Part 5 (2/2)

Rolling my eyes, I flopped onto the chaise. JoJos response was a death stare, which could have been very funny if it wasnt a real death stare. 'You dont believe me.

Macey went to protest, but I held up one hand as an idea formed. 'Go back into the closet, close the door and pick up a piece of clothing and hold it till I call you back out. Turning to JoJo, I continued my instructions. 'Youre going to do this, JoJo, no matter how far beneath you it is to help me. Youre going to do this because I need help; I cant do this on my own. Right?

Her answer was an eye-roll and a sigh that no words could have conveyed nearly as well.

Macey was looking at me again like I was crazy, but I was getting used to that look. Her head was c.o.c.ked to the side, her eyes narrowed. 'Will- 'Just do it, Mace. If youre really my friend, youll do it.

With a shrug she did as I asked. A second later a very reluctant JoJo followed her. And a minute later I called Macey back out.

'Black tank, I told her slowly. 'First you picked up the Broncos jersey, but you muttered something about not understanding how I could wear it, even to bed. So you put it down and went for the tank.

While JoJo stood smugly to the side, Maceys eyes did a three-sixty, and she marched back to the now-open door of the closet. 'Mirrors you did that with mirrors.

I shook my head.

'Hidden microphones. Nanny Cam!

This time I didnt even bother answering, just stared at her.

And she stared back. For a moment her mouth simply opened and closed, with no sound being uttered. Her eyes were wide and I knew the exact moment her brain finally accepted the truth. Because her face seemed to lose all colour and she swayed. I dived to catch her, but this was Macey; nothing fazed her for long. She pushed me away, squared her shoulders, let her eyes roam the room and then finally looked me straight in the eyes. 'Oh. My. Freaking . . .

There wasnt much I could add to that, really. I knew exactly how she felt. Thing was, though, she could never know how I felt at that moment; never know how good it felt to be able to share this stuff with someone. And have them believe me.

'Thanks, Mace. For everything. I shrugged, feeling grateful and awkward at the same time. I mean, what was the protocol for the first time you share a ghost with someone? I bet even Gran didnt have that social chestnut squirrelled away anywhere. 'So, I guess we should get going but I sooo wish we didnt have to. I can tell you, theres no way Id be doing this without you. These people are really freaking me out.

Still looking dazed, she shook her head. 'Sorry. Still getting my head around this. Talk about a spinout. Dragging in a breath she squeezed out a grin. 'Youd have done okay. Seths going to be there and hed look after you.

'What? Head. Hand. Smack. 'Seth! I totally forgot Seth would be there. I was pretty p.i.s.sed off with him yesterday.

'And? Hes my brother. For me, being p.i.s.sed with him is the habit du jour. She grabbed my arm. 'Lighten up, okay? I thought we were going to a party? Lets go! Im driving.

I sighed and followed. 'A wake. Were going to a wake.

She laughed as she skipped down the stairs. 'If its to celebrate JoJos death its a party.

I answered with a nervous laugh and darted a look over my shoulder. My glance confirmed what Id feared; coming back home was not going to be a happy experience.

Great.

Chapter Six.

As soon as we hit the night air, Macey was completely back to her old self, which meant she had to know everything. It was only when I was bringing her up to speed that I realised how many blanks there were in the story. Sure, thered been the whole shock factor, but really, I should have spotted them. Macey did. Immediately. Her rapid-fire questions were only missing a high-powered lamp and some sharpened bamboo sticks.

Why did JoJo need the phone?

She thinks she was murdered.

Why had JoJo been out at the hinterlands? Who had she been meeting?

Two blanks from me.

Why cant she leave the bedroom? Blank.

Why cant she remember anything? Blank.

Whats with the power-down? And blank . . .

This was why Macey was going to be the journalist and I was going to be the economist. It was a different world. Luckily, though, some of the answers were at hand, literally; my fingers danced across the keyboard on my phone. In exactly three seconds Google had coughed up 21,732 options. 'Okay, its only Wiki, but it says- 'Dont knock Wiki, she interrupted sharply. 'I have two entries in Wiki both comprehensively researched.

