A Ghost of the Past

by Mary Goldberger

  There was more but Shay could barely read the rest so she sat back just staring at the picture. Now she understood all the looks she received the minute she got into town. They were seeing the young woman in the picture, and she shivered as she looked at the face that had stared back at her when she was 19. She understood the look she caught in O’Ryan eyes when she saw him: resentment that she was alive, his fiancée was not, and when he had picked her up, she had thought she had seen a flash of tenderness, but she knew it was not for her. It was for the woman that she looked so much like.

  It would be best for the next two weeks to stay away from him. Shay eyes narrowed in determination, and she looked closer at the picture before she closed the website. She shut down her laptop for the night and then curled up on the bed drifting off to sleep. She frowned in her sleep as again she began dreaming of Charity’s life before her death.

  Chapter 7

  Cordial strolled into Nettie’s kitchen as she was washing dishes.

  “Hi, Nettie,” he said frowning, “Was there something you wanted?”

  Nettie finished washing the dishes and she dried her hands on the dishtowel sitting next to the sink.

  “Yeah,” she said opening her cabinets underneath and Cordial saw the water leaking from the pipes underneath.

  “Damn,” he said softly then looked at the sink raising an eyebrow.

  “Shay got me hot water from the bathroom so I could finish the breakfast dishes,” she explained and Cordial frowned for in the two weeks that Shay had been here, he had not seen her once. It was almost as if she was avoiding him as every time he came here, she was gone or in her room.

  He took off his jacket laying it across one of the kitchen chairs as he knelt down to look under the sink.

  He never heard the door until he heard Shay say, “Hi Miss Nettie.”

  “Hi Shay, what did Matt say?” Nettie asked and he heard Shay groan.

  “It is going to take a little longer. For some reason, the axel he ordered disappeared in the mail so he has to reorder it,” she said and he could hear the frustration in her voice. Just then, her cell rung and she answered absently, “Hello.”

  She listened to Amanda telling her about the phone call she had received from one of the restaurants she had applied for a job. She called Amanda a week ago to tell her what was going on and she had offered to pay for a plane ticket so she could come back, but Shay had declined because she wanted to bring her car with her. Now she lost another job because they wanted her right away and there was no way for her to be there by tomorrow.

  “Just tell them the truth Amanda, that my car is still down, and I will be lucky if I am back by next week,” Shay said quietly. Amanda was telling her that they would pay for her ticket again, and Shay said seriously, “You just found out that you are pregnant. You and Robert are trying to buy a house. Paying for my ticket so I can come back will put a dent in the money that you two are saving up. Do not worry, Amanda, I still have some funds left and Miss Nettie is helping me out. I am also working part-time at the café of course I am staying in the kitchen because I give people the willies when they see me.”

  Cordial stilled at her words, and he heard her say goodbye. There was silence until Nettie said, “I am sorry, Shay.”

  “So am I, Miss Nettie,” she said in frustration. She ran a hand over her face when she saw the jacket over the chair, and she looked over at the sink where she saw the lower half of a very male body. Damn, she thought to herself as she headed to her room.

  “Shay,” Nettie said catching her before she could enter her room, “another letter came for you.” She watched as Shay paled as she looked at the letter, and her hand was shaking as she accepted the letter she held out.

  “Thank you” Shay said softly and Nettie caught the hint of tension and a little fear before she smiled. Then she walked into her room closing the door behind her.

  “What was that about?” Cordial said coming up from underneath the sink and Nettie jumped for she forgot he was there.

  “Nothing, handsome,” she said giving him a smile although he could tell that it was forced. He went to say something when his cell rung and he answered with a scowl, “Hello.” He heard Susie’s purring voice and he gritted his teeth in frustration; sleeping with her had been a mistake because she would not leave him alone.

  “Hey baby,” she purred as she looked into her bedroom mirror, “how about we get together later for a night out?” She smiled with confidence that dropped when she heard him say, “I am sorry but I am having dinner with my father and stepmother this evening. Maybe another time, Susie.” She frowned as she agreed for another evening and she hung up with a bang.

  “Susie, are you okay?” her roommate asked coming into the room.

  “No, he called off said he was having dinner with his parents,” she said with a frown.

  Then her roommate laughed as she said, “Susie, you should not be so upset. You are the first woman that Cord has even took to his house much less seen more than once in the last five years. Don’t worry, honey, you have him right where you want him.” Susie smiled at her with confidence shining in her eyes although she did not admit that Cordial did not take her to his house, but her eyes were shining with overconfidence for the next time, she knew that was were he would take her. She was smiling with happiness and her roommate laughed with glee at her friend’s happiness.

  Cordial flipped his phone close and looked towards Nettie only to discover that Nettie had left the room. He swore under his breathe as he looked at the door of Shay’s room before grabbing his jacket and walking out telling Nettie’s secretary that he would be back with a necessary piece to finish fixing her sink. She gave him a flirtatious smile and he smiled back with no real interest. The woman shrugged as she watched him leave and she figured the truth about Susie was true then. She sighed with disappointment then went back to her work.

