“Knock. Knock,” Ronan said, popping his face around the curtain. “Can I come in?”
“Yeah.” Jude waved him forward.
Ronan grabbed a chair and moved it to Jude’s bedside. “I’m getting sick and damn tired of spending time with you in hospitals,” Ronan said dryly.
“You’re telling me,” Jude agreed. “Have you heard anything on Alistair?”
“He’s with the cardiac care team getting an echocardiogram. He’s going to be put into the cardiac ICU, just until he stabilizes. I’m not family, so the doctor couldn’t tell me any more than that.” Ronan pulled out his phone, tapped the screen and sighed. “What was the deal with the woman in red?”
“You saw Amity too?” Jude asked, feeling relieved. “When Cope told me she’d been dead for over three hundred years, I was afraid this knock to my head gave me his powers, like what happened to you a few years back when you fell and hit the back of your head on the kitchen floor.”
“That thought flashed through my mind too.” Ronan flashed an all too brief grin. “Everly talked to her for a long while, what do you know about Amity?”
“Not much, but I know someone who does.” He pointed to the curtain, where Everly was peeking into the cubicle.
“Can I come in, Uncle Jude?” Everly asked.
“Of course you can.” Jude patted the side of the bed.
“I’m worried about you.” She hopped up onto the bed and gave Jude a gentle hug.
“Worried because you love me or because you know the results of my cat scan. Meow!” Jude’s head ached as he spoke.
Everly laughed. “Worried because you’re a dumbass who keeps getting himself hurt. I know you’re gonna be fine, the cat says so. It will take a lot more than whack to the head to bring you down.” Her smile faded. “I need to apologize to you, Uncle Jude.”
“Why?” What on earth did Everly have to apologize for?
“When Woofie was begging Carson to come with us, I begged too. I knew it was gonna be boring sitting in the backseat of the SUV waiting for something to happen and I wanted a friend with me. Can you forgive me for putting Wolf in danger?” Everly’s bottom lip trembled.
Jude could forgive his niece for just about anything. Not that he was going to tell her that. “Of course I forgive you, honey. You would never do anything to hurt Wolf, and it was you who were able to open the auditorium doors after Cope said Amity locked them.”
“What happened when you were talking to her?” Ronan asked. “One minute you two were chatting and the next she was gone.”
“Amity is a very powerful witch. When I told you I could feel a buzzing the other night, that was her energy. She came from a family of witches, who she was able to keep learning from after she died. Amity was murdered during the Salem Witch Trials. Did you know that, Daddy?” Everly asked, tearing up.
“I did. Did you cross her over?” Ronan asked, sounding hopeful.
“No, Amity didn’t want to go. She wants to talk to Uncle Cope first. She has a very heavy heart.” Everly turned back to Jude. “She’s very upset she glamoured and kidnapped Woofie while Alistair hit you.”
“Glamoured?” Jude asked. “It’s been a long time since I’ve watchedDracula, but I thought only vampires could glamour people.”
Everly laughed. “Amity used a spell to make Wolf go to her. When I was talking to her, she was crying. She had been so excited to meet Alistair all those years ago when he had gone to a medium and was happy to help him by lending him her gifts.”
“Lending?” Jude asked. “What, like a library book?”
“No, Amity’s spirit is strong enough that she can make herself visible to Alistair. You saw her yourself. When he would work at the carnival, Amity would be in the next room listening and she’d give him the answers through telepathy.”
“Telepathy?” Ronan asked. “That’s real?”
Everly nodded.
“Can you do it?” Ronan asked, looking worried.
Everly grinned but didn’t say a word.
“Holy shit!” Ronan gasped. “You want strawberry ice cream. We’re gonna need to talk about this new gift.”
Everly hopped off the bed and ran to her father.
