The House on Tradd Street (51 page)

General Lee had begun to snarl at Marc, doing his best to seem ferocious and managing to look like nothing more than a furball with teeth.

Marc reached for my arm to stop me, and I pulled back. “What’s wrong, Melanie?”

I pasted a smile on my face. “How was Vermont, Marc? Did you do any sightseeing while you were there, or was it all about trying to see if Susannah Barnsley had the diamonds?”

He dropped his hand. “Oh. So you know.”

“Yes, Marc. I know. I know that you’ve been lying to me since we first met. At least Jack had the decency to admit it when I confronted him. But you continued to lie to me.” My voice remained surprisingly strong, and I was able to keep the tears at bay.

He looked convincingly remorseful. “I’m sorry. You don’t know how sorry I am.” He took a step forward, then stopped. “I do care for you, Melanie. I care deeply. Please . . . can you let me explain?”

General Lee continued to snarl, so I picked him up. “You have two minutes, and then you need to leave.”

He looked like he was about to argue for more time but decided against it. “Fine. About a year ago, I came across a safe-deposit box that had belonged to my grandfather. In it was an old newspaper article about the Confederate diamonds and a later newspaper announcement of Nevin Vanderhorst’s christening. There was a picture with the announcement of Nevin’s mother wearing a diamond necklace. I put two and two together and figured that somehow Robert Vanderhorst must have had access to the diamonds.” He scratched the back of his neck. “I’ve been having a few financial difficulties lately, and I thought if I could find those diamonds, I could pay back some loans and get back on my feet.”

“And that’s when you bought Magnolia Ridge since this house was still privately owned. Unfortunately, all that was left at Magnolia Ridge was the remnants of an old still. Then Vanderhorst died and left me the house, and you saw your opportunity.”

A stricken expression crossed his face, and it made me feel a little better. “But that’s not the whole story, Melanie. Yes, initially, I was just after the diamonds. Then I got to know you better, and everything changed.”

A new realization dawned on me. “And the vandalism and break-ins—that was all you, wasn’t it?”

He closed his eyes. “They weren’t going to hurt anybody. And you weren’t supposed to be home the time you surprised the intruder. Look, it was stupid but I was desperate. But I’m not that guy anymore. You’ve changed me.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jack emerge from the front door and spot Marc and me on the sidewalk. With a tight expression on his face, he approached through the garden, avoiding the police activity.

“Matt, it’s great to see you again. How was Vermont?”

Marc narrowed his eyes. “If you don’t mind, Melanie and I are having a private conversation.”

“Actually,” I said, “I think we’re done here.” I put General Lee down and began to cross the street.

“Wait, Melanie, please. Let me make it up to you.” Marc grabbed my arm, and when I tried to pull away, he didn’t let go.

“If you know what’s good for you, Matt, you’ll let go of the lady’s arm.” Jack’s voice had a hard edge to it that I hadn’t heard before.

Marc continued to hold me back. “Please, Melanie, give me another chance.”

Jack stared patiently at the sky. “I’m warning you. I’m not going to ask you again. Now let go of the lady’s arm.”

Marc didn’t let go. “Melanie?” he pleaded.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Jack pulled back his arm, and in one quick motion, he slammed his fist into Marc’s jaw. Marc lost his balance and fell to the ground. He sat where he landed, rubbing his jaw, but didn’t get up.

General Lee had begun to bark in earnest now, and I saw that one of the policemen was straining to see what was causing the commotion. Jack took General Lee’s leash. “Come on, Mellie. I have something to show you that I think you need to see.”

Without a backward glance, I followed Jack into the house. Already, the atmosphere inside seemed lighter, the sunlight in the windows brighter as if a dark veil had been removed. The whispering had stopped, and I welcomed the silence. I followed Jack into the drawing room, where he stopped in front of the wall beside the grandfather clock.

“Last night, while we were sleeping, I heard more scratching on the wall. It only lasted less than a minute, and I guess I dozed off and forgot about it when we woke up this morning. About an hour ago I remembered it, and came to take a look.”

