by Harris, Lisa
She took his hand and looked up at him. “This wasn’t your fault.”
“I should have anticipated a second leak.”
Her legs shook beneath their clasped hands. “He was going to kill me. Just like the others. Said I could recognize him. But that wasn’t everything he told me.”
“What else did he tell you?”
“He told me he doesn’t know where Tess is. That Charlie took her on his own, intending to keep all the ransom money. I think he was telling the truth.”
“Charlie’s still unconscious.”
“What now? The temperature outside is dropping. She might not make it till morning.”
He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against him. “They’re still out there looking. They won’t stop until they find her.”
She drew in a slow breath. She felt like she was in a tunnel. Dark with no light. She paused and turned around to face Mason, her heart skittering within her chest.
The tunnels.
“What if Tess never left the school?”
“What do you mean?”
“I can’t believe I didn’t think of this before, but it was so long ago.” Emily sat up straight. She had to be right. “Avery and I went to high school at Dogwood Academy. Charlie did too. He was three years ahead of me, so I didn’t really know him back then.”
“Okay …”
“There are tunnels beneath some of the buildings. Not many people know the story, but sections of the original buildings were once used as a mental health hospital.”
“I remember hearing about the hospital, but the tunnels … what were they for?”
“The tunnels were used as a morgue during a yellow fever outbreak, and to hide runaway slaves during the Civil War.”
“That’s quite a story.”
“It’s not just a story. Those tunnels really exist.”
She definitely had his attention now. “There wasn’t anything mentioned about them on the blueprints.”
“I’m not surprised. They’ve been closed for decades and most people think they’re nothing but a ghost story, but I went in them once. Years ago. I took a stupid dare from a group of friends.”
There was a hint of surprise in Mason’s eyes. “Somehow you don’t seem like the type to take a dare.”
“Let’s just say that I had nightmares for weeks after that, convinced I was going to come down with yellow fever—which probably would have been a better option than if my father had found out.” Emily pressed down the memories. “The bottom line is that it’s possible Tess never left the school grounds.”
35
Emily’s heart felt as if it were about to explode. She led Mason and two uniformed officers down the familiar stone path toward Chalkley Music Hall, feet crunching on the snowy path while old memories forced their way to the surface. She’d been thirteen. Her best friend’s brothers decided to amuse themselves that Friday night by daring Julia and her to spend thirty minutes inside the tunnels. She’d never been sure why she’d agreed to the dare, because she’d been forced to suppress the haunting memories ever since.
“Emily?”
She felt something rub against her and jumped. Mason stood beside her, his hand resting gently on her arm.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. We’re going to find her.”
“I know.”
“You shouldn’t be out here.” He caught her gaze, worry clear in his expression. “Your heart is racing and you feel hot, even though it’s barely thirty degrees out here.”
“It’s more than just today’s ordeal.” She swallowed hard, not wanting to remember.
“Tell me about the dare.”
“It was stupid.” She tried to catch her breath, hating the waves of vulnerability wrapping themselves around her. Back then she’d thought it would prove she wasn’t a coward. That she was more than the Goody Two-shoes daughter of the captain. “I’ve never been so terrified in my life.”
“How long were you down there?”
“A couple hours. Michael found me. I was shaking from the cold and spouting off promises that I’d never do something so stupid again. I also realized that I’d never come up with the courage my father, sister, and brother carried with them.”
“You’ve shown enough courage today to make up for a lifetime.” Mason rubbed her arms. She was shivering again. “Emily, I want you to show us the entry, then go back to the school and wait for us. That’s all you have to do—”
“No.” She shook her head. “If Tess is down there, I want to be with you when you find her.”
His hand wrapped around hers. “You don’t have to go down there.”
Emily drew in a deep breath. “Please let me. For Tess.”
She shoved aside the memories and looked up at the second story of the Greek Revival–style house. Fifty years ago, under the supervision of a restoration architect who insisted on keeping the period lighting, pine flooring, and stained-glass windows, the building had been completely renovated. Even the long veranda was still framed by old shade trees. But today, instead of doctors and their dying patients, the hall was filled with a grand piano, violins, and other instruments—not the haunting voices of patients long since forgotten.
Emily led them around the side of the building. The snow had stopped falling, but in its place a gray, hazy fog hung amongst bare, ghostly trees. After her own experience in the tunnels, she’d read about their construction. The passageways had been constructed out of granite from a quarry started at Stone Mountain in the 1830s. Railroads had extended the granite’s reach from Atlanta to the locks of the Panama Canal to Tokyo.
But it was what lay deep inside the tunnel walls that had her feeling panicked. At thirteen, she’d taken a wrong turn and gotten lost. Or maybe it had been nothing more than fear that had paralyzed her into believing she was lost. Either way, she hadn’t been able to find her way out.
“Where’s the opening?” Mason’s question dragged her back to the present.
She walked along the side of the hall, around the veranda. It had to be there somewhere, but it had been so many years ago. So many years of suppressing the fear of that night.
But she wasn’t thirteen anymore. And Mason was with her.
The rough edge of one of the stones caught her eye. “There.”
