Neptune's Ring (34 page)

“Yes, Levi and I will wait there for your
return.”

Levi and Celeste walked back to the house and
Celeste sat down on the front steps. She smiled at Levi as she
climbed into the golf cart and turned to look at Celeste. Levi saw
one of Carlos’ flat keel boats pulling into the harbor and she
started down the hill to meet them.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Cat hung up the phone from talking to Levi
and dialed Carlos’ number.

“Hello,” Carlos said wide awake.

“Hi, Carlos, this is Cat and I am sorry if I
woke you,” she said.

“That’s okay I was already awake and making
coffee, Cat, what’s going on?”

“I just got a call from Levi and she needs
our help,” Cat said.

“Is everything okay?”

“She has found Celeste.”

Carlos was quiet for a moment as Cat’s words
sank in.

“Carlos, are you there?”

“Yes, Cat, I am sorry, I was just stunned a
little. What do we need to do?” he asked.

“Levi wants us to bring Roberto out to the
island as quickly as we can. I don’t know why, but she said to
hurry and she would explain it all later. I need your boat to take
us over.”

“Right,” Carlos said. “I will call Roberto
and meet you down at the dock as quickly as I can,” Carlos
said.

“Thank you, Carlos.”

“You are welcome.”

Carlos then dialed Roberto’s number.

“Hello,” Roberto said still asleep.

“Roberto this is Carlos, I don’t have time
for questions, so just get dressed and I will be there to pick you
up in five minutes,” Carlos said.

“What?” Roberto said.

“Just get dressed,” Carlos said and hung
up.

Roberto crawled from the bed and somehow got
dressed as he forced his eyes open. Carlos better have a good
reason for getting me out of bed so early, he thought as he ran a
comb through his hair and brushed his teeth.

Cat finished dressing and drove down to the
docks to wait for Carlos and Roberto. She paced until she saw
headlights coming in her direction.

Carlos and Roberto ran to meet her.

“Cat, can you tell me what is going on?”
Roberto said as they untied the mooring lines and jumped onto the
boat.

Carlos started the boat and they headed to
the island.

Cat huddled in close to Carlos and Roberto.
“I am afraid I don’t know that much either,” Cat said. “I got a
call from Levi and she said she had found Celeste and asked me to
bring you to the island as soon as possible.”

“She found her?” Roberto said.

“Yes, but I am not sure how, so we will have
to find that out once we get to the island,” Cat said.

Cat could see goose flesh on Roberto’s arms
but she wasn’t sure if it were from excitement or the chill on the
open water. She placed a comforting arm around his shoulder and
hugged him tight.

Levi made it to the harbor just as Carlos was
pulling the boat up to the dock. She parked the cart and rushed to
the boat to greet them.

“I am glad you made it so fast,” she said.
She looked at Roberto. “I have found her and she wants to see you
one last time before she is gone from this world forever,” Levi
said.

Roberto dropped to his knees. “Oh my dear
Celeste,” he cried.

Carlos helped Levi pull him up to his
feet.

“Roberto, you have to pull yourself
together,” Levi said. “We don’t have much time.”

“Cat, I need for you and Carlos to give us a
fifteen minute lead and then call the authorities to the island,”
Levi said. “Roberto, are you ready?”

“Yes, Levi, I am sorry, I will hold it
together,” he said.

“Let’s go then,” Levi said and led him to the
cart. They sat down and Levi looked over at Roberto and saw that he
was ghostly white. I can see, hear and talk to Celeste, and she
asked me to bring you to her one last time so she could say
goodbye,” Levi explained. “She is waiting for us at the house, but
her time is very limited,” Levi said.

“Thank you, Levi,” Roberto said.

“She is so beautiful, I wish you could see
her for yourself,” Levi said. “Celeste will be able to hear what
you say to her, so don’t waste this chance.”

Levi topped the hill and she could see
Celeste sitting on the porch steps and saw her face light up when
she saw Roberto in the cart beside Levi.

Levi brought the cart to a sliding stop in
front of the house and rushed to Celeste’s side. “I am so glad you
are still here.”

“I told you I would be here,” Celeste said
with a smile. “Hello, My Love.”

