Exceptional Mary comes face to face with Jon Secrets in the Wind : Secrets in the Wind - Chap 45 by Begin Again

Background Jack McKinley's recent death appears to be suspicious. The investigation of one crime leads to another and so many other secrets in the wind. Wrapped in a shawl, Faith closed her eyes and listened to the creak of the floorboards as she rocked back and forth. It was a warm autumn day, and the sunshine felt good on her skin, but all she could think of was Annie. Sebastian lay at her feet, and the nurse sat nearby, reading a book.   The nurse had given Mary a sedative when she arrived home from her ordeal with Liz. She was resting quietly, but Faith couldn’t even imagine how distressed Mary must have been. Her mind wandered, imagining a heartwarming reunion between mother and daughters. A simple prayer kept repeating in her mind.   Dear heavenly Father, please return my sweet baby girl to us. Don’t let me die without her safely in my arms again. Let her find joy in her grandmother and her aunt.   The FBI agents set up their post in the tailgate of the SUV. A cooler of water and a box of snacks were behind the back seat. A fold-up table, two chairs, and a chessboard completed their encampment. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves and randomly sent a colorful leaf onto the game board as each agent studied their chess pieces, planning the winning move.   A low, steady growl rumbled from Sebastian. He lifted his enormous head and sniffed the air. A loud series of barks followed as he left his comfortable sleeping position and stood at the edge of the porch.   The agents reacted to Sebastian’s alert and hurried toward Cynthia and Jon as they stepped into the clearing.   “Hold it, right there.” Pete’s hand rested against the gun holster. “This is private property and a crime scene.”   “My goodness. I will tell the Director what a good job you’re doing, young man, the next time I talk to him. But you needn’t be so dramatic. We heard about the missing girl, and Father Jon rushed over to pray with the family. You certainly can’t find anything menacing by asking God to return her safely, now can you?” Cynthia continued to walk toward the porch, her eyes focused on the two women, refusing to be intimidated by the agent. “Come on, Father Jon, introduce yourself.”   As Cynthia approached the porch and had a better view of Faith, she almost fainted in shock, except for the hair color she was staring at her neighbor, Liz. At a loss for words, she allowed Jon to step in front of her.   Jon extended his hand to Faith as she leaned forward in the rocker. Sebastian returned to Faith’s chair, blocking Jon from getting any closer. Faith tucked the blanket around her legs and patted the dog's head.   “Sit, Sebastian.” Faith commanded the obedient pup and then addressed the frustrated agent. “Pete, it’s okay. He’s a priest.”   “But ma’am—” Pete continued to keep his hand on the grip of his gun. “We can’t be too careful.”   “It’s okay. You’re only a few feet away. He's a servant of God and his prayers can't hurt.”   Pete nodded and stepped back from the porch. To his sidekick, he said, “Keep an eye on them. I’m calling the boss.”     Pete punched in Garth’s number and walked toward their vehicle. On the third ring, Garth answered, “Hello.”   “Boss, it’s Pete. We’ve got company.” Pete turned to see what was happening back on the porch. “Some woman and a man wearing a collar walked up the service road like they owned the place.”   “Where are they? What are they doing?” Garth motioned to Hank to come, and he hurried out of the study.   “The sick woman told us it was okay because he’s a priest. And the woman with him looks like she saw a ghost.” Pete moaned. “Boss, please hurry because that Mary woman just came out of the house. I don’t know what’s going to happen next.”   “I’m on my way.” As he ran toward the Jeep, Garth yelled over his shoulder to Hank. “I’m guessing Cynthia and Father Jon are making a house call.”   “Cynthia. The cat’s out of the bag now, for sure. That woman is the biggest gossip in town. Too bad she chose the wrong side of the coin; she might have had a career as a private detective.”   They both climbed into the Jeep as Garth started the engine. As the doors slammed, he was speeding down the gravel road.     As Jon stretched to shake Faith’s hand, Mary opened the screen door. “So kind of you to visit, Jon.” Her voice was icy as she glared at him.   As Mary said his name, Jon jumped and snapped his head in her direction. Wide-eyed, he choked out her name, “Ma—Mary?”   “You look like you saw a ghost.” Mary blinked back the tears. “Reincarnated as a priest.”   “Oh Lord, forgive me. Mary, I can explain, but—”   “But he came to pray with the family for the missing girl.” Cynthia wanted to know more about this woman who appeared to be a twin to Liz. “We heard and wanted to reach out to her mother.”   “Oh, let me introduce you. Jon, meet Faith, Annie’s mother.”   Jon stood there, unable to move or talk.   “It appears we’ve been living in the middle of a nest of liars. When I went for help for Annie, I hadn’t realized what else I would discover.” Mary lifted her eyes to the cloud of dust moving in their direction. “Looks like the cavalry is about to arrive. You two might want to leave.”   “Mary, please, let me explain,” Jon whined. “My parents—”   “Another time, Jon. Our only concern is to find Annie. If you or your friend can help with her return, I am sure the FBI would be eager to talk with either of you.”   Cynthia tugged at Jon’s arm as the Jeep skidded to a stop, tossing dirt, rock, and dust in every direction. The side doors of the Jeep opened simultaneously, and both men ran toward the porch. Garth reached the group first, with Hank steps behind him.   The FBI agent flashed his badge at Cynthia and Jon. “Garth Woodman, FBI Investigator. You are both under arrest for interfering in an ongoing investigation. You’ve knowingly entered a crime scene.” He turned to his agents. “Pete, cuff her and take her to the sheriff’s office.”   “Wait! We meant no harm. Father Jon wanted to pray for the family, and I offered to drive him. You certainly can’t arrest us for reaching out to the troubled.”   Garth looked at his agents, then Hank, and then directly at Mary. Their eyes connected. “Maybe we can let her go for now and keep the Father. After all, it was his idea to enter the crime scene.”   “What? No, that’s wrong. Cynthia insisted it would look bad if I didn’t visit the family. She talked me into coming.” Jon stared at the handcuffs dangling from Pete’s fingers. Beads of nervous sweat dotted his forehead.   “You wanted to pray with them, Father. They won’t arrest you for that. If there’s a fine, call me.” Cynthia edged away from the group. “I certainly didn’t mean to break any laws, Agent Woodman. I apologize. Can I go?”   Garth’s nod worked faster than a starting gun at the beginning of a race. Cynthia’s boots jogged down the service road, and she never looked back, leaving Jon with the wolves nipping at his heels. ****************   Dusty gray cobwebs hung from the corner rafters in the dark, musty, windowless room. A single bare lightbulb dangled in the center of the room from the ceiling. Discarded clothing, a filthy mattress, a paint-chipped wooden chair, and a broken wine barrel lined one wall. The room smelled of yesterday’s sweat, vomit, and remnants of a wine cellar. A tray with a water bottle, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and two chocolate chip cookies sat on an empty box in the middle of the room.   The sounds of footsteps and creaking stairs disappeared, leaving an eerie silence. Annie huddled in the corner, wrapped in a clean blanket. Her tear-stained eyes peeked over the frayed blue edges as her body trembled with fear. The light flickered, and then it was no more.   In the dark, Annie screamed, “Mama! Sebastian! Someone help me. Please, someone, help me.” Her pleas bounced against the walls and fell unheard to the ground. She buried her face and sobbed hysterically. “Sebastian.” Summary... Cassidy is framed for murder. Allie goes undercover to protect Cassidy, but they are both stabbed. Cassidy's life is threatened again in the hospital, and she is pronounced dead (but actually in protective custody). Mason Caldwell runs many illegal businesses, including drugs and human trafficking. Jon, a priest and Cassidy's brother, has sold his soul. Mary, a caregiver, discovers her child she gave up for adoption thirty years ago. Cynthia and Michael are searching for gold on Liz's property. The mysterious woman (Faith) is dying from cancer and lives in a secret cottage with her daughter, Annie, Sebastion, and Mary. Darryl runs the winery, and Miguel is in charge of the vineyards. Garth and Hank are trying to solve the cases.   Recognized Author Notes Theodore (Ted) and Meredith Cranston - previous owners of Sweet Haven Estates Jack McKinley - present owner of Sweet Haven Estates - deceased Elizabeth (Liz) McKinley - Jack's widow and owner of Sweet Haven Estates Alyssa Shelton - (Allie) Liz's best friend and an Investigative Journalist Darryl Pennington - Estate Foreman for past and previous owners Mary Hunter - Retired nurse and current caregiver of Faith and Annie Faith Cranston-Newton - daughter of the Ted and Meredith Cranston Annie Cranston-Newton - Faith's daughter Sebastian - the lovable St. Bernard and Annie's companion Dr. Eugene Copeland - the local physician Sofia Sanchez - Mason Caldwell's housekeeper Miguel Sanchez - vineyard supervisor Jon Saladino - Priest and much more Cassidy Rotello - assistant of Mason Caldwell Mason Caldwell - rancher and owner of a gambling casino Garth Woodman - (Jeremy) Undercover FBI Hank Armato - Private Investigator Emmy Armato - Hank's wife and also retired detective Cynthia - librarian, historian, town gossip, and wanna-be detective Michael - realtor and Cynthia's nephew Tango and Poppa - FBI agents

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