inside him for a long time. He paused before adding, “And I
heard her answer you.”
She felt her throat constrict. All these years, they’d each
been keeping a secret from the other. “You never said anything to me about it.”
“I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know if I’d made it up
because I missed her so much. And I didn’t want to talk about it with a child
if it wasn’t true.”
Isabella was amazed that they were having this conversation
almost twenty years later.
“You didn’t make it up. And now I know I’m not the only one
who heard her.”
Her father gave her a long look. “I think you’re tuned to .
. . the invisible world in ways most people aren’t.”
Her mouth was so dry she could barely speak. “Why do you
think so?”
“Because I saw how you read everything you could about the
vortexes. And I knew you asked Matthew to take you out into the desert so you
could be close to them.”
“I didn’t even know you were paying attention to that.”
“I paid attention to a lot of things that I didn’t talk
about. I’m sorry, I should have—” He stopped and started again. “I think now
you’d say I was depressed. And withdrawn. Forgive me.”
“Oh, Papa.” She hugged him tightly.
When she eased away, his gaze met hers. “So tell me, did a
spirit help you at the ranch?”
“I’m not sure, but I need to find out.”
“Then vaya con Dios ,” he answered, before giving her
a critical look. “But you can’t just rush off. You should shower, get some
sleep, change your clothes.”
She didn’t want to take the time for any of that, but she
didn’t want to arrive at Garrison Care looking like a refugee from a war zone.
So she allowed herself the luxury of showering and washing her hair. While she
was getting cleaned up, her father had a messenger service bring over some
clothing from her house. He also checked the airline schedule from Phoenix to
Los Angeles.
“I got you on a flight tomorrow morning,” he told her when
she was dressed and relaxing on the patio of their suite.
Having to wait made her chest tighten, but she understood
the sense of her father’s arrangements.
They had a room service dinner together on the patio, and
she felt she was getting to know him all over again as they talked of old
times. Many of the memories were good like the Navidad pageant at school
where she’d had the honor of playing the Blessed Virgin. Some memories were
painful. Like when they talked about her brother, whom they would never see
again. But maybe now they’d be able to go back to San Marcos to locate old
friends.
“Did Frank Decorah tell you I had to blow up the ranch house
to get away?”
“ Si. ”
“I’m sorry about your books . . . and everything else that
was there.” She made a small sound. “Well, I did grab the money hidden in the
tunnel. It’s in the hotel safe. I thought I’d need it if I had to be on the
run. Now you should take it with you. Well, except for some I might need for
expenses.”
“Take as much as you want. I always intended it to be yours.
And about those things in the ranch house, they are nothing compared to your
life.”
She reached for his hand and squeezed it, happy she had her
father back.
Still she worried about Matthew.
She went to bed early and woke long before she had to leave
for the airport, caught between excitement and trepidation. Though the trip
covered a short distance, it seemed to take forever until she was in her rental
car in Los Angeles. As she drove to Garrison Care, her tension mounted.
In the parking lot, she tried to calm the pounding of her
heart.
Taking a deep breath, she gave the two-story building a
critical look. It was in the mission style popular in California, with nicely
landscaped grounds.
Inside, she continued her appraisal. The facility was
spotless, and the staff looked efficient. Probably the best she could hope for,
under the circumstances.
Her pulse was pounding as she walked to the
heard her answer you.”
She felt her throat constrict. All these years, they’d each
been keeping a secret from the other. “You never said anything to me about it.”
“I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know if I’d made it up
because I missed her so much. And I didn’t want to talk about it with a child
if it wasn’t true.”
Isabella was amazed that they were having this conversation
almost twenty years later.
“You didn’t make it up. And now I know I’m not the only one
who heard her.”
Her father gave her a long look. “I think you’re tuned to .
. . the invisible world in ways most people aren’t.”
Her mouth was so dry she could barely speak. “Why do you
think so?”
“Because I saw how you read everything you could about the
vortexes. And I knew you asked Matthew to take you out into the desert so you
could be close to them.”
“I didn’t even know you were paying attention to that.”
“I paid attention to a lot of things that I didn’t talk
about. I’m sorry, I should have—” He stopped and started again. “I think now
you’d say I was depressed. And withdrawn. Forgive me.”
“Oh, Papa.” She hugged him tightly.
When she eased away, his gaze met hers. “So tell me, did a
spirit help you at the ranch?”
“I’m not sure, but I need to find out.”
“Then vaya con Dios ,” he answered, before giving her
a critical look. “But you can’t just rush off. You should shower, get some
sleep, change your clothes.”
She didn’t want to take the time for any of that, but she
didn’t want to arrive at Garrison Care looking like a refugee from a war zone.
So she allowed herself the luxury of showering and washing her hair. While she
was getting cleaned up, her father had a messenger service bring over some
clothing from her house. He also checked the airline schedule from Phoenix to
Los Angeles.
“I got you on a flight tomorrow morning,” he told her when
she was dressed and relaxing on the patio of their suite.
Having to wait made her chest tighten, but she understood
the sense of her father’s arrangements.
They had a room service dinner together on the patio, and
she felt she was getting to know him all over again as they talked of old
times. Many of the memories were good like the Navidad pageant at school
where she’d had the honor of playing the Blessed Virgin. Some memories were
painful. Like when they talked about her brother, whom they would never see
again. But maybe now they’d be able to go back to San Marcos to locate old
friends.
“Did Frank Decorah tell you I had to blow up the ranch house
to get away?”
“ Si. ”
“I’m sorry about your books . . . and everything else that
was there.” She made a small sound. “Well, I did grab the money hidden in the
tunnel. It’s in the hotel safe. I thought I’d need it if I had to be on the
run. Now you should take it with you. Well, except for some I might need for
expenses.”
“Take as much as you want. I always intended it to be yours.
And about those things in the ranch house, they are nothing compared to your
life.”
She reached for his hand and squeezed it, happy she had her
father back.
Still she worried about Matthew.
She went to bed early and woke long before she had to leave
for the airport, caught between excitement and trepidation. Though the trip
covered a short distance, it seemed to take forever until she was in her rental
car in Los Angeles. As she drove to Garrison Care, her tension mounted.
In the parking lot, she tried to calm the pounding of her
heart.
Taking a deep breath, she gave the two-story building a
critical look. It was in the mission style popular in California, with nicely
landscaped grounds.
Inside, she continued her appraisal. The facility was
spotless, and the staff looked efficient. Probably the best she could hope for,
under the circumstances.
Her pulse was pounding as she walked to the
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