‘So you think maybe there is a new group in town, perhaps one that is prepared to take more chances?’ asked Sam, the nervous energy beginning to show as he stood again, and started pacing back and forth.
‘Relax, Sam. It’s just a hunch, but really, even if there are others, they’re no match for us. We’ll just have to be more careful, and pay particular attention to the gardens.’
Michael turned to me and I thought he must be trying to counteract Sam’s nervousness by appearing ultra-calm. ‘Lili, it was clever of you to call out to Elizabeth the way you did. And Sam, you’ll need to go over there and thank Elizabeth for her quick thinking. Calling on the ghosts like that probably saved Lili from what might have been a rather unpleasant experience, although I can’t bring myself to believe he’d have actually done anything there in the gardens.’
‘He was walking me out of there … he had me by the arm … if Elizabeth hadn’t turned up, who knows where he’d have taken me,’ I started shaking, remembering the control he had over me, and my inability to pull away from him. I stood up, and crossed my arms around my waist, thinking of the baby that would also have been harmed, or even destroyed.
Sam put his arm around my shoulders. ‘It’s alright now, sweetheart. He’s gone. We won’t let anything like that happen to you again. I promise.’ Then he turned to Michael. ‘Yes, I’ll go see Elizabeth shortly, and ask her to monitor the gardens for a few days as well, just to be on the safe side.’
Michael nodded in agreement.
Sam looked at me, but when he spoke it was directed to Crystal. ‘Can she stay with you tonight? I’d feel a lot better knowing that she was in your home. I think it best if Tom and I do a thorough patrol tonight, starting right now, just in case there are others out there like him.’
‘Of course, Lili is always welcome. And I think you’re right. We’ll all feel a whole lot better if you do a thorough check. I’m sure everything will be fine, but it won’t hurt to be extra careful for a little while.’
Sam gently kissed my forehead, then walked with us to Crystal’s house. When we were safely inside he turned to go, instructing Crystal to lock the door behind him. I knew I’d be safe with Crystal, but it was still hard to let go of his hand as he walked away.
After she shut the door and turned the deadlock, Crystal walked back over to me and sighed softly. ‘Don’t worry about them, dear. Really, this is what they do. If there are others out there, they will find them. And they will not take prisoners. There will be a big clean up tonight, and word will get out that the area is locked up tight. You’re safe now, and there is nothing more to be concerned about. Now, I’ll make us some dinner. How does a green-curry-chicken stir-fry sound?’
~~***~~
When I woke the next morning, Sam was there next to me.
‘Good morning, sleepy head,’ he said, smiling.
‘How long have you been there?’ I asked, rolling over to face him.
‘A few hours. I came in just before dawn.’
His smile warmed me, and I nearly forgot about the previous day’s events. Nearly. I reached up and stroked his cheek as I spoke. ‘I didn’t hear you come in—in fact, I don’t think I woke once during the whole night. Do you think Crystal put something in my food?’
‘I doubt it. I think it was just exhaustion after the adrenaline rush you got from the fright.’
‘I suppose. So, how did everything go?’
‘Okay—nothing out of the ordinary. We’re pretty sure he was a loner; probably just arrived in town and didn’t realise what he’d be up against. We found two vampires, but neither seemed to know anything about him.’
‘Oh. But what about that comment he’d made? Remember, Michael said he made some threats?’
‘It’s hard to say for sure but I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. I will ask that you don’t go into the gardens by yourself for a while however, just to be safe.’ He reached over and placed a hand on my slightly protruding belly, then leaned forward and gently kissed me. ‘You know I’d never let anything, or anyone, hurt you, don’t you?’ he asked, almost shyly.
‘Yes, I know that.’ I reached out and took his hand in mine, and brought it to my lips and held it there.
‘I’m so sorry about yesterday. I should have been there. It should never have happened.’
‘It’s not your fault, Sam. It was entirely my fault—I was so stupid. I’ll be more careful in the future, I promise.’
Sam sighed, and the sadness in his eyes returned.
