“I am. I know exactly what you are, Benedict.”
“And what’s that, little girl?”
“A bully. There’s onlyoneway to deal with a bully and that’s to give him a taste of his own medicine.” Everly stared at the warden, not backing down when he moved toward her. “This is your last chance to let the spirits go. I won’t ask again.” As Everly spoke, the white light appeared behind her.
“Pretty impressive. I’ve got magic too!” The warden snapped his fingers and two dozen spirits appeared behind him. Each one reached for the light, but seemingly could move no further than where the warden placed them.
“It doesn’t matter what crimes you committed,” Everly said, her voice forceful. “You’ve been forgiven. All you have to do is forgive yourselves. When you do that, you’re free.” Her eyes never left the warden, as if she were daring him to disagree with her.
“None of them are going anywhere and neither are you,” Benedict snarled. “I’ll enjoy listening to your screams of pain for an eternity.”
Everly laughed. “No thanks, I’ll pass. But I do have a couple of presents for you if you’re interested.”
“Presents? For me? You’ve got to be kidding. What the hell did you bring, a crucifix to cleanse my rotten soul.”
“No. You’re beyond any help a crucifix could provide. I brought something that I thought might comfort you. Kathleen? Morris? You can come out now.”
An older couple appeared to Everly’s right. The man was tall, his back stooped and had tufts of grey hair at the back of his head. The woman wore a pink dress and matching hat, which covered white curls.
“Mother. Father.” Benedict sounded stunned. “What are you doing here?”
“Nevercall me father again,” Morris Benedict said. “You’re nothing but a disgrace to me, your mother, our entire family, and the United States Navy.
Benedict seemed taken aback by his father’s harsh words. “What are you talking about? I’m just like you. I did everything you did. Got married, had a child, served my country. I’m the spitting image of you!”
“Is that what you think makes you like me? I never hit my wife, never threatened to take my kids from her, never cheated, and certainly never raped anyone.”
Benedict’s face turned a bright shade of red at the mention of rape. “Neither did I. Every bitched I fucked wanted me desperately. They begged for it. Wanted seconds and even thirds. Whores always cry rape to hide their shame.”
Ronan couldn’t believe the words coming out of Benedict’s mouth. His focus was on Everly, when she turned and gave Ten a thumbs up. One by one, the spirits slipped past Benedict, whose full attention was on his parents. Each time one of them entered the white light, it flared brighter for a few seconds. Ronan was sure that would pull Benedict’s attention back to the inmates, but he never moved a muscle.
“What about me,Donnie?” a venomous voice asked. “Was I a whore too or just your wife?” A short woman wearing a black dress and heels appeared beside Morris and Kathleen.
“Dottie?” Benedict asked. He blinked several times, as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
Dottie smiled. She reached out for Everly’s hand and gave it a squeeze, before turning back to Benedict. “For nearly a century, the world thought I killed myself. Carried off on a wave of booze and pills because the love of my life wanted to leave me for a younger woman. I was buried in a pauper’s grave in a potter’s field. With no stone to mark my final resting spot. I was notgiven last rites, or a single prayer for my soul. My parents were forced to leave town, the only home they’d ever known, because of how ashamed they were of me. If you think I’m going to let you get away with my murder for another second, you’ve got another thing coming, you son-of-a-bitch.” Dottie ran toward him, kicking his shins and slapping his face. “I hate you! I hate you!” As Benedict fell to the floor, Dottie continued to kick at him, all the while calling him every name in the book.
“Mother, stop,” a young woman said.
Ronan turned to where he thought the voice was coming from, but saw nothing. He heard the sound of heels on the concrete floor. Fog swirled around, finally parting to reveal a woman dressed in black from head to toe. A veil shielded her face from view.
“Hi, Miss Odessa,” Everly said.
“Hello, sweetheart. It’s lovely to see you again. Thank you for bringing me here. I’ve waited so long for this moment.”
“Get him good.” Everly grinned at Odessa.
“Odessa?” Benedict said, slowly sitting up. “It’s not possible. How is this possible? I searched for you.”
“Yes, father, you searched for me. To bring me here and torture me the way you did everyone else your filthy hands have ever come into contact with. You searched for my mother as well. I was not going to let you have her. She suffered enough in life. I would not allow her to suffer for one moment in death.”
“Your mother never suffered! Everything that happened was her own stupid fault.” Benedict screamed, as the words left his mouth.
“Careful how you speak to my mother. Your short temper was the one thing you passed down to me. I won’t be able to hold it much longer and we have some scores to settle, you and I.”
“What scores? I never laid a hand on you.”
“That’s right, you didn’t. My mother took every strike with the belt meant for me. She absorbed every cruel word, every angry look. I have spent every second from the moment my mother died preparing for the moment I saw you again. I read every book on the occult I could get my hands on. I spoke with mystics, psychics, tarot card readers, witches, people who could move objects with their minds. I chose the best teachers, studied hard, learned my lessons well.” Odessa stepped closer to Benedict, putting herself between her mother, grandparents, and Everly. “I dreamed of this moment for so long. I promised myself I would make you pay for everything you’ve done to our family.”
