Coffin Cemetery: Tormented Souls Series Book 1

Chapter 17: Found

A hand touched Dan’s shoulder, and he shuddered, scurrying away from it and inadvertently striking his head against a headstone. He swore as stars exploded in front of his eyes.

“Dan!”

He tried to focus and succeeded. Jessica stood in front of him, her car parked a short distance away. Aaron and Emily were in the vehicle, eyes wide and filled with disappointment as they looked upon their father.

Shame burned his cheeks, and he looked down at the ground between his legs.

“Dan,” Jessica said again, her voice lower. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

He never spoke to her about the shooting. Not once. His silence had been too much. The final spike driven between them, the proverbial straw and the camel’s back.

His words were barely a whisper when he replied. “Nothing.” Dan reached up, took hold of the top of the headstone and, trembling, pulled himself to his feet.

Jessica looked at him, then shook her head in disgusted disbelief.

“I have change from the shoes,” she muttered, reaching into her pocket.

“Keep it.” Dan’s voice was rough. “Buy the kids lunch. I know they don’t eat Happy Meals anymore, but I don’t know, maybe something else.”

Jessica tilted her head a fraction of an inch. “Dan, what’s wrong?”

“Clayton,” he managed to utter before his throat closed up and his lips pressed together, his fear rendering him mute.

“Oh hell,” she sighed. “You need to get some help. Believe it or not, the kids, they miss you. As difficult as you were, you’re their dad. I’m not going to preach to you about this. We’ve been over it too often. Maybe, if you can get your act together, you can salvage your relationship with them.”

Jessica looked at him, and Dan saw the woman he had fallen in love with twenty years earlier. Black hair that fell in curls to her shoulders, olive-toned skin, deep brown eyes.

He nodded. “Okay. Please, tell them I’m sorry. I’ll, I’ll try and see someone. Garrett, he recommended a therapist.”

“Do it,” she said. “Do it and give your kids a call, Dan. I’ll take them out to eat. Tell them it was from you.”

“Thanks.”

She gave him a tight smile, turned, and left. He clung to the marker as she got back into her vehicle and put it in gear. As the brake lights flashed, Dan raised a hand in farewell and was surprised when both children returned the gesture.

Then they were gone, and he was alone.

For a few more minutes, he remained upright courtesy of the headstone. When he felt strong enough, Dan stepped away from it, bent down and picked up his backpack. He walked on tense legs to the schoolhouse.

Later, when he was in his room, his pack forgotten on his chair, he sat in front of the wall with a box of penny nails on the floor before him. With a sigh, he opened the box and took out a handful of the fasteners. He picked out a single nail and set it on the floor, parallel to the wall. A second followed it, then a third.

As he sought some sort of control and peace, nail after nail followed. Ten, then twenty. A hundred and two hundred. Hours passed, and still, he worked on his organization.

His phone chimed, telling him it was six in the evening and time for dinner. Dan had missed lunch, and his stomach growled and twisted. He got to his feet, wavered for a heartbeat, regained his sense of balance, then went about the familiar and comforting routine of preparing and eating dinner.

When he finished, Dan sat down in his chair, stared at the wall, and wondered when Garret would return with information about Courtney Lee.

Dan closed his eyes and tried to take a deep, calming breath, but all he could manage were ragged inhalations. His exhalations sounded like the dying gasps of a steam engine.

Should I just kill myself? he thought. It wasn’t the first time such an idea had crossed his mind. Until he actually did commit suicide, he doubted it would be the last.

No. Dan shook his head. That would be too much for the kids. I can’t do that to them. No.

He yawned and considered getting up and going to his hammock. Such an act would require him to move, and Dan felt incapable of movement. I can sleep in my chair tonight. Or at least for a little bit.

He attempted to get comfortable and eventually found a spot that didn’t pain any of his major joints. When he opened his eyes later, he saw it was dark out. Hours had passed since he had sat down.

“Dan,” a voice called softly from the darkness.

Dan winced and sat up straight. “Eli, why are you whispering?”

“Someone’s here.” The fear in the dead boy’s voice was intense.

“In the cemetery?” Dan asked, shocked.

“Yes.” Eli came into view, his eyes darting about, as if expecting the trespasser to be in the room. “Don’t put on any lights. She’s been here before. She’s the one who buried me.”