Preston gave a slight nod across the room where Belinda talked in a huddle with Vince. “I doubt if the staff members’ activities are monitored as closely as the patients.”
Rod nodded, glancing quickly at Vince. Relief brightened his face.
Wrong dude, Earl thought.
“Someone needs to check out Belanger,” Preston said. He looked at Nick. “How are you at faking medical ailments?”
The guy grinned. “I have a few tricks up my sleeve from my reporter days.”
Rod glanced around uncertainly. “Sounds like that could be a dangerous proposition. You sure you want to risk it?”
Nick shrugged. “Can’t be any more dangerous than my last interview with Marianne Clark.”
“You don’t need to do it,” Earl said quickly. It was probably stupid, because Nick had better access to the clinic, and probably had better investigative skills, but Earl didn’t care. He didn’t want anyone playing the hero but him. He had to be the one to save Mindy. Him and no one else. Not even her new Daddio.
Nick, Preston and Rod stared at him, slacked-jawed and shaking their heads.
“That doesn’t make sense,” Nick said. “I’m the one who’s a patient here. And I’m in the newspaper business. I’m used to snooping around. It’s what I came here for in the first place.”
Rod and Preston nodded their agreement, but Earl didn’t care. He was going to be the one rescuing his damsel in distress. He shook their concerns away with a shake of his head. “I may not be a reporter, but I know how to act. And I’ve played Storm Jackson in five movies. I’ve totally got this.”
“Acting like a reporter isn’t the same as being one,” Nick pointed out.
“I don’t care.” Earl stood his ground. “I’m doing this. Besides, like it or not, Shirley’s got the hots for me. Of everyone here, I stand the best chance of sweet-talking that bitch out of going ballistic if I get caught.”
Preston chuckled. “Man’s got a point.”
“Fine,” Nick agreed. He looked Earl over as if trying to determine his chances for success. “You’ll need to come up with a cover story for being there. Or better yet, see if you can’t pay a visit to Shirley and steal a set of her keys.”
Adrenalin shot through Earl. He hadn’t been this anxious since his first audition. “I’ll get into Shirley’s office and the clinic,” he vowed. “You have my word.”
“Good idea,” Preston said. “In the meantime I’m checking Maggie and Isabelle out of here.” He glanced anxiously at his family. “Nick, you may want to get Jamie and Charlotte out of here as well.”
Nick nodded. “Already planning on it. No point in leaving these nut cases with potential hostages. In fact, Preston, you might want to take Scott and leave yourself. Rod, you and Darla should do the same.” He glanced at Earl. Sorrow tinged his eyes. “Unfortunately, getting Mindy out of here isn’t going to be quite as easy.”
“She probably wouldn’t leave anyway,” Earl admitted. Not that he wasn’t going to try and arrange it. “For some reason she’s hell-bent on helping you.”
“I’d like to help, too,” Rod said. “But, Preston, I’d appreciate it if you took Darla out of here with you.”
“You can’t do that.” Earl hated to break it to him, but someone had to.
“Why not?”
“How are you going to explain staying here if Darla leaves?’
Rod frowned. “Guess I hadn’t thought of that. I do want to stay and help, but I don’t want Darla here.”
He’d want her here even less if he knew about her fling with Rory. “Okay,” Earl said. “Why don’t you and Preston take your loved ones and leave? Nick and I got this. Don’t we, Daddio?”
Nick grinned. “Earl’s right. There’s no point in putting anyone in danger needlessly. Everyone who can leave should.”
Preston and Rod glanced at each other before shrugging their acceptance, and Earl imagined the struggle going on with their egos, not wanting to appear unmanly or weak. But hell, he’d leave, too. If could drag Mindy out of here.
“Come on, Rod,” Preston said. “Let’s go tell the women our plans.”
Chapter 52
“I’m checking you out of here in the morning,” Rod whispered in Darla’s ear. “It isn’t safe here, and everyone who doesn’t have to stay is leaving.”
