Finally Home (Chapter Seven)

Finally Home

D. A. Ratliff

Chapter Seven

The sun glinted on the windshield of Cade’s SUV. Squinting, Lia slipped on sunglasses. “I am not used to the sun at all. We have a few more cloudy days than you do here.”

“You’ll get used to the sun.”

“As long as I have shades.”

They crossed the Wood Memorial Bridge onto Lady’s Island, heading to the restaurant where they planned to eat brunch. Cade had rolled his window, and the slightly rotten egg-like smell from the marsh drifted into the car. Lia laughed at herself as she was so comfortable in Cade’s presence that she didn’t mind a slight stench from the marsh. She rather enjoyed it.

“Where are we?”

Cade glanced at her. “We are on Sea Island Parkway, headed for St. Helena Island and one of my favorite restaurants with a great view of the marsh and unlimited Mimosas at Sunday brunch.”

“Oh, do you take a lot of women down for unlimited Mimosas?”

“Uh… no… come with my Mom and Dad. And I never drink more than one Mimosa.”

“It’s lovely here. I never expected there to be so much sky.”

“Flatland opens the sky up, and it’s beautiful today.”

“That it is.”

They drove through several small communities, and Cade pointed out landmarks and told stories from his years growing up and coming to the barrier islands. Quicker than Lia expected, Cade pulled into the parking lot of a nondescript restaurant.

Cade laughed. “Were you expecting a grander place?”

Embarrassed that he noticed the surprise on her face, Lia shook her head. “No, just thinking about how the most out-of-the-way places usually have the best food.”

“Well, I certainly hope you think so.”

An old brick walkway led to a wooden veranda and the front door. A hostess led them to a corner table on the patio, shaded by a bright yellow umbrella with a view of the marsh.

“Good thing the breeze is blowing eastward keeps the smell of the marsh away.”

“I think it’s nice. The area is so different from Seattle, yet it feels like home.”

“I like hearing you say that.”

Lia looked away, not trusting herself to look at Cade, so she stared across the marsh. “There is an ambiance here, a calmness, to the people and the land. Tranquil and the pace—well, it seems people take their time to savor the day, not rush through it.”

“We are just as busy as anywhere, but you’re right. We do look at life as not to be lived on a superhighway but a nice quiet lane.”

“Quite poetic, Mr. Ellison.”

“I spent several years in Chicago, and that lifestyle is not for me. I am glad I returned home, but I didn’t realize how much until I came back. You might be feeling what I do—a place to belong.”

“I…” Lia was struggling for words when the server arrived to take their order. When he left, Lia changed the subject.”

“I expected this to be much further from Beaufort than it is. It only took twenty minutes to get here.”

“Helps that there are not a lot of traffic lights along the way.”

“Your parents come here a lot?”

“One of their favorite places, and you are trying to change the subject.”

Lia caught his gaze and smiled. “I guess I am. Having far too many mixed emotions that I wasn’t expecting and just having to try to sort them out.”

He reached out, covering her hand with his. “Don’t fight it. Let your feelings happen, and they will lead you to where you want to be.”

“I promise. I will.”

The server returned with two Mimosas, and Cade offered a toast. “To the lovely Amelia, my thanks to Miss Josephine for bringing you to Beaufort.”

Lia took a sip of champagne. “It’s funny. I have spent most of my life with little thought about my father’s background or his family—my family. Since I arrived, I’ve thought about what I missed, not knowing my grandmother, grandfather, or uncle. And Sadie has become so important to me. I…” Her voice broke.

Cade gave her a reassuring smile. “Understandably, you would not think about your father’s family. They were gone from your life at a very early age. Your mother remarried, and your focus turned to the family your mother was creating for you. Now, you are seeing a new family, and you must be missing the people you didn’t get to know.”

“I feel so lost in many ways. I almost feel my grandmother knew how this would affect me and wanted this confusion.”

“Lia, I didn’t know Josephine well, but I know this from my parents. She suffered a great deal. She first lost your father, then your uncle and your grandfather. My mother said that she got to know Josephine when I was a kid because of the charities and civic groups they belonged to back then. She said when Josephine was with me, or any child, she was engaged and happy, but Mom always thought also sad.”

“I wonder why she never reached out before. I would have loved that as a child, but she never did.”

