Drawing The Line (Mistaken Identity Series)

by Sylvia Hubbard

  "You still could have called," he moped.

  "I could have and for that I apologize. Has my aunt been by to interrogate you about me," she asked casually.

  "Has she? Bethany has been calling me almost every day about you as if I should know. She's made a couple of threats to cut off pieces of my body," he said nervously. "Are you coming back any time soon?"

  "I don't know. Staying away from there has been so good to my sanity, but I miss my house, Evan and I do miss you." This was the truth. Evan was about the closest person to her, but now that she knew he had something to do with whatever the Meadows were planning, she missed the trust they had shared before.

  "Can I at least have a number to contact you? Professor Henderson's being so tight lipped about your whereabouts," Evan said anxiously.

  She decided to give him her cell phone number. That shouldn't give them too many clues on her whereabouts. She understood Professor Henderson's actions, because Bethany had made it difficult in the past for Shane to have an internship.

  "Don't give this number to anyone," she warned Evan knowing he probably would try.

  He promised her he wouldn't. "Have you been trying to get your folks kicked out still?"

  "I haven't been able to contact Aldridge and he won't be back in town until after the holidays from New York, but you could be a friend and try to call his office to reach him."

  "Sure Shane," he said and took down the phone number to Aldridge's office.

  "I know if I call the receptionist will pick up his calls and I don't want Bethany to know anything I'm doing in order to get her out the house. I don't feel safe there anymore, Evan," she confessed needing to let him know.

  "I understand Shane. You take care of yourself, and remember I love you."

  Shane closed her eyes knowing the ties between them would be severed forever. Knowing what she knew of him and what she suspected t he was doing, she knew Evan was deceiving her. The knowledge hurt her because he was almost like a brother she never had.

  Changing the subject slightly, she said, "How is everyone? Do you know?"

  "Derrick's getting real sick. Trudy won't take him to the hospital, but I told her if she doesn't I'm going to," he said.

  It was odd for Evan to actually take concern on the twins, but Shane knew he liked Trudy a lot. "What do you think is wrong with him?"

  "I don't know, but I don't think I like what's going on," he said.

  Shane felt bad about that because she really did want to know what was going on with her nephew. She missed keeping them and had enjoyed the time she had spent with them despite their disobedient nature.

  "You stay safe Shane," he said regretfully. "And don't stop pursuing the matter, okay?"

  "Yes, Evan." She hung up the phone and laid down wondering how Evan could become connected with the Meadows. Bethany was famous for using blackmail, but Evan had really nothing for her to blackmail him with.

  His parents had no intentions of coming back to the city, but his father had been strict and had always expected a lot from Evan. Sometimes the stress of growing up under his father had made Evan so paranoid about failing in life that he had often told Shane he thought about suicide.

  His weak nature had made Shane indifferent to him, which was why they had remained platonic friends for so long.

  Closing her eyes in sleep to get more rest, she hoped tomorrow she could get these bandages off so she could get her work done. Today had been a very stressful and eventful day and she was relieved it was over.

  Chapter 17

  Rochelle awoke her in the morning, and helped her remove the bindings that had been placed on her hands and ankle.

  The nurse had wrapped her ankle so well that the swelling had gone down and after a brief massage, Shane's foot felt good as new. Her hands were a bit scarred, but Shane was able to move them without too much discomfort.

  "Give them another day and they won't look so bad," Rochelle assured her after soaking Shane's hands in a special medicated compound of antibiotics and Aloe Vera, she then wrapped them in lighter bandages to allow a greater range of movement.

  "Did Mr. Watkins come back?" Shane asked Rochelle worriedly.

  "Yes, but he didn't stay. He picked up some clothes and left. He said he would return about noon for lunch, but he told me to instruct you to take it easy. Mr. Watkins had your breakfast delivered about fifteen minutes ago, and he had a dress delivered as well, along with matching accessories."

