Page 134 of Ghost

Lizzie smiled at her.“Yes.We are actually half-sisters.I was born several years before you or your sister.Your momma, bless her soul, was heavy with child and had a hard pregnancy.It only made sense that he found relief in my momma’s bed.She loved that man with every fiber of her being.Lawd, she would watch him cross to the stable and you could tell, she’d have died for that man.”

“I...I don’t know what to say.”Ellen was truly shocked, which Mason was sure didn’t happen much.

“Nuttin’tosay,” Lizzle said.

Ellen leaned forward, took Lizzie into her arms.“I wished I had known.I would have loved to have had another sister since my only sister I knew died so young.I...I just would have liked to have known.”She leaned back and looked at Lizzie.“Yes, I can see now.You have my father’s cheekbones and around the eyes.All these years have passed and we could have been true sisters.”

“Now you knows just as well as I do that wasn’t possible.In them days we would never have been allowed to be seen as family.”

“You are probably right,” Ellen said as she looked down.There was no mistaking the sadness in her.

Lizzie turned from Ellen and looked at Francis.“Frankie, did she do it?”

No one needed her or anyone else to clarify what she was asking.

“Yes, Lizzie.My mother did indeed kill me.”His voice sounded paper thin.He walked up next to her and Ellen and knelt down.“I so loved you when I was very young.”

“And I you.I used to pretend that you was my baby,” she chuckled.“We sure did have a time together.”

Francis beamed.“We surely did.Remember when...?”

“Shush, now, don’t go tellin’ our secrets.”She laughed heartily.

Once she had sobered and had a sip of her lemonade.She looked intently at Francis.“You know she killed your daddy, don’t ya?”

“I didn’t know for sure, but I and everyone suspected as much.”

“Oh, she did it.Fanny saw it with her own eyes.”She looked at Ellen and then back to Francis.“You remember when your Aunt Agnes died?I took you to get you a new coat before all the folks came to her funeral?”

“I do remember,” Francis answered.“There were people from all over coming and staying with us.Many stayed with us, and Father....”

“Your daddy went missing the very next day after the funeral.”Lizzie finished for him.

“Yep,” she nodded.“Imogene Watson took advantage of the situation.What else you remember about that time?”

“There was a big fight between my father and my uncle over where she was to be buried.”

Mason could see the light bulb go off in Francis’ head.

“I know where my father was buried!”

Lizzie sat there and nodded, all the while holding Ellen’s hand.