Darla tensed while jealousy set in. She’d been afraid it would come to this. Leave it to Rod to not even ask what she wanted. She crossed her arms in front of her, digging her heels into the rubber soles of her flip flops. “Why?” she asked. “Is Earl checking Mindy out, too?”
Rod shook his head. “He can’t. Anthony Howard still has guardianship over her. But we’ve all agreed there’s no point in Preston and I staying here and putting our loved ones at risk. We’re leaving.”
Possibilities flashed through Darla’s mind. With her gone, Mindy would be free to take back Rory’s affections. She’d have Earl and Nick here to work on, too. Not mention Vince. He might be all lovey-dovey with Belinda right now, but that didn’t mean Mindy wouldn’t start trying to win him back. Collecting male admirers seemed to be her thing. And if some headline-making story did come out of whatever was going on, Mindy would walk away with a starring role. Like the bitch didn’t have enough attention already. “Absolutely not,” Darla said. It was her turn to take center stage. Rod could just go fuck himself.
“Darla, be reasonable,” he pleaded, placing his hand on her shoulder. His voice rose to begging levels. “I know Regina was your friend, but it’s too dangerous to stay.”
She laughed as soon as he brought up Regina. If nothing else, he’d given her a good excuse for resisting. His quizzical stare brought her up short, and she turned her giggles into a choking sort of cough. She really needed to think first and act second. Belinda was right about that. “You think I’m worried about danger?” She scrambled to throw him off course. “Have you forgotten who my father was?”
Rod scowled. “No. I haven’t. And could you please lower your voice? We’re trying not to advertise our plans.”
“Fine. I’ll lower my voice, but I’m not leaving.” She thought now about how she might use Rory to get information and expose whatever was going on. He’d already told her about Gina’s little fling with Dr. Belanger, and she’d bet more than money Nick would love to know about it. She saw herself on the cover of Just the Facts, and not for being drunk on the party circuit, or having her father thrown in jail. She imagined Nick applauding her on the pages inside. The world would finally know her as something more than the unfortunate victim of a sadistic, incestuous monster.
“Please think about what you’re saying.” Rod pressed on.
He reached out to stroke her face, but she pushed his hand away.
“Baby, please. Be realistic. What do you think you can do here that Earl and Nick can’t?”
Without thinking she slapped his face as hard as she could.
Rod jerked back, staring at her. Eyes wide. Mouth open. Four thin, finger-length lines colored his cheek.
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “But like you said, Regina was my best friend. And I’m not leaving.”
Chapter 53
Rod and Preston returned from talking to their loved ones looking dejected, leaving Earl no doubt their conversations hadn’t gone as planned. “You guys look totally bummed.”
Rod sighed. Defeat dripped off his stooped posture. “Darla’s not leaving.”
Preston shook his head. “Neither is Scott. He thinks it’s a matter of honor and being a man.”
“Darla says Regina was her friend.”
Nick frowned. “What about Maggie and Isabelle?”
“They’re leaving,” Preston answered. “I don’t like leaving Scott here, but a sixteen-year-old young man is at least capable of defending himself. A four-year-old girl isn’t.”
Nick nodded. “Jamie and Charlotte are leaving, too. Not even a question.”
“They should leave together,” Earl suggested. “It would
look less suspicious that way. You could say they’ve decided to take the girls to Disney World or something.”
“Good thinking.” Nick slapped him a high-five. “You might be up to this investigative stuff after all.”
“Thanks.” Earl puffed with pride and turned his attention to Mindy. She leaned back into the cushions of a nearby sofa, managing to look both defiant and lost at the same time. She needed him. The thought twisted in his heart like a dagger. She needed him, but she didn’t want to admit it. She thought she needed to handle things by herself. There had to be a way to convince her trusting him and asking for help every once in a while didn’t make her weak. He looked back to his companions. “Why don’t you guys fill me on the rest of this later? I’m going to spend a little time with Mindy.” He waited only long enough to see Preston nod before leaving.
She looked up as he approached and smiled. “Hey.”
He slid onto the couch beside her. “Hey, yourself.”
