Karrin and Mort stood around outside as the uniforms sorted everything out, and I walked over to stand close enough to hear them.

“… came back to help,” Mort said. “It happens sometimes. Some people die feeling that something was incomplete. I guess Dresden thought that he hadn’t done enough to make a difference around here.” Mort shook his head. “As if the big goon didn’t turn everything upside down whenever he showed up.”

Karrin smiled faintly and shook her head. “He always said you knew ghosts. You’re sure it was really him?”

Mort eyed her. “Me and everyone else, yeah.”

Karrin scowled and stared into the middle distance.

Mort frowned and then his expression softened. “You didn’t want it to be his ghost. Did you?”

Murphy shook her head slowly, but said nothing.

“You needed everyone to be wrong about it. Because if it really was his ghost,” Mort said, “it means that he really is dead.”

Murphy’s face… just crumpled. Her eyes overflowed and she bowed her head. Her body shook in silence.

Mort chewed on his lip for a moment, then glanced at the cops on the scene. He didn’t say anything else to Murphy or try to touch her—but he did put himself between her and everyone else, so that no one would see her crying.

Damn.

I wished I’d been bright enough to see what kind of guy Morty was while I was still alive.

I stood there watching Karrin for a moment and then turned away. It hurt too much to see her in pain when I couldn’t reach out and touch her, or make an off-color joke, or find some way to give her a creative insult or otherwise show her that I cared.

It didn’t seem fair that I should get to say good-bye to her, even if she couldn’t hear it. She hadn’t gotten to say it to me. So I didn’t say anything. I gave her a last look and then I walked away.

I went back over to Uriel to find him conversing with Sir Stuart.

“Don’t know,” Sir Stuart was saying. “I’m not… not as right as I used to be, sir.”

“There’s more than enough left to rebuild on,” Uriel said. “Trust me. The ruins of a spirit like Sir Stuart’s are more substantial than most men ever manage to dredge up. I’d be very pleased to have you working for me.”

“My descendant,” Sir Stuart said, frowning over at Morty.

Uriel watched Mort shielding Karrin’s sorrow and said, “You’ve watched over him faithfully, Stuart. And he’s grown a great deal in the past few years. I think he’s going to be fine.”

Sir Stuart’s shade looked at Mortimer and smiled, undeniable pride in his features. Then he glanced at Uriel and said, “I still get to fight, aye?”

Uriel gave him a very sober look and said, “I think I can find you something.”

Sir Stuart thought about it for a moment and then nodded. “Aye, sir. Aye. I’ve been in this town too long. A new billet is just what I need.”