Search for the Crystal Key (A Continuation of Dark Escape)

Chapter 5

 Sugar whinnied in anticipation as Tara neared the old stable. The familiar sound of her mare's nose batting at an empty feed bucket concerned her. Sugar only did that when she was very, very hungry. Dennis helped tend to the mare since she was a small foal in training. It was improbable that he'd neglect to feed correctly after all of these years.

She slid through the partially opened door.

"Dennis!" she called out repeatedly, giving time in between for him to answer.

Her mare's persistence won out and Tara set to task feeding and caring for her equine companion. Completing her chores with still no sight of her brother, she climbed the stairs that led to the dusty loft. It was doubtful Dennis was up there. He could have easily heard her calling him and answered if he was. She felt compelled to look anyway.

All was quiet, just as she'd expected.

At the faint sound of Brandon calling her name, she scurried back to the house. She'd given him free rein of her kitchen and hoped she hadn't made a mistake.

****

It was early afternoon and there was still no sign of Dennis and no clue where he went. His SUV was parked in the driveway. There was nothing to indicate it had been used. Tara thought perhaps he'd decided to take a walk in the woods. It was something he did at times to clear his head and help him release some of the tension that built up during the week. The only footprints she or Brandon could find stopped at the doorway to the stable.

When she called the police, they said Dennis hadn't been gone long enough to consider him missing, but if he didn't return by morning he'd be considered missing and they'd file a missing person's report on him. She hung up the phone disappointed.

The afternoon was endless. The sparks that flew whenever Brandon came near Tara were practically unbearable. When it finally reached a respectable hour to beg off and go to her room, she made her excuses, eager to put distance between them and to be alone with her thoughts. As she stretched out across the handmade quilt she'd discovered on a shelf in the wardrobe of one of the many bedrooms the house possessed, her mind raced with scenarios of what happened to her brother. She sensed the ghost of the old man standing in the corner of her room.

Too frustrated and worried to be fearful, she turned her head in his direction and whispered, "Where is he?"

"Lucy," the old man whispered.

"Who's Lucy?" she whispered.

"Aye, lass, ya are me Lucy," the old man replied with his thick Irish brogue and a smile.

"I don't know your Lucy, but I'm not her. You're mistaken," she grumbled.

Tara was feeling far too weary and far too worried about her brother to want to exchange pleasantries with the household ghost, but she didn't know how to avoid it.

"Yes, ya are, lass. Now and before," the old ghost whispered.

"Now and before? What do you mean?" Tara asked with obvious agitation.

She had a feeling the old coot was talking about reincarnation, but since she wasn't sure she even believed in such a thing, she wasn't going to be the one to suggest it.

"Ya went over the shadow line. Ya lived in this house with me in another time gone by. 'Twas your home. Try to remember, lass. Ya are me Lucy, me lovely, lovely, Lucy. Remember and come home, lass."

Maybe the old ghost wasn't referring to reincarnation? She was confused. What shadow line? Was it the same one Liam mentioned? Should she question the ghost about it, or just close her eyes and ignore him? What should she do? She decided to ignore him. Positioning herself on the bed with her back facing the spot where the semi-transparent man stood, she closed her eyes, hoping he'd take the hint and leave.