  Shane smiled at his thoughtfulness. It made her feel warm all over, and then she groaned to herself. Why did he have to be so perfect?

  Rochelle assisted in helping her get dressed. Shane was allowed to get out of bed and work at a small desk where Andrew had placed her backpack. Underneath her backpack was the envelope of processed pictures she had taken yesterday. She had a feeling Andrew had not meant to leave this with her, but she still took several pictures out and put them in her jacket pocket. After eating breakfast, she took a couple of hours to do Professor Henderson's work. Just as she was completing the last take home final, her cell phone rang.

  Jeremiah seemed exhausted on the other line, but very excited to hear her voice. "Where did you get those coffee grinds from?" he asked.

  Shane had to think for a moment. So much had happened since she had given him the coffee grinds, but once she remembered, she said, "My house where my relatives have taken over."

  "Have you been drinking the coffee?" he asked with deep apprehension.

  "I suspected something and stopped."

  "Good. It's laced with arsenic. Not enough to kill you, but enough to slowly make you sick."

  Shane was speechless.

  "I'd like to take some hair samples today to see if the poison is in your system at all and how long has this poisoning been taking place. Can we meet up?" he asked.

  "Sure." She gave him the address to where she was and instructed him to call her when he drove to the back of the parking lot on the side of the building.

  "I'm on my way. I should be over there in about fifteen minutes."

  Shane hung up and called Rochelle into the room. The nurse was told that Jeremiah was on his way over and Shane asked if Rochelle could meet the young man outside and bring him up to the loft. "Unless Mr. Watkins has instructed for me not to have guest."

  Rochelle shook her head indifferently. "I'll look out for him for you."

  Needing a moment alone, Shane went into the bathroom to throw cold water on her face, seriously scared of going home. If Bethany was so bold as to slowly poison her own niece and the plan had not worked, what would Bethany resort to in order to get at Shane's money? Shane knew once Jeremiah made his final report, he would take that information to the police and Shane would not hesitate to press charges if they found out who exactly was trying to poison her. She knew if Budrick knew anything about the poisoning, he would point the culprit out.

  Shane was positive this was why Bethany was going through so much. Money had to be involved because her aunt was so greedy. Bethany would resort to any measure in order to get her hands on money.

  A knock on the bathroom door, prompted Shane to dry her face and open the door. The jacket she had been wearing yesterday was lying over a chair in the bedroom and when she came out the bathroom, she got the tag that was wrapped in tissue and the pictures. Rochelle let her know she would be in the kitchen fixing lunch if Shane needed anything.

  Jeremiah was in the front room impressed with what he saw about the loft. "This place is sweet, girl. So who's the guy?" he asked.

  "What do you mean?" she asked evasively.

  "I mean, who did you have to screw in order to get a pad like this?" he said jokingly and then he took a good look at her frowning. "What happened to you?"

  She was touched by his concern and observation. "I fell down a well." She kept her voice low. "Can you do a favor for me?"

  He looked at her suspiciously. "I don't know. The favors you've been asking of me has made me pretty leery of you, girl. Do y
ou think you need an official police officer? I got a friend over in homicide?"

  She shook her head. "I'm just going to stay away from my family as long as possible until I speak to my lawyer, which should be right after the holidays. No one knows I had the coffee analyzed and most likely when they go in for proof, they'll find the coffee maker contaminated."

  "So what's the other favor?"

  She handed him the tag wrapped in tissue and the pictures. "See if you can get anything off of this tag, and see if you can give me a reason for these pictures being like this."

  Jeremiah checked the tag and frowned. "Where did you find this?"

  "From a property I'm supposed to be helping this real estate company liquidate." She explained everything to him from the beginning as quickly as possible. The more she spoke though the more troubled Jeremiah looked.

  "I wouldn't be so worried if this tag didn't belong to Dale Laboratories," he responded when she was through. "Does that ring a bell?"

  "The one involved in the Tyrex scandal?" she asked.

  Jeremiah nodded. "Where did you find this?"

