The Last Laugh: A Ghost Mystery Story (Second Hand Ghosts Book 3) (3 page)

Chapter 9

We
arrived at Tommy’s house.

“He
lives with his mum but she should be at work at this time,” Jake explained as
he got out of the car.

I
looked at Rose, “Are you coming with us?”

“No,
I’ll stay here in case Devlin turns up,” Rose answered.

“He
won’t know where we’ve gone, will he?” I said.

“He
follows people’s thoughts if he’s touched them. He didn’t touch you, did he,
Kate?” Rose asked.

I
thought of the disgusting handshake and said, “Yes, he did. I need to wash my
hands.”

“You
go ahead then. I’ll be alright here,” Rose assured me.

Jake
was waiting for me at the front door.

“Can’t
you just float in?” I asked.

“I
can but it’s a bit rude. Tommy could be doing anything in there,” Jake said.

I
didn’t want to think about what teenage boys did when they were on their own. I
knocked on the door. No one answered. I tried again. Still no reply.

“He
mustn’t be in,” I said.

Jake
looked worried, “I’ve got a funny feeling that something is wrong. I’m going
in,” Jake said.

He
shot through the door. I waited, hoping that none of the neighbours were
watching me.

A
few minutes later, Jake shot back out.

“Something’s
wrong with Tommy! He’s not moving. I think he’s dead!” Jake cried out.

I
reached for my phone, “We’d better call for an ambulance then.”

“Can’t
you go in and see him first? The door’s not locked,” Jake said.

I
opened the door and walked in. Jake followed me.

“Where
is he?” I asked.

“Upstairs,”
Jake flew in front of me.

I
ran after him and into what was obviously a boy’s bedroom. The smell of
unwashed clothes and other things nearly knocked me over.

There
was a boy lying on the bed. His floppy hair covered his face. On the floor were
three packets of pain killers, all opened.

“Is
that Tommy?” I asked Jake.

Jake
nodded.

My
heart start to beat extra fast as I approached the still boy. I leant down and
moved his hair off his face.

His
eyes suddenly opened and I fell backwards onto the carpet.

He
stared at me groggily and mumbled, “Are you an angel? Am I dead?”

I
picked myself up and moved closer. “You’re not dead but you might be soon. How
many tablets have you taken?”

Tommy
shrugged and closed his eyes again.

I
picked up the tablet packets. I checked them all and counted the missing ones.

“Two!
Have you taken just two!” I said.

Tommy’s
eyes flickered open again, “Whoever you are, can you stop shouting. I’m trying
to have a nap.”

I
pushed at Tommy’s arm and said, “We thought you were dead!”

Tommy
sat up and scratched his head. He looked at me sleepily and said, “Who’s we? I
can’t see anyone else.”

“Jake’s
here,” I told him.

He
sat up straighter, “I am dead! You don’t look much like an angel, I thought
they’d look younger.”

I
heard a laugh behind me. It was Jake.

I
pointed at him and said, “You can stop that. You thought he was dead too.”

Tommy
looked to where I was pointing. “Who are you talking to?”

“I
told you, Jake. He’s a ghost and I can see him. For some reason you told a
priest that he committed suicide.”

Tommy
was fully awake now, “I never did! And what do you mean, you can see ghosts?
Are you having a laugh?”

“A
man calling himself Father Devlin said that you told him Jake had killed
himself. He said that you’d confessed to him.”

Tommy
swore loudly.

Jake
started to laugh again. I shot him a warning glance.

“Did
you speak to Devlin?” I asked.

“Is
he a creepy looking guy with shades on?” Tommy said.

I
nodded.

Tommy
pulled the bed covers closer to him and said, “He came round yesterday. He said
he was a friend of Jake’s mum and he wanted to make sure that I was okay after
what had happened to Jake. I never said that Jake took his own life. Father
Devlin said he’d understand if I felt guilty and that I should do the right
thing.”

“Why
should you feel guilty?” I asked.

“Because
of what I did,” Tommy looked down at the bed cover. Then he pointed to the
packets of pain killers. “I was going to kill myself but I must have fallen
asleep after taking two.”

