Delivered to Eternity, An Alesta the Vampire Book

by Yirak, Laura

  “No. No one has said anything.”

  “I don’t know what Alesta has done with the Father but it’s in her hands now. You and I are innocent in this. All I can hope for is that Claire does not pose a problem and that she keeps what she saw to herself.”

  “That is what worries me.” Judy placed the hot food upon the plates with a garnish and Patrick took them out to some of the guests waiting for breakfast out in the Great Hall, the rest he delivered personally to the rooms.

  The remainder of Judy’s workings was served up for Judy and Patrick and they both took a seat at the breakfast nook to enjoy it.

  “So besides all the drama, do you like it here?” Patrick took a bite of some scrambled eggs.

  “Aye. It’s everything I thought it would be. Well, not exactly but close enough. I suppose it’s like my new home. I mean it feels that way. And now that Cara is back I canny help but feel happy.”

  “It’s good to have family near. You are lucky.”

  “You don’t have anyone near?”

  “No.”

  “I’m sorry Patrick.”

  “Don’t be. This is my home and I suppose Alesta is my family and you as well.” Patrick smiled and Judy did also.

  “A wild family we are.” Judy laughed and Patrick thought about the vampires and ghosts and all the other stuff.

  “Yes. I can agree with you on that.” Judy really didn’t know the half it all and that was a good thing Patrick decided. “The breakfast was brilliant Judy. I’m sure the guests will agree with me. Thank you……I don’t mean to cut it short but I must go get ready.”

  “I noticed that you’re wearing the same clothes from yesterday. I wasn’t going to ask.” Judy took their plates and them in the sink. “I’ll tidy up, you take your time. Everything is calm for the moment.”

  “Ah Judy, you just jinxed us. Knock on wood now, knock on wood.”

  Judy did two loud raps on the table and Patrick went upstairs to do as he said but he couldn’t help but find himself looking out the window at Alesta’s as he always had done.

  The kitchen was spotless after Judy finished up and Claire arrived a little later than usual.

  “Good Morning! How are you?” Judy asked as Claire came in the front door looking a little flushed.

  “There’s a Nun coming up the drive. She’s a ways down still but she’ll be here in a few minutes. She’s a tiny wee thing.”

  “A nun?” Judy tried not to seem too curious.

  “Are you expecting a nun? Is she coming for the Father?” Claire took off her red coat that almost matched her red hair and hung it up on the hooks behind the front desk

  “How am I supposed to know that?” Judy turned off the computer and swung the chair towards Claire. “Lunch. That’s all you need to be worried about at the moment.”

  “All right,” Claire said and took the major hint.

  Claire’s tardiness was quickly forgotten as Judy tried not to completely freak out. So she picked up the phone and pressed for Patrick’s room but she got no answer as it rang and rang.

  “He was right. I jinxed us.” The words passed as the front door jingled open.

  Little Sister Ellen stood looking tired after the long walk and a wisp of blonde hair poked out from under her hood, “Judy! I was hoping you’d be here. How are you?” She managed to tuck the hair back in leaving just white cloth outlined by black.

  “Just fine Sister. And you?” Judy stood up to greet her acting proper, concealing her anxiety at the unexpected visitor.

  “I’d like to tell you otherwise, but things are bad Judy…..” the Sister was interrupted as Judy put her fingers up to her lips to hush her.

  “Not here Ellen. Somewhere more private.” Judy led the way upstairs to her bedroom.

  The hallway was empty, no guests mulling about and Judy was glad for it.

  “My room, it’s the only place I can think of. This way.” Judy hurried and opened her door hoping that Patrick would come out of his at any moment but he did not. She closed the door behind them. “Please take a seat there.”

  Sister Ellen did and took a look around at the quaint décor, “They’re looking for him.”

  “Who?” Judy asked.

