Shaking Off the Dust (11 page)

I’d made a dreadful mistake this morning, teasing those girls. Shimodo had taken it well, but he’d be unhappy to know word had already reached the rumor mill of his project coworkers. I had now complicated his life in a very negative way and that upset me.

“You didn’t see them last night,” Carl put in. “He was laughing and teasing. Though, she really is funny and easy to be around.”

“Please, Carl, he’s the ultimate gentleman. Even if he despised her, he’d treat her respectfully. He has much better taste than that woman, with her brash and obnoxious ways. She is of no interest to him in any way except as a project database.” I didn’t recognize the voice, but it was a female.

Tears stung my eyes. As I stepped back to get away, I bumped up against something hard and turned to find Shimodo. He was as close to angry as I’d ever seen him. He reached out his hand to me, but I ran.

“I’ve caused enough trouble.” I dashed away a tear.

He came after me, but I twisted around to face him, hot tears rolling down my face. “I need to be alone right now.”

“Hannah,” he started to say.

I wasn’t listening anymore. I rushed down the hall and caught an elevator as it was closing. I don’t know if he came after me or not because I left the building and started walking. It didn’t take long before I realized I didn’t have a jacket, purse or my wallet. Eventually I’d have to return for my things.

I found a bench under a tree and sat down, hugging my arms to myself. I watched as students filled the yards between classes and wondered what happened to the last twelve years of my life. I know I’d lived that time, but it sort of slipped quietly away. A group of students vacated a spot under a tree so I headed there. I leaned my back against the trunk to help block the cold wind and tucked my legs under me. I watched the people around me, wondering how embarrassing it would be to go back now.

“Takeshi’s worried about you. I’ve been searching for you for over an hour.” Tom sat next to me. “I only left a few minutes to check on my liver-transplant patient and when I came back he was as close to yelling at his research group as I’ve ever heard. He told them their behavior was unacceptable and sent them all away. Are you going to tell me what happened?”

“I’d rather not. Let’s just say I overheard their opinion of me.”

Tom leaned in and touched my face. “I can be a good listener. Try me.”

“Please don’t, Tom. First of all, you’ll start those mood swings and crying is a big one today. And secondly, I’m already freezing out here. I took off without my jacket or purse or anything and I don’t know the way back to the lab. I guess I could get directions, but I’m not ready yet. I may never be ready.”

The students nearest to me started to stare. I could imagine the way I looked, having a conversation with myself.

“We’ll fix that. I’ll get you some help.” He blinked away.

About ten minutes later, Shimodo came walking up. I was shivering, but I tried to appear calm and cheery. “Tom didn’t need to get you. I could have followed him back. But he rushed off.”

He sat down next to me. “You’re ice cold, Hannah.”

He shrugged out of his coat and helped me put it on. He took my hands into his own and blew into the palms, rubbing his warmth into them. “This day did not go as I planned.”

I raised my eyebrow and smirked. “Ya think?”

He grinned back. “Yes, I think.” He pulled me up with him, saying, “Let’s get something warm to eat and drink. You’ll feel better and I can explain the childlike behavior of my coworkers.”

“You don’t need to explain anything. I kissed you this morning, thinking it might be fun and it’s my fault it started a rumor. Let it go. I’m a big girl and I’ve heard comments about my brash and obnoxious behavior before. Tom’s mentioned it often.”

“Hannah, please listen.”

“I can’t, Shimodo. I can’t listen to anything right now. Besides, I’m freezing my butt off. Let me grab my purse and jacket and I’ll buy us lunch.”

Carl came running up to us. “Are you okay, Hannah?”

“Sure, Carl.” I smiled warmly at him. He’d stuck in my corner and I’d remember that.

We walked back to the lab to find it empty. I went in and got my belongings. Tom sat at a desk and got up when we entered, coming to me. “Everything straightened out, Hannah?”

“Everything’s fine.” I took off Shimodo’s jacket, handing it back. He still wanted to say something, but he didn’t. I was glad. I’d be on my best behavior from now on. These people weren’t the twisted crew at my job. They didn’t understand the sick humor you use to turn your mind from daily tragedy.

“You don’t sound or look fine,” Tom declared.

