Darkness Exposed - A Mary O'Reilly Paranormal Mystery (Book 5) Read online

  Mary considered Rosie’s idea for a moment.

  “You know, that’s not a bad idea,” she said. “Instead of dinner, we could do a brunch, then it done in the light of day. And we could have it on Saturday, so no one would be at work. What do you think, Sean?”

  “As long as you are all careful, especially with food preparation,” he said. “Because we know Jeannine was drugged and we don’t want that happening to you.”

  “There’s no way someone would be able to drug us, Sean,” Mary said. “Don’t worry.”

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  “It’s really no big deal,” Mary insisted, standing in the kitchen with Rosie. “I stop by Bob’s and just invite him to the brunch. I don’t go inside; I just stand in the doorway. Then, I’ll go over to Gary’s office with a plate of cookies and invite him too. All daytime. All safe. All with people around.”

  “I really think someone should go with you,” Rosie said.

  “You and Stanley have to go grocery shopping and Ian has to calibrate the bugs we placed today,” Mary said. “And, really, this is no big deal. Remember, I’ve been trained.”

  “Ach, no, I can’t stand it,” Ian’s cry came from the other room.

  They hurried in to find Ian shaking his head and Stanley chuckling.

  “What’s wrong?” Mary asked.

  Stanley leaned over and turned up the volume on Ian’s computer and the room was filled with an off-key and very sharp version of a Scottish love song:

  O ye'll tak the high road and I'll tak the low road,

  An' I'll be in Scotland afore ye;

  But me and my true love will never meet again

  On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomond.

  “Many a buried Scot are turning in their graves on the hearing of this,” Ian said.

  “Well, obviously you and your man boobies made quite an impression,” Mary teased, sitting down next to Ian on the couch.

  “One more crack about me man boobies and I’ll suggest we serve haggis for the brunch,” he whispered to Mary.

  She turned and smiled at him. “It’s a good thing I’m pregnant and can’t eat any organ meat for fear of harming the baby,” she countered.

  “Ah, Mary O’Reilly, you’re a fair wicked minx,” he said. “And you have me on that one. Perhaps I’ll let Bradley know I had the pleasure of tasting your lips a number of times today.”

  “And I’ll tell him truthfully that it was like kissing my brother,” she said with a grin. “No harm intended.”

  “None taken,” he said. “And, aye, I felt the same way. You’re a bonnie lass, but you’re not my Gillian and there’s the rub.”

  She leaned over and placed a kiss on his cheek. “You’re a good sport, Ian MacDougal. Now, you just need to call Mercedes and invite them over for Saturday brunch.”

  “Oh, you’ve a mean streak a mile wide,” he said.

  “Think of it this way,” she said, as she rose from the couch. “If she’s on the phone with you, she can’t sing.”

  Mary grabbed her coat, the final plate of cookies and her purse. “I have my cell phone,” she said. “So if you need to contact me, just call. I shouldn’t be very long at all.”

  She dropped her purse and the plate off in the car before she trudged across the snow to Bob’s house. Knocking on the door, she thought about the experience Rosie and Stanley had undergone and a shudder went through her body. There was no way she would step foot inside this house if she didn’t have to.

  The door opened slightly and Mary recognized the man from Jeannine’s memories. “Hello,” she said with a bright smile. “I’m Mary, Mary MacDougal, from next door. I believe you met my grandparents today.”

  The door opened wider. “Yes, I did,” he said. “Would you like to come in?”

  “I’m sorry,” Mary said, with what she hoped sounded like real regret. “I’m just on my way out to run some errands. But, I wanted to stop here and invite you over to our house on Saturday at eleven for a brunch.”

  His smile was genuine. “Really? A brunch?” he said. “I haven’t been out of the house in so long. I would love to come. Can I bring something?”

  “No. I mean, no thank you,” Mary said, tempering her first response and placing her hand on his arm. “Grandma loves to cook and she is in heaven planning the menu. So, just bring yourself and your appetite.”

  “Thank you, I will,” Bob said.

  Just then Ian ran out of the house and jogged over to Bob’s. “I worried when I saw you on the stairs,” he said. “I didn’t want you slipping and falling.”

  “Bob, this is my husband, Ian,” she said. “And he’s a little overprotective.”

  “Well, she is expecting our first baby,” he explained. “And I can’t help but feel I want to wrap her up in cotton and store her away some place safe.”

  Bob nodded and met Ian’s eyes. “Yes, I know just how you feel.”

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Bradley scanned through the electronic file he received on Paul Taylor. There was no doubt about it, the guy was a creep. The only reason he’d been released early was because he wasn’t considered a threat to society in general. “Yeah, only to his wife and three kids,” Bradley muttered.

  He brought up the photos again. A smiling young mother sat behind her three beautiful children, two boys and a little girl. Bradley studied the little girl; she looked like she was about eight years old. Would his daughter look anything like her?

  “She was still pretty, even in death,” Mike said over Bradley’s shoulder.

  Bradley jumped and then turned to Mike. “Do you have to do that?”

