The Return (Haunted Series Book 21)

by Alexie Aaron

  He walked back in and sat down.

  “I have a few of my own conditions. Would you like to ask your secretary to step in? I think this contract needs a few amendments,” Ethan said.

  Tom waited for the youth outside. After a few hours of negotiations involving calls to Ethan’s father, Ethan was promised the title to the cottage with enough land for lake and road access. The Aldridges would be putting the summer home up for sale. His father was serious about not having any contact with his son.

  Tom watched as Ethan left the building. Gone was the proprietary strut of the privileged youth. The once handsome, fair-haired, blue-eyed Ethan’s steps were slow, his eyes moving as if he were watching for someone to attack him. When he spotted the patrol car, he seemed relieved. Tom got out and stopped the boy from getting in the back.

  “You’re not a criminal. You’re a friend. I’m sorry I had to wear the uniform and bring the car, but I thought I may be taken more seriously this way.”

  “You’re going to be the new sheriff, I hear,” Ethan said, sliding in the passenger seat. “You got the badge.”

  “And freckles on my baby face,” Tom said, shutting the door firmly.

  Ethan hadn’t thought about how life looked from Tom’s side of things before. To Ethan, Tom was old, but he was actually quite young for the job he was taking on. He sat quietly as Tom got in. The deputy contacted his dispatcher before turning the vehicle in the direction of Big Bear Lake.

  “Do you want to stop at your home to pick up anything?” Tom asked.

  “Nah, they’re going to have some flunky bring my clothes and shit out to the cottage. I don’t know what I’m going to do with those thousand-dollar suits my stepmother insisted I wear.”

  “You could save a few and donate the rest. Or sell them on eBay,” Tom suggested.

  “If I had a computer… You wouldn’t know where I could get a used one?”

  “Maybe,” Tom said, thinking of Ted’s stockpile of parts.

  “My parole officer said I could have one as long as I didn’t abuse social media sites with my rants on how fucking unfair it is that Blair got away with killing his brother and Jason.”

  “But he didn’t,” Tom said.

  “He had to.”

  “Have you forgotten that thing in the woods?”

  “Damn, I was hoping that was a figment of my imagination.”

  “I’m not buying that.”

  “Okay, we incited that creature to go on a killing spree. I have acknowledged my part in that, and I regret my actions. I regret ever meeting that psychopath Blair. What we did to Rory was horrible. The poor kid… First his football career tanked, and then we fuck up his mind like a bad B-movie. I tried to apologize. All my letters came back unopened, and then I wasn’t allowed to send anymore.”

  “Do you blame the kid?”

  “No, not at all. I still need to make amends somehow.”

  “Don’t hold your breath, but Rory is a good kid; a door may open up,” Tom advised.

  “Deputy Braverman, I appreciate you going to bat for me. I can’t ever repay you for keeping me sane while I was inside. And today… Hell, I was just going to wait until step-mommy was having a gathering of society dames, walk in, and blow my brains out all over their spring suits, but I’ve changed my mind. I actually think I have a chance at turning this horrorfest around.”

  “I’m glad to hear that. Can you call me Tom? You earned that right when you saved my life.”

  “I didn’t save you. That ghost dude did it.”

  “You pulled me out and…”

  “Only after you sacrificed your life for me. This is what kept me from hanging myself with my bottom sheet. You thought enough of me to save me. The least I can do is to find a way to, first, live with my crimes and then thrive. I don’t need a family to do this. I need a friend.”

  “Well, you have one, possibly more. Because of these friends, I have a feeling that there are two employment opportunities available for you.”

  “Two?”

  “One pays just above minimum wage but will allow you the time to get your GED. And the other may not pay you at all but will give you the opportunity to revisit your crime scene…”

  “Fuck, why would I want to do that?” Ethan asked, visibly shaken by the offer.

  “PEEPs want to go back into Sentinel Woods and rest Keith and Jason.”

  Ethan paled. “You mean those dudes are haunting the place? If so, they’ll be worse than Freddy Kruger.”

  “Possibly.”

  “And the creature can’t be too pleased with me at the moment.”

