Page 90 of Our Lips Are Sealed
Samuel laid a kiss on the top of her head. They were standing behind everyone with Abe, listening as Mathis described the area where the body had been found.
“She was buried on the water’s edge. Directly across the inlet from Haven House.”
Cohen stood off to the side with Jamison next to him. She was still wearing the pink dress from their visit with Judy, although now it was covered in mud and ripped along the hemline. According to Selah, Jamison had stuck to Cohen like glue since coming out of the forest. At first, Evie assumed her sister might be attempting to insert herself into the investigation, but the more she watched them, the more it became evident that the need to be near one another stemmed from both parties.
“Did Cecilia have any birthmarks that might help identify her?” Cohen asked. “Any scars?”
“She has a scar on the inside of her left arm,” Simone replied. “One day, CeCe followed the boys to the mill, and a section of rotted flooring gave way beneath her.”
Simone’s voice broke, and she couldn’t continue. Ty rested his hand on her shoulder, instructing Selah to finish the story.
“I caught her before she fell all the way through, but some of the wood cut her up pretty good.” Selah twisted his arm to show Cohen where to find the scar. “It’s a long-jagged line, reaching almost to her elbow.”
“I remember that day. She screamed like a banshee when it happened, but didn’t cry,” Abe said. “CeCe never cried.”
“We’re going to secure the site, and the coroner’s office will take good care of her,” Mathis promised. “If it is Cecilia Miller, I’ll contact you personally, Ms. Howard, and we’ll discuss your wishes on what to do with her remains.”
Simone was no longer paying attention to what was being said, gazing past Mathis at the two men emerging from the woods, guiding a stretcher over the uneven ground. A black bag bounced on the padded gurney bed, hopping under the straps as the men traversed the wet grass.
The singing in Evie’s head grew louder, joined by an ear-splitting ring that bounced around in her skull when CeCe popped out of the woods to dance behind the stretcher, keeping time with her body’s processional. She wore the white nightgown as before, hiking it up to her knees while she spun. Her pale, gaunt face was no more. She now radiated color, flushed with beauty.
The men finally reached one of Abe’s paved solid paths, and as they—and CeCe—came closer, sparks of pain burst in Evie’s head. She turned away, inhaling Samuel’s scent, letting it ground her. He smelled of sweat, and sandalwood, and everything that was hers.
“Are we good?” his deep voice rumbled from above.
Evie nodded, keeping her expression blank and holding perfectly still when the stretcher made its way down the path beneath them.
Forgiveness comes from helping others.
Immediately understanding that she was the one being addressed, Evie cut her eyes from Samuel’s shirt to see that CeCe had stopped at the base of the porch with the men handling her body. As Mathis spoke quietly to the men, CeCe stared directly at Evie, waving with a wiggle of fingers.
Did you hear me, Evie?
Yes.Evie pushed the word out of her, and CeCe inclined her head as if to say good job.
Your mama said you were clever.
Taking a step forward, CeCe placed a hand on the porch railing inches from Annabeth’s foot. Looking up past her friend, she pointed to the awnings.
Haint on the ceiling means haunts in the yard.
Evie’s eyes lifted to Simone’s haint blue porch ceilings.
Make sure Mama SiSi keeps it that way. There are things out in those woods that don’t need to return to Haven House.
Not wanting to know what CeCe meant, Evie turned to watch with the others as the gurney rounded the corner toward the front of the house.
“Benjamin,” Simone said, wiping at her tears. “When they finish with her, I want Cecilia here. I want her home.”
Ben, who had been unusually quiet, simply nodded. “Of course, SiSi.”
CeCe smiled, giddy over what they were saying. She stretched her hand up to tap a finger on Annabeth’s shoe, her ghostly skin sizzling under the blue above.
Don’t worry, sissy. I’m coming home.
And with that, the ringing in Evie halted, and CeCe was gone.
Loosening her death grip on Samuel, she watched Simone hurry after the stretcher with Ty and Dee.
