Dread crawled up Kant's spine, his mind racing to figure out how he could explain the situation. But as he looked to the coffee table, Gabriel's body was no longer there.
Jones let go of the door, and it swung close behind him, the click deafening in the silence of the room. His eyes drifted around the place, taking in its plainness. Then his gaze settled on Kant with a smirk.
"Is this a bad time?"
"It is," Kant said, hoping he'd leave.
"Too bad," Jones said in his chipper manner, squeezing past.
"Is my apartment a guest house?" Kant muttered with forced casualness, following him into the living room.
"Yeah, with a rude, reclusive host," Jones shrugged, turning around with his hands on his hips.
"Are you here to criticize me?"
"Where's the keychain I gave you?"
Kant stared at Jones with a blank look. "What keychain?"
The ghost stirred, hastily explaining, "The birthday gift! The panda keychain Jones gave you. Remember?"
"Ah, that?" Kant scratched his brow. "Don't know. I don't carry it around."
Jones hummed and tilted his head inquisitively. "Mhm... You see, a funny thing happened. Turns out a body disappeared from the morgue a few days ago. You know who?"
Kant's heart sank, but he controlled his expression. "Who?"
"Gabriel Everett."
"And what does that have to do with me?"
Jones clicked his tongue, leaning against a dresser by the wall. "A panda keychain was found in the morgue."
The ghost gasped, running to check the pockets in Kant's jacket. "Did it fall out?"
Kant walked across the room to make Jones turn away from the parka hanging by the door. Gabriel went digging through it like a robber in a hurry.
The shuffling noise drew Jones's attention to the jacket. He glanced over his shoulder, and Kant sent the ghost a glare.
Gabriel finished his search, yelling across the room, "It's not here! The keychain is gone!"
"And you think I did it? Stole the body?" Kant asked Jones, distracting him from the paranormal activity by the door.
"Kant," Jones's upbeat demeanor turned serious. "Is there something you're not telling me?"
"What the hell would I do with a dead body?" Kant countered, fighting the urge to ask the ghost where the body had gone.
Was it in the bathroom? The closet? Why had the ghost moved it in the first place? It's not like he knew Jones was coming. Or did he see the text messages and move the body as a precaution?
"I don't know. All I know is that the body of your target is missing and the keychain I gave you was at the scene," Jones said.
He seemed to be waiting for Kant to either pull out the keychain to prove it wasn't him, or to confess and explain what happened. But Kant could do neither, so he kept beating around the bush.
"And your first thought is that I took it?"
"Can you blame me? You've been acting strange again," Jones replied, crossing his arms. "I know you don't like people poking around your business, but maybe talk to someone. If not me, then there are some underground therapists who can help guys like us."
The ghost chortled sarcastically, slapping the wall, "Ha! What a great idea! Confess all your crimes to a stranger? Sure, sounds safe!"
Jones furrowed his brow lightly, casting a glance in Gabriel's direction. He must've heard the slap on the wall, at least somewhat.
"Oh, he heard me?" the ghost approached Jones from behind, flashing a wide grin at Kant. "I wonder what his reaction would be like if I threw a pillow at him? Should I try? Then you can gaslight him into believing he's the insane one."
Jones glanced around, "You sure your heater's broken? It's a bit toasty in here. Feels like someone's breathing down my neck."
"Look, if I was going to steal the body, I wouldn't have waited until it's in the morgue," Kant tried to rationalize. "I would've taken it on the night of the job. You know I don't do stupid shit."
"And how do you explain the keychain?" Jones pressed, his expression like that of a fisherman struggling to reel in a fish that keeps slipping off the hook.
"Is that the only panda keychain in the entire country?" Kant countered.
For a good while, Jones scrutinized Kant like a hawk, his gaze penetrating and relentless. Then, like a switch being flipped, his upbeat demeanor was back. He leaned back and smiled.
"Alright then! Let's call it a silly coincidence."
"Uh..." the ghost clasped his hands, taking a few steps back, "this guy's creeping me out. Is he planning something? He looks like he's planning something."
Kant felt like laughing. A ghost unnerved by a living person? Shouldn't it be the other way around?
"Mind if I use your bathroom?" Jones pushed himself off the dresser, stretching his arms.
Bathroom? The body wasn't hidden in the bathroom, right?
Sweating, Kant waited to see if the ghost would panic. There was a brief pause, and Gabriel raised an eyebrow nonchalantly. Alright, the body wasn't in the bathroom.
"Sure, go ahead," Kant stepped aside, letting Jones pass.
Jones smirked, passing by with a carefree gait, hands in pockets. As soon as the door swung shut, Kant turned to the ghost, gestured with his hands in a mute interrogation.
"What?" Gabriel blinked, at a loss.
Kant gestured at the coffee table again, silently mouthing "The body?"
"Oh, yeah, I moved it," Gabriel mentioned, grinning proudly. "It worked out perfectly, didn't it?"
Kant felt his temples throb. He waved his hand in question, "Where?"
The bathroom door clicked, and Kant quickly lowered his arms and turned away.
"I'll be on my way now," Jones announced. "See you tomorrow."
"Leaving already?" Kant asked.
Jones flashed a smirk over his shoulder. "Wouldn't want to catch your cold."
The moment the front door closed, Kant whipped his head towards Gabriel for an explanation.
Having read his mind, Gabriel chuckled, waving his hand in a 'calm down' motion. "Relax. It's in a better place," he assured, trailing to the kitchen leisurely.
Kant exhaled and followed, shaking his head.
The magnets on the fridge were moved around, forming an X.
"Seriously?" Kant muttered, staring at the masterpiece.