“Your friend wasn’t really considering taking on Gadus, was he?”
“No. Jesse is too lazy for world domination.”
“I must ask his forgiveness. I really didn’t think he’d go after the keys.”
“I don’t think he holds you responsible for his fall through the ice.”
“No, I don’t,” Jesse said, extending his hand to Bridgeton. “With your permission, I’d like to put some plywood over that hole.”
“Not until the police clear it,” Cid said.
“Oh, look whose playing boss. I’ll ask Kiki when she comes back.”
Cid laughed. “You do that. I hear they took everything, including your fifth wheel.”
“I could use my extra shoes and Pete’s marble buffer before you guys call the cops.”
Cid looked up at the scorched words on the wall and nodded. “Maybe it will come off with a little saltwater scrub.”
Murphy drifted up to examine it and shook his head and said, “One half-inch deep.”
“Take the wall down,” Bridgeton said. “Open up this area. Keep whatever you need to hold the ceiling up, and take the rest of the wall out.”
“It’s going to be expensive,” Jesse warned.
“It will be worth it. I want to add several things to the list. Either dig up all those workmen’s bodies in the cellar or put up a monument with their names on it.”
“You do have a graveyard in the walnut grove, but I doubt it’s consecrated,” Cid said, scratching his head.
“We do have two priests handy - or will be once they finish crossing this lot over,” Jesse pointed out.
“Have Kiki do a cost assessment,” Cid said.
“Have me do what?” Kiki asked from the door. “What the hell did you two monkeys do to the media room?”
Cid and Jesse stood up and hunched their shoulders.
Bridgeton was about to say something when Kiki laughed.
“We came back as soon as Faye told us the coast was clear. Scrub, I’d make yourself scarce. Wayne’s here and a bit put out about his clothes and shoes.”
“Yes, Boss.”
“Why did you come back?” Cid asked.
“I didn’t want to miss saying goodbye to Daniel and the Italians. I missed them showing you their work, but I’d like to be here when they finally leave this prison.”
Jesse’s face lit up and he cried, “Lungs!” He took off up the stairs. They could hear him calling “Stephen” as he climbed back down the circular stairs.
Murphy appeared.
“Daniel, where the hell did they put your body?”
Daniel manifested.
“He’s not blue,” Kiki said.
“Not since, well, we have a lot to catch you up on,” Cid said.
Daniel tapped the bottom stair, and Murphy pried off the tread.
Jesse set down the flannel bundle.
“That looks like Wayne’s shirt,” Kiki said, walking around the hole in the floor and over to the stairs. She stared down at the bundle that was resting atop a desiccated corpse whose legs had been broken to fit it inside the riser. “Rest in peace, Daniel.”
Daniel looked over at Kiki, realizing that she could no longer see him. Jesse could, and that was enough for him. “Ask Faye to look after my books for me,” Daniel said and looked outside. “I see my parents on the lawn.”
“Go. I’ll make sure the Italians find their way home,” Jesse said.
Daniel moved through the wall and was gone.
“Look at you, crossing a ghost over,” Kiki said. “I expect you’ll want a raise?”
“Hazard pay.”
“Oh, no, I didn’t instruct you to run out on the ice, Scrub,” Kiki argued, winking at Cid.
Cid laid the top of the stair back down, explaining, “Just until Bridgeton has the cops satisfied.”
Faye appeared. “Father Santos is ready. Mr. Wonderful and I will send the Italians into the hall, but we’re going to beat feet until it’s over. Where’s Daniel?”
“His parents already came for him. He said for you to take care of his books.”
Faye smiled. “Imagine me, a ghost agent for a ghost writer. Well, if that don’t beat all.”
Chapter Thirty
Cid and Jesse stood together as Father Santos crossed the twelve workmen and the acolyte who gave his name as Miles Green. Cid interpreted the Latin and Italian, and Jesse told him what he saw as the ghosts lost their hold on this veil. Jesse was glad Cid was at his elbow and not Wayne, who was glaring at him from across the hall.
Father Simon sat ramrod straight in a chair. Wayne had wrapped his ribs, but he would have to go to the hospital and have a professional take a look at them.
“I can see the light in their eyes,” Jesse said. “They have big smiles, and some of the men are running, I assume into the arms of loved ones. Miles is slowing his steps. He’s removing something from his pocket. He has the four crystals. I believe he’s handing them to someone or something. He’s looking back at Father Santos. Miles is smiling, and now he’s gone. They’re all across.”
Father Santos looked around.
“I think he’s waiting for Arnold Atwater,” Cid said.
Jesse tapped Cid’s arm. “There he is.”
Arnold Atwater moved upwards from where his body lay. He looked around and seemed to take comfort that no one else had perished.
“She’s gone back to Hell,” Father Santos told the spirit. “The light is here if you would like to cross over.”
“I’m surprised that it’s here for me at all,” Arnold said.
“Do you repent your sins?”
“Yes, Father. I have no excuses. I’m guilty of five deaths by my hand and four others by my association with Gadus. I will accept the judgement of the light without protest.”
“I, through the powers given to me, forgive you of your sins. Step into the light, Arnold Atwell. May the Lord have mercy on your soul.”
Arnold did as instructed and disappeared into the light. The light stayed a moment longer.
“Alas, Stephen Murphy and