“It looks as if it’s been opened recently.” Mason pushed on the stone, then aimed his flashlight down the hole as the slab creaked open. “You sure about this?”
She nodded.
The musty smell of mold greeted her as she stepped onto the narrow staircase behind Mason. Damp walls. Dark shadows. Air as thick as her memories. A rat scurried by. Emily pressed her lips together. If Tess was down here, she was going to be terrified.
Mason’s flashlight flickered. He whacked it against his palm until the light brightened again. The night she’d been in the tunnels had been different. The battery on her flashlight had died, leaving her in pitch darkness. Julia had run. Emily had been too afraid to move.
“What do you remember about the tunnels?” Mason asked.
She forced herself to stay in the present. “They spread out under the building like a maze.”
Plenty of corridors for dumping the dead bodies yellow fever had claimed.
“How many ways are there to get in?”
“As far as I know, only one, but I can’t be certain. I’ve heard rumors that there’s an entrance from one of the back rooms of the hall. There was also supposed to be one leading to the cottage located behind us, but that building was torn down a number of years ago, and from what I understand, no tunnels were ever found. I’m guessing if there once were tunnels linking the two buildings, they caved in years ago.”
“Then we’ll focus here for now, but we need to split up.” He motioned to the other officers. “Stay in contact via your radios.”
“Yes sir.”
Emily took the first corridor to the left with Mason, lit only by the light of his flashlight against the
stone walls. They took the next right. Past dusty piles of trash and scribbled writing on the wall.
Mason’s radio crackled. “We just found Officer Reed, sir. She’s dead.”
Emily’s chest heaved. For a moment, she was thirteen again. Terrified. And certain she’d never escape the darkness of the tunnels. “If he killed Tess too …”
“Don’t go there, Emily. We’re going to find her.”
The beam of Mason’s flashlight caught movement ahead.
“Tess?”
“Aunt Emily!”
She started running toward Tess, who sat on the ground at the end of one of the widened corridors, hands tied behind her.
Emily dropped onto her knees and cupped Tess’s tear-streaked face before pulling her niece into her arms. “It’s over, sweetie. It’s finally over.”
36
Emily sat down on her mother’s beige linen sofa beside her father, while Mason and Avery—who had finally been released from the hospital—took the matching wing chairs across from them. Her mother’s tastes had always been too eccentric for her, as she’d taken her love for southern charm and spread it thicker than a buttered biscuit, preferring heavy furniture, damask wallpaper, and flashy chandeliers. Emily’s preferences, on the other hand, ran more toward simple, natural wood and fabrics.
But Charlie was the main reason they were here. The thought of what he had done made her feel dizzy. Nauseated. She had watched Charlie shoot Mason. Had seen them slip Charlie into the back of the ambulance. But her mind still refused to believe the truth. Somehow Charlie had been behind everything that had happened today.
Her father took her hand. “I don’t know how else to tell you, Emily, other than straight out. I received a briefing from the captain thirty minutes ago. Charlie didn’t make it.”
The air whooshed out of Emily’s lungs. She grabbed one of her mother’s damask throw pillows and pulled it hard against her chest. She shouldn’t care Charlie was gone. Shouldn’t feel the gut-wrenching pain that threatened to tear up her insides.
Her father squeezed her hand. “Emily?”
She drew in a deep breath. “I’ll be okay.”
The emotions of the day magnified her reaction, but it was more than that. He’d betrayed and used her. It felt strange that the death of someone she clearly hadn’t known was affecting her. She couldn’t help but wonder what might have been if things had been different. Wondering if she could have done something to stop what had happened today.
Emily’s foot tapped against the bamboo flooring. “Did he ever say why?”
“I’m not sure we’ll ever know all the reasons, “ her father said, “but one of the officers was able to question him briefly before he went into surgery. He confessed he was the department leak and knew he was about to be caught, so he came up with the crazy idea of using Rafael in a hostage situation, then somehow managed to talk Nerón into pulling it off with him. When things started falling apart, he panicked and grabbed Tess. It will take us awhile to figure out all the details, including verifying that Russell was the only one working with him.”
So Charlie had used her to get what he wanted, probably never intending to go through with the marriage. She’d been a love-struck fool who’d fallen for his charm, because in dating her, he’d been given access to the house, her dad’s office, giving him the edge he needed.
“There is some good news,” her father continued. “Doctors believe Eduardo will make it. Also, with the arrests of Nerón and several of his associates, agents were able to confiscate one and a half tons of drugs along with cash and weapons. It’s just a matter of time before charges will be brought against him as well for the murders of James Torres, Ivan Cruz, Dante Ortiz, Adan Luna. Thanks, to a great degree, to Emily.”
“I told you that you did well, Sis. You might not be a cop, but if you’re ever up for the challenge, I’d hire you on my team in a second.”
Emily chuckled at the thought. “Trust me, there’s not a chance of that happening. Ever.”
Avery smiled at her response, but her smile quickly faded as she shifted gingerly in her chair and turned to Mason. “While it doesn’t seem adequate, I owe you an apology. I was so focused on finding out the truth behind Michael’s death that I played right into Charlie’s hand too. You deserved better than that. You were Michael’s best friend. You’d saved his life more times than I can count. I should have trusted you no matter what the evidence said.”
