Page 3 of Sins of the Fathers
Dawson nodded, not quite trusting his voice.
“Are you boys up for a cup of coffee?” Lily asked. “The cafeteria here actually makes good java—and pie.”
They went through the line and found a quiet table to enjoy their drinks and dessert, then fetched refills for the coffee.
“What made you aware of Jason’s ghost?” Grady asked.
Lily touched her perfect blonde-gray hair, a nervous gesture. “When I went to the house after they took Everett to the hospital, I wanted to make sure the trash was taken out and that nothing was going to spoil in the refrigerator. We didn’t know yet whether he’d be able to come back.”
“Everett was happy in that house,” she went on. “He and Jason bought the duplex fifty years ago, right after Jason came back from Vietnam. Of course, back then, they had to tell everyone that they were ‘brothers.’”
Dawson couldn’t help a glance in Grady’s direction. “I take it that wasn’t true?”
Lily chuckled. “No. Their real friends knew the truth. They were two fools in love, definitelynotbrothers. The duplex let them pretend, for the sake of the prudes out there, that they weren’t actually living together, although there was an inside door that connected the two halves.”
“When did you find out about the ghost?” Dawson was acutely aware of Grady’s thigh next to his on the booth’s bench. Under the table, Grady put his hand on Dawson’s knee.
“Jason died three years ago. Heart attack,” Lily confirmed. “Until then, they both seemed hale and hearty. I don’t think Everett and Jason were ever apart for more than a couple of days. Everett ran the second-hand bookstore over in Bryson City, and Jason ran the art and craft supply store next door. They were real pillars of the community.”
“Back to the house,” Dawson said. “What happened?”
Lily cradled the mug as she talked.
“When I went into the house, I checked to ensure everything was locked up tight; nothing plugged in that might start a fire, that sort of thing. I walked around, making sure none of the windows were open, but I swear I wasn’t snooping.
“The longer I stayed, the more I felt like someone was watching me. I didn’t see anyone, just a feeling, you know? I did what I had promised Everett I’d do and hurried out. When I glanced up from the street, I thought I saw someone at the upstairs window, but when I looked again, they were gone,” Lily added.
“Do you think it was Jason?” Grady asked.
“Jason died in the house. I had met Everett through Meals on Wheels, and we became good friends. After Jason’s death, I brought him food, stayed with him in the evening, tried to get him through it as best I could.” She shook her head. “Poor man was inconsolable.”
“Did you see the ghost again?” Dawson prompted.
She nodded. “Everett asked me to go back to the house and pick up a few things for his room and put the houseplants on the deck or take them home with me.”
“What happened?” Grady asked.
Lily paused for a moment before speaking. “Everything was normal at first. I thought maybe I had just imagined feeling watched. I brought garbage bags and started to go through the refrigerator and the freezer. While I was in the kitchen, I heard something fall in the living room, and when I went to look, a mug was on the floor. I thought that was strange, but I picked it up and took it to the kitchen.”
“And then?” Dawson couldn’t help getting caught up in the story.
“Things went crazy fast. Doors slammed, knickknacks fell off shelves, chairs tipped over. I finally just looked up and yelled, ‘That’s enough, Jason!’”
She smiled. “I’m a tough old bird. It takes a lot to scare me. And in life, I certainly wasn’t scared of Jason. I explained what was going on to thin air—about Everett being in the hospital and the stroke and all. We didn’t know yet that he would have to go to a nursing home, but I tried to let Jason know that was a possibility. He didn’t take it well.”
She shook her head, remembering. “The sense of despair became overwhelming. And then the ghost had a tantrum. Throwing cushions, breaking glass, lights flickering, the whole horror movie vibe.”
“So you think Jason was worried about Everett?” Grady chanced.
Lily nodded. “That’s what I believe. I don’t know for certain, but it seems logical. Jason saw Everett collapse and be taken away, and then Everett didn’t come back. It seemed like Jason couldn’t control his grief and anger.”
“Do you know what’s going to happen to the house?” Dawson asked, feeling a kinship with Everett and Jason.
“Jason legally changed his name decades ago so that they could pass for brothers. I don’t think he had any family—or if he did, they weren’t close. Everett has a niece, and she’s his Power of Attorney,” Lily replied. “I imagine she’ll get the house ready to sell at some point.”
“Jason wants to be with Everett—which means here at the nursing home,” Dawson said. “I don’t think either of them will return to the house. They’ll move on from here.”
Lily sighed. “That’s good because someone—Everett’s niece, probably me as well, maybe others—are eventually going to need to pack up their belongings. It would be nice not to have Jason throwing crockery at us,” she added with a wry chuckle.