“She had her reasons, I am sure. I would have worried that you and your brother wouldn’t want to come if it had been me. She was a stranger, after all.”

Lia nodded. “You are probably right. But I will never know how I would have responded then.”

“The difference now, Lia, is that you did come.”

As the server brought their food, she smiled. “That I did, and I’m glad. This food looks delicious.”

They talked about other times Cade and his parents ate there, including birthday parties. He mentioned his mom’s birthday a few years before filling the restaurant with family and friends and closing it down that night.

Taking a forkful of her andouille sausage omelet, she pointed to him. “Did you and your wife come here often when you visited?”

He took a deep breath. “No. She never came with me to visit my parents. Beaufort was a backwater town to her, and she hated coming here.”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No, you can ask me anything you want.”

Lia paused, best not to push too much despite wanting to know more about his marriage. But then, she had told him nothing about hers. “I want a bite of those crab cakes. They look tasty.”

He smiled and fed her a bite. “Good?”

“As tasty as I thought.”

Cade gazed at her. “Let me tell you about my ex. I met her in law school. I won’t say it was love at first sight. She didn’t want to have much to do with me when she found out I came from the southern part of the US. It wasn’t until she learned how well I was doing in school that she noticed me. Of course, at the time, all I thought was that a beautiful woman was interested in me. Much later, I realized that I was a prize to be presented to her father, one of the most successful attorneys in Chicago, for favors.”

Lia didn’t respond, so he continued. “We passed the bar exam and were married a month later. To be honest, I don’t think it was ever a marriage. She played at her law career while she flitted from one charitable event to the next art exhibit. Even when I didn’t want to leave my practice, we took lavish vacations. In twelve years of marriage, I would say that we were husband and wife for less than two of those.”

“I’m sorry, Cade. You deserved more than that.”

“I finally realized that I was pushing myself at work so I didn’t have to go home. The last straw was her refusal to visit my parents on their thirty-fifth anniversary. She told me that if they wanted her at their party, they should come to Chicago, and she would throw them a lavish celebration. We never came to Beaufort for the holidays or vacations, and my parents being kind, came to us for a few days. They never stayed long.”

“She doesn’t know what she missed by not being here.”

“Beaufort was the sticks as far as she was concerned. After she refused to come with me for my parent’s anniversary, I came without her. Asked my father if he would be willing for me to join his practice….”

“I know what his answer was without you telling me.”

“Yeah, Dad was ecstatic. I returned to Chicago, filed for divorce, and resigned from the firm on the same day. Charlotte’s father begged me to stay. She did not. My attorney discovered she had been having an affair with an artist for two years. Shows you how observant I was.”

“I am sorry you had such a horrid marriage.”

“Lia, yours was worse in many ways. Tell me about it.”

She sipped her second Mimosa as the last time she saw her ex-husband flashed through her memory. But she should start at the beginning.

“After getting my master’s, I secured a job at a prestigious gallery in Florence, Italy, and six months after, the director promoted me to an assistant curator position. My friends threw a celebratory dinner at a wonderful restaurant. Nigel entered the restaurant to meet some other friends, and my co-worker Aldo, who knew Nigel, introduced him to everyone.”

She toyed with her Mimosa glass. “I have to admit. I was mesmerized by him from that first moment. His demeanor was that of an aristocrat from another time. He spoke in a cultured British accent, and I couldn’t imagine then that anyone could possess a more alluring voice. Aldo explained Nigel was the top art buyer in Europe at the young age of thirty-five.”

“Like being swept off your feet, do you?” Cade’s eyes glistened with mischief.

Lia scoffed but smiled slightly. “I guess I do. We were married in a civil ceremony at the Sala Rossa, the Red Hall, in the medieval Palazzo Vecchio four months later. My mother, Perry, and Jason attended, and although I knew none of them were pleased, they supported me. I was happy and in love, believing my life couldn’t be more perfect. I couldn’t have been more wrong.”

“When did you find out about the art thefts?”

“Not until after the police arrested him and then me. He kept an apartment in Paris and surprised me before the wedding with an offer to work at the Louvre. I was over the top excited. The Louvre? For a young art curator, the chance of a lifetime. I left Italy behind and never looked back. When I married him, I had no idea how much he traveled. He was gone for weeks, back in Paris for a few days and off again. He purchased art for private buyers, museums, and galleries and was always on the trail of a piece of art. I missed him, but my work kept me busy, and I was in Paris and had a few good friends. It wasn’t until three years ago that I questioned anything.”

