Vision of Shadows (33 page)

Both Varick and the woman looked up as a man came running. Gracefully dodging police who tried to stop him, he ran past Varick and the woman. Falling to his knees, I watched as my much younger grandfather took the hand of his dead wife while placing his other hand over her heart. He closed his eyes, silent tears streaming down his cheeks, as he tried to will her back to life like he had done to Payne.

I watched in horror as Grandpa was flung backward. He convulsed in pain as Varick ran to his side.

“Gregory, you fool!” Varick said. “You cannot heal the dead. I’m so sorry, but she’s gone. They’re both gone.”

Stunned, Grandpa pushed away from Varick. “Get away from me! I can
. I have to.”

I watched as Grandpa struggled to get back to his dead wife. Unable to walk, he tried to crawl
, only to be held back by Varick. They fought. Varick tried to remind Grandpa that he had sons who needed him. If he died here, now, who would care for them?

As this played out, I could hear laughter. Who would laugh at this tragic scene? How could they?

Jay. His cruel face enjoying the sight of the misery he had created. As Grandpa and Varick struggled, Jay walked over to what must have been Varick’s wife. She was crying as she watched Grandpa and Varick fight. 

“I know how much you’re afraid of fire,” Jay said to her, even though she couldn’t hear him. “But we’ll wait until the time is right. You haven’t even had a chance to tell him you’re pregnant again, have you?”

I was back. The flash was gone and I was back. My uncle was calling my name, concerned that I had blanked out on him. Everyone was looking at me with concern, except for Payne who was still sleeping peacefully.

“Grandpa,” I said, taking his hand and hating what I was about to tell him
. “I need to tell you about Grandma.”

When we pulled up in front of my house, Varick leaned forward to kiss my cheek. “We shall handle this. I promise you
. You will be protected. Now, do you believe that you will be safe for the night?”

“Yeah, but…”

“Then you get some rest,” Varick said. “Tomorrow, we will deal with this…” An expression of revulsion crossed Varick’s face. “
Jay
.”

I climbed out
, followed by Uncle Mark, who turned to the car to make sure his father got out all right. When there was no movement, Uncle Mark stuck his head in. “Dad, you coming?”

“I’ll be in soon,” Grandpa said. “Go on in, son.”

“Dad,” Uncle Mark said. “Now isn’t the time to have it out with Mr. McKnight.”

“What am I? Twelve?” Grandpa growled. “I don’t need you telling me how to act. Varick and I just want a chance to catch up, is all. We need to discuss old man stuff.” Grandpa moved his arm back and forth. “I’m thinking it might rain tomorrow.”

Uncle Mark looked unconvinced but decided he just didn’t have the energy or the will to fight with his father anymore. He slammed the door shut and brought me into the house.

I didn’t get two feet
before Simon ran up to me and nearly tackled me in a hug. I could feel him shaking. I held on to him as Aunt Breanne came in and explained to Uncle Mark how the boys wouldn’t go to bed until they saw me and knew I was all right.

As I hugged Simon, I looked around for Zack.
Where was he? They told me he was fine. Grandpa had healed him the same way he healed Payne. So where was he?

“Zack’s upstairs,” Aunt Breanne said. “He waited up until he saw you come out of the car and then he ran upstairs. You should go see him.”

I nodded and looked down at Simon. He had stopped shaking, but he still looked frightened. “I kept thinking about Mom and I thought…” Simon stopped talking when his voice hitched. I pulled him back into a hug. 

“I’m sorry,” I said
. “But I’m okay. Everything’s going to be okay.”

“You better get up to Zack,” Simon said. “He’s just a kid
, and sometimes he can be such a baby.”

I gave Simon a kiss on the cheek, wishing Uncle Mark and Aunt Breanne would do a better job of hiding their grins.

I knocked on his door before entering. “Zack, can I come in?”

Zack was in bed. The lights were out, but I could tell he was still awake and avoiding looking at me. I flipped on the lights
, moved to the bed, and sat.

“You’re back,” Zack said.

“Yeah, I’m back,” I said. Slowly, I put my hand on his. He didn’t pull away, which I took as a good sign. “I never should have run. I was scared. Zack, do you understand what happened tonight before I left? Do you understand why I left?”

