“Fake. It’s just trying to psych you out. Keep going.” They stepped into Craig’s mind. Into bedlam. Walls tumbled to rubble made walking difficult until Kat realized the pieces she was stepping over were more than bits of debris. “Ammie, stop a minute. Look. We’re walking over pieces of his memories. See.” Kat sifted through the debris for sections that matched.
“Give those to me.” With nothing more than her touch, Amethyst healed the two shards together. Light flared to eat another piece of darkness. “Okay, I know what to do. Get down, now.” Pushing Kat to the floor, Amethyst followed her, dropping the shield at the same time. She plunged her hands into the pile of debris and set the intention to heal firmly in her heart, mind, and soul.
Out from her hands, the light spread like a mist flowing over the ground. Everywhere it touched, fractured memories knit together to produce their own light—a flare that ate the screaming darkness right up to the source where it stopped. Silence fell like a curtain. Its weight pressed down on Kat so hard she had to struggle to turn her eyes toward where Amethyst’s were already riveted.
***
Adriel pushed Craig toward where Amethyst and Kat huddled. When the light washed over her, it had brought something with it. The sure knowledge that in this place, she was no longer bound by flesh. No longer blocked.
She was the angel Galmadriel.
Head bowed as though in prayer, she let the light, the power, the fury of it flow through her in all its glory and grace. Wings of white so pure it dazzled the eye unfolded behind her, fanning once, then twice before stretching to their full span. More light flowed from her skin; beamed from her eyes as she turned them on the dark thing before her.
“Earthwalker, stand to face me.”
Kat’s whispered, “She’s back,” carried across the space to bring a short, but fierce smile.
“By my command, you will face me.”
The figure that had been crouched before her slowly pulled himself upright. Wings as black as night unfurled—their span not quite a match for hers, but close. When his head lifted, Galmadriel’s gasp echoed across the space.
“Malachiel.”
He stood defiant before her. “Even when you fall, you shine,” he spat the words at her.
“How did you come to me as a being of light if you are not of the grace?”
“It’s easy to fool humans.”
Amethyst muttered, “But it’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.” Galmadriel quelled her with a sideways glance.
“That was your mistake, Mal. I’m not human, and I’m not fallen. I’m earthbound.” The words fell with the knell of truth. “This man is under my protection. You will not touch him again. Like you once said to me, stay away from what’s mine.”
Seething fury burned on his face.
“Go,” Galmadriel roared, the force of her words hit him like a hurricane. In a swirl of dark fog, he was gone.
“Too easy.” Kat hauled herself up to standing. “In the movies the bad guy always seems gone, and then he swoops in for one last hurrah.”
“He still has Julius. Does that count?”
Chapter 18
Craig Allen thought he was dead. You wake up with two angels staring down at you, it’s a natural conclusion. Anyone might be forgiven for thinking so. Especially with his memory of the day’s events wiped clean.
“Am I dead? What happened?” On second thought, it felt like he was in his own bed.
“How do you feel?” He certainly looked better than he had earlier. His eyes were clear and he seemed anchored in the present.
“Good. I think. I have a lot of questions.”
Estelle laid a hand on his forehead to put him back to sleep. There was no time to deal with his questions right now.
“Did you find what you needed?” Estelle hoped so. “I need to file a report on Malachiel. It breaks my heart to see one of our own like that. I’ll be back later so we can sort out a plan of action for finding Julius.” Estelle didn’t say it out loud, but with Malachiel behind his abduction, he could be anywhere. Moreover, she had the feeling the search and rescue mission was going to fall to Adriel, which meant Estelle would be the only angel allowed to help.
As of her last briefing, contact with The Earthbound—as Galmadriel was coming to be known—was forbidden to anyone other than her guardians until her motives were settled to the satisfaction of the entire collective. Based on the way things were going in that quarter, Estelle’s estimate on it happening was sometime between now and never.
***
“We need to go back to the cabin; I think I know who killed Ben and Lydia.” Adriel announced to Zack after spending a bit of effort folding her tall frame into the back seat of Kat’s subcompact and ending feeling like a pretzel. “I think Barbie is missing her daily driver.” The acid comment brought a snort from Julie, who watched the debacle from the beside her. Amethyst and Gustavia would follow in her car.
“Do you have any proof?” Zack would be happy to arrest the culprit, so long as he had enough evidence to make the charges stick.
“Maybe, but I need to check on a couple of things first. Julie, can you call Pam and have her meet us there? I need to tell her about Craig, and she deserves to be there when her brother’s killer is arrested.”
And that was the last thing Adriel would say on the matter until everyone gathered at the cabin.
***
“I know who killed Ben and Lydia,” Adriel returned from the bedroom brandishing a red spiral-bound notebook. “Here’s what I think happened.”
“Bill and his buddies helped Craig paint this place the week before their fishing trip, and he paid them with a case of beer. Bill mentioned that Damien and Graham got into a fight, and we also know Bill cheated on his girlfriend that weekend, which means there were five people at the lake and not four.”
“Dun, dun, dun,” Gustavia couldn’t help herself.
