Dead Man Living Read Free

over placing Lavette in the house was incredible.
    He had stayed only a few minutes more after Beth had been asked to wait outside. As he’d left, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. He was honest with himself enough to admit it wasn’t a physical attraction but a spiritual one.
    Joe hoped she hadn’t recognised him. He needed to talk to her, to understand why her aura was different from the people around him. He knew if she’d seen the news coverage on him she’d probably run away in fear if he got too close.
    Turning off the television, he decided to go to bed early. He hadn’t got much sleep the night before and after the commotion of the day, who knew what kind of nightmares he was in for. To add to his less than pleasant mood, seeing Brian again had knocked him on his ass. He’d tried like hell to forget about his old partner.
    Joe shook his head, disgusted with himself. It might be easier to do if he didn’t have to look at his picture every time he opened his wallet.
    After undressing, Joe slipped under the covers and turned out the light. He was almost asleep when the phone rang. Fumbling in the dark, he eventually picked it up. “Hello?”
    “Is this Joe Baker?” a woman’s soft voice asked.
    Joe sat up. “Yes.”
    “My name is Beth Adams. I met you earlier?”
    “Yes, I remember.”
    “I was wondering if you’d agree to speak with me.”
    “Regarding?” Joe felt his body begin to react to the intrusion. His home was his refuge from the outside world.
    “I’d rather talk in person if you don’t mind. Are you free for lunch on Wednesday?”
    “Yes, why not before then?” he questioned. Several moments of dead air led him to believe she may not answer. “Beth?”
    “I need a little more time to deal with what’s happened. I’m sorry, I know I should be used to violence by now, but it still throws me. I try to harden my heart like the grief counsellors suggest, but it doesn’t always work.”
    Joe thought about Beth’s wavering aura. “Wednesday’s fine. Is Johnny’s on Monroe at noon okay?”
    “Yes. Thank you.”
    He couldn’t let her hang up sounding the way she did. “Beth? It wasn’t your fault.”
    “Thanks, I keep trying to convince myself of that. Unfortunately it’s not working.”
    Joe took a chance. “Do you feel like meeting for a drink? Maybe it would help to talk about it.”
    “I appreciate the offer, but I just want to crawl into bed and put this day in the past. I’ll see you Wednesday.”
    “Okay. Goodnight. Pleasant dreams,” Joe said as an afterthought.

Chapter Three
     
     
     
    Unable to sleep, Joe called Brian. Even after all this time he still knew the number by heart.
    “Hello?” Brian answered. Joe felt his gut tighten at the sleepy sound of Brian’s voice.
    “Hey, it’s Joe,” he said.
    Brian grunted into the phone. “I know who the hell you are. You think just because you don’t call anymore I could forget the sound of that deep voice of yours?”
    He suddenly felt guilty. “I didn’t think you wanted me to call,” he admitted.
    “Why in the world would you think that?”
    Joe’s mood changed to pissed in a matter of seconds. “I don’t know. Maybe because the last few times I invited you over you conveniently found something better to do.”
    There was silence over the line. “Didn’t mean you couldn’t call,” Brian finally said.
    “Oh, so you can stand to talk to me as long as you don’t have to look at me?” he asked, fingering the wide scar on his temple.
    Again silence. “Forget it,” Joe said about to hang up.
    “Wait,” Brian said. “Why’d ya call?”
    “Because Beth Adams wants me to meet her Wednesday for lunch. I just thought you ought to know.”
    “Why do you think she wants to meet you?”
    “I don’t know. She’s feeling guilty.”
    “And why do you want to go?” Brian probed.
    “Because there’s something different about her.”
    “Oh, looking to get some,” Brian said.
    “No.” He felt