Viator (The Viator Chronicles Book 1) (3 page)

Erin stood up beside her and put her hand on the girl’s arm. “You tell it to be gone, and it will. You think of this place, and you’ll be here, safe.”

“I just tell it to be gone? But why didn’t you do that? Why would that work for me?”

“Because this is your dream, not mine.”

Carolyn nodded and lay down on the grass, and Erin lay down beside her. When she looked toward Carolyn again she was gone, and Erin relaxed, knowing the girl had wandered into an ordinary, restful dream.

She closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of the sunshine. A breeze rustled the leaves overhead, and Erin opened her eyes again. She had left Carolyn’s place and was lying on the grass in front of the library near Aleesha’s shop. The sunshine was still bright, and the wind blew a few white clouds across the sky. The street in front of Erin was empty—no cars, no people. Not even a seagull flew overhead. All she could hear was the wind and distant waves.

The sudden approach of footfalls made her sit up straight. A man was walking along the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street. He was tall, dressed in black with a long sword hanging from his belt, and he hadn’t noticed her.
Who could he be?
She kept still. He walked past, and Erin relaxed. Just then he stopped and turned, looking directly at her. He brushed his dark hair from his forehead and slowly drew his sword from its scabbard.

*****

Erin jolted upright and found she was in her own bed. Closing her eyes again, she lay back down and tried to drift back into the dark dream that had awakened her, hoping she could remember some of it. She’d tried hundreds of times already, but rarely could she remember more than glimpses of cold, dark shapes in the shadows.

A vague memory reached toward her. She heard the sound of ocean waves crashing against rocks and saw the glint of a sword. Her skin grew cold, her breathing became short and shallow, but the memory soon faded away.

She climbed out of bed into the dark of the room, her feet sinking into the comfort of the thick wool rug, and slipped on her kimono. The fine blue silk was soft and light against her skin—a gift from William.

She walked barefoot downstairs in the dark. Slipping out the kitchen door, she gasped at the brisk air, then ran on her toes down the narrow path over smooth, well-worn stones, through the fragrant garden to the beach.

The last stars faded with the approaching dawn, and Erin listened to the lapping of waves against the rocky shore. Her bare feet were cold on the rocks. She stooped to pick up a stone and threw it into the water, releasing some of her tension.

These dreams had been tormenting her for nearly two years, dreams that disturbed her so much they shocked her awake, but still she could barely remember them. She felt surrounded by fog, and her anger flared.

She gathered more stones and threw them hard, one by one into the water. The familiar activity soothed her, and she started skipping the stones over the water’s surface. The sun, although still hidden behind the hills, had risen, and Erin took a deep breath and gazed out over the smooth, dark water.

She turned away from the beach and walked back to her house, made some coffee and went upstairs. In her room, she touched the photo of William, bowing her head. These early morning hours were when she felt the most alone. She sighed, walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower, ready to begin another day.

Chapter 3

Matt was almost finished with his breakfast. “I need some money for my school lunch account today.”

“You’re down to zero already? It seems like I just gave you forty dollars,” Erin said and sipped her coffee.

“That was a long time ago. I’ve been out for a few days, but I borrowed from Jacob. I need to pay him back, too.”

Erin wondered if she had anything left in her bank account. “I’ll give you some cash today. How about ten dollars? Then I can give you a check to take to school when I get paid Friday.”

“Okay.” Matt ran upstairs to get dressed.

Gwen pushed her cereal around in the bowl with her spoon.

“Hey, you,” Erin said. “Why don’t you eat some of that?”

Gwen put a spoonful of cereal in her mouth. After she swallowed, she said, “Can I be done?”

Erin looked at the half-empty bowl, sighed, and said, “Sure. Go get dressed, sweetie.”

She walked into the living room and looked out the window toward Puget Sound. A breeze was blowing, scattering blossoms from the trees and raising a few white caps. After finishing her coffee, she pulled her purse out of the closet. She looked at her checkbook, subtracted a few numbers, and shook her head. Only twenty-three dollars left until Friday. She counted her cash—twenty dollars. She pulled out ten for Matt and put the rest back. That would go for lunch with her friends Hannah and Aleesha today. She’d be brown bagging it for the rest of the week.

