Chapter 9

Ginny’s heart seemed to stop for a moment when she saw Ralphy kneeling at Lizzy’s grave. She was unable to move. Will’s arm wrapped around her waist to encourage her forward but she was rooted to the spot.

By the time she took a step forward, Ralphy had gathered up some gardening tools and disappeared around the church.

“You’re going to question him, aren’t you,” she asked.

Will nodded. “I’ll have to, Ginny. I know he was fond of Lizzy,” he answered. “I remember that he took her death quite hard. But at the time I considered that it was because Ralphy has a kind heart. I believe he would take any death hard.”

“Do you think it’s possible that he was in love with Lizzy?”

“I don’t know. I guess it’s possible.”

“What if he tried to express his feelings for Lizzy and when she rejected him he became angry? He’s very strong.”

Will held up his hand and stopped Ginny’s words. “Her injuries weren’t the work of a strong man, Ginny. They were the work of a demented fiend. Ralphy has never shown any inclination to violence, so we can’t jump to any conclusions. But yes, I will have to question him.”

Lizzy sat on a shaded bench.

“I want to be there when you question him, Will,” she said, her voice on edge. “I want to make sure he’s not frightened. That he has a familiar face with him.”

Will smiled as he sat beside her, then reached out to place his hand atop Ginny’s. “You know you can’t be there. The station has rules about this sort of thing.”

“Then don’t question him at the station. Let me arrange—”

Will pressed a finger to her lips. “I’ll let you know when the time comes.”

“But—”

“I mean it, Ginny. I shall let you know if and when I will be questioning Ralphy Weston.”

Ginny scowled at him, then gave it up and asked the question she’d wanted to ask.

“What did Wesley Fletcher say when you asked him about Lizzy’s death?” Ginny asked.

“Initially, he avoided answering any questions I put to him.”

“Did you tell him you noticed that after the service, he and his father didn’t seem to be on speaking terms?”

Will turned to face her. When she looked at him, he was watching her with a smile on his face that caused her heart to hammer in her breast.

“Have I told you yet that you’d make a very fine investigator?”

Ginny’s cheeks warmed as she lowered her gaze. “You have, sir. Now, please answer my question.”

“Yes, I said that I’d noticed he avoided his father and asked why.”

Ginny lifted her gaze and waited for him to answer.

“And that’s all you shall know, my bright-eyed girl.”

“You’re not telling me? But why?”

“Because as inspector I’m bound to keep a citizen’s privacy when it comes to certain legal matters.”

Her curious look made him laugh, and she swatted at him. “Will, I need to know. Truly. Did Wesley Fletcher say anything that made you suspicious?”

Will shook his head. “Why must I tell you? Do you know something I don’t know?”

Ginny huffed. “Wesley Fletcher called on my sister Lucy yesterday afternoon. Lucy said she thought he was just lonely and waved off any interest he might have in her. But if you truly think he’s capable of murder, Della and I need to make sure the two are never alone.”

That was definitely a good enough reason for her to be worried, to want to know everything she could about Wesley Fletcher’s possible criminal motives. Will felt bad now for goading her.

“Perhaps it would be best if one of you accompanied them at all times, kept them in public places, that sort of thing. My instinct tells me he had nothing to do with Lizzy’s death, but I can’t be certain enough to risk your sister’s life.”

Ginny nodded, then sat for several moments without speaking as the air simmered between them.

“Now what are you thinking?” he asked.

She tilted her head and lifted her gaze to meet Will’s. “If Wesley Fletcher isn’t your main suspect, then who is left?”

“I need to talk to Rodney Baker again. He lives next to Lizzy’s sisters. He was also a suspect. It’s always possible that she rejected his suit and in a fit of anger, he killed her.”

“I only saw him that once when he came to the emporium to buy her a birthday gift, but he didn’t seem at all like someone who could become that violent.”

