| Mystery and Crime Fiction posted January 29, 2022 | Chapters: |
...8 9 -10- 11... 
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Is she the ghost?
A chapter in the book Vanished
Vanished - Chap 10
by Begin Again
Michael ran his sweaty palms against his jeans as he paced across the veranda, stopping to peek through the bedroom window and then down the driveway.
When he spotted Poppa crossing the road, he jumped off the porch and raced down the driveway, yelling, "Poppa!" In his excitement, his hugged greeting was more of a crash landing.
"Hold on, boy! It's nice to see you too, but don't knock me on the ground."
"I'm sorry, but I need your help." Michael turned and ran back toward the house. "Hurry, Poppa."
"Michael, slow down. You're moving faster than our jet did." Poppa laughed. "What's got you all stirred up?"
"Come inside, Poppa. Please hurry." Michael opened the screened door and waited for his friend to step inside. "In the bedroom." He pointed toward the closed door.
Poppa gave Michael a quizzical look but walked toward the closed door. He didn't know whether to knock or enter, but Michael grabbed the doorknob and pushed it open. As the FBI agent stepped across the threshold, his eyes took in the room, the bed, and his troubled friend. "What's going on, Michael? Who is this, and what happened?"
Poppa did not wait for answers; instead, he moved to the bed and knelt beside the young woman. "Is she unconscious?"
"She drifts in and out. Sometimes she speaks Spanish, and other times, it's English.'
Poppa lifted her wrist and felt her pulse. "Who did this to her?"
Michael had tried to clean the blood from her face and neck, but his fear of hurting her further stopped him from checking her injuries. His entire body was trembling. "I'd been at the pond. I heard a vehicle on the service road and discovered her in the field. I couldn't understand what she said. It sounded like hide me or maybe help me. When I said I was getting a doctor, her eyes flared open, and she moaned as she shook her head. I carried her here. When I saw your car pull into Liz's driveway, I called you. Did I do something wrong, Poppa?"
"Calm down, Michael. Tango can help her. He's talking to Garth."
The young woman's fingers reached for Poppa. "No… dan—ger—ous." She attempted to lift herself but collapsed on the bed, moaning in pain. "No cow—boy."
Seeing her agitation, Poppa spoke softly to her, rubbing the top of her hand. "Okay, it's okay. My friend can help." Poppa wasn't sure the extent of the young woman's injuries, but he knew she was in trouble. "I'll call Tango. You stay with her." He stopped, and his eyes met her frightened ones. "No cowboy for now."
*************
When Tango answered his cell, Poppa began speaking into his phone. "Listen, don't make a scene, but I need you to grab your med kit and get over to Michael's. He found a severely beaten young woman down by the pond." Poppa hesitated and then added, "She doesn't want the cowboy. Okay?"
"Gotcha!" Tango shifted his eyes toward Garth. He was talking to Hank, Darryl, and some new guy. " Less than thirty minutes on the ground, and we've already got trouble."
"I know. I know. Just hurry." Poppa disconnected the call and returned to the bedroom. "He's on his way."
Michael hadn't realized he was holding his breath until it escaped his lips. "I can make coffee, or would you prefer something stronger?"
Poppa patted his friend's shoulder. "We got this, Michael. Just relax." He glanced through the window, hoping Tango would hurry and come alone. "How about you get the coffee and bring a bottle of whiskey, just in case?"
*************
Poppa met Tango at the door and pointed toward the bedroom. Tango nodded at Michael. "Nice to see you, kid. In trouble again, I see."
Michael sputtered, "I'm not a kid." He was twenty-seven with a babyface. He was much younger than his friends but older than a kid like Annie.
"He didn't mean anything by it, Michael. Just calm down and let Tango take a look at her." Poppa's partner was already through the door and kneeling beside the bed. He pulled a stethoscope from his bag and listened. He noticed the fear in her eyes and her trembling. "I won't hurt you. I promise. We want to help."
"No! I must—I must go." She struggled to sit but collapsed against the pillows."
"You can't go anywhere except to a hospital." Tango brushed her jet-black hair off her face. She winced at the touch, and a long moan escaped her lips.
"No doc—" The effort was too much, and she slipped into unconsciousness.
