Read Online Ghost Walking (A Maggie York Paranormal Mystery Book 1) by Ally Shields - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ally Shields
Tags: Paranormal & Fantasy
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and discovered the drug charges against Brandt had been dismissed four months later. Neither Annie nor Maggie could find any explanation…but he hadn’t been reinstated on the Boston police force. That smacked of a deal or a technical out.
By Wednesday, Maggie decided there was only one way she might get the truth, and she called Captain Jenson. He seemed pleasantly surprised to hear from her until she asked about Brandt’s arrest.
“Where’d you hear that rumor?” he demanded gruffly.
“It’s not a rumor. It was in the Boston paper, and I found the arrest online. Charges were dropped. I want to know why.”
“I can’t discuss another officer with you.” Jenson’s voice was curt. “This is none of your business, Maggie.”
“I disagree…as long as he’s assigned to my case. I have a right to know if he’s reliable.”
“Then I’ll tell you. He’s reliable.”
“Not good enough.”
The captain released a sharp hiss. “I’m trying to cut you some slack because you’ve been a good officer and you’ve been through a bad time, but don’t push me on this. Whatever happened to Brandt in Boston is behind him. Now if you want to talk about something else, I’d be happy to, but otherwise this conversation is over.”
Afterward Maggie analyzed every word the captain had said, but she couldn’t decipher a hidden meaning, nothing left to interpretation except the implied admission in those two words: whatever happened. But the captain claimed he was reliable. Did that mean he’d been to drug treatment? Nine months was too short a time to assume a druggie would stay clean. Oh, hell, what was she doing, dissecting conversations like some teenager. She had way too much time on her hands.
Maggie headed for the gym and spent an hour swimming laps in the pool. When she finished, she took an allergy pill. It was time for her weekly volunteer visit to the animal shelter. She loved dogs and cats, enjoyed being around them and watching their antics. Unfortunately she was allergic to their dander. Since she couldn’t take one into her home, she spent time helping to groom new arrivals once a week. Afterward, she’d need to shower and disinfect her clothes in the washer. But she never missed a visit. It was her feel-good moment of the week.
It was nearly dark when Maggie left the shelter and drove home. She hummed to herself, smiling as she remembered the antics of the shelter’s new litter of kittens. She’d just parked her car on the street when her arms prickled, a wave of unease sweeping over her. Her head whipped up, and she spotted Hurst standing in front of her apartment building.
Her good mood vanished instantly. He hadn’t been around in days. She’d hoped…well, it didn’t make a difference now. Dalia had warned her he’d be back.
She pushed an instinctual sense of dread away and walked steadily toward the building entrance. He slid directly in her path. She stopped and looked around, checking for observers. “What do you want?”
He appeared to bounce around, his movements less human than before, his image fading into gray around the edges.
“That’s it?” she said impatiently. “How am I supposed to interpret that?” She tried to walk around him, but he glided in front of her. Maggie frowned, gritted her teeth, and walked straight through him, shuddering at the sudden cold. She rubbed her arms, but before she could open the door, he was in front of her again, barring the entrance.
“This is getting old. You seem to be nothing more than a ghostly stalker. Go away,” she snapped, her frustration morphing into a spurt of anger. He didn’t move, still blocking her path, and she wasn’t walking through that eerie cold again. OK, Dalia, let’s see if you know your stuff. Maggie drew in a deep breath, squeezed her eyes shut, and focused on commanding him to leave—repeating the order three times, as Dalia had told her.
She cautiously lifted her lashes and peered
By Wednesday, Maggie decided there was only one way she might get the truth, and she called Captain Jenson. He seemed pleasantly surprised to hear from her until she asked about Brandt’s arrest.
“Where’d you hear that rumor?” he demanded gruffly.
“It’s not a rumor. It was in the Boston paper, and I found the arrest online. Charges were dropped. I want to know why.”
“I can’t discuss another officer with you.” Jenson’s voice was curt. “This is none of your business, Maggie.”
“I disagree…as long as he’s assigned to my case. I have a right to know if he’s reliable.”
“Then I’ll tell you. He’s reliable.”
“Not good enough.”
The captain released a sharp hiss. “I’m trying to cut you some slack because you’ve been a good officer and you’ve been through a bad time, but don’t push me on this. Whatever happened to Brandt in Boston is behind him. Now if you want to talk about something else, I’d be happy to, but otherwise this conversation is over.”
Afterward Maggie analyzed every word the captain had said, but she couldn’t decipher a hidden meaning, nothing left to interpretation except the implied admission in those two words: whatever happened. But the captain claimed he was reliable. Did that mean he’d been to drug treatment? Nine months was too short a time to assume a druggie would stay clean. Oh, hell, what was she doing, dissecting conversations like some teenager. She had way too much time on her hands.
Maggie headed for the gym and spent an hour swimming laps in the pool. When she finished, she took an allergy pill. It was time for her weekly volunteer visit to the animal shelter. She loved dogs and cats, enjoyed being around them and watching their antics. Unfortunately she was allergic to their dander. Since she couldn’t take one into her home, she spent time helping to groom new arrivals once a week. Afterward, she’d need to shower and disinfect her clothes in the washer. But she never missed a visit. It was her feel-good moment of the week.
It was nearly dark when Maggie left the shelter and drove home. She hummed to herself, smiling as she remembered the antics of the shelter’s new litter of kittens. She’d just parked her car on the street when her arms prickled, a wave of unease sweeping over her. Her head whipped up, and she spotted Hurst standing in front of her apartment building.
Her good mood vanished instantly. He hadn’t been around in days. She’d hoped…well, it didn’t make a difference now. Dalia had warned her he’d be back.
She pushed an instinctual sense of dread away and walked steadily toward the building entrance. He slid directly in her path. She stopped and looked around, checking for observers. “What do you want?”
He appeared to bounce around, his movements less human than before, his image fading into gray around the edges.
“That’s it?” she said impatiently. “How am I supposed to interpret that?” She tried to walk around him, but he glided in front of her. Maggie frowned, gritted her teeth, and walked straight through him, shuddering at the sudden cold. She rubbed her arms, but before she could open the door, he was in front of her again, barring the entrance.
“This is getting old. You seem to be nothing more than a ghostly stalker. Go away,” she snapped, her frustration morphing into a spurt of anger. He didn’t move, still blocking her path, and she wasn’t walking through that eerie cold again. OK, Dalia, let’s see if you know your stuff. Maggie drew in a deep breath, squeezed her eyes shut, and focused on commanding him to leave—repeating the order three times, as Dalia had told her.
She cautiously lifted her lashes and peered
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