Giving Up the Ghost (28 page)

She squirmed. "Do I?"

He came close enough so that the chill he gave off made her rub her arms. "What's even
better, he has you." He turned serious. "Don't screw it up, Gabbie, like I did with Jill."

"Cam, wait!" A trace of the old panic rose. "I'm only staying in Chrissom Harbor till
school lets out. And Darren and I, we both have baggage."

His laughter filled the room. "Who doesn't? Tell Tim Jordan you want a job next year.
You're a hero. The school board will make you a guidance counselor, if they can't give you an
English program."

Gabbie blinked. She could barely make out his form. "How do you know so damn much
about the high school?"

"I made it my business to know everything about this town, and you should, too." He
winked. "Being the great sleuth you are, you're halfway there."

A tear trickled down her cheek. "I'll miss you Cam. This place won't be the same without
you."

Only silence answered her. He was gone and he wouldn't return.

Gabbie reached into her pocket for a tissue and blew her nose. She felt sad and happy,
agitated and relieved, and, above all, exhausted. She climbed the stairs, longing for sleep.

Tomorrow the school would be buzzing about Jack's arrest for the two murders and the
part she'd played in it. She grinned as she saw herself telling Tim Jordan she wanted to come back
next year, after all. In which case, she'd find herself another place to rent--an apartment or small
house closer to town--which she'd decorate and furnish according to her taste. It would be cozy and
exclusively hers.

She got into bed, and turned out the light. For the first time in ages, she had only good
things to look forward to. And underlining it all was the knowledge that Darren would be close
by.

She didn't expect any more murders to occur in a small town like CH. But if they
happened to crop up, she hoped Darren would let her help solve them. She yawned. Kind of like a
consultant. After all, now she had experience in the field.

Marilyn Levinson is a former Spanish teacher and the author of several books
for children. More recently, she has turned her hand to writing mysteries and romantic
suspense. Suspense Magazine awarded her first mystery,
A Murderer Among Us
, a
Best Indie of 2011. Marilyn and her husband have two sons and one daughter-in-law. She
and hubby, Bernie, live on Long Island with their cat, Sammy.

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