by H. P. Bayne
Dez accepted the phone. “So Jacob showed?”
“Yeah. He says his passcode is 1241. Could you call and talk to the police while I take Leo and Miriam behind the house?”
“You going to find the graves?”
“Maybe. Maybe we don’t need to worry about it. What I really want is to reunite Miriam and Lilian if I can. I’m hoping they can cross over together.”
Leaving Dez on the phone with Kimotan Rapids police, Sully made his way back upstairs to Leo.
They headed around the house, Sully’s borrowed flashlight guiding them. The snow had filled in most of their earlier path, but the outlines remained.
“I spoke to your mother,” Sully said on the way, casting a look back to ensure both Leo and Miriam could hear him. “She isn’t what you think. She didn’t abandon you. I think it’s likely she had an affair with Abel Mansfield, the man working as groundskeeper at the time. But I had the impression the two of them intended to take you and Miriam away with them.”
Sully didn’t expect an audible response from Miriam, of course, but he thought Leo might say something. When he didn’t, Sully turned and stopped, drawing Leo up short. His eyes had been downcast, but they shot up to Sully’s face.
“He killed them too, didn’t he? My father.”
Sully nodded. “You mother showed me their deaths. Abel—”
“Are you sure Miriam should hear this? She’s only five.”
The concern made Sully smile. “Okay, not a problem. Just know your mom didn’t leave you here willingly. What’s more, she stuck around, even though Abel probably crossed over. She stayed to watch over you as best she could. She knows it wasn’t enough, that she couldn’t stop your father from killing Miriam. But she wants to reunite with the two of you.”
“Is that where we’re going?”
“If you’re ready.”
“Is she here? Now?”
Sully peered over his shoulder. A dull glow in the distance, near the property’s edge, showed itself. “She’s close. Near the row of trees toward the back of the property.”
Leo leaned forward, as if to keep his next question or comment between him and Sully. “Will Miriam be safe with her? I mean, people lie all the time. I can’t imagine certain behaviours stop with death.”
“No, you’re right. The dead can lie too. Only thing is, my abilities don’t involve them speaking to me. They show me memories, things that matter to them, things they need me to see to be able to help them. It’s more than visual. When I’m in a vision, I kind of become them. I don’t just see what they want to show me, I feel what they felt. Your mother loves you both, a lot. The feelings she showed me, you can’t make them up. Believe me, I wouldn’t take Miriam within ten miles of her if I didn’t believe she loves you guys.”
Leo’s eyes filled, and he reached up to thumb the tears away. “I’m sorry. I haven’t cried in years. Within weeks of meeting you, I’m blubbering incessantly.”
Sully smiled. “Don’t worry about it. If I don’t make people cry, I’m doing something wrong.”
Leo laughed through his sniffles. “Okay. What about Miriam? Is she okay with this?”
The answer to that remained to be seen. She still hid largely behind Leo, eyes wide as she stared at the woman in the distance.
“I’ll talk to her when we’re closer,” Sully said. “She’s still pretty scared.”
“What if she doesn’t want to go?”
“Maybe she won’t,” Sully said. “It might be she decides she wants to stay with you. If so, she’ll probably hang around until it’s time for you to cross over as well. If she won’t go with your mom, she’ll go with you.”
Leo frowned. “But she’ll be alone and miserable in the meantime.”
“I don’t know about miserable, exactly. But it’s true she won’t be at peace until she goes.”
Leo nodded. “I’ll talk to her. Just tell me when.”
Sully smiled and continued to lead the way across the property.
As they neared the scary-looking spectre of Lilian Garver, Sully wondered whether Miriam had seen her before and had done all she could to avoid her. It wouldn’t be surprising. Lilian appeared nothing like she once had, a far cry from the ballerina Miriam remembered. With the hair covering her face, Lilian was completely unrecognizable. If the hair concealed horrific injuries, that wouldn’t help ease Miriam’s concerns any.
