by Mya O'Malley
“I told you both to please call me Miriam.” Miriam’s gaze fell on Naomi’s face. “That goes for you, too. I’m so sorry for the way this case has been handled, from the very start.”
“And I think I speak for everyone when I say that we’re grateful you came along and took over.” Nodding at the officer, Naomi urged her to continue. “Please. I’m ready to hear what you have to say.”
“Look, there’s no other way to say this…” the officer began.
“Her body, it was smashed. It wasn’t conducive to a drowning incident,” Tom finished.
“Smashed? No.” Naomi’s focus bounced back and forth from Maggie’s parents to Miriam Marty.
“I’m afraid so. And even after all this time, it was clear that her lungs were never filled with water,” Miriam Marty stated.
Her lungs were clear. What did all of this point to? Why would the police have shared that she drowned? None of this sounded right at all, but then again, when it came to Nick and his uncle being involved, nothing surprised her. Not anymore.
“It’s a lot to digest. For all of us,” Virginia said.
“But the medical examiner? How could drowning have been declared the cause of death?”
“Naomi, I’m embarrassed to admit that the pathologist in charge was Officer Frank’s friend. His close friend. I’m sorry. We all missed this.”
Her mind raced with the enormous amount of information she had been given. Officer Frank, Nick, the pathologist. How could the police have missed the damning evidence that was right in their faces?
Nick. Strange, since Ryan had disappeared, she had barely thought of him. She didn’t even fear his presence, not now. Now she was consumed with anger. Anger for the cruel injustice he had taken part in.
Surely this must mean that Ryan was innocent, though. “Ryan’s name is cleared then?”
“I would assume so, but of course, he most likely witnessed something pretty awful and therefore holds answers to some burning questions.”
If he were here, then that would certainly be a place to start. “Yeah, well. About that. Ryan has disappeared.”
“Excuse me?” Officer Marty’s gaze narrowed in on Naomi.
“He’s gone. I’m not sure where he’s gone. He was here to protect me from Nick and then Maggie showed…”
“Oh my God, Maggie. How could I have forgotten to ask? Where is she? Is she here now? Can I speak with her?” Virginia moved around the kitchen, then peeked her head into the living room.
“I’m afraid she’s gone, too.”
“Wait a minute, Naomi. Back up. Tell me everything.” Miriam Marty approached Naomi.
“Nick is crazy, he’s gone off the deep end, warning me about Ryan. Saying to take a good, hard look at him. I didn’t believe him. Maggie appeared and then I wanted to give her and Ryan some alone time.” Nearly chuckling at the thought of some quality alone time with a ghost, she continued. “When I came back, he had disappeared, along with Maggie.”
“Are you kidding me? You expect me to believe that?”
“If I hadn’t witnessed Maggie and Ryan together with my very eyes, I wouldn’t either. I don’t expect you to believe me, Officer Marty, but that’s the truth.”
Miriam Marty closed in on Naomi. “Right now I couldn’t care less about ghosts. What’s the matter with you? Can’t you see what’s happened?”
No. She had no idea what was going on. “I…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“If it had teeth, it would bite you in the face. Naomi, wake up! Nick and Ryan have got to be in this together.”
“No, that couldn’t be. Ryan didn’t know Nick.”
“Well, he certainly wouldn’t admit to knowing a murderer, now would he? Especially one that was your ex-boyfriend. Nick was warning you all right. About the both of them.”
“Hey, lighten up with her, will you? Naomi is very upset, as are we. This theory that Nick and Ryan are working together is preposterous.”
“Mr. Field, with all due respect, how well do you even know Naomi?”
“Are you freaking kidding me?” Naomi lost it. “Now I’m a suspect, too?”
“Suspect, accomplice? Who knows? You’re either the most naïve person I’ve ever met or in cahoots with Ryan and Nick.”
If Miriam Marty weren’t a police officer, Naomi just might have smacked her striking face.
“How dare you speak to me like that! Why don’t you get off your high horse, and look at what the hell has been going on with your own partner.” Naomi pointed her finger in the officer’s face. From the start, her smug attitude had pissed Naomi off.
But to accuse Ryan? Or her?
“You’d better step back, young lady, or I’ll haul you in and lock your butt up.”
“Enough! I’ve heard about enough of this crap!”
All eyes were on Virginia as she shouted. Silence followed her cries. “What is the matter with you? Our daughter was killed, and this woman, this amazing woman was the only one who cared. Naomi has been like a daughter to both Tom and me, and I am not going to sit back and listen to your accusations!”
Officer Marty cleared her throat and looked down at the floor. Naomi shook as the officer reached out and took hold of Virginia’s hands.
“I’m sorry. You’re probably right about Naomi, but in my line of work, you learn to question everything. Something very odd is up with this case and I need to find out what it is.”
“Officer Marty, I get that you have a job to do, and believe me, we all appreciate the fact that you’ve reopened this case. However, if you don’t mind me saying, your bedside manner could use some work,” Naomi stated, maintaining direct eye contact with the officer, challenging her.
“Naomi, I’m going to pretend that I didn’t hear what you just said. Mr. and Mrs. Field, I have work to do.” She nodded.
