Arden’s gaze darted to Shane and then back to the woman. “Did you know my mother?”
Maybe she would finally find out the truth and that scared the hell out of her.
The older woman blinked a few times and then smiled. “Honey, I’m your Auntie Lydia and your mother’s best friend, and I can’t tell you how much it means to me to see you after all of these years.”
Chapter Twelve
‡
Lydia’s hand gripped Arden’s tightly. “Child, you have no idea how many times a day I’ve thought about you and wondered how you were. You look so beautiful. Are you happy? Is this your husband?”
Her “aunt” had joined them at the table and Arden hadn’t found the words to explain what they were doing in Hemingdale, but she had to try. Lydia might have the answers she wanted so desperately.
“Shane is my…friend.” Arden felt the heat in her cheeks and didn’t dare glance at him. “We were actually coming to see you but when we knocked on your door earlier you weren’t there.”
“Errands and things. I stopped in here to say hello to the owner who is a good friend of mine.” Lydia smiled widely and shook her head. “My goodness, can you imagine if I hadn’t? I would have missed you!”
“We were planning to come back by tonight,” Shane replied smoothly. “There’s no way we would have left without seeing you, Mrs. Tate.”
“Please call me Lydia and I’ll call you Shane. Is that all right?”
“Absolutely. Lydia,” Shane began, casting an inquiring glance in Arden’s direction before continuing. She was happy to let him take the lead here as words seemed to be stuck in her throat. “We’re here because Arden’s father has disappeared and when we went to investigate we found that he’d changed his and Arden’s last name and moved to Tremont. We also found out about how her mother died and you can imagine what a shock it was.”
Eyes wide, Lydia sucked in a breath. “You didn’t know? But Ben said he’d tell you when you grew up.” The older woman snorted and her lips pressed tightly together. “But then he also said he’d send us pictures and updates of your life and that didn’t happen. He cut us out like a surgeon and told us that it was for the best and that we’d just upset you.”
That sounded like Benjamin Cavendish, always having to be in control of every detail and every person right down to their emotions. When she saw him again they were going to have a long talk.
“We were hoping you could tell Arden about her mother and her life here. According to the investigation, Arden also has an uncle?”
The color drained from Lydia’s face and she clutched the edge of the table. “Yes, that’s true but there’s time to talk about that later. Why don’t you come over to the house and we can relax and talk? I have so many things to tell you and I want to hear all about your life, child.”
Thrilled and scared at the same time, Arden nodded in agreement. She wanted to know and that’s why she was here. What was that saying?
The truth will set you free.
* * *
Shane stood by the back window of Lydia’s living room watching as the two women pored over photo albums. Arden had shed a few tears but seemed to be holding herself together well as Lydia pointed out pictures from their childhood and told stories of backyard barbecues, summers at the lake, and building snowmen at Christmastime.
His heart ached that she’d missed out on all this with her own mother but she’d never once complained the entire time he’d known her. She’d taken her motherless status as a simple fact of life and thrown all her love and admiration toward her father.
Sometimes too much.
Lydia pointed to a large eight-by-ten photo. “This was Susie on her prom night. Her daddy was quite scandalized that her neckline was cut so low but Susie wouldn’t have any other dress. The minute she saw it in the store she knew it was the one.”
Arden giggled as her fingers traced the lines of the picture. “Father looks so young in this photo.”
Lydia raised her stricken gaze to Shane and her lips trembled as if she wanted to speak but didn’t quite know what to say. Her face had paled again just as when they were in the restaurant and his intuition was going off like a car alarm. There was much more to this story than what he’d seen in the file from Jason.
Easing himself onto the sofa next to Arden, he pressed his hand over hers in a comforting gesture but knew it wasn’t going to be nearly enough. Whatever had Lydia so upset was bad. Very bad.
Licking her dry lips, Lydia took a shaky breath before speaking. “That’s not Ben—that’s David, his brother.”
He hadn’t seen that coming at all.
Frowning, Arden leaned closer to study the photo. “David? That’s my uncle?”
“Your mother and David dated for a few years.”
His eyes met Lydia’s and he saw the anguish in their depths. Clearly this part of Susannah’s story was painful for all involved.
“But she married my dad.” Shane could practically see the wheels turning in Arden’s head. “How did that happen?”
Lydia sighed and patted Arden’s knee. “I’m not sure where to start. It’s hard to explain but I’ll try. I guess I’ll start at the beginning.”
“Where is the beginning?” Arden asked, moving closer to Shane and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
“David was the older brother,” Lydia began. “He was good-looking and wild. Exciting, I guess is how he would have been described. He liked to drink, take drugs, drive fast, and party until the wee hours of the morning. Susie loved him but after high school he would disappear for days at a time and his explanations when he came back left something to be desired. She was afraid that David was cheating on her and they started to argue quite a bit. Eventually they broke up and Ben was waiting in the wings. He’d had a crush on Susie for years and he took that opportunity to sweep her off her feet. Within six months they were engaged and a year later they were married. It was a good thing too, as David’s behavior became increasingly more erratic and there were rumors that he had a secret girlfriend and baby in Indianapolis.”
