Depart the Darkness Read online

  Poor Rick, if only he knew how satisfied he’d soon be with Miles’ pet dog’s puppies!

  “I can hardly wait,” Mack smiled. “We’ve established a connection with several reputable breeders, but they’ll have no pups for us to assess until late spring.”

  “There are a few other prospects we may consider, if necessary,” Rick said.

  “I’m anxious to assess the seven goldens,” Mack declared. “So if you’ll follow me, I’ll give you the grand tour.”

  Mack showed us through the vet clinic, which was fully stocked with every piece of equipment that any vet could possibly need. In the event of an emergency, the center’s trainees would receive the best of care. The clinic would also perform regular health assessments and administer vaccinations and monthly heart worm preventative.

  The dog dorms consisted of roomy kennels, which would probably go unused unless one needed an overnight stay at the vet’s. Still, it was better to have them than not.

  A doggy salon was our last stop in the building. Service dog trainees would require frequent grooming. Not just for the sake of our trainers, whom they’d be living with, but it was also an important part of training pups to get used to and ignore distractions of all kinds.

  We walked through a couple of the cabins, and I was fully satisfied. They reminded me of the guest house at the estate, where I once lived. Our staff would be entirely comfortable here.

  We concluded our tour with the cafeteria and laundry facilities, which would serve both our trainers and the rest of the center. The building also contained the employee rec room. The large space contained air hockey, ping pong, and pool tables. Comfortable chairs and couches were arranged invitingly, and a large TV occupied one wall. Vending machines stood ready and waiting, filled with a supply of drinks and snack foods.

  At the conclusion of our tour, we loaded into our SUV, Rick and Mack loaded into another, and we led the way to the estate.

  Rather than abandon our guests to find their way to the front door, we parked in the driveway. Thanks to a visit by one of Nate’s snowplows, we didn’t need to employ four-wheel-drive to get there.

  We led the way up the steps as Rick and Mack stared in fascination at the estate and exclaimed over it. I remembered seeing it for the first time, and knew how they felt.

  Miles opened the front doors and ushered them inside.

  We heard the sound of puppies, and gave each other a startled look. Then we hurried after our guests.

  “Good afternoon,” Polly said, as she appeared in the doorway of the parlor.

  I don’t mean ‘appeared’ like Miles used to do. She walked up to the doorway and stopped.

  “Rick, Mack, this is my grandmother, Polly Bannerman,” Miles said, regaining his equilibrium faster than I did. I was staring at the parlor doorway, listening to Trixie’s twelve puppies, who somehow got out of the closed nursery and down four flights of stairs! Did they take the stairs? Or the elevator. Or vanish and reappear in the parlor! Yikes!

  “It’s great to meet you,” Rick said, and he, Polly, and Mack exchanged greetings.

  “Rick and Mack are here to assess Trix’s service dog pups,” Miles told Grandma Polly, even though she already knew.

  “How wonderful,” she replied. “Do, follow me then.”

  Grandma Polly led the way into the parlor, and we followed.

  Chip and Trixie sat on each side of the large oriental rug at the center of the nearest seating area. All twelve pups sat, stood, rested or played within the confines of the rug.

  Pandora lay on the back of one of the couches, her eyes huge in her gray face. She looked startled, but who knew if she was or not. She only had the one expression.

  Night lay on the mantle and looked completely disinterested. He was there because he wanted to be. It had nothing to do with us whatsoever. No, out of all the places he could be in the estate, it was sheer coincidence that he chose to be in the parlor where all the rest of the estate’s living creatures gathered.

  Grandma Polly motioned to the couch on one side of the seating area, and Mack and Rick sat. She chose a chair, and Miles and I took our favorite loveseat.

  Trixie looked at Miles, and he looked back.

  “So these are Trixie’s puppies,” I said. We didn’t want any uncomfortable silences while those two held their private conversation.

  “Very nice,” Mack said, watching them closely.

  Trixie looked at the pups, and they all sat up straight and looked back at her.

  Our guests looked slightly more surprised than we did.

