Mystery's Choice (Vengeance Of The Fallen Book 1) (14 page)

When he got home, he went upstairs to the bedroom. Detective Ramirez looked up at him and shook her head. Damn, this had to stop; she was skin and bones, with a big belly full of baby. The doctor was all set to induce labor in three weeks; they were going to take the baby by C-section.

He went over to the bed and looked down into Mystery’s still beautiful face. She didn’t even blink. He kissed her forehead.

“Thank you for coming over, Detective.”

“Felicity, please. I tried to reach her, she is too far inside herself, and I couldn’t get through the maze she’s built around her mind. She is a pretty powerful psychic; she is shielded like I’ve never seen. I’m pretty sure whoever is after her mentally hasn’t been able to get through her shields.”

“How can we be sure?”

“She hasn’t had any more violent outbursts. She is still now. Waiting.”

“Waiting for what?”

“The right time to break free, to fight back.”

“So, she isn’t giving up?”  Seth sat on the edge of the bed and took Mystery’s icy hand.

“No. She’s protecting herself. She just doesn’t know how to do it any other way. If she had more time she would have been able to learn to shield and still be functional.”

“She told me, she told you and Mary Kate to stay away from her.”

The tall, thin detective stood. “Yes. She did, but I’ve never been very good at leaving people at the mercy of the evil out there. If I can help, I do. It’s the price I pay for the gift.”  She walked to the door. “I can’t sit with her tomorrow, I have a court appearance, but Mary Kate should be here before your shift.”

“How are you guys explaining this to your boss?”

“As far as he knows, we are working on the case.”  She started down the stairs and Seth followed her. “When that doesn’t work anymore, we’ll think of something else.”

“Felicity, I don’t know what I’d do if you guys didn’t believe all of this.”

“You would manage. You are stronger than you think.”  She opened the front door. “Hang in there, she will come back swinging, you’ll see.”

“I hope you are right.”

She opened her car door, threw her purse and jacket across the passenger’s seat and turned to look at him, a smile softening her stern features. “I am. It’s annoying sometimes, but I always am.”

Seth laughed as she got in the car and drove away. He went back inside. It was awful quiet. God, he missed Mystery.

Several hours later, Seth jumped when the telephone rang. He looked at the clock on the bedroom wall; it was after eleven at night. His breathing spread up, no one ever called you after ten with good news. He steadied himself and reached for the receiver.

“Hello.” Seth made himself sound unafraid, just in case the caller was one of the sickos after Mystery.

“Seth, is that you?” The voice on the other end said. It was a voice that had made him feel safer since he was a little boy. “This is Ryan, your brother. Are you okay? How is Mystery?”

Seth sighed. “She is the same. I thought you were one of the people who have been harassing us.” He looked over at Mystery’s still form, she was asleep, and so far it appeared to be dreamless. “Why are you calling so late?”

There was silence for a moment on the other end. Then his brother cleared his throat and rocked Seth’s world off it already unsteady hinges.

“Seth. Mom and Dad are gone. There was a fire, they were asleep, and it took everything. The fire department thinks that they never woke up, never knew what was happening.” When Seth didn’t say anything, he went on. “They think it was arson. Apparently, the house just exploded. They are sifting through the rubble now that the site is cooled enough for them to investigate.”

“When did they… when did they die?”

“Last night around midnight. The neighbors across the street made it out, but the Harrisons and the Barclays died when the fire spread to their houses. The Piersons, were new in the neighborhood, we don’t know them, they moved in the Widow McKay’s house about three months ago.” Ryan cleared his throat again. “The blast was extremely fast moving and hot. They do not know what could have caused such a blast. The Piersons said they were asleep and then there was a loud boom, their house shook, the air got hot and then there was fire everywhere.”

“They think Mom and Dad were asleep, that they did not suffer, right?” Seth muttered into the phone.

“That is what the chief said when I spoke with him earlier tonight. I am flying out in the morning to make arrangements and deal with their business… all that stuff. Do you think you will be able to meet me there, little brother?”

“Ryan.” He started to tell him, that he knew exactly who had killed their parents, but he doubted if his brother, the priest, would believe evil actually still existed in the old world way. He believed men did evil things, but there was no Devil, just the evil within. He would not believe that demons had blown up their parents. So, Seth swallowed. “No Ryan. Mystery is catatonic and I have no one to stay with her while I am away. I am in the middle of drug rehab. The doctor is going to induce in three weeks, but she could go into labor anytime because of her weaken physical state. I can probably manage a day for the funeral, but not before.” Seth fought back tears. “I am sorry for bailing on you, Ryan. I know you need me, but Mystery is defenseless and she needs me too.”

“It’s okay little brother. I am proud of you for taking your responsibilities seriously. I know you want to be there for me and to find out what happened to Mom and Dad. But your place is with Mystery.” Ryan cleared the tears out of his voice. “How is rehab going?”

“Good. Dr. Thayer is really good at what she does. She is trying to teach me new ways to deal with stress and pressure. I think with her help, I will beat this.” Seth’s voice broke. “God! Ryan how do we get through this? I do not know how to get through Mom and Dad being gone, just boom, gone!”