Sully waited until they’d drawn closer to Lilian. He turned back to Leo and Miriam. The little girl had all but disappeared behind her brother, just one eye peeking out to fix on the woman ahead.
“Give me a minute,” Sully told them.
Then he went to Lilian.
“Do you recognize them?” he asked her.
She nodded slowly, up and down.
“I don’t mean to offend you or anything, but you look a little … intimidating. Miriam remembers you as a ballerina. She has a memory of you dancing, in a white leotard and a kind of knee-length skirt. Do you know what I’m talking about?”
Another nod.
Sully took a breath. “Here’s the thing: You look and feel the way you do because you’ve decided to stay instead of crossing over. I think once you decide to go, it’ll heal you. You can choose to appear any way you want. I can’t say for sure Miriam will go with you right now, but I promise you, if she doesn’t, she’ll go with Leo eventually. You will see your children again. And I’ve gotten rid of the nasty ghost in the house, so your children are safe.”
He smiled at her, hoping she saw it even though her eyes remained fixed on Leo and Miriam, as if memorizing them.
“Lilian, you’re a good mom. You stayed here to help your kids. Help them now by showing Miriam it’s okay to leave.”
Through a gap in the curtain of hair, Lilian’s mouth opened in a silent sigh. The muddy light inside her cleared, like sunlight pushing through cloud.
For a moment, the light was all Sully saw. When it faded a little, Lilian had changed. Her long, lithe body was clothed in the ballet costume of Miriam’s memory. Her hair was tied back in a bun, revealing a beautiful, open face. What was more, she was injury-free. The smile she wore held an element of surprise, as if she’d forgotten how it felt to be free of pain.
Bright blue eyes caught Sully’s for a moment, and he found himself grinning with her. But her smile faded a little as a thought crossed her face.
Sully didn’t need to hear to know what she was saying: What if Miriam doesn’t want me? She turned back to her children.
Sully felt a swell of relief that likely matched Lilian’s as Miriam at last stepped from behind her brother. Her eyes grew wide as she stared up at Lilian, a smile breaking on her little face.
“What’s happening?” Leo asked.
Sully felt bad for inadvertently leaving Leo out of the loop. “Your mom’s ready to cross over, and Miriam recognizes her.”
“Is she going with her?”
Miriam’s eyes turned from Lilian, back up to her brother’s face. The smile faded.
“She’s torn,” Sully said. “I think she wants to go to your mom but she doesn’t want to leave you.”
Leo nodded. Again, his eyes misted over, but this time, he didn’t clear them. “Where is she?”
“On your left, right beside you.”
Leo lowered himself with some difficulty until he knelt in the snow, facing Miriam. “Hey, kiddo. Listen to me, I know we’ve been together all these years, and it means so much to me we’ve been able to be there for each other. But you’ve got a chance to be happy, and I want you to take it.”
Miriam’s eyes met Sully’s, and he sensed her thoughts without needing further connection. “I think she needs to know you’ll be okay without her.”
“Of course I will, sis,” he said. “I’ll be happy knowing you’re happy. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be just fine. And pretty soon, we’ll see each other again, okay? I know you’ll come and get me when it’s time.”
Miriam watched him for another moment.
Then she threw her arms around his neck.
“Sullivan?” Leo said. “What am I feeling right now?”
Sully answered through a smile. “She’s hugging you.”
A sob erupted from Leo’s throat, but this time there was joy in the sound. He cleared his throat as Miriam released him. He struggled to stand, so Sully took his arm to help him up, remaining at his side as Miriam took a tentative step toward her mother.
“Mom?” Leo said. “I’m sorry I ever doubted you. Thank you for staying here for us all this time. I know it must have been hell for you. Please, come with Miriam and visit me sometime, if you can.”
Lilian beamed as she watched Leo. Then she nodded.
“She will,” Sully said. “I don’t think anyone could stop her.”
Lilian’s gaze returned to her daughter. She held out a hand.
Miriam paused another moment. But only a moment. Then she charged forward with the joy of reunion, arms outstretched. She ignored her mother’s hand and wrapped her legs in a tight embrace.
