by Mya O'Malley
“But why did you stop?” She had been enjoying the sweet sensation of his kisses, and it had taken her mind from her troubles. Now her ex was back in her head.
“I don’t want to get carried away, Maggie. You and I have all the time in the world. I want to savor you, like a fine wine.”
“Speaking of fine wine,” Maggie giggled. “How about we have another glass?”
“Great idea, and then we’ll walk for a bit. I think the wine is exactly what you need to relax.”
He poured the dark red liquid as she held on to the glass and studied his deep blue eyes. Maybe the stress of her teaching position and all the nonsense relating to her ex was getting to her. With each sip of the smooth wine, her worries eased a bit more. It was most likely just a deer in the woods, taking the shape of a man in her anxious mind.
“Oh, this is good.” Maggie sipped more of the wine.
“Hey, hey. I think you’ve had enough.” R.J. reached for the glass and placed it down beside him. “I wouldn’t want you to get tired and fall asleep on me.”
“You’re right. How about we go for that walk now?”
“Sounds good. Let’s hike up the mountain a bit and see if we can find a new spot to look out over the cliffs.”
Progress had been made facing her fear of heights, but the mention of the cliffs still caused a tightening sensation in her gut.
“I’m game,” she managed.
“You sure? We’ll play it safe, as always. We’ll get just close enough to see the beautiful view of the Hudson River. How does that sound?”
“I’m in. Sounds amazing.” She forced a smile.
R.J. reached for her hand as they left their picnic area behind. “Should we take the stuff with us?”
“Nah. We’ll be back this way. Nobody will bother with it.” R.J.’s smile lit up his face. “Ready?”
Maggie breathed in to steady her nerves.
“Ready.”
Naomi
“WHAT DO YOU suppose he meant by warning me about Ryan?” she asked. Bryce poured some herbal decaf tea for the both of them. Holly was fast asleep upstairs. Sleeping the dreams of innocent children, no doubt.
What she would give to have some of the world’s innocence. Life had been so much easier even, before Nick, Maggie, and Ryan had entered her life.
Ryan. It worried her that Nick’s words still lingered in her mind. She should automatically discount anything Nick had to say. Nick was trying to save his own ass. Case closed.
But what if there was the slightest chance he wasn’t? What if she had misinterpreted Maggie’s message about loving Nick?
Too many what ifs, that was the problem.
“I wish I knew, Bryce. The only thing I can figure is that Nick is attempting to shift the blame. It does make sense I suppose. Oh, I should just forget I ever heard the spiteful words.” Naomi bit down on her fingernails, a habit she had kicked long ago.
‘That is a great idea. I don’t know much about this Ryan fellow, but if you trust him, that’s good enough for me. Hey, what do you think is going on over there?” Bryce nodded in the direction of her house.
“I couldn’t even venture to guess. Either they’re getting along swimmingly, or she’s trying to kill him.”
He laughed, despite the seriousness of the situation.
“Sorry. That was kind of morbid, huh?”
“Given the circumstances, I would say the joke was completely appropriate.” He rubbed the back of her head, helping to ease away the tension.
“Either way, I suppose I should be heading back. He might need me.”
She looked up at Bryce and found she didn’t want to leave his side. He was becoming very important in her life. Both he and Holly were on her mind constantly. What it all meant, she would have to sort through at a later time.
“Stay for just a minute more?” He lifted her chin toward him.
Closing her eyes, she felt his lips meet hers. His kiss lingered, and she hungrily reached around his neck and pulled him closer.
“Ah, we should probably stop.” Bryce broke the kiss, leaving Naomi wanting so much more from him.
“Yes, that’s a good idea.” She cleared her throat.
“Naomi. Can I tell you something?” His husky voice only made her want to reach out and grab him again. She nodded, holding eye contact.
“I don’t remember feeling like this before. Ever. I don’t want to frighten you, but I think I’m falling for you.”
Her heart melted as he spoke the words she echoed in her own heart. “Oh, Bryce.”
