Echoes Through the Mist: A Paranormal Mystery (The Echoes Quartet Book 1) (25 page)

The farmer tried to stand, staggered, fell and tried again. He waited a moment and tried again and this time succeeded. The urine that stained his crotch and ran down his pant leg had started to cool and shame burned the soul of Liam McMaster. After fumbling with the doorknob, he managed to get it to turn. He lurched out of the study and with a stumbling run made it out the front door, down the steps of the manor house and into his work truck.

The Pale Man followed McMaster to the front door and waved as the farmer’s truck passed down the gravel drive. The pale man, with cold, dead eyes, smiled his thin mirthless smile and squeezed the second trigger. The hammer fell. There was no explosion. There was no shell in that chamber either. “I think I’ll kill him next time,” the Pale Man said and laughed.

Later that afternoon, Ailís Dwyer woke in a state of drowsy contentment sheltered under Julian’s arm. She could feel his heart beat. All of her senses were dreamily alive.

Her thoughts drifted to the tenderness he had shown and his maddening control. She smiled as she thought of the slowness he employed to undress her. She recalled the near insanity she experienced at being the focus of his endless succession of building then slowing down to let her senses settle only to stoke the fire again.

She smiled as she thought of how each agonizing cycle made her more aware than before, more alive. She remembered the events as a montage of pleading and bargaining. When she could take not another instant of it, he had fanned the fire until the world inside her exploded.

She floated on waves of that pure emotion until she felt the touch of his lips and he would begin again. “It was just as I wanted it. Like he could read my mind,” she said to herself and her eyes narrowed slightly. The thought passed quickly when she felt him draw a deep breathe.

She whispered to herself, “I felt his need. I saw that hunger so clearly. He wanted me, but until he felt sure I was content, he wouldn’t let himself go. But when he did, Jesus, I thought I would burn up with the pleasure of it.” Her mouth had gone dry. She shivered with the memory and pulled herself closer to him, draping her leg over his, feeling his warmth.

***

He felt her stir beside him. Julian drew a full slow breath as he examined his thoughts. “It couldn’t have happened. I have never felt so centered, so focused. I was addicted to the idea of feeling her pleasure. My God, I thought I would die when I felt her release. Each time she drew me closer and closer to her.”

He smiled and thought, “I wanted it all. Every sensation, every emotion, the sight of her face, the way she felt, the way she tasted and smelled – I needed all of it.”

In lazy contentment, thoughts rolled through his mind. “I wanted it all and she gave it all to me. Her touch made me insane and…”

“You’re awake,” she mumbled and tucked herself closer still.

“Yes,” he said in a soft voice touched with desire, devotion and gratitude. His fingers traced lazy circles on her back and over her bare shoulder.

“I don’t want to, but I need to go,” Ailís said. “Moira has Timothy and God alone knows what she’s putting into his head.”

“I understand, but before you go I want to ask you something.”

“Yes.”

“I have to go to Dublin for a few days. There’s some business I need to conduct, but I won’t be tied up with that full time. Come with me, won’t you? There are people there I want you to meet.”

“Oh, God how I wish it were possible. Finding someone to take care of the practice could take up to three weeks,” Ailís said.

“If you can’t go, please let me bring something back for your clinic?” Julian asked.

“As a matter of fact I can draw up a list of medical supplies tonight and have it ready for you with directions on where to go to find what. It isn’t that much. I can’t imagine it would take more than a few hours or so, but it would keep you busy and away from those wicked Dublin girls.” She smiled, looked up and kissed his lips.

She continued, “They are evil by nature and will give you a disease,” she said.

“You’re from Dublin aren’t you? I thought I remember you saying something like that.”

“Well, if you are going to be cheeky, indeed I am, but I had to leave when it was discovered exactly how pure I really am.”

“Pardon me? Pure? You call it pure to break into a man’s home and take advantage of him?” Julian asked in mock horror.

“I am afraid you have that the wrong way around. It is you who stole my virtue. You really are a brute you know,” Ailís answered.

At that, he laid his free hand along her cheek. He leaned down and kissed her once, twice, three times on the lips with each kiss growing in intensity. Then he drew back and teased her lips with his. She pushed him away and sat up.

“Just like the brute you are! There you are trying to steal my virtue again. Well, there’ll be none of that Mr. Julian Blessing if you please.”

Julian looked at her with hooded, mischievous eyes, smiled a wicked smile and said, “Just stay for a few more minutes. I have something to show you.”

