“S-sorry,” he whispered. “Tell them I’m sorry and that I love them. I was just so sad to know they would be far away and I couldn’t do anything.”
“Casimir, the world was going your way son,” said Hex. “Why kill yourself?”
“I couldn’t live without them. I just couldn’t and I knew that someone would find that ticket and make sure they got the money. You will give them the money, won’t you?”
“We will, son,” said Hex with a sad expression.
Matthew suddenly appeared, surrounded by his warmth and golden light. He smiled at the man, reaching his hand out to him.
“It’s time, if you’re ready, Casimir. My boys will take care of your family for you.” He nodded, turning to the men.
“I shouldn’t have done it. I know that and I’m sorry for them. I just wanted my family back.”
“It’s alright, Casimir. They’ll be alright,” said Hex.
In a fading orb of golden light, Matthew and Casimir disappeared and the heaviness that was once on their chests was suddenly gone.
“What now?” asked Torro. Hex smirked at the two men.
“How about the three of us make a trip to Ohio?”
“This isn’t real,” whispered Tamara.
“I assure you, ma’am, it is,” said Torro. “We’ve double checked the numbers. One thing that Casimir did for you was that he didn’t sign the ticket. If he had, you’d have a long legal battle. You need to sign that ticket and take it to your state’s lottery office.”
“I don’t have to go to Louisiana?” she asked, the ticket shaking in her hands.
“No. It was a national lottery game. You and your children are set for life if you’re careful with the money.”
She stared at the ticket, taking the pen offered to her. Signing her name, she held it once again, her hands shaking so violently Chase worried she would tear the ticket.
“Tamara?”
“H-he wasn’t lying. He was telling the truth. Oh, God what have I done,” she sobbed into her hands. Her mother and father reached for her, comforting her as she let the realization wash over her.
“Tamara, I know this won’t make any sense to you but we know he only wanted the best for all of you. Take comfort in knowing that he loved you and the children.”
She wiped her eyes, blowing her nose and nodded.
“What do I do now?” she asked.
“Invest the money wisely. Put some in trust for the kids for their futures and live your lives. Live them fully, completely and say a thank you to Casimir every night in your prayers,” said Hex.
“I’ll definitely do that,” she nodded. “Thank you. Thank you all for being honest and bringing me this ticket. I’m not sure other men would have done the same.” Chase nodded, smiling at the woman.
“They would have if they knew Casimir would be whispering in their ears for the next thousand years.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“So, we have one ghost safely and happily transitioned,” said Luke, nodding at the others. “That leaves three more. What do we have on Edie Rose?”
“The accounting team is working through all the bills left behind and we’re still looking into anything and everything that may have caused her to do this. For the time being, we’ve paid of the house her mother and grandmother are living in and made sure there was enough in an account to pay their utilities for the next ten years.”
“When do we think we’ll have the numbers on the medical bills?” asked Cam.
“They said to give them a week to review it all. We’ve got a lot of different things going on, so we want to be sure we get this one right.”
“Good,” nodded Eric. “We’re still working on all the active commissions for Morgan. Javier and Chelsea are back from their honeymoon but couldn’t offer any insight into what she was working on.”
