“You smell.”
“Excuse me?” Taylor turned her head to find Danny looking over her shoulder. They had eventually gotten to the river (Flack was acting like a bear with a sore head for the entire walk) in time for them to witness another little girl being pulled from the water. Like Marie, this one appeared to have suffered the same fate, and she looked about the same age. Now, Taylor was back at the lab, waiting for Stella to return from the autopsy.
“You smell,” he repeated.
“Gee, thanks, Danny,” Taylor grumbled, glaring at him.
“No, I mean normally you don’t smell of anything except some faint hint of shampoo. But now you smell. Of something,” he added, thoughtfully.
“Something?” Taylor pressed.
“Yeah,” he told her, his face screwed up in thought. “A scent.” His expression suddenly changed to one of recognition and something bordering on pleasure. “You smell of Flack.”
Taylor rolled her eyes. “Keep dreaming Messer.”
She was saved from further questioning by Stella entering the room. She sighed as she sat down. “Exactly the same MO. And I’ve just come from DNA. Leveau’s DNA was found, as were the same five donors, like before, and one of them also has seven alleles in common with the vic.”
“Is he in the system?” Danny asked, looking thoroughly disgusted.
“No,” sighed Stella. “Jane ran all the samples and only Leveau is.” She dropped his rap sheet on the table.
Taylor rubbed her eyes – she felt so helpless – and stared at the picture. Leveau was the same ghost who had hit her, and asked her to stop him. She gasped.
“Are you’re alright?” Stella asked her.
“He’s dead,” Taylor told her.
“I’m sorry?” Stella said, frowning.
“His ghost,” Taylor explained, pointing at the photograph. “He came to visit me yesterday.”
“Taylor, his semen was only a few hours old. He can’t possibly be dead,” Stella told her gently.
Taylor frowned. Maybe they weren’t the same person. She hadn’t had much sleep, after all. She shrugged. “Maybe I’m wrong.”
“Have your ghosts given us anything new to go on?” Danny asked.
Taylor sighed and shook her head. “They’re so young. They’re scared. I don’t even think they know what’s happening to them.”
Stella laid a hand on her shoulder. “Up until now, we’ve solved case after case without the help of a ghost. We’ll do it with this one if we need to.”
“Excuse me?” Taylor turned her head to find Danny looking over her shoulder. They had eventually gotten to the river (Flack was acting like a bear with a sore head for the entire walk) in time for them to witness another little girl being pulled from the water. Like Marie, this one appeared to have suffered the same fate, and she looked about the same age. Now, Taylor was back at the lab, waiting for Stella to return from the autopsy.
“You smell,” he repeated.
“Gee, thanks, Danny,” Taylor grumbled, glaring at him.
“No, I mean normally you don’t smell of anything except some faint hint of shampoo. But now you smell. Of something,” he added, thoughtfully.
“Something?” Taylor pressed.
“Yeah,” he told her, his face screwed up in thought. “A scent.” His expression suddenly changed to one of recognition and something bordering on pleasure. “You smell of Flack.”
Taylor rolled her eyes. “Keep dreaming Messer.”
She was saved from further questioning by Stella entering the room. She sighed as she sat down. “Exactly the same MO. And I’ve just come from DNA. Leveau’s DNA was found, as were the same five donors, like before, and one of them also has seven alleles in common with the vic.”
“Is he in the system?” Danny asked, looking thoroughly disgusted.
“No,” sighed Stella. “Jane ran all the samples and only Leveau is.” She dropped his rap sheet on the table.
Taylor rubbed her eyes – she felt so helpless – and stared at the picture. Leveau was the same ghost who had hit her, and asked her to stop him. She gasped.
“Are you’re alright?” Stella asked her.
“He’s dead,” Taylor told her.
“I’m sorry?” Stella said, frowning.
“His ghost,” Taylor explained, pointing at the photograph. “He came to visit me yesterday.”
“Taylor, his semen was only a few hours old. He can’t possibly be dead,” Stella told her gently.
Taylor frowned. Maybe they weren’t the same person. She hadn’t had much sleep, after all. She shrugged. “Maybe I’m wrong.”
“Have your ghosts given us anything new to go on?” Danny asked.
Taylor sighed and shook her head. “They’re so young. They’re scared. I don’t even think they know what’s happening to them.”
Stella laid a hand on her shoulder. “Up until now, we’ve solved case after case without the help of a ghost. We’ll do it with this one if we need to.”
