Neptune's Ring

by Ali Spooner

  “We will be there as quickly as possible,” Cat said.

  “Thank you, Cat I will meet you at the dock.”

  Levi closed the phone and looked at Celeste who was smiling broadly. “She will bring him as quick as she can.”

  “Thank you, Levi.”

  “You are most welcome.”

  “What happened to Van Buren?” Celeste asked.

  “He was murdered by the husband of one of his mistresses,” Levi said. “It is a shame he will not be made to pay for your death,” she added.

  “Have faith he is paying very dearly where he is now,” Celeste said.

  “That makes me feel good to know,” Levi said. “He must have been a real bastard.”

  “He had his nice moments when I first began working for him. Roberto begged me to quit, but he paid well and I wanted us to have a good start when we got married,” Celeste said.

  “I will have to leave soon to go meet Cat and Roberto,” Levi said. “You won’t disappear on me will you?”

  “No, I will remain in your vision until my body is uncovered,” Celeste said.

  “So, how long do you want me to wait to call the authorities?” Levi asked.

  “You can call once Roberto gets here. I know it will take a little while before they come.”

  “Will I be able to communicate with you once Roberto gets here?”

  “Yes, you and I can talk, but he won’t be able to hear me,” Celeste said.

  “Why don’t we leave Cat to wait for the authorities then and Roberto and I will join you on the front porch so you can have a private goodbye,” Levi said.

  “Thank you for being so kind, Levi. I wish we could have met when I was alive. I think we would have been great friends.”

  “I think we would have been too,” Levi said. “I will never forget you,” she promised.

  “I hope you and your friends will make Neptune’s Ring a place of beauty and love,” Celeste said.

  “We will,” Levi said.

  Levi could hear the hum of a motor on the water and she knew her time with Celeste was coming to an end.

  “Will you walk to the house with me?”

  “Yes, Levi and I will wait there for your return.”

  Levi and Celeste walked back to the house and Celeste sat down on the front steps. She smiled at Levi as she climbed into the golf cart and turned to look at Celeste. Levi saw one of Carlos’ flat keel boats pulling into the harbor and she started down the hill to meet them.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Cat hung up the phone from talking to Levi and dialed Carlos’ number.

  “Hello,” Carlos said wide awake.

  “Hi, Carlos, this is Cat and I am sorry if I woke you,” she said.

  “That’s okay I was already awake and making coffee, Cat, what’s going on?”

  “I just got a call from Levi and she needs our help,” Cat said.

  “Is everything okay?”

  “She has found Celeste.”

  Carlos was quiet for a moment as Cat’s words sank in.

  “Carlos, are you there?”

  “Yes, Cat, I am sorry, I was just stunned a little. What do we need to do?” he asked.

  “Levi wants us to bring Roberto out to the island as quickly as we can. I don’t know why, but she said to hurry and she would explain it all later. I need your boat to take us over.”

  “Right,” Carlos said. “I will call Roberto and meet you down at the dock as quickly as I can,” Carlos said.

  “Thank you, Carlos.”

  “You are welcome.”

  Carlos then dialed Roberto’s number.

  “Hello,” Roberto said still asleep.

  “Roberto this is Carlos, I don’t have time for questions, so just get dressed and I will be there to pick you up in five minutes,” Carlos said.

  “What?” Roberto said.

  “Just get dressed,” Carlos said and hung up.

  Roberto crawled from the bed and somehow got dressed as he forced his eyes open. Carlos better have a good reason for getting me out of bed so early, he thought as he ran a comb through his hair and brushed his teeth.

  Cat finished dressing and drove down to the docks to wait for Carlos and Roberto. She paced until she saw headlights coming in her direction.

  Carlos and Roberto ran to meet her.

  “Cat, can you tell me what is going on?” Roberto said as they untied the mooring lines and jumped onto the boat.

  Carlos started the boat and they headed to the island.

