Dreams of Idlewood
Page 12
“Percy, you are free from this realm. You are no longer between two worlds because you have found forgiveness. Those you wronged wait for you with love, not condemnation, on the other side. Go in confidence, Percy Ferguson, and may you finally enjoy the love you have always sought.” The table and then the chairs began to shake. It was as if someone had turned up the power here, for the lights flickered high and finally blew out. Suddenly the window above the sink flung open and a whistling wind blew out of the house, out and up, up, up and away. And then Percy was gone. Gone to be with Aubrey.
We sat for a long time enjoying the peace his departure left behind. We’d done it together, and we’d done it safely. At some point, we might have to deal with Michael, but for now, we’d be okay.
Everyone would be okay.
Epilogue – Carrie Jo
The doorbell rang, but by the time I got there whoever wanted my attention had driven away. I stepped out on the porch, pulling the short robe tightly around me, and stared at the back of the Toyota as it pulled down the street. Hmm…no car I recognized. I waved at the neighbor who was conveniently digging in the flowerbed that she’d planted along our fence line. “Good morning!”
“Oh, good morning, Carrie Jo! Nice robe!” she said sarcastically.
Feeling equally sarcastic, I dipped a curtsy and walked back in the house. Yep, it was time to move. We were a growing family anyway, and having some extra space would be good for us all. What would Ashland think about country living? Maybe it was time to put some distance between us and downtown Mobile. It was definitely something to think about.
The guys were still asleep, so I pattered into my office, my slippers slapping on the wooden floor. I reached for the letter opener and sliced open the big manila envelope. I pulled the note card out first. It was a neatly written message from Detra Ann’s detective friend, Brendan Bennett. He’d been integral to helping her get leads on Aleezabeth.
I think you’ll find this interesting. Check your inbox tonight for more information. BB
And that was it. When Detra Ann said he was a man of few words, she wasn’t kidding. “Okay, mister.” I slid out the remaining papers. There were some newspaper clippings and photographs, and some of the pictures appeared to be fairly recent. My legs felt wobbly, and I plopped down in the seat. As I held the black and white photo in my hand I could hardly believe it. This was Chance. Although I could not remember him as a baby, I knew it was him! He had my eyes and was tall. He had a family of his own, a lovely wife and a good job as a teacher and…he was living in Pensacola, Florida!
The rush of information was too much for me. My own brother was only an hour away. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, so I kind of did both.
“What’s that?” Ashland asked quietly. He’d been so standoffish lately, but that didn’t matter now. I’d found my brother. I found Chance!
“Come see! A delivery driver just left it. It’s from Brendan Bennett.”
Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Ashland leaned across the desk and examined the photos. “You know, you couldn’t deny him if you tried. You two really favor one another. Any word on your father?”
I frowned and shuffled through the papers. “No, I don’t see anything, but Detective Bennett told me to check my inbox tonight, that he’d have some other stuff for me. I wonder what it will be.”
“No telling. This is great news. I’m really happy for you. I’m going to whip up some omelets. You want one? Ham and cheese?”
I stared at him like he was crazy. I’d just found my brother, and he was acting like it was just another morning. “Um, no thanks. I think I’ll stick with fruit today.” The baby was awake now, judging by the “call of the wild one” coming from upstairs. Ashland didn’t offer to bring him down, so I reshuffled the papers and went myself.
What was happening? I felt like I was on a train heading in one direction when I really needed to go the other way. So how did I stop the train?
I couldn’t figure it out, but I wasn’t going to worry about my husband’s moodiness right now. I’d found my brother! I couldn’t wait to see the look on my mother’s face when I told her the good news.
At least she’d be happy for me. For us both.
Read more from M.L. Bullock
The Seven Sisters Series
Seven Sisters
Moonlight Falls on Seven Sisters
Shadows Stir at Seven Sisters
The Stars that Fell
The Stars We Walked Upon
The Sun Rises Over Seven Sisters
The Idlewood Series
The Ghosts of Idlewood
Dreams of Idlewood
The Whispering Saint (forthcoming)
The Haunted Child (forthcoming)
The Heart of Idlewood (forthcoming)
The Desert Queen Series
The Tale of Nefret
The Falcon Rises
The Kingdom of Nefertiti
The Song of the Bee-Eater (forthcoming)
The Sugar Hill Series
Wife of the Left Hand
Fire on the Ramparts (forthcoming)
Blood by Candlelight (forthcoming)
The Starlight Ball (forthcoming)
Athena’s Revenge (forthcoming)
The Sirens Gate Series
The Mermaid’s Gift
The Blood Feud
The Wrath of Minerva
The Lorelei Curse (forthcoming)
The Island Jinx (forthcoming)
The Fortunate Star (forthcoming)
The Southern Gothic Series
Being with Beau
Connect with M.L Bullock on Facebook. To receive updates on her latest releases, visit her website at M.L. Bullock and subscribe to her mailing list.
About the Author
Author of the best-selling Seven Sisters series and the Desert Queen series, M.L. Bullock has been storytelling since she was a child. A student of archaeology, she loves weaving stories that feature her favorite historical characters—including Nefertiti. She currently lives on the Gulf Coast with her family but travels frequently to exotic locations around the globe.