Echoes Through the Mist: A Paranormal Mystery (The Echoes Quartet Book 1) (30 page)

Jimmy Grogan was waiting in the police station. “This came for you,” Jimmy said as he handed Julian a thick package in brown paper. He set the package on his desk and cut the string holding it together. Inside there were several copies of the Irish Times.

On the front page in bold type were the words Julian knew would be there, IRELAND INVADED BY ROMANS SAYS TRINITY PROFESSOR. Julian passed a copy on to Jimmy and the two sat in the rocking chairs and began to read the detailed account.

“Professor Reginald Bragonier,” said the Irish Times, “while visiting a friend in the Irish countryside, happened upon a historical site that may overturn previous thinking about the history of Ireland.”

Julian read the lead story and the various sidebars and associated articles, then reread them. Jimmy Grogan looked shell-shocked after his first reading.

“Is this true?” the young man asked.

“Well, according to the professor, yes and no. There were Romans here, but I believe the newspaper has taken some license by using the word invasion. Still it makes good copy and sells lots of newspapers.”

“But, Romans in Ireland? Bloody hell. Although Oi shouldn’t be surprised. Every other sodding country has been here at one time or another.”

Julian nodded and both men looked into the cold fireplace and brooded.

“Stay sharp, Jimmy. Things are going to start happening.”

“What things, Mr. Julian?”

“I wish I knew. I wish I knew,” Julian said as he looked more deeply into the empty blackness of the fireplace and thought about a future he could not possibly know.

***

A tall, thin, pale man seethed as he reread the Irish Times article detailing the discovery made by Professor Bragonier. No real mention of the monetary value of the treasure was given other than to say it was enormous.

The Pale Man knew the professor had found nothing. “That American initiated all of this,” he said to no one at all.

He saw his plans in total disarray. His helpers were all in jail, the treasure he had sought for so long had been found by another, there was no hope of recovering any of his losses.

Faced with the futility of the endeavors that had taken up so much of his life, revenge suggested itself as a worthy alternative. To his mind, there was nothing left, but revenge. Killing Julian Blessing would satisfy that nicely he thought.

***

Ailís, Timothy and Julian went to the holy well near the crossroads. It was a pleasant afternoon and a trip to the well and back provided a long but easy walk. For Ailís it was a chance to get out of her office. For Julian it was the prospect of spending time with a woman he adored. For Timothy it provided the opportunity to go for a walk with the two people he loved most.

Although it was mid afternoon when they started out, Ireland’s perennial late winter had settled over the landscape softening the edges of everything and putting a chill in the air.

“Tell me about the holy wells,” Julian said.

Ailís began. “Well, as is so often the case in Ireland, there are two schools of thought and, of course, those schools are polar opposites.

“One school contends the holy wells were pagan in origin and were co-opted by the Church as a way to more quickly and easily spread Christianity,” Ailís said.

“Sounds reasonable and it isn’t like the Church hasn’t done that before,” Julian interjected. “What is the other school?”

“That one believes the holy wells were nothing of the sort. They were Christian from the start and had no trace of paganism about them. They sprouted because there weren’t always churches nearby and the wells gave the people a place to come and pray and to join together at special times,” Ailís finished.

“Timothy,” Julian said. “What does Sister Eugenia say about the wells?”

The boy thought for awhile and then said, “Sister Eugenia doesn’t say much about ’em a’tall, Mr. Julian. There are times when she says they are Christian places. Other times she says they are much older. Still, at other times she says they are places where little people and fairies meet.”

“What do you think, Timothy?” Julian asked.

Again the boy thought before speaking. Julian liked that about Timothy. “Well, Mr. Julian, Holy wells is...”

“Holy wells, are,” his mother corrected.

“Holy wells are special places; places for prayer and protection. The why of it really doesn’t matter. That they’re here is enough, I guess.”

Julian smiled his pleasure and said, “You are a bright lad, Timothy. It is that kind of thinking that will take you far.”

Timothy beamed in the spotlight and Ailís put her arm around her son.

