Darker Days (The Darker Agency #1)(58)

He was right. I’d searched along all the walls and under the pews, examining each and every crack. There were no visible seams hinting of secret hiding places, nor were there any of the other usual signs. Buttons, latches, oddly placed pictures, and rugs. We’d searched the building from top to bottom. Lukas was right. There was nothing here but a couple hundred years worth of dust and a lot of spiders.

I climbed to my feet and went to the window, looking out over the old cemetery.

“There’s one place we haven’t checked.”

Lukas balked. “We’ve turned this place inside out.”

“Inside.” I tapped the window. “But not out.”

“Surely you’re not suggesting we dig—”

“Eww! Of course not. But it can’t hurt to have a look around. If anything’s been disturbed recently, we’ll be able to see it.”

He didn’t look convinced but followed me out to the yard anyway.

There were only about fifty or so headstones, all ranging from 1712 to 1910. Most of the markers were crumbling, large pieces lying on the ground beside them, and in several cases, missing altogether. I tripped over a pale granite one that had cracked and fallen into the path. Strong arms caught me before I hit the ground, guiding me around the hindrance. It had been there a while, the brush and weeds growing up around it, nearly concealing the stone from view. Lukas let go, cheeks slightly flushed, and we started forward again.

We wove between the poorly manicured rows searching, but nothing appeared out of place or disturbed. At the back of the lot, there was a single stone mausoleum. I started forward, thinking I might have some luck inside, but stopped after realizing Lukas had fallen behind. When I turned, I saw him kneeling in front of a headstone several rows over.

“Sarah Scott,” I read out loud as I came up behind him. “Your mother?”

Lukas pulled away some of the overgrowth in silence, then ran his hand over the stone’s smooth surface.

Across the top, a thick vine with tiny white flowers spilled down the side and twined around the stone beside it. I bent down to pull them apart, but Lukas grabbed my hand and squeezed.

“No,” he said, nodding to the second stone. “Leave it. They’re finally together.”

I brushed a pile of leaves from the front of the second stone and bit back a gasp. “Simon Darker.” Under his name was his birth date and date of death—1845 to 1910—as well as a single sentence. One I was familiar with. It was the same thing Mom had printed on Grandpa’s headstone. “A bright light along the path that grows darker.”

Lukas climbed to his feet with a slight smile on his lips and pulled me up. “It gives me peace to see them together.”

“You’re saying Simon had a thing for your mom?”

Lukas nodded. “He loved her—and she him. It was just never meant to be.”

Never meant to be. More evidence that my family was destined for heartbreak. I didn’t understand how their rotting in the ground next to each other could be construed as peaceful. To me, it seemed depressing. But it made Lukas happy for some reason, so I refrained from my usual commentary.

I took a step back and turned back to the church. “Come on. There’s nothing here.”

“You’ve given up on the box?”

“Hell no. But this gave me another idea.”

“Oh?”

“Well, the box isn’t here—that much I’m sure of. And since neither of us knows what it looks like, much less where it could be—I suggest asking someone that might.”

“Who would possibly know where the box might be?”

“Simon Darker, of course.”





Chapter Twenty-three




By the time we got to Paulson’s, Lukas was excited about the idea of seeing Simon again. A little weirded out at first, he was worried Paulson would be summoning an actual corpse and not a spirit. Rotting flesh and smelly bone. The guy had a lot to learn.

On the way over we’d stopped by Zeets, the small family-owned candy store on the edge of The Pit, and bought a box of white chocolate-covered pecans. His Scooby Snack. Paulson would do just about anything for them, and I had a feeling he’d need buttering up.

Especially after what happened last time he did me a solid.

He opened the door wearing a huge grin. Strong arms wrapped around me, and I caught the scent of sandalwood and pine. “It’s been too long, Jessie girl.”

I returned the hug and pulled away. “Same.” Pulling Lukas closer, I said, “Paulson, this is my friend Lukas. He’s kinda why we stopped by.”

Paulson nodded in acknowledgment and eyed the box in my hands. “Are those what I think they are?”

I held out the chocolates. “Made this morning.”

He waved us inside and gestured to the sofa. Flipping open the lid, he popped one of the small candies into his mouth and sighed. If he didn’t finish them before we left, I’d be surprised. “Klaire don’t know you’re here, does she?”

“You automatically assume I’m doing something I shouldn’t be.” I pouted.

He said nothing but held up the chocolate and gave the box a slight shake.

“Okay, so I am, but still. Benefit of the doubt, please?”

“Let’s get something straight right off the bat—no promises. I got in a heap of trouble last time. Your mama didn’t speak to me for months.”