He lifts me up, hooking the bend of my knees on his arms. Letting my head go, I'm hanging upside down as he continues to tickle me with his free hand. When my t-shirt starts to fall he grabs my head lifting me up just in time.
"Damn, Jacob almost got a show." I breathe trying to catch my breath.
"That is why I stopped, flower." He gives me his wicked grin again. "Now, what were you saying about a ring?" He says setting me down. Reaching in his pocket, he pulls out a small velvet box and gets down on one knee before he shows me the ring. It's gorgeous, a white gold band that is studded in tiny diamonds. "It's not as great as the other one, but this one is more you anyway."
"I love it, baby, it's perfect. And this one is all mine. No one is taking this from me." I wrap my arms around his neck when he stands hugging him as tight as I can.
"It is all yours and you are all mine," he whispers in my ear. I hear a door and glance over to see that Jacob went into the house. I jump into Luke's arms wrapping my legs around his waist.
"I love you," I breathe into Luke's kiss.
Chapter 31
"Hey, I don't think so." Jimmy yells at Emma as she hops onto one of the four wheelers, grabbing the handles. "I'm driving woman." He motions for her to move back.
"Get your own." She squeals, revving the ATV. She takes off in a lurch speeding away.
"Damn, she is such a boy sometimes," Jimmy growls as he swings his leg over the extra ATV. I climb on the back of Luke's wrapping my arms around his waist. Lucy does the same holding on tight to Jacob as we take off after Emma and Jimmy.
I'm seeing a lot of the scenery for the first time. They made a trail with the tractor, but with there being so much ground to cover it will be a long time before it is all cleaned up. Luke tells me that most of the land will be left to grow since it would take ten fulltime men to keep up with it all. He is going to maintain a few trails to be able to get to different areas of the property.
His goal is to clean it all out just once, to make sure there is nothing else out there that we need to know about. I snuggle into Luke's strong back enjoying the feel of his muscles rippling underneath me as he maneuvers the four wheeler.
"Hang on tight, flower, there's a ravine that gets interesting." He yells back at me just as I feel we are going down. The ATV is practically on its side as I lean in the opposite direction with him to keep it from tipping. We splash through a little creek and go up the other side. "So much better than walking," he yells to Jacob who is right behind us.
"Isn't that the truth, brother?" Jacob yells back. It takes us about a half an hour to reach the stone structure. It's very spooky looking with the trees taking over the small building. Emma and Jimmy are already off their ATVs surveying the tree that is blocking the door.
Luke climbs off the ATV and turns to me. Like I'm a little girl, he puts his hands under my arms and lifts me off the vehicle. "I can do it myself." I smile at him as he sets me down.
"I know, but this is more fun." He grins down at me and kisses the tip of my nose before he starts untying the chain saw from the back. Jacob has one too. It doesn't take long for them to be sawing away at the smaller branches as us girls look on.
"It's like unwrapping a present," Emma says her eyes wide with anticipation.
"A creepy, ' what the hell happened in there ' , present."
The boys have notched out the tree so it will fall in the opposite direction of the structure. With the yell of timber by Jimmy, the tree falls with a thud. It's not a huge tree, but large enough that it makes the ground shake a little under our feet. It takes all three of our strong men to drag it away from the door.
"Let's go." Emma chirps, clapping her hands in excitement running toward the door. Jimmy grabs her arm just before she tries to yank the door open.
"Hold on, speed racer. We need to make sure it's not going to fall down on us as soon as we open the door." Jimmy scolds a now pissed Emma.
"Well do it then." She swats at Jimmy to get busy.
"Woman, you're cruising." He laughs at her. Their banter has become very amusing. They definitely have a love hate thing going on. One minute they seem as if they're going to rip each other's throats out, the next they are love sick puppy dogs making out like there's no tomorrow.
