Ashes (41 page)

Deirdre was positive Anna had said they'd be home Sunday. Anna had even told her Richard might be able to look at the truck and see if he could fix the starter. Deirdre stepped off the porch and began to walk down the driveway, toward the back of the house. As she passed the stables a shrill whinny made her jump. Both horses were looking out of the stable windows at her. The palomino looked tired, almost ill, and the bay was tossing his head in agitation. Deirdre walked over to the stables, murmuring soothing noises to the horses. "Hey boys, hey pretty ponies," she sang as she got close to the horses. The bay whinnied again, and Deirdre looked inside the stables. She was shocked to see the feed bins empty, and the stable floor in need of a good cleaning. Still crooning to the horses, she found a basket of carrots outside the stables and put a half dozen in the feed bins; they were devoured in no time, and the horses looked at her expectantly. "Wait, guys, let me find Anna."

She headed back to the driveway, not quite running. Her spine felt crawly and she wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans. She stood indecisive in the driveway for a moment, then went to the back of the house, to the kitchen door. She banged on the door, called out Anna's name, and when there was no answer, tried the door. It was unlocked. Deirdre opened the door and stepped inside.

The smell hit her with the force of a slap. She stepped back, bumped into the door, and caught hold of the doorknob to steady herself. Deirdre pinched her nostrils shut and breathed through her mouth, but that didn't banish the smell — it was just lying in wait, pressing against her skin, waiting for her to relax her vigilance and breathe through her nose again. "Anna?" she called. Her voice seemed unnaturally loud. For the house was not just quiet. It was silent.

She blinked, her eyes adjusting to the dim light of the kitchen. After a moment she found the source of the smell: a whole chicken, taken out to thaw and left forgotten on the counter.

Her relief was short-lived. What was a rotten chicken doing left out in Anna's immaculate kitchen? Why were the horses unfed and their stables dirty? Where the hell were Anna and Richard?

Deirdre walked quickly out of the kitchen, into the hallway. The silence had a sound now, ringing in her ears. "Anna? Richard? Are you here? Please say something."

She went into the living room and stopped, staring. As she tried to make sense of what she was seeing, she forgot to plug her nose and the smell hit her harder than ever. She gagged and bit down on her arm to kill a scream. Plugging her nostrils, she looked around the room.

There wasn't much wrong with it at first glance. It was only if you knew Anna and what a good housekeeper she was that you'd know something had happened. Anna wouldn't leave dirty scuff marks on the floor, wouldn't leave the hearth rug bunched up and the fireplace pokers in a heap.

Then there was the afghan on the sofa, covering something. Covering someone.

Yes, someone, because there was a person-size shape under it. The afghan mercifully hid whatever lay under it, save for a pair of pink sneakers protruding from one end.

Deirdre swallowed hard, trying not to recall that she'd seen those sneakers on Anna's feet two weeks ago. She felt herself walking over to the sofa, saw her hand reaching out to that afghan. She didn't know why at first, and then understood. Because once she pulled it back and saw that it wasn't Anna after all, then the world would be OK again. There'd be an explanation somehow. Because it wasn't Anna here, it couldn't be. She just had to see for herself.

"Please," whispered Deirdre, and pulled back the afghan.

A
bout the author

P
hoto © Loa Allebach

Kelly Cozy is the author of
The Day After Yesterday
and of
Reckoning
, the sequel to
Ashes.
She is currently at work on her next novel. Her first nonfiction work,
A Nerd Girl's Guide to Cinema
, will be available in 2014 from Smite Publications.

To get an email when her next book is released, sign up for her newsletter:
http://eepurl.com/R1rxH

She lives in California with her husband, son, and cats. Visit her online at:

Blog:
kellycozy.blogspot.com

Twitter:
@Kelly_Cozy

Facebook:
Kelly Cozy, Author

Praise for Kelly Cozy's debut novel
The Day After Yesterday

T
he events of a single night can change a life forever, as musician Daniel Whitman discovers when he loses his family and home. Overwhelmed by grief, unable to find solace in his music or accept comfort from his friends, he flees up the California coast. Daniel thinks he's leaving everything behind, but his journey will take him to the places and people that will help him find his way back.
The Day After Yesterday
is a story of hope, friendship, and the redemptive power of music.

"This book has touched me in a way I didn't expect and will never forget. ... It's breathtaking, heartbreaking, and just plain beautiful. I can't recommend it enough." - Tia Silverthorne Bach, author of
Chasing Memories

"Ms. Cozy has a definite gift for writing that allows the reader to intimately know her characters... A beautiful story by a talented writer." -
Literary R&R

"I found myself stopping and setting it aside - I didn't want it to end. By putting it down, I could enjoy it longer, savor it more." -
The Book Bag

"This novel captured both my attention and my heart.  The characters are realistic, multi-faceted, and endearing. I shared in both their laughter and their tears, and was saddened to reach the end of their tale. I highly recommend this book." - Mary Smith-Fuller,
Flurries of Words