trapped out there, but I suspect I owe her an awful lot.
“You’re wet,” she murmured, and smudged some of the dew off the cat’s head. It arched into her hand, purring gleefully, and Keira shuffled forward to light a fire.
As soon as the flames caught, she went to retrieve two towels from the bathroom. The first went to blotting as much water out of the cat as possible. She used the second to dry her hair, then pulled off the wet clothes and changed them for dry items from the bundle on the round table.
She glanced outside as she passed the window. The scene remained peaceful and clear. The mist rose in minutes but disappeared in seconds. Almost as though the ghost had to work to manifest it but could only hold it for a short time.
Keira fetched a new can of cat food from the bags, scraped it onto a plate, then cautiously approached her helper.
The cat had sprawled in front of the flames, its purrs now dulled to a low rumble, and showed no interest in the food she placed near it.
“Um…thank you.” Keira tried not to feel stupid as she knelt beside the cat. “For helping me.”
The cat twisted onto its back to expose maximum belly real estate to the heat. A smile pulled at Keira’s mouth, but she fought to keep her voice gentle and polite. “Can you understand me? I’m assuming you’re not a normal cat.”
No response. After a second, Keira reached forward to scratch its chin. The feline redoubled its purrs, and its paws twitched.
Could it have been dumb luck? Is it possible she’s just a normal cat after all?
“Well…if you can understand me…there’s some food there. You’re welcome to stay as long as you’d like. And, uh, thank you again.”
The cat licked its nose but failed to retract its tongue. The little pink protrusion made it impossible for Keira to take the creature seriously. She chuckled as she brushed her hair out of her face. “Well, if you’re planning to stay here much longer, I’m going to need to call you something. Got any suggestions?” The cat stretched luxuriously. “No? Then…how about…” The bunch of flowers below Emma’s grave appeared in Keira’s mind’s eye. “How about Daisy? Is that all right?”
No answer. That either meant she approved, or she was just a normal, nonsapient cat who had no clue what Keira was saying. Either way… “Daisy it is.”
Keira sat back and watched the flames. She was still shaking from the experience in the graveyard, but at least her heart had stopped fluttering like a panicked bird.
Emma seemed angry. More than angry…furious. So much so that she appeared more corporeal. Is it possible that ghosts’ tangibleness is based on how strong their emotions are? When I saw her the first night, she was agitated. But none of the other ghosts were visible until I strained to see them. Is that because they’re not distressed like Emma is?
Keira sighed and ran her hands over her face. “What upset her? It must have been something I said.” She peeked through her fingers to watch the cat, who was happily ignoring the world. “D’you think George was wrongfully accused or something? Mason said he admitted to the crime, but what if he was covering up for someone, like one of his sons? That could explain Emma’s frustration.”
The cat’s face twitched as it enjoyed the fire. Keira hoped it was having happy thoughts. She let her arms drop and leaned back. I’ll have to keep looking for answers. I don’t think she meant to hurt me—it felt as though she was just so broken that she couldn’t contain herself. Which means she must need the help badly. And I’m the only one who knows.
She glanced at the clock on the fireplace mantel. It was nearly one.
“Oh no.” Keira scrambled to her feet, startling the cat. “Sorry, Daisy, I’ve got to go. I promised I’d meet Zoe. I’ll be back later, okay?”
The cat hiccupped, and its tongue poked out even farther.
Keira snorted as she ran to the door. My life is a joke. Not only am I seeing dead people, but now I’m talking to my cat and actually expecting her to answer. If anyone saw me like this, they’d check me into a mental institution in a heartbeat.
She looked through the window a final time. The idea of leaving her cottage’s relative safety wasn’t appealing, but the cemetery appeared calm. A family had arrived to pay their respects