“Yes, I’m sure you do! You heard me. There will be no more of that – today.”

“But honestly, I have a condition and I need your professional opinion. I think its life threatening,” he cajoled.

“But you fired me as your doctor, remember?” She swooped in, kissed him quickly than picked up her clothes and ran to the bathroom.

As she turned on the hot water, she heard him say, “Okay, but I’ll have to find a doctor in Dublin – preferably one without a disease,” and she laughed.

Ailís showered, dressed and looked at herself in the mirror. She considered using his brush to smooth her hair, but today she wasn’t concerned with perfect grooming. Instead, she ran her fingers through her hair. She thought the result gave her a reckless look and she liked it. She stepped back into the station to find Julian dressed in his sweat pants sitting by the turf fire.

“You need sleep. Go back to bed. I’ll bet you’ll sleep through the night,” Ailís said.

He said nothing, but took hold of her hand and held it to his lips. He nodded his head. She looked down at him and found tears glistening in his eyes. She knelt beside him and asked, “What’s the matter?”

He shook his head and said, “Thank you.” He kissed her hand again and continued with a smile, “I am very glad I fired you.”

“Not a moment too soon either,” she answered, “but I’ll bet you’ve not recanted those impure thoughts of yours.”

Freely, easily, comfortably they both laughed.

***

Ailís walked with a slow easy step up the central road of Cappel Vale. The lightness of her gait matched her mood. She had to work hard to keep from grinning, instead she selected a self satisfied smile. She greeted residents on the street and engaged in relaxed conversations punctuated with easy laughter. She felt sure they all knew what she and Julian had been up to and she didn’t care in the slightest.

Around Flynn’s General Store, Ailís fell into step with the village priest and put her arm through his.

“Ach, Doctor,” Father Fahey said, “You’re looking especially, what is the word I should use? Spirited? You have that look of devilment about you though. Oi don’t think you are up to any good at a’tall.”

“Father! How could you think such a thing! I’m just delighted to have my Timothy back safe and sound. There’s no devilment in that now is there?” she laughed and beamed a glowing smile on the priest.

Father Fahey narrowed his eyes and looked over his glasses at the young doctor. “Ach, now Oi know it! There is deviltry afoot. Confess now, girl. It will lighten your soul and keep you in good standing with the Church.”

“Is being happy now a sin, Father? Expressing joy is somehow wrong? Tell me Father, what is it I should confess and I’ll do it if only to make you happy. I am very interested in making others happy today,” she said and her grin was mischievousness itself.

“Oi have no idea what you’ve been up to, but up to it you have been. Faith, Oi’ll find out. Now, tell me where are you bound?”

“I am going to Moira Hagan’s house to pick up Timothy.”

The priest looked wounded then outraged. “You’ve left poor Timothy in the clutches of that, that, creature! Have you lost your mind? What have you been doing that you needed to take such an action? You could always leave the boy with the good Sisters or with any living soul in the village – but the Hagan! You must be mad. Surely, it has only been a few moments. Yes, that must be it. An emergency came up and you had to leave the boy for only a little while.”

“I suppose I could give your mind some rest, Father, but I am prohibited from telling a lie to you. In fact, it has been hours and hours – and hours. Timothy has been with Mrs. Hagan from early this morning until – well he is still with her. So, if you wouldn’t mind I’ll go collect my child. Would you like to come along?”

“Ach! Oi’ll have nothing to do with that nasty ol’ woman. It is evil she is up to Oi’m sure and our good Lord alone knows what horrors she has exposed your poor son to. Have him come see me tomorrow and Oi’ll see if Oi can set him right again.”

“I’ll do nothing of the sort. You seem to believe Moira would do something to harm Timothy. I tell you nothing could be further from the truth. I shall instruct him that under no circumstances is he to discuss his activities with your good self.”

Father Fahey began to sputter. “Keep a civil tongue in your head, woman!”

“Is it ‘woman’ you just said to me? If it is civil you want, Father, then it is civilly I’ll be sayin’ good day to you, even though there isn’t much of the day left.” Her smile turned to a laugh that echoed off the homes and shops of Cappel Vale.

***

Ailís Dwyer strode up the lane a little further, turned in at Moira Hagan’s gate and took the crooked path to the front door. The door opened before she knocked and the Hagan stepped onto the threshold. She looked down the lane at an incensed Father Fahey who was still sputtering. She tilted her head and looked down her long straight nose at the priest. The old man raised his fist and shook it at her in impotent frustration. He then turned on his heel and marched off muttering oaths.

