“Thank you, but I need to ask you something. You’re my doctor and I’m of age. Anything I tell you stays between us, no matter what.”
“That’s how it works; what’s going on?”
“I think I’m pregnant. If the family knows before we have Daniel’s funeral, they’ll fuss over me and not let me go. I’d like to wait to tell them. If you say it’s okay, then I can go to the funeral. I’ll do whatever you think is good for me. I want this baby.”
“It would explain why you fainted so easily. You never were one to give in to emotion. I’m going to run some blood tests to be sure you’re pregnant, not anemic or a couple of other things. Neither the nurse nor I will mention this, but you should take one person into your confidence. If you faint again, someone should know about your condition.”
“Okay, I’ll tell my mom, but no one else.”
“Let me get her.”
The nurse came in to draw Annamarie’s blood. Her mom followed the nurse into the room.
“What’s wrong with you? Why do they need to run a blood test?”
Annamarie took a deep breath. “I think I’m pregnant.”
The look on Paula’s face revealed what she felt in her heart--a mix of joy, grief, and worry.
She hugged her daughter and said, “Don’t worry; everything’s going to be all right.”
“Mom, please promise not to tell anyone until after the funeral.”
Her mom reluctantly agreed.
Dr. Norse popped back in with a large white plastic container.
“These are prenatal vitamins, and I want you to take the first one right now. I know how you are about taking pills and these are big, but with a full glass of water you’ll do fine.”
Dr. Norse handed Annamarie the biggest pill she had ever seen. Her face wrinkled when she saw it, causing the doctor to smile. “You’re not completely grown up.”
She managed to swallow it with the glass of water.
“Take one every day with breakfast. If the test comes back positive, and I think it will, I’ll give you the name of an obstetrician. Normally I would be happy to deliver your baby, but you suffered a horrible loss. I want you to be in the best possible hands.”
Annamarie and Paula thanked him.
“I’ll call you with the results.”
“Annamarie will be at my house until at least after the funeral. You should call there.”
She wouldn’t let Annamarie argue the point.
“When your dad finds out you’ll be lucky if he ever lets you leave.”
A slight smile crossed her face. “You and Dad could move in with us because we have more room and a housekeeper.” Her face twisted in pain. “Umm, I mean, I have lots of room,” and burst into uncontrollable tears.
Dr. Norse heard her and popped back into the room.
Paula looked up. “It all just hit her suddenly.”
“This was to be expected. Watch her because there isn’t a lot we can give her for stress while she’s pregnant, but bring her to the ER if she seems like she needs help. We’ll do what we can.”
* * *
Annamarie pulled herself together after about ten minutes. “Mom, I’m ready to leave.”
“Steve left. We’ll have to call someone for a ride.”
When they walked out into the waiting area George and Maureen were there. George grabbed Annamarie and held her tight.
“Whatever you need, I’ll do for you. You were the closest person to Daniel. You’re still my daughter,” George loosened his hug, but took her hand.
Paula sat with Maureen and talked to her. Maureen was strangely calm and Paula wasn’t sure if it was shock or too many of the little pills the doctor had given her for her nerves.
George drove Annamarie and Paula back to the Logan house where Annamarie could gather some things together.
“We’ll wait for you.”
“My car is at the house.”
Paula, not wanting to give Annamarie’s secret away, explained, “I’m worried about Annamarie. Dr. Norse said after all she had been through lately, she’s extremely fragile.”
“I’ll take care of all the arrangements for Annamarie. At nineteen, she should be dancing, not grieving, and definitely not planning a funeral.”
* * *
Annamarie was lying on her bed when Elaine walked in.
“I’m so sorry about Mr. Daniel. Your mom asked me to help you pack some things while she speaks with Mr. and Mrs. Logan.”
Elaine placed Annamarie’s black dress into a dress bag so it wouldn’t wrinkle. Annamarie never wanted to have to wear it again. She swore to herself that after Daniel’s funeral, she was going to burn it in the leaf barrel.
Annamarie’s mom walked into the room and asked her how she was feeling.
“I feel stronger, and not the least bit dizzy.”
“We should take your things out to the car and get you back home and settled.”
“Not before lunch,” insisted Elaine. “You don’t need extra work today. I have prepared a nice lunch for both of you and a lot of sandwiches for the sheriff and the men with him.”
“George and Maureen brought us here. They’re sitting on the front porch.”
“There is enough food for them, if they want to stay.”
Paula spoke to George and he felt it would be best to take Maureen home.
Annamarie slowly walked down the back stairs toward the kitchen and heard Daniel’s voice whisper in her ear, “I’ll always be near. I’ll be watching you. You’ll never get away from me.” Then she felt a gentle tug on the back of her hair the way Daniel would tug at it when he was alive. She stifled a scream.
* * *
During lunch, Paula told Annamarie, “George is taking care of all the arrangements. You don’t have to do anything.”
“Mom, would you call George and ask him if we could do the entire funeral in church the way they had for Ben? I don’t want to be traveling back and forth to Oaklin.”
“I’ll talk to him. It’s time we go home.”
