Praying for Time

by Carlene Thompson

  ‘She’s right,’ Derek said in a strong voice. The general murmur was dying down as people began to stare. ‘I don’t want you to see Sam and you know he doesn’t want to see you.’

  ‘He’s only twelve. He doesn’t know what he wants.’

  ‘I do too know what I want!’

  Nia smiled grimly. ‘Hush, Sammy, Mommy and Daddy are talking.’

  ‘You’re not my mother. Not really. Not anymore. You went away with that man and you forgot all about me for years.’ Sammy was red-faced with fury. ‘Now you want me again. Why?’

  ‘That’s what I’d like to know,’ Derek said. ‘But this isn’t the place to hash out our problems. I want you to leave, Nia. If you leave right now, we’ll talk later. I mean it.’

  They locked gazes for almost a full minute as the room became completely silent. Then Nia huffed, stalked to the front door and slammed it behind her. Derek leaned down to comfort Sammy, who stood as stiff and controlled as a soldier at attention.

  Guests immediately began talking as if that would obliterate the ugly scene. Audrey and Vanessa moved away from Derek and Sammy. ‘Oh, that woman!’ Audrey almost hissed.

  ‘She shouldn’t be anyone’s mother,’ Vanessa murmured. ‘I hope Derek can send her back to her lover soon.’

  ‘I’ve wondered about that relationship. At first it seemed that Nia was abandoning Sammy because her big-time movie producer didn’t want him. What’s changed?’

  ‘I’d be the last to know,’ Audrey muttered.

  ‘Maybe Derek will find out tomorrow.’

  ‘He might not tell me.’

  Vanessa smiled. ‘I wish you could see the way he looks at you, Audrey. He’s in love with you even if he hasn’t said it. I’m sure he’ll tell you everything Nia says.’

  TWENTY-ONE

  Vanessa was bone-tired after the funeral. Audrey and Roxanne were hovering around the kitchen, putting away leftovers and wiping counters. Audrey fixed Vanessa a rum and Coke. ‘You need this,’ she said. ‘I know how much you loved Grace. Perhaps it will help you sleep. You’ll have a busy day tomorrow. A funeral doesn’t put to rights the affairs of the dead.’

  When she awakened the next morning, she had a vague memory of Queenie walking around her bed the night before, nudging her, whining. Now the dog lay peacefully in her bed, Dom tucked under her chin. Maybe I was dreaming, Vanessa thought as she stretched and looked at the dull light seeping in through a slit in the drapes.

  ‘Oh, not another dreary day,’ she said aloud. Queenie raised her head. ‘I’d hoped we’d have sunshine and blue skies.’ The dog made a small sound in her throat. ‘You always understand me, don’t you?’

  Vanessa swung her legs over the side of the bed and Queenie came to her side for an ear rub. Vanessa got up, put on her robe, and headed downstairs for coffee. The kitchen was quieter than normal. The children were eating cereal but not chattering as usual. Audrey wasn’t humming as she prepared toast for herself. Vanessa felt like her voice came out too loud and happy when she said, ‘Good morning, everyone!’

  All three looked at her.

  ‘Good morning, Aunt Vanessa,’ Cara said softly. ‘How are you?’

  ‘I miss Grace, but she wouldn’t want us to be sad. I think we should all remember that she’d be disappointed if we moped around and cried. She thought everyone should enjoy every single day of life.’

  ‘You’re absolutely right,’ Audrey said. ‘I’ve known Grace since I was a child’ – she looked at the kids – ‘when I was even younger than you. And I know that’s how Grace felt. So Cara, Sammy, cheer up. It’s what Grace would have wanted.’

  Sammy and Cara looked at each other and smiled. ‘OK,’ Cara said. ‘No more tears. Sammy and I will be brave and do what Grace would want us to do.’

  Vanessa fixed toast with butter and blueberry preserves and drank two cups of coffee. ‘Gee, I feel better!’ She looked at Queenie who was licking her bowl clean. ‘How about you?’ The dog barked and the kids laughed. ‘Come upstairs and help me get dressed, Queenie. I need your opinion on what I’ll wear today.’

  As she passed Roxanne’s door, Vanessa opened it and peeked inside. Once again Roxy lay on her right side with her legs drawn up and her head tucked under. Vanessa smiled and decided not to pull up the blanket. She didn’t want to wake her.

