Hidden Secrets

by P. L. Harris

  “We need to look as casual as possible, and if anyone sees us, it will just look like you and your boyfriend are coming home. We can’t afford to draw suspicion.”

  “Oh,” she exclaimed, a little disheartened.

  “You ready?” he asked.

  Amanda shrugged. “As ready as I’ll ever be,” she said and slid her shaky fingers over the cool silver door handle. “Let’s get this over with.”

  After exiting the car, she stood on the sidewalk, not sure what to do next. She took a deep breath as he gently weaved his fingers through hers. His tempting body taunted her senses. His seductive scent wafted past her nose. Off limits, off limits, she repeated, trying in vain to convince herself.

  “Shall we?” he asked.

  Her heels clicked on the concrete pavement as they walked in silence. The heat from his hand ran up her arm, warming her from the outside in. His positive energy spread throughout her body like wildfire. She steadied her breathing as her house came into view.

  It appeared normal—no destruction on the outside, and the front door was still closed. The steel-blue curtains in the bay window to the right were open. Her mother always left them that way. She believed the Lord spoke when the sun’s rays shone through the windowpane, scattering beautiful colors around the room.

  Jason stopped her at the gate and held his hand out. “Do you have a key?”

  Nodding, she searched the front pocket of her backpack and then handed her keys to Jason.

  “Thanks. Okay, we go up slowly and quietly. Stay behind me. Got it?”

  “Fine,” she whispered.

  Amanda held her breath as Jason eased his hand from hers and headed for the door. She closely followed, the wooden porch creaking underfoot. She peeked through the window. Cold hands of dread gipped her chest. Tears stung her eyelids, and she looked away. The picture of chaos and destruction inside was too much to bear.

  “Amanda?” Jason whispered, edging her behind his sturdy body. “I thought I said stay behind me?”

  “I was just looking.”

  “Well, how about you wait until we know if there’s someone inside trying to kill you first,” Jason said dryly.

  Her lips thinned and her brow creased. She didn’t mind the strong, macho hero most of the time, but his excessive protective manner was starting to grate on her nerves. I’m not totally helpless, you know.

  Jason eased the door open a few inches, peering inside. “Hello…Hello?” An ominous silence greeted his question. “Hello…Anyone home?” he yelled with a little more force. He turned to Amanda. “Although there’s no answer, I want you to stay close while we check the place over. We don’t want any surprises.”

  A shiver skirted down her spine. Her pulse sped up as they entered the cold, silent house. It still resembled a war zone. The only difference was now she knew for certain her mother wasn’t there.

  Jason’s eyes widened as he took in the disheveled chaos before him. “Jeez, it looks like a freaking bomb went off in here.”

  Amanda’s heart plummeted. “Can we just check the house, please?”

  Jason nodded and squeezed her hand in reassurance. They moved stealthily throughout the ground floor, her pulse racing faster with each step. Satisfied it was safe, he paused at the bottom of the stairs.

  “I’m going up. Stay here, and I’ll be right back. If you hear anything at all, other than me calling the all-clear, I want you to run like crazy. Got it?”

  She nodded. “Be careful.”

  Amanda sucked in a painful breath as he silently climbed each step with careful precision. She waited, her jumpy nerves ready to explode. Unable to stand still a moment longer, she headed to the safety of the lounge room.

  Why, why, why? she thought, looking around at the shattered remnants of her beloved life. Why did they have to destroy every piece of furniture, every picture, and every memory?

  Tears welled in her eyes and her heart pounded as if it were about to splinter into a million pieces. It felt worthless without her mother’s love to nurture it.

  Careful to avoid the shards of glass, she bent and picked up a picture of her high school graduation from underneath the lounge chair. High school hadn’t been easy. Between the many moves, lack of friends, snobby girls, and disastrous interactions with boys, she was lucky she made it through at all. Her mother insisted it would be the making of her. She’d be a stronger woman because of all the hardships she’d experienced. A tear rolled down Amanda’s cheek and splatted onto the picture.

