Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
“ I have to go in here and tell the sheriff what we’re doing. Carly wasn’t there to call him, and I feel like I owe him that, to be coming into his county in uniform in a cruiser.”
“I agree,” Maisey said with a nod.
“I’ll be right back.” She watched as he disappeared into the Bell County Sheriff’s Office’s building and thought about how she’d tell Hazel’s folks. What should she say? And how should she say it? She figured it would come to her when she got there.
But when Aaron came back to the car, he had a strange look on his face. “What? What happened?” Maisey asked. “Did he tell you no?”
He sat there for a few seconds, then turned to face Maisey. “You actually talked to them?”
“Yeah. Two old women. Her great-grandma and her great-great-grandma. That woman is older than dirt.”
“You’re sure that’s who they were?”
“Well, if not, who were they?”
Aaron stopped for a second, and Maisey wondered what he was about to say. When he finally spoke, she felt faint. “Maise, the deputy in there said nobody’s lived there in over thirty-five years. Nobody. Those women died long ago.”
“That’s not possible! I talked to them!” Maisey almost shouted. What the hell? Why would the deputy say that? “Take me out there! I’ll show you!”
Aaron snapped on his seat belt. “Well, okay then. Let’s go.”
They drove along, and Maisey enjoyed the scenery. It really was a beautiful part of the state, and the trees were full and majestic. They turned down the little lane just as Maisey had, but when they came out of the trees at the top of the hill with the drive there on the right, the mailbox that had been there when she’d visited was on the ground and crushed, plus it looked like it had been that way for a while. “What the hell?”
“What?”
“The mailbox. It was on the post, and it sure didn’t look like that.”
“That mailbox hasn’t been on a post in twenty years, babe. Down this way?” he asked and pointed.
“Yes.” The weeds between the tire tracks were much higher than they had been before, and Maisey waited, holding her breath.
There sat the house, but it didn’t look the same. There was no glass in any of the windows, and the curtains had rotted away. And the house… It was impossible that anyone lived there. The roof was partially caved in, and most of the things that had been hanging from the porch were either on the porch floor or gone. The dog she’d seen before greeted them, even skinnier than he’d been earlier. Maisey crept toward the house, Aaron right behind her, and knocked on the door. When no one answered, she turned the knob, and the door swung open.
Nothing. The things that had been in the house were mostly gone. Only the chair the old woman had sat in remained, and she couldn’t believe her eyes. There were a couple of broken dishes on the floor, and what few cooking utensils remained were scattered about. The mattress on the old bed was rotted and the center had pretty much disintegrated. “Holy shit.”
“Did it look like this before?”
“No. I mean, it was filthy and pitiful, but it was lived in.”
“Babe, nobody’s lived here in years. That’s clear.”
“I don’t understand! I checked out what they said, and everything they told me was true. I just don’t get it.” She turned to find that Aaron had wandered outside, and she followed him as he walked toward the tree line.
There, in the shade of a large oak, was a small family cemetery. “What were their names?”
Maisey stood there in shock. Near the back was a small stone that read, BeulahPuckett , and her birth and death dates. Nearer to the front was another, ZoraPuckett , and the same, a birth and death date. And they’d both been dead well over twenty-five years. “Hazel was a little girl when they died.”
“I take it those two were them?” Maisey nodded. “How…”
“I have no idea. Let’s go. This is giving me the creeps.”
“Okay, but hang on. I’ve gotta go.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. I’ll just step back here into the trees…” Maisey shook her head as she watched him go, then turned back toward the house.
And there was Zora, on the porch, waving at her.
“Aaron! Aaron, get out here! There she is! Aaron!” When he didn’t answer, she turned toward him. “Aaron! Zora’s on the porch! You’ve gotta see! She’s―”
Aaron stepped through the tree line. “Where? I don’t see anything.”
Maisey whirled back around and… nothing. There was no one there. “I just saw her! I swear, I did! You don’t believe me!”
