Nine Steps to Sara (29 page)

“Now hold on, you’re not in any shape to go anywhere,” Sara blocked her from trying to get out of bed.  “I agree morphine seems a bit strong, but maybe it’s because he worried you’d try and do too much too fast?  He said you were acting strange the night you fell.”

“That’s because I didn’t fall,” Joanie lay back against the pillows, conserving her strength. 

“Didn’t fall… Joanie I saw you lying at the bottom of the stairs…” 

“I didn’t fall, I was pushed.”

“What do you mean you were pushed?”

“What do you think I mean?”

“Pushed by who?”  Sara couldn’t imagine anyone in the household doing such a thing.  Her at
titude might have been a little
trying over the past few days, but no one would ever hurt her.  Would they?

“Isn’t it obvious?  The ghost wants to get rid of me and the Doc and everyone else is trying to cover it up.”

Sara took long moments to process that statement, not sure how to respond.  “Joanie… I know you’ve been through a horrible thing, but…”

“I was at the top of the stairs when I heard you call me.  I had just turned around and I felt two hands push me behind my back.”

It didn’t seem possible, and Sara was quick to dismiss it.  “It was late… you were upset and your heels probably got caught on the edge of the carpet runner or something.

“I know what I felt, and no one else was there,” Joanie insisted. 

“She said she wouldn’t hurt us…”

Joanie interrupted, her voice falling to little more than a whisper.  “No, she said she wouldn’t hurt
you
.  She needs you.  They all do, for whatever whacked out reason, you’re the second coming
,
for chrissakes.  Now we have to get out of here.”

“Joanie… you’re not in any shape to go anywhere,” Sara balked, still trying to take it all in.  Could Gemma really have pushed her?

“Are you saying you’re going to keep me here against my wishes?” Joanie’s eyes narrowed to slits and Sara instantly shook her head, reaching for her hand.

“Of course not.  If you want to leave I won’t stop you.  But Joanie… I really think you should rest up for at least a few days.  You’re bruised from head to toe and you shouldn’t be flying anywhere with that concussion.”

“Then I won’t fly yet, but I’m not staying another night in this house.”

Indecision warred over Sara’s pretty features as she tried to decide what was in her friend’s best interests.  On the one hand, she had no right to keep her there if she really wanted to leave, but was it doing her a favor to let her go when she was ready to pass out at any moment?  “How about you give me one more day and then tomorrow I’ll go put you on the train myself?”

“You’re not seriously thinking about staying here now, are you?” Joanie blinked in disbelief.  “How much more is it going to take for you to smarten up?  We all need to go home.”

“Joanie…” Sara sighed, eyes closing for a moment as she tried to find the right words.  “This is my home now. 
Darling
Park
is where we belong.  If something is going on, something sinister, I’m not going to run away from it; I need to figure out what it is and put an end to it.  I owe it to Jack, to the community and to myself.”

“Then that’s it, you won’t come with me?” her eyes were shiny with pain and Sara wasn’t sure if it was from the fall or the perceived betrayal. 

“The answer is no.  If you have to leave, I can understand that, but we’re here to stay.”

Joanie leaned back against the pillows, pinching the bridge of her nose with her good hand.  “
F
ine.  Can you ring for that maid of yours then?  I’ll need help packing my bags.”

“I can help you with that.  I really wish you would reconsider staying a little longer, I don’t feel good about you leaving like this.”

“Yeah well, I don’t feel good about you staying like this, so I guess that makes us even,” Joanie snapped.

There was nothing to say to that, so Sara fell silent as she helped pack up Joanie’s belongings.  Joanie drowsed off and on, offering barely a civil word when asked a direct question.  Refusing to take any more of the medication left by Marwick, she did accept some ibupro
f
en, popping four of the little pills. 

“I’ll see if Will can take you to the station then,” Sara offered when there was little else to do.  “Or did you want to stay the night in the village before you set off?”    

“No offense, but I’ll call a cab.  You never know how deep this thing goes.”

“Oh come on, Joanie.  You don’t seriously think Will is wrapped up in… whatever you think is going on, do you?  He’s one of the good guys, trust me on that.”

“You wouldn’t know a good guy if he came up behind you and pinched your ass.”

“That wouldn’t make him a very good guy, now would it?” a roll of the eyes was given.

“I’m just saying, you
r
track record with men isn’t exactly stellar.  How many times did you tell me how great Peter was?  How sunshine and rainbows grew near every time he appeared?” she fluttered her eyelashes mockingly.  “A nice smile and a cute butt and you’re already a smitten kitten.”

“I am smitten,” Sara replied without a trace of embarrassment.  “And I won’t apologize for it.  I’m sorry you’re miserable and alone, but I deserve a chance at real happiness and I really think it’s waiting for me here.”

