by Mya O'Malley
“I was talking to some people in town, showing Ryan’s picture around. The last time anyone had seen him, before he disappeared, was with you. I have issued an all-points bulletin for him across the country as a person of interest. So far, it’s as if he’s vanished. Nothing has come up to alert us to his whereabouts.”
Naomi blew out the breath she had been holding. “Wonderful. Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.”
“What is it that you wanted to speak with me about?” Miriam chewed on her pen.
Sighing, Naomi figured she should tell it as it is. “I know you’re not going to believe this, but Maggie has been communicating with me through my dreams.”
Miriam locked eyes with Naomi. “Go on.”
Did she actually believe her? “I was doing a little investigating of my own the past few days.”
Miriam shook her head firmly but smiled. “Of course you were. Continue, please. I’m dying to hear this.”
Naomi told her story, from the picnic area, right up to the heart carving on the oak tree. “Here. I took some pictures.” Handing her cell phone over the Miriam, she waited for her response.
Studying the photograph intently, Miriam tilted her head and zoomed in on the image. “It looks as if this carving is several years old.”
“Yes, that would be correct.”
“Of course we’ll go up there with our forensics team and sweep the area. You said it was near the cliff?”
“Right near the edge, yes.” Naomi swallowed hard as that familiar feeling returned to her gut. It didn’t get any easier to imagine Maggie falling from that height. She supposed it never would.
Miriam lifted the pen to her mouth once more, narrowing her gaze on Naomi. “You do realize I’m going to ask you to come with us? You’ll need to show us the exact location.”
Naomi straightened her back. “I’d be more than happy to assist. Just say when, and I’m there.”
“Give me some time to get the team together. Expect to hear back from me within the hour, and we’ll meet you up there. Is it the parking area near the golf course?”
“Yes, just past it. That’s the one.”
“Fine.” Miriam nodded. “Speak to you soon.”
Rising to her feet, Naomi turned to walk away.
“Naomi?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you. We could use any clues we can get with this case. Even from you.”
Naomi grinned widely at the comment. It was probably the closest she would ever come to receiving a compliment from Miriam. The officer returned her smile. Sometimes, it was the little things that made it all worthwhile.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Naomi
WITH BRYCE BY her side, they led the police team up to the grassy clearing. She was happy that Bryce could be there with her. His friend John had stopped by with his wife and daughter. They had graciously offered to watch Holly for an hour or so while he accompanied Naomi to the cliffs.
“This is the spot that was in my dream.” Her arms swept the area. Pointing to the woods beyond, she continued. “Over there is where the noise came from. I believe that would have been Nick, spying on Maggie and Ryan.”
Miriam scribbled down some notes as the forensics team took some pictures and walked to survey the woods. Miriam had explained that, most likely, any evidence would have been long gone at this point, but it helped to get a picture of the suspected crime scene.
Still, Naomi couldn’t come to terms with the fact that the police believed in her theory. She supposed it was due to the fact that they were coming up cold in every other area they had investigated thus far.
When the team had finished looking around, she and Bryce led them up the path to the oak tree. They stopped a few times to venture off the path, hoping to find evidence, but so far there was nothing concrete to go on, besides Naomi’s story, that is.
“This is it.” Naomi averted her gaze from the view of the Hudson River below. Knowing now how Maggie had feared heights, it made her sick to her stomach.
“You okay?” Bryce leaned over.
“Yes, I’m fine.” Knowing it was not exactly the truth, she lifted her head. She was here to help Maggie. She needed to keep a clear head.
The team snapped picture after picture. They had determined that the carving was, indeed, several years old.
“It makes sense. Findings are consistent with the pathology reports. Damn Officer Frank and his pathetic friend,” Officer Marty cursed as she huddled with the team. Naomi could hear the hushed voices speaking of the possibility that Maggie could have fallen to her death at that precise spot.
“Naomi? Thank you. It’s not proven, but heck, this is the best we have to go on. You can go back home.”
“Oh. Aren’t you guys leaving, too?” she asked Miriam Marty.
The officer shook her head. “We’ve got a lot of work to do. You’ve been a help, thank you.”
“But I could stay. It wouldn’t be a problem.”
“Police business, Naomi. Surely you understand.”
“Come on, Naomi. It’s time to get back,” Bryce urged.
“Please let me know if you find anything.”
“Of course.” Miriam Marty huddled with her team once more. Naomi could hear plans of going down by the river, looking for a spot where Maggie’s body could have possibly landed.
“Naomi. You don’t need to hear this. Time to go.” Bryce pulled her to his side, leading her down the mountain in silence.
Descending further along the path, they finally reached Bryce’s truck. He walked over to her side of the vehicle and opened the door for her. Glancing up at him, her heart broke.
“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry this is all turning out so awful.”
“I-I didn’t even know her.” Naomi sobbed into his shoulder. Her body wracked with the sadness and tension of the past weeks.
“That’s where you’re wrong. You may know her better than most people. You’ve made a connection with her.”
She hadn’t thought of it that way before. He was right. Of course he was. The connection she and Maggie shared was a powerful one, and it always would be. Maggie had saved her butt when Nick was stalking around outside and when he had almost strangled her. Naomi would return the favor by giving Maggie peace.
