by Dara Girard
He took one glance at it and looked away. “No, that’s not her.”
She waved the picture at him. “It is. Look closely.”
His jaw twitched and he folded his arms. “No, Jade wouldn’t do that to herself. Not because of me, not because of anybody.” He stood and pointed to the picture. “It’s not her. It’s someone else. You’ve made a mistake.”
“It was confirmed. This was her before the Walkers took her out of the public eye.”
Amal firmly shook his head. “No.”
Hannah stood and held the picture up to his face. “Don’t be so shallow. The woman you loved is there. Okay, so she’s not slim and she’s wolfing down a pizza, but she’s still there. Look at her face. Her eyes. Her mouth. This is her.”
Amal snatched the picture and sank into the seat. “No, I...” His words fell away as he studied the image. “I did this to her?” he said, his voice cracking with pain.
“No, she did this to herself, but perhaps the Walkers blame you for this.”
“I tried to help her. Why didn’t she call me?” He looked at Hannah, searching for answers she couldn’t give him. “I wouldn’t have let her do this.”
“She was a grown woman. She made her choice.”
“Do you think this is the secret they are trying to keep?” Amal asked, doubtful.
“Only part of it. I’m hoping I’ll find out the rest soon that will complete the whole picture.”
“I really appreciate all you’re doing for me.”
“It’s part of the job.”
“Is sleeping with the boss part of the job, too?”
“You’re not my boss.”
“Partner, then?”
“No, this goes under extracurricular activities.” She kissed him and soon they forgot all about Jade and Martha.
* * *
Afterward they lay naked under the blankets and watched a film. Then someone knocked on the door.
“I’m not expecting anyone,” Hannah said.
Amal lazily stroked her back, making no motion to move. “Call out and ask who it is.”
“Probably a salesman. If I’m quiet they’ll go away.”
The person knocked again. “Hannah, it’s me.”
Hannah leaped to her feet. “Oh, damn. It’s my sister!”
Chapter 12
Hannah scrambled into her clothes. “You’ve got to hide.”
Amal gaped at her, bewildered. “Why?”
“Because she can’t see you here. Especially like this.”
Abigail knocked again. “Hannah? I know you’re in there.”
“I’ll be with you in a minute,” she shouted. She quickly gathered Amal’s clothes and shoved them into his chest. “Go into my bedroom and stay there. Be as quiet as you can.”
“But—”
“Just do it. I’ll get rid of her.”
Amal started to walk away.
“Take the blanket, too.”
He glared at her and then took the blanket and walked into her bedroom, slamming the door.
Hannah quickly glanced around the room to make sure that there was no evidence of him remaining and then went to the front door. “Abigail.”
“What were you doing?” Abigail asked, looking around the place with suspicion. She was taller than Hannah, and her hair fell to her shoulders in tight braids, unlike Hannah’s straightened style. She had the innocent, adorable face of a doe and the eyes of a fox. She was attractive, though people usually forgot that when she opened her mouth.
“I was just tidying up.”
“I thought I heard a door slam.”
“Probably one of the neighbors. What do you want?”
“I don’t want anything. I just came to see you. Is that a crime?”
“No,” Hannah said, already feeling worn of her sister’s testiness. “I just—”
“You haven’t come by the house recently.”
“I’ve been busy and—”
“And you’re always busy. Too busy to see us. So we have to come and see you.”
Hannah took a deep breath. She wouldn’t get upset. “It’s nice to see you. Come and sit down.”
Abigail sat on the couch, and Hannah sat in front of her. She fought back a gasp when she noticed Amal’s underpants peeking out from under the couch near Abigail’s foot. How could she have missed them? She jumped to her feet. “Let’s go sit in the kitchen.”
“Why?” Abigail said, startled by her sister’s behavior. “I’m comfortable here.”
“Would you like anything to eat or drink?”
“No, I’m fine.”
Hannah glanced at the underwear again, wondering how she could snatch them without her sister knowing. When she looked up she saw Amal standing in the hallway with the blanket around his waist, pointing to her. She gestured for him to return to the bedroom.
Abigail frowned at her. “What’s wrong?”
Hannah pretended to swat the air. “Oh, just one of those annoying little bugs,” she said when Amal leaned against the wall and didn’t move. She narrowed her eyes at him. He just smiled.
“We’ve gotten a lot done on the house,” Abigail said, settling into her seat as though she planned to stay a while. “But no one will tell us how it’s being paid for.”
“I’ve taken care of it.”
“How?”
Hannah sat next to her sister so that she wouldn’t have to look at Amal and could grab his underpants. “I’ve made arrangements. You don’t have to worry about anything.”
“It’s all legal, right? I know a lot of Mafia people work in construction.”
Hannah sighed. Her sister was ever the drama queen. “You’re going to be all right.” She patted her on the back while trying to move the underwear under the couch with her foot. Since she couldn’t get to it, she might as well hide it. “You and Mom and Dad can stay in the house for the rest of your lives.”