  She went to get some papers from her backpack and handed him a copy of where the property was. "What are you going to do?" she asked worriedly.

  "I'll look this over and then I'll go out there, but have you told anyone else about this?" he asked suspiciously.

  She shook her head. "I don't think Mr. Watkins has told anyone about this either. He doesn't know about the tag I picked up and I don't think he's put anything together about this matter." She also told Jeremiah what she had heard Andrew say on the phone last night.

  "Don't tell anyone about this," Jeremiah warned her. "Not until I talk to you tomorrow. If I don't call you by three o'clock, call the sheriff department."

  Nodding, she thanked him. The back door of the loft opened and Andrew filled the doorway. Shane saw the look of distrust in Andrew's eyes and Jeremiah must have noticed it too, because the younger man decided that was his queue to leave with a hopeful wink to Shane.

  She faced Andrew as he approached her after Jeremiah's departure.

  He didn't question her about the young man, but she could tell he wanted to know who that was. "I see you're feeling better?" Andrew stated more than asked.

  "Much better, thank you. The rest was needed," she answered and started for the bedroom.

  "Do you feel well enough for lunch with me or would you rather be alone?"

  His question made her halt in her stride and slowly turn around to face him. It was a simple request, yet Shane felt it meant so much to him. Knowing this, she knew she couldn't be close to him. Any other woman would be honored and would have probably jumped at the chance. Hell, if this wasn't her boss, she would do the same, but Shane knew she couldn't put down her morals for anything. "Andrew, you've done more than enough as a boss for me."

  Gritting his teeth, he said, "I'm not asking as a boss."

  Shane licked her lip and took a deep breath. "I have a lot of work to do today. I should get to it," she said evasively and walked back to the bedroom to gather her things.

  She heard him curse under his breath, but choose to ignore that. When she came back out to the front room, he was gone, but Rochelle was setting the lunch table for two.

  "Mr. Watkins said he would be downstairs if you need him and he left the lap top on the table for you to do your work," the nurse instructed. "Come have a seat first before you start to working. I want to make sure you have a nice meal. How are your hands?"

  "Their fine, Rochelle," she said, sitting at the table with the nurse.

  They began to eat, but Shane saw the nurse looking thoughtfully over her.

  "Can I ask a question that's probably none of my business?" Rochelle asked. "I'm going off the record because I've been watching the two of you closely and have some observations."

  "Sure." Shane sat back to listen to what the nurse had to say.

  "Well, I've known Mr. Watkins for quite a long time. I use to tend to his father who would stay up here while his sons worked downstairs. Gerald always wanted to be close to the work, even though everyone knew once Andrew came everything would be all right with the business. The boy is a genius at real estate even according to his father, but has the personality of a stone... except last night. I've never him seen him look so concerned over someone in quite a long time, yet you don't trust him, you don't care for him, and you act as if he extends this personal treatment out to every woman he meets. I can assure you he doesn't and up until now I've always believed he's been a self righteous son of a bitch."

  Coming from Rochelle in that way, Shane should feel horrible for the way she had treated Andrew. Yet there was more to the story than Rochelle knew, and Andrew's attention for Shane ran much deeper than what he had revealed. There was something else and Shane just couldn't trust him enough until she discovered what he was hiding

  "I don't think you know the whole story, Rochelle," Shane said placidly, trying to keep emotions out of this conversation.

  "I see why he's attracted to you. You've got to be the first woman who doesn't faint at the sight of his face, black or white. I've been married for seventeen years to my husband but if Mr. Watkins asked me to drop my panties, you damn well should know I wouldn't think twice about it," Rochelle confessed.

  Shane couldn't believe the confession the nurse had just admitted to or how blatant Rochelle had been. "It's not that I'm not attracted to him," she admitted.

  "You just know how to keep your emotions under control. Almost better than him," Rochelle noted.

