Ghost House Revenge (26 page)

“Yeah, it’s wonderful,” Derek said quietly. He couldn’t tell her this woman wasn’t
her mother.

“Daddy,” Alicen said, rubbing her bare feet up and down the moss-covered rock. “You’d
rather have mommy than old Liza, wouldn’t you?”

What did Alicen know of Liza? Could she tell him why Liza never answered his calls?
But something in Alicen’s expression told Derek she would never answer his questions,
so he ignored hers and stood up. Alicen followed him down the rocks and took his hand
as they headed back to the picnic.

“Listen,” Derek said, “this conversation is our secret, okay?”

“Sure,” Alicen said.

“No one has to know about Lad,” he said. “Or your mother.”

“Mommy told me that already,” Alicen said.

“If you ever need to talk,” Derek said, squeezing her hand, “come to me, okay?”

“Okay.”

Alicen ran to catch up to the VanBuren children. Derek
walked slowly, planning. He’d give Gary his notice tomorrow and would hopefully be
out of the house within a week’s time. Gary had made great progress and would get
along fine with another therapist.

Derek looked at his patient. He didn’t really want to leave him. Gary was more a friend
than a patient now. But that gave Derek all the more reason to believe he should get
away from the house before it was too late.

He knew he should warn them. He should tell them about her, about the things she’d
done. It was no accident that Melanie’s car was now in a junk yard. Her studio had
not been torn apart by a mischievous puppy. And there was so much more. Lad’s death
was only the beginning.

But for the first time in his life, Derek was afraid. All he wanted to do was run
away from his problems. God knew he couldn’t face them much longer. Not when she drained
his resistance each time he saw her. Or she saw him—was she watching him right now?

Derek wished to God he could forget.

But that wasn’t going to happen. Late that Sunday night, he was lying with his face
buried in his arms when he felt a cold touch on his back. He didn’t move, but breathed
more evenly as if in sleep. The touch stayed on him, moving up and down. It should
have made him feel good, but instead a chill rushed through him.

“Look at me, Derek Miller,” he heard.

Derek refused to move. He didn’t want to see who shared his bed. But the pain of her
nails in his flesh was so great that he was forced to roll over. He glared up at her.
Even in the dim light of the moon, she was hideous. Derek fought to keep his eyes
on hers, afraid to turn away.

“Good,” she said. “You should know by now that you can’t defy me, Derek. I own you.”

“No one owns me,” Derek said.

“I’ll make you happy,” Janice said. She leaned down and kissed his lips.

“What are you?” Derek asked. “How can you do these things?”

She didn’t answer.

“Why are you doing this?” Derek persisted. “Why are you trying to hurt the VanBurens?”

“I was murdered,” the vision said. “And I was only twenty-eight.”

“Murdered?” Derek asked, confused.

“Silence!”

Before Derek could protest, she pressed her mouth to his and pried his lips open with
her tongue. Derek had learned to give in to her. She became violent when he showed
his repugnance. But God, how he hated this! How he wished he could throw her away
from him, smash her hideous face, drive her away forever. But that was impossible.

At last, satisfied for the time, she rolled away from him. Derek knew what would happen
now. He would fall asleep and remember this only vaguely in the morning. But he needed
questions answered. “Why did you say you were murdered? You can’t be dead. You’re
here right now.”

She screamed, a scream heard only by him. Throwing her body on top of his, she pulled
hard at his hair, making him want to cry out He foolishly tried to grab her wrists.
It was like grabbing water.

“Stop it, please,” he said. “I won’t ask any more questions.”

“You must learn to be submissive,” Janice hissed. “You must be taught to obey. Look
at me.”

Derek resisted.

“Look at me!”

To Derek’s horror, she faded away from him and returned as Elaine. He jerked his head
away from the sight, feeling nausea rise in his gut. He had prayed never to see that
twisted face again.

“Please,” he said quietly. “Please go away.”

“Remember this face,” Janice said.

Derek nodded, his face buried in his pillow. Several moments passed before he dared
to turn around. He was alone once more.

