by B. Groves
Miguel and Olivia decided to move closer to Dr. Rodriquez so Olivia could receive the mental help she needed. They would stay with Miguel’s cousin for a while, which was a good thing since his cousin had children Olivia’s age.
Alison shook her head, but she smiled, appreciating the offer. “No. I’m flying home and visiting my family, and then I’ll be back out there.”
Miguel put out his cigarette and embraced Alison. “You better keep in touch.”
“I will. I promise and the same with you,” Alison said.
Alison felt small arms wrap around her waist again, and she kneeled down to embrace Olivia.
“Alison, please come with us,” Olivia pleaded.
“I wish I could, sweetheart, but my job takes me other places,” Alison said.
Olivia pulled away and Alison wiped a tear from her cheek. “You are the bravest, most courageous girl I know. Take care of your dad.”
Olivia nodded and hugged Alison one more time before Miguel had to pry her off.
Miguel and Alison turned back to the crowd and most of it had dissipated except for family and friends.
“Are you going to stay for food?” Miguel asked.
Alison shook her head. “No. I’m leaving and driving back to Charlotte.” Alison’s voice caught as she said, “There’s nothing left for me to do here.”
Chapter 57
Alison said her last goodbyes to her friends and made her way to her car. She ran into Chief Carter and his wife along the way.
Carter’s arm was still in a sling. He tried to hold back his emotions when he said, “Can you forgive me?”
Alison smiled softly at him and said, “It’s not me who needs to forgive you.”
Carter’s shoulders slumped and Alison rushed past him. She didn’t want to speak to him after what he’d done to them and to Kyle.
She reached her car and turned around to gaze one last time at the church where it all began.
She opened the door for Simon and waited while he became comfortable.
“Miss Stark?”
Alison held in her sigh and turned around to see a chunky woman with light brown hair guiding a man walking with a cane, with bandages covering his eyes.
Alison had seen Billy Wilson and his wife in the church, but she decided against speaking to them.
The couple stopped in front of her and the woman asked, “Are you Alison Stark?”
“Yes.”
“Miguel pointed us to you. I’m sorry to interrupt you, but I thought we might speak for a moment. Do you remember my husband?”
Alison commanded Simon to stay in the car as she approached Billy. She made sure he felt her hand before shaking it. She shook the wife’s hand, who said her name was Sarah.
“Mr. Wilson…” Alison began, trying not to choke on her emotions. “I never meant to hurt you.”
Billy squeezed her hand and said, “I know you didn’t.” Billy cleared his throat and said, “I’ve been having nightmares about what happened to me, and a man named John came and explained everything to me and Sarah. We didn’t believe it but I just lost my mother and I was close to her. I was in a bad state mentally and it all made sense.”
Sarah gazed at her husband with sad eyes and turned back to Alison. “We were wondering what we could do to get through these nightmares. They didn’t start until two nights ago and with Reverend Ellis gone and all…”
Alison nodded and said, “Then you understand what I am.”
“Sort of,” Billy answered.
Alison let go of Billy’s hand and opened her car door. She grabbed a card and handed it to Sarah.
“This man is like me, but he’s also a psychiatrist and helps victims of possession,” Alison explained.
Sarah gazed at the card and then turned back to Alison. “But, we can’t afford to move to California, and we can’t afford a psychiatrist.”
Alison smiled. “You don’t have to worry about either. Dr. Rodriquez will point you in the right direction if you need help closer to home.”
Sarah visibly relaxed and placed the card into her handbag.
Billy reached out for Alison’s hand and said, “I want to thank you for saving my life. I can live without my sight, but it’s worth it because I’m alive.”
Alison smiled taking his hand in hers. “You’re welcome.”
Sarah ran a chubby hand through her hair. “I’ll miss Reverend Ellis.”
Alison didn’t want to shed tears again, so she did her best to blink them back. “Me too. He was a good man and he’s the real hero in this mess.”
Billy and his wife Sarah said their last goodbyes, and Alison watched as Sarah led Billy away before she turned back to Kyle’s house.
She stared at the house one last time and started her car and pulled out of the parking lot.
Alison stopped at a rest stop along the highway, and changed out of the dress, and into shorts and a T-shirt, while she took Simon for a quick walk before they returned to Charlotte.
Alison had one more thing to do before they drove back to Charlotte.
