Echoes In The Night

Part Nine

By Mavis Applewater

For disclaimers see part one.

As always this is for Heather.

Chapter Nine

Stewart, Massachusetts 1914

He won’t be pleased," Anna almost snickered as she looked about her home that was now decorated from top to bottom for the up coming holiday.
 

"To hell with him," Catherine muttered under her breath as she glared over her shoulder at Miranda who was skulking about per usual. "He is away on a voyage, you should be able to enjoy Christmas for once. Don’t you agree Miss Wilkins?"

Anna’s hand flew up to her mouth in an effort to suppress her smile as she watched the maid jump with surprise. "Whispering Pines is a beautiful manor and it is only right that it be included in the joyous celebration," Catherine concluded triumphantly once Miranda proved that she was incapable of answering.

"Thank you Sister," Anna graciously accepted as she looked about the manor that finally looked like a home. "Richard will be beside himself," she added gleefully knowing it would be well worth her husband’s wrath. For now she would simply enjoy the holiday with her son and her lover. For the first time in Anna’s life it would truly be a merry Christmas for her. In her heart she knew that the joyous celebration wouldn’t have been possible without her lover’s guiding hand. She blushed as the word lover echoed delightfully in her mind.

Whatever you are thinking must be truly wicked for you to blush like that," Catherine whispered softly in Anna’s ear. The smaller woman trembled as her lover’s breath caressed her skin. Anna bit back a moan as she felt her body swooning. "I don’t know if I can wait for tonight," Catherine added as she brushed her fingers lightly against Anna’s bottom before stepping away.

Anna felt as if she was melting regretting that there was no way for the two of them to sate their needs until nightfall after the staff departed for the evening. "This is going to be a very long day," she muttered under her breath. As Anna went about her chores she couldn’t erase the blissful smile. Many times knowing that they had to wait before they could be intimate only made the young woman even more excited. She had never known that love could feel so good and that making love could be so intense.

Later that evening her long hair clung to her brow as she collapsed against Catherine’s body. She smiled as her lover released a contented sigh. Catherine’s arms were wrapped around her waist as Anna pressed her ear against the taller woman’s breast. It was her favorite time when her body was sated and she could just nestle against her lover and listen to the steady beating of Catherine’s heart.

Soon Richard would be home and the three of them would enjoy a real Christmas as a family. She and Catherine would have to be careful around her son. Catherine had been hinting that perhaps they should flee once Richard returned. Anna knew it would be impossible to escape from her husband’s grasp. If the attempt failed she would lose her son and lover forever. She also suspected that the Captain would be returning soon. He had never been absent whenever Richard was home.

"That Miss Wilkins is a pill," Catherine muttered softly as she stroked Anna’s naked back. "Pity you can’t dismiss her."

"You know I cannot," Anna sighed deeply as she lifted her head and met her lover’s gaze. "The staff is beholden to the Captain. He pays them far too well for them to betray him, and he owns most of the town," Anna explained as she became entranced by the smoldering gaze Catherine was bestowing upon her.

"I wouldn’t mind her spying and sour puss so much if she was at least a decent maid," Catherine jested as Anna laughed softly. "We could leave the moment Richard returns?"

"If I only knew how long he would be gone," Anna replied in a pitiful tone. "If we could be certain that we could escape I would agree in a heart beat. The Captain could return at any moment. I won’t lose either of you."

"Maybe his ship will sink?" Catherine hissed.

"Catherine," Anna scolded her lover. "I do not care for your brother, but wishing him ill will is not the answer. I know I have often uttered those very same words, but it isn’t the answer. He is so much older than us someday we will be free. If you can not wait for me, I understand."

"I would endure an eternity in Hell just to be with you," Catherine vowed as she captured Anna’s tiny hand and brought it to her lips. She kissed the bracelet that never left Anna’s wrist before brushing her lips lightly against the smaller woman’s palm. The simple promising gesture awakened Anna’s passion and soon the two lovers’ became lost in a fiery embrace that would last until dawn.

