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CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Spotty sleep and dark dreams kept Clara on edge. She caught herself stress eating, even slipping out of bed in the middle of the night to devour Ring Dings or MoonPies.

She couldn’t seem to stop.

What difference did a few more pounds make if she left this life for the next? A martyr for the cause.

She told herself if called home, she’d go joyfully, but fear slithered inside her like snakes. Satan’s symbol doing the work to make her doubt and fear.

So what if she ate a pint of Cherry Garcia on her break? She needed the relief.

She couldn’t share her fear and doubts with Sam. His love for her, his need to protect her would overwhelm him. Then she would be responsible for turning him away from the mission, away from God’s will.

If she spent time on her knees weeping and praying to have the burden lifted from her, she was human, just a woman with flaws and weaknesses.

She’d seen it herself, countless times, that desperation to live another day, even another hour no matter the pain or debilitating illness.

Some made peace with death, even embraced it. But most, she knew, denied, struggled, and cursed their fate to the last breath.

She would not allow herself to be one of the most.

So she took a day, then another and another, drawing out the time, telling herself she only took that time to prepare for the mission, and for her own acceptance.

This life, another gift, deserved appreciation and respect. She took time to savor the call of a bird, the bloom of a wildflower, the feel of Sam’s hands on her body, the taste of ice cream on her tongue.

If called home—and it remained if —would she still know the scent of a rose, the feel of a summer breeze? Would her beloved grandmother, her dear husband greet her, guide her through the gates and into glory?

None of the stories they’d collected fully answered those questions.

If the witch took her life, she would have those answers.

On a day Sam picked up an extra shift, she put on her good makeup, curled her hair, put on the blouse Sam had bought her in Aruba.

He said the ocean blue brought out her pretty eyes.

When she felt she looked her best, she set up the camera, and hit record.

She smiled.

“Hey, doll. Like they say in the movies, if you’re watching this, I’ve gone to glory. I don’t want you to grieve too much, but know I’m sorry, so sorry to leave you. I know we were meant to find each other for our higher purpose, but beyond that, you brought me so much happiness. And fun, too. We sure did have some fun.”

She had to pause, fight off the tears.

“I loved cooking for you, and you never failed to show you appreciated it. You brought me the pleasures of the flesh, and made me feel, every day, like a whole woman. You gave me my first airplane ride, my first look at an ocean on that trip to Aruba.

“And so much more, Sam. So much more.”

As she felt her strength rising, she took a breath.

“I’d hoped to surprise you with a trip to the Outer Banks. And that’s just what I’ll do if there’s no need for you to see any of this. But if there is a need, if that witch disguised as a human woman ends my life, I need you to heed what I’m saying. Don’t let grief hold you back. Don’t let sorrow blind you to what must be done.”

She shifted, leaned closer to the camera as the fire in her belly kindled again.

“You must continue the work. There are four more on the list, and you’ll pray for guidance and choose the one to take first, to hear their story, then to let go. When those four are sent home, you’ll find more.

“There are so many more, doll. So many who made that journey to eternal rest who were robbed of their peace, pulled back by the pride of man. Sending them back must be your life’s work now. I’m counting on you.”

She smiled again.

“I know I can. You’ve never let me down. The ones we’ve saved, Sam, well, they’re a drop in the bucket. I know you can’t save them all, like I know you’ll have to find someone to help you as you helped me. I feel for certain you’ll know that someone when they cross your path. It’ll be meant, as you and I were meant.

“Sam, I’ve spent time conflicted on what we need to do next. I’ve fought my war on doubt and fear, and I’ve come to accept. And I’ve come to know how we’ll go about taking Terrance Brown and the witch Sloan Cooper. I’m going to talk to you about that soon, and we’ve got more preparations to make, but I’ve felt the spirit come into me on this, and I know we’ll prevail. If the cost of it is my life, you need to know I’m willing. Doesn’t mean we’ll make it easy for her, but if that’s what’s meant, I’m ready for my eternal reward.”

She pressed a finger to her lips, kissed it, then blew it toward the camera. “I love you. I know in my heart, in my soul, that when your time comes, I’ll be there to take your hand and guide you. I’ll be there for your homecoming, doll.”

It took her time to transfer the recording to a disk. Sam usually handled that. But she did the job, labeled it.

For Sam with love

She hid the disk in her underwear drawer, then put the camera and tripod away.

It settled her, she realized. She’d fix Sam a snack for when he got home. The man liked his nachos, and he’d have earned a beer.

