Free Book Online

Chapter 1
     
    “Sit down, Kate, we need to talk.”
    I didn’t like the sound of that. I sat down opposite Rose and waited for her to continue.
    She pushed a cup of tea towards me.
    “Have a biscuit. I’ve got your favourite chocolate ones,” Rose smiled.
    Now I was getting worried. Chocolate biscuits were only for certain occasions – good news or bad news.
    My mouth felt dry. I picked up the cup and ignored the biscuits. I just knew Rose was going to fire me.
    “How long have you worked here now?” Rose asked.
    “Three years,” I said.
    “And do you like working here?” Rose said.
    I put the cup down. “I love it. It’s the best job I’ve ever had. You’re such a lovely boss, not like a boss at all. And you’re so understanding about the school holidays, and if Emily is ever sick you let me have time off. I love my job.”
    Rose laughed and held up her hand, “Calm down! I’m not going to fire you!”
    Phew!
    I reached for a biscuit and dunked it into my tea.
    Rose said, “I want you to take on more responsibilities. To be honest, Kate, I’m feeling tired and I need to take things a little easier.”
    I had noticed that Rose hadn’t been her usual energetic self recently.
    “I’ll do whatever you want me to, you know that,” I said. I put the soggy biscuit in my mouth and reached for another.
    Rose leaned forward. She looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was listening. I did the same, even though I knew it was just me and Rose sitting in the back room of the shop.
    Rose said, “I want you to keep an open mind. What I’m about to tell you is strange and you’ll probably think I’m crazy. But just listen to me.”
    She leaned even closer to me. I put the biscuit down at the side of my cup.
    “Not all the visitors to our shop are alive. Some of them are dead,” Rose said.
    “What do you mean dead? That they’re not living life fully? That they don’t look well? I know Mr Jones has had the flu recently and looks half dead,” I babbled on. I had a feeling that Rose was trying to tell me something that I didn’t want to know.
    Rose shook her head. “I mean they are actually dead, not alive. They’re ghosts. Some of the items that come into this shop have ghosts attached to them. Ghosts with unfinished business. And I help them. Do you think I’m crazy?”
    “I don’t know what to think,” I said. “How do you help the ghosts?”
    “I help them sort out whatever problems they have. And that’s the work that I need to hand over to you,” Rose said.
    “You want me to help ghosts?” I asked.
    Rose nodded, “What do you say?”
     

Chapter 2
     
    I was too shocked to say anything.
    Rose must have seen how shocked I was because she made me a fresh cup of tea. She put it in front of me, sat down at the table, and began to talk again.
    “I’ve seen ghosts all my life. When I set up this shop it wasn’t long before they started to appear and ask me for help. There are some peculiar ghosts with some peculiar problems but I try to help them all. It’s very rewarding.”
    “And what happens when you’ve helped them? Do they go somewhere? Or do they follow you around?” I asked. I cupped my hands around the hot cup.
    “I’m not sure where they go. They light up and then disappear. I like to think that they’re going to a better place,” Rose smiled.
    “Like Bali?” I suggested.
    Rose laughed, “Perhaps. Have you ever seen a ghost?”
    I thought about the times that I’d seen something out of the corner of my eye. Particularly when I was working in the shop on my own.
    “I don’t think I have. Why are you asking me to help you? Why don’t you ask Carol? She’s worked here much longer than me,” I pointed out.
    Rose opened her mouth to answer. But Carol’s loud voice cut her off. Carol was talking to a customer in the shop out front.
    “Don’t try and haggle with me. You’re not in some market in Istanbul you know. What’s the price on the ticket? £25. That’s