Jake
moved closer, “Aw, you silly sod. What were you thinking?”

I
put my hand out and touched Tommy’s shoulder. I asked him again why he should
be feeling guilty.

Tommy
looked at me with tears in his eyes. He said, “Because I killed Jake! I killed
my best friend!”

Chapter 10

I
stood up and looked at Jake, “What’s going on? You told me you slipped. Did
Tommy push you? Are you trying to cover up for him?”

“I
did slip! I was acting like an idiot. Ask him why he said that!” Jake exploded.

I
looked down at Tommy and said, “I told you that Jake’s here with me now. He said
that he slipped off the bridge, it was nothing to do with you.”

Tommy’s
eyes grew wide as he looked around the room, “Where is he? I can’t see him. Is
he mad with me?”

Jake
nodded vigorously.

I
said, “He’s just confused. Why did you say you killed him. Tell me what
happened?”

“We
were out round Leeds, celebrating getting our university places. We’d had a bit
too much beer. Jake’s daft when he’s sober, he was even worse when he’s drunk.
He was telling me that when he was little he wanted to be a clown at the
circus. He started doing cartwheels down the street.”

I
looked over at Jake. He was smiling at the memory.

“Then
he said he could walk across that bridge over the canal, like it was a
tightrope. What did I do? I encouraged him. I told him to do it backwards. And
he did! And that’s when he fell off. It’s all my fault,” Tommy hugged his bed
cover tighter.

Jake’s
face softened as he looked at Tommy, “It wasn’t your fault. I would have done
it anyway. It’s all my silly fault. Don’t go beating yourself up, Tom.”

I
told Tommy what Jake had said. He gave a little smile and said to the ceiling,
“Do you forgive me, Jake?”

Jake
spoke and then I said, “He says there’s nothing to forgive.”

I
looked again at the tablet packets, “Do you usually have so many pain killers
in your house?”

“No,
Father Devlin left them for me,” Tommy said.

“What?”
I cried out. “Why did he do that?”

“I
told him what I just told you, about thinking it was my fault that Jake died.
And he said he’d have to call the police but it would be better for me if I did
the right thing and gave up my life for taking Jake’s.”

“He
said that?” I was horrified. “That man, or whatever he is, is evil.”

Tommy
suddenly shivered, “If you hadn’t turned up, I might have killed myself!”

Jake
said something.

I
said, “Jake says you’re too much of a coward for that.”

Tommy
grinned.

I
asked Tommy to come with us back to Jake’s house so that he could tell Jake’s
mum exactly what happened that night, and he could tell her about Devlin.

Tommy
agreed. His cheeks went a bit red and he mumbled, “Can you leave the room
please? I’m naked under here.”

I
quickly went out, I could hear Jake laughing as I went.

As
I thought about Devlin I remembered the disgusting handshake he’d forced on me so
I went into the bathroom to give my hands a good wash.

As
I turned on the water I looked up into the bathroom mirror. I saw my own face
looking back at me.

And
someone else’s.

Chapter 11

It
was Devlin.

I
turned around. He wasn’t behind me. I turned back to the mirror, his evil face
looked back at me.

“What
do you want?” I tried to be brave but I was scared stiff.

Devlin
moved closer in the mirror. He took off his glasses. Oh, I did not like those
dead eyes. I couldn’t stop looking at them.

He
hissed at me, “Jake’s soul was nearly mine, I almost had him. Then you came
along with your interfering ways! I nearly had Tommy too and then you turned up
again! I warned you, Kate, I said your little girl wouldn’t be safe.”

I
stood up taller and said firmly, “You can’t hurt Emily, she’s protected. I
don’t know where you’ve come from but you can go back! I’m going to help as
many ghosts as I can. I’m not scared of you!”

The
last part was a lie. I think Devlin knew that because he just smirked at me.

“You
can have Jake, and you can have Tommy, but there’s someone else I’m working on
and I think she’s nearly ready to come with me. Goodbye, Kate.”

Devlin
disappeared. I turned around to make sure he wasn’t hiding behind me.

I
quickly turned off the taps and dried my hands.

Devlin
could only mean one person – Rose!

I
ran out of the bedroom and knocked on Tommy’s door.

