Capture Me

by Sherry Kyle

  “Looking for?”

  “In the attic? The reason you’re prowling around the house … with the lights off”

  “Just something in one of the old trunks. It’s no big deal.” Lauren tossed her words over her shoulder and grabbed her purse off the edge of the sofa.

  How had Ashley missed seeing Lauren’s leather bag when she’d entered? “Well, if you’d tell me what you’re looking for, I can keep an eye out for it.”

  “How’re the scrapbooks coming along?” Lauren changed the subject as she made her way to the door.

  “Slowly. I’ve been busy at work and helping Bryan with his niece and a dog I rescued—”

  “Grandma told me about him. Tanner, is it? She wasn’t too happy you wanted to keep him here. How can you afford a dog if you can’t pay rent?” Lauren shook her head, her brows furrowing. She leaned against the doorframe. “Grandma is generous to let you stay here. I know she’s not hurting for money, but she’s going to lose a lot of income with the house not being rented out this summer.”

  “I know. You don’t need to remind me. Grandma and I worked out an arrangement. It’s not like she’s getting nothing out of the deal. Besides, the situation isn’t permanent.”

  “That’s good to hear. It’s about time you and Bryan tied the knot.”

  Agreed. But she wasn’t the one who was afraid to ask. “Thanks for the advice.”

  “Gotta run.” Lauren waved good-bye, sauntered down the walkway, and slid into her car.

  A puzzling thought troubled Ashley. Her sister never answered what she was looking to find. It could be a number of things since Lauren worked for her grandmother and was in charge of the beach house. And yet?

  Ashley pushed the thought aside, locked the front door, and moved down the hall to ready for bed. It was nine o’clock, still early, but it had been a busy week and she was tired.

  As she washed her face and brushed her teeth, her mind drifted to the photo. She’d intended to ask her grandmother about it after discussing whether or not Tanner could stay, but their phone conversation was cut short when Grandma received another incoming call.

  Now it’d been almost a full week since their conversation. In a way, Ashley wanted to hold onto the dream of having a biological sister without her grandma, or anyone else, telling her otherwise.

  But now a bigger part of her wanted to know the truth.

  Who and where was the girl in the photo? And would she care to meet?

  “You didn’t find the photo?” Kayla gripped the cell phone to her ear as she sat at her desk, a pile of medical textbooks surrounding her along with a notebook and various colored highlighting pens.

  “I looked everywhere in that attic.” Lauren let out a deep sigh. “Either the photo was never in the trunk or Ashley has already found it.”

  Kayla leaned back in her chair, not wanting to believe the latter. “Where else could it be?”

  “Look, Kayla, I realize inviting you to a family dinner may not have been the best idea—”

  “You’ve got that right.” Kayla took a sip of her soda. It was late to be drinking caffeine, but she needed to stay awake and study if she was going to pass her exams next week.

  “Please, hear me out—”

  “I’m listening.”

  “Ashley is the sweetest person I know. She’s caring, sweet … and loyal—”

  Sounds as if Lauren’s describing a dog.

  “I’m sure she is, but I don’t have the time right now.” Kayla stood and paced the room. “I’ve got finals staring me in the face, and if I don’t pass them with flying colors, my parents will be upset—and that’s putting it mildly.”

  “Would you consider meeting her in a few weeks after you finish your exams?”

  Lauren’s question caught her off guard. The woman wouldn’t take no for an answer. Maybe if she played along, Lauren would leave her alone for a while.

  “Okay, you win. Call me mid-June, but not before. I need to focus on school.” Kayla didn’t know if that was possible. She had a hard enough time concentrating on her studies before finding out she had a sibling within an hour and a half’s drive.

  “Okay, I understand.” Lauren’s tone was gentle.

  “And promise me that if Ashley says anything to you about the photo, you’ll not mention you contacted me.”

  “I don’t know.” Lauren hedged. “I’m not going to lie—”

  “I’m not asking you to lie. Just omit the truth.”

  “If Ashley asks, I’m afraid I won’t be able to help myself—”

  “Please?” Kayla begged.

