Jack couldn’t help but watch Nonie as she left. She looked to be twenty-nine, thirty at the most, stood maybe five foot-four and was slender. She had shoulder-length, curly, walnut-colored hair and the largest most beautiful blue eyes he’d ever seem Her nose and ears were small in comparison to her full lips, which he’d give anything to kiss.
When Shaundelle turned and looked back at Nonie she had her lips pursed. “The man say wear whatever you want. Wear black, girl. It’s slimmin’, not that you need any slimmin’ with your skinny self, but it makes me look like I’ve been dietin’ for a week. I don’t want to be the only one wearin’ black, so wear black, okay?
Nonie chewed on her bottom lip for a moment. She’d told Fezzo so much already yet there wasn’t a speck of incredulity in his eyes. His expression was serious, and she had his full attention. “I’m not quite sure about what to do with Helen, the ghost that followed me home.
Oh, uh-uh,” Shaundelle said. “I’m not gonna be no place where no ghost is gonna be knockin’ nobody upside the head. I’m outta here. I’m not going to take any chances that some ghost is gonna mess up this pretty face.
Two gasps rang out. The first one came from Clara, the second from Fezzo. One moment they’d been looking at a mound of concrete, and now they were staring at two human feet. They were crossed at the ankle so that tops of the feet faced each other and rested toe to toe.
Margaret’s voice, with its raspy twang, reminded her of magnolias and whiskey.
But you know, mon petite, what you got is a gift. And when de good Lord gives you a gift you have to use it. Dat’s why he put you here on dis earth. Sometime it’s gonna be to help a soul cross over to de other side to meet him. If dat’s whey you gott do, den dat’s what you gotta do. You can’t just keep collecting de dead. You gonna have to find a way to take what you got and work wit dat.
Who’s the young man beside you?” Helen suddenly asked. “Oh, I see, you’re one of us.” She turned to Nonie. “And you did introduce us before.” She tapped a finger against her right temple. “Every once in a while this old clock up here forgets to click to the next second. I apologize for that.
Although this scouting gig sounded like a financial hit, it made Nonie extremely nervous. She feared someone slip – that someone being Buggy – and others would find out Nonie’s secret. And if the wrong person caught wind that she could see and speak to the dead, word would spread through Clay Point like ants at a picnic.