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Danvers, Massachusetts 2003

Faith was dressed and searching for the pack of gum she had always kept in her travel bag. It was days like this one that made her wish she had never quit smoking. Granted she understood it was filthy and disgusting not to mention a life-threatening habit, but all in all, she really enjoyed it. "You don’t need a cigarette," Shawn’s voice chastised her, reminding the brunette yet once again that dating a psychic really sucked at times.

Faith glanced over at Milo who was sitting on her bed as Shawn sat across from him on the other bed. She smirked at the way he had combed over his few strands across his forehead in an effort to conceal the fact that he was balding. "Faith," Shawn scolded her once again.

‘Damn I really must be on edge and vulnerable today. She isn’t missing anything,’ The reporter mentally grumbled hoping Shawn had tuned into her thoughts and would back off. "So Fat boy," she began as Milo’s pudgy face jerked up with an indignant look. "What can you tell us about the bauble?"

"Faith," Shawn groaned as she reached over to hand Milo the bracelet. "You can be such a jerk at times."

Faith snickered at the comment as she curled up behind her former lover. "You should know," she quipped feely mildly amused with herself. Her amusement faded as Milo began rocking and humming as he clutched the bracelet. "This guy drives me nuts," she muttered under her breath.

"Behave," Shawn cautioned her as she swatted the brunette in a playful manner.

"Don’t want to," Faith grumbled.

"If you can’t play nice then you’ll have to leave," Shawn blew out as she clenched her teeth.

"Fine," Faith sneered in defeat as Milo began chanting in the most disturbing manner.

It needs to mean something," Milo said in a distant tone. "I need to tell her that I’m in love with her," he rambled on as Faith felt the anger filling her.

"Son of a bitch," she hissed noticing that Shawn’s body stiffened and the blonde purposely diverted her gaze. Faith was filled with anger. It was the truth; she had wanted to give Shawn some token that would express the feelings she was unable to verbalize. It pissed her off that this was the way Shawn discovered the truth. It was true that she was hopelessly in love with Shawn; it just would have been nice if she had been the one to tell her.

Feeling the sudden distance that was emanating from her ex-lover’s body made it clear to Faith that there really wasn’t going to be a second chance for them. At that moment all she wanted to do was flee from the room and find someplace private where she could wallow in her anguish.

"Stillness," Milo hummed as he continued rocking. "Toss it in the back with the other garbage he brought in. You’d think a rich man would have something better to sell us."

Faith was no longer listening to the sweaty man. She stood with the full intention of leaving the room and Shawn behind. "No!" Milo screamed out halting Faith’s retreat. She watched as his body began to shake violently. Suddenly his eyes flew open and he tossed the bracelet at Shawn. "Why would you make me witness that?" He squeaked. "I never want to see that again. I’m going to be sick."

"I understand," Shawn responded in a grave tone. "Did the bracelet belong to Anna Stratton?"

"Yes," Milo said while he continued to tremble. "It was a gift from her sister-in-law. Catherine gave it to her as a promise. That is what you felt when you chose it," he directed towards Faith.

Once again Faith felt a rush of anger that her private feelings were just being bandied about. Just as quickly the anger slipped away when she felt Shawn’s hand on her arm. She looked down at her former lover. She smiled when she spied a glimmer in Shawn’s eyes that she hadn’t seen in a very long time. The glimmer wasn’t filled with the passion they had once shared, it spoke of something deeper. Faith was filled with renewed hoped that the bond between them might be returning.

"I should be going," Milo grunted as Faith and Shawn continued staring at one another.

Milo made his departure as Faith slumped down next to Shawn. Gently she covered Shawn’s hand with her own. She caressed it tenderly. "I can’t believe that I’ve been wearing her bracelet," Shawn timidly offered.

"Like you said before it is a coincidence," Faith calmly offered.

"Oh now you get all reasonable on me," Shawn snickered lightly. "You know there is something else I can’t believe," Faith held her breath while Shawn seemed to be collecting her thoughts. "I can’t believe how badly I’ve been treating you."

"Why are you so angry with me?" Faith asked in a hushed tone.

