Return of the Clonsayee

by Elaine Bassett

  Dimitrios noted that sometime later he had managed the strength to move. For the longest time, all he had been able to accomplish was a slow crawl. After the tenth try, he had succeeded in getting to his feet. He stumbled as he fought to get his legs steady beneath him. Dimitrios could see he had been in bad shape. At one point he had reached into his pocket and pulled out the paper that gave him information as to where he lived on a map. He had followed it home, stumbling in the dim light of the moons.

  Dimitrios picked up Reiko and held it in his hands as he stared at nothing at all. He sat trying to process what he had just watched. Then he stood and walked to his vault. He placed Reiko in a strongbox for safekeeping. After a brief search in the vault he found the ring he had intended to give to Cassia. He opened the box to gaze at the diamond ring that he had forgotten about. He closed the lid then put the jeweler’s box back. Dimitrios sealed the vault and went to bed.

  Chapter 71

  As the two men walked on the path, Virgil whistled and Gabriel began absent- mindedly humming. Gabriel began singing a tune that went with Virgil’s whistling.

  Virgil was pleased. “You know the song then?”

  Gabriel glanced at him. “I do. My grandfather used to sing it as he worked in the yard.”

  “It’s an oldie. A good song to have in one’s head while working.”

  “I agree. I’ve sung it myself a time or two while I work. It’s catchy.”

  Gabriel looked all around. “This place is truly magical.”

  “That’s why I could never leave this enchanted land. The forest is truly alive. Right down to the blades of grass.” Virgil stepped off the path to prove that his statement was accurate.

  Gabriel could see the grass move to gently wrap around Virgil’s ankle. He shivered and thought: That is going to take some getting used to.

  Virgil kept walking. “You’ll get used to it.”

  When they returned to Gabriel’s cabin, Virgil helped him gather dead wood for the fireplace. Gabriel started a fire. The two men sat and visited for a while before Virgil decided to return home. He was aware that Gabriel needed to become acquainted with his new residence. Virgil stood and said the magic words to bring the walking stick to life.

  Gabriel said, “No offense but I’m not used to talking to a stick.”

  “None taken, but these friends are acquainted with the forest. They help in many ways. This walking stick has kept me from becoming lonely.”

  “Thank you for everything. I don’t honestly know what I expected when I came to visit, but your generosity is overwhelming.”

  “You’re welcome. I appreciate your willingness to give living in this land a try. In the morning come to my home for breakfast.” Virgil lit his lantern and walked into the night. The light from the moons lit up the path, as several of the rocks nearby glowed.

  Gabriel closed the door. He was tired. He began putting his clothes away in the dresser. Then he went over to the master bed and placed his lantern on the nightstand. He pulled back the hide cover that was on the mattress. Gabriel crawled into bed then blew out the lantern. He drifted off to sleep. He slept soundly on his comfortable bed. He dreamed about going on an adventure in his new surroundings.

  Chapter 72

  Dolores was more relaxed and felt better than she had in years. She was finally liberated from the oppressive atmosphere surrounding Joseph. This community was starting to feel like home.

  She and Sterling had been shopping in town. They both bought some interesting items. Then Dolores took Sterling to the local market. After making purchases from the list they had made earlier they returned to the lake house. Sterling helped bring the sacks into the house.

  She walked over to the breakfast bar and looked inside the grocery sacks. She removed the groceries to put them away. Dolores thought about the last edible item as she put it in the pantry. It was a gorgeous applesauce cake with penuche icing. She licked her lips at the thought of eating it for dessert that night.

  Dolores and Sterling were both hooked on this particular cake. Ruthie by chance had purchased one when she was visiting the previous month. Dolores had never tasted an applesauce cake like the one bought in the town of Anchorage Pointe. All it took was one bite for the three of them to be hooked. Dolores was surprised when at their last get together the neighbors had all commented that they too loved the cakes baked at the market, as they devoured every last bite of her cake. She found herself craving the luscious dessert when they returned home to New York.

  She enjoyed shopping at the charming market in town. It seemed to her that many of the locals gathered there. There was something about the store that made her want to keep going back. Dolores realized that she was beginning to recognize a few of the faces around the market. She especially liked the ladies in the bakery. Whenever they saw her, the women always struck up a conversation making her feel as if she wasn’t completely alone in this town. Whenever Molly, the co-owner of the market, saw Dolores, she always gave her a smile and a wave of her hand. Dolores learned from one of the ladies in the bakery that it was Molly’s mother who baked the applesauce cakes.

  It made Dolores’ mouth water just thinking about having the moist cake for dessert. While she was shopping with Sterling, Dolores asked Molly if she could order a couple of applesauce cakes. She requested that one be sent to their address in New York and one sent to Ruthie's address. Molly was happy to put in the special order for them. Dolores knew the treat would be something to look forward to, since they would have to eventually return to the city.

  Dolores turned her attention to the things they bought while on their shopping excursion. She removed everything from each bag and arranged the items into separate piles on the bar. When she finished, Dolores gathered the items that belonged to Sterling and took them to his bedroom.

