Free Slightly Imperfect by Dar Tomlinson Page B

and you could meet me there. We could chase a ghost together."
    "It's a deal," Gerald said after a moment. "We'll say goodbye to that ghost and then get on with our lives. How do you feel about that?"
    "It may take a few Coronas, but I'm willing to try, sir."
    "Gerald."
    "Gerald."
    * * *
    "Hey, Josh."
    Zac had told Bay Shore security to let the young black man in. When Zac arrived, Josh waited in the circle drive in front of the yellow house. They stood facing each other in the sunny, humid morning. Only the bay water slapping the shore broke the momentary silence.
    "How's it hangin', hombre?"
    "Fine, Mr. Zac. How're you, man?"
    Zac nodded. Josh moved toward him, just enough to make it feasible for Zac to put his arms around him and hug hard. Josh hadn't gotten any smaller, or any softer. Zac put his hand in his pocket. Yeah. The Mercedes key was still there.
    "Out of school for the summer yet?" He would be seventeen now, finishing his junior year. "Guess not." Zac had lost touch with the school calendar. "A couple more months, huh?"
    "Yes, sir."
    "Playing baseball?"
    "Track."
    Josh was getting curious, a little edgy. Zac started walking toward the garage, the automatic lift in his hand. Josh fell into step.
    "Do you have a summer job?"
    "Not yet. A lot of guys are out lookin', Mr. Zac, but there's not enough jobs to go around. I'm thinkin' of construction. Maybe some of that stuff Mr. Fitzpatrick's always got goin' on. He's been real good to my mama and me since Miz Carron passed. I'd like working for him."
    "How would you like your old job back? Working here? Just like you did for Ms. Carron?"
    Josh stopped walking.
    "And Sylvania, too, if she would like that."
    "Mama's doin' day work and that's hard. I know she?d like it, Mr. Zac, but—"
    Zac pushed the button to raise the garage door. The car blazed out at them from the interior. He walked over, laid his hand on the cold hood. Josh followed, his ebony skin darkening more when he entered the dim garage. Zac looked at his own hands and arms and saw he had darkened too. He and Josh had a lot in common. Maybe they could have more.
    "Your job wouldn't be quite the same as when Carron lived here," he said quietly. "But you could help me take care of the Irish . Maybe I could teach you to fish."
    Enthusiasm flicked across the dark face.
    "We probably wouldn't have so many parties. But we could find plenty for you to do."

    "We, Mr. Zac?"
    He smiled. "I'm going to live here, Josh. It's what Carron wanted. You can live in the pool house." Carron would have liked that, too. "That is, if your mama doesn't mind giving you up. If she comes to work she could see you every day, maybe make it easier on her at home." He knew Sylvania was the sole provider for five children. "Like old times. What do you think?"

    Josh nodded. "I think I'll have to ask her about the pool house, Mr. Zac, but I sure do want the job. Thank you, sir."
    Zac tried to hand him the car key. He fell back a little. Josh had always driven the jeep, parked now in the far stall of the three-car garage. Zac caught his hand, deposited the key in his palm and closed his fingers around it, just as Gerald had done his.
    "This car is yours, Josh."
    "Naw... " He grinned, shook his head.

    "It's mine, and I'm giving it to you."
    The grin got wider, if that was possible.
    "I guess you know all the stipulations. No drinking and driving. Good grades. We'll do a progress check at the end of each month. You pay half the insurance until you can afford to pay all. How does that sound?"
    "Like a joke, Mr. Zac."
    "It's no joke." Zac felt the best he had felt since he hit rock bottom that day... the day he'd gotten the call telling him Allie had chased the puppy into the street. "The car is yours. Use it in good health."

CHAPTER SIX
    "Lizbett, please take the children outside to the lawn for a while," Victoria said to her black, teenaged nanny. She slipped Ariana from her lap into Lizbett's anxious charge and made a move at smoothing