The Cornelius Saga Boxed Set

by Tanya R. Taylor

  “I see.” McPhee crossed his legs. “So how can I help you today?”

  “I’d like to take a look around – to see the property, if you don’t mind.”

  “Sure thing.”

  “Before we go though, I’d like to ask you a few questions,” she said.

  “Okay. That’ll be fine.”

  “How did your wife become crippled, Pastor?”

  Her question surprised him.

  “You know my wife?” he asked.

  “Haven’t met her.”

  McPhee assumed she’d heard of her through church talk. “Well, it was sort of a freak accident. One morning when we were at home, she was calling for me from the second floor at the top of the stairway. Somehow, she lost her balance and tumbled down the flight of stairs, and broke her neck.”

  “When did this happen?” Mira asked.

  “About a year ago.”

  “What did she say happened?”

  “I just told you. Why are you asking these questions?”

  “What did she say happened, Pastor?” Mira’s stare was unrelenting.

  McPhee sighed deeply, then replied, “She said she felt someone push her down the stairs. But that was impossible because I was downstairs in the kitchen when she fell and there was no one else in the house at the time.”

  “Yes, there was.” Mira nodded slowly.

  “Excuse me?”

  “I’ll explain later. Can I see the grounds now?”

  McPhee was confused. “I’d like to know what you meant, Doctor Cullen.”

  Mira stood up. “I have to be on my way soon, so I’d appreciate you taking me outside now. I won’t need you the entire time.”

  He got up and led the way to the back where the graveyard was. They walked over to an area about two hundred yards north of the cottage.

  “In this area is where many of the graves were dug up,” McPhee told her.

  Mira looked around and went over to each grave that was disturbed. She then looked to her right. “The man that lives there, where is he?” she asked.

  “You mean, Mister Alleyne. I haven’t seen him yet for the day, which is unusual. I suppose he’s somewhere working the grounds.”

  Mira shook her head. “No, he’s not. Follow me.”

  Curiously, McPhee followed and they walked about eighty yards down near the edge of the fence.

  “He’s in here.” She pointed.

  “In there?” McPhee knew right then she was insane. Nevertheless, he approached, looked down and saw Matt’s body face-down in the partially-open grave.

  “My God! How did he get in there? And...how did you know?”

  “You need to call the police,” Mira said.

  McPhee hurried off to do just that.

  * * *

  Matt Alleyne’s decomposing corpse was as stiff as a board when they finally pulled him out of that grave and turned him over. His eye sockets had already been visited by creatures of the ground and the final expression on his face made all present at the scene cringe. Chief Schroeder was on site for the discovery, as well as Detectives Saunders, Hughes and numerous other police officers.

  “What on earth is going on in this graveyard?” Schroeder quietly exclaimed.

  “I hope we’ll soon find out,” Saunders said. “It was Doc who found him, you know.”

  Hughes stood a little ways off speaking with Mira and Pastor McPhee.

  “Well, I’ll be damned!” Schroeder said. “Just got on the case and already, she’s made a discovery. From the location of that grave where the Groundskeeper was found, he could’ve easily been hidden away in there for quite some time. It’s a good thing she came out.”

  “I agree.”

  “Has she said anything more?” Schroeder asked.

  Saunders glanced at Mira and the others. “I’ll know soon enough.”

  The Chief stuck around until the body was removed, then he left the scene.

  Saunders walked over and pulled Mira aside. “Doctor Cullen, I was wondering… how did you know Mister Alleyne was in that plot?”

  “He led me to it,” she answered.

  “Come again.”

  “I said, he led me to it.” This time, she spoke more slowly.

  Saunders looked away for a moment, wondering if he had heard correctly… twice.

  “When I came out here with the pastor, I saw this man standing afar off; he was summoning me over — making gestures with his hand,” Mira explained. “I knew the pastor couldn’t see him as I had asked where the Groundskeeper was and he had no idea. Mister Alleyne was standing next to me when I showed the pastor his body down there.”

  Saunders was equally spooked out and amazed by the revelation.

  “Is there anything else you discovered while here, concerning the missing remains?” he asked.

  “I could have told you yesterday when I touched the pictures, but I wanted to come here to confirm before I said anything,” Mira said.

  “Hold on a second. Hughes, get over here!” he shouted.

  Hughes, who had been speaking with another officer, hurried over.

  “I want you to hear this,” Saunders said. “Doctor Cullen has some info for us.”

  Looking at them both, Mira could see that they were desperate to close the case. However, she hoped they would remember what she had told them about keeping an open mind.

  “What’s going on here, Detectives, is not merely paranormal, but demonic,” she said.

  “What? Demonic as in demons?” Hughes sought clarification.

  Mira nodded.

  “I’m listening,” Saunders said.

  “The graves that were disturbed were violated by entities that are void of conscience, but they could not surface or function without a human with very little of it.”

  “What are you saying?” Saunders probed.

  “The graves were desecrated because the church was first.”

  The men were puzzled. Mira knew she had lost them there.