  Cordial went to the only store that carried the parts he needed and when he opened the door, there stood Annie and Matt.

  “Hey Cord,” Annie said with a smile. Matt waved to him as he walked over to them.

  “What are you guys doing?” he asked as he bent down to pick up the part he needed.

  “Matt is helping me get the part I need for my washing machine,” Annie said looking at Matt with devotion, and Cordial felt the stab of envy that pierced his heart.

  “I heard that Miss Montgomery’s car is not ready,” he asked in indifference although he was dying to know.

  Matt frowned in frustration as he said, “The part should have been here by today but when I called they said they had delivered the part last week. I don’t know what the hell is going on because this not the first time that I had a problem fixing her car.”

  Annie and Cordial just looked at him with questions on their faces.

  “Just the other day I fixed her windshield, and the next morning when I came in, the windshield was cracked again. It is almost as if somebody does not want her to leave as badly as she wants to leave.”

  Annie brightened, “Maybe she does have a secret admirer.” At their confused looks, she explained, “Aunt Nettie tells me that she gets a letter every other day. She does not know what they say and Shay never confides in her about them. I am just wondering if that is the person who keeps messing up the car because they do not want her to go.”

  They just shrugged their shoulders as they talked a little more, but as Cordial paid for the part and headed out; he remembered when he had peaked from under the counter when Nettie had given her the letter. Shay had fear in her eyes and her hand was shaking as she accepted the letter, so he did not think it was a secret admirer unless the person was being a little too forward. He frowned for something in him felt protective of her and he did not even know her. He shook his head as he arrived back at Nettie’s and went to finish the job on the kitchen sink although his gaze strayed often to the close door.

  Shay looked at the last letter and she leaned her head against the window. Sh
e did not have to look at it to know what it said. She had remembered from the first time she read it, and she knew that the person was getting desperate. She did not understand what was going on as she sat there.

  The letter on the bed was facing up and anyone who came into the room could have read it. It was in bold black letters and the words threatening:

  You have been warned. Next time there will be no warning. Leave now and forget you ever heard of Pine Valley or your death will be ten times worst than Charity McCloud.

  Nettie knocked on the door and Shay snatched up the letter quickly as Nettie opened the door. She smiled at her as Nettie said, “Could you make dinner for me tonight? My brother is coming into town and he asked if I could have dinner with him.”

  “No problem, Miss Nettie,” Shay said as she straightened from the window. She hesitated for a moment before she asked, “Miss Nettie, when was Charity’s birthday?” Nettie looked at her in shock to see the same shock cross Shay‘s face. She laughed without humor as she said, “I am sorry. I do not know why I asked that. You don’t have to answer.” Shay began walking out of the room when she heard Nettie say, “Who told you about Charity?” Shay looked at her with wary eyes and Nettie did not ask again as she walked in to the kitchen.

  “Her birthday, Shay, was March 19th 1987,” Nettie answered as she continued to walk through the kitchen. She did not look back behind her or she would have seen the stunned look on Shay’s face.

  Shay stood in the middle of the kitchen as Nettie’s words repeated in her mind. How is it, she thought to herself, that the woman who she looked so much like, birthday was on the same day as hers

  What did it all mean? Shay thought to herself and she felt another shiver go through her as she looked around the room. She needed answers, and she needed them soon as she crumpled the letter in her hand into a ball before throwing it in the trash. She started dinner without much thought and she still did a decent job of it. She did not have an appetite so she did not eat but she made sure that everything was clean when Nettie came home. She went into her room where she went through some of her papers finding her birth certificate looking at the place of birth. She paled even farther when she realized the location and she looked it up on her laptop discovering that it was only about 30 miles from Pine Valley. She decided that she needed to go to the place where she was born because only they have the answer to the question that she had.

  Nettie arrived home about two hours later and she went into the kitchen to see if there was anything she needed to do. She smiled in satisfaction of knowing that she was right in her assumption that Shay would clean up her mess. She was about to leave the kitchen and go to her room when she noticed the balled up paper that had fell out of the trash. She reached down to throw it back in when it came undone and she saw the name. She unraveled the ball up paper to see why Charity’s name was on it then her eyes widened in horror before they flew to the closed door off the kitchen. Why was Shay being threatened and what did she have to do with Charity?

  That was the million-dollar question and Shay was going to be the one who will discover the answer.

  Chapter 8

  Two days later, Shay came out of her room just as Cordial, Annie and Matt walked through the front door. They all said “hello” to Nettie as she came forward to meet them.

  Shay coming out of the kitchen noticed them and said, “Just the man I wanted to see. Matt, do you think I can borrow your car for a few hours?”

  “Hello to you too, Shay,” Matt said as Annie giggled as Shay rolled her eyes before saying “hello” to them.

  “As for my car, I am sorry but Annie and I are going out of town. You can come too if you like,” Matt said earning a glare from Annie. Shay kept her laughter in, as she said, “No, that’s okay. I do not feel like being a third wheel but thanks for the offer.”