'The mere pleb apologises to the G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses of Wiki. Rolling my eyes I continued. 'Okay, so its not unusual for a dead person not to know theyre dead especially if the death was sudden and violent. They need some time to adjust, apparently.

'Interesting . . . And?

'Okay, the movement. I paused and skimmed ahead. 'Well, it seems they have an energy source probably the first place they appeared. It mostly comes from a person, but it can also come from a place. Once theyre used to being here in spectral form, they can actually move, but theyll have to keep returning to the energy source. I glanced up. 'I guess they really are like rechargeable batteries.

Macey slowed for a Give Way sign. 'So why cant she remember?

'Apparently they can have blocks just like us. Especially if there are things that are unpleasant to remember. Again I glanced over at Macey, who was now moving us through the intersection. 'It says that if the death has been traumatic, the true memories might take a while to come to the fore.

'Great, she answered with a sigh.

'No, wait! Listen to this bit: ”Therell be confusion, but the spectre might eventually respond to prompts.”

She slid into a parking s.p.a.ce and pulled on the doorhandle. 'I guess thats hopeful, right?

Who knew? I climbed out of my side of the car and then stopped dead. So, yes, sure, JoJo was the reason we were even here at this place, but at that moment thoughts of her were pushed to the side. Way to the side. As Macey sauntered across the street ahead of me, I just stared. I was used to money; used to all the perks it brings but this was just plain ridiculous.

Teahnas father was a big-time film producer who liked to keep his family away from the limelight. It was a ca.n.a.l property with its own boat ramp, yacht and helipad. That much I knew, but seeing it was believing . . . The house was enormous; set over three blocks of land and three storeys tall. Even by Gold Coast standards it was huge, and I swear there was more lighting in the palm-lined driveway than the whole of Cavill Mall in Surfers. We walked into the mile-wide foyer and skipped past the elevator, opting for the curving marble stairs that took us down to the pool area. Everyone was gathered in a room overlooking the pool and ca.n.a.l; a room big enough to comfortably hold the entire senior year in one corner, and which had two fully stocked bars in case they were all very thirsty. Trust me, no one was going to die of dehydration. Alcohol poisoning maybe, but not dehydration.

About forty people were already there, most of them ignoring the rock band that was so amped up the neighbours were probably hiding out in their earthquake-proof underground bunkers. At a quick glance I saw all of the A-list and a lot of wannabe hangers. I figured those hangers would be looking at us like we were trying to crash the party as well. If only they knew. All I wanted was to get out!

And that feeling just kept growing. Just seconds after arriving I sensed something was very wrong, yet I couldnt quite figure why I felt that way.

On the surface it was probably like any low-key party. Macey strutted on ahead and it was really interesting to watch the ripples as she moved through the crowd. Girls looked at her and then turned away as if theyd just stepped in something nasty when in truth they oozed jealousy. The guys, on the other hand, all had this glazed look; like shed put some spell on them. That was Macey. Even when she was being outrageous she did it with style.

I flicked a glance around the room. Over on one wall was a huge framed photograph of JoJo, and in front of it sat dozens of tiny votive candles surrounding a couple of strategically placed larger scented candles, all intertwined with fragrant white flowers. Jasmine. My knowledge of flowers was almost zilch, but jasmine was my favourite and the heady scent wafting across the area curled around me. Crazy. Probably a good percentage of the most expensive designer perfumes in the world were represented at this party, but it was the cloying jasmine that stole the show.

Near the shrine, three girls stood crying softly and a few guys just stood and stared. Like they were in awe. And with that sight came the guilt. My guilt. Some of these people must have loved JoJo and there I was intruding on their s.p.a.ce. It was a time when friends should be together; supporting each other in their grief, remembering, consoling. Not a time to invite strangers.

Yet even as those thoughts were churning around, that same niggly feeling Id sensed when wed arrived was screaming, determined to take centre stage.

I let my eyes roam a bit more and then it hit me. These people werent together. They were here but they werent together. Oh sure, they were talking to each other, but they werent really talking. Weird. It was like they were islands and yes, as dramatic as that sounds, it got worse. They were like islands that were all determined not to let anyone set foot on their sand. Like they didnt trust each other.

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