  Cat huddled in close to Carlos and Roberto. “I am afraid I don’t know that much either,” Cat said. “I got a call from Levi and she said she had found Celeste and asked me to bring you to the island as soon as possible.”

  “She found her?” Roberto said.

  “Yes, but I am not sure how, so we will have to find that out once we get to the island,” Cat said.

  Cat could see goose flesh on Roberto’s arms but she wasn’t sure if it were from excitement or the chill on the open water. She placed a comforting arm around his shoulder and hugged him tight.

  Levi made it to the harbor just as Carlos was pulling the boat up to the dock. She parked the cart and rushed to the boat to greet them.

  “I am glad you made it so fast,” she said. She looked at Roberto. “I have found her and she wants to see you one last time before she is gone from this world forever,” Levi said.

  Roberto dropped to his knees. “Oh my dear Celeste,” he cried.

  Carlos helped Levi pull him up to his feet.

  “Roberto, you have to pull yourself together,” Levi said. “We don’t have much time.”

  “Cat, I need for you and Carlos to give us a fifteen minute lead and then call the authorities to the island,” Levi said. “Roberto, are you ready?”

  “Yes, Levi, I am sorry, I will hold it together,” he said.

  “Let’s go then,” Levi said and led him to the cart. They sat down and Levi looked over at Roberto and saw that he was ghostly white. I can see, hear and talk to Celeste, and she asked me to bring you to her one last time so she could say goodbye,” Levi explained. “She is waiting for us at the house, but her time is very limited,” Levi said.

  “Thank you, Levi,” Roberto said.

  “She is so beautiful, I wish you could see her for yourself,” Levi said. “Celeste will be able to hear what you say to her, so don’t waste this chance.”

  Levi topped the hill and she could see Celeste sitting on the porch steps and saw her face light up when she saw Roberto in the cart beside Levi.

  Levi brought the cart to a sliding stop in front of the house and rushed to Celeste’s side. “I am so glad you are still here.”

  “I told you I would be here,” Celeste said with a smile. “Hello, My Love.”

  “Celeste says hello to you Roberto, she is sitting right here on the steps,” Levi said.

  Roberto knelt on the ground before the steps with tears in his eyes. “Oh, Celeste I love you so,” he said.

  “And I love you, Roberto.”

  “She loves you too Roberto,” Levi said.

  “I am so sorry that I didn’t make you quit working for that bastard,” Roberto said with tears streaming down his face.

  “What happened to me was not your fault,” Celeste said.

  “Celeste says what happened to her was not your fault,” Levi relayed.

  “I know that you have held onto your love for me over the years, but now it is time to move on with your life,” Celeste said.

  “Celeste knows that you have loved her still, but she says it is time for you to move on,” Levi said.

  “I will never love another like I loved you,” Roberto said.

  Celeste struggled to hold back her tears. “You are a good man and have so much to offer a woman,” Celeste said.

  “She says you are a good man and have so much to offer a woman,” Levi said.

  Levi sat down beside Celeste and looked out across the water. She could see the blue l
ights flashing at the docks on the mainland.

  “I know, I see them,” Celeste said.

  “Please tell my mother, I love her.”

  “Celeste said to tell her mother that she loves her.”

  “I will and we will finally be able to have a service for you, now that we know for sure,” Roberto said.

  Celeste turned to Levi. “If it is at all possible, please do not let him know everything that happened to me to cause my death,” she said.

  Levi knew that Celeste was referring to the rape and she knew that she must not reveal the presence of the diary to anyone. Levi nodded her head.

  “The time is getting close,” Levi said, as she saw the boat approaching the island. “What else do you want to tell Roberto?”

  “Tell him that I love him and always will.”

  “Celeste says that she will always love you.”

  Celeste stood and knelt down beside Roberto and kissed him lightly on the lips.

  Roberto could not see her, but he felt the brush of her lips against his.

  “Did she just kiss me?” he asked.