  ‘Oh, what to wear,’ Vanessa said to Queenie as she sorted through the scant wardrobe she brought with her to Everly Cliffs. She chose a pair of jeans, a blouse to wear under a wool V-necked sweater, socks and boots. She brushed her hair and pulled it back in a ponytail. Then she grabbed a jacket and crept downstairs, Queenie on a leash behind her. She felt like taking a walk, but she didn’t want the children to accompany her. This morning she wanted to be alone with her thoughts.

  The sky was low and the color of flint without a streak of pale yellow or even blue. A light mist still hung over the hill overlooking the beach, which looked bleak and lonely. She closed her eyes, feeling tears pressing, but she couldn’t let herself cry after giving the kids a rousing speech about not being sad. Instead she let Queenie lead her through the ragged grass and low undergrowth, trying to keep Grace’s face from her mind as she concentrated on Queenie’s unusual force as she pulled forward. At last Queenie stopped abruptly and began growling.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ Vanessa asked. The dog started barking furiously. ‘Queenie! Stop!’

  Queenie lunged ahead. Vanessa stumbled after her and without even realizing what had happened, she tripped over something and fell. The dog turned to Vanessa but continued a storm of barking. Trying to catch her breath, Vanessa looked back at the obstacle over which she’d fallen.

  For a moment she simply stared. Then, with an overwhelming horror, she saw the body of Nia Sherwin lying on her back, her hands folded on her abdomen and holding two white roses, her blonde hair spread gracefully around her beautiful face and a gold ribbon tied across her forehead.

  Vanessa didn’t scream. She simply clambered to her feet and looked while Queenie barked. ‘Quiet. The children will hear you. Quiet, girl!’

  Queenie knew basic commands and fell silent, although she stood rigidly by Vanessa’s side, as if ready to defend her. But Vanessa wasn’t paying attention to Queenie. Her gaze was fastened on the slit across Nia’s slender throat and the pool of blood that had spread downward and stained her white crew-necked wool sweater. She wore no coat or shoes. Only black slacks and black stockings on her feet.

  Almost without thought, Vanessa called the house. When Audrey answered, Vanessa asked, ‘Are the children near you?’

  ‘They’re in the other room watching television. What is it?’

  ‘I’ve just found Nia Sherwin’s body.’ She heard Audrey’s sharp intake of breath. ‘I have to call Wade and he’ll come with other cops and crime-scene people. Can you take the kids somewhere? Now?’

  Audrey cleared her throat. ‘Yes. I’ll think of something.’ Her voice sounded high and strained. ‘Are you sure about Nia?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Oh my God.’ She drew a breath. ‘I’ll have the kids out of here in ten minutes.’

  When Vanessa saw Audrey’s car going down the hill away from the house, she called Wade Baylor. ‘Wade, this is Vanessa Everly,’ she said formally. ‘You should come to Everly House. Nia Sherwin has been murdered.’

  ‘Murdered?’ Wade almost shouted. ‘You mean she’s dead?’

  ‘I mean she’s been murdered. She’s north of the house. Queenie and I will be waiting.’

  In what seemed record time, Wade arrived, his expression grim. He looked at the body expressionlessly, walking in a wide girth around it. ‘Did you touch the body?’ he asked Vanessa.

  ‘No … but, oh God, I tripped over her.’

  ‘Is she in the same position as before you tripped?’

  ‘Yes, I think so. She was so stiff that she didn’t … well, roll.’

  ‘Did the dog nose around her?’

  ‘No. She kept about two feet away, barki
ng.’

  ‘That’s good.’

  Vanessa remained quiet for a moment. ‘Wade, do you have any idea when she might have been killed?’

  ‘She’s in rigor mortis, but I’m not sure for how long. We need the experts. I’ll call the crime-scene team.’

  ‘What about her slashed neck?’

  ‘I’m not sure. It isn’t like Zane Felder’s.’

  ‘What? You think the same person who killed Zane Felder killed Nia Sherwin?’

  ‘I don’t know, Vanessa. We’re going to need a lot of expert examination.’

  ‘But what about Sammy? I know he didn’t like Nia but she’s his mother!’

  Wade looked at her with his sad eyes. ‘I know. I’m sorry. Poor little guy. But Nia wasn’t exactly beloved by people in this town and especially by her husband.’

  ‘Derek! Are you accusing Derek of doing this?’

