I never thought there was ever an upside to being Sandy Chase, twenty something.
...OK! An over-25-less-than-30 something, and a ghosted and ghost-sighted woman living in a run down, rust-belted Detroit. I live in an old Catholic church, I wear a wedding ring that belongs to a ghost that is my best friend's body guard, and my social life assassin.
Jake is, well, a cop. He never has stopped being a cop even after he died. I don't leave my doors unlocked at night, or the windows open on purpose, but Jake does a perimeter check every half hour or so, and makes sure that everything is locked.
"What if some maniac tries to break into the place? You are a single woman that lives alone, you can never be too careful." Jake would say. My silent answer to that is, well if some nut job did get in here, Jake has my back. I don't know worry too much about it and maybe that is part of my problem. Jake is there for me. He always has been and always will be.
Jake is great, but he needs a hobby. He never really sleeps, he is always, ALWAYS around. He doesn't peep in the shower or anything that I have been able to tell. I also happen to be the ONLY one he can talk to.
Well that was up to a year or two ago. I was going shopping at the local Convenience store where I pick up my groceries and a pound of coffee and a pack of Marlboro's. (I don't smoke and I don't drink coffee but that has to do more with Jake and a ritual I do for him, but that's another story.) And when I was looking for new light bulbs I noticed a little girl in a private school uniform looking at some candy on the shelf.
I also noticed that the Korean counter monkey, Lee, wasn't looking at her. He seems to look at me plenty but when kids come into the store he is like white and rice, he thinks they are all out to rob him.
It's a bad neighborhood, and all, but give me a break. Another thing that tipped me off was she was alone. Eight years old in your neighborhood alone might be alright, but you don't let your dog out with out watching it here.
When ever I go anywhere, Jake is there, and he took a look around saw me with the girl and walked through the beer refrigerator into the back room. Moments later the audible sounds of bottles breaking.
"Shit lady! Every time you come in here something happens. I don't need this shit." Lee spat the words through his teeth as he slammed his magazine on the counter and went into the back through swinging doors. Jake walked back through the wall of cold drinks, and nodded to me.
I kneeled down to her level, "Hey sweetie, do you want some candy?" I said to her.
"You can talk to me?" she asked me, and began to cry a bit.
"Yes sweetie, we should go find your mommy ok?" I said.
"You know where she is?" she asked me.
"No, but let's call someone to come pick you up, ok?" I said.
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