The Ghost

Chapter 7

I climb into Kirsten's car, sighing. We drive off to the restaurant.

She glances at me, noting my troubled expression. "Is something wrong?"

"Aside from the fact that my partner was assigned elsewhere, and I wasn't notified?"

"I'm sorry about that. There was no way I could have notified you..."

I shake my head. "It's fine. I understand. I'm somewhat angry, but I understand."

"So, what's wrong?"

"I think someone's been in my apartment... Do you remember that day we spent in France? With Keith, Jared, and Mira?"

She smiles. "I do. That was the day we took down Sarah Ellie."

I nod. "We had our picture taken, remember?"

"I do."

"I had hung that picture up in my bedroom, on the wall."

"Why is this important?"

I look at her. "That picture wasn't on my wall when I got home today. It wasn't on the floor, or in my room, at all. Someone took that picture from my room, Kirsten."

She frowns, and we pull up to the restaurant. We get out of the car, and she locks it. We walk inside.

"You're sure you didn't do something to it? Maybe Keith took it with him?"

"He doesn't go into my room, unless he has a good reason. If he does, he lets me know. I don't touch that picture. I've barely looked at it these past few days. No. Someone had to have taken it."

We stop talking as we're taken to our table in the corner of the room.

When the waiter leaves, Kirsten speaks. "Perhaps one of the Ghosts took it when they were there?"

I raise an eyebrow. "Do you really believe that?"

"No... It's the only other conclusion that I could come to." She sighs.

I rub my face tiredly. "I seriously just want this whole thing to be over with," I say with a sigh.

She nods. "Then you really don't want to hear what I have to say next."

I close my eyes. "What is it now? There's a mole underground?"

When she doesn't answer, I look at her. "There's a mole underground?"

"Um..."

"Carla, if it's a mole, you need to tell me. Those pests are always getting into things they're not supposed to. Is it a mole?"

"I..."

"Carla, I swear, you need to answer me. There's nothing I can do if you won't tell me."

"I can't tell you," she says. "Because I'm not sure if it is."

"Then why were you acting so strange when I called you?"

"I have to tread lightly. If it is a mole, then I can't do anything yet."

"Carla, you're impossible sometimes." I sigh, running a hand through my hair."What about Jason?"

"He's... fine. His job isn't dangerous. Not really, anyways. He'll be back in a week. That's all I can tell you."

"So you can't tell me where he is. Is he at least in the United States still?"

She doesn't respond.

"Let me get this straight... You sent... my friend... to a foreign country... alone... without notifying me?"

She looks at me. "I don't have to run everything by you. In case you've forgotten, I'm your superior. I may hate using that against you, but there are some things that you have to learn to stay out of."