A Masterpiece Unraveled (The Masterpiece Trilogy Book 2)

by Nikki Lynn Barrett

  "I don't think I have to interpret what she just said for you to get the hint that Becca isn't staying with you," Hunter said, facing the man. He wasn't even gloating. He just wanted Vince to either say what he wanted or get the hell out.

  "She'll be back. One day, Becca will see the light. You just better not hurt her in the meantime," Vince warned, stomping toward the door. He jerked it open and looked back at Hunter. "There's a reason for everything, Hunter." Vince left him flabbergasted, wondering about the comment.

  *****

  Becca wasn't getting a decent signal at all with the Internet connection. She had the laptop open and ready to search, but apparently technology had other plans. With an eye roll and shake of her head, she put the device down on the bed and closed her eyes.

  A few weeks ago, all she wanted to do was head to the island, find her friend and hope for the best. She never expected for Hunter to love her back, never anticipated an unknown enemy, and sure as heck didn't expect to be on the verge of losing her mind.

  A soft rap at the door brought her back to full alert. She opened her eyes and sat up. Hunter opened the door, peeking his head in. "Just me. Vince is gone. I don't know what that was all about, but I'm going to make a guess he knows whatever your grandparents do." He entered the room and moved slowly toward the bed. Regret and sadness flashed in his eyes. He glanced down. Becca followed his gaze. The laptop. He sat beside her, studying her face.

  "I was going to start searching, but the connection is weak," she explained.

  "How about first thing tomorrow, I make the call and get the investigator right on it? We don't have a whole lot to go on, so this could be a rough start, but I'm sure if he digs into your parents' past, we might have something. I just need to be sure you're okay and ready for whatever comes up." He brushed her hair away from her face. This time, Becca didn't flinch. She didn't fail to notice the relieved expression cross his face.

  "I need to know. Everyone else seems to know but me. I don't want secrets."

  "I agree and understand. I just wanted to double check. Whatever it is, your grandparents and Vince are adamant about keeping from you. I've got this feeling it's going to be ugly."

  So did she, but the comments from earlier wouldn't stop plaguing her mind.

  "It's settled then."

  She nodded. Ugh, she was so tired of just nodding all the time! Stupid voice, just come back already!

  "What isn't settled is what happened with us tonight."

  Again, the regret in his eyes ate at her. For a brief second, she almost felt bad for Hunter, even though he'd taken the journal and tossed it without a second thought to her. He didn't have the right!

  "I can apologize until I'm blue in the face, but I keep messing up. At the moment, I thought it was the best thing to do. I reacted to your response and I didn't think about what you wanted. Just..." Hunter sighed and raked a hand through his hair. "I went through those pages time after time myself. There's nothing. Still, I should have let you deal with it. Hell, Bec ... I don't know what I'm doing anymore." He turned away for a while.

  The only sound she heard was the ticking of her clock that she hadn't taken off the wall to pack yet. The continuous tick became rhythmic.

  "We should be embracing our new relationship." Hunter stared back at her again. "This is not the way I wanted to start things off with you. You're about to uproot your life and live with me, but you're afraid of me. I see it every time I move to touch you. I'd die before I hurt you again, Bec. Everyone, including you, seems to think I'd do it again."

  How could she respond to this? He was right. She was afraid, but it wasn't just of Hunter. She was fidgety in general. Of course the night of the nightmare where he came after her didn't help, and then his angry outbursts, but she couldn't deny what he was saying. She was afraid of him, and the safe feeling she'd had around Hunter for twenty years wasn't there anymore.

  "Would you feel better if Rissi came back with us for a while?"

  He had her attention there. But... "Is it a good idea for her to come back?"

  Hunter's face crumpled. "You think at any time, Carrie's going to come back and finish what she started."

  Well, yeah! "Don't you?"

