Deceived

by Patricia H. Rushford

  “Me too.” Jennie picked up her damp napkin and tore it in half. “So you’ll help me?”

  “Do I have a choice?”

  “Yes.” She tore the two halves into fourths. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have dragged you into this. Never mind. I’ll handle it.”

  Lisa sighed. “No. I’ll help. I guess I owe you that much for helping Allison.”

  Allison, one of the Rose Festival Princesses, was a good friend of Lisa’s. A shudder ran through Jennie as she remembered the gory details. She’d misjudged one of the players in a deadly game and had nearly gotten herself and Lisa killed.

  Jennie pushed the images from her mind, concentrating instead on the task at hand. “Good,” she said. “I was thinking maybe we could invite everyone out for pizza and offer to pay.”

  “We?” Lisa pushed her chair back and slipped the straps of her bag onto her shoulder. “I don’t think so, Jennie. I don’t owe you that much. I’ll help, but no way am I going to pick up the tab.”

  “Okay, okay. I’ll dip into the money Mr. Beaumont gave me for helping the police track down Allison’s stalker.”

  “Wait,” Lisa interrupted. “Maybe neither of us will have to buy. I’ve got another idea. First, I need to talk to my mom. Gram and J.B. will be at our house for dinner. I’ll see if you guys can come too. She’s having pot roast. I could switch off the circuit breaker for a couple of hours so we’d have to eat late.”

  Jennie shook her head. “Too complicated. Besides, we need to get them out of the house. With my luck Gram would suggest eating in the living room. Why couldn’t we just find something to celebrate and take everyone out for pizza? Then maybe we could suggest a movie.”

  “Hmmm. You check that out. I’ll call you when I find out what everyone’s doing.”

  Lisa hurried off, leaving nothing behind but the exotic scent of the hundred-dollar-an-ounce perfume she’d sampled in Nordstrom’s. Jennie smiled and finished off her drink. Lisa loved the perfume, but on her allowance she could only afford an occasional whiff. Whenever they went shopping, Lisa sprayed a little on whatever outfit she was wearing.

  Jennie cleared off their table and headed for the parking lot. They usually drove places together, but Jennie needed to pick up her mom, who’d been working with a client at the airport. Besides, now that Lisa had her driver’s license, she looked for any excuse whatsoever to take her own car.

  During the drive, Jennie puzzled over the changes that had taken place in her mother over the past few months. It began, of course, with Mom’s engagement to Michael Rhodes. Jennie would never forget the day Michael showed up on their doorstep to help celebrate Nick’s fifth birthday. Her little brother still insisted God had sent him a daddy for his birthday.

  Just thinking about it made her stomach churn. For a while Mom was so intent on marriage that Jennie feared Nick’s wish would come true. Lately, though, Mom had backed off the marriage thing. “Michael’s a little too much like your father,” she’d said. “I just don’t want another man who’s more married to his work than to me.”

  In a way Jennie felt sorry for Michael. She was starting to like him—not as a stepfather, of course. As remote as the possibility seemed, Jennie still hoped her father would come home and that he and her mother would be able to work things out. Maybe Dad would try to stay home more. Maybe Mom would stop resenting his work.

  Prior to his disappearance, Jason McGrady had worked for the government as a federal agent, like his father, Ian McGrady, and his father before that. Gram used to be a police officer, but after Grandpa Ian was killed, she retired from the force and decided to become a writer. Now she wrote articles for travel magazines, but still kept her connections with the FBI. Jennie intended to carry on the tradition. She planned to study law in college and, in the meantime, learn all she could about law enforcement from Gram.

  And that was another change. Gram hardly seemed like Gram anymore. She’d come back from her trip to Europe all bubbly and excited about her new life with ].B.

  Disappointed, angry, and hurt over Gram’s refusal to search for Dad, Jennie had only half listened to Gram and J.B. tell the story of his proposal at the top of the Eiffel Tower and their makeshift wedding at the US Embassy. Ordinarily it would have sounded romantic and exciting. But Jennie had felt numb.