Though tired from her own shift, and the stress and effort of the recording, she browned up some ground beef, chopped onions, jalapenos, a tomato, got out a jar of the cheese he liked.

When he walked in, she started putting it together for him.

“Whew, babe! What a day. I expected you’d turn in early and get some rest. But here you are.”

He came up behind her, hugged, and she drew in his scent. Just a little sweaty after a double shift.

“I didn’t want you to go to bed hungry.”

“I sure appreciate it. I barely had time for two bites on my dinner break. We lost Mrs. Witner today, and damned if they didn’t zap her back. That poor woman. I don’t think she’s for us, though, babe. Eighty-nine and fragile as glass. I expect she’ll just move on in her sleep soon enough. Sweet woman. Always has a smile ready.”

Clara set the plate of nachos in the microwave for a spin, and got him a beer. She poured herself a glass of apple wine because she found it more soothing.

“They oughta be horsewhipped for dragging that poor old dear back. Sit on down, doll. That’s what I want to talk to you about.”

“Horsewhipping?” he said with a grin.

“About half the time I wish that was the mission given to us. I know I’ve spent a lot more time than usual on what’s to come next.”

“I know it’s troubled you. I wish I had a way to lift that trouble.”

“I had to work through it.”

She took the plate out, set it on the table with a couple of paper napkins.

“And I have. The plan’s come to me. It’s different than before, but it has to be.”

“No way around that.” He pried out a loaded nacho, said: “Mmm-mmm!”

“We’ll be taking him first—and that time has to be decided careful. She’ll hear about it right quick, being in the same town and all. We’ll take him, bring him here, and keep him sedated.”

Puzzled, Sam swigged some beer. “You don’t want his story?”

“We’ll get it. That’s why the timing’s so important, doll. We can’t wait more than a day or two before going for her. We have to bring her back here, so that’s more preparation.”

She sipped her wine as she fought off a craving for a couple of MoonPies.

“Protection from her evil for certain, but we’re going to need another hospital bed, the straps. I’m not worried about a monitor and all that for her, but we’ll need more tubing.”

Thoughtfully, she sipped her wine. “We don’t use her blood, Sam. It’s tainted. We burn it.”

He nodded, ate. “Are you sure the straps’ll hold her?”

“You know I don’t think much of the Papists, doll, but we’ll take a page from their book, get us some holy water, a crucifix, and we’re going to salt a circle around her bed.

“Now, I’m hoping that’s going to work, like I’m hoping we can take her when she doesn’t have the gun. But if that’s not how it works out…”

She rose, went to a kitchen drawer, and took out the Colt her father, and her grandfather before him, had used to shoot vermin.

“Clara!” Shock, and the excitement that rose with it, shined in his eyes. “Babe! You’ve always said no, big-time no, to using guns.”

“She’s not like the others, Sam, not fully a human being but at least part demon. We’re sending her to Hell, and she knows it. We can’t know what she might do.”

And Clara had had dreams. Visions? She couldn’t be sure, but in them, the witch aimed a gun at her and fired, over and over again.

“It stays here when we take Terrance Brown. But when we go for her, we take the syringe and we take this. We use whatever we need to use. This here is a Colt Single Action Army revolver. It was my grandpappy’s. You’re going to practice with it, and when the time comes, you’ll carry it.”

She set it on the table between them, and sat.

“I was going to surprise you with a trip to the beach, down in North Carolina.”

“Babe!”

“But, Sam, we’re going to have to take some time off real soon, a good week or more, to make sure we know where and when. He won’t be different, but like I said, we have to move on her right after, so we have to know.”

She lifted her wine again. “Here’s how I think we’ll need to do it all.”

Sloan opened the door to her mother.

“Mom, you don’t have to knock.”

“Then next time, I won’t.” She moved in for a quick hug.

“Want a cold drink? I made some iced tea. It’s almost warm enough to sit on the front porch. If I had chairs to sit on out there.”

“That’s exactly why I’m here.” Elsie pulled out her phone, swiped. “I was out picking up some new pieces—new-old pieces—for one of the rentals, and saw these.”

Sloan angled her head, looked at the screen and the vintage metal chair on it.

“They have two,” Elsie continued, “and they just made me think of your front porch. Do you hate it?”

“I don’t.”

“If you really don’t, maybe you want to go by and take a look. I know the rosy pink won’t work, but you could paint them a deep coral, even red. They’re in excellent shape and priced to sell. So I asked Deke to put a hold them. Just in case.”

“Coral,” Sloan murmured.