“Mind your own beeswax, Mecurio,” I whispered.

“God, woman, you drive me nuts,” he shouted and blinked away.

After a long lunch break, I got my bruised ego back under control. Tom and I completed the rest of the testing. He was his usual arrogant self.

Shimodo watched me like a hawk, perhaps afraid I would bolt again. His thoughtful expression disappeared when I teased Carl about his wispy soul patch. We were all laughing as Carl and I tried to talk Shimodo into growing his own chin hair. Tom softened up long enough to share a funny story about his friends’ attempts to live down the mustache era of their college days.

“I can guarantee no pictures of that time still exist,” Shimodo announced.

“I have one that he has not found,” Tom assured me. “Next time we are at my house, I’ll show it to you.”

There won’t be a next time, Tom.
But I didn’t say anything out loud.

We got back to the house with barely enough time for me to run to my room to freshen up before our guest arrived. I came out when the doorbell rang.

The main room appeared different. There was a regular table with a white tablecloth on it. Shimodo had set out several chairs from somewhere. Joy, all the luxuries of the Japanese inept.

Marvin Soames was in his midthirties. His blond hair was in a short burr cut and thinning on top. He wore a dark suit and had an athletic build, average height. Watching me as I approached, I bet he could have described me to the mole on my chest by the time I’d gotten close enough to shake his hand.

“Hannah Campbell, this is Marvin Soames, an old friend of mine.” Shimodo made the introductions.

“Miss Campbell.” He shot a quick look at Shimodo. “Have you two known each other long?”

“Not long,” we said at the same time and smiled at each other.

“Takeshi, you made this dinner sound very important. Care to tell me why? Are you two making an announcement?”

I was surprised that he’d even consider that a possibility, but Shimodo regarded him very seriously.

“Do you mind if we have a seat? I have some unusual things to tell you and some files for you to see.”

Shimodo pointed to the table. He sat across from Marvin. “It concerns Tom.”

Tom appeared next to me. He glanced around. “When did Marv get here?”

“Just now,” I tried to whisper.

Marvin turned to me, then to where my eyes were on Tom. “Are you all right, Miss Campbell?”

“Don’t ask,” I mumbled.

“That’s what I was about to tell you.” Shimodo told him everything that had occurred. Well, he didn’t mention the kiss or any of that, but everything else pertinent to Tom. He showed him the results of the scans and the testing. I hadn’t heard this part, so I listened carefully. The PET scan showed brain activity in areas normally dormant. With Tom’s help, I’d gotten perfect scores on every test they’d performed for extra sensory perception. He brought out a disc and said everything was on that.

Marvin didn’t speak for almost a full minute. He cleared his throat. “Takeshi, even if I believed you, I don’t know how I could use this information. She can see and talk to a ghost, that’s a pretty good parlor trick, but what’s it got to do with me?”

“Marvin, Tom was in a plane crash under investigation, with terrorists claiming responsibility. He’s convinced he knows something and he’s been talking to others, like him, who died but didn’t move on.

He believes that any information you get from them may be helpful.”

“You’re asking for a large leap of faith. I’m not convinced you’re both not nuts. How could I convince the lead investigators on the case?”

“Tell us what you need to be convinced. Tom’s right here. He can answer your questions.” Shimodo folded his arms.

“This is insane.” Marvin shook his head. “There’s something that Tom knows, that I’m sure he would have never told a soul. Miss Campbell here can tell me that secret.”

I nodded. Tom was not happy sharing yet another secret. “He slept with Kim, when Takeshi was in Japan the last year they were together. You may never repeat that to him, understood?”

“Yes, I understand.” I got up and went towards the bedroom beckoning Marvin to follow. When we were a safe distance from Shimodo, I told him.

He didn’t say anything, but went right back to his seat. “What other information has Tom given you on the plane crash?”

I prayed Shimodo would never ask me to tell him. Somehow I believed he never would. It made me more curious about his relationship and breakup with this Kim person.

“The disc has a video of the scan we did with Hannah while she was talking to Tom. He gave her information on the other plane crash victims he’s talked to, and she repeated everything he said. I can set it up in here to be seen on the TV.”