“Yeah, I got hurt,” Zack said
. “But it wasn’t my fault, I swear. I don’t remember even climbing up there. Grandpa believes me. He said someone made me do it and not know it.”

“I know,” I said. “It wasn’t your fault. But the person who did it, they did it because of me. They hurt you because of me.” Suddenly, despite my best effort to remain calm
, I couldn’t hold back the tears. 

“Zack, I love you,” I said
. “I couldn’t stand it if anything happened to you. I was so scared. And this person told me he wouldn’t leave you or Simon alone unless I ran, so I ran, and I’m sorry.”

Zack sat up and hugged me. “I thought you didn’t want us anymore.”

“Oh no, Zack. I love you. I really do. I ran because I love you. I know that sounds stupid but…”

“It
is
stupid,” Zack insisted. “You belong with us. We can protect you. I know I’m little, but I can protect you.”

All I could do was apologize again and again. After a
while, I think Zack forgave me. Now all I had to do was forgive myself. I tucked him in and started to leave. Before I got out the door, he called me back.

“Whoever this guy is that did this to you,” Zack said
. “I hope somebody kills him bad.”

I didn’t answer him. How do you tell an eight year old that the person in question is already dead?

Jay, Revealed

The next day we
drove over to McKnight Manor. Grandpa, who was being unusually quiet, had told us we were expected there after lunch. As such, it was just before one p.m. and we were all squished into Uncle Mark’s car.

Varick met us outside. It didn’t take long before Simon impressed him by knowing about all the art he had displayed. It seemed all of the pieces that had been destroyed had already been replaced. Zack impressed Varick because he was simply an adorable ball of energy. 

Hunter came trotting down the stairs. She said hello to everyone, and then with a glance from Varick she turned toward Zack and Simon. 

“Hey
, you two,” Hunter said. “You guys like to bowl?”

Zack looked excited. “Yeah, and I rock at it
. Are we going down to the Bowl-a-Rama?”

Hunter laughed. “No, I was thinking we’d use the
bowling alley in the basement. C’mon.”

“You know,” Simon said
. “We both know you’re just getting us out of the room so the adults can talk about something without us there.”

Hunter laughed as they all went through a door.

“Yeah,” Uncle Mark said. “But the boy went without much argument. And he hates to bowl.”

Just
then, Payne came down the stairs. 

“Bristol
,” he yelled. I wanted to say so much to him and had no idea where to start. When Payne reached me, he grabbed me and kissed me hard. Anything that might have been in my head was lost now. I could do this all day.

Uncle Mark had other ideas. He tapped Payne’s shoulder and used his thumb to tell him to back off.

“If you two are done,” Varick said. “We have business to discuss. I believe I have a solution for what to do with the person that Bristol refers to as Jay.”

That got everyone’s attention. At Varick’s suggestion, we all took seats in his living room. The room was about the size of the entire first floor of my house, filled not only with beautiful art and antique furniture
, but also tons of expensive and rare books that lined the walls.

Payne whispered in my ear that this was the
formal
living room. Was there a not-so-formal living room? And probably a den, and a great room, and who knows what else.

“Bristol
, dear,” Varick said. “I would like you to look through here. Tell me if you notice anyone in particular.”

I took what looked like an old family photo album from Varick. It was a large brown leather
-bound book, bursting at the seams. I placed it on the table and started to look through it. I saw pictures of members of the McKnight family. All blood relatives, no wives. 

“What are we doing here, Varick?” Grandpa asked. “I thought we had this thing settled?”

“We do,” Varick responded. “But I want to be absolutely sure before we take the next step. I want there to be no room for doubt. For everyone’s sake.” He glanced at me.

“And once there isn’t?” Grandpa asked.

Varick looked sad but resolute. “I have made all preparations. We shall finish it.”

That seemed to satisfy Grandpa.

I kept flipping pages. “Mr. McKnight, this is you, isn’t it?” I said as I held up the page. 

“Yes, from a long time ago,” Varick said. “A very long time.”