“You’re more than handy enough to take care of that. And they have some nice little tables. You need small-scale. You’d want something on the other side of the porch for balance. Maybe a plant stand or a small glider or porch swing.”

“I was going to look for chairs, then I didn’t take the time. These would work great.”

“If you’re not too busy, you could come with me, drop these pieces off at Hideaway, then go back to Deke’s. I’ve got the truck.”

She hadn’t finished her Saturday routine, and when she had, she’d planned to settle in her office, go over the missing investigation from the beginning.

But.

“Let me grab my purse and a jacket.”

“You’re doing such a good job on this house, Sloan.” As she waited, Elsie looked around. “I’m so happy you found a place that makes you happy. And Drea’s going to look at another house today. Drea and Theo. I’m so grateful to have both my girls close. Happy and close.”

Swinging on a jacket, Sloan walked out with her.

“Tell me what’s next for you.”

“I think the patio.” Sloan climbed in the passenger side. “Might as well finish the exterior and have the rest of the spring and summer to enjoy it. Which means…”

“Patio furniture.” Elsie wiggled her shoulders, rubbed her hands together. “Oh, boy! Jackpot Saturday for me!”

As she pulled out, turned, a car slipped in behind them.

“A pretty little patio scaled to the house, then you’ve got enough yard for a birdbath, maybe a bench.”

“Nash is in love with me.”

Sloan didn’t know why she just blurted it out that way. Maybe because it stayed nestled inside her like a secret since he’d told her.

“Yes, baby, I know.”

“How do you know? He only told me a couple nights ago.”

“Because I love you, too, and I’ve got eyes. I knew he was… smitten ’s not the right word for Nash. Theo, but not Nash. I knew he was intrigued and attracted right off. And like Theo with Drea, the smitten and intrigued went deeper.”

“I’ve got eyes. I’ve got really good, observant eyes, and I didn’t see it.”

Elsie’s smile spread slow and warm. “Because you had a blind spot from being in love with him. He’s a good man, and God, he suits you.”

“You think?”

“I don’t have to think when I know. Theo and Drea, they’ll be giddy for a while, keep walking a foot above the ground. Then they’ll come down and make a good life together. You and Nash have your feet planted. You’re one-step-at-a-time people. Drea and Theo are leap-right-in.”

She made the turn around the lake, then into the parking slab of the rental.

“It didn’t give you a little hmmm ? Drea, Theo, me, Nash?”

“It’s nice and tidy, isn’t it?” Elsie said, and made Sloan laugh.

By the time she got out, the trailing car had continued on. She helped Elsie carry in the new-old pieces, and carry out what her mother decided to replace.

“Now the fun begins,” Elsie declared, and drove into town. “Spring’s settling in. Still too soon to plant—but not for pansies. A pretty pot of pansies would look so good on your porch.”

“You’re going to have it decorated before I can blink.”

“Well, if you get the chairs, I could help you prep them, paint them. If you buy a pot and pansies… I haven’t spent a Saturday afternoon with my girl in ages.”

“I think the chairs are a given. So paint, pot and pansies, and a Saturday afternoon with my mom it is.”

“The nursery’s closest.”

And there, Sloan found a pot that picked up the deep blue of her door, and turned to put it in the cart with the pansies.

“Hey, Sloan. Ms. Elsie.”

“Hallie.” Sloan put the pansies in the cart and went in for a hug.

“Looks like y’all are doing the same as me.” Hallie Reeder, tall, lithe, with a wide-brimmed hat over her fountain of curls, chose her own flat. “Spring fever’s got me.”

“You look great.”

“I feel the same. The wedding’s coming right up.” She hunched her shoulders in a self-hug. “Part of me can’t wait, and the other part’s worried there’s not enough time to get everything done. So I’m taking a day to plant flowers, and take some over to Diane.”

“She sent me a picture of the baby. Justin James Blakley’s adorable.”

“How are they doing?” Elsie asked. “The new family.”

“Mama and Daddy aren’t getting a lot of sleep, but they’re as happy as happy gets. I’m taking over some flowers so I have an excuse to cuddle JJ awhile. Terry tells me don’t get any ideas yet,” she said with a grin, “but I’ve already got them.”

She hesitated, then loaded another flat. “Spring fever,” she repeated. “And I might as well keep busy since Terry’s working a double.”

“I hit the Seabreeze for takeout every couple weeks,” Sloan told her. “They’re lucky to have him.”

“That man can cook. It’s so good to have you home, Sloan. It’s nice to run into a friend over flowers.”

