“I want to be with you, Justin, by your side, whatever happens.”
“And I need you by me, baby. God knows I do, but I want you to keep a low profile right now. That’s the best thing you can do for me. How’s Bianca?”
“I peeked in on her and Gabby when I got home. She was sleeping peacefully. The two of them are happily playing now.”
“Good, she deserves all of the happiness that she can get, and so do you.” Justin was silent for a moment. “You’ll never have to worry again, sweetheart. Your days of running are over.” He paused, letting the enormity of that reality sink in. “I’ll call you back later and we’ll talk more. Remember that I love you. Everything is going to be all right.” With that he broke the connection.
Davia held the telephone to her cheek for a second. Would everything really be okay? She had never had a man outside the Johnson family who had been there for her as Justin had. She had never had faith or trust in any man until him. With him she had gained something she never thought that she would have—peace of mind. He had been there for her through all of her drama and had never wavered. It was time to reciprocate. It was her turn to be there for him.
CHAPTER 22
As much as Justin regretted having to tell his mother about the death of Charles Cash, he would have given his life to have spared her the double blow of telling her about Bianca. The look on her face was one he would never forget.
“Bianca! Our baby? He…He…” Her gray-blue eyes met his, searching for some falsehood in the words that he had spoken. She saw none.
Pale and shaken, she buried her head in her hands and sobbed. Sitting on the sofa beside her, Justin took her in his arms and let her expel her anguish. It took a while.
Having absorbed the shock of the news her son had brought to her, Katherine wiped the tears from her eyes, waved the brandy away that he offered and exhaled. She was back in control.
“Son, I want you to understand that my grief is not for Charles, but for our baby, and for the fact that I let that monster into my home. I hope he rots in hell!”
Justin nodded, relieved at the revelation and agreeing with the latter declaration. “I don’t think that there’s any doubt about that.”
“What we must do now is get you out of this situation and help Bianca all that we can.”
“And what about Vanessa?”
“Oh, my Lord!” Katherine gasped. “She’ll be home today from her buying trip. This news about Bianca will destroy her.” Katherine rose and began to pace. “How can we tell her? She’s so fragile.”
“It might be that she’s a lot stronger than you think, but we’ll have to be there for her.”
“Of course we will, but you don’t know Vanessa. She’s weak. She always has been. But that’s not important right now. You are.”
Justin frowned. He hated it when his mother dismissed his sister. “Listen, Mother, Vanessa will need your support now more than ever.”
Katherine was barely listening as she laid out her plans for her son. “I know who we’ll get to defend you if it comes to that. I’ll call Lazarus Dorman…”
“He’s on the Georgia Supreme Court, he doesn’t practice law anymore. Anyway, I called Anthony. He’s my attorney.”
“Oh, no.” She stopped and looked at him disapprovingly. “Not him. He went to some nondescript law school up north. You’ll need better representation than that.”
“Anthony is my lawyer, and that’s the end of that discussion.”
Katherine looked at her son in exasperation. “Please, Justin, not this time. Don’t fight every decision that I make. This is too important. This could mean your life.” She began to tear. “I couldn’t bear it if anything…”
“Here’s everybody!”
Startled, Justin and Katherine turned simultaneously, equally surprised at the sound of Vanessa’s voice. A second later she breezed into the living room, luggage in hand.
“Look who I found outside.”
Two pairs of eyes shifted to the figure behind her. It was Davia. Justin and Katherine both froze.
“How dare you come into my house,” Katherine hissed.
Unfazed by the arctic greeting, Davia had eyes only for Justin as he rose and walked across the room to her. Neither of them noticed his mother’s glare as he and Davia found consolation in each other’s arms.
“Sweetheart, you shouldn’t have come.” Justin’s words were a contradiction to the kisses he rained from her hairline down to her lips. He needed this. He needed her, and Davia needed him.
“I couldn’t stay away.” She caressed his goatee lovingly. “I had to see for myself that you were okay.”