Julian decided to pursue the discussion. “So we agree, Timothy, that the holy wells and other holy places can protect a person from harm?”

“Yes, that can happen,” the boy said.

“You say ‘can happen’ as though it doesn’t always happen,” Julian responded.

“That’s right, they don’t always protect.”

“So what makes the difference between who is protected and when?”

The boy stuffed his hands deep into his pockets, looked at the ground as he walked and thought hard. At last, the answer that came was as simple as it was profound. “Faith.”

“Faith in the well or faith in God?” Julian asked.

“Either really. If you believe in the well it is because you believe God has made it special.”

“What if you don’t believe in God?”

With his forehead lined deeply, Timothy tried to imagine a world without a belief in God.

“Well,” Timothy began, “everyone believes in something and everyone believes that something can keep them safe.”

Julian said, “Timothy, you are the smartest young man I’ve ever met. To what do you credit your brilliance?”

“Oi…”

“I not Oi,” his mother corrected.

“I would have to say it’s because of me Ma,” the boy answered without a moment’s hesitation and Julian’s laughter was unrestrained.

He rested his hand on Timothy’s shoulder, but Timothy shrugged it off. He was walking between Ailís and Julian, but stopped and turned to face them. The young boy placed his mother’s hand in Julian’s and then looked at the two adults.

“Everyone knows, you know,” he said as he grinned and with the joyfulness only found in childhood, Timothy darted up the road to explore the path ahead.

Ailís and Julian looked sheepish, but neither would let go of the other’s hand. After a few minutes of walking in silence, Julian dropped Ailís’s hand and snaked his arm around her shoulder drawing her near. In turn, she ran her arm around his waist, rested her head on his shoulder and smiled.

What started off as a brisk walk in the country had slowed to an intimate amble with neither Julian nor Ailís having a need to talk, but each with a deep need for the other’s company.

Ailís said, “You really are quite good with him. Thank you.”

“He makes it easy. He really is a remarkable boy and you have done a wonderful job of raising him.”

This close to Julian she felt no need to comment. She smiled in his embrace and knew he was right; she had raised a wonderful son somehow.

Julian stopped in the road and Ailís looked at him. Something fundamental was amiss and he could feel it. The presence was dark and oppressive. It was the strongest impression he had ever experienced. The world suddenly wasn’t as it had been a moment ago.

All of Julian’s senses reached a state of alert simultaneously. The road ahead was clear. Around the next corner, they would come within sight of the holy well. For now the road was straight, trees lined it on both sides with thick beds of dark leafed bracken laying down a carpet of green. Julian held his hand out in front of him. He nearly recoiled at the touch. He could feel it like a wall in front of him. This was malice, hatred and rage. This was evil.

It had arrived. The moment had come and Julian’s waiting was, for better or worse, over.

“Ailís?” Julian said softly.

“Yes.”

“Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” she answered.

“I need to know you will trust me no matter what,” Julian said.

“What is this about? You are making me uncomfortable,” Ailís said.

“I need to know you trust me.”

“Yes, I do trust you, Julian,” she said.

The mood was broken. The moment was lost between them. Ailís unwound herself from him, but reached down and took his hand. They walked on together in silence.

She could feel his tenseness. Although he would not transmit it to the hand that held hers, the muscles of his arms and shoulders flexed and she felt something like an electrical charge building on his skin.

They turned the corner and there, ahead of them, was the holy well. Standing in front of it was a tall, thin, pale man. His left arm was wrapped tightly around Timothy Dwyer. The Pale Man’s right hand was clutching a very short and very lethal double-barreled shotgun.

Ailís cried out and tried to rush ahead, but Julian pulled her back. “If there was ever a time to trust me,” he said, “this is it.”

She looked into his light gray eyes, drew a deep breath, nodded her assent once, and said, “I trust you. I don’t know what this is about, but, Julian, you can’t afford to get it wrong.”

He closed his eyes, exhaled and sent his thought out to her,
“I would give up my life before I would allow anything to happen to Timothy or you. Know that. Please, do not move. Please, don’t speak. Know only that I love you. Keep to that and we’ll be fine.”

