Part 24 (2/2)

Once Gil and Heath had moved off to the van, I made a point to find Anya for one last apology. She was on her hands and knees in the kitchen, her own clothes dusty with white powder, a fine sheen across her forehead. I cleared my throat and she regarded me with lips pressed tightly together. ”I just wanted to say that we're leaving now.”

Anya gave one curt nod.

”And I'm really really sorry,” I added. sorry,” I added.

”You said that.”

I swallowed hard. ”I really do intend to replace your dishes.”

”There's no need,” she said with a sigh and got back to scrubbing the floor.

I felt so bad that tears stung my eyes, and I desperately wanted to make it up to her. ”Anya?” I asked.

”Aye,” she said without looking up.

”You mother's name was Molly, right?”

Anya's hand stopped making swirling motions on the floor and she sat back on her heels to give me an accusing glare. ”Have you been going through me things?”

I shook my head vigorously. ”No! It's just that Heath and I have a special talent. When we concentrate really hard, we can make connections to people who have died.”

”You're mediums?” she asked, and I noticed a hint of interest in her eyes.

”Yes.”

”Are you tellin' me that me mum is talking to you, then?”

”Yes.”

”What's she have to say?”

I took a deep breath. ”She says that she's glad you finally went to the doctor about that pain in your chest, and not to worry-she doesn't think it's going to be anything bad or something you can't handle. She's also very grateful to you for looking out for your brother, and a.s.sociated with him I get the name Pat or Patrick. She's saying he's been a handful all these years and you've always put up with it because he's your little brother, and again she's grateful.”

Tears appeared in Anya's eyes and her mouth formed a small circle. She didn't speak, and I wondered if I should say more. Finally she asked, ”What does me mum say about the plate you broke?”

I bit my lip. I didn't know if she was being funny or serious, so in my mind I asked her mother what she thought about the broken plate, and hoped the answer wouldn't make me feel worse than I already did. Molly's answer surprised me. ”She says you've got two more just like it in the cupboard.”

Anya's face brightened into a broad smile. ”Aye,” she acknowledged with a small laugh. ”I do. And the one that broke had a chip in it anyway.”

”Again, we're really, really really sorry, Anya.” sorry, Anya.”

This time when she nodded, I felt like she'd finally decided to forgive us. ”S'all right,” she told me with a wave of her hand. ”I'd still prefer you move on to other lodgin's, but it's all right.”

”Okay,” I said. ”Thank you again for all you did for us.”

I turned to go and Anya called me back. ”Do you know where you'll go?” she asked.

”Not really.”

”You might try Sean Tierney's place at the Dunlee Inn. He's always got rooms this time of year.”

I thanked her and took my leave.

We found our way to the Dunlee Inn and Anya was right-they did have room for us. As we were trying to be budget conscious now that we didn't have jobs, we took only two rooms. We were given a set of door keys to side-by-side rooms and made our way upstairs.

There was a very awkward moment when we arrived at the rooms, because we hadn't really settled on who would be sleeping with whom. ... Er ... I mean, which of the three of us would get his or her own room. Heath finally settled it by suggesting that he bunk with Gilley, which, when I thought about it, was really sweet, because it would give me the power to invite him over if I felt lonely-or not.

Once we'd unloaded our luggage, we made our way back downstairs and out of the inn to find someplace to eat breakfast. Since Gilley was driving, he ended up picking and took us to the first greasy spoon he could find. After we were settled and had ordered our meal, Gilley asked about the previous night.

I filled him in on all of it, and he listened intently, his eyes sparkling with interest, especially when I got to the part about the secret pa.s.sage under the causeway.

”How many people do you think know about that?” he asked.

I shrugged. ”I doubt there are many. That manhole has the entrance pretty well covered.”

Gilley popped the last bite of his very big breakfast into his mouth and announced, ”I have news to share too!”

I remembered him saying as much to me the night before. ”Dish,” I said.

”Guess who I found.”

My heart skipped a beat and my mind went right to Gopher. ”Oh, my G.o.d,” I said. ”And you didn't tell us?”

Gilley smiled broadly. ”I wanted it to be a surprise.”

I shook my head and glared hard at Gilley. ”You're an a.s.s,” I spat.

Heath must have been thinking the same thing I was because he set down his water gla.s.s and glared at Gilley too. ”So not cool, dude,” he growled.

Gilley blinked. ”Wait-what?”

”How could you keep that from us?” I demanded. ”Do you know what we've been been through?” through?”

”Uh ...,” Gilley said.

”So where is he?” Heath asked, looking around suspiciously. ”Was he in on your little joke too? I should kick his a.s.s. ...”

Gilley raised a hand. ”Hold on,” he said. ”Who do you think I've found?” do you think I've found?”

”Gopher,” Heath and I said together.

Gilley let out a relieved sigh. ”I haven't found Gopher.”

It was our turn to blink in surprise. ”Then who did you find?” I asked.

”Alex.”

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