by Terri Reid
“Don’t you think that’s strange?” he asked. “Wouldn’t you think that once the board approved the project, those properties would be worth more?”
Mary nodded. “Yes, and if you were looking to purchase all of those plots, wouldn’t you want something signed by both parties agreeing to the terms?”
“Looks like a smokescreen to me,” he said.
“Smokescreen?”
“Yeah, you do a bunch of stuff over here to keep folks eyes off of what you’re doing right in front of their faces,” he said.
“Now all we’ve got to do is figure that out,” she said.
“Yeah, but don’t worry,” he said with a smile, as he began to fade away. “I’ve got confidence in you.”
Chapter Thirty-four
“Hi Quinn, it’s Mary O’Reilly,” she said. “I went through the files yesterday and I have some questions for you.”
“Sure, Mary, what do you need?” Quinn asked.
“Well, first, if there is any way to get our hands on that last folder, the one corporate handled, it would be very helpful,” she said. “There seems to be still quite a few questions about why the Johnson property was so important.”
“Okay, let me make a couple calls and see what I can get,” he said. “What else?”
“Well, this might be obvious to you,” she said. “But why aren’t there any signed contracts in the folders?”
“Because we didn’t make any offers until we knew the project was approved,” he said.
“But wouldn’t the owners decide their property was worth more once the project was approved?” she asked.
Quinn was silent on the other end of the phone for a few moments. “You know, this was my first job,” he said. “And I really just followed what my manager in Chicago told me to do. But, now that you mention it, it doesn’t make sense that we didn’t have all those folks signed under a contingency contract.”
“Okay, we’re both on the same page here then. Do you think they talked to all these other owners as a kind of a smokescreen?” she asked, using Dale’s term.
She was met with another moment of silence. “So, you’re suggesting they had me talk to all of these other property owners to get some excitement growing about the project so there was community support?” he finally asked.
“I don’t know,” she said. “I’m just wondering why they bought the Johnson property upfront and no one else even had a contract.”
“Yeah, you’ve got me wondering too,” Quinn said. “Let me see what I can find out. Are you going to be in your office this afternoon?”
“Yes, I’ve got some errands this morning and a lunch meeting,” she replied. “But I’ll be back here after that.”
“Okay, I’ll be by this afternoon,” he said. “And Mary…”
“Yes, Quinn.”
“You’ve really got me wondering about this whole project.”
Mary sat back in her office chair and nodded. “Yeah, you’re not the only one.”
A few minutes later, Mary was entering the Stephenson County Clerk’s office. She walked to the counter and immediately saw her good friend, Linda.
With a delighted smile, Linda came from behind her glass-walled office and met Mary at the counter. “Hi, how’s married life?” she asked.
“Oh, it’s amazing,” Mary said. “As you well know.”
Linda nodded. “Oh, yes, I know, thanks to you,” she said. “We’re going to have to invite you, Bradley and Clarissa over for dinner soon.”
“That would be great,” Mary said.
“So, what can I do for you?” Linda asked.
“I’m looking for some minutes from the County Board Rural Development subcommittee meetings,” Mary said. “They’re from about fifteen years ago, though.”
“Fifteen years ago,” Linda said. “We’ve scanned a lot of those documents and they are now on the server. Do you know some keywords I can use to search for your documents?”
“Sure, how about starting with Maughold,” Mary suggested.
“Oh, yeah, the Maughold project,” Linda said, nodding her head. “That’s enough of a keyword. What do you want?”
“Any of the meetings of the subcommittee,” Mary said. “Is that too much?”
“Nope, no problem,” Linda said. “It’ll take me a little while to open up all the folders and print everything out. I can drop it off at your office after lunch.”
“No, I don’t want you to go through any trouble for me,” Mary said.
“No trouble,” Linda assured her. “I have to go past your office after lunch anyway. Okay?”