  Hunter scratched his forehead. "No. I think she's either dead or in hiding. She's a fugitive, angel. Now that her plan backfired, I don't think she's going to come around any time soon. She'd be pretty stupid if she did. Do I wish she'd come out of hiding? Yes, only to get answers and finally give you peace so you don't look over your shoulder any more. This is why we're going to dig for answers. The crash, our families, everything. If there's something we've missed, we'll find it soon enough."

  Her grandmother's stern, cold voice repeated in her mind. "The only thing you need to know is if you dredge up the past, you can't undo what you've learned."

  Becca would never forget the way she said it and how those cold eyes looked right through her. It didn't matter. The truth had to be uncovered.

  Chapter Seven

  "I'm so glad to be back!" Hunter stepped inside the house, relieved the drive home finally ended. This time, it wasn't as awkward with Rissi along. She kept Becca engrossed in conversation and memories. For the first time in a while, Becca truly smiled. Hunter made the right call inviting Rissi along for a few days.

  Two days had passed since that hell of a night. They'd been rough, sleepless and tense. True to his word, Hunter called a private investigator he knew and explained the situation. The process began for the truth. Jed said he'd be in touch more when Hunter and Becca got back to Virginia to talk face to face.

  With Becca's apartment empty, some of her things in the back of the rented trailer and some things left in Rissi's storage unit, they finally left Vermont early this morning. Hunter couldn't get Becca to give him any more information about what happened during their four years apart, and he wasn't even sure if she still had angry feelings over the journal. While she didn't act cold toward him, she wasn't her typical self, either. He never realized until now just how well Becca could keep her true feelings hidden. She was like him in so many ways, both good and bad. He recognized the destructive path he'd been on when he pushed away everyone he cared about.

  At least they were away from her grandparents and Vince. After that night, the three of them made no contact with Becca. He expected that of her grandparents, but Vince not contacting her did surprise him, especially after coming by the apartment that night. Hunter wasn't sure what Vince wanted to say.

  "I love your house!" Rissi threw her hands in the air dramatically and twirled around. "I must say, your decor rocks." She winked at Becca.

  Hunter chuckled as he moved closer to Becca. "I have the perfect artist. She keeps my walls full of brilliant work," he said affectionately, planting a gentle kiss on the top of her head. He noticed a flush come to her cheeks and a hint of a smile. He closed his eyes for a moment, keeping the image of the smile in his mind. He hadn't seen it in a while and wanted to tuck it away. At least he could still manage to get a smile out of her. All hope wasn't lost after all.

  "I've got a few from said talented artist in my own place. You saw my living room." Rissi grinned before she pulled her cell phone from her purse. "I'm going to call Chad and my mom to let everyone know we made it. After that I can help unload anything if you're planning to do that tonight."

  "I should probably let Beverly and Todd know we're back." As he made the call and said hello to Sienna, Becca slipped out the front door. Curious, Hunter lifted up one of the blinds. She headed for the car and pulled out a box. He recognized it as one of her few keepsake boxes. He'd noticed a photo album in it when they were packing. As she closed the door and headed back, he moved from the window so she didn't notice that he'd been watching her. They'd both lost their family twenty years ago, but it seemed like Becca was losing her family a second time. He imagined that was how she felt, because he would have. If someone had said to him what her grandparents yelled to Becca, he would have been shattered.
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  "Sienna's excited to stay with you this weekend." Beverly's voice in his ear pulled him back to reality. Becca stepped inside and closed the door.

  "I can't wait. I miss her." Hunter wanted to hug Sienna and let her know just how much she was loved and wanted. He couldn't deny that he'd been affected by what Becca's grandparents said.

  "Did everything go okay in Vermont?"

  "No, not really. We had some interesting things happen, but I'll tell you about them later if that's all right." Definitely a conversation to save for later. Hunter kept his eye on Becca, his interest in whatever she was doing piqued.

  "Of course." Beverly's concern was obvious. "Give Becca my love. I have some ideas if she wants to find a job right away."