And so did my insecurity. Only this time it wasn’t three in the morning. And I wasn’t alone. The sun was shining. Sam was with me. And even still, I wondered if I was strong enough to survive in this world of his, or if I’d been a fool to think I was.
~ Chapter Fourteen ~
As there’d been no further daytime incidents, everyone was convinced that the errant vampire I’d encountered was a one off. We were to leave for Mladen’s at the end of the week, and while Sam would be missed, he was free to go with me.
I was ready to go, with one exception. I still hadn’t heard anything from either Detective Bradshaw or Mr Cameron, and I really wanted to know what was happening with Mr Shaw’s case.
I rang the lawyer’s office and, after some initial reluctance, his secretary finally put me through to him. Yes, Mr Shaw had been released from custody. And yes, he would organise a meeting at his office if I insisted. I did.
I walked into Mr Cameron’s office shortly before ten the next morning, wearing a bulky jacket to hide my figure. Even though I might never see them again after today, I didn’t want them guessing that I was pregnant.
The receptionist asked me to take a seat while she announced my arrival. Ten minutes later I followed her down a long corridor that led to a large glass-walled board room. I could see Mr Cameron standing with a man who I presumed was Mr Shaw, but his back was toward me. Mr Cameron kept shaking his head, and looked to be trying to interrupt the other man, who I could tell was talking by his head and hand movements. When Mr Cameron spotted us walking toward the room, he gestured for the man to sit, then he opened the door and invited me in.
‘Good morning, Ms McIntyre. Please take a seat, here.’
‘Thank you, Mr Cameron. Good morning, Mr Shaw.’
‘Good morning, Lili. And it’s Richard, please. I think we know each other well enough now to be on a first name basis, don’t you?’
I smiled tentatively. ‘Richard.’
Mr Cameron made a snuffling sound, then asked if we’d like coffee or anything. When we both declined, he excused himself and left the room.
‘You’ll have to forgive him for his abruptness. He didn’t think I should speak to you on my own. Cam’s very protective, you see. But I wanted us both to feel free to talk openly, without having to edit anything for his benefit.’
The rapport we’d developed the first time I met him was still there. There was nothing dangerous or sinister about this man. He was a true gentleman in every sense of the word.
He cleared his throat, and smiled. ‘So, you saw her again. You must have, unless you dug up half the gardens, that is? She was the only one that could have shown you where to look.’
‘Yes, I saw her. And I tricked her into showing me—I let her think I’d come to help her. It was just as you said—she knew exactly where they were buried.’
‘Yes, like I said before, I knew she was there. I could feel her watching me the whole time. And thank God she was. I’d never have remembered exactly where that bag was.’
I thought about it for a minute, wondering why he hadn’t buried everything in the one place. Finally, I asked.
‘No particular reason, really. It’s just that the ground was really hard there and the hole wasn’t deep, so when I put the bag in the hole and covered it over, I just decided to put the gun in a different spot—somewhere that I could dig a deeper hole.’
We just sat there in silence. I’d been so excited at the thought of finally having th
e opportunity to talk to a normal human about this, but given the chance, I found it wasn’t that easy after all. But I did want to know what was going to happen to him.
‘So, with this new evidence … have they dropped all the charges?’
‘Yes. Well, they’ve dropped the murder charges. But I’m still in a whole lot of trouble.’
‘But you didn’t do anything,’ I said, shaking my head.
‘Didn’t do anything?’ He bowed his head, and seemed to be thinking before he spoke again. ‘I did plenty. I hid evidence. I lied to the police. But that’s not the worst of it. I let my family down. And for what? A career that I’ve ended up ruining anyway?’
I didn’t know what to say. I’d hoped it would have been better for him—that by finding the gloves and note he’d be cleared and his life could go back how it was before. When I didn’t speak, he continued to explain.
