SPIRIT OF CONSEQUENCE (A Spirit Walking Mystery Book 1) (24 page)

“She’s not even here, Dad,” Jed insisted and sighed in frustration.

Uncle George looked at the doctor. “Is that true? Is she really already gone?”

“There is no indication that her brain is still functioning. Her body is staying alive because of the machines. I’m sorry.”

“You see, Dad. Samantha is not here anymore. You need to let her go. You need closure and you’re not going to get it if you keep her body alive with all these machines.”

“She’s my princess.” Uncle George reached over and grabbed my hand.

Seeing the two of them here, crying over my dying body, made my heart ache, like my soul was being ripped from me.

“Dad, I loved her too, but you’ve got to let her go!”

“Fine, then I will be the one to do it. I’m not waiting until Monday,” Uncle George said.

“No, let the doctor turn off the machines, Dad.”

“No.” Uncle George shook his head. “For her entire life, I’ve been the one who took care of her. I’ve looked after her, and if this has to happen, I’m going to be the one to do it.”

“Fine,” Jed huffed.

Uncle George went to the other side of the bed. He pointed to a set of buttons on a machine. The doctor nodded. One by one my uncle turned them off. When he flipped the last one...the world went black, again.

Chapter 25

I awoke when I felt someone’s arms around me, opened my eyes and saw Dodge smiling at me.

“Hi,” I said.

“Hello,” his face brightened, “Do you know what day it is?”

“I don’t know.”

“It’s our wedding day.”

I smiled. “Already?”

“Yes.” He laughed.

“What happened with Matthew?” I asked.

“First, you tell me what happened at the warehouse.”

“What warehouse?”

“It was you helping Dexter and Marge, right?”

“Yes.” I nodded.

Dodge leaned over and kissed me. “Thanks.”

“It’s okay. Tell me what happened with Matthew.”

“He’s going to make it. The bullet didn’t strike any vital organs. They’ve got him on so many drugs that I haven’t been able to talk to him yet.”

“Why?” I asked. “Is he in that much pain?”

“No,” Dodge said, with a trace of a smirk. “He kept going on about how an angel had come down from heaven and helped the police catch him. They’re fitting him for a straight jacket and rubber room, as we speak.”

“Oh.” I smiled.

“Why did you say that to him?” Dodge asked.

“It just seemed like the thing to do and besides, I didn’t want him to think he was really doing God’s work by killing people.”

Dodge’s face grew serious. “When you said it, I believed it too. When I came into this room today, I wasn’t sure whether I would find you here or not.”

I shrugged. “Still here.”

“You were frowning when I came in. Were you having another dream?”

“I dreamed about the moment that I died.”

“Tell me what happened.”

I told Dodge about the hospital room, Uncle George, and Jed.

“It must have been hard for your uncle to be the one to stop the machines.”

“It was,” I said. “Jed had to really push him to let me go.”

“Jed just didn’t want to see you like that.”

“No, he didn’t and he knew that I wouldn’t have wanted it, either.”

Dodge was silent for a few moments.

“What?” I asked.

“I kind of thought that if you actually relived your death, you’d move on.” Dodge said in a tentative manner that was uncharacteristic of him.

“I thought so, too.” I put my hand on his leg, comforting him but also grounding myself. “When they turned off the machines, the world went black. I thought I would move on, but I felt your arms around me and then I was awake.”

“Maybe you are an angel. Not sent to find a killer, but to be with me.” Dodge kissed me on my neck and worked his way down my arm.

“Either way, I’m here now. We may as well enjoy it,” I said, as I reached around his back and pulled him closer to me. I whispered into his ear, “Have you figured out a way to tell Dexter about me?”

“No,” Dodge murmured. “But I will.”

“I love you, Dodge,” I said.

“I love you, too, Samantha.”

We spent the next hour showing each other exactly how much.

Afterwards we fell asleep in each other’s arms. I didn’t dream. Maybe they’re over since I relived my own death. Was I back to being just an earthly bound ghost?