* * *
911 – CAN YOU MEET FOR COFFEE ASAP. Taylor read the text and replied, telling Lindsay she’d meet her in Starbucks in ten minutes. Lindsay was already there, nursing her head in her hands. “What’s up?” Taylor asked as she sat down.
Lindsay rested her head against the table. “Somebody shoot me now,” she groaned into the table. She lifted her head slightly. “How is it you’re fine when you’ve had less sleep, your own bed, and more alcohol?”
Taylor rubbed her forehead, guiltily . “About that. Only some of it’s true.”
Lindsay’s head shot up. She winced at the pain. “Wait. I got out of the taxi before you, which means I got to bed before you. You definitely had more alcohol than me, and as you’re still in last night’s clothes, that leaves the bed option. Danny passed out on my couch, so that means, unless you hooked up with some random, you ended up at Flack’s.”
Taylor looked away. “It’s times like this when it gets annoying that all my friends, these days, are CSIs.”
“What happened?” Lindsay demanded.
“I don’t know. I only vaguely remember being in the taxi. Nothing after that, until I woke up this morning,” she told her with a shrug.
Lindsay groaned, “I don’t remember much else, myself.”
“Did you and Danny-”
“No,” she replied, shortly.
“It’s just that you and him looked pretty-”
“Pretty what?” Lindsay asked, her eyes narrowed.
“Coupley, for lack of a better word,” Taylor offered.
Lindsay frowned. “What do you mean, ‘coupley’?”
Taylor frowned back at her. “Don’t you remember him wrapping his arm around you?”
Lindsay’s mouth dropped open. “No!”
Taylor bit back a smile and fished her cell phone out, finding the picture of Danny and Lindsay, before handing it over.
Lindsay squinted at it, and then she realized what she was looking at. “Oh my god,” she squealed. “I don’t remember this! Has Danny said anything to you?”
“Nope. Why? Wasn’t anything mentioned this morning?” Taylor asked her.
Lindsay shook her head. “No, he was gone by the time I got up.”
“So how do you know he spent the night?” Taylor asked him.
“There was a pillow and a folded blanket on the couch, and a note.”
“Oh,” Taylor frowned. “Well, perhaps he doesn’t remember either, then.”
Lindsay slumped her head back on the table, letting out a muffled groan.
Taylor patted her on the head. “Just be grateful you didn’t wake up in the same bed as him. Trust me, that’s awkward.”
Lindsay’s head was back up in a shot. “You woke up in his bed? With him?”
Taylor looked away, blushing. “Yeah.”
“I thought you didn’t like him,” Lindsay accused.
“I don’t not like him. He just drives me mad. I either want to bang his head against a wall, or mine!”
Lindsay laughed, “I know that feeling.” She groaned. “I should get going. I’m going to be late.”
“I’m going to stay and finish my coffee,” Taylor told her, as Lindsay left. As soon as she was gone, the two ghosts of the little girls appeared, staring sadly at her. Taylor sighed. “Oh, sweeties, I wish you could help me more,” she told them feeling utterly helpless.
The two ghost girls looked at each other in fright, and disappeared, only to be replaced with Leveau. “Stop me.”
Taylor frowned. “But I thought you were alive.”
Leveau nodded, “Stop me.”
Forgetting about her coffee, Taylor got up and left. Except Leveau was stood in front of her. “I’m trying,” she told him.
“Stay away!” he roared, pushing her, so she went flying backwards into an empty table. Starbucks fell silent.
“What the hell are you doing, Drew?” Flack asked her, appearing out of nowhere and offering her a hand.
Taylor took it, gingerly pulling herself to her feet, “I fell,” she muttered. She was not in the mood for another argument about ghosts. “What are you doing here?”
“It’s an unwritten rule that every coffee pot in a police precinct must house terrible coffee. Which I can live with normally, however, hungover – it’s not good.”
Taylor smiled, “I’ll agree with you on that.”
“Are you going back to the lab?”
Taylor nodded, “I have an idea.”
“Give me five minutes, and I’ll walk back with you.”
* * *
You’re So Vain came blasting out of Taylor’s pocket. “Have you changed your ringtone?” asked Flack, as they walked back.
“Nope. I assigned different ringtones for different people. This is Danny’s,” Taylor explained.
Flack burst out laughing. Then stopped suddenly. “That Britney song was assigned to me? I drive you crazy?”
“Actually, it’s called You Drive Me Crazy. And yes you do. But there isn’t a song called You Drive Me So Crazy I Want To Bang My Head Against A Wall,” she pointed out.