“Yes, we’ll talk soon,” Mr. Field said.
“What are you waiting for?” Miriam Marty directed her question to Naomi. “Let’s go.”
Naomi sighed. She was somehow hoping to avoid the impending inquisition down at the police station.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Naomi
HAVING BEEN TOLD that she was too trusting many times in her life, Naomi added her latest experiences with Nick and Ryan to her growing list of evidence compounding the fact. She had trusted Nick in the beginning, and she had believed every word Ryan had spoken.
It wasn’t looking good for her friend. Even the fact that she still called him her friend was a bit disconcerting. Ryan’s recent disappearance pointed to his guilt, plain and simple. Where was the connection between Nick and Ryan, other than the fact they had both dated Maggie?
Had they planned her demise from the start? Why? What was the motive?
Head games. Both Nick and Ryan had been playing sick head games with Maggie, and Naomi was most definitely included as well.
Chills crept through her body as she recalled her most recent nightmare, the one in which Ryan was chasing her through the ominous stretch of woods.
Would Naomi have been next in their plans? Oh my God.
Nick’s warnings to stay away from Ryan had just been part of their twisted, manipulative, psychological games.
Ryan’s face came to mind. His kind, striking blue eyes. How could those eyes have lied to her? He wasn’t the first charming cold-blooded killer, and surely he wouldn’t be the last.
“I still can’t wrap my head around the theory that Nick and Ryan are in this together. We could be missing something.”
“You’re being naïve again, Naomi. You’re too close to this. Take a step back, and think about anything you may have forgotten to tell me.”
Naomi raked her hands through her dark hair. “I’ve told you everything.” There was nothing else to say. “Wait a minute. Can I speak with Nick?”
Officer Marty looked up from her paperwork. “Really? Why on Earth would you want to speak with him?”
“I want to look him in the eye when I ask if
he knew Ryan. I have to see him.”
“Forget it. His lawyer would never allow it, and besides, neither would I. I hope you come away with a lesson learned here. I would choose my men a bit more carefully next time around if I were you.”
“Wow. Do you ever stop?”
“Stop?” Miriam chewed on the cap of her pen.
“Being such a miserable witch?”
“I’m going to ignore that, Naomi.”
“Yeah, yeah.” It never ended. Miriam had no reason to dislike her except for the fact that she didn’t trust her completely. When the truth came out about Maggie’s death and Ryan’s disappearance, the officer would owe her an apology about her recent attitude.
“Can I go now?”
“No, I’m not quite finished.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Naomi reached in her bag to check the time on her cell phone. “I’ve been answering your repetitive questions for the past hour and a half.”
“I can tell time and like I said, I’m not finished.”
“Can I at least have a cup of coffee?” She would fall asleep right here at the table if she didn’t get some caffeine soon.
“I think I can arrange for a cup of coffee.” Miriam offered her a smug grin.
DESPITE TWO CUPS of coffee, she was exhausted. Every part of her body ached, including her head. This house was lonely without Maggie’s presence. Even Zelda showed her displeasure by sulking around.
Aspirin and a shower; that was what she needed. Half expecting to see cabinets flinging open, she shook her head at the silence around her.
“I miss you.”
Her words caught Zelda’s attention. She meowed and meandered over to her. Forgetting about the aspirin for the moment, she sat down beside Zelda and scooped the cat in her arms.
“You miss her, too, don’t you?”
“Naomi?” A soft knock sounded on the door. She could hear Bryce’s voice coming from the other side.
Naomi listened to his incessant knocking. Eventually he would go away. She was in no mood to talk.
“Naomi?” She peered up to see him standing there in the kitchen, a few feet away from her.
“The door was unlocked.”
“Wonderful. Apparently I am as stupid as Miriam Marty said.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s nothing.”
Bryce walked over and sat beside her on the floor. “What’s going on, Naomi?”
“Oh, Bryce. I’m drowning.”
He tilted her chin, holding onto her. “Then let me save you.”
Naomi gave up the fight. She melted into his arms and let him comfort her. Sitting there, with Bryce’s arms wrapped around her, she sobbed into his shoulder.
Officer Marty’s accusations about her choice of men may have been spot on, but what she found in Bryce felt better, stronger.
“Talk to me.”
“I wouldn’t even know where to begin,” Naomi managed.
“Well, how about starting with a few days ago, when you decided you’d shut me out. What happened, Naomi? Did I do something wrong? Was I moving too fast?”
“God, no. This whole Maggie thing, it’s coming to a head and now Ryan’s taken off somewhere.”
“I see.” Bryce hung his head.
“No, you don’t. Ryan has disappeared, and the police think that he and Nick may have been in this together.”
“Really? I can’t picture Ryan being involved in something like this. I mean, you care for him a great deal. I trust your sense of judgment.”
“Well, it seems you’re the only one,” Naomi muttered.
“He just up and left? No note?”
“No clues whatsoever. He left all his belongings, including his car, which the police have taken in to look for evidence. You know the really strange thing about all of this?”
Bryce held onto her hand, encouraging her to continue. “What, sweetheart?”
