Page 122

I didn't hear any more sounds so I turned back to him.

"I have something to tell you. Harley, something that is going to make you very unhappy. but I couldn't permit myself to leave here tomorrow without you knowing it all."

"What is it?" he demanded, his face becoming fully awake now, his eyes widening.

I took a deep breath and sat beside him on the bed.

"When you were away, I had nothing to do but explore the house," I began.

"And you found Suzers holy room, I know."

"No, she showed me that, but that's not it, even though it's plenty weird."

"What then?" he pursued with some impatience.

"I found this door in the hallway and opened it thinking it was just a closet, but it was a door to a small basement room. I went down the stairs to look around."

"Oh, so you were the one who left the light on," he said. remembering Suzes accusation.

"Yes,"

"Well, why didn't you say so?"

"Let me finish. Harley."

"I'm waiting for you to finish,' he said, his impatience growing. "It's late and I can hardly think. So what did you find, some voodoo doll or

something?"

"Worse, Harley. I found a newspaper article about your father. It told about his being chased after committing an armed robbery."

"Mv father?" He started to smile.

"And his death,' I added, "He had an accident fleeing from the police."

His smile held a moment and then evaporated as he shook his head.

"What are you talking about. Summer? You sound crazy. You having a bad dream or what?"

"I wish it was only a had dream. I'd be very happy. Harley."

"I don't understand. How can my father be dead and be here in the house at the same time? Is he a ghost, someone Suze brought back from the dead?" he asked with a smile.

"No, Harley. The man in this house is not your father. He's your grandfather," I told him. "The newspaper article makes that perfectly clear."

He stared without speaking. Then he looked away for a moment as if he hoped that when he looked back at me. I'd be gone and all this was just his dream.

"You've got to be mistaken." he said finally. "You just didn't read it right. Maybe it was a cousin or someone with a similar name or..."

"I did read it right. Harley, and there are pictures down there, too, pictures of your grandfather and your grandmother and your father when he was a little boy. There's a picture I believe is your father on the wall as well. Don't you see? It explains why he's so old now."

"No." Harley said, shaking his head vigorously. "you're wrong. Summer. You've got to be wrong. He talked about my mother. He knew all about her."

"Whatever he knew. he knew from listening to your father talk about her.'

"Why would he do this? It doesn't make any sense. Summer," he insisted.

"I don't know his reasons. Maybe he's ashamed of it all Maybe what happened left him so empty inside, he grabbed onto the opportunity to have you. Maybe Suze told him some mystical reason and performed some voodoo ritual. Who knows? The thing is it's all so strange and I didn't want to leave you without you knowing,"