“I drive you crazy?” he repeated.
Taylor glanced over at him, trying to read the emotions which were crossing his face, “Yeah. Do you have any idea how infuriating you can be?” She flipped her phone open and answered it. “Danny?”
“Where are you?”
“Walking into the Crime Lab.”
“You know you thought Leveau was dead?”
“He’s schizophrenic,” Taylor offered.
“Yeah. How did you know?”
“I guessed.” The doors to the elevator opened and Danny walked out. They both hung up their phones.
“Ah, Flack. Just the person. I think we have an ID on the little girl.”
Flack nodded, “Where are we going?”
“Harlem, again. Marie’s mother mentioned something about her daughter having an evil friend.”
“Can I come?” Taylor asked suddenly.
Danny looked at her. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, Drew. You’re not taking this case to well.”
“Danny, I’m sorry, but do you expect anyone to take this case well?” Taylor asked in disbelief. “Seriously. It was sick and wrong when it was just one child, but two – Unless I consume another bottle of tequila tonight, I’m not going to sleep until this guy is stopped, and I’m pretty sure you’re not. I feel helpless enough as it is, but I can’t stand around doing nothing.”
Danny nodded, “Fine.”
“Nope. I assigned different ringtones for different people. This is Danny’s,” Taylor explained.
Flack burst out laughing. Then stopped suddenly. “That Britney song was assigned to me? I drive you crazy?”
“Actually, it’s called You Drive Me Crazy. And yes you do. But there isn’t a song called You Drive Me So Crazy I Want To Bang My Head Against A Wall,” she pointed out.
“I drive you crazy?” he repeated.
Taylor glanced over at him, trying to read the emotions which were crossing his face, “Yeah. Do you have any idea how infuriating you can be?” She flipped her phone open and answered it. “Danny?”
“Where are you?”
“Walking into the Crime Lab.”
“You know you thought Leveau was dead?”
“He’s schizophrenic,” Taylor offered.
“Yeah. How did you know?”
“I guessed.” The doors to the elevator opened and Danny walked out. They both hung up their phones.
“Ah, Flack. Just the person. I think we have an ID on the little girl.”
Flack nodded, “Where are we going?”
“Harlem, again. Marie’s mother mentioned something about her daughter having an evil friend.”
“Can I come?” Taylor asked suddenly.
Danny looked at her. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, Drew. You’re not taking this case to well.”
“Danny, I’m sorry, but do you expect anyone to take this case well?” Taylor asked in disbelief. “Seriously. It was sick and wrong when it was just one child, but two – Unless I consume another bottle of tequila tonight, I’m not going to sleep until this guy is stopped, and I’m pretty sure you’re not. I feel helpless enough as it is, but I can’t stand around doing nothing.”
Danny nodded, “Fine.”
* * *
Taylor was leaning against the hood of the car, watching several children play in the street. Flack and Danny had gone into the building to talk to the woman they suspected to be the second girl’s mother. She sighed, and held back a sob. Any of these children could be next.
As she thought it, she didn’t realise the full potential of how right she could be, until she noticed someone else watching the children. It was Leveau. Her hands flew to her cell phone. “Flack!” she whispered urgently.
“Taylor? Now is not a good time. The woman is about to-”
“Flack, Leveau is outside. Now.”
Flack swore, “Taylor, don’t you dare move from where you are.”
“I, uh, I don’t think I’m going to have much choice in the matter,” she said. Leveau had spotted her and was running over.
“Taylor-”
Taylor dropped the phone, fumbling with the keys as she ran around to the door, trying to get it open. Just as she succeeded, Leveau was at her side, slamming the door shut, and pushing her against it.
“Can I help you?” he hissed at her.
“I’m a journalist with the New York Daily,” she whimpered, trying not to cry. “I’m writing about the lack of play areas around here.”
“Now why don’t I believe you?”
“It’s the truth,” she cried, trying to push him off her.
“You’re a liar,” he spat at her. “You’re an evil liar, and you need to be cleansed of your sins.”
Taylor started to scream but he clamped his hand over her mouth, using his other hand to grab her hair and start pulling her away from the car. Kicking and hitting was doing no good – the man seemed oblivious to pain. And then the strangest thing happened. Another Leveau appeared. This one leapt on the other one, knocking Taylor free. Taylor lay on the pavement, momentarily stunned before jumping to her feet and running to the car.
Whilst the two Leveau’s fought with each other, Taylor jumped into the car and shut the door, locking it behind her.
