Read Online Never Can Say Goodbye by Christina Jones - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Christina Jones
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nonsense.’
Maisie bridled. ‘It’s not nonsense. I can only assume that Rita’s life-aura was very strong and blocked the spirits from making
contact. Now she’s gone they’re free to roam.’
‘Like spectral ramblers?’ Frankie sniffed derisively. ‘And what you really mean is that Rita didn’t believe in ghosts, don’t
you? Well, neither do I. The shop has obviously been unhaunted for years and years – there’s no reason at all why it should
be any different now.’
‘But there is.’ Maisie looked sorrowful. ‘Because now we
know
there are unhappy souls here, don’t we? Now I’ve made contact, now I’ve intercepted their spiritual space, they’ll be waiting
for me to speak to them and release them from their haunting hell to give them eternal freedom.’
‘Well done.’ Dexter clapped his hands. ‘Very nearly as good as Stephen King.’
Despite everything, Frankie smiled to herself.
‘Oh.’ Lilly looked puzzled. ‘Are they trapped, then? The ghosts? Oh, poor things.’ She flickered the inch-long blue eyelashes
towards Frankie. ‘We shouldn’t leave them trapped. It’s cruel. Maybe Maisie should—’
‘NO!’
‘Whatever … ’ Lilly flapped her hands. ‘But I still think—’
‘And I think that when Dexter and Brian take these boxes to Biff and Hedley’s they should pop Maisie in the car and take her
home,’ Frankie said quickly. ‘Then maybe the rest of us can finish off in here and have time to go to the Toad before last
orders.’
‘Slave driver,’ Lilly muttered, teetering away, every inch of her radiating irritation like a cross cat.
‘Sounds like a plan,’ Dexter said. ‘OK with you, Maisie? Lovely – now let me fetch you a chair so that you can sit down and
calm yourself for a bit. You’re obviously not feeling too well at the moment. We won’t be long.’
Dexter climbed back over the boxes, disappeared into thekitchen and returned with a chair. Maisie subsided weakly on to it, the voluminous raincoat billowing out round her.
‘OK now?’ Frankie asked.
‘As I’ll ever be in this place.’ Maisie’s eyes darted fearfully round the shop, obviously still seeing things that weren’t
visible to anyone else. ‘Or at least until you come to your senses, and let me sort out your unwanted visitors.’
‘None of my visitors are unwanted,’ Frankie said firmly. ‘And please, Maisie, I don’t mean to be rude, but can we just let
the haunting stuff drop now?’
‘You can if you like, I can’t. It’s my calling, sweetheart. I didn’t ask to be blessed – or cursed – with this gift.’
‘I’m sure you didn’t. But I’d honestly rather not hear any more about it. Especially not tonight. I’m far too busy to cope
with anything else.’
‘Whatever you say.’ Maisie pushed trembling hands through the cauliflower perm. ‘But one day you’ll need me here, that I can
promise you.’
Frankie sighed, holding the door open against the storm and watching as Dexter and Brian started hefting the boxes of clothes
into the boot of Dexter’s car. ‘And when that day comes I’ll be in touch, OK?’
‘OK, sweetheart.’ Maisie seemed mollified.
The rain slashed icily against Frankie’s face and she shivered. Someone walking over her grave, her gran would have said.
Nonsense! All nonsense.
‘There.’ Dexter grinned, the wind whipping his hair across his face, and slammed the car boot shut. ‘All done. Let’s get Maisie
buckled into the back then we can squash some of those carrier bags round her.’
As Brian clambered excitedly into the passenger seat, Dexter,with surprising gentleness, helped Maisie up from her chair and out into the car.
It was a pretty swish car, Frankie thought. Especially for someone who allegedly hadn’t got a job. Was it a BMW? Or a Mercedes?
Or one of the new Jaguars? And how on earth could someone like Dexter afford a car like that? Was he into something else?
A little iffy business on
Maisie bridled. ‘It’s not nonsense. I can only assume that Rita’s life-aura was very strong and blocked the spirits from making
contact. Now she’s gone they’re free to roam.’
‘Like spectral ramblers?’ Frankie sniffed derisively. ‘And what you really mean is that Rita didn’t believe in ghosts, don’t
you? Well, neither do I. The shop has obviously been unhaunted for years and years – there’s no reason at all why it should
be any different now.’
‘But there is.’ Maisie looked sorrowful. ‘Because now we
know
there are unhappy souls here, don’t we? Now I’ve made contact, now I’ve intercepted their spiritual space, they’ll be waiting
for me to speak to them and release them from their haunting hell to give them eternal freedom.’
‘Well done.’ Dexter clapped his hands. ‘Very nearly as good as Stephen King.’
Despite everything, Frankie smiled to herself.
‘Oh.’ Lilly looked puzzled. ‘Are they trapped, then? The ghosts? Oh, poor things.’ She flickered the inch-long blue eyelashes
towards Frankie. ‘We shouldn’t leave them trapped. It’s cruel. Maybe Maisie should—’
‘NO!’
‘Whatever … ’ Lilly flapped her hands. ‘But I still think—’
‘And I think that when Dexter and Brian take these boxes to Biff and Hedley’s they should pop Maisie in the car and take her
home,’ Frankie said quickly. ‘Then maybe the rest of us can finish off in here and have time to go to the Toad before last
orders.’
‘Slave driver,’ Lilly muttered, teetering away, every inch of her radiating irritation like a cross cat.
‘Sounds like a plan,’ Dexter said. ‘OK with you, Maisie? Lovely – now let me fetch you a chair so that you can sit down and
calm yourself for a bit. You’re obviously not feeling too well at the moment. We won’t be long.’
Dexter climbed back over the boxes, disappeared into thekitchen and returned with a chair. Maisie subsided weakly on to it, the voluminous raincoat billowing out round her.
‘OK now?’ Frankie asked.
‘As I’ll ever be in this place.’ Maisie’s eyes darted fearfully round the shop, obviously still seeing things that weren’t
visible to anyone else. ‘Or at least until you come to your senses, and let me sort out your unwanted visitors.’
‘None of my visitors are unwanted,’ Frankie said firmly. ‘And please, Maisie, I don’t mean to be rude, but can we just let
the haunting stuff drop now?’
‘You can if you like, I can’t. It’s my calling, sweetheart. I didn’t ask to be blessed – or cursed – with this gift.’
‘I’m sure you didn’t. But I’d honestly rather not hear any more about it. Especially not tonight. I’m far too busy to cope
with anything else.’
‘Whatever you say.’ Maisie pushed trembling hands through the cauliflower perm. ‘But one day you’ll need me here, that I can
promise you.’
Frankie sighed, holding the door open against the storm and watching as Dexter and Brian started hefting the boxes of clothes
into the boot of Dexter’s car. ‘And when that day comes I’ll be in touch, OK?’
‘OK, sweetheart.’ Maisie seemed mollified.
The rain slashed icily against Frankie’s face and she shivered. Someone walking over her grave, her gran would have said.
Nonsense! All nonsense.
‘There.’ Dexter grinned, the wind whipping his hair across his face, and slammed the car boot shut. ‘All done. Let’s get Maisie
buckled into the back then we can squash some of those carrier bags round her.’
As Brian clambered excitedly into the passenger seat, Dexter,with surprising gentleness, helped Maisie up from her chair and out into the car.
It was a pretty swish car, Frankie thought. Especially for someone who allegedly hadn’t got a job. Was it a BMW? Or a Mercedes?
Or one of the new Jaguars? And how on earth could someone like Dexter afford a car like that? Was he into something else?
A little iffy business on
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