  “Yes, she did,” Levi said with a smile.

  “I wish I could hold you one last time,” he said.

  “Stand up, Roberto,” Levi said.

  Roberto stood and Celeste rose to stand in front of him. Levi watched as Celeste wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder.

  “She has her arms around you and her head is on your right shoulder,” Levi said.

  Roberto could feel the warmth of her tears on his skin as Celeste cried on his shoulder.

  Roberto stroked what he thought would be her hair. “I love you Baby,” he whispered.

  Levi stepped away and let the lovers have a private embrace. Her heart ached for the young couple as they shared a final goodbye.

  Levi felt a touch to her arm and turned to look at Celeste. “Ask him to wait down at the docks and ride with me as they take me home.”

  “She wants you to wait down at the docks and ride with her as they take her home,” Levi said.

  “I love you, Celeste,” Roberto said as he turned and walked down the hill.

  “Ask Carlos to come up please,” Levi said.

  Celeste’s tears continued as she watched Roberto disappear over the hill. She then turned to Levi. “Thank you again for everything you have done.”

  “You are welcome and after you have left the island, I will burn the diary,” Levi promised.

  “Thank you, I could not bear for Roberto to have to live his life knowing what had happened,” she said.

  “I understand and will make sure no one ever finds out,” Levi said.

  Carlos arrived at the house at a dead run.

  “Will you stay here and bring the authorities into the clearing behind the house when they arrive?” Levi asked.

  “Sure thing, Levi,” Carlos said.

  “Are you ready?” Levi asked Celeste.

  “Yes,” Celeste said. “I am ready to go home.”

  Levi and Celeste walked back to the clearing and stopped at the garden Celeste had loved so much.

  “May I ask two more things?” Celeste asked.

  “Anything,” Levi said.

  “Please, have someone keep my garden growing for as long as you can.”

  “It is so beautiful it would be a shame to let it go,” Levi said.

  Her next words rocked Levi’s world.

  “Love Vanessa the best you can,” she said. “I know it was rude of me to read your private thoughts, but you love her like I love Roberto and it would make me happy to know that the island once again is the home to love.”

  “I will,” Levi said as her words caught in her throat. “You have taught me just how precious a love can be.”

  Levi heard male voices approach ad saw the flickering of flash lights moving toward them.

  “Goodbye my friend,” Celeste said and hugged Levi.

  Levi moved her arms to embrace Celeste and found the mist had returned and Celeste had vanished. “Goodbye, Celeste,” she whispered.

  Levi walked over to meet the men coming down the path. Carlos introduced her to the Jonah, the Chief of Police.

  “Good morning,” Jonah said. “Carlos tells me that you have found a body you believe to be Celeste Vasquez,” he said.

  “I know it is Celeste,” Levi said. “She brought me to her grave.”

  “That is going to be an interesting story,” Jonah said.

  “You will probably think I am loco by the time I am done,” Levi said.

  “I seriously doubt that,” Jonah said. “Can you take us to her now?” he asked.

  “Yes, follow me,” Levi said as she turned to walk across the clearing.

  Levi led them down the path and then pointed to the area where she had left her flash light burning. “You will find a shovel in the grave,” she said as she pointed to the shallow grave that Celeste had brought her to.

  “If you don’t mind, I will wait at the house while you recover her body,” Levi said, suddenly weary from the night’s events.

  “That will be fine, Levi,” Jonah said. “This may take some time,” he said.

  “I will walk back with you,” Carlos said as he placed an arm around Levi’s shoulders.

  “Thank you, Carlos,” Levi said as they walked toward the clearing.

  When they reached the house, Levi welcomed him inside. “Would you start a pot of coffee, while I use the restroom?” she asked.

  “I certainly will,” he said.

  “Everything you will need is in the cabinet above the coffee pot,” Levi said as she walked from the room.

