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

by Reid, Terri

  Then the little girl faded away.

  Chapter Four

  They waited for another twenty minutes, but Liza did not come back.

  “She does that sometimes,” Ryan said. “She gets sad and goes away for a while.”

  Mary had explained to Donna what the little girl had said, and now, instead of fearing the ghost, Donna was eager to help solve her mystery. “What should we do?” she asked Mary.

  “Well, it would be very helpful if she could give us any more information,” Mary said. “If she comes again, ask for her last name, her birthday, the town she used to live in or any other information that would help us identify her and her family.”

  Donna turned to her son. “Next time Liza comes, can you help me ask her some questions?”

  Ryan nodded. “Sure, I can do that,” he said, and then he turned to Mary. “Then Liza won’t be sad anymore?”

  “I’m going to try to make her happy again,” Mary said. “I promise.”

  “Okay, then I’ll ask her,” he promised.

  A few minutes later, Mary and Mike were standing on the sidewalk in front of their apartment building. The sun was setting, and the sky was the lavender color it gets just before it slides into the indigo of night. The street was quieter, more deserted, and Mary and Mike began their walk towards her car. “That was rough,” Mike said, moving in step with Mary. “How are you doing?”

  “I really thought I was going to lose it when I saw what some monster did to that poor little girl,” she admitted, glancing up to him. “Thank you for coming to the rescue.”

  He smiled at her. “No problem,” he said. “What’s a guardian angel for if he can’t come to the rescue every now and then. So, what’s our next step?”

  “Well, I really don’t have a whole lot to go on yet,” she said. “All I know is that we have a little girl, probably five or six, whose name is Liza. Her clothing appears to be somewhat modern, so I think she was probably murdered sometime in the past five years. And, because of the way she referred to a “new mom” she was either adopted or in the foster system.”

  “For the few minutes you had with her, I think you did a great job,” Mike said. “And you not only connected with her, you helped that family.”

  “Well, I hope I did,” she said. “And I hope Liza comes back so we can learn more about her and help her move on.”

  She started to cross Hill Street when she paused and looked up the narrow lane towards the top of the hill.

  “What?” Mike asked.

  “I thought I saw something up this way earlier,” she replied. “I just want to be sure.”

  They walked up the steep incline of Hill Street and stopped when they reached Bench Street, halfway up the hill.

  “Do you see anything?” Mike asked.

  Mary, still straining her eyes in the dusky light, shook her head. “No, I don’t,” she replied. “And what I saw earlier was kind of weird anyway.”

  “In what way?”

  “It was like I saw a half a person coming out of the hill,” she said. “All I could see was his body from the waist up, and then he was gone.”

  “Okay, that was weird,” Mike agreed. “I bet it was the peanut butter and olives. That would make anyone see weird things.”

  Laughing, Mary shook her head and then stopped suddenly. “That reminds me,” she exclaimed.

  “What?” Mike asked, slightly concerned.

  “I’m starving! Let’s get back to Main Street so I can get something good to eat.”

  She started to turn back, but out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of someone standing in the middle of Bench Street farther down the road. “There he is,” she called, hurrying down the street. “That’s the man I saw.”

  He was nearly a block down the street, so Mary could only make out his height and general build. But as she got closer, her steps slowed, and her stomach turned once again that night. “I know him,” she whispered. “He appeared on the end of my bed a couple of months ago.”

  “Gross. What do you think happened to him?” Mike asked.

  The skin on his face had been mostly peeled away, exposing bone and muscle. His clothing was eaten away too, leaving exposed patches of reddened skin in some places but deeper wounds and openings in other places.

  Mary continued to move towards him. “Can I help you?”

  He seemed surprised that she could see him. “You can see me?” he asked.

  She nodded. “Yes, I can,” she replied. “And I want to help you.”

  Suddenly she was nearly overcome by a powerful smell of sewage. She clapped her hand over her mouth and nose, trying not to gag. The man watched her and shook his head sadly. “Please, tell them to find me,” he pleaded as he began to fade away. “I don’t want to be buried here.”