“Maggie has disappeared, too. She’s not with me at all anymore. I can actually feel her absence, and it’s breaking my heart.”
“But don’t you see? It can’t be a coincidence. This has to mean something.”
The world of spirits left her baffled. Could a ghost seeking revenge kill a living, breathing person? Could she make him vanish without a trace?
“I agree, but what?”
Bryce lifted himself to a standing position and guided Naomi up. “Put on a pot of coffee. We’ve got some work to do.”
More coffee. Something told Naomi that she wouldn’t be getting much sleep at all tonight.
“Where do you keep your paper and pens?”
“Everything is in my office. It’s in the small room off the living room. How do you take your coffee?”
“Just milk, thank you.”
Naomi busied herself with the task of making coffee while Bryce cleared off the kitchen table and spread out some paper. Naomi couldn’t imagine that she had missed anything, but as the old saying goes, two heads are better than one.
“I told you everything I know, from the shady cop to the immoral medical examiner.” The only thing that gave her any satisfaction was that both men would be losing their jobs for the elaborate cover-up.
Naomi was stumped by the blank sheets of paper before them.
“Write it down. Everything, from the very beginning. We’ll create a timeline and see if anything jumps out at us.”
“I’ve done this all before.” She sighed, her head in her hands.
“Just trust me. Do it, please.”
Naomi set to work on the course of events. It was just like she had said. There was nothing else to add to it.
Sighing heavily, Naomi threw her pen down. “There. That’s all I have. I’m going to bed.”
Perusing the timeline, Bryce spoke to himself, reviewing every minute detail of the document. “No, you’re missing something. I just know it. Is there anything at all you may have forgotten to tell me?”
“No. I swear, Bryce, every waking thought has been on Maggie and now Ryan. Hell, I can’t even get any peace when I sleep.”
“What do you mean?” He lifted his gaze.
“It’s these dreams. They’re silly, but when I’m dreaming, they seem so real.”
“Dreams? Heck, why didn’t you mention them before? Why aren’t they on the timeline?” He picked up the paper and shook it.
“I don’t know. They’re just dreams.”
“Just dreams? You’re the writer here. Use your imagination.”
“What do you mean?”
“Bear with me for a minute, Naomi. If you were writing a story about a ghost who had difficulty communicating with the woman who lived in this house, and let’s just say the woman was having these elaborate dreams, what would you write next?”
He had her thinking outside of the box, something she normally did on her own while writing. That was the problem. She did her best creative thinking while writing, but now she had reached a dead end in the real world.
“That’s it, Bryce. That’s it!” Naomi reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“I like the way this is going. Tell me, Naomi. What are you thinking?”
Naomi felt her creative juices begin to flow. “Okay, so I’ve been approaching this all wrong. I needed to treat it like a story. That way I can open my mind to the unknown, imagine all the distinct possibilities and variables here.” She paced the floor as her mind opened wider.
“The dreams. That’s it. It’s all about the dreams. Bryce, don’t you see? Maggie very well may be communicating with me in my dreams.”
“Can ghosts do that? Control your dreams?”
“How the heck should I know? In a world of spirits walking around and opening cabinets, playing with Zelda and warning me about Nick, I would have to consider the fact that anything is possible. It’s all we have left. The dreams are all we have to go on now.”
“Now you’re thinking. Tell me what happens in these dreams.”
“At first, I was being chased in
the woods, by an unknown presence, assuming after a while that if Nick were the predator, it was him I was running from. But then it became clear that Ryan was chasing me down.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes and that would support the theory that Ryan and Nick were indeed together in this.”
“I’m sorry to say this, but it is starting to appear that way. Do you recognize the woods? Is there any frame of reference?”
“Not really… but wait! I have seen things. In one dream there was a boulder, another, the cliffs by the river. At the time, I remembered considering that it meant something, but damn, I didn’t see what was right in front of my face.”
“We’ll have to go there. If Maggie is indeed giving you clues in your dreams, then maybe there will be an answer somewhere in the woods. If we could figure out the spot you were running from in your dreams, we could possibly figure this whole thing out.”
“Wait! I almost forgot! M and R.J., it was in my dream. An etching of a heart with their initials. Oh my God, she was trying to tell me all along.”
“Slow down. Where was this heart?”
“I don’t know, it looked as if it was carved into a tree, but that could be anywhere.” The mystery felt so close. This felt right. In her heart, she was sure she was heading in the right direction.
“Do you still have these dreams?”
“Yes, just last night.”
“Tomorrow morning we’ll go to the woods by the river, first thing.” Bryce pulled her close and kissed the top of her head.
“Thank you, Bryce.”
“For what?”
“For helping me to open my mind.”
“Sweetheart, you’re the writer. You did that all by yourself.” He kissed her mouth lightly. “Maybe with just a little push,” he added.
“It was all I needed.”
“Get some rest, I think we’re going to have a busy day tomorrow. I have a sitter at the house, and I need to get back.”
“Bryce?”
His arms were on her hips. “Yes, Naomi?”
“I think I’m falling for you, too.”
“You think you are? That’s what you said last time.” He gently lifted her face so he could look into her eyes.