  Levi walked into the office and picked up Van Buren’s journal and carried it into her bedroom. She opened an empty drawer on the bedside table and slipped the book inside. She went to the bathroom and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Levi turned on the water and cleaned the blood from the small scratch from her cheek and then splashed cold water on her face. It was nearly five in the morning and it would be many more hours before Levi was alone again on the island.

  She walked back into the kitchen as Carlos watched the pot brewing. “Would you feel alright with postponing work on the island today?” she asked.

  “I think it would be very appropriate and respectful to allow Celeste to be taken home in peace, without a bunch of men standing around gawking,” Carlos said. “I will put a call into the foreman and ask him to give the men the day off.”

  “Thank you, Carlos.”

  “How are you feeling?” he asked.

  “Emotionally exhausted, but relieved to know Celeste’s spirit will be released from the island,” Levi said.

  “Thank you for helping Roberto get some closure on her death,” Carlos said.

  “They loved each other so much,” Levi said as she smiled at Carlos. “I will watch the pot if you will take the cart down and bring Cat and Roberto up to the house,” Levi teased.

  “I will be right back then,” Carlos said and left the house.

  Levi pulled down four coffee mugs and placed sugar and creamer on the small breakfast table.

  Carlos returned with Cat and Roberto just as the coffee finished brewing. “Have a seat and I will bring the pot over,” she said.

  “You take a seat and I will bring the coffee,” Cat said as she pointed Levi to a chair.

  Levi sat beside Roberto. “You feeling okay?” she asked.

  “My heart still aches, but at least now I know Celeste will make it home,” he said.

  Levi felt a chill run through her and she shivered. She knew the men had fully uncovered Celeste’s body and it lay exposed to the night air.

  “Are you okay?” Cat asked when she saw Levi shiver.

  “Just a chill,” Levi said as she picked up the mug of coffee holding it in her hands to warm them and then took a sip of the steaming liquid.

  “Do you feel like talking to us?” Carlos asked.

  Levi smiled. “I guess I do have some expla
ining to do.”

  “Only if you are ready,” Cat said.

  “How did you find her?” Roberto asked.

  “Once you recognized Celeste’s necklace, I knew it was physical proof that she was trying to contact me,” Levi said. “Up until that point, I thought my imagination was playing tricks on me.”

  Levi took a sip of the coffee. “When I returned from the mainland that day, Celeste had found a way to contact me. I had left the computer on and she had typed words there as a message for me. The words were clues that helped me to eventually find her.”

  “That is unbelievable,” Cat said. “Could you see her?”

  “At that point no, she was still invisible to me. When I got back from having dinner with you last night, Celeste had left me another message.”

  “What was it?” Roberto asked.

  “Enough clues to let me know if I went to her garden tonight I could see her,” Levi said. “So I camped out under a tree and waited. When she finally arrived she was not much more than a figure in the mist and still could not speak.”

  “So how did you find her grave?” Carlos asked.

  “Celeste could not speak, but she would nod her head in response to my questions and I asked her to lead me to where her body was hidden. I ran back to the house for a shovel and followed her across the clearing and down a small path.” Levi stopped and looked at Roberto who was staring at her in disbelief.

  “You are a brave woman, Levi.”

  “Not really, but I was curious to solve Celeste’s mystery. She led me into the underbrush and pointed out the spot where Van Buren had buried her. When the shovel struck something hard, I dropped to my knees and moved the soil until I found her hand, buried in the soft soil.”

  “That must have been terrifying,” Cat said.

  “When I looked up at Celeste, her body was no longer a mist, but she was as whole as you or I.”

  “No way,” Carlos said.

  “Yes way and Celeste could speak. She asked me to bring Roberto to the island so she could see him one last time and you know the rest of the story from there,” Levi said.

  “When you left the house to walk to the clearing, was she still with you?” Carlos asked.

  “Yes, we waited for the authorities by the garden and she thanked me for my help and hugged me,” Levi said. “Then Celeste disappeared.”