  "I don't think she knows what she wants to do yet, but I'm sure she'd be interested in hearing what you have in mind. Thanks for everything." The Sundstroms weren't blood related, but they always showed him what a family was all about. He loved them for all the years of acceptance, and for putting up with his craziness the past few years.

  "Always, Hunter. Here's Sienna again. She has more to say to you."

  He talked to his daughter for about ten minutes before she was distracted and ready to hang up. Her sweet giggles melted his heart. "Love you, baby girl."

  "Love you, Daddy!" Then he heard a scuffle and Beverly came back on the line. They said their good-byes.

  Rissi was still on the phone when he hung up. Hunter found Becca on the couch, sorting through the box. She picked up the photo book he'd seen earlier. "What's in there?" He sat beside her, hoping to spark some conversation.

  She pointed at a photo, then handed Hunter the book. It was a photo of her father with her mom. Becca tapped his arm.

  "Do I look like either of them?"

  Ah, so that was it. Becca questioned the whole not blood related thing. He knew all of Becca's features by heart, so Hunter glanced back down at the photo. Sure, there were resemblances, but the photo was so old and who knows what Rusty and Anne Lange would have looked like now. How did he answer this question without causing a whirlwind of emotions?

  Hunter set the book in his lap and cupped her face. "You have his eyes. When I look in yours, I see so much through them. They're kind, curious, and full of wonder. They sparkle when you smile. I see the same thing in the picture of your dad." Hell, that was lame. "You have your mom's smile. The kind of smile that someone could easily fall in love with because of the pure sincerity of it." Becca's smile always won him over. Every time she did, Hunter felt like the world would be okay. Would it suffice and give Becca a little faith? He'd question everything too, and he wished he had all the answers for her now.

  "How could I not be his?" Another anguished sound came from her throat, like a cry. "I remember his love. I remember him dancing me on his feet while Mom sang. Maybe I'm adopted. Maybe-" She covered her face with her hands, blinking back tears.

  Hunter hurt for her. "Angel, no matter what, Rusty loved you. There's no denying it. Whatever we find out about blood relations, it doesn't change that for eight years he raised you and loved you as his own. And if you aren't his biologically, it makes him even more special because it takes an amazing person to love a child that's not theirs." He slid his arms around her, pulling Becca close as she let it out.

  *****

  Becca woke up sometime in the middle of the night terrified. She had a nightmare, a terrible one about her family. She'd been in the middle of a rowdy crowd, all pointing fingers at her how she didn't belong. Without a voice, she kept running to find someone who could help her. Hunter, her grandparents, Vince. Even Mom, Dad and Ellie were in the nightmare as if they were still alive today. They had all told her she didn't belong. Then, everyone gathered closer and smothered her with angry words. It seemed like they closed in on her, kind of like how lately she felt the walls were inching together with her in between them.

  Somehow, she managed to not wake Hunter. She gasped and slid out of bed. This was becoming a nightly ritual for the both of them when one woke up to nightmares. A sound coming from outside startled her. Between the nightmare and the noise, her heart raced. On high alert, Becca peered out the window. The tree branches swayed in the wind, moving the swing back and forth. Even though that was normal, the sight chilled her. It was almost like a ghost on the swing watching her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

  Okay, she needed to stop with the random, creepy thoughts. A cup of hot tea would suffice. Hunter bought her some chamomile tea a week ago. Some nights they both sat on the balcony with a cup of it and tried to relax.

  The winds were so blustery! Each tap-tap-tap on the window or howl from gusts made Becca jump. This was ridiculous. She'd never been so nervous during a stupid windstorm before. The image of the shadow-filled backyard and the empty swing kept playing in her head.

  She needed to get to the kitchen, calm down, make her tea and then either sit in the art room or go back to bed. For some reason, that was easier said than done. A lump lodged in her throat as she moved quietly down the stairs.

  Her thoughts ran from this new chapter of her life, to her grandparents and their words, to wondering what would happen if for some reason she could never talk again. Was that possible? Would her voice come back? It had been so long since she'd been able to talk. It felt like years instead of weeks.

