Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, they belong to Meg Cabot. I only own the plot.
CHAPTER THREE
I think he begins to realise it's a lost cause. "Very well, give my regards to your family, and I'm sure we will speak again soon."
He leaves and I collapse against the pillows and fall asleep quickly to Jesse humming.
I'll take care of my parents later. And Doctor...Doctor...ugh! What-ever-his-name-is!
JESS'S POV
I walk round the bonnet of the car and hand my boyfriend – my fiancé – Rob his...thingy-ma-bob. Whatever the little metal tool is called that you do car stuff with. I have much more important things to do than try and figure it out. Such as stare at said fiancé's toned body from when he is leaning over the car, getting covered in grease. Mmmm.
My phone goes off and spoils my day dream of running my hands over that body. Damn. Please let it not be my mum.
Nope, close though.
"Hey, Doc. What's up?"
"Hello Jessica." I roll my eyes, ever so formal. At least he stopped calling me Miss Mastriani.
"What can I do for you?" I say in a mocking tone.
"You know I wouldn't call you if I didn't think it was important?"
"Yes." I say dejected, letting go of my joking tone and watching as Rob stands up and comes closer, clearly wanting to be let in on the convocation. "Hey, do you mind if Rob overhears?"
He sighs but says it's ok.
"The reason I called you Jessica is because I am dealing with a...troublesome young woman who, I believe, will be more open and accepting of someone...of her own age."
"Uh huh. And what makes this 'young woman' so special? She must be important if you're calling me up."
He sighed. "Her name is Susannah Simon, recently moved to Carmel from New York after her mother remarried. He dad died when she was very young, only six at the time, from a heart attack. Since then she has been in a bit of trouble with police, mainly breaking and entering, cases like that. However, all of the houses had a recently deceased family member or tenant recorded to have lived there recently. She also was at a fire in which a man disappeared without a trace and somehow ended up getting a murderer to confess. What's even stranger – "
"Wait! It get's stranger?"
Rob shushes me and the good ol' doc continues as if I never spoke.
"Is that she is currently in the hospital suffering from attack which would of killed any other, let alone a child of her size. The only prints the police found when following the trail Miss Simon left to the place where she was held and continuously beaten for at least three days were that of deceased individuals. The prints where only found in Miss Simon's blood and in the dirt on the walls. No weapons or any other tracks were left either."
Wow. Ok... I t did get stranger.
"So...what? You think she does what? Talks to the dead? Hate to break it to you Dr K, ghosts don't exist."
"Well...there has been great speculation over that Jessica and nobody can prove that they don't exist. I'm finding it hard to find another explanation for all her odd behaviour when putting all the facts together."
"Seriously?"
"Mastriani!" Rob scolds me, telling me to be quiet and listen. How can he be so calm? Though I guess having a fiancé who finds missing people in her sleep makes you pretty open to the supernatural.
"Fine...so you want do you want me to do?"
"If you could pack a bag and be prepared to leave for Carmel tonight that would be most helpful. I've already spoken to your mother and I've informed her it shouldn't take any more than a week at most."
I roll my eyes. At least I'll be by the beach...wait!
"...Can I take Rob with me?"
He sighs like he knew I'd ask that. "Yes. The tickets will be at the information desk at the airport. Just give my name and your id. I'll let you get back to it and I'll see you early tomorrow. The times for the flights will be sent to you email shortly."
I'm about to reply when he hangs up. "Well, nice to speak to you too, Doc."
I turn to Rob...who looks a little put out. "What?...Oh, right. Wanna go to Carmel with me?"
"Your mother is going to kill me."
"No she won't. She loves me too much."
He looks doubtful but lets it be.
"So...time to pack?
SUZE'S POV
"Suze...wake up beautiful. Rico Suave has gone out and I need to talk to you."
I groan. "Go away."
He chuckles. "Not gonna happen Sweetheart. I need to know what happened to the bastards who did this to you."
I roll over to hide my face from the light. "They're gone – Shadowland."
"You sure? All of them?"
"Yes, you think I'd be alive if there was even just one of them still out there? Why did you think it took so bloody long?"
He breathes out in relief. "What do the police believe?"
"No idea, I've been telling everyone I don't remember what happed...though last time I was awake this guy, Dr...Something, god I can't remember! Anyway this guy came in and said he believed I was 'specially abled' and he wanted me to join some kind of crime fighting team. He also knows about Jesse's false documents."
"Great!" Paul shouts at me and I hear him begin to pace. The light is still too bright to take my head out of my pillow. "Perfect! As if we need any more problems. Does he know about me?"
"No, I believe he just knows about me and Jesse." A thought suddenly occours to me. "However, I will be in here for a while and you know that that gang wasn't the only one that had members die in that fight. I need you to do me a favour."
"What?"
"I need you to get me the Book of the Dead. You know, for that...spell we found that could block ghosts from a room? I need the ingredients for it too."
"You sure that's safe with Dr. Suspicious hanging around."
"I don't have a choice, if anyone was to discover I was here I couldn't protect myself. Look at me! I can barley breath and talk without passing out! I'm sure I'd be absolutely great in a fight!"
"Ok, ok. I got it. Get the book, get the ingredients and bring them here to Her Majesty."
"Paul..."
"I know, go back to sleep Suze. You need it. I'll be back soon with the stuff."
I would respond but at the mention of sleep my eyes had already begin to shut and the blackness came across my mind. The last thing I feel being Paul's lips lightly touching me forehead.
"Sleep well Suze."
AN: Sorry for taking so long! I'll hopefully start updating my stories sooner now that I've finished year 12 (finally). Any comments or ideas would be great!
