Read Online Witch Ball - BK 3 by Linda Joy Singleton - Free Book Online

against
the wall with her hands covering her face. "Don't
let him hurt me!" she sobbed.
    "He can't hurt you," I tried to explain.
    "Then why is he here?"
    "Because he's worried about you and wants to
give you a message."
    "How d-do you know?" she stammered. "I
didn't hear anything."
    "Listen, maybe you will. He's calling out to
you."

    She lifted her head, wiping a tear from her
cheek. "Daddy?"
    He nodded and spoke her name, but I could
tell from Jill's confused expression that she still
couldn't hear him.
    "He called you Princess," I told her.
    "That's what he used to call me." She hugged
herself, trembling. "What else is he saying?"
    "He's asking for forgiveness."
    She ran her hand over her forehead. "I don't
know if I can forgive either of us."
    "He wants you to know he loves you."
    "How can he when everything was my fault?"
    He shook his head.
    "Yes, it was!" Jill rose to her feet. "If I hadn't
told Mom you wouldn't have gone to jail and you'd
still be alive."
    Again, he shook his head.
    "Is he saying something?" Jill asked, grabbing
my arm.
    "Yes," I replied. "Although it's static-like. He
says you did nothing wrong. He was the one who
was wrong. And he's very sorry."
    "I'm sorry too ..." Her voice cracked.
    "He wants you to be happy."

    "How can I be? I messed things up."
    "He says if you can't forgive him, at least forgive yourself."
    "I'll ... I'll try." Her eyes shone bright with
tears.
    "He adds that he won't be able to come back."
    Jill nodded, then whispered, "Bye, Daddy."
    I thought I saw a faint smile cross her father's
cloudy face before he faded to gray. Then he was
gone. Only the whiff of mint and cigar smoke
lingered.

    I'd stayed a while with Jill, listening while she
talked about her father, not the bad memories, but
the good ones. She was still confused, hating her
father yet loving him, too. Healing would take
time. When we parted, her aura was brighter. And
I was relieved she hadn't asked me the tough questions, like why a visit from a spirit didn't scare me
and how come I could hear her father when she
couldn't.
    That was minor compared to a startling realization I had while pedaling home.

    Like Manny foretold, Jill had been visited by
the person she feared.
    The first prediction had come true.

    I tried not to freak out-and failed.
    I wanted to blame this all on coincidence, but
what were the chances that Jill's father would appear the day after the prediction? Also, it was hard
to ignore the fact that his spirit showed up when I
was with Jill-as if I was a conduit for the other
side. Would he have still appeared if Jill had been
alone?

    Like the whirling bicycle spokes, my thoughts
spun in circles. Since one prediction came true,
did that mean the others would too? I refused to
believe I was going to die in five-I mean, fourdays. That was just crazy. But what if . . . something did happen?
    I returned home, both physically and mentally
exhausted. I longed to crawl in bed and hide under
my covers for the next four days. I'd be safe in my
room, and on Friday everything would be okay.
    Instead of heading for my room, I joined my sister and grandmother in the kitchen. Sweet aromas
swirled around me like a warm hug. Amy and Nona
sat at the table, enjoying conversation and blueberry
waffles. They smiled up at me, and I thought how
much I loved them and they loved me, too. It was
impossible to imagine either of them ever doing anything to harm me.
    "We saved waffles for you." Amy gestured to a
covered plate.
    "Thanks." I took the plate.
    "You didn't say much in your note," Nona
pointed out. "Where have you been?"
    "With a friend."

    "Well I know it wasn't Josh," Amy said teasingly. "Because he called and asked where you were.
I told him I didn't know but that you'd probably be
back soon, and I was right."
    "Josh called!" I nearly dropped my plate.
    "Yes," my grandmother answered. "About
twenty minutes ago."
    "I'll be right back." I moved for the phone,
but