Epilogue

Will and Ginny entered the gate to St. Dunstan’s cemetery. It had been six months since they’d arrested Reverend Fletcher for the murder of Elizabeth de Wolfe. Six months since the scandal broke and the reverend had been put on trial. Six months since Reverend Fletcher had been convicted and hanged.

At first the members of St. Dunstan’s congregation refused to believe that Reverend Fletcher could have committed such heinous crimes. But when Fletcher brazenly admitted to the murders, the members of his parish turned on him with the fury of the saints.

The trial took only six days. Reverend Fletcher was found guilty and scheduled to hang the following week.

Neither Wesley nor Ralphy stayed in London for the trial, or for the execution. Wesley took Ralphy on an excursion to the north so they wouldn’t be in London. They’d been gone for several months, but were back now. That’s why Will and Ginny were here. They’d arranged to meet Wesley and Ralphy in the cemetery.

“Welcome back,” Will said in greeting. Wesley and Ralphy stood together at Lizzy’s grave, and Will and Ginny joined them.

“Inspector. Miss Wattersfield,” Wesley greeted. Ralphy repeated the greeting.

“I’m so glad you’ve returned, and everything is finally over,” Ginny said. She lowered her gaze to Lizzy’s grave, thankful that Lizzy could finally be at rest.

She’d come here several times in the last six months, but Lizzy hadn’t spoken to her once since Reverend Fletcher had been convicted and hanged for her death. Flowers had sprung up across the foot of the stone which no longer looked dark and pitted but gleamed with a high polish.

Ginny doubted she’d ever hear that disembodied voice again. She knew there was nothing more for Lizzy to say now that the man who’d killed her was no longer alive to kill again. She was free.

The four of them exchanged pleasantries for a few moments, then Ralphy indicated that he wanted to tend some of the graves in the cemetery and left to do what he loved best. When he was out of hearing, Wesley Fletcher turned his attention to Will and Ginny.

“Thank you both for everything you did for us.”

“I’m just sorry you and your brother had to go through this,” Will said.

“We’re both strong,” Wesley replied. “We will survive.”

“What are you going to do now?” Ginny asked. “Are you going to leave London?”

Wesley Fletcher took a step down the path. There was a small sheltered area within sight that had a trio of benches that faced each other. Ginny and Will followed Fletcher, then sat when they reached them. The sun had chosen to shine today, and even the gentle breeze spoke of renewal.

“No, we’re not running away. Ralph and I have decided to stay in London. Ralph will live with me, and I will continue to run my practice. I will no doubt lose some of my clients.” Wesley Fletcher paused with a smile on his face. “Perhaps even most of my clients. But I’m sure we will get by.”

“I have no doubt you will,” Will added. “In my line of work, there are always people who need a good lawyer. I will gladly recommend you to them.”

“Thank you,” Fletcher said, then turned his head. Ginny thought he didn’t want them to see how Will’s offer had affected him.

“Did you even once consider my father as the murderer?” Wesley asked Will when he next spoke.

Will shook his head. “I regret to say I didn’t.”

“What happened, then, that made you reopen the case, to realize it might be him?”

Ginny turned to find Will looking at her. He didn’t have an answer to Wesley’s question that he could admit. At least not without Fletcher thinking they were both insane.

Ginny thought for several moments before answering. She knew she was taking a big chance by telling Fletcher the truth. She wasn’t sure she was brave enough to risk it. Finally, she made her decision.

“Lizzy told me,” she said. She waited for the shocked look of disbelief to cross Wesley Fletcher’s face. It didn’t.

“Are you saying Lizzy spoke to you?”

“I know you find it impossible to believe, but—”

“No,” Wesley interrupted. “I don’t find it impossible in the least. Lizzy often spoke to me, too.”

Ginny let her gaze lock with Will’s, then turned back to Wesley. “Lizzy spoke to you? From the grave?”

“Yes.”

“What did she say?”

“Mostly, she told me to, ‘stop him’. I imagine she mainly said the same to you,” he said, “but there must have been something else that led you to believe that my father was the killer?”