  Mike shook his head. “No, but it really makes things much more fun.”

  “Where did you go the other night?” Bradley asked.

  Mike floated across the room and settled on the couch. “Come on, Chief, we both know where I went.”

  Bradley nodded. “So, did you find anything out at the fire station? Anything that you would be willing to share with me?”

  Mike grinned. “Yeah, you’re not stupid,” he said. “Actually, no, I was surprised. I figured I’d walk in on this big conspiracy. But the biggest news of the day is that I’m haunting the station. Go figure.”

  “So, you thought one of the firemen might be behind this too?” he asked.

  Mike shrugged. “The guy was a murderer and we got to go in and pick up the remains of what he did. Fire-fighting is about saving lives. We all risked our lives that night because this bastard decides he wants to get rid of his responsibilities and we all had to try and live with the fact there was nothing we could do. That’s not easy for firefighters.”

  Mike floated back over to Bradley and gazed at the picture on the screen. “I found her,” he said. “She was dressed in a pink flannel nightgown and she had a pink ribbon in her hair. Her room was filled with stuffed animals and dolls. I was so relieved I had gotten to her before the fire. I was so grateful she was going to live to go to her high school prom. Then I picked her up in my arms and she was limp. I pulled my mask off, so I could check for her breathing, and that’s when I saw the purple marks on her neck and noticed that her lips were blue. I can’t explain to you the kind of rage I felt at that moment. If that guy had been close, I don’t know what I would have done.”

  “You would have done what you were supposed to do,” Bradley said. “Training and civility always wins.”

  Mike shook his head. “Not always. Not always.”

  Bradley clicked onto the next photo, the one of the family, and Mike inhaled sharply.

  “What?” Bradley asked.

  He stepped back and shook his head again. “Never saw the family photo before,” he said. “Never saw them all together like that. They were a beautiful family.”

  Bradley nodded. “Yeah, they were. So, what do you think the next step should be?”

  Closing his eyes, Mike took a moment and then met Bradley’s eyes squarely. “I might have a lead,” he said. “But I need to follow it
up on my own.”

  “You want me to trust you to follow up on this case, even though it might include the people you consider family?” Bradley asked.

  Mike nodded. “Yes, that’s what I’m asking.”

  “Well, I know you’re a good and honest man,” he said. “Just let me know if you need my help.”

  “Thank you,” Mike said. “That means a lot to me. I’ll contact you when I can.”

  The fire station was dark when Mike faded into the main garage. Emergency lights cast an eerie glow on the large trucks and emergency equipment. Mike felt a little hesitant moving forward.

  “Oh, wait,’ he said. “I’m the ghost in the room. I’m not supposed to get freaked out.”

  He walked past the kitchen and the stairs to the sleeping quarters and made his way to the Chief’s office. Once through the door, he looked around the room, searching and finding the item he had come for. On the second shelf, behind the Chief’s desk was a framed photo of the Chief’s daughter and his three grandchildren. The same photo he had seen on Bradley’s computer just a few minutes ago.

  Chapter Thirty

  The drive to Gary’s office in downtown Sycamore took about fifteen minutes. The sun was already beginning to set by the time Mary rushed through the parking lot and into the Waiting Room. An older grey-haired woman sat at the reception desk and greeted Mary as she came through the door.

  “Hello,” she said. “I’m sorry, but we are closing for the day. Could I help you make another appointment.”

  Mary came forward, smiling. “Oh, I’m sorry to be a bother. Actually, I’m not a patient, I’m one of Gary’s neighbors and I wanted to drop by a plate of cookies. My name is Mary MacDougal.”

  “Well, isn’t that the sweetest thing,” the receptionist said. “I’m sure he’ll be delighted. Let me buzz him, he’s just in his office finished up his paperwork.”

  She pressed the intercom button. “Dr. Copper, there’s a nice lady here to see you. She even brought you cookies. Should I send her back to you or do you want to come up.”

  “I’ll be up in a minute, Shirley,” the slightly mechanized voice responded.

  Mary felt an uneasy feeling wash over her. Her heart rate accelerated slightly and she felt as if she were trapped in the room. She took a couple deep breaths and tried to calm down. She’d never felt claustrophobic before.

  “The doctor will be up here in a minute,” the receptionist said. “Would you like to sit down?”

  Nodding, Mary started to turn away when she lost her equilibrium. The room started to tilt and the plate of cookies she was holding fell from her hands onto the floor. She grabbed for the counter and the room continued to sway. A moment later, she found herself leaning against Gary and being guided to one of the chairs in the waiting area. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I don’t know what came over me.”

  “Oh, well, those first few months of pregnancy can do crazy things to your hormones and your body,” Gary said. “Do you want to just lie down here for a while and rest? Shirley is going home now, but I could take you home when I close up in thirty minutes.”

  She tried to clear her head. All she could think of was Bradley’s response to her staying alone with one of the suspects in a murder trial, even though he was the least likely to have done it. “I think he’d kill me,” she muttered.

  “Excuse me?” Gary said. “I’ve never...”