“Did you know we got landscaping, too? You should see it. It’s beautiful. It’s like a palace.”
“That’s great.”
“No, it’s not great,” she snapped. “You should talk to them. We don’t want things too extravagant, or they could price us out of the neighborhood.”
“I’m sure they know what they’re doing.”
“Maybe.” Abigail stood and started to turn.
Hannah grabbed her hand. “Where are you going?”
Abigail frowned. “I just need to go to the bathroom.”
“Okay.” She released her and watched her disappear into the bathroom. She then fell on her knees and tried to reach for Amal’s underpants, which she’d kicked underneath the couch. But she’d moved the garment farther than she’d expected, so she had to get on her stomach to reach it. She snatched it with triumph and raced to her room just as Abigail was coming out of the bathroom. “What’s that?” she asked.
Hannah glanced down at what was in her hands. “It’s nothing. I’m just going to put them in my room.”
“They look like men’s briefs.”
“They’re mine.”
“Yours?”
“Yes, it’s a boy’s cut. Excuse me.” She went into her room and found Amal sitting on her bed.
“I told you to stay in here.”
“I needed to get my—”
She threw them at him. “Now get dressed, be quiet and stay put.”
Amal pulled on his underpants. “Is your sister always so miserable?”
Hannah put her finger to her mouth and then closed the door. She returned to the living room, where her sister was flipping through a book.
“You’re acting kinda strange,” Abigail said, putting the book down. “You know, if you don’t want me here you can just say s
o. I just thought you’d want to know what’s happening with our parents.”
“It’s not that,” Hannah said, resisting rubbing her hands together, eager to see her sister leave. “I’ve just been stressed. I really appreciate you coming by.”
“Sure you do,” Abigail said, unconvinced. She walked toward the door and then stopped and pointed at a pair of male shoes. “What’s that?” She turned to her. “And don’t tell me they’re yours.”
“Abigail, I—”
“You’re seeing someone, aren’t you?” Her eyes widened. “You’re hiding a man.”
“Listen.”
“Where is he?” She opened the hall closet and peeked inside. “I’m not leaving until I meet him.”
“You’ll meet him soon.”
“Why not now?”
“Yes, why not now?” Amal said, coming into the living room. He held out his hand to Abigail. “I’m Amal Harper.”
She stared at him, spellbound.
Hannah reluctantly gestured to her and made introductions. “This is my sister, Abigail.”
“A pleasure to meet you.”
“Wait,” Abigail said. “Your name sounds familiar.”
“Well, that’s it. You’ve met.” Hannah grabbed her sister’s arm and tried to drag her toward the door. “Glad you stopped by. Now it’s time to go.”
Abigail pointed an accusatory finger at Amal. “You’re the womanizer. Yes, I’ve read about you.” She gave him a quick once-over. “You may have your handsome face and fine clothes, but I know what you really are. A heartbreaker.” She turned to Hannah. “How could you dump Jacob for him? What will Mom and Dad say?”
Hannah opened the door. “Nothing, because they don’t need to know.”
“They’ll have to know.”
“And you’ll delight in being the one to tell them.”
Abigail sauntered past without saying a word.
Hannah closed the door. Amal rested his hands on her shoulders. “This was bound to happen.”
“I wish you hadn’t met her first. She’ll put you at a disadvantage.”
“It’s okay. Let me meet your parents and then we’ll go from there.”
* * *
With the help of Bonnie’s aunt and her connections, Hannah managed to get an appointment at the spa where Martha went for beauty treatments. But when she got the talkative Natalie Brimmer, a young nail apprentice, instead of the owner she had hoped for, Hannah feared she’d been met with another dead end. She plastered on a smile as Natalie chatted about her boyfriend, her recent trip to Disneyland and the telenovelas she loved to watch to practice her Spanish. Twice Hannah tried to get her to talk about Mrs. Walker (she didn’t know much) or anything else about the owner, who was one of Martha’s closest friends (she had nothing to share). So Hannah anxiously glanced at her watch, wondering what her next step should be.
“But my friend has a more exciting life than I do,” Natalie said.
“Really?” Hannah said, fighting back a yawn.
“Yes, you wouldn’t think so, because she’s a nurse and works in this small hospital thirty minutes out of town. Her mother asked why she chose such a dinky place, but she said that she likes the people there and that it’s run well.”
“Hmm.”
“Anyway, several months ago this rich family rented an entire floor of the hospital so that their daughter could have a baby. I mean, they got the top suite, and it all seemed very mysterious. At first my friend thought it was some celebrity, but it wasn’t. Though they seemed very wealthy, it all didn’t make any sense. Why would they go to a place like that? If I had money I’d go to a top city hospital, let me tell you. Plus it was a high-risk pregnancy, with the mother having gestational diabetes and high blood pressure.”
Hannah glanced up, intrigued, thinking of Martha’s medications. “Really?”
