A Lonely Sky (41 page)

“Yes.” Spencer said. “You mentioned on the phone she is Catholic.”

“Yeah, she is.” John looked away. “Thanks for everything.”

“Not a problem, Mr. Riley.”

“Call me John.”

“John, it is then. And you call me, Spencer, please.”

“Fine,” John said. “So how did you end up in charge of the arrangements?”

Spencer smiled. “Well, it’s a long story, but I’ve become the overseer for McTeel Manor while Mr. Barnabas lives there. He’s a friend of Sam’s and inherited it when Sam died, but he’s in his nineties you see, so he needs help. When the call came to have Julia buried in Sam’s plots, Mr. Barnabas had to sign the papers but I took care of everything else.”

Spencer and John started at the sound of someone walking up the hill. Spencer quickly said,  “I just wanted to come and express my condolences.”

“As did I.” A woman’s cool and sultry voice caused them both to turn.

“Deirdre.” Spencer warmly embraced the glamorous blonde who walked up.

John knew her in an instant, although he never met her. Her famous face graced many a magazine back in the days she’d been married to Sam. Now, her many philanthropic efforts to raise money for the world’s hungry earned her the title Ambassador of the United Kingdom.

“I just wanted to say how sorry I am for your loss.” She laid a white-gloved hand lightly on John’s arm. “Spencer informed me you have children. How sad for them.”

“Yes, a boy who is fifteen and a girl who’s-.” he broke off, afraid to disclose Elizabeth’s age. As far as John knew, no one new Elizabeth’s true paternity. “-who’s enjoying the single life right now.”

He stood in awkward silence. What was she doing here with Mr. Budacker?  And why would this woman wish to pay him condolences? Had she known Julia too?

“I’m sorry,” John said, through an apologetic smile. “But how do you know my wife?”

Deirdre waved the question away. “Oh, that’s a very long story, Mr. Riley, but to simplify things, I met Julia when she knew Sam. Now I’m Spencer’s wife.” She offered a warm and genuine smile. “Sorry you asked?”

“No,” John said. “I’m just trying to make sense of everything.”

“As am I,” she said, with a glance to the headstones. “Like you, I am having a bloody time with this, although I shouldn’t.” She linked her arm in Spencer’s. “I’m happier than ever, yet having Julia here bothers me. Are you terribly bothered by this?”

“Dee,” Spencer patted her hand. “John doesn’t have to explain anything to us.”

“Yes, of course. You’re right, darling.” She touched John’s elbow. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Riley. Can you forgive me?”

“Yes,” John said. But could he forgive himself for not wanting to leave Julia’s ashes next to Sam? 

“Thank you.” Deirdre turned away. “I’ll wait in the car, Spencer.”

As she walked down the hill, Spencer spoke. “I’m sorry, John. I tried to tell her I was taking a ride to Sam’s grave, but she insisted on coming along. Then I had to explain who you were and why you were here.”

Spencer looked around the cemetery. “Quite a devastating place, I’m afraid. The church was abandoned a year or so after Sam was buried here, but this is where he wanted to be. God-forsaken place, if you ask me. But then again, it’s far away from the maddening crowd.”

John looked at the tiny little plot where he buried Julia’s urn an hour before.

Spencer turned to him. “John, I-” He pulled an envelope out of his pocket. “I believe this belongs to you”

“What is it?” John took the papers.

“A copy of Sam’s will and such.” He paused briefly. “And a check.”

“Another God-damn letter from Sam?” John spoke under his breath. He opened the envelope and took his time reading the contents. As he finished, he stared at Spencer, his eyes wide, his mouth agape. “This is legal and binding?  What did Deirdre say about this?”

Spencer glanced to where she waited next to the car. “She waived all rights to Sam’s inheritance years ago. She has no say as to whom it is bequeathed to.” He shook his head. “And to think, it was the fight over money that forced Sam to marry her in the first place.”

John studied the papers. “Holy shi-, wow.” He ran a hand through his hair. “My God, this is a lot of money.”

“Don’t forget the manor as well,” Spencer said, smiling. “You and your family have just become exceedingly wealthy, John.”

“Sam bequeathed McTeel Manor to me on this Barnabas guy’s death?”