This was why he did it, Sully thought as he watched. These moments made all the Dunstan Craiks out there irrelevant.
Sully had seen child ghosts grow up in an instant sometimes, just before going into the light. Not this time. Sully suspected Miriam wanted a chance to be a child a little longer. She deserved it.
She and Lilian each met Sully’s eye, wide smiles and warm gazes providing their thanks without need of words. Together, they took one more long look at Leo.
The light enveloped them. When it faded, they were gone.
“Did they leave?” Leo asked, voice shaking.
Sully placed a hand on his shoulder. “Yeah. They’re safe and at peace.”
Leo nodded. Then he surprised Sully by turning to him and grabbing him in a hug. Sully stood there while Leo sobbed, saying nothing, allowing the moment to happen. When Leo at last pulled away, he ducked his head in embarrassment. But he was also smiling.
“I can’t explain it,” Leo said as the two of them walked back toward the house. “All these years, I’ve felt sad, on edge even. I didn’t even realize there was another way to feel. It’s different now. I feel … I don’t know … not happy, really. Peaceful.”
Sully stuffed his hands into his pockets, willing warmth back into fingers that had grown chilled despite his gloves. “I think part of you always sensed Miriam around. Ghosts can impact our emotions or thoughts, even without us being aware of it. And you carried a lot of pain around because of your family. She felt it and it bounced back at you as well. You were getting a double whammy of grief.”
“Considering I never fully believed in ghosts until all of this, what you’ve said makes perfect sense.”
“Now that you’re on board with all of this, can I make one request?” Sully asked.
“Anything.”
“There’s a lady named Abby Olafson. She’s the niece of the groundskeeper your father killed. Abby’s spent her whole life trying to find answers for her dad about what happened to his brother. Her dad’s dead now, but I think if Abby learns the truth, it will help both her and her dad. I could talk to her, but I think it would mean more coming from you.”
Leo smiled. “I’m a firm believer in passing on good things. You helped me, and I’d be honoured to help her and her family. If things had gone differently, her uncle might have been like a dad to me.” He blew out a long breath. “Listen, Sullivan, I want to thank you.”
“No need.”
“Yes, there is. I tried to tear you apart on the stand. I was doing a job, but it was more than that. I was looking for revenge for the way you broke me in front of the jury.” He met Sully’s eye. “You’re a bigger man than I am, Sullivan Gray. I hope you know what a truly good person you are. The world needs people like you in it, and I’m blessed to have met you.”
This time, it was Sully fighting back tears. “Thanks, Leo.”
Leo’s smile cracked into a grin. “One thing, though. Glad I’m retiring after this case. I don’t think I’ll be anywhere near angry enough to pull off cross-exams the way I used to.”
Sully laughed. “A blessing for all of us.”
Sirens sounded in the distance, police and EMS no doubt approaching.
They’d reached their vehicles, and Sully considered Leo. “If you want to avoid questions, you might want to bail now.”
“Forget it,” Leo said. “If Mrs. Carr tries to accuse the two of you of anything, I’ll make things very difficult for her. Plus, I want to make sure you don’t need a defence lawyer.”
Sully grinned. “I thought you were retiring.”
Leo grinned back. “You’re the most famous man in the city at the moment. I’d be nuts not to take your case.”
18
Thanks to Mrs. Carr and her exploding gun, Sully and Dez had some questions to answer.
Leo came in handy.
“It’s late,” Leo told the on-scene investigators after the brothers had been subjected to gunshot residue swabs and had answered an initial round of questions. “They’ll happily come into the station tomorrow to provide formal statements. Won’t you, boys?”
To which there wasn’t much to do but nod agreement.
Sully and Dez exchanged a parting handshake with Leo beside their vehicles.
“First thing,” Leo advised, pointing a finger at each of them to enunciate his point. “Call them and arrange for a time. Don’t make a liar of me.”
Sully laughed. “We’ll call. Don’t worry.”