They all went out to the small carport and climbed into Erin’s white Explorer. A small plaque on the visor read, “Guardian Angel by your side, through your travels, protect and guide,” and Erin brushed her thumb across it before starting the engine. She glanced at the back seat.

“Tonight I want you two to bring your trash and water bottles inside. There’s barely room for you to sit.”

“This is mostly Matt’s mess,” Gwen said.

Matthew laughed. “Those Hello Kitty wrappers aren’t mine.”

“You both have some cleaning up to do.”

Erin dropped the children off at school and drove several miles to the music store in Anacortes where she worked. The shop smelled like polished wood and old books, the oak-framed cabinets overflowing with sheet music and instruments. Between helping customers, she sat at her tall, upright piano and played a few songs.

At noon Ed, the storeowner, arrived, and Erin left for lunch. She threw on her coat and raced down the street to the Marina Café. Hannah met her at the door, and they entered together.

Erin slid to the inside of the booth, and Hannah brushed some flour off her jeans before sitting down beside her. The restaurant hummed with chatting patrons, and the clatter from the kitchen added to the homey atmosphere. The walls were sunshine yellow, and each table had a vase holding a yellow flower. Inside, it was easy to forget the steady drizzle outside.

“What were you baking this morning?” Erin asked.

“Scones.” A strand of Hannah’s blond hair had escaped its braid, and she tucked it behind her ear. “All the tourists want scones in the afternoon these days. I made some dried cherry and hazelnut ones today.”

“Mm, sounds good,” Erin said. Hannah and her husband Carlos owned a small bakery. Erin enjoyed stopping by their shop and watching them together: Carlos with his Latin good looks, dancing around tall, blonde Hannah. Erin was glad to see Hannah today for lunch; her gentle, easygoing nature was soothing.

Aleesha pushed the door open and strolled inside. Her short dark hair was sleek and curled under, and she wore a royal blue skirt with a matching embroidered jacket. She entered the restaurant with a wave to them and blew a kiss to the owner behind the counter.

“Ladies, it’s wonderful to see you today.” Aleesha sat down and crossed her legs, then reached across the table to grasp each friend’s hand in one of her own. She looked from one to the other, smiling with her mouth closed, as if afraid her words would spill out.

“You look pleased with yourself,” Erin said, laughing. “What’s up?”

“They say good things come in threes. I just had two this morning.”

“Tell us,” Hannah said.

Aleesha grinned. “I sold the Capoeman.”

Erin gasped. “The original? The one of the raven?”

“Yes. The buyer has been eyeing the painting for weeks, and he finally came through.”

“Leesh, that’s wonderful.”

The waitress came with glasses of water and took their orders.

“What was the second thing?” Hannah asked.

Aleesha glanced at Erin. “I had a call from Kenneth.”

Erin explained to Hannah, “He’s the gallery owner who had the exhibit we went to last night. What did he want?”

“It was kind of surprising. The man you were talking to last night—the one who knew William? He’s one of Kenneth’s friends. I’ve met him a couple times before, too. Anyway, he called Kenneth today. He wants to get in touch with you, Erin. He wants to see you again, and he didn’t know how to reach you.”

“Really?” Erin picked up her water glass and took a long drink. “What did you say?”

“I told Kenneth that I was already planning a dinner party next Saturday and you were coming, and I’d be happy to invite Gary too.”

Hannah looked from one friend to the other. “Who is this Gary?”

Erin felt her face turn red. “He’s an old friend of William’s who was at the gallery last night.”

Aleesha continued, “He’s single, attractive, and has a great business. And from what Kenneth says, he was quite taken with you last night, Erin.”

Erin shook her head.

The waitress brought their food, and they started eating.

“Do you want to see him again?” Hannah asked.

“He seems very nice, and he was William’s friend,” Erin said.

A smile spread across Aleesha’s face. “Then it’s settled. Dinner at my house Saturday. I’ll invite a few more people, and we can have a party. What fun!”

