by Jordan Dane
“Your gift... It’s amazing, really.” She took Caila’s hand and held it. “I have to admit that a part of me wishes I could wipe away what happened, but forgetting it won’t change what I did. That man would still be dead.”
Rayne fought a fresh round of tears, but she pushed through it.
“It’s so hard for me to say no...especially about this.” She cried harder. “When my parents died, I was hurting. I still ache for them. I’m sure Lucas does too, but I wouldn’t erase them from my mind, or want to pretend that they went away and would never come back. The pain of losing them is part of me now. It makes me appreciate the people that I love even more.”
Rayne hugged the girl tight and said, “Thank you for caring, but I’ll find a way to deal with what I did.”
When she pulled from Caila’s arms, the girl stared as if she had a million questions, but didn’t ask one.
Gabriel couldn’t take his eyes off Rayne either, but for a very different reason. His brave, precious girl was the strongest person he’d ever known.
Hours later
The two-hour trip home to the Stewart Estate had been a quiet one. Whenever Rayne closed her eyes to doze off, she saw Boelens pointing his gun and she jerked awake. The sound of the blast, the feel of the weapon bucking in her hands and the way the bullet sounded when it hit his body—she couldn’t imagine that ever leaving her.
Rayne couldn’t get warm and couldn’t stop shaking. She fought hard not to cry. She was afraid that if she started, she wouldn’t stop.
“Boelens was a bad guy. Caila and the twins said you didn’t have a choice. You did what you had to do. You saved them.” Gabe stroked her hair and kept talking to her, quiet so no one else would hear.
He held her close and whispered in her ear that she was safe, that they’d be home soon. But in quieter moments, when he thought she’d dozed off, she caught him staring out the window of the SUV, plagued by his own demons. He hadn’t said much about what had happened in the mansion. That would come. Gabe only held her hand and hadn’t let go.
Noah was the only one who slept. She thanked God for that. The little boy had a sweet snore that made her smile when he got really loud. Dawn was still a couple of hours away and they all were hurting. Gabe had bruised knuckles, something she hadn’t expected to see. Oliver had a busted lip, but on him it looked good.
When she heard Kendra whispering to Rafael, it pulled her from her dark thoughts. Knowing Rafe was alive and with Kendra made her feel better. He’d been injured the worst, but he was in good hands. The Effin brothers sat close to him and ran their hands through Rafe’s hair and touched him to let them know they were there. Kendra had done what she could to make him comfortable. The Indigo healer would do more for him when they got home, but Rafe let her hold him, even though he winced in pain. And when things got real quiet in the car, she sometimes heard Kendra crying, but she knew those tears weren’t from her being sad.
After ribbons of asphalt turned into two-lane roads with the city lights behind them, Rayne saw the signs for the Bristol Mountains and it made her cry. She was happy to have a home, but when she saw that Oliver had taken a special interest in where they were going, his excitement reminded her of the first time she had seen the Stewart mansion.
“How far is this place?” Oliver asked.
“Not far now,” Uncle Reginald told him. He sounded tired.
When they got to the estate, Gabe’s uncle unlocked the main gate and maneuvered the SUV up the winding and narrow road to the mansion. Lucas drove the Mercedes behind them, a car they’d have to ditch or scrap for parts.
On the crest of the hill that overlooked the manor, Gabe’s uncle slowed down. Rayne had remembered how it felt to see the impressive estate for the first time, when she rode in on her Harley with Gabriel. She smiled when she saw Oliver and Caila on the edge of their seats, staring onto the sprawling estate and its grounds.
“Holy...” Caila gasped. “...shit.”
“Yeah,” Oliver said. “Ditto.”
“You have a home here for as long as you like...if you need one,” Uncle Reginald said. “But nothing has to be decided tonight. We can talk about that in due course, when you’re ready.”
“Yes, sir.”
