Buried Innocence - A Mary O'Reilly Paranormal Mystery - Book Thirteen (Mary O'Reilly Paranormal Mystery Series)

by Reid, Terri

  “So, do you think she’s a nutcase?” Mary asked.

  “Are you kidding me?” Amelia replied, and Mary could hear the laughter in her voice. “I run ghost tours for a living, and I’m calling a woman who talks to ghosts. Who the hell am I to judge?”

  Mary laughed. “Excellent point,” she said. “I’ll see you in an hour.”

  Mary hung up the phone and looked up to see Mike’s disapproving face glowering down on her. “Where do you think you’re going, young lady?” he asked.

  Mary stood, picked up her phone and purse and moved around her desk. “Um, to Galena,” she replied, “to do my job.”

  “You think you can just drive off to Galena, in your condition?”

  “Mike, I’m four months pregnant,” she said. “For the most part, I feel great. I’m driving forty-five minutes away, on a lovely summer day with no rain in the forecast for days.”

  She walked out the door onto the sidewalk, and the hot August heat enveloped her. She was so glad her car had good air conditioning. When she turned and locked her office, Mike glided through the wall to stand next to her.

  “Things could happen,” he warned. “All kinds of things could happen.”

  She shook her head again. “Oh, so now you believe in my horoscope?” she asked, walking over to her parked car.

  “No, I don’t,” he argued. “But there are other things out there that could harm you.”

  She paused on the sidewalk and looked at him. “Like what?”

  He thought about her question for a moment. “Well, this could be a trap,” he invented. “Amelia could have been forced to call you.”

  “I don’t think many people could force Amelia to do something she didn’t want to do,” Mary said. “Besides, we have a code phrase just in case something like that happens.”

  Impressed, Mike glided up next to her. “You do?” he asked.

  She nodded. “Yeah, it’s ‘Mike’s paranoid,’” she replied. “Great phrase isn’t it? Rings true.”

  He slipped in front of her to bar her way into the car. “Mary, you’re not going,” he said. “Final word on the subject.”

  She stopped and then moved to walk around him when she found her way blocked by scaffolding left there by window-washers. Dare she walk under a ladder when her horoscope just warned her to beware?

  “Yeah, go ahead and walk under a ladder,” Mike taunted.

  Turning back, she reached through him, opened the door and slipped inside.

  “Hey!” he cried. “Watch your hands.”

  “Sorry, a woman’s got to do what a woman’s got to do,” she said, putting the key in the ignition and turning the car on.

  Sliding through the passenger door to sit beside her, Mike folded his arms and sent her a determined look. “Well, you’re not going without me,” he stated.

  Mary shrugged. “Fine,” she replied, shifting into reverse.

  A knock on the driver’s side window startled her, and she turned to see a young woman standing in the street next to her car. She had long, dark hair and was dressed in mostly black. Mary rolled down the window and smiled. “Can I help you?” she asked.

  The woman studied her for a moment, a cautious smile on her face, and then slowly nodded. “I just wanted to be sure you were okay before you drove off,” the woman replied.

  “Okay?” Mary asked.

  “Well, yes,” the woman answered. “I’ve been watching you from my store across the street, and it looked as if you were arguing with yourself about something.”

  Emitting a nervous laugh, the woman paused for a moment. “Well, I just wondered if you were having, you know, a nervous breakdown or something. I wanted to be sure you were okay before you got behind the wheel of your car.”

  Chuckling next to her, Mike sat back in the chair. “Sorry about that, Mary.”

  Taking a deep breath, Mary nodded to the woman. “How embarrassing,” she said. “I realize that I must have looked a little odd from across the street. Every time I use my Bluetooth earpiece people think I’m talking to myself. Either I’m going to have to get a shorter hairstyle or a bigger ear piece.”

  The woman sighed with relief. “Of, of course, how silly of me,” she apologized. “I am so sorry for delaying you.”

  “Oh, no problem. It was lovely to meet you,” Mary said. “I’m Mary O’Reilly, and I am a private investigator.”

