Perception (Apparition Investigations #1)

Case #1: Villanova Apartments: Part 10

"Bronte isn't here?" Noah asked as he stepped into the apartment.

I shut the door behind him. "No. She had Saturday plans with her mother. But I didn't tell her anyway. She doesn't know that you're here."

He'd been taking off his coat and scarf but now he stopped and gave me a curious look. Whatever thoughts wandered through his mind must not have been strong enough to voice because he finished taking off his winter items without a word. "I didn't tell Rose either."

"We should probably keep it that way."

"Yeah."

"Do you want something to drink? Tea? Coffee?"

"No, thank you. We should probably just get this over with." He stepped into the living room, looking around expectantly. "Where do they usually appear? Is there an object they seem to gravitate toward?  A space?"

I wrapped my arms around myself and stared at Noah. "Before we start...I have questions."

He turned, his brow furrowed in confusion. "What questions?"

"Is it going to hurt them?"

He blinked, as if the thought had never crossed his mind before. And he took entirely too long to answer. "I wouldn't know. Considering none of the ghosts stick around, I haven't had the opportunity to ask them."

"And you don't use this on the monsters that come after ghosts? Does it not work or have you never tried it before?"

The wrinkles on his brow deepened. "What's with the questions?"

"Have you ever tried to purify the monsters that come after ghosts?" I insisted.

"No, I haven't."

"Shouldn't we try that before trying it on the ghosts? I mean, they aren't hurting anything." The look he gave me kept my lips rambling. "I mean, you wouldn't want someone to come in and exorcise or purify or whatever the little old widow you met, would you? I mean, they don't deserve to be forcibly pushed on to the next life, right?"

"Well they certainly don't belong in this world."

"But shouldn't that be their choice?"

"Sadly, no," he frowned. He took a step closer. "Where are they, Stella?"

"How could it not be their choice?" I asked, taking a step back. My heel bumped against the closed front door.

"As sad as it is, that choice was most likely taken from them. If these ghosts were murdered or committed suicide—as most are—or have some other strong emotion tying them to this place such as grief or fear, they tend to stay. But it goes against what should be. Humans live here, die, and their spirits move on. If their spirits stay here, it goes against what should be. I can fix that."

"But what if it isn't something that needs fixing? I mean, it's pretty arrogant to assume that, right? Who died and left you in charge of ghosts and when they get to move on?"

He took another step. "Stella, where are they?"

"That's close enough," Cyril said, his voice filling the room.

Noah whirled around and made eye contact with something near my bedroom door, on the far side of the living room. For a moment, no one spoke. And the silence resounded loudly in my ears. "Cyril?" I asked, more to break the silence than anything. "Is Oliver with you?"

"Yes," Oliver's voice sounded, again from the far side of the room.

Noah glanced at me over his shoulder, surprised. "You can't see them?"