“Actually, that would be great,” Mary agreed. “I have a lunch meeting, but I should be back soon after one. Does that work?”
“If you’re not there, I’ll just slide the envelope through your mail slot.”
“Perfect, thanks Linda,” she said.
“No problem,” Linda said. “And I’ll call you next week about dinner.”
Chapter Thirty-five
Mary decided to walk to Union Dairy rather than drive the four blocks, the sun was out and the weather was warm. As she got closer, she saw Dr. Springler get out of her car in front of the ice cream parlor. Great! I’m going to be late; she groaned silently and hurried forward. She was just about to call to the doctor, when she noticed the woman’s face and stopped in her tracks. The woman looked frightened, as if she was afraid to go inside. Did the doctor have phobias of her own? Mary wondered.
Walking closer, she kept studying the woman as she hesitated; seemingly arguing with herself about entering. Mary paused a few feet away and waited for the doctor to make up her mind. The woman stepped up and grasped the steel push bar on the door, but then stepped back quickly and shook her head. Mary tried to step back, out of her line of sight, but she moved too slowly and the doctor’s eyes widened when she saw Mary.
“Hello,” Mary said with false brightness. “Thanks so much for meeting me here.”
The doctor took a deep breath and pasted a smile on her face. “Oh, you’re welcome,” she said quickly. “I, um, I haven’t been here in quite a while.”
“Well, it hasn’t changed,” Mary said with a smile, pulling the door open. “After you.”
After a quick inhaled breath, Dr. Springler smiled at Mary and the preceded her into the restaurant.
“Shall we take a booth in the back?” Mary asked. “That will give us a little more privacy.”
“That would be fine,” she replied. “There is something I need to speak with you about that does require a modicum of confidentiality.”
“Yes, I heard about that,” Mary said, leading the way into the back room. “Here, why don’t we take this corner booth?”
The back room was fairly empty; the only other customers were a group of four women sitting several seats away. Dr. Springler looked around the room and then nodded. “Yes, this will be fine.”
Soon after taking a seat, a young waitress approached them and took their order. With a promise their food would be delivered soon, she left the women to visit in privacy.
“Mrs. Alden,” Dr. Springler said, leaning forward in the booth and lowering her voice. “Clarissa shared some fairly disturbing information with me yesterday that I felt needed to be discussed immediately. I’m grateful you called this morning.”
Mary nodded. “When Clarissa told us what she had discussed with you, I thought it would be wise to set up this meeting as soon as possible.”
“You do understand that lying to your daughter is not a wise thing to do,” Dr. Springler said. “No matter how harmless you may think a little fantasy is, it is still a lie.”
“Dr. Springler, I don’t lie to my daughter,” Mary replied. “We are very honest with her.”
Dr. Springler shook her head. “Are you telling me that you believe you can communicate with dead people, Mrs. Alden?”
“Hi Mary!”
Mary turned quickly to see Brandon standing next to her booth and then turned back to the doctor.
“Mrs. Alden?” the doctor prompted.
“I’m sorry,” Mary said. “I was distracted for a moment. But, to tell you the truth…”
“You found her!” Brandon cried, his eyes filling with tears. “You found my mom, just like you said you would.”
Mary turned again and found Brandon staring at Dr. Springler.
“Mrs. Alden, is there something wrong?” the doctor demanded.
“Dr. Springler, I’m so sorry, but I have to ask you,” Mary said. “Did you have a son?”
Dr. Springler sat straight up in her seat and shook her head. “I don’t see how that has anything to do with the subject we were discussing,” she said.
“Actually, I think it has a great deal to do with it,” Mary countered. “Brandon has been waiting for you to come back here. He’s been looking for you.”
Dr. Springler’s face turned white and her lips thinned. “I don’t know what kind of charlatan you are, Mrs. Alden,” she spat. “But using a dead child to influence a mother is not only cruel and abusive, it’s sick. The kind of sick that should not be influencing a child.”
