Shaking Off the Dust Read online

  “What’s going on?” I wondered out loud.

  “Sharon said they found four graves next to hers. The spirits of three of those children watched as the FBI unearthed them. She’s insisting Bethann go to them because they need someone to help, like we helped her.”

  “Oh no, Tom, that’s terrible. What can we do?”

  The others demanded to know what was going on. I reached for Takeshi as I told them.

  Stunned silence followed my disclosure. Takeshi squeezed my hand, then turned to the others. “We can fix this, right?”

  Bill stood. “I will call them now. They can send hair from each of them. We can bring them here to be with Bethann, Sharon and Tom. If that won’t work, we all go to them. I won’t let those children suffer another day if we can do something about it.”

  Bill and Jack left the room. Our group seemed to get smaller and smaller. I studied Hector and leaned my head towards him. “I need to pick up some personal supplies in town, sometime soon.”

  “Hannah, make a list of what you need and I will pick it up this very day,” Hector offered in his warm friendly voice.

  “No, I want to go myself. I must pick up personal supplies and I want to see what they have before I buy anything. I hoped that one of you might take me into the nearest town to a grocery store or pharmacy.”

  “I will go also,” Takeshi added. “But Hannah needs another day or two to rest before she travels again. I promised Dr. Santiago she’d rest for at least four days before anything tiring would be attempted.”

  “We will see what Enrique can arrange after we speak to him,” Hector promised.

  Everyone dispersed and I thought I would go back to the bedroom to freshen up. Takeshi had the same notion, so we headed there together.

  When we reached the room, he closed the door then drew me right into him, tilting my face. “You are mistaken if you think I will stay over once in a while. We will have something much more permanent than that. My cards are on the table. They have been. You will marry me.”

  I backed away. “Wait a minute. I told you marriage is a huge step. We live in two different cities two hours apart. Besides, I don’t recall being asked. I’m not ready to be asked.”

  “Hannah, let me handle this. You gave me your heart and I will treat it like a skilled surgeon if you’d only let me, but don’t tease me now.”

  “I love you, but it doesn’t change the fact that it scares me. I’m afraid and I won’t give in to that. Let me do this one day at a time. We apparently have baby issues to deal with. You deserve children, Takeshi. I wouldn’t ever get in the way of you having that.”

  “If you would just give in to what you feel,” he coaxed. “How do you feel this day?”

  “Safe and loved. Ugly and bruised.” I leaned into him, my battered face against his chest.

  “I would kiss those lips until they were bruised, were they not already. Perhaps tonight I can kiss you in spots less painful.”

  “Perhaps.” I stepped away from him. “For now, I’m taking first turn in the bathroom and don’t forget to write me a map from here to the library if you have to leave.”

  “I’ll wait for you and we’ll go together.”

  Twenty minutes later, I was once again walking with Takeshi’s arm around my waist. I loved how that made me feel.

  We found Enrique alone in the library, looking forlorn.

  “Where did Eszie go?” I asked as we entered.

  “She is with Maria until you have a rest. She is a handful and after cake, she becomes exuberant. Thank you for your kindness to her.”

  “That’s silly, Enrique. She is a wonderful child and this is your home. Your family should always take precedence over anyone else. Besides we were all treated to good food and new information.” I sat on the couch across from Enrique.

  He lifted his eyebrow. “New information?”

  Takeshi gave him the news about the children and Sharon’s graves.

  “My home is filled with memories for me. Now there are real ghosts. Could you ask them not to scare my daughter and staff?”

  It was time to break the solemn mood so I told him about Mia’s infatuation with Mateo. Enrique enjoyed that very much.

  “He has always been much admired by women. I will be watching his discomfort with delight. I suppose we must return to our interviews with our ghosts from the plane crash.” He nodded to Takeshi and they left me alone again.

  I checked my email out of boredom and had already heard back from Vicki and my folks. I emailed responses and almost felt ashamed I was telling such lies to them.