  “The police, they are looking for the Father. Father White filed a missing person report and they know I’m the last person that was with him. I have been questioned and questioned. I told them I don’t know where he is, that he left the pub that night and I didn’t see where he went. I know they don’t believe me. I don’t know if I can keep this up Judy.”

  It was perfect timing as Judy heard Patrick come out of his door; she quickly opened hers and pulled him into the room. It was total surprise as he saw the nun sitting by the window.

  “Sister?”

  “I just told Judy. I don’t know if I can keep lying to the police much longer. They know.”

  “The police?” Patrick repeated.

  “Yes. Father White reported Father Mac Namara missing, that and all the witnesses that saw him that night. The parish is in an uproar. I don’t know how much I can take. I have been questioned and questioned by many. All the while I know that you have him here.”

  “We think he’s still here, but we don’t know for sure,” Patrick said. “All I can tell you is that Alesta is taking care of him.”

  “Alesta? The Lady of the Manor?”

  “Yes.” Patrick nodded reassuringly but it did not do the job as Sister Ellen looked just as anxious as Judy and Patrick felt.

  Sister Ellen broke into hot tears, “I don’t know what to do.” She sobbed away as if she’d been holding it all in, her face so red her wisp of blonde hair popped back out again.

  “There, there!” Judy came to the Sister’s side and rubbed her back.

  Patrick let Judy do all the comforting as he wasn’t sure what to do either. He paced back and forth as the Nun cried and Judy just let her get it all out.

  “You have to keep it up Sister Ellen. You can’t tell, no matter what. We could all go to jail or lord knows what,” Patrick finally said. “Father Mac Namara is possessed.”

  She stopped crying, “He’s what?”

  “Possessed, we are trying to help him, but we can’t do that if you tell the authorities where he is. You have to keep it together.” Patrick watched her face lighten up a little.

  “Is that why he…..?”

  “Och aye. That’s why he was so wild. He is not himself and it all started here, but we need your help,” Judy added.

  “I guess that makes sense, but…..is this for real?”

  “I know it’s crazy but you have to believe us.” Patrick stopped pacing and gave her a grave look with crossed arms.

  “I do…..I’ll keep this secret safe as long as the Father is safe,” she insisted.

  “He is. I assure you that he is. Now can we just go downstairs? I’m needing a cuppa.” Patrick was done talking about it all.

  “We all do.” Judy opened her door and saw to it that they all had some hot tea and that the Sister was in better shape before she left.

  They saw her off and she walked back down the drive. Sister Ellen had not noticed the police car that had followed her to the Manor. It had stayed out of sight behind some bushes.

  It was his second trip to the Manor in week. Constable Queen was getting all too suspicious of the place and its owner. What did the disappearance of Father Mac Namara have to do with Alesta? Was it connected to the missing babies? These were all questions that he mulled over and over and couldn’t come up with much. So it was time to put the heat on some people the only way he knew how.

  The Constable pushed the front door open firmly, making the door bell jingle extremely loud, Patrick jumped.

  “Constable!” Patrick greeted him as nonchalantly and as he would any other, though it was not any other.

  “No need to stand up. I’ll be brief. I don’t know what is going on here, but something is. I followed Sister Ellen here. I’d like to look around if you don’t mind?
’

  “Okay….. Sure.” Patrick felt a sweat come on his forehead. “Do you need me or…..”

  “It’s better if I do this myself.” The Constable took to the living room and Patrick bust into the kitchen.

  “Judy!” Patrick motioned her to the pantry and whispered as Claire was trying to eavesdrop.

  He leaned in very close to her, “Don’t say a word, but the Constable is here. He followed Sister Ellen and he’s looking about. Whatever you need to do…..keep Claire busy.”

  Judy nodded and Patrick left as quickly as he had come in.

  Claire could not help but ask, “What’s that all about?”

  “A problem with one of the guest rooms, nothing you need to worry about.” Judy acted like it was no big deal.

  Claire accepted the answer and continued on with her dicing.