Erin took another bite, wondering if she really wanted to see Gary again. She knew she’d retreated into her own quiet part of the world after William had died, but her friends kept pushing her to socialize more. Maybe she should. Gary’s face darted into her mind, his blue eyes shimmering with laughter. He had certainly intrigued her. Despite the nervous flutter in her stomach, she suddenly found herself looking forward to Aleesha’s party.

Chapter 4

The doorbell pulled Michael away from his writing, and he walked down the stairs and opened the front door. “You made it,” he said.

“I almost didn’t think I would, after all the traffic. I-5 was stop and go almost all the way from Portland,” Bruce said as he stepped inside and dropped his suitcase to the floor.

“Well, this is it. My new castle,” Michael said as he looked around with satisfaction. “What do you think?”

The deep burgundy and forest green of his overstuffed furniture along with the dark oak tables and Persian rugs made the rooms feel plush and warm. Several antique weapons hung above the fireplace: a halberd and Celtic spear, and two Claymore swords. On the far wall were a double-headed war axe crossed with another spear. A full suit of armor stood in the corner. Sunshine streamed through the open curtains, highlighting a large gargoyle standing guard on one side of the oak mantel.

“I think you’re nuts,” Bruce said. “It’s a nice house, but I still don’t know why you moved all the way out to this godforsaken town.”

Michael shrugged. “I told you. I need a change of scenery. Besides, this place has been in my dreams lately.”

The men walked through the house to the kitchen. Michael pulled two beers from the fridge and handed one to Bruce.

“You know, Elizabeth thinks you’re sinking into one of your dark spells,” Bruce said.

“She always worries. That’s what sisters do.” Michael grinned.

Bruce took a long drink. “You’re already settled. You’ve made good use of the last two weeks.” He scanned the weapons. “This place suits you.”

He walked into the living room where several photographs sat on top of the piano and picked up one of a small boy. After studying it, he set it back down and turned toward Michael. “You’re doing all right?”

Michael nodded. “Yeah. I am.”

Bruce sat down in the overstuffed chair and took another swallow. “I saw Marie last week.”

Michael coughed. “Where did you see her?”

“I ran into her on campus. She’s taking a couple of classes. We got together for lunch the next day.”

Michael nodded and sat down on the sofa. “She always did like you. You would have made her happier than I ever did. So, how is she?”

“Good. I told her you moved up here. She thought you might be slipping into one of your dark spells, too.”

Michael laughed. “She would.”

“She’s married.”

Michael’s eyebrows shot up as he looked at his brother. He nodded his head and turned to look out the window. “Good. She deserves all the happiness she can get. I’m happy for her.”

“Yeah? You’re okay with this?”

“It’s been four years. Five since Colby died. Of course I’m okay with this.”

They drained their bottles. Michael didn’t want to talk about his ex-wife or about Colby. Wouldn’t the pain ever go away? He tried changing the subject. “And what about Julie? You still seeing her?”

“No, not for a while,” Bruce said with a grin. “A flashier guy came along, I guess.”

“She was too young for you anyway.”

“Yeah, I know. Fun though.” He looked around. “So, where’s your work space?”

“Upstairs. Come on. Bring your bag. The guest room’s up there, too.”

Michael led Bruce to the first room at the top of the stairs. An old oak desk stood under the open window with a worn black leather chair in front of it. A small oak table in the corner was covered with books, all by Michael Woodward. The laptop on the desk was turned on, and a breeze stirred the curtains.

“How’s the new book coming?” Bruce asked.

“Good, finally. It’s starting to flow. I’m having a book signing here in town in a couple of weeks for the last book. You ought to come.”

“Meet some of the locals?”

Michael shrugged. “Yeah, sure.”

Bruce rubbed his chin. “I know you felt a change of scenery would help you over your slump. I suspected there was more to this move than you were saying, but I thought there might be a woman here.”

Michael leaned with his hands on the back of the chair and looked out the open window. “No, that’s not happening. There’s no woman here.”

“You’ve been dreaming of this place? What about?”

“Simple. Walking down the city streets, the beach, the ferry.”

“Any viator dreams?”

Michael drew in a slow breath. “Just the other night I dreamed of a woman on a street in town. I think she was a viator. The rest of the dreams have been ordinary.”