He only gazed at her.
“Fin?” Her cheeks heated. “Can I have my hand back?” She smiled but couldn’t look him in the eye. He let her hand slide out of his and closed her door.
“Could we stop at the church?” she asked with misty eyes after he started the car. “I want to light a candle and say a prayer for Holly.”
“Church is a safe place,” he said, and Hailey cocked her head at him. He threw the car in gear. “Envoys are afraid of God.”
Chapter ten
The Girl Who Died
“Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.” - Napoleon
The candle wick sparked briefly before it took the flame, which rose up, trembling. Hailey closed her eyes as Holly’s favorite song rang in her ears.
“…a candle in the night outshines the sun…” a serene voice sang in her head.
Fin placed his hand on her shoulder, and Hailey looked up at him—her candle in the night.
“She really wanted you to kiss her.”
“What?” Fin asked, smiling down at Hailey.
“Yeah,” Hailey nodded, returning her gaze to the candle. “Holly was crazy for you. She thought you were—how did she put it—the paragon of hotness,” Hailey chuckled, stealing a glance at Fin, whose mouth twisted as she spoke.
“The…paragon…of…hotness…” he whispered as if he were thoroughly enjoying how those words sunk in, and a giant smile spread across his face.
“But she never heard you snoring like a chainsaw,” Hailey said, trying to banter, but it came out sounding sad. “Will you pray with me?”
His face hardened, but then he knelt down with her, made the sign of the cross and folded his hands as she whispered.
“Father God, please make a place in Heaven for Holly to dance. Help her find Mom and Dad. Please forgive me for being angry with You. And please help meaccept that she’s gone, because my heart keeps telling me she’s alive, and I’m afraid she’s still out there, hurting and waiting for someone to find her.” She sniffled softly. “Please bless Fin. Thank You for bringing him into our lives. Without him, I’d be lost. Amen.”
She wiped her cheeks and stood, but Fin remained penitently on his knees, and Hailey strolled outside.
“Sorry,” he said when he caught up to her.
“Don’t be,” Hailey said kindly, and Fin hurried to get her door.
“There were some things I had to…straighten out with the Big Guy,” he explained as he pulled away from the curb, and Hailey felt somehow comforted by that.
The House of the Rising Sun was a beautiful, polished stone building with vaulted ceilings and stained glass, stretching at least twenty feet high. It sat on a hill overlooking the Ohio River, just a few blocks from the church. Hailey’s uncles were already inside with the mortician when she and Fin arrived.
“I wanna see her,” Hailey blurted as soon as she saw Uncle Pix. She didn’t mean for it to come out like that and quickly remembered her polite words. “I’m sorry,” she said dropping her eyes. “Could I please see her now?”
“Of course, dear.” Pix motioned to the mortician. “This is Mr. Tod. He’s prepared Holly for the service.”
A kind-looking man in his forties waddled over and shook her hand.
“Miss Hartley,” he said gently but not at all hesitantly. “There are some things I’d like to tell you before we go see your sister.”
Hailey gave him her full attention.
“There was substantial damage to her head and to her face, which may make it hard for you to recognize her. Her body was too badly damaged for us to embalm, and she also had some burns, which has made her skin color very dark. There’s also some charring on her face and head.”
“How do you know it’s her?”
“The coroner made the identification using her dental records,” Mr. Tod said, but Hailey still needed to see.
