“Look, let’s cut to the chase,” Carl said abruptly. “Do you know where she is? Since our phone call, I came seriously close to calling the police, but I stopped myself. So, if you know something significant, then don’t piss me about. Tell me what you know.”
Richard could sense in his tone that Carl was terrified to ask if his girlfriend was in fact dead. He knew that he needed to just blurt it out, but couldn’t. His heart was calling for him to say the truth, yet his head was screaming: Run home, you idiot! Run home!
“Well? Do you know something or what?” Carl snapped.
Richard had no choice but to speak. “I live with my wife over in Clifton. We’ve lived there for about six months. And lately—” He braced himself. “—I’ve been seeing a woman in my house.”
Frowning in irritation, Carl said, “You’re saying that you’ve been seeing my Christina over at your house?”
He nodded. “Yes. For the last couple of weeks. And—”
“Wait, let me get this straight,” Carl interrupted. His expression changed from a look of frustration to wild rage. “Are you trying to tell me that you’ve been sleeping with my girlfriend, while I’ve been worried sick for the past year?”
Grimacing in confusion, Richard added, “No, I…” Then he realized how his words had sounded. “Look, I didn’t mean ‘seeing her’ like sleeping with her or anything. I meant she’s—”
“She’s what?” he snapped, cutting him off again. “What are you on about?”
Richard sighed, then quietly, without making eye contact, said, “She’s dead.”
Silence gripped both men. Richard glanced at Carl; his face appeared calm. But suddenly Carl reached forward, grabbed Richard by his collar, and forced him up against the wall of the house. “What are you trying to do to me?” Carl screamed, spitting as he spoke. “You’re talking about the woman I love! What is wrong with you? Why would you say this to me?”
Richard grasped Carl’s wrists, trying to prize them away from him without success. “Look, I swear to God.” He struggled with the words. “Christina’s spirit is in my house. I know how it sounds, but believe me, it’s the truth. I didn’t know who she was until I saw your poster up in the supermarket. I’m telling you the truth. Do you really think I would want to put myself through all this if I didn’t think you needed to know?”
“You’re just some nutcase who gets his kicks out of hurting other people! You have no idea the hell I’ve been through! Do you!”
“Look, I thought you needed closure. I’m married, and I know I would want someone to do the same for me. Please.”
Carl wrenched him away from the wall and threw him onto the small lawn. Richard rolled, landing on his back. Getting to his feet immediately, he stepped back, palms held out in defense. “Please, Carl, the last thing I wanted to do was upset you, but I had to come. I saw someone in my house. A woman.”
“You’re a lying bastard!” Carl yelled, his fists held up and clenched tightly together like a boxer.
“I’m not lying. I swear on my life. I swear on my wife’s life. She told me her name was Christina Long. I thought I was just seeing things until I saw your poster. I don’t know what happened to her. All I know is that she’s in my house and she clearly wants to get a message to you. Please believe me. I’m not some lunatic. I’m a manager over at TSH Computers. I’m just an ordinary guy. Like you. I didn’t really believe in this sort of thing before the other day, but now—”
“Get the hell away from my house before I beat the shit out of you! I swear to God!” He turned, reached into his porch, and pulled out a baseball bat from an umbrella holder.
Richard felt his eyes spring wide open as he backed away across the lawn, toward the gate. “All right, I’m going. Put the bat down.”
“You’ve got five seconds to get your ass off my lawn. One…”