  Sterling was lying across his bed on his stomach, listening to music. He had his back to the door. Dolores walked into his room and set his things on his desk. He took off his headphones to thank her. She smiled then left him to be a kid singing to the music he enjoyed.

  She headed back downstairs to fix popcorn and turn on a movie. As Dolores watched the movie, she unwrapped the art supply packages. She separated her paints, chalk and colored pencils into separate carry cases. When Dolores finished, she turned off the movie and took the supplies into her studio. She looked around the room and marveled at her workspace. She’d never had an art studio. When she graduated from college, Dolores had an image as to what her studio should look like. She was now determined to make that vision a reality.

  As Dolores was admiring her room, she heard a knock at the front door. She walked to the door and opened it. Sterling’s friend, Justin, was standing in the doorway trying to look around her. She greeted him.

  “Can Sterling come over to my house to play? My mom said it’s all right, if it’s all right with you.”

  Dolores agreed and invited him inside. She went to tell Sterling, who had already heard the good news. Sterling was already gathering things in his bag to take with him.

  She said, “I see you’re not too excited to be going.”

  He gave her a puzzled look then caught on to her teasing. “Mom!”

  Dolores helped Sterling complete his packing. She said goodbye to them at the door trying to let her son be grown up. Earlier they had had a conversation about the things she was supposed to do, and the things she wasn’t supposed to do anymore. She still sneaked in a kiss on top of his head. The boys looked at each other then made a face. She playfully shooed them out the door.

  She walked over to the phone to call Justin’s mom. Dolores had a nice chat with her. Justin’s mother assured Dolores it was okay for Sterling to come over to play. Dolores told her to send him back if he became unruly.

  Justin’s mother said, “I can’t believe your child would ever be unruly Dolores.” Just then the boys walked into Justin’s house.

  Sterling heard Justin’s mom say Dolores’ name. “Is that my mom?” He s
hook his head. Justin’s mom ignored him, as Justin pulled on Sterling’s jacket to get his attention.

  Dolores made a face. “Is he gone?”

  Justin’s mom turned around to look. “The coast is clear.” Dolores thanked her before they hung up.

  Dolores turned on the radio to her favorite music station and began to set up her studio. Once the room was the way she wanted it, she sat down at her easel and began mixing her paints. She was excited to have a moment to herself. Dolores was ready to begin painting the picture she had planned in her head for weeks. She wasn’t at all sure it was going to turn out the way she hoped, but that wasn’t what really mattered. It was the fact that she was able to express herself that meant the most to her.

  She lost track of time as she concentrated on her work. Dolores was surprised at the amount of detail she was able to paint into the scene she had created. She looked at it with a critical eye. Not bad at all: she thought. In fact she was pleased at how well her creation was turning out.

  Sterling walked through the front door. She was surprised that time had passed so quickly. Dolores looked at her watch and realized it was time for dinner. She asked Sterling to wash his hands. She put her things away and met her son in the kitchen. He sat down at the breakfast bar. She asked if he had a good time as she fixed dinner.

  Sterling enthusiastically said, “Yes! We had a great time. I want to go back tomorrow!”

  “Why don’t you ask him to come over here?”

  “To spend the night?”

  Dolores shrugged. “Why not?”

  Sterling jumped up from his chair. “Really, do you mean it? I can ask him to come over tomorrow?”

  Dolores gave him a perplexed look. “Yes, I wouldn’t tease you about something like that.”

  Sterling sat back down. “I know. It’s just that back home I’m never allowed to have anyone stay over or even visit.”

  “Yes, but here you can.”

  “Yay! Can we stay here forever?”

  Dolores thought about that: I wish we could Son, maybe someday.

  She knew he was right. Joseph would never allow their son to have a friend over. It was against the unspoken rules of the house. Joseph was never allowed to have friends over as a child, and he wasn’t about to let Sterling have the opportunity either. Dolores thought to herself: Some rules are meant to be broken, and this is one of them.

  Aloud she said, “Tomorrow is our last night at the lake, so why not? I can’t think of one good reason why Justin shouldn’t come over to spend the night.”

  Before they ate dinner Dolores called Justin’s mother to ask if her son could stay over the next night. After his mom gave her permission, Dolores and Sterling discussed plans for the sleep over while they ate dinner. Later they each had a slice of the applesauce cake for dessert. Sterling chose a movie to watch for the night’s entertainment.

  Before bed, Sterling told Dolores: “I’ve never been happier. I love it here.”

  All Dolores could say was, “Me too.”

  Chapter 73

  When Charles returned home from school, he sat at his desk and proceeded to work on his assignments. Charles commented on his day as he took his notebook, folders and books out of his backpack. When his homework was completed, he checked his apprentice calendar. He noticed a language assignment was listed, so he decided to get started on it. Dimitrios had lessons prepared to help him learn to speak French fluently. He was to repeat phrases and sentences after Dimitrios into his crystal. After Charles was finished with the verbal exercises, he began the written lessons. He’d been doing this for months. Charles believed he was making progress learning the foreign language. When he completed the assignment for the day, he placed it in the Hub mail to be sent it to Dimitrios.

