The Eyes Of A Fetch (Excerpt 400) News Is Good
When Lyla enters the art shop, she finds Marcus and Destry sitting across the counter from each other holding hands. Both of them have large wide grins on their faces and they seem to be oblivious to the world around them. “Hey you two, what’s up?” Lyla asks while smiling at how insanely funny they both look. It is as if no one else in this world exists and they cannot take their eyes off each other.
“Lyla, we have something to share with you.” Says Marcus as he grins at Destry who giggles like a little kid. She leans forward kissing him with a quick short peck.
“You two are just too adorable and I’m getting a sneaking suspicion that the news is good.” Replies Lyla as she sits on the stool next to Destry. Their grins are contagious and Lyla smiles as she says, “Okay, spill it. What’s the news?” Both Marcus and Destry look into each other eyes as they grin once more.
“We are going to get married!” Marcus says as continues to look into Destry’s eyes.
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The Eyes Of A Fetch (Excerpt 399) Matrixing
Stepping back to take another look at the second floor, Lyla almost drops off the curb to the road but catches herself before she falls. As she looks up, the house appears to be normal and quiet but after all, she is outside looking in. Is it possible Marnie’s demented actions have placed thoughts in Lyla’s head to the point she now thinks she is seeing things?
“Okay, I’m going to blame what I think I just saw on matrixing.” Lyla says to herself. After all, it is human nature to see faces in obscure patterns, like the reflections in the windows. “No one is in my house and it is simply Marnie’s insanity that is wearing off on me.” She says as she tries to convince herself that the superficial conditions are playing tricks on her.
However, in the back of her mind, she recalls what Marnie said about Penny and that her ghost haunts the house. As Lyla walks farther away, she glances back one last time to see the rooftop of her house blending in with the large branches of the trees.
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The Eyes Of A Fetch (Excerpt 398) Imagination
The sound of her own voice echoing off the wooden floor causes her adrenaline to soar even higher. She climbs the steps of the staircase and as she stops on the landing of the second floor, everything goes silent. She no longer hears the cries and the air appears to be lighter and not as oppressive.
“Maybe Penny really does haunt this house.” Lyla says to herself as she looks down the hall in both directions. Smokey comes running out of Lyla’s bedroom and begins to purr as she rubs herself against the railings and then Lyla’s legs. Her demeanor is normal and is not at all bothered by the sounds that are now hushed.
“Hey pretty girl, what was making that noise?” she asks as she picks her fluffy fat cat up. “That wasn’t you, was it?” Lyla questions as she hugs Smokey and carries her downstairs. She looks up at the second floor one last time before stepping into the kitchen. As she enters the room, she continues to talk to her cat.
“I’m going to meet Marcus for dinner, I think.” She sets Smokey on the floor while she prepares her bowl of wet food. “Alright, little girl, eat up and enjoy. I’ll see you in a couple of hours.” Lyla walks down the hall and out onto the veranda, locking the door behind her.
Just as she passes through the garden gate, she cannot help but look up at her bedroom window. Maybe it is her imagination or the shadow of the trees reflection, but she could have sworn someone stepped back from the pane of glass just now. She stares at the window for a few seconds longer and then looks down as she latches the gate.
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The Eyes Of A Fetch (Excerpt 397) Someone
As the day wears on, Lyla has managed to get a lot of yard work completed in a few hours time. Now with mid-afternoon approaching, she decides to walk into town and visit with Marcus and Destry. Maybe even have an early dinner with them at the café. After putting her tools away in a cabinet near the back door, she steps into the downstairs bathroom and tidies her hair. This is when she hears it, someone is crying.
She stands very still, as she listens for the sound to start up again, and then it does. It is a moaning and mumbling as someone talks then cries out in agony. This sends an instant quiver up Lyla’s back and she shakes her arms out to her side in response.
“What in the world?” She says to herself as she steps out into the downstairs hall. “It’s coming from upstairs.” Without any lights on, the house is shadowed and it seems as if the air is heavy with sorrow. Walking down the hall very close to the long wall, Lyla peeks up at the second floor. She bravely stands there listening for the sound and sure enough, it is coming from the rooms above.
“Is someone there?” she yells.
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The Eyes Of A Fetch (Excerpt 396) Upstairs
“What in the world was that all about?” Lyla says to herself as she glances back up at her bedroom window. Is there any chance that Marnie is under the influence of something or someone in the house? “I wonder if Crispin has come back and she mistook him for, whom? Quinn? Who in the world would she be waving at?” Lyla says in a murmur.