  “I’m Aubrie Ann,” she said. “I run the New Age shop across the street. We just opened a couple of weeks ago.”

  “I’ll have to come in and shop,” Mary said. “That sounds interesting.”

  The woman stepped back and smiled down at Mary. “You have a very interesting aura,” she said. “I’d love to have you stop by.”

  With a quick wave, Mary pulled out into the street and drove away.

  “An interesting aura,” Mike replied. “See, that’s the kind of line I needed to know about when I was alive.”

  Mary glanced at him before she turned right on Business 20 to head out of town. “You used lines?” she asked.

  He nodded. “Yeah, I had a few oldies but goodies that seem to charm the ladies.”

  “I know I’m going to regret this,” she said. “But which one worked the best for you?”

  He thought about it for a moment. “Well, it’s been a while, but I think this one worked the very best,” he said, and then he turned to her and winked. “Hey baby, if I told you I thought you had a gorgeous body, would you hold it against me?”

  “No, that one couldn’t have worked,” she laughed. “Try again.”

  “I seem to have lost my phone number. Would you mind lending me yours?” Mike attempted.

  “Nope, try again.”

  “If being sexy was a crime, you'd be guilty as charged!”

  “Lame, really lame.”

  “Okay, I suddenly remembered my number one, works all the time, pick-up line,” Mike said, a wide grin on his face.

  “I know I’m going to be sorry,” Mary said, easing into the right lane before turning onto Highway 26. “But go ahead.”

  Mike waited until Mary had lifted her bottled water to her lips and taken a sip. “Baby,” he said, lowering his voice into a sexy purr and leaning towards her. “If you were a booger, I’d pick you first.”

  Water spewed from her mouth onto the steering wheel. “That was so not fair,” she laughed as she coughed and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. “But now I totally understand.”

  “Understand what?” he asked.

  “Why you thought the aura line was so great,” she said. “And you’re right. You really needed it.”

  “Harsh, Mary,” he replied with a chuckle. “Really harsh.”

  Chapter Two

  Amelia’s Ghost Tours was located on Main Street in downtown Galena, and as Mary turned right from Highway 20 onto historic Main Street she immediately started scanning the street for parking. The small town was a tourist mecca with cobblestoned streets, quaint shops and historic buildings, so parking was often at a minimum especially when the crowds from Chicago traveled up for a long weekend. But, since this was a Monday evening, she was able to find a spot not too far from the picturesque shop in the middle of the block.

  Walking uphill towards the shop, she inhaled deeply, enjoying the scents that where uniquely Galena. The Galena River was only a block away, and the hot summer wind carried its scent through the downtown street, enhanced by the smells emanating from the various shops on the street: popcorn, chocolate, steaks and pizza. It was a pregnant woman’s olfactory bouquet.

  “Remind me to get some popcorn before I leave,” she whispered to Mike.

  “Yeah, like I really will have to remind you,” he teased.

  She grinned. “Okay, remind me that the car is parked two blocks from the Popcorn Shop,” she said. “And that I have to carry whatever I buy.”

  He smiled at her. “That I can do.”

  They stopped outside of Amelia’s, and Mary turned to Mike. “Would you mind waiting for me
outside?” she asked. “Amelia tends to get choked up when there are paranormal entities nearby.”

  “You mean she gets emotional?” Mike asked.

  Mary shook her head. “No, ghosts make her cough,” she explained. “I’m not sure how she’d react to a guardian angel, but just in case…”

  “No problem,” he said. “I’ll just keep an eye on you through the window.”

  Entering the narrow store, Mary immediately saw the woman and her young son sitting on a small couch in the alcove, talking to Amelia who sat across from them on a small chair. When the bell over the door rang, Amelia looked up and smiled. “Mary, you made great time,” she said. “How was the drive?”

  “Gorgeous, as usual,” she replied, and then she turned to the woman. “Hi. I’m Mary O’Reilly.”

  The woman took a deep breath before responding but pasted a shaky smile on her face. “I’m Donna, Donna McIntyre, and this is my son, Ryan.”