"You left me," Shawn stammered as tears filled her eyes. Faith could handle anything except the sight of Shawn crying. Without hesitation she cradled the smaller woman in her arms. "When you just took that job, without discussing it with me, I thought I didn’t matter to you," she sobbed as she clung to Faith’s body.

Faith finally had the answers she had been seeking. As she rocked Shawn in her arms, she understood why Shawn had lashed out at her. She was afraid. Faith had placed her life in danger without a second thought of just how her lover felt about the choice she had made. "I’m sorry," she apologized. "I never had to stop and think about how my actions affected someone else. I’m not good at being part of a couple. Before I met you I never even wanted to try."

"No this is my fault," Shawn sniffed snuggling closer to Faith. "I just got so damn angry. All I could focus on was that I wasn’t important enough to you to be asked how I felt about the job. I might have supported your choice. I didn’t get the chance to make that choice. To me it said that we weren’t really a couple."

"But we were," Faith argued. Her heart sank as she realized how far apart they really were. "We’re not getting back together are we?"

"Not tonight," Shawn cautioned her.

Shawn’s eyes were swollen from crying yet the fire was still burning brightly. Faith was drawn in. She leaned closer, her gaze drifted down to Shawn’s lips. She felt Shawn shivering in her arms. Just as she was about to capture Shawn in a kiss the blonde halted her movement by pressing her fingers against Faith’s lips. "It will just confuse things," Shawn firmly rebuffed her advances.

"I hate it when you are right," Faith grumbled.

"I know," Shawn smiled in response. "Will you hold me tonight?"

"Now that is the best offer I’ve had in months," Faith answered her brightly as she guided the both of them down onto the mattress. Faith sighed contently as they snuggled together.

"You’re going back aren’t you?" Shawn sleepily inquired as she caressed Faith’s stomach. "Whispering Pines, you’re going back?"

"Yes," Faith confessed with a heavy sigh. "If the next team asks me to go, I am going to accept. I don’t understand it, but I feel as if it is something that I have to do. Any chance you’ll change your mind and join me?"

"I can’t," Shawn trembled. "I saw it. I saw what he did to them. Every blow of the axe, every drop of blood, I witnessed the whole thing and felt their pain. I can’t live through that again."

"I understand," Faith conceded understanding what Shawn was saying. Over the years she had witnessed things as a reporter that no one should ever have to see. That night she was just happy to be holding Shawn in her arms as they drifted off to sleep. In the morning they would once again be heading off in different directions.
 
 

***************************************************************

Salem, Massachusetts 2003

Shawn shivered as the cool autumn air assaulted her. She had been watching the crew set up for hours. She looked at her watch to confirm that she had more than enough time to slip away and enjoy a nice hot cup of coffee. She could also take the time to call Faith.

The brunette had been pulled from the shoot at the Witch House and reassigned to a farmhouse in Kansas. Shawn was looking forward to spending more time with Faith after what had transpired between them during the shoot at Hammond Castle. At first each of them feared that Althea had pulled Faith from the project because of their personal relationship. Each of them was relieved when the producer informed them it was only because Faith wasn’t needed this time. For the Salem shoot they weren’t using what Althea called a tour guide. Instead some high priced actor with a great voice would do the narration after the film was edited.

Shawn reached in her pocket and extracted her car keys. "I’ll be back," she whispered to Althea before wandering over to the rental car. She drove a short distance until she reached the Dunkin Donuts locate near the waterfront. "I need coffee," she muttered as she parked the car across the street.
 
 

Shawn ordered her coffee and looked around for a place to sit. A tall, dark haired woman seated at one the tables motioned for her to join her. "You’re with the film crew I take it," the woman who was pouring over a stack of musty old files warmly greeted her.

"Shawn Williams and yes I am with the film crew," Shawn confirmed as she took a seat. She couldn’t shake the nagging familiar feeling that filled her when she looked into the woman’s hazel eyes. "The locals cringe every time they see us coming. Can’t really blame them."

"But it is the stock and trade here," the brunette said as she flashed Shawn a brilliant smile that sent another wave of familiarity through her. "Cary Jessup," the woman offered her hand as she introduced herself.

