Eyes of a Stanger

by Rachel Ann Nunes

  “Do you mean Deirdra? Because if you mean BervaDee, she’s retired.”

  Tawnia felt goose bumps ripple down her spine and spread out over her entire body. BervaDee! Autumn had been looking for a BervaDee, a woman she’d thought had been married to Dr. Loveridge.

  “Can you tell me which of them placed me?”

  “Sorry, I can’t give out that information. There is, however, an online adoption registry you might try. They have matched up many adopted children and birth mothers.”

  “It has to be BervaDee.” Irritation was beginning to replace Tawnia’s frustration. “Her name has come up before. Can’t I at least talk to her?”

  “She wouldn’t be able to give you any additional information.”

  “She knows about my first day of life. She flew all the way to Kansas with me.” Tawnia knew she was begging, but it was either that or start yelling at the unemotional woman.

  “I’m sorry, but BervaDee Mendenhall no longer works for us. I don’t have any information I can give you regarding her whereabouts.” A pause. “You might, however check the phone book.”

  “Thank you.” Tawnia hung up as Autumn peeked into the room again.

  “That bad?” she asked, coming all the way through the door.

  “They have no idea what it’s like.” Tawnia stood, trying to smile, but she was sure it looked more like a grimace. “I did at least find out the first name of the woman who placed me. You won’t believe who it is. Or who I hope it is.”

  “Who?”

  “BervaDee. Only her last name isn’t Loveridge. It’s Mendenhall. She’s the woman who placed me. At least I think so.”

  Autumn gave a swift intake of breath. “BervaDee. I thought she was Dr. Loveridge’s wife. No wonder I couldn’t find her anywhere.”

  “Autumn, you know what this means.”

  She nodded solemnly. “There’s a connection. Somehow, somewhere, we’re connected. I knew it!” Autumn hugged her, and Tawnia hugged her back, tears pricking her eyes.

  “We have to find her,” Tawnia said as they pulled away. “She might not be willing to talk to me over the phone, but if she agreed to see me and—”

  “We both show up.” Autumn snapped her fingers. “Give her a shock, and she might let something slip.”

  “Exactly. If she’s still alive, that is, and if we can find her.” Tawnia wasn’t altogether unhappy to hear the bell at the door, signaling a customer.

  “I’ll get that,” Autumn said. “Come on. You can start looking up Mendenhall on my computer. There’s a good white pages site that I—” She’d reached the door to the back room but stopped walking so suddenly Tawnia ran into her. Autumn turned and practically tackled her onto the worktable.

  “What—” Tawnia began.

  “Orion!” hissed Autumn. “He can’t see us together. Not now.”

  Tawnia groaned. “Gotcha. Now can you let me up? You’re pretty strong for such a tiny little thing with one arm.”

  Autumn lifted her weight from Tawnia. “I’m not tiny.”

  “Are too.”

  “I just got good genes.”

  Genes that I might have, too. Tawnia felt like laughing. The threat of Orion finding out her secret was nothing next to that. “Maybe we should tell him,” she whispered. “I almost did last night.”

  “Better wait and see how you feel about him. I’m not too proud to take leftovers, if it includes romantic dinners and helicopter rides. He’s older, but he is a babe, after all.” Autumn winked to show she wasn’t serious, but Tawnia didn’t know her well enough to figure out her meaning. Was she subtly referring to Bret as well. No, she decided, Autumn isn’t as cynical as I am.

  “You go out there,” Tawnia said. “See what he wants. But remember, we can’t go out tonight. We have to go to the club.”

  Autumn lifted a brow. “Are you sure? You can go out there and talk to him instead. I’m perfectly fine hiding back here.”

  “What if he asks me something about an antique? Or what if a customer comes? Besides, I don’t have the brace for my arm.”

  “Okay, okay. But you aren’t embarrassed because of last night, are you?”

  Tawnia grimaced. “Maybe just a little. What if he decides he doesn’t like me?”

  Autumn snorted. “His loss. But remember, he’s not Bret. Not all men are that stupid. And he is stupid—even if he is a good kisser.”

  “Autumn!”