“What happened?”

“I met a curator from the British Art Museum, and he offered me a position as curator for a wing in the museum, a huge job for someone not yet thirty. Because he was always gone, I thought Nigel would be fine with using London as a base. He was British, after all.”

“But he didn’t?”

“No. He became outraged, yelling that he had gotten me the position at the Louvre and that I would stay there. Called me an ungrateful wench and said that he was disgusted that I would even consider leaving the Louvre. I’d never seen Nigel so angry. I now know he wanted me at the Louvre to keep his scheme going.”

“Did he get physical with you?”

“No, but he scared me. Then he acted as if nothing was wrong, and things went back to normal, but it was different for me.”

“How did you learn about what he was doing?”

“Not until the director of the museum called me into his office, and there were French police there. They asked me a thousand questions about his whereabouts, but I didn’t know his movements. They had tracked his phone calls to me and knew where he had been when he made the calls. I kept asking them why they were asking, but they wouldn’t tell me. The director put me on administrative leave. It wasn’t until the police came to the apartment to arrest me that I found out what he had been doing.”

“I’ve read the reports that my father obtained after you got the text messages. I know what he was doing.”

“I feel bad about what happened. I never expected that telling my husband, an art expert, what collections I had seen and what we were acquiring would be an issue. I didn’t know he was using what I told him to steal and copy paintings.”

“The French police cleared you, and they are tough to convince.”

“I was so scared they would believe me, but I knew nothing.”

“Nigel had set up a network of informants, artists to copy paintings, and art thieves to steal the real art and replace it with reproductions. Impressive and very far-reaching.”

“I was lucky that one of my cohorts admitted to being his contact in the Louvre. Nigel took what I had learned, and Henri supplied additional information. Henri told the police I was an unwitting participant. I knew nothing of their operation and that Nigel was tricking me all along. That didn’t keep me from being ashamed.”

Cade grasped her hand. “You have nothing to be ashamed of, Lia. He used you, and he will pay for his crimes.”

“I sat in a French prison for months without being able to defend myself. Thankfully, Perry found a maître, uh… attorney, willing to help me.”

“From what I saw in the reports, he did a magnificent job defending you. It’s now behind you.”

“It will be when Nigel goes to trial and then to prison.”

“That will happen soon enough. Now that we have told our sordid secrets, time to finish your food. I have something else to show you.”

Leaving the restaurant, they continued east on Sea Island Parkway until they arrived on Hunting Island. Winding through the narrow winding lanes in a palm forest, they arrived at the Hunting Island lighthouse and a beautiful beach.

Cade had tucked a large beach towel in his car, and after visiting the lighthouse, they sat on the beach for a couple of hours, talking about everything but their lunch topic. It was a bit after three p.m. when they headed back toward Beaufort.

“I had never seen anything so beautiful as the palms we drove through before we reached the beach. It was like a fairyland, with the Spanish moss draped across the trees. Amazing, and I’ve been to many beaches, but I love Hunting Island’s beach. Can we go back sometime?” Lia stopped as she realized what she had said. “I mean … if…. “

He laughed. “I know what you mean. And yes, we will go back. We’ll take a picnic and enjoy the day there.”

“Good. I have to say that I’m beginning to understand why everyone loves it here.”

Cade stopped at a traffic light. “If you would care too, Mom wants us to stop by the house. I think she’ll try to keep us long enough to have dinner with them. Up to it?”

Lia’s heart raced a few beats faster. “I am. It will be good to see them again.”

The light turned green, and Cade pulled away. “What the hell?” He looked in the rearview mirror, and Lia turned to look out the back window. A dark blue car was on their bumper. Before she could say a word, the car slammed the bumper of Cade’s SUV at a slight angle as Cade increased their speed to get away.

“Hold on!”

Cade’s words echoed in her head as the SUV careened off the road toward the marsh.

The squeal of sliding tires screamed in Lia’s ears until a jarring thud stopped the car. There was an eerie silence for what felt like an eternity until she heard Cade’s voice.

“Lia, you okay?”

She nodded. “Yes, what…?”

“What happened is that car behind us tried to run us off the road. We need to get out of the car. As soon as I’m out, slide over the console, and I’ll pull you out.”