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “Well, then. Let’s hope she doesn’t find the photo.”

  Once they ended the call, Kayla laid her cell phone face down on the kitchen counter. The leopard print phone cover blended with the granite. She rubbed her hand against the cool, flat surface.

  Oddly, she pictured Ashley wearing a leopard print blouse. The material would be sophisticated and sheer, worn with a pretty camisole underneath. Did her biological sister know the difference between leopard and cheetah print? Most people didn’t. Kayla traced her fingers over the clusters that looked like roses. Cheetah spots, on the other hand, were simply round black spots. Most redheads didn’t think they could wear the prints, but Kayla knew otherwise.

  If Kayla had her way she’d be a fashion designer, studying at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco instead of earning her medical degree. Since freshman year in high school, she’d created and sewn most of her own clothes, and over the years her girlfriends complimented her unique designs.

  She’d even sewn a dress for her mother when she couldn’t find one for a hospital charity event. Kayla thought for sure her mom would recognize her true talent and allow her to go to fashion school instead of holding on to her fanciful dream of Kayla following in her footsteps and becoming a doctor.

  Instead, her mom had come home from the event more excited than ever for her only child to go into the medical field. It didn’t help that her mom had received an award for leadership and excellence from her colleagues at the hospital. Mom wanted Kayla to experience what it was like to save lives and participate in the ever-advancing field. As Kayla listened, she thought she saw a flicker of understanding in her father’s gentle face and eyes, but instead of saying anything, he remained quiet.

  At this point, it didn’t matter if her parents understood her true desire or whether Ashley shared the same interest for design. She had to study for med finals.

  Kayla grabbed another soda from the refrigerator, along with celery sticks and a jar of peanut butter, and crept back to her desk.

  This was going to be a long night.

  12

  A knock interrupted Kayla’s studies. She scrambled to her feet and peeked through the small hole in the door. It was Jeremy, a close friend and fellow med student.

  Kayla opened the door a crack. “Hey, Jeremy. What’s up?”

  “Is that how you greet your favorite lab partner?” Jeremy stepped inside her apartment and wrapped her in a bear hug. She melted in his embrace.

  “Thanks. I needed a hug.” Kayla’s brows puckered. “Wait a minute. Didn’t you have a date with what’s-her-name?” She put a hand on her hip. “Didn’t go well, huh?”

  “Okay, you caught me. Miss Perfect isn’t so perfect. She talked nonstop about her ex-boyfriend.”

  “Ouch.” Kayla motioned for Jeremy to come into the family room and sit down.

  “Guess she’s not over him yet.” He joined her on the high-end white sofa, the one her mom insisted she have.

  “You mentioned they’d been dating awhile. Can’t say I didn’t warn you.” Kayla wanted to take back her words the minute she said them. Jeremy didn’t need the reprimand. Why make him feel worse?

  Jeremy wagged his head. “Okay, you were right.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to rub it in—”

  “Enough about me. What’s got you tied up in knots? Yo
u barely cracked a smile all week. Exams got you freaked?”

  “That … and …” Did she dare say?

  He leaned closer. “C’mon, Kayla. You can talk to me about anything.”

  As much as she’d shared her heart with Jeremy in the past, now was not the time to tell him about Ashley when she had a few more weeks to mull over the whole idea before finals. Besides, why did it matter? Her life would go on just like it had before Lauren shocked her with the news. At first, she considered meeting her long-lost sibling, but the excitement quickly wore off once she discovered Ashley had a big family of her own. What if her sister rejected her? Kayla hated to admit how much the thought of a rejection stung.

  “You guessed it. I’m afraid of finals,” she finally said. “I haven’t been doing very well this semester, and I’ve been keeping my less-than-stellar grades from my parents. It’s only a matter of time before they find out, and it’s got me on edge. You can understand that, can’t you?”

  How could Jeremy relate? After all, he was at the top of the class. Maybe if he helped her study …

  Jeremy stood. “Do you know what you need?”

  “A study partner?”