Spencer laughed. “Just don’t get too excited about inheriting the manor anytime soon. You only get it after Mr. Barnabas kicks and the dear man has one solid ticker.”

“We can’t afford it,” John said, worry furrowing his brow. “The taxes alone on a place like that-”

“Sam left you enough to cover it,” Spencer explained.

“I can’t take this, none of it.” He attempted to hand the papers back.

“Then give it to Elizabeth.” Spencer said, refusing to take the will.

John’s heart raced, at the mention of his daughter’s name. “You know about Elizabeth?”

“Only from the will, John. Nobody else knows, and I’d never tell, especially not Dee.”

John accepted Spencer’s words as truth.

“Please accept the money, John.” Spencer said. “The will stated specifically that if you allowed Julia to be buried with Sam, the money would be yours.”

“But I didn’t know that.” John said. “I did this for Julia, not Sam.”

“I know.” Spencer’s voice was soft. “That’s what Sam wanted. He knew you didn’t know about the will. He wanted to do something for you, if you did this for him. And he knew you’d refuse the money, which is why I’m here, to insure you accept it. If not for yourself, than for your daughter and son.”

John looked at the papers again. Sam Lyons bequeathed his entire fortune to him. John thought of Julia, her father, Elizabeth and Tom. An inheritance like this would buy a well-deserved and long overdue honeymoon for Bert and Bonnie. Elizabeth could pay off her student loans while auditioning for theater roles. And Tom, when the time came, could go to the college of his choice.

“You have no option but to accept it, John,” Spencer smiled again. “I have a gun in my pocket.”

John startled but then both men laughed. John shook Spencer’s hand. “This is frickin’ unbelievable.”

“Sam really was a good guy, John.” Spencer said.

“With the exception of loving my wife,” John added.

“Love isn’t a bad thing.” Spencer glanced at the car.

“So, you married Deirdre?”

“Yes, sir. I’ve loved her all my life.”

“I loved Julia a long time, too.”

Spencer nodded. “Can we invite you over to the manor to meet Barnabas and have some tea?”

“Sure, but I’m not up on tea so much. You have beer?”

“I think we can dredge up an ale for you, sir.” Spencer grinned.

John looked back at the graves. “I suppose it’s time to go.”

Spencer placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll leave you for a moment.”

John watched as Spencer stepped down the hill to the car and Deirdre. The car door opened and a little girl about five years of age stepped out. “Daddy!” Spencer lifted the little girl up and swung her around.

“I love you, Samantha.” Spencer said, kissing her before setting her down. Deirdre reached down and hugged the little girl.

John glanced one last time at Sam and Julia’s graves. The two headstones stood together, side by side, against the gray, lonely sky.

John turned, walked away, and, with all his love, let Julia go.

Linda Schmalz lives in Wisconsin with her husband, teenage son and one terrific terrier. After college she worked in health insurance for many years until the birth of her son, when she chose to stay home, raise her beautiful boy and pursue her life dream of becoming an author. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America, WisRWA and Mad City Romance Writers. In her spare time she enjoys reading, watching movies and attending Renaissance Faires.

To learn more about Linda and her writing
:
http://www.lindaschmalz.com/
or her blog at
http://www.lindaschmalz.blogspot.com/

Other titles by Linda Schmalz available at Amazon.com:

What Dead Women Want 

Carly Middleton either has ghosts in her attic or bats in her belfry, and neither option deems all that spectacular. She is apt to choose her craziness however, rather than admit that her new home in Lake Della, Wisconsin is haunted. But when hunky and handsome Mike Valentine shows interest in Carly's paranormal problem, hormones rule her head, and she agrees to have the house investigated for ghosts. When the investigation proves her home haunted, Carly calls in a psychic who discovers her housemates are two sisters from the Civil War era who refuse to leave until they get what they want; and what they want is a man, and that man is Mike. Unwilling to sacrifice her boyfriend, Carly must find someone else to seduce her dead house guests to the other side. When Hal Davenport, the abusive town menace returns to Della, Carly finds her candidate. But can she convince the ghosts that Hal is a better catch than Mike? Can Hal lure the lingering ladies close to "the light" without dying? As Carly contemplates her plan, her world becomes further complicated by a sick dog, meddling parents and the return of her ex-fiancé. Finally, when Carly is certain she's sent the ladies packing, something still seems amiss.

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