by Mya O'Malley
“You can come along, Bryce, but you can’t come in when I speak with Nick. He won’t talk in front of anyone else. I’m sure of it.”
He glanced at his watch and cursed. “Shoot, Naomi. I’m going to be late for work. I don’t like this.”
“She’s safe with me. Promise.” Miriam hooked her arm around Naomi’s shoulder and plastered on a smile.
“It’s not like I have any choice. Please be careful, Naomi.” Naomi stood on her tiptoes and leaned over to kiss him quickly.
“Promise.”
Chapter Forty
Naomi
WHAT WAS HE going to do? Checking the time on her cell phone, Naomi sighed. She hoped he would agree to see her. He had kept warning her away from Ryan the last time she saw him. Funny, he had nearly helped to convince her that Ryan was a threat. She pushed the image of Ryan from her mind. It was too painful and she would require all of her strength to get through a conversation with Nick. If he even agreed to see her, that is.
“Ma’am? This way, please.” An officer came out to the waiting area where she had signed in. She walked past hushed conversations.
“He’s coming out to see me?”
“Looks that way, ma’am. That is why I called you.”
Sarcasm didn’t sit well with Naomi right now. She mumbled under her breath as the officer led her into a narrow, well lit room. The bland walls and lack of décor did not ease her nerves any.
The buzz of chatter could be heard as she passed inmate after inmate. The last seat was empty. That would be hers. Nick’s chair on the opposite side of the stained, foggy plexiglass was empty. She still wasn’t sure he would show until she saw him appear from the opposite side of the room behind the divider. His orange suit only exaggerated the shadows beneath his eyes.
He threw himself down on the hard, plastic chair, and Naomi silently prayed she would get some cooperation and answers from him. He sat, eyes scanning her face. It looked as if she would be the first to speak. A wave of nausea came over her. Not sure if it was due to the stench of sweat in the air or her nerves, she swallowed and lifted her head. Picking up the black phone on the wall, she tried to steady her shaking hands.
“Nick.”
He snatched the phone from his side of the glass. “What do you want from me, Naomi? What could you possibly want now?”
Naomi fidgeted in her chair. Miriam was across the room, her eyes peeled on Naomi, nodding for her to continue.
“I want the truth, Nick. For once in your life, I want you to put aside your issues and try to help someone else. What happened that day? How did Maggie and Ryan die?”
The mention of Ryan’s name caught his attention. His eyebrow lifted as a sneer set upon his face. “I warned you about him, didn’t I?”
He did. My God, what must he have thought after he saw Ryan? If she were to guess, Nick was involved in Ryan’s death as well as Maggie’s. No wonder Nick had behaved as if he was losing his mind.
“Yes. But you knew he was dead, didn’t you, Nick?”
His face was inches from the plastic divider between them. Spittle covered the plexiglass before her. “I had no freaking idea what the hell happened to him. How would I have known? I wasn’t even there.”
“Nick, you’re lying. You were there, in the woods when they were picnicking. She was frightened. At first I thought Ryan was working with you, that you were both murderers, but then his body was found. That kind of dispelled that theory, wouldn’t you say?”
He glanced around the room, his eyes on Miriam in the far corner. “He… his body was found?”
“Yup. Now are you going to tell me what happened and why you and your uncle covered up Maggie’s death?”
“I don’t have to talk to you. I owe you nothing.” He sat back on his chair, his eyes cold.
Now it was Naomi’s turn to lean in to the glass. “Excuse me?” From the corner of her eye, she could see Miriam tapping her watch. She knew her time with Nick wasn’t unlimited. “Of course you owe me answers. A man and a woman are dead and you’re responsible.”
“I’m not. I’m not responsible! He did it, it was all his fault.”
“Bull, and it’s not nice to speak ill of the dead, Nick. How did they die?”
“I’m going to get a lawyer. I am not going down for what Ryan did.”
“Ryan is dead! Dead! You were there, he told me.”
“He told you? I thought…” His brows scrunched as he fidgeted in his chair. “I thought at first that maybe somehow he had survived, but he couldn’t possibly have.”
