Neptune's Ring (35 page)

“That is unbelievable,” Cat said. “Could you
see her?”

“At that point no, she was still invisible to
me. When I got back from having dinner with you last night, Celeste
had left me another message.”

“What was it?” Roberto asked.

“Enough clues to let me know if I went to her
garden tonight I could see her,” Levi said. “So I camped out under
a tree and waited. When she finally arrived she was not much more
than a figure in the mist and still could not speak.”

“So how did you find her grave?” Carlos
asked.

“Celeste could not speak, but she would nod
her head in response to my questions and I asked her to lead me to
where her body was hidden. I ran back to the house for a shovel and
followed her across the clearing and down a small path.” Levi
stopped and looked at Roberto who was staring at her in
disbelief.

“You are a brave woman, Levi.”

“Not really, but I was curious to solve
Celeste’s mystery. She led me into the underbrush and pointed out
the spot where Van Buren had buried her. When the shovel struck
something hard, I dropped to my knees and moved the soil until I
found her hand, buried in the soft soil.”

“That must have been terrifying,” Cat
said.

“When I looked up at Celeste, her body was no
longer a mist, but she was as whole as you or I.”

“No way,” Carlos said.

“Yes way and Celeste could speak. She asked
me to bring Roberto to the island so she could see him one last
time and you know the rest of the story from there,” Levi said.

“When you left the house to walk to the
clearing, was she still with you?” Carlos asked.

“Yes, we waited for the authorities by the
garden and she thanked me for my help and hugged me,” Levi said.
“Then Celeste disappeared.”

The group remained silent for several minutes
as they digested Levi’s story. Carlos sensed there was more, but he
would not press Levi on the issue.

The sun was starting to rise and the pre-dawn
mist was beginning to form when Jonah appeared on the porch.

Carlos stood and welcomed him into the
house.

“Would you like some coffee?” he asked.

“I would love some, thanks,” Jonah said.

He sat down beside Levi. “My men will be
bringing the body out of the woods in just a few minutes,” he said.
“Her remains will be concealed in a body bag, but are you okay with
us bringing her through the yard?” he asked gently.

Levi smiled warmly at the man. “Celeste is at
peace now, so they are only her human remains. I only have one
request,” she said.

“What would that be?” Jonah asked.

“Celeste asked to have Roberto ride beside
her when she was taken home. Is that possible?” she asked.

“It is a break from the normal routine, but
we can make an exception,” Jonah said as he took the mug of coffee
from Carlos.

“Thank you,” he said. “The morning has turned
very cool,” he said wrapping his hands around the hot mug. “I have
many questions to ask you, Levi,” he said.

“Can they wait a few more minutes, until
Celeste is on her way home?” Levi asked.

“Of course,” Jonah said as he lifted the mug
and took a sip of coffee.

They watched out the window as the Crime
Scene Technicians carried a small stretcher from the clearing.
“Come with me Roberto,” Jonah said.

“Do you want me to go with you?” Carlos
asked.

“Yes, please,” Roberto said as he stood to
leave.

He hugged Levi close. “Thank you, my friend,”
he said with tears in his eyes.

“You are welcome, Roberto, and I will be
seeing you soon,” Levi said.

Cat and Levi watched the three men walk over
to the small group and then Roberto and Carlos followed the group
down the hill toward the harbor. A strange resemblance to a funeral
procession, Levi thought as she watched the men disappear over the
hill.

“Goodbye Levi,” she heard Celeste faintly
whisper.

“Goodbye,” Levi whispered back.

“Did you say something, Levi?” Cat asked.

“Nothing really,” Levi said as she picked up
the coffee pot. “Are you ready for a refill?”

“Yes, please,” Cat said as she lifted her mug
to Levi.

Jonah walked back into the house and Levi
told him the story of her contact with Celeste and how she was able
to locate her body.

Jonah took notes as Levi spoke and asked
questions during the process.

“Not that it matters much, but did Celeste
say how she died?” he asked.

Levi thought for a few seconds. “Van Buren
strangled her,” she said, not far from the truth. “He was obsessed
with Celeste.”