Annie had seen Tango and Poppa's car pull into the driveway from her bedroom window and immediately knew who she had to tell her secret to. By the time she reached the front door, Tango had disappeared into the house.
She called after Tango, but he hadn't heard, so she rushed across the road, up the driveway, and into the house, calling for her friends, "Michael. Tango. Poppa."
Poppa blocked her entrance to the bedroom. "Annie, not now. We're busy." He pressed his hand against her shoulder. "You'll have to wait."
"Everyone wants me to wait." Annie scowled and tried to look past Poppa. "Is it more important than—" A loud moan came from inside the room, followed by a chilling cry. Poppa's arms reached for Annie, but she ducked and slid past him. Her eyes widened at the sight of the woman on the bed.
She spun around to face Poppa. "What happened to Angel?"
Poppa squatted so he could look directly at Annie. "How do you know this woman, Annie?"
"I'm not supposed to tell. I promised." Annie turned to look at the woman. "Did someone hurt her?"
"We don't know, for sure. Michael found her by the pond. It would help if you told us what you know so we can help her. You want to help her, right?"
Annie mulled Poppa's question over and finally answered, "Sebastian and I saw her last night by the barn, and today, she was at the cottage and grandma's grave. She's a ghost."
"She's not a ghost, Annie." Poppa tried to hug her, but she pulled away.
"You don't know everything. Ask Mommy and Aunt Liz. They saw her too. Aunt Liz didn't believe, but she had the gun." Annie twisted her head to look at Angel. "She talked to Sebastian and me."
Poppa smiled, "The ghost talked to you?"
"Fine, be like everyone else. Don't listen, but when Garth gets hurt—"
"Garth? What does our ghost have to do with the boss?" Poppa's glance toward Tango registered with his friend. "Annie, tell me what she told you."
"Nobody would listen to me. Why should I tell you now?" Annie's chin jutted in defiance. "You don't believe me. I'm just a kid."
Michael left the coffee tray in the front room and stood in the doorway, listening to Annie. "They think I'm a kid, too, Annie."
Annie spun around and hugged Michael. "You believe me? She's the lady in white, Michael. She talked to me."
Michael stared at the woman lying on the bed. "The lady in white? You mean, the Legend?"
"The Legend?" Poppa interrupted their conversation. "Ghosts, legends. Did all of you go crazy while we were in Savannah?"
"Think what you want, Poppa, but the town folk believe in the Legend. I'm not saying this woman is a ghost, but something's going on with her."
Annie tugged on Poppa's arm. "She told me to warn the cowboy that someone would harm him."
"Miguel. He worry." The woman struggled to speak, grasping at Tango's shirt. "Death for the—" Her voice faded as she slipped into unconsciousness.
"Who's Miguel? Death for who?" Tango questioned the woman, knowing she would not answer. "Is she talking about Garth?"
All three men exchanged worried looks while Annie crossed her arms on her chest and chimed, "Now, do you believe me?"
Michael ran his sweaty palms against his jeans as he paced across the veranda, stopping to peek through the bedroom window and then down the driveway.
When he spotted Poppa crossing the road, he jumped off the porch and raced down the driveway, yelling, "Poppa!" In his excitement, his hugged greeting was more of a crash landing.
"Hold on, boy! It's nice to see you too, but don't knock me on the ground."
"I'm sorry, but I need your help." Michael turned and ran back toward the house. "Hurry, Poppa."
"Michael, slow down. You're moving faster than our jet did." Poppa laughed. "What's got you all stirred up?"
"Come inside, Poppa. Please hurry." Michael opened the screened door and waited for his friend to step inside. "In the bedroom." He pointed toward the closed door.
Poppa gave Michael a quizzical look but walked toward the closed door. He didn't know whether to knock or enter, but Michael grabbed the doorknob and pushed it open. As the FBI agent stepped across the threshold, his eyes took in the room, the bed, and his troubled friend. "What's going on, Michael? Who is this, and what happened?"
Poppa did not wait for answers; instead, he moved to the bed and knelt beside the young woman. "Is she unconscious?"
"She drifts in and out. Sometimes she speaks Spanish, and other times, it's English.'
Poppa lifted her wrist and felt her pulse. "Who did this to her?"
