Car Heaven (Book 2 - Katie Prentice, Ghost Interpreter)

Chapter Fifteen

Katie

Griff must have been waiting by the window when I came home, because I had no sooner gotten out of the car when he was walking down the front steps. I opened the trunk and took out the vase, and Griff put it back in the trunk for a moment as he gathered me into his arms. I don't know who was shaking more, and I was shaking an awful lot.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he rubbed me firmly along my spine. The contact was making me feel more grounded, and I nestled further into his arms, sniffed his clean smell and let the sound of his heartbeat soothe me.

"Just peachy", I said. "Apparently Austin has been giving advice on how to get their cases looked at by you. He said that the more they harass me, the more likely I would take their cases to you and the more likely you would work to solve them."

"So, in other words, they were bastards in life and are now bastards in the Afterlife as well."

"Almost. They haven't crossed over into the Afterlife yet. So technically, they are just bastards who are proving that they shouldn't be allowed into Heaven."

"That's not fair", said Hal as he shimmered into existence. "Is this Griffie?"

"His name is Griff, Hal. Not Griffie", I said. I smiled when I felt Griff shudder.

"I was a good person. I gave to the poor whenever I could. I just made a mistake and now I'm trying to get it rectified before I cross over."

Zoe showed up and harrumphed. "YOU ASSHOLE!" said Zoe. "YOU COULD HAVE KILLED HER!"

"Please, Hal, spare me the drivel", I said. "The fact of the matter was that you didn't make one little mistake. You made several whoppers consistently over how many years, and they were all premeditated. I don't think you can classify them as accidents if they were premeditated. And when one of your so-called mistakes turned into a humungous mistake, you tried to ignore it for six months. Only now, when you realize that the thing you did has lasting repercussions, are you trying to rectify the mistake."

"You tell him, girl", said Zoe.

"Austin's right. You are bitchy. Is it your time of the month?"

Zoe gasped. "That was inappropriate, jerkwad", she said.

"You stopped my car in the middle of oncoming traffic! I think that justifies being a little bitchy."

"Relax. I'm not a murderer. I would have started the car again if I saw anybody not slowing down."

"Somehow that doesn't give me confidence. How did you stop the car, anyway?"

"I don't know. I just know I stopped it."

"Then how do you know that you can start it again?"

"I don't know. I just know I can."

"Forgive me for not believing you."

"So will you talk to Griffie now about my case?"

"No. I don't have to go out in the car at all this evening. I think I'll wait until tomorrow morning to talk to Griff. Besides, he can't do anything about it now. He can't do anything until tomorrow. So lay off."

"Bitch", he said as he winked out of view.

"And good riddance", said Zoe. "He's an asshole. Try not to take him seriously."

"When he stalls my car in the middle of the road", I said, "it's hard not to take him seriously, Zoe."

"I know, but I think you're doing the right thing by not looking at his case tonight."