FOUR

 

 

It took Deputy Cascade two hours to fill out the paperwork on her body and on the arrest at the hospital. He said he had caught a glimpse of the syringe in the roses when he passed the man walking in, decided it could be nothing but bad.

Eve had suggested that story, since he pretty much couldn’t tell anyone he had a ghost inside him helping him.

She had raided a candy machine for a few snacks by just sticking her hand through the glass and pulling out the ghost equivalent of a candy bar. The two bars helped a little to hold back the hunger, but she was going to need a real meal pretty soon.

Cascade then had to spend another thirty minutes at his desk at the police station filling out more paperwork before he could get off work. Wow did cops have a lot of paperwork or what? She had no idea.

So as he finally stood and started for his patrol car, she got back inside him.

“How you doing?”

“I was wondering if you were still here.”

“Been watching the entire time,” she said. “I figured if I was inside your body, I would just be a distraction to all the stuff you needed to get done.”

“More than likely yes,” he said.

And she could tell he appreciated that.

“Dinner at Shari’s,” she said.

“Ghosts eat?”

“I need to because I’m ravished.”

So fifteen minutes later they were in Shari’s restaurant. She sat across the booth from him so she could see him, but she put her feet up so that they were in his lap, so she could be inside his head and he could hear her.

She told him how she was sitting.

“Kind of forward, don’t you think?” he said, smiling.

Damn from across the table, she loved that smile.

“Thank you,” he said, hearing her thought about his smile.

Then as the waitress came up, he ordered his regular French dip and fries and a glass of iced tea.

“I’m going to go get something,” she said. “Back in a moment.”

She wandered into the kitchen and there, sitting under the light ready to take out, was a wonderful chicken fried steak meal. It smelled heavenly.

She picked up the plate, feeling the heat on her fingers.

The real plate just stayed there under the light. It seemed food had a ghost component as well.

She took the plate back out to the table, put her foot against his leg and said, “I have chicken fried steak. So pardon me if you get moaning sensations as I eat. I’m that hungry.”

She took a couple of bites, then realized while she was gone, he had called for his boss on the superhero side.

Just as Eve realized that, a striking black-haired woman in a police uniform came up to the table. She had to stand a good six feet tall and her uniform looked like it had actually been starched.

The woman nodded in Eve’s direction and then had Cascade scoot over.

“This is Reanna,” Cascade thought at her.

“Figured as much,” Eve said between bites.

This had to be the absolute best tasting chicken fried steak she had ever had. Ever.

“I understand you just died this afternoon,” Reanna said out loud to Eve. “Sorry for your loss, but glad you could help Deputy Cascade.”

“Tell her it was my pleasure,” Eve said out loud. “Ask her if she wants me to touch her so she can hear me.”

“I can see and hear you just fine,” Reanna said.

Then Reanna waved a hand in the direction of Cascade.

He blinked and then said to Eve, “Wow you are more beautiful alive than dead.”

“Thanks,” Eve said, “I think.”

At that moment she realized her dress was still damp, more than likely her nipples were still showing, and she still had her hair wrapped up on top of her head in his car towel. “I got a little wet out there at the crash site.”

Then she ignored the feelings of attraction she was getting from Cascade through their touch and looked at Reanna. “If I’m a ghost, how can you see me? And how can Cascade now see me?”

“You are a ghost agent,” Reanna said, her voice firm and compact, just as she looked. “You will be recruited to join the Ghost of a Chance Agency and trained by them.”

“You lost me with ghost agent thingie,” Eve said.

“When a person dies,” Reanna said, “almost everyone just goes on into the next life, whatever that is. But for a few thousand around the world, they are asked to stay on as ghost agents and try to help people, as you two did by saving that woman’s life this evening.”

Eve nodded. “That did feel good.”

“I have contacted the head of the Ghost of a Chance agency,” Reanna said, “and they will be sending some other agents to help you train and explain everything to you.”

Eve nodded, but her disappointment matched what she was feeling from Cascade.

“However,” Reanna said, “after your collaboration this afternoon with Officer Cascade, I have also asked if you could be assigned to my department and you and Officer Cascade work together to solve cases.”

Reanna turned to Cascade. “Would that be all right with you?”

“I would be honored,” he said.

Eve could feel his excitement at the idea. And she had to admit that hanging around with Mister Handsome Superhero sounded like a great time to her.

“Would you be interested in such an assignment?” Reanna asked Eve. “You both would be a very special team, the only ghost and live superhero working together. It has never been tried. You might work with Poker Boy and his team at times as well as reporting to me. He was very interested in meeting you both once you were up to speed.”

She instantly felt Cascade’s excitement. It seemed this superhero named Poker Boy and his team often were called on to save the entire world.

So she had a chance to go from a worthless husband and a dead job to being someone who could help save people and work with superheroes and gods.

Not counting staying with the hunk of a man sitting across from her.

How could she say no to that.

“I would be honored,” she said out loud.

Reanna smiled and nodded.

Cascade’s excitement at her answer sent tingles to places she hadn’t felt tingles in a very long time.

Damn, this being dead was going to be a blast.

Who knew?