High Spirits [Spirits 03] Read Online Free PDF Page B

enough sense to be ill at ease in that environment, we might as well support each other. My friendliness must have given her courage because she moved a little closer.
           “Hi,” she said, whispering. “I’m Flossie. Flossie Mosser.”
           Mercy sakes. The poor thing. I stuck out my hand. Why not? Of course, I was only assuming she hadn’t killed anybody. What did I know? “Happy to meet you, Miss Mosser. I’m Desdemona Majesty.”
           “Oh, just call me Flossie. Love your name.” She gave me a small smile but still looked nervous. “Desdemona. It’s got such class.”
           “Move it, Floss,” Jinx growled. Poor Flossie leaped back as if he’d struck her.
           I frowned at him as he handed me my ginger ale but was too intimidated to scold him for being rude to Flossie. In fact, I said, “Thank you.” I tried to make it sound cold but knew I was being cowardly.
           “Let me know when youse guys is ready, Mrs. Majesty. After you wet your whistle and all.”
           Maggiori smiled at me, and I felt cold all over. Lord, but the man was terrifying—and all he’d done so far was be polite and smile. I shuddered and hoped he didn’t notice. “Thank you,” I said again, this time to Maggiori. “I’m ready when you are.”
           “Good.” He rubbed his hands together and looked happy, which made one of us. “Stacy here says you want da room dark with just a red lamp with one candle on da table. Dat right?”
           “Yes. Thank you.” I told myself to stop thanking the guy every three seconds, but even as I did so I knew the admonition wouldn’t work. I was scared spitless and would do darned near anything to keep him from getting mad at me. I stared hard, trying to identify bulges that might signify guns but didn’t see any. Well, why should Maggiori carry a gun? He had a herd of goons to shoot people for him.
           Egad. I was scaring myself.
           “Can you really talk to dead guys?” The question was a whisper, and it came from Flossie, whom I’d forgotten all about in my panic.
           Stacy had come closer. I hadn’t noticed her do it, or I’d have moved farther away. “So she says,” she whined in a snotty tone.
           Harold growled softly, “Give it up, Stacy.”
           His voice sounded fiercer than usual. I glanced over to find him looking more uneasy than he had before. About time, if you ask me. Past it, maybe.
           I answered Flossie. “It’s my job.” I wished I could keep her beside me because I sensed that she felt almost as out of place in that environment as I did. Although I also knew the feeling to be irrational since she was evidently one of these gangsters’ lady friends.
           “I think that’s swell,” Flossie said.
           “C’mere, Flossie, and leave da lady alone.”
           Flossie jumped and trotted over to Jinx, who shoved her into a chair. “Keep yer fat mouth shut, too. None of your blabbin’, y’hear?”
           “Sure Jinx,” Flossie said in a tiny voice.
           I felt almost as sorry for her as I did for myself, so I rounded up a gracious smile and flung it at her. It probably wasn’t a very good one since I was petrified with terror, but it seemed to make her feel better.
           “I’ll sit here,” Stacy said, plopping herself into a chair one person removed from me. I was grateful for that until Jinx sat down between her and me and Vicenzo Maggiori sat next to me on my other side. Harold sat beside him.
           Oh, sweet Lord, have mercy , as Aunt Vi sometimes says, I was sandwiched between two murdering hoodlums. I scolded myself for allowing Mrs. Kincaid to talk me into doing this. I should have held firm against her entreaties, no matter what, but by then it was far too late to back out.
           I always try to weave a mystical spell during the first few minutes