“Okay.” Lia grabbed her purse and slid onto the console, her back to the driver’s door. She felt Cade’s arms slip under hers, and he pulled her from the car.

A car pulled in behind them, and a man approached. “Hey, I called 9-1-1. Man, for a second, I thought you were going into the marsh. Saw you jerk the wheel to the left at the last moment, and that back left tire caught the curb where the drainage hole is. You got lucky.”

They were standing behind the SUV, and Lia saw three tires suspended in the air over the marshy terrain. Only the left rear wheel kept the vehicle from sliding into the water. Above the tire, the wheel well had bent inward where the sedan struck them.

A woman’s voice sounded behind her as she heard sirens approaching. “Charles, where are your manners.” She smiled at Lia. “Would you like to sit in our car?”

“No, I’m fine, but thank you.”

“Well, we’ll stay right here until the police come. We saw that car turn into you. That man tried to run you off the road.”

Lia was sure the sedan that hit them was the same blue car she kept seeing. She knew she had to tell Cade, but this wasn’t the time. She wanted to tell him when they were alone.

A fire truck arrived first, followed by two police cruisers and an ambulance. The fire engine pulled in front of Cade’s car, and the firefighters attached a rope to the bumper and engine to prevent the SUV from dropping into the water. While the ambulance crew checked them out, the police officers spoke to the couple, who stopped to help. The EMTs released Cade first, and he walked away to make a call. Lia assured the EMTs she was fine and joined Cade.

“Feel all right?”

“Yes, a bit shaken.”

“Yeah, me too. I called Dad, and he’s coming to pick us up.”

Finished with the witnesses, one officer walked toward them while the other headed to his cruiser. The police officer asked them for identification and then asked them to explain what had happened. Cade recounted that they had stopped at the red light, and when the light changed, he noticed the blue car was right against his bumper.

The officer scribbled on his notepad. “What happened next?”

“I hit the gas to put some distance between us, not having any idea he was going to hit us. I thought he was being reckless. But then I looked into the rearview mirror and realized that he had also picked up speed and had swung into the left lane. I pressed the gas pedal to pick up speed, but he jerked the wheel and hit us. My backend slid to the right, I got us straightened out, but we slid toward the embankment. Got lucky that tire caught on the storm drain.”

“You sure were lucky. Did either of you recognize the man driving?”

Lia answered quickly. “No. I didn’t get a good look, but pretty certain that I don’t know him.” She glanced toward Cade, who she could tell didn’t believe her.

He answered the question, but his eyes remained on Lia. “No, sir. I don’t know him either.”

The second officer had joined them. “At least we have good witnesses. They got the license number and make of the car. I ran the tag, and it’s a rental. Name on the contract is William Black. Know him?”

Both Lia and Cade said no in unison, and the officer continued. “Okay. We will put out a BOLO on the car for reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident. We will let you know if we find him.”

The officers took a few photos, as did Cade for his insurance company. Cade’s parents arrived simultaneously as the wrecker and pulled in behind Cade’s SUV. Tillie Ellison ran toward them with Jasper right behind. She hugged Lia. “Are you okay? Cade, you?”

Cade answered. “We’re fine, Mom. Could you take Lia and get back in the car while I deal with the wrecker?”

“Of course. Come on, dear.”

Lia followed Tillie as the wrecker hooked up the car, then untied the fire department’s rope. The fire truck departed, and as the wrecker pulled away with its tow, Cade and Jasper spoke to the remaining police officer and returned to the car.

Jasper eased into the right lane, the cruiser behind him. Once they were up to speed, the officer went around them. Cade called his insurance agent as soon as he got in the car, and by the time he finished, Jasper had turned onto Lady’s Island Drive, which would take them to the Ellison’s house.

“Cade, tell us what happened?”

Tillie intervened. “Let’s get to the house and let them relax before you start acting like an attorney interviewing a witness.”

Cade laughed, and Jasper responded to his wife. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll wait until we get home to play lawyer.”

Lia leaned her head against the seat and closed her eyes as the image of the blue sedan burned into her mind. It was the same car, and she had to tell Cade. The situation would escalate from there. As if he realized her turmoil, Cade grasped her hand and smiled warmly.

It wasn’t until a few minutes later, when Jasper pulled into the driveway, that anyone spoke. Tillie looked over her shoulder. “We were hoping you would be here for dinner tonight, Lia, but I wasn’t expecting this, but we’re glad you are here.”

