Dying Echo A Grim Reaper Mystery - By Judy Clemens Page 0,88
after she was already gone.”
“But you didn’t talk specifics.”
“More specifics than I cared to know. But nothing about any hidden documents or whatever you’re talking about. She was…it took Wayne a long time to get over what happened. I don’t want to bring it all up again. Not now.”
Casey didn’t bother telling her it was a little late for that. “When he comes home, can you please have him contact me at the motel?”
“I hardly think that would be appropriate.”
“He can contact me, then.” Eric scribbled his phone number on a scrap of paper from his wallet.
Wayne’s wife looked at the piece of paper he was holding out, but didn’t take it. “I know the phone number for the motel. He can call there if he wants to.”
“You’ll tell him we were here?”
She stepped backward, into her house and shut the door halfway. “Please go now. I don’t know where my husband is. There is nothing to find out from him about her. Not anymore. She’s been gone a long time, and he’s moved on.” She closed the door, and the locks shot home.
“Well,” Casey said as they made their way down the front walk. “I think we just met a woman who’s a little bit insecure.”
“And a little bit scared.”
“What do you think she’s scared of? She apparently doesn’t know anything that’s been going on around here today.”
“Or she doesn’t want to acknowledge it. There’s obviously some history with the whole Elizabeth story.”
Casey tried to think, but her brain felt sluggish. “So Elizabeth, who’s been gone for seventeen years, has somehow frightened this woman. She’s never met her. Why would she be scared of her?”
Eric looked at her sideways. “You’re not really that dense, are you?”
Casey considered it. “No. But this woman—we never did get her first name, did we?—has Wayne now. They have a home, at least one kid, a life. They’re married, for heaven’s sake. Have been for quite some time.”
“That doesn’t necessarily solve everything, Casey. You know that. Not when there’s another person—another absent person—who remains a part of their lives. A part of his life.”
“But after this many years?”
“It doesn’t matter how long it’s been, Casey. Twenty years, or two. Elizabeth will always remain, in Wayne’s mind, how she was back then. She won’t grow old. They won’t have fights, or stop being friends. She won’t do anything except just…be. And I gotta tell you, Casey, I feel for Wayne’s wife. Because no matter what she does, she’s never going to quite live up to the woman that could have been. It should be in every self-improvement book that’s ever been written, in order to avoid heartbreak—it’s practically impossible to compete with a ghost.”
Chapter Thirty-six
It was completely dark by the time they got back to their rooms. They didn’t talk much the last ten minutes of their walk. When they arrived at their doors, Eric looked at the sky. “Lots of stars out tonight.”
Casey stood beside him, close enough to almost touch, and gazed heavenward. “Pretty.”
Eric kept his face pointed up. “You’re pretty, too.”
Casey laughed. “Yeah.”
“I’m serious.”
She could feel him watching her, and she turned and looked into his warm, kind eyes. “I don’t get it, Eric.”
“What? Why I think you’re pretty? You’re fit, your hair’s a nice color, your smile’s amazing when you ever use it—”
“That’s the thing. I don’t use it. Not very often.”
“So?”
“You’re going on about ghosts and competing and everything. But I just don’t get it. Why do you even want to be with me? You and I both know there are other women who would take you in a heartbeat. You’re younger than me—”
“By what? Five years? Please.”
“—and far nicer. Look how you were with Robbie, and Billy, and even the lady at the pharmacy. And lord knows you don’t go around assaulting police officers.”
“You didn’t know he was a cop. Casey—”
“I don’t think this is a good idea.”
“Talking?”
She shook her head.
He stepped closer. Casey stood her ground, but closed her eyes so she wouldn’t see how close they were standing. “Eric, please.” He brushed some hair from her forehead, and she shuddered, wanting him to touch her some more. Wanting to run screaming into her hotel room.
“Casey, if you’d just give us a chance, I know we’d be good together.”
“How do you know that? From our four days of running around Clymer watching people die?” She felt him move away, and opened her eyes. “Eric, you hardly know me. I’ve got tons of emotional crap I’m lugging around, I’m