‘Sorry,’ I said. ‘But honestly, I don’t understand any of this. I don’t think I’m going mad, although given the kind of week I’m having it’s quite possible, I suppose. How can you be here?’ A thought occurred to me and my eyes widened. ‘Danny! Is he here, too?’
Brooke hesitated, then she dug her hands into the pockets of her strange trousers and shook her head. ‘Sorry. No. Just me.’
I didn’t know whether to be sad or glad. Given the emotional state I was in, I supposed I should be grateful that there wasn’t yet another complication in the mix. I’d got more than enough to deal with already.
I realised suddenly that I was standing in the street having a conversation with a ghost.
‘Can everyone see you?’ I asked, aware that people were walking up and down the path.
‘No. Only people who are blood relatives can see the ghosts,’ she told me. ‘And not all ofthemare able to, so it’s pure chance that you can see me.’
‘Ghosts plural?’ I said nervously. ‘You mean you’re not alone here?’
‘Oh no. There are quite a few of us in Rowan Vale.’ She shrugged. ‘That’s why no one’s taking any notice of you talking to me. All the villagers here know the place is full of spirits, and if there are any tourists here, they’re either too interested in the attractions or they’ll think you’re loopy. Either way it doesn’t really matter, does it?’
‘Well, it does actually,’ I said. ‘I’d rather people didn’t think I was loopy, thanks very much.’
‘Not to worry,’ she said. ‘These people are all locals. They’ll know you’re talking to family.’
I couldn’t know for sure that she was telling me the truth, but I decided to believe her for the sake of my sanity, or I really would go loopy.
‘Can we go somewhere more private?’ I asked her.
She gave me a suspicious look. ‘What for?’
‘To talk!’ I said.
‘What about?’
I shrugged nonchalantly. ‘Oh, you know. What’s been happening onEastEndersover the last eighteen years. Tess and Claudia leavingStrictly. Who are you rooting for to winEurovision? Can you believeNeighbourshas been cancelled? Twice.’ When she just stared at me I gave her an exasperated look. ‘What do youthinkwe’re going to talk about? You died, Brooke! Yet, somehow, you’re here in Rowan Vale, dressed like – dressed like… Whatareyou dressed like?’
‘Siobhan from Bananarama,’ she muttered. ‘Wait.Neighbourshas endedagain?’
‘Good grief.’ I shook my head. ‘We need to go somewhere so we can discuss this.’ As she opened her mouth to speak, I said quickly, ‘NotNeighbours! Please, Brooke. I have so much to say to you, and there must be things you want to tell me. Things you want to ask me.’
‘Okay,’ she said, not exactly sounding thrilled about it, although that might have been the shock of her favourite soap ending. ‘I suppose you’re right. Wedoneed to talk, and I suppose it’s better late than never.’
16
‘Where can we go?’ I asked, looking around.
‘You can come to my flat,’ she said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Honestly, this day just kept getting stranger by the minute!
‘Your flat? Are you serious?’
‘What did you expect? That I’d be living in a graveyard?’
‘Well…’ I hadn’t given it any thought, but now that I was, I suppose a graveyard would have been my first guess, yes. ‘Sorry. I’ve never met a real live ghost before.’
‘Is that supposed to be funny?’
I winced. ‘Sorry again. Oh, come on Brooke, you know what I mean. This is beyond weird, isn’t it?’
‘You’re not kidding. I can’t believe you’re here in my village of all places.’
‘Yeah. That’s the weird part,’ I said, rolling my eyes.