  “Hi Ryan,” Mary said, smiling at the little boy. “What can I do for you?”

  “Have a seat, Mary,” Amelia insisted, pulling another chair close to the couch. “Donna had an interesting experience this evening that has her slightly freaked out, and I can’t blame her.”

  Mary sat down and faced Donna. “So, what happened?”

  After listening to Donna’s recounting about hearing the voice, Mary turned to Ryan. “Was that your friend Liza singing?” she asked.

  Ryan nodded casually. “Yeah, she likes to sing,” he said. “I think that’s a girl thing.”

  Mary smiled. “Yes, I agree,” she said. “Have you talked to Liza about why she visits you so much?”

  “She can’t find her other mom, so she’s just staying with us,” he replied.

  “What do you mean, other mom?” Mary asked.

  “She was an orphan,” he said. “And she got sent to one mom. Then she got sent to another place ‘cause her new mom got sick. Then that place sent her to another place, and that’s where she died.”

  “How did she die?” Mary asked.

  “She doesn’t like to talk about it,” Ryan replied. “It makes her scared.”

  “Did she ever live in your apartment?” Mary asked. “Before you lived there?”

  The little boy shook his head. “No, she was just taking a walk and saw us,” he said. “She asked me if she could come home with us, and I told her yes. I knew Mom wouldn’t mind. She’s always helping people.”

  Mary smiled and glanced at Donna who was staring at her son in astonishment. “Ryan, why didn’t you tell me?” she asked.

  “I did,” he said. “Remember? I said I had a new friend and she wanted to come home with us. And you said okay.”

  Donna closed her eyes and inhaled softly. “You’re right, I did,” she finally said. “I remember now, we were visiting your grandparents. But I thought your friend was imaginary.”

  Ryan shook his head. “Nope, she was just invisible,” he said matter-of-factly.

  “Oh, that’s all,” Amelia inserted and then turned to Mary. “So, can you help them?”

  Mary turned back to Ryan. “Has Liza ever told you to do anything bad or dangerous?” she asked.

  “No, she’s pretty quiet and likes to hide,” he said. “I was real surprised when she sang to Mom. She must like her.”

  “She must trust her,” Mary added, turning to Donna. “Whoever is staying with you doesn’t seem to be threatening or malicious. She just seems to be lost or looking for someone.”

  “Well, that’s a relief,” Donna said. “She really scared me.”

  “That’s totally understandable,” Mary agreed. “It sounds like she needs some more information until she can move on. Would you mind if I spoke with her?”

  Donna shook her head. “No, please, I would feel better to have someone else hear what I heard,” she agreed. “And Amelia told me about what you do. So, I think it would really ease my mind.”

  “Would you like me to come now?” Mary asked.

  Nodding eagerly, Donna breathed a sigh of relief. “That would be wonderful,” she replied. “I wasn’t sure how I was going to face going back into my apartment.”

  “Great,” Mary said. “Let’s go.”

  Chapter Three

  “So, where are we going?” Mike asked as Mary stepped out of Amelia’s store.

  Mary glanced over her shoulder to see that Donna and Ryan were still talking to Amelia and then whispered to Mike. “They have a ghost in their apartment, a little girl who is looking for her adoptive mother,” she explained. “The ghost has been communicating with the little boy, but tonight she whispered to the mother.”

  “That probably freaked her out,” Mike said.

  “Exactly,” Mary replied.

  “Exactly what?” Donna asked as she stepped up beside Mary on the sidewalk.

  Sighing, Mary glanced over to Mike who shrugged his shoulders and then back to Donna. “I was just telling my associate about your encounter this evening. He said that it probably freaked you out, and I said ‘exactly,’” she replied.

  “Oh, you have one of those Bluetooth things, don’t you?” Donna asked.

  “Why, yes I do,” Mary said brightly. “Don’t they come in handy at the most opportune times?”

  “Yes, except people often think you’re talking to yourself,” Donna replied.

  “Or your invisible friends,” Mary added with a secret wink at Mike. “So, are we walking to your place?”

  “Yes, it’s just down at the end of Main Street,” she replied. “Do you mind walking?”