Will answered Fletcher’s question. “Lizzy told us not to let her killer kill again. When she said again, I looked at previous unsolved cases that took place on, or near, September 16. They led me to your father.”

Wesley was silent a moment, then something compelled him to speak.

“Soon after Ralph’s birth, Father realized that Ralph wasn’t the same as other children. Of course, he blamed Ralph’s mother for producing a child who wasn’t perfect. He claimed he was spawned by the devil, and was so incensed, that he refused to claim Ralph as his son. I…I didn’t know until Lizzy’s death that he’d killed Ralph’s mother. He moved to a different parish and told everyone that Ralph was an orphan he’d taken into his home out of the goodness of his heart.”

Fletcher rose and took a step away from them. He stood with his back to them and locked his hands behind him. “He used the date of Ralph’s birth to rid the world of another female he considered a temptation to men – like Eve tempted Adam. And Bathsheba tempted David.

“Then, two years ago, Ralph followed our father. That was the night he killed Lizzy. Ralph was terrified.” Wesley turned. “He came to me in tears and told me what Father had done. Of course, I confronted Father. I told him I was going to go to the authorities.”

“What did he say?”

“He laughed.” Wesley raked his hand down his face. “He laughed. And told me to go to the authorities. He said that no one would believe me, especially when he told them that Ralph was the killer.”

“He would have blamed Ralph for the murders?” Ginny asked in disbelief.

“Oh, yes. Without a second thought. Not only would blaming Ralph for the murders cast the blame on someone else, but when Ralph was found guilty of the murders, he would be hanged. That would rid Father of the son he couldn’t bear to acknowledge.”

“How could your father be so cruel?” Ginny asked as she brushed the tears from her eyes.

“We’re talking about a man who refused to acknowledge Ralph as his son. He knew how tender-hearted Ralph was, and took great pleasure in causing him as much emotional pain as possible.”

“I thought I disliked your father before,” Will said. “But my feelings for him have crossed to an emotion I’m not proud to feel.”

“It’s easy to hate him,” Wesley said. “I’ve hated him since I discovered what he did.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t realize what he was doing sooner,” Will admitted.

“So am I,” Wesley Fletcher whispered. He sat in silence for several moments, then rose to his feet. “It’s time I returned to my office. I’ve been gone long enough.”

Will and Ginny rose. “Thank you for meeting with us,” Will said as they walked Wesley out of the cemetery.

“It was my pleasure. Thank you for everything you did for us. Ralph and I will have completely different lives now. I can’t tell you how freeing that is.”

“Now that you’re starting different lives, I’d like to invite you and Ralph to dinner Sunday.”

Wesley’s face took on a respectful expression. “That’s not necessary, Miss Wattersfield.”

“But it is,” Ginny said, unable to hide her smile. “Lucy would like nothing better than an excuse to cook a big Sunday meal. She feels that her true talents as a cook and homemaker are wasted in the shop.”

“If you’re sure,” Wesley said.

“I’m positive. We’ll see you Sunday, then.”

“Thank you,” Wesley Fletcher said, then walked away from them.

When he was out of sight, Will reached for Ginny’s hand and brought it close to him. “Are you playing matchmaker?” he asked.

Ginny raised her eyebrows. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said as innocently as she could.

“I think you do, Ginny. You think Wesley Fletcher and your sister Lucy are perfect for each other.”

“What about you, Will? Do you think they’d get along?”

“I don’t have an opinion one way or the other.”

“I think you do,” she said, holding on to Will a little tighter. “I think you agree with me.”

“What I think is that Wesley Fletcher doesn’t stand a chance.”

“Whatever do you mean, inspector?”

Will laughed, then gathered her in his arms. “I love you, darling girl.”

Ginny’s heart swelled in her breast. “And I love you, my dearest joy, my knight.”

Somewhere across time much rejoicing was taking place.

But Ginny heard the only voice that mattered.

His voice in her heart.