“It really is.”

“And you’ve got the best gardener in the Rest with you. I know you had a hand in the town pots, Ms. Elsie. They’re just beautiful.”

“There’s plenty of spring fever to go around.”

“And I’m going to put mine to good use. It’s wonderful to see both of you. Sloan, we’ve got to have a serious catch-up soon.”

“We’ll make a point of it.”

When Hallie rolled her cart away, Elsie turned to Sloan. “You really should. Have yourself a girls’ night, baby.”

“You’re right. I haven’t made time, but I will. I’ll see when Diane’s comfortable leaving the baby for a couple hours, and we’ll do that serious catch-up all around.”

When she stepped back to her cart, she saw the woman, pink floppy hat, sunglasses, browsing the garden statues. And the tall man beside her, a cap over his short twists.

“I saw them in town.”

“What?” Elsie walked around a stone urn. “I can use this. Your father will groan, but I can use this.”

“That couple over there. Do you see them?”

“Who?” When Elsie turned, they walked in the opposite direction.

“The woman in the pink hat, man in the red cap. I saw them in town the other day.”

“Honey, people will shop around, wander about.”

“Yeah, but… I still couldn’t see her face. I’d place her if I did. I’d know where I’d seen her before if I saw her face.”

Focused on the stone urn, Elsie answered absently. “They could be locals, could be on vacation. Either way, it wouldn’t be strange to see them around town.”

“No.”

But where else? Sloan wondered. Somewhere not here.

“She saw us again,” Clara murmured.

“And we’re just poking around like a couple dozen other people. Don’t you worry, babe.”

“I won’t. It’s good we’re getting more looks at her, too. And we know it wasn’t meant for us to try for her today. We don’t have the other anyway.”

Clara groped for Sam’s hand. “Another sign, doll. The woman who hugged her, talked to her’s the woman who did CPR on Terrance Brown. The one who helped bring him back when God called him with lightning.”

“I know it, babe. We found her picture on the internet. Maybe they’re doing the Devil’s work together. Maybe she’s another witch.”

“Can’t say for sure, but it’s another sign. Still, today’s not the day.”

“But soon.”

“Soon, doll. Let’s go on home.”

Sloan spent the day with her mother and enjoyed every minute.

As the chairs dried—and coral hit that mark—Drea and Theo drove up. And Drea scrambled out.

“You have to come see the house!”

Elsie pushed back the cap she kept in her truck. “Is it the house.”

“We really think so.” Drea gripped Theo’s hand when he stepped up beside her. “It needs a little work, but we wanted that. It’ll be more ours that way. But we want everyone to see. We texted Dad, and he said you were over here together. We texted Nash, and he’s going to meet us there. Can you come now?”

“Well, the chairs have to dry,” Elsie said.

“Oh, sorry. They’re great. They’ll be perfect. Oh, and you have pansies. A plant stand with a pot of pansies. This is what we want, too. To do the things that make it home.”

“Give us five minutes to clean this up,” Sloan told her. “We’ll follow you over.”

Sloan gave another glance back as she climbed in the truck with her mother. She’d give the chairs, and the little table she’d painted navy, another coat. And on Sunday, at some point, she’d sit down and drink some iced tea.

“You’re a good sister.”

“I’ll take the credit, but I want to see the house. Unless we find serious issues, which I doubt, they’re going to make an offer on it.”

“I doubt the serious, too. They both know what to look for. This is the first one they’ve looked at that excited them.”

It took one look for Sloan to see why. The two-story Craftsman-style house said friendly and tucked itself into a pretty neighborhood with greening lawns, greening trees, and the rise of the hills behind.

“Can’t you just imagine watching sunsets from the back deck? And you can see,” Drea continued, “they updated this level. Opened it up, really updated the kitchen. I love the white cabinets, and the dreamy blue on the island.”

“The basement’s unfinished. We’ll fix that, right, bro?”

Nash nodded absently at Theo as he wandered. “Yeah, we’ll fix that.”

“You’ll see when we go upstairs, the main suite’s good-sized. Two other bedrooms, and a full bath. The en suite in the main needs a serious update.”

Dean glanced back at Drea. “We’ll fix that, too. I want to take a look downstairs.”

He headed off with Nash and Theo.

“There’s a perfect space for an office over here. Theo said I could take that, and he’d put his downstairs. And maybe…”

Sloan listened with half an ear as she took her own tour, made her own judgments.

