A Guilty Ghost Surprised (An Indigo Eady Paranormal Cozy Mystery series) (21 page)

The energy in the room became electric as we waited for news about the forensics. I held my breath. This is what we’d been waiting for so impatiently. Simon’s eyes quickly scanned the message.

“Well?” said Riley. “What’s it say?”

But Simon didn’t need to say anything for us to recognize bad news. Disappointment etched every line in his face.

“The paint chips on Scott Durdle’s van…they didn’t match. And neither did the chips from the police car.” He snapped his phone shut and tucked it into his pocket.

A collective groan filled the room. With Scott Durdle and Michael Potter no longer suspects, our chances of solving this case became slim.

“Simon—” I began “—we’re going to figure this out—”

But Simon didn’t want a pep talk. “Let’s go.” He tucked the teddy bear inside his jacket to keep it dry on the walk home and strode out of the snug.

“I’ll go,” said Riley. She ran after him.

Getting into my jacket with burned hands proved to be a struggle. Badger pitched in to help. He started to follow me out, but I waved him back down. “No worries, I’ll catch up to him.”

I started across the market square, when movement to the left caught my eye. Simon and Riley, locked in a tight embrace. They broke apart when I headed toward them.

“All right?” I said.

He nodded and turned to Riley, giving her a quick parting hug. But Riley grabbed his face between her hands and planted one on him. Then she nodded to me and walked off. Simon stared after her speechlessly.

I sighed. The girl had guts. Riley wasn’t going to hide her feelings from her brother, no matter how displeased he might be. But I worried about Simon.

“Come on, Romeo.” I linked my arm through his. “It’s time for our next adventure, which should be a whole lot safer than the one I just witnessed.”

“I like her, Indigo. I mean I
really
like her. I thought you’d understand.”

“I do. I really do, Simon. I’m worried about Badger and your friendship with him.” And my friendship—or whatever— with Badger, because if battle lines were drawn, I’d be on Simon’s side of the abyss.

I shook my head. We had a lot to do. We still had a chance of getting Bryan to cross over – or go back – to Heaven, once he had the bear in his arms. Then I would pray hard that all the spirits Franny brought in would go back where they came from.

Bryan was a shy little ghostie. Perhaps too shy to tell me what he wanted. Maybe once here, he decided he missed it and wanted to stay. Wanted to visit his dad and Simon, and watch television. Perhaps he even knew Franny when he lived and missed her as well. The reasons for his being here, or remaining here, could be endless.

We arrived home, entering through the kitchen at the back of the house. Simon unzipped his jacket and pulled the teddy bear out. Well loved, it had brown matted fur and wore a crooked smile due to missing stitches from its mouth. The button eyes were a warm brown.

“I guess this is it,” said Simon.

“I guess so,” I responded.

He handed the bear to me.

“Does he have a name?” I asked.

“Uh, yeah.” He shuffled his feet, reluctant to part with it. “Simon.”

“Simon? His name is Simon?” A shiver travelled my spine.

“Yeah. After me.”

“That’s sweet.” Something niggled at me as I stared at the well-loved bear.

“He always wanted to go with me, follow me around, but he couldn’t. Or I wouldn’t let him, I mean.” Sadness poured from his eyes, along with regret. “So I bought him the bear for his second birthday and told him its name was Simon. So he’d always have me there.”

Tears sprang to my eyes. “That is just about the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.” I threw my arms around him and hugged him tight.

He hugged me back. “I wish I had spent more time with him, not been so mean.”

“
Don’t Simon.
Don’t torture yourself.” I kissed his cheek and hugged him again. “You were typical brothers. How could you know you’d lose him too soon? You couldn’t have known. He should have lived a long life and grown up to be a pain in your arse.”

I loved to use the British word for butt, and he knew it. He laughed and swiped at his damp eyes.

It all made sense now. Bryan missed
both
of his Simons. A typical little brother, he hero worshipped Simon and always wanted to be with him. Always wanted his attention, however he could get it, even if it meant teasing and being a general pain in the butt.

We walked through the house looking for Bryan, calling his name. I heard him giggling, moving further away whenever we got close.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are,”
called Simon in a sing-song voice.

More giggles.