“You better be feeding me lots of food if you expect me to make a fool of myself in front of the entire FBI.”

Tom began to run his hand over Marvin’s burr. “His hair is the shortest I’ve ever seen it.”

“You should stop that, Tom. You’ll freeze his head.”

“Is that why I keep getting cold buzzes across my scalp. He’s touching me?” Marvin leaned his head back.

“He can’t really touch you, but he can pass through parts of you, and for everyone so far, it’s a cold sensation. He’s never seen your hair quite so short,” I said.

Marvin brushed his hand across the top of his hair. “I’m making the best of a losing situation.” He smiled. “You and Tom must have been close.”

I shook my head.

“Why do people assume that?” Tom asked.

“Not at all. I knew Tom professionally. We never so much as had a meal together, much less dated.

He’s not as big an asshole as I once thought, though.”

Shimodo came back into the room with his laptop and a disc. “Tom has managed to wear you down with his brutish charms.” He spent the next few minutes connecting cables from his laptop to the TV.

“Shimodo, I can take the car and pick up some food,” I offered. “Write down some directions.”

“I have a menu in the kitchen. Once we circle the items we want, you can call it in. They deliver.” He headed into the kitchen and I followed him.

“What’s the matter?” he asked when the door was closed.

“I don’t want to see the disc. I know it’s silly, but I look and sound like a fool.”

“Hannah, I watched that disc several times last night after we got back to transcribe all you said. I never once thought you foolish.”

“That’s because it would not occur to you to think anyone foolish.”

He laughed. “I suffer fools daily. I thought there might be more in-depth questions that Marvin may want to ask and you happen to be Tom’s voice.”

“You have it transcribed. Have Marvin ask questions on the side notes of the transcription. When the disc ends we can answer them.”

“Okay, okay, you’re excused from this particular class. I’ll call you when the disc is over or the food gets here, whichever comes first.” He ruffled my hair. “You realize this will become more stressful as we go. Are you sure you can do this?”

“You ask as if we have a choice. Tom will haunt us both until we comply with his wishes. I’m hoping to expedite it.”

I spent the next thirty-five minutes on my cell phone to my folks. When I rejoined them, Shimodo was putting dishes and silverware on the table. He pulled container after container of Chinese food from the bags, each one steaming and smelling heavenly. I sat to join the men.

Tom lounged on the floor. There were only three chairs. “You’d think I would feel some pang of hunger smelling that food, but nothing. I miss the social aspect of it though.”

“I’m sorry. What’s it like?” I looked down at him.

The other two men followed my eyes.

“I see and smell and hear, but I don’t feel anything except when I touch human tissue. I’m jealous I can’t participate.” He frowned. “I do want to hear Marvin’s impressions of the information he just got.”

I repeated everything he’d said. Marvin appeared nonplussed by the new addition of his old friend’s ghost. “I’ve got several questions, but I wanted to take the time to eat and consider what I heard.”

I liked Marvin and his easygoing demeanor.

I asked the usual dinner questions and in a short period of time I knew he was divorced with one child, a boy. He worked out of the Indianapolis office, but was the direct liaison to Homeland Security for Indiana.

“What about you, Hannah? Divorced, married, children?” he asked.

“Why do I know that by tomorrow you’ll know every detail of my life?”

“Yes, but that won’t be until tomorrow and I want to know tonight.”

“Single, never married, but one live-in relationship back in my early twenties. I had a son, who was stillborn. I live alone now and I am content that way.” I put a fork full of food in my mouth and finished my part of the conversation.

“You never told me that,” Tom said. “I’m sorry about your son.”

I swallowed my food. “You never asked. Besides, I wouldn’t have mentioned it, except he’ll know soon enough and wonder why I hadn’t told him.”

Marvin watched me, his eyes full of interest. “You must know a policeman.”

“I work in an emergency room. I give them a hard time whenever possible.”

“You give everyone a hard time whenever possible.” Tom snorted.

I laughed.

“What did he say?” Marvin asked.

“He agreed I give everyone a hard time.”

Shimodo was quiet during the meal and seemed uncomfortable when I tried to catch his eye. I guess I’d shared too much about myself.