Griffin walked over to them, lifting his glass. Grant was an alcoholic. A functional one, but an alcoholic. No relation, of course. My Grant family was Southern to the core. Cheers!
Youre a cynic, Mr. Grant, Ashley said, inclining her head.
Griffin laughed. Not at all. We strive for an understanding of history around here, right?
We do, Ashley agreed. And, historically, many of them were truly honorable people. Can you imagine being Mrs. Robert E. Leeand losing a historic family home, built by George Washingtons stepgrandson and filled with objects that had belonged to George and Martha? Remember, Arlington was a home long before it became a national cemetery!
Cheers to that, I suppose, Griffin said. Whiskey, Mrs. Donegal? Why, my dear woman, you should be sipping sherry with the other wives!
I need a whiskey tonight!
Ramsay and Griffin laughed, and she joined them while she listened to her guests chatting. Some of the other men argued history, tooand she saw that everyone involved in the actual reenactment had shown up. Cliff, Ramsay, Hank, Griffin, Toby and Johnand the Yankees, Michael Bonaventure, Hadley Mason, Justin Binder, Tom Dixon and Victor Quibbly, along with John Martin, of course, and Dr. Ben Austin.
Everyone but Charles Osgood. She couldnt imagine that he wasnt there. He must have been thrilled to death with the day.
Hey, wheres Charles? Ashley asked, interrupting a rousing discussion of Farraguts naval prowess.
A few of those close to her quit talking to look around.
I havent seen him since he very dramatically died of his wounds, Ramsay said. I skedaddled right after and rode out with Justin, before we rode back to take our fair share of the applause.
Cliff? Ashley asked.
Cliff shook his head. No, I was with the soldiers who came rushing in too late when Charles was being besieged by the enemy. I thought he just stood up and bowed when everyone was clapping. I dont remember seeing him when you and Frazier started talking or when the band played.
Hes probably outside somewhere. Ill call his cell, Ramsay said. He pulled out his phone and hit a number of buttons.
Ashley watched him. She realized the others had already turned away and were becoming involved in their conversations again.
Ramsay shook his head at her. No answer.
Cliff cleared his throat. Not to be disrespectful in any way, but maybe he met a girl andgot lucky.
Yeah for Charles! Justin Binder said, lifting his glass. He was somewhat tipsyif not drunkAshley thought. Good thing he was staying on the property. The others were all still playacting; they were entrenched in the past.
They didnt want to look for someone they obviously believed was just off enjoying his own star turn. But
He would have wanted to be here tonight, Ashley said stubbornly. He was so thrilled to be taking the part of Marshall Donegal. Im going out to see if his car is still here.
Ramsay lifted a hand. Sorry, dont bother, Ashley. He didnt drive. He came with me. I told him that I couldnt give him a ride back since I was going to stay at the house out here for a while, but he told me hed hitch a ride back in with someone. Said he didnt have to be back to work until Tuesday morning and for me not to worry.
Gentlemen, perhaps a search is in order, Frazier said. A Civil War parlor game of sorts.
They all stared at him blankly.
Exactly, Ashley said, relief coloring her tone. Find the lost rebel. Beth will create a five-star private meal for a party of four, payable to the manor womanwho finds Charles!
I will? Beth said. She looked at Ashley. Um, it will besumptuous!
Its a lot of property to cover, Ramsay murmured.
We need to organize, then, Griffin said. It will be fun. Yankees take the cemetery side, and rebels search out the bayou side.
Is that fair? Griffin asked. If hes still around, old Charlie would be by the cemetery, dont you think?
I pick scouting detail! Justin said.
Yes! Lets find Charles! Toby said.
Ill check out the area around the oaks out front, Matty Martin offered. She was watching Ashley and seemed to realize that Ashley was seriously worried. John, you can come with me. Its mighty dark out there, even with all the lights from the house and the property floodlights.
Of course, my dear, John told her. They should have let women fight the war, he muttered, following her out.
Hank laughed. Yeah, imagine, mud wrestling at its best.
Hank! Cliff admonished. War is always a serious affair.