Lia sat on the couch next to Cade twenty minutes later, dreading the coming conversation. Tillie came from the kitchen with a tray containing a coffee carafe and mugs, which she set on the table and poured a cup for everyone.

“Dinner is a roast that won’t be ready for a bit, so we have time to chat.” She joined Jasper on the settee.

“I think that is my cue. If my lovely wife indulges me, tell us what happened.”

Cade recounted the accident, and Jasper looked at Lia when he finished. “You’re certain you have never seen the person in the car or the car before?”

“I didn’t think much about it, but I have seen the car and the driver before. I’m sorry, I didn’t think it was important. It’s a small town, and I told myself it wasn’t unusual to see a car often. I was wrong.”

“When did you first see him?”

“I’d gone to the drugstore, and as I left and pulled into traffic, I stopped at a red light and noticed him close behind me. When the light turned green, he stayed on my bumper. I thought he wanted around me, so I slowed down and moved over to give him room. He did pass me, but he cut in front of me as soon as he cleared my bumper, even though there wasn’t an oncoming car. I managed not to hit him, thankfully. I’ve seen the car a couple of other times, once driving in front of the house late at night.”

“When?” Cade’s tone was sharp.

“The night we went to Magdalene’s. Just after you pulled away, what looked like the same sedan drove past the house slowly.”

“And you didn’t think to tell me?”

Lia bit her lower lip. Cade was angry with her. “I honestly didn’t think it was important.” She paused. “I guess I was getting concerned after the sedan drove by that night. With what happened today, I should have said something. I’m sorry.”

Jasper jumped in. “It is good you’re telling us this now, and I think this is something Detective Irving should know.”

“Do I need to tell him today?”

Exchanging glances with his son, Jasper shook his head. “I doubt, after what happened today, this guy will get too close to you for a while. Tomorrow, however, I want you to talk to Irving and tell him what happened.”

“I will. I’ll call him first thing in the morning. I have to go to the bank tomorrow morning and the grocery store. I hate for Sadie to do all the shopping.”

Cade nodded. “I can’t go with you because of the depositions, but as long as you promise to be careful.”

“I do.”