"Girls stand back. We are going to open the door slowly," Jacob says surveying the arch of the door. The stone seems sound, although there was some crumbling when the tree fell. Jacob steps up to the door, grabbing the handle he yanks gently. Nothing, it doesn't budge and the building doesn't crumble. A little harder of a yank and still nothing happens. I hear Emma chuckling beside me as Jacob gives it a hard pull. With two hands now he is pulling on the metal handle of the door with all his might. It's a lever system so there is no lock and it seems to be jammed, maybe from settling.
"Shit, it's solid," Jacob says standing back surveying the door and the building. Of course Jimmy and Luke have to try their hands at it also, both pulling on the door with every ounce of strength they have.
As all three boys stand back studying the door, they seem to be discussing a plan.
"I hope you aren't planning on giving up, because there is no way I am not going into that building today." Emma yells at them.
"Woman, please!" Jimmy shouts toward Emma in a teasing voice. "No one has said we are giving up, so don't get your panties all bunched up." Emma flips off Jimmy while we all laugh.
"I swear that man knows how to get me going," Emma says softer to just me and Lucy. "He'll pay for that later," she spouts louder so Jimmy can hear that part.
After deliberating, we hear a crow bar, which they decide might not be good if the stone walls are settled. The door being pried open might bring down the whole thing. They finally decide to use a Sawzall and cut the wood door making a big enough hole to be able to get in. Jacob unpacks the Sawzall that was strapped to his ATV.
Being able to slip the blade in a small crack in the door, it takes them no time to have a big chunk of the wood door cut out. It helps that the wood is worn and seems to be rotting in some places. Emma runs up first darting into the building before Jimmy is able to grab her back.
"Damn it, Em, wait!" He yells frustrated. He follows her in and I can hear him telling her she needs to be more careful.
"You ready?" Luke reaches out his hand for me to take as he goes in first ducking to clear the opening. I follow not having to duck as I enter the structure.
The first thing I notice is about a hundred candles that have been burnt down and line the whole small building. There's some sort of altar at the front with a stone table in the middle. It's high though, like it's not used to sit at, but more like counter height. There are worn, disintegrating leather straps on each corner. It smells very bad, like something rotting.
"Is this blood?" Emma has the collar of her t-shirt drawn up over her mouth and nose. I do the same to try to avoid the horrible smell. She is looking down at a stone bowl shaped object that is in the center of the altar. We all join her noticing there is a black substance in the bottom.
"This looks like a vault almost, the kind you put a coffin in," Jacob says observing what the basin is resting upon. It does. It is obviously two pieces, the base and the lid. I look up and see Lucy hovering just outside the door. "She's claustrophobic," Jacob explains when I notice her.
"Who's in it if it's a vault?" Emma asks all of our horrified faces.
I still haven't said a word when I run out of the structure.
"You okay, baby?" Luke says coming up behind me. I breathe in the fresh air trying to get the rotting smell out of my nostrils.
"Yeah, just couldn't stand the smell anymore," I tell him. I can't explain it, but something very bad happened in there.
"I think it's a ritual room." Emma states coming out of the building. "I've heard of them before. I believe that the basin in the front would have been for a sacrifice or an offering." She blurts out as calm as can be.
"Who do you think is in the vault?" Lucy asks as everyone is
now out of the building.
"I saw some writing, but I need a flashlight and a mask before I go back in there. Maybe even a hazmat suit, because damn it smells and feels poisonous in there." Emma chuckles lightly. I'm not in the laughing mood and I can see she is just trying to make light of the very dark situation.
"It's going to be dark soon. I think we should head back before it's too dark to see our way," Jacob suggests. Everyone nods in agreement and we head back to the house.
Chapter 32
The next few days, not much is said about the structure. It has been raining since the day after we were inside it so no one has gone back out to it yet. Luke and Jacob being shut inside because of the rain spend most of the afternoon in the gym. I take my umbrella and walk down the lane to the gate to retrieve the mail.
When I get back to the house, I grab the pile of mail sorting though it when I notice an envelope with my name hand written on it. The return address is Louisiana state penitentiary. I rip it open to find a long letter from Dr. Piper.