  “All clear,” Jason’s voice bellowed as he came down the stairs. “Is that your mum?” he asked, looking over her shoulder. “She’s beautiful.”

  Amanda nodded. “My high school graduation. She said it was the happiest day of her life.”

  “I see where you get your good looks from,” Jason said.

  “She is beautiful, isn’t she?” She smiled. “We were living in the Blue Mountains at the time, and she insisted on buying me that silly emerald-green sweater. She said it made my eyes shine like crystal stars, and it was my day to shine in front of everyone.”

  “She’s right.” Amanda’s skin broke out in goosebumps as Jason took her hand in his. “I don’t want to spoil the moment, but I really think we should get the letter and get out of here.”

  “The letter, of course.” Amanda shoved the picture of her graduation into her backpack and bolted to the smashed pictures barely hanging on the staircase wall. Behind her sixteenth birthday picture, just as her mother said, was a blank envelop. “Got it.” She glared at what she hoped would be the answer to saving her mother. Amanda milled over all the possible scenarios of what could be written inside.

  “So, are you going to open it?” Jason asked from the bottom of the stairs.

  She shook her head. “I can’t. What if it’s more bad news? I don’t think I could take any more bad news right now.”

  “All right, then put it into your bag and you can open it when we get home. Now, let’s get out of here.”

  She secured the envelope in her backpack beside her graduation picture and followed Jason out without so much as a glance back toward her destroyed life.

  * * * *

  Jason slowly pulled into his drive. “Listen, I want you to hide by the back door, out of sight. I’m going to go in and suss out where my dad is, and then when the coast is clear, I’ll come and get you, all right?”

  She nodded and headed for the back door. What was in the letter that was so important that her mother would risk her life for it? Why hadn’t she just opened it when she’d found it? Her mind buzzed with the scenarios fighting it out there.

  Amanda sucked in her breath, trying gallantly not to panic. Exhausted, she ached from the constant nervous tension bombarding her body.

  Thorns tore at her tender skin. Ouch. Why did they have to be rosebushes underneath the kitchen window? Why couldn’t they be natives or something that didn’t have claws out to get me? She froze at the sound of Jason’s voice booming through the kitchen window above her head.

  “It’s not what you think, Dad.” Jason huffed.

  “Really, I wake up to get ready for work and find your car gone. So much for sleeping off a migraine,” he said. “What am I supposed to think? You didn’t leave a note. For all I know, you were off with your mates, causing more trouble.”

  “For God sake,” Jason barked. “I went to see if Scott was home. I wasn’t even gone long.”

  Amanda flinched at the stark resentment in Jason’s voice.

  “And was he?”

  Jason shook his head.

  “Well, why didn’t you let me know?”

  “Because I didn’t think I had to report to you before I left the house, or have things changed now because you believe the dean over me? Well, newsflash, I didn’t steal those exam answers. It was Scott, and as soon as I find him and prove it, you’ll be the first to know.”

  Amanda clenched her fingers into tight fists. This was
not what she wanted. She didn’t want Jason lying for her. She should walk in now and tell the truth. Her gut wrenched at the thought. If she did that, her mother would surely die.

  “Scott?” the gruff voice questioned.

  “Yes, Scott. Now, if you don’t mind—”

  “Jason,” he called.

  “What now? If you don’t mind, I’m going to take some more painkillers before my head drops off and hit the sack again.”

  “All right, son. I’m going to take a shower and head into work. I’m pulling a double shift, so I won’t be home ‘til mid-afternoon tomorrow. We’ll talk then.”

  “Sure, whatever.”

  The kitchen fell silent. The eerie stillness of the house clashed with the thunderous rustle of the tall eucalyptus trees swaying in the back of the garden. Have they both left? A sound startled her, and then the faint call of her name sailed across the air.

  “Amanda? Amanda, where are you?” Jason whispered. “The coast is clear. My dad’s in the shower.”

  He didn’t need to ask twice. Amanda held her breath, shot to her feet, and sprinted toward Jason’s room. She spun around at the sound of the bedroom door closing.

  “What do we do now?” she pleaded.

