When the Spirit Calls (When the Spirit... series - Book 2)
Page 30
"You wouldn't believe me, Katy."
"You'd be surprised what I'd believe now."
"Everyone says that until I tell them what they want to know, and then they say they're not quite ready to believe what I've told them."
Neilson smiled before saying, "Yes, I can understand that. Do you even know?"
"I knew that such an event had occurred at least once before in second century Naples, Italy. We were basically following the script from that event."
"We know Madam Elana suffered a heart attack during the— event. Was she really trying to kill you?"
"You filmed the entire event, didn't you? How did it look to you?"
"Yes, we filmed it from three different locations around the knoll. It sure looked like she was trying to kill you. You promised to brief me after it was over. I'm here to collect."
"Okay, have a seat and I'll tell you everything. Well— almost everything."
When Arlene wrapped up the story Katy Neilson appeared to be dumbfounded.
"Well, at least I agree that it's a story I should never report," Neilson said. "I'd be dismissed and never work in the business again if I tried to convince viewers that tale is true. Look at what happened to the guy who thought he'd found Al Capone's secret vault. He lost all credibility for a long time. And that didn't even involve spirits, demons, and the afterlife."
"Yes, it's not a tale for the television news crowd."
"Perhaps you should write another book. Call it fiction and anything is acceptable."
"Perhaps I will."
"Oh, by the way," Neilson said as she reached into her large purse and removed several DVDs, "here're the copies of everything we shot, as promised. As I said, we used three different cameras from very different angles and pretty much caught everything as we were lying in the grass or behind trees. From time to time I'll probably play them and wish I could have released it without looking like I'm a fringe lunatic."
"Do you still believe we're lunatics?"
"Personally? No way. I saw enough to prove that. Professionally? Absolutely. My story coverage has to reflect the policies and political view of the station management if I want to keep my job. Aside from that, the footage shot by my regular cameraman turned out the best. As soon as you began glowing, he popped a polarizing filter onto his lens. It enabled him to cut through the glare and clearly see everything that happened. If I hadn't been there, I'd never believe it wasn't part of a Hollywood Special FX production. The footage shot by my engineer is next best. I'm afraid the film I shot gets totally white'd out as you begin to glow brighter than a lighthouse spotlight at midnight, and I couldn't figure out how to close the camera aperture down. And there's a special version on the DVD that my engineer worked with to improve the clarity. It's amazing and you must see that."
"But you do believe everything was real?"
"How could I not? A woman died during the shoot. Strangely, even though I was there, witnessed everything with my own eyes, and know it was real, I still have trouble believing it was real."
* * *
The following Thursday, surrounded by the privacy offered by Madam Elana's property outside town, Arlene explained the events to the coven. This wasn't a regular coven meeting, so everyone had brought lawn chairs and refreshments. Arlene had earlier filled in Gisela, Oculara, and her three friends so the revelations wouldn't be too much of a shock in front of the coven. They accepted that both Elana and Simona had crossed over. Oculara would listen for the voice of her spirit guide as her mind matured and her powers increased.
After returning to the shop, Gisela said to Arlene, "I've never had direct contact with Richard. How did you know he was an ancient?"
"I didn't. I can't see past lives, as you can. But Simona sensed his energy when I needed help so desperately. Her information saved me and helped us defeat Kamet. When she crossed over, she was able to learn about Richard's past lives, and then she told me when I visited her and Madam Elana."
Gisela only nodded and smiled. "I can't wait until I find an opportunity to shake his hand. You say he was Scottish-born?"
"For his first existence. When Simona told me about tapping into his energy, she provided a brief history of his first life. But he naturally has no recollection of past lives, so the images will not be strong when you make direct contact with him."
"Madam Elana told me just before we left for the field that she might not be returning. She said that if you failed, she would do whatever was necessary to banish Kamet. She said that if you survived and she didn't, I was to give you her entire collection of books."
"Oh Gisela, I can't accept them. The collection is much, much too valuable."
