Read Online Harrison Investigations 2 Ghost Walk by Heather Graham - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Heather Graham
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aware that Julian's gray gaze was intense and serious. "You guys were sitting out here when Andy and I brought out the beignets and coffee, and you didn't see him—did you?"
"No… but we weren't paying any attention. We weren't paying any attention that night, either," Julian said ruefully.
Patricia came over and slid into another chair. She, too, patted Nikki's hand. "You holding up?"
"I'm fine," she murmured. "Patricia, you did make sure that any tours for tonight were rescheduled, right?"
"Yes, I did. I spoke with Max, just as you told me, and he apologized again for not being here, by the way," she said, offering Nikki a weak smile. She shrugged. "We had no problem rescheduling—there was a mention about the funeral in the paper. People—" she glanced dryly at Julian "—even tourists, tend to be sympathetic—still curious, yes, but sympathetic… "
"Did everyone reschedule?" Nikki asked.
"Oh, yeah," Patricia said.
"Those sympathetic tourists are sure we'll be the best tour out there now," Julian said, and flashed a stern look at Patricia.
"What was that look all about?" Nikki demanded.
Patricia stared at Julian, then shook her head with a sigh. "Oh, one woman said that she was certain the spirit of our departed comrade would remain with us on our tours, making them even better," she murmured.
"How awful," Madame breathed.
"Some people are just heartless that way," Mitch said, sliding into another chair at the large round wrought-iron table. "Hey," he said pragmatically, "some of the stories we tell are pretty grim. It's just that now… well, now Andy's part of it, whether we like it or not."
"We will never, ever mention Andy on a tour!" Nikki said fiercely.
"Of course not, but, Nikki, in our business, you know that this will come up," Mitch reminded her. He offered her an ironic smile. Mitch wasn't as dramatic a guide as either Julian or Nathan, but his knowledge of the area was inexhaustible. He had a wonderful all-American, corn-fed look, ash-blond, flyaway hair, bright blue eyes, handsome face. He was very popular with the younger crowd. Nikki was certain that they often had repeat local customers just because a certain teenage crowd loved to follow him around the city.
He frowned, looking at her suddenly. "We will never, ever mention Andy," he agreed. He hesitated, clearing his throat. "I'm sorry, you knew her much better than we did. She was only with us a few weeks… Nikki, are you doing all right?"
She nodded.
"I think one of us should come stay with you," he said firmly.
She shook her head. "Thanks, Mitch. Julian has been hanging around for me." She stared at them all. "Okay, I'm telling you, and I mean it. I'm convinced that someone forced that heroin on Andy. Whether it had to do with her past or not, I don't know. But also, I'm okay, and I don't need my friends to babysit me. But thanks."
"Well, I don't know how you're living alone," Patricia said, flipping aside a length of her long dark hair. She glanced sideways at Nathan, who was saying goodbye to the last of their comourners. She grinned suddenly. "I was wondering if maybe Nathan and I weren't making a mistake… rushing to live with one another. Now I thank God every minute that we're living together. Because those drugs came from somewhere. From someone. I just think I'd be pretty miserable and scared right now, if I were alone."
"Hey, you two are just right for each other," Nikki commented. "And that's why it's good that you're living together. Anyway, I'm going to shake this off. It's just that it's only been a few days. But I'm not going to turn into a coward. I'm going to be proactive and bug the police until they discover her murderer—don't look at me like that. There
was
a murderer. That's the least I can do for her."
"One way or another, I agree with Nikki. Whether someone just pushed the purchase on the streets or plunged the needle into her vein, someone caused Andy's
"No… but we weren't paying any attention. We weren't paying any attention that night, either," Julian said ruefully.
Patricia came over and slid into another chair. She, too, patted Nikki's hand. "You holding up?"
"I'm fine," she murmured. "Patricia, you did make sure that any tours for tonight were rescheduled, right?"
"Yes, I did. I spoke with Max, just as you told me, and he apologized again for not being here, by the way," she said, offering Nikki a weak smile. She shrugged. "We had no problem rescheduling—there was a mention about the funeral in the paper. People—" she glanced dryly at Julian "—even tourists, tend to be sympathetic—still curious, yes, but sympathetic… "
"Did everyone reschedule?" Nikki asked.
"Oh, yeah," Patricia said.
"Those sympathetic tourists are sure we'll be the best tour out there now," Julian said, and flashed a stern look at Patricia.
"What was that look all about?" Nikki demanded.
Patricia stared at Julian, then shook her head with a sigh. "Oh, one woman said that she was certain the spirit of our departed comrade would remain with us on our tours, making them even better," she murmured.
"How awful," Madame breathed.
"Some people are just heartless that way," Mitch said, sliding into another chair at the large round wrought-iron table. "Hey," he said pragmatically, "some of the stories we tell are pretty grim. It's just that now… well, now Andy's part of it, whether we like it or not."
"We will never, ever mention Andy on a tour!" Nikki said fiercely.
"Of course not, but, Nikki, in our business, you know that this will come up," Mitch reminded her. He offered her an ironic smile. Mitch wasn't as dramatic a guide as either Julian or Nathan, but his knowledge of the area was inexhaustible. He had a wonderful all-American, corn-fed look, ash-blond, flyaway hair, bright blue eyes, handsome face. He was very popular with the younger crowd. Nikki was certain that they often had repeat local customers just because a certain teenage crowd loved to follow him around the city.
He frowned, looking at her suddenly. "We will never, ever mention Andy," he agreed. He hesitated, clearing his throat. "I'm sorry, you knew her much better than we did. She was only with us a few weeks… Nikki, are you doing all right?"
She nodded.
"I think one of us should come stay with you," he said firmly.
She shook her head. "Thanks, Mitch. Julian has been hanging around for me." She stared at them all. "Okay, I'm telling you, and I mean it. I'm convinced that someone forced that heroin on Andy. Whether it had to do with her past or not, I don't know. But also, I'm okay, and I don't need my friends to babysit me. But thanks."
"Well, I don't know how you're living alone," Patricia said, flipping aside a length of her long dark hair. She glanced sideways at Nathan, who was saying goodbye to the last of their comourners. She grinned suddenly. "I was wondering if maybe Nathan and I weren't making a mistake… rushing to live with one another. Now I thank God every minute that we're living together. Because those drugs came from somewhere. From someone. I just think I'd be pretty miserable and scared right now, if I were alone."
"Hey, you two are just right for each other," Nikki commented. "And that's why it's good that you're living together. Anyway, I'm going to shake this off. It's just that it's only been a few days. But I'm not going to turn into a coward. I'm going to be proactive and bug the police until they discover her murderer—don't look at me like that. There
was
a murderer. That's the least I can do for her."
"One way or another, I agree with Nikki. Whether someone just pushed the purchase on the streets or plunged the needle into her vein, someone caused Andy's
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