The Connection
Emily’s tears came hot and burning, as she stumbled blindly toward the Grand Am. A strong hand gripped her arm and for one second, Emily’s spirits soared. Tony’d come back. He believed her. But her smile died when she realized it was Ray Watts.
“Emily, you can’t drive like this,” he said.
She glanced at the house in time to see Mrs. Shaw open the door for Tony and Stephanie. “I didn’t do it,” she whispered. She looked into Ray’s concerned eyes. “I swear. I didn’t do anything.”
“I know. Molly and I believe you.” He frowned. “What’s going on with Tony and Stephanie? He’s so different lately and the girl is…well, strange. His mother and I have been sick with worry.”
Ray had always been open to believing in her gift. He had even encouraged Tony to keep an open mind when her boyfriend had doubted her, but hearing him say Tony’s mother believed in her, too, was exhilarating. But would they still believe her after she told them about the “Shadow”?
Emily took a deep breath. “It’s not their fault. Tony and Stephanie are being manipulated by at least one very evil spirit.”
She watched as Ray’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. “You’re telling me Tony and Stephanie are possessed and that’s why their behavior is so screwed up?”
Emily nodded.
Ray let out a long breath. “That would explain a lot. What can we do about it?”
She caught her bottom lip between her teeth. She really wished she had a better answer for him. “Nothing, except convince Tony that the spirit exists and that he has to reject it.”
“And it will leave him alone after that?”
“For as long as Tony believes in its existence and he rejects it, yes. But first we have to convince him he’s possessed. I’ve tried. He doesn’t believe me. And now its hold is so strong, I don’t know if I can reach him.”
“Huh, he should take a good look in the mirror. It’s obvious he’s not himself,” Ray said.
“He can’t see it as long as the ‘Shadow’ controls his perception of everything.”
“The ‘Shadow’?”
Emily’s hand shook as she wiped the last of the tears off her cheeks. “I see it as a shadow or dark spirit. It’s hiding its true identity. That’s why, at first, I thought it was Stephanie’s deceased brother.”
“Why would her brother do this?”
It felt great to finally talk to someone who would listen. “He’s not. Blaine didn’t cross over and probably came with Stephanie when she moved to Charles City, and that’s when the ‘Shadow’ started using them both.”
“Then how do you know they aren’t fully cooperating?”
“Because her brother, Blaine, asked me for help. And there have been times I’ve noticed Stephanie didn’t want to do or say certain hurtful things.” Emily shook her head. “No, they’re being forced to participate, and they’re not evil. They’re victims, collateral damage. Tony and I are the real targets, but I don’t know why. I do know that the more control over Tony the ‘Shadow’ gains, the less influence he’ll have over Blaine and Stephanie. They may be willing to help us when that time comes. “
“So if we could get Tony to resist, too—” Ray looked thoughtful. “We could get him back?”
Emily nodded. “I went to see Stephanie last night, but I didn’t have much luck. I think this entity holds something over her to make her obey. But whatever it is, that hold is weakening.”
“So it forced her to lie to Tony?”
“That’s the only explanation I have. She wanted to tell me something last night, but the ‘Shadow’ forced her to stop. It evidently has the power to inflict severe pain on her whenever she tries to resist.” Emily sagged against her car. “I don’t know what else I can do. I know it’s bad because this is the second time Max has attacked it and Dana freaked out when Tony came too close.” After saying their names, she realized she’d forgotten about the ghosts. She opened the car door and was relieved to find the two waiting patiently.
Ray frowned. “Max and Dana?”
Emily looked back at Ray and nodded. “They’re waiting for me in the car.” She turned to them. “You guys okay in there?”
The girl nodded. “Is that bad man gone?”
“Yes, he’s gone. Would you like to meet Ray? I promise, he’s not scary.” The girl nodded. “Ray, I’d like you to meet Max and Dana. As you know, I speak to ghosts. You remember my dog, Max? Well, he found me on Saturday, and Dana showed up on Sunday. It appears as though Tony’s father sent them.”
Ray’s eyebrows rose. “So Max is a dog?” he asked, stunned. “Is Dana a dog, too?”
Dana giggled. “He’s funny.”
The girl’s comment did manage to bring a smile to her lips. “No, she’s a twelve-year-old girl.”
A crease appeared between Ray’s eyes. “Is this the girl who…?” Ray began.
“Yes,” Emily interrupted. She didn’t want to upset Dana anymore today. “I brought them out to the farm so the three of us could play together without my neighbors thinking I’d lost my mind. We didn’t get the chance because Dana screamed when Tony looked inside my car and then Max attacked him. And then Stephanie showed up.”
“A ghost dog attacked Tony?” Ray laughed and shook his head in disbelief. “How is that possible?”