Taking her work gloves off, she places them on a rock next to the garden pond and walks to the house. Sweet scents blow in with the spring breeze and she smiles at how it makes her feel. She is hopeful that Crispin has returned, even if it is just because he forgot something. Walking into the house, she yells out.
“Crispin?” she says as she steps into the sunroom. “Did you forget something?” She walks down the hall to the staircase and looks up at the landing. She has not felt afraid in the house for the past couple of days but right now, that old familiar sensation of someone watching her is creeping in. Shivering she hugs her arms for warmth.
“If anyone is upstairs, I’m pretty sure it’s not Crispin.” She mumbles as she looks around, then slowly backs out of the foyer, and quickly walks down the hall to the veranda. Once outside she feels much better and decides to spend the next few hours there.
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The Eyes Of A Fetch (Excerpt 395) Rather Peculiar
“Is there something you need, Marnie?” Lyla asks. “Are you thirsty?”
“No, can’t say that I am.” Marnie says very childlike. She then looks up at the second story windows of Lyla’s house and blocks the sun from her eyes with her hand. Lyla follows the path of Marnie’s gaze, which is fixed on the window of Lyla’s bedroom. As she looks back, Marnie smiles and waves as if someone is standing in the window. Quickly Lyla turns and looks up again but just as before, no one is there. At least not anyone she can see.
“Well, it was nice talking with you.” Marnie says as she stares at Lyla in a rather peculiar way. Without another word, she turns her back to the house and starts running her fingers through her hair. She is not walking away or talking, she is simply standing in place fluffing her loose curls. She shakes her head from side to side, then turns and grins. Again, her glance is very strange and Lyla finds it to be almost frightening.
“You take care of yourself, Lyla.” She says as she glances up at the window again then with a twist of her hair, she clips it up into a bun. This is the only thing about her that has continued to be her normal behavior. Marnie has always been obsessed with her hair and cannot seem to leave it alone. The rest of her actions are very unusual and even though she is no longer in lockup, her behavior is far worse than before. Lyla does not say a word as she watches Marnie walk through the yard closing the gate behind her.
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The Eyes Of A Fetch (Excerpt 394) Bizarre
“Hi Marnie, you enjoying this sunshine?” Lyla asks as she tries to make small talk and act as if everything is perfectly normal. She knows Marnie’s emotional state is incredibly fragile and she does not want to upset her in any way. It appears that talking about the weather is about the safest subject at this moment. Lyla makes sure she keeps some distance between them and she continues to hold the small weeding shovel in her hand for protection.
“Oh my yes, I sure do love this weather. You keeping busy?” Marnie asks as she steps over near the garden pond and a few steps closer to Lyla.
“Yes, I seem to have a little work cut out for me but I can’t complain.” Replies Lyla as she watches Marnie closely. “So, what’s going on, you out shopping?”
“No, shopping is not really on my list right now.” Marnie replies not offering any details.
Lyla waits for her to elaborate but Marnie does not say a word. Instead, she looks into the water of the pond as if she is trying to see something at the bottom, and then smiles in a bizarre way.
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The Eyes Of A Fetch (Excerpt 393) Lurking
With Crispin now gone from the house, Lyla decides to go outside and tend to the yard. The trees are in full bloom with bright pink and white blossoms and flowers of all colors are popping up in the flowerbeds. She is humming to herself while pulling weeds and cleaning up debris from the winter season when she hears a familiar voice.
“Your garden looks really nice.” Says Marnie as she emerges from the open gate.
Lyla looks up a bit shocked to see her standing there, even though Marcus had already warned her that she was lurking about. First, Lyla finds it odd to think that Marnie is well enough for a release from the hospital. Just a day ago when she joined Robert on his visit, Marnie’s frame of mind was nowhere near stable.
Secondly, it is a bit disturbing to learn that upon her release, she chose to observe activity at Lyla’s house during the late night hours. What did she do, simply stand out in the darkness staring at the property waiting for something to happen? Or did she plan to make a move herself? Lyla stands up to greet Marnie, as she gets closer.
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The Eyes Of A Fetch (Excerpt 392) The View
On their last day at the vineyard, as Marcus stood with Destry in the window, he took a mental picture of the view. While in flight on the way back to the states, he sketched the image on a small piece of paper as Destry slept in the seat next to him. He has been working on this painting ever since and stayed up most of the previous night to finish it.
“I know how much you loved it there and I wanted you to have this memory with you forever.” Marcus says as he walks hand in hand with Destry back over to the easel.
“Marcus, it makes me feel like I am there, I can almost smell Grandmother’s perfume.” She says happily, as she fans her face with her hand trying to dry any tears that may trickle from her eyes.
