End of the Road (Ghost Stories Trilogy #1) Read online

  “Um, I guess we should get started,” I gestured toward the table with the food and we all sat down. “Oh wait,” I said, jumping back up. “I have coffee or tea, which do you prefer?”

  A cold heaviness pressed on my shoulder and I turned my head to see Amelia standing behind me, her hand touching me. “Sit down, Elena, I can help.”

  Dumbfounded, I dropped back into my seat. Eric and Gavin’s eyes grew so wide I thought they’d pop out when mugs traveled through the air on their own to be placed in front of them. Next she brought the coffee pot and tea kettle over, a cloud of steam wafted out of the pour spout, making her appear even more solid compared to the vapor.

  Eric and Gavin were too stunned to say anything…or even move. Adele laughed and clasped her hands together.

  “Sorry about springing that on you. My sister Amelia came along today. We don’t like to be apart. I hope you don’t mind?”

  Eric and Gavin were seemingly unable to respond so I said, “We should probably give them a minute,” and passed her the box of assorted tea.

  I reached underneath the table and squeezed Eric’s knee. He stopped staring at the mug Amelia had placed in front of him and looked at me. “You okay?” I whispered.

  “Yeah, um, I’m fine. Just wasn’t expecting that.” He reached for the pot of coffee and filled his mug. “Good one, Adele,” he winked across the table at her and she chuckled. Amelia was laughing too from where she stood next to her sister.

  “It’s not like you’re strangers to the phenomenon. Elena told me how she and Gavin have been documenting your highway ghosts and that you witnessed how they communicate.”

  “Right,” Gavin finally broke out of his spell and spoke up. “I was wondering why your sister’s ghost can move so freely while ours can’t. Do you know?”

  “Oh that’s simple. The desert up here is riddled with vortices. Most people assume they’re just located in Sedona, but that’s just marketing. There’s a magnetic vortex in the location where your ghosts died. It created a Bermuda Triangle of sorts for spirits. In fact, I-17 cuts right across. Gavin pointed out the spot when we drove by and it’s practically dead center of the vortex.”

  “Fucking vortices,” Eric muttered and I laughed. We, along with others at the Sheriff’s Department, poked fun at those the locals called “Woo Woos” or “Crystal Crunchers”; people who believed in the therapeutic and mystical powers of the vortices trapped within the red rocks of Sedona.

  “It makes sense,” Gavin said, “Except my brother was able to cross over.”

  “As well as Peggy and Juanita,” I added.

  “The vortex doesn’t retain every spirit. Some are anchored on earth for other reasons or are able to crossover right away. There isn’t a magic formula; it’s like a case by case basis,” Adele said.

  “Like unfinished business?” Gavin asked.

  “Not all the time, but that’s a common theory. In my experience, sometimes the spirit is their own worst enemy, which is preventing them from moving on. That combined with the pull of vortex keeps them earthbound. Based on what you told me about your brother, his concern over the welfare of his wife and son kept him here, but Amelia is going to attempt to locate him to confirm.”

  “Today?” Gavin asked and his eyes widened with surprise.

  “Yes. I want to get a sense of our strength as a group and your brother, Tobin, correct?” Gavin nodded. “Tobin can provide some insight on his former companions before I meet them.”

  Amelia, who had been standing next to Adele, leaned over and whispered in her sister’s ear. When she did, her hair fell forward and she impatiently brushed it back over her shoulder, a perfectly normal and human response. Adele glanced around the table at us and said, “She’s ready to try now, if you all are?”

  I didn’t expect us to jump right in like this and I could tell by Gavin’s and Eric’s expressions that they hadn’t either. Gavin’s face was paler than usual and I felt sorry for him. Adele should have prepared him for the prospect of possibly communicating with his brother.

  “Gavin, are you okay with this?” I asked, feeling the same overprotectiveness as with my brother. “Say the word if you’re not.”

  “No, I’m okay. What do we have to do?”

  Adele leaned forward, resting her elbows on the edge of the table. “I will call him up and Amelia will cross over to verify he’s there. Do you have a picture of Tobin?”

