Viator (The Viator Chronicles Book 1)

by Ralston-Brooks, Jane

  Gary’s eyes shone as he looked at her. “Wow, I’m impressed.”

  Erin laughed. “I’m exaggerating. I mean it’s good pizza and everything, but it’s simple.”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  “Let’s go down to see the beach for a minute, then I’ll put the pizzas in the oven.” Erin kept a pair of flip-flops at the back door, and she slipped them on her feet.

  They walked down the stone pathway. The wind blew and whitecaps dotted the water, but the tide was out, and the air smelled of seaweed. Erin led him onto the rocky beach and pointed out Whidbey Island and the direction to Deception Pass and to Seattle. The wind was brisk, and Erin’s arms were covered with goosebumps.

  “You’re getting cold,” Gary said.

  “Let’s go back inside. I’ll open that wine you brought.”

  “Sounds good.”

  A sailboat glided close to the shore, and Erin stopped to watch. Gary wrapped one arm around her shoulders and rubbed her arm to warm her. They gazed after the boat until it was out of sight, then looked at each other and smiled.

  Back inside, Erin put the pizzas into the oven and poured two glasses of wine. Gary helped her set the table and paused several times to look out the window. “This view is spectacular.”

  “Thanks. The house is old, and I don’t have the means to do any remodeling, but it’s comfortable. My grandparents used to live here.”

  “I like the house the way it is.” He looked around at the worn but comfortable furnishings. “And here’s your piano. You’ve got to play something tonight.”

  “We’ll see. I’m not sure if I want to. I might not live up to your expectations.”

  “You’re not getting out of it so easily.” He looked at the books on the shelves, and stopped when he saw a small, ornate silver flask. He picked it up and turned to Erin. “This is interesting.”

  “The flask? It belonged to my grandparents. It’s very old.”

  He put it back on the shelf and sipped his wine.

  “The pizza will be done soon. I’ll call the kids down,” Erin said.

  “Okay.”

  The girls giggled as they filed down the stairs, and Matt and Jacob followed close behind.

  “My children, Matt and Gwen, and their friends, Jacob, Lauren, and Rose. Kids, this is Gary.”

  He said hello and offered to show them his car. Matt and Jacob exchanged glances, shrugged, and said sure. When they walked out to the front, Erin heard the boys. “Wow! Is that a Porsche? This is your car? Can you give us a ride?”

  The boys came back inside, laughing, and Gary followed them, a wide grin on his face.

  “Did you see Gary’s car, Mom? It’s so cool,” Matt said. “Can we go for a ride with him?”

  “You’ll have to ask him,” Erin said. “But it’ll have to wait—pizza’s ready. Go wash your hands, kids.”

  They ran off to the bathroom. She leaned against the counter again, and Gary picked up his wine glass, still grinning.

  “I’d love to take them for rides.”

  “They’d be talking about it for days.”

  They all sat down at the table, and it wasn’t long before the pizzas were devoured. Matt asked if Jacob could spend the night, and Erin said that would be fine, so all the kids went back upstairs to play.

  Gary refilled their glasses with the last of the wine. They sat in silence for a minute, enjoying the calm. Erin ran her finger around the rim of her glass. “What do you think of the kids?”

  “They’re the best. This is the most enjoyable dinner party I’ve been to in years.” He looked into his glass, and his smile faded into a frown.

  “Tell me more about what you’re doing now. I really don’t know that much about you,” Erin said.

  He shrugged. “I’ve been lucky. You know I’m in imports. That’s how I ran into William again after college. I was handling some parts for the navigation systems his company was building.”

  “Yes. I remember now. About five years ago?”

  “Right.” He drained his glass, walked into the living room and sat on the sofa. “We were good friends in college. After running into him at work we stayed in touch. We used to play basketball when I was in town. He was a great friend.”

  Erin used to love watching William play basketball. She got up from the table, not wanting her feelings to get the better of her. “Would you like some coffee?”