“I hope you get it, kid.  I really do,” Joanie’s shoulders slumped as she sighed in resignation.  “I just can’t stick around and watch it.”  With a lurch, she launched herself out of bed, grabbing hold of the nightstand to right herself as the room dipped and swayed. 

“I don’t want to part like this,” Sara reached for her arm to steady her.  “At least let me take you to the train station so I’ll know you’re off safely.”  With a short nod, Joanie let her help her make it down the stairs, waving off the offer of assistance from anyone else.  Jack came down for a quick goodbye and Sara promised to be back in time for dinner. 

The ride to the train station was silent and uncomfortable with Joanie not wanting to talk much in front of Will, and Sara wished she’d brought something to read along the way.  Will saw to her luggage and purchasing a ticket while Sara helped Joanie to the platform. 

“Call me and let me know when you get to
London
safely, alright?” Sara hugged her gingerly, taking care not to hurt her. 

“I will.  Listen, Sara.  Be careful, okay?” Joanie’s eyes were hooded with concern.

“I will.”

“I mean it.  Whatever you have to do to make that place safe, hire an exorcist, fire everybody and get a new staff, burn the place to the ground and start from scratch… whatever it takes, make sure you protect yourself and Jack.” 

“I’ll take care of it,” Sara smiled, handing her over to the helpful porter who assisted her onto the train.  “Bye, Joanie.  Feel better soon.”

“You’ll take care of what?” Will asked, wrapping an arm around her waist as they watched Joanie get settled. 

“She suggested I get an exorcist to purge the house or burn it to the ground if necessary to protect myself.”

“Seems a
little
extreme,” he chuckled.  “But we’ll keep that in mind.”

Sara rode up front with Will for the return trip, their fingers brushing on the seat between them.  “She’s a stubborn bird, but you have to admire the girl for going after what she wants, no matter how
stupid
,” he observed aloud.

“I can’t say I blame her really.  This trip has been one mishap after another for her.  First the horse and then the stairs…”

“She might want to look into accident insurance.”

“
Joanie
said she was pushed.”

“
Sorry?
” Will’s lopsided smile returned, until he realized she wasn’t kiddin
g.  “By who
?”

“She thinks Gemma did it, but… I’m not convinced.  She hasn’t done anything dangerous to us yet, and
Gemma
said she wanted to warn us, not hurt us.”

“We’re back to the séance again, are we?”

“It wasn’t a séance, but I do believe we contacted Gemma’s spirit,” Sara insisted.  “I just wish I understood some of her answers.  When I asked her why Jack was in danger, she said one.”

“One what?”

“I have no idea.  The number one.”

“Number one,” Will repeated, turning it over in his mind before shaking his head.  “I’ve no clue what that means.  What else did it say?”

“I asked it who wanted to hurt Jack and she said nine.”

“Nine,” Will frowned.  “Again I’m stumped.  Didn’t you ask what it meant?”

Pleased to see he wasn’t completely against the idea that it could have been real, Sara replied.  “I didn’t get a chance to; Joanie hijacked it, asking about Cole.”

“The
tosser
from
London
who showed up at the fair?”

“Yep, he invited her to take a trip with him while I thought over his proposal, but he never showed up to meet her
, he checked out instead
.”

“And what did the ghost tell her?  That he was shacking up with another slapper?”

“No, she said he was dead.”

That wiped the smirk off of Will’s face.  “Dead.”

“Dead, and also because of the number nine, I might add.  So you can start to see
why she was a little spooked.”

“
Still, t
hat seems a bit of a stretch.”

“Then
you don’t think Cole is actually dead?”

“No, I don’t.  More than likely he left voluntarily and didn’t give Joanie two thoughts.  Else why did he check out of the inn?  It’s probably easy enough to find
out;
I’ll make some calls if you like.”

“Thanks, I’d appreciate that.” 

“It’s nothing.  I’d rather lay your mind to rest as quickly as possible.  I don’t want to be making this trip again with you and Jack in the back seat,” his fingers closed around hers.

“I meant it when I said I was staying, this is my home now.  But if that’s true, I need to know exactly what I’m getting into.”

“It sounds like you have a plan of attack.”

“More of a general strategy than an actual plan,” she gave a half shrug.

“Anything I can help with?”

“I’m glad you asked.  I thin
k
it’s about time I got a look behind those closed doors at
Darling
Park
.”   

* * *

The house was busy with activity as the equipment and crew arrived to start tearing out the back yard.  Will’s father looked happy as a pig in mud directing traffic, and Sara could hear the sounds of heavy machinery
in the back yard
.  The plans to explore the house temporarily forgotten, Sara headed for the courtyard in back to take a look at the preparations and see if there was anything she needed to do while Will put the car away. 

A bulldozer was already working on removing the dead shrubs and trees with another following in its wake to churn up the dirt.  Sara watched in fascination as so many people worked in close proximity to each other, almost like a synchronized dance.