''You…'' Nicole stepped back looking at him with a shocked expression.
''Does he know about you or can he see ghost?'' Lara turned to Nicole.
''Don't be afraid. I am not a strange person and I won't hurt you'' Gail tried to explain after seeing her flustered face.
''Who are you?'' Nicole stuttered.
''If you agree to have a meal with me, I will explain everything to you''
''You won't hurt me, right?''
''Hurting you is the last time on my mind'' he said with a smile.
''Only a meal and nothing else, let me warn you. I am not that easy to manipulate, okay? I also know how to fight, don't think I won't fight back just because you are a police officer'' Nicole warned him with a serious expression and he chuckled. ''What is funny?''
''You have a really wild imagination, Nicole. I won't harm you neither would I try anything funny, trust me''
''Lead the way''
''Can you wait for me at the car. I will go in and be back quickly'' Gail said to her and smiled.
''Okay'' Nicole watched him leave before she went to the car. Another car pulled over behind Gail's car and a man and woman got down from the car. Nicole's phone buzzed and she turned away quickly to answer it and didn't see Leo and Priscy going inside the hospital. On his wrist was her bracelet that she left that graveyard that day.
''Hello Miss Betty'' Nicole said and pulled the phone away from her ears, waiting for a good scolding.
''Nicole, are you alright?'' her mother asked and Nicole looked at the phone for a while. She suddenly felt like the one on the phone wasn't her mother because she didn't start with scolding.
''Mom?''
''You do know I am your mother? Nick told me you are into some kind of trouble?''
''Nick, that snitch. Everything had been sorted out mom, everything is fine''
''Then, when will you come home?''
''I don't know yet; I still have some things to take care of. I will visit when I have the time'' Nicole saw Detective Gail coming out of the hospital, ''mom, I have to go. Talk to you, later, bye'' she hung up immediately.
''Let's go'' he opened the front door for her and Nicole nodded before getting inside. She turned to see Lara at the backseat.
''I'm curious about what he has to say. I need to know so that I can tell Lizzy to work hard if not you will be snatched away by the handsome detective''
Nicole shook her head and turned to see Gail looking at her. she didn't know whether it was her imagination but she felt that the way he looked at her was full of affection and longing. The thought suddenly made her heart to race and her face turned red. She blushed and lowered her face before asking, ''why do you keep looking at me like that?''
''You are beautiful'' Gail said to her and started the car.
Nicole clenched her fists together and looked outside the window and saw Leo and Priscy walking out of the hospital.
''Leo Ankrah?'' she mentioned the name subconsciously.
''Is he someone you know?'' Gail asked looking at the two people from his rare view mirror.
''Huh, no'' Nicole said and still looked at the man until he entered into his car, ''who is she? They are always together'' she murmured to herself.
....
Gail pulled over in front of a restaurant and turned to Nicole, 'this place just opened recently. I ate here with my co-workers; their food is nice''
Nicole looked at the restaurant and then looked at her outfit. She had casually put on black dress that reached to her feet. Nicole suddenly felt like she had been careless with her dressing lately. She didn't want to embarrass him by walking inside with him.
''En, why don't you go inside, first? I will come a few minutes later''
''Why?'' Gail frowned, 'do you think I am not worthy to walk inside there with you by my side? Do I look that heinous?''
''No, no, that's not what I meant. I just feel that my outfit is a little ominous. I don't want to bring shame to you''
''I don't see you that way. You look just fine to me, get down'' he said and got down from the car. while Nicole was contemplating, he opened her side of the car and bent down to her level saying, ''do you want to be carried inside, Miss Benson?''
''Huh, no, no. my feet are perfectly fine'' Nicole hurried got out of the car and saw Lara laughing. She threw her a glare.
''This is too much. Nikki, your face looks like a ripe tomato. This detective is totally my style. I like him for you''
''Shut up'' Nicole said to her and turned to Gail after realising her actions, ''I…''
''Let's go inside'' he held her hand walking into the restaurant. As they walked inside, a lot of the people there looked at them. the man was handsome but the woman was simply just 'so-so'.
Nicole used her hand to cover half of her face as they passed by the tables until they reached the table Gail had reserved. He pulled out a chair for her and she sat down, with her hand still covering her face.
A waiter walked to them with the menu, ''here is the menu, sir'' he said and looked at Nicole.
''What would you like to eat?'' Gail passed the menu over to Nicole and she took it. Casually looking through the long menu list, she pointed at dish before handing it over to Gail.
''I will have that one''
''Are you sure about your choice?'' Gail looked at the dish she pointed and asked her. he wasn't sure the dish she picked, she would be able to eat it.
Lara who was sitting beside her, peeked into the menu and started laughing as soon as she saw what Nicole picked. It made Nicole to turn and snatch the menu back again. Her face turned red when she saw that the dish she had picked was an accompaniment; sliced broccoli and baked potatoes.
''She will have the same thing I am having'' Gail told the waiter and he nodded before leaving. As he stared at her, he could tell she was wishing there was a place she could dig and bury herself.
''You are so hilariously cute, Nikki. I didn't know you had this side to you''
''You don't have to feel shy, Nicole'' Gail said trying his best not to laugh.
''You are laughing at me, how can I not feel ashamed?''
''Okay, I will stop laughing. Actually, you don't need to feel nervous around me''
''Forget of that, tell me the truth. Why are you so good to me?'' the way she looked at him was full of suspicion and wariness but Gail didn't take offense to it.
''You really don't remember me, Nicole?'' he asked and she furrowed her brows.
''Am I supposed to know you, or have we met before?''
''The year 20xx, at City B, you were a sole witness of a bus accident that happened on the highway. You went to the police station to report that the accident was as a result of the driver's negligence but no one believed you. You even claimed that a student who passed away came to you to tell you what happened in the bus that day. Nobody in the police department believed you but you didn't give up and even gave clues that led to the arrest of the driver''
Nicole looked at him shocked, ''you…''
''I am one of the victim's brother. The girl who appeared to you after the accident is my sister who passed away then''
''You are her brother?'' Nicole looked at Gail and started to see the resemblance in them. that was the year she first started seeing dead people and didn't know how to control her gift. That accident was as a result of over speeding but the driver denied it and blamed it on faulty brakes. At that time, no one believed her and she felt like she was a crazy person.
''After you left the police that day, I decided to investigate the accident again and was able to find evidence about the driver's over speeding. By the time the case was over, I looked for you because I started to believe your words. I was just a small police officer that time, with no power''
''Is that why you believed my words that day and chased me to the junkyard?''
'Yes''
''Then, do you really believe that I can see dead people? Don't you find it strange? Are you not afraid of me?''
''I believe that you see things normal people don't see, but I am not afraid of you neither do I find you strange. I just think that you are unique. A special human being that the world needs''
''He is a sweet talker. I better tell Lizzy to hasten up before you fall for him'' Lara muttered to herself.
The waiter brought their food and they started eating in silence.