Whispers from the Past

by Gail Chianese

  This was important. He didn’t know why, couldn’t explain the excitement whipping through him at that moment, but it meant something.

  “What of it?” Shay glanced down and then away.

  “They’re practically holding hands, or rather trying not to let anyone see them hold hands. This isn’t a picture of your grandparents and his cousin; this is a picture of your Gram and a man she loved. Your grandfather just happened to be in the shot.”

  Shay grabbed the frame and set it up on the coffee table. “Don’t be ridiculous. Granddad is her one true love. Why else would he still be around?”

  “Answer this, please.” Colin prayed he was on the right path and wasn’t about to piss Shay off for good. “Has she ever called him anything other than O’Malley?”

  “Well, yeah.” Shay walked across the room, putting as much distance between them as she could in the small space. “I mean, she always calls him O’Malley, but I’ve called him Granddad and she’s never contradicted me.”

  “What’s your grandfather’s first name?” He reached for her, but she spun out of his reach. Great, she was mad at him.

  “Let me think. Michael, but wait, he went by Mickey.”

  “Have you ever heard her call him Mickey? It would be natural for a wife to call her husband by his given name, not his last name.” Colin rubbed at his temples, where a headache was slowly building up.

  Strange. He didn’t get headaches. His gaze bounced around the room. The atmosphere had changed and he didn’t think it had anything to do with his or Shay’s mood. The hairs on the back of his neck tickled as cold settled over his shoulders.

  “Wait, I did hear her call him by his first name before. No, that can’t be right.”

  “What can’t?”

  “For some reason another name keeps coming to mind. Fi—”

  The picture frame tumbled off the table and landed with a crack. Both he and Shay stopped and stared. Nothing else in the room moved. The cold that had surrounded him dissipated.

  “That was weird. Do you think it was O’Malley? Did we make him mad?” Shay asked as she bent down, picked up the frame and turned it over.

  “Let’s find out. Mickey O’Malley, are you here with us?” Colin waited ten seconds before asking his next question. “If you are Mickey, can you knock on the wall?”

  Shay held out her hand. “Colin, look. The names on the back: Mickey, Siobhan, and Finn.”

  Her hand shook as she handed him the picture. “Finn is the name I kept thinking of and was about to say when the picture crashed. Look at the writing. That’s Gram’s, but notice the dots over the ‘i’ on both names.”

  Over Mickey was a plain dot and over Finn was a heart.

  “None of this makes sense. My granddad was the love of Gram’s life.” Her voice was filled with confusion and frustration, her face scrunched up in annoyance. “Has she been lying to us all this time and if so, why?”

  “Let’s try something different.” He walked over to his duffel bag and pulled out a pair of copper rods. “I’m going to do an EVP session, but I’m also going to use my dowsing rods.”

  Colin sat in the armchair and got comfortable. He rested his elbows on his thighs and cleared his mind while the rods settled out and stopped moving.

  “What do you need me to do?” Shay asked.

  “Point that camera at me and if you think of any questions, ask. Okay, O’Malley or whoever you are, I’m going to ask you some simple questions. If the answer is yes, make the rods cross and if the answer is no, make them point in opposite directions. Can you do that?”

  He sat there for an eternity, which was nothing new. It took a lot of energy to move the rods, or so he’d been told. Slowly they began to move inward, and kept going until they formed an X. “Great, can you straighten them out?”

  The rods returned to their original position.

  “Is your name Michael or Mickey?” The rods swung from side to side.

  “What does that mean? He doesn’t know his name or he’s refusing to tell us?” Shay let out a long, drawn out sigh. “Maybe I should just call Gram and ask.”

  The rods immediately swung in opposite directions. A clear no.

  But to which question?

  “Listen up, O’Malley. You promised Gram you’d cooperate with this investigation. So, either you answer Colin’s and my questions or I’m calling her.”

  With the rods back in their original place, Colin gave Shay a nod for her to continue, as the spirit seemed to respond best to her questions.

  “Is your name Mickey or Michael?” Shay asked.

