A Different Time (Guardians of Now Book 2)

by Donna Steele

  Ben shook his head, then cleared his throat. “No. I’ve gone over every memory, every time we were together after that. There was no indication of any abuse. I would have seen it, wouldn’t I?”

  “Yes. You would have seen it. You’re trained for it and you know Dee as well as anyone. You thwarted him and I’m going to say it frightened him into abandoning the plan. You saved her in your time line. Nothing happened. You have to remember that.”

  “Thank you.” Ben’s voice sounded strangled, but he got the words out. Dusty laid his hand over Ben’s on the weathered, pitted table and Ben clasped his fingers hard. He drew another shaky breath.

  “This Dr. Guarino, he’ll never practice medicine again?” Dusty asked.

  “That I can guarantee.” Ben’s voice was regaining strength. “He knows I have the information and a recording of his confession. He never admitted to other surgeries, but he did to the payout Roger gave him.”

  They sat in silence for several minutes, each immersed in their own thoughts.

  Finally, Dusty broke the silence. “Did Meredith know?”

  “I never thought of the woman as stupid. She married Roger for the money and prestige. That’s petty rather than ignorant. Yes, I think on some level she had to know what happened. She didn’t leave her mother to run to her daughter’s side when a medical emergency occurred. Maybe she allowed me to handle the situation, maybe she couldn’t face me, I don’t know. What I do know is she didn’t protect Dee.”

  “Is Roger abusing Meredith?”

  “Yes, I’m convinced he is. There have been no calls to the authorities, which means no record of disturbances, but the signs are all there. I hadn’t seen Meredith in years before the dinner, so I didn’t know what to expect. During my investigation, I spoke with a couple of our old friends. The husbands were more forthcoming than the wives and I’ve asked them not to mention anything to Meredith.”

  Ben scrubbed his face, as though attempting to slough off guilt. “They’ve noticed the heavy makeup on some days and excuses about clumsiness. None of them recall any abuse to Dee, but they wouldn’t have been around her. There’s nothing in her school records showing anything suspicious.”

  “Because he never abused her, Ben.” Dusty leaned forward in his earnestness to convince him. “She wasn’t there, not the woman I know. If she had gone through the kind of thing Meredith is experiencing, or worse, I don’t know if Dee would have become the strong woman she is. There would be scars, if not physical at least psychological. This is your field, but Dee didn’t have to overcome anything. She would have said something to me, even if it only slipped out. It didn’t happen.”

  Dusty sought to reassure his father-in-law. “Listen. Tom, the stepfather she did know, wasn’t like that. According to her, they had disagreements and she didn’t care for the man because she thought he had hurt you. Once she realized that wasn’t true, she mellowed toward him some.”

  “She was protecting me because she thought Tom had ruined my life? I guess we were pretty good at covering up our relationship after all.” He gave a sad sort of chuckle. “Yes, he was the catalyst for the divorce but there were reasons he was able to come between us.”

  “You raised a damn good woman, Ben.”

  “It was mostly her own doing. I wasn’t there so much of the time. Everything really is going okay with the baby?” Ben’s gaze bore into Dusty’s.

  “It is, I swear it to you. We had a scan this week.”

  “Yes, she mentioned that in her last call, before I found Guarino and heard what he admitted.” Ben grimaced at the memory. “Should I confess after talking to you today, I’m as excited about this baby as I was about having Dee?”

  Dusty chuckled, the tension finally broken.

  As they visited, once again Dusty was caught off guard at what family had become for him. It was easy to talk to this man, his father-in-law. He’d never seen it coming, a freaking father-in-law. And without trying, this man had somehow brought him closer to his own father.

  With their appetites renewed and a deeper bond established, they went to lunch.

  As they parted, Ben hugged Dusty. “Don’t tell Dee about this. It wouldn’t help.”

  “I agree. I know she’s worried about Meredith, but my sympathy for the woman has diminished with this information. Maybe that’s wrong, but it’s how I feel. I won’t be encouraging any future get-togethers.”

  “Take care, son. And take care of Dee.” Ben patted his shoulder. “I don’t think anyone could do a better job than you.”

  Chapter 21

  Dee slipped the casserole she’d prepared into the refrigerator to bake on Thursday morning, after the turkey was done. “Do you want to invite Leonard and Sherry over for Thanksgiving?” she asked Dusty. “We’ll have plenty of food.”

  “I like spending time with them, but I think I’d rather have just the fathers this year. Dad doesn’t know what happened, but we can still talk more freely in front of them.”

  “You’re right there. By the way, do you know what day it is?”

  “Uh, Tuesday?” Dusty quipped.

  “Bite me.” She watched his eyes gleam at the prospect and shook her head. “It’s the anniversary of the day you saved Daniel.”

  “Are you kidding? I hadn’t realized.”

  “Do you think that’s the day we conceived?” She had to wonder.

  “No. I think that was the night before we woke up here again.”

  “Why?”

  “I think conception is what triggered us to return.”

  “Triggered?”

  “Yes. We don’t know how or why we traveled back to 1891, and we don’t know how or why we returned. You saved other lives before Daniel. Those things didn’t send us home.”