  Jason gestured toward the bed and flopped on top of the soft quilt. “Let’s sit. It’s been a trying day.”

  “I can’t sit, don’t you understand?” she said, pacing the carpet, frustration swirling in her stomach. She was so tired, her body drained of energy. She’d hardly slept a wink last night.

  “Okay,” he said in a calming voice. “We’ll figure it out. I promise everything will be all right.”

  Promise? Promise? How can he promise everything will be all right? Is he some sort of fortune teller? My mother could die. The words screamed in her mind.

  The events of the past few days finally zapped the last of her energy, and her trembling knees gave way, no longer able to hold her upright. She collapsed onto the bed, his arms catching her as she fell.

  Images and words swirled in her mind like a sinister silent movie. Mum…treehouse…sexy…danger…hunk…death…destruction. Amanda stirred, her breathing labored against Jason’s chest. Warmth spread throughout her body. Her lashes fluttered, her gaze locking with the most amazing, yummy, dreamy brown eyes she’d ever seen. Eyes of an angel.

  “Are you all right?” he asked, lightly brushing the hair from her face. “You fainted.”

  Jason…Fainted…

  Adrenaline surged through her limbs. She pushed at his chest, distancing herself from his searing-hot body. “I’m sorry. Oh, my God,” she said, scampering across the room.

  “Hey, no harm done. I’m just glad I was here to catch you and you didn’t face plant on the carpet.” He chuckled, relaxing the tension between them.

  She covered her face in her hands, exhausted.

  “So, are you going to open the letter?” he asked again.

  “The letter…yes.” Amanda pulled the letter from her bag with trembling hands. She stared at it, willing it to be good news. She felt the blood drain from her face as she scanned the contents of the envelope.

  “What is it?” Jason pried.

  “Nothing.” She gasped.

  “Come on, Amanda, show me,” he persisted.

  “No, I mean there’s nothing here.” She groaned.

  “What do you mean nothing?”

  She flipped the page to check both sides, but they were the same. Blank. “Nothing, both sides are blank.” She shoved the page into his hands. “See?”

  He flipped it just as Amanda had, and he scanned the blank page. “It must be important, otherwise why would she have you go back and get it?”

  “I don’t know. I just don’t know anymore,” she said, laying back on the bed, exhausted.

  “She must know. She’ll be able to tell you tomorrow when you meet her.”

  She sighed and closed her eyes. “I hope you’re right.”

  Chapter 6

  SOMETHING’S not right, Jason thought as he glanced at his watch. Four-twenty. His pulse rate kicked up, as did his breathing. Amanda paced by the slide on the other side of the playground, waiting. There gazes connected, her eyes pleading for answers. Answers he couldn’t give her.

  She should be here by now. This wasn’t good, wasn’t good at all. Panic crept up his spine. He mindlessly flicked over pages of the magazine he held, pretending to be interested in the mind-numbing gossip that flooded its pages.

  Amanda froze, and Jason held his breath as she put her phone to her ear. Her body heaved and her knees gave way as she slumped to the ground.

  Dear God, no.

  Helpless panic rippled over him, his only thought was Amanda’s safety. Sprinting to her side, he grabbed her shoulders and hauled her upright. Her haunted gaze stabbed at his heart like a dagger.

  “Amanda, what happened?” he pleaded.

  “J-Jason,” she said through hiccupped sobs. “We’re too late.”

  “What do you mean too late?” Jason’s face grew stormy.

  “My mum. The men who destroyed my house have her.” She sobbed, her chest heaving.

  Oh, my God.

  He pushed Amanda’s hair from her face. The stark terror embedded in her eyes ripped through him like a tornado. People took notice and stared at them. “Amanda, honey, we have to get out of here. It’s not safe in the open.”

  She grabbed his arms, squeezing mercilessly. “Jason, they want a computer SD card.”

  “What computer SD card?”

  “I don’t know,” she screamed. “How am I supposed to save my mum if I don’t know what they’re after?”

  Rage seared through his veins. “Amanda, get a grip. Sobbing hysterically isn’t going to do us or your mother any good. We need to get back home. You can tell me everything on the way home.”

