A Ghost of the Past

by Mary Goldberger

  “This is going to be cold,” Pat warned her as she put on jell and Shay hissed at the coldness as Pat laughed.

  Then she turned on the machine moving around the wand until she found what she was looking for.

  “There,” she said pointing to a tiny little dot on the screen. “No bigger than a bean, but there is your baby.”

  Cordial was amazed as he stared and he glanced at Shay to see her staring too.

  “According to what this is reading, you are a little shy of six weeks pregnant,” Pat said scanning a little more before she asked, “Would you like a printout?”

  “Yes,” Shay and Cordial said together.

  Pat laughed as she hit the print button before she pulled the wand away and wiped up the excess jell from her abdomen.

  “The doctor will schedule another ultrasound farther down the road,” Pat informed them. “Congratulations.”

  Shay and Cordial left the doctors’ office with pamphlets and a prescription for prenatal vitamins which Cordial had filled before they headed home.

  “Well,” Vincent said as they walked through the door. Ray and Todd were there, too, as they wanted to hear the news too. They had been working on the final wedding details which was in a month.

  “We are almost six weeks pregnant,” Cordial said with a smile as Shay giggled at the amazement in his voice. “Would like to see the picture of our baby?”

  Ray screamed as she pulled Shay into a hug as Todd and Vincent shook Cordial’s hand.

  “Well that disapproves Dillon’s accusation right there,” Vincent said with satisfaction and they all laughed at his enjoyment in Dillon being proved wrong as they passed around the ultrasound.

  Shay called Amanda and Jack that night to tell them the news. Amanda was over the moon as she cried and said that their children were going to be close in age so they could be friends. It took Shay some time to get off the phone. It wasn’t until she said that she would see her in a month that Amanda let her go. Cordial had called Pauline and Mark as Nettie was called by Shay.

  It was a good day and evening because the next day all hell broke loose.

  Shay was up and making breakfast when the phone rung. She answered as she was pouring the batter on to the skillet.

  “Hello,” she said into the receiver as she picked it up.

  “I want to speak to Vincent now,” the angry voice said to her.

  Shay froze for a moment until she said, “Good morning Lucille. I believe he is still in bed. May I have him call you back?”

  “Tell him it is important,” she said before hanging up. Shay put down the phone as she chuckled.

  “What is funny, sweetheart?” Cordial asked as he came into the room followed by Vincent.

  “Lucille just called and wants you call her, Vincent,” she said as she went back to making the pancakes.

  “I guess she got the divorce papers,” Vincent said as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

  Cordial laughed as he gave Shay a kiss before pouring his own coffee.

  “So what are you going to do, Dad?” Cordial asked as he sat down with his dad and Shay placed the finished pancakes on the table.

  Vincent looked at them as he said with a sigh, “For now I am letting my lawyer handle it. When it is time and I am ready to talk with Lucille without strangling her, then I will have a face-to-face. Until then Shay if she calls again please tell her that I am unavailable.”

  Shay nodded her head in acceptance and Cordial grabbed her hand resting on the table.

  She smiled over at him, but there was weariness in her eyes.

  Cordial frowned as he pulled her up and she looked at him in surprise.

  “You need a nap,” he exclaimed urging her out of the kitchen to the stairs.

  “I am not five,” she grunted, but she heard Vincent say from the kitchen, “Remember though you are carrying my grandchild.”

  She rolled her eyes as she said, “I am pregnant not sick.”

  “Humor us,” Cordial pleaded as they headed for their room and Shay sighed in defeat.

  “Fine,” she muttered. She sat down on the bed and began to undo her laces to take off her shoes when Cordial pushed her lightly back and undid them himself. Then he helped her to get comfortable taking a quilt from his closet to place over her.

  She fingered it as he sat down next to her hip as she lay on the bed.

  “It was my mother’s,” he explained bracing his hands on either side of her head looking down into her face as her green eyes focused on the quilt.

  “It is beautiful,” she whispered with a smile glancing up and getting caught by his silvery gaze.

  “You have been restless in your sleep at night,” he stated.

  Shay paled as her eyes grew wide in her face and she stared up at him.

  “Nightmares,” Cordial concluded, “from the night Charity was killed.”

  She lay there looking at him until he smiled gently and brushed back a strand of hair from her face.

  “I love you,” he stated with complete conviction.

  Shay’s eyes began to glimmer with happiness and she said quietly, “I love you too.”

  She hesitated for a moment before she continued, “You right, I am having nightmares from that night.”

  Cordial wished he could help her to get rid of those nightmares, but the only way to do that was to found out who killed Charity.

  “I wish I could relieve you of them,” he whispered leaning down to feather a kiss across her forehead.

  She sighed before saying abruptly, “Where was Charity coming from that night?”

  Cordial pulled back to look at her with a frown as he asked stunned, “What?”

  Shay looked at him and raised her hand to his cheek asking more gently, “Do you know where Charity was before they found her in the woods?”

  He leaned into her hand as he answered honestly, “I am not sure and the cops were not able to pinpoint an exact place because nobody claimed to see her that day in town.”

  He frowned at that information as Shay said thoughtfully, “Somebody must have seen her.”