“I do. Maise, if there’s anything I’ve learned from being married to you, it’s to believe you. Because if you saw it, then you saw it. It was really there. I’m just the one who’s not talented enough to see it.”
Maisey started back toward the house. “You don’t believe me. I know you don’t.”
“But I do!” Aaron started to laugh. “Why else would I have driven all the way out here?”
But Maisey had reached the porch again, and she stopped and gasped. “Look!”
On the porch’s old rickety deck lay a feather, a rock placed carefully on top of it to keep it from blowing away. Tied around its hollow shaft was a narrow red ribbon. “I’ll be a son of a gun,” Aaron whispered.
“Believe me now?” Maisey almost crowed.
“I never doubted but, wow.”
“They’re thanking me.” Something touched her hand, and she looked down to find the bedraggled old dog standing there. Maisey turned her head toward Aaron. “We have to take this dog with us. He’s starving.”
Aaron looked at the pitiful beast for what felt like a full minute to Maisey before he finally said, “Okay. Put him in the back of the cruiser and we’ll take him to the vet.”
“Thank you! Come on, boy. Let’s get you fixed up.”
The drive back was uneventful, and when they stopped at the vet’s office, the poor dog had trouble even walking because he was so weak, so Aaron picked him up and carried him inside. The vet told them he’d give them a call to apprise them of the dog’s condition and see what he could do to help the animal.
By the time bedtime rolled around, Maisey was exhausted. It had been a weird day, and she only had one more request. Then she’d be done with all of it for good.
She absolutely, positively would.
It had taken a lot of time and effort, and not a small amount of money, which Maisey had insisted on contributing herself. They followed the van down the little road until it crested the hill, then headed down toward the house. When they reached it, the van continued, but Aaron parked his truck up by the house and he and Maisey walked on down.
The diggers had been there three days earlier, so the ground was a little damp, but it was firm enough to support the van. When it stopped, the two men got out, and between them and the Friedmans, they carried the simple coffin to the grave, laid it on the straps, and between the four of them, lowered it into the ground. “Thank you all so much for helping,” Maisey told the men.
“Thank you for asking us. We knowed the Pucketts. They was good folk, and she deserves to be out here with them,” one of the men said quietly. Maisey and Aaron watched as they climbed back into the van, then they each picked up a shovel and started shoveling.
It took them a couple of hours, but they got the dirt back into the grave, including the mound on top, and they were done. “There. All finished,” Aaron said and wiped his hands on his jeans.
“Thanks for helping, babe,” Maisey said, then picked up the flowers she’d brought with her and placed them on the grave. “The monument company said they’d bring out the stone in a couple of days and that’ll be that.”
Aaron stopped and smiled at his wife. “You’re an extraordinary woman, Maisey. Not many people would’ve gone to these lengths to make sure she was laid to rest out here with her family.”
“It was the least I could do. Now she’s back with her family.” Her phone rang, and she slipped it from her pocket and looked at it. “Vet.” As soon as she hit ACCEPT , she chirped, “Hello!”
“Hi, Mrs. Friedman?”
“Yes?”
“This is Dr.Jernigan’s office. The dog is doing great. Got fluids into him and he’s really perked up. The doctor says he thinks the dog is about four years old, but it’s impossible to tell. Anyway, he’s almost ready to be released, so where is he going from here? Shelter? Rescue?”
Maisey cut her eyes toward Aaron. She knew he understood her unspoken question. Just as she was about to come right out and ask, he nodded. “He’s coming home with us. We’ll come this afternoon and pick him up.”
“Great! He’s a really sweet guy. Everybody here loves him. See you this afternoon.”
“Yes, and thank you.” Maisey shot Aaron a shy smile. “Thanks.”
“You have a bond with that dog. You and that dog are the only ones who could see his mistresses, and that means something.” Aaron stepped toward her, then held out his hand. “Come on. Let’s go pick up our dog and go home.”