“I’m so glad you like it. I was a little worried that I may have missed something.” He states.
“Oh no Marcus, you didn’t miss a thing. I love you!” Destry turns and grabs Marcus as she hugs him tightly around the neck, both of them smiling with big wide grins.
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The Eyes Of A Fetch (Excerpt 391) One More Look
Setting the bags down on the counter, Destry starts to smile. She knows Marcus has set this up and finds it entertaining that he is tempting her to take a peek. Grinning from ear to ear, she walks over to the display and lifts the canvas just a little to see if she can view what hides beneath. She pulls the cloth up slightly then drops it back down and looks around. She is afraid she is not supposed to be snooping but she cannot help it.
“Hum, maybe just one more look.” She says to herself as she pulls the corner up slightly higher than before. This time she gets a good view of the bottom right portion of the artwork. “What?” she whispers as she pulls the cloth higher until it slips off the back. “Oh Marcus.” She says to herself as she stands directly in front of the painting. The colorful scene takes her back to the vineyard and to her Grandmother’s house. It is the exact view that she had from her bedroom window and Marcus captured the look of the fields and trees perfectly.
“I hope you like it.” Says Marcus as he sneaks out of his hiding place behind the bedroom door. Destry turns and looks at him with wide childlike eyes.
“Oh you have no idea, Marcus. It’s perfect and it takes me there to my room at Grandmother’s.” Says Destry as she runs over and kisses him.
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The Eyes Of A Fetch (Excerpt 390) Concealing
“Marcus,” Says Destry as she walks into the art shop with two bags of groceries from the local store. “Marcus? Where are you?” She questions as if playing hide and go seek.
Looking around the gallery, she does not find him anywhere so she peeks in to see if he is in the workroom. With this small space being at the back of the gallery and without windows, the tiny room is rather dark except for a little lamp on the worktable. Its dim glow highlights a cup of brushes and several items for attaching picture frames.
“Marcus?” She asks again but just like before, she does not receive an answer.
Thinking he might be out back, she decides to go upstairs to the loft and put the food away. As she gets to the top of the spiral staircase, she sees an easel sitting in the middle of the room. A cream-colored cloth is hanging over it concealing the canvas from view. Taped in the middle of the cloth is a note that reads, “From My Window.”
“Now what is this?” She says aloud.
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The Eyes Of A Fetch (Excerpt 389) I’m So Sorry
“Lyla. . . I was so desperate.” Crispin pauses. “I knew my time was being cut short that night. Quinn was ordering me back to Ireland. I was becoming too involved with you as a person instead of keeping our relationship strictly as a business matter.” Crispin looks out again at the garden. “I don’t know if it was because he felt threatened or if he thought our lives would change. I was directed to end our association and block your memory or convince you to come with me, but I could not do either.” He glances over at the small pantry door. “So I thought if I could get you to a controlled state, as if hypnotized, I could bring you with me. Then do my damndest to convince you that we were meant for each other.” Lyla looks at him without much expression and Crispin is not sure how she is feeling about his honesty.
“I remember seeing tears in your eyes.” She says as she continues to stand several feet away from him.
“Yes, you’re right. What I was doing, well. . . it was killing me inside. It was my last resort but Quinn caught on and that is when the storm developed as a diversion. It was his way of controlling me. He was a master at generating specific situations.” Standing very still and thinking Lyla may ask him to leave, Crispin looks into her eyes. “What I had to do and the way it was making you feel. . . I’m so sorry, about everything.” He becomes silent and the expression on his face is of trepidation.
Lyla does not say a word as she steps toward him. Reaching out, she touches his arm softly and they both fall into an embrace that takes them to a long passionate kiss.
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The Eyes Of A Fetch (Excerpt 388) Like Him
Lyla stands there quietly looking up at Crispin, again surprised at how quickly he seems to identify her feelings and thoughts. Is it possible he has the ability to read her mind as well or is this just another aspect of their mysterious connection? With strong eye contact Lyla asks, “Six months ago, were you trying to hurt me? Was it you or your uncle that chased me through the attic?” A thickness of silence fills the room for several seconds before Crispin speaks.
“I was the one in the attic,” He says and Lyla starts to pull back. “But I was never going to hurt you!” he continues quickly as he releases her so she does not feel held or forced in his arms. “Lyla, I know I came on too strong and said things that should not have been said, but you must know I would never intentionally hurt you.”
“But I remember you forcing me to look into your eyes.” She says softly as she glances down at the floor and back up to look directly into his eyes. “Last night, when you and Quinn were fighting in the attic, I had flashes of you, and you were acting. . . well, like him.” Crispin looks down as if embarrassed.
