Chapter 16

Steven stood across from Rachel and watched. She held her head up. Marie stood beside her holding her hand tightly, watching the small casket being lowered into the ground.

Rachel looked up and met his eyes.

There were no tears, only a deep sorrow. He wanted to rush over and hold her, but knew she wanted to show strength to the young girl whose hand she held. So, he stood watching.

Patrick brought Rhonda after she threatened to catch a bus back to them. He stood, eyes darting around the graveyard taking in every movement on the grounds.

Dade held Cora against his side. They both accepted death differently than most. But the hurt Cora was feeling from Rachel’s pain was evident on her face.

Steven himself believed souls moved on, but it didn’t make it any easier when the soul was from such a young life.

Chris and Kasey stood holding hands and watched as Connie stepped forward to drop a flower onto the casket below. She turned and helped Marie do the same then they walked back towards the waiting cars.

Rachel stood there with her head held high and watched as Kasey stepped over the mounds hidden under the green carpet. Kasey knelt and opened her hand over the deep hole now holding Ricky’s small body. Shimmering dust floated down in a graceful dance to rest on the polished wood below. Chris took her hand to help her back to her feet and then squatted down and picked up some soil from the edge of one of the mounds. His lips moved with words she couldn’t hear just before he opened his hand and released the dirt.

Leena was next to walk over. She pulled a small pouch from her pocket and sent the leaves whirling on her wind down over the casket. Owen pulled her to her feet and hugged her before dropping a single flower down to rest on the casket.

Rachel took a shallow breath and tried not to sob as Steven stepped over. He looked at her for a moment and then leaned down towards the open earth. He had no magic this day. He just opened his hand and let a small stuffed animal Ricky always carried float down to rest above its owner. He straightened up and looked over at her. She wanted him to hold her and erase the pain she felt, but she knew if he touched her, she’d fall apart, and she didn’t need tears right now. As if he knew her thoughts, he took a step back and continued to look at her. He was there if she needed him and that was enough.

Her knees started to shake as Dade and Cora walked over to the end of the hole. Cora knelt and closed her eyes while Dade stood behind her watching towards the space above the ground. Both of their lips moved in a chant, a chant she knew without asking was to call the spirits to watch over Ricky. Opening her eyes Cora looked up and smiled a warm smile at Rachel.

Patrick and Rhonda both held flowers over the ground until Patrick floated them down ever so gently.

When Rachel stepped up closer, she stood looking down at the box holding Ricky from her sight. She took a deep breath and kissed her hand, sending sparkles cascading down to the surface. They spread around the edges to hold him safe. She stood there looking down wanting to fall to her knees and ask the Gods why…why him? But she didn’t.

Cora stiffened and suddenly turned her head looking at the trees along the back of the property. Dade spun around to stand in front of her and squinted as he scanned the area.

Patrick glanced from Cora to the trees and then took Rhonda’s elbow and began walking her in the direction of the car.

Chris looked from Owen to Steven and then leaned down and spoke quietly to Kasey.

Kasey and Leena walked up to Rachel and guided her back from the grave, turning to where the cars were parked. Owen waited for Cora and followed behind the women. Patrick was walking back from the cars. “Stay with them,” he said quietly to Owen.

Dade along with Steven and Chris were walking slowly toward the back of the graveyard, putting more distance between them with each step. Their eyes scanned through the trees searching.

Patrick was talking quietly into his phone when he joined them along the edge of the trees. “They’ll come in from the other side.”

Chris nodded without looking away from the trees.

Dade wanted to rush in and hunt down the disturbance Cora sensed.

Placing a hand on Steven’s arm, Patrick leaned over and spoke low. “As much as I’d like your skills right now, I need you and Owen to get those ladies the hell out of here to safety.”

“Take them to my place.” Chris said quietly as he took slow steps into the trees.

Steven clenched his jaw and handed Dade his keys. He nodded abruptly. “Find the fucker,” he hissed before turning to walk back to the women.

Steven followed Connie in Dade’s van most of the way to her place at Rachel’s request. She promised Marie she’d be there later. Even though, they all knew who was in danger, it somehow made Rachel feel better knowing they got home safe. He’d do anything she asked right now. She sat beside him quietly. Kasey and Rhonda sat in the back silently. Owen and Leena were right behind the van with Cora.

“Was it him?” Kasey asked Rhonda quietly.

Rhonda took a deep breath. “I don’t know. Cora said it felt the same.”

Steven reached over and picked up Rachel’s hand from her lap. He squeezed, and almost sighed in relief as she held it tightly to her. She had been so quiet since the night Ricky passed. She didn’t smile, it didn’t reach her eyes at least. He thought she would have spent every moment with Marie and Haley but she had only gone over once for an hour since that night.

“It’s Chris’s birthday tomorrow,” Rachel said quietly.

