Mystery and Crime Fiction posted February 8, 2025 Chapters:  ...29 30 -31- 32... 


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Accepting the Unacceptable
A chapter in the book Veil of Secrets

Veil of Secrets - Chap 31

by Begin Again


 
 
Maria felt the icy chill of Antonio's hands, heard Eleanor's voice telling her to close her eyes, then the wind — a roar she'd never heard — and then a soft jolt before she opened her eyes.

Her mind was spiraling out of control. Each thought threatened to overwhelm her.
One moment, she was soaked, shaking, and crawling through the mud, then Antonio touched her hands, and then —

Maria's eyes darted wildly across the grand hallway where she now stood. Wooden floors gleamed under the sparkling chandelier. The faint scent of burning firewood and lavender flowers filled the air. The rain she had felt moments ago was gone.

She spun on her heels so fast she nearly fell. Antonio stood a few feet away, unmoving. Her pulse pounded in her throat.

"No., this can't be." She took a staggering step back. "This isn't real."

Antonio said nothing. The house was silent until she heard the footsteps.

Maria's head snapped toward the staircase, where a woman was descending. She looked a little older than she was, taller and chunkier, her dark brown hair pulled back, her eyes warm but assessing. She moved with an air of caution.

Immediately, Maria felt a kinship. Something in her eyes and her demeanor suggested the world hadn't been kind to her either. She might not have been in the tunnels, but she'd faced hardships.

Maria tensed. Who was she?

The woman stopped a few steps from the landing, her gaze steady. "You're safe," she said.

Maria's eyes narrowed. She took another step back, her breath still too fast, her body still remembering the terror of the tunnels.

"Who — who are you?" she demanded, voice hoarse.

The woman hesitated as if weighing her answer. Finally, she said, "My name is Althea."

Maria blinked rapidly, her mind spinning. "Where am I? How did I get here?"

"It's called The Vineyard and belongs to my family."

Maria whirled on Antonio, her voice rising. "And what the hell did you do to me?"

Antonio tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "I helped you."

Maria's chest heaved. Her fingers clenched into fists. "I was just there," she whispered. "In the field. I was running. I — I was trying to —" Her voice cracked, memories crashing down. "Lisa and Sarah — the others —" Tears spilled down her face.

Althea's voice remained calm. "People are looking for them now."

Maria shook her head fiercely. "No — no, you don't understand. I was just there!" Her breathing came in sharp, panicked bursts. "I was crawling —" She grabbed at her arms, feeling the lingering cold in her skin.

She turned back to Antonio, staring at him now, really looking. His clothes were untouched by the mud she had dragged herself through. His boots were clean. His breath didn't fog the air.

Maria's stomach twisted violently. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "What are you?"

Antonio didn't move. He wasn't prepared to answer her.

Maria let out a shaky, disbelieving laugh. "Oh my God." She pressed her palm to her forehead, feeling her pulse race beneath her skin. She stumbled away from him, backing against the grand staircase. "I'm losing my mind," she breathed. "This isn't happening. None of this can possibly be real."

Althea reached out gently. "Maria."

Maria jerked, and her eyes narrowed. She took another step back, her breath still too fast, her body still remembering the terror of the tunnels.

Her mind was spinning. "Where am I? How did I get here?" She whirled on Antonio, her voice rising. "And what the hell did you do to me?"

Antonio finally spoke, his voice low. "I brought you to a safe place — nothing else. You wouldn't have come if I'd told you the truth first."

Maria exhaled sharply, a tremor running through her. "And what truth is that?"

Antonio said nothing.

But Maria already knew. She let out a shaky breath. "You're dead."

Silence.

Althea's gaze softened. "Yes, he is."

Maria shuddered. She turned, her eyes darting toward Althea, suspicion creeping back in. "Are you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Althea's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "No," she said. "I'm troubled, just like you. My son is missing — taken. But I do know the people — the ghosts you are fearing right now- will be kinder than anyone you've ever known. They only mean to help."

Maria wasn't sure she believed her. Everything — all of this — was too strange.
She pressed her fingers against her temples, eyes squeezed shut. "None of this makes sense."

Althea stepped forward. "Come with me. You are cold and exhausted. There is nothing to fear here."

Maria's jaw clenched. "I should be out there. Helping them."

Althea sighed, patient and unwavering. "The best way to help them is not to collapse yourself." She gestured up the stairs. "Come. Have a bath, wear warm clothes, and rest."

Maria wavered. The fight in her wasn't gone, but the exhaustion was taking over. She shot Antonio one last look, searching for anything that made sense. She found nothing.

