Thinking of Derek led her heart back to Lucas. The trip to the falls had lessened her animosity toward him, but not completely. Sooner or later, the two of them needed to talk. She just didn't know how that talk would end. Or even how it would begin. Was she right to feel angry at him for keeping his distance when she knew why he did it-to prevent issues with his dad so he could get voted on the were Council? Shouldn't she be more accepting and understanding?

Burnett reached back and squeezed his neck as if to relieve his tension. "Holiday has to be told."

Kylie dug the toe of her right tennis shoe into the dirt and focused on the problem at hand instead of her Lucas issues. "I know. But I thought maybe if I knew exactly what it was Hannah wanted, then it would be easier."

"You think she wants something?"

Kylie nodded. "They always want something. That's why they haven't crossed over. That's why they come to us."

"Come to you," he said, and then added, "Do you have any idea what she could need?"

Kylie prepared herself for his reaction again. "I'm not completely sure. At first I thought it could be just to get her and the others from the makeshift grave. Maybe to find out who did this to her. But now ... now I think she feels she has to protect Holiday from something or ... someone."

His expression darkened, but this time his angst didn't focus on her. His eyes brightened with an instinctual need to protect Holiday.

"Before you ask, I don't know who or exactly what poses a danger to Holiday." Kylie suspected it had to do with a man named Blake, but she wasn't completely sure she should share that with Burnett right now. The last time she shared some personal information about Holiday with Burnett, Holiday had flipped. If Kylie discovered Blake posed a threat, then she'd tell Burnett everything. But she needed more information. Information that neither Holiday nor Hannah seemed willing to give.

He waved his hands out in front of him in frustration. "Then go find Hannah and tell her you need answers."

"It doesn't work that way. You don't go to the ghost. They come to you."

His frown tightened. "I don't like this," he said. "None of it."

On that point, Kylie could agree with him.

He stood there, staring out at the trees as if the answers could be plucked from the limbs. She got the feeling he wasn't accustomed to not being able to get information when he demanded it. If he really was a ghost whisperer, he had a lot to learn about patience. She pitied the poor ghost who showed up first.

Burnett finally looked back at Kylie. "Okay, tell me everything you know. Everything. We'll figure this out."

Even before Kylie started talking she had a distinct feeling that getting Burnett involved was going to be a game changer, and she wasn't sure if that was going to be a good thing ... or a bad thing.

* * *

That afternoon, Kylie stood in front of the open fridge, staring. Listening to the hum of the appliance and savoring the cool air hitting her face while Miranda and Della sat at the table behind her.

Amazing how cool felt so much better when it wasn't coming from death. Not that she wouldn't like Hannah to drop in for a visit just now. She really needed answers. But if she'd learned anything, it was that you couldn't rush ghosts.

Kylie had somehow managed to convince Burnett to give Hannah a little more time before breaking Holiday's heart and telling her that her sister was dead. For some unknown reason, Kylie sensed that knowing exactly what Hannah needed was important. Not that Kylie didn't worry it might be her own desire to postpone hurting Holiday that encouraged this decision.

Burnett also agreed that going to the cafe to check and see if they could get any information about Cara M. would be a good thing. He was going to arrange for them to go out there Saturday morning with Derek. Burnett wanted Derek to go because when she'd told Burnett about what Derek had uncovered so far, Burnett was impressed at Derek's investigative skills.

Never mind that Lucas was going to have a shit fit when he found out Burnett had asked Derek to join them. But who knew, he might not even find out. With as little face time as she had with Lucas lately, he might never know. Or care.

She closed her eyes. He cared. He just cared more about other things right now.

Nipping at her lip, she remembered she still hadn't answered any of Lucas's texts today. She didn't know how to answer them because she didn't know how she felt anymore. One minute she was mad, the next she was contemplating if being angry with him was fair.

"What's wrong?" Miranda asked.

Kylie opened her eyes, focusing on what was in front of her and not what was going on inside her. "We're out of soda."

"Why don't you just zap us some?"

Kylie looked back at Miranda. "Zap as in...?"

"Zap," Miranda said, and held up her pinky.

"Uh, why don't you just zap us some?" Kylie asked, and saw Della's eyes widen.

"Because you need to become a zapper," Miranda said matter-of-factly. "You need to embrace your inner Wiccan spirit."

Kylie had somehow avoided any zapping since the whole paperweight to Burnett's crotch incident. And she'd like to continue avoiding it, but from the look in Miranda's eyes, she knew that wasn't going to be feasible. Well, not without hurting the witch's feelings.

And Kylie hated hurting anyone's feelings. Especially Miranda's.

"Okay ... how do I do it?" She shut the fridge and inhaled. "Without endangering any of our lives."