  As I finished up, Maria arrived with a tray of food. It was hot and so tender it melted in my mouth. Best of all there was a large piece of chocolate cake for desert. Eszie arrived after they removed the dirty dishes and she got on the computer while I read on the couch. Once in a while she’d quiz me about Japan and I realized I didn’t know very much about the culture, except for what I’d seen on TV and in movies. We decided to check online for tidbits on Japanese culture. Eszie enjoyed herself and aside from being the official teacher and reader of all information we found, I learned a lot. It got towards dusk when Maria came to get her.

  “Hannah, can you visit here again when I can stay longer?” Eszie asked.

  “I think I’ll be going home soon, back to America. Perhaps we can stay in touch by computer. I’ll leave my email address for your father and when you visit you two can write me and tell me what’s going on. I’ll write you about where I work. I’m a nurse in a hospital emergency room.”

  “You are?” She cooed. “I thought you worked with Papa.”

  “No, your papa is a new friend of mine who I like very much.”

  “Do you think he will be a close friend like Dr. Shimodo? I’d like that.” She smiled.

  “No, Eszie.” Enrique walked in with Takeshi behind him. “She only has one close friend like Dr. Shimodo. Still, I hope we will remain friends for a very long time. Now say your goodbyes and I’ll walk you out to your mother.”

  I hugged her and Takeshi bowed, speaking in deep formal Japanese. She giggled and took her father’s hand.

  Takeshi came to sit next to me on the couch. “You’re not looking for any more close friends?”

  “One is way more than I’ve had for many years. I’m not even sure I’m doing right by the close friend I have.”

  He pulled me across his lap and hugged me, saying something in Japanese that sounded erotic.

  “Baby, you can talk dirty to me anytime in that voice,” I murmured.

  He continued his Japanese seduction and nuzzled my neck.

  “Sorry I interrupted.” Enrique stood at the door.

  I jumped up and straightened my top. “We were being rude. I’m sorry.”

  Takeshi and Enrique exchanged looks and something passed between them, body language that was steeped in possession, male and primal. I ignored them and started out of the room. They caught up to me and we headed to the veranda, where everyone else was waiting for us.

  Bill nodded as we came out to join them. “Jack and I are driving back to Madrid to meet a flight with the children’s hair samples. It won’t arrive until early in the morning. Bethann is going with us. We’ll be coming straight back here.”

  I nodded, glad the children would have Bethann, but dreading the emotions I’d be feeling with yet more murdered and lost souls in our care.

  Enrique sat at the table. “I understand you are requesting a shopping excursion.” He picked up a glass of tea and took a sip. “I thought perhaps we’d leave day after tomorrow morning and stop for lunch on the way back at a spot I know. Maria will prepare our meal.”

  I nodded agreement. “Who all will be going?”

  “I will,” Takeshi intoned.

  “Yes, of course. We can take two cars so everyone who’d like to join us can,” Enrique said.

  I think he was the nicest man I’d ever met. That is if I hadn’t met Takeshi first. I wondered for a split second how Enriqu
e compared as a sex partner. I sighed as I could still see my swollen cheek when I looked down. I wanted to yell, “Yuck, the elephant woman.” How I could even think about sex right now was a question I wasn’t willing to ponder.

  “I also must return to Madrid tonight, but I will be back in time to attend this shopping picnic.” Mateo rubbed his cheek to swat away an invisible pest, not keeping the annoyance out of his eyes.

  Hector made some comment to him in Spanish and Mateo gave him a menacing look. Bill, Enrique and Hector all laughed.

  Tom was nowhere to be seen. He hadn’t been hanging out as much. I reached down and touched my tattoo and realized it was starting to fade away. I reached over to Takeshi pulling up his sleeve and looked at his. The ink was still dark and showed no sign of dilution.

  As soon as I touched his tattoo, Tom appeared, sitting across from us.

  “What’s up?” He watched me keep my hand on Takeshi’s tattoo. “Seems like you need Takeshi to redo your tat or wear those rings he had made.”

  “I’ve been soaking in that wonderful tub too much,” I whispered. “I haven’t seen the rings since that night at my house. The FBI has them.”