“Well, he’s fine.” Katherine’s frosty voice interrupted their reunion. “And I’ll be frank with you, Ms. Maxwell. It’s obvious by your presence that my son has confided in you before confiding in me. But at this moment we are discussing a family matter, and I’d like for you to leave my home.”
Justin turned to his mother, placing his arm around Davia protectively. “If she goes, I go.”
Katherine recoiled as if she had been struck. Her eyes were ablaze as they shifted from a determined Justin to Davia, who heaved a troubled sigh.
She wasn’t up to another fight with Katherine, but if she wanted one, she was willing to give it to her. The tension in the room was stifling. Vanessa chose to retreat.
“I’m going upstairs to see Bianca,” she announced, fingering the strap on her luggage nervously. She started out of the room.
Davia started to speak up and inform her that Bianca was at her house, but Katherine’s strident voice stopped her.
“No, Vanessa. Stay here. Justin and I need to talk to you.” Pointedly, she glanced at Davia. “Alone.”
“Let her go,” said Justin. “We can talk later.” His voice and manner softened as he addressed his sister. “Go on upstairs, hon. Get some rest.”
Katherine looked at him in amazement. “No! She stays right here. What has to be said can’t wait. I’ll talk to her if you won’t. Since you think that this matter is of so little importance, you and your little lady friend can go do whatever it is you have to do.”
Ignoring Katherine, Davia took in Vanessa’s appearance. The woman looked as if she was about to pass out. She was nervous and jumpy. Her eyes were red and her color didn’t look good. Justin had said that she had taken a business trip. Perhaps it had been a difficult one. Unfortunately, what Vanessa was coming home to might be the most difficult thing she would ever have to face. As a mother Davia knew the pain that the revelation about Bianca would bring, and her heart went out to her. It was Justin’s gentle squeeze on her shoulder that refocused her attention.
“Sweetheart, have a seat, please.” He nodded toward a chair and then moved toward his sister as he addressed Katherine. “Vanessa looks as though she needs her rest.”
Katherine was livid. “This is my house, and I don’t want this woman here, Justin.”
“We’ll be leaving as soon as I help Vanessa upstairs.” He slid her bag from her shoulder.
“Come on, sis.”
“No!” Katherine was emphatic. “She must be told what has happened, and it must be now. Your life may depend on it!”
Vanessa’s eyes flew to Justin. “Your life? What is she talking about?”
“It can wait until later,” Justin said gruffly as he tried to hustle his sister out of the room.
Vanessa resisted, turning questioning eyes on Katherine. “Mother?”
“Charles Cash is dead, Vanessa. The police think your brother might have caused his death.”
“What?” Vanessa’s hands flew to her mouth as she stifled a scream.
“Mother!” Justin stormed at Katherine. The overnight bag crashed to the floor. A trembling Vanessa took refuge in a nearby chair. Davia rose in an attempt to see to her, but Katherine waved her away as she went to her daughter.
“Why did you do that?” An angry Justin crossed the room to pour a glass of brandy for his sister. “I told
you that I’d handle this.”
“I don’t care,” Katherine retorted, patting Vanessa’s back solicitously. “This is a family crisis and we must deal with every aspect of it immediately.” She looked at Davia. “And without her being involved.”
Justin returned to Vanessa’s side with a snifter of brandy. “Here, drink this.” He then turned a cold eye to his mother. “If it wasn’t for Davia, who knows what would have happened to Bi…” He glanced at Vanessa, who looked back at him with alarm.
“Bianca! I have to go up to her.” Her voice rose hysterically as she tried to get out of her seat.
“She’s not upstairs.” Katherine informed her. “Justin left her with Clark.”
“Clark?” Vanessa’s puzzled eyes shifted to Justin.
“She’s safe,” he reassured her.
Vanessa spun toward her brother. “I thought that you were going to bring her home from her house.” She indicated Davia.
Davia shot Justin a questioning glance. Katherine also caught her daughter’s words. She was incensed.
