Author's Note: Sorry it's taken me a while to get this story up, been some events in my life that have distracted me. One of them was learning that someone has taken some of my stories and put them on another site without my permission.
Now I have met some slime balls in my life, but to take some one elses hard work and basically try to pass it off as their own is about the lowest a person can go in my opinion, and if i could catch the person doing it, well lets just say they would not like the consequences.
Which is why i am writing this, i want you all to know that if you come across any of my stories on any other site, i did not put them there. Literotica was and is the only site on the web that i have or ever will post my stories.
And a word to the jerk who did post those stories. I can fill a whole page with the names i would love to call you, but you're not worth the time or the trouble.
Enough of that
Peace
Darkstone57
*
Dani laid the bouquet of Lilies on the freshly covered grave and looked back at her dad as she moved to stand by Bull. She had been to funerals before but never one for a body that had been dead, buried once, then dug back up and moved to another part of the graveyard. Still she had no reason to doubt her father or his story and if the mystery of The Lady in Red had indeed been solved, then she deserved to be buried by her lover and their son. She felt Bull put his around her shoulders and looked up to see him smiling.
With the exception of Jericho and Marie, the whole family was here today; Mike and Kate had come back north and would be leaving with them as soon as the service was over. The only ones not going to New Orleans were Tom and Zach who would be staying to look after the house, and the shop. Not to mention the two women in their lives. There had been no sign or word about Nick or Jessie for over a month, but no one was letting their guard down. Least of all her or Bull.
Sue's father was performing the service and he spoke softly and reverently of the woman that most would have turned their backs on even in this day and age. Sue and Annie both had single white lilies as did Kate and at the right time laid them on the ground as well. Half the town had turned out once it was announced that the identity of the town's most notorious citizen had been identified, and Dani was sure most of the old ladies and men who might have known her in life had come just to see what happened. There hadn't been many left, but it seemed a nice touch.
The tombstone her dad had picked out had been plain and simple but dignified and the lettering had been done in calligraphy. "Lily Lazarus, beloved mother and sister. Rest in Peace."
As they reached the parking area, Tom Sheridan stepped up to intercept them. "And a local legend is laid to rest, good of you to do it Jack."
Her dad shrugged. "She was my dad's sister; I couldn't let her lie in some unmarked grave Tom, how you doing these days?"
"Been busy, all this business with the Jensen house and all, but today I am here to talk to Bull, been meaning to do it sooner, but haven't had a chance." He took a card from his pocket. "This is the name of a man down in Augusta. He wants you to get in touch with him as soon as you can, seems he thinks you might have a false imprisonment suit you might want to file with the state of Georgia. I did that checking I told you I was going to do. Talked to a man in Atlanta who told me they're going through a bunch of the cases from that county. There's a good chance your conviction could be over turned."
Bull looked doubtful. "How so, I pleaded guilty..."
"True, but the man who defended you was running for the local District Attorney seat not a year later, and it turned out that both the hooker and the pimp had prior convictions for blackmail and other similar crimes in another state. There are rumors they paid off your attorney and maybe even the local police to keep them from checking them out too close. Call the man in Augusta, talk to him. Then decide what to do."
Dani saw the doubt in Bulls eyes and reached over to take the card. "We will do that Sheriff, and thank you. Now, we need to get on the road. You've got the number of my grandma in New Orleans if anything comes up..."
The sheriff nodded. "That I do Dani. I've got extra patrols out, keeping an eye out for Nick and Jessie and the state police have issued warrants for them nationwide. You all just take care and come back in one piece." He grinned at Jack as they shook hands. "That goes for you too, you old asshole, I've gotten used to having you around, need someone to keep me on my toes."
"We'll be back in a couple weeks, just need to go home and check on my mom and aunt, been a long time since I was home."
Once in the truck, Dani glanced at Bull. "Are you sure you're ready for this. I know what your grandma told you and all, but we can just go to New Orleans and hide out there if you want."
He shook his head. "No, I need to go home Dani, and we need to get you into the family. Momma and everyone would kill me if I was that close and not come visit."
She followed her dad and mom out of town toward the highway and felt Rose settle down on the seat between them. "They aren't going to start asking when you're going to marry me or anything like that are you? I know from the way Grandma was talking it will be the first thing her and Aunt Jessie hit you with when we get to their house."
Reaching over, he put her hand on her belly. "And I will tell them the same thing I told momma and dad. I will marry you as soon as you tell me yes."
Dani smiled, "which will be as soon as you get around to asking me, but since neither of us are in any hurry, then it will be when it will be."
It was true; neither of them was ready to make that commitment just yet. For one she was still getting used to being pregnant, and then there was the matter of Nick and Jessie being free. She had the feeling that this was all the calm before the storm and when the storm hit, they would need to survive it. Her family was gradually accepting the power of their demons and she had learned to take hers to the same level as Bull. She had been able to touch both Kate and Mike in California but she still had trouble trying to find Jericho and Marie. When she did, it was like they had some kind of shield around them. Sue and Annie were easy so were her brothers Tom, Zach, and Dave. It was easy to find Bull's family, and both Kate's father and grandfather were open to her as well. Her mother's side was hard; all their demons seemed to be in some kind of sleep mode. Maybe it was the idea that they were all content with their lives and had no reason to worry about such things.
"Get some rest Bull, you're driving a while before we stop for the night...and you were up way before I was."