Dearest Lilly,
I am writing this letter to tell you that I am truly sorry for my part in your mother's death. When I returned to my cell and reflected back, I realized that you were hearing all of what I told you for the first time. I feel like I owe you an explanation of what occurred the night of May 1st, 1990.
I was contacted by a woman who told me she knew of my "side" business. The reason I am in prison, as you know. She told me her sister was having a baby and that she wanted a traditional Voodoo blessing at the time of the birth. I had no idea what that meant, but she informed me that it wasn't allowed in hospitals. She offered me $50,000 to aid in a home delivery. Between the money and the blackmail she was threatening, I had no choice but to comply. After all, I assumed it was going to be an easy normal delivery. Who would take a chance with a baby and a mother's life?
I was sent half of the money and told to meet a driver at a certain location at a moment's notice. That night it was 10:30 when they called and I drove to the agreed upon location. I was transported to another car and was handed a blindfold. I couldn't understand why, but the driver told me it was for everyone's safety. My blackmailer did not want me to know where she lived, so I complied. We drove for about twenty minutes and then turned off onto a bumpy road. I could only assume by the condition of the road that it was not a thoroughly traveled one.
Once we came to a stop, I was led into a damp room. I was finally allowed to remove the blindfold. The room was stone, small, and dirty. There was a stone platform in the middle with an altar of sorts in the front with a round stone basin. It sat upon what I thought resembled a coffin. The only light in the room was provided by hundreds of candles. I had the chills immediately, feeling I needed to escape. I would have happily given up the money, and was considering turning myself in at that point. Whatever was to happen in that room on that night was no blessing.
Just as I was about to leave, the doors busted open. Five women that were dressed in long, black hooded cloaks with white masks entered the room. Two men had a hold of a struggling pregnant woman. Your mother was fighting to get away. It was plain to see that she had been drugged because it only took seconds for the fight to leave her. She was moved to the stone table and strapped down at the wrists and ankles. I saw instantly that she was in major distress. I was told by one of the women to get to it, that the baby needed to be born by midnight.
I was stunned. The coldness in her voice was like ice. I insisted that she needed to be taken to the hospital. When the woman started to threaten me, your mother started seizing. I knew that if I didn't help her, not only would she die, but so would you. Your mother was unconscious after the seizure, her pulse was very weak. She was dying, and dying fast. I did the only thing I could. I cut her open and took you out. One of the women took you, yelling for McKayla to cut the umbilical cord. When she brought the shears over, she was cutting way down toward your mother. I said we needed to clamp it and cut it closer to the baby.
The voice I heard I will never forget. Even over your shrill cry, the woman screamed, "Keep the cord long, that is the life blood!" They burned the end cauterizing it. They took you, still not wrapped in a blanket or cleaned up, and placed you in the stone basin. You were screaming your lungs out, cold, lying on stone still covered in your mother's placenta and blood. It was the worst sight I had ever seen. The women were chanting in tongues, praying in another language. I turned back to your mother.
Her eyes were open. She whispered just loud enough that I could hear, "Please don't let them hurt her." Those were her last words. She died laying there on that cold, hard stone strapped down listening to her baby scream. I don't tell you this, Lilly, to make you sad. I am telling you this to make you mad. I want you to know how it happened and hopefully the people responsible for your mother's death will see justice.
I was blindfolded and escorted out. I was stunned, in shock, and was dropped off at my car before I knew it , left to stand staring at a car speeding away with no license plates. When I tried to recall faces I realized that all the men were wearing hats. Also , I never saw them head on, they kept their faces hidden in the shadows. I had nothing to go on. I couldn't call the police because I had nothing to tell them. All I knew was I was handed an envelope with the rest of the money. Then I never heard another word from any of them again.
This is everything I know, Lilly. I know this will sound harsh, but please don't visit me again. I have nightmares every night. After seeing you, you look so much like her that I can't live through it again.
Sincerely,
Sheldon Piper
I read the letter twice before I set it down. The building is where I was born. That building, just a few miles away sitting on my property, is where my mother died a horrible death, all at the hands of her sister. Why did she hate her so much? Why would she do that to her? I know that I am missing something very obvious, but just can't put my finger on it.