  She bit her lip as she asked him, “Can we go to where she was killed?”

  Cordial’s eyes narrowed in worry as he said placing a hand on her abdomen where their child was nestled, “I don’t think that is such a good idea.”

  He was scared that he could lose both her and the baby, and he had the feeling he would not be able to live without them.

  “Shay,” he said leaning down again to kiss her and whisper against her lips, “I cannot lose you; either one of you.”

  “Cordial,” Shay spoke as he pulled back. “I am stronger than you think and our child is well protected for now. Besides, I will be careful and you are going to be with me.” Then she grinned, “And I want to see it in the daylight not at night although it probably would be more useful.”

  Cordial sighed as his shoulders slumped because he could deny her nothing and if she did not know it yet, then she would soon enough.

  “All right,” he conceded. “We will go after your nap.”

  She smiled and settled herself in the bed because she could as he requested for he was doing what she had asked of him. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

  Cordial waited until she fell asleep before he slipped out of the room and headed back downstairs. Vincent saw the preoccupied look on his son’s face and he asked, “Is something wrong, son?”

  Cordial hesitated for a second before he confided in his dad about everything Shay told him. Vincent was stunned, but not completely shocked as Cordial had been when Shay first told him.

  “They were twins,” Vincent remarked. “Even thought they were separated at birth when Charity was in danger, her mind literally sought her other self.” He looked at his son and advised, “I understand you are worried about her and your child’s safety, but if she is having nightmares and not sleeping properly then that is just as harmful to her and the baby. I agree with Shay; you two need to find ou
t who killed Charity especially if you both thing it was someone close to her.”

  Then he paled as he stammered, “You don’t…think it is possible that Lucille had anything to do with Charity’s death?”

  They looked at each other in concern as they both thought the same thing: to get what she wanted Lucille might do anything.

  Upstairs where Shay lay sleeping, the outline figure of a young woman hovered next to the woman on the bed.

  “I am sorry, sister,” Charity whispered with a downcast face.

  “I knew I should not have, but I needed you here. I need you to reveal it all so that Cordial and his family can be free.” Then she smiled, “You make him happier than I ever would have. I will help protect you and your unborn child for the only man who truly cared and cherished me at one time before I ruined it.”

  Charity, in her ghostly outline, smiled down at the sleeping Shay and then she looked out the window with a determined look in her eyes.

  Chapter 42

  A few hours later after they had lunch, Cordial and Shay left the house heading to the last place Charity had been seen. It only took them a few minutes to get to the area where Cordial parked his truck off to the side of the road and he grabbed Shay’s hand as he led her through the forest to where they found Charity’s body.

  They stopped and Shay looked around as she muttered to her self, “It looks different at night.”

  “What do you want to do, Shay?” he asked tensely as he scanned the area.

  Shay squeezed his hand before she let go to stride forward to stand where Charity died.

  Cordial swallowed as irrational fear gripped him for a moment until he shook it off.

  She faced away from him as she pointed and stated, “In that direction was your and Dillon’s houses.”

  Cordial nodded responding, “Dillon still lives there in the same house.”

  Shay nodded her head to his observation as she turned around and Cordial was stunned to see her green eyes were blank.

  “Shay,” Cordial asked quietly.

  She shook her head as she said in a different voice, “Just give me a moment.”

  Then she began to walk forward and Cordial followed as she headed in the opposite direction following a path only she could see.

  “Definitely more different at night,” she said after she stopped for the third time to get her bearings before continuing.

  When they reached the end of the woods, Shay continued on until she came to a secluded street and she finally stopped.

  “She came from this direction,” Shay said turning around to face Cordial.

  She stepped back when she saw how angry he was until Cordial said in a steel-like voice, “My dad and Lucille live on this street.”

  Cordial turned to Shay noticing that she had back away and he winced.

  “Sorry, baby,” he said stepping towards her slowly as he explained. “When she was asked, Lucille said that she did not see Charity that day.”

  “She lied to the police,” Shay asked in confusion.

  “I wish I could say that was true,” Cordial stated running a hand through his hair. “But you and I both know that Charity being on this street does not mean a thing. Lucille could claim that Charity may have been on her way to visit when she was attacked.”

  He looked at her and Shay just smiled knowingly, “And my knowledge does not really count unless I want to look like a crazy person.”

  “Yes,” he agreed taking her hand as they headed back in the direction they came.

  “How about we have dinner out tonight?” Cordial suggested suddenly as they arrived at his truck.

  “What about your father?” Shay said sliding into the passenger side.

  “Maybe he could eat with Ray and Todd tonight,” Cordial suggested. He wanted to take her out somewhere nice and just have a quiet evening with the woman he loved.

  “Sounds like a good idea to me,” she said with a smile.

  Cordial chuckled as he put the truck in gear, “Then we have a date.”

  “So we do,” Shay said in excitement.

  They headed home in high spirits, but they diminished when they saw the car in the driveway as they arrived there.

  “Dillon,” Cordial said in resignation with a touch of anger.

  They climbed out and headed for the house walking in just as Dillon said smugly, “I told you Shay was pregnant.”