  Chapter Five

  “Hey sweetheart, how was your trip to Galena?” Bradley asked as Mary walked into the house.

  “Well, it was very…interesting, to say the least,” she replied, placing her purse and briefcase on the hall table before she walked over and slipped her arms around him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her for a moment, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

  “Not interesting in a good way,” he murmured as he continued to hold her.

  Sighing softly, she snuggled closer, comforted by his scent and the strong beat of his heart. “I am always amazed at how depraved this world can be,” she said. “It’s a scary place out there.”

  He placed his cheek on the top of her head and was silent for a moment. Finally, he spoke. “There are bad things out there, and in our jobs we tend to see more than most people,” he agreed. “But I think it’s important that we remember that the good guys still outnumber the bad ones.”

  She nodded against his chest. “She was five or six,” she whispered. “Only a few years younger than Clarissa. Whoever killed her beat her first, then strangled her, and then finally crushed her skull.”

  She could feel Bradley’s arms unconsciously tightening around her. “How can I help?” he asked, his voice tight with anger.

  She slipped her arms up around his neck and tiptoed so she could cover his mouth with her own. He pulled her closer and returned her kiss, offering comfort and passion simultaneously.

  “You already have helped,” she whispered against his lips. “Just understanding, being angry too. It helps.”

  He hugged her tightly and then released her. “Now, to more practical matters,” he said, his voice tender with love. “Have you eaten anything lately?”

  She shook her head. “I was going to eat, but we had another encounter that sort of turned my stomach,” she said. “But really, I’m starving now.”

  “Great,” he replied, pleased by her response, “because Clarissa and I went to This Is It Eatery, and we brought you home take-out.”

  He hurried back into the kitchen and pulled a white styrofoam carton from the countertop and carried it back. Then he unlatched the lid from the bottom and let it flip open of its own accord. “Look! Ribs!” he declared. “Your favorite.”

  Mary looked at the meat hanging off the bones lying in the bottom of the container, the mottled red barbecue sauce slathered across the ribs, and instantly the image of the ghost in Galena came to mind. She clapped her hand over her mouth and dashed to the bathroom.

  Bradley stared after Mary in confusion. “What? I thought you liked ribs!” he called after her.

  Mike appeared behind Bradley, peeked over his shoulder and saw the offered dinner. “Not a good choice today,” he said, shaking his head in sympathy. “Just not a good choice.”

  A few minutes later, Mary, a little worse for wear, stumbled out of the bathroom with a wan smile on her face. “Sorry. Just a bad day for ribs,” she managed.

  Bradley came forward, put his arm around her shoulders and led her to the kitchen table. “Yeah, Mike told me,” he said. “Sorry about that.”

  She sat down and shrugged. “How were you supposed to know I’d had a perso
nal encounter with a ghostly half-rack?” she asked. “Just bad timing. That’s all.”

  He placed a hot cup of tea in front of her and handed her a chocolate protein bar. “Here,” he said. “Eat this. It will get protein into your body, and you don’t have to smell it.”

  Unwrapping the bar, she took a bite and smiled at him. “Thanks. This is just what I needed,” she said, feeling the queasiness subsiding.

  He sat down next to her, watching her as she finished the bar and then spoke. “So, do you want to talk about the other ghost?” he asked.

  “No, not yet,” she said, shaking her head. “I’d really like to check on Clarissa and then soak in the tub for a little while.”

  Leaning over her, he pressed a kiss on her forehead and nodded. “But remember, you can’t have the water—”

  “Too hot,” she inserted, looking up at him and shaking her head. “Yes, Papa Bradley, I’ll be sure to follow doctor’s orders.”

  He grinned, slightly embarrassed. “Okay, maybe I’m a little overprotective,” he said.

  She stood up and pressed her lips to his. “You are just perfect,” she said. “I don’t mind a little pampering.”