I call Emma right away telling her I got a letter and she says she'll be over shortly. I really didn't feel like reading it out loud over the phone so I was glad she offered to come over.
"Hey, baby, you look very serious." A shirtless Luke kisses me on the temple then wipes his sweaty face with a towel. My mind is running in overdrive, so seeing Luke all pumped up from lifting weights doesn't do what it usually does to me.
"I just got this in the mail." I tell him scooting the letter across the counter to him. He reads it and when he finishes his mouth is hanging open in astonishment.
"Holy hell! That is where you were born?" Luke points out the window toward the direction of the stone building.
"I guess so," I whisper. Who were they offering me to is what I really want to know.
"I'm going to shower real quick then we will all sit down and try to figure this out, flower," Luke says grabbing the nape of my neck. "Remember, this doesn't change anything in the present." He assures me seeing what must be a shocked and horrified look on my face. He leans down kissing me gently on the lips. "I love you," he whispers.
"I love you too." I give a weak smile before he runs out of the room hurrying to get back to me. He takes the fastest shower in history because he is back in the kitchen in about five minutes, his hair wet, wearing ripped Levi's, and a tight t-shirt showing off his amazing still pumped up muscles. Sitting in the quiet while he was gone, I appreciate the sight of him now after my silent pondering.
"Come here." I stand up and fist his t-shirt resting my head on his chest. "Thank you," I tell him.
"For what, flower?" He puts his hand under my chin lifting it to meet his gaze.
"Just being you, loving me, everything you do for me." I give him a smile. He puts his hands under my arms and lifts me up onto the counter as if I weigh nothing. Placing his hands at my sides on the counter, he leans forward so we are face to face, our foreheads resting on one another.
"Always and forever you will be mine to love," he whispers before giving me one of his expert kisses that s
ends my body into overdrive.
"Oh, for heaven's sakes, get a room." Emma laughs as she comes into the kitchen. I was so lost in the moment I didn't even hear her come in the door. Jimmy's following on the phone, and whoever he is talking to, he doesn't seem happy.
"Because I just want to know!" Jimmy huffs into the phone. He is quiet for a moment before he says, "Mother, are you going to tell me or not?" He's yelling now. I can hear a muffled voice sounding very upset coming through the receiver as Jimmy holds the phone away from his ear. Then it's silent and Jimmy looks down at his phone. "The bitch hung up on me," he half chuckles at himself, "I think she knew Samantha, man did she get defensive," Jimmy says setting his phone on the counter. I look up at Emma for an explanation.
"I started thinking," she starts off explaining before I have a chance to ask. "That Miss Jeanette worked for the Carmichaels and she knew Samantha. Ted obviously knew Samantha and so did Adeline, so I figured that maybe Lindsey most likely did too," she says as Luke lifts me off the counter, tuning me around so my back is pressed up against his front. "I asked Jimmy to call his mom to see if she remembered a McKayla." She seems very pleased with herself at her power of deduction.
"What did she say?" I turn to question Jimmy.
"All she would say is why I wanted to know. She got mad almost instantly, telling me I was an ungrateful son. She also said I was doing this just to hurt her," Jimmy answers bluntly. "I asked her, "Doing what?" She avoided the question and told me to leave the past in the past."
Emma grabs the letter off the counter and as she reads her mouth starts to drop.
"Shit balls, Lil. What the hell. . .you were being offered as a sacrifice, for what?" Emma hands the letter off to Jimmy.
"Got me, what would make my Aunt January want to do that?"
"Lucy found something." Jacob interrupts coming in with Lucy in tow holding a paper.
"I finally found January James. I was searching the wrong records and finally found her marriage certificate. She's dead, and so is her husband, so the records were in an expired section of the courthouse database," she says handing me the print out of the marriage certificate.
Unbreakable 2, The Mystery of Lilly (Cypress Grove Series) Page 14