  “I’ll need to make you another tattoo.” By the tone of his voice, Takeshi was not happy with the idea. He turned to Mateo and Bill. “Could you pick up some supplies at a tattoo parlor when you reach Madrid? We’ll do it tomorrow, then no more soaks for Hannah.”

  They all continued to stare at us like they didn’t know our secret.

  “For Tom to appear anywhere he must already be there in the form of DNA. When he first appeared to Hannah, she was at his memorial service and the wind had blown his ashes into her face, nose, mouth and eyes. She inhaled his ash. So for days she saw him always. She started sneezing and coughing and he disappeared. We created these temporary tattoos from ink and his ash that was left on her clothing. Her delight in soaking in your tub has been causing the tattoo on her leg to fade and wash away.”

  “You wear a tattoo with him tied to you also?” Enrique clarified.

  “It saved your lives when you were captured. Yes, I wear a tattoo so that I can have Tom let me know when Hannah is in trouble or when you choose to question him through me. Hannah is the innocent bystander in this story, but she is the one who binds us all together.”

  “You mentioned rings. The FBI has your rings.” Rachel sat forward in her chair.

  “I had ash and gold poured into the band of two of her rings, so she could wear them and be able to take them off when she wanted privacy,” Takeshi replied.

  “When you want to be together, he means.” Tom rolled his eyes.

  “They returned everything else, but I’ve not seen them.” I hoped to get them back. They were my best jewelry.

  “Do you have ash or DNA here?” Bill asked.

  Takeshi nodded. “In my suitcase. Not much, but enough to create some tattoos.”

  Enrique considered this information. “I would like a tattoo also. I suggest we all have one applied. Right now, Tom is our most important asset in the investigation. Like Dr. Shimodo, I think it is wise to be able to communicate with him in times of stress or during emergencies.” He cleared his throat. “Tomas Ramirez will come to talk with you again, Hannah, and if I’m not there, I want to at least know when and where it is. He’s fallen off our radar since that night and he could appear anytime. I don’t think he would hurt Hannah, because she led him to Vincent as the murderer of his sisters. But he will be determined to hunt down all involved in those murders and Vincent did not appear to be bright enough to conceive that plan.”

  “I agree. I would like one too,” Bill said.

  All the others nodded.

  “You realize you’re giving Tom a big head. His ego is already massive enough.” I shook my leg. “Get off my foot, Tom!”

  “Perhaps this evening, Dr. Shimodo, you could instruct us in some of the short cuts you have learned to communicate information with Tom.” Enrique looked at Takeshi, holding his eyes.

  I think he wanted to say no, but he inclined his head then nodded.

  The maid came out and spoke with Enrique.

  “An early dinner is ready, so those who are going to Madrid this evening can eat before the two-hour drive.” He led us all to the dining room.

  Everyone sat, but I stayed standing. “I’ve got a little headache. I’m going to my room. In fact I think I’ll make it an early night. It’s the last time for a long soak, so I’m expecting to be a prune very soon. Thank you, Enrique, you have been wonderful to me today.”

  I was out of the room when Takeshi caught up to me. “Hannah, do you really have a headache? I’ll get you a pain pill.”

  “I do have a little one, but I’m going to my room to eat in private. Let me be a baby about it and stay with the adults. I’ll see you much later when you are done demonstrating the Casper communicator course on ghost talk.”

  He put on a good show of being dejected. “I want to spend the evening with you. You know that, right?”

  “Don’t go all mushy on me, Shimodo. I love it except when I look like this. In a week or so, I’ll be all over you.”

  “Sometimes it’s about what I want,” he whispered in my ear. “I promise I won’t hurt you. I can be very gentle.”

  “Yeah, of that I’m sure.” I ran away from him and managed to stick my tongue out.

  I took a long time enjoying my dinner with a glass of Enrique’s Merlot. I shaved my legs and buffed and puffed, things I didn’t do often, and lately I hadn’t had the time. I walked into the bedroom nude and it was cold, a breeze from the open veranda door chilled the air. Goose bumps had risen on my arms and legs. I crawled under the sheets and they felt soft and silky against my newly shaved skin. My plan was to warm up, then get into my PJs, but instead I fell asleep.