  “True. But Mia doesn’t think it holds grudges. The creature is too primitive.”

  “Crows and bees hold grudges for generations! That monster does too. I’ve looked into its eyes, and I understood that the next time we met, I was going to die,” Ethan said. “Why are you telling me this?”

  “They want you to guide them. You know those woods almost as well as the creature does. You did tell me you wanted to make restitution. Helping Mia find the spirits of Keith and Jason would be a start.”

  “Can I think this over for a while?”

  “Sure, no one is going to pressure you to do anything you don’t want to do.”

  “But they’re going in anyway,” Ethan confirmed.

  “Yes. A family would like to purchase the farmland north of there. And yes, they know about the creature. They have old world ties. Mia has been asked to introduce them to the creature. They feel that if an accord can be reached, the creature will leave them alone. After all, the Monroes have been farming on the east side of Sentinel Woods for generations without incident.”

  “But you’re not worried about the creature, are you?”

  “Honestly, no. I’m worried about Keith and Jason. You’re not the only one who has thought of what those two could do if they developed enough power.”

  ~

  “Sure, I can put something together. Do you want to be able to monitor it?” Ted asked Tom.

  “No, Ethan knows what’s at stake. He needs a computer, full stop. What he does with it is between him and his parole officer.”

  “Are you thinking with your head or your zombie brain?” Ted asked. “Just because you’re walking around because of that kid doesn’t mean you allow him a life of crime.”

  “Zombie? Really, you’re calling me a zombie?”

  “You were dead, and now you’re walking around. It makes you a zombie,” Ted said.

  “Your wife’s a zombie then, two or three times over,” Tom said through his teeth.

  “Shame on you, pulling the zombie-wife card,” Ted said, laughing. “Tell Ethan to stop by and I’ll tailor the computer to fit his needs. No strings attached.”

  “So, you’re not going to be pissed that he doesn’t want to return to Sentinel Woods.”

  “Nope. Probably just be an added problem anyway. We’ve got this.”

  “Says the man married to a thrice-zombie queen,” Tom said and hung up.

  Cid looked over at Ted and asked, “Does Mia know you refer to her as a zombie?”

  “No.”

  “You don’t think Tom’s going to rat you out?”

  “He’s not. Are you?”

  “Haven’t decided yet. So, Ethan Aldridge is free.”

  “On parole, free,” Ted said, squinting an eye while trying to decide if being on parole was actually free or not. “Tom’s big-brothering him.”

  “Isn’t Ethan a little too old?”

  Ted was silent a moment and said thoughtfully, “You know, I think Ethan really could use a big brother. His family ditched him.”

  “Don’t let Mia know that or you’ll have another child…”

  “What child?” Mia asked, walking in the workroom, carrying what used to be a Radio Flyer red wagon. She deposited some of the pieces in a neat pile at the end of the workbench.

  “What happened there?” Ted asked.

  “First you tell me, what child?”

/>   “Ethan Aldridge.”

  “He’s no child. He’s an emancipated minor. Been there, the t-shirt sucks,” Mia said.

  “So, you’re not going to adopt him?” Cid teased.

  “No, there are too many men here as it is. I’ve already ordered a sign for the front drive.” Mia spread her hands wide and read the imaginary wording, “Mia’s House for Wayward Boys/Men.”

  “Your turn. What happened to Brian’s winged wagon?”

  “He took it and filled it with thirty pounds of rock and sand and pushed it off of the roof of the aerie. How he got it up there, not to mention the sand and rocks, is something Dieter will be explaining.”

  “Did Dieter push it off?” Ted asked, alarmed.

  “No, Brian did. He was testing it for airworthiness. Dieter was supposed to be watching him.”

  “Where was Dieter?” Ted asked.

  “He was in the aerie watching a college basketball game on the big television with Mark. He said he had an eye on Brian. Every commercial, Brian would either be sitting on the stairs reading a book or playing with his Legos in his reading nook.”

