The Visitor(92)

“What did he want?” Devlin asked with a scowl.

“To let me know that he was still around.”

His frown deepened. “I don’t like the sound of that. He may not have been involved in Owen and Nelda’s scheme, but he could still have his own reasons for wanting you out of this cemetery. I don’t trust him.”

“Nor do I, but he hasn’t done anything illegal that we know of, so there’s nothing we can do.”

“There is one thing.” Devlin’s gaze swung back to me. I could see something dark in the depths of his eyes, a foreshadowing. “You can come back to Charleston with me this morning. Put this place behind you. You’ve accomplished what you set out to do.”

“Have I?”

“You solved Rose’s puzzle.”

I drew a breath and nodded. “Part of it, yes. But there’s still so much about my great-grandmother that I don’t know. And anyway, I can’t leave while Dr. Shaw’s still in the hospital. He’s much better this morning, but I still wouldn’t feel right leaving him here alone. But if all goes well, we should both be back in Charleston soon, possibly as early as tonight.”

“I’ll be gone by then,” Devlin said. “I’m only going back long enough to pack up a few things.”

The look on his face sent the coldest chill coursing through my veins. “Where are you going?” Then something occurred to me. “Your grandfather... Has something happened to him? Is he still missing?” I put out a hand to touch his arm and I could have sworn I felt him flinch. I lifted my gaze, studying his features for the longest moment before I let my hand drop back to my side.

“My grandfather is back home safe and sound,” Devlin said. “I have some things I need to take care of, so I’ve asked for a leave of absence from the department.”

“A leave of absence,” I repeated numbly. “Just like that?”

“It has to be this way.”

“Why? What’s going on? You can’t just spring this on me without an explanation.” I didn’t reach for him again, but I wanted so badly for him to reach for me, to draw me into his arms and tell me that my fear was irrational. My premonition had no real basis. Everything was fine. We were fine. Instead, I found myself withdrawing into my own lonely little world, as if I could somehow protect myself from what was coming.

I wrapped my arms around my middle and glanced away.

“Amelia.”

The soft drawl of my name brought tears to my eyes, but I blinked them away and sought refuge in my anger. “How long have you known you were leaving?”

“The decision was made suddenly. I’m sorry I didn’t give you more warning. I didn’t know myself until...” He trailed off. “This is not how I wanted to tell you. I thought we’d have more time—”

“Something’s wrong. Something’s happened that you don’t want me to know about. You don’t make decisions like this out of the blue. You’re methodical and stoic.”

“Amelia...”

“This is about last night, isn’t it? You saw Rose’s ghost in that window. I know you did. You saw something in the cottage that wasn’t a shadow. Why won’t you just admit it?”

His gaze swept over the headstones before coming back to settle on me. “I don’t know what I saw. I’m not sure I can believe my own eyes anymore. All I know is that I can’t be around this right now.”

“Around me, you mean.”

“The things I’ve learned about my grandfather and about my family, about the expectations of my birthright. I don’t know if I can accept what my grandfather told me, or if I even believe him. But if a fraction of what he told me is true, I can’t be with you right now. It’s too risky.”

My anger instantly melted. “Risky? Why?”

Devlin hesitated. “There’s a chance he’s involved with some very bad people.”

My heart started to pound in earnest at the look on his face. “What people?”

“The less you know, the better.”

I took a step toward him, and this time he didn’t move away. He reached for me as my fingers slid up to the hollow of his chest, tracing the medallion beneath his shirt. “I may already know more than you think.”

“You don’t. This goes much deeper than the Order of the Coffin and the Claw. You have no idea how dangerous these people are.” He took my forearms, gripping me so tightly for a moment that I winced. The pressure from his fingers eased, but the darkness in his eyes held me enthralled.

“You’re going after them,” I said. “That’s why you’re taking a leave of absence. You don’t want to be encumbered by a badge for what you’re about to do.”

“I’m not going after them,” he said in a strange voice. “I’m going to join them.”

I might have backed away from him then, but he held me fast.

My finger was still on the medallion. I wanted to trace the outline of the emblem until his thoughts opened up to me, until I could slip into his memories and find out what had happened. Find out how I could help him. Stop him. But his mind remained closed to me. Whether he’d done so consciously or not, he’d erected a wall to keep me out.

He drew me to him and I went easily into his arms. “This isn’t the end,” I said fiercely.