Moira snorted, stepped back and allowed Ailís to enter.

“Come into the light,” the older woman said. “I can guess what that priest said and he is right, he just doesn’t know why, you evil girl.”

Ailís blushed and grinned. “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about. Father Fahey and I were discussing the state of your soul if you must know.”

“Liar. He was tellin’ you to confess your sins because he suspected you were up to some wickedness. Too bad, he just didn’t know how wicked, eh?”

“’Tisn’t a thing in what you say. Where is Timothy and what have you been doing with him all day? I do appreciate your help, but it is time I took him home.”

“After supper you can take him home,” the Hagan said. “He has put a lot of thought into the meal in order to get on his mother’s good side again. I gave the boy a hot breakfast and put him down for a nap this morning after you left,” Moira said and arched an eyebrow. “Later we read some stories to each other. After that, we planned our supper. He is out in the kitchen garden collecting the vegetables. We’ve had a rather full day – as I’m sure you have as well my saucy girl.”

Ailís smiled, but said nothing as Timothy ran into the house with his arms full of ingredients and eyes wide with excitement.

***

True to Ailís’s prediction, Julian slept through the night. He got up early, packed the few things he would need and was ready to set off. He didn’t make it through the door of the station before Jimmy Grogan rushed in.

“Pardon, Mr. Julian. Oi’ve been after following McMaster as you instructed. Oi know the dirty little quisling is after reporting your every move, but Oi don’t know who he is telling – yet. Another day should do it though. I feel I’m very near to finding the nest of vipers.”

“Jimmy, let’s leave off for now. I know you are close, but let’s leave well enough alone for the time being. I have a feeling, nothing more, just a feeling we needn’t look for them, they’ll now come to us.”

“To us or for us, Mr. Julian?” Jimmy asked.

“Either way it doesn’t matter. Thanks to you we know a great deal about the comings and goings of McMaster and you’re right, he is selling us out. I want you to stick close to the village and be available should Sean Maher need you. Go about your business, but take care and keep an eye out for trouble.”

“What trouble, sor?” Jimmy squinted and asked.

“I don’t know exactly. Just stay alert for anything out of the ordinary. There is something else you can do for me.”

After Julian concluded his conference with Jimmy, his first stop was Ailís’s surgery. He picked up the list of things she needed from Dublin along with a wish list of other things she wanted. They kissed inside her front door and with reluctance he was on his way.

His next stop was to visit Moira Hagan. His teacher offered him tea, but never asked him what business he might have in the capital city. They were courteous to each other, each knowing a secret about the other and neither having the slightest intention of sharing. They simply smiled and let their eyes communicate the mischief in their hearts.

A visit with Sean Maher was in order before Julian departed. He hadn’t seen his friend since he returned Brendan to his family.

“I’m off to Dublin.”

“This is sudden. And what would it be that brought about such a trip?” Sean asked.

“I have some business there and will be back very shortly – a few days at the most,” Julian answered to deflect further questions.

“Going alone, is it?” Sean asked and smiled roguishly.

“Yes, just me. As I say, it isn’t anything, just business. Why, who would I take?”

“Oh, Oi’m sure Oi wouldn’t know – ya rascal,” and Sean winked conspiratorially.

“I have no idea what you are on about.”

“Not to worry old son, y’ur secret’s safe with me. Mum’s the word, eh?”

“It is a little too early for you to be drinking, Sean, but I’m sure when you sober up you’ll feel much better.” Julian’s ears felt like they would burn to ash any moment, but he continued, “Sean, I want you to swear a holy oath.”

“The likes of you would know all about holy oaths with your new-found heathen ways I’d be supposin’?” the big man laughed.

“I know that once you make this oath you will not break it.”

Sean Maher looked caught out by Julian’s intensity. “Oi would need to know what this oath would be. T’would be a foolish thing otherwise,” he continued.

“It will not be easy, but you must swear it. You must swear you will not touch Liam McMaster no matter what.”

“Ach! You can’t make me swear such a thing for ’tis scores I have to settle with that creature and there can be no stopping it. Oi love you as a brother, but Oi’ll not swear such a thing.”

“Sean, I am asking as your friend and for the friendship you have for me, please grant me this request. I am begging you not to make me force this issue.”