With a shaky breath, Maria turned and let Althea guide her upstairs. But in the back of her mind, she knew she wouldn't sleep tonight, not after what she had seen.

And not while a ghost walked freely among the living.
*****

The sound of shovels scraping against dirt echoed through the underground passage, punctuated by the occasional deep groan of shifting earth. The dim light from the remaining flashlight flickered against the crumbling walls.

Lisa pressed herself against Sarah, whispering, "They're coming through." But a greater fear overshadowed the relief that should have come with those words — the men weren't giving up.

Paolo, bleeding from a cut on his forehead, shoved a woman aside, knocking her to the ground. "We go first," he growled to the remaining men. Looking at Anders, whose grip on his pistol tightened.

Anders wiped sweat and dirt from his eyes, voice sharp and desperate. "That's right! We ain't dying here! If they're digging us out, we make a deal — us for them." His gaze flicked toward the women.

Sarah spat at his feet. "You won't get out of this."

Anders grabbed her arm and yanked her toward him, making Lisa and the others scream. "We'll see about that." He pressed the gun against Sarah's temple. "Get us out first, or I'll paint these walls red."

Lisa lunged at him, clawing at his face. "You son of a —"
 
Paolo grabbed her, slapping her before he shoved her to the ground.

A deep, low chuckle rippled through the tunnel. It wasn't from any of them. And the team outside hadn't broken through yet.

A cold wind blew through the space, carrying a whisper that wasn't human. "Fools! You are already dead."

The smugglers froze. Paolo's breath turned misty, and his hands began to shake.

Anders barked, "Shut up! That ghost crap doesn't scare me. I don't know how your magic works, but I assure you I'm not dying here."

A sharp crunch. Anders let out a strangled cry. His gun hand was bent at a sickening angle  — snapped as if crushed by an invisible force. He dropped the gun, his knees buckling.

The women stared in shock, muffling their sobs. Their captors were suddenly helpless.

Lisa didn't hesitate. She grabbed the gun from the floor, cocked it, and aimed it at Paolo's chest. "Looks like you're the one making a deal now."

Behind them, rock shifting and falling away signaled their salvation. Tango's team broke through. Light poured in, illuminating the terrified expressions of the smugglers and the fierce determination in the women's eyes.

Tango's voice boomed. "Hands up! Now!" as two of his team dropped into the tunnel.
The smugglers, still shaken, obeyed except for one — Paolo. He made a desperate dash toward the gap, but something caught his ankle.

A shadow moved unnaturally fast, a cold, skeletal hand of mist gripping his leg and then yanking. Paolo screamed. Something pulled him into the darkness, and the tunnel collapsed, sealing him away.

Cornelius materialized, glaring at those that remained. "Leave while you still can."
His form faded, but his words lingered like a curse. "Or I'll bury you all. This is my land!"

Then — he was gone.

Silence.

Tango barked, "MOVE, NOW!" as he remained in control despite feeling shaken.

Lisa, still clutching the gun, exhaled, tears streaming down her mud-caked face. "It's over."

An agent gently removed the gun from her hand and whispered, "Yup, it's over, and you're alive."
 
*****

Maria sat wrapped in a thick robe, her damp clothes folded neatly on a nearby chair. Her wet hair clung to her neck, and her fingers curled around a steaming cup of tea she hadn't touched yet.
She was too wired to sleep, too exhausted to think, and too overwhelmed to breathe properly. Her mind was a whirlwind of fear and confusion, each thought crashing into the next.

The silence was oppressive — a heavy blanket that smothered any attempt at peace.

Her mind replayed everything—the tunnel collapse, the frantic escape, the impossible journey to the mansion, and Antonio—a ghost. Visions of Cornelius and Eleanor flashed through her troubled mind. She mumbled, "This can't be happening."

She let out a shaky breath, her fingers tightening around the cup. A soft knock at the door made her jump. She turned sharply, half-expecting Althea again, but her breath caught in her throat when the door eased open.

It was her — the woman from the field. Maria stared, wide-eyed, not knowing what to say.
Eleanor's presence, serene yet commanding, was as soft as the candlelight; her silver-threaded hair was in a tight bun, and her calm, knowing gaze met Maria's.
 
For a brief moment, Maria's fear cracked — just a little, because even though she didn't understand why, seeing Eleanor made her feel safe.

Eleanor smiled gently, stepping inside, the door clicking softly behind her. "May I sit?"
Maria swallowed, then nodded stiffly. Eleanor settled into the chair across from her, crossing her legs with practiced grace. Her eyes scanned Maria, reading her like an open book before speaking. "You have nothing to fear. You're safe now."

