The Ghost and Mrs. Hobbs by Cynthia DeFelice

know her.”
    Allie couldn’t believe her ears. She didn’t want to believe her ears. She realized that what she was feeling was jealousy, which was totally dumb. How could she be jealous over Dub?
    She remembered John Walker saying that Dub was jealous. Was it true? And was he trying to get back at Allie and make her feel the same way by hanging around with Pam? It was ridiculous! But maybe . . .
    Meanwhile, Dub was going on and on. “Now that she’s not really friends with Karen, she’s completely different.”
    â€œYeah, well, wasn’t it you who said a leopard doesn’t change her spots overnight?” Allie said.
    â€œGeez, how come you’re being so grouchy?”
    â€œI’m
not
being grouchy!” Allie said loudly, hearing as she spoke how grouchy she sounded.
    â€œIf you say so,” said Dub. “Hey, how was the library?”
    â€œSomething really, really strange happened.” Allie took a deep breath and told him everything.
    â€œWow,” Dub said when she had finished.
    â€œI know. Pretty amazing how she made the microfilm melt, huh?”
    â€œYou think she did that?”
    â€œWell, I don’t think it was a coincidence. It happened just when I was reading that the fire was suspicious and they were questioning Mrs. Hobbs.”
    There was silence on the other end of the phone.
    â€œDub?”
    â€œI’m here,” Dub said slowly. “You know what you’re saying, don’t you? That would mean she killed her husband and her own baby.”
    â€œI know,” said Allie. “And John Walker, too, don’t forget. My ghost.”
    â€œBut why would she go back in the house and nearly kill herself trying to save them if she set the fire in the first place?” Dub asked.
    â€œTo prevent anyone from suspecting her,” Allie answered. To herself she added, Obviously.
    â€œSounds kind of far-fetched to me,” Dub said matter-of-factly.
    â€œWell, what do
you
think happened, then?” asked Allie, suddenly furious.
    â€œI have no idea, Al,” Dub said carefully. “I’m just saying it’s kind of hard to believe that somebody would kill her own kid. Even the Snapping Turtle.”
    â€œThen why did she make the microfilm melt just when I was about to find out more? If she’s innocent, why not let me read all about it in the paper?”
    â€œI don’t know.” Dub was quiet for a minute. “Butif she can do stuff like that, maybe you should stay away from her.”
    â€œYeah. But what about John Walker?”
    â€œWhat about him?”
    â€œDub! What if I’d just ignored Lucy Stiles? Raymond Gagney would have gotten away with murdering her!”
    â€œThis seems different somehow.”
    â€œHow?” Allie demanded.
    â€œI don’t know exactly,” Dub said thoughtfully. “This guy Walker . . . I can’t figure him out. If he really was murdered, and he wants you to prove it, he’s not giving you much to go on. You know what I mean?”
    Allie couldn’t believe Dub. “What do you mean,
if
he was murdered?”
    â€œLook, what I mean is, Lucy tried to help you, giving you clues and stuff,” Dub went on. “This guy kind of shows up and looks sad, and leaves you to fill in the blanks by yourself.”
    Allie felt outraged on John Walker’s behalf. The poor guy was dead, murdered, and all Dub could do was pick on him. “I’m sure he’s trying his best,” she said tightly.
    â€œMaybe,” said Dub. “But this letter from Hobbsy . . . It’s creepy. I’m afraid you’ll end up in trouble.”
    â€œLike I didn’t end up in trouble last time, when Gag-Me was trying to kill me in the glen!”
    â€œOkay, okay. All I’m saying is, you might not be so lucky this time, Al.”
    â€œDub, since when are you such a wimp? I was hoping you’d help me figure out a