“When you said that you left Bianca with a close friend, I thought that you meant Clark. I can’t believe you did this. You’re dragged to jail like a common criminal, and you go to her first. You took my grandchild to her?” Katherine whirled on Davia. “I want you out of here! Out!”
Wrapping her arms around herself protectively, a hysterical Vanessa wailed. “Mother, please! Enough is enough. I just want Bianca. My baby needs me!” She began sobbing.
Davia sat quietly watching the drama unfolding before her—Katherine’s jealous vindictiveness, Vanessa’s emotional distress, and Justin, the devoted son and brother, trying to put Band-Aids on everyone’s wounds. To the outside world the Miles family appeared to have it all—wealth, social status and respect. Yet, this was a family with challenges far beyond those it presently faced. She wondered if they possessed the love and strength that it would take to endure what lay ahead for them. Only time would tell. As for now, there was something wrong here, and it was becoming increasingly clear to her what it might be. Years of survival had honed instincts that revealed truths that others might miss. She hadn’t missed a thing.
Davia rose and went to Justin, who had hunkered down before his sister. Gently, she touched his shoulder.
“Justin, let’s go. Let’s take Vanessa to her daughter. They need to be with each other now.”
Justin turned to Davia, detecting something different in her tone and manner. His gray-green eyes met her dark brown ones. They held and he realized that she knew.
The silent exchange confirmed Davia’s suspicion. It also warned her that this was a man who would protect and stand by his sister, no matter the cost. But the price he might have to pay for his love and loyalty to his family might be too high. So Davia took the decision out of his hands.
She turned to his sister. “Vanessa? How did you know that Bianca was at my house? Justin never mentioned to me that he had spoken to you.”
For a brief moment panic passed over Vanessa’s fine features. She glanced quickly at her brother, then back at Davia, but it was Katherine who did the talking.
“What has that got to do with anything? The question is what is my granddaughter doing at your house instead of being here at home where she belongs?”
“Stop it, Mother!” Justin demanded. “We owe Davia too much for you to give her this attitude of yours.”
“I don’t owe her a thing,” Katherine said. She turned to Vanessa. “’I’m sorry, dear, but I’m afraid there’s something your brother and I need to tell you…”
“You don’t need to tell her about Bianca, Mrs. Miles,” Davia interrupted. “Does she, Vanessa?”
“Don’t say a word,” warned Justin. “You’re out of place, Davia.”
“Humph, you’re right about that,” Katherine agreed.
“I’m telling you to keep out of this, Davia,” Justin said harshly.
Davia looked at him, taken aback. He had never talked to her so sternly. The adage “blood is thicker than water” crossed her mind. Perhaps it was best to suppress her suspicions and walk away. But if she did that, Justin could pay the price for her silence. She ignored his warning.
“Vanessa, I was at Charles Cash’s townhouse at one o’clock this morning…”
“Davia!” Justin’s warning took on threatening tones. Meanwhile, Katherine looked at her, bewildered.
“How did you know where he lived?” She turned to Justin. “Was she with you?”
Justin ignored her as he focused on Davia. “Don’t go any farther.”
She did. “I was afraid that Justin might go to his house and confront Mon…Cash. And as I suspected, he was there. He told me that Cash was dead, then he sent me away, but I went back…”
“What?” Justin roared.
Davia remained unfazed. “The authorities had taken Justin to the police station by the time I returned, but there were still neighbors milling around. And while you and Justin were talking, I was sitting over there thinking about that night and how I caught snatches of conversation among the bystanders.”
“It’s time for you to go.” There was an unspoken plea in Justin’s voice.
His words went unheeded as Davia continued. “I remembered hearing one woman saying something about walking her dog around midnight and seeing a woman leaving Cash’s townhouse. I know that was way before I got there.”
Her eyes strayed to Justin who, for a moment, looked stricken by her statement, but he quickly recovered. “So the woman was mistaken. That had nothing to do with this.”