“We ruled out Bill because he left on a dirt bike; Graham because if the two deaths are related, he has an ironclad alibi for Lydia’s; as does Levi, who is dead. That only leaves Damien.” Pam said.
“And the fifth person; the one Bill fooled around with.”
“But we have no idea who that is.”
“Oh, I think we do. At first I thought Lydia was killed to stop the construction from moving forward and keep Ben’s bones hidden, but only because someone sabotaged the equipment first. Something else happened that made me think those two things might not be related.” Energy still elevated from the altercation with Malachiel, Adriel paced the small space. Every so often that energy pulsed to raise gooseflesh on arms, and prickle the necks of everyone in the room.
“I found Edward wandering around in the field a few nights after Lydia died, and he mentioned having been out there before. That made me wonder if he was the one who sabotaged the equipment. Later, Bill said Edward was the one behind the picketing, and that clinched it.”
“I’m still confused,” Zack said, “Why do you think Lydia was killed, then?”
“Lydia was the older woman Bill cheated with that night. Damien knew the bones were going to come to light, and he also knew Lydia would put it all together; and, unlike Bill and Craig, there was nothing he could do to silence her.”
“How did he silence my uncle?” Pam demanded.
“He sold the car to Craig. It’s been sitting in the shed back there this whole time.” Adriel turned to Zack.
“Remember when Ben mentioned seeing a plane right before the car hit him? Wait until you get a look at the hood ornament. Several years ago—according to Craig’s diary—Bill Dooley came by to borrow a harrow and saw the car. The diary didn’t say exactly what, but something Bill said triggered Craig to start thinking back to that day.”
Adriel went back to the bedroom and returned to toss another notebook on the table.
“His diary entries started going strange right after that. I think he figured out what happened to Ben, and the guilt over providing the beer got to him. H
e felt responsible and couldn’t face telling anyone what he knew, so he disassociated completely in order to hide the memory so he could live with the guilt.”
All the pieces slotted into place but one.
“But why would Edward sabotage the equipment? He could have put the kibosh on this ditch before the work ever started.”
“He told me he wanted a break from town business after his heart attack. I think he was deliberately trying to ruin his own reputation, along with Lydia’s., so they could both retire.”
“It all fits. Show me the car.”
***
When it was all over, Zack reckoned Damien Oliver set a record for the fastest confession ever given in the county lockup. If she’d been present, Kat could have told him how Estelle and Ben standing in the corner might have had something to do with it. It seemed the touching-the-wing trick worked on Estelle just as well as it had on Adriel. The sight of his victim watching over the proceedings had a profound effect.
Two days later, Ben’s bones were released, and Pam finally got the chance to lay her brother to rest with her parents. The whole town turned out, including a sheepish Rodeo Bill. Callum McCord never left Pam’s side during the entire service—a fact that was commented on in hushed tones.
Chapter 19
“Are you ready?” Adriel’s gentle hand on Pam’s arm shook a little. How was she supposed to get through this if the angel wasn’t even ready for what was about to happen. Tears welling, Pam managed a quivering nod. The prospect of seeing Ben again brought up so many emotions; she wasn’t sure she could handle it.
“Ben is going to touch my wing,” Adriel explained yet again, then nodded to Ben, who buried his hand in the living softness. Eyes squeezed shut, Pam missed the moment when Ben shivered into visibility. Even so, some change in the atmosphere triggered her awareness.
“Open your eyes. Don’t be afraid, I am right here with you.” Adriel made her voice as soft and soothing as she could, then gave little Ben another nod.
“Hey, Sissy. You’re not scared of me are you?”
At the sound of his voice, just like she remembered it, Pam’s knees turned to mush. A rush of exultation rose up in her so strongly that Adriel couldn’t see how a fragile human body could hold it without bursting.
“Bennie, is that really you?”
“I’m standing right here. Oh, are we playing hide and seek? Are you it?”
Pam’s eyes flew open. “No Ben, please don’t hide again.” She hunkered down to bring herself to his level. He looked exactly as he had the last time she saws him. Dressed in jeans, sneakers and his favorite red jacket. A shock of pale blond hair fell across clear blue eyes that twinkled when he grinned at her.
“Boy, you sure got bigger.”
With a wry smile, Pam nodded, “And older. I know I look different. Does that scare you?”
“No. You love me, nothing to be scared of. I watched you lots of times. I called and called, but you never answered because you couldn’t see me.”
“So you know you’re a…”
“A ghost? Yeah. Adriel ‘splained everything. She’s nice. She told me ‘bout how I stayed with you instead of going into the light, and that was okay for a while. But now it’s time for me to go be with Mom and Dad.” He scuffed his little Converse-clad toe back and forth across the floor. “And I helped her figure out what happened to me.”
Tentatively, Pam reached out a hand as though to stroke his hair, then pulled it back and looked up at Adriel. Her longing to touch him ran deep and strong.
“It’s okay, Pam. You’ve both been waiting so long.”
When the silky strands of his hair threaded through his sister’s fingers, hesitation turned to joy. Pam pulled Ben in to hug him so tightly he squirmed in her arms in order to remain in contact with Adriel’s wing.
“Hey Sissy, take it easy. You’re squooshing me.”