The ghost disappeared and Leveau got back on his feet, charging at the car. He punched the glass, several times, until, oblivious to the blood and the pain, his fist went through it and grabbed Taylor. Taylor struggled against him, and then he went flying again. Not stopping to see that it was actually Danny and Flack tackling him, she moved to the other side of the car, got out and ran, ignoring the shouts behind her.
She ran as fast as she could for several blocks, until she stumbled across and empty public garden. She ran into it and fell to the grass, sobbing hysterically.
As she thought it, she didn’t realise the full potential of how right she could be, until she noticed someone else watching the children. It was Leveau. Her hands flew to her cell phone. “Flack!” she whispered urgently.
“Taylor? Now is not a good time. The woman is about to-”
“Flack, Leveau is outside. Now.”
Flack swore, “Taylor, don’t you dare move from where you are.”
“I, uh, I don’t think I’m going to have much choice in the matter,” she said. Leveau had spotted her and was running over.
“Taylor-”
Taylor dropped the phone, fumbling with the keys as she ran around to the door, trying to get it open. Just as she succeeded, Leveau was at her side, slamming the door shut, and pushing her against it.
“Can I help you?” he hissed at her.
“I’m a journalist with the New York Daily,” she whimpered, trying not to cry. “I’m writing about the lack of play areas around here.”
“Now why don’t I believe you?”
“It’s the truth,” she cried, trying to push him off her.
“You’re a liar,” he spat at her. “You’re an evil liar, and you need to be cleansed of your sins.”
Taylor started to scream but he clamped his hand over her mouth, using his other hand to grab her hair and start pulling her away from the car. Kicking and hitting was doing no good – the man seemed oblivious to pain. And then the strangest thing happened. Another Leveau appeared. This one leapt on the other one, knocking Taylor free. Taylor lay on the pavement, momentarily stunned before jumping to her feet and running to the car.
Whilst the two Leveau’s fought with each other, Taylor jumped into the car and shut the door, locking it behind her.
The ghost disappeared and Leveau got back on his feet, charging at the car. He punched the glass, several times, until, oblivious to the blood and the pain, his fist went through it and grabbed Taylor. Taylor struggled against him, and then he went flying again. Not stopping to see that it was actually Danny and Flack tackling him, she moved to the other side of the car, got out and ran, ignoring the shouts behind her.
She ran as fast as she could for several blocks, until she stumbled across and empty public garden. She ran into it and fell to the grass, sobbing hysterically.
* * *
“Taylor!”
Taylor ignored the shouts, staring at the dime Mama Severina had given her – she’d found it in her pocket when she had been looking in her pocket for a handkerchief.
“Taylor! There you are!”
Taylor looked up and found Danny stood in the garden gateway looking very relieved. He pulled out his phone, “I got her.” He hung up and walked over to her. “Are you alright?”
“Not really,” she told him, shaking her head.
Danny sat down next to the shivering journalist and pulled his jacket off, wrapping it around her. “You’re shivering.”
“I’m not cold,” she muttered, shaking her head.
“No,” Danny agreed. “You’re in shock. You should go home. Marty’s there, waiting for you.”
Taylor shook her head, “I can’t. I need to know why.” She looked up at him. “Let me watch the interview.”
Even though it wasn’t a request, Danny nodded. “It might not give you any answers, you know.”
“Going home definitely won’t give me any answer, though,” Taylor pointed out.
“You’re right,” Danny sighed, helping her to her feet.
Taylor ignored the shouts, staring at the dime Mama Severina had given her – she’d found it in her pocket when she had been looking in her pocket for a handkerchief.
“Taylor! There you are!”
Taylor looked up and found Danny stood in the garden gateway looking very relieved. He pulled out his phone, “I got her.” He hung up and walked over to her. “Are you alright?”
“Not really,” she told him, shaking her head.
Danny sat down next to the shivering journalist and pulled his jacket off, wrapping it around her. “You’re shivering.”
“I’m not cold,” she muttered, shaking her head.
“No,” Danny agreed. “You’re in shock. You should go home. Marty’s there, waiting for you.”
Taylor shook her head, “I can’t. I need to know why.” She looked up at him. “Let me watch the interview.”
Even though it wasn’t a request, Danny nodded. “It might not give you any answers, you know.”
“Going home definitely won’t give me any answer, though,” Taylor pointed out.
“You’re right,” Danny sighed, helping her to her feet.