Although Annamarie hated leaving her home, she knew it would be best to stay with her parents for a while. It would be expected of the grieving widow to stay with her family. It was strange since she was only half of a grieving widow. Yes, it hurt terribly losing Daniel and she would never see him again. Yet, it was equally satisfying her new life would start without the fear and stress of life with Daniel.
* * *
When they were pulling out of the drive, Annamarie saw the coroner’s vehicle parked near the entrance to the pines. By now, they were deep into their investigation.
Dr. Webster, Oaklin County Coroner, leaned over the edge of the bluff barely far enough to see the two bodies at the bottom.
“Looks like they fell during a fight.”
“I assumed that,” the sheriff scowled.
“I’m not going down there for a closer look. You could break your neck on those rickety stairs, but my assistant has gone down to take pictures and measurements. Maybe I will glean more information from them.”
The sheriff remembered the assistant from the night his deputy shot Garret Frant and the murders at the dairy. The kid looked like he should still be in high school. The sheriff looked over the bluff’s edge and saw the same kid snapping photos and walking around and around the bodies taking notes. From the sheriff’s experience and the way the bodies were laying, it certainly appeared they were fighting and fell over together or one pushed the other and then lost his balance. Possibly the coroner will conclude a different scenario, but unless he found a bullet hole or knife wound, the sheriff was sure they both fell while fighting.
The kid must have been finished because he said something to the two larger men with him and they placed each body in a black bag and placed one in the body basket. Then they climbed the stairs, pulled the basket up to the top of the bluff, carried the body to the coroner’s vehicle, and then repeated the process with the second body. The borrowed deputy retrieved the handgun lying nea
r the river’s edge and placed it in a plastic bag. He and the sheriff walked back toward the Logan house. There was nothing left to do at the bluff.
Elaine saw the sheriff and waved. He walked up to the house and she told him she had made sandwiches for all of them.
“If we could take them back to the station, I’d appreciate it.”
He was ready to get out of there.
Elaine told him he could reach young Mrs. Logan at her parent’s home. The sheriff thanked her again and left. Knowing the madman was dead made Elaine feel safe enough to stay in the big house alone and clean the kitchen.
* * *
Annamarie took her things to her old high school bedroom. “The pink nightmare,” Daniel had called it. She felt at home again. Unpacking, she placed Daniel’s framed picture on her dresser. She turned to put her clothes in the closet and when she turned back, a glimmer in the mirror caught her eye. A flash, quick and bright, but it was a cloudy day. She noticed Daniel’s picture was cloudy. Picking it up, she realized it was pinesap. She had played in the woods enough as a child to know what it was instantly. She glanced at the ceiling and saw the sap dripped from above her.
“Mom, come here.”
Paula hurried to her room. “What’s wrong?”
“Look, pine sap is dripping from the ceiling. It’s all over Daniel’s picture and my fingers.”
Paula looked. The picture appeared fine. Annamarie’s fingers were clean and she couldn’t see a spot on the ceiling.
“Did you fall asleep, dear, and have a dream? You’ve been up here for nearly an hour.”
“Has it been that long? I’m still tired.”
“Why don’t you come downstairs and finish this later?”
“Okay, I will in a minute.” She sat on the edge of her bed, looking at the picture when her mom left the room.
She wasn’t sure if she should laugh at her dream or shudder at the thought that Daniel was angry. She spoke to the picture. “You’re dead. You were mean and now you’re dead. You can’t hurt anyone again.”
The picture immediately fell over and the glass broke in several pieces. She picked up the frame and noticed Daniel’s gorgeous blue eyes had turned black and appeared to stare directly at her. Annamarie threw all the pieces of glass and frame into her small trash container, but not before she used a piece of glass to slash the picture in half right through Daniel’s black eyes. She hurried downstairs to show her mom she had accidentally broken the frame and the picture was ruined. She forced tears into her eyes.
“We’ll get a new picture and frame soon.”
Annamarie agreed when she took the pieces to the large trash can outside. She told her mom she didn’t want anyone to cut themselves. As she dumped the broken pieces into the receptacle, she giggled. “Good riddance.”
* * *
Annamarie was sleeping on the couch when her mom called George.
“No, she hasn’t heard anything new.”
She did go on to tell George about Annamarie’s request and he agreed. She then called Father Mueller.
Paula and Father Mueller discussed Annamarie’s request. He didn’t see a problem. He asked if it would be all right if he visited Annamarie after supper. Paula thought it would be helpful since Annamarie needed a lot of support.
* * *
She also thought having a nice pie on hand would be a good thing and began making the crust while Annamarie slept.
Supper was cooking on the stove when Annamarie’s dad came home. He must’ve been the only person who had no idea what happened, since he was driving his truck all day.
He came through the back door whistling and grabbed his wife. “How’s the most beautiful girl in the world this evening?”
“Shhh, you’ll wake Annamarie.”
“I’m not sleeping, Mom,” a quiet voice came from the living room.
“Why is Annamarie here? What’d Daniel do now?”
“Quiet, Theo.” Paula quickly explained the situation.
Annamarie’s dad was at her side in a second. He held her and she began to cry again. She was beginning to feel regret for what she had done, and missed Daniel more than she thought she would. She tried to remind herself of all the reasons she pushed him off the bluff, but she still missed him.
