When the judge and the two lawyers come out of the chambers, he waited for the Bruces, but they never came out. When the judge started talking, it was all Mitch could do not to jump up and down, laughing.
“The Bruces, after much...discussion, have decided to drop their suit against the forenamed people. They instead are being brought up on other charges.” No one said a word for several seconds, waiting like him, he was sure, for there to be some sort of explanation. When it came, it wasn’t from the judge. It was from Billy.
“They’re going to jail.” Mitch looked at the older ghost. “And let me tell you, they won’t last all that long there either. We got us some people they have hurt going there to talk to them a little. You might say they’re going to be judged by a different kind of jury. And they’ve been found guilty already.”
They were making their way out of the courthouse some twenty minutes later when the first of several of the other men approached Mitch about what he’d done, and to tell him thanks. Mitch had never been so grateful for the support of his friends and family than he was in that moment.
~~~
The doors to Old Things opened two days later. The huge warehouse was filled from top to bottom with not just antiques, which took up most of the five stories, but also newer items such as drapes and fixtures. There was a line outside the building when Vinnie left to go home to rest. Nine people were working today, on this special day, and she wondered if there would be enough help. Addie and Kari were just getting out of their cars when Vinnie locked the back door.
“We’ve come to help out. And it looks like you can use us, too.” Vinnie watched them move to the front of the store, and she called them back. Handing them her keys, she told them where to find the person in charge.
“She’s not very confident in herself, so I would expect to have her ask lots of questions. There are others that can work the job, but she’s the one that said she can do this. I think she can as well, but....” Vinnie shrugged. “You really don’t mind helping out? Oh, and Max is in there too. He’s a ghost that will be helping you with prices, as well as whatever questions the people might have on a certain piece.”
“We’re excited.” Vinnie looked at Kari’s belly, envying her having a child by the man that she loved. Soon, she told herself. Soon she and Mitch would have children as well. Addie looked at her and smiled. “You’ll be here soon enough.”
“I hope so.” Kari nodded. “We’re just talking. I don’t know...we’re trying to figure out a lot of things right now.”
“So are we.” Vinnie looked up at the sun. “You’d better get going. I know how to get in touch with Mitch if we have any problems, and he said he could contact you too. It’ll be fine, you’ll see.”
Moving her body, running down now with the sun so high in the sky, she made her way to her lair. As she moved into the room, she felt the weight of the sun taking her nearly to the floor. She knew she was going to have to rest more than she had lately, and blamed it on the stress of the new store. As soon as her head hit her pillow, she was out.
Waking, she nearly screamed when she felt someone in the room with her. She tried to peer into the darkness. It frightened her on so many levels to know someone had gotten into her rooms with her when she’d been sleeping. When a light flared, she sat very still on the side of the bed and looked at the man in front of her.
“Hello. In the event you don’t know it, I’m not here. Or there. Whatever you want to call it. I’m at my home, and you are there.” Nodding, she stood up, glad now that she’d been too tired to undress before sleeping. “I need your help.”
“I’m not the police.” He laughed, and she moved to turn on the lights. With the light on, it seemed less creepy to have him in her room. “You need help, perhaps you should go to them.”
“But it’s my daughter. She’s not dead, but I can’t seem to locate her at all. It’s like she has fallen off the face of the earth.” She asked him what he meant. “Dillon, my daughter, is human, but...she has some abilities that make her a commodity to others. She can find things that are thought to be lost.”
“You mean she uses psychometrics.” The man smiled and nodded. “You could have just said that. Told me what she can do.”