  The rods moved. No.

  “Is your name Finn?”

  The rods crossed. Yes.

  She let out a breath and met his gaze. Colin knew where her mind had gone, what she wanted to ask, but this was her truth to discover.

  “Are you Gram’s cousin?”

  No.

  “Are you Mickey O’Malley’s cousin?”

  Yes.

  “Shay, let me ask a question. Finn, are you the only spirit that resides here?”

  The rods held steady, until Shay let out a low, frustrated growl and then they painstakingly crossed.

  “Yes,” Colin said.

  “Thank goodness, as I didn’t think I could deal with two spirits.”

  Colin wasn’t sure he was ready to deal with one. Every nerve inside of him was vibrating. He knew the rest of the team put a lot of stock in the rods and the results, but he still wasn’t one hundred percent on board. What if he’d been inadvertently moving his hands just enough to make it look like he was getting answers? He wanted, no needed more proof, but he didn’t know what would satisfy him.

  “One last question, Finn O’Malley.” Shay inhaled deeply, and held her breath as she met Colin’s gaze before dropping her own to the rods. “Are you my granddad?”

  Neither rod moved, both held firm, straight out in front. O’Malley was done playing with them, even with Shay’s threat to call her grandmother. Colin relaxed his grip on the dowsing rods and rolled his shoulders and head to loosen up the muscles.

  “I think that’s all we’re going to get tonight. Hate to say it, but I think you and your Gram are overdue for a long conversation. Ow!”

  Colin rubbed the back of his head and jumped up out of the chair. Holy shit! Did what he think just happen, really happen? If so, did that mean the spirit could read his mind? Holy, holy crap. He needed out of that house so he could think. Quickly he gathered up equipment.

  “It’s late and we’ve both got a full schedule tomorrow. Let’s get this wrapped up.”

  “Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Shay reached out to check his head and he sidestepped her.

  “I’m pretty sure he smacked me upside the head.”

  Shay dropped down onto the sun-warmed sand and closed her eyes. It’d be so easy to lie back and let the sound of the rolling waves lull her to sleep. Ever since Colin had walked through that door and back into her life, she’d been running on empty, which wasn’t great when you spent your day chasing little kids around. Something had to give or she’d snap.

  Only she couldn’t blame the last two nights’ loss of shut-eye on the man. Well, maybe a little. Waking up in his arms had sent all sorts of delicious and naughty thoughts through her head. Ones she hadn’t quite been able to dispel. Not to mention just how right it had felt. Her head on his chest, the steady beat of his strong, compassionate heart, and the scent that was all Colin, a mix of man and beast. God, how she had missed him over the years.

  Not just the sexy times too, although none other had ever compared to him. She missed the way he’d made her laugh and how he’d listen with complete rapture on his face to her stories of the kids’ antics from her previous job at a preschool. She missed Sunday breakfast in bed with him, which generally consisted of whatever they could grab because neither had the energy to cook. Long walks on the beaches of Puget Sound, listening to him talk about the animals in his care at the zoo and all the ideas he h
ad to improve their lives. He’d tell her every evening that he’d missed her during the day.

  Now if only she could just let go of her worries and jump right in or rather jump him, because he was too much of a gentleman to push her before she was ready.

  Then, at least, her body would relax. As for her mind, that might be a lost cause because she really had no idea how to broach the subject of Finn O’Malley with Gram. Nor was she sure she had a right to do so. Her grandmother had loved another before her granddad. Big deal. It was the sixties, the time of free love, baby.

  But what had happened to Finn? How did Gram end up with Granddad? If Finn’s spirit had hung out all these years, he obviously loved the woman so why hadn’t he married Siobhan Doyle? Or had Finn? And had Granddad known about the two of them?

  It was Gram’s story to tell or not, which didn’t stop her brain from burning with questions. Like why not tell the family who the spirit really was after all these years?

  Shay clenched two handfuls of sand and threw them in the air. Much better than screaming, because there were inn guests not far down the beach and walking around the grounds. No need to scare off the paying guests.

