Page 3 of Dark Shadows
“Sir, you don’t need to humor her,” her dad said, placing a hand on her shoulder, already steering her toward the door.
“I’m not humoring her. I think her guesses are just as good as the ones being tossed around. Where would you be, Savanah?”
She met her father’s eyes. He gave a small nod. Not very encouraging, but enough.
The last time she’d said something about ghosts, they’d moved to another town. Would it happen again?
The ghost girl brightened like someone turning up her glow as Savanah approached the map. She pointed to a spot far from all their marks. “Emily says she’s over here.”
The room erupted in laughter.
Savanah’s face burned. The laughter was worse than the yelling. Worse than being ignored. It meant the grownups wouldn’t believe her. Again.
“How do you know her name?” the boss asked.
“She told me.” The room suddenly felt ice-cold. “She says she’s in a blue shed.”
“You talk to ghosts?” An officer wiggled his fingers in a spooky gesture, grinning.
For a second, her lips clamped shut. Maybe shehadmade it worse.
“She probably saw it in my file,” her father said quickly, flexing his fingers. It was their silent signal that meant stop talking.
The boss wasn’t laughing. “John, is there a blue shed out there?”
Officer John, sitting on top of the table, nodded. “At the kids’ camp. Miles from where we found her things, though.”
“She’s not alone,” Savanah added. “She has Gracelynn and Tweeter with her.”
“Time to find your mom.” Her father’s neck flushed red, a vein pulsing at his temple. “Sorry, guys. Active imagination.”
“I’m not lying, Daddy.” Her voice went all squeaky despite trying to be brave.
“Ask your ghost if she can pick the guy from our lineup,” someone said with a chuckle.
Savanah nodded. “She can.”
The ghost girl, Emily, now stood behind the officer sitting on the edge of the table, her cold hand on his shoulder. Officer John shivered like someone had walked over his grave.
“Point to him on the board, sweetie,” the boss said, gesturing at six photos on the board.
She approached the photos. “It’s not any of these men.”
More laughter.
“He’s not on your board.” She pointed at officer John sitting on the table. “It’s him. He’s sitting over there.”
Men who worked with Daddy were supposed to protect people, not hurt them.
The room went silent except for that one cop, who kept laughing. “Yeah, right. Tell me, honey, is Casper here too?” He looked at her father. “Don, you need to teach your kid not to lie.”
“I’m not lying.”
Emily suddenly appeared at Savanah’s ear again. Her ghostly breath smelled like wet dirt and pennies.
“He hurt her,” Savanah said as her father’s grip on her arm tightened.
“That’s enough, Savanah. Let’s go find your mom. You can’t go around accusing police officers.”