Leo nodded, satisfied. “I’m expecting a verdict tomorrow. For the sake of my reputation, probably better we avoid each other in the courthouse.”
Dez snorted. “No problem.” But there was no heat in the slight, and Leo’s responding smirk suggested he knew it.
He dug out a chequebook. “I want to pay you boys something.”
“No need,” Sully said.
Dez smacked him. “Course there’s a need. We gotta eat.”
Leo grinned. “And you will eat.” He scribbled at the cheque and handed it over.
Sully glanced at it. “Leo, this is too much.”
“Nonsense. I’m a rich man, but all the money in the world couldn’t get me out from under the weight of this thing. You changed everything. Both of you. I’m free because of you. I can see my retirement ahead, and I actually feel good about it. You’ve given me more than I can ever repay.”
Dez raised his brows as he took the cheque from Sully. “This is a crazy good start.”
“I defended your uncle, who the jury will no doubt find responsible for causing indescribable harm to the two of you and the rest of your family. Consider this my way of putting his money where it belongs.”
Dez frowned. “I don’t want his money.”
Leo rolled his eyes dramatically. “Then consider it my money Lowell is reimbursing.”
He paused before getting into the vehicle. “I didn’t ask. My father, is he around here anywhere?”
Sully considered it. Dez had seen the shadow of a man in the third-floor room’s window. It struck him as possible it had been Bill Garver.
“He might be. If he is, he hasn’t got the juice to hurt anyone. I can check before we go if the police will let me back inside.”
Leo considered it a moment before shaking his head. “No. Leave him. If he’s here, he can stay here. My mom and sister are free of him, and will stay that way if he’s stuck here. It’s where he belongs: in his big house, alone forever.”
He patted Sully on the arm and dropped in behind the wheel. Dez and Sully watched him go before climbing into the SUV.
Dez started the vehicle, then slumped back against the seat as the engine warmed. “I’m exhausted. What say you come back with me tonight, huh?”
“Sounds great,” Sully said. It would be too late to visit tonight, but he wanted to see Eva, Kayleigh and Pax.
There was something they needed to do first, though.
“I want to see if we can drop the amulet off with Raiya,�
� Sully said.
Dez met his eye. “All for getting rid of that thing as soon as possible, but think she’ll still be awake?”
“I’d hate to wake her up,” Sully said. “But I’m willing to risk it. I want rid of it as soon as possible too.”
Sully’s mind had been on the amulet, but he became aware of eyes on him from the side. He turned to find Dez studying him.
“What?”
“You doing okay?”
“How do you mean?”
“You know, with Miriam. What happened to her.” Dez paused, pained expression settling over his face. “And what you saw happening to Dad.”
The true meaning of Dez’s questions was obvious. “I’m okay. Miriam’s at peace, and I feel more at peace for having helped her get there. As for what happened with Dad, I don’t know if I’ll ever feel better about it.”
“I’ll tell you one thing that’ll help me,” Dez said. “The jury coming back with a guilty verdict.”
“You really think it’ll help?”
Dez stared at him a moment. Then he smiled. “Sull, all the ghosts you helped, they found peace when you found them justice. I know it won’t erase the pain of losing Dad, but it will mean someone’s being held accountable for it. And it means Lowell wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone else. To me, that counts as something.”
Sully turned back to the windshield. The house was there, in front of them, lights on inside for the police. From here, Sully could see into the sitting room, the one where he now knew his dad had been killed. The image was there in his brain, probably always would be.
He struggled to replace it with something else, with the first memory he had of Flynn. Kneeling in front of him, kind eyes and soothing voice chasing away the fear. Returning shortly after to offer him a home.
“I miss him,” Sully said. His voice broke around the words, tears obscuring his view into the sitting room. “I miss him so much.”
Dez’s arm wound around his shoulders and pulled him in until he was fully encased in a hug. Sully hugged Dez back as he let go of the pain. For him, relief wasn’t found in justice. It was in the love of family.