  Not even the invitation to join them on the cruise excited her. On the outside Jennie pretended to be grateful, but inside she couldn’t feel much of anything except disappointment.

  Jennie pulled up to the airport arrival area where Mom was to meet her. She felt like an actress trying out for her first major role. Settle down, McGrady, she told herself. By the time Mom finds out, the interview and the pictures of Dad will already have aired on national television.

  Uneasiness settled around her like a dismal fog. What if you’ve made a mistake, McGrady? a voice in her head cautioned. What if your dad is dead? Or worse, what if he’s alive and doesn’t want to be found?

  3

  “It worked,” Jennie murmured as she leaned toward her cousin.

  “Of course.” Lisa tossed some buttered popcorn into her mouth and offered Jennie some. “They loved the movie idea. Besides, my mom couldn’t resist spending some time with me. She’s been kind of nervous about my going on this cruise. It’s like she’s afraid I won’t come back.”

  “I don’t think she’s afraid you won’t come back,”

  Jennie whispered. “I think she’s afraid of what—or who—you’ll come back with.”

  “What are you talking about?” Lisa frowned.

  “Lisa, you’ve been telling everybody that you’re going to meet the man of your dreams on this cruise. If I were your mother I’d be nervous too.”

  Lisa grinned, her green eyes reflecting the theater’s subdued light. “Oh that. She knows I’m not serious.” Lisa examined a kernel of popped corn before putting it in her mouth. “It would be exciting if I did meet him though, wouldn’t it?”

  “Who?”

  “Mr. Right. The man of my dreams.”

  “I thought Brad was the man of your dreams.” Jennie slouched in her back-row seat trying to get comfortable.

  “Not anymore. We broke up.”

  “You’re kidding!” Jennie had the feeling the news was more upsetting to her than to Lisa. Either that or Lisa was hiding her hurt feelings awfully well. “What happened?”

  “He dumped me for another woman.”

  “Oh, Lisa, that’s terrible. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. I’m okay with it. Really.”

  “Okay with what, honey?” Aunt Kate plopped into the seat in front of Jennie and twisted around to look at Lisa.

  “Nothing, Mom. I was just telling Jennie about Brad.”

  Before Aunt Kate could reply, Uncle Kevin, Mom, and Michael filed in and took the empty seats next to her. The lights dimmed.

  Gram and J.B. entered the theater and took the seats on the end next to Jennie. She adored Gram, at least she had until a few days ago. Being married to J.B. had changed her so much, Jennie was beginning to wonder if Gram had been invaded by aliens.

  Gram took hold of Jennie’s hand and squeezed it. “I’m delighted you girls thought of this little outing. I haven’t been to a movie in months.”

  Jennie smiled, hoping her face wouldn’t betray the feelings stirring around inside. She couldn’t ever remember being angry with Gram, but then Gram had never seemed so far away—or so totally against her.

  The story was beautiful and sad. Between them, they must have gone through a full box of Kleenex. Fortunately, Aunt Kate had read the reviews and came prepared. When they left the theater they looked more like a funeral party than a family out for an evening of entertainment.

  “Let’s pick up those new grandsons of mine and stop at Ricardo’s for dessert,” J.B. suggested. “My treat.” His “new” grandsons were Nick, Jennie’s li
ttle brother, and Lisa’s brother, Kurt. The boys had gone to Toyland, a kind of short-term day-care where parents could leave their kids while they went shopping or out for the evening. Playing suited both boys much more than sitting still for two hours.

  “Want to?” Michael asked Mom.

  “I don’t want anything sweet, but I’ll have some coffee while the rest of you eat.”

  Mom was always on a diet, and Jennie couldn’t resist teasing her. “Don’t believe a word she says, Michael. Mom’s known in dessert circles as Bite Woman. All she ever orders is the silverware, but when it’s all over she’s eaten more than all the rest of us combined.”

  Aunt Kate laughed and agreed. Mom stifled a grin and pouted. Taking Michael’s arm, she asked, “Are you going to let them pick on me like that?”

  “I don’t know. Are you going to want a bite of my New York cheesecake?”