  Everything looked ordinary as far as the Constable could tell, just a Manor House and all the works that went with it. It was not till he went outside that his detective instincts drew him to a part of the beach where the rocks and sand looked displaced. There had been a struggle of some kind. He searched around for any little thing, but there was no hard evidence. The tracks that he did follow pointed in the direction of Alesta’s house, there were some more flattened areas in the grass. It looked as though some heavy object had been dragged across. He stood back and followed the line, though it seemed to disappear into the tree line beside her house.

  "How is everything out here?" It was Patrick trying to seem helpful.

  "I need inside that house." The Constable poked his head through the trees and pointed. "That is the owner's place. Is she here?"

  "No, she's not in, you can look about as you like." Patrick wanted to seem as though he was being completely cooperative even though he wanted to do the exact opposite so he opened up Alesta's house and let the Constable in.

  The house was as the Constable remembered though brighter in daylight as he passed the dining room he paused somehow feeling like he had been in there before, all that flashed before him were a pair of hazel eyes and a smile so smooth that it made him feel warm. He shook his head and moved on dismissing the memory as an over active imagination. The house gave no more clues, everything looked completely perfect, not a hair out of place. The Constable thought a little too perfect. Patrick stayed around but not too close, he heard the officer call out a little while later.

  "Be right there," Patrick answered back; the voice came from the cellar.

  "Is this all there is down here? I’m catching a draft." The Constable put down one of the wine bottles he had been admiring. "Wow, this is some collection, must have been gathered over decades."

  "I believe so," Patrick responded.

  "You mean the wine?" The Constable picked up another bottle.

  "I mean both." It was a game he was playing and Patrick was not in the mood.

  "You have not seen Father Mac Namara?" The Constable smiled.

  "No."

  "Then what was the Sister doing here?"

  Patrick felt the pressure and took too long of a pause, but it's all he could do as he tried to come up with some lie, "Judy invited her over, she said she could come by for some tea."

  "And Judy is?"

  "She's our new live-in hire, used to work at St. Michaels."

  "I see." The Constable gave Patrick a long glance. It was hard to tell if the bloke was telling the truth, but the answer was so simple and usually the truth was simple. "I want to speak to her."

  "Yes, we can go over there now. She should be turning over the rooms as we speak." Anything to get out of the cellar Patrick thought as he watched the Constable pick up another couple bottles close to the secret button, nothing was noticed.

  That is exactly what Judy was doing, she just happened to be in Allister's room and Allister was out. She looked up surprised to see them both as she fluffed the pillows on the neatly made bed.

  "I'm almost done here." Judy gathered up her cleaning supplies and placed them back onto the kart. "What can I do for you?" She looked at Constable Queen as he looked set on asking her something. "Why don't you both follow me into the library?" Judy pushed her kart down the hall and put it away in the closet.

  The Constable took a look in the closet after her, she signaled to Patrick like what was going on. Patrick gave her a motion as if he was sipping some tea, but she didn't understand. The library was empty and so they entered. They sat except Patrick who looked out the front window at the fountain hoping she would figure it out. He decided to emphasize the message.

  "Would you like some tea?" Patrick looked at Judy first raising his eyebrows and their guest hadn't noticed.

  "No, no, coffee though?" Constable Queen answered.

  "I'll go get it then, Judy you sure you don't want some tea then?"

  "No, no thank you." She nodded to him, whatever he wanted her to know it was something to do with tea, so she smiled to him, nodded slightly and said, "Aye tea."

  It was the understanding Patrick was waiting for and the rest was up to her as the officer had made sure that the two of them had not had time to talk privately. He went to fill his offer and left the two alone then perhaps it might go over as more legit if he wasn't there, though Judy resented his leaving just a little.

  "I have already asked Patrick the same questions, so I'm going to begin if I may." Whatever it was about Judy, the Constable felt at home and was inclined to be more polite. "So how do you know Sister Ellen?"

  "From the church. I didn't directly work with her but saw her around, nice lass."

