Who is the Bat Lady, and what does she tell Mickey when he first meets her?

This question is drawn from the novel 'Shelter' written by Harlan Coben. The novel is a Teen and young adult mystery and suspense fiction.

The Bat Lady is one of the characters in the novel. She was an old woman of about 100 years of age, who lived alone in a run down building in the community where Mickey lives. The woman was totally isolated from the community in which she lives, because no one associated with her. She was a mysterious woman and many mysterious stories had been told about her. Young children are usually warned not to pass by her house especially at night so that they will not vanish into thin air.

Mickey was a teenager, who just entered high school. His dad just died and his mom, who was in a rehabilitation home was about to be released. Mickey was going to school one morning and he passed by the Bat Lady's house. Immediately he got to the front of the house, the old door of the run down building creaked open and the Bat Lady came out. This is the first time that Mickey will encounter the Bat Lady although he has heard so much about her.

She called his name to his surprise and told him that his father is not dead, that he is very much alive. After saying this, she closed her door and disappeared into the darkness of her house.

The words of the Bat Lady left Mickey very confused because his father died in his presence.