Free Sword Play by Linda Joy Singleton Page B

an argument? Maybe Aileen cheated on him with another guy and Kip found out. Wild with jealously, Kip drove away, and lost control of his car.
    When Aileen found out about the crash, she must have felt horribly guilty. No wonder she didn’t tell anyone what happened.
    Was that why Kip’s ghost appeared to me? To help Aileen get over her grieving? Kip must still love her a lot and wanted to send her a message that he was all right. So he’d turned to the only person he knew with a connection to the other side.
    Damn him anyway!
    Well, he came to the wrong person. I’d tried to help him once and ended up being blamed for his death. If I showed up at his girlfriend’s house, she’d probably call the police. When people heard I was back in town, old rumors would buzz again.
    Even if I enrolled in a secluded private school, I wouldn’t be able to escape notice for long. Eventually someone would connect me with Kip’s death. Then one person would tell another and another until my reputation was totally trashed. I wouldn’t be able to go anywhere without people pointing at me.
    Passing on messages from the dearly departed was not the way to keep a low profile. And I definitely couldn’t help someone who didn’t want my help. I didn’t even know Aileen; she was older and Arcadia High was a large school. I had a vague idea who she was from a picture in a newspaper. But I couldn’t even remember her last name, something beginning with a “P” or maybe a “B.” I think her family owned some kind of restaurant.
    If Aileen was suffering from guilt issues, she needed a shrink, not a psychic. Her mental health was not my problem. I had more than enough problems of my own, like missing Nona and my friends, plus starting over at a new school.
    Ironically, Mom thought she was doing me a favor by insisting I move back to San Jose. How could I tell her my true feelings without coming off like a selfish brat? Mom and I were so different, we got along better living apart. If I told her I’d rather live with Nona, she’d take it personally and our relationship would be worse than ever.
    So I said nothing.
    Shifting uncomfortably in my bed, I realized I hadn’t spoken to Nona since leaving. I’d expected her to call, but she hadn’t. Was it because she was too busy? Or had her illness worsened? I should be there, watching over her. If I didn’t hear from Nona by this afternoon, I’d call her myself.
    Glancing around my tastefully decorated bedroom, I longed to be back at Nona’s home in my cozy attic room. Instead of looking out on traffic and a sea of suburbia, I’d view a panorama of green treetops, blue skies, and wild birds.
    A large reddish brown bird fluttered at my window, as if my thoughts were magic. I chuckled at the coincidence. Then I gasped. I knew that bird!
    “Dagger!” I jumped off my bed and rushed to the window.
    The falcon flapped his wings and regarded me with golden dark eyes.
    “Come inside,” I invited, opening the latch.
    But he squawked in a clear refusal. With a powerful swish of his wings, he tucked his head and dive-bombed to the ground. That’s when I looked down and saw someone waving up at me.
    Dominic.
    My heart did some fluttering of its own, and I glanced down with embarrassment at the wrinkled shirt I was wearing and my tangled blond hair. After restless dreams, I’m sure I could use some makeup, too.
    Dominic grinned up at me. I put my finger to my lips, gesturing so he’d know the rest of the family was asleep. What was he doing here so early? Not that I cared about the reason; I was ridiculously happy to see him. After brushing my hair, putting on some makeup, and getting dressed, I hurried outside.
    Dominic looked even better up close, and it took all my self-control not to throw my arms around him. I told myself I was just relieved to see someone from Sheridan Valley. I would have been just as excited if Penny-Love or Thorn showed up. But who was I kidding?
    I couldn’t wipe