Read Online Elizabeth Basque - Medium Mysteries 01 - Echo Park by Elizabeth Basque - Free Book Online

patience than I felt. “I can’t foresee what exactly will happen, but usually, I translate, if you will, for the spirit. Or for you. Most likely, you’ll find you have important information to exchange.”
    “ But, I don’t know what I want to say,” Julie whined. I guessed this wasn’t altogether true.
    I patted her hand, though. “I’m sure you’ll find the words.”
    “I can help,” Carla offered.
    “ Carla wants to help, too. Don’t worry,” I smiled and tried to appear reassuring. “Everything is going to be just fine.”
    I hoped it all wouldn’t blow up in my face.
     
     
    Chapter Twelve
     
    “Now, just try to clear your mind,” I instructed Julie. I took her hands in mine across the coffee table, steering clear of the lit candles. “Just put all your thoughts on an imaginary shelf.”
    Julie nodded, but Carla moved closer to her. “Carla, why don’t you set one hand over Julie’s and one over mine? That way you can be a stronger force in summoning Michael.” The girl did so, but now, she was as jumpy as Julie.
    I took a deep breath. I needed to clear my own mind, no matter if they could or not. This was old hand for me, or at least it should have been. I wasn’t usually so emotionally invested in my cases, though. I had to concentrate, and make an extra effort to focus.
    “ We all need to center on thoughts of Michael. Carla, you and I have seen him, though you may not remember much. Julie, just do your best. Think of the connection between Carla and him.”
    They nodded. The room became eerily silent as we thought about Michael. Carla’s pleas for his presence clouded my focus, and I purposefully shoved her psychic plaintive cries away from me.
    Michael. Michael. Michael, young spirit, I know you’re not far. Please come. You will be safe here, I promise. This was my mantra for the next several minutes. I envisioned him, his dirty hair, his serious eyes. His scrawny build. I searched for him in the other world, calling, coaxing.
    “ Pauline, it’s not wor—” Julie started, but both Carla and I shushed her.
    It was starting to work. At least, I could feel some kind of energy shift in the room. And a spiritual shift. He was approaching. I could feel the chill and the sense of regret that preceded his arrival.
    He was now near. Not in my apartment yet, but I could feel him close by. Apparently, Carla could, too, as she squirmed a little and looked around briefly. Then the girl scrunched her eyes closed again, and I stifled a smile. She was trying too hard, but telling her that would only make things worse.
    Michael, Michael, young spirit, I know you’re not far…
    I looked up just in time to see Michael being shoved through my front door—my closed door, of course—by none other than good old Mack. What would I do without him? I nodded my thanks at Mack and he nodded back.
    The kid stumbled, his feet tripping on nothing, as he was floating above the floor. He tossed a hurt look back at Mack.
    Mack wasn’t the least inhibited by Michael, though. “Go on,” the East Coast Ghost grumbled, “get in there or you’ll have me to deal with, as well.”
    He pushed the younger ghost forward, and Michael shrugged Mack’s hand off his shoulder, now indignant. The kid dusted himself off as if he’d fallen in the dirt. Perhaps he had, I thought, and smiled up at Mack.
    “ Well, look what the cat dragged in,” Mack said, with not a little pride at delivering the culprit to my hands.
    “ Michael. Welcome. Thank you for coming.”
    Carla looked up at him in amazement. Julie immediately tensed. Michael stared at the three of us, especially Carla. He looked like he’d rather be anywhere than here, but Mack hovered directly behind him, blocking the way to my front door. Not that the ghost couldn’t just escape through a wall.
    “Uh, hi, Pauline,” Michael said nervously. “Thanks.”
    “ Hello, Michael,” I returned with a calm I hoped would spread. Tension was running high, and