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said in a half whisper. “The mouth and hands, and the feet. I’m just looking at it wrong.” I scooted along the wall to my previous observation point. “There. Right there.”
    I pointed to a series of dips and ridges that now only somewhat resembled a mouth and hands. I shifted the flashlight again. The pattern completely disappeared. Had it really been just a trick of the light?
    “You know, my wife’s like that,” Lloyd said. “She can look at the clouds and see just about anything. She can even make sense out of all those Greek constellations. She’d probably look in there and see two or three bodies.” He chuckled.
    I clicked off the flashlight and set my feet back on the ancient basement floor. I slumped one shoulder against the cistern.
    No body. That was good. I didn’t have to find alternate lodging. I could go forward with the project without delay. I wouldn’t have to contend with crime stories when I went to sell the house. One less thing to clutter my mind.
    I watched Brad scribble a report in his notebook. Even the police officer wasn’t concerned about a body.
    I passed the flashlight back to Lloyd. “I think there’s something wrong with this thing. Time for a new bulb.” I turned to the paramedic. “Sorry to trouble you. I’m fine. Really.”
    Before leaving, the woman gave me a rundown of symptoms that would prompt a visit to the emergency room. “And it wouldn’t hurt to see your doctor. You don’t want to mess with head injuries.”
    I didn’t bother to correct her. I turned to Brad.
    “Officer Walters.” I crossed my arms.
    “Miss Amble.” Brad gave a terse nod.
    I loosened my guard. I might not like the man’s invasion into my privacy, but that didn’t mean I had to treat him like mold on my tub.
    “Tish,” I said. “Go ahead and call me Tish. We’re neighbors, aren’t we?”
    “Tish.” He said my name slowly, as if trying it out for the first time. He nodded his approval.
    I cleared my throat. “Thanks for looking in.”
    “Anytime you need me.” He tipped his cap and left.
    “Well.” I relaxed my arms and turned to Lloyd. “I guess that about covers it for the basement today. Work on getting that permit so we can get rid of that cistern once and for all.”
    “Come on, boys.” Lloyd bolted upstairs, cohorts close on his heels.
    “See you tomorrow!” I called after them.
    I stood alone in the basement. I’d grown accustomed to its dank odor in the past hour, but with all distraction gone, my nose once again detected the smell. And it was colder now that I wasn’t moving around. I rubbed my arms and turned in a slow circle. The plans I’d discussed with the builders flipped through my mind. Mechanical room, clean storage, open area, get rid of the cistern . . .
    I stared at the crescent of rock. I hadn’t given it a moment’s notice on my first tour of the place several months ago. I hadn’t even looked inside. It was just a detail to handle.
    But now it radiated energy.
    A big pile of rocks. That’s all it was, hiding in the black shadows behind the steps. A big, empty pile of rocks.
    Look, Tish, look inside me, it called.
    I had already looked. And while my imagination had been in overdrive at first, there hadn’t been anything to see the second time. There was no body in my cistern. No ghosts in my house.
    Just me. Alone. And it wasn’t likely to change anytime soon, so I might as well adjust.
    I dared myself to hold my ground, resisting the urge to run, denying the fear that pulled at me with tangible fingers. The clammy silence crashed in my ears.
    Behind me, the furnace kicked on.
    I screamed and scrambled upstairs.
    I slammed the door to the basement and fumbled with the bolt. I wasn’t taking my chances. Body or not, this was one door that would stay locked.

  6
    I couldn’t bring myself to do anything the rest of the morning except lie on my cot and stare at the ceiling. I traced the lines in the plaster with my eyes. One section had