Ailís mouthed the words, “I love you,” and he could see the pleading in her eyes.

“Come now, you’ll need to come a lot closer than that,” the Pale Man shouted.

Julian left Ailís, came to within two-dozen yards of the Pale Man, and stopped.

“This is all you get. What is it you want?” Julian said quietly.

“I suppose that is close enough, although I don’t know how we are ever going to become the sort of friends we might at this distance,” the Pale Man said.

“The question hasn’t changed. What do you want?” Julian asked again mildly.

“Want? Oh, it’s nothing really. I want to kill you and I’m going to do it. I’ve not determined if that is a want or a need though.”

“Well then, why don’t you turn the boy loose and you can satisfy all your appetites?”

“Do you know who I am?”

“No, and strangely I don’t really care. It will suffice that you are the man who wants me dead and seems to have the means to make it happen. Oh, I do suppose you are the employer of those gentlemen who were delivered to the Garda.” Julian could feel the man’s hatred.

“True, but perhaps a better question is, do you know who you are.”

“It comes and goes. Sometimes I do and sometimes it is all a bit fuzzy,” Julian said.

The Pale Man stretched his thin colorless lips back over his teeth into something approximating a smile and said, “To me you have been a constant irritant. You have gotten in the way of my preparations and in the end you stole from me that for which I have been searching for a very long time.”

“I am terribly sorry. What is it I stole from you exactly?” Julian asked. His opponent was becoming darker by the moment and Julian watched and waited.

“You are a funny man or rather, were a funny man. You stole my Roman coins.”

“Hmmmm. In the first place, I don’t believe the coins were yours and in the second place, a professor from Trinity found them. It was in all the papers. Quite thrilling really,” Julian said and smiled.

“There you go being funny again. That old fool didn’t find anything. You found them and turned the find over to him.” The Pale Man’s malice threatened to engulf Julian.

“Let the boy go and he and the doctor can go back to the village. That will give you more than enough time to do what you need to do and still escape.” Julian took a step forward and the Pale Man brought the shotgun up to Timothy’s head. Julian heard Ailís gasp.

“What seems to be the trouble?” Again, Julian’s tone was mild. It was everything he didn’t feel. “These two aren’t important to you. I’m the one you want. Let them go and we’ll settle what needs settling, eh?” Julian said.

It was there, a flaw, a momentary shudder. The man he faced had power made more potent by his anger, but there was a flaw and Julian could sense it.

“That’s rather the point, don’t you see?” the Pale Man said. “You are right. They aren’t important to me in the slightest. No, these two mean nothing to me, but to you they are the most important things in your life.

“You see, Blessing, I know you. I know who you are and who you are trying to become. You are quite good, but not nearly good enough. I can feel it in you. I can feel your anxiety. Attachments are a weakness. I gave up attachments to people and places long ago to pursue my path. You are unable to do that and that makes you weak.

“I have studied as you have,” the Pale Man said. “However I didn’t have a harridan in the village helping me, but then I didn’t need her to give me her help. I took what I wanted and left you with the rest. I’ll destroy you Blessing, and I’ll do it in the most painful way possible. I’ve already started.

“Look at the good doctor. She is nearly paralyzed with fear. I am feeding that fear of course. She knows her son will die and you will be to blame. She will suffer torments beyond counting and she will hate you with a fierceness you cannot begin to imagine.

“I could destroy you with a thought, but why bother? I can use their thoughts to crush you. I know, why don’t I kill the doctor and let her son watch. Perhaps his hatred of you for causing that would be greater than hers.

“You took from me that which I valued. Why shouldn’t I return the favor?” the Pale Man said.

Timothy squirmed and Julian dug his fingernails deeply into his palm. He relaxed and quieted Timothy’s thoughts.

He saw the boy’s eyes go wide.
“Timothy, remember what you said? Everyone believes in something that can keep them safe. I want you to believe in the love your mother has for you, that I have for you. The hate this man has inside of him is nothing but a lie. It’s love that is the truth. Do you understand?