  ‘I’m saying he has a motive, Vanessa. Even you have to admit he does. And they had a bad argument at the funeral reception just yesterday. There are a lot of witnesses.’

  ‘Vanessa!’ She looked up to see Roxy running toward them. She’d been so worried about the children she’d forgotten about her sister. ‘What’s wrong?’

  Before Vanessa could answer, Roxanne came to a halt beside her, looking at the body of Nia. ‘Oh Lord! When did this happen?’

  ‘We don’t know. Sometime last night.’

  ‘Her neck is slit!’

  ‘Don’t get too close, Roxanne,’ Wade said. ‘We don’t want to disturb evidence.’

  Roxanne’s long robe blew around her legs in the breeze that lifted her hair. ‘He did this, Nessa! Brody did this! Her hair is loose. It’s long and the color of mine.’ She gazed at Nia. ‘Look at the gold ribbon across her forehead. And the roses in her hands.’ Roxanne’s face was ashen and grave. ‘She looks like the women in the prints in Brody’s apartment. The Lady of Shalott, some of the others.’ She raised blue, terror-filled eyes to Wade. ‘Brody mistook Nia for me!’

  The children came skipping into the house. Cara stopped in front of Vanessa, who was sat on the living-room couch. ‘Mommy wanted us to go downtown and look for after-Christmas sales but half the stores were closed! We didn’t buy anything!’

  ‘I guess she thought the sales would start sooner than they did.’ She smiled at Cara. ‘I’d like to talk to Sammy alone for a few minutes. Is that all right with you?’

  Cara immediately sensed trouble. ‘He didn’t do anything wrong, did he?’

  ‘Not at all. I just need a few minutes, Cara.’

  As Cara left the room, Sammy stood solemnly in front of Vanessa. ‘Something’s wrong, isn’t it? I could tell by the way Audrey was acting.’

  ‘Yes, Sammy, it is. This is going to be hard to hear … Your mother is dead.’

  The boy stared at her. ‘She’s dead?’

  Vanessa nodded.

  ‘Did she have a heart attack like Grace?’ the boy asked.

  ‘No.’ Vanessa swallowed hard. ‘Someone killed her. I’m so sorry.’

  Sammy looked away for a few seconds. ‘Do you know who killed her?’

  ‘No. The police are investigating.’

  ‘Oh.’ He went completely still. ‘They’ll blame Dad.’

  ‘Maybe not.’

  ‘Yes, they will, even though he didn’t do it. He was really mad at her, but he’d never kill anyone! Not Dad!’ His eyes filled with tears. ‘Can I go to my room now?’

  ‘Of course, Sammy.’

  ‘And please don’t let Cara come in. I don’t want her to see me crying again.’

  TWENTY-TWO

  By eleven thirty that night, Vanessa was still tossing and turning. The day had been awful and she knew she’d think about every moment of it later, but now all she felt was bereft. From the time she was a toddler, she’d loved Grace more than anyone. Then when she was a teenager and Grace lived in France, they’d communicated almost daily. And after Roxanne had been taken and Vanessa had come to Everly Cliffs as little as possible, she’d still called, emailed and texted Grace constantly. The woman had known Vanessa’s almost every thought and feeling.

  Now Nia Sherwin had been murdered. She’d intensely disliked Nia but she hadn’t wished her dead. And how did Sammy feel? He wouldn’t talk and he’d been shut away in his room almost all day. Not only was his mother dead, his father was a suspect. Vanessa knew the police had questioned Derek for hours. Audrey was distraught, Derek had hired a lawyer, and Cara was inconsolable because Sammy had pulled away from her. Roxanne was even more frightened than she had been before Grace’s death. All the disasters flashed through Vanessa’s mind until she felt as if she’d scream.

  Knowing she’d never get to sleep, she got out of bed and put on socks, jeans, a sweater, sneakers, and a jacket, then tiptoed to the kitchen where she made cinnamon tea that she put in a thermos. She found the key to the tower in the antique writing desk and let herself out the front door. Only a few of the porch lights were on and Vanessa was glad they weren’t all glowing into the night. She didn’t want to be seen. In two minutes she had let herself into the tower, leaned against the closed door, and breathed deeply before climbing the spiral of stairs. At the top, she closed her eyes. She could almost see Grace sitting on the love seat, sipping cinnamon tea and eating cookies they’d brought from the house like they used to do. Then they would look through the telescope at the ocean and finally talk about everything and nothing.

