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

by Reid, Terri

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Gigi Amoretti walked back to the ancient outbuildings behind their home. She had the option of taking an underground passageway between the house and the outbuilding, but the idea of walking down the dark, narrow tunnel always made her squeamish. Instead, she preferred the star-studded, evening sky and the cool, evening breezes carrying the scent of field corn.

  Like a silent behemoth appearing in the darkness of the night sky, the barn stood with faded paint, broken windows and rotted planks of barn wood that indicated a building that had stood in disrepair for too long to be salvaged. She lifted up the metal latch that held the Dutch door closed and then looked over her shoulder before pulling the door open and slipping inside the dark barn.

  But that darkness lasted for only a moment until Gigi reached over and pressed the high-tech touchscreen panel embedded in the wall. Suddenly, a large array of fluorescent bulbs flickered to life, flooding the area with light. Brightly enameled walls, looking nothing like the inside of an old barn, reflected the light onto a gray concrete floor. A crisscrossed pattern of scaffolding suspended several feet below the twenty-foot-high ceiling held movable wall partitions, green screens, backdrops, high powered lighting and remote controlled cameras. Thick black cables snaked from the equipment across the ceiling. It looked like a Hollywood soundstage complete with a small editing and control booth in the corner.

  Her high heels echoed loudly as she crossed from the door all the way across the building to the door of the control booth. She flipped on the light switch to the room and made her way to the control bank in front of the large, picture window. Sitting on the leather chair, she pressed a button that illuminated the control panel, including a small computer.

  She looked up to her left where a television screen displayed closed circuit security camera views for the front of the house, the road, and the front of the barn. Noting that no one was nearby, she flipped another switch. A loud, mechanical rumble nearly shook the building as a portion of the roof opened, and a satellite dish on a hydraulic stand raised up to above the top of the barn and the tree line. Once the dish was in place, Gigi checked the connection speed and smiled. “Perfect,” she murmured.

  Flipping another switch on the panel, a large screen ascended from beneath a hidden panel in the next room. The screen copied the view of her computer monitor. Adjusting the switch labeled “Camera One,” she maneuvered the camera until the same screen showed up on the camera feed on another monitor in the control room. She watched until the clock was at 7:59, and then she began to type.

  DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR CONTROL, TONIGHT’S WEBSTREAM IS CANCELED. AS PER YOUR BUYER’S AGREEMENT, YOU WILL NOT BE RECEIVING A REFUND; HOWEVER, YOU WILL RECEIVE VIEWING RIGHTS TO OUR NEXT PRESENTATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING.

  She watched the words from the keyboard appear on the monitor, the screen, and finally the camera. Almost immediately the phone in front of her rang and she picked it up without hesitation.

  “Yes?” she asked casually, tapping her fingers on the aluminum panel. “I understand you’re disappointed. No more than we. But sometimes things happen that we cannot control.”

  She waited while the caller spoke, her eyes narrowing and her lips thinning. “May I remind you that I have maintained a client list of all transactions made with this company?” she stated. “And should that list ever fall into the hands of the authorities in your country, I dare say that even you, in your lofty position, would face certain consequences. People are so funny about having their elected officials partake in sadomasochistic voyeurism, especially when children are involved.”

  She smiled triumphantly and nodded. “Yes, of course I understand that you were merely overwrought,” she soothed. “And because you are one of our very best clients, I will be happy to send you a free DVD of the next event so you can relive the thrill at your leisure.”

  She listened for a moment longer, yawning quietly as he spoke. “Of course, we are searching for a replacement as we speak,” she promised, “someone even better than previously advertised.”

  She nodded again. “À bientôt,” she said, hanging up the phone.

  She sat back in the chair, tapping her fingers on the panel, and waited to see if she would be receiving any more negative feedback. One thing she had learned, you had to keep the customers happy and coming back for more. Sometimes it required a reminder of their vulnerability, but usually it just required a production that satisfied all of their peculiar cravings.

  As she waited, she opened another screen on the computer, accessed the re-homing forum and started to read down the lists. She quickly discarded any posts about infants; they were too much trouble and no use to her. Although some of her clients’ tastes did run to children that young, they could go elsewhere for that kind of entertainment.

  Finally, she found one that interested her and reread it with growing delight.

  Ursula is ten years old. She is a beautiful girl from Portugal, and we adopted her six months ago. She has only been able to learn a few words of English in the time she has been with us. We believe she may be mentally slow and will need special help, which we cannot afford. If you are interested in meeting Ursula and speaking with us about re-homing, please private message us.

  With a satisfied smile, Gigi logged into the forum under her username “pastorswife” and started to type her response.

  You are an answer to our prayers…

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Mary poured the hot water from her coffee maker into her oversized mug. The tea bag lying in the cup danced and swirled as it met with the hot water. She sighed softly. She knew she shouldn’t have eaten those last couple pieces of pizza, but they looked so good. And today she was paying the price. She hoped the chamomile and ginger in the tea would help calm her stomach. She picked up the tea, sniffed the fragrant steam rising from it and smiled. Relief was only a few minutes away.

