Keele closed the door once Kaylin had walked through it.

“What did I tell you about sentiment?”

“Sentiment bad, sir.”

The sergeant’s eyes narrowed. Her eyes remained a steady brown because she was human.

“Is Mrs. Erickson having difficulty? Is that why you escorted her home yesterday?”

“No, sir.”

“Speak freely. I don’t have time to play twenty questions.”

“I don’t think Mrs. Erickson’s ghosts are imaginary, sir. I offered to escort her home because I wanted to confirm the suspicion. I didn’t expect to actually see the ghosts.”

Keele froze. “You saw her ghosts.”

“Yes, sir.”

“The front desk is crazy enough we don’t need any more of it. You’re sloppy but I know you don’t drink on duty.”

“Too many Barrani in my department for that.”

Keele snorted. “Her fall down the stairs?”

“Her neighbor to the left is hostile.”

“We can’t send her home with an escort every day.”

Kaylin cleared her throat. “We can’t ask her to stop coming in. Even if she could avoid the neighbor by remaining mostly at home, she still needs to leave to get water and food. She comes here daily because the ghosts in her house are trapped there—they can’t leave.”

“You’re certain you saw these ghosts?”

“Yes, sir. Four. All children between the ages of eight and twelve at best guess. Only one of them was in missing persons Records.”

“Which one?”

“Esmeralda Noachin. Mrs. Erickson comes here with her vague reports because it gives her something to talk to the children about. She considers them her responsibility. To be fair to her, one of those ghosts is what keeps the neighbor out of the house. I believe he crossed the threshold once, and never again.”

“Where is this going, Corporal?”

“I don’t know, sir. But...I like her. She sure beats the vampire reports I’ve been logging.”

“You should look into those.”

“Vampires, sir?”

“You can see ghosts,” Sergeant Keele replied.

“True, but it’s not Mrs. Erickson making the vampire reports.”

“I have some Records searching to do myself.”

“Mrs. Erickson’s?”

“Related,” was the terse reply. “You know the sentiment I told you has no place in the Halls of Law?”

“Yes, sir.”

“There’s a reason I gave you that advice. Mrs. Erickson has been coming to the Halls of Law for as long as I’ve been part of them. Green-behind-the-ears private, and she was old to my eyes, even then. We all thought she was dotty, but never dangerous; she’s almost part of the department by this point. She remembers names, remembers details—she takes an interest in a person, and it’s genuine. She was unfailingly encouraging, and she knew how to listen. Also: baking.” The almost gentle expression drained from the sergeant’s face. “I want information about the neighbor.”

Kaylin nodded. “If the neighbor comes out again?”