“You guys manage to sort out the world’s problems?”
“I’d settle for sorting out our problems. Never mind the world’s.” He regretted his words instantly, and the sorrow they brought to her face. “What I meant is you’re my main concern. The rest of the world can get in line behind you.”
She drew in a breath, her breasts gently rising and falling, while her expression softened. Nice to know he could find the right thing to say every once in a while.
“It’s nice to know you still care. I’ve never really understood why, but it’s nice to know all the same.”
“That’s a start.” He threw an arm around her shoulder, exhaling a breath he felt like he’d been holding all night. Mindy rested her head on his shoulder and desire for her spilled through every inch of him. He had half a mind to pick her up, carry her out to his car and flee. Take her to the nearest hotel and spend the rest of the night making love to her.
“So what’s our plan?” she asked quietly.
Earl stroked the baby soft skin of her cheek. If he closed his eyes, he could picture them sitting on the beach at Malibu, listening to the surf roll in on a star-filled night. He wished he could block out everything else. Not talk. Enjoy the moment. But now wasn’t the time. “I want you to keep your head down and your mouth shut,” he whispered. “Let Nick, Preston, Rod and I handle this.”
She jabbed him in the side with her elbow, pulling away and glaring at him, her cheeks already flushed with anger. “Are you kidding me?” The words hissed out under her breath.
“What?” Women. He just didn’t get them. He rubbed his ribs. “What’s the matter?”
“Really? You don’t know?
“Why don’t you just tell me?”
A defiant sheen glazed her eyes. “For the first time in my life I feel like I’m helping someone, and you tell me to keep my mouth shut. Do you even realize how patronizing you sound?”
“Patronizing? You think I’m patronizing?”
She huffed out a breath. “If the shoe fits.”
That familiar, helpless feeling he got whenever he argued with her crept in. “I’m not trying to patronize you, Mindy. I’m trying to protect you.”
“Well don’t.” She stormed off, marching past a stunned-looking Rory.
Earl glanced down at his watch. Four minutes left before visitation ended. He pounded his fist into the cushion before standing. “Damn it!”
A roomful of stunned faces looked his way, but he didn’t care. How did she expect him to not try and protect her? Did she think he was a man or not?
Chapter 54
Since Earl Grayson first appeared at her facility, Shirley had found endless fascination watching him on the surveillance monitor. Various emotions had swirled in her heart as she’d scrutinized his every movement and facial expression, while listening to every word he spoke. Longing. Hope. Jealousy. Irritation. Every interaction he had with that LePage slut provoked a new round of musical feelings. Today, however, she experienced an entirely different emotion. Fear.
He spent a long time huddled with Nick, Preston and Rod, speaking in tones too hushed to be picked up on her audio equipment. Preston, Rod and Nick had gone briefly to visit their loved ones before returning to Earl. She hadn’t paid any attention to the others. She had continued to watch Earl. She didn’t need to hear what they were saying to know it couldn’t be good.
She hit the intercom button on her phone. “Ryan, can you come into my office, please?”
“Right away, Ms. Cantwise.”
By the time he appeared five minutes later, Earl and the other men had dispersed back to their loved ones, and while instinct told her she should pay close attention to all of them, her attention remained fixed on Earl. He sat on the couch now, sitting next to Mindy. He’d wrapped his arm around her and she’d leaned on his shoulder.
Shirley winced. It stung to see it.
Ryan appeared in the doorway. “You wanted to see me?”
She waved him in. “Yes. Have a seat.” She indicated the chair next to hers in front of the monitor.
Without being asked, Ryan’s attention went straight to the bottom quarter image on the screen, the one showing Earl and Mindy. He looked at Shirley and frowned. “Is there a problem with Ms. LePage and Mr. Grayson?”
She drew in a deep breath, willing emotion out of her voice. “More than just them I’m afraid. Earl’s been having private conversations with Nick, Preston and Rod. I can’t think of any good reason for him to be doing that.”
The frown on Ryan’s brow creased further. “What do you suppose they’re up to?”