  She nodded, wiping her wet cheeks with her sleeve.

  Jason’s skin pricked when she gripped his forearm. “I’m scared,” she said in a hoarse, heart-wrenching voice. He flinched at the pain in her haunted eyes.

  “I know,” he said, holding her trembling body tight in his arms. “But I promised I’d help you and that’s exactly what I’m going to do, okay?”

  Her lips thinned. “Okay.”

  * * * *

  Jason sat on his bed. “That’s it, that’s all they said?”

  “Yes, that’s it.” Amanda sighed. She repeated the same words she’d told him in the car. “They said they would kill my mum if I didn’t bring the SD card with me when I meet them at ten o’clock tomorrow morning,” she gabbled. “But I don’t know what SD card they’re talking about. My mum didn’t tell me about any SD card.”

  “It’s all right. Let’s go over everything your mother said in her first phone call. Maybe you’ll remember something that will help us work out where to find this SD card.”

  “It has to be in the letter.” Amanda sighed, frustration eating away at her insides.

  “It was blank, remember.”

  “Yeah, but if it weren’t so important, why would she have had me go back for it?” Amanda stood and paced the small confides of Jason’s room, shaking her hands in frustration. “There has to be something on it. There just has to be.”

  Amanda grabbed the open envelope and pulled out the blank piece of paper. She stared at it for what felt like forever. Her eyes widened in shock. She held it up to the light and squinted at the faint impression. What an idiot I am. How could I have missed it?

  “Have you got a pencil?” She thrust out her open hand toward Jason, her gaze transfixed on the paper. “I need a pencil now.”

  He pointed to the stationary holder on his desk. “Over there, you’ll find plenty.”

  A curl of nausea swirled in her stomach as she lightly rubbed the pencil over the impression.

  “What are you doing?” he asked as he peered over her shoulder.

  “I saw this on an episode of Bones. Temperance Bre
nnan rubbed the pencil over the paper and a name appeared.” she murmured. “I’m hoping I can have the same luck.”

  “Really?”

  Ignoring Jason’s words, she quickly unclasped the locket from around her neck.

  “Amanda, what’s it say?” he persisted.

  “A precious stone can speak a thousand words,” she whispered. She looked down at her hands and tried to control the shaking long enough to open the locket. A key.

  Jason expression darkened. “Amanda, what are you talking about?”

  Her brain knew he wanted an answer, but she just stared at the folded paper hidden inside her locket. Her belly clenched. This was it, the answer they’d been looking for.

  “Amanda, don’t keep me in the dark here. The suspense is killing me,” he barked. “What’s in your locket?”

  Her gaze found his. “It’s the key, the key to saving my mother.”

  “Key?” Jason asked, his brow creased. “In that locket?”

  “Yes,” she said, carefully removing the paper from the locket.

  Jason eased the letter from her grip and read the rest of its contents. “24/7 Self-storage, Fremantle. Unit 34.” His gaze found hers. “Amanda, this is just a storage unit number.”

  She thrust the piece of paper in front of his face. “Yes, and this is the combination that will unlock that storage unit.”

  She carefully hid the paper back in the locket and then secured it around her neck again. “Come on, we have to get to the storage unit,”

  “Whoa, slow down,” he said, blocking the door with his buff body before she could leave. “We can’t go yet. Unless you want to run into my dad before he leaves for work and totally blow everything.”

  “Oh,” she said, her face fell.

  “Tell you what,” he said, placing his hands lightly on her shoulders. “Why don’t I pop out and see if he’s left yet?”

  Why is it he always knows the right things to say?

  She nodded. “Okay.”

  * * * *

  It had just hit dusk as they drove through the entrance of the storage facility. Amanda’s pulse pounded like a speeding freight train. The sky glowed with sleek shades of pink and lavender. There was enough light beaming from the fluorescent lights scattered around for her not to have to worry about needing a torch. She wiped her clammy hands down her jeans. An overpowering feeling of sickness rooted itself deep in her belly.