  "And why was she here today?"

  The tea message popped in her mind, her thoughts raced, tea, tea, tea.

  "Uh.....tea. She came by for some tea."

  The Constable had noticed her slight pause, "And what did you two discuss over tea?"

  Lying was not Judy's forte, but tried anyways, "Well.....I told her about my new job and....."

  He interrupted trying to catch her off, "And Father Mac Namara?"

  "Yes, and him."

  "What about him?" he asked firmly.

  "He's missing." Judy felt hot.

  “Do you know where he is?” He asked already knowing what she would say.

  “No. I don’t.” Where was Patrick? It was all Judy could think about, she needed help.

  “You sure you don’t know?”

  “Yes.”

  This all seemed wrong to Constable Queen, something wasn’t right. The little old woman though nice was a bad liar.

  “And what about the tracks down by the beach? It looks as though something heavy has been dragged around out there. I know you know Judy, so just tell me. Tell me everything.”

  Judy completely avoided eye contact and clasped her clammy hands together.

  “Here’s your coffee, I brought cream and sugar as well, but you look like you take it black.” Patrick sat the tray noisily next to the Constable who was annoyed at the somehow convenient timing of Judy’s co-worker’s interruption.

  “I don’t know,” Judy said. “Maybe Patrick does, he works outside and I work inside. She immediately felt better having passed the responsibility.

  “What is the question Constable?” Patrick took a seat across from them in a big leather chair feeling somewhat confident. He watched the Constable. The man looked so short sitting there in a big chair and tired; he had some bags under his eyes, and gave Patrick a look of annoyance. It was very blatant.

  “Outside, there are tracks leading from the beach to Alesta’s house. And the beach, the sand and rocks are in disarray?”

  “I was out on the boat this morning.”

  “Boat? Why?”

  “I like to fish early in the morn sometimes before the guests wake up, though I didny catch a thing, bloody fish.”

  “I never noticed a boat outside.”

  “It’s in the old horse shed.”

  “But the tracks are to Alesta’s,” the Constable pushed and pushed.

  “No they are from there,
the boat was behind her house and I dragged it from there to the beach and then put it back in the horse shed where it was supposed to be.”

  “That’s not what it looks like to me.” The Constable picked up the coffee mug slammed half the coffee down with a heavy gulp and then put the mug down angrily and stood up. “There’s more going on here.”

  Judy and Patrick just looked at him not saying a word.

  “I’ll be leaving now but will be back with more people later. That’s all I have for now. Make sure Alesta is here upon my return. I would like to question her as well.”

  They happily saw to his leaving and after they could no longer hear his car they closed the front door and they both sighed.

  “Jesus,” Judy said.

  “Jesus,” Patrick said. “He followed the Sister here. He’s probably going to question her now. You better see if you can call her and fill her in on our tea story. I hope to God she’s in.”

  “But they might have her phones tapped.” Judy said.

  “Yes, they probably do. What the hell do we do now? We’re royally fucked. He’ll beat us to her.”

  “I could call Cara, have her give her the message to take to the Sister, she’s close.”

  “Do it. We have no time.”

  While Judy was talking to Cara, Patrick sent a rather miffed Claire home for the day.

  “But what about dinner? I haven’t started; it’s a full house tonight.” She tried to convince him to keep her on for the day.

  “No it won’t be full. The wedding party won’t be here. It’ll be Allister and the other couple and they’ll probably be out on a Saturday night.”

  “Is this to do with the police car I saw parked out front?”

  “Claire! We won’t need you for the night. Just come tomorrow morning, breakfast will be big for Sunday, please don’t argue with me.”

  “Okay…..Patrick. I’m sorry.” Claire looked down as she gathered her belongings, but Patrick made sure that she was at ease and watched as she called her boyfriend to come pick her up. “I’ll just go out tonight. A night off!” The new thought came quickly replacing the hard feelings and she waved to Patrick as she left.