Dead to the World Read Online Free PDF Page B

room they had just occupied and he was smiling down at me. It wasn’t exactly a friendly smile. More teasing, I guess you’d say.’
    Humphrey turned to Diamond. ‘Are you getting anything?’ he asked her.
    She closed her eyes and said, ‘Ummmm.’ Then, ‘There
is
a presence here,’ she said. ‘A dark presence.’ Then she started breathing hard and hugged herself. ‘An evil, cold presence!’
    ‘Oh, my goodness,’ Miss Hutchins said.
    I was beginning to feel chilly, but then again I’m easily susceptible.
    Diamond, still with closed eyes, began to regulate her breathing. In through the nose, out through the mouth, slowing it down. Then she put her hands out, palms up, and said, ‘Why are you here? Speak to me! I feel you, spirit! I know you’re here. Why? Why are you doing these things to your wonderful daughter?’
    There was a quick intake of breath and then, in a voice a million miles from the Minnie-Mouse voice of old, Diamond, or someone – possibly male – spoke. ‘She’s defiling my home! Letting strangers in! She has no right! She must be stopped!’
    Miss Hutchins’ shoulders squared and she stood up. ‘This isn’t your house, Daddy! You know that!’ she said. ‘This is
my
house! Left to me by Mama, and left to her by her mama, and back many generations! You have no right to this house! So you just get along now!’
    Diamond Lovesy shuddered once and fell back in her chair. Humphrey ran to her. Looking at me, he said, ‘Iced tea, STAT.’ He really, really said that.
    I looked at Willis and we both rolled our eyes. Diamond might have been a little more believable if she’d had any of her facts straight. Miss Hutchins had put that right, though. I poured some iced tea in a glass and handed it to Humphrey, who held it to Diamond’s lips. She sipped tentatively.
    Miss Hutchins sank back down next to me. ‘If you people are really psychic detectives, I want to hire you to get rid of my daddy!’ Then she sat up and said, ‘I don’t mean kill him or anything. I just mean it’s way past time he should be at rest.’ Turning to me, she said, ‘Don’t you think so?’
    BACK HOME
    The girls got ready to go to dinner at the Eyes of Texas Steakhouse on the Black Cat Ridge side of the Texas Colorado River. It had a large patio hanging over the river, but as it was cold and damp outside, the girls thought they might eat indoors, which was just what Bess wanted to do. Megan and Alicia donned blue jeans and T-shirts, while Bess, although staying with blue jeans, opted for a gauzy top that floated around her upper body but had a deep enough V to show the little bit of cleavage she could pull up with the push-up bra she hardly ever wore. She spent way too long on her hair and make-up – long enough for Megan to notice.
    ‘What’s with you?’ she asked. ‘You look like you’re going to a party, for crying out loud!’
    ‘I think it’s good to look your best wherever you go,’ Bess shot back. ‘A T-shirt with “I’m with stupid” on it is not your best look.’
    ‘Maybe not, but it’s funny when I stand to your right and the arrow points at you.’
    ‘Hilarious,’ Bess said.
    ‘Hum,’ Alicia joined in. ‘Are we trying to impress someone?’
    ‘Are we going to eat or just stand here and grill me for a couple of hours?’ Bess asked, then stridently walked out the back door to the waiting minivan that was now their mode of transportation.
    The other two laughed at her expense and headed for the van. ‘My turn!’ Megan shouted.
    ‘No, it’s not!’ Alicia shouted back, running to the driver’s door. ‘I’m on the schedule!’
    ‘Shotgun!’ Megan shouted instead, but was less than pleased to see that Bess was already occupying that location. Griping under her breath, she crawled into the back seat. Leaning forward between the two front seats, she said, ‘Y’all are both bitches, you know that?’
    Alicia smiled and Bess laughed. ‘And proud of it!’ Bess