  “Miss Nettie,” she began but Nettie was already shaking her, “I am sorry Shay but I have to go to the market and I promised Mrs. Jackie that I would take her with me.” Grimacing, Shay nodded her head as she thought about it. She could rent a car but it would go into what money she had left. She could call but something told her that they would not give her private information over the phone. She sighed as she realized that she would have to wait and go another day.

  “I can take you,” the male voice said and Shay looked at him in shock. Looking into his eyes, she felt a stab of lust that stunned her before she shook her head, “That is okay. I can wait for another day to go. It was nothing very important.” She nodded her head in thanks and then turned to the others, “Well, you two enjoy your date. Miss Nettie anything particular you would like for dinner tonight?” Nettie shook her head watching as Shay talked with the others although she was reserved when talking with Cordial. She frowned as Shay said goodbye to them and headed back to the kitchen.

  She turned to them noticing the frown on Cordial’s face before she said, “Well I am off so you guys have a great evening.” They all nodded their heads as they walked out of the house. Annie and Matt walked to his car as Nettie headed to hers. Cordial walked slowly to his and he watched as the others drove away before he turned back around. He walked back up to the front door a lot faster than he walked to his truck.

  Entering, he went straight through to the kitchen where Shay was standing at the stove.

  He watched her for a few minutes before he said, “Where is it that you want to go?” He had the satisfaction of seeing her jump before she turned around. She looked at him with wary green eyes and he felt a bolt a desire shoot through him for the first time in years although he slept with plenty of women. He frowned as he thought about that before focusing on Shay.

  “It is nothing, Mr. O’Ryan. I just wanted to visit the hospital where I was born,” Shay said politely before turning back around to the stove. He watched her for a few more minutes before he said, “I will pick you up tomorrow around nine in the morning. I can take you there as long as it is not too far away. I cannot be gone a few days for I have an appointment tomorrow afternoon around three.” Shay turned back around with a glare for him, “It is not too far away unless my birth certificate is wrong. You do not have to take me though I can see if Matt will let me take his car in the next few days.” Cordial was not listening as he turned around heading back out and Shay heard him call out before the front door closed, “Tomorrow at nine.”

  She scowled at the empty spot where he stood before she turned back to the stove. Arrogant jerk, she thought as she stirred the sauce. She did not want to admit that in the very back of her mind, she was thrilled about spending time in his company. You know you like him she heard and she spun around with wide eyes but there was no one there. She shook her head at her imagination as she finished cooking for the evening.

  Cordial strolled into his father’s house about an hour later. They were having a family dinner, again, and he walked into the living room as Lucille asked where he was.

  “Sorry if I am late, Lucille,” he said giving her a very light kiss on the cheek before walking over to Ray and Todd. Ever since he turned 18, he felt uncomfortable with his stepmother and he did not know why. It was just a feeling he got whenever he was around her so he made sure that he was never around her alone. When he was dating Charity, she had loved being around his stepmother and he never could understand why.

  “Hi brother,” Ray said giving him a hug although her hand never left Todd’s and that was when he noticed it. On her left hand, there was an engagement ring, a very pretty one.

  “About damn time,” he said with humor and they looked at him in shock as his lowered his eyes back down to the ring and back up to their eyes.

  “You are not upset,” Todd asked and Cordial laughed as he clapped him on the back.

  “No, but if you break her heart in anyway, I promise you it will be the last thing you will ever do,” Cordial threatened him.

  Todd swallowed at the threat then laughed with them although his was just a little on the nervous side.

/>   “So tonight we celebrate,” Lucille said coming over to them as her husband came into the room followed by Cordial’s cousin, Dillon James.

  “Well, let’s celebrate,” their father, said coming over to give Ray a hug and Cordial smiled before he looked over at Dillon then he frowned. He saw the look of lust and possession that was on his face but it was the direction of that look that had Cordial frowning for it was aimed at his stepmother. Cordial turned quickly back to the others but not before seeing the slanted look that his stepmother threw at Dillon. He did miss though the look that she threw towards him, and nobody else saw it not even Dillon who had been asked a question by his father at that moment.

  They sat down to dinner not too long after that and Lucille said with a slight grimace, “Cord, I know that tomorrow is your day off, but do you think you could come over and take a look at the guest bathroom for me?”

  “How about I take a look at it tonight? I have plans for tomorrow and I do not know how long it is going to take,” he said. He was not going to miss tomorrow for nothing because since Shay came to town, he could not stop thinking about her.

  She frowned at him and said, “Okay.”

  Ray laughing joked, “Do Susie and you have plans tomorrow? I have heard that you and Susie have been dating for the last few weeks.”

  Cordial looked at her in surprise then he grimaced as he said, “I have taken her to dinner a few times but nothing more than that.” It was the truth for after that first night, he only took her out to dinner. In fact, they have not slept together since that one night, although she keeps hinting about going to his house. He has not taken any woman to his house that includes Charity for he sold his old house about a year after Charity’s death and bought a new one on the other side of town.