“Oh? And why is that?”
“No you don’t. You’re trying to get me to talk and I won’t.”
“Listen to me good, Nick. Ryan is a ghost, he’s been by my side for weeks and now he’s in my dreams, along with Maggie. They won’t stop until they see justice. If you’re as innocent as you claim, spare everyone the time and cost of a trial and come clean. What happened that day at the cliffs?”
He bit his lip, eyes boring into hers. She counted to ten silently, waiting for his resolve to slip. She was close, and it seemed that above all, he disliked any talk of Ryan.
“They’re haunting my every waking thought and don’t give me peace, not even in my dreams. I doubt you’d be able to handle the agony I’ve witnessed firsthand if they decide to zero in on you.” She narrowed her gaze on him, baiting him.
He spun his head around the room, as if searching for the ghosts of Maggie and Ryan. “No.”
“You bet.” Smugly, Naomi silently cheered her ingenious plan.
“I don’t believe you. You’re full of crap, Naomi. Always have been,” he spat.
“Oh? Well then, how would I have known about the picnic, the heart etching near where they fell to their deaths?” It was a wild card, but she decided to play it. Miriam had shared that autopsy results were conclusive for Ryan falling from a great height.
“I didn’t push them over, I swear. It was Ryan’s fault. If it weren’t for him getting up in my face, she would have never tried to save me. She wouldn’t have stumbled…” Tears welled in his eyes, and he was distraught. Miriam edged closer to them, doing her best to stay out of Nick’s line of vision.
“Is everything okay here?” One of the officers approached, his eyes wide. Miriam grabbed hold of the man’s arm, leading him away from Naomi and Nick. Nick’s emotions were so high, he didn’t seem to notice the interaction.
“Wait a minute. Did you just say that Maggie tried to save you?” Her heart pounded wildly.
“She did. Oh my God, Naomi. I would have never killed her. I was in love with her. Heartbroken, yes, but I would have never pushed her. She died trying to save me. He died trying to reach for her. It was a horrible accident, Naomi.” His mouth turned down.
An accident? Could she afford to believe a word he was saying? It was Ryan’s indirect argument with Nick that had caused the fall? Looking at Nick’s strained face, she knew he was telling the truth. My God, no wonder Ryan couldn’t come to terms with what had happened that day years ago. Although it had been a horrific accident, she knew the guilt he must be facing was unbearable.
“Nick, how could you have kept this a secret? Why didn’t you just explain what happened?” Tears for Ryan, Maggie, and even Nick fell freely down her face.
“Who would believe me? I didn’t even know for sure where Ryan’s body was. My uncle Frank and I searched endlessly for the bodies. Maggie, she was easy to find, but him? We never did find him.”
“The police discovered his remains in the woods below where he fell. Why the cover up? Couldn’t your uncle have helped you?”
“He claimed no one would believe me. I was guilty of following her around, Naomi. I stalked her. Hell, there were probably witnesses. I never thought anybody would look into it any further. She haunted me, though. She did. She was in my dreams, taunting me over and over to turn myself in. I couldn’t. I just couldn’t do it. When you got close, I panicked. I didn’t mean to hurt you, either, Naomi. I was scare
d, just so scared.”
“That’s no excuse, Nick, and you know it. You may not be guilty of murder, but you’re sure as hell guilty of plenty of criminal offenses. What the heck were you and Frank thinking? My God, the amount of pain you caused her family? There’s no excuse.” She ran her hands through her dark, tangled hair, unable to fathom the events that were unfolding before her.
“I’m sorry, Naomi. I truly am.”
Standing to her feet, she shook her head in disgust. “Save it, Nick.” She pushed her chair back. This kept getting worse and worse.
Poor Maggie. Poor Ryan.
And Maggie’s parents? It was unfathomable what had occurred.
Seconds later, Miriam nodded toward Naomi. She watched as Miriam followed Nick and the other officer to the back room. Figuring the interrogation would last for hours, she decided to go home and call Bryce. Heck, she could definitely start her story now. Now that all of the major pieces of the puzzle were in place, she would begin to unfold a tale that would help to bring Maggie and Ryan some justice.