Jonah started to ask another question then
quickly changed his mind. There was no need to know if she was
sexually assaulted. Celeste’s body had been recovered and Van Buren
could not be punished, so he left his investigation closed at that
point.

“What will happen next? Levi asked.

“Her remains will be taken to the hospital
morgue and we will use dental records to make a positive
identification before releasing her remains to her mother,” Jonah
said.

“Then she can be laid to rest once and for
all,” Levi said, thinking out loud.

“Yes, and thanks to your efforts her mother
and Roberto now can find peace in some closure,” Jonah said as he
stood to leave.

Cat and Levi watched him walk down to the
harbor and he took Carlos’ keel boat back across the water.

“What now?” Cat asked.

“Some much needed sleep,” Levi said.

“Would you like for me to stay with you
today?” Cat asked.

“Thank you, Cat, but I think I will probably
sleep most of it away,” Levi said. “I would appreciate you calling
Nat and Liz in a few hours. Tell them I am going to be turning my
phones off to get some rest and that I will call later, for them
and Vanessa.”

“I sure will,” Cat said. “I will take the
boat back, but if you need anything, just give me a call,” Cat
said.

“Thanks, I will, Cat,” Levi said as she
hugged Cat. “Will you tell Codi I need to take a rain check on
tomorrows diving trip too?” she asked.

“Not a problem,” Cat said then left the
house.

Levi watched her until the boat disappeared
from view and after stripping out of her clothes collapsed on the
bed.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Levi slept most of the day waking only when
she became hungry late in the afternoon. She went to the kitchen
and pulled the chicken pasta leftovers from the freezer and popped
them into the microwave. Levi turned her cell phone back on and
found she had two messages. She keyed in the number to check her
voicemails and found the first to be a message from Cat letting her
know that she had contacted Nat as she had asked. The second
message was from Nat imploring Levi to call as soon as she woke up
to give them a report on how she was feeling. Levi smiled and
dialed the number to the resort office and waited for the phone to
be answered. When there was no answer after eight rings, Levi left
a voice mail for Nat to give her a call.

The timer on the microwave sounded and Levi
pulled out the hot dish and carried it to the table. She poured
herself a glass of tea and ate while she looked out the window at
the beautiful day she had missed. There was one more task she had
to finish today and then she would shower and have a relaxing night
in front of the television. She placed her dishes in the dishwasher
and rummaged through the drawers until she found a book of
matches.

Levi then walked to the bedroom and opened
the drawer on the bedside table and removed Van Buren’s journal and
tucked it under her arm. Levi left the house and walked to the shed
behind the house. She had seen a can of lighter fluid earlier and
picked up the can and started down the path to the garden. She
smiled as she walked passed Celeste’s garden and continued across
the clearing.

When she reached the site that had been
Celeste’s grave she found the shovel resting against a small tree.
She was surprised that there was no yellow crime scene tape roping
off the area, then assumed because there was no potential for
prosecution of a dead Van Buren, there was no need to do an
extensive search for evidence. They had recovered Celeste’s body
and made little effort to repair the disturbed soil at the grave.
Levi would take care of the area after she had finished her
task.

She picked up the shovel and dug a small hole
in the soft soil. Levi then opened the journal and soaked its pages
with the lighter fluid before dropping it in the hole. She struck a
match and tossed it in the hole and watched in silence as flames
began to eat away the pages, destroying the final piece of evidence
to Celeste’s death as she promised.

A light smoke lifted into the air as the
charred pages disappeared one by one until the journal was burned
beyond recognition. When she was satisfied that nothing remained of
the bound journal, Levi picked up the shovel and began to fill the
hole with soil and then used the shovel to smooth the remaining
soil atop the former grave site.

Nat, Cat and Vanessa made their way across
the water to the island just as the sun was beginning to set. When
they stepped onto the dock, Nat said, “I smell smoke.”

“I do too,” Vanessa said as she took off for
the house at a full run.

Nat and Cat followed closely behind Vanessa
and arrived at the house as Vanessa ran in to find the house
empty.

“She’s not in there,” Vanessa said when she
came out to find Nat and Cat on the steps of the porch.