  Hands were sliding over my thigh and stomach, barely touching me, but raising the hairs on my arms. I woke up with every nerve ending on fire, rolling onto my back to inhale the spicy scent that was all masculine heat. I remembered my bruised face and turned away from him. He bent his head over my breast, pulling me to my back again. A delicious amount of his time was spent licking and suckling as his fingers tantalized the other breast. His hand slid between my legs.

  He kissed his way down my body, leaving wet trails along the way, lingering on any spot that brought a sound from me, nipping and exploring until his head was between my legs. My knees were bent and he brought them over his shoulders as he parted my folds with those long fingers, his very breath creating a sensation that caused me to jerk.

  My back and head lay against a mound of pillows as I watched him move closer. I closed my eyes and put my hand to my mouth as his tongue rasped across my clitoris until it felt engorged and I moaned my pleasure. He wrapped his lips there and sucked until I begged him to stop and not to stop. He tortured that most sensitive spot until I came shuddering and twitching for him. Then he did it again. His fingers joined the assault sliding into my body, reaching some spot that he knew how to find. It was a different orgasm, one that brought me shattering up off the bed. As I continued to undulate he moved me onto my side and came behind, entering me, gliding into all the moisture he’d created.

  His size made the position just this side of painful, tempered as his fingers splayed over my breasts, plucking my sensitive nipples. His thrusts were long and powerful. He rocked the bed, bumping against my cervix, causing a new pleasure. The spot he touched caused a mini-orgasm every time he ground against it. My cries had become hoarse as I lost my voice.

  He whispered words in Japanese, coaxing, and I concentrated on it and the sensation. He jerked as I did and groaned against my neck, pulling me closer. I fell asleep with the heavy fullness of him still sheathed inside me.

  Chapter Twenty

  We woke up early and while I showered, he did his exotic exercise in the room. I think it was a dance of martial arts moves. When I came out, I gestured at the bed in its unmade state. “It’s embarrassing, Takeshi. Th
e maids are going to know what we did last night. Hell, there’s a towel over the wet spot.”

  He didn’t appear embarrassed. “We left the balcony door ajar.”

  “I hope no one heard. I like my sex life private.”

  “They’ll expect it now, Hannah. They’ll even make bets on how often we make love,” Takeshi teased. “It’s a question of my prowess. I must have you every night or they will think I’m not man enough to keep you satisfied.”

  “Nice try. I don’t think I would survive every night.”

  His eyes got that look a man gets when he’s thinking very dirty thoughts.

  I laughed and my face didn’t hurt when I did. I ran to the mirror. The swelling looked significantly less. The bruising was still dark purple, but I opened my mouth wider and it didn’t hurt.

  Takeshi came up behind me, following my gaze in the mirror and touching my face. “It’s better today. How does it feel?”

  “It’s not nearly as swollen. Did you use Japanese sex magic last night?” I smiled up at him in the mirror.

  “That settles it. Sex every night, you’ll be healed in a matter of days.”

  My breakfast tray arrived and I shooed him out of the bedroom. He was feeling entirely too smug about his sexual prowess.

  It was a scrambled-egg concoction with a tangy sauce on it. I ate it all and even tried chewing the pastry. I cheated by dipping it in my tea. It didn’t hurt to chew today, so I decided I might eat lunch with the group. As I headed down the stairs, I saw the maid go into my room. I ran the rest of the way.

  I joined everyone in the breakfast room. Bill came forward and put three single hairs down in front of me.

  “No perfunctory hello, how are you?” I ground my teeth a little, but stopped when it made my jaw ache.

  “Hello, how are you?” Bill replied. “Do you mind, Hannah? The plane didn’t arrive until early this morning, and there was no identification on any of the bodies. Sharon gave us their first names to call them here. Could you describe each of the children for us and tell us all that you can. We are done eating and perhaps it would be best to move out on the veranda while Takeshi makes his tattoo mixture.”