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The Eyes Of A Fetch (Excerpt 387) In The Past
Lyla has accepted her strong feelings for Crispin and this in itself frightens and confuses her. She knows there are many facets of his life that are mysterious and she may find it hard to understand the process. However, she wants to be there for him no matter what.
Many sorted memories do continue to come forward and she has to admit they cause her to question his motives. Yet, she cannot deny the attraction that is so very strong. With her head still buried in his chest and hating the fact that he must now leave, Lyla knows she must ask a question that is troubling her.
“While you are away handling this thing you must take care of. . . is it something that will affect you again like last night?” She hesitates to ask this as she tries to keep her composure and not show fear.
“No, it is nothing like last night.” Says Crispin as he looks out though the kitchen window to the garden. Pulling her back so he can look her in the eyes he says, “Listen, I know there are still questions that you need answers for.” He pauses slightly. “I want you to understand that I’ve made mistakes and handled things in the wrong manner in the past and I’m so enormously sorry for my foul behavior.”
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The Eyes Of A Fetch (Excerpt 386) Surprises Him
Crispin saying her name causes Lyla to jump slightly and she pulls back from the door. Turning around, she looks up at him and watches him intently for any expressions that may let her know how he is feeling. “I was very worried about you last night, are you feeling okay?” she asks softly.
“I am much better now, yes.” He reaches out to her putting his arm around her waist as he guides her away from the small pantry door and over to the kitchen island. “Care for a cup?” he asks as he motions to the coffee pot with his hand as if he were selling her a product. “But of course.” Lyla says with a smile. Before moving very far at all, she makes a quick turn and hugs him tightly, which surprises him a little.
“What is it?” He asks as he laughs slightly. He pulls her to him holding her in an affectionate embrace. He is worried that she is upset or frightened from the recent events and she would have every reason to be.
“I’m just glad you’re here, that’s all, and that you’re okay.” Lyla looks up at him with watery eyes. “I was so concerned for your health last night and. . . and I’m so sorry for the pain you have endured because of. . .” Crispin cuts her short.
“No, Lyla. We do not need to discuss it and I do not want you to worry about it.” Crispin says as he pulls her close once again. “Listen, I must take care of several matters. One is extremely important, and what needs to be done, well it must be dealt with very delicately. Depending on how things go, I may be unreachable for a couple of days.”
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The Eyes Of A Fetch (Excerpt 385) Reaches Out
Oddly enough, Lyla finds her mind wondering if Quinn’s body went to the morgue or if Crispin made other arrangements. She cannot imagine him utilizing local service for fear of drawing attention to himself. Due to the circumstances, would the town law enforcement be suspicious?
“Crispin?” says Lyla as she starts down the staircase. She does not receive a reply and to her, the house feels a bit unsettling. With bare feet, she steps off the last step and onto the wooden floor of the foyer. She can see that the lock is latched shut on the front door so she glances over to see if Crispin is in the dining or living rooms but both appear to be empty. She decides to go to the kitchen even though she knows she may see things there that will disturb her.
She cannot help but think about what happened last night and how Quinn’s life ended. Slowly Lyla pushes the swinging door open as she enters the kitchen. The lights are on and a fresh pot of coffee is sitting on the warmer. Her eyes are immediately drawn to the little cupboard door that houses the ladder to the attic and the spot where Quinn met his demise. Stepping closer to the door she reaches out to turn the handle when very near her Crispin says, “Lyla.”
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The Eyes Of A Fetch (Excerpt 384) The Removal
“You sound a bit vague, did something happen last night?” Marcus is so upset he continues without allowing her to answer. “When she said she saw a body, I thought for sure Duff had done something. I knew I should not have left you there with him. Do I need to come over?” Marcus asks in a tense tone.
“No, I just woke up.” She stammers as she tries to think through the events of last night. “Nothing happened and Crispin and I have been talking, a lot. I’ll explain it all to you soon.” Lyla opens the door to the hallway but does not hear any sounds.
“You know I can’t stand that guy and his sidekick, Quinn.” Says Marcus in a low tone as to not disturb Destry or cause her to start thinking about the vineyard.
“Well, I don’t think you should worry about it, Marcus. Everything is okay. Hey, I need to get a few things done so I am going to let you go. I’ll come down to the shop in a little bit, okay?” she says as she slips her robe on.
“Alright good, I have a project I need your opinion on anyhow, but you call me if you need anything before then, even if you think it’s stupid! Got that?” he asks.