  Silly, again. Of course her voice would come back!

  But...

  No! Stop it. Stop letting the inner demons come out!

  She flicked on the light over the stove in the kitchen and pulled out a pot to boil water for her tea. The winds were still howling outside. She turned away from the stove and stared out the kitchen window, straight into the backyard. One of the homemade wind chimes Hunter made with Sienna jingled. A couple dogs barked incessantly in the distance. They must not like the wind, either.

  The patio door rattled. Becca went to make sure it was locked when she noticed it wasn't. More than that, the door was open a crack. The wind blew through the tiny opening. Becca's heart thudded.

  Had someone come in? Were they still here?

  She couldn't even call for Hunter!

  Don't overact. We probably just forgot to lock it. We did show Rissi the yard.

  After she closed and locked the door, she noticed a shadow heading her way.

  A human figure. Not an animal.

  Someone was in the backyard!

  The water forgotten about, she bolted toward the stairs, prepared to wake up Hunter. She couldn't very well call 911 on her own and report someone in the yard. As she was halfway up the stairs when someone pounded on the door and jiggled the handle. Did Carrie come back to finish the job? Had she been scoping the place out?

  The sounds continued. Becca bolted to their room in the dark and tripped over something in the middle of the hall. She met the floor with a loud thud. The tea kettle screamed in the kitchen.

  The door to the room she shared with Hunter opened and light poured out. Hunter ran out and flew to her side.

  "Bec, what's going on? What are you doing out here? What's all the noise?" He helped her up, his steady, warm hands a slight comfort.

  She trembled as she tried to explain. "Someone's in the backyard! I found the back door open slightly and then a shadow approached!"

  "Shit!" Hunter shouted. "Angel, go in the room with Rissi. Stay there until I tell you otherwise." He didn't give her time to answer and ran down the stairs.

  Becca climbed to her feet and stared down at what she'd tripped on. A purse. When she went downstairs, she'd gone to the other side of the hallway before, never noticing the purse laying there.

  Rissi's purse!

  On high alert, she ran into Hunter's office where a bed had been set up for Rissi. Becca flicked on the light, feeling a little guilty about the rude awakening her friend was about to get when she noticed the bed was empty.

  Empty bed, purse on the floor, shadowed figure...

  No!

  Having Rissi here now had bee
n a bad idea. She knew it! As much as she loved her best friend, it would have been better to wait.

  Forgetting about Hunter's warning, Becca ran downstairs. If the person did something to her friend, she had to be there now! She came face to face with a startled Hunter and a bloodied Rissi.

  "What happened?" Becca glanced wearily between the two.

  Rissi cringed. "Did I ever mention I have a bad sleepwalking problem when I'm in new places? I apparently went outside and then the door was locked. I fell and scraped myself."

  Sleepwalking. So the shadow was Rissi. Carrie didn't come lurking to finish the job.

  Rebecca Lange, you are losing it.

  *****

  "Get some sleep, you two. I really didn't mean to scare you. It's been so long, I never even thought to mention it." Rissi stood at the foot of the stairs.

  Hunter held Becca close as she still couldn't calm down. Poor thing. That must have scared the hell out of her. Even without Carrie being out there somewhere, seeing a shadow coming toward your house in the middle of the night would spook anyone! It would have scared the hell out of him as well. "Guess we all have our night quirks," he replied, playing it down.

  "Becca, I'm sorry. I totally didn't mean to scare you girl."

  "I know you didn't. I'm glad I didn't go with my very first thought about grabbing a blunt object."

  Rissi made a face. "I would have done it, especially in your situation. Love you. I'll see you in the morning. Hopefully I stay in bed this time." With a little wave, she headed up the stairs. A few seconds later, they heard a door close.

  Hunter turned around to hold Becca. She leaned against him. Their bodies were so close, Hunter felt her fast heartbeat. He ran a hand up and down her back. "What were you doing up? Couldn't sleep? I turned off the stove, by the way. Want me to finish making tea?"