“Are
you ready? We have to leave now? I’ll be in the car.”

I
raced down the stairs and towards my car. I opened the back door and looked in.

Rose
wasn’t there!

Devlin
must have taken her soul away.

“Rose!
What has he done to you?” I felt like crying.

I
got into the driver’s seat and waited for Tommy. I felt so powerless. I felt
like I had led Devlin to Rose.

A
few minutes later Tommy got into the car. Jake floated in after him and sat in
the back.

I
started up the car.

“Aren’t
you going to wait for the old lady?” Jake asked.

I
looked back at him and said, “Devlin’s taken her.”

Jake
pointed out of the window and said, “Who’s that then?”

I
looked over to where he was pointing. Rose was coming out of a neighbour’s
house. She joined us in the car.

“What’s
wrong with your face, Kate? Has something upset you?” Rose asked.

I
couldn’t help it, I burst into tears, “I thought Devlin had taken you! I
thought your soul had gone to a dark horrible place!”

Rose
smiled, “I told you I wouldn’t let him do that. I just popped into Edith’s
house over the road there. Before I died she told me she was having a new
bathroom fitted. I thought I’d go and have a look. She’s got one of them fancy
power showers.”

I
took a tissue out of my pocket and wiped my eyes. Tommy was looking around the
car.

“How
many ghosts have you got in here?” he asked.

“Just
the two,” I replied. I felt much better now that I knew Rose was safe.

“If
Devlin wasn’t after you, who was he after? He said he’d been working on ‘her’,”
I said.

There
was a silence for a few seconds then Jake shouted out, “Mum! He’s after my mum!”

Chapter 12

I
quickly drove off.

“Can’t
you go any faster!” Jake shouted.

“I’m
going as fast as I can!” I shouted back.

“Not
fast enough. I’ll meet you there,” Jake said and he disappeared out of the car.

Rose
shook her head and tutted, “I’d better follow him.” And she disappeared too.

Tommy
looked at me and said, “What just happened?”

“We’re
a ghost free car,” I replied.

I
told Tommy what had happened at Jake’s house earlier.

He
crossed his arms, “I thought that Father Devlin looked shifty, but you don’t
like to say things like that, do you? Not about a priest.”

“He’s
not a priest. I don’t even know what he is,” I added.

We
arrived at Mrs Abbott’s house. We got out of the car and ran towards the house.
I didn’t bother knocking, I went straight in.

I
heard raised voices, I followed the sound to the living room.

Mrs
Abbott was lying on the settee, her eyes closed.

“Let
go of her! Leave my mum alone!” Jake was shouting.

Rose
was yelling, “It’s not her time! You can’t do this!”

They
were shouting at Devlin. He was standing over Mrs Abbott, his arm outstretched
over her body, his palm facing downwards. He was oblivious to the yelling
ghosts.

“What’s
going on?” Tommy asked from behind me.

I
looked over to Rose for an answer.

“He’s
taking her soul, she’s not even dead yet!” Rose said. “He’s a monster. We can’t
stop him.”

I
was suddenly so full of rage at this evil creature that I rushed towards him
with my arms outstretched. I knocked into him and he toppled to the floor. He
looked up at me in surprise.

Then
he sprang to his feet and bared his teeth, “Get away! You can’t stop me. You’re
too weak.”

His
anger made me more determined and I pushed him again. He didn’t fall this time.
He hissed and raised his fists to me.

“You
don’t hit a woman!” Tommy yelled and he threw himself at Devlin. Tommy was much
bigger and he sent Devlin crashing to the floor. Tommy landed on top of him.

Jake
hovered over his mum, calling out to her. I went over, Mrs Abbott was breathing
as if she was asleep.

“I
think she’ll be alright, she’s not dead,” I told Jake.

“Not
yet,” Devlin warned. He disappeared from under Tommy and appeared at my side.
He seemed bigger.

“I’m
taking a soul today and if I can’t have this one then I’m going to have yours,
Kate Greenwood!”

Devlin
raised his palm at me and I instantly began to feel sleepy.

“Leave
Kate alone. You can have my soul,” a voice said quietly.

It
was Rose.