  “So you did,” Vincent was saying as they closed the door quietly behind them.

  They stood in the entry way to the living room and Cordial watched as Shay’s eyes narrowed in anger before she strode forward heading towards Dillon.

  “So how pregnant am I, lover boy?” she asked with a note in her voice that Dillon failed to notice as he swung around in surprise.

  Then he smiled although his eyes darted around the room before he started in a charming voice and Shay wondered what Charity ever saw in him, “Shay, you do not have to pretend anymore. I am prepared to take full responsibility of my child.”

  “How far along am I, Dillon?” she asked again ignoring what he said.

  “Honey,” he improvised, “the doctor told us you are two months pregnant.”

  “How far along am I, Cordial?” she asked in the same voice although he knew it was not directed at him.

  “A little shy of six weeks,” Cordial said with a smile as he walked up behind her and hugged her to him.

  Dillon paled as he turned to Vincent who was laughing.

  “You knew she was pregnant,” Dillon accused.

  “Not until recently,” Vincent admitted. He looked at Dillon with hard eyes, “I have to admit I am ashamed of you, Dillon.”

  “Really, old man,” Dillon taunted.

  “Yes,” Vincent said sadly. “You slept with your cousin’s fiancée granted that Charity was willing, but that is another issue. Then you try to cause trouble between Cordial and Shay with your lies as if you don’t wish for him to be happy. I know that there is no love loss between the two of you and I know that you could care two pennies about who Cordial sleeps with or dates which tells me one thing.”

  Dillon laughed as he asked smugly, “And what is that?”

  He was going to wait to tell Vincent about him and Lucille because he was going to love destroying his world.

  Vincent shook his head as he said, “That you were doing what you were told to do. Lucille is very inventive lover although my first wife pleased me more in bed just as she did out of it.”

  Dillon’s face went pale in shock before it turned red as Vincent continued, “Lucille is very good at seducing men younger than her. Since we have been married, she has had plenty of lovers although I have to admit that you were the only one she kept constantly but then again you are useful to her.”

  Cordial urged Shay over to the couch where he made her seat down although her eyes never left Dillon.

  “What in the hell did Charity see in you?” Shay said bluntly speaking aloud what she thought not even five minutes before.

  Dillon turned to her with a sneer, “I told her what she wanted to hear.”

  Shay rolled her eyes before saying, “You told her lies that you sugarcoated. You are Lucille’s whore; nothing more and nothing less.”

  Dillon saw red and launched himself at Shay, but he was stopped by Cordial.

  Dillon was past angry as he shouted, “You bitch. I will kill you just like I killed Charity. This time, I will do it with pleasure. I could care less about Cordial, but Lucille wanted to keep him away from unworthy females like you. She should have just let him make the mistake of marrying one of you.”

  Dillon did not realize what he was saying until Barry said, “So Dillon do you want to come downtown and talk a little more?”

  Everyone turned in astonishment to see Barry and his Deputy Sheriff standing there.

  “Tad wanted to come over,” Barry said in explanation. Yet his eyes were focused completely on Dillon as he stepped forward farther into the room.

  Dillo
n swallowed as he started to realize what he had been saying and he started to shake slightly.

  Cordial snatched him by the arm and Dillon turned his head to look into his cousin’s silvery eyes, and for the first time he was truly afraid of him.

  “Charity loved you,” Cordial growled. “Even though she had plenty of faults, she truly cared about you and you threw that away for a scheming woman.”

  Dillon’s eyes glazed over with a weird look as he uttered, “Lucille loves me.”

  Cordial shook him, “If she truly loved you, would she ask you to sleep with anyone else even to safe me? Lucille does not love you; she used you so that she can get what she wants. In her sick and twisted mind, she figured by getting rid of Charity I would be more accessible, but that did not work. Then she has you go after Shay only she was not seduced by your charming smile.”

  Shay watched as Dillon paled and his eyes glazed even more as he repeated, “Lucille loves me.”

  Shay watched as a strong man like Dillon lost himself in that moment. He could not deal with the fact that he let a woman control him so easily that he was not going to accept the truth.

  Cordial let him go and Tad came over putting his arms behind his back as he began to read him his rights.

  “Dillon Thomas, you are under arrest for the murder of Charity McCloud,” Ted said citing his Miranda Rights.

  Then Dillon said, “Jessica wanted her dead, too. She wanted both of you dead.”

  Shay sat back on the couch and said clearly, “That is what she meant when she told me to be careful. She knew that Lucille wanted Cordial; she even admitted that she never cared for her. She knew Lucille would not stop even if it was originally her plan.”

  Dillon only heard one part of that statement and he shouted, “It is me that Lucille wants not Cordial. It has always been me.”

  “Get him out of here,” Barry ordered quietly and Tad nodded his head walking him of the house still ranting.

  “We will not be able to pin anything on Lucille, Vincent,” Barry said in the silence. “The jury will never take his word over Lucille’s if she goes on the stand. It will be seen as an obsession from an ex-lover.”

  Shay closed her eyes as she said, “Lucille can admit to the fact that they were lovers, but she could deny that they have been involved recently unless you have any evidence to support them still seeing each other, Vincent?”