Read Plain Jane for Free Online Page B

spaniel, who was looking up at her as if she was trying to tell her something important.
    “Dogs have a sixth sense, you know. She either senses or sees something,” Mike said, excitement ringing in his voice.
    Jane offered up an indulgent smile. She had never bought into the ghost theory though she’d gone along with it, even encouraged it from time to time when the occasion called for it. All in fun, of course. She glanced down at Olive. A sixth sense? No, she didn’t buy into that theory either. More than likely Olive’s howl was due to detecting a particularly strong scent—a rabbit or a squirrel, something other than a dog.
    Minutes passed during which neither Jane nor Mike spoke. Jane became increasingly aware of the garden’s stillness. When she’d first come outside, the birds had been chattering, but now they were silent. The crickets were quiet, too. The only sounds were of her, Mike’s, and Olive’s breathing. She glanced around at the huge old oaks and realized not a leaf was stirring.
    A chill chased itself down her spine. She wished Mike would finish whatever he was doing so they could return to the house. A second later, Olive barked sharply, then took off toward the back of the property at breakneck speed.
    “Did you feel that ?” Mike asked, rubbing his upper arms.
    “Feel what? What are you talking about?”
    “It was a—” He slashed the air with his hand “There was a—” His expression begged her to help him out, but she couldn’t. She had no idea what he was talking about. “I don’t know. But whatever it was, I felt it, and your dog ran after it.”
    Jane’s eyebrows rose to a peak. She was tempted to go into her psychiatrist mode but decided he might think she was making fun of him. It would be better just to act herself and say what was on her mind. “I hate to say one of my peers is nuts, but you are, Sorenson. Certifiably nuts.” She leaned toward him, her eyes boring into his. “Read my lips; there is no such thing as a ghost. Olive probably picked up the scent of a rabbit or a squirrel.”
    Mike shot her a withering look. “Think what you like. It makes no difference to me. I know what I know. There was something here not of this world. So there, Jane.”
    He was serious. Very serious. And if she ever wanted to see him again, she would be wise not to mock him. “Okay,” she said, cautiously backing down off her soapbox. “So maybe you aren’t nuts. But if you want me to believe in ghosts, then you’ll have to prove their existence to me. Let’s start by you telling me exactly what you felt, ” Jane said, stretching her neck to see where Olive had gone.
    He thought a moment. “There was a—a presence,” he said, squinting as he looked at her. “It was stronger when Olive was here and then . . . there was this flash of cool air. Right after that, Olive took off. I didn’t see anything, though. I wish I had.” He smiled at her. “Maybe next time.”
    “Next time?”
    “I’d like to come back if you don’t mind.”
    “Why I—No. How about Saturday? We can have a picnic brunch right here next to the well.” Picnics were good, she thought, because they were romantic—just the two of them sitting side by side on a blanket eating little sandwiches, nibbling on fruit, and drinking champagne.
    “In all the time you’ve lived here you’ve never felt or experienced anything ?” he asked. “Even just something a little out of the ordinary or something you couldn’t quite put your finger on?”
    Jane gave him an apologetic look. “No, I’m afraid not, but like I said before, every once in a while something spooks Olive. I’ve seen her run circles around the well, and the way she took off a minute ago—she’s done that before. But she’s never howled like that. In fact, she’s never howled at all.”
    She could imagine what Trixie would say to all of this. Play along. If you have to, make something up. But she couldn’t do that. It wasn’t her