Because his first meeting was at nine o’clock, Owen Crewe was up very early Monday
morning. He sat on the couch in Liza’s living room, his blankets tangled up in a knot
behind
him. Rubbing his eyes, he yawned widely, then looked around. The door to his sister’s
room was still open, her bed not slept in.

Owen had been certain she’d be home by now, if she was only on a weekend trip. And
she couldn’t have left for school already—not when the kitchen clock read six o’clock.
Owen frowned at it and filled the teakettle. He then walked to the table, where he
found the note he had written for her the previous morning. He had explained his presence
there and had told her he would be home as soon as orientation was over. But he had
returned in the late afternoon to find an empty apartment.

“Easy, Owen,” he told himself. “She’s a big girl.”

Still, anyone seeing him crumble the note and throw it hard across the room to the
wastebasket would have known he was more worried than he’d admit. Liza had never been
the type to disappear like this. Of course, she hadn’t known he was coming. But they
had kept a correspondence going over the years, and Liza always told him when she
was planning a vacation.

Hearing the kettle whistling, Owen went back to the stove and fixed his coffee. He
carried the mug into the living room and sipped it slowly, looking out the window.

Pretty town, he thought, taking in the row of Colonial houses across the street. It
was no wonder she had picked this neighborhood to live in. What could possibly happen
to her in a town like this?

He finished the last of the coffee, gathered his papers together, then hastily wrote
a new note for Liza, propping it up against a vase of dying flowers. Owen checked
his pockets for his keys, then left. Surely Liza would be there when he returned.

Gary had spent all the previous night thinking of an excuse to dismiss his therapist.
He couldn’t accuse Alicen of killing Lad, because Melanie would deny it. But he knew
he was right. Alicen was a disturbed child, and he wanted her away from his kids.
So now he hobbled up the fake stairs in the therapy room, trying to get up the courage
to tell Derek he had to leave. But Derek beat him to the punch.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to be giving you my notice,” Derek said.

Gary stopped halfway up the stairs and looked over his shoulder. “Did I hear you right?”

Derek nodded. “I’m leaving. Alicen and I will be moving as soon as I find new work.”

Though he was grateful it was out of his hands, Gary had questions. “Why?”

“Don’t stop in the middle of your workout,” Derek said, waving at the stairs.

Gary continued to the top, then turned and started down again. “You didn’t answer
my question,” he said when he reached the bottom. Would Derek admit the truth?

“I feel it’s time Alicen and I were moving on,” Derek said. “We’re becoming too dependent
on you—especially Alicen.”

He did know the truth about Alicen—that was why he wanted to leave.

“Then send Alicen to boarding school,” Gary suggested. He didn’t want to lose his
therapist. That would mean going back to the clinic.

“You know I can’t do that,” Derek said.

“And you can’t leave me alone!” Gary snapped. “What happened to the guy who was going
to teach me racquet ball?”

What was wrong with him? Why did he argue with Derek, when only moments ago he was
looking for reasons to get rid of him?

Gary sighed deeply. “It’s your life. You do what you want.”

“I’m sorry,” Derek said. His voice took on a louder, more authoritative tone when
he said, “Let’s try the stairs a few more times.”

Gary obeyed, not knowing what to think. Well, maybe it would be better to just concentrate
on his routine. Their troubles would soon be over, once Alicen was gone. Gary hated
that child, not just for tormenting his family, but for taking his best friend away
from him.

Melanie had gone to visit some art galleries that morning, needing to do something
to forget her fears. On the way home, she glanced at her watch. It was about time
now for Nancy to be getting out of kindergarten. Melanie, wishing she could have all
her children with her now, decided to drive her youngest home. She pulled the car
up alongside the play yard and waited. Minutes later, the lunch bell rang, and hordes
of children ran from the brick building. She was surprised to see Alicen coming from
the building with Jamie Hutchinson.

“Well, that’s a surprise,” she thought aloud. Puppy love
had claimed Alicen Miller at last. And Gary thought she was abnormal.

Melanie spotted Nancy, walking in a line of children. She got out of the car and called
to her. The little girl waved, spoke to her teacher, then ran on chubby legs to her
mother. Melanie caught her in her arms and kissed her.

“Mommy, stop!” Nancy giggled. “Everybody’s looking!”

