The Accused and the Damned: Book Three, the Eddie McCloskey Series (The Unearthed 3) (28 page)

Eddie made sure Giles was dead.

He was. Nobody was that good an actor.

Eddie felt a twinge of sadness. The dead man at his feet had bailed him out of jail. Had stood up for him when his own brother had been ready to kick Eddie off the team. They had history. Now all they had was history. Giles was dead.

But it had to be this way. Giles was a killer. And he would have killed more people if he’d been pushed.

Becky.

She suddenly appeared in the doorway, hand cleaved to her side. Her shirt blood-soaked. She leaned against the frame and looked two heartbeats away from fainting.

Eddie ran over and steadied her.

“Is he dead?” she asked.

“As disco. You okay?”

“Not really.” She tried to wink but instead she just blinked her eye a few times. “I’ve been shot.”

She fell but he caught her and leaned her against the wall. He hit the button on her walkie.

“This is Eddie McCloskey. Officers down. Giles is dead. Send the ambulance up now. Hurry.”

She smiled dreamily at him. “You just sounded like a cop.”

“Never thought I’d hear that.” His phone buzzed and he checked the text. “It’s the Madam.”

Becky shook her head. He could tell it was all her energy to carry on a conversation. “What did she say?”

Eddie smiled. “Her Eye is telling her Giles is in or near the foyer.”

Becky laughed but it came out as a groan and she pitched forward. He grabbed her, tried to stay calm but he was worried. She didn’t look good. She was pale like she’d lost a lot of blood. Now he could hear the armada of vehicles bearing down on the house. He threw one of her arms around his shoulders and took most of her weight.

“Come on, Officer, let’s go.”

They limped to the front door. Billy Towson was waking up. The pain must have hit him immediately because he started screaming. The kid was on his back, eyes closed tightly and writhing.

“Fuck...”

He’d been shot in the shoulder. But he was alive.

“They’re coming, Billy,” Eddie said. “Just hold on.”

The EMT crew burst through the door. Eddie handed Becky off and motioned behind himself to Billy. The emergency crew got Becky in the ambulance in record time and he waved off medical assistance and hopped in the back as another crew got Billy situated. Then both ambulances were off. He got the adrenaline shakes on the way and his arm felt like one huge exposed nerve as he reflected on the fact that he’d just shotgunned an old friend to death.

The live studio audience went wild.

Eddie had never received a standing O before.

He didn’t know what else to do other than wave. He hopped onto the stage where Gracie Barbitok sat. She flashed him a thousand-watt smile.

Gracie’s people had hooked him up with the new, tailored suit, then her makeup people had gone to work on him for half an hour. Some old barber gave him a shave with the straight razor. A young, sassy girl cut his hair, taking off less than a quarter-inch. But somehow he came out looking five years younger and dashing. They got him all dolled up then he met with Gracie backstage for a few minutes to go over the particulars, then it was show time.

The audience was still clapping when he reached the guest couch. Becky Thieler stood and they hugged. The women in the audience oohed and aahed. Then he shook Billy Towson’s hand. The young cop limped back to the couch. Anson Ketcher and Denard Green both hugged him. Eddie looked past Billy and Gracie at the blown-up photo of Detective Mark Ross. Eddie shook his head. The man’s pension had just vested a few years ago. If he’d wanted, he could have left the force and become a security consultant while drawing retirement pay from the department. Instead he’d stayed on because he was one of those lifers Becky had described, treating the job like a calling. A good cop, killed in the line of duty.

If only Eddie had figured it out sooner…but he forced himself not to play the what-if game. Things could have gone the opposite way too. What if he’d never put it together? Or figured it out after Giles had managed to escape?

You could go crazy playing those games. With age, he was getting better at not playing them anymore.

Over the noise, Gracie said, “Edward, thank you so much for coming.”

They were still clapping when he said, “Please call me Eddie. Just Eddie. Edward is the name of some king. I’m just a regular guy.”

Laughter. Cheers.

“So, Eddie. We’ve seen some of the footage but everyone is still asking the big question.” Gracie smiled over at him. Stretched the moment out to build the audience’s need. “Why?”

Eddie smiled back at her. “It’s all your fault, Gracie.”

The audience went silent. Gracie frowned but it was an act. She’d known he was going to say this.

“How is it my fault, Eddie?”

He shrugged. Wondered if he was being too theatrical. Probably not for her show. “Because you exposed him for the fraud he was.”

The audience relaxed. Eddie sat forward. “He couldn’t get a job to save his life. Then he stumbled upon this…ability. It was his ticket back to the big show.
If
he could make it work.

“He started possessing the spirits in the cemetery. There were plenty to choose from with his location. Who knows how far his abilities developed. But manipulating ghosts in his own home wouldn’t get him anywhere. Then he heard about Anson and Alice’s problems.”

Eddie faced the audience.

“So he went to work. He possessed Mary Oliver’s spirit. But what good was that? He needed to be able to do more. He needed to be able to push people, literally and figuratively, to their breaking point so they’d call upon his services. So that’s what he did. Through Mrs. Oliver, he attacked Anson. He figured that was the best way to get Alice to change her mind about bringing him out to the house, to see her husband getting knocked around by the ghost. He didn’t want to hurt Anson.

“But he never figured on Alice trying the same thing he did. He feared she’d know it was him…maybe he was right.” Eddie looked at Billy, whose eyes were moist. “I think Giles’s ultimate goal was to multitask. To be able to possess and investigate at the same time. That way, he could put on the most spectacular phenomena, while he was investigating. He’d never have to worry about being exposed as a fraud again. With his newfound abilities, he could discern with complete accuracy what was real and what wasn’t. He’d never have to worry about Gracie Barbitok setting up a sting operation. He could rehab his professional reputation and go on to be the most famous paranormal investigator the world has ever seen.”