“You’re trained to follow the evidence. There was no way for you to know.”
“But I was still wrong. Charlie also confessed he planted false evidence, knowing I’d go after it, to take the pressure off himself.”
“And Michael?” Emily asked. “What about his innocence?”
“I’m praying we’ll finally be able to prove, once and for all, he wasn’t involved.”
Emily wanted to ask more questions, but the fatigue in her sister’s eyes mirrored her own. “Tess needs you, and you need some sleep.”
Avery nodded. “She’s with Mama right now, but she’s afraid to sleep. Being around family is helping, but I’m still worried about her.”
Her father stood up and squeezed Avery’s shoulder. “All my girls have been through a lot, but your sister’s right. You need to be with your daughter and follow the doctor’s orders to get some rest. We’ll get through this together.”
“I’m not going to argue. I’m exhausted.” Avery got up slowly out of the chair, wincing at the movement. “We’ll talk more tomorrow, Sis.”
“And Emily …” Her father bent down and kissed her forehead. “You’ve always made me proud, but today you went beyond the call of duty. You put your life on the line and brought justice. I’m proud of you.”
“Thank you.”
Her father cleared his throat, then smiled at Mason. “I’m guessing the two of you have a few things to talk about. I’ll see you both tomorrow.”
Mason nodded. “Good night, sir.”
“Good night, Daddy.”
Mason moved to sit beside her on the couch. She wanted him with her, but her emotions still felt raw. To realize her relationship with Charlie had been based purely on lies pointed to her lack of judgment.
“I won’t stay long, but what can I do?” he asked.
“I don’t know.” Her legs wouldn’t stop shaking. She was still trying to take everything in. “Somehow the fact that I broke things off with him should mean it doesn’t matter, but to realize he was simply using me … How is it possible that all of this wasn’t real and I didn’t see it?”
———
Mason mulled over Emily’s question. He didn’t want to believe that Charlie’s death could affect what had happened between them today, but he knew it had. She’d trusted Charlie. Loved him. Finding out he betrayed her was going to take a long time to forget.
“I honestly don’t have an answer for that, Emily.”
“Like with you and your father, somehow I’m going to have to find a way to forgive what he did.”
Her statement caught Mason off guard. It was easy to focus on Emily and her situation. To encourage her to let go so she could heal. Talking about his own issues was a whole other thing. He grappled with what he wanted to tell her.
Because he’d never forgiven his father.
Emily brushed away a tear and shot him a wry grin. “Come on, it’s your turn now. I’m sitting here with swollen red eyes and smeared makeup, allowing myself to be completely vulnerable with you. The least you can do is remind me I’m not the only person in the world struggling with this issue.”
He laughed in spite of the somber mood between them. “Don’t worry. You’re not.”
“So …”
He took a deep breath. “I’ve never forgiven my father, and I’ve worn that unforgiveness like a badge.”
He cringed at how vulnerable his own words sounded. Besides his brothers, he’d never spoken to anyone about his father. But he knew if he was going to keep Emily, he was going to have to be h
onest.
She grabbed a tissue off the end table and blew her nose. “My father always told me that forgiveness is a choice. A conscious decision to let go.”
They’d both faced their demons today, and getting past them was going to take time. But nothing that had happened over the past few hours had changed what he was feeling toward her. It was all he could do to stop himself from pulling her into his arms and kissing her long and hard.
Emily pulled away, seeming to sense his thoughts. “I’m going to need some time to figure things out. Between Charlie, Rafael, and Tess … I’m just not sure which way is up. I’m not sure how to trust my heart and move forward … Yet.”
“It’s okay.” He reached up and brushed away a tear sliding down her cheek. “I understand. I’m leaving in a few hours anyway.”
She looked up at him and caught his gaze. Was that regret he saw? Longing? “When?”
“I’ve got the flight out to Colorado first thing in the morning. My father isn’t going to live much longer. I need to be there for him and for my brothers.”
“I’m glad you’re going. I know you said you aren’t close to your father, but if he dies and you’re not there … you’ll always regret it.”
“I’m still not sure I want to go, and forgiveness might be a conscious decision, but it’s a hard one as well. For my brothers’ sake, if nothing else, I’ll go and be there with them.”
“It’s the right decision.”
“Maybe when I get back we can talk. About us.”
He needed to know if she was feeling the same things he was. If she was open at all to this unexpected relationship he never would have dreamed possible before today. He wasn’t willing to walk away because the situation was clouded with emotion.
She nodded. “I’d like that.”
“Me too.” No promises or guarantees, but at least she’d left an open door. “Are you going to be okay by yourself?”
“Yeah. I need to spend some time praying, trying to figure out what I’m feeling, while probably devouring a couple pints of cookie dough ice cream in the process.” She grabbed another tissue from the end table and blew her nose. “But I’ll be okay. Eventually. I just need time to process everything. I don’t love Charlie anymore—that isn’t even an issue—but that doesn’t mean his betrayal doesn’t hurt. Everything I thought we had was a lie … It makes me wonder about myself and how I can ever hope to be able to read other people.”