“How’s my girl?” Melanie asked, opening the door for her.

“Fine,” Nancy said. “How come you’re here today?”

“I was on my way home,” Melanie explained. “And I thought you might like a ride.”

“Are you coming back for the other kids?”

Melanie thought for a moment:
it wouldn’t be such a bad idea
. Then she told herself to stop being ridiculous.

“No,” she said. “They’ll come home on the bus.”

She started the car. Nancy bounced up and down on the seat a few times, then moved
closer to her mother.

“Why do you have such dark circles under your eyes?” she asked.

“I didn’t sleep very well last night,” Melanie admitted.

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

Nancy was silent for a moment. Then: “Mommy, that mean man isn’t coming back, is he?”

“Mean man?”

“The man who hurt daddy last year,” Nancy cried. “Gina had a dream about him—is he
back?”

Melanie was glad she had reached a red light so that she could take the child in her
arms. “What makes you say that?”

“Because you’re so sad all the time,” Nancy said. “And you wanted to know if Kyle
and Gina and me wanted to talk about daddy’s accident.”

“That was just in case you were thinking of it, honey,” Melanie said, feeling uneasy.

“He isn’t back, is he?”

“No, honey,” Melanie insisted, her voice carrying more conviction than her thoughts.
“I’m just tired. That’s why my eyes have dark circles. You know how busy mommy is
with all her work.”

“It’s okay?”

“Sure it is,” Melanie said, kissing her. She drove down the road. She could tell the
child was frightened.

“How about painting with me today? You could sit at the little table in my studio.”

“Sure!” Nancy cried, delighted to share something with her mother.

Melanie was glad Nancy had agreed so readily. She wanted to keep the child in her
sight as much as possible. That way, no one could get to her. Nancy would be safe.

After lunch Melanie and Nancy painted and talked until they heard the other children
approaching the house. Melanie felt apprehensive; she knew she would have to tell
them about Lad without further delay. So she gathered them together in the kitchen,
fixing lemonade for everyone.

“There’s something I have to tell you,” she said as she filled a glass.

“It’s about Lad, isn’t it?” Kyle asked. “I bet he didn’t come home.”

“No, he didn’t,” Melanie said.

“Did you look for him?” Gina asked.

“Yes,” Melanie said. It hurt her to lie like this, but what else could she do? “We
searched the woodlands, and even Mrs. Jeaning’s property down the road. I think he
wandered off somewhere.”

“Maybe you’ll never find him,” Alicen said darkly.

“Shut up!” Kyle cried angrily. He was more hurt by Lad’s disappearance than the others.
“Don’t talk that way!”

“I’m sure well find him,” Melanie said, returning Alicen’s gaze. When she stared like
that, it was almost easy to see why Gary accused her.

Kyle went across the kitchen and opened one of the drawers. He pulled out a colored
marker, then fished around a little more.

“What’re you doing?” Nancy asked.

“Looking for paper,” Kyle replied. “I’m going to make posters and put them all around.
Someone will find Lad.”

“I’ll help,” Gina said.

“Me, too!” Nancy cried.

Only Alicen declined. While Melanie was marveling at her optimistic children, Alicen
was wondering how they could be so foolish as to think their dog was still alive.

Melanie bent over her sleeping son and gently put his arm under his covers. Kyle had
been so excited just a few hours earlier, making the signs for Lad. It seemed impossible
that
he was so quiet right now. Melanie smiled at his curled-up figure, hidden under a
light coverlet. Then she frowned. How could anyone dare to hurt such a beautiful child?
Gina and Kyle and Nancy were so precious to her. She had already stopped in the girls’
rooms. She didn’t want to tell herself it was because she wanted to be certain they
were safe. Earlier, she had been tempted to let them sleep in her room, but she knew
that was a ridiculous idea. Gary would never allow it, and besides, it would needlessly
frighten the children.

But she had to do something to stop her fears. She was terrified of the night. Though
the entire day had been peaceful, Melanie recalled tactics used the last time her
house was stalked by an unseen predator. Jacob would let a few days go by, then he’d
attack when least expected. Melanie knew her family was being tormented that way again.
But if this was Jacob Armand’s doing, why hadn’t he made contact with her?