with that dead girl like you was at a fuckin ’ prom ! Dammit ! That ’ s a morgue in there , not a brothel , and they got words for what I seen you doin ’ to —” He stopped himself cold and stared at Will , as if he were trying to read something in his face that might explain the images he had seen on the monitor . “ Just what in hell was you doin ’ in there ?”
Under different circumstances Will ’ s tone might have sounded completely rational . He looked into the old man ’ s eyes . “ I was saying goodbye , Gus . And if you really were watching us , I know you didn ’ t see me treating her like that . I can ’ t explain what happened . I only know I don ’ t want doctors cutting into her to take her insides apart just so they can find someone who will put her into the ground , maybe someone who ’ s the reason she ’ s dead . There should be something I can do for her , and I keep thinking that there is something I can do . But I don ’ t know what it is . All I know is , I just don ’ t want her to be dead .”
Gus again sat in the chair behind the desk and fingered the controls of the TV monitors . “ You don ’ t know what you ' re playin ’ with , William . I mean , you ’ re askin ’ me to turn my back on a situation most would say is pretty sick . Hell , you don ’ t even know that girl ’ s name or where she comes from . So it ’ d be in your best interest if you didn ’ t go around makin ’ noise about your wantin ’ her to be alive so the two of you can do the funky chicken . Not even to me .”
But Will could tell the old man ’ s voice had lost its edge . “ Because it ’ s sick ?” he asked . “ Or because I can ’ t help her ?”
“ Yes , because it ' s sick !” Old Gus shot back , and his eyes again searched monitor 6 . His next words came hesitantly as if he preferred to keep them to himself . “ And no ,” he finally said , his voice barely a whisper . “ Because … Because … I think maybe you can help her .”
***
Gus insisted they continue their conversation across the street from Colson County Hospital on a bench in Lattimer Park . A crisp morning wind slapped Will awake , and he pulled his coat collar tight against it , shivering in the gray light .
“ You ever hear of a necromancer ?” the old man asked .
Will never had heard the word before . “ Someone who is in love with a dead person ?” he offered . Gus looked at him as if he had told him a bad joke .
“ Jesus , white people don ’ t know shit ' bout nothin ’,” he sneered and took a long gulp of coffee to brace himself against the stiff morning chill . “ I ’ m tellin ’ you this ' cause I can see the whammy the girl on that slab has put on you . I ain ’ t sayin ’ I don ’ t think it ’ s the devil who ’ s at work here , but I figure you got the right to know . You go to church , William ?”
“ I haven ’ t been inside a church since my mother died ,” he answered , kicking away a candy wrapper at his feet . “ But I don ’ t see what this —”
“ I talk , you listen . Okay ? Accordin ’ to the Bible a necromancer is one who calls up the dead . The story is , King Saul went for a visit in En-dor when he wanted Samuel to tell him where he stood in his battle against the Philistines . See , Samuel was a prophet who died , and the King went to the woman in En-dor to raise Samuel from the dead . Only trouble with that deal was , when she rose ol ' Samuel from the dead he told Saul that both him and his son , Jonathan , was gon ' to die in battle the next day .” He took another gulp of coffee .
Will ’ s mouth curled into a half-smile . “ That ’ s a good story , Gus . You want to tell me the one about Hansel and Gretel now ?”
“ I ain ’ t through , smart ass ,” Gus snorted . “ And you ain ’ t listenin ’. The Bible tells us that woman in En-dor was a witch , and maybe she was . ' Cause legend has it that necromancers worked with viscera - human guts - to pull off that raisin ’ -the-dead trick . But necromancy has some advantages , William . The dead can help the livin ’ in quite a few ways . For one thing , they can tell you what ’ s gonna be , ' cause the dead , they know these things . And your sorry ass is in bad need of knowin ’ what ’ s gonna be if you decide to start courtin ’ one of ' em .” “ I ’ m not following you ,” Will said . “ Hand me that pen you log out with ,” Gus said . He spilled out the remaining coffee and ripped the cup , flattened it on the bench , and wrote something on it . “ My mother never believed in trash ' bout seances and mediums . She read her bible , and she used to visit this address once a week most of her life ' till she died . I never knew what went on behind those doors , but my mother weren ’ t no fool .” He handed Will the torn piece of cup . “ Necromancy isn ’ t very well known , William , and there ain ’ t many who practice it . ' Cept for the lady whose address I wrote here .”
Will looked at the torn piece of cup Gus had shoved into his hand . He had written only the address , 128 St . David ’ s Street , and a single name , Naiome .