  “Uh yeah, hold on,” Gavin dug around in the pockets of his baggy jeans and pulled out his phone. After messing around with some of the buttons, he passed it to Adele.

  “Perfect!” Adele handed the phone to her sister and once again, Eric and Gavin’s jaws went slack. I could see Amelia just fine, but for them to see inanimate objects suspended in mid-air must be insane. “Now, come over here and sit next to me.” She patted the empty chair to her left and Gavin complied. “Okay, now everyone close your eyes and breathe with me, really listen to the sound of the air leaving my lungs and think of this as a meditation of sorts.”

  I closed my eyes and focused on Adele’s breathing as she instructed. Slowly all other background noises faded. I no longer heard the low hum of the refrigerator or the hiss of cold air blowing out of the vents when the central air kicked on. My breathing grew heavy and deep along with Adele’s. When she spoke next, it was in the softest whisper. “Keep breathing and concentrate on Tobin. Follow along as I chant his name.”

  Adele grabbed my hand and I jumped, not in surprise at the contact, but at the power surging from her fingertips. “Breathe, Elena,” she whispered and it was easy to slip back into relaxation mode as she began the chant. I became accustomed to the pulse of energy coming from her.

  A gust of cold air blew past me and I shivered. Seconds later Adele stopped chanting and released my hand. “Amelia found Tobin and she’s bringing him back.”

  I opened my eyes, drowsy and energized at the same time. Amelia was not in the room and Adele sipped on her tea. She set her mug down and smiled serenely. “We make a good team Elena. Your energy sped things along.”

  “My energy? All I felt was yours.”

  “That you were able to sense it as a palpable substance says something.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Someday I’ll explain, but not today. Amelia and Tobin are almost here.”

  I glanced across the table at Gavin and tension was rolling off of him in waves; from the set of his shoulders to the nervous chewing on dead skin surrounding his thumbnail, he reeked of it.

  “Will I be able to see him or talk to him?” he asked.

  “I don’t know. It’s not impossible.”

  The air behind me grew significantly colder and a wind blew across my neck, actually lifting a few loose hairs that had escaped my ponytail.

  Adele stared past me and said, “You must be Tobin. You and your brother have the same eyes,”

  I twisted around and sure enough, Amelia was standing by the wall that separated the dining area from the living room. Tobin stood next to her. He was older than in the pictures Gavin shared with me on the first day we met, but Adele was right. They had the same eyes. Their hair was the same dark brown too.

  “Holy shit, Tobin!” Gavin exclaimed and shot out of his chair to get closer to his brother.

  “Gavin? Is that you?” Tobin asked in a scratchy voice that sounded like he had a bad cell phone connection. There was slight echo adding to the effect he was dialing in from somewhere far away. At times Tobin flickered and appeared less solid, just like I’d seen Frank, Lawrence and the others do.

  “Yeah, it’s me. I can’t believe you’re here! I’ve missed you so much.”

  Gavin stood directly in front of his brother. I glanced at Eric and that’s when I noticed he could also see Tobin. I reached for his hand and he gripped it tight, an indication he was internally freaking out, but I was so glad he could see him, for Tobin’s appearance was a true validation. We both turned out attention back to Gavin.

 
“You’re taller than me,” Tobin said. “You’re no longer my little brother.”

  “I’ll always be your little brother.”

  “Yeah, I know. How’s Egan? He must be growing up too.”

  “He’s great and a brother now too. Well, half-brother. Candy remarried and had another kid – a girl. Egan plays little league and he’s in the fourth grade.”

  “Wow, that’s good to hear.”

  “Mom and dad are the same.”

  “And you...called up your brother from the afterlife. Why? What’s going on?” Tobin disappeared briefly then flickered back, but fainter than before.

  “Milly, I’m losing him,” Adele called to her sister.

  “Hold on to Elena again.” she said and rushed to Adele’s side, placing her hand on her shoulder.