Arden leaned into him, her head on his shoulder. Her breath was shallow and her skin appeared pasty and gray. “That’s why he never spoke about his own brother. He stole David’s girlfriend.”
Lydia stood and walked over to the fireplace, running her fingers over the framed photos on the mantle. “That isn’t why he didn’t mention David.” She sighed heavily and briefly buried her head in her hands. “God, I never thought I would have to tell you this. I thought Ben would have told you.”
Shane didn’t imagine the bitterness in Lydia’s tone. Apparently Ben could piss people off here in Hemingdale as well as in Tremont.
“Please understand that your mother’s life wasn’t always easy. Her marriage to Ben wasn’t working and the strain was showing. They fought all the time and usually when David was back in town. She still loved him.” The older woman whispered the last four words.
Stiffening in his arms, Arden sucked in a breath. “She was in love with David?”
Lydia nodded, tears shining in her blue eyes. “She tried to be a good wife to Ben but he wasn’t an easy man to love. While David was wild he was also charming. Ben was moody and difficult, plus had a nasty temper. When he traveled on business, Susie would visit with David. At first I think it truly was innocent but later…”
The implication was clear. Susannah and David were having an affair. Had Ben known?
“How did my mother die?” Arden asked softly, obviously still in shock from her aunt’s revelation.
Her hands wrung together, Lydia allowed a few tears to streak down her cheeks. “Ben was out of town on a business trip and Susie was home alone with just you. According to the police, somewhere between eleven and midnight someone entered through the unlocked back door and shot her twice in the chest as she exited the bathroom. Neighbors heard the shots and you crying and called 911.”
Arden drew a shuddering breath, her trembling h
ands reaching for Shane’s. He pulled her more tightly against him, feeling her entire body shake in reaction to the story.
“Who did it?”
Wiping away the tears, her aunt shook her head sadly. “They never caught the animal. A few people said they saw David running away from the scene but after they questioned him they didn’t have any evidence. There were others that swore he was across town drinking in a bar and playing pool when the murder happened. Eventually David left town under a cloud of suspicion, never to be heard from again.”
“And Daddy changed our names and moved away,” finished Arden in a choked voice. “I wouldn’t even know any of this if he hadn’t disappeared last week. I’d be completely clueless.”
“However misguided it may seem now, at the time, we all agreed it was the best thing for you. We didn’t want you to grow up in this little town being the daughter of the woman who was murdered and the killer was never found. It would have followed you your entire life and we wanted to spare you that. What we didn’t realize was that Ben was going to cut us out of your life completely and that we would become strangers to you here in Hemingdale. That was never part of the plan, Arden—please believe me. Even though you weren’t here I never stopped loving you or being your honorary aunt. You’ve had a Christmas gift under the tree every year in this house. I still have them all.”
Pale and trembling in his arms, Arden laid her head on his shoulder. “I think…I could use a drink.”
“I think we all could,” replied Shane. “I don’t suppose you have some brandy or whiskey, Lydia?”
The older woman smiled and stood. “Actually I do have a nice brandy and you’re right, I think we all could use a snort. It must be five o’clock somewhere.”
Lydia disappeared into another room and Shane tipped Arden’s chin up so she was looking into his eyes. “Are you okay, princess? What do you need from me?”
“Don’t let me go.”
Her stark admission cut straight to his heart. He’d be there for her in any way she needed him, at any time. She might not be his to love but she was his to care for and protect. At least while they were here.
Chapter Thirteen
‡
“I want to hire your cousin Jason and his partners.”
Arden had waited until she and Shane had returned to the hotel after spending the afternoon and evening catching up on the last thirty years with Aunt Lydia. Immediately, she’d felt close to the older woman and vowed to stay in touch no matter what. In fact, Lydia wanted to throw a party in Arden’s honor so she could meet the residents of the small town she would have grown up in.
Retrieving a beer from the minibar, Shane sat down on the couch before answering.
“They’re not a private investigations firm. Their true function is to consult with law enforcement on difficult cases.”
“This one qualifies, don’t you think? Unsolved for decades and barely a suspect in sight. I know what they – and you – are capable of and I need their help. I want to find my mother’s killer.”
Shane gave her a patient look. “I’m still in the middle of the other thing you asked me to do. We still haven’t found your father.”
She walked over to him, lifted the bottle from his grip, and took a long drag from it. He looked shocked for a moment, then threw back his head and laughed before heading back to the minibar for another beer.
“That’s the girl I knew. Every now and then I see glimpses of her. She knew how to kick ass and take names.”
“That girl is a woman and she’s damn tired of people keeping important secrets like this from her. I need the truth and I need to find my mother’s killer so she can rest in peace.”
A long-suffering sigh escaped from Shane’s lips. “If I don’t help, you’ll just try and do it yourself, won’t you?”
She wouldn’t have a clue as to where to even start but she’d try. “It would be easier if Jason’s firm helped me.”