  "I just know I can't lose my head over a pretty face and great body. I have goals and I need him to reach my goals, but I won't allow him to distract me from my career path. I'm not ready to lose my heart to anyone. I need to stay focused in order to accomplish my life objectives," she explained to the nurse. "If I allow myself to fall for him, Rochelle, I know I'll..." She couldn't explain it.

  "You think he might break your heart?" Rochelle asked.

  Shane took a deep breath. "Not only that, but I'll lose myself and that scares me the most."

  "Even if he is there to make sure you stay on your path? A real man would not allow the woman he loves to lose her way for his wants."

  "Maybe it's his intention to destroy me because I could be better than him."

  Rochelle frowned. "So you think he's an enemy? You think he's trying to destroy you."

  Leaning forward, Shane said, "Let's just say I trust him as far as I can throw him, which isn't a whole lot."

  "Maybe it's you who fear power and a man like Andrew has a lot of power in a lot of ways," Rochelle said simply, turning everything all around.

  Shane refuted this with a chortle of disgust. "I'm not scared of him. If anything, he should be scared of me. I know I would make any man a good woman, but like I've said to him, our personalities would clash."

  "I see it all the time, Ms. Keaton," Rochelle went on as if Shane had not said anything. "You want a man that's weak and will lick your feet like a slave. Andrew will never be that man, and you think his strength will make you weak, when in fact it will do the opposite."

  Shane decided to put this all to rest by saying, "I am seeing someone and I've told him this, and I've asked him to not have this attraction to me that he so professes."

  Rochelle frowned even deeper. "You don't want him to be attracted to you?"

  "Yes!" she exclaimed.

  "And are you serious about this guy you're seeing?"

  Shane answered her, "I could be if Mr. Watkins could leave me alone."

  "Then you better make him understand, Ms. Keaton. He's a stubborn sort and I've never heard him take no for an answer when he wants something. If you don't convince him, you'll end up hurting him." Rochelle got up and started cleaning off the table.

  Shane had lost her appetite and decided to engross her mind in work. She took the laptop in the bedroom and tried to work for the rest of the afternoon, but it was difficult when all she could think about w
as Rochelle saying, ‘when he wants something.’

  At six in the afternoon she went over to the small window in the bedroom that overlooked the parking lot of the building. No other car was parked there except the company car she drove and Andrew's Ford Expedition.

  Rochelle had stepped out and would be gone for a couple of hours, so Shane decided to venture down to the office to see if there were any messages on her desk.

  Forgetting the door locked from the other side, she realized too late as it closed and she heard voices coming from Andrew's office that she couldn't sneak back upstairs.

  Troy and Andrew were in a heated discussion, but once they notice Shane at the doorway, they stopped and looked at her.

  "I'll see you in the morning," Troy grumbled and left not giving Shane even a greeting.

  She moved out of the assistant's way by coming into the office. "I thought everyone was gone," she said apologetically.

  Andrew looked very tense and those eyes watched her like a hawk hunting its prey. "I suspected you would try to come down. Working hard upstairs?"

  "Yes," she said honestly and went over to her desk. Rachel had made a schedule for Shane for the morning, but there was an option for her to cancel out if she was still going to be ill. Shane had no doubt the office manager had emailed her this agenda as well. "I've locked myself from upstairs. I don't know the code to get back up."

  "It's the year you were born, Shane. Use all four digits and then your age." he answered.

  She wondered was that her own personal code or just the code in general. "Were you arguing over me?" she asked as off handedly as possible.

  Andrew stood up behind his desk never taking his eyes off of her. "No and yes. It's hard to explain Shane, but Troy feels my attention to you is useless. He doesn't think you'll treat me kindly."

  Shane stiffened. "Troy and I feel the same about your attention to me, Andrew."

  He stood up and came towards her. She noted how his custom tailored suits fit him so well and made every detail of his wonderful large body excite her eyes and tantalize her senses. Given the chance and knowledge, he could be a very sensuous man. Too bad he didn't know how to exhibit his own sensuality, like Paul.