  “Someone worked witchcraft on these premises. Not an outsider; not a common criminal, but someone who has ties to this church,” she explained.

  “You mean, the pastor?” Hughes asked with shock written all over his face.

  “No. It’s the same person that ensured Mrs. McPhee would never walk again nor be active around the church as she used to be.”

  “Who could that be?” Saunders asked.

  Without answering the question, Mira walked off a little and the detectives followed.

  “You mentioned yesterday the remains were not stolen,” Hughes said.

  “I did. They weren’t.” She continued walking. “They’re still right here.”

  “In the graveyard?” Saunders grimaced, with this mysterious person still on his mind that Mira hadn’t yet named.

  She walked over to the section of land where many of the graves were dug up.

  “They’re all in their graves.”

  “What do you mean?” Saunders asked.

  “When that person with little conscience performed the dark ceremony on this land, the remains sank through the caskets, although no hole would’ve been visible, and deeper into the earth. Instead, what surfaced were demons who are here to torment others in close proximity to the desecration. They took on the form of those who once lived and were buried here. Dug up graves and empty caskets created an illusion that the remains of the dearly departed were missing. This was the trade-off for that wicked person getting what they wanted.”

  “Which was…”

  “Pastor McPhee,” Mira told them. “I think you’d want to have a word with the lady standing there next to him.”

  They all glanced their way.

  Hughes’ jaw dropped and Saunders shook his head. “This can’t be true. Mary-Lou passed her polygraph test with flying colors!”

  “If she could be the cause of all of this happening, including Mister Alleyne losing his life, and graves being dug up without human hands, don’t you think she could easily pass a lie detec
tor test?” Mira posed.

  “Without human hands… it sounds like something Matt said.” Saunders recalled.

  “That’s right!” Hughes agreed. “He did say he saw one grave being dug up, but not by human hands.”

  It took a while for the revelations to finally sink in.

  Mira stepped closer. “If you want to know if anything I said is the truth, get a backhoe here to dig at least six feet deeper into each grave and I guarantee, you’ll find the remains.”

  “Okay, we’ll do that,” Saunders replied. “You said this person — Ms. Rutler — caused Alleyne’s death. How would that have happened?”

  “Those things she conjured up are more than capable of causing serious harm and death to anyone, and in this case, Mister Alleyne was their victim. He wasn’t the only one.”

  “He wasn’t?” Hughes asked.

  Mira looked further off past the cottage to the yellow and white house down the road.

  The detectives knew what she had meant.

  “I have to go now,” Mira said. “I hope this information eventually brings closure to everyone involved.” She adjusted the strap of her purse and headed for her car.

  “I guess it’s time to get that backhoe here,” Saunders told Hughes.

  “You think the Chief will agree to it?”

  “I’m sure he will.”

  “What about her?” Hughes referred to Mary-Lou.

  “First things first. Finding those remains will be proof that Doc knows what she’s talking about. If it turns out the way I’m hoping, then we’ll have a little chat with the secretary.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Hughes replied.

  14

  _________________

  Mira went straight for the refrigerator when she arrived home and poured out a cup of chilled lemonade.

  Sara emerged from the bedroom with large, pink curlers in her hair.

  “Hi, Mom. I left a message to let you know I’d stopped for a quick bite at the diner with Bobby. Did you get it?”

  “I did. I was in the shower when you called. How did everything go at the church?” Sara pulled out a chair at the dining room table. “Were you able to find out anything?”

  Mira sat down with her and rested the cup of lemonade on the table. “I think so.”

  “I must admit, I was wary of you getting involved in such a huge case. You’ve been through so much lately already, honey.”

  Mira reached across the table and patted her mother’s hand. “I know, but after they asked for my help, I couldn’t turn them down, especially when I saw images of those people as I held the pictures.”

  “So, tell me, what did you find out?”

  “Well, the first thing is, we found the body of the new Groundskeeper that they didn’t even know was missing,” Mira replied.

  “What?”

  “He apparently died a day or two ago and ended up in a grave himself.”

  Sara was stunned.

  “Clearly, he had been assaulted, but I’m sure he was scared to death,” Mira revealed.

  “By whom? Who assaulted him? Do you know?”

  Mira explained everything to Sara, who could hardly believe her ears. If that story did not come out of her daughter or granddaughter’s mouth, she never would have believed it.

  “So are they gonna do it? Dig deeper into the graves?” Sara asked.

  “I guess so. But, as of now, my part is over. The ball’s in their court again.”

  “And the nerve of that evil woman! That secretary! How dare she desecrate a property that’s supposed to be sanctified? How many church people do you know are working witchcraft… and on the church grounds!” Sara exclaimed.

  “Don’t know of any,” Mira said. “But it doesn’t mean there aren’t others.”

  “You really believe that?”

  “I do. Nothing’s too far-fetched these days, Mom.” She took another gulp of her lemonade.

  “By the way, Cody called while you were out. He wants to take Rosie for ice cream after school, if you don’t mind, that is. He said to call him.”

  Sara knew it was a touchy matter for Mira.

  “Ice cream, huh?”