Half an hour after she had discovered the cold, honest truth, she found herself sitting alone in the diner that she and Ryan had frequented so often. When the waitress had asked if she would like her usual coffee and platter of cookies, she had almost broken down. Ryan wouldn’t be here anymore. He wouldn’t laugh with her, talk with her, eat an offensive amount of food. Nothing.
His absence was deafening.
Sipping at her coffee, she stared out the café window. Couples walked past, hand in hand. Bryce. She still hadn’t called Bryce. She needed this time of solitude to get herself together. So many of the finer details would have to be sorted out. Where would they lay him to rest? Did he have any family close by?
Funny, they had never gotten past the fact that his mother had passed years ago, and his father had been an absentee parent. She did know that he had a brother who lived out West, but had nothing other than that to go on. Miriam would surely make the necessary connections, so that they could lay him to rest properly.
In her heart, Naomi knew instinctively where he should be buried, but the choice wasn’t hers to make. He would want to be by Maggie’s side, just as he had been in life. They were kindred spirits, meant to be joined together in the afterlife. Naomi could only hope that Ryan’s brother would understand. If not, well, Maggie wouldn’t be very pleased. To say the least.
“Any more coffee?” The familiar young waitress walked over with a pot of regular coffee.
“I’m good, thanks.” She looked down at her half empty cup of coffee.
“Will your friend be joining you today?” The blonde girl couldn’t disguise her interest in Ryan. She sensed that the waitress had harbored a little crush on Ryan the past few times they had been in the café.
“No,” Naomi whispered. She dropped her chin down. “No, he won’t.” Biting back her tears, she had to turn her head away.
“Oh. I didn’t mean…”
“It’s-it’s fine.” Naomi waved her hand to dismiss the rest of the conversation. What could she possibly even say? Oh, and by the way, that handsome man I know you’re crushing on, he’s a ghost?
She needed to get the heck out of there. First though, she would call Bryce and tell him about her discovery. Next, well, next would be the most difficult part. Telling Maggie’s parents was something she knew she must do, before the police had a chance to. After getting into her car, she closed the door and reached for her phone.
“Bryce.” She waited a beat before continuing. “I have so much to tell you.”
“How did it go?”
“Well, it was awful, but I learned a lot. Bryce, it was all a horrible accident. Apparently Nick had followed Ryan and Maggie up to the cliff, and then an argument ensued between Nick and Ryan. They were near the edge of the cliff when Ryan and Nick became physical. Maggie intervened to warn Nick he was too close to the edge. Nick says she stumbled and fell.”
“And Ryan went after her, trying to save her,” Bryce finished her sentence.
“Yes. So Nick said.”
“And do you believe him?”
She sighed. “Yes, I do. I don’t think he was lying.”
“Well then that means Ryan isn’t a murderer. That clears him.”
Guilt rushed through her. “You know, I’m ashamed to admit that I ever considered it. What kind of friend was I to doubt him?”
“Don’t do that. Don’t tear yourself apart—you couldn’t have known. All the evidence certainly pointed to both Ryan and Nick being guilty.”
“Yeah, well, neither one of them is a murderer, but somehow I don’t feel any better about all of this. How could Nick have covered this up?”
And what kind of person was she to ever have dated him? The question had run through her mind a hundred times over the past few weeks. Now that she was sure he wasn’t a murderer, she still doubted herself. Murderer or elaborate schemer, he was the worst kind of person. Selfish didn’t begin to describe his actions. He and his uncle had better pay the price for their horrific decisions and the cruel injustice of the legal system.
“I have to go, Bryce. I have to speak to Maggie’s parents now.” She lowered her voice.
“Oh, man. Are you sure you want to do this alone?”
“Thank you for asking, but it’s the only way I would want to handle this. I’ll call you later, okay?”
“Yes, and I’ll be thinking of you. This is tough, Naomi, but they deserve to hear it from you. You’ll give them the closure they need.”
“Thank you. Talk to you soon.”
