Tangled Souls (24 page)

The drive to LA was quiet, as if both of them knew the case was nearing an end. Merlin snoozed in the backseat.

O’Fallon broke the silence. “Do you want to go to Alliford’s now?”

Gavenia shook her heard. “No, let me call and get things set up first. This is going to be really hard on Gregory.”

“Like burying his son a second time?”

“Exactly.”

“I’ll call Avery. Maybe Alliford will agree to have him there.”

“Is your friend okay with Pagans?” she asked. He heard the uncertainty.

“Yeah, he’s cool.”
Or at least I hope so.

She gave a slight huff of air. “I just want Bradley to be at peace.” Merlin raised his head at that. She reached back and patted him. “Yes, you’ll see him soon.” The dog put his head back on his paw and dispensed a long canine sigh. It mirrored O’Fallon’s mood perfectly.

“Call me when it’s over, okay?” he said. “I want to know how it goes.”

“I will.”

* * *

O’Fallon gave her a light kiss on the cheek before walking toward his apartment. As Gavenia watched him, she regretted that something more hadn’t happened during their time at the beach.

“Whoa,” she said, shaking her head. Things were moving too fast.

As she climbed into her car, she found Bart in the passenger seat, Merlin in his lap.

“Do animals see all the Guardians?” she asked. Bart nodded. “But I can’t.”

That’s the breaks.

She sighed and pulled the car out of the parking lot. It never got any easier.

When she arrived home, Merlin rose from his nap a virtual tornado. He surged into the condo at warp speed and engaged in a brief skirmish with Bastet. The cat clawed her way to the highest level of the bookshelf in the temple room, hair bristling as she glowered at the intruder. Gavenia herded the dog into the kitchen, out of harm’s way.

Unlimited puppy energy overwhelmed Ari as she stirred a pot of vegetable soup at the stove.

“You found him!” she said, kneeling to pet the cavorting dog.

“Yeah, we did.”

Ari beamed and then commanded, “Sit, Merlin.” The puppy gave her a puzzled look. “Sit!” she repeated. The dog eased into a squat.

Gavenia blinked in astonishment. “You’re good,” she said.

“Men and dogs—same thing. Give them a command, and they’ll behave.”

Gavenia angled her eyes toward Paul’s ghost as she fished an ice-cream bar out of the freezer. He was frowning at his widow’s remarks.

“I’ve never found men or dogs like that,” Gavenia said.

“Wrong men, wrong dogs,” Ari said, crossing to the sink. “So what’s the plan?”

“I need to call Gregory to get things going and then I need a nap before we do this.”

“So what happened at the beach house?” Ari asked in the midst of drying her hands.

“Nothing.”

Her sister gave her a skeptical look. “Nothing? You spend the day with a good-looking guy and nothing happens? Sorry, I don’t buy that.”

“We walked on the beach and talked a lot. We cuddled on the couch in front of the fireplace. End of story.”

Ari looked crestfallen. “That’s it? Damn. I’d hoped someone was having more fun that I was.”

“Nope. Just finding Merlin.” Gavenia headed for the kitchen door.

“By the way, you’ve got a bazillion calls from lots of nervous witches. I made a list and left it by phone,” Ari said, pointing toward a sheet of paper filled with names and numbers.

“I’ll deal with those tonight. Bradley comes first.”

Ari tasted the soup and shook her head, adding more chopped basil. “I’m going out for dinner with some friends. This soup is for you so you don’t eat your weight in ice-cream bars.”

Gavenia wrinkled her nose at her sister. “Cute, Pooh.”

As she turned away, Ari called, “Tinker Bell?”

“Yeah?”

“Nice work with the dog.” Ari pointed down at Merlin, who sat at her feet, pawing at her shoelaces. “Now take him somewhere else, will you?”

“Come on, Mr. Wizard,” Gavenia called, slapping her thigh. “Let’s go find a cat to piss off.”

Bastet made the mistake of appearing in the doorway at that very moment, whiskers twitching in agitation. The dog thundered after her and they flew down the hall in a blast of noise and swirling hair. Tempting as it was to intervene, Gavenia decided to let them sort it out. Once Merlin was home with the Allifords, she’d do penance with the feline.

“I’m Father Elliot,” he said. His voice flowed like smooth whiskey.

“Gavenia Kingsgrave.” They shook solemnly. Pushing down her apprehension, she said, “I’m pleased you’re here.”

“I’m pleased Mr. Alliford has allowed me the privilege.”

The expression on Gregory’s face withered. He rose to his feet and took a deep breath. “It’s best we get this done.”

“Your son will soon be at peace,” Gavenia said. Her words felt inadequate, no match to the father’s endless grief.

“I think of him every day,” Alliford said. “Something triggers a memory. Will it ever get better?” he asked, his eyes pleading.

Gavenia shot a quick glance at the priest. She saw the truth in the cleric’s eyes. She had no choice; she lied.

“You’ll never forget him, but your . . . grief . . . will fade . . . in time.” An approving nod came from Father Elliot.