“Bryan, where are you?” I called. Childish giggles drifted down the staircase. We headed upstairs. A blur zipped around the corner, and a tiny voice yelled, “Come find me!”

A door slammed upstairs.

I sighed. We’d have to play first if we wanted to speak with Bryan.

At the top of the landing, I went down the hall and opened the door to my room. Franny sat in the rocking armchair knitting. She glanced up briefly and smiled.

“Hello, Dear. He isn’t here.”

I closed the door and followed Simon down the hall to his bedroom. He opened the door and we walked in.

“Bryan? Are you in here?” called Simon.

I looked under the bed and in the closet. Ridiculous, of course, because Bryan could disappear at will. If he didn’t want to be found, we’d have to wait until he was ready.

More childish laughter came from the hall and drifted back downstairs again. We followed.

Dealing with spirits took time and patience. They could be quite stubborn when the notion took them. And since they didn’t have a sense of time in the same way we do, they never got the sense of running out of time. Bryan could have played hide-and-seek twenty-four-seven, if we were willing.

Which we weren’t.

Time to bring out the ammunition.

That’s right. Simon the teddy bear just became our hostage.

We went back to the living room and sat on the sofa.

“Bryan!” I called. “Look who I have here.” I hugged the bear in my arms.

Bryan popped in, yelling, “Simon! My Simon!” He reached for the bear, but I held it up.

“First,” I said, “I need to talk to you about something very important. Will you help me?”

He nodded, his eyes big and wide with seriousness. Because teddy bears were serious business. 

“All right, then.”

I handed the bear to him which he hugged tightly, plugging his mouth with his thumb in content.

“Sit here between me and Simon – brother Simon – so we can talk to you.”

He hopped onto the couch. The watcher spirits faded in to listen.

“Do you remember the accident?” I asked. “The one when you and Mummy went to heaven?”

He nodded and unplugged his mouth long enough to say, “I died.”

“Yes, you did die sweetie. And Simon and Daddy want to know who caused you and Mummy to die. Do you remember the car that hit you? Or the people who looked in the car at you?”

He nodded. “He smelt funny an’ he walked wobbly, like this.” He jumped off the sofa to demonstrate someone who weaved like a drunken sailor.  

Simon and I exchanged glances. Two people that we know of were drunk and in the area. It couldn’t be Scott Durdle, the blue paint chips didn’t match. And Jason Krepp drove…

“What kind of car did he drive?” I asked Bryan.

“A twuck. It went
brrum, brrum
.” The little dude tried really hard to help us.

“Do you know your colors, Bryan?” I asked.

“Of course, he does,” said Simon. “I helped teach him.”

“Well, he is a very big boy,” I said. “So can you tell me the color of the van? The van that stopped?”

“White!” he answered triumphantly, jumping on the sofa.

Simon and I stared at each other wide-eyed.

“I’ll bet you don’t remember the color of his hair, though,” I said, making a game of it.

“Lello!” he yelled. “Like Simon,” he said, pointing at Simon’s hair color, “and me.”

“Thank you, Bryan. You have helped us so much!”

He beamed and turned the television on.

Simon and I went into the kitchen to speak in private.

“Jason Krepp,” I said. “White van, blond hair, drunk, and in the area.”

“Yeah, but how can that be?” said Simon. “We’re looking for a blue vehicle.”

I thought for a minute, when a tingle crept up my spine. I gasped as a moment of clarity popped into my head. “Not necessarily.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, we already know two vehicles were involved. Your mom’s car is white. If Jason hit your car before Sadie did…”

“…then the white paint from his van is under the blue paint and virtually undetectable,” Simon finished for me.  “I’ll kill him,” Simon burst out. “He bloody well knew he killed my mum and Bryan for three years!
Three bloody awful long years!”

He yanked his coat off a peg and stormed out the door.

“Oh crap!” I muttered to myself, digging my cell phone out of my pocket. With shaking fingers, I pushed number one to speed-dial Badger.

“Hiya,” he answered, cheerfully.

“Badger, I need help!”

“What is it?” He responded immediately to the urgency in my voice.

“Jason Krepp. Simon is on his way over there to kill him. You have to stop him.”

“What? Why would he…”

“He’s the killer.”