  Fidget, Lacey, Linux, Spaz, and Ed, joined Miles and I near the loveseat. They sat in a row and watched. The seven service dog pups lined up on the center of the rug and sat watching Rick and Mack.

  I reminded myself that I did not have to come up with an explanation for everything.

  “They’re how old?” Rick asked in surprise.

  “Five weeks on Monday,” Miles answered.

  “Unbelievable,” Mack said as he watched them, watching him. “Do you use hand signals? How…”

  “No,” Miles said slowly. I hoped he knows we don’t have to come up with an explanation for everything!

  “Their mother explained it all to them, of course,” Grandma Polly said spiritedly. Then she gave me and Miles a sly wink.

  I smiled my thanks. Glancing at Miles, I saw the laughter in his eyes.

  Mack and Rick accepted what Grandma Polly said and didn’t comment. They were humoring the eccentric old matriarch of the Bannerman family. They had no idea she was probably the sharpest tack they’d ever meet.

  “Okay, well… may I?” Mack asked, preparing to rise. I noticed he didn’t just look at Miles, he also looked at Trixie.

  Of course that dog nodded.

  Ugh! Stealthy, she is not!

  Mack and Rick both looked a little freaked out, then attempted to shake it off and move on.

  Mack knelt on the floor, and one of the pups stepped forward and sat down in front of him. He examined the pup, and played with it for several minutes. By the time Mack was through, his smile was huge.

  “Yes, definitely,” he said.

  Pup number one stepped back in line, and pup number two stepped forward.

  And so it continued. At one point, Spaz shoulder bumped Linux hard. Linux shoulder bumped him back. Ed prepared to howl. One look from their mother straightened them all up.

  Mack missed it, but Rick didn’t. His eyes were about to pop out of his head.

  “I’ve never seen pups like these,” Mack exclaimed, as the seventh service dog pup joined the rest.

  Trixie looked proud, and so did they. She gave them a slight nod, and all the puppies began to play again.

  The show off!

  “These pups, they’re just—I can’t get over it,” Mack said. “Would you consider—”

  I sneezed violently. Pretended, anyway. I hope that wasn’t the same thing as lying! I didn’t hear the truth telling me I didn’t really sneeze, so I guess that was okay.

  “Bless you, dear,” Grandma Polly said, then turned her gaze sternly on Rick and Mack. “As for Trixie, never forget that she is a lady. She will decide when she wishes to have pups, and with whom.”

  Miles rubbed his forehead.

  “Grandma Polly is right,” he said. He looked at Trixie, and resigned himself.

  “Do you have the contact information for her breeder?” Rick asked hopefully.

  Miles and I glanced at each other.

  “I’ll have to get back to you on that,” he replied.

  But don’t hold your breath, I felt like telling them. Mr. Clarke died a long time ago, and who knew where Trixie’s littermates ended up. After all, that was about a hundred and fifty years ago.

  We visited with Rick and Mack for a little while after that, as they continued to watch the pups in amazement. Grandma Polly invited them to join us for afternoon tea, and they accepted. So she and I left the guys to chat, and made our way through the estate to th
e kitchen.

  I waited until we were inside, and the door closed after us. Even though by now, there were several city blocks and many a twist and turn between us and the guys.

  “How did the puppies get downstairs?” I wondered.

  “Weren’t they always?” she asked innocently. I couldn’t tell if she really was, or not.

  “No, they were upstairs, taking a nap in the room off of our ours when we left!”

  “Well, my dear… Miles’ dog is very special. She always has been. I suppose it’s only natural her puppies would be also.”

  I stared at her for a second. She didn’t look concerned at all. Why would she? But I was!

  “I guess,” I said, taking the package of cookies she handed me and placing them on the tray. “All I can say is, I hope they’re stealthier than she is!”

  Grandma Polly laughed.

  I didn’t. I was serious!

  Chapter 15

  It was Friday evening at last. Not that we didn’t need every second leading up to this moment, to prepare for the Edmunds’ arrival. But prepared we were, and waiting on pins and needles.

  Grandma Polly was in her element as hostess, eyes bright and cheeks glowing. She sat in her favorite parlor chair, the matriarch of the family, anticipating our guests’ weekend visit.