  ‘I miss you,’ Vanessa said aloud. ‘This was our place. We’re the only ones who loved it. I know if any of you remains on this Earth, it’s in here.’

  She poured some tea and sat on the love seat for a while, sipping the tea that brought back so many memories of her confiding things to Grace she would never have told her mother. Grace, in turn, had offered advice and giggled and reminisced, never acting as if she was anything except a friend.

  When Vanessa finished her second cup of tea, she stood up and circled the room, looking at framed pictures of ships: USS West Virginia; HMS Victory; USS Constitution; HMS Bounty; Captain Cook’s HMS Endeavor. Then she examined the model ships her grandfather Leonard had built and put in the tower: a three-masted ship; a Spanish galleon; HMS Leopard; the Santa Maria. Grace said Frederick had shown no interest in the ship models, but Leonard had continued to build them for ‘my boy’. ‘For his boy,’ Grace had laughed. ‘His boy couldn’t have cared less.’

  Vanessa lighted two candles then wandered over to the telescope and sat down, focusing it on the beach. The moon was almost full, bathing the beach in silvery light. Everything looked calm and somewhat lonely at this time of night. The view was making her feel even worse, but then she caught a glimpse of movement to the north. She adjusted the telescope slightly and refocused. She could make out two figures, one much taller than the other. Then she saw a man in dark clothes and a woman in a white top. Her hands were clamped around his arms and she appeared to be fighting, her long blonde hair flying back and forth as he shook her.

  Long blonde hair? Could it be Roxy?

  Vanessa narrowed her eye, trying to keep the focus as tight as possible. The woman struggled from side to side, then she fell. The man’s hands closed around her upper arms and pulled her up. She turned as if to run away and that’s when Vanessa saw her face. It was Roxanne. And the man was Brody.

  Roxanne spun around to face him and wrenched one arm free. She began pounding his chest but he caught her hand. She threw back her head and screamed.

  Oh my God, Vanessa thought wildly. What can I do? What should I do?

  She could almost hear Wade Baylor’s voice: Call 911.

  She grabbed her phone, dialed, and gave a garbled account of what was happening and her location. ‘Please send police and an emergency team.’ She tucked the phone in her pocket, picked up a flashlight standing on a table and began running down the spiral staircase. Around and around – an endless run, it seemed. Then she came to the door, burst out, and headed across the lawn. She didn’t try to find the p
ath in the darkness – she dashed through the trees and brush on the hill leading down to the beach. She slid on damp weeds and slipped on loose dirt but somehow stayed on her feet. By the time she got to the beach, she could hardly get her breath. Gasping, she looked around and saw Roxanne and Brody, still struggling as they moved toward the wreck of the Seraphim May.

  Vanessa ran toward the shipwreck, her shoes sinking deeper into the wet sand as she approached. Roxanne and Brody had disappeared but Roxy screamed again and Brody yelled, ‘Stop! I don’t want to hurt you!’ They were in the wrecked ship.

  Vanessa turned on the flashlight. She shone it on an opening in the hull, stepped inside and began walking carefully on what was left of the soggy sand-covered floor of the ship. She wanted to call out to Roxy but she was afraid her presence would spook Brody. Although during the day sunlight seeped into the ship through cracks and a few gaping holes, at night its darkness was musty and slightly foul, and seemed to swallow the beam of the flashlight. Suddenly Vanessa panicked, feeling as if the rotting hull was moving, closing in on her. She stopped, shut her eyes and forced herself to take a deep breath, even though the air was sulfuric. She choked and tried to muffle her coughs. Then she opened her eyes, took ten more steps forward and shined a beam of light, which landed on Brody who was facing her and holding Roxanne whose back was turned toward Vanessa.

  ‘Brody? Brody, it’s Vanessa,’ she said gently. ‘Please let go of Roxanne.’

  Brody looked up at Vanessa. ‘Why are you here? No one is supposed to be here.’

  ‘I came to get Roxanne. She needs to stay with me.’

  He shook his head. ‘She must go. She must—’

  ‘I won’t! For the love of God, let me loose, Brody,’ Roxanne shrieked. ‘Give me to her!’

  ‘No! The voices say you must come with me.’

  ‘Brody, I think the voices are wrong. Roxanne should stay here with me, her sister.’

  ‘Brody, please,’ Roxanne begged desperately. ‘Let me go to Vanessa.’