  “Bite Woman has retired,” Mom said in a confident tone, then paused. “Cheesecake?” The way she said it left no room for doubt. Bite Woman was about to strike again.

  Michael pulled her close and kissed her nose, as if to let her know she could have all the bites she wanted. The interaction between them created a fluttery sensation in Jennie’s stomach. They were acting like an engaged couple again. Come on, Dad, Jennie half pleaded and half prayed. Please come home soon. Time is running out.

  “Jennie…” Lisa tugged at her arm. “Are you coming?”

  “Yeah.”

  Jennie and Lisa had driven together. Since they had room in the car, they offered to collect Nick and Kurt and meet the adults at Ricardo’s. The adults piled into Uncle Kevin’s van while Jennie and Lisa headed for the car.

  When they were out of earshot, Jennie heaved a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Lisa. I owe you one.”

  “I know I should say forget it, but I won’t.” Lisa slid in behind the driver’s seat of her parents’ cranberry red Taurus while Jennie got into the passenger side.

  “It still seems strange to have you driving.”

  “Get used to it. I plan to do a lot of it this summer.” Lisa backed out of her parking place. A horn blared. She slammed on the brakes.

  The force yanked Jennie against the seat belt. “Ouch. Not if you keep driving like that you won’t.”

  “Would you relax? I didn’t hit him. Besides, it was his fault. He shouldn’t have been driving behind me when I was trying to back out. And he shouldn’t be driving a black car.”

  “I can’t believe you just said that.” Jennie reached for the door. “I think I’ll go ride in the van.”

  Lisa glanced at Jennie and chuckled. “Don’t look so shocked. I’m just kidding.”

  “Driving is serious business.” Jennie winced and groaned. “I can’t believe I said that. I sounded just like my mother.”

  “It’s okay, I forgive you.” Lisa backed out again and then inched forward, nearly rear-ending the car ahead of her.

  Jennie planted her feet on the floor and braced herself.

  She’d only ridden with Lisa a couple of times and was about ready to buy a crash helmet and a well-padded driving suit.

  Lisa waved at a driver in a silver Honda, who stopped to let them onto the main road. After they’d gone a couple of blocks, Jennie began to relax. She leaned her head against the headrest and closed her eyes.

  “Jennie?” Lisa’s voice sounded strained.

  Jennie straightened. “What’s wrong?”

  Lisa glanced in the rearview mirror. “Remember the guy who stopped to let us get in front of him at the theater?”

  Jennie nodded.

  “I think he’s still following us.”

  Jennie lowered the visor on the passenger side and looked into the mirror, but all she could see was the blinding glare of headlights. “We’ve only gone a couple of miles. Maybe he just happens to be going in the same direction.”

  “You’re probably right. It just makes me nervous when someone stays behind me like that.”

  “Me too. It might be a coincidence, but if he follows us into the parking lot at Toyland, I’m calling the police.” Adrenaline stirred in Jennie’s blood. Another mystery? The idea excited her. When Lisa pulled into the parking lot the car zipped by. Jennie sighed. “False alarm,” she said, feeling relieved and disappointed at the same time.

  Even with promises of ice cream, it took ten minutes for Jennie and Lisa to pry their little brothers out of Toyland’s tunnel maze. At the restaurant the girls split a chocolate fudge truffle cake drizzled with raspberry sauce. Decadent.

  While she ate, Jennie glanced around at her family. She could almost see the aura of love hovering around them. Only one thing marred their family portrait. Dad should have been sitting in Michael’s place. She closed her eyes, trying to imagine it. Dad feeding Mom a piece of cheesecake, his eyes full of admiration. The man who appeared behind her closed eyelids, however, wasn’t Jennie’s father. It was Michael.

  4

  Jennie stumbled out of bed at seven the next morning, threw on her robe, and headed downstairs. The phone rang once. Mom picked it up in the kitchen.

  “She what?” Mom yelled just as Jennie reached the dining room. After a long silence she spoke again. “I can’t believe Jennie would do a thing like that. Are you sure?”