Shawn accepted Cary’s hand and shook it firmly. "You’re a cop?" She said with a smile as she released Cary’s hand.

"Yes?" Cary stammered. "How did you know that?"

"That is what I do," Shawn confessed with a smile.

"Oh so you’re one of those crystal worshiping psychics?" Cary scoffed. "Was it the donuts that gave you the cop vibe, or did you just look down at the files on the table?" Cary challenged her with a friendly smile.

Shawn peeked at the files for the first time. "You must be here to meet with Althea," she deduced.

Another psychic flash?" Cary taunted her.

"Nope, this time it was the files," Shawn laughed as she thought that Cary and Faith were going to work very well together. "I couldn’t help noticing Anna Stratton’s name."

"You’re familiar with the Whispering Pines case?" Cary eagerly inquired.

"You could say that." Shawn choked out.

"Wait, Shawn Williams, Dr. Shawn Williams?" Cary asked.

"Yes?" Shawn responded.

"Heck I thought you were a man," Cary smirked as Shawn looked down at her breasts and frowned. "I based my conclusions solely on your name," Cary clarified. "I’ll be honest I haven’t read your book or heard a lot about your experiences. Frankly I don’t believe in ghosts."

"No you don’t," Shawn shrewdly observed. "I take it that Althea brought you on board to investigate the murders? Should make for an interesting side piece."

"We don’t know that there was a murder," Cary cautioned her.

"I do," Shawn flatly retorted.

"Sorry, I just can’t take your word on it," Cary blew out effectively dismissing Shawn’s statement. "But I am looking forward to working with you."

"Sorry there isn’t a chance in hell I would ever set foot in that house again," Shawn asserted as the niggling troubling thought whispered that she was going back.

"Interesting," Cary thoughtfully replied. "Well at least I’ll get to see what one of these circuses’ is like. That’s why I drove up here so I could watch and learn how the filming process works."

"It is a lot of hurry up and wait," Shawn smiled unable to shake the sense of familiarity that surrounded this woman.

"So what is with the witch house, lots of scary old hags lurking about?" Cary quipped.

"First that is a very narrow minded view of Wickens," Shawn abruptly corrected her. "The Witch House was were must of the interrogations of taken place. One of the judges lived there and since there were no real courthouses in those days, they held the so called trials in what we would now of days consider the parlor. Some people have claimed to have experienced odd happenings."

"Oh come on now," Cary scoffed.

"It is true," Shawn confirmed in a grave tone.

"No offense, I but I think it is a boatload of crap," Cary argued as she stood.

"I’m not going to argue with you," Shawn shrugged. "I gave up on trying convincing people that I see what I see."

"Right you see things," Cary jeered. "I think you sneaked a peek at my files and that is how you knew that I am in law enforcement." Cary snorted in disbelief.

"That isn’t how I knew," Shawn sighed. "Like I said I’m not going to argue the point. I would only be wasting my time and yours. Oh just one more thing though, can you tell me why you changed your name? I can’t quite get a focus on just why you did that," Shawn threw out as she flashed the stunned brunette a cocky smirk.

"How did you know that?" Cary stammered.

"You and Faith Charles are going to get along just fine," Shawn chuckled as they headed towards the entrance.

"Wait!" Cary suddenly shouted out. "Faith Charles?"

"Yes she is working on the Whispering Pines project," Shawn confirmed as she eyed the brunette suspiciously. "The two of you have very similar personalities. I think you will really hit it off."

"I am nothing like that bitch," Cary spat out. "I was told she wasn’t working on the project. I even asked before I agreed to come on board, I was assured that she wasn‘t even in the country."

Shawn was only mildly stunned by Cary’s reaction; Faith after all did have a way of rubbing people the wrong way. "She only signed on to work on the project a couple of days ago," Shawn offered in explanation.

"There is no way I am working with that bitch," Cary growled before storming out of the coffee shop.

"Now I wonder what Faith did this time? Shawn pondered before following after the angry policewoman.

TBC

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