“The garden,” Cat said and led Nat and
Vanessa around the house to the now familiar path.

They had just reached the small garden
finding it empty when Levi emerged from the woods with the shovel
resting on one shoulder and the canister of lighter fluid in her
hand. She stopped dead in her tracks when she looked up to see her
lover and their two friends staring at her.

“Did I sleep longer than I think?” Levi
asked. “Is it Friday?” she teased.

“No, you silly woman it is still Thursday,
but when Cat called to tell us what happened we decided to come
over a day early to check on you,” Nat said.

Levi dropped the shovel and lighter fluid and
melted into Vanessa’s arms.

“I am so glad you are here,” she said to her
love. “It’s good to see you too, Nat”.

“It scared us when we smelled smoke,” Nat
said. “What on earth were you doing?”

“Just fulfilling a final promise,” Levi said.
She offered no more information and her friends respected her
enough to let it stand at that.

“Cat has told us most of the story and we are
so proud of you, Levi,” Nat said. “I probably would have fled from
the island tearing my hair out if that had happened to me,” she
said.

“I was never scared,” Levi said which was
true. “Celeste was such a beautiful and sweet young woman, I think
she was frustrated when no one took her presence here
seriously.”

“I am glad she will finally have some peace,”
Vanessa said.

“Me too baby,” she said. “It’s getting dark,
why don’t we walk back to the house,” Levi said. “I have some cold
beer in the fridge.”

“That sounds good to me,” Nat said.

They walked from the clearing and her friends
waited as she placed the shovel and lighter fluid back in the tool
shed.

“You know Cat, I think we should go back down
for our bags before it gets dark,” Nat said.

“Take the golf cart, it is much easier than
climbing the hill with bags,” Levi said.

Cat and Nat climbed into the cart and drove
down the hill. Levi turned in Vanessa’s arms and kissed her deeply.
“I love you so,” she said.

“I love you too, and I am glad to find that
you are well.”

“I am very good,” Levi said. “But, I do need
a shower.”

“Go on in then and take a shower while I wait
for Nat and we get settled in,” Vanessa said.

“Thanks baby, I will make it quick,” Levi
said and then rushed into the house.

Levi showered quickly and dressed in a pair
of sweats and a large t shirt. Then she went to the fridge and took
out a beer before joining her friends on the porch as they watched
a beautiful sunset.

“Isn’t that a beautiful sight?” she said as
she sat next to Vanessa.

“It is quite beautiful here,” Vanessa
said.

“I am so happy that you are here,” Levi said
as she smiled to Nat and Vanessa.

Nat’s phone rang and it was Liz calling.

“Have you made it to the island and is Levi
alright?” she blurted out.

“Yes, we got here a few minutes ago and yes,
Levi is fine, my love,” Nat said.

“Good, let me talk to her please,” Liz
said.

Nat smiled ay Levi as she handed her the
phone. “Mama wants to talk to you.”

Levi lifted the phone to her ear and said,
“Hello.”

“You tell Nat I heard that smart ass
comment,” Liz instructed.

“She heard your smart ass comment,” Levi said
to Nat.

“Oops,” Nat said.

“Oops is right,” Liz said to Levi. “Are you
really okay?”

“Yes, Liz I am fine. I was very tired this
morning and slept most of the day, but I have eaten, had a nice hot
shower and now I have three gorgeous guardian angels to watch over
me,” Levi teased. “I am sorry that Nat found it necessary to leave
you a day early though.”

“Nonsense, she just used that as an excuse to
come over early,” Liz said. “She has been chomping at the bit to be
there all week.”

“Oh, so Nat just used me, did she?” Levi said
falling into Liz’s train of thought. “I see how you are boss,” she
said to Nat.

Nat blushed then shrugged her shoulders. “But
I was worried about you, Levi,” she said with a sheepish grin.

“Ask her why she already had a bag packed
then,” Liz said.

Levi burst out laughing.

“What did she say?” Nat said.

“She has you so busted,” Levi finally managed
to say, still chuckling. “I am fine, really Liz, so I will let you
talk back to your profusely blushing lover,” Levi said then handed
the phone back to Nat.