  This was one of those moments where she really missed her bestie, who was currently in Kenya with Doctors Without Borders saving countless lives. She could go to Lydia with anything, even a grandmother with a ghost, and never be judged. Plus, Lyd had been there in the “before/during/after” Colin years and would understand the confusion and sexual frustration Shay was going through now.

  “Hey there, girlfriend.” Ava was a lot like Lydia. Outgoing, fun, and completely loyal to those she loved. Shay smiled as Ava planted herself in the sand next to her. “So how was my Mini-Me today?”

  “Mia was fabulous, very excited to see Stephen when her dad picked her up today.”

  “Yeah?” Ava’s eyes lit up. “Those two kids totally get each other and she’s really missed him this week when he went to visit with his mom.”

  Shay dug her toes into the sand seeking warmth as the cooling night air blew. “Hey, I talked with Dana today and we’re going to arrange a little field trip next week for the staff’s kids to visit the local goat farm. Think Stephen would want to join us?”

  “Are you kidding? Get it? Kidding?” Ava nudged her shoulder with her own. “Stephen digs anything if he’s learning something new. So why are you sitting out here all alone? And boy do you look—”

  “Exhausted?” Shay supplied for her.

  “I was going for crud this time.” She laughed. “Tall, dark and dreamy still invading your dreams?”

  “That and more.”

  “Oooh. Well, then it’s a good kind of crud. Right?”

  “Wrong. While he’s invaded my life, he hasn’t invaded my. . .personal space.”

  They both laughed.

  “So, invade his,” Ava suggested and as far as suggestions went, it wasn’t half bad.

  Shay played with the sand, digging her toes in further, and watched the waves for a few moments while she gathered her thoughts. Ava had said something about her grandmother that made Shay feel like she might be a kindred spirit.

  “Can I ask you something kind of personal?” At Ava’s nod, Shay continued. “Have you ever had someone close to you keep a secret from you?”

  “Hon, everyone has secrets. I’m pretty sure even Mother Theresa had secrets. Usually the person keeping the secret has what they think is a good reason for doing so, even when sharing it might ease their burden. Trust me, I know first-hand.”

  “If you know their secret, do you confront them?” Shay whispered.

  Trust her.

  Shay’s head shot up and she looked around. There was that voice again. Was Finn O’Malley out here on the beach with her? And whom did he mean, Ava or Gram?

  Ava hadn’t seemed to notice the strange voice or Shay’s reaction as she stared off, looking at the horizon. “I kept a secret from my grandmother. I went behind her back to get her help, because I knew she wouldn’t do it on her own. She was mad, but more disappointed than anything.”

  “Was it worth it?” Shay asked, curious about the woman who held stock in signs from the universe.

  “I got my second chance with Cory, but it was too late for Grandma. She’d say it was worth it though. I’m happy and that’s all she’s ever wanted.”

  “She sounds like an amazing woman. And thanks.”

  “I’m not sure I was exactly helpful, but you’re welcome. So, do you and. . .” She hesitated, looking at Shay to fill in the blank.

  “Colin?”

  “Hmm, he looked like a Colin. You know, sort of British. He isn’t, is he?” At Shay’s shake of her head, Ava’s shoulders slumped for a minute before perking back up. “Probably a good thing. Those accents tend to melt panties. Anyway, do you two have plans tonight?”

  “Nope, was just going to hang out in my cottage and maybe catch up on some sleep.”

  Ava rolled her eyes. “What a waste. Come with me. You can sleep when you’re dead. What you need right now is a night out with girlfriends.” She jumped up and brushed the sand off her gauzy skirt.

  “Maybe so, but I don’t know anyone down here.”

  A giant sigh escaped as Ava braced her hands on her hips and looked down at Shay. “What do I look like, seagull droppings? Besides me, there’s Tory, Briana, Dana, Kat, Lexi, and Devin and we’re all meeting up at Tory’s house. No men. No kids. Some great food and sunset margaritas.”