  “No, thanks. Why don’t you come sit down?” He patted the seat on the sofa next to him.

  Erin sat down in the overstuffed chair facing him. She looked at the designs in her rug, tracing the patterns with her mind.

  “These last two years have been hard for you,” Gary said quietly.

  She nodded.

  “I always thought William was especially lucky,” he said.

  She looked at him with questioning eyes and shook her head.

  “You,” Gary said. “He had you.” He stood up and stretched his arms over his head, walked to the window and looked out. They were both silent a few minutes. He turned around and looked at the floor with a frown while Erin studied him. Fine lines fanned out from the corners of his eyes in his golden-tan face. His blond hair was neatly trimmed but a curl formed around his ear, and his shoulders and arms looked powerful under his shirt. As she watched him, a flicker of memory from her last dream came back to her, when she thought Gary had been there. She shuddered. He looked at her, and his brow creased.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to get all quiet.”

  “No, not at all—it’s fine,” she said.

  “Let me help you clean up the kitchen.”

  “All right. Then I plan to put on a movie for the kids. I hope you can stay and watch it with us.”

  “Sounds good.”

  They cleaned up the kitchen and Erin made popcorn. They joined the children watching the movie, and by the time it was finished, Gwen, Lauren, and Rose were sound asleep on the floor. Matt and Jacob climbed the stairs for bed, and Erin woke the girls and went upstairs with them to help them set out their sleeping bags as Gary stepped out the kitchen door.

  After the children were in bed, Erin went outside and saw him standing at the edge of the lawn where the rocky beach began. The air had grown still, and stars were bright in the sky. He turned as she approached.

  “Beautiful night,” he said. “I always thought I was lucky, but do you realize how lucky you are?”

  “Sometimes good things happen. Sometimes bad things happen. I’ve had my share of both.”

  “I’d like to see you again.”

  Erin was quiet for a minute. “I’d like to see you again, too.”

  He slid his arm around her waist. She pulled away a little and said, “Gary, I like you, but I need to take it slow.”

  “No, you don’t.” He wrapped both arms around her and pulled her to him, bent his head to hers and kissed her. His kiss was smooth and intoxicating, almost overwhelming. She had missed this so much. Every thought she had was driven from her mind. All she could feel were his arms holding her tight and his mouth on hers. When he let go of her, she stepped back and took a deep breath.

  “I’d like to see you next weekend,” he said.

  She nodded.

  “How about Saturday night?”

  “Sure.”

  “Good.” He touched her cheek and trailed his fingers down her throat, then pulled his hand away. “I’ve got to go.” He started back up the path, and she followed. They walked around the house to his car.

  “I never did give those boys a ride. I’ll have to do it next time,” he said.

  “They’ll love that,” she said, and then remembered about the next weekend. “Oh, no. Saturday won’t work—we have plans. It’s Matt’s birthday, and I’m taking the kids to Orcas Island for a bike ride.”

  He grinned and leaned against his car. “I could come.”

  “You’d want to do that? … I’m not sure …” Would Matt want to have Gary join them for his birthday?

  He reached int
o his pocket and handed her his business card. “I like biking. Call me this week, and you can tell me all the details.” He held her shoulders and kissed her again.

  When he stepped back, his eyes searched her face. Even in the twilight she could see the intense blue of his eyes.

  “Good night,” he said. He slid into his car and drove down the gravel driveway to the street. His lights soon faded.

  A gust of wind stirred the trees, and Erin shivered. She turned back to the house, but a shadow moved in the trees nearby. She stopped and held her breath. The shadow fluttered in the wind and grew taller.

  “Who’s there?” she called, unable to move.

  The shadow shrank to the ground. Erin told herself it was just an old garbage bag, caught in the breeze, and she ran back into her house, her emotions a tumult of pleasure and apprehension.