“I’m sorry. It’s too soon.” Turning away, he looked down.
“No, it’s just that I think I feel the same.”
“Really?”
“Really. Now get over here, and give me one more kiss to get me through the night,” she said, grabbing hold of the collar of his flannel shirt. She kissed him good night.
“Oh, man. You’re going to be on my mind all night long. Call me before you go to bed, and fill me in on what happened with Ryan and Maggie, will you?”
“You bet. See you later.” She blew him a kiss as she headed out the door to see what kind of commotion was waiting for her at home.
Naomi knew he would be watching to see if she made it home without any major drama. Sure enough, he stood at his door and waved as she entered her house.
“Ryan?” Naomi called out into the dark house. “Ryan? Where are you?” Why was the house dark?
Zelda pranced around, weaving in and out of her legs. “Maggie?” Was she out of her mind, calling to Maggie as if she were a living, breathing being?
“Come on. Ryan, you’re scaring me now. Where are you?” Picking up her pace, she walked into her office. “Zelda!” She tripped over Zelda, the cat screeching her disapproval.
No signs of Ryan downstairs. Could he possibly be sleeping? After all he had been through? Quite honestly, nothing would surprise her when it came to Ryan.
“Ryan? Maggie?” Naomi cried out as she climbed the stairs. She flipped on every light switch she came across.
Flip, flip, flip.
Nothing.
“Where the heck are you, Ryan?” she wondered aloud as she saw that his overnight bag was still on the bed in the guest bedroom. So he hadn’t gone back home. Did he suddenly get hungry and run to the store? The idea gave her some comfort. Most definitely he would go out at this late hour if it meant eating.
She hurried down the stairs and headed back into the kitchen. It was simple; she would just call him. Naomi grabbed her bag and reached for her cell. She had his number programmed on speed dial.
It rang, but then she heard the echo of ringing coming from somewhere downstairs. Following the sound, she spied his phone on the couch.
Okay, he left without his phone. He would be back. She could wait him out. It wasn’t like she would be getting any sleep tonight anyway.
Settling in with a blanket on the couch, she grabbed her remote and turned on the television. Her mind couldn’t focus on any of the programs, so finally she shut the TV off. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she remembered that she had promised to call Bryce before she fell asleep for the night.
Staring into the darkness with her blanket around her and Zelda at her feet, she waited for Ryan to come back.
Chapter Thirty
Naomi
FUNNY, SHE HAD forgotten all about the dreams. Not long ago, her sleep had been taken over by these visions of herself running through the woods.
Running, running, running.
Through the woods with someone or something on her tail.
The dreams had returned. She ran, like before, but this time it was Ryan behind her. Chasing her.
Ryan.
“Ryan!” Naomi sat up straight, gasping for air. Oh my God, had he come home? His absence came crashing back.
She called his name as she raced up and down the stairs. It appeared that he had never come home. What did this mean? Was he in danger?
Could Maggie have
hurt him?
Zelda cried out for her morning treat, becoming increasingly vocal. “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Zelda. Give it a rest.” Zelda became more persistent, rubbing against her as she walked into the kitchen. “What happened here last night, do you know?”
Gazing up at her with her clear green eyes, Zelda wailed her disapproval. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t worry, I didn’t forget you.”
Naomi reached into the cabinet and grabbed the cat treats. Sprinkling a few on the floor in front of Zelda, she watched the cat bite into each morsel.
His car. Why hadn’t she thought to look earlier? Moving closer to the kitchen window, her heart sank at the sight of Ryan’s small truck across the lot. A sinking sensation took hold as Naomi fell down on the kitchen floor.
It couldn’t be good. Whatever had happened to him was bad. She felt it. “Oh, Ryan. Don’t leave me here alone to sort out this mess.”
Nick’s words played over and over in her head. I’m not the one who killed Maggie. You’re in danger, Naomi and it’s a lot closer than you think. Take a long, hard look at Ryan.