  “What are sunset margaritas?” Shay asked, sinking her hands into the sand to push herself up.

  Ava held out a hand. “Midnight margaritas at sunset, of course, with the power to make you forget all about your troubles. Especially when they come dressed in tall, dark, and dreamy packages.”

  Chapter 6

  Saturday Colin had just finished feeding the cheetahs their evening meal and had sat down at his desk for the first time that day when he heard PJ call his name. Besides being one of his ghost hunting compadres, PJ was the Director of Operations for the zoo.

  “How’s Maliha feeling today?” PJ stopped in front of the monitors showing all the areas of the leopards’ enclosure. “Is she still in sick bay?”

  Sickbay was the nickname they’d given for the isolation enclosure, which is where they’d had to put their favorite snow leopard when she stopped eating, became extremely agitated, and wouldn’t stop pacing.

  “Yep and back to her sweet self now. Tests results were normal, but we’ll keep a close eye on her for a few more days to make sure she doesn’t relapse before we release her into the general population.” Colin finished entering the data on the cats, closed out their folder, and brought up the next one. “What’s on your mind? Other than our sweet girl.”

  “Anything new on the O’Malley case?”

  “A shit ton of evidence” is what Colin wanted to say, but he’d made a promise and as much as he wanted, no needed, to hash out his findings with PJ and the guys, he couldn’t.

  “Nothing yet.” Colin hated lying. “Still going through tapes though.”

  “Strange. That place, the energy, and no evidence.”

  Colin shifted in his chair. “Might find something on my recorder. Give me another week.”

  “Okay, if you need a hand let me know. The wife is heading out of town with her sister so I’ll have lots of free time. Maybe we should set up another investigation? The full moon is coming up. You okay with that?” He’d turned from the monitors to meet Colin’s look.

  “Yeah, of course. I’ll set it up with Mrs. O’Malley.”

  “I’m not sure having the granddaughter there is a good idea. There seemed to be some extra tension between you two. What’s the story with you guys? Old girlfriend? Bar hookup?”

  “More like the one that got away, but we’ve worked everything out and we’re good.” Colin glanced down at the clock on his computer and wondered what Shay was doing right that minute. It wasn’t the first time he’d thought of her that day, more like the thousa
ndth.

  “Hope not too good?” PJ turned back to the monitor, hit a few buttons, and had the camera zooming in on Maliha.

  Colin sat back. PJ might be his boss and friend, but he was about to step over a line. His private life was no one else’s business but his own. As a matter of fact, he hadn’t spoken for years to the last person—namely his mother—to tell him Shay wasn’t good enough for him.

  “Why’s that?”

  PJ rocked back on his heels, with hands stuffed into his pockets, and chuckled. “It’s like that is it? Well, can’t say I blame you. Life with a woman like—Shay, is it?—will never be dull. But you better hope her loyalty to her grandmother doesn’t run so deep she’s not willing to move across country for you.”

  “What are you talking about, PJ? I’m not moving anywhere.” Shit, was he about to get fired? He didn’t want to start over again. Plus, who would hire him as a senior zoologist if he got canned? There was always Plan B. But man, he hated Plan B.

  “Someone from the Santa Barbara Zoo called asking questions about you.” He dropped into the chair in front of the desk. His voice held a hint of disappointment. “You know, job qualification type questions. Figured you’d applied for the job and hadn’t told me yet.”

  He didn’t know what PJ was rambling on about. He hadn’t applied for any new positions anywhere, but SB Zoo would be a sweet gig.

  “I’m not looking to going back to being an errand boy.”

  “Rumor has it they’re looking for a new Animal Care Director so it’d be a step up. Can’t blame you if you did apply. More pay, more responsibility. Putting that brain of yours fully to work doing what it should be doing.”

  “PJ, I didn’t apply for another job.”

  “Well, thought I’d give you a heads-up on the inquiry. Not that we’d want to lose you. Let’s talk before you make a decision.” He headed back toward the exit, pausing one more time to look at Maliha. “Hey, let the team know when we can get back into the O’Malley place.”