House of Echoes: A Novel

“We’ll all go,” Caroline said.

 

“One of us needs to pack.” Morning had seemed to pass in an instant, and suddenly they found themselves with only scant hours of light.

 

“Ted called and said the roads were bad,” Caroline said. “Would it be safer to stay here?” It would be easier, a lazy few days spent in happy reunion. But Ben had made a promise to be better than he had been. Better and easier were almost never the same thing.

 

“We can’t stay here, Cee,” Ben said. “JoJo Tanner is still somewhere in the woods. And I don’t know what’s going to happen next. I don’t want to know. I’d rather sleep off the side of the Thruway than spend another night here.”

 

“You’re right,” Caroline said, nodding. “We need to get the hell out of here. You take Bub and I’ll pack.”

 

“We can switch, if you want,” Ben said. Today, laughing and crying together had felt like old times, and he didn’t want to mess that up again.

 

“No, you drive him.” She hadn’t said anything, but from the way she winced at the light, Ben was sure she had a headache. He’d asked Father Cal to make her some of Mrs. White’s special tea. “When you get back, Charlie and I will be ready to go.”

 

In Caroline’s arms, Bub began to tire himself out. His cries had faded to whimpers and his eyes began to droop.

 

“When are they going to leave?” Caroline asked, tilting her head toward the floor. Ben could hear the murmur of voices from downstairs. When he’d returned to the Crofts with Bub, the villagers had been about to start another search. While the search for Bub had ended, the search for JoJo continued, and they’d been using the Crofts as a base of operations.

 

“We shouldn’t kick them out,” Ben said. “JoJo’s not going to try anything else while they’re here.” The villagers’ presence around the property was the only reason he’d consider leaving Caroline and Charlie behind.

 

“I’d feel better if they left,” Caroline said.

 

“I swear I’ll get back here as quickly as I can.” He hoped he wouldn’t be gone long; for all Ben knew, Bub might have to go to a hospital.

 

“All right,” Caroline said. “I’ll find something warm for Bub.” His clothes were strewn across the floor from when they’d ransacked his room. All the drywall on one side had been torn out, its remains in a heap that spilled into the hallway.

 

“Where’s Charlie?” Ben asked. The boy had also tried to soothe Bub, but had eventually left it to Ben and Caroline.

 

“He went to get something to eat,” Caroline said.

 

“I’ll check on him.” He kissed Bub on the head and Caroline on the cheek and headed downstairs. Chief Stanton, Jake, and Cal were in the kitchen. The chief and Charlie sat at the table while Jake and Cal leaned against the counter.

 

“Swannhaven’s very special in the winter,” Ben heard the chief tell Charlie. “It’s like no other place on God’s earth.”

 

“Did you call the FBI?” Ben asked the chief.

 

“I did. They’re mighty glad the boy’s safe. They’d be on their way here, but their cars are buried in the snow.”

 

“Okay,” Ben said. “Where are you looking for JoJo?”

 

“Sent a crew to the den you found in the mountain. Just about to head there ourselves.” The chief stood up from the table and smiled at Charlie. “Glad your brother’s safe, aren’t you?” he asked him. “You see where your prayers can get you?”

 

The chief went for the door, and Jake followed him. Jake hadn’t said anything to Ben since he’d arrived, and he left without a word.

 

Ben saw Father Cal’s eyes also following the men out of the room. He wondered what the older man was thinking. He wondered what else Chief Stanton had said to Charlie as they sat at the table.

 

“Charlie, see if you can help Mom pack,” Ben told him. “We’re getting out of here.”

 

“Okay,” Charlie said. It was hard to tell with a face like his, but Ben thought he looked relieved.

 

“I’m sorry, Ben,” Cal said when Charlie left. “I’m starting to understand what it must be like to live here. Demons in the wood and ghosts in the parlor.”

 

Demons in the wood and devils at the door, Ben almost corrected him.

 

“Even the living are—” Cal shook his head. “Chief Stanton thinks you should stay here over Christmas, but I think you’re right to leave for a while. And I’m sorry to add to your burden, but this tea—” Cal opened the canister of Mrs. White’s tea.

 

“Right,” Ben said. “Caroline’s head is bothering her, and I thought a cup of it would even her out.”

 

“There are some things in here that shouldn’t be,” Cal said.

 

Ben looked at him.

 

“Well…” The priest reached into the canister to take a handful of the tea. “There’s some St. John’s wort, which is fine, and some lavender for flavor. Lady slipper, too, if I’m not mistaken. But this…” He pulled a brown shaving from his hand. “This is valerian root. It can be a pretty powerful sedative if it’s prepared in a certain way.”

 

“Mrs. White designed the tea especially for Caroline. To help with her moods.”

 

“It can also cause night terrors and disorientation. And this…” He plucked a withered white petal. “This looks like hellebore. We grow it at the priory but only for aesthetic reasons. It’s quite toxic. It can cause stupor, vertigo, and any number of other problems. People can die from eating it. I can’t even identify some of these other things.”

 

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