Alison removed the necklace from her handbag and placed it around her neck. She made sure it was secure in her rear-view mirror. She then placed the picture of her and Kyle she’d had printed at a local pharmacy onto the dashboard.
Alison bit her lip and blinked back tears as she held the cross between her fingers. She had to keep her bearings. She had a long drive ahead of her.
She turned to Simon and asked, “Ready boy?”
Giving Simon a head pat, she started the car and exited the rest stop and maneuvered back to the highway.
Alison never noticed the black SUV pull into the parking lot as she was leaving and then pull out behind her.
To be continued…
Dear Reader,
Thank you for purchasing The Soul Healer! The sequel, The Soul Killer, will be out in 2020.
If you would please leave a review after finishing this book, it would really mean a lot to me.
Thank you again, and happy reading!
Barbara
About the Author
It has been my passion to write good stories since I was handed my first Nancy Drew book at the age of ten. I've been writing stories and imagining other worlds since I read that first book, and I was determined to publish those stories one day.
I was born in a small town (truth) in southern New Jersey. Where there’s only 1 traffic light, an ice cream shop, and a post office run by an old lady who still thinks I’m twelve when I visit home.
While in high school, I found a love of historical romance novels. Sneaking them around my teachers and parents. I got caught once and had the book taken away from me for the rest of the day. I was sent home with a note, and my mom shocked me when she said she was happy I was reading and didn’t care what it was.
I have the greatest husband and supporter in the world. He has a love of books like me, but he would never touch romance. Except! He reads all of my writing giving me critical feedback. How awesome is that?
I hope you join me on this journey through my personal twilight zone. You never know where you may go. I love writing dark fiction (In real life, I'm a goofball and I do a wicked imitation of Dean Winchester from Supernatural) about the dark side of humanity with paranormal elements, suspense, and romance in the mix. I love strong heroes and even stronger heroines.
Other Works by B.Groves
Claire Westcott recently inherited a house from her estranged grandmother—Rose. A house she didn't know still existed. A house with a deadly secret.
Deciding she needs a fresh start, Claire travels to Lingate, North Carolina to move into the house and learn more about her family history including the brother she barely remembers.
After Claire moves in she starts seeing her brother. That's great... except her younger brother —David—drowned in the river behind the house when he was three years old.
Or did he?
For twenty-three years, Claire lived with the knowledg
e that her parents died in a tragic car crash, where she and brother are sent to live with Rose. Then another tragedy struck when David drowned in the river behind the house, Rose went mad and sent Claire to live with other family members.
David's appearance releases the memories of what really happened when Claire and David lived at Kinsey House.
As Claire races to uncover her past, the truth becomes a terrifying nightmare.
There is more to Foxworth House than dirty towels.
Lacey Marshall hates flying and drives whenever she needs to take a trip. Once a year she drives from a work convention in Las Vegas to her home in Denver, CO.
She’s never had trouble with the drive until this year when Lacey is caught in a freak snowstorm.
The storm forces Lacey to stop and spend the night in a creepy bed-and-breakfast on a lonely road in the middle of the desert.
Her room is dirty, the towels are moldy, and the clerk was rude, but Lacey has no other choice.
There’s more to this bed-and-breakfast than just bad service.
The bed-and-breakfast has a horrifying secret. One that reveals itself to Lacey after she checks into her room and that secret will change her life forever.
A small town rocked by tragedy. Two people shattered by a horrific past. What drove Margo to kill? A sinister secret turns deadly.
Female mass shooters are very rare. In fact, they are so rare no significant studies have ever explored a female mass shooter. On March 20, 2005, Margaret Elise Ryan went on a rampage in her school, killing 5 students, and injuring 10 others. Why? There are never easy answers. Her sister, Gabrielle Ryan, witnessed not only her sister's killing spree but ultimate suicide. 10 years later Gabrielle returns to the fictional town of Seven Hills, New Jersey, not only to put Margo to rest but to find the answers after reading Margo's diary.
Dean Walker was one of Margo's victims. His best friend—dead—by her hands. He has held resentment and anger towards the Ryan family ever since that day. Not only that, he was about to speak to the girl of his dreams when the shooting happened. The girl of his dreams was none other than Gabrielle Ryan.
Can Dean find it in his heart to forgive Gabby and her family for what Margo did to him?