  Chapter 8

  Except for a bit of moonlight that found its way through some gaps in the heavy curtains, the huge old house was shrouded in darkness. Erin sat in the center of an old velvet-upholstered sofa in the center of a large room. The polish was worn away from the wood floor, and the room was strewn with delicate tables, sofas, and chairs. In the darkness all the colors were muted gray and black. Soft footfalls approached from the hallway, and she turned to see who was coming in the gloom.

  A small, frail woman tiptoed through the door. She carried an unlit candle, but Erin’s night eyes could see her. Her white hair was caught in a tight bun at the nape of her neck, and her face was deeply lined. The collar of her long dark dress reached to her chin with small ruffles, and the bodice fit snuggly before flaring out full at the waist. She squinted as she peered into Erin’s face. “So good of you to come, my dear,” she said.

  “I’m happy to be here with you,” Erin said.

  “The others are all upstairs, but they’ll be down shortly.”

  “That sounds fine.”

  The old woman started to walk out of the room, but stopped and whirled around to face Erin. “But you know—Franny isn’t here,” she almost shouted.

  “Are you sure?” Erin asked.

  The old woman spat out the words. “Of course I’m sure. She’s the one this is all about, and she won’t come anywhere near this house. It’s all a waste of our time, and I don’t like it one bit.”

  “Ma’am, please sit down. I would love to hear more about this. What is your name?”

  “My name? What do you mean? You don’t know my name? Wait a minute.” She backed away from Erin. “You’re not Michelle. Who are you? I thought you were Michelle. Get out of my house.”

  Erin stood and looked directly into the woman’s eyes. She reached out and tapped her cheek and said, “Videre.”

  The old woman sucked in a breath. “What? Of course you’re not Michelle. How could I have thought that? I get a little confused lately. Michelle is upstairs. Yes, I am glad you could come. Can you help us find Franny?”

  Erin heard several people whispering and walking quietly in the hallway, as if they were afraid to make any noise. In a moment the three of them glided into the room: two young men and a young woman. Erin stepped forward and held out her hand. “Please sit down.”

  The first man, who was tall, thin, with a narrow face, and dressed in an ill-fitting dark suit, reached toward Erin. “I’m Roland, this is my sister, Michelle, and my brother, Lawrence.” Erin shook each of their icy hands. “I see you’ve met Mother already.”

  “She was just asking me about Franny. Do you want to find Franny, too?”

  “My lord, no. Why would we want to find Franny? Whatever she’s doing is her own business,” scoffed Michelle, who plopped herself into a chair, her long skirt flouncing as she landed. Erin could see that Michelle was very pretty, perhaps even beautiful, but her face was twisted into a severe pout.

  “That’s so true,” Lawrence said. His black suit fit quite well. He turned and walked toward one of the windows, pulled open the curtain, and looked outside. Silvery moonlight streamed into the room, and Erin could see the pale faces of these people more clearly.

  The mother sat down. “Nonsense, you two. You just don’t know how important Franny is to this household. We’ve got to find that girl and bring her back. We need her to stay with us. Dear, what did you say your name was? You’ve got to find that young woman right away and talk some sense into her.”

  “Yes, we do need to find Franny. Can you help us?” Roland asked.

  “I might be able to. But why do you want to find her so badly? Why is she so important?” Erin asked.

  “Because without her, we’re all dead,” Roland said.

  “Roland.” Michelle stood up. “How dare you say such a thing.”

  “Really,” Lawrence said.

  The old woman sat quietly and looked down at her hands. She shook her head.

  “You know it’s true,” Roland said, looking from one to the other. “We’re nothing without Franny.”

  “Where do you think she is?” Erin asked

  They glanced at each other and shrugged.

  “What does she look like?”

  “She’s much taller than you, and she’s got lots of black hair,” Michelle said.

  “All right. Why don’t you go upstairs and wait while I look for her,” Erin said.

  They got up to leave the room and slowly made their way up the stairs. Erin sat still on the sofa, and when they had all closed their doors, she stood up and walked over to the fireplace. An unlit candle rested on the mantel.

