Part 32 (1/2)
”But you don't think it will do any good.”
”My brother can be a real b.a.s.t.a.r.d at times. He's determined in this, so, no, I don't think it will do any good.”
”Then let's talk to the police.”
Zach cast her a glance. ”Maybe we should just get a couple of shovels.”
Elizabeth didn't smile. ”Maybe we should.”
Twenty-Seven.
They reached San Pico as the sun was just setting Sunday night. Zach drove the car directly to the hospital to check on Maria.
They found her propped against a stack of pillows, looking a little less pale, a little stronger, even with her belly a huge mound beneath the white sheet and some kind of drip running into her arm. Still, Zach could read the young woman's exhaustion, see her worry in the purple smudges beneath her eyes.
”How are you feeling?” Liz asked as she approached the bed.
Maria managed to smile. ”I am much better. Miguel says I will be able to go home in a couple of days.” She looked over at Zach. ”It is good to see you, Se”or Harcourt. Did you find out anything about the ghost?”
”We may have.” Zach glanced at Liz, not quite certain how much he should say, worried that he might upset Maria. He decided to leave out as much as he could, yet try to rea.s.sure her that they were moving forward to solve the problem. ”We think the child you saw may be a little girl named Carrie Ann Whitt. She disappeared from her parents' home in September of 1969.”
”Did she die in the house?”
”There's a chance she died in the old house that used to be there before. We don't know yet for certain. In the meantime, Miguel says you're going to stay with Se”ora Lopez until the baby comes.”
She nodded.
”I think that's a good idea,” Liz said, holding on to her hand. ”I told Miguel you're welcome to stay at my apartment if you'd rather.”
”I want to stay close to my husband and my home.”
”I can understand that.” Elizabeth managed a smile. ”In the meantime, we're going to keep working to figure things out.”
They talked a while longer, Maria a little more relaxed, since she wouldn't be returning to the house. As they left the room, Zach spotted Miguel walking down the corridor, carrying a foam cup of coffee in his hand. He looked even more haggard than he had the last time they had seen himhis hair standing up in places, his clothes wrinkled. He saw them and came to a stop outside the door.
”They are keeping her a few more days,” he said. ”Then she will be able to go home.” His eyes were red and they darted nervously back and forth between Zach and Liz.
Liz gave him a smile. ”Maria looks much better.”
”Si, I think so, too. The doctor says she is going to be fine.”
”And she will be.” Zach's words held a note of warning. ”As long as you keep her away from the house.”
”She does not wish to stay there not until after the baby comes.”
Probably not even then, Zach figured, thinking of Carrie Ann and the murderers who had once lived in the house.
Miguel returned to Maria's room, and Zach saw Raul walking toward them down the hall, striding along beside Sam Marston, who waved a greeting.
”Hey, Zach!”
”Good to see you, Sam. You, too, Raul.” Raul shook his hand and so did Sam.
The boy tipped his head respectfully. ”h.e.l.lo, Ms. Conners.” The earring was gone from his ear, though the tattoo below it remained, along with the one of a skull on the back of his hand.
Elizabeth gave him a smile. ”h.e.l.lo, Raul.”
”My sister she is going to be okay. And she is moving out of the house.”
”We know,” Zach said. ”We're d.a.m.ned glad to hear it.”
Raul just nodded. ”Thank you both for all you have done.”
”This isn't over yet, Raul. But we're hoping it soon will be. In the meantime, you keep up the good work you're doing at Teen Vision.”
Sam slapped a hand on the strapping youth's shoulder. ”He's doing great, just one more exam and he'll have his GED. Pa.s.sed the last four with flying colors.”
”That's terrific, Raul,” Liz said.
He flushed a little at the praise, tilted his head toward the door to his sister's room. ”I better go in.”
”You go ahead,” Sam said. ”I'll wait for you out here.”
Raul disappeared into Maria's room, and Zach turned to Sam. ”I imagine you've heard about Maria's ghost.”
”Raul told me his sister says there's one in her house. Says she's seen it.”
”I know it's hard to believe,” Liz told him, ”but I saw it, too, Sam.” She went on to tell him about the night she and Zach had spent in the house, then the night she had seen the ghostly apparition of the little girl in her party dress and the events that had wound up putting Maria Santiago in the hospital.
Sam scratched his hairless head. ”That's a pretty incredible story.”
”Totally unbelievable,” Zach agreed. ”Which means there's no way we can get a warrant to dig under the house.”
”No kidding. You don't think Carson will give you permission?”
”Not likely.”
Sam glanced both ways down the hall to be sure no one could hear. ”Maybe you should just go under the house and start digging, see what turns up.”
”So far that appears to be our only option,” Liz said.
”I hate to do it,” Zach said. ”I don't like the idea of digging up a possible forensic site without someone in authority being present.”
”So what will you do?”