Timothy nodded his head once, his eyes filled with barely contained terror.

Julian redirected his thought and continued,
“Ailís, do you trust me?”

He felt her nod her head and heard her whisper, “Yes.”

Julian saw the shotgun in all its terrible efficiency. The man before him had both hammers cocked and his finger caressing the triggers. There would be no easy way to disarm the man. He was protecting his thoughts and countered Julian’s every move.

The Pale Man said, “Don’t do it, my soon-to-be late friend. That old woman may have taught you a few parlor tricks and you may have a few paltry talents of your own, but none of it will be enough to stop me.”

“There it is again,” Julian thought to himself. He felt it, he almost knew this man’s flaw. Julian took a deep breath and began to close his eyes completely when suddenly he felt something else. A powerful force gathering potency as it grew. He could feel them all. Coming.

His eyes snapped open at the sound of a noise coming from his left. From out of the forest appeared Father Fahey. “Sure, you don’t want to be doing this thing, laddie,” he said.

“Oi wouldn’t do it, boyo. If you do, you had better aim for me and pray to your God that you kill me,” said Sean Maher as he emerged from the trees behind the Pale Man. “If you don’t or if you hurt me friends, Oi’ll make you beg for death.”

Julian glanced to his right and saw the Squire and Moira Hagan step in line with Ailís. In a low even voice the Squire said, “Put the gun down now, son. There is no sense making it worse now is there?”

Moira added quickly, “Daniel, there is nothing you’ve done that is so bad your father and I can’t help you make it right.”

The Pale Man snorted. “Why, if it isn’t me Ma and Da. Come to take me home have you? If it were under different circumstances, I would empty both barrels into the both of you. And there you stand together for the first time in almost forty years. Odd, don’t you think, that it takes something like this to... it makes no difference. You two are no longer relevant.”

“And what is relevant, Daniel?” asked Father Fahey. “Surely it isn’t to be found in the ending of human life in this place.”

“Save your breath, Priest. As you know, my father the Squire, stuck me away to be educated by the Christian Brothers. Taking life is a sin. I know that because the beefy, professed brothers used their broad belts to beat it into me. I had all your rules beaten into me.”

There it was. Julian had it. He could feel it. Now it was a matter of timing.

“Nothing from you, Maher? No, you are a man of action. You’ll not be wasting time on a lot of words.”

More rustling came from the trees and the bracken. Sisters Eugenia and Gertrude entered the clearing followed by Edmond Brady.

The pub owners Mike O'Gavagan and Francis Mulherin entered the circle together along with Flynn of the general store. The Hackett sisters and Gwyneth Kirby were not far behind and approaching from Julian’s right was the Mayor Cahill, with Jimmy Grogan.

Brendan Maher walked from the trees and stood between his father and Gwyneth Kirby.

Julian was surrounded by most of the village, his village, and his friends. The surge of power he felt was profound and profoundly humbling.

Daniel Lanigan, son of Squire Padric Francis Lanigan and Moira (née Hagan) Lanigan stood tall and gaunt. He wore a sneer on his face as he looked down on the villagers.

“Mr. Lanigan, now is the time to let the boy go and to come along with me. All your men have already given you up. We know all about the operation. I did not learn your name because you were careful to keep it from your little band and protected your thoughts from me. Still, I have a few academic questions. Let’s go have a chat shall we?” Julian said reasonably.

Julian was drawing strength from the combined force of the villagers. Channeling the unstinting goodness of his friends caused his skin to bristle with electricity and his hands shook with the effort to control the power. It gave him the ability to lay down a curtain of protection around everyone but Timothy and Daniel Lanigan and himself.

“Not quite all my men I shouldn’t think,” Lanigan said.

“Oh you mean Liam McMaster. I wouldn’t soil my jail with him. I can lay hands on that fool whenever I like. If the others sang, you can bet McMaster will give us an opera.”

