EXPAND When ghosts make themselves larger GLOW What ghosts do so humans can see them HAUNT Where ghosts live PASS THROUGH When ghosts travel through walls, doors, and other solid objects SHRINK When ghosts make themselves smaller SKIZZY When ghosts feel sick to their stomachs SOLIDS What ghosts call humans, animals, and objects they can't see through SPEW What comes out when ghosts throw up SWIM When ghosts move freely through the air WAIL What ghosts do so humans can hear them Claire's phone buzzed during dinner, interrupting a big conversation her parents were having. Kaz, Little John, Beckett, and Cosmo hovered around the dining-room table. "No, Claire," her mom said as Claire reached for her phone. "You know the rule. No phones at the dinner table." "But it could be a case," Claire said. "It can wait," Claire's mom said. "Your dad and I don't take cases during dinner. You don't need to, either." She held out her hand. Claire's parents ran a detective agency out of their home above the library, and held a strict "no work during dinner" policy. Claire groaned and gave the phone to her mother. "You'll get it back after dinner," her mom promised. She laid the phone in her lap, then turned to Claire's dad. "Now, where were we?" "You were telling me that you used to see ghosts when you were a kid?" he said. "Real, live ghosts." Kaz could tell he didn't quite believe it. "Oh, yes. That's right." Claire's mom twirled spaghetti noodles around her fork. "I started seeing them when I was around nine. Like Claire." "And you saw ghosts when you were that age, too?" Claire's dad asked Grandma Karen. Grandma Karen was Claire's mom's mother. "Yes," Grandma Karen replied. "I don't remember if I was eight or nine. Somewhere in there." She took another bite of pasta. "But neither of you sees ghosts now." Claire's dad's eyes shifted back and forth between the two women. "No," they said at the same time. "Not unless they're glowing," Grandma Karen added. "That's what ghosts do when they want us to see them." "I can see ghosts when they're not glowing!" Claire piped in. "I'm the only one in the family who can." No one knew why Claire could see and hear ghosts when they weren't glowing or wailing. It was a mystery! And no one knew why Claire's mom and grandma couldn't see or hear ghosts anymore. Kaz hated to think that one day Claire might not be able to see or hear him . It made him want to work harder on his glowing and wailing skills. "There are three ghosts in this room with us right now," Claire added. "Four, if you count the ghost dog." "Woof! Woof!" Cosmo barked as he swam in a circle around Claire's dad. "I don't know why all the solids who live here need to know about us," Beckett grumbled. "Don't call us solids!" Claire narrowed her eyes at Beckett. Claire's dad looked right through Beckett. "Who are you talking to?" he asked Claire. "Beckett," Claire replied, her mouth full of spaghetti. "He's one of the ghosts here. I don't like it when he calls us solids. That's why he does it." "Hmph," Beckett grunted. Claire swallowed her food. "The other ghosts are Kaz and Little John. Kaz is my age. Little John is his six-year-old brother." "Maybe . . . it . . . would . . . help . . . if . . . he . . . could . . . see . . . us," Little John wailed as a bluish glow filled his body. "See, . . . Claire's . . . dad? . . . Here . . . I . . . am! . . . Over . . . here!" He waved his arms. Claire's dad's mouth fell open. "Dad, meet Little John." Claire nodded toward Kaz's little brother. Claire's dad blinked, then rubbed his eyes and looked again at Little John. Kaz wished he could glow and wail so Claire's dad could meet him, too. But he couldn't. There was something else he could do to show Claire's dad he was here, though. He dove down to the table and picked up the salt shaker. Claire's dad's eyes opened wider. Since he couldn't see Kaz, it looked like the salt shaker was floating in midair. Kaz had just learned how to pick up solid objects, so he couldn't hang on to the salt shaker for long. He held it carefully between the tip of his thumb and second finger, then transformed it into a ghostly salt shaker. It floated in the air beside Kaz's hand, but Claire's dad couldn't see it anymore. Excerpted from The Ghost at the Fire Station #6 by Dori Hillestad Butler All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