  “No, silly. A night out.”

  It was close to ten o’clock. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “Not by a long shot. C’mon, Kayla. Let’s go.” He held out a hand.

  She appreciated his kickback attitude, but she had an image to uphold and wouldn’t be seen in her grungy blue sweats and oversized T-shirt. Grabbing his hand, she hoisted herself up. “I’ll go on one condition.”

  A smile lit Jeremy’s face. “Name it.”

  “Give me five minutes to change.”

  “Really, Kay. You’re fine the way you are.”

  “And you’re my sweet friend who loves me no matter what—

  “You’ve got that right.” Jeremy smiled.

  Kayla rolled her eyes. “I’ll be right back.” She went to her bedroom.

  Jeremy cared for her all right, but hopefully in a sisterly type way. Their relationship would be better for it. Why complicate her life further by getting involved? She’d go out with him tonight and have a good time. He was always good for lighthearted conversation—making her laugh and helping her forget med school, her newly found sister, and her designer dreams.

  She stood in front of her closet. Now, what should she wear?

  Bryan sat at the kitchen table with a tall glass of cold milk and tossed a glance at his new leather shoes, now with chew marks all over them and a hole near the right toe. The pair had cost him a lot of money, and now they were ruined. True, it was his fault for leaving them in the laundry room where Tanner could find them, but he couldn’t afford to replace them or anything else the dog chose to destroy.

  Besides the ruined shoes, Tanner wasn’t housebroken and had made a mess in the laundry room every night. The dog was more work than Ashley let on, but how could he disappoint her when she clearly loved the animal? Besides, Madison loved Tanner, too. The girl’s face brightened every time she saw the four-legged animal. How would she react if he gave the dog back? She might skip school or worse, hang out with that teenaged boy. With a dog at home, Madi had a responsibility to care for him every day after school.

  Bryan rubbed his hand down the dog’s back. Truth was, Tanner tugged at his heart, too.

  “Uncle Bryan?” Madi interrupted his musings and stood in the doorway wearing her nightly bedtime attire, a bright pink T-shirt and plaid flannel pajama bottoms.

  “What’s going on, Magpie?” He patted the spot beside him. “Can’t sleep?”

  She shook her head then slipped into the oak chair beside him, her eyes downcast.

  “Want some milk?”

  She shook her head again.

  “Do you need something?” he asked.

  She shrugged a shoulder. This conversation wasn’t going very well.

  “Are you going to tell me what’s on your mind, or are we going to continue this guessing game?” Even he could hear the slight irritation in his voice. Would Madi get frustrated and walk away? Patience, Bryan.

  Madi heaved a sigh.

  It would take all his strength to stay quiet and wait for Madison to share what was on her mind. She wouldn’t have come to him unless it was important, right?

  The small round clock on the wall ticked. His eyes veered to the left. It was twenty minutes after ten o’clock, not overly late by most people’s standards, but he was tired. Frankly, he was exhausted every Friday night after teaching all week, but this one had him completely wiped out. “Madi? I need to go to bed. Can it wait until morning?”

  Her brows furrowed.

  Bryan downed the last swig of his milk, rested both elbows on his thighs, and clutched his hands in front of him. “You can tell me anything. I promise not to judge.”

  She bit her lower lip.

  “Please tell me.” He pushed.

  She raised her eyes. “Can I have my cell phone back?”

  He had taken the phone away on Sunday when he caught her talking on it in the middle of the night. “Right now? You want me to give you the phone right now? At this hour?”

  She nodded.

  “Who do you need to call?” It was a rational question, but one that made him feel nosy just the same.

  “Ashley.”

  If he could choose anyone for Madi to call at this late hour, it would be his girlfriend. A thought zigzagged through his mind. What if Madison said Ashley’s name only to gain her phone back? Of course, why would Madi pick the one person he talked to on a regular basis? He’d find out quick if she were telling the truth. But could he trust Madi to make only the one call?

  “Please?” Madi jostled her leg up and down.