  Adele’s hand clamped down on mine and I felt the energy, only this time it was flowing from me to her. Tobin’s apparition became really clear and then just as suddenly as he appeared, he was gone. This time he didn’t come back. I sagged in my chair, completely exhausted. I was thirsty too, like I just finished running through the desert with my mouth wide open, collecting all of the dust.

  “What happened? Where is he” Gavin asked. He circled the living room and peered in the kitchen searching for his brother.

  “He’s gone. They can only stay with us for a short period of time once they’ve crossed over and it takes a lot of psychic energy to keep them here,” Adele explained. She was pale and there were dark smudges under her eyes. I wondered if I looked just as worn out.

  Eric got up and came to stand behind me. I leaned my head back against him, finding comfort in his support. “Are you okay?” he whispered.

  “Yes, just really tired.” I yawned and closed my eyes, but still listened to the conversation around me. Gavin’s voice had taken on a tremor. “I didn’t get a chance to tell him I’m sorry that I stopped going to see him.”

  “This is guilt you’ve conjured up on your own. Your brother doesn’t harbor any resentment. If that was the case every time I called a spirit forward, it’d be like the Jerry Springer Show. Milly told me that any grief, anger, resentment, guilt…anything like that is erased the moment you cross over. This emotional baggage is what can weigh spirits down, keeping them earthbound. Once they’re able to let go, usually there’s nothing to hold them back. Gavin, you need to learn to forgive yourself. Your brother is fine - as you just saw.”

  Gavin didn’t say anything, just slouched in his chair and stared off at some distant point. Emotions rippled across his face as if the internal struggle to forgive himself was playing out on the surface.

  “Hey, are you good?” I asked him after a few minutes of silence passed, shaking him out of his zone.

  “I think so. Tobin isn’t coming back and this I need to accept. I need to let go and will work on that.” He turned and addressed Adele, “You’re lucky your sister is still around.”

  Adele glanced at Amelia and smiled before turning her attention back to Gavin. “Yes, but in a way I was never able to fully grieve – my sense of loss suspended because Milly’s spirit is here. It’s not the same as having her alive though. Milly will always be forever nineteen. As my youthfulness fades, her presence is a reminder of my life progressing without her because we’ve always been mirror images of each other. Yet, we’re too connected to truly separate. The healthy thing to do is force her to leave, or ask her to not come back, but part of it is selfishness. Then there’s the fear of losing Milly forever.”

  While Adele was talking, her sister came to stand beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder, much like what Eric had just done to comfort me.

  “Besides, we make a good team. Her ability to cross over and make contact is a huge help and provides an edge for me over other mediums.”

  A statement like this, her justification of keeping Amelia around as a business decision, may have come across as callous if I didn’t see the sadness and vulnerability in Adele’s eyes. Underneath the calm demeanor lurked a woman afraid of being alone. I understood her motivation. We had that fear in common.

  Perhaps she was uncomfortable with revealing so much about herself because Adele quickly switched subjects. Tucking a section of dark blonde hair behind her ear, a gesture I learned was a nervous habit; Adele brought the focus back to our project. “Let’s get started. Tell me about the ghosts. What all do you know about them?”

  Gavin fired up his laptop and began pulling up images and video. I opened my files and we spent the rest of the afternoon filling Adele in on each ghost. Late day sun streamed in through my living room window when we finally stopped. Gavin leaned back in his chair to stretch.

  “I think it’s time to head back to Tempe. I have an exam tomorrow and need to study.”

  “Shit, Gavin, why didn’t you say something? We didn’t have to meet today,” I said.

  “Yeah I know, but I’m anxious to finish this project up. It’d be nice to have a conclusion for my film class, not a ‘to be continued’.” He snapped his laptop shut and shoved it into his bag.

  Amelia, who Eric and Gavin had for the most part forgotten was in the room because they couldn’t see her, started clearing plates and mugs from the table. Eric jumped at first, then remembered and shook his head. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.”