"It was her wish that the collection remain intact so it would be readily available if needed again for some similar purpose. She felt it was important that someone have them who wouldn't be tempted to sell them. She knew you wouldn't. When the manuscript loaned to the National Museum in Prague is returned, a courier will bring it directly to you. Oculara and I have been well provided for. We'll own the shop and its contents, her house, and the property outside town. Madam Elana has been grooming Oculara to eventually take the reins of management, and she's shown a real flair for the business."
"I don't know what to say."
"There's nothing to say, unless you want to say something to Madam Elana the next time you cross over. The collection is already yours."
"I'll respect her wishes, keep it intact, and accept it as a guardian. I hope we never have a need to use it, but it will be there if we do, or if anyone else does. If you have any problems with the probate people or becoming Oculara's official guardian, let me know immediately, and I'll have my attorneys up here to help you out. As to the library, I'll establish a non-profit organization to act as permanent guardian for its preservation and safekeeping. The tax-free organization will accept the collection as a donation from Georgina Antiques and provide you with proper documentation to offset inheritance taxes and taxes on profits from the store to the extent allowed under the tax code. My accountants will work all that out for you. I'll find a suitable location for the library and either refit a building with proper humidity, temperature, and air purification controls or build a new one. The books can remain where they are until the new library location is ready to accept them. I'm sure Father Fredrik will want to spend some time in the new library when it's available."
* * *
"And as the sun sinks slowly in the western sky, we bid a fond farewell to the sights, sounds, and people of Lake Georgina," Erin said as she drove her Saab east on the road leading out of town the next day. Arlene had hired a car-transporter firm to return her car to New Bedford so they could all travel together.
"That sounds familiar," Renee said. "What's that from?"
"Don't you remember, Renee?" Arlene asked. "That was how they always ended those travelogue newsreels in the movie theaters. When was that, Erin? The nineteen-thirties?"
"Yeah, something like that. I died in 1939, so I it had to be before that."
"Oh, yeah, I remember now," Renee said.
A police siren behind them pulled Erin's eyes to the rear-view mirror and everyone else's eyes to the rear window of the car. Erin slowed the Saab and carefully drove it onto the shoulder so it was well away from traffic. The officer behind them stepped from his vehicle and approached the Saab.
As Erin rolled down her window, Lt. Bolger smiled and said, "Ladies, would you step out of the vehicle and assemble on the shoulder."
When they had, and he had joined them, he said to them, "Trying to sneak out of town without saying goodbye, eh? That's a class one misdemeanor in my little black book."
"And what's the penalty for that, Lieutenant?" Renee asked.
"It's sheriff now. Sheriff Canaar resigned yesterday, effective immediately. But to answer your question, I'm going to let you off light. You are required to perform community service here in Lake Georgina next summer. The length of the service shall not be less than a full week
and hopefully longer. It shall consist of enjoying our beach, lake, and town. No work at the antiques store will be allowed during that time."
"Won't your duties as sheriff prevent you from taking time off during the peak tourist months?" Arlene asked.
"I'm only acting sheriff until the general elections in a few months. Actually, I guess it might be until the beginning of the new year when the newly-elected sheriff is sworn in."
"You're not going to run for the office?" Erin asked.
"No way. I'm no politician. The politicos that run this county will learn that in the coming months. They may even want me to resign the temporary position before the election. But I'm going to stay in the job for as long as I can to see if I can make some long overdue changes to the department before I'm kicked back down to lieutenant."
"Good luck, Sheriff," Arlene said. "And if you're ever down our way, stop in and say hi. Of course, we're all going to be away at school until next May, other than during school recesses."
"I'll do that. It's been wonderful meeting all of you, and I certainly hope we'll meet again."
As Arlene climbed into Erin's Saab, she said, "I believe I can say with all certainty that we will."
"What? What do you know? Did a spirit say something to you? When is this going to happen? Is this going to happen before we die?"
Arlene pulled the front passenger door closed and then smiled through the window at the sheriff as Erin pulled back out onto the road and accelerated quickly to the speed limit.
~ Finis ~
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