* * *
“Mr Leveau, this is Abigail Brown, and this is your daughter, Marie. I should hope you recognise them, considering you raped and murdered them,” Flack said, trying to remain calm as Danny placed pictures of the two girls on the table.
Leveau said nothing.
“You can remain quiet all you want,” said Danny. “But the fact of the matter is, there is enough DNA evidence that you’re going to get the needle and burn in hell for what you did.”
“I will not go to hell.” Leveau told them, finally breaking the silence he had held since being arrested. “I will be welcomed into heaven by God.”
Flack slammed his fists on the table. “No! You won’t! God won’t be there to save you when you’re stood on the mouth of Hell. What you did was an unforgivable act.”
“I was merely fulfilling God’s wishes,” Leveau calmly told him.
Taylor was stood on the other side of the mirror watching this, feeling sick. If she hadn’t thrown up the second she had entered the Crime Lab, she most certainly would have been doing then. As it was, she was sat down watching the interview, feeling far too weak to be able to do anything. She wasn’t violent, but at that moment in time, she wanted ten minutes alone with him.
“The children were evil,” Leveau continued. “The spawn of Satan.”
“They were six years old. They had barely grasped the concept of right and wrong!” Danny shouted. Taylor could see both of the detectives visibly wrestling with themselves not to leap over the table and hurt him.
“Mr Leveau,” said Flack. “We have DNA evidence of five other people who helped you commit those crimes.”
Leveau started at them. “They are also God’s workers.”
The room Taylor was standing in grew cold. She turned around expecting the two girls, but instead found Leveau. “What are you doing here?” she demanded.
“I came to apologise,” he told her.
Taylor snorted. “Two innocent children are not going to be able to grow up and have the life they deserve because of you.”
Leveau shook his head. “That’s not me in there. That is the monster which did those acts. He was slowly killing me as I tried to stop him. I fought him for seven years, as I slowly became sicker and sicker. I tried to kill him, take the medicine – but he was too strong. I failed. That monster is all that is left.” Leveau started to sob, “I will never be able to see my daughter again, because I wasn’t strong enough.”
Taylor watched him before taking a deep breath. “What’s going to happen to you?”
“I’m going to what you know as purgatory. It is no less than what I deserve. He will go to Hell.”
Taylor turned her back on him. It was hard to feel pity for the man who had the same face as the man who was being interviewed by Flack and Danny.
“I just wanted to say sorry. It won’t bring them back, but it’s the best I could do.” The room got warmer as the ghost disappeared.
In front of her, Danny and Flack were gathering their things together. As they were about to leave, Flack stopped and turned around. “Here’s the thing, Leveau, you won’t make it to that needle. You’ll be dead a long time before that. Prison doesn’t take too kindly to paedophiles.” Behind Taylor, the door opened, and Flack walked in. “How are you doing?”
Taylor sighed. “This guy makes me want to give up my belief in God. I don’t understand how someone can do that and then declare it was the will of God.”
“What he was doing wasn’t the will of God,” Flack pointed out.
“I know that,” Taylor nodded, miserably.
Flack sighed. “You look exhausted. Let me take you home.” Taylor nodded. “Just wait there. I need to grab my jacket.” He smiled at her and left, leaving Taylor to watch Leveau be escorted from the interview room.
She turned around to wait in the corridor, only to be greeted by the ghosts of the two girls. The stood staring at her, scared smiles on their faces, holding each other’s hands.
“I’m sorry,” Taylor whispered, “I couldn’t protect you.” She sighed, “I really do wish there was someone with you right now, so you don’t have to be alone.”
Marie walked up to Taylor, sucking her thumb, and clutching tightly to the bear in her other hand, and wrapped her arm around her legs. It was the strangest feeling, to be hugged by a ghost – almost like a balloon was pressing against her. She wiped away the tears as the ghost vanished and left the room.
She didn’t have to wait long for Flack to appear. The two took the elevator in silence, Taylor leaning against the wall – she was completely exhausted, in every sense of the word. The doors pinged open and Flack wrapped an arm around her, leading her out. As Taylor let out a sigh, her gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Will you be alright tonight? If you don’t want to be alone-”
“Taylor!”
Taylor pulled away and found Marty heading towards her.
“Are you alright?” he asked her, giving her a hug. “Stella filled me in on everything. I took the night off, and I’m taking you home. We’ll grab a takeaway and you can have a nice hot bath,” he told her. “Cheers, mate,” he said to Flack, before leading Taylor away. Taylor looked back at him over her shoulder, and gave him a sad smile, before allowing Marty to lead her out of the building.