Uncle Reginald pulled up to the main entrance with the Mercedes behind them. He welcomed the children to his home and Rayne did her part. Helping out had calmed her nerves. She even smiled when she saw the new kids react to the posh digs. The massive staircase, the chandeliers and tapestries and the artwork made the mansion look more like a magical museum.
The place might have looked intimidating, except for one thing. Little faces stared through the staircase banister, each kid sitting on a step to get his or her own view. When Bethany, Sarah, Little G and Domino saw Rafael, they yelled and came running, dressed in their pajamas.
Seeing them made Rayne grin. Gabe did too.
Oliver and Lucas helped Rafe walk in as the children rushed them. Kendra didn’t fuss over their enthusiasm at seeing him. Hugs were good medicine. So was being home.
Once they crossed the threshold, Rafael was greeted by another dear friend. When Frederick made a grand appearance, Rayne slipped into Gabriel’s arms and held him. Seeing Frederick brought back good memories, even if the man was dead. The butler didn’t care if the new guests saw him. He’d come because he’d been worried about Rafael. Frederick spun like a whirling dervish made of silver glitter and exploded like a series of small fireworks. He’d turned into the Fourth of July in tux tails.
“Oh my God. Who’s that?” Caila pointed. “Is he...dead?”
Oliver raised an eyebrow and smirked, but Rafael was the first to answer.
“That’s Frederick. I call him Dead Fred. He’s my...”
When Rafe didn’t finish, Frederick did it for him. “Your butler, sir?”
“I was gonna say my friend.”
Frederick placed a hand over his heart and smiled. Rayne didn’t know if ghosts blushed, but this one did.
“I’m touched, Rafael,” Frederick said.
Rafe curled his cut lip into a grin and winced when he said, “Don’t be. Who’d believe I got a butler? Alive or dead.”
Frederick raised an eyebrow that eventually turned into a smile after Rafael went to his room. Rayne didn’t have to be a ghost whisperer to know what the butler thought.
It was good to have everyone home again.
Stewart Estate
Days later
Oliver Blue could have claimed any number of empty bedrooms as his at the Stewart Estate, but he chose a small room near the tower door. It suited him, he said, but Gabriel thought there might be another reason he’d chosen such a modest accommodation. Gabe didn’t mind sharing his favorite spot on the estate—the rampart tower—but he had a feeling that Oliver had picked the small, unassuming room because he might not stay.
With a guy like Oliver Blue, it was wise not to take anything for granted.
Gabriel found that he needed the solitude of the rampart after what had happened, but he also was determined to spend time with Oliver. He shared his morning tea with him as they watched the sun rise over the Bristol Mountains from the mansion’s stone tower. Oliver had a habit of straddling the parapet wall, dangling his feet precariously as he bathed in the warmth of the rising sun, like a tomcat assured of his footing.
But one morning, when he found Oliver perched on the wall, his morning companion appeared more solemn—even in his black Zombie Hunter T-shirt. It took time for him to open up.
“I’d like to borrow a car and some money. There’s something I have to—”
“I’ll ask my uncle. Anything I can do to help?”
Oliver shook his head and said, “No. Something I have to do...with Caila and Zack’s ashes. She doesn’t know yet. Can we keep it our secret until I ask her?”
<
br /> “Yeah, sure.”
When the morning breeze tossed his hair into his eyes, Oliver squinted and faced into the wind.
“Will you be coming back?” Gabe asked.
It might’ve seemed an odd question, but he felt a restless spirit in Oliver. He was a guy who could be content on his own, but he hoped he would stay.
“You’re both welcome here as long as you need. You know that, right?”
“Thanks.” Oliver fixed his gaze on him, and a slow, lazy smile curled his lip. After he got quiet again, he eventually had more to say.
“I felt dead inside, Gabe. I thought that living on my own, I was free, but hiding out and being afraid isn’t living. I didn’t see that until Caila.”
Gabe had to smile. Rayne had dug him out of his hole too.