“I don’t know really, but I can have Max show you.” Emily gestured toward Ray. “Max, show him.”
The Rottweiler trotted over to Ray and jumped, placing his front paws heavily on Ray’s shoulders, but not with the same force as he had when he tackled Tony or Devon to the ground. Nevertheless, the big man had to step back to stop from toppling over. He grinned at Emily as he moved his hands to pet the large ghost dog. “That’s amazing, I would never have guessed this was possible.”
Emily looked down at her side where Dana was clinging to her. “Dana, this is Ray Watts. He used to be a police officer, and he’s going to help us find the men who hurt you.”
Dana’s entire body began to tremble. “Then why doesn’t he arrest him?”
This time it was Emily who was taken by surprise. She dropped down into the dirt on her knees. The girl had her eyes scrunched shut and was trying to hide her face in Emily’s shoulder. “Arrest who?”
“The bad man that went inside his house.”
If she had been a live girl, Emily probably would have shaken her. “That’s impossible. Tony’s the only man inside Ray’s house. You have to be mistaken.”
Dana’s chin lifted. “Not Tony. I’m talking about the old one and his son—they…they killed me.” Dana’s voice broke and the girl flung her arms around Emily’s neck, almost knocking her over.
Emily’s scalp prickled with fear. How could the “Shadow” be John Nelson if he’s still alive and in prison where he belongs? Emily stood abruptly with Dana still clinging to her. The girl’s ghostly legs wrapped around her waist and that’s when the full realization of the connections between the girl, the “Shadow,” and the haunting of Tony and Stephanie became apparent. Aiden Shaw sent Max and Dana to Emily, because he knew John Nelson was here to get revenge on all of them.
Even though the little ghost didn’t weigh anything, Emily’s body shook uncontrollably as she stumbled toward Ray. “I need you to find out if John and Jack Nelson are still alive and in prison? Can you do that?”
Ray studied her face. “Sure, I have friends. I can do that. What happened? Why do you need to know?”
Emily hated to put her fears into words, but it was best if Ray understood what they might be up against. “Dana just told me that the ‘Shadow’ haunting Tony is one of the men who abducted her. She said it was ‘the old one.’”
Ray looked confused. “So what makes you think it’s one of the Nelson’s?”
She looked toward the house where her boyfriend was holding another girl. What better means to use to destroy her, than to take Tony away? Emily let out a slow breath. “I had two visions. In the first, I saw them kill Dana, and in the second, Jack told me that I was going to pay for sending him and his father to prison. He said ‘I killed him as surely as if I had plunged the knife into his heart.’ I didn’t make the connection until just now.”
* * * *
It hadn’t taken Ray long to get the details of what had happened to the old man. He made a couple of phone calls and learned that John Nelson had been stabbed in the heart by another inmate three weeks earlier and died the following day. Jack was about to finally win, and the irony of the situation was Jack’s father had helped him pull it off after he died.
Emily crawled into bed as soon as she got home. Dana and Max curled up beside her as if they knew how she felt. They were unusually quiet. The vision she had earlier of Jack seemed so simple now. Why hadn’t she understood it at the time? Not that it would have prevented anything that had happened since, but she would have been better prepared and maybe this new pain would not hurt so much.
Last spring, after her memories came back, she tried to warn Tony that he could be in danger because of her gift, even though it saved them both at the time. The people who were the closest to her would always be vulnerable from attacks by any hostile spirits who might want to try and exert control by using them against her. At the time, Tony said he could handle it and not to worry.
Would she ever be free of the Nelson family and their hatred? Would there be others like them? Probably!
Putting the bad guys in prison didn’t always mean you’re a winner. Even if she had killed Jack when she had the chance, he would have been out for revenge even more than his crazy father was, now. There could only be one solution.
Maybe Tony and Stephanie belonged together. The younger girl had real feelings for him, and even before the ghost invaded his body, he had feelings for her. Once Emily was out of his life, Steph would not have a problem coming to his aid. Maybe that would be the best thing for everyone involved, including Stephanie.
But what about her own family, her parents, the new babies, Kaylee?
It was late afternoon when she heard her parents arrive home. One of them knocked on her door. “We brought pizza,” her mother said. “Want some?”
She dragged herself off the bed and opened the door. “Not right now.”
Her mother studied her daughter’s eyes. The happy glow turned to worry. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m fine, just a little tired. I’ll be down in a few minutes. I’m supposed to meet Kaylee and the landlord at our apartment.”
Her mother’s eyes narrowed. “Okay, sweetheart, don’t be long.” She grinned. “Your father and I have a surprise for you.”
Emily caught the excitement in her mother’s voice. Great! Now she would have to pretend her life was wonderful and that she didn’t already know about the twins.