“Anyone can become violent enough to commit murder if provoked. And rejection is a powerful motivator.”

“I suppose so.”

Ginny sat beside Will for several moments in companionable silence. Without words, he placed his finger to the side of her chin and turned her to face him.

“Would you be willing to see if Lizzy will speak to you today?”

Ginny swallowed hard. “I can try, but she has been silent the last few times I’ve tried to speak to her.”

“And she may be again, but I’d like you to try.”

Ginny nodded, then rose to her feet. Together she and Will walked to Lizzy’s grave and Ginny knelt. “What would you like me to ask her?”

“If either Wesley Fletcher or Rodney Baker killed her.”

Ginny reached out her hand and ran her fingers across the chiseled letters of Lizzy’s name on the tombstone. “Lizzy,” she whispered. “Will needs to know if either Wesley Fletcher or Rodney Baker were responsible for your death. Were they?”

Ginny waited, but Lizzy was silent.

“We need your help, Lizzy. Will cannot be your knight if you don’t help him. He needs you to tell him where to look for the man who killed you.”

Ginny waited, but there was still no answer. She lifted her head and her gaze caught Will’s. She shook her head to tell him Lizzy was silent when the most pain-filled cry rent the air.

Ginny darted to her feet, then stepped back from Lizzy’s grave. “Lizzy!” she screamed.

The cry of agony split the air and sent shivers coursing down Ginny’s back.

“What is it?” Will asked as he pulled her to him. “Did Lizzy say something?”

“Oh, Will. You should have heard her. It was terrible.”

William de Wolfe pulled her into his arms and brought her close. “What was terrible, Ginny?” His arms wrapped around her and he cradled her. “What did Lizzy say?”

“She didn’t speak any words,” Ginny finally managed to say. “She only screamed. Oh, Will, it was the most horrible sound. She was in such agony.”

Will held her for several minutes. Ginny couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t speak. Lizzy’s horrific scream played over and over in her mind.

Will stepped with her into the shadows and held her. Ginny buried her face against his chest, praying that the ungodly sound would go away. It finally faded and Ginny lifted her head until she saw Will’s strong features.

There was a concerned expression on his face and his hazel eyes burned with concern for her.

“Are you all right?” he whispered softly as his powerful arms embraced her.

She nodded, even though every nerve in her body trembled with fear.

His palm cradled her cheek. His thumb gently rubbed her bottom lip, then he lowered his head and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“You’re safe now,” he whispered. “I won’t let anything happen to you. Ever.”

Ginny read the concern in Will’s gaze. His focus lowered to her lips and she knew he was going to kiss her. She’d never wanted anything so dearly in her life.

Ginny closed her eyes as his head lowered and his lips touched hers. His mouth covered hers hungrily. His tongue traced her lips and she knew what he wanted from her.

She opened her lips to him and he deepened his kiss. Wave after wave of heated desire raced through her. Passion that had been lying dormant all these years came to life and consumed every part of her. Each kiss gloriously satisfied her need, yet left her needing more. She couldn’t take in enough of what he offered her. She couldn’t get close enough to him.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed against him until not a breath of air dared separate them.

His hands moved over her body, touching her, gathering her to him as heated emotions raged to a fiery height. She ached with a need that grew more intense with each kiss. She didn’t want his kisses to end and a cry escaped from deep within her when he lifted his mouth from hers.

Their breathing was labored, challenged by the throes of passion. Ginny attempted to stand on her own but found it impossible. Thankfully, Will kept her in his arms until her legs gained enough strength to support her.

As Ginny’s mind slowly cleared, she struggled to understand what had happened to her. She couldn’t fathom that a kiss could leave her so shaken and bewildered. She hadn’t been kissed often, but never had any man’s kisses affected her like Will’s kisses did. Never had she felt the connection to anyone like she did to Will. For whatever reason, she knew kissing him had changed everything. She would never be the same.

“Are you all right?” he asked, still holding her.