She wandered up—nice, sturdy stairs and railing, and knew immediately Drea would soon pore over paint samples. And yes, tile samples, fixtures, lighting for the en suite.

She ran up the estimated cost in her head as she toured, and knew her father and Nash would do the same.

She walked back down. “When do you settle?”

Drea’s ponytail swung as she bounced. “You like it? You really like it?”

“It’s you so I love it. I’ll love it more when you’re finished with it.”

“They said if we make an offer tonight, and it’s accepted, we’d settle by mid-May. We can waive a house inspection because, hello, that’s happening right now. And most of the work would be done before the wedding. But I don’t care if it takes longer because I just knew when we saw it.”

“Like you knew the dress,” Elsie said.

“Yes! I see us here, Mom. In the house, in the yard. I see—I might as well tell you we’re going to start trying for a baby as soon as we say I do. We’re both ready.”

“Oh, honey.” Elsie folded her in. “You’re going to make me cry.”

As she hugged back, they heard the men coming upstairs. And Sloan actually heard Drea inhale and hold her breath.

“Solid,” Dean said, then held up a hand. “Not finished yet. We’re going to take a look outside, then upstairs, the attic space.”

“The roof’s three years old,” Theo began as they went out the atrium doors to the deck.

When they’d finished, Dean nodded. “Solid. Good, solid house. To do what you want downstairs, up in that bathroom, the painting you’re going to end up wanting—and knowing Drea’s got her mother’s taste for those things? Add another fifty, and prepare for sixty.”

“You didn’t factor Theo’s taste,” Nash put in. “I’d make it sixty and prepare for seventy-five.”

“You want this place?” Dean asked his daughter.

“Oh yes, I do. We do.”

“Make your offer. We’ll help with the down payment.”

“Oh, but I can—”

Dean cut Theo off with a look. “It’s what we do.”

“Thank you. I… thank you.”

“Let’s do it now, Theo. Let’s call and make the offer right now.”

“You’re buying a house,” Nash said, and Theo grinned.

“We’re buying a house.”

“Then I’m buying dinner. Dean, Elsie, it’s something to celebrate.”

“It is.” Elsie looked down at herself, then spread her hands. “But I’m in my Saturday run-around clothes.”

“You’re beautiful,” he said simply. “Let’s make it Ricardo’s. We’re probably going to be noisy.”

They made plenty of noise over pizza and pasta. No one seemed to mind. In fact, Nash noted how many people dropped by the table to have a word with the Coopers. It didn’t surprise him. He found himself a little surprised when more than one breezed by to greet him, greet Theo.

When Theo’s phone signaled, he picked it up from the table.

“It’s Reena. It’s the Realtor.”

Elsie pointed at him. “Don’t even think about taking it outside.”

“Right. Okay, here goes. Hey, Reena.” He held the phone between his ear and Drea’s.

It only took a look at their faces to know, so Nash gave their server the signal.

“Yeah, yeah. This is great. This is everything. We will. That’s perfect. Okay. Thanks.”

“Thank you!” Drea added as her eyes filled.

Theo set down the phone. “We got the house.”

As he and Drea wrapped around each other, people at nearby tables clapped. The manager brought out a bottle of champagne, trailed by the server with a tray of flutes.

“Wow” was all Theo could manage. “Wow.”

“Congratulations, Drea,” Charlene, the manager—and one of Sloan’s former running mates—popped the cork. “Congratulations, Theo. We’ve all been waiting for the good news. Your brother had us get a bottle chilled.”

“I figured first-time homeowners can’t celebrate without champagne. And,” Nash added, “now I get to kick you out in a few weeks. Over to you, Dean,” he said as the server poured the glasses.

“It’s your champagne.”

Nash shook his head. “Over to you.”

“All right then.” Dean took a minute, lifted his glass with one hand, took his wife’s hand in the other. “A house is just a building. It’s the people in it, what they bring to it and each other, that make a home. You’re making a home. Here’s to many happy years in your home.”

“Dad.” Drea wiped at tears. “You and Mom, and Sloan, too. You showed me how.”

Theo looked at Nash. “I wouldn’t be here without you.”

“Stop.”

“It’s true. I wouldn’t be here without you, just like Drea wouldn’t be here without Dean and Elsie and Sloan. So—and it means a lot to me to be able to say this. Here’s to our family.”

When Elsie began to weep, Dean put an arm around her shoulders, kissed the top of her head.

“It’s fine,” Sloan told Theo. “She does that.” She reached her glass over the table to tap it to Theo’s. “To our family.”