  She walked to her desk, put the cup on top of the coaster and started to sit down when she felt a swift kick to her abdomen. But the kick was from the inside out. She froze, her eyes wide with wonder. She slowly slid her hand to her belly and waited.

  Thump.

  There it was again. Her baby. She just felt her baby kick.

  Tear-filled eyes looked up when the door of her office opened.

  “Mary,” Bradley began, and then he stopped, realizing she was bent over her desk, clenching her stomach with tears in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  He rushed to her side and placed his arm around her, trying to guide her to the chair. “Is it the baby?” he asked.

  She nodded happily, tears sliding down her cheeks. “I felt the baby,” she whispered in awe. “The baby kicked me.”

  He slid his hand over hers. “Here?” he asked. “You felt the kick here?”

  She looked up at him and nodded again. “We are having a martial arts expert,” she said, her voice brimming with laughter. “You should have felt the power of that kick.”

  They both fell silent, waiting to feel the baby again.

  “There!” Mary cried. “Did you feel it?”

  Bradley shook his head. “No, I didn’t,” he said.

  She pulled her hand out from under his and guided his hand to the spot. “Now, you’re closer,” she said, holding his hand tightly against her body. “Wait for it.”

  Breathing slowed, all their concentration focused on their hands, they waited.

  Thump.

  “There!” she cried happily. “Did you feel it?”

  Bradley seemed less impressed. “Kind of,” he said. “It was like you hiccupped.”

  “No, it was a major kick,” she argued. “Didn’t you feel it?”

  He shook his head. “Not really,” he admitted.

  She sighed. “Well, maybe because the kick came from inside me, I can feel it more,” she reasoned.

  “Makes sense,” he agreed. “But I’m sure in a couple of weeks I’ll b
e able to feel them, too.”

  She put her hands on her belly, feeling another little kick. “So, I kind of get a sneak preview of coming attractions,” she said.

  Bradley leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Seems only fair since you have to do all the hard work.”

  She sighed and cuddled into him. “Bradley,” she whispered.

  “What?” he whispered back.

  She reached up on her toes so her mouth was next to his ear. “We’re going to have a baby.”

  He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. “Yes, I know.”

  “But now it feels so real,” she explained. “I mean, I feel our baby. This is actually going to happen.”

  He smiled down at her. “Yeah, this is actually going to happen,” he said. “And I can’t wait.”

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  Joey Amoretti stumbled out of his bedroom and made his way down the hall, following the scent of coffee. He blindly reached for a mug and poured himself a cup of the dark brown liquid. Nearly scalding his tongue, he gulped down half a cup before he turned to his wife, who was sitting at the kitchen table reading the morning paper, already dressed and ready for the day.

  “You didn’t come to bed last night,” he grumbled.

  “I had things to do,” Gigi replied, her eyes not leaving the newsprint. “We have an appointment this afternoon down in Quincy.”

  “Quincy?” he scowled. “That’s more than three damn hours away. I drove all day yesterday. I ain’t driving again today.”

  She slowly lowered the paper and looked at him, her stare angry and cold. “I beg your pardon?”

  Scuttling back, he sloshed hot coffee on his hands. Juggling the mug back to the counter, he dropped it with a crash and then grabbed a dishtowel to blot up the remaining coffee. “I’m sorry, my dear,” he apologized. “I didn’t mean any disrespect. I wasn’t thinking straight.”

  She continued to stare at him like a panther toying with its prey. He twisted the dishtowel nervously in his hands. “Sweetheart?” he ventured.

  “You do recall what I do to people who cross me,” she said casually, although her tone didn’t fool him.

  He swallowed and shook his head. “Yes, I do,” he replied.

  “You do recall how I took care of the threat to our enterprise, don’t you?” she asked.

  He immediately pictured the four large gravesites in the woods beyond the barn, nestled between smaller ones and remembered the looks of surprised bewilderment on the faces of the builders when Gigi nonchalantly shot them each in the forehead. She had anxiously waited for them to appear the morning after she had reviewed the nighttime security footage revealing that one of them had returned, unannounced, to the barn. “Yes, dear, I do,” he replied.

  “Then don’t make a nuisance of yourself,” she said, picking up her cup of tea and sipping delicately.

  Brushing the perspiration off his forehead, he nodded at her. “I’ll just go wash up,” he said. “Won’t take me but a moment. Then we can be on our way.”

  “Wear your light blue suit,” she ordered, picking up the paper again and scanning the columns. “And make sure you shave.”

  Joey was dressed and ready to go in record time. He had recovered his good mood by drinking enough whiskey to dull the pain, but not enough for Gigi to detect. “You gonna tell me about the merchandise?” he asked.

  “I’ll tell you all about her as we drive down,” she replied. “And this time you’d better control yourself. We have very angry subscribers who are looking for an event worth the money they’ve spent.”

  “We taking her home with us tonight?” he asked as they drove south towards Quincy, Illinois.

  Gigi shook her head. “No, we are only meeting with the parents to demonstrate what loving and caring Christians we are,” she replied scornfully. “And once we convince them how saintly we are and, of course, give them the right information for a background check, we will be picking up our newest daughter within the week.”

