was the important thing. “Yes. Something about the monument with a soldier on top.”
Benton…
“A Civil War soldier?”
Realization flooded her in a wave. “Yes. A Civil War soldier. It was surrounded by a circle of granite grave markers. The kind that are flush with the ground.”
Theo began typing furiously on his laptop. He spun it around. “Is this the place?”
Jillian stared at the obelisk—the same obelisk she had seen in her vision. “Yes. Yes! That’s it!”
He snatched up the phone. “Dispatch? Theo Carter. Send anyone in the area of Mt. Olivet Cemetery to the Confederate Circle. Send an ambulance and the rescue response team. And do it now.”
He looked hard at Jillian. “Girl, you better be right about this.” He started around the desk but then stopped. “Oh. I need that button back.”
Still in a state of shock, she handed it to him. “Thank you, Theo.”
“Come on. Let’s go find your sister.” He darted out the door.
Shaky, Jillian reached for her purse, dropping the original button into it alongside Boo as she did so. Stealing it had been easier than she would have thought, given the circumstances.
* * * * *
Jillian gunned the Jag, passing the Metro Nashville police cars and easily leaving them well behind her as she sped toward Mt. Olivet Cemetery. She glanced at the GPS screen just below her dash. It wasn’t far.
Her stomach clenched as she turned into the main gate. The narrow road was steep and winding. Although her windshield wipers slashed at the rain, a wet, gray sheet of water hindered her vision.
Lightning rent the air, quickly followed by a loud crash of thunder. “Oh God,” Jillian said under her breath. The rain would be flooding the breathing tube and now that dusk came earlier and earlier, it would be dark soon.
As the wipers raked away the driving rain, the obelisk came into view. Jillian’s heart raced. Her sister was here. She knew it.
She just prayed Amy was still alive.
Jillian stopped the car and snatched the button out of her purse. Boo’s black head poked up. There was something expectant in her round, dark eyes. Jillian gave the dog a reassuring rub to the head. “You have to wait here.”
She swallowed against the lump in her throat. What if Amy was dead? How would it feel to know her sister was gone? An ugly image of the interior of a funeral home with a coffin and flower arrangements rose up hard in her mind. Jillian squeezed her eyes shut and refused to think of that.
With resolve, she stepped out of her warm car and into the bone-chilling rain, but only managed a few steps.
When she saw what awaited her, her resolve was short lived.
Chapter Five
Jillian froze. Standing all around her were the ghosts she had seen in her vision. Only this time, they were far more terrifying. Her heart sank. The graveyard was enormous and everywhere there were ghosts, gray and pleading, coming toward her in their burial shrouds. Soldiers, men in suits, women in long nightgowns, some barefoot.
Jillian shrank back. Her pulse rioted. Where was the ghost? He’d promised to protect her.
Boo yapped frantically from inside the car. Jillian squeezed the button, holding it protectively to her chest. She trembled.
Her mouth went cotton dry. These ashen ghosts did not look like Benton. There was no life in them. They looked like soulless revenants. Fear surged inside her. How was she ever going to find Amy?
Her gaze darted to the left. One of the ghosts nearest her was coming closer. Dressed in a dark suit, white shirt and black tie, he would have looked like a normal man but for the fact that he was dead. His face was an eerie blue shade of pale and his clothes appeared faded, dusted with grave grime. An unearthly moan emanated from his throat as a long, thin hand reached for her.
Jillian gasped and darted out of his reach, slipping on the wet winter grass. One knee hit the ground but she managed to clamber to her feet. She was cold and wet and
Benton…
“A Civil War soldier?”
Realization flooded her in a wave. “Yes. A Civil War soldier. It was surrounded by a circle of granite grave markers. The kind that are flush with the ground.”
Theo began typing furiously on his laptop. He spun it around. “Is this the place?”
Jillian stared at the obelisk—the same obelisk she had seen in her vision. “Yes. Yes! That’s it!”
He snatched up the phone. “Dispatch? Theo Carter. Send anyone in the area of Mt. Olivet Cemetery to the Confederate Circle. Send an ambulance and the rescue response team. And do it now.”
He looked hard at Jillian. “Girl, you better be right about this.” He started around the desk but then stopped. “Oh. I need that button back.”
Still in a state of shock, she handed it to him. “Thank you, Theo.”
“Come on. Let’s go find your sister.” He darted out the door.
Shaky, Jillian reached for her purse, dropping the original button into it alongside Boo as she did so. Stealing it had been easier than she would have thought, given the circumstances.
* * * * *
Jillian gunned the Jag, passing the Metro Nashville police cars and easily leaving them well behind her as she sped toward Mt. Olivet Cemetery. She glanced at the GPS screen just below her dash. It wasn’t far.
Her stomach clenched as she turned into the main gate. The narrow road was steep and winding. Although her windshield wipers slashed at the rain, a wet, gray sheet of water hindered her vision.
Lightning rent the air, quickly followed by a loud crash of thunder. “Oh God,” Jillian said under her breath. The rain would be flooding the breathing tube and now that dusk came earlier and earlier, it would be dark soon.
As the wipers raked away the driving rain, the obelisk came into view. Jillian’s heart raced. Her sister was here. She knew it.
She just prayed Amy was still alive.
Jillian stopped the car and snatched the button out of her purse. Boo’s black head poked up. There was something expectant in her round, dark eyes. Jillian gave the dog a reassuring rub to the head. “You have to wait here.”
She swallowed against the lump in her throat. What if Amy was dead? How would it feel to know her sister was gone? An ugly image of the interior of a funeral home with a coffin and flower arrangements rose up hard in her mind. Jillian squeezed her eyes shut and refused to think of that.
With resolve, she stepped out of her warm car and into the bone-chilling rain, but only managed a few steps.
When she saw what awaited her, her resolve was short lived.
Chapter Five
Jillian froze. Standing all around her were the ghosts she had seen in her vision. Only this time, they were far more terrifying. Her heart sank. The graveyard was enormous and everywhere there were ghosts, gray and pleading, coming toward her in their burial shrouds. Soldiers, men in suits, women in long nightgowns, some barefoot.
Jillian shrank back. Her pulse rioted. Where was the ghost? He’d promised to protect her.
Boo yapped frantically from inside the car. Jillian squeezed the button, holding it protectively to her chest. She trembled.
Her mouth went cotton dry. These ashen ghosts did not look like Benton. There was no life in them. They looked like soulless revenants. Fear surged inside her. How was she ever going to find Amy?
Her gaze darted to the left. One of the ghosts nearest her was coming closer. Dressed in a dark suit, white shirt and black tie, he would have looked like a normal man but for the fact that he was dead. His face was an eerie blue shade of pale and his clothes appeared faded, dusted with grave grime. An unearthly moan emanated from his throat as a long, thin hand reached for her.
Jillian gasped and darted out of his reach, slipping on the wet winter grass. One knee hit the ground but she managed to clamber to her feet. She was cold and wet and
Similar Books