When we got up, Dodge had to run off and take care of some cop stuff before we left Las Vegas. I spent a long time looking in the mirror and changing my wedding dress and hair style. Eventually, I opened Dodge’s computer and browsed the Internet for wedding dresses. It took me a while, but I found the perfect one. The dress was simple – white, strapless, A-line, with folds and folds of material ending in a six foot train. I decided against a veil, just put my hair up and added a diamond-studded comb.

When I heard the door open, I changed back into my green sweatsuit.

Dodge ran in, panting. “Sorry I’m late.”

“Did your cop stuff take longer than you thought?”

“Yes. I had piles of paperwork to fill out and then Matthew wanted to see me.”

“Why?”

“He wanted to ask about you.”

“What did you tell him?”

“That I never saw him holding anyone.”

“You’re so cruel.”

“Ah, he’s a cold-blooded killer. He doesn’t deserve me being nice to him. Are you ready to go?”

“Isn’t it bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?” I asked.

“Nope, not in our case. What could happen? You’re already dead and if something happened to me, we’d still be together.”

I caressed the side of his face, “Together, forever.”

He grabbed my hand, squeezed it, and said, “Always, now let’s go.”

“Did you tell Dexter about me?”

“Not yet.”

“The ceremony is in less than an hour.”

“I’ve still got time.”

“Is Marge coming to the wedding?”

“No, she has more paperwork to do on her kidnapping. I told her she could come to the reception.”

“We’re having a reception?” I asked.

“Of course. I’ve booked us the honeymoon suite at Circus Extraordinaire. It has a nice living room area for the reception. The management gave me a great deal.”

We left the hotel and took a cab to the wedding chapel, Dexter waited in front. We got out and he looked around.

“She’s not here yet,” Dodge told him. “She’ll be here in a few minutes.”

“Okay.” Dexter frowned.

“Let’s go in and put on our tuxes.”

Father Ben met us at the door. “This way, gentlemen.” He led them through the chapel and into a small room. “Is your fiancé ready?”

“Yes.”

“Wonderful.” Father Ben pointed to a closet. “There are tuxes in there. Pick any one that you’d like to wear.” He closed the door.

Dexter went toward the closet. Dodge pointed at the door and whispered. “Out, Samantha, until we’re dressed.”

“Fine.” I walked out of the dressing room and into the chapel. It was such a beautiful place with all the stained glass windows, white pews and lovely red roses.

I gave the men twenty minutes and then went back to the dressing room. Hopefully Dodge had explained to Dexter about me.

As I came through the door, I realized that he hadn’t.

“Where is she?” Dexter asked Dodge, as he struggled with the buttons on his dress shirt.

Dodge glanced my way and smiled. “She’s here, don’t worry about it.”

“You’re going to have to explain about me pretty soon, Dodge.”

“I know.”

“You know what?” Dexter asked

“Nothing.”

There was a knock at the door. The men looked at the door, then at each other.

Dexter said, “It’s bad luck to see the bride before the ceremony, Dodge. If it’s her, I’ll send her away.”

Dexter went to the door, Dodge turned toward me. “I hope he’s wrong about the bad luck.”

“What else could happen? You almost died three times and I am dead.”

Dexter cracked the door, stuck his head out, then opened it up the entire way.

Father Ben came into the room. “I need to talk to you for a minute, Mr. Benson.”

“Sure, come on in, Father.”

Father Ben was dressed in a white tux. He looked great. He handed Dodge two red rose boutonnières. “These are for you and your witness.”

“Thanks.” Dodge took the flowers.

“Do you supply the bride’s bouquet, too?” asked Dexter.

Father Ben frowned, then looked at Dodge. “She’s supplying her own bouquet, right?”

Dodge looked at me and I made a huge bouquet of red roses and yellow daisies appear.

He smiled. “Yeah, she’s got her own.”

“Great. I do have something I need from you, before your ceremony.”

“Sure, Father, what is it?”

“Since the bride will be unable to express her vows verbally, I need her signature on a few documents.

Dexter came over and stood by Dodge. “What? She’s mute?”

I sat down at the desk and laughed, “Me? Mute? That’s a laugh.”