  Joey chuckled maliciously. “It’s like taking candy from a baby,” he said. “It’s so easy when you are dealing with people who aren’t as smart as you are.”

  Gigi glanced over at Joey, derision in her eyes, and just shook her head. “Yes. It is.”

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Mary studied the missing persons reports she received from the Galena Police Department looking for Steve. Out of the half dozen reports she had received, she had narrowed it down to a possibility of two different men. Sighing, she glanced at the phone on her desk, willing it to ring. Bradley was running a background check on the family who had taken Liza, and he promised he’d call as soon as the results came in.

  “Why are you staring at your phone?”

  Startled, Mary looked over to see Steve sitting on the other side of her desk.

  “Good morning,” she said.

  “Really? Good morning?” he asked caustically. “The last time we met you dropped the bombshell that I’m dead, and all you can say to me is good morning?”

  She started to apologize then shook her head. I am not going to be bullied by a ghost, she thought angrily.

  “Listen, Steve,” she said, leaning forward aggressively on her desk, then catching a whiff of him and changing her mind. “I didn’t kill you. I didn’t have anything to do with your death. I’m taking time out of my life to help figure out what happened to you, to help find you. And if you think you can just appear before me smelling like a crap and having an attitude that’s worse than your smell, well, then you can just crawl back into your mine shaft and wait for the next guy to rescue you.”

  Abashed, Steve sighed and slowly nodded his head. “You’re right,” he said. “You’re trying to help me, and I’ve been a jerk.”

  Mary gave a little. “Well, I understand that finding out you are dead can be a little bit of a shock,” she said.

  His lips turned up in a small curve. “Well, yeah, that can pretty much ruin your plans for the rest of your day,” he said, “or your life.”

  Chuckling softly, she nodded. “Yeah, I can see that.”

  She pulled out two reports and slid them across the desk. “I’ve been going through the missing persons reports from the Galena Police Department,” she explained. “And these two reports seem to fit you best. A friend of mine, Andy, who lives in Galena, suggested you might have fallen into an old mine shaft on your property and were never discovered.”

  Steve thought about it for a moment. “I remember there was light, and then, suddenly, there was darkness and pain,” he said. “As I was falling, I hit against the rock wall a couple of times, hitting my head, my shoulder, my leg. And when I finally landed, it was in what seemed to be a river or quicksand. But it was too dark. I couldn’t see.”

  Taking a shaky breath, he closed his eyes for a moment and then looked at Mary.

  “The water closed over my head,” he said. “I couldn’t breathe; I thought I was going to drown. I was flailing my arms around, trying to grab hold of something, anything to pull myself up.”

  Looking down, he held his hands out in front of himself. “Finally, I grabbed onto the rock wall. It was limestone and slippery, but I could dig my fingers in and pull myself up, out of the water.”

  He stopped and closed his eyes once again, trying to remember. “My leg,” he said, opening his eyes as the memories returned. “My leg wouldn’t move. It must have been broken. I bobbed down in the water, trying to touch the bottom, but it was deeper than six feet, so I kept clinging to the wall. I screamed for help, over and over, until my throat was raw and I couldn’t scream any longer.”

  Pausing for a moment, he looked up at the ceiling, tears forming in his eyes. “I was so alone,” he said. “But I didn’t want to die.”

  He took another deep breath and continued. “I was exhausted, but I knew if I fell asleep I would lose my hold on the rock and I’d drown,” he said. “So I dug my fingers into the rock, looking for little crevices for support. I climbed up, dragging my
leg behind me. The first time, I got about two feet up, and I lost my grip and slipped down the rock wall. I scraped my face, and my body and was plunged back into the water. But, I pulled myself back up and I tried again.”

  He looked at Mary. “I had to live,” he said. “I had to get back to my kids.”

  Mary nodded. “Yes, I understand,” she said.

  “I started the process again,” he continued, “slowly pulling myself up using my hands and arms. It was dark, so I really didn’t know where I was going; I just felt my way along. Finally, I think I was about four feet above the water, and I found a cave. I think it was a cave. Anyway, there was enough room for me to climb in and rest. I was cold and shivering, but more than that, I was exhausted. So, I lay down against the rock and went to sleep.”

  “You did everything you could to get back to your family,” she said. “My friend Andy said the mine shaft might have been covered with sod, so no one knew what had happened to you.”

  “I don’t want my kids to think I left them,” he said. “I don’t want them to think I didn’t love them enough to stick around.”

  Nodding, Mary pulled the reports back across the desk and scanned them. “Okay, does the name Steve Sonn sound familiar?”

  His eyes widened, and he slowly nodded. “Yes, Steve Sonn,” he said, his voice growing with excitement. “That’s me. That’s who I am. I’m Steve Sonn. Mary, you’re a genius.”

  “Well, it was a fifty-fifty chance,” she replied. “So, not a lot of genius was required.”

  “Well, what do we do next?” he asked. “When can I see my kids?”

  “According to the report, you’ve been missing for about twenty years,” Mary explained. “So, your kids will be close to the age you were when you died.”

  “I’ve missed their whole lives,” he said sadly. “I missed everything. Baseball games, Christmases, birthdays, graduations. I wasn’t there for them.”