She started to stand, but Mary placed her hand on her arm and held her in the booth. “Just give me a moment to explain,” Mary insisted. “A moment can’t hurt anything.”
“Why is my mom so angry?” Brandon asked, his voice shaking.
“She thinks I’m lying to her,” Mary said. “She thinks I’m telling her you’re here to make her sad.”
“Tell her to remember what she always said to me,” Brandon said.
“Brandon just asked me to tell you to remember what you always said to him,” Mary said.
“What I always said to him,” she repeated.
“When people die you just have to go back to the places you went to with them and you’ll find them there,” Brandon said. “I came back here, but you never did.”
“He said that you told him when people die, you just have to go back to the places you went with them and you’ll find them there,” she repeated. “That’s why his spirit came here. He wanted to see you again.”
Dr. Springler’s eyes filled with tears and she shook her head. “How could you know that?” she asked. “Who told you about my son?”
“Brandon told me,” Mary said. “He told me that he and his mom would come here after they went to the library. He also told me that you both spent a lot of time at the hospital.”
Dr. Springler looked away and wiped her eyes. “He was very sick,” she said, her voice trembling. “He died of cancer.”
“I’m so sorry,” Mary said softly.
“Tell her I’m okay,” he said.
“He said to tell you he’s okay,” Mary said.
“But I miss her,” Brandon added. “Everyday. That’s why I came here, to find her.”
Mary’s voice shook a little and she swallowed before she tried to speak. “He said he missed you, so he came here, to find you.”
“This can’t be real,” Dr. Springler insisted. “This is a game.”
“It’s not a game,” Mary said, meeting Dr. Springler’s eyes. “It’s a responsibility that I take very seriously. I don’t lie, I don’t fabricate and I don’t take advantage of anyone. But I do have the ability to see the spirits of those who have passed away.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Well, then, test me,” Mary said. “Ask me a question that only Brandon would know. That no amount of research or trickery could find.”
“I don’t want to play games with you.”
“So, you would rather brand me an unfit mother and a liar than face your own fears?” Mary asked. “Somehow that doesn’t seem fair either.”
“Fine,” she snapped. “Ask Brandon the name of his favorite pet.”
Mary turned to Brandon. “Brandon, what’s the name of your favorite pet?”
Giggling, Brandon shook his head. “She’s trying to trick you,” he said. “I couldn’t have pets ‘cause I was too sick. So, I had my dinosaurs. My favorite dinosaur was Tex, the T-Rex.”
Mary turned to Dr. Springler. “Brandon said he couldn’t have pets, because he was too sick,” Mary said. “So, instead, you got him dinosaurs and his favorite was Tex, the T-Rex.”
She shook her head as tears streamed down her face. “It can’t be,” she whispered. “It can’t be.”
Mary pulled a twenty out of her purse and left it on the table. “Why don’t the three of us go right outside to the park?” Mary suggested. “It’s even more private out there, and then you and Brandon can have a better conversation.”
Grabbing a napkin to blot her eyes, she nodded and followed Mary out the door. They walked to a small bench next to the Lincoln-Douglas Debate site and sat down. Dr. Springler turned to Mary. “How do you?”
“That’s not important right now,” Mary said. “But I will explain it to you later. Now, you and Brandon need to talk. I don’t know how long he has to visit with you.”
“Brandon?” she asked. “Is it really you?”
“Yeah, Mom,” he said. “I’m glad you finally showed up.”
Mary relayed Brandon’s answer to his mom and she shook her head. “I don’t understand,” she said. “He’s dead. He’s gone. I never thought…”
“Mom, you were too sad,” Brandon said. “You closed off your heart. Grandma and I were worried about you, so I came back.”
Surprised by Brandon’s statement, Mary just sat for a moment. “You don’t need help moving on?” she finally asked the little boy. “You’ve already been to the light?”
Brandon nodded. “It’s my fault she’s sad,” he said. “So I had to come back.”