  “Okay. I’m gone.”

  Tawnia watched her go and then tiptoed as close to the door as she could without being seen. The bell at the door was ringing again, and Tawnia hoped that meant more customers so Orion couldn’t bring up anything too personal. What if he mentioned something from last night and Autumn didn’t respond correctly? Had Tawnia even told her what they’d had to eat?

  “There you are.” Orion was at the counter, close enough for Tawnia to hear.

  “Hi, Orion. Good to see you.”

  “I had a fabulous time last night.” His voice was a caress.

  “Me too.” There was a laugh in Autumn’s tone, and Tawnia knew it was directed toward her. Orion was apparently not changing his mind.

  “You look wonderful. Not many women look good in army pants.”

  “It’s one of my many talents.” Autumn twirled around like a runway model. “Like eating tofu and walking across hot coals. I did that once at one of my father’s herb seminars. Crazy, but fun.”

  He laughed. “Every time I see you, you’re different.”

  “That’s a bad thing?”

  “It’s refreshing. New. I enjoy being with you. In fact, that’s why I stopped by, to see if you’re busy tonight.”

  “Oh, I am.” Autumn managed to sound disappointed. “I have plans with a couple of friends. It’s kind of important to them, and I can’t let them down. But I’d like to see you soon.”

  “I’ll call you, then.” His voice had changed, becoming odd and tight.

  “Have you seen her before?” Autumn asked. Tawnia realized he must have discovered the drawing Autumn had taped to the back of her computer. Was that the reason for the change in his voice? Or was it because he thought Autumn was making excuses?

  “No—no. I haven’t seen her.”

  “Oh, it’s your daughter’s picture in your wallet, isn’t it? I thought it was a lot like that one when I first saw yours, but it’s obviously not your daughter. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to shock you like that.”

  “It’s okay. They aren’t really much alike.”

  “But you’re sure you’ve never seen this woman before?” Autumn pressed. “Look closely.”

  Tawnia risked a peek around the door and saw Orion leaning forward to study the drawing. “Nope, never seen her before. Why is this important? What has she done?” Tawnia was relieved to hear his voice sounding more normal.

  “I’m not sure, really. Bret, that engineer the county brought in, gave it to me. Apparently, she’s someone of interest. The bridge operator for the bridge drew the picture.”

  Tawnia was relieved that this time Autumn didn’t slip and say something about explosives. Neither of them wanted to get Bret in trouble. The sooner the authorities went public with the announcement, the more comfortable Tawnia would feel. Then again, with no suspects apprehended, the panic after such an announcement might be horrific. And how could it be otherwise? What if another bridge was blown up? Tawnia laid her head against the wall and let out a long, slow sigh. At this rate, she might take to avoiding all bridges.

  Autumn and Orion were still talking but only casually because they’d been joined by a customer. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” Orion said as Autumn was totaling the customer’s purchase.

  Tawnia peeked again through the door and watched him leave the store. She waited a few more minutes for good measure. When she walked into the store, the customer smiled. “All these years I’ve been coming here,” he said to Autumn, “and I didn’t know you were a twin.”

  Autumn and Tawnia grinned at each other.
“We surprise a lot of people.” Autumn gave him back his change.

  “Who would have figured?” The man tipped his balding head toward them. “Oh, and I’m so sorry about your father. I just heard on the news that he’s missing. He helped me through several health challenges—a good man. I don’t even know what to say. I’m really sorry.”

  Autumn nodded calmly, though her smile had vanished, and Tawnia could see a sheen of tears in her eyes. “Thank you.”

  They were silent as the man left. “So I guess that reporter went public with your name.” Tawnia went around the desk, checking the street for signs of reporters. “It’s only a matter of time until more people come snooping. Let’s look up the social worker’s phone number and get out of here. Maybe Jake’s sister can come in for a few hours to watch the store.”

  Autumn lifted her chin. “I’m not leaving, and if any reporter sets foot in my store, I’ll kick him out. Or sic Jake on him.”

  “Atta girl.” But Tawnia worried about Autumn if such a confrontation were to take place. Autumn’s emotions were far too visible in her face.