Annamarie was Theo’s baby girl. Annamarie’s brother Carl was in the Navy somewhere in the South Pacific and he worried about him all the time. He never imagined terrible news would come from home and affect his girl. It was almost more than he could endure, seeing her in so much pain.
Before they sat down to supper, Theo called the sheriff to see if there was any news. The sheriff told Theo all he knew, which wasn’t much. Maybe they’d know more tomorrow. He promised he’d call if there was something new. The sheriff didn’t anticipate anything and for a change, he was glad he had an open and shut case.
Chapter Two – Changes
Before Theo went in for supper, he made one more call. He remembered Carl told him if they ever needed to communicate with him quickly to call someone, but whom? He couldn’t remember. Theo called Carl’s recruiter. The officer he spoke to was helpful and took down all the information. He said they would do their best to get the information through channels quickly. He also told Theo he would resend the information he misplaced. The young man offered his condolences again and told Theo to be well.
Annamarie didn’t feel hungry, but forced herself to eat because of the baby. She never thought Daniel’s death would unsettle her. Being free from his changeable attitude and cruel nature was a relief. The time between Ben’s death and the evening on the bluff had been blissful. He had apologized for the way he’d treated her since they were married and promised to change. He did. He was loving and attentive. Annamarie would have described him as the perfect husband, but something changed him at the bluff. Once rid of the madman causing him worry, he became the old Daniel. She now believed everything sweet he had said to her was to set her up to help him.
She pictured her life and her baby’s life with Daniel and knew it wouldn’t be a life she wanted for her child. He was a Logan. She could never escape with her baby. They were both safe now.
* * *
A little before seven o’clock, the doorbell rang. It was Father Mueller. He offered his condolences to Paula and Theo and then went into the living room to sit with Annamarie.
“You’ll be in my prayers and the prayers of the congregation. I’ll mention you and Daniel at tomorrow morning’s Mass.”
He kept the conversation light for a while, asking how she was and trying to help her understand how to deal with the shock and grief. Annamarie promised she would take care of herself.
Father Mueller brought up his conversation with George.
“Do you agree with the arrangements George is making? Are you sure you wish to have the funeral visitation at church?”
“Yes, thank you. I don’t feel up to going into Oaklin and a funeral home. I feel as if I might explode.”
“It’s a natural feeling and if you need me, I‘m available at any time.”
Annamarie’s mom served the apple pie she worked so hard at making and Father Mueller seemed pleased.
“We’ll have you over for supper soon.”
“I’d love that.” He said a prayer with the family and left.
* * *
Annamarie felt drained and retreated into her pink room. She grew up in that room and it felt safe. She lay down on her bed, hugged her fuzzy green pillow, and tried to remember what life was like before the fear Daniel imagined or felt entered her life. Daniel’s fear of the spirits that he believed lived in the woods consumed so much of his short life. Annamarie fell asleep.
* * *
The campfire was burning brightly. This time, the woman in the colorful dress wasn’t dancing. She was also not standing in a forest, but in a pine grove. The scent of pine was strong yet pleasant. The beautiful woman with green eyes walked up to Annamarie and touched her cheek the way she had before.
She spoke quietly, “Do not cry, my child. What is done is for the best. Remember what you know. What is hidden and could cause pain will never be found. There is more. What you have already found will be hidden again in a different form and never be known. Have no fear, my child, for I am always near.”
Annamarie woke, but wasn’t afraid. She knew her dream of Magdalena meant she was protecting her. Annamarie would be safe. She was resting on her bed when she heard the phone ring.
* * *
Her mom peeked in the door, “Good morning. You’re awake. Mr. Townsend is on the phone.”
“Tell him I’ll be right there.”
“Hello,” Annamarie said.
“Good morning, my dear, I’m so terribly sorry for your loss and equally sorry about calling so early, but there is something I must speak to you about immediately. It concerns the bonds. Can I drop by your parent’s home in a few minutes?”
“Of course. Mom, Mr. Townsend will be here in a few minutes. I need to change.”
“Oh goodness, I should straighten up a little.”
Annamarie disappeared into her room and Paula rushed around, making the house more presentable. When the doorbell rang, Paula opened it and asked Mr. Townsend in.
“Please make yourself comfortable. I’ll make some coffee.”
Annamarie entered the room, greeting Mr. Townsend.
“Thank you,” Mr. Townsend said to Paula and asked Annamarie to sit down. He had a matter to discuss.
Mr. Townsend explained, “Michael made me promise to look out for you no matter what and it’s what I’m going to do. When Daniel joined his father’s firm, George insisted Daniel purchase a life insurance policy. I don’t know its worth, but that’s not the only issue here. He also had Daniel make a will. A few days after your marriage, Daniel came to my office and changed his will. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem, but I received a call this morning asking about the twenty five percent of Michael’s home Daniel inherited and how the rest could be acquired from you.”
“What? Maureen wants to kick me out of our home and Daniel has barely been gone for a day?”
Annamarie and Magdalena (Gypsy Spirits Book 2) Page 2