Varick McKnight was a very powerful and attractive man now, but back then, he was a cutie pie. I scanned the faces. Wow, he had a lot of brothers. Or maybe some of them were cousins. Each one looked like eye candy. There was a tall, very broad shouldered type, a pair of redheads that looked like twins. When I flipped the page, I felt like my heart was going to stop.

“That’s him,” I whispered
. “Jay.” I placed the book on the table. Payne grabbed it to look. 

“Where?” Payne asked. I pointed Jay out and Payne growl
ed. Okay, I admit it was pretty cool to see Payne react so protectively. It was shallow, but it still made me smile.

Varick put on a pair of glasses and leaned over the table to look for himself
. He nodded toward Grandpa and sat down. “I knew him very well I’m afraid. He always had a penchant toward violence.”

“That’s a real pretty way to put it,” Grandpa said. “He was a bully. Nothing more. But a slick one. Your grandmother fell for him for a spell, but she saw through him in the end. It didn’t last between them more than a few weeks.”

“As I recall,” Varick said, “you were there to console and protect her rather quickly. When
Jay
got obsessive, it frightened poor Jeanette. You were able to play the hero.”

“Yeah, he made me look good,” Grandpa acknowledged. “Didn’t see you complain how good he made you look to Jacquelyn by standing up for her best friend to your older brother.”

“Brother?” I shot up. “Jay was your brother?”

“I’m afraid so,” Varick said with much regret. “Jay, as you call him, was always an unstable young man with some very unusual abilities. Abilities that many in my family thought would be a great asset. I believed then he was too dangerous. There were rumors, but back then people were more…
discreet
,” Varick said. “Still, people talked. He had gotten rough with a girl that rejected him. I’m afraid my brother never took rejection very well.
Jay
could be very charming, at first.”

“I know,” I said, which earned a lethal stare from Payne. “What? He
was
charming. He wanted me to run away with him.”

“What!”
Uncle Mark said. He stared at me like I had just told them I was the Queen of England.

“I know,” Payne added, shaking his head in frustration.

“Take a pill, both of you,” I told them. “It’s not like I went. I mean, it was sweet…”

“Sweet?” Payne said. “He tried to kill you.”

“Well.” I shrugged. “This was before. It was like up until you and I, he was a different guy. He just wanted to, you know…”

“Keep you to himself?” Uncle Mark said. “Sounds like classic abuser to me.”

“Thank you,” Payne said.

“You’re such a girl,” Grandpa remarked. “Some pretty boy flashes his baby blues and says something flattering
, and you think they’re deep and wonderful, and you flounce after them.”

“Hey,” I protested. “I didn’t flounce. I don’t flounce. I don’t even know how to flounce.”

“I think,” Uncle Mark interrupted, “that we’re getting a little off topic here. So, we’ve identified the ghost in question as being a McKnight and Varick’s brother. We all know there are members of both families that could become violent. The fact that he is a McKnight shouldn’t have any impact.” Uncle Mark aimed that last remark toward Grandpa.

“Maybe my son here,” Grandpa retorted, “would like to take a few moments
to join hands and sing Kumbaya.”

“Dad,” Uncle Mark warned.

“What?” Grandpa continued. “Can’t we all just get along?”

I snorted. It may have taken some time, but I think I was finally getting my grandfather’s sense of humor.

“The question is,” Uncle Mark continued. “How does this help stop him? We’re still talking about trying to kill a dead guy, aren’t we?”

Grandpa looked at Varick and sent him th
e same look that seemed to have been going back and forth between them since we got here. “You want to tell them, or should I?” Grandpa asked.

Varick stood. “Perhaps it would be better if I
showed them. Please follow me.”

We all got up to follow. My uncle had to help Grandpa stand. His limp had become far more pronounced since last night. I had to believe it was the cost for healing both Zack and Payne, things that I was eternally grateful for. Grandpa hadn’t complained once. 

Varick led us down a hall, one that I hadn’t seen on my first visit. We came to an elevator. I felt apprehensive about getting in, considering what happened the last time I was in a McKnight elevator, but I knew it was important, so I held my breath and got in.

