The Ghost Cop: Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Andrew stood in the guest room of David’s house. It had been a long week, and part of him yearned to go home. He wanted to see Amy and his mom, yet unanswered question encouraged him to linger around even though they couldn’t be answered.
“Andrew, we need to hurry or you will miss your bus.” David said from the doorway.
“I know. Give me a minute.
“Okay.”
“David isn’t it funny how in a week, hell even a hour or so, how much your life can change. In less of an hour of my life, I belonged to a perfect family. Someone else’s choice could change a life forever. Most of the time, without even think about the choice. Something, I can’t get back. Yet on the other hand, because of what happened, I have brought most of the family back together. I have two sets of grandparents, along with a family who is now a part of my life. I also have my mom and my sister and well as two close friends now talking. It’s hard to tell if losing my dad compares to knowing so much of the family. I could have lived my life with my dad with the possibility of the family getting back together. A reason behind what happened lives. I just don’t know what the reason is yet.”
“If you believe in a reason is there, then it will come.”
In the background you could hear the phone ringing and Sandy answering it.
“Andrew the phone’s for you.”
“Hello.”
“Andrew. It’s Jerry.” Jerry said sounding upset
“What’s going on?”
“Andrew, your grandmother…” He stopped drawing in a deep breath. “Your grandmother passed away this morning about a half an hour ago. I think you better come down here.”
“Oh, no.” Andrew said, breathing deeply trying to hold back the tears. “I will be right there.”

Andrew walked down the hall of Sunny Side to his grandmother room finding it full of the closest family members. Andrew found Jerry walked up to him from out of the crowd.
“They have not taken her. We figured you would want to say your goodbyes. She left things behind I think you should have. The nurses found her just like this with a letter beside her for you.” Jerry finished as he handed him the letter. “Next to the bed we found these.”
Dear My Grandson Andrew,
My dear child, I am so sorry for not understanding it was you next to me a few days ago. I am more sorry for having to leave you before I could properly meet you, but on a more happier note your dad is here with me. I can see his love for you and your mother in his eye although he will not speak of it. Just remember to follow in your dad’s foot steps and always keep your word. One day, long after your father passed, I visited him. I asked him to forgive me for all the mistakes I made, but I knew he could not forgive me then. I only made one request upon his forgiving was to take me to heaven with him. He returned to take me to heaven tonight to take me to heaven. Although he says now is not his time to go to heaven because he still has unfinished business. The last thing I need to tell you is Andrew, honey, watch the truck because he is coming and we can’t stop him.
Love,
Grandma Mary

Andrew looked at the rest of the papers.

My Dearest Dan,
My pregnancy is going good. The doctor says everything is good. The baby should be coming at the end of March. I am unsure what will happen then, although I am sure I will not be keeping the child. George is not letting me leave the house. He says the circumstances would not be good for the business reputation if I was to wonder around. I find myself spending my time in my oasis pouring over my books and writing. the room’s the little comfort I have now.
Love,
Mary
My dearest Dan,
You should see Adam now. I snuck out of the house and saw his Christmas program. He made a beautiful angel, our beautiful angel. He sang and danced. He looks so happy.
Love,
Mary
My dearest Dan,
We know have one of the most handsome boys in high school. Prom was last night for him. He looked good in his tux and a beautiful girl on his arm. I stood in the background, but I still managed to get some pictures of him. I stayed long enough to see him begin his first dance, but I couldn’t stay any longer. I wish you would have been at the dance to see him.
Love,
Mary
My Love Dan,
I just wanted to write you and tell you what I discovered today. The house was empty this afternoon. I normally don’t go looking through Georges papers, but I came across an unusual picture the other day. One with George and a young women , Linda, at the firm. I just didn’t seem right. Looking through some of the papers I came across a letter from a women to George stating she could no longer take care of Tom and he needed to take him. She was glad she got to spend the first two years of his life with their son. Devastated, I continued to look through the stack of papers until I found an article written in a out of state newspaper about a women who shot herself leaving behind her two year old son Tom Dace. I can’t believe all this time I have been true to George against all the feelings I have for you, just to find out the child I am the closest to is his mistresses baby. I need you know.
Love,
Mary

“Thanks Jerry for letting me see her before she passed.”
“Why don’t you take the items. They mean more to you then they will to us.”
“Thanks Jerry.”
“We are planning the funeral for next week.”
“I can’t come, as much as I would love to.” Andrew said. He walked over to his grandmother. She was laying on her bed with her hands across her chest. What looked to be a peaceful smile was across her face.
“Good bye grandma.” Andrew said leaning over and placing a kiss on her forehead. Andrew left Sunny Side, knowing all little more but lose end still survived. He knew the lose-ends would not be tied. Even all considered, somewhere inside he knew she came to peace with what haunted her for so long because he uncovered several of the hidden items.

