Page 25 of Echoes of Eternity

Seeing the Rescue Mission, he hurried his glance over to the phone’s GPS only to realize it wasn’t the destination. Another few turns, and he arrived to what appeared to be an old hotel converted into apartments. A grimy baby-blue exterior and a few boards on some of the windows gave Ryan the chills. He almost turned his car around and left. But he didn’t.

Getting out of his car, he locked the doors and took the metal stairwell to the second floor. Each step felt heavy.

Then he arrived at the door.

1307.

Rapping his knuckles on the door, he took a deep breath and exhaled, waiting for someone to answer.

The door opened a fraction. A chain latch kept it from opening all the way. On the other side was a young lady about Elizabeth’s age.

“Hi. I’m looking for Linda?”

The guarded teenager looked him up and down. “Who are you?”

“I’m a friend of hers.” Thinking quickly, he added, “From the Rescue Mission.”

The girl nodded to her right. “Three doors down.”

Quickly, the door shut.

Walking further down the walkway, he came to the door and knocked.

A muscular, large man with a shaved head and a scar across his cheek answered the door. His voice was deep. “What?”

“Um. Is Linda here?”

A woman cursed from deeper in the apartment and said something unintelligible. The man adjusted his footing, revealing an older woman sitting on the couch in the dimly lit living room. Ashtrays, smoke, and a smell of something old filled the air, wafting out from the apartment. “I don’t know who it is. I just answered the door, Linny.”

The woman snubbed out a cigarette in the ashtray on the coffee table and came walking over to the door. “My daughter just texted me. She said you’re from the Rescue Mission?”

Lifting his hands, he took a step back as he sensed hostility. “I’m not actually here for that.”

Linda furrowed her eyebrows. “You lied to my daughter? Piss off, guy.”

She swung the door shut, but Ryan caught it with his foot before it shut. “I’m Frank’s son.”

Fury lit in her eyes. “You know where Frank is? That son of?—”

Ryan interrupted her. “He passed away in March.”

Every ounce of life went out from her face in that moment, including the anger. She turned toward her friend, her tone now delicate and soft. “I need to talk to this guy. I’ll be back.”

The woman stepped out and pointed. “We can go across the street. They have somewhat decent coffee.”

Stopping at the crosswalk, Ryan watched as her hands trembled lighting a cigarette. Pushing the smoke out from her lips, she shook her head as she sniffled lightly. “He left this world without even saying goodbye. How could he do that?”

“It was a heart attack, so he didn’t really have any goodbyes.”

“Oh.” She took another drag as they crossed the street to the diner. Flicking her smoke out into the parking lot, they went inside. There weren’t very many patrons in the diner, so they were seated right away.

“Thanks, Doris.” Linda nodded to the waitress as she finished pouring her cup of coffee.

“You’re welcome, Linny. You work tomorrow?”

“Yeah.”

“And sir, did you need any creamer?” she inquired as she filled a mug for Ryan.