Turning to Dr. Springler, Mary shook her head. “I don’t think this has happened to me before,” she said. “Usually the spirits I help are stuck here because of some unfinished business. But your son came back. He’d already moved on, but he came back because he thinks it’s his fault you closed off your heart.”
“I didn’t…,” Dr. Springler began and then she paused, covering her mouth with her hand. Nodding slowly, she took a deep breath. “I did,” she whispered, surprised by her own words. “I did close my heart off. It hurt so badly to lose him. He was my baby. I loved him so much. And then, he was gone.”
“So, if you closed off your heart, did you think you would never be hurt again?” Mary asked.
“I don’t know if I even thought it that far through,” she confessed. “I just hurt, so I retreated. But I never allowed myself to open up again.”
“Mom, I’m not gone,” Brandon insisted. “You just can’t see me for now. But, just like you said, I’m always at the places we used to go. You need to go there and remember.”
“Brandon says that’s he not gone, it’s just that you can’t see him. But if you go to the places you both used to share, you’ll remember him,” Mary said.
“It hurts to remember,” she said.
“Then you’re remembering the wrong stuff,” Brandon insisted.
Mary smiled slightly. “Brandon says then you’re remembering the wrong stuff,” Mary repeated.
“Can he keep coming to you?” she asked. “Can he be there when I come? Can it be like he hasn’t died?”
Brandon looked at Mary as he listened to his mother’s plea and his face dropped. “No, Mom,” Brandon said. “I only got this one time to talk to you like this. You have to keep living, I already moved to where I’m supposed to be. But you still have stuff you need to do.”
Mary took a deep breath and replied to Dr. Springler. “No, Brandon only has this one time to talk to you. He says that he’s where he’s supposed to be and you need to keep living. It’s not your time to be together with him. There are still things you need to do.”
“Only one time?” she asked. “That doesn’t seem fair, does it? God takes away my son and I only get one time to talk with him and tell him how I feel?”
“No, Mom, you get forever,” he said. “But you have to wait a little while for that. Just for no
w you have to remember the good stuff and how much I love you. Then you just have to do all you can until it’s your turn to come and live with me.”
“You don’t only get one time, you get forever,” Mary repeated. “Brandon will be waiting to greet you on the other side, when it’s your turn. But until then, he’s asking you to remember the good times and how much he loves you.”
“He still loves me?” she asked. “Even though he’s dead?”
“Mom,” Brandon replied, rolling his eyes at her question. “Love is much stronger than death.”
“Brandon said that love is stronger than death,” Mary said, nodding her head. “And he’s right, believe me, I know.”
A few minutes later, as she watched Dr. Springler’s car pull away from the curb, Mary prayed that the woman would be able to reconcile everything she’d experienced and feel some joy in her life.
“She’ll be okay, right?” Brandon asked, as he stood beside her on the grass.
“Well, it’s up to her,” Mary said. “But I think you made a difference. She needed to hear from you.”
“Will you do me another favor?” he asked.
“Sure, what do you want?”
“Pick some dandelions for her,” he said. “They were her most favorite flower.”
Mary smiled at Brandon and nodded. “I’ll be sure to do that,” she promised. “And I’ll tell her they’re from you.”
“Thanks Mary,” he said, as he slowly faded away. “Thanks a lot.”
Chapter Thirty-six
Mary held the take-out bag from Union Dairy in her hand and hurried down the street. What was she thinking not driving her car? She was incredibly grateful to the waitress who saw them go outside and put their orders in to-go bags. Mary brought the bag up to her nose and sniffed. That young woman deserved a medal.
She turned the corner onto Main Street and rolled her eyes. Just as she had suspected, there was a line outside her door. Linda, Quinn, Rosie and Stanley were all waiting for her.
She hurried forward, her key in hand and smiled. “Hi, sorry I’m late,” she said.
“You didn’t even get time to eat?” Stanley asked.