“Yes, I’ve got it.” Lyla says with a smile. “I’ll see you later, goodbye.”
Still looking for Crispin, Lyla walks out into the hall and to the top of the staircase. She has not been downstairs since Quinn’s fall and is not sure if she should go looking for Crispin. If Marnie is out of the hospital, and was watching the house, she may have indeed witnessed the removal of Quinn’s body.
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The Eyes Of A Fetch (Excerpt 383) I Assume
Lyla’s cell phone is on the table near her bed and it begins to ring waking her. She rolls over, looks at the clock and sees that it reads ten-thirty in the morning. She answers the call. “Um, hello?” she says softly.
“Lyla? Lyla is that you?” Marcus questions in an extremely anxious manner. “Yes, it’s me. What is wrong, Marcus?” She has picked up the urgency in his tone.
“I, I just needed to make sure you were alright.” He says quickly. “Marnie was here and . . .”
“Marnie?” Lyla says as she cuts him off. “How was Marnie there? She is locked-up at the hospital, or at least she was recently. Did she get out?” Lyla questions now becoming fully awake. She looks over her shoulder and sees that Crispin is gone and this worries her.
“Okay, man, I’m so glad you’re alright. Marnie scared me half to death. She was at the door when I opened the shop, she must have been sitting out there waiting.” Marcus says almost out of breath. “She said she saw him, which I assume is Crispin, at your house last night. He carried a body out?” he says with uncertainty.
“Really?” questions Lyla. “Yeah, is she acting weird or what?” he states.
“Yeah, or what is right.” Says Lyla as she gets out of bed to look for Crispin. His shoes are not on the floor near the window where she left them last night.
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The Eyes Of A Fetch (Excerpt 382) A Body
Without a word, Marnie enters the shop. Marcus looks up to see if Destry is in view, but she is not. He watches Marnie as she silently walks over to the counter and sits on one of the bar stools. Remembering what he and Lyla had discussed about Marnie’s state of mind, he is not sure of what to expect during this visit. “So what’s got you out and about today?” he questions. Marnie looks at him as if he is asking her a very hard question.
“What?” she says finally. “What do you want?”
“Um, I don’t want anything, you came here, remember?” states Marcus as he turns on a lamp and gets things organized for shoppers.
“Did you know I was in the hospital? I haven’t been feeling well, not sure why I was there, met some nice people though.” She states calmly.
“Yeah? Well that’s good.” Says Marcus, he is still not sure of what Marnie is talking about or why she decided to visit his shop this morning. “Is there something I can help you with, Marnie?” Looking around at the artwork she mumbles something and Marcus steps closer to clarify her statement. “I didn’t catch that, what did you say?” he leans in to listen closer and Marnie turns to face him.
“I said, Lyla is dead!” She says in a hatefully tone.
“What?” Questions Marcus. “What has happened, why would you say that?” he asks frantically.
“I saw him there, taking a body from her house last night. He had it all wrapped up, nice and neat, but I could tell what it was.” Marnie grins. “I’m pretty sure it was Lyla.”
Before Marcus can process what she said, Marnie moves toward the entry and walks out the door leaving him standing alone and stunned. He is very concerned that something horrible has happened to Lyla.
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The Eyes Of A Fetch (Excerpt 381) Here With You
Marcus and Destry awaken as sunshine begins to reflect off several mirrors on display in the art shop. Due to spring being well underway, the sun is in the process of moving its position in the sky. This causes the shop to brighten much faster than it did just days before and streaks of light begin to bounce off each item in its path.
“Did you have a hard time falling to sleep last night?” Destry asks as she rolls over behind Marcus and wraps her arms around him. He smiles as he turns toward her.
“I’ve had a lot on my mind and I did get up to get started on a new project.” He says with a smile.
“When you finally came to bed you jumped a lot in your sleep and you kept mumbling. I couldn’t really make out what you were saying though.” She says as she kisses his nose.
“Hum, if I was dreaming I’ve forgotten it all.” He sits up and looks at the clock. “Wow, we slept in, it’s almost ten o’clock! I’ve got to get the shop open.”
“Then I’ll make breakfast and bring it down.” She rolls out of bed and pulls a robe on. While tying the belt she turns to face him. “I love being here with you, Marcus.”
“I love that you love being here.” He grins. Quickly he gets dressed and makes his way downstairs to the shop door. As he flips the sign from closed to open and unlocks the latch, Marnie steps in front of the glass and this causes him to jump. “Good god, Marnie! You scared the hell out of me!” He says as he opens the door for her. She just stands there looking at him. “Well come on in.” He says in an annoyed way.
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