  Adele gathered up her notes and stood. “I’ll review what you told me and come up with a plan. I think next time we’ll meet the ghosts,” she said and shook Eric and Gavin’s hands. When we shook hands she held onto mine and cupped it with both of hers. “Elena, you do have a gift and we’re going to need to call upon it to help the ghosts. Are you prepared to do that?”

  “Yes, but I have no idea how.”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll guide you.” She gently squeezed my hand before releasing it and followed Gavin out the door. Amelia trailed along behind, hovering just a few inches above the ground. She wasn’t walking, but just floating along as if being propelled by the light warm breeze.

  I shut the door and turned the deadbolt. A dull ache throbbed just behind my eyes so I rested my forehead against the cool surface of the door. I was thoroughly exhausted and almost fell asleep there, standing up, and probably would have if Eric didn’t call me over to the sofa. It took the rest of my energy to shuffle the short distance and collapse next to him. I lie down and with my head on his lap, fell into a dreamless sleep.

  It was around three in the morning when I woke up and discovered I was in bed with the comforter tucked up under my chin. Eric was sleeping on his side, an arm loosely draped over me. At some point he had carried me in and I didn’t remember, but now I was wide awake. My batteries were recharged and since I usually worked the night shift, it wasn’t worth trying to fall back asleep. I slipped out from underneath his arm and went back out to the dining room table.

  One of Adele’s suggestions was to reach out to Frank’s son as he requested since this might be the reason Frank was earthbound. She said it was worth feeling him out to see if he’d even entertain the idea of meeting the ghost of the father he’d never met. A year ago I’d have balked, even laughed at a woman like Adele and her suggestion, but now, knowing these things were possible, it was wrong of me to assume Frank Jr. would be skeptical. For all I knew, he could be very open-minded.

  I set a calendar reminder in my cell phone to track down Frank Jr.’s number and call him.

  Chapter Seventy-Six

  Frank Jr. was a hard man to find. Henderson Police provided a landline and a cell phone number. Both were disconnected. I finally tracked him down at a buy here/pay here used car lot. According to the loquacious receptionist, Frank Jr. lived on site in a trailer. He sold cars during the day and served as security at night. I found it laughable that a man with a criminal record worked in a security role, but I bit my tongue and asked to be put on hold while the woman went to find him.

  Buy here/pay here lots were everywhere in Phoenix and while I listened to the static infused hold music, it was ea
sy to picture the corroded tin can Frank Jr. lived in. Most likely the trailer was placed at the rear of the car lot on hard packed dirt, just past the edge of parking lot asphalt and partially hidden by some of the more used and dust shrouded cars that kept getting pushed further to the back. Floral curtains at least three decades old, the pattern long faded from the sun, probably covered the narrow windows and a cinderblock turned on its side served as the front step. This image in my mind just added to the already pitiful existence known as Frank Jr.’s life. I had a feeling this was his rock bottom and hoped the news I was about to share would inspire him to get his shit together.

  The hold music cut out followed by a long, wheezy cough. “This is Frank,” a raspy voice said. “Sorry to keep you on hold for so long. Are you interested in buying a car?”

  “Hi Frank, no not today. My name is Elena Hernandez and I’m calling from Prescott, Arizona.”

  “Arizona? Huh, that’s where I grew up. If you’re not interested in a car, then what can I help you with?” His tone, friendly when he first came on the line, was now more cautious.

  Even though I had rehearsed what I was going to say next, the words seemed frozen on my tongue. The change in his tone concerned me and the potential for him to think I was nuts increased. This was the one phone call I was allowing myself to make from work because confirmation of my identity might help convince Frank Jr. that I was legit.

  “Hello?” Frank asked after a delayed silence.

  “I’m still here. Frank, I want to clarify up front that even though I’m a sheriff’s deputy for Yavapai County, I’m not calling about any legal issues.”

  I heard a sharp intake of breath followed by a slow, rattling exhalation. “Okay, then what is this all about? I haven’t been to Arizona in over ten years.”

  “I’m calling about your father.”

  This statement was met with silence with the exception of a flick from a lighter. I pictured Frank Jr. lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag.

  “My father is dead. He died before I was born.”