  Holding her close, he just held her for a moment. “I’ll remember that when you start complaining,” he whispered.

  “Well, okay,” she admitted with a half giggle, half sigh. “I’ll change it to ‘I don’t mind a little pampering on my terms.’”

  Chuckling, he kissed the top of her head and stepped away. “Too late,” he said. “The words have already been spoken.”

  He picked up her cup of tea and handed it to her. “Now go on up and visit with Clarissa,” he said. “I know she’s waiting up for you. I’ll bring you a refill for your tea in a few minutes.”

  “Thanks,” she replied. “I’ll see you upstairs.”

  Chapter Six

  Mary could hear voices when she got to the top of the stairs. She walked softly to the door of Clarissa’s bedroom, paused, and listened, not wanting to interrupt anything important.

  “But you still haven’t answered my question,” Clarissa said, exasperation evident in her young voice. “Where do babies come from?”

  “Well, I really think that’s a question for your mom or dad,” Mike nervously replied. “It’s not something you should discuss with your guardian angel, especially me.”

  “You know, don’t you?” she asked.

  Mike paused, and Mary stifled a laugh.

  “Well, yeah, I know,” he admitted.

  “So, why won’t you tell me?” Clarissa demanded. “Didn’t you tell me that I could ask you anything?”

  “Well, yeah, I did,” Mike said. “But this is kind of different, sweetheart.”

  “Why?” Clarissa asked.

  Deciding it was time to rescue Mike, Mary pushed the door open and let herself into the bedroom. “Hi sweetie,” she said, going over to the bed and giving Clarissa a hug. “How was your day?”

  Clarissa hugged her back. “It was great,” she said. “Dad and I had a great meeting, and then we ate dinner at This Is It Eatery. And I got deep fried cookies and ice cream for dessert.”

  “Wow,” Mary replied, sitting back and enjoying the excited look on her daughter’s face. “That sounds amazing.”

  Clarissa nodded. “And then we went to the library, and Dad let me take out five new books.”

  “Well, that’s great,” Mary said.

  “And I signed up for a summer reading program,” Clarissa continued. “I can win a prize if I read enough books this summer.”

  “I think that’s awesome,” Mary said. “Reading was one of my favorite summertime activities. You can have a new adventure every day.”

  “Yes, and I even got a book about babies,” she said, reaching over and pulling out a slim hardcover book from a pile of books on her nightstand. She handed the book to Mary. “See.”

  Mary opened the book and flipped through the pages. There were pictures of babies inside their mothers’ wombs at different stages of development. “This is really cool,” Mary said, looking at a photo that represented the development of her baby at twenty-two weeks. “This is the size of our baby.”

  Clarissa scooted over and looked at the book. “It’s so tiny,” she said.

  Mary nodded, looking at the information below the photo. “It says that the baby is only eleven inches long and is able to hear sounds now,” she said.

  “The baby can hear me?” Clarissa asked, her eyes wide with wonder. “Can I talk to the baby?”

  “Sure,” Mary replied.

  The little girl leaned over and placed her head on Mary’s stomach. “Hi. I’m your big sister,” she said. “My name is Clarissa, and when you are born, we’re going to be friends.”

  Mary felt tears welling in her eyes as she looked down at Clarissa snuggled against her. She placed her hand on the child’s head and gently stroked her hair. “I’m sure the baby can’t wait to meet you,” she whispered.

  “Mary, I asked Mike, but he wouldn’t tell me,” she said. “How do babies get inside your body?”

  “That’s easy,” Mary said, sending Mike a smile. “Love puts them in there.”

  “Oh,” Clarissa replied. “That’s nice.”

  Mary pulled Clarissa into her arms and hugged her. “Yes, that’s really nice,” she said, cuddling the little girl. “And now you have to go to sleep because you’ve got a busy day playing with Maggie tomorrow.”

  Clarissa yawned widely. “Okay, I guess I am kind of tired,” she admitted.