  “I’m willing to bet Brian already had the wagon up there on the aerie before Dieter was put in charge of him. Remember, Ted, we saw him with the wagon yesterday on the hill,” Cid said. “I bet he timed the commercials and carried up the rocks and sand when the teens were watching the basketball game,” Cid ventured.

  “What are we going to do about him? Do I ask Angelo for a minder? I can’t be with him every minute of the day. I have Varden to look after.” Mia asked Ted, “How did your parents survive you?”

  Ted colored a bit. “There are a few stories, most of them exaggerated. I think I’ll have to have a serious sit-down with the child.”

  “The boy needs a spanking,” Murphy said, carrying in the rest of the wagon’s parts.

  “We don’t hit children,” Ted argued.

  “But he doesn’t respect us,” Mia said. “He’s too smart. He’s ten steps ahead of me, and I was a hoodlum as a child.”

  “Maybe I can be of help?” an unfamiliar voice asked from the doorway.

  Mia turned around to see an older, paler version of Ethan Aldridge standing in the open door of the barn.

  “Ethan, it’s good to see you,” Mia said, walking over to the boy. She took off her glove and took the boy’s hand in hers. “I’m so sorry. We tried to get them to drop the charges.”

  “I know,” Ethan said, his voice breaking. “I know you folks shouldn’t trust me; I’ve not earned your confidence. But I’ve been your Brian. I’ve lived the result of indecisive parenting these past months. Not that I’m saying either of you are at all like my parents. Let me have a heart to heart with the kid. That is, if you think he’ll listen to me?”

  Mia stepped back and looked up at him. “Brian is only two, but his vocabulary is very advanced. He takes after knucklehead over there. He doesn’t mean to do bad things. He just doesn’t see them as anything other than experiments,” she explained.

  “I didn’t see Rory as anything other than a pawn in a game,” Ethan admitted. “Is that Stephen Murphy standing by the workbench?”

  “You can see him?” Mia asked, surprised. She locked eyes with Murphy, hers filled with questions, his not surprised at all.

  “Yes, he’s kind of misty, but I can tell there is an axe-holding man standing there. The same man who brought the deputy back to life.”

  “Speaking of the deputy…”

  “Tom had a call and dropped me off at the end of the drive. I walked in.”

  “You’ve had quite a day,” Ted said, walking over and shaking Ethan’s hand firmly. “I think you remember Cid Garrett?”

  “Yes, sir. Mr. Garrett.”

  “I think, after what we’ve been through, first names are best, Ethan,” Cid said.

  “Thank you, Cid.”

  “Tom said you may have a computer I can use. I’ll repay you when I get my first sale. I intend on eBaying my wardrobe for starters. I’m sure there is some snob wannabe who would appreciate the Armani suits that were foisted upon me.”

  “Tell you what, could you have a sit-down with Brian while I build the right kind of setup? I may have to consult with Jake. I’m not familiar with eBay.”

  “I still think Brian’s hide needs tanning,” Murphy grumbled.

  “Mine was again and again. If the kid is emotionally two, even though he’s intellectually…”

  “Eight or nine,” Mia filled in.

  “Phew. He’s a marvel. What I’m trying to say is, I remember being that kid who could work my way around the adults entrusted to watch me. I’ve been beaten, ignored, incarcerated, and worse. But the only thing that resonates is what makes sense up here,” he said, touching his head. “All the spanking is going to do, Mr. Murphy, is hurt here,” he said, touching his heart. “After, distrust follows. If I can’t reason with him, then take him on old school, but give me a chance to make a difference.”

  Murphy listened to Ethan’s impassioned plea.

  “Well?” Mia asked Murphy.

  “His heart is in the right place. He fought to bring Tom back after he died. He’s not a quitter.”

  “That’s good enough for me. Come on, I’ll introduce you to the little con artist,” Mia said.

  Ethan followed the petite blonde out of the workshop and through the office where a very large eyeball scrutinized them as they walked by.

  “Don’t mind him. That’s Jake. He’s suspicious of everyone, including me.”

  “Alright,” Ethan said, holding the door open for Mia. “I’m remembering the phrase, ‘If looks could kill,’ right now.”

