Trace of Doubt (16 page)
Then my happy memory changed and took on a new life of its own. I saw my mother clothed in white, like an angel, beaming. And next to her was David. He looked peaceful. No pain. No suffering. From prison to eternity. He and my mother started soaring up to the sky, soaring until they became one with the sun, and all I was left with were warm sunbeams on my face and white light.
And then I fell asleep. A real sleep. Not drugs or hazy sleep. I fell asleep. But I didn’t dream.
Chapter 32
M
y friends and I gathered at David’s gravesite. We had buried him months before, but now the headstone was there.
DAVID FALCO
BELOVED SON AND FRIEND
FREE FOREVER
A dove was carved on the stone representing his free flight to heaven. Freedom. Peace. Serenity. Eternity.
I still walked with a limp, but in truth, we were all in the place of Achlys for right now.
After things settled down, Joe broke up with Vanessa. The Justice Foundation—with the addition of Ben as full-time investigator—is in no danger of closing anytime soon. We have too many cases. Too many men imprisoned. Too many people needing release from their grief and their false dungeons.
We also started a David Falco Scholarship Fund for men released from prison to apply to go back to college or night school. That way David could live on with us, still part of the team.
“Should we say something?” Lewis said at the graveside.
“Let C.C.” I replied.
She nodded, and Lewis, Ben, Joe and I bowed our heads. A gentle breeze floated over us as she spoke a prayer about freedom, redemption, hope and faith.
“Amen,” we each said in turn. Suddenly a hawk took flight and soared overhead. It was eerie, as if it was David.
“That was lovely, C.C.,” I said softly. I watched the hawk fly out of sight.
“Thanks. Come on, Lewis, Joe, let’s give Billie some time alone.”
Lewis came and put his arm around me. “We’ll meet up with you at Quinn’s. Have a proper memorial dinner for him.”
“Sounds good.”
The three of them walked toward their car. I had come with Ben.
“I should leave you.”
I shook my head. “Please stay.”
We stood there in silence. I liked that Ben never seemed to mind silences. After a few minutes I cleared my throat.
“Ben?”
“Yes, Billie.”
“Do you believe in heaven?”
“No. I believe in rebirth.”
“So you believe David will come back as something else?”
He nodded. “I like to think that.”
“Could he come back as a hawk?”
“He could. He could come back as anything. As a new baby. As a hawk. As a tortoise to live a long life.”
I stared at the headstone.
“Will I ever leave this place?”
He knew I meant the metaphorical, not the physical. “The grieving place?”
I nodded.
“When I caught the man who killed my sister, I didn’t leave. The universe always changes. The grief just became something else. It’s still there though.”
I bent over and kissed the headstone.
“Come on, Ben,” I said.
He offered me his arm to lean on, and we walked across the grass. Autumn was coming. The leaves were starting to turn red and golden.
I felt a thought come into my mind, like a shadow, of that horrible night. But I lifted my face to the sun. I felt the light. And then, holding on to Ben, I walked away from the grieving place toward a light I didn’t yet understand or embrace, but that I knew was there. Waiting for me.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-5774-4
TRACE OF DOUBT
Copyright © 2006 by Erica Orloff
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Silhouette Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
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A Billie Quinn Case
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A Billie Quinn Case
