What Haunts Me by Margaret Millmore Page A

my sightings, and that was very important to him. He'd been studying paranormal activity most of his adult life, and he believed there was a lot more that some of the ghost killers could do besides see and kill demons. Vokkel thought that once I'd developed more control of my 'gift,' as he called it, I would be powerful like my grandmother.” The iciness in her eyes intensified to pure hatred that sent a chill up and down my spine.
    “What happened to all the other ghost killers, the ones in Germany?” I was curious about them, but more importantly I wanted to know if that big house in Pacific Heights was full of people like us.
    Billy shrugged and crossed her arms defiantly over her chest. “Don't know, and don't care. All I know is that he closed up shop and moved here again.”
    “What kind of things did he think you'd be able to do once you developed your 'gift'?”
    “You ever notice that some of the ghosts you kill seem to know what you're going to do?” I nodded, remembering the scary nanny in the park and how she tried to run away. “Well, that's because this isn't their first rodeo…their first victim, I mean. When the haunted dies, the ghost needs…wants to find someone new to victimize. The more experience they have the more dangerous they are. Some of those people at Vokkel's little hide-a-way could communicate with those types of demons, and got them to do things…. He thought I'd be like that.”
    Phil had said the Victorian lady communicated with his ghost killer friend, but none of the ghosts I'd killed had attempted to communicate with me. But then again, I never really gave them the chance.
    I looked over at Justine. She looked exhausted and completely spent. Billy followed my gaze and said, “That's enough for tonight…it's late and she's tired.” I looked at my watch and couldn't believe the time; it was almost midnight. Billy stood and went over to help Justine out of her chair. Anne appeared as if by magic and began to lead Justine away.
    Justine stopped in front of me and put her hand on my cheek; it felt like parchment paper against my skin. “We'll talk more tomorrow dear. Try and rest. There is a great deal more that you need to know.” Then she leaned into Anne and they left the room.
    I looked over at Billy and said, “What now?”
    She smiled thinly and said, “Now you go home.”

Chapter 16
    I was pretty sure the evening had effectively killed any ability to ever sleep again. Once I was home, I kicked off my shoes, poured a stiff shot of whiskey, sat on the couch, and leaned my head back. I was exhausted, but I couldn't stop thinking about everything they'd told me. I didn't have any problem believing that Vokkel was crazy…that was an easy one. But talking to ghosts? I laughed out loud…why couldn't it be possible? After all, up until six weeks ago I would never have believed I could see them, either. I wondered if Justine could see them too. She said Billy could transfer her ability by touch. I thought perhaps she must have. Why else would she believe all this if it hadn't been proven to her? I had so many questions swirling around in my head at such a frantic pace that it actually hurt. I closed my eyes for what I thought was just a moment, but turned out to be almost six hours.
    The previous day and evening had been pretty warm and I'd left the living room window open. The sound of early morning birds chirping happily outside woke me and I realized that I'd fallen asleep in an upright position on the couch. My neck ached and I was still tired. I dragged myself to my room, stripping my clothes off as I went, and fell into bed.
    The shrill ringing of my doorbell woke me up a few hours later. Whoever it was had to be in the hallway outside my apartment, because it wasn't the sound of the intercom bell at the building entrance. Still half asleep and knowing it was either Justine or Billy, I grabbed my pants from the floor and groggily headed to my front door. I was five feet