Good. He got it right away. She shook her head. Underneath her desk, she clasped her hands together, digging her nails into her palms. “It pains me to say it, but Mr. Beck does deal in mud-slinging. Despite our best efforts to re-train his thinking, I’m afraid such a thing might not be possible.”
“You don’t think he’s here because he has a drinking problem, do you?”
She shook her head. Ryan was so wonderfully intuitive. “I very much doubt it.”
“You think he’s here to do a hatchet job on our facility?”
Gaze still fixed on the bottom quarter of the monitor, tears stung at the corners of her eyes. She blinked them away and dug her nails further into the tender flesh of her palms. “I’m afraid so.”
Anger flickered in Ryan’s eyes. His jaw clenched so tightly she feared he might grind his teeth to stubs.
“That bastard!”
She watched him ball his hands into fists before placing her hand on top of his. “Breathe, Ryan. Stay in control of your emotions.”
“Right.” He visibly relaxed, sucking in two deep breaths and letting each one out slowly. “You’ve taught me well, Ms. Cantwise. I can handle this.”
Her success with Ryan reminded her what was at stake. Her work was important. She couldn’t let anyone destroy it. And she couldn’t let anything keep her from Earl. Especially not Nicholas Beck or Mindy LePage.
“There. Did you hear that?” Ryan pointed at the image on the upper left corner of the screen; the one showing Rod and Darla, diagonally opposite the view of Earl and Mindy, who now seemed to be having words.
Shirley dragged her gaze from Earl. “No. What was it?”
“Darla told Rod she wasn’t afraid of danger and that she wasn’t leaving.”
Alarm ripped through Shirley like a cry piercing the night. Her heart slammed wildly into her chest and threatened to beat out of control, no matter how many deep breaths she took. Danger? Leaving? Her instincts had been right. She should never have allowed Nicholas Beck on her property. But it was too late to do anything other than mitigate the damage. “Enhance the audio as much as you can,” she instructed Ryan. “We need to know what those people are saying.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
He turned knobs and made adjustments to the computer settings, but the voices remained too hushed to make out clearly.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Cantwise.” He shrugged helplessly. “That’s
the best I can do.”
“It’s alright, Ryan.” She looked again at the monitor. Earl, Nick, Rod and Preston had re-gathered. They were up to something. And there was more than one way to find out what that something was.
“Keep a close eye on those four men, and everyone connected with them.” She waved her hand in the direction of the monitor. “And alert me at once if anyone tries to leave.”
She’d given Earl every chance to come to her on his own, and he hadn’t done it. He was about to discover she wasn’t a woman to be trifled with. Pulling out the forged paperwork from a drawer in her desk, she buzzed Patty.
“Yes, Ms. Cantwise?”
“I want you to prepare a room in the treatment facility for Mr. Grayson. He’ll be joining us as a patient tomorrow.”
Chapter 55
Morning dawned in a blaze of crimson and orange over Key Largo. Much too serene, Jamie thought, for the nerves she battled inside. She had always been gutsy, never fearing to go anywhere or do anything. She’d gone to the home of the late biker thug D-bag, accomplice of Marianne Clarke and Pearl Watson, without a moment’s hesitation when she was seeking to help Nick solve Janelle’s murder. But that was before Charlotte. Motherhood had changed her in ways she had never anticipated. Made her more cautious. Less apt to put herself in harm’s way. She had a child to think about now. A child whose life could be in danger also. She had to get her out of here. Looking back, she wished she’d left when the communications equipment had gone dead.
“Mommy, I’m packed.”
She forced a smile for Charlotte’s sake. “That’s wonderful, sweetheart. Let’s go see if Maggie and Isabelle are ready.”
“Yea!” Charlotte jumped up and down. “I can’t wait to see the princesses with Isabelle!”
“I know, sweetie. It’s going to be the most fun ever.”
Rolling their suitcases out the hotel room door, she relaxed a bit. Nothing left to do but check out, hop in her car and get the hell out of Dodge.
Redemption (Desire Never Dies) Page 23