“There’s no easy way here. To think of her having a boating accident was incredibly sad, but this? This is unbearable.”
“I know it is. Just think, if you hadn’t come along, no one would have ever known there was foul play involved. Maggie would have haunted your home for an eternity. She’s lucky you moved in.”
“I’m lucky to have met her,” she stated quietly.
Naomi stepped up into the truck and rested her mind for a moment. For now, she decided she had experienced enough horror for one day. “Are we still on for dinner?”
Bryce chuckled as he drove out of the parking lot, past the golf course. “Are you kidding me? Holly hasn’t stopped talking about you since you left.”
“Good.” She smiled at the thought of Holly’s sweet face. She could stand a little innocence in her life. “Bryce? Can we lay off the Maggie talk? Just for tonight?” Thinking of Officer Marty and her crew combing the woods directly below the cliff for clues, she sighed. Taking a break from all the heartache for the night wasn’t a bad idea.
“I’m very happy to hear you ask. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He rubbed her thigh as they hit the main road, on their way home.
ALTHOUGH IT WAS at her request that any talk of Maggie was prohibited that evening, Naomi’s mind never wandered far from her. Bryce could tell. She was sure of it. From the way he would glance at her from across the room while she played with Holly, to the way he mouthed the words she needed to hear, she knew he was tuned into her emotions. Seeing his lips whisper I’m crazy about you made her feel better. She was ready for more with Bryce. After all the deception and lies from men in her past, she couldn’t be more positive that, in Bryce, she had found what she was looking for a
ll along.
Love wasn’t something to rush into, she found. It came slow and steady. This thing she and Bryce were experiencing deserved the time it took for true love to happen. Once everything with Maggie and Ryan settled down, she would make it a priority to show him how much she cared for him. Of course, she would also be very busy writing Maggie’s story once things had settled.
Bryce was worth making time for, though. He was more than worth it.
Lost in her thoughts of Bryce, Zelda snuck up on her, meowing. “What is it, sweetie?” She scooped the cat into her arms.
She continued to speak her own special feline language. Something was up; she could sense it as Zelda’s meowing had turned to howling. Jumping from her arms, Zelda led her to the bay window overlooking the graveyard beyond.
“Well, I’ll be,” she whispered, her hands pressed on the cold window pane. Shivering, Naomi stepped to the side so that he wouldn’t spot her. Once her heartbeat had settled down, she crept past the window on her knees.
Grabbing her cell phone, she dialed Officer Marty’s number. Shoot. Her voicemail came through.
“Miriam. Ryan’s here, he’s at my house, walking around the cemetery. As I speak, he’s leaning over Maggie’s grave. Come quickly.”
Sinking to the floor with her cell phone in hand, she waited for Officer Marty. She could call Bryce, but didn’t want to put him and Holly in any danger. Praying silently, she hoped Miriam Marty would put their differences aside and hurry for once in her life.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Naomi
MIRIAM MARTY DIDN’T disappoint. Within minutes of Naomi placing the call, she had called Naomi back, telling her she was on the way. Every noise she heard, each creak the house made, Naomi imagined it was Ryan, trying to break in.
As much as she longed to see him, speak with him, the thought of an interaction with Ryan alone, in the cold dark night, terrified her. Her best friend had become her worst nightmare. It had happened so quickly that she hadn’t seen it coming until it was too late.
He had gall, coming back here to her house, to Maggie’s grave. Criminals often messed up, though and it was those times that they were most likely to be caught.
The sharp rap on her door sent Zelda shrieking up the stairs. Hurrying to the door, she nearly opened it before realizing it could be Ryan on the other side.
“Who is it?”
“Let me in,” Miriam Marty commanded from outside. She had never been so relieved to see that woman’s face as she was at this moment.
“Thank God.” Naomi almost hugged her. Almost.
“I need to ask you something. You’re going to have to concentrate.”
Naomi nodded as she led Miriam into the kitchen.
“In that dream you had, the last one in which you saw Ryan carving the initials in the tree, what was he wearing?”
“What was he wearing? What the heck kind of question is that? I have no idea. He’s out there, aren’t you going to look for him?”
“Think, Naomi. Think. It’s important.”
Naomi struggled to recall the specifics of her dream. Ryan’s face had been the focus of her dreams, not his clothing. “I-I don’t know. I can’t remember. Why is this so important?”
“Damn, Naomi. I can’t say, but think about it. Promise me.”
“I will. Are you going to look for him?” She repeated her question.
“I have my partner out there searching the grounds. Tell me what you saw. Don’t leave anything out.”
“Zelda, my cat, started behaving strangely, as she often did when Maggie was around. She led me to this window here.” Naomi walked over to the window and parted the curtains.
“Don’t! He could see us.”
She should have known better, what was she thinking? “Sorry. It’s been a long day. Anyway, I saw him out there, bending over her grave.”
“So wait. You’re telling me that from here, you could make a positive identification? You’re sure it was Ryan? Even in the darkness?”