“I have some clothes I kept. You’re welcome to them if you want them,” Carly said with a smile.
“No. I promised Aaron that I’d never, never wear anything that wasn’t brand new again. But thanks. Oh! I’ve gotta get going! We’re finding out the sex this afternoon!”
“Ooooo, how exciting!” Cherilyn called out. “Let us know!”
“We’ll have a party. Nothing over the top. See you guys later.” Maisey headed for the door and straight to the car. Aaron was meeting her at the doctor’s office, and she couldn’t be late.
As soon as she was on the table and the ultrasound technician came in, she smiled at the tech. “It’s a boy.”
“Oh, has somebody already done this for you?” she asked.
“No. I just know.”
The lady laughed. “I get that all the time! Let’s just see.” The wand was cold, and Maisey sucked in a breath. “There it is. Healthy little bugger. Looks like about four and a half months.”
“And?” Aaron asked, gripping Maisey’s hand tightly.
“See that right there? That’s an outie, not an innie. You’re right, Mrs.Friedman. You’ve got a little boy here!”
“I told you! I told you it was a boy!”
“What made you so sure?” the tech asked.
“A couple of ghosts told me it would be a boy.” She heard Aaron chuckling beside her.
The tech gawked at her. “A… couple of… ghosts told you?”
“Yep. Sure did.”
She watched the tech glance at Aaron. “Hey, she’s not lying. They really did.”
“Okay. Well, I’ve never had anybody say that to me before, but okay. You sure knew, so I’ll give you that! You can wipe off and get dressed. You two have a nice afternoon, and congratulations,” she told them as she stepped out of the room.
Maisey grinned at Aaron. “Happy?”
“I’m in a room with the most beautiful woman in the world, looking at my little son on a screen. The only way I could be happier would be if I was holding him in my arms.”
“Agreed. And now I want a milkshake.”
“We’ll get one. What do you think Murielle will say when we tell her it’s a boy?”
“I think she’ll say to make it stay in there until it changes its mind and comes out a girl,” Maisey said, laughing.
“I’m pretty sure you’re right.”
Damn, it was cold out! Maisey curled up into the corner of the sofa, little Joseph in her arms and sucking away at her left nipple. “We’re gonna have to move you to the other one. You’re wrecking that one,” she mumbled as she gazed down at the perfect baby.
“Can we watch The Blueberry Brigade?” Murielle whined.
“Sure. I don’t care. Where’s your dad?”
“Getting out of the shower.” The words were no more out of Murielle’s mouth than Aaron walked into the room in his fleece lounge pants and a long-sleeved tee. “See? There he is.”
He grinned at her as he sat down. “Hey, babe. Is he asleep?”
“No. Wanna hold him?”
“Sure!” Maisey handed the baby off to Aaron, then buttoned the front of her gown and stood. “Time to feed Bruno.” At the sound of his name, the big dog stood and headed straight for Maisey. He’d gone from skin and bones to a healthy, sleek fifty pounds of muscle, and he’d become a great family dog. She loved having him there, especially when Aaron was out working.
After she’d fed him, Maisey sat back down on the sofa and looked around. Murielle was watching the TV show and singing along with the songs. Aaron was playing with the baby, who smiled occasionally, even though Maisey was sure it was just gas. And the big dog was curled up on the rug next to Murielle, waiting for her to pat him occasionally. She never disappointed him.
Her family. Her world. Maisey thought about the coat, the boots, and the hat. A few more boxes had shown up on their porch, but she’d had Aaron take them straight back to the sheriff’s department so their owners could pick them up. No more of that stuff for Maisey. She’d leave sleuthing to the professionals. Everything she’d ever looked for in her life was right there in that room. There was nothing more she could ask for.
But maybe someday she’d have one more adventure. Her brain chuckled at the thought. There was a new consignment store on the other side of town, and that sure was a cute sweater they had in the window…