  Sara nodded.

  “Okay. If Rosie wants to go, I won’t stop her.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Uh huh. I think he’s been making some effort over the past few days for them to get better acquainted.”

  “You’re right. He’s surely been calling quite often since he’s been here.”

  Mira sighed. “It still doesn’t make up for her entire life he’s missed. As much as I hate to give him an easy ride at this point in Rosie’s life, I’ve seen how she lights up when he calls. She tries to hide it, but I know she’s happy about it.”

  “It couldn’t have been easy for her knowing she had a dad the whole time, but didn’t see or hear from him,” Sara said. “We’ve done our best to fill the void, honey, but the bottom line is, only Cody alone can fill that, and the fact that he’s trying to do better now and you’re allowing him to, says a lot about you as a mother.”

  Mira was silent for a few moments, then said: “It says that I love my daughter far more than I can ever despise her father.”

  Sara smiled and grasped Mira’s hand. “You’re exactly right, honey. And I’m so very proud of you for being the strong woman you are.”

  Mira got up to leave.

  “Where are you going?” Sara asked.

  “To call Cody.”

  * * *

  Cody was standing on the front sidewalk of the school yard waiting for Rosie to emerge. Walking along with two friends, with a stack of books in hand and her backpack on her shoulder, Rosie headed in his direction.

  “Hi sweetheart,” he said after her friends both told her goodbye.

  “Hi.” Rosie lowered her head slightly.

  “Can I take them for you?” Cody was looking at her books.

  “No, thanks. I’m fine.”

  “Your mom said she was going to call the school to say I would be coming for you.”

  “She did,” Rosie replied.

  “I’ve parked right over here.”

  Rosie walked with him over to his rented car.

  The drive to the ice cream parlor was insanely awkward for both of them. For Rosie, her father’s presence there felt surreal and she found herself looking his way occasionally to make sure he was really there and they were actually in that car together.

  “I heard you like ice cream,” Cody said, turning the corner.

  “I do.”

  “What’s your favorite?”

  “Chocolate chip.”

  He glanced at her excitedly. “Wow! That’s my favorite too!”

  She cracked a smile.

  They pulled into the parking lot of Joe’s Tasty Treats. Inside were a few patrons and mostly dark red, empty tables and chairs.

  They selected their ice cream and Cody paid at the counter. Sitting at a table near the window brought back happy memories to Rosie of when she and her grandparents often went for ice cream together. She could see her Pops there cracking jokes and making sure she had a wonderful time. She missed him terribly, but knew he was never far away.

  “How’s the ice cream?” Cody asked as Rosie licked hers.

  “It’s good,” she replied.

  When they finished their cones, Cody got up and purchased sweet sodas for them. A few minutes later, Rosie put down the soda can and looked squarely into her father’s eyes.

  “Why weren’t you ever there for me?” she suddenly asked.

  Cody was clearly caught off guard, although in a way, he suspected the question would eventually arise. He stopped sipping his soda too.

  “I was young, immature and I’m sorry to say, a little selfish, Rosie. I have no excuse other than that,” he said.

  “Didn’t you think about me? Didn’t you want to be around me?”

  “Sure, I did! I thought about you every day, but after things didn’t work out between your mothe
r and me, I figured she didn’t want me in her life anymore and I felt I should respect that.”

  “She might not have wanted you in her life, but did she ever tell you that you weren’t allowed in mine?” Rosie exclaimed.

  Riddled with guilt, Cody shook his head. “No, she never did. Don’t get me wrong… I’m not blaming your mother for anything. She never prevented me from seeing or calling you; I had the freedom to do those things, but just never did. I was stupid, Rosie. Young, immature, prideful and stupid! I wish I could go back and change things, but I can’t. I was a jerk and I admit that.”

  Rosie was quiet for a while, digesting it all.

  He looked sincerely into his daughter’s eyes. “I’m very sorry I wasn’t there for you your whole life. Would you please forgive me, Rosie?” His eyes were brimming with tears which he desperately tried to choke back.

  She looked away at the cars speeding by on the highway, but her mind was nowhere near them. Soon, with tears sliding down her cheeks, she looked back at her father who had now reached across the table, and she held his hand, and nodded.

  “I promise, I’ll be in your life from this day forward, if you’ll let me,” he said. “And I’ll come over to see you as often as I can. I’ll stay in touch like a father should, and I’m not just saying these things. I mean everything from the bottom of my heart.”

  “I forgive you, Dad,” Rosie finally said, and the tears between both of them gushed even more. Cody got up, went around the dark red table and again fighting to restrain himself, asked her: “May I give you a hug?”

  Rosie nodded and he snatched her into his arms and hugged her tightly. He had been craving that very moment.

  “I love you, Rosie.”

  “I love you too, Dad.”

  “You don’t know how hearing those words make me feel.” Cody smiled, putting her back down. “I’m so glad we got this all out before I left.”

  “When are you leaving?” Rosie asked.

  “First thing in the morning.” He sighed. “I just had to see you again and spend some quality time with you before heading back to Texas.”