  Panic slammed through Jennie’s body with the impact of a cement truck. Who had seen the show and phoned? Pulling an about-face, she sneaked back up the stairs and into her room. Any second now, Mom would barge in and demand an explanation. Fifteen minutes went by. No Mom. Jennie got dressed and braided her hair. Still no Mom.

  This was not good. Jennie thought about packing her clothes and escaping through her bedroom window when a car pulled into the driveway. Gram and J.B. Mom had called in reinforcements.

  Unable to stand the suspense, Jennie emerged from her room and eased down the stairs. She’d either get nailed or find out what was going on. She watched from the landing as Mom let Gram and J.B. in. They each gave Mom a hug and purred condolences.

  “What’s going on?” Jennie asked innocently.

  They glanced in her direction. J.B. looked annoyed, and Gram, disappointed. Mom stared through Jennie as if she were invisible. Mom’s pasty complexion and red­ rimmed eyes told Jennie she’d been crying.

  Come on, guys, lighten up, she wanted to say. So I went on television to try and find Dad. Is that so bad? They were acting as if someone had died.

  The silence crackled with unspoken charges—all leveled at Jennie.

  J.B. cleared his throat. “I think we need to talk, lass.”

  Mom started for the living room, then stopped. “Would you like some coffee?” she asked and without waiting for their answers headed into the kitchen.

  J.B. and Gram took a seat on the couch and asked Jennie to join them. Jennie loosened her hold on the bannister, now more puzzled than afraid. Why would Mom cut and run? Gram and J.B. seemed afraid of saying the wrong thing. Why didn’t they just yell at her and get it over with? Unless…Jennie hurried down the rest of the stairs. “What’s going on?” she asked. “Has someone been hurt?”

  “Not in the way you mean.” Gram pinched her lips together and glanced at J.B. as if she suddenly needed his support. That was strange. Gram was one of the most in­ charge people Jennie knew. Now she seemed too upset to even talk. Jennie dropped into the chair next to the couch, taut as an overinflated balloon. One more second and she’d explode.

  She jumped up and paced across the oriental rug, then stopped in front of them. “I don’t understand what all the fuss is about. All I did was try to get some help to find Dad. You guys are acting like I committed murder or something. So I went on television and did a little interview. What’s the big deal?” Jennie slumped back into her chair again. “How did you find out anyway?”

  “I had a phone call waiting for me when I got home last night, lass. From Washington.�
�

  “Washington?” Jennie swallowed hard. “As in DC?”

  “As in the FBI. Before the accident, your father had been loaned to the DEA for some undercover work. We were up until two this morning trying to work out some kind of damage control.”

  “I knew he was on a special assignment,” Jennie said, “but that was five years ago. What’s that got to do with finding him now?”

  “A great deal, I’m afraid. They are not happy, lass. Unfortunately, you didn’t just appear on television. You interfered with national security. Your interview has investigative reporters from all over the country storming the intelligence agencies in Washington.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  Gram leaned forward. “You’ve opened a Pandora’s box, dear. The press loves to get hold of stories like this. They think the government is hiding something.”

  “By playing on public sympathy,” J.B. added, “you’ve managed to make both agencies look like they’re whitewashing a terrible crime.”

  “I…I didn’t know. I didn’t mean to cause any trouble. Not really. I was mad at you for not wanting to look for Dad anymore. I mean…it isn’t fair. Besides, if the government is hiding something that has to do with Dad, I have a right to know.”

  “Do ye now? And just how far do you think your rights go?” J.B. shoved his hands into the pockets of his black jacket. “I wish you would’ve talked with us first. When we asked you to forget about finding him, we knew you’d be disappointed, but this…I never thought you’d go against orders, lass.”

  “Don’t be so hard on her, luv.” Gram shifted to the edge of Jennie’s chair and slipped a reassuring arm around Jennie’s shoulders. “When you get down to it, this whole thing is mostly our fault—and the government’s. We should have told her the truth.”

  “Our orders were to tell her as little as possible.”

  Gram tensed. “Yes, but the government isn’t always right.”

  This was getting bizarre. “What story? What couldn’t you tell me? What are you talking about?”