Page 20

Ghost

Their cottage was beginning to take shape, and Ghost’s happiness meter rose with every plank of wood installed. It had been almost two weeks since Berry was taken down and a lot had happened in that time.

Ray had left his position in Seattle to work with the Fire Lake team. He and Ghost were building their own cottage beside the other cottages containing team member families on the lake house property. This was a family, his family, and he’d never ask for more.

“Ghost, can we throw the ball?”

Sammie, Julia’s son, asked.

He and Ben, Gunner’s nephew and Jason’s son, Freddie, Frank, and Amy, child survivors rescued from the Noah Group, were playing in the yard with Gracie, Kyle’s golden retriever, and Hero, Ghost’s new Doberman he’d brought home with him from Berry’s house.

“Sure, here you go,”

Ghost said, handing over the yellow tennis ball.

Both dogs’ ears perked up, and their eyes followed the ball until Sammie threw it across the yard. Gracie raced forward, and Hero limped after her, his tail wagging. Gracie reached the ball first and grabbed it in her mouth. When she turned, she walked up to Hero and dropped the ball in front of the injured dog. Hero happily took it and chewed on it happily. He hadn’t figured out that he had to bring it back yet.

“We need to teach Hero how to play fetch,”

Freddie said.

“Yeah, you will. I don’t think he’s had much time to play fetch before, but he’ll learn,”

Ghost said, and the kids ran off to play.

It had been quite the mess to clean up once all the shooting had stopped.

Thankfully, with Elias being the sheriff along with Brick’s contacts, their story about how Jake, their key witness in the murder of the old veterinarian, Mr.

Cross, had been abducted at gunpoint shortly after being released was enough to explain why they’d followed the kidnapper out to Joe Berry’s farm.

Of course, the fact Brick and his team played a major role was downplayed, leaving the sheriff, Detective Sommers, and the deputies as the ones saving the day.

Records found at Joe Berry’s spelled out the plan the bastard had for the town and the key players.

Stryker’s truck pulled in.

He and John had been away most of the morning to finish signing all the paperwork at the lawyer’s office.

After it was determined Stryker was indeed Sophia’s and Jericho’s grandson and records indicated that Sophia gave birth to a baby boy, all Miles’s land was returned to their only living blood relative, Stryker.

One hell of a turn of events.

Stryker’s father had been adopted by a couple in Florida and never left the state.

That’s where Stryker’s mom met him on spring break, and their love affair turned into Stryker.

Unfortunately, his father had passed away from prostate cancer over fifteen years prior, and no one was sure he even knew he had a son.

As far as Jericho’s death was concerned, it was discovered Father Henry Jones had been the priest at The Florence Crittenton Homes for unwed pregnant women when Sophia was there.

They had become friends, and the priest supported her while she went through her pregnancy and the eventual adoption of her son.

They reconnected as friends when he took over the congregation in Marshall.

By all indications, Jericho suffered from serious PTSD and, left untreated, became a violent drunk, often reliving events that took place in the war, though he was back in Marshall.

Ghost couldn’t imagine how hard it must have been on Sophia to have the man she loved back but not truly the same man and knowing she’d been forced to give up their child while they were away.

As Julia was rifling through the last of the boxes, she found an old notebook that belonged to Ray’s grandfather, the sheriff at the time of Jericho’s death.

His handwritten notes on the events of that evening stated that Jericho had become incensed by Sophia’s close relationship with Father Jones, likely not knowing the truth of why they had such a strong friendship due to him helping her through one of the toughest moments in her life.

In a drunken rage fueled by his untreated PTSD, Jericho attacked Sophia, and Father Jones was forced to shoot him.

In the end, the truth was Father Henry Jones did shoot Jericho Miles and killed him, but it was to protect Sophia.

Ray’s grandfather put the incident down to self-defense and hadn’t intended to charge the priest.

However, Father Jones couldn’t live with what he’d done, taking a life, though he was protecting another, and forced the issue.

A neighboring prosecutor took the case and, with Father Jones’s confession, held a trial ending with him going to jail.

Had they begun with that box, it would have saved a bit of time, but the team would never have gotten the complete story.

It was as if Sophia doled out information as necessary so they could reach the proper conclusion.

It was a sad ending for two people who loved each other, but life wasn’t a fairy tale; in reality, bad things happen to good people.

It was a harsh truth, and the only consolation was that Sophia’s grandson was found, the Miles family lands returned to their rightful owner, and an evil man’s obsession with controlling Marshall through their water supply had been ended.

The town of Marshall was stronger and safer now as the Fire Lake team moved into the county and protected it as their own.

Many townsfolk had been by to thank them, and as in their typical style, they welcomed all with a beer and barbeque while assuring all that they hadn’t done that much.

Ghost looked toward the lake house as the back door opened, and Ray and Rocko walked out.

Rocko was carrying his suitcase.

His flight left later today.

It never ceased to amaze Ghost how things managed to work out.

A man Ghost had initially hated turned out to be one who saved him and helped solve this mystery.

Rocko was a survivor of the Noah Group, like himself, and like Ghost, Rocko was looking for the place to which he belonged.

Ray wrapped his arms around Ghost as he joined the two on the deck.

“Off already,”

Ghost said.

“Yes. My flight to New York takes off at three, so Jason’s been kind enough to give me a lift to the airport,”

Rocko said.

“New York? You’re not going back to Florida?”

Ghost asked.

“No, not yet. Brick’s told me about a group of survivors out there led by Apollo. They were originally located in New Orleans but moved locations around one year ago. I thought I’d go out and meet more survivors like us before returning to the police station in Florida,”

Rocko explained. “Who knows, maybe they could use a detective in upstate New York with a knack for finding people.”

Ghost chuckled. “Maybe they do. I hope you find your place.”

“Me too,”

Rocko said.

“You can always come back here,”

Ray said. “There’s always room for one more.”

“I second that,”

Brick said as he joined them. “Anytime. You don’t need to call. Just show up.”

“Thank you, Brick,”

Rocko said, shaking the team leader’s hand. “For everything.”

“Apollo and his team will be expecting you,”

Brick said.

Ray shook Rocko’s hand. “Thanks for helping us find Ghost, buddy.”

“This new settled persona looks good on you,”

Rocko said. “Don’t screw it up.”

Ray pulled Ghost closer. “I don’t intend to.”

Ghost stood in Ray’s arms as they watched Jason and Rocko jump into the truck and drive out of the lane. Brick went to join Roman, and the team, hovering around the barbeque. Ghost didn’t miss the smile on the team leader’s face as the man looked around the yard and the home he’d made. Pride and satisfaction radiated from his expression.

“Family,”

Ghost said.

“Family,”

Ray agreed.