Gregory accepted her falsehood. He looked down at the puppy waiting at his feet. “Come on, Merlin; Bradley wants to see you.”

The dog gave an enthusiastic bark, skittered down the hall, and headed for the stairs to the second floor. No one attempted to catch him. They knew where he’d be.

Riotous sounds erupted from Bradley’s room: Merlin barking and the little boy’s laughter. The boy’s father hesitated at the doorway, his eyes misty and his bottom lip quivering.

“It’ll be fine,” Gavenia said, taking his hand and squeezing it.

“I want him to know I love him,” he said.

“You can tell him yourself. He can hear you.”

There was a movement behind her. She turned to find the priest draping a stole around his neck, one with the Tree of Life embroidered on it. It seemed appropriate. He gave a short nod to indicate he was ready.

“Let’s send Bradley home,” she said, fighting down the tears.

She found Merlin lying on his back, paws in the air, wriggling as Bradley scratched his tummy. The child giggled and scratched harder.

“Bradley?” Gavenia called. He looked up, and his smile blossomed.

Merlin’s back!
the little boy crowed, his eyes twinkling.

Gregory lightly touched Gavenia’s elbow. “He can see the dog?”

“Oh, yes, and he’s very happy.” She shifted her gaze toward the priest. So far Father Elliot had been supportive, a calm presence, precisely what Gregory needed. More of her apprehension melted away.

“Will Merlin be with him . . . when the time comes?” Gregory asked.

It was Father Elliot who answered. “Your son has a special bond with Merlin, and that will exist long after death.”

“Then Bradley won’t be alone,” Gregory said, his voice breaking at the end. “Thank God.”

“We’re never alone, Mr. Alliford, not in this life or the next,” the cleric replied in a soft voice.

When Gavenia moved a few steps forward, Merlin ran over to her. She scratched his chest as he licked her hand, his tail swooshing in broad swipes. She looked into the boy’s eyes, caught by the power she saw within them.

Children understand love better than adults
, Bart said quietly.
They don’t know how to shield their emotions.

“It’s time, Bradley,” she whispered.

The little boy’s face saddened. When a matronly voice called to him, he turned and smiled in recognition.

“He can see your mother,” Gavenia said to Gregory. “Now would be the time to tell him what you’d like him to know.”

Gregory stepped forward and dropped to his knees only a few feet from his son’s spirit. The little boy watched him intently.

Daddy’s sad.

“He misses you, Bradley,” Gavenia said.

Gregory cleared his throat, wiping tears from his cheek. “I . . . love you, Son. I . . . am . . . so lonely without you,” Alliford murmured. “Every day without you is . . .”

The little boy walked to his father and crawled within his arms, embracing him, like he would have if still alive.

Gregory’s sobs lessened for a moment. He gave Gavenia a startled look.

“My God, I think I can feel him!”

She nodded. “He’s in your arms, hugging you.”

“Oh, God, it’ll be all right, won’t it?” he said. He embraced the ethereal form and then let go.

Bradley pointed over the top of his father’s arm toward the priest and gave Gavenia a quizzical look.
Who’s that?

“That’s Father Elliot. He’s here to help your dad.”

Bradley extricated himself from his father’s arms and stood in front of the cleric. Elliot continued to intone prayers, unaware of the spirit’s scrutiny. A little boy to the end, Bradley mischievously tugged on one end of the priest’s stole and then giggled. As the garment shifted, Elliot’s eyes popped open in surprise.

Gavenia couldn’t help but smile. “Come on, Bradley; it’s time for you go,” she said, ushering the soul back toward the wall.

Can Merlin come with me?
the boy asked.

“No, not yet,” Gavenia said as tears welled in her eyes.

Can Mama and Daddy come?

“No, but someday they’ll be there with you.”

The little boy’s face clouded.
The bad man won’t find me, will he?

Gavenia felt a sharp twinge of pain in her chest. “You mean the man who hit you?”

The boy nodded vigorously.
He tried to take me away.

Gavenia frowned. That didn’t make sense.

“Is there something wrong?” Gregory asked.

Gavenia took a deep breath and shook her head, not eager to prolong the father’s agony.

“Bradley, it’s time. You see your grandmother?” she asked, pointing in the distance toward the shadowy figure. The boy nodded. “Then say good-bye to Merlin and go to your nana,” Gavenia said, her voice shaking.

Bye-bye, Merlin!
the boy called. Bradley shuffled toward the wall as though he’d been sent to bed early. Beyond the veil, Nana Alliford waited. She knelt, arms held open in welcome, her spirit glowing like a brilliant sun on a frigid winter’s day.

Come to me, Bradley
, she said. The boy took one last look toward his father and then ran forward with outswept arms and buried himself in his nana’s embrace. She spoke quietly in his ear, and after a time, he nodded. She tied his shoelace, rose, and took his hand. Without a backward glance, she walked into the mist. At the very last minute, Bradley turned and flashed that innocent smile of his. He waved and then vanished.