Page 53 of Scammed

“Oh, one of the best ever,” she laughed.

“Crazy-ass woman was supposed to tandem jump with me,” frowned Nate. “Had her all ready to go, and she jumped before I could attach her harness.”

“I needed to do it on my own, baby. All that fallin’ gave me some perspective and a chance to get right with my ancestor.”

“So, the witch was truly your ancestor?” asked Marcel.

“She was, honey. He paid her a handsome sum to cast the spell, and then he killed her. Thought he’d gotten away with it, but her son saw it all. He was just a boy, and nobody was worried about what a little black boy saw, but he wrote it down.”

“Our lives are all connected,” smiled the man. “We’re all truly connected. Do you think Matthew and Irene knew that when they met you?”

“Well, now, I can’t say they did, can’t say they didn’t. We just connected.”

The men burst into laughter, shaking their heads at the old woman. They were doomed to never get a good answer out of any of the elders at this point.

“You know what,” laughed Marcel. “I don’t care. I’m alive, I’m married to the woman of my dreams, and I’m going to be a father. Let’s go home.” Gaspar nodded at the man, then turned to the cockpit.

“Let’s go home, Evie.”

CHAPTER THIRTY

“She found you! She found you!” yelled Amy, running toward the Osprey.

“Yes,” laughed Marcel, “she found me, my love. She found me, and she saved us all. Couvillion is gone for good, and we’re all better for it.”

“I can’t believe I found that piece of information. It was as if it just appeared in the notes. I’d been through them a million times and didn’t see it. I didn’t make the connection between Miss Ruby and her ancestor.”

“But you did eventually, and that’s all that matters,” said Marcel.

“We’ve been able to return as much of the funds as we can to the non-profits,” said Jean. “I think we’ve forgotten how many we actually started and ran. He was targeting the boys’ home, the girls’ home, the school, all of them. Thankfully, our own pirating software kicked in and stopped most of it. The team is working on a different version to be sold as part of G.R.I.P.”

“Astounding,” said Nine. “I think we really knocked this one out of the park.”

“What park?” asked Marcel. Laughter filled the room, and Wilson gripped the man’s shoulder.

“It’s a saying related to baseball. We hit a home run. We did good,” he smiled.

“That I understand,” said Marcel. “I’m still here, so I see that as a good sign. A home run. I’d like to be part of the team. How do I help with that?”

“I think your maritime experiences will help a great deal,” said Gaspar. “Our dilemma is, do we keep you here with the senior team, or do we have you work with the younger men? The men more your current age.”

“I’m happy with either,” said Marcel. “Why don’t we just leave it open and should either team need me, I’ll be there. I wondered, though, do you think something like this might happen for the other spirits?”

“I’m not sure, brother,” said Ghost. “We’d have to ask Irene and Matthew, and I’m not sure even they will give us a straight answer. The other spirits seem happy right now. They’re with one another and seem okay.”

“True,” nodded Marcel. “Well, I just wanted to thank you all for your help and for your friendship through this. I felt alone for so long, then had you all as my ‘live’ companions. Needless to say, it was a shock that I myself was given the gift of life again.”

“It shocked us, too, brother,” laughed Whiskey.

“I know,” he nodded. “But you’ve been steadfast friends since the moment I met you. I just wanted to thank you all.”

“We’re family, Marcel. Above all else, we do anything for family. We’re proud to have you on our team. Or maybe it’s us on your team. You are the original, after all.”

“I guess I am,” he smirked, standing to head home, laughing as he left. “Remember that. I am the OG.” Baptiste opened his mouth in shock.

“Hey! How did he know that expression?”

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