Gasps. Stunned silence from some. Shaking of heads.

Gracie nodded at him. Then turned to the audience. All of them on the edge of their seats. “Right after this break, we’ll see what happened in the courtroom.” The monitors in the studio displayed the brief scene of chaos but cut off before the footage of Gracie getting dragged down the aisle. “We’ll be right back.”

More applause. The lights on the set dimmed and Gracie began a sidebar with Billy Towson, who’d once again buried his face in his hands, crying.

Officer Becky Thieler smiled at him. She still moved a little stiffly. The blast from the shotgun hadn’t done serious damage, but it had torn up her flank. He’d stayed at Green’s place and visited her several times during the week she’d been in the hospital. Even picked up a Balzac novel and read to her, affecting an amateurish French accent that made her laugh too hard against the stitches. Once she was discharged, Eddie went back home. Their mutual attraction was obvious, but it was like both had tacitly agreed nothing would ever come of it.

“How long are you in town?” she asked.

Eddie smiled. Since the events in upstate New York, he’d gotten so many calls that he’d had to turn away business. He had the pick of the litter. Only the most interesting, most legitimate-sounding claims he’d investigate.

“Just for the night. I’ve got a gig tomorrow.”

“Then let me take you out to dinner.”

“Sounds good. I’ll pay for breakfast.”

She swatted his arm playfully.

They were still on commercial break when his cell buzzed. His buddy Stan texting. Eddie knew Stan was watching the live broadcast of the episode so he was probably writing to congratulate him.

Eddie opened the text.

There’s this guy on TV that looks just like you, except he’s well-groomed and articulate. Call when you can.

Eddie smiled just as the lights came back up and the music swelled.

* * * *

“Did you appreciate the plug?” Eddie asked.

Over the phone, he heard Stan’s TV still on. Gracie’s special had concluded about fifteen minutes ago.

Stan said, “Wasn’t expecting you to mention me. Thanks a lot. Now everybody’s going to be asking for money.”

“You’re welcome.” Eddie was smiling but he heard the reservation in Stan’s voice. His friend had something to tell him. “What’s going on, brother?”

“Listen…Eamon Moriarty is no longer at Bayside.”

“Really?” Eddie frowned. He’d expected to be notified of a transfer. All the same, it wasn’t a big deal. Patients were transferred to other facilities all the time. Perhaps Eamon’s psychiatric care, now that he was older, required different specialties, different approaches. “Wonder where they moved him.”

“That’s just it.” Stan lowered his voice. “I don’t know where he went.”

“Patient privacy. Why would you?”

“I found out from the sheriff. He’s got a buddy moonlights at the hospital. It was done the middle of the night, without fanfare. Eamon’s own treating physician didn’t know about it.”

Eddie felt his world slowly start to spiral.

Stan continued. “I made some discreet inquiries. Nobody knows anything. Nobody knows where he is.”

Eddie’s throat had gone dry. For the last six years, he’d known where his brother’s killer was at all times. During that span, the damaged, twisted boy murderer had grown into a young man who was under the constant vigilant eye of security staff and constant professional care of a team of doctors. Now that young man was somewhere else.

“Son of a bitch.”

“I know,” Stan said. “Moira’s freaking out. She thinks he’ll try something.”

“Hold on, pal. He didn’t escape. Somebody picked him up, you said. He’s not wandering the streets plotting his revenge. And if it’s revenge he wants, he’ll come after me. I’m the one that put him in that strait jacket.”

“Yeah, but Moira’s the one who IDed his voice on that EVP recording. That’s what sent you and Tim to that house. Without that, Eamon kills that family and gets away.”

Eddie knew Stan was right. And because a book had been written about that fateful investigation, Eamon would know all the particulars. Would have studied them. He’d know about Moira and Stan’s involvement. And he was sick enough to blame them for his own crimes.

“Don’t worry, pal. I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation for this. As family of one of Eamon’s victims, I can make a few calls. Something will come up.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t hear something already.”

“Why?”

“Because this happened three weeks ago.”

Eddie and Stan talked some more, but Eamon’s departure from Bayside Psychiatric Hospital cast a pall over the rest of their conversation. Eddie hung up, once again promising to visit Stan and Moira as soon as possible but without making any definite plans.

Becky Thieler had been waiting down the hallway for him to finish his call. Once she saw he was done, she gave him a little wave and motioned for him to get a move on. “Let’s go, D’Artagnan.”

He smiled. Tonight he’d share a meal with Officer Thieler. Beautiful, intelligent, quirky Becky Thieler. He could tell by the way she looked at him they would make love and he knew it would be good.

And tomorrow he’d begin searching for his brother’s killer.

* * * * *

Did you enjoy The Accused and the Damned?

Do you want me to write more books in this series?

If the answer is
YES
to either question, the best way to let me know is by leaving an honest review of
The Accused and the Damned
here
. I take reader feedback very seriously and reviews also help other potential readers make informed decisions before purchasing. Reviews are a newbie author’s lifeblood and generate buzz better than anything else.

More buzz = more books.

Join my Mailing List and get a free book of your choosing. You’ll also get news about my latest releases, upcoming titles, and special offers. I will respect your privacy, won't spam you, and won't share your email with anyone. Happy Reading!

NEWSLETTER SIGNUP HERE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

BELLULIS MEIS. SEMPER VOBIS.