Whispers at Moonrise (Shadow Falls #4)(48)

Hope stirred in Kylie's tight chest. So you know about this place? Did you live near here?

"I ... think so. I see an image of swimming in a lake. There was a lot of laughter there. It must have been fun."

Yes, there's a lake. Can you see anything more? Where you worked? What town?

The spirit frowned. "I can't." Darker shadows started appearing beneath her eyes. Shadows that made her look sadder and somehow deader. "Please get us out of there." She started to fade.

Wait. Can you tell Hannah I need to see her?

"I can, but I don't know if she'll come. She's upset."

At what? Was Hannah's memory returning, too? The cold began to ebb away.

The ghost completely vanished and the Texas heat replaced the chill, leaving Kylie with even more questions than before.

"Is the ghost gone?" Miranda asked.

"Yes," Kylie sighed.

"Are we going in?" Miranda asked.

"Where?" Kylie asked, confused.

"The woods. Duh."

"Oh, no," Kylie said.

"Thank Gawd!" Della muttered, and all three of them started walking to the cabin. Kylie looked back one more time and wondered if she'd ever find all the answers she needed. In a way, her life was as much of a mystery as a ghost.

* * *

They had one hour before they had to be back at the dining hall for the welcoming reception. While still walking, Della and Miranda jabbered about getting ready for the reception. No doubt Della wanted to spruce up to impress both Chris and Steve. Miranda wanted to wow Perry.

Kylie tried to get into the spruce-up mood with them, but her enthusiasm came up short. Lucas wouldn't even be there, so who would she be trying to impress? A vision of Derek popped into her head and she pushed it back and felt guilty for even thinking it.

Trying not to think about Derek reminded Kylie that she'd told him she'd e-mail him the description of the diner uniform. As Kylie moved to the computer, her mind raced with the details she'd collected about what Cara M. had been wearing.

Kylie opened her web account and saw a whole buttload of e-mails: a few from her mom, a couple from her dad, one from Sara, and some spam, and then a few from accounts she didn't recognize.

Ignoring her incoming mail, she clicked on the button to send a new e-mail, typed in Derek's name, and then started typing the description of the waitress uniform. She recalled all the things she'd learned about Cara M. and found herself wishing she had someone to talk to about them. Then again, she did have someone-the person she was e-mailing. Derek.

Miranda and Della's laughter spilled out of Della's bedroom. Why did hearing them laugh make her feel lonely?

The answer bubbled to the top of her mind. Because they were giddy with the idea of romance, of getting all dolled up to impress guys. Right now, the idea of romance left Kylie feeling befuddled. It felt like Lucas was pulling away and somehow Derek was sneaking closer. And nothing felt right.

But she still felt lonely.

Remembering the e-mail from her mom, Kylie picked up the phone and dialed her number. The phone rang four times before her mom answered.

"Hi, Mom," Kylie said.

"Hey, sweetie," her mom answered, and the sound of her voice had Kylie feeling homesick. "Is everything okay?" her mom asked.

"It's fine. Why do you always assume when I call you that something is wrong?"

"I don't always assume that. Only sometimes. And this is one of those times. I must be psychic. So stop pretending and tell me what's up."

Heck. Maybe her mom was a supernatural.

"Nothing," Kylie said. "I just got an e-mail from you and thought I'd call you. You are always saying I don't call enough."

"True." Her mom paused. "What's the matter, sweetie?"

Giving in because lying sure as hell didn't seem to work, Kylie answered, "Just a bad day."

"You know if you change your mind about staying there for the school year, and want to come home, I could get you enrolled back in school here and-"

"I'm not going to change my mind, Mom. I love it here." I belong here. "I'm allowed to have a bad day, right?"

"Yes, just like I'm allowed to worry about you when you have a bad day."

"Well, don't worry too much." There was a sudden background noise on the line.

"Where are you?" Kylie asked.

"Out to an early dinner."

"Alone?" Kylie asked, hoping her mom wasn't out with Smarmy John, who wanted to drag her mom off to England and get her naked and between the sheets.

As soon as the thought came, Kylie tried to push it away.

"Uh, no." Her mom's answer came out sounding guilty. "Not alone."

"With John?" Kylie attempted to keep her disappointment from her voice, but didn't think she was successful.

The silence lingered a few seconds on the line.

"It's a yes or no answer, Mom. It shouldn't take you that long to reply." Kylie realized she sounded just like her mom, too. But damn, she was certain her mom had used the exact line on her at one time or another.

"Uh ... yes," her mom's reply came out.

Kylie closed her eyes. As if her brain were on automatic pilot, the question slipped out. "You're not having sex with him, are you?" And even before the last word of the inquiry left her lips, she knew she was going to regret it.