  “But you think the baby did.”

  Dusty shrugged. “It’s only a theory. We’re back, for longer than we were gone. As for how and why, I got nothing.”

  “It’s an interesting theory. You don’t think the woman we both hallucinated did it?”

  Dusty was silent so long, she looked over his way. “Dusty?”

  “We did see her, both of us, at separate times,” Dusty said thoughtfully. “Describe her to me.”

  Dee hesitated, remembering. “I’m not sure why we keep saying it was a woman. The robe I visualized covered her completely and there were no real hints to her physique except she was slim. And bald. Kind of reminded me of those pictures of aliens with the large eyes.” She stopped then, staring at Dusty. “No.”

  He shrugged. “I made that connection a while back, but I didn’t feel probed.”

  As an attempt at levity, it failed. Her glare seemed to bounce off him. “I’m not going there.”

  “Okay, but remember, I didn’t believe in time travel either.”

  With no response to that, Dee returned to her work, the thought now stuck in her head.

  ~ ~ ~

  Dee answered the door to find their dads waiting to greet her. “This is wonderful. I’m so glad you both could make it.”

  “Wouldn’t miss it, sweetheart.” Her father bussed her cheek and Evan gave her a little hug. Both looked down at her middle. She was wearing a dress today, as none of her pants really fit anymore and there was a definite bulge.

  “Everyone doing okay?” Evan asked.

  “Yes, we’re all fine. Can’t wait to show you the latest scan. Dusty will set it up after we eat and before the game.”

  Dusty came over, greeting the men, and led them to the couch. “Dee, is there anything we can do in the kitchen?” Evan asked.

  “It’s under control.”

  “In other words, she needs us to stay out of the way. I’ve already set the table which is my best contribution,” Dusty said. “Just relax. You can help me with clean up.”<
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  They visited until Dee called them to eat, where they exclaimed over the load of food covering the table. She’d decided on a traditional meal of turkey, dressing, and side dishes. Pumpkin pies awaited them for dessert. Everyone tucked in and for a few minutes silence claimed the room.

  “This is incredible.” Her father eventually leaned back and took a breath. “I don’t remember meals like this.”

  Dee chuckled. “If administration didn’t know I was pregnant before, they’ll see it when I get back. I’m stuffed.”

  “You look great.” Evan spoke up. “I look more pregnant after that meal than you do.”

  “This was Cook’s menu for the big day,” Dee admitted.

  “She could handle this in her kitchen?” Dad stopped, stricken at his lapse, and glanced at Dusty.

  “Don’t mind me,” Evan said. “I’ve figured out there are things I don’t need to know since the first time we met.”

  “It’s not that,” Dee began.

  “Whatever you’re talking about is confidential. I get it.” He took another helping of sweet potato casserole.

  “Dusty?” Dee asked a lot with the one word.

  Dusty met her eyes, then looked at her father. “I think it would be okay.”

  At the nod Dad gave, Dee sucked in a breath of relief. Knowing Evan now, she agreed. They had only seen each other twice, but the man had called her a couple of times in addition to checking in with Dusty. She liked him, and not being able to speak freely in front of him hadn’t felt right.

  “It’s kind of a long story,” Dusty began.

  ~ ~ ~

  They’d finished their meal, decided to wait on dessert, and were in the living room. Questions and answers tripped over each other.

  And Dusty watched his father absorb the information he was getting.

  “Son, I’m an engineer too. Not on your level, but this is a lot to take in.” His dad turned to Ben. “You believe them?”

  “I do. I didn’t when I first heard it. Then I came back the next day and we investigated random things for hours. I don’t think our children are insane, though that’s the best explanation.”

  Dee snorted good-naturedly. “Thanks, Dad.”

  He winked at her and waved toward her and Dusty. “These two are very convincing in their version of memories from before their adventure. What they know about that time period is too rich and complete, and they match too well. Even immersion therapy couldn’t make them that convincing. And they met on the first of September. Here it is, Thanksgiving, but look at them. It’s obvious they’ve been together, as a couple, longer than a few months.”

  “I can’t argue there. Even knowing he’d fallen in love, Dusty was more changed than I would have ever thought he could be when I saw him prior to the wedding.”

  “Uh, thanks?” Dusty offered a mock-frown to his father.

  He chuckled. “You’re welcome. No, I sensed something drastic had changed. I didn’t think about the fact you couldn’t know each other this well, so soon. I just saw how happy you were. How did it happen?”

  Conversation halted for a moment. Ben hadn’t really asked that particular question. He waited as well.

  Dusty scrubbed his hands over his face. “As an engineer, I have no clue. The mechanics of what occurred are completely unknown to me. We hit the barrier and came out on the other side. The car suffered for it, believe me. If you ever want to check it out, it’s on display in the Stevens Battery Museum. The front end was destroyed by a solid object we didn’t see.”

  Dee took up the narrative. “There we were, in 1891. We both tried to believe we were hallucinating or in comas and dreaming for a while, but it was too tactile. I performed three emergency procedures in less than twenty-four hours after we arrived. Dusty helped, and he taught Silas Jordan. We’re mentioned in his biography, and there’s a Stevens tour in Braddock’s Crossing.”