“I… well, I think so. The man appeared to be around his height and weight, and he was wearing a white shirt.” But could she be a hundred percent correct? “Who else could it have possibly been?”
“I don’t know. My partner is sneaking around out there. We’ll see what he finds. Got any coffee while we wait?”
“Sure. Of course.”
Naomi led Miriam back into the kitchen and prepared some decaf for herself and regular coffee for the officer.
“So you really believe all this ghost business?” Miriam’s eyes peeked at her from over her coffee mug.
“Yes, absolutely. But you doubt me, don’t you?”
Miriam leaned forward, close to Naomi. “If you ever tell anyone this, I’ll deny it, you hear?”
“Go ahead.” Naomi couldn’t wait to hear this.
“I was eighteen. My mom had passed away a year or so earlier.” Miriam hesitated. Now it clicked why Miriam was such a tough woman. It had to have been so difficult to lose a mother at such an early age.
Naomi nodded for Miriam to continue. “She was on my mind all the time, as you could imagine. Funnily enough, my mom had always promised that if there was any way, any way at all that she could communicate with me if she were ever to pass, she would. I was so angry that she hadn’t kept her promise to me. I was so young back then, I actually believed that she was holding back on me, punishing me in some way.” Miriam sniffled, wiping at her eyes. Naomi could see Miriam’s rough exterior breaking down. If Naomi didn’t think the officer would pull away, she would have reached for her hand.
Oh, what the heck. Naomi leaned over and took hold of Miriam’s hand. Amazingly enough, Miriam squeezed Naomi’s hand and continued.
“I tried to imagine what I could have possibly done for my mother to break that promise. Was I a disappointment to her? It was one of the darkest times of my life. I sobbed myself to sleep and then, in the middle of the night, something unbelievable happened. I smelled her vanilla-scented perfume before I opened my eyes to find her sitting on the bed beside me. She was stunning in the moonlight.” Her eyes had a faraway look.
The story Miriam told was so powerful that Naomi could imagine the scene, could almost see Miriam as a teen.
“Go on,” Naomi urged, holding Miriam’s hand steady.
“She told me… she told me that she loved me and that she had tried so hard to see me. She said that I should never doubt her love and that she would be beside me, watching me grow into the young woman she was already so proud of.” Miriam pulled her hand away, choking back her tears.
“Oh my God, Miriam. You do believe. That was such a beautiful story,” Naomi whispered. “Thank you.”
As quickly as her wall went down, it snapped back up. “It was nothing.” Miriam stood, all business.
Naomi would allow her some distance. She had a strong feeling that she and the officer would relate to each other differently now. There was a complexity to Miriam that she now understood and could accept. Knowing that the officer’s attitude had nothing to do with her personally put Naomi at ease.
Before Naomi could say anything else, a knock on the door broke the moment.
“That would be Harry.” Miriam hustled to let her partner in. He stood in the doorway, stretching out his hand to Naomi.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Harry. I’m afraid I have to report that nothing seems amiss out there.”
“But he was there. I saw him with my own eyes,” Naomi exclaimed.
“I’m not saying that he wasn’t. What I am telling you is that I couldn’t find evidence to prove it.”
“Damn,” Miriam cursed.
“I… What do I do now?” Naomi wouldn’t be able to close her eyes, knowing that Ryan had been right outside her home.
“We can’t leave her here alone tonight, Harry. She could be in danger.”
Harry shook his head. “You heard what Chief Olsen said, we’re understaffed tonight.”
“That’s not acceptable. The
re’s a murder suspect roaming the property. There’s no chance in hell that I’m leaving Naomi here alone, defenseless.” Miriam paced the small kitchen.
Naomi considered speaking up, saying that she would be fine, but then reconsidered. A fact was a fact. Ryan was, indeed, a murder suspect and he had just been near her house, so no, she didn’t feel comfortable sleeping here tonight.
“I’m staying.”
Her head turned upon hearing Miriam’s words.
“Really? Didn’t you pull an all-nighter just yesterday?” Harry asked.
“You don’t need to stay with me. I can always stay with my friend Amy.”
“It’s not negotiable. Besides, I want you to stay put here tonight. Your presence may just bring Ryan lurking around here again. And if I see him, he’s mine.” Miriam clenched her fists.
“Oh.” So now she was bait for luring Ryan in. What was the difference anyhow? Naomi wanted him caught more than anyone. Anyone besides Maggie’s parents, that is.
Harry bit his lip, flushing. “I don’t know about this. I can’t stay tonight, and you shouldn’t be here without back-up.”
“Well, if you’re so concerned, then break your date tonight. If not, zip it. This is between us, by the way. I’m officially clocked out in an hour.”
“Miriam, I’m going to say that I don’t think this is a good idea. Let her go to her friend’s house.”
“Mind your business, Harry, and stay out of it.”
There was some satisfaction is seeing that Naomi wasn’t the only one to be on the receiving end of Miriam’s sharp tongue.
“Get settled in. I’m going to leave, park my car up the road, and head back. Don’t answer the door for anyone. I’ll need your keys so I can get back in.”
Handing her house keys over to Miriam, she silently pleaded for the officer to return quickly.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Naomi