She and Mark were casually strolling along a hiking trail with Red when Colleen heard a voice.
“It is you, Miss Colleen! All grown up now. Oh, and I’m sorry, you don’t need to respond, young woman. Not now. I see you’re with—”
“Rickie!” she cried out with pleasure.
Private Rickie Naughton stood in the center of the path, still in his full uniform.
“It’s all right, Miss—”
“Private Richard Naughton,” Mark said. “A pleasure to meet you, sir.”
“Ah, another!” Rickie said. “Sir, I cannot tell you—the pleasure is uniquely mine. Your—kind—is rare. In fact, we first met this lovely young woman when she was barely a teenager. And we met her siblings as well. I see your arm about the lady, sir. I do expect—”
“We’re engaged,” Colleen assured him.
“Congratulations, then. Sir, you are gainfully employed and a good man who appreciates we are a great human family.”
“Most certainly, sir,” Mark promised.
“Alas, many of us foolishly learned the hard way, but you see, once death claims us, a human soul has no color. We are one, and alive and dead, we are beautiful in all that we are.”
“Indeed, sir!” Mark said.
“And you are gainfully employed?” Rickie asked Colleen.
She laughed. “We work together, Rickie. We work for the government in the FBI.”
“It’s an agency that—” Mark began.
Rickie cut him off.
“Sir, I have strolled over these hills a great many days. I am well aware of the agency of which you speak.” He paused, shaking his head. “War, sir, is ugly and horrible. And yet, perhaps, I died in one that had to be fought. Still, like this young lady, I was from the great state of Florida; I followed my state, as did many a man. But through the years, I have also seen man’s terrible toll upon other men when war is not in the picture, and I am honored I walk with those who seek justice for all men.”
“Colleen and Megan spoke of you this morning,” Mark told him. “It is I who am honored to walk with you.”
“And what a beautiful dog!”
“Red,” Mark said. “He is a very good dog.”
“And he senses me too,” Rickie said. “You said your sister is here as well?” he asked Colleen.
“She is. Shopping, I believe. But she’s going on the ghost tour tonight.”
“Ah, then a ghost shall join the ghost tour!” Rickie said. “And I’ll bring my best friend with me. It’s sad to realize the enemy is just as human after a war has been fought, right? Or even accept the fact that you were wrong.” He hesitated and shrugged. “Maybe I stayed to learn I was wrong. And maybe I’ll be around longer to see the decade when everyone from everywhere is really free and equal. Anyway, you two keep up the good work!”
“Thanks!” they said in unison, waving as Rickie hurried on.
They walked a few trails and returned to town, ate a light dinner in the commercial section of the area, and went back to the B and B to freshen up and head out on the ghost tour.
They were supposed to meet downstairs at twenty after eight to go to the ghost tour.
She and Megan knew about most of the sad stories. They’d been on the tours before. The guide would talk about Screaming Jenny who, sad and poor, had cooked out in the open, and when the fire caught hold of her dress, she’d run screaming down the railroad tracks right into an oncoming train. It was said there were nights when her apparition might be seen, and the sounds of her screams echoed through the darkness. There was the ghost of a soldier who haunted St. Peter’s Church; he had died because no one realized the severity of his wounds when the church had been used as a hospital. Saddest maybe was the story about the ghost of a little Civil War drummer boy who had fallen out of a window when soldiers were playing around—soldiers who supposedly loved him.
The stories always differed a little. But the guides were usually excellent, and it was forecast to be a beautiful night.
Mark’s phone rang as they were about to leave. Colleen looked at him curiously. He gave her a grimace and covered the phone.
“Ragnar. He has followed Megan all day. He wanted us to know they’re both back at the hotel, and we’ll meet downstairs as planned.”
“Great.”
They went down.
Ragnar was there, waiting.
Megan was not.
“I’ll run up and get her,” Colleen told the two men.