‘I knew she wasn’t well. She was so withdrawn. And there was something in the way she looked at us—at Patricia and at her sister, but mostly at me. It wasn’t something I could put my finger on. It wasn’t fear, or anger. Or at least, not as I’ve known those emotions. It was something else. Patricia begged me to take her to a psychiatrist. But no, Richard Shaw was not going to have a daughter receiving psychiatric help. That wouldn’t have made for good press. So I just let it go on, and it got worse. But I never expected … I mean … if I’d had any idea she would do what she did, I … well, I would have done more.’
‘Of course you didn’t expect that. Nobody would. You can’t blame yourself,’ I said, feeling protective of this man who was obviously in pain.
‘But I should have done something. And that’s where I failed—as a husband, and as a father. And then after,’ he shook his head, looking at me as if looking for forgiveness, ‘I panicked. I still didn’t want the world to know she did it. There’d been a spate of burglaries in the area. I thought the police would just put it down to that.’
‘And did they? I mean, would they have, if I hadn’t found that gun?’ I felt awful again, wishing I’d never seen Rachel.
‘Without the gun, there was no evidence tying me to the murders. They did check, believe me, they checked thoroughly. But the gun, well, that changed things. If you hadn’t been able to find the note and gloves, I’m afraid I’d still be locked up now.’
‘What was the note? And whose gloves were they?’ I asked, trying to ease my conscious with the knowledge that at least I’d been able to find them.
‘They were just kitchen gloves—my wife’s. Rachel wore them, which is why there was no gunshot residue on her hands. But it was the note that was even more important. It said, “I’ll get you father, just like I got them. Don’t think you’ve escaped just because you didn’t come home. I’ll get you from the grave if need be.” The writing was shaky, but it was hers.’
‘So, they believed that she’d written the note?’
‘Yes, they matched her writing with papers from school. And they revisited their forensics—it seems they’d overlooked a few things as it had never occurred to them that it was a murder/suicide. They really thought it was me at first you see, and when they couldn’t pin it on me, they fell back onto the burglary theory. But the case was never closed … they were still looking into it I believe.’
‘So it was my fault—I mean, for leading them to the gun,’ I said, without meaning to say it out loud.
‘Lili, don’t say that. I don’t blame you for anything. In fact, if anything, I owe you. I will be forever indebted to you for helping me. Most wouldn’t have. Not even my dear friend Cam wanted to hear anything about it. No, if you hadn’t helped me by finding that second bag—who knows what might have happened. And as for you finding the gun, believe me, Rachel was always very determined, so if she hadn’t convinced you to help her, she’d have kept at it until she found someone else. And they mightn’t have helped find the note the way you did. Seriously, you’ve done me a huge service. I’ve not slept well for months from worrying about this. At least it’s over now.’
~~***~~
The house was empty when I got home. I was glad, as the meeting with Mr Shaw had stirred up a mixed bag of emotions in me, and I was finding it hard to smile. I didn’t want Sam to see me this way. I wanted to be his cheerful and loving wife when I saw him. I didn’t want to give him any cause for further concern.
I sat at our kitchen table and then the tears started. I cried for Mr Shaw, and the life he would never know again. I cried for my father, who had been taken from me so unfairly. I cried for my own children, one who I’d willingly left in the care of others, and one yet unborn who would also need to be left with others. But mostly I cried for myself and Sam—wondering, once again, if the strength of our love would be enough.
~ Chapter Fifteen ~
Sam and I arrived at Mladen’s four days before I was due. I felt good, physically. As good, if not better than, I’d felt for the first pregnancy. I’d had nothing even remotely equivalent to morning sickness, bloating, puffy ankles or any of the other discomforts that women often experienced when pregnant.
And I was beginning to feel better mentally as well. Somehow I’d been able to put Rachel behind me, knowing I would have nearly three weeks in this warm, safe place far away in the Western Australian outback. And Sam would be at my side, smiling and giving me strength and love. This was a time to focus on my family.
We settled into the same room we’d had the first time. It only took a few minutes for us to unpack and then we headed downstairs to find Benjamin.