“We remember everything they taught us about how to handle rough situations. We cling to the good memories. We remember that it is a blessing that they went together, because neither would have really been alive without the other. And we do not stop fighting each day, until we wake up and it doesn’t hurt to breathe anymore.” Ryan struggled with tears of his own. “I need to go and prepare to be away from my parish. I love you, little brother. I will call as soon as I know more.”

“I love you too, Ryan. Be safe.”

“I always am.” The phone went dead.

Seth smiled through his tears. Ryan never had learned the proper way to end a phone conversation.

He stood and went to the bed and looked down on Mystery. He knew it wasn’t her fault; but he fought back resentment anyway. If she were not valuable to some sicko cult, then his parents would be alive.

She stirred in her sleep, she started making little noises in the back of her throat, and then she began to thrash. Seth grabbed her arms, fighting to hold her still as she began screaming.

“Mystery, I ‘m here! You’re okay. It’s alright!” As he held her while she thrashed. He wondered why you always lied to the sick and dying.

Mary Kate just stared open-mouthed at Seth the next day when he told her that his parents had been killed in an extra hot explosion that had taken out their neighbors on both sides and almost got the ones across the street. An explosion the fire department could find no starting point for or incendiary device. She worried when his voice became emotionless when he spoke of Mystery and her nightmare the night before. She went to him and hugged him, trying not to notice when he did not return the hug, then pushed away.

“You need to stay strong, Seth. They did it, to drive a wedge between you and Mystery. If you leave her, if they break you apart, then she is alone and vulnerable.” Mary Kate squeezed his arm.

He pushed past her and paced away, then turned around and violently paced back. “Felicity says she is shielded in there, which is why she cannot come out and talk to us. And they can’t harm her physically, they can’t steal her, she has to come to them of her own free will.” He pushed a hand through his messy, blond hair. “I need time away from her. I need to be with my brother, Mary Kate. Or they will succeed in splitting us apart, because a part of me already is blaming her. If I stay here, it won’t be long before all of me is blaming her.”

“Then go help your brother Seth. Felicity and I can watch over Mystery. We can move in here and make sure one of us is with her at all times. We can make it work for a couple of days. You take those days and go and get your head on straight. Because you know as well as I do, this is in no way Mystery’s fault.” She got in his face. “If you need to blame someone, then blame yourself. Felicity suggested you at least warn your parents and your brother that they might be in danger and you chose not to because it would worry them and there was nothing they could do to help.” Her hazel eyes sparked with anger. “Then you should blame Felicity and me and all the other cops who are working trying to find this cult and stop them. Sometimes, there is no one to blame, shitty things just happen. You deal with them and you go on. You do not blame catatonic young women who would gladly have died in your parents place.”  She whirled around before she could give in to the urge to sock him. “So, go, we will take care of her. Your brother doesn’t need to face all of that alone.”

“I am sorry. I will pack and head for the airport. I will be back in two days.” He pulled a duffel bag out of the closet. Then he went to the dresser and grabbed some boxers and socks and flung them inside. He went to the closet and yanked several t-shirts and jeans off their hanger and tossed them in. He glanced at Mystery as he went into the bathroom and quickly gathered his toiletries. When he came out he was zipping the duffel bag.

“That was quick.” Mary Kate said, she was calmer and looked less likely to take out her revolver and shoot him in the foot for being stupid.

“Just a couple of days.” He walked over to Mystery. “Mystery, my parents have died. I know you are fighting in there. You keep fighting. I am going to go help Ryan for a couple of days. Felicity and Mary Kate will make sure you are never alone. I will be back as quick as I can, I promise.” He bent and kissed her forehead and then her hair, drawing in her scent. “I love you.”

“We won’t let anything happen to her, Seth. I am sorry I yelled, but she is not to blame, you are not to blame. The cult is to blame.” She stood and hugged him, this time he hugged back. “Go take care of your business.”

Seth pushed away and went to the door. He stopped just inside the room. “I wish… I will be back.” Then he was gone.

Mary Kate took out her cell and called Felicity so they could plan.

Sam stared at the papers on his desk, hoping something new would pop out of the pages. It had been six months since the murder of Mrs. Williams. Six months and nothing, it was almost like they had imagined it all. The only thing he had were the new tombstones in the cemetery and the grieving parents calling him to see if he could give them closure, by telling them the people who had taken their children had been caught.

He had long since given up on getting anything out of Mystery Williams. The girl hadn’t uttered a word since she woke up screaming the night after she found her mother’s body. They had finally sent her home from the hospital and Sam had been to see her several times since. Each time he’d left shaken and empty-handed.

He and his partner, Naomi, had been doing everything they could to find the bastards who had murdered five young girls. They had talked to their friends, but nobody had seen anything or noticed any of the girls acting strange.

And worse yet, the press had gotten a hold to how the girls were dying and turned it into a three-ring circus attraction. They were writing headlines like:
SATAN’S HENCHMEN CLAIM ANOTHER VICTIM; YOUR NEIGHBOR’S DAUGHTER IS DEAD, YOURS COULD BE NEXT.
The lieutenant had tried to get the press to back off on the headlines but he had only fueled the fire. The town was petrified and everyday saw more parents sending their children to visit with relatives.