  Dee paused for a sip of tea, as Dusty added, “If you saw the picture hanging in Dr. Tillman’s home, you’d know it was Dee. There’s no mistaking it.”

  “There had to be an outside influence. Something with a higher level of understanding of physics than us,” his father stated.

  “I agree,” Dusty said. “But why would something else be interested?”

  “Good question,” Dad noted. “It does explain some of what happened to Roger at the dinner.”

  That rendered them all silent. Roger’s injury had never been discussed. Dusty wasn’t sure now was the time. He could feel Dee growing anxious.

  “We need to take a break for a few minutes.” Ben had picked up on the tension. “I still want to see the scan you teased us with.”

  “How the heck did I forget that?” Dusty was on his feet, grabbing up his tablet. “This scan doesn’t tell us the sex yet. We keep referring to her. It feels right for some reason.” He set up the tablet and turned it to their dads. “Look, you can see her dancing in there.”

  Dusty looked up to see the indulgent smile on Dee’s face, and gave her a wink.

  Chapter 22

  Dusty looked around as he entered the bar. Seeing Leonard wave to him, he crossed the room. “Glad you were free this evening. I wasn’t in the mood to go home to an empty apartment and Dee has late shift this week.”

  “Is it okay? Her working late?”

  “According to her doctor it’s fine and I’m not going to ask. She doesn’t want to admit to any weaknesses. And she’s in her second trimester which means her energy has come back, so she says she feels great.”

  “Oh,” was Leonard’s only comment. Dusty grinned and ordered a beer.

  They sat quietly for a couple of minutes, enjoying the taste of beer and shucking off the day.

  Dusty broke the silence. “Do you remember me ever mentioning someone named Angie?”

  “You never mentioned any woman to me.”

  “None?”

  “Dusty, I spent some time wondering if you were gay. That didn’t feel right so I tried to decide you were asexual but gave that up too. Finally, I concluded you could get any woman you wanted, so you didn’t want any of them for more than a night. Then I met Dee.”

  Dusty hastened to close his mouth, which had dropped open. “What?”

  “Oh, come on. You had to see it.” Leonard rolled his eyes. “Hell, I had to protect my face from the hair flipping that went on when you entered a meeting. Tell me you never noticed.”

  “I never noticed.”

  Leonard stared at him. “Are you serious?”

  “I’m not good with people.” Dusty sat back in a hurry as beer shot out Leonard’s nose.

  “Asshole,” Leonard muttered as he mopped up his face. “Really? Not good with people?”

  “You did notice, huh?”

  “Jesus. Why are, or were, you such an asshole?”

  Dusty chuckled. “Didn’t know any better.”

  “Looking the way you do, didn’t you have a harem of girls in high school and college? You must have been an athletic stud.”

  “I didn’t date in high school.”

  “Why not?”

  “I went to six different high schools. I was never there long enough to meet anyone. Shit, after Mom died, Dad took a job transferring him at least once a year. One year I went to three schools. It’s not easy to make friends like that. Couldn’t be on any team either. I quit trying.”

  “I didn’t realize.”

  “Yeah. The apartment I had during college was the longest I’d ever lived in one place I remember. My apartment here, before Dee, finally beat it.”

  “That body came without exercise?”

  Dusty gave him a long look, trying to control the grin. “You like my body?”

  “Hell no, not the way you mean. I’m damn jealous of it. I’d l
ike a six-pack. I have to buy mine.” He hoisted his bottle and tipped it toward Dusty.

  “Swim. And run. It’s what I do. Before Dee, I went to the pool nearly daily to work off my anger and frustration.”

  Leonard huffed. “You didn’t go enough.”

  “Like I said, it was before Dee,” Dusty admitted. “I’m not nearly as angry as I always used to be.”

  “No shit. Butterfly stroke. Yeah.” Leonard took a long swig of his beer. “Hey, did you ever find your alligator?”

  Caught off guard, Dusty responded slowly. “No. Have you seen anyone looking lately?”

  “Sure have. Haven’t approached them. What were you looking for?”

  “It was dumb, but the one in the dream could walk upright. None that I investigated could unless you counted the lizard that could run on water. It dropped back to four legs after the sprint.”

  Dusty took a sip of beer, collecting his thoughts and his online data. “The Komodo dragon fascinated me, with all the muscles and protection, though the one in my dream had a much more dangerous looking head, more like the frilled lizard though his neck panels had not been unfurled in the dream. Some were quite beautiful and some looked like walking armor. Nothing matched what I remember.” He paused. “Haven’t had the dream in a while.”

  “Wait, you had it more than once?”

  “Oh yeah. Several times. Odd, especially when you told me about other people doing the same research.” He shrugged as Leonard shook his head.

  “Okay, who’s Angie?” Leonard changed the subject again.

  Dusty grinned. He’d forgotten the beginning of the conversation.

  “I don’t know. I got a ping from her saying she was coming back to town and couldn’t wait to see me again.”

  “And you don’t know who she is?”

  “No.”

  “Did you say anything to Dee?”