  This parenting stuff is hard. “I have an idea. Why don’t you call her from the house phone, and then I’ll speak to her once you’re through?”

  The girl’s mouth turned down.

  “I won’t ask what you talked about.”

  Madi crossed her arms.

  What would get Madison so uptight? Bryan grew more curious as time went on. Then again, maybe Ashley was right. He didn’t know how to talk with a girl. “I promise you and Ashley can keep it confidential unless it’s something that puts you in danger—”

  “So, can I talk to her in my room?”

  Bryan nodded, and then held up a warning finger, “And then hand me the phone once you’re through.”

  “Okay.” Madison jumped from her seat, took the phone off the cradle from the kitchen counter, and took off down the hall.

  He smiled. He didn’t cave in by giving her cell phone back, yet he allowed her to make a call. Seemed like a good solution. “C’mon, Tanner. Go outside.” He opened the back door and pushed the dog into the chilly night. There would be no mess in the morning if he could help it.

  13

  Ashley slunk under the covers in the luxurious king-sized bed. The crème-colored satin sheets were silky and cool to the touch yet provided the right amount of warmth during the night. June, Grandma’s friend, had made the delicately stitched quilt, and Grandma used the blues, greens, and a splash of yellow color scheme to decorate the entire beach house. Thank you, Grandma.

  The woman was a saint, and Ashley would be more sensitive the next time they talked. She’d bring up the photo in a casual way, but if she suspected even a hint of annoyance, like her mom’s reaction, she’d drop the subject. If that were the case, Ashley would have to figure out another way to discover who the girl was. If Tori didn’t know, Ashley doubted Lauren would remember either. Besides, Lauren seemed distracted lately.

  Ashley reached for her novel on the nightstand and propped pillows all around, situating herself. Most likely, she’d fall asleep after reading a few pages.

  Her cell phone buzzed. Only two people would be calling at this hour—Bryan or her mother. She glanced at the screen.

  Tori?

  Ashley bolted upright and answered the call. “Are you in labor?”

&
nbsp; “Yes. Hold on.” Tori raised her voice and panted.

  Ashley pressed her ear against the phone and strained to hear what was happening in the background. Drew, Tori’s husband, gave her breathing instructions. As Ashley waited for Tori’s contraction to pass and for her to come back on the line, her excitement grew. She was going to be an aunt again soon.

  Tori sighed into the phone. “Okay, I’m back.”

  “Are you at the hospital?”

  “No, still home. Mom was going to come stay with the girls, but her car’s been acting up lately, and Dad’s on another plumbing emergency. Mom says he should be home any minute, but I don’t know how long that will be. Can you come over?”

  Ashley had agreed to be her mother’s backup weeks ago and was glad to fill that role now. She whipped the covers off and jumped out of bed. “No problem. I’ll be there as fast as I can.”

  “Thank you, sis.”

  Once they disconnected the call, Ashley hurried to her closet and quickly rummaged through her options. She slipped her nightgown over her head, replaced it with a T-shirt, and shimmied into her favorite pair of jeans and sheepskin boots.

  She donned her lightweight jacket on her way out the door and tucked her cell phone into her purse before grabbing the small bag she’d already packed with some toiletries and an extra pair of clothes, just in case. Giving the front room a once over, she flipped off the light and locked the door. There would be no more surprise visitors when she came back home.

  Tori lived in Scotts Valley, the sunnier part of Santa Cruz, a choice location for those who liked warmer weather or worked over the hill in the Bay Area like her technology-gifted brother-in-law. Drew provided well for his family. Tori’s income from the flower shop helped the family take vacations or purchase the extras. Ashley couldn’t be happier for her older sister’s seemingly perfect life.

  As she drove down the stretch of highway, her cell phone buzzed, the sound muffled by her purse. Her heartbeat quickened. Was Tori calling again? Without her earpiece, she wouldn’t be able to answer the call. It was better to keep her eyes on the road and get to her sister’s house as fast as she could. Besides, whoever was calling would most likely leave a message. Ashley sent up a silent prayer that everything was all right.