“Naomi?” he asked. “I think you’re an amazing person, and I’m so lucky to have met you.”
His words gave her courage. “Thank you, and I’m lucky to have you in my life.”
Gently, she placed her cell phone down on the console and then started the car for her trip across town. What would be the best way to approach them? Tell them everything or just the basics?
Once she stood on the front porch, and she saw their vulnerable faces, she knew that she would spare the harsh details and just give the bare facts. If they wished to know more, they could ask Miriam.
“Come in. My God, what’s happened?” Virginia scooted her through the front entrance. She sucked in her breath, preparing to tell them what she had uncovered about Maggie’s accident.
“Sit down, please.”
Tom sat first, then Virginia and Naomi followed suit. The sound of the grandfather clock ticked and ticked.
Tick, tock.
Tick, tock.
“It was an accident. Neither Nick nor Ryan is a murderer.”
“What? How do you know this? What did you find out?” Tom stood, moving closer.
“I spoke with Nick, and everything he said makes sense. Basically, he and Ryan were in the middle of a fight near the edge, and Maggie stepped forward to try to stop Nick from backing up to the cliff.”
“And you believe him? What about Ryan? Has he been found?” Virginia exclaimed.
“Virginia, Tom? I think you need to keep an open mind here for what I’m about to tell you.” Her gaze wavered between Maggie’s parents. If they believed Maggie was a ghost, they might believe the news she was about to tell them.
“Ryan died that day on the cliff with Maggie. He was killed trying to save her.”
Clenching her teeth, she waited out the inevitable questions and the shock that would follow. She could still hardly believe that Ryan was a ghost herself.
“What did you just say?” Tom moved in, his eyes wide.
“I said that Ryan died …”
“But that’s ludicrous!”
“Tom, I agree with you, but unfortunately it’s a fact. Officer Marty found his body in the woods at the bottom of the cliffs.”
Virginia placed her hand on her chest and sat on the couch. “I don’t feel very well.” She placed her pale face in her hands.
“I’m so sorry to have to tell you all of this. It was a positive ID. Nick and his uncle covered
everything up to save Nick’s butt.”
Tom sat down beside his wife and wrapped his arms around her. Naomi stared at the couple she had grown to care for so much. They needed some time to be alone, some time to start the healing process. Shaking her head, Naomi quietly backed up and turned to walk toward the door. Her throat ached as her eyes filled with tears.
“Naomi, where are you going?” Virginia lifted her hand, motioning for Naomi to come join them. “Come here. Don’t you dare leave us right now.”
Virginia and Tom opened their arms to her, and she sank into them. This cathartic release of emotions took a toll on her. All she had wanted in the past few weeks were answers and closure for Maggie.
Now she had her answers and somehow she felt worse, if anything. Worse, no doubt, because she would never see Ryan again, never sit with him for hours at time. Whom would she roam the graveyard with? Have dinner with?
Bryce, of course, was the obvious answer, and as much as she was growing to care for him, there would always be a hole in her heart where Ryan belonged. Damn you, Ryan. Why did you have to leave me?
Chapter Forty-One
Naomi
DARKNESS SETTLED OVER the cold, damp cemetery. It had been two days since Naomi discovered the truth about Maggie and Ryan. She had opened herself up to the spirits of Maggie and Ryan, she had tried everything she could think of to bring them back to her, just one last time, so she could say good-bye.
Strange how things worked out; she had risked everything to bring closure for two of her favorite people, and now she needed them to return the favor. Without the final piece in place, she would be forever haunted by the memory of a beautiful woman named Maggie and one of the sweetest men she had ever known.
So now, she stood before Maggie’s grave, crying out for her to come forward, to make a sound, to touch her, anything. Where had they gone? And were they happy together at last?
Ryan’s brother Phil was proving to be a pill. He claimed it wasn’t wise to bury Ryan in a place so far from his own home. Naomi had practically screamed that he was acting selfishly. Explaining how he and Maggie had such a special bond, in life and in death, only made him more upset. Obviously he wasn’t one of the believers.