He watched Kasey nod in the mirror. “We were going to have a dinner, but we’ve postponed it. I figured with Leena’s coming up in a few weeks we’d have a big dinner for the two.”

Rachel nodded. “Good. I found the perfect card for Chris. It’s an old man trying to lift this huge book. It should make him whine that we’re bothering him again.”

Kasey smiled. “Sounds good.”

Steven looked over at her a few times while trying to watch the road. That was the most she’d said in the last few days.

Steven paced back and forth in front of the window waiting for them to return. The women spent most of the time in the kitchen. Owen sat in the chair watching Steven pace. He turned. “It’s taking them a long time.”

“That’s a big area to scout,” Owen said quietly. “How are you doing, Doc?”

Steven stopped and looked at him. “Tired, but that’s a lifelong affliction.”

“Do you think Rachel is going to be okay?”

Steven stopped again and let out a long breath. “I hope so.”

“Time will tell,” Owen said again softly. He turned as voices came from the foyer. “They’re back.”

Steven only had to see their faces to know they hadn’t found him.

“Got tracks in one area where the ground was pretty soft, but lost them half way through the bush,” Patrick said. “They’ll run them and keep going over it until dark.”

Dade sighed and dropped his suit coat onto the banister. Pulling off his tie he hissed. “It had to be him. Who the hell else would stand like a coward behind a tree watching a funeral?”

Cora stood in the doorway. “How did he find us? Who is he following to know that we would all be there today?”

Patrick took the beer Chris came back in and handed him. “I don’t know. But there’s no question that he knows all of us, or he’s just watching a few of us.”

Chris lowered his head. “Like Cora, Rhonda and me?”

Patrick nodded. “And me, the rest are pretty low profile to him. Except maybe Dade, who chased his ass down?”

Kasey stood there looking around. “So, what do we do?”

Rachel stood up. “I know what I’m not doing. I’m not going to hide. This could go on for years for all we know, does everyone feel comfortable in hiding and laying low forever? I don’t,” she said and walked to the window. “I’m going back to my place tonight.”

“Rach…” Steven’s heart was suddenly lodged in his throat.

She held up a hand to stop Steven. “No Steven. Cora should stay at Owen’s; the security system is top of the line. Dade is only a few minutes away and he knows her. I just want to go home,” she added quietly.

Chris sat on the edge of the chair. “Rachel, we all understand what you’re saying, but the fact is all of you danced in front of him trying to get his attention and you succeeded.”

Rachel sighed. “Chris, I don’t care. I just want to go home tonight, regroup a bit.” She turned to Steven. “Please take me to Owen’s to get my car, I don’t care, follow me home I’ll lock the door until work on Monday, please, Steven?”

Everyone looked around the room then at her. Steven stuck his hands in his pockets. He was losing her. This was only the start his mind told him. She’s going to pull away and then what? He stared at the pleading look in her eyes and even though his whole world was shaking right now, he couldn’t deny her. He sighed and then nodded. “Okay.”

Rachel walked to the door turned and looked at Rhonda for a moment before turning to Patrick. “Keep her safe.” She glanced at everyone briefly and then walked out. He was a step behind her all the way to the car.

Rachel sat without speaking as they drove to Owen’s. He’d followed her in the house and waited at the bottom of the stairs while she grabbed a few things. He followed her all the way to her place.

She got out of her car and watched him come over to her. She just needed to be alone with her thoughts right now. “Thank you,” she whispered when he stood in front of her.

Steven lifted her chin and searched her eyes for a second. “Call if you need me.”

She nodded and then turned before she fell apart just from the concern on his face.

She closed the door and looked out to see him standing there watching. Her hand hovered over the doorknob as she tried to decide if she needed him here with her right now. She did, but she needed time alone as well. He turned slowly and got in his car.

Rachel sat in the candlelight resting her head against the wall. She’d already gone through every minute she’d had with Ricky in the four years she’d known him. He’d taught her a lot in that time. Most importantly, he taught her how to see life in a good light. no matter how bad it seemed.

She would see them pulling that sheet over his pale body every day for the rest of her life. Oh Ricky, she thought where is the good here? I’m not seeing it. She thought of how he’d laughed when Steven was being carried in a very non-cooperative way at the park.

Steven. He’d been so good to her. She closed her eyes and rolled her shoulders trying to relax. She couldn’t dwell on him. If she did, she would call him or go see him. and she had to find a way to fill this void inside her, now. She needed to do that on her own.

Sighing, she put the candle out and went to her room. She just wanted to sleep through this pain.

She’d already turned off her phone and her cell phone, she’d locked the doors and made sure no windows were unlatched.

My whole world changed when that little boy closed his eyes, she thought just before the exhaustion and grief brought finally forced her to accept sleep.