Well, of course it is, Griffin said. War is very seriousbut were not at war. Were playing a game. Were looking for old Charles. Hey, Ashley, if no one wins
Well, at some point, well just all have dinner, she told them.
Great! Beth muttered to her. Now I get to cook for all of them!
Its good that Ive got the bayou side! Toby Keaton said. Borders my property.
Ill take the cemetery, Frazier said.
You will not. Its dark and dangerous in there, Ashley told him.
Not for me, dear. Its memories for me, he said softly, and quickly turned away. Neither of them wanted to think about Ashleys parents, entombed in the majestic family vault.
Grampa, pleaseyou need to be here as everyone returns, Ashley said.
Ill take the cemetery, Ben offered. Im really familiar with the living and the dead, he added and winked. Just give me one of the big old flashlights at the back door. Ill be fine.
Ben would be fine. He was a big, strapping man in his mid-forties. Besides, hed attended funerals for both her parents and knew the cemetery well.
Ashley wanted to take the cemetery herself; that dream had to have been a sign.
No, that would be insane. Ben knew what he was doing. She wasnt going to let a dream dictate what she did in her life.
Okay, so where are we going? Beth asked Ashley.
The stables? Ashley suggested.
Ill come with you and stand there, but Im not going near the horses!
An hour later, they had finished the actual search as best they could in the night.
Ramsay went to speak with the guests who were staying in the rooms that had been the old stables, and the Yankee contingent spoke with those in the other outbuildings. Cliff went to his office, wondering if Charles might have slipped in there to rest.
They all searched, from the river to the road, from the sugar fields to the bayou, but there was no sign of Charles Osgood. By midnight, all the searchers were back at the house.
Ashley, really, he must be out somewhere else, Cliff told her.
She looked at Ben. You searched everywhere in the cemetery? There are so many paths, little roads between all the vaults.
Ben sighed. Ashley, I searched. But we can all take another look.
She nodded.
That was actually not a suggestion, Ben said.
Its all right. Ill go myself, Ashley said.
Well help, Ramsay said, tugging at Cliffs sleeve.
Its all right. Ill go myself, Ashley said.
Well help, Ramsay said, tugging at Cliffs sleeve.
Ive still got the key, so Ill come, too, Ben said.
Ashley led the way, wondering why she thought that shed really find Charles in the cemetery, just because shed had a dream.
But she was determined.
Ben opened the lock on the gate, though, of course, they could have all crawled over the stone wall.
Ashley headed straight for her family tomb. The real Marshall Donegal had died there.
The last interment had been her fathers. The usual little pain in her heart sparkedit always came when
she thought about him, and her mother. And tonight, especially, she missed Jake.
There was no sign of Charles there, and no sign that he had been there.
She almost fell, she was so relieved.
The tomb glowed white beneath the gentle touch of the moon, dignified in its decaying majesty. She heard the three men calling to one another from different sections of the graveyard, and she followed a voice to reach Cliff. He looked at her. Ashley, Charles left. Whether he was spirited away by aliens or not, I dont know. But he isnt here. This isnt any parlor game, is it? Youre really worried.
I am. Did you go in the chapel? she asked.
You think that Charles is hiding in the chapel? Or kneeling down, still thanking the good Lord for the chance to be Marshall Donegal? Cliff asked dryly.
Please, Cliff?
He groaned. He walked around the ell that would lead them to the chapel, in the far corner near the embankment of the river. The chapel had carved oak double doors, which creaked when he opened them. He fumbled for the light switch, and light flared in the lovely little place with its stained-glass windows, marble altar and old mahogany podium.
The place was empty.
Happy? Cliff asked her.
No. I cant help itIm worried, she told him.
He just shook his head. Come on. Lets just go.
They walked back to the house, where the others were still milling on the back porchmany of them having retrieved their drinks.
So, the bastard did get lucky! Ramsay said, laughing. Hell, if I had foreseen that, Id have had him play Marshall Donegal a couple of years ago!
Im going to call the police, Ashley said, looking at her grandfather.
Hes been missing just a few hours, Beth pointed out. He might have thought that he said good-night to everyone. Theres so much confusion going on when the fighting ends. I mean, I thought it was amazingit really was living history. But its mass confusion. I can only imagine a Gettysburg reenactment.