  She quickly realized what she said. “No, I meant that Ian would kill me if I didn’t call him. He’s very overprotective.”

  Gary smiled and nodded. “Well, of course he is. Do you want me to call him?”

  Mary reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. “No, I can do it,” she said. “But thank you, Gary.”

  She called his number and it only took him one ring to pick up. “What’s up?” he asked in a cheery voice.

  “Well, it seems I’ve encountered some difficulty,” she said.

  “Mary, where are you and what’s wrong?” the tenor in his voice changed immediately and his strength was reassuring.

  “I’m at Gary’s office,” she said. “Something happened, suddenly I was very dizzy.”

  “Like drugged dizzy?” he asked.

  “Maybe,” she said. “I can’t walk.”

  “I’ll be there in ten minutes,” he said.

  “Ian, it takes fifteen,” she said with a slight smile.

  “I’ll be there in ten.”

  She hung up the phone and slid it back in her pocket. “Ian’s on his way,” she said. “I truly apologize for the bother and, oh, for the cookies.”

  She looked beyond Gary and saw the plate on the floor and most of the cookies scattered around it.

  Gary chuckled. “Oh, don’t worry about those,” he said. “It looks like quite a few are still fine and losing some will save me from overeating.”

  Mary smiled. “Thank you, while I’m having a moment of coherence I need to invite you to the brunch we having Saturday morning. It will be at eleven and my grandmother is already planning the menu.”

  “That’s sounds very nice,” he said. “May I bring something along?”

  Mary smiled, but shook her head. “Normally I would say yes, but this time it’s my grandmother’s party, so I dare not.”

  “Well, I would be delighted to accept your invitation.”

  Standing, he pulled a chair across the room so Mary could put her feet up. “Are you comfortable? Do you need a blanket or some water?” he asked.

  Shaking her head, she realized she was feeling a little bit better. “No, thank you. But you know, I think I’m feeling a bit better.”

  “Well, you just sit there until Ian arrives. Let’s not take any chances.”

  True to his word, ten minutes after she’d hung up with him Ian burst through the door. He immediately saw Mary and rushed to her side. “How are you feeling?” he asked, cradling her face in his hand.

  “A little silly,” she replied.

  “Ah, well then, you must be doing better. Silly is two steps up from dizzy.”

  Ian turned to Gary. “I owe you my thanks for taking care of her,” he said, and shook Gary’s hand.

  “No problem, she was a model patient,” he replied. “I’d be happy to take care of her anytime.”

  Ian turned back to Mary, “Shall we go home now?”

  She nodded, started to rise and squealed when Ian scooped her up in his arms. “Ian, I can walk,” she said. “I’m barely dizzy at all.”

  He hoisted her higher in his arms and she threw her arms around his neck to hold on. “Aye, now that’s better, me darling,” he said. “No more lip from you until we get you back home.”

  “But Ian,” she said, “I can walk.”

  “I have to use the man boobies for something, darling, else they’re just for show,” he whispered.

  She giggled.

  “That’s a girl,” he said. “Now put your head on my shoulder and snuggle in tight. I’ll get you to the car safely.”

  She did as he requested and had to admit that she did feel a wave of well-being when she was held in his arms. “This is so not me,” she whispered, as Ian carried her through the parking lot. “I kick butt, I don’t faint.”

  He chuckled into her hair. “Well, if you tried kicking just now you’d be sitting on your butt, I’d say.”

  He put her on her feet outside the car and opened the door for her. She climbed into her seat and buckled herself in. Ian went around and got in the car and started it up. Then he turned to her, his face suddenly serious. “So, tell me. What happened in there?”

  Mary shook her head. “I seriously have no idea,” she said. “One moment I’m standing at the counter, asking for Gary, the next moment the world has gone all tilt-a-whirl.”

  “Did you feel faint when you walked up the stairs?”

  “No, I felt fine,” she said. “Honestly, there was nothing.”

  “And how are you feeling now?”

  She took a deep breath and did a
self-assessment. “A little shaky,” she said. “But for the most part, I feel fine. I can tell you for a few moments in there, I didn’t feel like myself at all.”

  Ian paused. “Well, then, maybe you weren’t.”

  “Maybe I wasn’t what?”

  “Maybe you weren’t yourself,” he said. “You and Jeannine have bonded, so to speak. You not only allowed her to share your body, but you shared her memories. Those memories are now your memories too. Something that happened today might have triggered a delayed response in you and your body reacted.”

  Mary nodded. “Well, considering that I’ve met with all of the potential suspects on our short list that makes sense. So, it was just a one-time thing.”

  “Well, that’s what I’m hoping,” Ian said, “Could be, because you have her memories, that this might be a recurring issue for you.”

  “Well, crap,” she said.

  “Aye, crap indeed.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Mike opened his eyes and looked around the room. This was certainly the Christopher Columbus method of haunting; materialize in a place and then find out where it is. The house was tiny and everything seemed worn. It had the feel of a bachelor pad, no knickknacks or feminine touches to make it feel like home.