Maria let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "Everyone keeps saying that."

Eleanor tilted her head slightly, studying her. "But you don't feel it, do you?"

Maria's chest tightened. She set the tea down abruptly, shaking her head. "I don't even know where to start. I — I don't know what's real anymore. That man —"

Eleanor remained silent, waiting.

Maria's eyes flickered to the door, then back to Eleanor. "That man — Antonio."

Eleanor's expression didn't change. "Yes."

Maria leaned forward, voice shaking. "He's not—" Her trembling hand flew to her mouth as she mumbled, "He's not alive, is he?"

Eleanor sighed softly, her voice gentle and filled with compassion. "No. He's not."

Maria shivered, running her hands over her arms. "But — but he carried me. He spoke to me. He —" She swallowed hard. "Ghosts can't do that."

Eleanor's smile was wistful. "Some can. Not all spirits that walk the earth are here to harm others. Some have a mission to wipe away the hurt and pain."

Maria's pulse pounded. She searched Eleanor's face, looking for anything that made sense. And then — a memory surfaced. She had been on the ground, broken and bleeding. Terrified of that man. And the woman — Eleanor had found her. She had touched Maria's face and whispered something soothing, but Maria hadn't questioned why she hadn't been there before.

Maria's breath hitched. "You —" Her voice cracked as she sat up straighter. "You were there. In the field. Before Antonio."

Eleanor's smile softened, and she nodded.

Maria's stomach twisted violently. She shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "You're not real either, are you?"

Eleanor exhaled softly.

Silence. The answer was in her sad smile, in the way her presence was too calm, too still. Maria pressed her hands to her mouth, shutting her eyes. "Oh, my God."

She felt Eleanor's warmth before she even spoke. "No, child. I am real," Eleanor said softly. "Just not as you know it."

Maria's hands dropped slowly. Her eyes stung. "What does that even mean?"

Eleanor smiled gently, patient. "It means I am here because you needed me."

Maria swallowed hard. "But you're dead."

Eleanor nodded. "Yes." She moved closer and wrapped her arms around Maria, sending all her love and caring into the trembling woman's body.

Maria let out a shaky breath. "Then why do you feel real?"

Eleanor's expression changed, just a hint of amusement flickering in her eyes. "That, Maria, is a much longer conversation for another day."

Maria shivered again, not from the cold, but from something else. She was sitting in a room with a ghost.

A ghost who had saved her.

A ghost who was looking at her with more understanding than anyone ever had.

Maria exhaled, her hands falling into her lap. She was too tired to run, too shaken to fight. Her voice broke when she finally spoke. "What happens now?"

Eleanor studied her for a moment and then said, "Now, you rest. The others are safe as well."

Maria's body sagged.

And for the first time since the nightmare began, she let herself believe it might be true.
She was safe. For now, with Eleanor.

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Recognized


Main Characters -
Spirits from the past -
Eleanor Bennett - ghost detective
Danni - jr. ghost detective working with Matthew Donatelli
Cornelius Webb - Miriam's nemesis and murderer
Miriam Cascio - Trevor's murdered bride, Rebecca's grandmother and protector of the Vineyard
Antonio Maggio - Rebecca's grandfather and Miriam's first love

Bayside's Community --
Jenna Bennett - Event planner, Eleanor's daughter, Maggie's mother, Donatelli's love
Matthew Donatelli - Bayside's lead detective and Maggie's father
Rebecca Cascio Stillwell - recently inherited the Vineyard after discovering her adoption
Garth Woodman - FBI Agent and widower (Allie) and potentially interested in Rebecca
Joseph DeLuca - Bayside detective
John Doyle - Ex-judge, nemesis to all, and escaped prisoner from Joliet State Prison.
Vince Rossi - mobster and Doyle's cellmate and escaped prisoner
Grayson Webb - grand nephew and recently inherited the Webb Estate
Althea Webb Cascio - mother to Travis and half-sister to Rebecca
Travis - missing boy
Amelia - girl in the caves
Phil Henderson - Bayside family lawyer
Maria - a woman escaping the tunnels
Lenore - an old woman with a wolf dog and magic
Criminals -
Zhang Wei - once involved in human trafficking with Doyle, seeks revenge for his career losses after Doyle's downfall from the Judge's bench.
Frank DiVito - retired gangster and childhood friend of Garth
Sam - Frankie's right-hand man and friend
Jack Lexington - Chicago kingpin
Tony "The Hawk" - Salvatore "Sal" and Vito Greco -- the New York mob
Smugglers from New York
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