Dodge turned to Dexter. “No, she’s not mute.”

Father Ben looked totally confused. It was understandable. He reached in his pocket and handed Dodge two forms. “Can you have her sign these for me?”

Dodge looked over at me. I shrugged, then said, “I’m still having trouble hanging on to things, Dodge. Can’t we do this without me signing them?”

Dodge took the papers from Father Ben. “What if she can’t sign them?”

“Then you can sign, and your friend,” he pointed to Dexter, “can sign as a witness.”

“Perfect,” Dodge said and set the papers on the desk. “Thanks.”

“The ceremony will start in …,” he looked at his watch, “twenty minutes.”

“Thanks.”

Father Ben left and Dexter picked up the papers. “She can’t sign these and she can’t talk? What the hell’s going on, Dodge?”

“Sit down, Dexter.”

“I like bad news standing up,” Dexter said.

“Okay, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Dexter crossed his arms over his chest. “What’s up?”

Dodge started to pace.

Dexter grimaced. “You’re pacing? Maybe I better sit down.” He started to sit down on my lap.

Dodge grabbed his arm, pulled him up, and said, “Not there.”

Dexter looked down at the chair. “Why not?”

“It’s part of the explanation.”

“Okay.” Dexter crossed the room and started to sit on the couch, then turned and looked at Dodge. “Is this okay?”

“Yes.”

Dodge dragged a chair over from the wall and sat down in front of Dexter. “Okay, the reason that Samantha can’t talk or sign that piece of paper is that she’s…”

“She’s what?” Dexter leaned forward.

“She’s a ghost. There, I said it. She’s a ghost, Dexter.”

Dexter looked around the room and then back at Dodge, “What the hell are you talking about?”

“She’s a ghost, Dexter. A walking around, can’t be seen by anyone, ghost.”

“Are you totally out of your mind?” Dexter stood and shouted.

“No!” Dodge shouted back.

“Ghosts don’t exist, Dodge. They’re only in books, movies, and television.”

“She’s real, Dexter.”

“In your mind, maybe.”

“Let me try to show him, Dodge.” I suggested.

Dodge looked at me. “Do you think you can?”

Dexter frowned at Dodge. “You talk to her?”

“Of course.”

Dexter shook his head and mumbled, “This is more serious than I thought.”

I took a deep breath and concentrated. Then I walked over to where Dodge had laid the boutonnières. “Okay, I can do this.” I reached down and slid my hand under one of the flowers. Slowly, I raised it from the table and turned toward Dexter.

Dexter’s eyes went wild and he backed up.

“She’s not going to bite you, Dexter. She’s not a vampire, she’s a ghost.”

“But…” Dexter fell back onto the couch.

I walked over and knelt down in front of Dexter. I raised the boutonnière to his chest. I turned back to Dodge, “It’s starting to slip from my fingers, can you come and take it?”

“Of course.” Dodge came over and took the flower and pinned it on Dexter’s lapel.

Dexter was pale and perspiring.

“Are you all right?” Dodge asked.

“No.” He shook his head, then looked around the room. “Is she really in here?”

“She’s standing right next to you.

Dexter put his hand out. It went right through my stomach. He looked at Dodge. “Where?”

“Trust me, she’s here.”

“Okay.” Dexter nodded. “She’s your source. The reason you had all those feelings about people and places?”

Dodge pointed at me. “Yes, she helped us catch Menders.”

Dexter looked at where Dodge had pointed. “And at the warehouse?”

“She was the one who stopped you from going into the building and who untied Marge.”

Dexter put his hand up. “Okay, nothing against ghosts, and especially one that saved my ass, but do you think having a relationship with one is a good idea?”

“I love her, Dexter.” Dodge came over and sat down by him.

“I get that, but how’s it going to work? She’s a ghost, Dodge.”

“Okay.” Dodge shrugged. “We have a few problems to work out.”

“I’d say. Where is she, Dodge?”

“Standing there by the desk.”

Dexter walked over to the desk and stood right in front of me. “Okay, I know you’re probably a very nice person, but is this fair to Dodge?”