“Do you realize there is nothing that any of you ever did or said that McMaster didn’t report back to me? He was my mole, but in retrospect, I could have chosen better. In any case I don’t think it is going to work the way you have it planned,” said Daniel Lanigan.

“You see I’m going to kill you, Blessing. The rest of you are going to clear a path while my little friend Timothy and I take our leave. I’ll set him free in a few miles and then I will be on my way. As long as no one does anything stupid, I don’t see why this can’t end well, do you? Well, it won’t end well for you,” the Pale Man said indicating Julian.

“I can see a lot of reasons why this isn’t going to end well,” Julian said as he closed his eyes and took a deep, slow breath. He was within moments of obliterating this man’s mind when Moira’s supplication came to him.

It was weak, strangled by fear and tears,
“Don’t hurt my boy. Please don’t hurt him.”
It was the pleading voice of a mother in the depths of terror and despair. Julian, let out the breath, nodded and selected another path.

“Mr. Lanigan, let the boy go,” Julian said slowly as he advanced several steps. Ailís began to move forward. Julian sensed Moira reaching out and stopping the doctor. He sent a single thought into Ailís’s consciousness. It was filled with all the tenderness he had inside him,
“Trust that I love you.”
She looked dazed, and stayed where she was breathing with sharp gasps.

Julian advanced another few steps. “Let the boy go. It’s me you want,” Julian said. He could feel the man’s hatred and bitterness beginning to overflow. Lanigan focused all of his anger and resentment, his frustration and his unrestrained rage on Julian.

Julian could feel it. The power was enormous but erratic, and Lanigan lacked the control to sustain an attack. When the man struck it would be short and sharp and deadly. Julian knew it would have to come soon. Lanigan’s thoughts were starting to waver, become diffused and to weaken.

Daniel Lanigan barked, “You and I are two of a kind you know. I don’t need this shotgun to destroy you or the boy or any and all of this rabble and you and my dear ol’ mum know it.

“I like the shotgun though. It is the tangible representation of sudden death and this village needs to be reminded that life is brief, yes, painful.”

The man’s lack of control worried Julian. It made his opponent unpredictable and therefore ultimately dangerous. Julian’s field of vision narrowed. He saw the world in stark relief. The edges and corners were smooth. He pierced the darkness surrounding Daniel Lanigan and what he saw was fear and something more. He saw shame.

Julian took a breath and let it out slowly. Moira watched as his shoulders relaxed and he began to move his hands away from his sides imperceptibly. She dare not ask him, beg him again to spare her son or she might lose them both.

Sean Maher tensed as he watched his friend and shuddered. Julian’s stance was easy, his manner pleasant and relaxed. His face wore a gentle smile. But the intensity of his gaze spoke of raw power and a horrifying determination.

Sean had faced many men in his life. They had been big men, strong, tough men. They had been men of experience who were calculating and cunning. Against these men he had won often, lost occasionally, but was never afraid. He looked at his friend, a gentle, kind and giving man who was admired and respected. Sean Maher looked at Julian Blessing and was terrified.

Ailís Dwyer watched helplessly. A man she loved and the child she adored were entangled with an evil she never imagined existing. The air around the glen bristled with electricity. Then she felt his words again,
“Trust and know I love you.”

Julian knew the odds and with all that was riding on his actions, he could not afford to roll the dice. He couldn’t step outside of time, release Timothy and still manage to neutralize his opponent. The man would see it coming well in advance. Julian needed to force Lanigan deeper into the mist. He needed his opponent’s reality to be obscured, diverted. He needed Lanigan grounded solidly in the inky darkness of the man’s desolate reality.

“I’m the one who stole your dreams,” Julian barked suddenly. “I am the one who ruined your life. I found the treasure you searched for, for so long. It wasn’t hard really. Only a fool would have missed it. It was so simple to find that I gave it away. I gave away what you would have sold for a fortune, what you sold your soul to possess. I’m the one you want.

“Lift the shotgun and feel the release by squeezing the triggers. Do it. Do it now! True, you can kill me without it, but you need to feel it. After all, it is probably the only thing you can still feel.