Page 50 of You'll Be the Death of Me

Robbie hesitated again, considering. “How are you even here? Inside my head right now?”

“That is an excellent question.” She glanced at Cole, wishing he’d heard their interior back-and-forth and could help with an answer, but she knew from the past several hours even he didn’t have a good one. “Let’s just say I’m in a sort of limbo. Stuck between life and death, and I need some help—your help—to get unstuck.”

He went quiet again. “So, you’re a ghost?”

“I think so, yes.” She wasn’t sure if this was going to scare him away or bring him closer, but what he said next threw her for a loop.

“Could you find my mom?”

Dell reeled. “Oh, um...I—I don’t know.”

He sighed in disappointment. “Bummer. I just want to tell her me and Grandpa Charlie are doing okay. And I miss her.”

The sensation to cry boiled behind Dell’s eyes again. She had no idea what kind of promise she was making, if it was even possible, but she knew she’d do everything to keep it. “Robbie, if you help me out today, I promise you I will figure out how to find your mom and tell her.”

He paused again, and Dell wished she could give the kid a hug. Eventually, he said, “Okay,” and the tension blocking Dell from full access dissolved. She felt herself sink into his body and take control.

She slowly stood up, remembering how much longer his legs were than hers, and wiped at her wetting eyes.

“Dell?” Jason cautiously asked, and leaned toward her.

“Yeah,” she said with a sniffle, in Robbie’s voice.

“Oh, thank God,” Jason blurted, and threw his arms around her. “Also thank God Robbie showered.”

Dell burbled a soggy laugh into his neck, letting his embrace restore her. The past several hours had run her ragged, and she finally had the chance to tell someone who’d fully understand. Not that Cole hadn’t lent a comforting ear.

“What’s wrong?” Jason asked and pulled back from their hug. “Well, I mean aside from the obviousyou’re deadthing.”

She sniffled again and looked around Robbie’s room. “We seriously misjudged this kid. He’s not a slacker. He’s his grandfather’s caretaker, and either some kind of criminal hacker or he works for the government. Either way, his income pays for this house.”

Jason jerked his neck in surprise. “Oh shit. Really?”

“Yeah. He’s lived with his grandpa since his mom died.” She turned her gaze to Cole and shyly bit her lip. “And I kind of told him I’d be able to find his mom and give her a message...”

Cole didn’t immediately roll his eyes or say no, so she hoped the possibility wasn’t a stretch.

Jason followed her gaze to the space beside them. “Is he here again? The transition guy?”

“Yes. His name is Cole, remember? He’s actually been really helpful.” She shot Cole a grateful smile.

He smiled back.

“Good to know,” Jason said. “So, what the hell happened with Tommy?”

Dell shook herself to remember what they were here to discuss. She took Jason’s hand and led them to the bed. “You might want to sit down for this.”

By the time she’d finished filling in the holes about Nikki and about Evelyn ordering their lawyer to destroy the prenup, Jason was standing at the bedside with his hands clenched in fists.

“That motherfucker!” he spat.

“I know. I can’t believe I was going to marry him at all,” Dell said with a shake of her head. “And I can’t believe you got him to confess.”

Jason proudly nodded and punched his fists into his hips. “That wasn’t all me though. When I walked in to him looking like he’d escaped Shutter Island, I knew something was up. You’re one scary dead bride.”

“Thank you,” she said with a little bow.

“Okay, so once that news gets out, what’s going to happen?”