Tillie changed the subject by asking about brunch, and the rest of the evening, they chatted about other things, enjoyed dinner, and Cade took her home around ten p.m.

~~~

Lia dragged herself downstairs around seven a. m., groggy from a sleepless night. Rhett followed her and jumped onto a bar stool, meowing loudly.

“Okay, okay… I get that you are hungry. Let me make coffee…,” —a loud meow interrupted her— “or maybe not” She opened the pantry, pulled out a can of food, and opened it to a chorus of excited soft mews. Lia set the plate on Rhett’s special placemat on the floor, and the cat busied himself with eating.

She returned to the coffee pot as Sadie entered the kitchen. “I swear you are spoiling that kitty.”

Lia raised an eyebrow. “And you don’t spoil him?

Sadie laughed. “You got me there, sugar. I certainly do. Want me to make coffee?”

“No, I’ll do it. You relax.”

“So, tell me about your day with Cade.”

Lia stopped in mid-scoop of coffee. From the tone of Sadie’s voice, Lia knew she was aware of what had happened. “You talked to Cade.”

Sadie’s gaze was steady. “Yes, he called me a little while ago.”

She finished the coffee, turned on the coffeemaker, then answered. “I was going to tell you. I guess he thinks I wouldn’t.”

“No, child, not what he called for at all. He asked if I would go with you to town this morning. He doesn’t want you going anywhere by yourself.”

“Sadie, there is no need for….” She stopped when Sadie raised her hand.

“No arguments. I’m going with you. Now, while that coffee is brewing, let’s fix breakfast.”

At nine a.m., Lia and Sadie walked into the bank. Lia filled out the documents necessary to wire money to her brother. Then she had Sadie join her to open the safety deposit box.

Lia unlocked the large metal box, removed everything inside, and laid the items on the table. They first checked the contents of several silk jewelry bags in the box.

Sadie shook her head. “These are pieces I remember her having, mostly family heirlooms, but the ring and necklace are not here. I don’t understand. I was sure I saw them at the house a few months before she died. She was still getting out some, and we came here to put some things in the box one day. When we didn’t find the ring in the house, I thought for certain she might have brought it here.”

“When we get home, let’s look again and see if we can find it.”

Lia sorted through the pile of documents and “Goodness, Sadie. I think Jasper should look at these documents. There seem to be some banking papers and….” She opened a small manila envelope that contained a photo of an infant. “Do you know who this is?”

“No, I don’t have any idea. I don’t remember ever seeing this photo.”

“Why would she keep this if it’s no one in the family.”

“Child, I don’t know. I always thought Miss Josie had secrets, but we all do.” She turned the photo over. “Nothing on the back, no date or name.”

“Maybe Jasper will have an idea. Maybe Miss Josie said something to him?”

“I hope so. Could be the baby of a friend.”

“But why leave it here?” Sadie shrugged, and Lia put the photo back in the envelope. “Let’s take these documents to Jasper’s office and leave them for him to review. Then we will go to the police station.”

“You called Detective Irving?”

“This morning, while you were getting dressed. He’s expecting us.”

After tucking the jewelry pieces in the box and returning it to the slot, Lia collected the documents, and they walked to the law office. Lia left the papers and a note for Jasper with Leona. They then drove to the police station.

Lia noticed that Sadie was pensive as they parked. “Sadie, is something wrong.”

“No, not really.” She smiled wanly. “Danny’s mother, my daughter, Gemma, she…. she got hooked up with the wrong crowd. Got pregnant with Danny, thought she was in love with the boy. He was a gang member, and one day the police arrested him for robbery, and Gemma was with him. I had to come here to bail her out. Danny was two years old at the time. Miss Josie called Jasper, and he got the charges against her dropped. That fool boy was shot in a drive-by two months later, and my Gemma got caught in the crossfire. She had Danny in her arms. The boy’s been with me ever since.” She patted Lia’s hand. “Miss Josie made certain the boy never wanted for anything. She put aside the money for his education. I didn’t want her to do that, I wanted to pay for it, but she told me I was doing my job. I was raising him. Let her make certain he got a good education.”

“I think you both did very well by him, and Danny is a good young man. Do you want to wait here for me?”

“No, just a fleeting sad memory, and I promised Cade I wouldn’t let you out of my sight. Let’s talk to that detective.”

An officer showed them to Irving’s office, and the detective greeted them warmly. “Please have a seat. Ms. Sinclair, you had quite a Sunday afternoon. Tell about the times you have seen this blue car, with as much detail as you can remember.”

Lia gave him what she could remember, and when she finished, he asked a few more questions.

“You are certain you have never seen this man before?”

“No, I don’t think I have.”

“Could you describe him well enough for an artist to construct a composite?”

“I never saw his face clearly. I only noticed he was balding and looked Caucasian. He never looked toward me when he passed me the first time and never got a good look any other time.”

“Then that is the best we can do. I need you to be alert. We found the rental car around midnight on Pickney Parkway set on fire. By the time BFD arrived, the fire was quite involved. We were able, at least, to recover the VIN to ID the car. I left a message for Cade so he would know. So, we are back to square one. I suspect, Ms. Sinclair, that whoever this is will find another vehicle, so you need to be vigilant.”

Both women were quiet as they left the police department, only discussing what they needed from the grocery store. After shopping, they headed home.

Lia brought in the last bag from the car and started helping Sadie put the groceries away when a loud crash startled them.

“What the…” Sadie dropped the cans she was holding.

“It came from the front of the house. Sadie, stay here.”

Lia rushed into the entry hall and looked toward the library to the left, then to the right into the living room. Glass from the smashed front window covered the couch and floor. Lia stepped into the room to find a brick wrapped in paper.

She picked her way through the shards of glass and picked up the brick. Behind her, she heard Sadie gasp.

“What in the world.”

“Someone threw this through the window.” Lia held up the brick. “Go get me a pair of plastic gloves. Maybe there will be fingerprints on the paper.”

Sadie returned in minutes with the gloves, and Lia slipped the rubber band off the brick and unfolded the note.

You were warned. Leave now, or this is just the beginning.

~~~~~~~~~~

Coming up in Chapter Eight: In the aftermath of two disturbing incidents, Lia makes a discovery when rummaging through the attic.

____________________

Finally Home is a mystery romance novel being serialized on Vocal.media.

Link to Chapter One: https://vocal.media/fiction/finally-home-j41pad0zyc