Chapter Twenty

Bloody Bastard

I snapped the phone shut and hurtled through the door after Simon. Despite my quickness, Simon disappeared. Fear lent me wings as I flew down the street toward Jason’s house. Fear that Simon would kill Jason and go to prison for the rest of his life. Fear of more lives lost or ruined because of a senseless act. Two blocks down, I rounded a curve to see Simon shoot up Jason’s driveway and bang on the door. I stepped into the yard just as the door opened. Simon gripped Jason by the shirt-front and yanked him out of the house, slinging him onto the winter-dead lawn.

Jason scrabbled backward on all fours, like a crab.
“What the fu…”
He didn’t have a chance to finish as Simon hauled him to his feet.

“Simon!” I screamed. “Simon, stop, please!” I grabbed him by his left arm, the one holding onto Jason’s shirt. It had no effect. He pulled his right arm back and planted a fist into Jason’s face. Jason reeled backward, but kept his balance. Blood spurted from his nose, spraying all three of us like a shaken soda pop. Jason swung back. His long, skinny arm connected with Simon’s shoulder. Simon shook it off and came back at Jason like a tenacious bulldog.

Jason screamed, his mouth opened wide in terror.

“You think you can kill my family and get away with it, you bloody bastard?” Simon hissed and lunged at Jason’s exposed neck.

They rolled and tumbled. Simon landed on top, raining blows to Jason’s face.

“Help!” I screamed. “Somebody help!” I looked around wildly for inspiration or anything to help end the bloodbath.

A low thrumming reached my ears, growing stronger and louder by the second. I turned toward the street to see Badger screeching up on his motorcycle. He pulled his helmet off and flung it on the ground as he ran forward. He threw his arms around Simon’s shoulders and pulled. Simon struggled against him, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath, but Badger didn’t release his grasp.

“Take it easy, mate. It’s over now. Do you hear me?” Badger gave Simon a quick shake.

Simon slumped, finally spent.

“It’s over,” said Badger, putting his arm around him.

I heaved a sigh of relief.

Jason lay limp on the ground, but still gasping for breath. He sat up as the police arrived.

D.S. Robbie O’Boyle crossed the lawn toward me, as the other policeman went to Jason.

“Miss Eady.” Robbie nodded and eyed my blood-spattered face and clothing. “This is getting to be quite the habit with you.”

I heard Jason speaking to the other policeman, repeating himself incoherently, that it had been an accident.
Just a bloody accident. I even followed him one night. I was going to confess, man…

Chapter Twenty-One

Going Home

Badger saw us home, then went home himself.

Before we had a chance to clean up, Uncle Richard came through the back door and stopped dead at the sight of us, a look of alarm on his face. “What is it? What’s happened?” He dropped his briefcase and coat on the floor and rushed over.

“Nothing’s wrong. We’re okay, everyone’s okay,” I said.

He eyed our dirty, bloody clothing in disbelief, but at least the panic fled from his eyes when he recognized we were both speaking and alert.

 “I thought – I don’t know what I thought,” he said, running his fingers through his hair.  

“We’re okay Dad, it’s just…well…I just beat up Jason Krepp.”

“What? But why?” Uncle Richard slumped into a chair. “You’re not a fighter. This isn’t like you. What happened?”

“It’s a long story,” said Simon, pulling out a chair. “Jason hit our car the night mum and Bryan died. He hit us, then took off and left us all to die.”

“How did–” Uncle Richard shook his head in confusion “–how did you find that out? I don’t understand…”

 “We found the bear today,” I said. “Simon the teddy bear.”

If possible, he faded a deeper shade of pale. “Simon,” he whispered, looking into the distance, as if grasping at a memory. “I’d forgotten.”

“Yeah. Me, too,” said Simon.

“Where did you find him?” he asked.

Simon looked at me, unsure of how to proceed.

“We went to see the car today. At the junkyard.” I shrugged. “The bear was in the back seat.”

He closed his eyes and shook his head, as if trying to erase the memory. “You shouldn’t have – you didn’t need to see that.”

“But I did,” said Simon. “I needed to see where and how mum and Bryan died.”

“And there’s something else,” I added.

Uncle Richard looked at me, the worry and fear back in his eyes. “Let me guess. You were investigating again.”