  She added a dignity and legitimacy to our plans we wouldn’t otherwise have. After all, the rest of us were a bunch of kids! We’d look that way to Phillip Edmunds, anyway. Every one of us were younger than him and Lorna, by several years.

  But Polly Bannerman was hosting this show. We were just here to help.

  It worked.

  At least we thought so.

  “Should be soon,” Xander said again, looking at his watch. Jenny rubbed his arm sympathetically.

  “Do you see them yet?” Annette asked for the umpteenth time, and John looked at his watch. We all wondered the same thing.

  Miles and I sat in the loveseat near the window. He glanced out, as he did many times over the past forty minutes. But this time, a spark of excitement lit his eyes.

  “Places, everyone!” Grandma Polly said with enthusiasm.

  “And relax,” Miles cautioned. “If they come in here and there’s this much excitement in the room, they’re going to wonder why. It’s likely to stress Phillip out.”

  “And we don’t want that,” I agreed. I took a deep, calming breath and noticed our friends did too.

  “Relaxed, check,” Xander said, and he stood. So did John. “How close are they?”

  “They’re parking right now,” Miles replied.

  “Then… action,” John said.

  “Let’s get this in one take,” I added, and said yet another prayer for success.

  Xander and John left us, and a moment later we heard the front door open and close. I tamped down the urge to look out the window, and tried to be patient.

  Miles watched for a moment, then stood and held out his hand.

  “Ready?”

  “Ready,” I said, and placed my hand in his.

  Jenny and Annette each took another calming breath, Polly looked regal, Pandora—who lay draped across the back of the couch—looked startled, and Night looked entirely disinterested. Only the occasional sideways look and flick of his ears gave him away.

  Miles and I walked to the entryway, then glanced out the window by the door.

  John and Xander pulled away from the front steps in the Edmunds’ vehicle. They followed the curving driveway around the estate toward the garage, where the SUV would reside when not in use. John and Xander would also unload the Edmunds’ luggage and take it to their rooms, before rejoining us.

  Phillip, Lorna, and their two children, seven-year-old Alana and five-year-old Zane, walked slowly up the steps as they looked around them in awe. If I had to guess, I’d say Alana was most impressed. And why wouldn’t she be? If she didn’t know she was spending a weekend in a castle before, she did now. What little girl wouldn’t be thrilled!

  They neared the top of the steps and the covered vestibule, and Miles opened the door.

  “You must be the Edmundses,” Miles smiled.

  “Yes,” Phillip replied, and I felt a thrill. Not because he lied, but because every time he spoke there was a chance he would!

  “It’s wonderful to meet you,” Miles said. “I’m Miles Bannerman, and this is my wife, Anika.”

  Lorna knew this was our estate after talking to Steve, who didn’t hide that fact. She didn’t act surprised to see us, or as if we already met. We didn’t figure she would, and were fine with that.

  “It’s good to meet you too,” Phillip replied, and he and Miles shook hands. I was glad to see that Phillip didn’t look stressed at the moment. Just really, really in awe of the estate.

  “You have a lovely home,” Lorna said, looking around in amazement as we led them inside, and encouraged them to unbundle.

  “Thanks,” I replied. “I hope you enjoy your stay with us. We’ve got a great weekend planned. Would you care for some refreshments?”

  We led the way to the parlor without waiting for the response we weren’t likely to get. They were staring around in awe again. Little Alana’s eyes were as big as Doreen’s were, when my sister saw Violet the transparent apparition for the first time.

  Grandma Polly stood as we entered the room, and like a carefully oiled machine—which we were—Jenny and Annette wheeled in the coffee, tea, and dessert cart.

  “This is my grandmother, Polly Bannerman,” Miles introduced her. “Grandma Polly, meet the Edmunds family.”

  “It’s lovely to have you,” Polly said, moving forward to politely shake hands with Lorna and Phillip. Then she stooped—she’s shorter than me, she didn’t have far to go—and shook hands with Alana and Zane.

  “Thank you for having us,” Phillip replied.