She nodded.

“I should apologize for kissing you like I did, but—”

“Oh, please, don’t apologize! I wanted you to kiss me.”

Will smiled, then led her to the nearest scrolled bench. When they were seated, he took her hands in his. “What do you think Lizzy was trying to tell you with the scream?”

“I don’t know. Oh, I wish I did.” Ginny pulled her hands from Will’s grip and rose to her feet. “Why is this happening to me, Will?” Ginny took several steps away from him, then stopped. “What if I’m imagining this? What if I’m going crazy?”

Will rose and walked up behind her. His arms wrapped around her and he locked his fingers at her waist. “You’re not crazy, Ginny. I don’t know why this is happening to you, but it’s real.”

Ginny turned in Will’s arms. “How can you be so sure that I’m not just making all this up? How can you have enough faith in me to believe that your cousin really talks to me and I’m not an insane female who belongs in Bedlam?”

“Don’t say that, Ginny. You’re not insane. You’re not. Look, you didn’t even know she had died when you first heard her speak. It can’t be something you just dredged up from a buried memory.”

Lizzy’s scream echoed again in Ginny’s mind. “You should have heard her, Will. It was the most agonizing cry I’ve ever heard. It was as if Lizzy were being tortured. As if she were reliving her murder.”

“Perhaps she was. Perhaps she’s calling out to you as a warning. Perhaps she’s angry with me for halting the investigation of her murder. Perhaps she wants me to know that her killer is a danger to someone else.”

“Do you really think that?”

Will dropped his hands from her and raked his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know, Ginny. I’m having a hard time explaining any of this.”

Ginny turned to face Will. “What if…”

She stopped. Her thoughts were impossible, and yet…

“Finish your thought,” Will encouraged.

“You’re going to think I’m reaching for answers here, but what if Lizzy wasn’t the first female this killer murdered? What if Lizzy was the second, or even the third or fourth female victim?”

“Are you suggesting we’re looking for a serial killer?”

Ginny waved her hand through the air. “Oh, I know it sounds impossible, but what if the man we’re looking for is someone beyond reproach? Someone you would never think of as a murderer?”

“Someone like Wesley Fletcher,” Will said thoughtfully. “The son of a man of the cloth. Someone who was raised to know the bible frontward and backward.”

“And what if Lizzy knows that our killer is about to strike again? It has been nearly two years. What if there’s something significant about the date that Lizzy was murdered?”

Will gathered Ginny in his arms. “The date. I hadn’t thought of that…you’re brilliant!”

“Not brilliant, surely. Just guessing. But I always enjoy hearing that you think my ideas are helpful. And that you don’t believe I’m insane because dead people talk to me.”

“Dead people don’t talk to you, love. Only Lizzy talks to you.”

Will lowered his head and pressed a kiss to her mouth. Their kiss was passionate, and caused currents of desire to rush through her, but this kiss held a new kind of intimacy. This was a kiss that spoke of promises to come. Of the need he had to show her what he felt for her. And Ginny couldn’t wait to travel this road with him.

“Come,” he said. “I need to return to the office.”

“And I need to get back to the emporium. I’ve let Della and Lucy alone far too long.”

Will looped Ginny’s arm through his and they made their way back to the emporium. “What are you going to do now?” she asked after they’d gone a few blocks.

“First I’m going to visit with Rodney Baker. Although he was never a serious suspect, it doesn’t hurt to examine the possibility that he might have had something to do with—or at least knows something he hadn’t thought to tell us—about events surrounding the murder.”

“I think that’s wise. It never hurts to reexamine any suspect.”

“Yes, Captain,” Will teased.

“And you promise to question Ralphy in the kindest way possible.”

“Aye, Captain. I shall be kind.”

Ginny snuggled closer to Will. She loved the easy camaraderie that had developed between them. She loved how safe and secure she felt in his arms.

And suddenly she realized that she was falling in love with him.