“No, silly, the rest of the Sunshine Ghost Society.”
“How many of you people are there?”
“A hundred, as of last count.”
“A hundred!”
Phoebe nodded proudly. “Of course, not all of us are official investigators. Most are associate members and they’re hoping to get their first glimpse at a real honest to goodness ghost. A sighting could take them to the next level of our organization.”
“What? Like a merit badge? Good luck with that because this is one shy ghost,” Allie muttered.
“As I’ve said, the ghost is searching for a kindred spirit. Someone who’ll be open to listening to whatever it is he needs to tell us. Obviously, that person isn’t you.”
Be polite, mi amor, Buela’s voice whispered in her ear. Allie suppressed a shiver. Her grandmother’s voice was always somewhere in the back of her head, but that bit of advice had sounded eerily real. As if Buela really were standing next to her.
“Well, here’s the thing, Ms. Van Cleave, I truly do appreciate the effort you’ve made. Coming out here like this and all. But the building has to come down today, so I’m going to have to ask you and your group to clear the premises.”
Phoebe searched Tom out with her gaze. “Gone over to the other side, have you? Not that I blame you. Your boyfriend’s mighty nice to look at but I can’t be swayed by a pair of pretty blue eyes and a tight set of buns. No, ma’am, this is serious work we’re looking at.”
“I already told you, he’s not my boyfriend.” Her protest only seemed to amuse Phoebe. Allie wished she could wipe the obnoxious grin off the woman’s face. “Maybe the ghost’s spirit will be dislodged during the demolition,” Allie said, grasping at straws. “I’ve been in this building two nights now and pretty much nothing has happened. Maybe the ghost just needs a push in the right direction to make himself known.”
“You think destroying his home will get the ghost to cooperate?” She cackled, causing an eerie tingle to run down Allie’s spine. “You have a lot to learn about the ghost business, missy. We’re not trying to start Armageddon here. Destroying his home could cause all sorts of nastiness that, personally, I don’t think this backwater town is ready for.” Phoebe picked up her sign. “Now, out of my way, I have a protest to get on with.”
Great. She’d summoned Attila the Ghost Hunter.
Allie raised the bullhorn to her mouth. “May I have your attention,” she said to the crowd.
“It’s the reporter!” shouted one of the Gray Flamingoes.
“Hello, everyone,” Allie said, trying to sound authoritative, in a friendly kind of way. “I’m Allison Grant and I’m a journalist representing Florida! magazine. I circulated the letter from my anonymous source that many of you have read, and while I do appreciate the support you’ve shown this morning, I’m sorry to say that I’ve spent enough time in the building to conclude that I just don’t think there’s a ghost in there. Or…at least not one who wants to make itself known.”
The crowd began fidgeting.
“And, so, here’s the thing. This protest is getting in the way of people’s jobs—”
“You’re giving up?” someone yelled. “Just like that?”
“Just because the ghost doesn’t like you doesn’t mean he’s not
here!” came another voice.
“Look,” Allie said, “I’ll be more than happy to embrace this ghost, but without some kind of proof I can’t support another delay in taking down the building.”
“You want proof?” yelled a familiar voice. Allie searched the crowd. It was Roger Van Cleave. “I’ll give you proof. I’ve seen the ghost!”
Everyone turned to stare at Roger.
Allie lowered the bullhorn. “What do you mean, you’ve seen the ghost?”
“I confess. I wrote the anonymous letter.” He reached into his shirt pocket to produce a folded sheet of paper and waved it in the air. “I’m Concerned Citizen!”
The crowd began to cheer. Roger Van Cleave was Concerned Citizen? Why didn’t he tell her that yesterday? Why all the secrecy? Especially if he planned to blurt it out in front of half the town. The protestors began deluging him with questions.
“I’ve seen the ghost, too!” said a woman with a Sunshine Ghost Society T-shirt. “He’s here right now!” She pointed to the building. “He’s on the roof!”
Shouts filled the air.
“There he is!” someone cried.