  “Yeah, me too,” Mary agreed, guiding Clarissa onto her pillow. “So, you go to sleep, and I’ll go to sleep. And then tomorrow we can wake up and have a great breakfast.”

  Snuggling deeper into her blankets, Clarissa yawned again. “That’s a great idea,” she said sleepily. “And know what?”

  “What?” Mary asked, standing up and tucking the little girl in.

  “We could have waffles for breakfast,” she said.

  “I think waffles for breakfast is a great idea,” Mary agreed. “With strawberries and whipped cream.”

  Clarissa turned from her pillow, looked up at Mary and smiled. “That would be the best breakfast ever.”

  Mary leaned over and kissed Clarissa on her forehead. “Then we should definitely have waffles. Good night, sweetheart. I love you.”

  “Good night, Mary,” Clarissa replied, her voice heavy with sleep. “I love you, too.”

  Mary switched off the light and closed the door behind her. Mike met her in the hallway. “You handled her question really well,” he said. “I had no idea what to say.”

  Mary shrugged. “Well, I have a feeling that the same conversation is going to have a different set of answers in a couple of years,” she said as she walked down the hall towards her bedroom.

  “Yeah, well, good luck with that,” Mike said. Then he looked down at her. “So, how are you feeling?”

  “Actually, I’m feeling better,” she said. “Although a nice warm bath sounds like heaven.”

  “Okay, I’ll let you go,” he said, starting to fade away. “Are you sure you don’t need anything?”

  “I’m good, but thanks for worrying, Mike,” she said with a smile.

  “Hey, I’m real good at worrying,” he replied, and then he slipped from view. “Especially about people I love.”

  Chapter Seven

  Mary woke up and reached for her phone lying on the nightstand to check the time. It was 2:30 in the morning and, as usual, she had to go to the bathroom. She started to slide out of the covers when she glanced at the end of her bed and froze. The ghost she had met on the street in Galena was sitting at the end of her bed.

  “You can see me?” he asked, repeating his question from earlier.

  Mary nodded, trying not to wake Bradley who was sleeping beside her. “Yes,” she whispered. “I can see you.”

  “I’m down there,” he said. “I can’t remember what happened. But I’m down there.”

  “Down w
here?” Mary asked. “Where are you?”

  “It’s dark and quiet, too quiet,” he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. “They can’t hear me. No one can hear me. I’ve yelled and screamed, but no one hears me.”

  “What’s your name?” Mary asked.

  The ghost paused for a moment, searching for the answer to the question. “I remember,” he said slowly, “someone calling me Steve. I think my name is Steve.”

  “Do you remember your last name?”

  He paused again, and after a few silent moments, shook his head. His face held even more anguish than before. “No,” he said, his voice breaking with emotion. “I can’t remember my last name.”

  “That’s okay, Steve,” Mary reassured him. “That’s really a normal occurrence.”

  “Normal occurrence?” he asked, clearly confused. “Normal for what?”

  Later, Mary would look back at the moment she answered Steve’s question and blame her quick response on the fact that her bladder was near to exploding. “Normal for when you’re dead,” she replied.

  His eyes widened, and his lips quivered with emotion. “I’m dead?” he asked, horrified. “I died?”

  Biting her lower lip with regret, she slowly nodded her head. “I’m so sorry, Steve,” she said. “I should have handled that in a different way. But, yes, you are dead.”

  He shook his head. “No, I can’t be dead,” he argued, his voice raised in anger. “I’m a dad. I have responsibilities. My kids need me. I need to be alive.”

  Mary just waited for him to finish, silently praying he would hurry.

  Suddenly he stopped and stared at her. “You’re lying to me,” he screamed. “You’re a liar. I’m getting out of here. You’re nothing but a liar.”

  “Wait, Steve,” Mary called. But he disappeared, and she was left staring into the darkened room.

  “Mary? Mary? Are you okay?” Bradley murmured, half-awake.

  She placed her hand on his arm to reassure him. “Yes, I’m fine,” she whispered. “I just have to go to the bathroom.”