“How are Toby and Blasé?” I asked, trying to keep my mind off the confined space. I had never been claustrophobic before. Amazing what nearly being killed in an elevator will do.

“Both are recovering, thank you,” Varick said.

The elevator door opened, so I popped
out quickly.

Varick took the lead and motioned us down the hall. We found a nurse standing outside a door. Varick asked us to wait for a moment as he talked with her. We watched as Varick went over
and exchange a few words, which made the nurse very weepy. The nurse nodded and left. 

Varick opened the door and signaled for us to all go in. We did so with me being the last one in. Inside
, we found a very old and fragile looking man in a hospital bed attached to tubes and monitors. The tube going down his throat was clearly breathing for him. Others were giving him fluids. I could see a resemblance between him and Varick, but the old man had none of the dignity or strength of presence. This man looked like he might be Varick’s grandfather. Why were we here? I felt like I was missing something that was right in front of my face.

“Everyone,” Varick said
. “This is my brother, Jasper. He has been like this since he was seventeen years old. It was a family decision to keep him alive. We always thought a recovery was possible. Now, I can tell you that’s never going to happen.”

“That’s one way of putting it,” Grandpa added.

“Dad,” Uncle Mark said.

“Your father is eager for his ounce of flesh,” Varick said
. “As am I. Allow me to get to the point. My brother Jasper never liked his name. He’d insist everyone call him Jay.”

“What?” I yelled. I looked at the wrinkly, old man
, lying in the bed, and shuddered. “Are you telling me that this is Jay? My Jay? But he was cute! He was adorable. He was…
young.”

Payne stepped forward, anger in his eyes. He was stopped short by my uncle. “Don’t
, son. I know you want to. I want to. But don’t.”

Payne just stared at the old man on the bed. “Ever since I realized he was behind this, I’ve been wishing he were alive so I could kill him.”

“Payne,” Varick said. “I doubt very much that he would feel anything you did to him right now.”

Payne sneered. “I’d like to try anyway.”

“I understand,” Varick said. “Jasper always had the ability to
project
himself. He could send himself out into the world without his body and see what others were doing. He always described it as being ghost-like. It would seem that was far more accurate than I ever expected.”

“So
Jay
,” I said, “has been alive and projecting himself into my life where only I could see him? And all this time he was here? Like this?
Ew!”

I stared at him with disgust. I had been attracted to him
, and he spent the night with me in my room. I knew that nothing happened, but still. I let myself be comforted by a man who made Grandpa look young and hip. 

“So now what?” Payne asked. “What do we do?”

Varick moved back to his brother’s bedside. Putting his hand on one of the machines that was whirling away, he looked right at me.

“Now we finish it,” Varick said. “The doctors have told me for the last twenty years that it was time to take him off life support, to let him go.
This morning, I handled the legal issues. It was odd, being told by both the doctors and my attorney that it was an act of kindness and love toward my brother.” He looked down at the old man in the bed with disdain. “Little did they know, eh?”

We all stood there and stared at the frail old man. No one spoke a word. Was this murder? It happened all the time, but we knew Jay’s mind was still out there, somewhere. Was it
self-defense? If someone came at you with a gun, no one expected you not to shoot back to save yourself. But when the person’s lying there, helpless in front of you—what then?

But Jay, or Jasper, or whatever his name was, he wasn’t helpless. He would come after me and my family. I closed my eyes and saw Zack falling from that tree. I saw Payne impale himself on that wooden stake in the middle of that blaze. I opened my eyes
, and I was ready.

“Now,” Varick said, “I will do what needs to be done.”

I moved over next to Payne and took his hand. I wondered if there was any chance that we could be wrong. Then I got my answer.

“Wait,” I said
. “He’s here.”

“Where?” Payne asked.

I pointed to the corner of the room where Jay stood, naked fear painted on his face. “Don’t do this,” Jay said. “Please, Bristol. I beg of you. I’m not ready.”

I turned to Payne. “He’s begging us not to. He’s scared.”

Payne glanced in the direction where Jay stood. “Good.”

“Bristol
,
please
,” Jay said. “I know I did things that I shouldn’t have done, but being alone for so long can drive you insane.”