CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

"There's definitely something that they're hiding," said Vince. "The brothers were arguing about Nozo confessing to Gus, but neither of them said what he was confessing to."

"The monkey trainer was nervous," said Trak. "I think we need to work on him if we can get to him."

"There is a competition in two days involving the animals," said Angel. "I'm not sure what they're doing, but I'd bet the monkeys will be out again."

"None of this explains how Gus got here. His body was never recovered, but just figuring out the timing, he would have been killed, most likely in Arizona, Texas, or Colorado. I don't understand," said Nine.

"Not sure either, but we'll keep working on it. You guys get some rest. Great job tonight. We'll send in teams two and three tomorrow," said Ian.

Trak, Gaspar, and Ghost stared at him with a fierce expression. He looked back at them, shaking his head.

"We all agreed. I know your wives are on those teams, but we have to get more information. Now that we know what happens with the monkeys, we can be more alert, especially with eight women instead of four. Piper and Addie will be with them. They'll be fine."

"Which dog are we sending?" asked Trak.

"Zeus." Nine smirked at him.

"I think we should send the alligator."

As the men dispersed, walking out of the island meeting space, they walked down the path toward their own cabins. It was nearly midnight, and almost everyone was sound asleep. Trak stopped on the path, raising his hand, and the others instinctively stopped with him.

He turned left, then right. Then stood still again as the others listened. Moving quietly, he walked across the grass and toward the back of the island. There was a small cluster of trees where Matthew and Grant had built benches so that you could sit and just gaze at the sunrise.

On one of the benches was Gus, seated with Archie and Eagle Feather. Eagle Feather held a hand behind his fellow ghost, telling the men to stop where they were. Without a sound, they stood still, just watching.

"I just wish I could remember more," said Gus. "I feel hollow, empty. As if something is missing from me."

"It's difficult," said Eagle Feather. "When I first awoke, I think that's what I did. I didn't remember a thing. But as time went on, I remembered more and more. It might just take some more time for you, Gus."

"It was the same for me, Gus," said Archie. "I didn't remember anything about how I was killed at first. It will come to you. Don't get frustrated."

"I want to help them. I need to know if I killed those people. What if I did? What will happen to me? I mean, I know that I'm already dead, but does that mean I'll be damned to hell?"

"I don't know for sure," said Archie, "but I can't believe all the good that you did in the world would be gone because of one thing. We don't know anything yet, Gus. Maybe it wasn't your fault."

"It was my trailer," he said much too loudly. He shook his head and then walked toward the water. "It's like my brain is scrambled. Things are running together. Memories of my sister, our childhood, my time as a priest. It's all weaving together, but I don't think it's right."

"Gus, would the O'Noths have a reason for wanting to frame you?" asked Archie.

"Me? No," he said, shaking his head. "I mean, I don't remember a reason. I was good to them, and they gave me tickets for the less fortunate in the areas where they were performing. They paid me well enough, but it was the children's faces at the circus that really kept me going back to help them."

"Did they treat you well?" asked Eagle Feather.

"Oh, I don't know," he said, shaking his head every which way. "I mean, I was employed by them, so they didn't have to treat me well. I was just a contractor, not a performer or anything that brought in money for them."

"Actually, they did have to treat you well," said Archie. "What did they do to you?"

"It was silly stuff. Things I got over as a child. People called me slow or stupid because I couldn't always remember everything the way I was supposed to. They would yell at me for not parking the trailer in the right direction. They said it made it more difficult to load when they were ready to go."

"How did you park it?" frowned Eagle Feather.

"Well, I would park it so that the doors faced the circus itself. That way, when they took everything down, they could just open the doors and put it all inside there. They said I was stupid and didn't understand how things worked. I was to face the doors toward the trees."

"Were there always trees?" asked Archie.

"Oh, yes. The O'Noths always wanted their circus to be near parks or forests. They said it made it better for the animals and was prettier for the customers. I'm not a circus man, so I didn't understand. I made sure to park it that way after that. You usually only have to show me or tell me once. Or, at least, you used to."

"It's okay, Gus. We're going to figure all this out," said Archie. Gus stared at the two men.

"It's strange having a conversation with you two like we're old friends. But we are not, are we?"

"We are friends," said Eagle Feather. "Time doesn't dictate if we are good friends or not. Archie and I are great friends now."

"I think I have to go now."

"Where are you going, Gus?" asked Archie.

"I have to go."

And as if by magic, Gus was gone. The two ghosts stood, turning to face the men at the edge of the tree line. They'd stayed hidden, Gus not noticing them at all. Or at least if he did, he didn't say anything.

"He's starting to believe that he killed those people," said Archie.

"Do you think he did?" asked Gaspar, looking at the two of them.

"I do not," said Eagle Feather. "I've seen the faces of murderers. I've felt their blackness. He does not have that. He has confusion and sadness and an emptiness within him. But not blackness."

"I agree," said Archie. "I do think if you can find anything in those journals, it might help you to figure this out faster. What I don't understand is why he races off from the island and goes elsewhere. He's yet to say where he goes or what he does. That would be helpful to know as well."

"I believe I can help with that," said Matthew, standing behind the men. They all jumped. All of them except Trak. He just smirked at the others.

"Pops, it's late," said Gaspar.

"I was about to say the same thing to you," he smiled. "Gus leaves here and goes back to the circus. Several times a day and night. I believe he's tied to them in some way."

"Tied to them? Did he die at the circus?" asked Jean.

"I honestly don't know. But if he is returning, it's because his soul knows that there is unfinished business."