“Celeste says hello to you Roberto, she is
sitting right here on the steps,” Levi said.

Roberto knelt on the ground before the steps
with tears in his eyes. “Oh, Celeste I love you so,” he said.

“And I love you, Roberto.”

“She loves you too Roberto,” Levi said.

“I am so sorry that I didn’t make you quit
working for that bastard,” Roberto said with tears streaming down
his face.

“What happened to me was not your fault,”
Celeste said.

“Celeste says what happened to her was not
your fault,” Levi relayed.

“I know that you have held onto your love for
me over the years, but now it is time to move on with your life,”
Celeste said.

“Celeste knows that you have loved her still,
but she says it is time for you to move on,” Levi said.

“I will never love another like I loved you,”
Roberto said.

Celeste struggled to hold back her tears.
“You are a good man and have so much to offer a woman,” Celeste
said.

“She says you are a good man and have so much
to offer a woman,” Levi said.

Levi sat down beside Celeste and looked out
across the water. She could see the blue lights flashing at the
docks on the mainland.

“I know, I see them,” Celeste said.

“Please tell my mother, I love her.”

“Celeste said to tell her mother that she
loves her.”

“I will and we will finally be able to have a
service for you, now that we know for sure,” Roberto said.

Celeste turned to Levi. “If it is at all
possible, please do not let him know everything that happened to me
to cause my death,” she said.

Levi knew that Celeste was referring to the
rape and she knew that she must not reveal the presence of the
diary to anyone. Levi nodded her head.

“The time is getting close,” Levi said, as
she saw the boat approaching the island. “What else do you want to
tell Roberto?”

“Tell him that I love him and always
will.”

“Celeste says that she will always love
you.”

Celeste stood and knelt down beside Roberto
and kissed him lightly on the lips.

Roberto could not see her, but he felt the
brush of her lips against his.

“Did she just kiss me?” he asked.

“Yes, she did,” Levi said with a smile.

“I wish I could hold you one last time,” he
said.

“Stand up, Roberto,” Levi said.

Roberto stood and Celeste rose to stand in
front of him. Levi watched as Celeste wrapped her arms around his
waist and laid her head on his shoulder.

“She has her arms around you and her head is
on your right shoulder,” Levi said.

Roberto could feel the warmth of her tears on
his skin as Celeste cried on his shoulder.

Roberto stroked what he thought would be her
hair. “I love you Baby,” he whispered.

Levi stepped away and let the lovers have a
private embrace. Her heart ached for the young couple as they
shared a final goodbye.

Levi felt a touch to her arm and turned to
look at Celeste. “Ask him to wait down at the docks and ride with
me as they take me home.”

“She wants you to wait down at the docks and
ride with her as they take her home,” Levi said.

“I love you, Celeste,” Roberto said as he
turned and walked down the hill.

“Ask Carlos to come up please,” Levi
said.

Celeste’s tears continued as she watched
Roberto disappear over the hill. She then turned to Levi. “Thank
you again for everything you have done.”

“You are welcome and after you have left the
island, I will burn the diary,” Levi promised.

“Thank you, I could not bear for Roberto to
have to live his life knowing what had happened,” she said.

“I understand and will make sure no one ever
finds out,” Levi said.

Carlos arrived at the house at a dead
run.

“Will you stay here and bring the authorities
into the clearing behind the house when they arrive?” Levi
asked.

“Sure thing, Levi,” Carlos said.

“Are you ready?” Levi asked Celeste.

“Yes,” Celeste said. “I am ready to go
home.”

Levi and Celeste walked back to the clearing
and stopped at the garden Celeste had loved so much.

“May I ask two more things?” Celeste
asked.

“Anything,” Levi said.

“Please, have someone keep my garden growing
for as long as you can.”

“It is so beautiful it would be a shame to
let it go,” Levi said.

Her next words rocked Levi’s world.

“Love Vanessa the best you can,” she said. “I
know it was rude of me to read your private thoughts, but you love
her like I love Roberto and it would make me happy to know that the
island once again is the home to love.”

“I will,” Levi said as her words caught in
her throat. “You have taught me just how precious a love can
be.”