Ashley realized that everyone was staring at herskeptically. They had searched and searched, and grown bored and tired. But she couldnt help her feelings of unease, even while they all stood silent, just staring at her.
The river breeze brought the chirp of the chickadeesher senses were so attuned to her home area that somewhere, distantly, down the bayou, she thought she could hear an alligator slip into the water. This was her home; she knew these sounds.
They were normal; they were natural. But the sounds of the darkness werent reassuring to her now.
Grampa, I think we need to report this to the police, she repeated.
Great. Hes probably at some bar in the big city, bragging about the fact that he got to play Marshall Donegal today, Ramsay said. And theyll drag him out and hell act like a two-year-old again.
Frazier stared at Ashley and nodded. If she wanted to call the police, they would do so.
The parish police were called, and Officer Drew Montague, a nice-enough man whom Ashley had met a few times over the years, took all the information.
You say you all saw him just a few hours ago? he asked. Montague had a thick head of dark hair and eyebrows that met in the middle.
Yes, she said.
What makes you think that hes actually missing? Perhaps theres a woman involved. Is he married? Look, Miss Donegal, you know that we appreciate everything that you do for the area, but were talking about a grown man who has been gone just a few hours, the officer said.
He was proud of the role he was playing. He would have stayed, Ashley insisted.
Officer Montague shifted his weight. Look, Ive taken the report, and Ill put out a local bulletin to be on the lookout for him, but hes an adult. An adult really needs to be gone for forty-eight hours before he is officially missing.
Frazier spoke before Ashley could. Anything you can do will be greatly appreciated. Were always proud that the parish is about people, and not just red tape and rules.
Montague nodded. Right. Well, Ill get this moving, then. Well all be on the lookout for Mr. Osgood.
Ashley thanked him. The others had remained behind, politely and patiently waiting. Now it was really late, and once again there were a number of weary men and womenall still in Civil Warera attirestaring at her.
Officer Montague left, mollified by Frazier Donegal over the fact that he had been called out on a ridiculous mission.
Im sorry, Ashley said to the others. The evening had started out as a party and turned into a search committee.
Hey, Cliff said, grinning, I dont have far to go home.
Were staying in the stables anyway, kid, Justin Binder told her. He had played a Yankee, and happily. His family hailed from Pennsylvania.
Griffin laughed and gave her an affectionate hug. You made me sober up, which is good. I am driving.
Me, too, John Ashton said. He held her shoulders and kissed her cheek. Charles is just fine. Im sure of it.
She thanked them all and said good-night, and they drifted away, some to the old outbuildings where they were staying, and some to their cars, parked in the lot out front and down the road.
She stood on the porch with Beth and her grandfather.
She couldnt tell whether they thought she was being ridiculous or not, they were both so patient.
Beth gave her a kiss on the cheek and said, We still have about sixteen guests, and the household. Ive got to get up early to whip up our spectacular plantation breakfast.
Ashley bid her good-night. It was down to her grandfather and herself, and Frazier was going to wait for her to be ready to head off to bed.
Something is wrong. I can feel it, Grampa, she said.
He set an arm around her shoulder. You know I have an old friend. Ive been meaning to call him for a long timetonight seems a good time to have a chat with him. If Charles really is gone, he may be able to help us. His name is Adam Harrison. I dont know if you remember meeting himI see him up in Virginia and D.C. sometimes. He worked for private concerns for many years, finding the right investigators for strange situations. Then the government started calling him, and his projects were all kind of combined for a while, civilian and federal. But hes got a special unit now, and hes got federal power behind him on it. His people are a select group from the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI. Ill give him a call. Well get someone out here to help by tomorrow. And if Charles turns up, no harm done.
She lowered her head. Adam Harrison. She knew the name. His unit had been involved in solving the death of Regina Hollowayit had been all over the media because she was a senators wife. And she knew, too, that Jake Mallory was part of that unit. She might not be a part of his world, but she hadnt been able to miss it when shed seen his name in the papers. She had broken off something that had been real with Jake, because he had terrified her because he was certain that he had spoken with her father, after he had died. And now.