How to Kill a Ghost Read Online Free PDF Page A

than the two feet the officers had indicated. Where would Ian be? I knew right away. He would have gone into his library, a room without windows.
    “I’m going to talk to him,” Clark announced. “Do we know his number?”
    Will hesitated. “Nothing on record, which is strange. Maybe Libby has it.”
    Clark’s expression turned thunderous. I knew he was still attracted to me although I hadn’t accepted any more dates with him. He must have heard through the grapevine I had been seen with Ian, and we had a couple run-ins with the law while out together. I already knew Ian wasn’t on Clark’s favorite person list.
    “We won’t involve Libby in this unless it’s necessary,” Clark announced, and he started toward the house. The officers trailed behind, wary. Clark stopped a few feet from the entrance, his hand on the weapon at his hip. “I need this area clear. No one beyond the street, preferably across it. Clear two doors down each side.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    Clark glanced toward my house, and then scanned the crowd. He shook himself as if to regain focus and turned back toward the house. I followed, wondering what to do. I couldn’t let the police storm Ian’s house. That would be dangerous for them as much as Ian. He wouldn’t come out without a fight, which might mean Clark or one the officers being hurt.
    Clark paused. “He didn’t mind you taking the body?”
    Will shook his head. “No. Like I said, I think he’s holed up somewhere. He put her in the hall. We got her out. The EMTs declared her dead, and they took her down to the morgue.”
    “Get me a bull horn.” Clark snapped his fingers, his face reddening. “Since I don’t have a number, I’m going to have to yell. We’ll give him a chance to avoid too much trouble.”
    “Uh…” Will danced from foot to foot.
    “What!”
    Will coughed. “Remember that accident when Bart drove his car over it?”
    Clark blinked at him. “You’re telling me we didn’t get a replacement?”
    “We didn’t have the budget for it at the time, sir, and down here, there’s never really been a need.”
    Clark swirled on his heel to march to his car. He jerked the radio receiver out and barked into it. “Get me a megaphone from the high school over here. Stat!”
    “Yes, sir, chief,” came the crackled response.
    Clark growled in disgust, and I sympathized with him. In following him around on the last case and visiting his office on many occasions, I had learned the budget for the police station was microscopic. They made do more often than not, and most of the time they didn’t complain. In a way, I understood why Bart Pierce, a former officer, had done what he had. However, he hadn’t been thinking of his coworkers at the time.
    Steeling myself for coming face-to-face with Ian after this incident and not knowing what I would find, I turned toward the house. I didn’t imagine even if this was Ian’s rest time that he would be sleeping. I needed to talk to him and get his side of things. Maybe I should have been concerned, but I still wasn’t afraid he would banish me.
    I floated toward the house, preparing to enter the way the police had rather than just blink in. Ian would probably know I was coming either way, but I wanted to postpone the conversation as long as possible. I reached a spot near the front door, and a bolt of lightning hit me hard, propelling me backward. Shock and hurt impacted me harder than the electricity. The humans could get in, but I was back on the no-entrance list? I longed to cry, would give anything to indulge in a ghostly wail fit, but I just stood there in confusion.
    “Libby!”
    I spun away from the house at Monica’s call. She had shouted my name knowing I was somewhere out here. I made my way in her direction. Maybe she wanted an update and was dying of curiosity to learn what I had heard. My mood plummeted so much, it would be a miracle if I could put together two words. When I reached her, I brushed her arm,