He stepped back so I could see. I squatted down on my haunches to be at eye level with the chart behind the Plexiglas. I was about to ask Jack what it was I was supposed to be looking at, when I saw the words scrawled at the top, above the
MBG
in a childish hand.
Thank you.

My eyes stung and I reached up to touch the words. I looked at it oddly. “But it’s under Plexiglas.”

Jack nodded. “This is one of those ‘welcome to your world’ moments again, isn’t it?”

I sniffed and brushed my hand across my eyes before standing. “Well, if you ever want to work with me again to solve an old mystery, you’re going to have to get used to it.”

“Oh, so you’ve changed your mind?” A single eyebrow went up.

“Not at all. Just giving you another reason why you wouldn’t want to.”

Jack flashed his back-cover grin again, and I had to turn away. “Maybe I think talking to dead people is sexy.”

It was my turn to send him a raised eyebrow. A shadow passed across the window that looked into the garden, compelling me to move toward it. Jack followed, his hand lightly on my back. My gaze traveled beyond the ruined fountain to the ancient oak, its leaves fluttering in the wind like a child’s laughter. The wooden rope swing hung empty, swaying gently as if someone had just gotten off. Behind it stood Louisa and Nevin, staring intently at us.

“Do you see them?” I whispered.

Jack nodded. “Why do you think they’re here?”

“They’re saying goodbye.” Alternating grief and joy flooded the space where my heart beat as I said a silent goodbye. “There’s nothing holding them here anymore.”

We watched as they turned around and began walking toward the gate, where I’d first seen them, fading gently like the colors of the earth at sunset, until the wind enfolded them in a gust of air and nothing remained except the faint scent of roses.

We were quiet for a long time, staring at the spot where mother and child had vanished. Eventually, Jack turned to me, his face very close to mine. “So, what’s next?”

I shrugged, pretending to be nonchalant. “I guess I’m going to move in here full-time. It’s silly to be paying rent for a condo I’m not living in. Plus my condo association doesn’t allow dogs.”

We both eyed General Lee, who had collapsed at our feet and was now looking up at us innocently.

Jack reached down and scratched General Lee behind the ears. “Yeah, a dog’s a good reason to move.”

“What about you? What are you going to do now?”

“Well, now that I’ve completed all my research on the Confederate diamonds, I need to finish writing the book. I’ll probably need to come back to the house and maybe get together with you a few times for more details. If that’s all right with you, of course.”

I tried to hide my relief. Jack had become such a large part of my life that I was having a hard time imagining it without him. Even if he was annoying and bigheaded most of the time. “Sure. I don’t mind.”

He smiled. “Guess you wouldn’t be interested in finding another ghost or two who know a few secrets, hmm? I’m always thinking about my next book.”

“Running naked through glass sounds more fun. I think I’ve had enough mystery solving and ghost talking to last me a lifetime. You’ll have to do your research the old-fashioned way in the future. It was a short-lived career, but I’m retiring.”

Jack laughed. “Gee, Mellie, tell me how you really feel about it.” His face sobered. “But I understand. None of this could have been easy for you.” He looked past me, toward the men working in the garden. “I’m going to go outside now and see where they are in the excavation. I’ll keep you posted.”

“Thanks,” I said, his face hovering very close to mine. “And thanks for defending my honor today.”

His eyes crinkled at the corners. “It was the least I could do, seeing as how my own behavior wasn’t exactly exemplary in the gentleman department.” He continued to stare into my eyes, not moving back.

“No, it wasn’t,” I agreed, my eyes half closed as he began to close the distance between us.

His lips hadn’t even made contact when my cell phone rang, and he drew back. I dug into the back pocket of my jeans and pulled out my phone, not recognizing the area code or the number.

“Hello?” I said.

“Hello, Mellie.”

I froze. Only one person besides Jack ever called me that. “Hello, Mother.”

“I realized that if I waited for you to call me back, I’d never talk to you. So I asked your father for your cell phone number.”

I couldn’t think of anything to say.