  He headed over to see what Carson was working on. Carson explained the highlights of the papers he was reading. Charles looked over his shoulder. In a stack of papers on Carson’s desk was the Hub newspaper. The featured article was about a high profile kidnapping. The victim’s picture was on the front page.

  Charles took his Sojourner glasses out of his pocket and put them on. He picked up the newspaper and began skimming the article. As Charles was reading, Carson looked up.

  Carson pointed to the newspaper and said, “The Dauze family was responsible for the girl’s safe return home to her family.”

  “It doesn’t say that anywhere in the article. How do you know that information?”

  “Only a Dauze could have made that arrangement. It’s interesting that in the article they glossed over important information.”

  Charles was deep in thought, contemplating Carson’s words. “Maybe because there is an ongoing investigation. Who is she anyway?”

  “Her name is Denae Traswoir. She’s the daughter of the Secretary of the Secret Collectors’ Society, the commandant of riddles himself.”

  Carson turned and held up a different Hub newspaper. The headline read murder victim discovered. He shrugged. “A same sector occurrence.”

  Charles frowned. “Are you thinking she’s the killer?”

  Carson shook his head. “No, I’m just saying it is a suspicious coincidence that on the same day she was kidnapped, a murder occurred in the exact sector she stated she was conducting business. Let alone the fact one of the Dauze’s rescued her. It’s also intriguing to me that the paper decided to run the articles at different times instead of at the same time. Which tells me it’s possible they didn’t want anyone to make the connection between the two stories, so they held off one article intentionally. I believe there is more to this than meets the eye. Denae’s family is extremely wealthy and well connected. Her safe return home must have cost a priceless fortune.”

  Both men returned the newspapers to the stack of papers on the desk. Carson turned his attention to the Caperson Journal that was open on the corner of his desk. Together they read through it and discussed the entries until it was time to eat dinner.

  That night Bev had the same nightmare she had had before when she’d been to the mansion. She woke, feeling cold from the perspiration. Carson stirred when she got out of bed to go in the bathroom to clean up.

  He asked, “May I help?”

  She encouraged him to go back to sleep, but he wasn’t about to follow her advice. Carson thought: I remember what happened the last time I slept when you left to get an espresso. If I know you, and I do, you’re gonna go back to search for answers.

  Bev took a washrag and ran cool water over it. As she was looking in the mirror washing her face, she decided there were several problems with the ideas floating around in her head. She went over them one by one: First of all, if I go to the office again and return to the estate, Carson will be panicked when he wakes up after what happened last time in the tunnel. He may decide he doesn’t trust me. Second, it’s always dangerous crossing the border. Third, what do I do once I get there? What am I searching for? Something was calling her. Bev wished she hadn’t told Carson to go back to sleep. He would go with her. She resigned herself to returning to bed in order to think things through to a solution.

  She opened the bathroom door and glanced around. Bev smiled to herself. Carson was already up and in the kitchen making coffee. The smell reminded her why she loved that man as much as she did. He got it. She dressed and went to the kitchen.

  Carson smiled at her over his cup of coffee. He invited her to sit down at the table. He poured her a cup of coffee and said, “Charles will be leaving for school soon. Then you and I will leave for the estate, if you will allow me to accompany you.”

  She sipped her coffee. “Thank you. I’d love the company.” The coffee hit the spot making the uneasiness of the nightmare subside.

  “Was it the same one?”

  “It was.”

  “Do you know what you are searching for?”

  “No. I wish I did. I don’t even know where to begin searching. I fervently believe if I cross over, then it might come back to me.”

  “Then we will g
o, together.” She nodded thankful for the company.

  As soon as Charles left for school, Carson gathered their things. When Carson was ready, they left through the Passageway and headed for the Hub.

  Carson asked Bev if she would like to stop at the café for a quick breakfast. When she agreed, Carson walked to the counter and placed their order. Bev found a table in a secluded corner.

  Airabelle and Airasten flew to a chair at the table and perched on a chair rung out of sight. Airabelle told Airasten, “You’re in for a shock when you see Bev’s place.”

  When Carson brought their food, Bev asked, “Why did you suggest that we eat breakfast here?”

  “I wanted to discuss how we should cross the border. I believe we should avoid the border guards if possible. Having our name on the border list could raise questions.”

  Bev agreed and told him about the panel in the fence where she had crossed over before. As they continued to eat their breakfast, Carson asked questions about her crossover.

  After the meal was finished, they strolled to the shop sector. Airabelle and Airasten flew down and perched on Carson’s shoulders. Bev walked slowly along the sidewalk in front of the shops, gazing in the windows. When they reached the alleyway, Airabelle looked around and saw no one was observing them. She told Carson it was safe to execute their plan. Bev and Carson casually walked into the maze of alleyways. When they reached the panel in the fence, the birds flew over to meet them on the other side. Carson opened the panel for Bev to walk through and he followed. Once they were on the other side, Airabelle rode on Bev’s shoulder and Airasten on Carson’s.