Levi heard male voices approach ad saw the
flickering of flash lights moving toward them.

“Goodbye my friend,” Celeste said and hugged
Levi.

Levi moved her arms to embrace Celeste and
found the mist had returned and Celeste had vanished. “Goodbye,
Celeste,” she whispered.

Levi walked over to meet the men coming down
the path. Carlos introduced her to the Jonah, the Chief of
Police.

“Good morning,” Jonah said. “Carlos tells me
that you have found a body you believe to be Celeste Vasquez,” he
said.

“I know it is Celeste,” Levi said. “She
brought me to her grave.”

“That is going to be an interesting story,”
Jonah said.

“You will probably think I am loco by the
time I am done,” Levi said.

“I seriously doubt that,” Jonah said. “Can
you take us to her now?” he asked.

“Yes, follow me,” Levi said as she turned to
walk across the clearing.

Levi led them down the path and then pointed
to the area where she had left her flash light burning. “You will
find a shovel in the grave,” she said as she pointed to the shallow
grave that Celeste had brought her to.

“If you don’t mind, I will wait at the house
while you recover her body,” Levi said, suddenly weary from the
night’s events.

“That will be fine, Levi,” Jonah said. “This
may take some time,” he said.

“I will walk back with you,” Carlos said as
he placed an arm around Levi’s shoulders.

“Thank you, Carlos,” Levi said as they walked
toward the clearing.

When they reached the house, Levi welcomed
him inside. “Would you start a pot of coffee, while I use the
restroom?” she asked.

“I certainly will,” he said.

“Everything you will need is in the cabinet
above the coffee pot,” Levi said as she walked from the room.

Levi walked into the office and picked up Van
Buren’s journal and carried it into her bedroom. She opened an
empty drawer on the bedside table and slipped the book inside. She
went to the bathroom and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.
Levi turned on the water and cleaned the blood from the small
scratch from her cheek and then splashed cold water on her face. It
was nearly five in the morning and it would be many more hours
before Levi was alone again on the island.

She walked back into the kitchen as Carlos
watched the pot brewing. “Would you feel alright with postponing
work on the island today?” she asked.

“I think it would be very appropriate and
respectful to allow Celeste to be taken home in peace, without a
bunch of men standing around gawking,” Carlos said. “I will put a
call into the foreman and ask him to give the men the day off.”

“Thank you, Carlos.”

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

“Emotionally exhausted, but relieved to know
Celeste’s spirit will be released from the island,” Levi said.

“Thank you for helping Roberto get some
closure on her death,” Carlos said.

“They loved each other so much,” Levi said as
she smiled at Carlos. “I will watch the pot if you will take the
cart down and bring Cat and Roberto up to the house,” Levi
teased.

“I will be right back then,” Carlos said and
left the house.

Levi pulled down four coffee mugs and placed
sugar and creamer on the small breakfast table.

Carlos returned with Cat and Roberto just as
the coffee finished brewing. “Have a seat and I will bring the pot
over,” she said.

“You take a seat and I will bring the
coffee,” Cat said as she pointed Levi to a chair.

Levi sat beside Roberto. “You feeling okay?”
she asked.

“My heart still aches, but at least now I
know Celeste will make it home,” he said.

Levi felt a chill run through her and she
shivered. She knew the men had fully uncovered Celeste’s body and
it lay exposed to the night air.

“Are you okay?” Cat asked when she saw Levi
shiver.

“Just a chill,” Levi said as she picked up
the mug of coffee holding it in her hands to warm them and then
took a sip of the steaming liquid.

“Do you feel like talking to us?” Carlos
asked.

Levi smiled. “I guess I do have some
explaining to do.”

“Only if you are ready,” Cat said.

“How did you find her?” Roberto asked.

“Once you recognized Celeste’s necklace, I
knew it was physical proof that she was trying to contact me,” Levi
said. “Up until that point, I thought my imagination was playing
tricks on me.”

Levi took a sip of the coffee. “When I
returned from the mainland that day, Celeste had found a way to
contact me. I had left the computer on and she had typed words
there as a message for me. The words were clues that helped me to
eventually find her.”