Michael had tried to clean the blood from her face and neck, but his fear of hurting her further stopped him from checking her injuries. His entire body was trembling. "I'd been at the pond. I heard a vehicle on the service road and discovered her in the field. I couldn't understand what she said. It sounded like hide me or maybe help me. When I said I was getting a doctor, her eyes flared open, and she moaned as she shook her head. I carried her here. When I saw your car pull into Liz's driveway, I called you. Did I do something wrong, Poppa?"
"Calm down, Michael. Tango can help her. He's talking to Garth."
The young woman's fingers reached for Poppa. "No… dan—ger—ous." She attempted to lift herself but collapsed on the bed, moaning in pain. "No cow—boy."
Seeing her agitation, Poppa spoke softly to her, rubbing the top of her hand. "Okay, it's okay. My friend can help." Poppa wasn't sure the extent of the young woman's injuries, but he knew she was in trouble. "I'll call Tango. You stay with her." He stopped, and his eyes met her frightened ones. "No cowboy for now."
*************
When Tango answered his cell, Poppa began speaking into his phone. "Listen, don't make a scene, but I need you to grab your med kit and get over to Michael's. He found a severely beaten young woman down by the pond." Poppa hesitated and then added, "She doesn't want the cowboy. Okay?"
"Gotcha!" Tango shifted his eyes toward Garth. He was talking to Hank, Darryl, and some new guy. " Less than thirty minutes on the ground, and we've already got trouble."
"I know. I know. Just hurry." Poppa disconnected the call and returned to the bedroom. "He's on his way."
Michael hadn't realized he was holding his breath until it escaped his lips. "I can make coffee, or would you prefer something stronger?"
Poppa patted his friend's shoulder. "We got this, Michael. Just relax." He glanced through the window, hoping Tango would hurry and come alone. "How about you get the coffee and bring a bottle of whiskey, just in case?"
*************
*************
Poppa met Tango at the door and pointed toward the bedroom. Tango nodded at Michael. "Nice to see you, kid. In trouble again, I see."
Michael sputtered, "I'm not a kid." He was twenty-seven with a babyface. He was much younger than his friends but older than a kid like Annie.
"He didn't mean anything by it, Michael. Just calm down and let Tango take a look at her." Poppa's partner was already through the door and kneeling beside the bed. He pulled a stethoscope from his bag and listened. He noticed the fear in her eyes and her trembling. "I won't hurt you. I promise. We want to help."
"No! I must—I must go." She struggled to sit but collapsed against the pillows."
"You can't go anywhere except to a hospital." Tango brushed her jet-black hair off her face. She winced at the touch, and a long moan escaped her lips.
"No doc—" The effort was too much, and she slipped into unconsciousness.
Annie had seen Tango and Poppa's car pull into the driveway from her bedroom window and immediately knew who she had to tell her secret to. By the time she reached the front door, Tango had disappeared into the house.
She called after Tango, but he hadn't heard, so she rushed across the road, up the driveway, and into the house, calling for her friends, "Michael. Tango. Poppa."
Poppa blocked her entrance to the bedroom. "Annie, not now. We're busy." He pressed his hand against her shoulder. "You'll have to wait."
"Everyone wants me to wait." Annie scowled and tried to look past Poppa. "Is it more important than—" A loud moan came from inside the room, followed by a chilling cry. Poppa's arms reached for Annie, but she ducked and slid past him. Her eyes widened at the sight of the woman on the bed.
She spun around to face Poppa. "What happened to Angel?"
Poppa squatted so he could look directly at Annie. "How do you know this woman, Annie?"
"I'm not supposed to tell. I promised." Annie turned to look at the woman. "Did someone hurt her?"
"We don't know, for sure. Michael found her by the pond. It would help if you told us what you know so we can help her. You want to help her, right?"
Annie mulled Poppa's question over and finally answered, "Sebastian and I saw her last night by the barn, and today, she was at the cottage and grandma's grave. She's a ghost."
"She's not a ghost, Annie." Poppa tried to hug her, but she pulled away.
"You don't know everything. Ask Mommy and Aunt Liz. They saw her too. Aunt Liz didn't believe, but she had the gun." Annie twisted her head to look at Angel. "She talked to Sebastian and me."