“Grandpa, it’s Andrew.”
“Hi Andrew
“Grandma passed away early this morning.”
“Oh no. I am so sorry Andrew.”
“It’s okay. I know you already said your goodbyes to her, but you remember the key you gave me?”
“Yes.”
“Well, the key went to a box she kept all these years. the box contains a few things in it I think she wanted you to see.”
“Bring the letter by okay.”

Andrew didn’t even make it up to the front door before Dan stepped out. He gave Andrew a hug, whether it came derived for a kid who lost his grandmother or a man who lost one of the loves of his life in unknown.
“I don’t have much time. I just wanted to tell you the orphan boy was George and his mistress’s baby. Mary didn’t know until the day she met up with you. She discovered letter and then found you. All this time, nobody knew George was worse then her.”
“It explains a lot.”
“Grandpa, she loved you. You gave her the one thing she needed the most. She was only true to the man she married because she was raised to be true. If you didn‘t, society looked down upon you.”
“I know, Andrew, I know.” Dan grinned
“I also wanted you to read this:
Dear my love Dan,
Our baby boy was delivered today March 25, 1957. He weighted 7lb 2oz and 17 ¼ inches long. He was so beautiful, looking a lot like you. I also filled the adoption papers out. I figured you wanted to know my only request was he be named Adam because As one Dan and Mary.
Love you always, Mary
“I never knew.” Dan choked out. “Thank you, for piece of mind.”

“Andrew, Sandy and I have decided we are going to drive you home since you missed your bus. Plus the trip will give us a chance to see your mom.”
“Great. Better then riding the bus.”

Heading home with the sunlight pushing them from behind, David, Sandy and Andrew made their way out of Loveland and towards the plains of Colorado by highway 34. Andrew knew where his dad accident happened since he passed by the place on his way in. Andrew knew they would drive over the exact spot in only a couple more miles.
As they topped the hill, lights and sirens screamed from behind. None of the three of them made a sound as they pulled over to sit in the same spot as Adam once sat on September 14, 1982. Andrew’s heart pounded within his chest. In his mind, images of his dad flashed standing next to his cop car. Fear struck Andrew as hard as it hit Adam so many years before. Andrew snatched his throat as fear robbing the air surrounding him.
Andrew gazed out the left side window right into the eyes of his father. In his eyes, Andrew found a man bursting with hope, love, and passion. Andrew drew in memories of a life Adam once knew and how he survived on those memories. Andrew discovered there was reason in the world. He discovered life isn’t long enough and all we have are the moments we live right now. Most of all, Andrew realized the love of a parent, no matter what situation, what fate, what circumstance, is a never changing never ending rope you can’t brake. He gave the impression of being just like Andrew.
Andrew motivated his focus out the windshield to watch over the cop car spinning around sideways in the road blocking both lanes. The drivers side stands facing them, Andrew could see his dad situated in the front seat of the car. The cop didn’t recoil or flinch as the headlights shined up the side of the cop car.
Flying down the side of the hill, you could hear the reverberation of brakes as the driver tried to reach a stop. The driver turned his wheel bringing the truck into a sideways skid slamming into the side of the cop car.
Andrew could hear his dad shrieking from his car as it began to flip. Andrews world began to move in slow motion as he witnessed the bottom of the car come over the top.
As the drivers side materialized again, Andrew stared in his dad face. His jaw clinch rigid and eyes strained with pain. Tears rolled down his cheeks with the force of a broken dam. Deep inside Andrew, he could feel the pain engulfing his dad ’s lower torso and down his legs from the pressure of the car on top of him. Shattered glass crashed on Andrew like meteors from the sky. Andrew rubbed his face as the hot liquid covers him. He tried to breath, but with every bit of air flooding his lungs the razor-sharp pain of knives stabbing him a thousand times as he began to grow cold and clammy.
The cop car came to a rest on its side by the edge of the road. Before the truck could come to the end of it’s final roll, Andrew flew out of David’s car running towards his dad. Andrew froze half way between David’s car and the cop car to watch the cop car come back to the car’s wheels with more then the force of gravity.
“Dad!“ Andrew yelled reached the drivers door of the cop car with his feet almost sliding out from under him. Looking in through the broken drivers side door only discovering the car empty. Andrew spun around searching for him, but nothing. He needs to be around the accident somewhere. “Dad!” Andrew yelled again, when the noise in the background caught his attention.
“Andrew,” David yelled running at him, “Are you okay? You’re bleeding.”
Andrew looked at him blankly as he rubbed his forehead. Andrew looked at his hand seeing the blood smeared from one side to another.
“Andrew, say something.” David said grabbing his shoulders.
“I’m okay.” Andrew eyes filled with tears.
“How did you get so cut up? Did you fall?”
“No I didn’t. David, I felt the car.”
“What do you mean you felt the car?”
“I felt the car laying on top of me, the burning liquid on my face, the shattered glass falling on my face. I felt it all.”
“What are you talking about Andrew?”
“I felt what Dad felt the night he was killed. I felt it.”
“Andrew, it’s not possible.”
“I know what I felt David. I also heard him scream. I heard my dad scream when the car was in the air.”
“Andrew, you didn’t hear your dad screaming. You were screaming.”
Andrew looked into David’s eyes feeling the coldness cover his body.
“Andrew, you’re shaking. Come on lets get you calmed down.”
Andrew and David turn, when out of the corner of Andrew’s eye, he saw the blue Chevy pickup mangled and shredded from the accident. From inside, a man in a black hooded sweatshirt crawled out. Andrew walked towards him slowly unsure of what would happen next.
“You deserved it.” A low growl came from under the hood before the body collapsed onto the ground.
Andrew reached down within moments of grapping his hood. A picture flashed through his mind. There from inside the cop car walked up a man in a black hooded sweatshirt. Tears of anger and pain filled Andrews eye’s as he ripped back the hood to find James dark eyes staring back up at him.
“You.” Andrew said. A pair of lights shinned from on top of the hill. Andrew glanced up at the hill spotting Adam . Andrew froze just staring. Deep down he knew the message being exchanged didn’t require words. Adam lightly waved at his son and turned walking towards what little sunlight remained. The breeze whispered, through Andrew’s ears, thank you.
Andrew turned back at James, still laying on the ground at his feet. “No, you deserved it.” Andrew said as he turned and walked away leaving James to die along the side of the road.