  Mary shook her head. “No, it’s a lovely evening for a walk.”

  They walked together, Ryan chatting non-stop about the stores and his favorite places to window shop. As they crossed Hill Street, while looking out for traffic, Mary caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. She stopped and looked up the narrow, steep street again but didn’t see anything. Maybe she’d take a little more time to check things out when she walked back to her car.

  They arrived at the apartment, and Donna sighed. “Now we have three floors to climb,” she murmured apologetically. “I’m so sorry.”

  Mary shook her head. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “After the walk and the climb, I can justify a stop in one of the chocolate shops on my way back to my car.”

  The walk up the steps was easier without the grocery bags Donna and Ryan had carried earlier, but it was still no walk in the park. By the time they reached the door, they were all slightly out of breath. “I can see you don’t need a gym membership,” Mary said, panting softly. “This is quite a workout.”

  Donna smiled. “Well, that’s one advantage to living up here.”

  She unlocked the door, and they all stepped inside. Mary slowly looked around the apartment. It was neat and tidy, but she could tell that most of the furniture was either second-hand or purchased from the local big-box store. Then she saw the little girl kneeling by the play table in front of the television. She looked to be about five years old. She had long, blonde hair, a petite bone structure and was wearing a nightgown that reached her knees. Mary thought she was a pretty little girl, but when she turned and looked up, Mary’s stomach clenched. Taking a deep breath, Mary recalled the years of police training and pushed herself to stay mentally detached.

  The subject has blue eyes, Mary noted silently, with two periorbital hematomas or, in layman’s terms, black eyes. She has further ecchymosis or bruising on the face, neck and arms. There is also a sign of blunt force trauma to the side of her head, which could be the cause of death.

  She didn’t die fast enough from the choking, so she was battered against the wall. Mary felt the bile rising in her throat when Mike stepped up next to her. “Breathe Mary,” he said. “Breathe deeply.”

  She turned away from the little girl and took a slow deep breath.

  “Can you see her?” Donna asked.

  Mary nodded wanly. “Yes. Yes, I can,” she whispered.

  “She looks pretty bad, don�
��t she?” Ryan asked.

  Mary nodded again. “Yes, she does,” she replied, squatting down to face the little boy. “Did she ever frighten you?”

  He shrugged easily. “Naw, my dad made my mom look kinda like that sometimes,” he said with the openness and honesty that only a child can have, “until we ran away from him.”

  “Ryan, please,” Donna said, mortified. “He didn’t mean that. Please…”

  Mary stood and turned to Donna. “Are you safe now?” she asked simply.

  The air went out of Donna and she nodded slowly. “Yes, thank you,” she said softly. “We’re safe. It’s been a long time since… I didn’t know he still remembered.”

  “The little girl, his friend,” Mary explained. “She was abused, badly. But Ryan still accepted her as a friend. That’s why she trusted you.”

  A tear slid down Donna’s cheek, and she quickly brushed it away. “Well, I suppose some good can come from all kinds of bad situations.”

  Nodding, Mary placed her hand on Donna’s arm. “Yes, it can,” she said, and then she looked over her shoulder. “I need to talk to her if that’s alright with you?”

  “Yes…please,” Donna urged. “Find out what happened.”

  Mary moved across the room and sat down on the floor next to the toy table. “Hi. I’m Mary. I’m Ryan’s friend,” she said. “Can I be your friend, too?”

  The little girl shyly looked at Mary with downcast eyes through the curtain of her hair and nodded.

  “That’s great,” Mary said softly. “Ryan told me you were looking for someone, and I want to help.”

  Still holding her head down, the girl nodded again.

  “Can you tell me who you want me to find for you?” Mary asked.

  “My new mommy,” the little girl said, her voice a mere whisper. “The new mommy that loved me.”

  She lifted her head slightly and met Mary’s eyes with her large, sad ones. Her lips were trembling, and a large tear splashed from her eye onto her bruised cheek. “She gave me away,” she continued softly. “She gave me away to the man who hurt me.”