Poppa smiled, "The ghost talked to you?"
"Fine, be like everyone else. Don't listen, but when Garth gets hurt—"
"Garth? What does our ghost have to do with the boss?" Poppa's glance toward Tango registered with his friend. "Annie, tell me what she told you."
"Nobody would listen to me. Why should I tell you now?" Annie's chin jutted in defiance. "You don't believe me. I'm just a kid."
Michael left the coffee tray in the front room and stood in the doorway, listening to Annie. "They think I'm a kid, too, Annie."
Annie spun around and hugged Michael. "You believe me? She's the lady in white, Michael. She talked to me."
Michael stared at the woman lying on the bed. "The lady in white? You mean, the Legend?"
"The Legend?" Poppa interrupted their conversation. "Ghosts, legends. Did all of you go crazy while we were in Savannah?"
"Think what you want, Poppa, but the town folk believe in the Legend. I'm not saying this woman is a ghost, but something's going on with her."
Annie tugged on Poppa's arm. "She told me to warn the cowboy that someone would harm him."
"Miguel. He worry." The woman struggled to speak, grasping at Tango's shirt. "Death for the—" Her voice faded as she slipped into unconsciousness.
"Who's Miguel? Death for who?" Tango questioned the woman, knowing she would not answer. "Is she talking about Garth?"
All three men exchanged worried looks while Annie crossed her arms on her chest and chimed, "Now, do you believe me?"
 Recognized |
Garth Woodman, FBI Agent, and Allie's love interest
Alyssa Shelton, Investigative Journalist, and Liz's best friend
Elizabeth (Liz) McKinley, widow, owner of Sweet Haven, and twin sister to Faith
Faith Cranston-Newton, recovering cancer patient and mother to Annie
Annie Cranston-Newton, Faith's precocious young daughter
Sebastian, a St. Bernard and Annie's sidekick
Mary Hunter, Liz and Faith's deceased mother, and Annie's grandmother
Hank and Emmy Armato, retired detectives and current Private Investigators
Tango and Poppa, Garth's top FBI Agents
Sheriff Diego Ortiz, Napa Valley's law enforcement
Cassidy Rotello, a rescued victim of a solved drug crime and friend
Michael Lansing, neighbor to Sweet Haven Winery (Liz's home)
Darryl Pennington, Long time Estate Forman at Sweet Haven Estates
Miguel Sanchez, the former vineyard supervisor, currently residing in jail
Mason Caldwell, recently deceased drug and crime boss in Napa Valley
Father Tobias, a priest, recently assigned to Hayden's notorious church
Barrett O'Brien, an eager newly hired employee at Sweet Haven Estates
MJ Cichella, Writer and Director, and honored guest for Napa Valley's first film festival
Sandra Pepper, a well-to-do woman new in town, aka Samantha FBI
Angel - a ghost, a mysterious woman, or the Legend?
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Alyssa Shelton, Investigative Journalist, and Liz's best friend
Elizabeth (Liz) McKinley, widow, owner of Sweet Haven, and twin sister to Faith
Faith Cranston-Newton, recovering cancer patient and mother to Annie
Annie Cranston-Newton, Faith's precocious young daughter
Sebastian, a St. Bernard and Annie's sidekick
Mary Hunter, Liz and Faith's deceased mother, and Annie's grandmother
Hank and Emmy Armato, retired detectives and current Private Investigators
Tango and Poppa, Garth's top FBI Agents
Sheriff Diego Ortiz, Napa Valley's law enforcement
Cassidy Rotello, a rescued victim of a solved drug crime and friend
Michael Lansing, neighbor to Sweet Haven Winery (Liz's home)
Darryl Pennington, Long time Estate Forman at Sweet Haven Estates
Miguel Sanchez, the former vineyard supervisor, currently residing in jail
Mason Caldwell, recently deceased drug and crime boss in Napa Valley
Father Tobias, a priest, recently assigned to Hayden's notorious church
Barrett O'Brien, an eager newly hired employee at Sweet Haven Estates
MJ Cichella, Writer and Director, and honored guest for Napa Valley's first film festival
Sandra Pepper, a well-to-do woman new in town, aka Samantha FBI
Angel - a ghost, a mysterious woman, or the Legend?
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