No, Ryan. You wouldn’t do that to Maggie, would you? You wouldn’t do that to me. Or would he? Would he up and leave if he sensed he was going to be caught? Make it look as if something horrible had happened to him by leaving his belongings behind.
Maggie.
Would the ghost make him pay if he was truly responsible for her death? Was Maggie seeking revenge?
What had she done by asking Ryan to come here and keep her company?
Not only was Ryan gone, but it seemed that Maggie was unnaturally silent. Not a good combination. in her opinion.
THREE DAYS LATER, there was still no word from Ryan, and Maggie was still absent from her home. Naomi had gone out to the graveyard, attempting to communicate with the spirit out there.
Maggie wasn’t playing and she wasn’t talking.
Bryce had urged Naomi to call the police and then the hospital to see if anyone fitting Ryan’s description had come in. Officer Marty reported that nothing was amiss. She hit a dead end every way she turned.
She had even considered paying Nick a visit before dismissing the idea. How could she believe a word that came out of his mouth? It wasn’t even worth her time.
Above all, she missed Ryan. It felt as if her heart had been torn from her. Friends didn’t just up and disappear from each other’s lives. It wasn’t fair. Another thing that wasn’t fair was the fact that he may very well be a conniving criminal of the worst kind, and she had trusted him with her whole being at one point.
Wringing her hands together, Naomi couldn’t think of anything past Ryan or Maggie. The duo was all-consuming. Even Bryce couldn’t compete for her focus and attention right now.
Bryce. He was upset with her. She hadn’t called him the other night before bed and hadn’t gone to see him at all the next day. When he had finally taken it upon himself to stop by her house, Naomi hadn’t meant to come across as distant. She just couldn’t sum up the energy or the will to pretend.
It wasn’t that she didn’t care. Quite the contrary, as a matter of fact. Naomi found it difficult to pursue her own happiness when Ryan was missing and Maggie was mute.
Relationships were so challenging. They were fragile. In the beginning, middle, and end. Love required a constant sense of attention and nurturing. Without that care, it could wither away and die.
Damn, she didn’t want to say good-bye to Bryce, not after coming to care for him so much. She had admitted to herself and Bryce that she was falling for him. Hopefully, she wouldn’t fall so hard she hurt herself.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow she would make Bryce her priority. Even as she said the words in her mind, part of her knew that tomorrow, if Ryan didn’t materialize, she would feel stuck.
In the past, Naomi always had her writing to fall back on. The funny thing was, the very reason she had begun to investigate Maggie’s death was to tell a good story.
One to bring Maggie some peace and closure.
Laughing bitterly to herself now, Naomi didn’t envy Maggie. Now she, too, knew the torture of seeking closure. Without knowing what had become of Ryan and Maggie, a piece of her would forever be exposed and raw.
Naomi walked to her computer and sat. Going through the motions of writing, she pounded the keyboard and made mistake after mistake. After rereading the one paragraph she had managed to get down, she slapped down the cover of her laptop. Her words didn’t make any sense at all. It was useless to attempt to create her story right now.
Sobbing openly into her hands, her body was wracked with emotion. Come back, Ryan, come back. She needed to hear the words from his own mouth. Murderer or not, she wouldn’t rest until he surfaced.
It could have been minutes or hours that had passed. Zelda licked her nose, waking Naomi from a fitful sleep. Naomi lifted her head from her closed laptop. Someone was knocking on the door. Whoever it was could go away. She would deal with them later.
Resting her head on her desk, Naomi’s eyes closed. She found Ryan in her sleep.
Running, running, running, Naomi turned back as she ran through the familiar woods, the woods of her nightmares. She spied Ryan close behind, opened her mouth, and screamed.
Chapter Thirty-One
Naomi
INTRUSIVE BANGING WOKE her from her slumber. Who was that knocking on her door? And at such an early hour? For all Naomi knew, it could be noon; she had fallen asleep last night, and the only thing that registered was bright sunlight streaming through her window.