  Mia laughed. “He can’t kill you with a look. A machine under his control? Sure. But there is a limit to Jake’s powers.”

  “You talk like he’s…”

  “Living, no. He’s a ghost who inhabits our machinery. Long story short, he’s a bonafide PEEP right now. I hear Burt’s trying to drag you into the PEEPs web. Resist if you can, but we’re all so damn cute, you’ll give in.”

  “Sentinel Woods is a lot to ask even of an ex-con,” Ethan said.

  “Good for you. I’m not happy about that either. All I wanted to do was introduce a woman skilled in the art of Crone magic to an ancient uncontrollable creature that I still think of as Pumpkin Head.”

  They walked up the steps of the farmhouse porch. Mia turned around and said, “I’m worried about the souls of your friends. This is the only reason I’ll be attending. You see, maybe foolishly, I believe I can save them from drifting around the sinkholes for an eternity, even if the consensus is that they deserve that and more.”

  “Jason Jones is… was… mental. Keith Summerfield was cowed by his brother, but he is extremely smart. If they are stuck there, it won’t be for long. I know they will find a way out, and then you’ll have a bigger problem on your hands than just your bad conscience,” Ethan advised. “And then there’s Blair. He’s a psychopath.”

  “I have a friend watching him. So far, aside from cheating on his exams, he has maintained a low profile. He can’t be happy you’re out. I think he’s afraid of you.”

  “No. Challenged maybe, but not afraid. I’m afraid of him though,” Ethan admitted.

  Mia opened the door, and the two stepped in. Sitting on the steps leading up to the second story, with a scowl on his face, was Brian. Dieter was standing there staring at him. Mark was on the top landing thumbing through a magazine while blocking the toddler’s escape route.

  “Hello, Mom,” Brian grumbled.

  “Brian,” Mia said. “Dieter, Mark, this is a friend of ours, Ethan Aldridge. Ted’s building him a computer. If either of you know anything about eBay, you could be of some use.”

  Dieter shook his head, but Mark sat up straight. “I do.”

  “Why don’t you and Dieter go to the workshop and help Ted. I take it Varden is still napping?”

  “He’s snoring,” Brian grumbled. “Your perfect son is snoring.”


  “Maybe he’s got a stuffy nose. I’ll go and take a peek. Brian, offer Ethan some refreshment.”

  Brian stood up and climbed down the stairs, waving for Ethan to follow him into the kitchen.

  “I’d offer you a beer, but I’m not allowed to touch them, because evidently, serving a can one has shaken up is rude.”

  Ethan’s eyebrows went up, but he refrained from laughing. “I’d love a Coke or a Pepsi.”

  “So you’re not a Dr. Pepper man?”

  “Not my drink of choice, but if that’s all they have…”

  Brian pried the door open with his small hands and crawled into the refrigerator and called out, “Found a Coke. Did you know they used to make Coke with cocaine?”

  “Do you know that’s an inappropriate question for a two-year-old?”

  Brian handed Ethan the Coke and retrieved a juice box for himself. “I’m two and three quarters, I’ll have you know.”

  “Brian, I’m going to speak frankly. I’m assuming you know what that means.”

  “Go ahead.”

  “You’re going to scare the crap out of your peers. No one is going to want to play with you. You’ll end up picked last for all the games, and the bullies are going to eat you alive. There’s safety in numbers.”

  “So, you’re saying I should dumb it down to fit in?”

  “Not exactly, but choose when to educate your friends and when to enjoy just being with them. Never pick on anyone slower than you. Instead, look for what they are good at and help them to exploit it.”

  “Exploit the dummies…”

  “No!” Ethan said sharply. “Maybe exploit is the wrong word. Help them to develop their talents. In doing so, you may learn something about friendship, sportsmanship, and being a good human being.”

  “I’m not a human being. I’m a sage.”

  “I’m going to throw a yellow card on the field, my boy. Most sages are human. Some live a long time, some just a glimmer, but while they are alive, they help us to grow, to learn, to be the best that we can be.”

  “Where did you learn this?”

  “In books while I was in prison,” Ethan answered truthfully.

  Brian’s eyes got real large.