“It’s probably just a celebrity in the park, like Mark Wahlberg or Matt Damon,” Ronan said with relief washing over his face.
Ten could name a lot of other reasons there would be a commotion with people screaming, but he wasn’t going there. His gift wasn’t alerting him to danger. More importantly, neither was Everly’s. He knew his daughter would be the first to know if anything was amiss.
Feeling safe again, Ten joined the queue and waited for their turn on the Eye. Long gone were the open-air cars that swung back and forth. Now, the ride had enclosed pods for families to ride in. “Here we go!” Ten led the kids and Ronan into their gondola. Everly and Ezra sat together on one side, with Ten and Ronan across the way.
“This is so cool!” Everly jumped out to press her face to the window when they swung up so the next pod could be filled with Jude’s family. Fitzgibbon and Aurora were next, with River bringing up the rear.
When they reached the top of the ride, Ronan planted a kiss on him with a laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
“Do you know how many years I’ve waited to kiss a gorgeous man at the top of the wheel?” Ronan waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
“For about as long as I have.” Ten kissed Ronan back, not stopping until the kids started making vomit noises.
Ronan narrowed his eyes on Everly. “Do you know how lucky you are to have parents who love each other?”
“I do, but I don’t need to see thelovewith my own two eyes.” Everly offered a grimace.
“So, you’re not gonna kiss your husband or wife when you get married?” Ronan asked with a teasing grin.
“Kissing is gross, Dad. I—” The kidding look on Everly’s face faded as her attention was caught on something happening on the ground. “Uh-oh.”
Ten looked out the window to see if he could catch a glance at what Everly was seeing. There was another commotion on the midway. “What the hell?” Ten watched, gobsmacked, as food flew in the air. Hot dogs. Burgers. Fried dough. Lastly, pink and blue cotton candy floated toward the sky like escaped birthday balloons.
“What’s happening?” Ronan asked.
“Some jerk is scaring people, and they’re throwing food when he startles them,” Ten said. “I hope security can get a better hold on him this time.”
“Uh, Daddy,” Everly said softly. “It’s not a jerk. It’s a ghost.”
“What? I can see that man clear as day,” Ten asked. The man in the red-and-white striped vest was as solid as Ronan. He hadn’t sensed a ghost until Everly said the word.
“I don’t see a man,” Ronan whispered, sounding concerned. “Tell me what you see, honey.”
“He looks kind of tall like you, with dark hair like Uncle Jude. He’s wearing wedding pants and a shirt with a striped vest.”
As Everly spoke, Ten’s stomach lurched, and he was looking down from the old-fashioned Ferris wheel as if he were one of the riders. He flew through the air, watching helplessly as the ground flew up to meet him. He let out a startled scream when the vision stopped. Opening his eyes, he saw a scared look in Everly’s eyes. He knew in an instant she’d had the same vision.
“What is it? What did you see?” Ronan looked between Everly and Ten.
“The man tried to fly,” Everly said. She walked to Ronan and wrapped her arms around his middle.
“Tried to fly?” Ronan asked, his eyes growing wider with each passing second. “Kotter Brighthouse,” Ronan said, his voice barely audible.
“Who’s that?” Ten had never heard that name before.
“He was the old owner of the park, back when I was a kid. He died in 1999 when he jumped from the top of the wheel.” Ronan trailed off.
“Help me!” a disembodied voice cried.
Everly’s hands flew to her ears. Ten did the same.
“Help me! Help me…” The voice faded away.
Everly sighed. “Can’t I have one day to myself?” She crossed her arms over her chest and looked like she was in for a long sulk.
“There isn’t anything we can do for him. He didn’t give us his name and didn’t say what he wanted help with.” Ten took a shaky breath. “Did you hear anything else aside from the man asking for help?”
