Read 14 Christmas Spirit for Free Online Page B

Jon's face it was easy to tell it wasn't Darcy's sister on the phone.
    His look told her it was someone else.
    She took the handset at Jon's insistence and held it up to her ear.  There had been a few ghosts who had contacted her by way of telephone.  It was why she never carried a cell phone with her anymore.  The spirits always seemed to get her new number no matter how many times she changed it out…
    "Hey there, Darcy.  Long time.  Miss me?"
    Not a ghost.  She sort of wished it had been.  That might have been less complicated than a phonecall from JoEllen Meyers, killer for hire.
    ***
    "I can not believe that woman is back in town," was Jon's immediate comment.
    Outside in his car with the doors closed and no one to hear them he was a lot more colorful about it.  Waiting for Shane and Blake to load up their car, Darcy got to hear exactly what Jon thought about JoEllen and just how happy he wasn't to hear she had come to Misty Hollow.
    After a minute or two, gripping the steering wheel tightly, Jon stared straight ahead down Main Street.  Darcy could tell he was waiting for her to say something.  "She isn't going to be a problem, Jon."
    "Of course she's going to be a problem," he muttered.  "The woman is nothing but trouble."
    "She's not our enemy, Jon."
    "She's a wanted fugitive."
    "Well, besides that."
    He looked at her from the corner of his eye.
    "You know what I mean," Darcy told him.  "She helped us out before, if you remember.  And we helped her.  I thought we kind of left on friendly terms."
    He sighed heavily.  "It's just bad timing, is all."
    "Well, sure.  We've got this investigation going on now."
    "It's more than that."
    The black and white patrol car that Shane and Blake were driving came around the corner from the back of the police station before Darcy could ask what Jon meant by that.  He put their car in gear to take the lead as they headed to Neilson Daye's address.  He didn't say anything else for a while.
    Darcy let him stew, hoping whatever knot he was working through would work loose on its own.  Neither of them could have foreseen JoEllen showing back up now, here in Misty Hollow.  Darcy had figured they might never see the woman again after the events at Bear Ridge.  Now she was here, with her son, and she wanted to meet with Darcy.  There was something she needed Darcy's help with.  Oh, and Jon's too, she had added, the twist in her words letting Darcy know she was smiling as she said it.
    She hadn't told Jon that part yet.  She wasn't looking forward to his reaction.  Police officers and hired killers didn't exactly run in the same circles.
    "You do remember how JoEllen told us she was getting out of the business, right?" Darcy asked Jon.  "That she wasn't going to be a hired killer anymore?"
    "Well, good for her," Jon said, sarcastically.  "I'm so happy that she's had the chance to walk away from all the lives she's ended and all the crimes she's committed."
    "She's trying to make up for all that.  She's not a bad person, Jon.  You know that as well as I do.  She saved our lives."
    "I know, I know," he said, more gently.  "But she is still wanted and there are warrants attached to her name.  Some are from agencies close enough that I'd have to honor them if anyone knew she was around.  She's not going to just be able to walk away from what she's done with her life.  I don't want her bringing that to Misty Hollow.  Not now.  Maybe after the start of the year."
    "What?"  Darcy was confused.  "What does that mean?"
    Jon took one final turn, the patrol car following them closely behind.  The green street sign read Birch Lane.  Neilson's street.  "Look.  I know JoEllen's not evil or anything, Darcy, and I know she's tried to turn her life around.  I'm all for that and I'll be happy to help her.  Just not now.  That's Neilson's building.  We're here."
    Darcy knew there was a lot more that he wasn't telling her but she also knew things were unfolding fast