“She came to me to save Zack, but she saved me instead. I gotta return the favor,” Oliver told him. “I have thinking to do, but thanks to you and your uncle, I feel like I have time now...and a purpose.”
Gabe grinned and raised his teacup. “You’re welcome. Now shut up so we can enjoy the dawn.”
Oliver smiled and eased into a very familiar and comfortable silence. Gabriel knew how to be patient. When he was ready, Oliver would talk to him about Caila and his plans—and he would listen. He didn’t need to be a psychic to know his friend.
After all, they’d been acquaintances in another lifetime. Gabriel had never been more sure of it.
The next day
Gabriel picked up his pace as he raced down the hall, heading for the great room. Before dinner, the children often gathered there, waiting to eat. He was looking for Oliver and Caila, but as he saw the others, he told them to follow him. When he walked into the room, there was a fire in the hearth and he spotted Oliver in a chair, reading. Caila sat in the love seat next to him.
“Just the two I wanted to see,” he shouted.
“What the hell did I do?” Oliver asked.
“It’s more like what she did.” He nudged his head toward Caila. “I know you wanted to pay a visit to Dr. Fiona to see how she was getting on, but I’m afraid you’re too late.”
Gabriel held a laptop under his arm and pinched his lip to fight a smile.
“What are you talking about?” Oliver asked, and put down his book.
“I took the liberty of setting up a Google Alert in her name. I thought it would be prudent to monitor any recent hits on the internet.” Gabriel couldn’t stop smiling when he told them, “It seems she has gone viral with over three million hits and counting. She’s been arrested, actually.”
He opened his laptop and set it on a table. When they all gathered around, he clicked the play button and a video started. It was a news story from L.A. that made it on YouTube. Dr. Fiona had not only embraced her new life, but she had transformed herself.
She had dyed her hair pitch-black on one side and on the other, her hair was stark white. As police hauled her from her home in handcuffs, she wore large sunglasses, a tight-fitting lacy black dress and an elaborate fur coat—spotted black and white. Her lips were painted in cherry red and she never stopped hurling insults at the cops who’d arrested her and at the angry PETA protestors carrying signs.
“Meet the new Cruella De Vil. It seems she has been hording puppies. Dalmatians, to be exact.”
Caila gasped. “She didn’t hurt any of them, did she? I didn’t think it would go that far.”
“It seems her homeowners association didn’t approve of the barking at all hours and the smell of poop.” He grinned. “She had one hundred and five at last count, but I’m sure they will all find nice homes, ones where they won’t end up as a coat.”
Gabriel told them how the late-night talk shows had made her a joke, but Dr. Fiona made an even bigger splash when she hit Tosh.0. According to reporters, she’d been committed for psychiatric evaluation and her medical license was under review.
“I propose we celebrate,” Gabe said. “After dinner, let’s stream One Hundred and One Dalmatians on Netflix. It should be spectacular in the serenity room. Who’s game?”
The little ones jumped and raised their hands with a heavy dose of giggles.
“That’s settled. Let’s eat. I’m starving,” he said.
Gabriel let the others leave, but he stayed behind to talk to Caila.
“I wanted to thank you. Things could have turned out much worse. After what Dr. Fiona did to you and Zack, Oliver and so many others, it would’ve been easy to want to see her dead, but you found another way. She’s a viral wonder and a laughingstock for comedians. If she had any clout in her profession, that’s over now. She won’t hurt kids anymore, and if she keeps channeling Cruella, she may stay locked up for a long time. Thank you.”
Caila only smiled.
“What made you decide on a Disney character anyway?” he asked.
The girl shook her head and walked with him. “I don’t know, actually. Guess I’ve got a thing for cartoons.”
Gabriel let her join the others. The girl had saved him from a difficult decision and found a solution that even Lucas could appreciate.