Natalie nodded. “There were two times my friend said they were afraid they’d lose the mother and the baby. But with our obesity crisis, what do you expect?”
“Obesity crisis?” Hannah asked, trying to follow Natalie’s logic.
“Yeah, I mean, the girl was huge. I think it’s disgusting the way people are eating themselves to death. I mean, how can you have a healthy baby when you’re not even healthy yourself?”
Hannah ignored the apprentice’s coarse words as her mind quickly put the missing pieces together. A baby? Could the image she’d seen of Jade been the picture of a pregnant woman rather than just an overweight one? Was that what Martha was desperate to hide?
The moment she left the salon, Hannah went online to check birth records from about six to eight months ago for local hospitals in the area, trying to find proof to confirm her suspicions.
Over an hour later she sat staring at the screen in shock, now understanding why the Walkers had kept the secret. It changed everything.
Chapter 13
“So what did you want to tell me?” Amal asked as they sat in her office. “You sounded very somber on the phone.”
“I have some very important news to tell you.” Hannah clasped her hands together. She’d practiced all night how she’d tell him, but she still wasn’t sure. Dread mixed with anticipation.
“And you couldn’t tell me over dinner?”
“No.”
His good humor fell. “Is it bad news?”
“I found out why Jade gained weight and then disappeared from view. Why the Walkers want to divert your attention by keeping your inventory and destroying your business.”
“Why?”
Hannah laid her hands flat on the table and held his gaze. “Jade had a son and he’s yours.”
Amal didn’t move. He didn’t blink, and he didn’t swallow. He just stared at her, registering no emotion.
Hannah cautiously continued. “He was born about eight months after your breakup.”
Amal shook his head. “No, I can’t have a son.”
“But you do.”
“Jade would have told me she was pregnant. She wouldn’t have kept that from me.”
“Amal. He’s yours.”
He narrowed his gaze and kept his voice soft. “Why are you lying to me?”
“I’m not.”
“Then why would she? Not telling me she was pregnant is kind of a lie, isn’t it?”
“Amal—”
He held up his fist and shook it. “Don’t try to console me. I’m not in the mood.”
Hannah leaned forward and glared at him. “I’m not the enemy here.”
He turned away and pounded the arm of his chair. “I can’t believe she didn’t tell me. Why wouldn’t she have told me? I would have taken care of her. Both of them. No, she wouldn’t have done this to me.”
Hannah looked at Amal, feeling helpless and wishing she knew how to comfort him. “She must have had her reasons.”
“Maybe to punish me because I broke up with her.”
“Or maybe she was afraid you’d take the baby from her. She was in bad shape at the time.”
“I wouldn’t have taken him away. We would have gotten married and—”
“Perhaps that’s not what she wanted.”
He stood. “No, it’s because she cheated on me. The baby’s not mine and—”
“You know that’s not true.”
“It has to be true,” Amal shouted. “She wouldn’t do this to me. Not when she knew how much I—” He paced. “No.”
“I’m sure the Walkers wanted to refute it. He’s yours. I know this is a lot to take in. What you can do is face the Walkers. You can get visitation.”
“No,” he said in a flat tone.
“No?”
“I want him.”
Hannah paused. “You want to see him?”
“No. I want him. He’s my son and I want to raise him. I won’t let the Walkers take him from me. How old is he?”
“Seven months.”
“Good. He’s still young enough that it won’t be too traumatic a change.”
“Raising a child is a big responsibility. Are you sure you’re ready for that? We could come up with visitation rights and—”
“No, I will not have the Walkers raise my son and slowly poison him against me, because I know that’s what they will do. I know it sounds impulsive and crazy to you, but I want this. He’s my son and he belongs with me.” He looked at her, a little uncertain. “And you said Jade wanted it too, right?”
“I’m sure she did.”
“Then I’ve made up my mind. Let’s meet with their lawyer and get my son.”
* * *
She screamed. She screamed until she thought her lungs would burst. How could this have happened? How could they have found out about him? She’d been so careful.
“Martha, you need to calm down,” her husband said, handing her a glass of water.
Martha slapped it out of his hand, delighting in how it shattered on the ground and soaked the floor. “I will not calm down. They will not steal my baby. He’s mine.”
“You need to think this over.”
“I have, and James stays with me.”
“Harper has his rights.”
“He screwed my daughter in more ways than one. Why does that give him any rights?” She turned to Peter. “Do something.”
Peter shrugged in his typical blasé style. “There’s nothing to do.”
“What did our lawyer say?”
“Our hands are tied. Not only have they discovered about the boy, but they can prove the documents you presented were false. You’ll have to release the inventory.”
“He can have that junk.”
“He wants the baby, too.”
“I told you to just give him the things,” Granville said. “Then he’d never have found out about anything. But you wanted to destroy him, too.”
“I’ll take him to court,” Martha said.
“You’ll lose,” Peter said.
“No, I won’t. We’re going to go to court, and Amal won’t touch James. I’ll let the world know what kind of father he’d be.”