Davia addressed his sister, who sat as still as stone. “Vanessa knows that it has everything to do with it.”
“You’re wrong. She doesn’t know anything. So leave this alone, Davia.” There was a chill in Justin’s voice that threatened finality. She could lose him if she continued, but she could lose him if she didn’t. He had been there for her, no matter what. She could do no less for him.
Katherine was confused by the direction the conversation was taking, but was delighted at her son’s displeasure with her nemesis.
“Young lady, I have no idea what you’re talking about, and I’m sure my daughter doesn’t, either. My son has asked that you stay out of our family’s business and leave. So get out. I’ll get Henry to follow you to your house so Bianca can be brought home where she belongs.”
Davia ignored everyone but Vanessa. “Your brother loves you. If nobody else in the world was ever there for you, he has been. That’s the kind of man he is. You know that he’ll do anything for you. Anything! And you know what I mean.”
“Get out, Davia!” Fury was in Justin’s every word as he stormed across the room to the entrance and pointed the way for her.
Folding her arms across her chest, Katherine looked at her triumphantly. Blood was thicker than water.
Davia was shaken by the depth of Justin’s anger. She was used to seeing fire and desire in the depths of his eyes, not the pain and rage now reflected there.
Justin could hardly breathe, he was so angry. How could the woman he loved do this to him? She was making him choose between her and his sister. Why did she have to force his hand? He had proven his loyalty to her, defied his mother to be with her. There was little he wouldn’t do to be by her side. Where was her loyalty? How could she betray him like this? Silently, his eyes beseeched her to go away and let things be as they were.
Davia looked at Justin’s rigid stance and wondered if this would be the end for them. Would the death of Charles Cash be the catalyst to end what even his mother could not destroy? Was Money reaching from the grave to snatch this bit of happiness from her? It was her call. All she had to do was ignore the truth, turn and walk out of the door. The world wouldn’t stop revolving, and things might be right again. It was her call, and she took it.
She turned back to his sister. “Don’t let him go down for this, Vanessa. You love him too much to let him do this. Save him.” Davia could hear the breath leave Justin
’s body.
“What is this woman talking about?” Katherine asked her daughter. Her son had sunk into a chair and covered his face in despair. “Exactly what are you supposed to save Justin from?”
Vanessa’s shoulders sagged as she looked at Davia with red-rimmed eyes. “Prison.”
“Vanessa!” Justin shot from his chair and charged across the room to his sister. “Think of Bianca.”
“I am thinking of her. That’s why it’s over, Justin.”
Katherine looked completely befuddled. “Will somebody tell me what’s going on?”
Vanessa looked past her mother as she spoke, her eyes devoid of emotion as she took a shuddering breath. “I killed Charles Cash.”
“No you didn’t!” Justin’s voice cracked as he knelt down beside his sister. Davia placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. He shook it off.
Katherine backed away from her children as she looked at Vanessa in disbelief.
“What are you saying? Are you insane? How could you kill Charles? You’ve been in Dallas for two days.”
“I came back last night. I was upstairs at Cash’s house when Justin came to see him…” She turned to look at her mother. “Upstairs in Charles’s bed.”
Katherine gave a sardonic cackle. “Do you expect me to believe that?”
“I figured that you wouldn’t, but it’s true. We’ve been lovers for about a month.”
Katherine’s hand fluttered to her throat as she looked at her child as if she didn’t know who she was. “How could you, Vanessa? Why would you do such a thing?”
A bitter laugh escaped from deep within Vanessa. “Because you thought I couldn’t and wouldn’t, and I had to prove to myself that not only I could, but I would.”
Speechless, Katherine dropped into a nearby chair, reeling from the venom lacing her daughter’s words.
“But for once, Mother, this isn’t about you. It’s about that S.O.B. and how he got what was coming to him.” Vanessa looked through Katherine, as her mind took her back to the townhouse of Charles Cash.
“I recognized Justin’s voice right away. I could tell that he was angry…”
Small Sensations Page 21