His lips curved into a smile. “Then it’s a good thing I already sent him a text and asked him to start looking for David Hollis, isn’t it? I also thought tomorrow we could go to the police station and look at the case file, maybe even re-interview any witnesses if they’re still in Hemingdale.”
She couldn’t help herself. She launched herself at him, their bodies colliding with a thud and a giggle. He wrapped his arms around her middle and lifted her off the ground. “How did you know I was going to ask? Have you become a mind reader since I last saw you?”
Chuckling, he set her on her feet and reached for his beer, leaving her feeling slightly at a loss. It had felt so amazingly wonderful to be that close to him and not be in tears as if the world was ending. “Hardly. But I watched your expression as your aunt told the story. I knew you wouldn’t be satisfied if you didn’t try and solve the mystery and I’d be a total jerk if I didn’t help you.”
Her smile fell and she stepped back. She’d asked so much from him and given so little in return. “You’ve done more than I could ever have hoped for, Shane. More than I deserve. I know that you hate me and well…honestly I don’t blame you.”
Pain flickered across his features but was almost instantly gone. If she hadn’t seen it with her own two eyes she wouldn’t have believed it.
“I don’t hate you, baby girl. But if you want to pay me back you can. You can tell me – once and for all – why you left that summer. All I want is the truth. Can you do that for me?”
She owed it to him. She needed to do it.
But damn, it would change everything. He wouldn’t look at her the same anymore and she wasn’t sure she could stand that but this wasn’t about her.
“I will tell you,” she finally said, the words catching in her throat. “But not tonight, okay?”
“That’s fine. Take the time that you need. You know where I am.”
She had a reprieve but it wouldn’t last for long. The truth of that summer couldn’t be swept under the rug any longer. She’d tell him everything.
* * *
Shane had been surprised by how easy it had been to convince the police to show them the file, especially as it was still considered an open investigation. He couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps one of Jason’s partners had contacts that had smoothed their path.
Either way, they were now sitting in a tiny gray conference room in the police station perusing the contents. He leafed through the Susannah Hollis murder police file with a heavy heart and growing frustration. It was easily the skimpiest evidence he’d ever seen and it was no wonder that they’d never found the shooter.
“There’s not much here. They didn’t find any fingerprints that didn’t belong. They were able to recover the bullet but it didn’t match anything in the system. All the witnesses had conflicting statements as well. Not a whole lot to go on here.”
Arden set down one of the witness statements and sighed. “This is disheartening. It’s like they immediately gave up. As far as I can see they only spoke to a few people.”
“They did speak to your uncle but didn’t question him about his relationship with your mother. He simply gave a statement that he was out drinking and playing pool, which a few other people corroborated. But then how do you explain a neighbor saying she saw him get in his car and drive away from the house after the shots were fired?”
“People see what they want to see,” she reminded him. “If they were having an affair they might have met at the house when my father was out of town. As my uncle, he wouldn’t raise any suspicions.”
Arden had been remarkably calm this morning and Shane wasn’t sure he could trust it. If she needed to scream, yell, or cry, he didn’t mind but this serene mask was kind of disturbing. It was like waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“Are you okay about all this?” he questioned. “I’m worried about you.”
Her fingers fiddled with the empty paper cup from the coffee joint around the corner and her eyes wouldn’t meet his gaze.
“I’m still processing ever
ything. I’m trying to stay sort of separate from it all as if this is happening to someone else. It’s like I’m looking down on my body in a way. I am upset but I know that crying and bemoaning my lot in life isn’t going to help anything. It’s best if I try and stick to business.”
It sounded like she was going to have one hell of a breakdown at some point. He only hoped he would be there to help her through it and come out stronger on the other side.
“You’re doing a great job staying calm but just remember you don’t need to. No one would blame you if you took up smoking or drinking right about now.”
She tossed the empty cup into a small trashcan. “I’ve always wanted to take up skydiving. Maybe this is my lucky day.”
She forgot he knew her too well. “Bullshit. You’re terrified of heights. I never could get you to climb rocks with us. You don’t even like to be on a ladder.”
“It is smart to be afraid of heights,” she huffed. “A person could get seriously injured or die if they fall. It’s survival of the fittest. You, sir, are going against nature.”
There was that smile and giggle again. Dammit, he loved it when she dropped the serious facade and played. Just a little.
“Maybe I’m simply more evolved and I’m not afraid anymore. Have you thought about that?”
Tapping the file folder, she rolled her eyes and groaned. “Can we get back to the case now?”
Shane shrugged and grinned. “Sure, if you don’t have a good answer we can. I think we should talk to some of these witnesses again if we can find them. See if they stick to their story.”
“I had an answer but I’m not going to let you bait me.”
Shane jotted down the names and addresses in a notebook. “Seems like you already have.”
“You haven’t changed a bit. I’ve got teenagers in my classes that are more mature than you are.”
He closed the file folder and tucked the notebook in his jacket pocket. “That wouldn’t surprise me, but then my joie de vivre is one of the reasons people love me. I’m fun.”
Embracing Danger Page 8