Page 35 of Phantom’s Mate

Nick put his arm around her. “It’s okay,” he said. “Look how much progress you’ve already made.”

Britt had her eyes squinched shut, concentrating fiercely. “Madison,” she said slowly. “That’s all I remember.”

“First name or last name?” Brandon asked.

She bit her lip. “I don’t remember. Dammit! It’s just a blank.”

“It’s okay,” Brandon said. “We’re PI’s; this is what we do. If you found her, we can. The first thing is to find out what happened to your personal possessions. The locket and letter might still be in your purse, with your sister’s name and address. Failing that, we can look for your home computer and personal papers.”

Remy added, “And I can find your mother’s information online, and anything in the system about your sister. Follow the same trail you followed.”

“Chaz would have my things,” Brittany said. “My boy—ex-boyfriend.” Nick gave a little growl. She’d told him about this Chaz dirtbag. There was somebody he’d like to sink his claws into. Anyone who would ditch Britt and break her heart deserved to be bloodied up a little.

“I used to live with him,” she added, “so at least I know that address.”

Brandon glanced at Nick, who realized he was still growling. “Fine,” Brandon said. “Give us a day or two to run down all these leads, and once we’ve found your sister, you can figure out what you want to do.”

“I hope you can find the locket,” Britt said. “I really want her to have it.”

“If it’s there, we’ll get it.”

Nick wanted to keep Britt there with the Wild Bloods, but as the hours wore on she began to get pale and agitated. Titan said that it might be harmful to her spirit to be away from the accident site too long.

Neither Nick nor Britt was happy about going back, but he didn’t want to risk something worse happening to her.

Before they left, though, Brock took Nick aside.

“You need to be careful around Britt,” Brock said.

“Why?” he asked. “She’s not dangerous.”

Brock bit his lip, and then spoke carefully, obviously choosing his words. “She’s still an angry ghost. I felt you taking on her pain, when I was inside her mind.”

“She needed me to, so she could think.”

“Maybe,” Brock said. “But I could tell this wasn’t the first time you’d done it.”

“So?” Nick said, anger welling up in him. What was Brock’s problem? Why the hell was everyone always trying to tell him what to do?

“What’s wrong with trying to make things a little easier for her?” he snapped. “Look what she’s been through! You really think she needs more pain in her life?”

“But it’s not her life,” Brock said quietly. “It’s her death. She’s a ghost—an energy being—and a lot of that energy is disturbed and angry.”

“That’s not her fault!” Shit. He fucking wanted to punch Brock. He clenched his fists against his sides.

“I agree,” Brock said. “But you’re also an angry ghost.”

“Fuck you.”

“And her anger is feeding yours. Titan told me you were going after Jax.”

“I put that on hold, but yeah. Why shouldn’t I? Fucker deserves to pay. He deserves to die.”

“But do you deserve to carry his death on your soul? That kind of anger doesn’t just fade away. Not when you’re a spirit—especially one who’s taking on this kind of negative energy.”

“Really? Have you ever been a spirit? No? Then fuck off.”

And Nick walked away.