Chapter Twenty
Tears dripped down Jessica’s face as she backed out of the driveway and headed west. In the weeks that she’d been in Sparkleberry Hills, she’d experienced nothing but insanity. At least in Chicago, she’d had Dr. Knox to turn to when things got bad.
She wiped at her tear-soaked cheeks with the back of her hand and jerked up her cellphone.
Scrolling through the alphabet, Jess found the doctor’s name and pressed the call key.
“Doctor Knox’s office,” his secretary answered on the second ring.
Jessica pressed the cell firmly against her ear to keep her hand from trembling. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words wouldn’t come. What the hell was she going to tell the doctor, anyway? Hey, I’m seeing the ghost of a missing neighborhood boy. And he just happens to be the same age as Jacob.
“Hello? Dr. Knox’s office,” the secretary repeated.
Jessica took a fortifying breath. “This is Jessica Nobles. Is Doctor Knox in?”
“He’s just finishing up with a patient. Would you like to leave a message?”
“I,” Jessica began, only to falter.
The secretary spoke to someone in a low tone before announcing. “The doctor is free now, Mrs. Nobles. Hold please.”
Jessica’s stomach lurched. She suddenly wished she hadn’t dialed the psychologist’s office.
“Mrs. Nobles?” The doctor’s deep, soothing voice came over the line. “What can I do for you?”
Jess hesitated before losing her nerve altogether. “I’m sorry for bothering you.”
She quickly pressed the end key and tossed the cell onto the passenger’s seat.
It buzzed almost instantly, the vibrating sound muffled by the cloth of the seat.
Jess let it ring out, and then plucked it up and called Ruckle. “I need to see you.”
“Come by my office. I’m just finishing up some things.” He rattled off the address.
“Be there in ten.”
For some reason the thought of seeing Steven Ruckle calmed her nerves a little. She supposed it had to do with the fact that he didn’t judge her. He simply let her talk things out, offered help where he could, and didn’t push.
Jess returned her cell to the passenger seat and gripped the wheel with both hands. She had a ten-minute drive ahead of her, and she planned to use that time to regain some of her composure.
* * * *
“Hey,” Steven greeted, his fingers flying over a keyboard. “Have a seat. I’ll be right with you.”
Jessica sat in one of the two chairs in front of his desk. She let her gaze sweep his spacious office, taking in the numerous plaques and certificates hanging on the walls.
The sounds of typing suddenly stopped. “All done. What’s up, Mrs. Nobles?”
“I really wish you would call me Jessica.”
He grinned, making his normally appealing face, downright handsome. “Yes, ma’am.”
Jess relaxed, somewhat and returned his smile. “I paid a visit to Melanie Dayton, today.”
Steven’s smile faltered. “How did that go?”
“Not good. I told her about my sightings. Needless to say, she wasn’t happy about it.”
“I imagine not. From what I heard, she flipped out on Sandy Weaver for her psychic claims of seeing Terry.”
Jessica shifted in her seat. “They weren’t merely claims. Sandy really did see what she said she did. She even saw the same thing that I saw. But I’m no psychic.”
“Then what do you call seeing ghosts in windows and painting shallow graves?”
“Crazy?”
Steven shrugged. “Could be, but I doubt it. I believe there are people walking this earth with the gift of seeing things that are beyond our comprehension. In fact, we are probably all capable of it on some deeper level. Only most of us wouldn’t begin to know how to reach into that part of ourselves.”
“I’d give anything to be like everyone else,” Jessica whispered. “I feel like I’m losing my mind. I’m keeping secrets from my husband, slinking around and digging up everything I can on the Dayton investigation. I’ve become obsessed with it.”
Steven’s gaze softened. “Although, I’ve never seen anything even remotely close to a ghost, I do understand obsession. I quickly became obsessed with the Dayton case a week after I began following it. It took me three years and changing jobs to finally learn to move on. And honestly, I can’t say that I ever truly did.” He abruptly stood. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
Jess pushed to her feet as well. “Where are we going?”
“My place.”