  Tawnia sat in front of the computer. “What was that white pages site you were talking about?” In a couple of clicks, Tawnia had the names of two hundred people with the last name of Mendenhall. There were no BervaDees, but six initial Bs. “Better than two hundred,” Tawnia muttered, pulling out her cell to begin the calls.

  At the same time the store phone rang, and Autumn picked it up. “Good morning. Autumn’s Antiques.” She listened a moment, her face paling. “No comment,” she said tightly. “And if you have any respect for me, you won’t call me again.” She set the phone gently down on the counter. “Reporter.”

  “I’ll answer the next time.”

  Autumn nodded.

  The first three phone numbers for B Mendenhall didn’t turn up a BervaDee, but the fourth woman hesitated a moment before saying, “I’m BervaDee Mendenhall.” Her voice was soft and husky, as if it belonged to a woman of mature years.

  Tawnia gave a thumbs-up to Autumn, who came rushing over from a nearby display of cast iron toys to hear what she could of the conversation.

  “My name is Tawnia McKnight. Thirty-two years ago you were working for Children’s Hope Adoption Agency, and I think you took a baby—me—to Kansas on a plane. I know you probably placed a lot of babies, but I was hoping you could give me some information.”

  “I’m not allowed to talk about the adoptions. Things were closed in those days. Even if I remembered the details, I—”

  “Please,” Tawnia interjected, “I just want to meet with you. There’s something I have to show you. It’s something I found recently, and I don’t know what to make of it. Please, it means a lot to me. If I could just show you.”

  There was a pause, and Tawnia held her breath. Autumn was leaning close to the phone, biting her lip in a way that was strangely familiar to Tawnia. A stranger’s face, she thought. A stranger’s face that is my own.

  “I remember you,” BervaDee said suddenly. “I did place a lot of babies, including a few in Kansas, but I remember you. I didn’t personally do the case work on your parents, but I did work with your birth mother, and I took you to Kansas. Yes, I remember.” There was a lot she wasn’t saying, that much was clear. Yet something had obviously made Tawnia’s adoption stand out from all those BervaDee had participated in over the years. But what?

  “My mother said I was a small baby,” Tawnia babbled. “She said I grabbed onto her finger.”

  “She was radiant. Your father, too. He was a hard worker. I thought he’d take care of you. Did he? Did you have a good life?”

  Memories rushed at Tawnia, good ones, instead of the bad ones that her brain normally dredged up: birthday parties, her grandparents until they died, her mother taking her shopping for a prom dress, the nice used car her father had given her at graduation. “Yes. I had a good life. It wasn’t perfect, but it was really good. Better than I knew at the time.”

  “He was a little severe. I could see that then. But he was a good man. Better than many in that day and age.”

  Tawnia swallowed. “So, will you see me?”

  Again a pause, longer this time. Tawnia squirmed in her seat. “Yes. You can come,” BervaDee said. “You can come to show me what you’ve found, but you’ll come also because I have something to tell you. Rules or no rules, there’s something you should know about your mother before you try to find her.” The woman’s voice was shaking but determined.

  “When?” Tawnia barely got out the word.

  “Tomorrow, dear. After my church. If that’s okay.”

  “Perfect. What time? Noon? One?”

  “One o’clock. Do you have my address?”

  Tawnia had the listing, but she wrote it down just to be sure. She hung up the phone and stared at Autumn. The goose bumps were back, but now they were at her temples the way they were when she was frightened. What was BervaDee Mendenhall going to tell her about her mother? What was so important that a lifetime employee of the adoption agency would go against the rules?

  “How am I ever going to wait clear until tomorrow?” she whispered.

  Autumn put an arm around her. “You’ve waited thirty-two years. You can wait another day. Besides, we have an important appointment at that club tonight.”

  Tawnia looked past her to the window where she spied a news van pulling up. A man with a camera emerged from the passenger door. She made a noise of dismay in her throat.

  Autumn followed her gaze. “Oh, no.”