What Gabriel couldn’t share with anyone, except his uncle, was that he’d been monitoring the news on police activity in the Cold Water Canyon area and in West Hollywood. He hadn’t seen one report of gun violence, an attack on the hospital or dead bodies found in the San Gabriel Mountains. His father’s estate had been remote. It wasn’t likely that gunfire would have been easily reported since noise echoed in the canyon, but he had a different theory that made more sense.
The Believers had done their own cleanup.
For the sake of the other Indigos, and especially for Rayne, that meant it wasn’t likely that their involvement would be known, but it meant something else too.
The Believers had covered their tracks. They would live to fight another day.
Five days later
Oliver had to lie to Caila to get her to come with him. He didn’t feel bad about it. He only knew she could hate him after.
Being alone with her, for long hours on the road, might’ve felt weird, but he found that he liked it. He took his time and didn’t push the speed. He stopped more often and even hit some historic markers and ate in small towns. A part of him didn’t want their trip to end, but it had to.
When he crossed the border into Wyoming and watched the miles tick down until they were nearly to Casper, he knew he’d have to prepare her for the truth. He hadn’t brought her to Wyoming to spread Zack’s ashes in a place that Oliver swore was special to their dead friend.
He’d brought her file, the one the Believers had kept on Caila, the very one he had memorized.
When he got out of the car to fill up the tank in Casper, he stretched his long legs and breathed in the cool mountain air. After Caila went inside to freshen up, he turned his face toward the sun and gazed at the mountains. The town stood at the base of Casper Mountain and had the North Platte River winding through it. Something about Caila fit this place.
She had been a small-town girl in the big city and she’d held on to a sweet innocence that made her vulnerable in L.A. That’s what Zack had seen in her and wanted to protect. She didn’t have to be an Indigo who’d used her gift to make him feel the same. In the end, that’s how he justified how he felt, and would always feel, about her.
When he got done filling up and paying, Caila came out and she looked pretty. Real pretty.
“Do you know where we’re going?” she asked.
He only nodded and got in the car.
Oliver had run out of time with her, yet that had been inevitable. Part of him dreaded what had to happen next, but those feelings of his had been part of the lies she’d planted in him. He should stop calling them lies. Whatever she’d done to him was now the truth. He’d accepted it. He hoped she would find a way to live wit
h it too.
When he pulled onto a side street near town and drove down a quiet block, he looked for the address and found the home. He parked at the curb and kept the engine running.
Before she asked him any questions, he told her the truth.
“This isn’t Zack’s house. It’s...yours.”
Caila flinched when he said it. She turned and stared at the ranch-style home at the end of a cul-de-sac.
“No, you’re wrong. I don’t remember this place.” She shifted her gaze back to him. “What are you doing, Oliver? You’re scaring me. I thought you said—”
“I knew you wouldn’t come with me if I told you the truth.”
“What are you saying?”
He reached behind the front seat and pulled out her file that he’d stuffed in a small bag of his. But before he told her what he’d found in the folder, he had to reason with her.
“Dr. Fiona said stuff about you. I thought she’d been lying to manipulate me into doing what she wanted.”
“She was lying. All of it was a lie.”
“Not all of it. What she told me about you? It was mostly the truth.” He shrugged after he saw her reaction. “Yeah, that shocked me too. She told so many lies that I don’t think she knew what was true anymore.”
When Caila turned from him and wouldn’t look him in the eye, he kept talking.
“You had a good friend. Ashley Baker. You grew up together, went to the same schools, but she wasn’t a happy girl. Her parents divorced and she took it hard. You tried to help her...like you did me.”
“Ashley? No, you’re lying.” She stared at the house. “I had a half sister named Ashley, but Dad made her leave. Why are you doing this?”
“This time, instead of planting happy memories in her, I think you took the bad ones away, like you offered to do for Rayne. You thought you were helping her, but you were hurting yourself,” he told her. “You ran away from home, thinking your parents didn’t want you, but that wasn’t...how it was. Those were Ashley’s bad memories, not yours. Your parents have been searching for you, Caila. They never stopped looking.”