Groaning, she lifted her head. Beeping sounded from her cell. Where was her phone? Turning her head, she saw her cell had been left on the small loveseat near the window.
“Hold on, hold on!” Naomi exclaimed, rising from her spot at her writing desk. Holding her back, she winced. Her body ached from sleeping on a hard chair. Working out the kinks, she walked to the door to see who was responsible for waking her. The person who had left her a message would have to just wait.
She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and winced at the startling sunlight coming through the kitchen window.
As her hand grabbed hold of the doorknob, Naomi realized that given the current state of affairs in her life, she probably should have peeked out the window to see whose car was in the driveway.
“Oh, like it really matters anymore,” Naomi mumbled as she pulled the door open.
“Where have you been? We’ve been trying to get in touch with you all morning,” Officer Marty said.
“You’re looking at it, and who’s we?” Naomi craned her neck to see the familiar looking sedan pull in the driveway.
Her stomach dropped. If Virginia, Tom, and Officer Marty were all here together, that only meant one thing: trouble.
“Where is he? Have you heard from him?” Naomi’s pulse quickened as she waited for the officer to answer.
“I have no idea who you’re talking about, but can only guess that by he, you mean Nick.”
Nick? “No, not Nick. Where’s Ryan?”
“Not my turn to watch him, but I would hope he’s getting some help for his recent slip of the mind.”
Naomi felt her sarcastic side come out, ready to match the officer’s own nasty wit, but then saw the expression on Mr. and Mrs. Field’s faces. Her heart sank in her throat.
“Oh no, what’s happened?”
Mrs. Field sank into her arms the moment she arrived on the doorstep. Wrapping her tighter, Naomi cried along with her. She didn’t know what had transpired over the past few hours, but the stress from the past few days had taken their toll.
Even Miriam Marty stood speechless, giving Naomi time with Maggie’s parents.
“Naomi. I don’t want you to think that any of this is your doing. Please, know we mean that,” Mr. Field choked through the words.
“What? I don’t understand.” Her eyes scanned the faces before her.
“It’s because of you that we’re finally getting our answers. Answers we may not want to h
ear, but need to hear…” Virginia’s words trailed off into more sobs.
“Oh my God, what is it?”
“It’s Nick. At least, we think it’s Nick,” Officer Marty announced, moving forward now.
“Nick? He was involved after all, wasn’t he?”
“We have reason to believe so but still lack the precise evidence. Something tells me that this will all fall into place very shortly, though.”
Miriam Marty glanced at Virginia and Tom. They nodded for her to continue.
“So as you know, we reopened the case, and part of that meant conducting a proper autopsy.”
Naomi turned her head away. She had been so consumed with Maggie’s spirit in this house and the aftermath of Ryan’s absence that she had failed to notice what was going in her own backyard.
“Pathology reports are consistent with the fact that Maggie did not drown.”
“She didn’t drown?” Naomi turned Officer Marty’s statement into a question. “But how could that be?”
“Mr. and Mrs. Field, would you rather Naomi and I have this conversation in private? You’ve been through this already,” Officer Marty asked.
Although Virginia and Tom couldn’t possibly have wanted to hear the gory details pertaining to Maggie’s death, they moved closer to Naomi. “We’ll stay.”
“I don’t understand. How could you have figured this out? Especially after all this time?” Naomi couldn’t begin to imagine what this evidence meant.
“Autopsies can be conducted decades after a person dies, so three or so years really isn’t that long at all to still find evidence.”
Naomi watched Tom take hold of Virginia’s arm to steady her. Somebody would have to pay for the torture they had put these two people through. Words couldn’t begin to describe their unimaginable pain.
“Are you sure you don’t wish to go inside? I can put the television on for you, make you a cup of coffee?” Naomi asked, hoping they might change their minds.
Virginia took hold of Naomi’s hand and squeezed it lightly. “We’re all in this together. Go ahead, Officer Marty.”