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She started after him.
* * *
“DON’T DO IT, MAMA. You’ll only get upset, and he won’t change his mind.”
Bo
She turned to see her daughter sitting on the edge of the fountain. The sun was shining on her red curls, and the spray surrounded her in a misty aureole.
“He’s got to change his mind. I have to find Da
“I think you’ll find him, but it can’t be through Father Barnabas. He’s not going to give in.”
“He might if I keep after him.”
Bo
“So he’s going to let Da
Bo
She gazed at her in despair. “I don’t understand how this works, Bo
“It has to play out the way it’s meant to do. I don’t understand either, Mama. I’m trying to help, but I told you that it’s only gradually becoming clear to me.” She shook her head. “But I can feel your pain, and it hurts me. I want it to be over, Mama.”
Lord, so did she. “Then go and make that priest help me. What good is being a ghost if you can’t pull a few strings?”
Bo
“Neither can I, baby.” Eve felt the tears sting her eyes. “But it was pretty beautiful when I had you with me, too.”
Bo
Joe, Jane, Gallo, Catherine …
“I’m going now. Now forget about going after Father Barnabas. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
“What? Do you think I’d mug a priest?”
“No, but there’s no telling what else you might do to make him give you what you want.” Bo
“I don’t promise not to try with Do
“That’s not true. You care about the souls of a lot of people. You just don’t think about souls very much. People on the path are usually too busy to do that.” Her smile faded as she met Eve’s eyes. “You have a wonderful soul. It’s deep and strong, like a clear, powerful river. It sweeps everyone along and makes them feel safe, as if they know they’re headed in the right direction.”
Dammit, her eyes were stinging again. She smiled unsteadily. “It sounds … wet.”
Bo
“I didn’t keep you safe.”
“You’ve told me that before. I didn’t know what to answer you then. I do now. It was one of the things I learned. It was time for me to go.”
Eve shook her head. “Seven years old?”
“Years don’t make a difference. I was ready.” She said gently, “You kept me safe, you gave me love, you made my stay beautiful.”
Bo
Bo
“Is that why you came to see me today?” Eve asked unevenly.
“I felt I had to be here. I wanted to come before. I knew there wasn’t a threat yet, but I could feel your pain. But there are things I can do on that other level that I can’t do for you yet. Wonderful things … It took me a little while to break away. Here, everything is confusing, and I can’t see what’s going on. I just have to work my way through it. But I had to do something to help you.”
“You did help me.” She cleared her throat. “Though I can’t see things as you do.” She made a face. “And don’t tell me that I will someday. I have to do what I have to do. So unless you can offer me a little nudge toward getting that priest to give us a little assistance, I’d better go and see what I can do.” She had to leave before she lost her resolve. This time with Bo
* * *
BONNIE DIDN’T ANSWER.
Eve didn’t have to look back to know she had left her again.
CHAPTER
10
IT WAS THE CHILD AGAIN.
Da
Until the child had appeared when the priest had left.
Da
It was the child again. What was the little girl doing here?
Had she known he would be going to Father Barnabas and meant to stop him?
Hide.
Hide.
Don’t let her see you.
He had to keep hidden until he was sure she had vanished, then go find the priest. Talk to him, and perhaps the priest would be able to tell him what he needed to know.
What do you want from me? he thought in agony as he stared at the child. I’ll do anything. Just leave me alone.
The sweat was causing his palms to slide down the wall behind him.
He drew a shaky breath as he realized that the child had now vanished. When her mother had followed Father Barnabas into the church, she had faded away. The threat was gone … for now.
Why had she followed him here? How had she known he was going to see the priest?
But she had not seemed to be aware he was here. She had not turned to him, called his name. She had spoken to Eve Duncan, then gone away.
Perhaps he had not been the child’s target. She had seemed to only want to be with her mother. When they had been speaking, the two had been totally absorbed, and even he could see the intense love that radiated between them.
He felt a jolt of pain as he remembered the way they had looked as they gazed at each other. Loneliness.
Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.
But it did no good to have regrets. The child would not accept it. She would keep coming until she got what she wanted. She would torment him until the day he died.
I’ll give it to you, he thought in agony. Anything you want. I just have to go to Father Barnabas and have him help me find out what it is that you want. Stop following me and let me alone.
He suddenly stiffened as a thought occurred to him.
Follow?
He inhaled sharply as the thought began to grow and formulate.
Yes, that was it!
That had to be it.
He had been wrong. It wasn’t the Delilah demon he had to kill at all.
The great load was being lifted from him.
He pushed away from the wall and opened the door of the garden house. He didn’t have to wait to see Father Barnabas. He had the answer now.
The little red-haired girl had not been in pursuit, following him to this garden.
She had led him here.