“I learned that your grandmother’s house on Legare is for sale, and I want you to be my Realtor and help me purchase it.” There was a brief pause. “I’m coming home, Mellie. I’m moving back to Charleston.”

I held the phone close to my ear, hearing the rushing of my blood thundering through my head. “Don’t, Mother. Please don’t. I’ve been fine for so long without you. Please don’t come back.”

She spoke in a rush, as if she knew I wasn’t going to give her enough time to say everything she wanted to. “I don’t blame you for saying that. But there are things you need to know before it’s too late, Mellie—about your grandmother. About her house and why I had to let it go. There are secrets in our family you should know. . . .”

I cut her off, having had enough family secrets in the last four months to last a lifetime. In light of my recent experiences, which included being nearly choked by a ghost, I was surprised at the fear and angst I felt at merely hearing my mother’s voice. But, I reasoned, ghosts couldn’t hurt me because I was stronger than they were. I’d proven that. But mothers always could.

“No, Mother. I’m sorry. I just can’t.” Before she could answer, I closed my phone and turned it off.

Jack raised his eyebrows. “Not good news?”

I took my time sticking my cell phone back in my pocket. “She wants to move back to Charleston and buy my grandmother’s house. She claims there are family secrets I should know about. Something about my grandmother.”

“And?” he prompted.

“I told her I wasn’t interested.”

“Uh-huh,” he said. “Or maybe my next book is about to write itself for me again.”

“Don’t bet on it,” I snorted, trying to hide how shaken I really was by my mother’s phone call.

Jack picked up General Lee’s leash and led him outside, with me following close behind.

Without turning to look at me, Jack said, “I believe that was near-kiss number three. If we keep this up, we might have a world record or something.”

He headed down into the garden before I could think of something clever to say. I remained on the top step, surveying Louisa’s wounded garden and wondering again if it could ever be put right. I crossed my arms, recalling my conversation with my mother with the same uncertainty I considered the garden. Weeds could be pulled and new seeds planted, hardened soil tilled and watered to make a fertile bed. Water could be piped in to make an old fountain cascade for the first time. Perhaps my relationship with my mother could be tended in the same way, with care and patience used to rebuild the bedrock of a mother-child bond that had been broken nearly thirty-three years before.

Or not,
I thought as I watched a small bulldozer take a chunk out of the newly bricked path that encircled the fountain. The cherub seemed to wink at me, and I blinked, wondering if it had been a trick of the light.

I turned around and crossed the piazza to the front door.
I’m home.
The thought struck me from nowhere, and when I considered it, I realized how very true it was. I turned the handle of the magnificent door with the Tiffany windows and pushed it open, noticing how nothing barred my way this time. I breathed in the smell of beeswax and polish, and smiled to myself as I gently closed the door behind me.

The milky glow of winter sun behind a sky rubbed the color of an old nickel failed in its feeble attempt to warm the December morning. I shuddered in my wool coat, my Charleston blood unaccustomed to the infrequent blasts of frigid air that descend on our city from time to time to send yet another reminder of why we chose to live in this beautiful city where its inhabitants, both living and dead, coexist like light and shadow.

I yanked open the door to the City Lights coffee bar, the wind behind me threatening to close it again before I’d gone through it. Glancing around, I spotted Jack at a table by the front window, a latte with extra whipped cream and a large cinnamon roll already sitting on the table across from him. Immediately suspicious, I approached the table with caution.

“What do you want?” I asked, indicating the latte and cinnamon roll.

He looked up at me with a pair of killer blue eyes that I’d spent the last six months of my life trying not to notice. His look of innocence would have made me smile and roll my eyes if I didn’t still have the lingering aura of dread that had dogged me all the way from my house on Tradd Street to Market. It had been a strong enough feeling to make me linger outside the café for a moment longer than necessary, hoping to identify whatever it was. I wanted to think it was grogginess caused by a phone call at two o’clock in the morning, after which I’d been unable to fall asleep. That would have been an acceptable explanation, but in my world, where phone calls from people long dead weren’t as unusual an occurrence as most people would expect, I wasn’t satisfied.