  “Scintillare,” she said, and the candle burst into flame, casting flickering shadows around the room. She picked it up and walked to a window. Holding the candle high, she pulled aside the heavy curtains and looked behind them. Standing there was a tall, beautiful young woman, with long, dark curly hair. She shrank into the corner, her eyes wide, staring at Erin.

  “Franny?” Erin asked.

  “Yes.” She breathed a deep sigh.

  “Please come out.”

  Franny bent her head and came out from behind the curtains. She walked to the sofa, collapsed on it, and covered her face with her hands, sobbing quietly. Erin sat down in the chair opposite her, put the candle on the table nearby, and leaned forward. The light from the candle wasn’t much, but it seemed to warm the room a little.

  Franny lifted her head and looked at Erin. Her face was smeared with tears, and her eyes were pleading. “They keep me here in this house. All the time. And they are so cold. I have to get away from them.”

  “You’ve got to let them go,” Erin said.

  Franny looked at her sharply. “What?”

  “They will go, if you let them. I know how hard it is, but they need to go. Tell them goodbye. They don’t belong here anymore.”

  “What are you talking about? They’re the ones keeping me here.”

  “It feels that way right now. But you know they’re only staying because of you. Please let them go.” A tear rolled down Erin’s cheek. Franny reached out and touched it with her warm hand, then sighed again.

  “It’s hard to let them go when you love them so much,” Erin said.

  Franny nodded. “You understand? But when they’re gone, I’ll be so alone.”

  “Each of us is alone. But your place is with the living, and theirs is not. Free them.”

  Franny rose, her long skirt rustling and shimmering in the moonlight, her dark hair like a cloud around her face, and she walked back to the window. She gazed outside and shook her head.

  “I miss them already,” she said.

  “I know.”

  Franny came back and stood before Erin. “Will you help? Will you come back?”

  Erin nodded. “If you need me.”

  “I will let them go.”

  They both rose. Franny squeezed Erin’s hand and walked to the door. Erin heard her climb the stairs and call out to her mother, sister, and brothers. “Come, my loves, I have something to tell you.”

  Erin walked to the front door and went outside into the moonlight. Sh
e walked down the steps and along the flower-lined path to the narrow street, where she turned and looked back at the big, old house. “Goodbye,” she whispered.

  From the corner of her eye she glimpsed a dark movement in the shadows of the shrubbery. She drew her sword from its sheath and was on it in two steps, but the mortifer rose from the bushes and swung his staff. She blocked his blow with her sword, and he stepped back, his fiery eyes gleaming with harsh laughter.

  She stood straight and faced him. “You’ve lost this one.”

  His hollow voice sent shivers through her body. “For now. But we will have her. Her loneliness will bring her to us.” He laughed and whispered, “Just as yours will.”

  Erin lunged forward with her sword, but the shadow had already turned and fled into the forest.

  *****

  Erin woke with a start. Her heart was pounding, she was shivering, and she knew she had to hunt something. What? Something frightening, and she had to catch it. She climbed out of bed but was too agitated to do anything but pace in her room. The floor was cold, and her skin was like ice, but she didn’t care.

  The white light from the moon shone through her window as it moved across the sky. She stopped pacing to gaze at the moon above and its reflection in the water below. Her garden shone with a silvery glow, and she leaned her forehead against the windowpane. It was just a dream. She went down to the kitchen and poured herself a mug of milk. She microwaved it and sat at the kitchen table, taking small sips until her heart slowed. When she finally climbed the stairs to bed, she lay awake until morning.

  *****

  A few days later Erin drove to work through a steady rain, the big drops splattering on the windshield. She flipped on the wipers and turned on the radio, thinking about the coming weekend. She hoped the rain would let up for their biking trip. Matt had been planning this trip for months to celebrate his twelfth birthday.

  She’d slept fitfully every night for the last week, sometimes waking completely, sometimes just restless. The dreams disturbed her more than ever, but all she could remember were fragments. Every time she woke, she woke trembling. No details and no sleep. She looked in her rearview mirror and groaned at the circles under her eyes.