Ghost Mortem (Ghost Detective #1) - Jane Hinchey Page 0,43

so funny?" I asked.

Laura waved at Amanda, choked on her words, and peeled into streams of laughter again. We all looked on, a little puzzled, but her giggles were infectious and pretty soon the whole table was laughing with no idea why. Eventually, we sobered, pulling ourselves together, cheeks wet from tears. It actually felt really good to laugh like that, very cathartic.

Even uptight Amanda had laughed with us. "Okay, but seriously, what's the plan, Audrey?"

"Considering I only found out about it this afternoon? I haven't planned anything. But I won't be selling," I hastened to add. "I am taking over Ben's business though."

"Oh, that's wonderful." Mom clapped, then glanced at Dad. "Isn't it?"

But Dad was nodding. "I could see you in the investigative line of work. Always said to Ben you'd make a good partner."

"You did?" That was a surprise. I didn't know Dad had told Ben that.

"You've got a very sharp, very inquisitive mind." Ben had said those exact words to me.

My smile was wide and my chest puffed out with pride. "Thank you." I sighed and took a sip of my wine. "I've got to go to PI school though. Apparently you need a license to be an investigator."

"And insurance," Amanda added. Of course, she'd know.

"Sure. All of those things." I shrugged.

"School? Does that mean you have to move away?"

"Nope. I'd been worried about that too, but I can study online as long as I have a supervisor."

"But who will supervise you?" Laura asked.

"Detective Galloway." I saw the way they all exchanged looks. It was no secret how I felt about law enforcement.

"Oh, he's lovely." Amanda nodded in apparent approval. "Very nice to look at too." And then she winked at me. Winked! Okay, we were definitely in some sort of alternate universe.

"You know him?" Laura asked her.

"He's been into work a time or two." She shrugged. "Always friendly, polite, professional."

"Now I've gotta look this guy up," Laura muttered, pulling out her phone, and bringing up the Facebook app, she began stalking. It didn’t take long. She let out a wolf whistle. "Oh, Audrey Fitzgerald, you sly dog. Trust you to choose the hottest guy in the Firefly Bay Police force." She nudged me with her elbow.

"I didn't choose him," I protested, feeling my cheeks heat. "He chose me." Oh God, that sounded worse. After another round of teasing had subsided, I said, "He's the detective investigating Ben's murder. He did me a solid by explaining how the licensing works and that if I wanted to run Ben's business, I'd need to become a qualified investigator. He offered to help. End of story." Sort of. I left out the part how he was part of a secret task force to take down certain members of the Firefly Bay Police Department.

"Which reminds me," I continued, "while I have you here—I'm going to need help planning Ben's funeral. As soon as his body is released by the coroner I'm going to have the funeral home on the phone and I've got no idea what to do."

I should have known Mom would be all over it. She rummaged in her bag and slapped a notebook on the table, flipped it open to a page already filled with notes, or, —I squinted to get a better look—questions, it seemed. Casket? Burial or cremation? I was glad I had them here to help, but we were going to need a whole lot more wine.

As if I'd magicked it up by my thoughts alone, another bottle of red appeared in front of me. Brad smiled and patted my shoulder. "You look like you could use this," was all he said.

16

Groaning, I reached out an arm, felt around on the nightstand for my phone, managed to grab it before I knocked it to the floor, then managed to catapult it into my forehead. Again. This morning just smacks of deja vu.

"You have got to be kidding me." Cracking open an eye, I peered at the window. The blind was down, but light was peeking in around the edges. Okay, that was a start. Now to ascertain how early or late in the day it was. Sitting up, I swung my legs out of bed, then balanced on the edge of my mattress for a minute until the room had stopped spinning.

"Oh good, you're awake." Ben's gratingly cheerful voice reached my ears. I glanced up to see him sitting on my kitchen bench.

"Whaaaa?" I grumbled. "What happened?"

He chuckled. "You and a bottle of red wine."

Right.