  “I’m so very glad to do it,” Grandma Polly said. She motioned for them to have a seat, then made a graceful wave toward the loaded cart. “What will you have?”

  I smiled at the look on Alana’s and Zane’s faces as they eyed the desserts. I was so glad we checked with the Edmunds to make certain they had no dietary restrictions. Imagine waving that cart in front of a couple of kids with a gluten allergy! That would just be mean!

  Jenny served Phillip and Lorna, and Annette chatted with Alana and Zane about the many choices available. She’s awesome with kids, and soon drew them out of their castle-induced stupor. She set them up with hot cocoa and a supply of snacks on a nearby coffee table, and sat and visited with them while they ate. John and Xander joined us, and soon there was laughter and happy chatter, just like there always is when good food and a number of people who’ve carefully rehearsed all afternoon, are combined. Lorna and Phillip looked completely comfortable, and laughed at a funny story Grandma Polly told about some of the Bannermans who lived here long ago. She knew the story because Miles told it to her. He was there when it took place.

  John happened to mention Linux—and by that I mean the operating system, not the puppy—and Phillip’s eyes lit up with interest. So they started talking about that, and before long most of us were lost, and found something else to talk about out of desperation. It was all part of our carefully orchestrated plan to Free the Edmunds, though. The more at ease Phillip felt, the better. He could trust us. The sooner he realized that, the sooner we could help them.

  It took tremendous self-control on the guys’ part not to ask Phillip about work. That was a normal thing to do when talking to another guy. Where do you work? What do you do? How do you like it? But we couldn’t have any of those questions just yet. Phillip didn’t need to be reminded of that misery, for one thing. We were all determined that nothing would get in the way of him and his family reconnecting. So to that end, we asked no questions that would provoke him to lie, or feel anxious. The time would come for that, but that time was not now.

  After the number of desserts on the cart sustained a sizeable dent, Grandma Polly suggested that Miles give the Edmu
nds a tour of the estate. Then we all laughed at the thought of touring the entire thing, and really they’d need to be here for several weeks to do that, and Grandma Polly said very well, dear, do be satisfied with showing them around the main part of the house, then. Miles said he’d do that, and the tour began.

  He really would make a great museum curator.

  The Edmunds were properly impressed with Miles’ extensive knowledge of the estate, and the Bannerman family history. Of course Miles told them all about how I proved him innocent, and they were fascinated by that. Phillip and Lorna were astonished to learn of the secret tunnels which connect both sides of the estate, and lead to the guest house and cave. Phillip and Zane were both excited to hear that we’d take them on a guided tour of the cave in the morning. A few comments from our friends led to recounting the crazy events that took place the year we were engaged. That lightly referenced the attempted murder of Second-Miles—or murder, rather. I used to wonder why I didn’t hear the truth when people talked about that, but I guess one can’t be murdered without an attempt.

  After that, the dealings with Rob Westin, the nutty professor as Xander dubbed him, came into the conversation. Cheryl’s recovery from the crevasse was lightly touched on. We boiled it down to “we got there in time.”

  Although it sounded as though we stumbled onto these topics quite by accident, of course we did not. Every anecdote we shared was intended to give the Edmunds, especially Phillip, a picture of us.

  We knew what it was like to have bad guys out to get us. We knew what it was like to have our backs against the wall. Miles knew what it was like to hurl someone halfway through one, although we didn’t mention that part.

  Whatever Phillip was facing, we would understand. We would sympathize, and we would figure out how to fix it. That’s what we wanted him to come away with.

  He seemed properly impressed. He seemed to be thinking and considering. So we backed off and switched gears. Conversation grew lighter, and Miles led our tour to the gym and basketball court. Xander picked up a basketball and made a few shots, then offered it to Zane. He’s the same age as my brother, so the guys were all used to playing with a five-year-old. Zane was quieter than my brother and a little less high-energy, in spite of the desserts he consumed, but his eyes shone as Xander showed him how to shoot, then passed the ball to Phillip. Soon Phillip was instructing Zane, and it took superhuman effort to keep the tears out of my eyes as I saw the look on Zane’s face. That little boy missed his dad, and finally he had him back, and…