Page 14 of Feathered Web

“It was, from all the reports. She was buried in the cemetery here, in an unmarked grave. In town, my great-grandpa and the children buried the empty casket in the regular cemetery with a headstone. My great-grandma’s body is out there in the cemetery here, somewhere, with a blank marker like the others. I have no idea which grave is hers.” Abernethy lowered his head. “I usually don’t tell people that story. I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to bring down your tour.”

“Don’t apologize,” Kerris said.

“We’d like to see the cemetery if you don’t mind,” I asked.

“I’m sorry, but it’s off-limits,” Abernethy said, glancing out the window. “I’d like to show you but…” He paused, looking uncertain, and I scrambled to think of a way to get out there, without telling him who we actually were.

“I’m somewhat psychic,” I said. “Just a family trait, I guess. I read tarot cards and sometimes I can sense spirits. We could look around the cemetery and maybe find out which grave is your great-grandmother’s.”

That brought the response I hoped for.

He looked up, hope in his eyes. “You think you might be able to find out?”

I nodded. “Possibly. I can’t promise, of course, but we might be able to. Why do they exclude the graveyard from the tour?”

Abernethy shrugged. “I don’t know, to be honest. It didn’t used to be. Then when the Broadman Group bought it last year, they suddenly changed the rules. I asked why, but they just said to mind my business and do my job.”

Rowan sighed. “I hate it when people won’t explain themselves, especially when the question’s a fair one.”

I caught her gaze and gave her a half-nod. Rowan knew how to appeal to people.

“Me too,” Abernethy said. “I’m the one who has to think of a reason to explain to tourists why their entrance fee doesn’t give them a walk through the cemetery.” He frowned, then said, “As long as you don’t tell anybody, I’ll be glad to let you look through the cemetery. And if you can figure out which grave is my great-grandma’s, I’d be so grateful.”

Right then, that confirmed he wasn’t part of the kidnapping. The Covenant of Chaos and Cú Chulainn’s Hounds weren’t about to let us out there if they were keeping Penelope around.

I gave him a grateful smile and nodded. “Of course. We won’t say anything, and I’ll do my best to figure out where your great-grandma is buried.”

As he led us through the kitchen, toward the back door, I caught sight of Agnes again. I closed my eyes and reached out. We’ll do our best to help, Agnes.

And Agnes let out a soft sigh and smiled.

CHAPTER SIX

The footpath from the kitchen to the cemetery was made of slate stones, and for as old as the cemetery was, the trail was weeded and tidy. Abernethy glanced over his shoulder once, then led the way.

The path wound through a large backyard, to a stone wall that fenced off the cemetery. An old iron gate straddled the sidewalk, but it opened smoothly without a squeak. I had the feeling Abernethy came out here to look for his great-grandma a lot. He seemed shaken up by the whole situation.

As he opened the gate, standing to the side to let us through, I looked around. The cemetery wasn’t large, but there must have been well over a hundred graves in it, and it had grown wild, with climbing roses and ivy creeping over gravestones and markers, and blackberries encroached from the other side. A massive yew tree grew in the center of the cemetery, and as we entered the cemetery, Kerris let out a little gasp.

“I have to ask you not to take any photographs,” Abernethy said. “If my employers caught sight of any online, they’d have my head for this.”

We promised, and he seemed to believe us because he relaxed.

“Oh good grief,” he said. “I forgot to put up my out for lunch sign. I doubt we’ll get any more visitors today, but I have to leave a note to tell them that I’m around.” He worried his lip. “If I leave you here alone, do you promise not to do anything to compromise my position?”

I wasn’t sure what more he could do to put his job in danger than let us in here, but I nodded. “We’ll just look around.”

“All right. I’ll be back in a moment.” He hurried out of the graveyard, shutting the iron gate behind him.

I turned to Kerris. “What’s wrong?” I asked. “I noticed you?—”

“I sense Penelope. She and I have a bond, and I can feel her out here. I’m not sure where, but…she’s here, all right.”

I told them about the conversation I had had with Agnes as we looked around. “Penelope is out here. We just have to find her.”

There were several mausoleums, along with all the graves. They were made of weathered stone, with thick ivy growing over the roofs and up the walls. The longer we stood here, the more active I realized the graveyard was. I could feel the movement of spirits everywhere, and as we stood silent, I heard muffled crying on the wind. The sound of a woman singing a melancholy dirge lingered on the edge of my hearing, sounding faint like an echo from the past. I shivered, feeling like I was walking between worlds.

“This place gives me the creeps,” I said. “There are spirits everywhere.”

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