Free Ghost Dancer (A Modern Magics Story) by Maer Wilson Page B

stapling our flyer to a telephone pole. We knocked on the first door and a tired-looking, middle-aged woman answered. We did our spiel about looking for the lost dog, had she seen him and handed her a flyer. She solemnly said she’d stay on the lookout.
    We repeated the process as we moved farther down the street, closer to the address where Danika’s killer lived. My anxiety level rose with each step, and I hoped it would come across as concern for our “lost” dog. Danika trailed after us, her scent of burnt rubber much stronger and blowing toward us on the breeze. Careful to face Thulu, so it looked like we had stopped to talk a moment, I looked at her from the corner of my eye and asked if she was okay with this.
    “Danika, you can stay in the car if this is too much for you.”
    “I’m okay, La Fi. He can’t see me or hurt me, right?”
    “I doubt he’ll be able to see you. And no, sweetie, he can’t hurt you anymore.” My voice cracked a little on the last words.
    She straightened her thin shoulders and gave me a brave smile. “I’m good. Let’s keep going.”
    A teenaged boy approached us as we moved on. It took a moment for me to realize he wasn’t alive. He was more solid than most of the dead we dealt with and had an energy and life about him that contradicted his ghostly state. He paused a moment when he realized I was making eye contact and that Thulu could also see him. He nodded once to himself, smiled at Danika and joined our group, trailing the smell of peanut butter, with a hint of vinegar. He seemed to be about fourteen, with dark hair and eyes, and the thin look of a teen who hadn’t quite finished puberty.
    “You’re looking for that guy that killed her aren’t you?” he asked without preamble.
    Thulu and I nodded.
    “Are you the people who have that detective agency for the supernatural? I sent her to you. You seem kind of young to be detectives.” His voice was doubtful.
    I nodded. “I’m La Fi and this is Thulu. And we really are detectives.”
    “Yeah, okay. Good. I’m Parker. I’ve been watching this guy. I got here right about the time he killed her.” He lowered his voice to a whisper only I could hear. “He is one sick bastard. He hurt that little girl really bad.” His eyes took on a haunted look. The irony was not lost on me. He nodded his head toward the house we were making our way to. “He’s not home right now. But I think he’s getting ready to snatch another kid. He’s acting all twitchy.”
    “Is my dog still there? Is Rudy okay?” asked Danika.
    Parker looked at her, his expression sharpened and his scent became more vinegary. “Yeah, he’s there and still alive. The guy’s kid was outside playing and heard the dog in the back and thought it was for him, so the man gave him the dog.” He hesitated and turned his attention back to me and Thulu as if he wanted to say more, but shook his head with a glance at Danika.
    There was something about Parker I immediately liked, and I wondered what his story was. There were plenty of ghosts around and not all of them made their way to us, but a good many had over the years. Parker was different in a way I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
    “He has a kid?” I asked. “How old?”
    “Yeah, a little boy about seven or eight. He doesn’t have a wife or a girlfriend there though. Just him and the kid.” Parker said.
    Thulu and I exchanged a look.
    “Does he hurt his son?” Thulu asked.
    Parker shook his head. “Not that I’ve seen, but I’m telling you this guy is super dangerous. Because he’s crazy smart. He passes for normal, you know? So you guys need to be very, very careful. He pretends to be nice, but he’s mean.”
    “Where’s the boy now?” I asked.
    “With the man. He took the kid and the dog to the park, but I’m guessing they should be home soon.” Parker pointed down the street in the direction we were headed.
    We made our way to the next house and continued our cover story, while