Apparition Part 3

A little annoncement..My two new manuscripts have been accepted by Star Dust Press. Look for *The Soulmates's Curse* and *When Angels Fall* in 2007. The Soulmates's Curse will be out for cupids wonderful day! Woo Hoo! There will be blurbs for both on my website of course. www.thedecadenceofdahlia.com
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And now to Apparition!!

Jared had spent the rest of the night thinking about his encounter. The party broke up around one thirty in the morning and Jared considered walking back through the park. He wanted to go back to the spot where she disappeared to see if she would be there once again. But one am in the morning in Central park, common sense eventually ruled out his curiosity. He definitely did not want to become a mugging victim or the city’s newest unknown murder. Then they both would be in the same boat, dead in the park.
Now Jared sat behind his desk at the shelter, the dawn of a new day. He watched as his friend Max wiped the tears from his eyes after Jared recounted exactly what he had seen.
“You finished?” Jared asked as Max’s laughter faded into a sigh.
“For now unless you are ready to tell me you saw the Easter bunny in the park as well.” Max’s voice was filled with mirth.
Maxwell Moore, Max for short. Anyone one else who called him otherwise would get a fist in the mouth. He and Jared had been friends since childhood and even then anyone who dared called the big man Maxwell was in for a beating. When Jared had came to him with the idea of opening the shelters and asked him for help. Max agreed without a second thought. He lived on the other side of the tracks. Unlike Jared Max had to learn the streets to survive from one day to the next. Now as he sat across from his long time friend, he thought Jared was finally cracking up.
“I’m serious Max, I saw the girl. She needs help and I have to help her.” Jared replied.
“What could she possible need help for Jared? Now if you saw her which I am skeptical to believe. She seems pretty much out of existence.” Max concluded.
“Maybe she needs help to find her killer.” Jared shot the theory out into the room and Max raised his eyebrow at his friend.
Jared sighed. “Listen Max you know I am a rational man and I don’t believe in a lot of stuff. "But this I did see. Now I need for you to get on that computer you are always on and find me a missing person’s report matching her.”
“Fine, but how am I supposed to find her between all the people that go missing in this city every year?” Max asked. “For all we know she has been in the park for years. If I believe you saw a ghost. I’m leaning towards heat stroke induced by wearing a tux and walking.”
“Her dress is one of these new styled things with the halter top.” Jared replied.
“You need a date bad buddy if you are sizing up a ghost.” Max laughed.
“Max.” Jared said in a warning tone. “Just get me some pictures to look at on the computer and we’ll go from there.”
“Gotcha.” Max said. He started to click away on the laptop on the desk. “Oh by the way those kids you sent in are downstairs.”
“Good they came in.” Jared said approvingly. He was afraid they would not have gone to the shelter. “They settle in ok?”
“Yeah, the boy is pretty protective of his sister. I got Claudia to talk with her. She is thinking rape or molestation. But she is going to take it slow with her.” Max explained. “Here I got some missing person’s files from the database going back tow years. If your ghost is not in there, then we’ll go back further.”
“Great thanks.” Jared turned the computer to him enthusiastically. Hoping the face of his ghost was on the first page. “And make sure you keep an eye on the girl and her bother. They might need a little more help than some of the others.”
“I will, but I am not leaving this office until I prove your crazy.” Max said he leaned back in the chair to put his foot up on the desk.
“You won’t have to wait long buddy because there she is.” Jared stated it smugly. He turned the computer to face Max and tapped the screen. "Here on the third page. That’s the girl I saw.”
“You’re kidding! Max was amazed that he actually found the face. “Her name is Josephine Coulter. She has been missing for a year and a half. Twenty-two and last seen in Central Park. Well pinch my tits.”
Jared laughed. “I would but you are not my type.”
“What are you going to do now Jared? and you wish you could have me buddy..all the girls love my chest."
“First I’m going back to the park tonight and see if she appears again. If she does, I’ll know I’m not crazy and work from there.” Jared told Max his plan.
“Need me to go with?” Max asked.
“Nope, but thanks.” Jared replied. He knew this was his little private mission for now.
He was on pins and needles all day and in the evening. Jared wanted to get back to the park and concentrating on anything else was a very hard thing to do. By eight o’ clock that night he was stepping out of his apartment and crossing the street into Central Park. Dressed in a pair of jeans and blue t-shirt, the weather felt ten times better than the night before in a tux. Jared walked quickly to the spot where he had last saw his ghost. When had he started to refer to her as his he thought to himself? He stood in the exact spot and looked around. The air seem still in this area and it was eerily quiet.
“Hey, um are you here?” Jared felt a little stupid talking to no one. Especially when two runners passed and looked him as if he was a banana short of a bunch.
“Come on,” he coaxed. “I won’t hurt you, just show yourself please. I’m here to help.” Jared was about to give up when a breeze passed him and whipped up the leaves on the ground. He turned and there she stood, no shoes and the same said eyes.
“Find me, help me please.” She said her voice like a whisper.
“I have, at least I think I have.” He led out a hand to her. “Are you Josephine, is that you name?”
She looked at him for a moment and then it seemed as if she was thinking. Her face brightened and to Jared it was as if the sun had came out on the darkened path.
This time instead of stepping away the ghost pleading for help stepped forward. “Yes, yes! I think I am Josephine! That is my name! Can you help me?’
Jared smiled, a smile that was both relief and happiness. “Josephine I’ll do my damn best to help you.”
Josephine smiled a radiant smile. “Help me to remember?”
“I will, I definitely will.” Jared replied. His hand was still reaching out to her and she put her hand in his. Even though there was no flesh and bone to touch Jared still felt the connection. The quest to find Josephine had begun.

Want more come back next week Luvvies!