Leveau said nothing.
“You can remain quiet all you want,” said Danny. “But the fact of the matter is, there is enough DNA evidence that you’re going to get the needle and burn in hell for what you did.”
“I will not go to hell.” Leveau told them, finally breaking the silence he had held since being arrested. “I will be welcomed into heaven by God.”
Flack slammed his fists on the table. “No! You won’t! God won’t be there to save you when you’re stood on the mouth of Hell. What you did was an unforgivable act.”
“I was merely fulfilling God’s wishes,” Leveau calmly told him.
Taylor was stood on the other side of the mirror watching this, feeling sick. If she hadn’t thrown up the second she had entered the Crime Lab, she most certainly would have been doing then. As it was, she was sat down watching the interview, feeling far too weak to be able to do anything. She wasn’t violent, but at that moment in time, she wanted ten minutes alone with him.
“The children were evil,” Leveau continued. “The spawn of Satan.”
“They were six years old. They had barely grasped the concept of right and wrong!” Danny shouted. Taylor could see both of the detectives visibly wrestling with themselves not to leap over the table and hurt him.
“Mr Leveau,” said Flack. “We have DNA evidence of five other people who helped you commit those crimes.”
Leveau started at them. “They are also God’s workers.”
The room Taylor was standing in grew cold. She turned around expecting the two girls, but instead found Leveau. “What are you doing here?” she demanded.
“I came to apologise,” he told her.
Taylor snorted. “Two innocent children are not going to be able to grow up and have the life they deserve because of you.”
Leveau shook his head. “That’s not me in there. That is the monster which did those acts. He was slowly killing me as I tried to stop him. I fought him for seven years, as I slowly became sicker and sicker. I tried to kill him, take the medicine – but he was too strong. I failed. That monster is all that is left.” Leveau started to sob, “I will never be able to see my daughter again, because I wasn’t strong enough.”
Taylor watched him before taking a deep breath. “What’s going to happen to you?”
“I’m going to what you know as purgatory. It is no less than what I deserve. He will go to Hell.”
Taylor turned her back on him. It was hard to feel pity for the man who had the same face as the man who was being interviewed by Flack and Danny.
“I just wanted to say sorry. It won’t bring them back, but it’s the best I could do.” The room got warmer as the ghost disappeared.
In front of her, Danny and Flack were gathering their things together. As they were about to leave, Flack stopped and turned around. “Here’s the thing, Leveau, you won’t make it to that needle. You’ll be dead a long time before that. Prison doesn’t take too kindly to paedophiles.” Behind Taylor, the door opened, and Flack walked in. “How are you doing?”
Taylor sighed. “This guy makes me want to give up my belief in God. I don’t understand how someone can do that and then declare it was the will of God.”
“What he was doing wasn’t the will of God,” Flack pointed out.
“I know that,” Taylor nodded, miserably.
Flack sighed. “You look exhausted. Let me take you home.” Taylor nodded. “Just wait there. I need to grab my jacket.” He smiled at her and left, leaving Taylor to watch Leveau be escorted from the interview room.
She turned around to wait in the corridor, only to be greeted by the ghosts of the two girls. The stood staring at her, scared smiles on their faces, holding each other’s hands.
“I’m sorry,” Taylor whispered, “I couldn’t protect you.” She sighed, “I really do wish there was someone with you right now, so you don’t have to be alone.”
Marie walked up to Taylor, sucking her thumb, and clutching tightly to the bear in her other hand, and wrapped her arm around her legs. It was the strangest feeling, to be hugged by a ghost – almost like a balloon was pressing against her. She wiped away the tears as the ghost vanished and left the room.
She didn’t have to wait long for Flack to appear. The two took the elevator in silence, Taylor leaning against the wall – she was completely exhausted, in every sense of the word. The doors pinged open and Flack wrapped an arm around her, leading her out. As Taylor let out a sigh, her gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Will you be alright tonight? If you don’t want to be alone-”
“Taylor!”
Taylor pulled away and found Marty heading towards her.
“Are you alright?” he asked her, giving her a hug. “Stella filled me in on everything. I took the night off, and I’m taking you home. We’ll grab a takeaway and you can have a nice hot bath,” he told her. “Cheers, mate,” he said to Flack, before leading Taylor away. Taylor looked back at him over her shoulder, and gave him a sad smile, before allowing Marty to lead her out of the building.