  “It’s your turn to go to the back.” Tawnia put her cell phone in her purse under the counter. “This customer is for me.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yes. It’ll make me feel better. Just watch. They won’t make it past the door.” Putting on her poker face, Tawnia sauntered to the door, head held high. This was for Autumn.

  Chapter 20

  Bret drove to the antiques shop after spending most of the day with the county officials and the FBI. Autumn had closed the antiques shop, but she and Tawnia were inside waiting for him. Autumn wore a close-fitting hat, a brown T-shirt, and baggy green army pants that nearly hid her bare feet. She looked younger than her thirty-two years. Tawnia was looking great in a pair of black culottes and red shirt with a v-shaped neckline. She had on red pumps, again, though this time without the three-inch heels. With their differing attire, especially Autumn’s hat, they wouldn’t be causing double-takes all evening, though the lines of their faces were nearly exact.

  He realized he was still wearing his suit, not exactly his favorite club wear, but if he lost the jacket and rolled up the shirtsleeves, it would do in a pinch. “You two look ready for a night of dancing,” he said lightly.

  “Actually, I look more like the beach.” Autumn gazed down at her army pants with resignation. “But we didn’t want to risk going back to my apartment.”

  “Why?”

  “Because the media found out about her father,” Tawnia said. She didn’t quite meet his gaze, but he’d expected that after his display last night. Had he really kissed Autumn? Oddly enough, it was Tawnia’s immobile face he remembered most.

  “You should have seen her,” Autumn said, draping her arm around Tawnia. “She pretended to be me when they came. They were rude, despicable, exploiting idiots who had nothing more in mind than bringing ratings to their stations. Never mind my feelings. They came right into my store, shoving that camera in her face, saying things to make her react. She just stared them all down and asked them to leave. When they refused, she dialed the police. They got out as fast as they could after that. I was giggling so hard I thought they’d hear me.” Autumn sighed. “It was beautiful.”

  “I’ll bet.”

  Tawnia shrugged. “You do what you have to do.” Her eyes traveled the length of his body. “Are you wearing that suit to the club? Won’t it be uncomfortable?”

  That was practical Tawnia. “I’ll roll up the sleeves,” he said. “Shall we?” He opened the door
to the store with a flourish. “My chariot awaits.”

  “Why are we taking your car?” Tawnia asked.

  Autumn turned her key in the lock of the antiques shop. “Because it doesn’t make that weird noise like yours does.”

  “It doesn’t make a weird noise. Well, not too weird. I guess they messed something up when they fixed the air conditioner.”

  Bret grinned. “Besides, we don’t want to get lost on the way.”

  “He has a point,” Autumn said. “I’ve only been there a couple of times myself with Jake, and I’m not too sure where it is. Jake printed directions from the Internet. He wanted to go, but his cousin was having a bar mitzvah. Good thing because he’s hard to tell no.” Fishing a wrinkled paper from her bag, Autumn shoved it at Bret.

  Bret opened the back door, and Autumn slipped past Tawnia into the seat. “I’ll sit back here.” She put on her safety belt but sat with her feet tucked under her.

  “Will they even let you in without shoes?” Bret asked. “I thought that was illegal.” He was about to open the passenger door for Tawnia, but she beat him to it. He noticed her longing gaze toward the backseat. Was it so terrible to sit next to him?

  “I’ve never been kicked out of any place for not wearing shoes. Though there was a manager at one restaurant who objected to me standing on my head at the table.” Autumn grinned. “That was during my yoga phase.”

  “That’s some yoga.” Tawnia glanced at the sheet of directions lying between the front seats. “Bret, don’t you think we should consider calling the police? They could look for this girl.”

  He shook his head. “They haven’t even seen the drawing, remember? As far as I know, Hanks hasn’t come forward with it yet. I’ll probably have to force his hand.” Bret tossed his suit jacket into the backseat next to Autumn before pulling away from the curb. “Which reminds me—two things happened at the county building today.” When he saw he had their attention, he continued. “They questioned people again today, but one of the guys didn’t show up—name’s Robert Glen. Now at first that didn’t bother me because it is, after all, a Saturday, and Robert has been a bit defensive about the whole questioning thing from the beginning.”