Dances With Ghosts - Erin McCarthy Page 0,8

clearly bewildered by his new status.

“Ah, a fresh one,” Grandma said. “What happened to you, kiddo? Fall off of a cruise ship?”

I pursed my lips so I wouldn’t laugh. There was nothing humorous about the situation.

“I was meeting my dance partner. We were planning a dress rehearsal for an upcoming competition.” He rubbed his temples, like he was trying to remember. “I came in from the parking lot and the music was playing, so I just went into the studio and… there she was. Just on the floor, bleeding. I was planning to go into the office to use the phone because I didn’t have my phone on me. I left it in the car.” He patted his tight pants. “No pockets.”

Grandma was eyeing his tight pants in a way that was alarming. “I see that.”

“Then what happened?” I asked.

“I don’t know.” He threw up his hands in frustration. “I was just here. I don’t even remember how I got here or how I knew to come here.”

“I’m a medium,” I told him. “You were compelled to seek out someone who can see and hear you. It’s natural. And I’m not sure if it’s a coincidence or not but I had just started taking swing dance lessons from Carmen. My boyfriend and I are the ones who found her tonight.” If what Jason was saying was accurate, Ryan was right. Carmen had been killed the night before.

“Oh God,” he said, clutching his stomach. “How was she killed?”

Bludgeoning sounded too harsh to say. “Blunt force trauma. What time did you arrive at the studio last night?”

“Almost midnight.”

“That’s late for dance lessons,” Grandma said, sinking down into her easy chair. “I can’t stay up past ten myself. Why so late?”

Was dance lessons a euphemism? I wasn’t sure.

“We were trying to keep our partnership under wraps. At least until someone blabs that we’re registered as a couple at the upcoming competition.”

“Wouldn’t everyone on the street see you?” I asked. “The studio has glass windows.”

“Carmen always put the blinds down at night.”

So the killer had pulled the blinds back up? What the heck? That seemed incredibly bizarre. And yet, still no one had glanced in the window all day? Had the killer come back that day and pulled up the blinds and turned off the music? The front door was unlocked as well. Now that would be odd behavior for a murderer.

“Why was it a secret?” I asked, sitting down on my sofa. “Have a seat, Jason.” I gestured to the club chair across from me.

“Because Carmen and I both have long-term partners. Trophy chasing is frowned upon on the circuit. But Carmen felt like she only was a few years away from wanting to step back from competing and her partner, Raphael, was holding her back.” Jason shrugged. “His holds suck.”

“That’s important,” Grandma Burke said. “I watch Dancing with the Stars. The quick step kills everyone.”

“Right?” Jason asked. “Not everyone can be a champion, obviously. Those are just the cold, hard facts. But Carmen has something special and I wanted the opportunity to learn from her. Just like she couldn’t tell Raphael, I couldn’t tell Jordan. She’s been my partner since I was eleven. She’s also my sister.”

“I always thought that was odd,” Grandma said, finishing off her doughnut and licking her fingers. “Brother and sister dancing all close like that. Same with pairs figure skating. Some of those lifts are up close and personal.”

Jason looked like she had offended him. “Dance is art, it’s not sexual.”

“Then how do you explain the Argentine tango?” Grandma asked.

She had a fair point. The tango was basically doing it on the dance floor.

Jason didn’t answer her. He was preoccupied trying to look in the mirror above my console table. He’d sat down and seemed to realize the full scope of what had happened and that yes, he was in fact, dead.

“I’m invisible.”

“Just to most people,” Grandma said, as if that would be reassuring. “Margaret and I can see you.”

“Who is Margaret?”

“I’m Margaret.” I raised my hand.

“But you said your name is Bailey.”

“My name is Bailey Margaret Burke. Grandma calls me Margaret.” Because she was stubborn and had a twenty-eight-year-old feud with my mother about not giving me a saint name as my first name.

Jason clearly lost interest in the subject. “What do I do now?” he asked. “Do my parents know?”

“I don’t know. I don’t even know if your body was found. I only know for sure that Carmen was found. Did Carmen have enemies?”

“The dance