Free The Haunting of James Hastings by Christopher Ransom Page A

all around.’
     
    We took a moment to drink our beers and stare at the waves. The sky was overcast and the waves were the color of liquid pewter. The beach looked dirty. No one was lying in the sand. I could see Bergen was relieved, even if I wasn’t. He got to close another case, though I guess compared to the rest of his load it hadn’t really been much of a case to begin with.
     
    ‘What am I supposed to do now?’
     
    ‘Up to you. Could hire an attorney. I’m sure you could find one who’d be happy to file a civil. Try to prove she knew about it a year ago and helped cover it up. Go after his auto policy. I don’t know what her assets are, but a jury would probably give you most of them, plus something for punitive.’
     
    ‘Punitive,’ I said.
     
    ‘You spent a year wondering what happened. Grieving, without closure. A psychologist might argue that you will now have to start over. The clock has been set back. I’m not saying that’s true - I’m not a shrink. How you deal with it is up to you. But as far as what a jury will believe, yeah, you’re the victim here.’
     
    ‘I could profit from Stacey’s death.’
     
    Bergen snorted. ‘Hey, you asked.’
     
    ‘I’m sorry.’ The idea of courtrooms and trials all for some money made me feel ill. ‘What I meant was, what am I supposed to do about her, this Annette?’
     
    ‘She took out a month to month lease. She seemed confused about why she moved in the first place, but it’s guilt. Call it a nightingale effect. She thinks she can help you, which will of course make her feel better. I told her that is not her job and she should refrain from further contact. I made sure she heard me.’
     
    I nodded. This all sounded so reasonable.
     
    Bergen leaned forward conspiratorially. ‘You don’t want her for a neighbor, we can make her go away. Easily.’
     
    This was, I admit, comforting. I imagined her packing up her U-Haul again, the LAPD escorting her out of West Adams, probably over the hill to the Valley.
     
    ‘Do you think she’s nuts?’ I said. ‘She’s got to be, right?’
     
    Bergen grinned. ‘No more than most of the beautiful women in this town.’
     
    ‘Is she dangerous, Tod?’
     
    ‘She’s been through the wringer. My take is she’s honestly trying to do the right thing, and that’s something. But if you decide to let her stay - and, really, it’s up to you, you’re calling the shots here - my advice would be to keep your distance. I’m not saying she’s dangerous, but you don’t need the headache.’
     
    I didn’t quite understand what he was getting at.
     
    Bergen put his hands out. ‘No offense, but between the two of you there’s enough trauma and bad juju to feed a shrink for decades.’
     
    ‘You’re saying don’t get involved?’ I scoffed. ‘Don’t worry about that.’
     
    ‘People don’t meet this way, James. Not happy people. And when they do, they don’t get any happier.’
     
    I pushed an oyster shell like a little sled around the dish of ice. ‘I know.’
     
    ‘Good. Have you met anyone? You at least get laid since last time we spoke?’
     
    ‘No.’ I thought of Lucy Arnold. ‘But I have a few feelers out.’
     
    A ringtone I recognized as the opening bass line to Aerosmith’s ‘Sweet Emotion’ began to play from under the table. Bergen flipped his clamshell and said, ‘Bergen’. He stood and I was given to understand someone else needed his investigative skills more than I did. ‘Tell Hayden to look at the AA files and call me as soon as he can. I’m on my way.’
     
    The clamshell clammed. ‘Sorry, bud, gotta motor.’ He dropped a twenty on the table and put on his Michael Mann sunglasses.
     
    I stood. We shook hands. ‘Thanks for the help.’
     
    ‘Call me if you have any problems with her,’ Bergen said. ‘But unless you go looking for it, I don’t think you will.’
     
    ‘Okay.’
     
    He hesitated before leaving.