Chapter 20

Twenty

Charlie led the way to the tower room, holding Natalia Quinn in his arms.

She'd been tiny, a preemie who had needed a few days in the NICU unit. But she was growing fast now and had all the attitude that she was going to need to be a thriving little girl.

Charlie could already tell she was going to take over the world.

Mark, Jack, and Elliot were helping Kaleb carry the cradle up the stairs. Kaleb had spent hours working on it, cleaning it. Repairing it. Polishing it.

It was the last piece to go into place.

Hank asked him about the ghosts, and Charlie had been honest.

He knew without a shadow of a doubt. Augustus and Ezekiel had saved their little girl, had blessed them with Natalia where they hadn't been able to save their own baby.

He felt at home now and he felt as if they were welcome.

"But what about the murder?" Hank had asked.

Charlie had told the truth about that too.

There had been no murder.

Charlie had decorated the tower room for Christmas. He'd even put a little Christmas tree decked in time-appropriate ornaments so that Augustus, Ezekiel, and their little one could have something to watch.

There were two rocking chairs by the cradle, and it was perfect. It felt amazing. It felt right.

The big armoire that stood there had been found along with the cradle in the shed. And Kaleb had insisted that it be brought up.

The little room was finished and warm, happy and full of sparkling lights. Natalia watched with wide eyes.

When the cradle was put into place, everybody—even the most stolid of the alphas—had sighed with satisfaction.

"I wish we knew what the baby's name would have been," Kaleb said. "I would like to put a sign up here so that everyone knows whose room this was."

A wind blew through the room.

Not harsh, not cold, but a quiet little wind.

A piece of paper flew from on top of the wardrobe, floating down, then skittering across the floor.

Kaleb bent down and picked it up, and then he smiled and handed it to him.

There, in old-fashioned handwriting, was a single word.

Isaiah.

End