“Oh, Bennie boy, I can’t help it. I’ve missed you so much.” Laughter and tears mixed in the bittersweet moment that healed a heart broken for such a long time. The look Pam gave Adriel spoke volumes as she mouthed, “Thank you.”
Tears ran down Adriel’s face in a human show of emotion. She was learning how cathartic it felt to cry sometimes.
Turning back to the small but sturdy form, Pam asked, “Do you know what happened to you?”
“I was riding my bike down past old man Tilden’s place, you know?”
Pam nodded.
“When I got to Keough’s, there was a car coming up behind me, so I moved over into the grass like Dad taught me and put on my brakes. Then I must have fell and bumped my head, because it hurt for a minute. Then the light came, and I went home.”
Another weight lifted off Pam’s chest. He’d felt no fear or pain.
“The light’s back, Sissy. I think it’s almost time to go. Adriel says Mum and Dad will be there when I go into the light, but I don’t want to leave you all alone. Should I stay?”
The lump threatened to choke Pam’s words but she managed to swallow past it and say, “No, it’s time for you to go. I’ll be fine. One more hug?” She gave him another squeeze and a kiss, then stood up, one hand over her mouth to stop the sobs, and another over her heart.
“Love you Bennie Boy.”
Ben took a step backwards into the leading edge of the light. His figure shimmered for a moment, then elongated as he appeared to age rapidly. Where the boy had stood was now a man.
Pam gasped at this glimpse of what Ben could have become if he had lived. The same sweetness that had always marked him as a boy shone through the man as well. His eyes lingered on Pam with a hundred things left unsaid, and a reluctance to leave her.
“Love you, Sissy.” His voice rang out with authority, “Be happy.” He slid a hand off Adriel’s wing, stepped back into the light, and was gone.
“There will never be words enough to thank you for the gift you just gave me,” Pam pulled the still-sobbing Adriel into her arms. “Whether you ever figure out how to use those wings of yours again, you will always be the angel who saved me.”
Chapter 20
Estelle shimmered into the empty spot next to where Adriel and Pam still embraced. A tear trembled on her lower lashes. Letting go of Adriel, Pam watched the place where Ben had stood for long minutes. She braced herself against this second loss—her shoulders slowly straightening. When she turned back, her expression held more peace than sorrow. Closure smoothed away the last of the grief lines to leave her face shining and smooth.
“I can’t believe he’s…” she broke off to tilt her head and gaze at Estelle. “Who’s this?”
“She can see me?” Estelle panicked. “She shouldn’t be able to do that.”
“Side effect of touching Ben while he was touching me.”
Pam listened to the exchange; her lips quirked slightly.
“Is it permanent? Am I going to lose points for this?” Estelle was nonplussed.
“There’s a point system now?” Adriel didn’t think she’d been gone long enough for there to have been changes of that magnitude.
“Figure of speech.” Estelle qualified, while Pam’s quirk turned to a full-out grin. “And answer the question.”
“But first, could you introduce me to your friend?” Pam said.
“Sorry, this is Estelle. She’s my trainee.” It was the best word Adriel could find to describe the relationship given its outside the box—way outside—nature. “The effect is temporary. Your energy levels will return to normal, and you won’t be able to see Estelle. It might take a few hours or even days.”
Visible relief painted both faces with the same expression. Adriel concealed a small smile just before her head fell back and her eyes closed themselves tightly. Images of Pam’s life to come played through her mind on fast-forward. With grief no longer clouding her life, Pam would stop holding back. There would be Callum, and love, and marriage, and even a child. It was a future filled with living, and not just existence. Ben would be proud to know his siste
r had found the will to move past his loss.
Estelle spoke directly into Adriel’s mind, “You know you can’t stay here, right?”
A sigh wafting past her lips, Adriel said, “I know. My work here is almost done.” She looked around at the now clean and tidy cabin. Craig would return, soon, to live out his days in the only home he’d ever really known. At least she was not the one who would have to explain where his stash had gone. Hopefully, he no longer needed it, anyway.
The only thing left was to say her goodbyes.
The powers that be had other plans.
The End
Keep reading for an excerpt from Bait and Snitch (Ponderosa Pines Cozy Mystery Series Book 4)
***
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Ponderosa Pines Cozy Mystery Series
Co-authored by Erin Lynn
Cat Killed A Rat
Crafting Disorder
Caught in the Frame
Rings on Her Fingers
Bells on Her Toes
She Shall Have Music
Wherever She goes
***
“Remain on the current road in 2 miles.”
“Why? Why would you say that, GPS wench? Telling me when to not turn isn’t helpful.” Stacey Hawthorne’s nerves were stretched to nearly breaking from spending the last hour hunched over the steering wheel trying to see past the end of the hood. Even with all wheel drive, this trip was quickly heading into what-was-I-thinking territory. She glanced over at the sheaf of papers on the passenger’s seat and sighed.
With several ongoing cases involving people from Ponderosa Pines, the drive up made sense. It was the lack of foresight when it came to checking the weather and the sense of urgency around one of the cases that was coming back to bite her in the butt. She probably should have listened to the guy at that gas station in Gilmore when he told her to get a room. Oh well, too late now.
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