Then I realized it wasn’t me who needed to speak; it was Lucky.
“What is ityouwant, Mr. Strike?”
His eyebrows shot to peaks. He studied me as if expecting I would back down, pull my punch and prove I was only entertaining him by asking the question.
“You want equality, is that it?” I said.
He flicked ghostly ash on the ground. “I’ve done some things.”
“Last time I saw you, Lucky, you were fleeing the scene of a water main explosion.”
He chuckled. “That was good fun.” He wore a white and black striped tuxedo with tails. It was almost a carnival-like outfit. Something Beetlejuice might wear.
“You want a computer.”
My heart jumped to my throat. “Word travels fast.”
“I know where it is. I’ll take you to it.”
Yes! Yes!
“Under one condition.”
I clenched and unclenched my hands. “Which is?”
“Help me.”
I grimaced. “I can’t promise that.”
He smiled. Lucky wasn’t backing down. Good. That’s what I was betting on. “Then let’s play a game.”
“I don’t like games.”
“Oh,” he cooed, “you’ll love this one.”
“I doubt it.”
He smirked. “Catch me and I’ll come with you. Don’t and you leave me alone.”
I opened my mouth to speak when he cut me off.
“And…go—”
Lucky zipped down the hillside.
Shinola on a stick! This was it. Catch Lucky and I could go home. I couldn’t give up an opportunity like this. I simply couldn’t.
I raced to the Land Cruiser and climbed inside. I gunned the engine and backed up, coming to a grinding halt inches from wrecking a headstone.
I threw the gearshift into drive and slammed the accelerator. The vehicle jumped forward. I righted the steering wheel and drove.
“Where’d you go, Lucky?”
I smiled when I spotted him. He was floating at the base of the hill. I raced to catch him, but the spirit was fast.
I would be too if I could float through trees and buildings.
There wasn’t much traffic in town, which was good because I was craning my neck to keep an eye on Lucky. I’ll admit, I was barely watching the road.
