Unfashionably Dead

Chapter Thirty-three

Deeply immersed in conversation, Jose and Oliver are seated outside John's apartment door. They do not break their focus until we are practically upon them. They scramble to their feet.

"Buenas noches, Senorita." Jose reaches for my hand. As he bends to kiss it, his eyes widen at the scar. "What is this?" He trails his finger along the blue mark on my palm.

I jerk my hand away. I have every desire to disappear, to never deal with the pirate or my former boss again after the whole Carlita incident. A sigh escapes me. Avoidance is not the answer. There's no doubt these two will make trouble for me if they are dealt with.

"I met Derek last night."

"And he let you go?" Disbelief laces his every Spanish-accented word.

I look from Jose, to Oliver, and then to John. "Why is that so hard to believe?"

Jose is the one to answer. "Because when a reaper decides to harvest a soul, there's no turning back."

"Well, maybe you're wrong about them."

Anger flashes across his dark eyes. "I've known plenty of reapers in my time. None of them should be trusted. They'll wipe out half a city's ghost population because one of them broke a fingernail while harvesting. So forgive me for doubting such a new ghost could break free from an old pro like Derek."

I love that he assumes I'm weak. Jeesh. Clearly men's cluelessness about women also extends to their ghosts.

I point to the mark. "Well, this little scar suggests I might have a tad more experience than you when it comes to reapers and their chains." I wink then show him my neck. "Notice there aren't any marks here. The mark is only on my hand, which is how I lifted the chain. I did fight him, though, and I pleaded my case to him. Eventually, he gave me a one-week reprieve so I could help Lanie. Derek actually came out and said I'd have problems with other ghosts, almost laughed about it." I feign a pout and turn around. "Apparently he wasn't lying."

"I still don't believe it," Jose says. John and Oliver follow up with their own echoes of the sentiment.

"Whatever. I know what really happened." I start toward Margaret's apartment.

Oliver appears directly in front of me. "What is going on, Cheline? Why are you treating us this way?" He seems genuinely concerned.

Umm, because you practically gave Carlita carte blanche to kill me? 

That truth will only hinder me. Better to divert with another half-truth. "Between Lanie's arrest and Margaret constantly being around me, I've had about enough of ghost life. I just want to help my friend and move on."

"You're ready to cross over?" Oliver asks.

"As Jose said earlier, reapers don't just let spirits go. I can either come to grips with it or die avoiding it. Either way, it's the same end, and it's coming soon for me."

Jose appears next to Oliver. "What if there's a door number three?"

Keys slide into a lock and a deadbolt clicks. "Why don't we go inside? The neighbors'll think I'm weird if I linger in the hall."

I turn around to deliver John a look of incredulity. Way too late for that.

We all enter the apartment. John starts rummaging through his cabinets. Pots clang as he pushes them away. The noise stops and he holds a large saucepan under the water. Once it is on the stove, he leaves to use the bathroom. I sit on the couch, Oliver sits at the opposite end, and Jose remains standing.