Andrew laid in the hospital bed once again. Amy stared from the door way waiting for him to come around before she walked in. She hadn’t left his side since the beginning, she wasn’t about to leave now. Here she had slept, holding his hand, and talking to him about all the things he loved.
“Amy?” Angela voice came.
“Yes.”
“Melissa is here to see Andrew.”
“She can come in mom. He is still doing good, but he isn’t wake yet.”
“Okay.”
“Hi, Amy.”
“Hi. I am sorry to hear about the divorce.”
“That okay. He deserved it. Plus I took him for everything, but he can’t do much from jail. Plus my boyfriend is nice. I brought something I think would help Andrew along. This is the afghan from Mary’s room. We cleaned it out. I gave her papers to his mom, but I figured this would have better use here.”
“Let’s put it on him.”
There Amy and Melissa spread the afghan out covered with daises. Melissa then left Amy in there alone. Amy didn’t know how long she had been thinking when Andrew squeezed her hand.
“Come on, honey, smile for me. Everything is going to be okay.” Andrew said.
Amy kissed him, “I have to go tell everyone else.”
“Amy?”
“What?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“That’s all we need.”

Amy walked out into the waiting room to find Angela, Jake, Elizabeth, Melissa, Jerry, David, Sandy, and Dan.
“He is awake. The worst is over.”















Epilog

Robert Benton’s News of the Day
Ghost Cop Laid to Rest
By Andrew Dace
Featured, in Robert Benton’s article Ghost Cop of Highway 34, was a young officer who was killed in a hit and run. I, Andrew Dace, am Adam Dace’s son. Several years ago I was diagnosis with Leukemia. After trying every possibility was tried, I was left with finding a bone marrow transplant. Mr. Benton’s article lead me to finding my biological father had died the night I was born and the man I knew as dad wasn’t my dad. This missing family on my fathers side became my only hope for surviving. After a weeks worth of family arguments in the “family war” so to say, I found more then just a match to saved my life. I found a women, after forced into putting her son up for adoption, who never quit loving her son. She proved the love between a women and her child with never change no matter what the circumstances. I also discovered true love can not be messed with because, as the late Mary Dace said, “Where will it find you? In the arms of the one you love or alone?” This line can be found, along with the story behind the ghost cop in the recently published book, Only in Heaven by Mary Silver Dace. At the end of my discovery lay a secret I could have never expected. My father’s ½ brother was the man driving the blue Chevy pickup the night my father was killed. This I discovered only after the ghost cop himself saved me from being the next victim of the blue Chevy. Guess some people will always be angry. My last lesson learned is between my father and me, my wife and me, or even my own son and me. If I love you and you love me, then that’s all we need