Though I’d been warned what to expect, I was still taken back by how much he’d grown. He was well and truly a toddler now. He was already walking and starting to talk a little.
The resemblance to Sam was strong, although Benjamin had dark eyes rather than Sam’s beautiful blue eyes. But the moment he and Sam made eye contact, Benjamin did this little frown and there was no mistaking the connection between them. He was definitely Sam’s boy. My heart melted with joy, watching them together.
Just being around Benjamin gave me joy. I now understand exactly what Mom meant when she commented about Dad giving her me and my sister. Sam had given me Benjamin. And Benjamin was proof of our love—perfect, adorable, living proof. And even though I knew he didn’t really belong to me, not the way a normal child belongs to a normal family, I was so proud of him and what he was going to become that it took some of the sting away.
And then of course there was the transformation in Sam. He seemed to let go of all his worries and cares as he sat playing with Benjamin. He smiled and laughed, and rolled around on the floor tickling his young son the way any father would do. He was no longer the serious protector of the gardens. He was just a father with a young son. He looked more carefree than I’d ever seen him.
Being here was just what we both needed. It washed away all traces of that uncertainty that had been plaguing me of late. This was where I belonged, and these were the people I belonged with. And at this moment, in this place, I had no doubt—this was my destiny.
But there was just one little tiny problem—we’d only be here for three weeks.
~~***~~
The birth was easy—perhaps even easier than it was with Benjamin because I had absolutely no fear of the unknown this time. I slept afterward, and woke to find Sam standing next to the bed with a bundle of white blankets in his arms—a bundle that contained the newest addition to our family.
Sam looked so happy. The smile I’d seen on his face while he was playing with Benjamin was repeated as he stood there holding his newest son. And when the baby cooed and smiled up at him, Sam turned to me and beamed with pride. When I reached out to take him, Sam seemed reluctant to hand him over.
Finally he leaned over, and handed me the infant. ‘Here you go, Mum. Have you thought of a name?’
I reached out to take my son, and as soon as I touched him an image of Henry popped into my head. ‘How about Henry?’
‘Henry. That’s a fine name. Henry
Todd. I like it.’
So it was settled. And I spent most of the rest of the day in bed with little Henry curled up beside me, and Sam sitting on the end of the bed, watching us. Benjamin was brought in to meet his little brother and stayed for a short time, but the rest of the day I mostly drifted in and out of sleep. It was so peaceful here, and I felt safe and loved.
I’d never seen Sam so at ease; his face looked younger, the deep frown lines above his eyes nearly gone. I wished things could always be this peaceful for us, but I knew this was only temporary. This was not what his life, or my life for that matter, was about. We were here in this magical place, where there was nothing to fear, no-one that needed protection, no-one to fight. But we’d soon go back to Melbourne and back to Sam’s world.
I must have eventually fallen into a deep sleep because when I opened my eyes the room was bright, and Henry was in his own little cot.
Sam walked in with a breakfast tray and sat watching as I sipped on some fresh orange juice and ate toast with scrumptious marmalade. Sam smiled, but the frown was back. Was our little dream coming to an end so soon?
I must have drifted back to sleep, because a short time later I opened my eyes and Sam was gone. Then I heard a female voice, followed by the familiar sound of soft laughter. It brought a smile to my face. Crystal was here. I hadn’t expected her, but how wonderful that she’d come.
I got up, quickly dressed and lifted young Henry from his cot. When I wandered downstairs I found Sam and Crystal in a quiet conversation.
Crystal looked up as she heard me approach, and her eyes lit up when she spotted little Henry. Her arms reached out, her fingers fluttering in anticipation as she laughed excitedly.
After I handed my infant son over to her, Sam took my hand and guided me into the small sitting room off the hall. He obviously wanted to talk to me in private.
‘I’ve asked Crystal to come because I have to go back to Melbourne. I hope you don’t mind. You’ll be okay, won’t you?’ He looked concerned as he spoke, the frown firmly back in place now.
Sacrifice (Absent Shadows Trilogy Book 2) Page 13