Lost Down Deep

by Sara Davison

“It wasn’t what he said, exactly, but how he said it.” Summer let out a short laugh. “It really wasn’t anything. I’m only imagining there was something sinister going on, I’m sure. Although he did break a vase of flowers, and I’m not entirely sure it was an accident.” She was starting to regret bringing it up. No doubt she was making far too much of the encounter.

  “I thought I heard a crash.” Nancy set a small bag of flour in her basket. “Look, if you felt something sinister, that was likely your subconscious telling you something was off. Don’t take that lightly.” She started for the end of the aisle. “I’m ready to go, but point this person out to me if you see him, okay?”

  Summer trailed after her, not anxious to run into the man—whoever he was—again. He’d called her chica. The word sparked something deep inside, something that hissed and flashed like a downed electrical wire. Other than the fact that it had been spoken in her native language, did that word mean something to her? Did the man?

  As far as she knew, she’d never met him. But she could have encountered him any time in the last few years and she wouldn’t know it. They passed the produce section. Summer was almost afraid to look, but when she did, the man was nowhere in sight. An employee in a full-length green apron swept up pieces of glass. A woman squeezed a tomato while a child, a young girl with blond ponytails, pointed out apples to her father who dutifully stuck them into a plastic bag. The scene was so normal that Summer released a pent-up breath and shook her head, attempting to clear it of the image of those dark eyes piercing hers.

  He was a man buying flowers for his wife, that was all. The vase had obviously slipped through his fingers. These things happened. Summer slid a hand through the crook of Nancy’s arm and guided her to the checkout. “Whoever he was, he’s gone. I really don’t think it was anything except my imagination playing tricks on me.”

  Nancy didn’t look convinced as she unloaded items from her basket onto the black conveyor belt. “Even so, be careful, okay? I don’t want anything happening to you. Charles Dickens and I would miss you terribly.”

  Summer managed a weak smile as she set the potatoes on the belt. As much as she wanted to reassure her landlady, Summer was far from convinced herself that Nancy and Charles Dickens had nothing to worry about. The encounter with the stranger had shaken her out of the false sense of security she’d been lulled into since arriving here.

  Which was likely for the best. She needed to put her guard up, be more aware of what was going on around her and who was in the vicinity. If she spotted the man who’d dropped the flowers again, Summer would need to either confront him or call the police. She was done with sitting around waiting for something to happen.

  The thought she didn’t want to consider, but should, was that it would likely be wise for her to find another place to live. If she was in danger, so was Nancy, and the last thing she wanted was to be responsible for anything happening to the woman who was rapidly becoming a very important part of her life.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Bells jangled as Jude pushed open the door to the coffee shop. He still wasn’t convinced it was a good idea, bringing Cash here. Kind of felt like he was playing that dangerous game his brother had warned him about. It didn’t matter now, though. They were here and Summer had already looked over and smiled at him. Suddenly he didn’t care at all if it was a good idea, them being here.

  “Have you been to this place before?” Jude started for the counter.

  “A few times, yeah. Not for a couple of months, though.”

  They stopped in front of the display case. Summer was ringing up someone else’s order, so Jude concentrated on studying Shawn’s offerings, overwhelmed, as always, by the choices. From the corner of his eye, he could see Cash eyeing Summer. Would his brother like her? He shook his head. Of course he would.

  She finished with the customers ahead of them, a young woman with a toddler on her hip and an older woman, likely her mother. The three of them headed to a table by the fireplace as Summer shifted over to stand in front of Jude. “Hey, Ryan.”

  “Hi, Ana.” He tilted his head toward his brother. “This is Cash McCall. Cash, this is Ana Santos.”

  Cash held out his hand. “Good to meet you.”

  Summer shook it and smiled at him. “You too.”

  It was surreal, seeing two of the people he cared about the most in the world meeting each other for the first time. Jude had never allowed himself to even imagine this moment when he and Summer were together in Toronto.

  Cash propped an elbow casually on the counter. “How do you like Elora so far?”

  “I love it. I grew up in a small town in Mexico, but I’ve been in the city so long I’ve forgotten what it’s like to be in a place where everyone knows your name.”

  “And your business.”

  Summer laughed. “That too.”

  The door opened behind them and Cash straightened. “I’ll take a coffee and a blueberry streusel muffin, please.”

  “Sure.” Summer turned to him. “Ryan?”

  “I’ll have the same.” The good thing was you couldn’t go wrong with anything you ordered here. That’s why he usually let Summer decide for him. “It’s on me.” He handed Summer a twenty. She retrieved his change and reached for the tongs. “I know how Ryan likes his, but what do you take in your coffee, Cash?”

  “Just black, thanks.”

  She nodded and set the muffins on the counter before heading for the coffee machine on the back counter. Jude didn’t look over at his brother, afraid his face would give away too much if he did. When she set their mugs on the counter, Jude reached for one of the coffees and a plate. “See you tomorrow night?”

  “Looking forward to it. Nice meeting you, Cash.”

  He lifted his mug in her direction. “You too.”

  They headed for a table in the back corner. Jude took a sip of coffee and set down the mug. “What do you think?”

  “It’s good.” Cash held up the muffin he’d already taken a bite out of.

  Jude tilted his head.

  His brother set the muffin down and brushed the crumbs off his fingers onto the plate. Before he could say anything, Jude held up a hand. “Actually, you can tell me later. This place is too small. And I know for a fact that you can hear people talking at the counter from over here.”

  “How do you know that?”

  Jude gave him a sheepish look. “I listen to her and Daphne sometimes. If they’re talking about me, they speak in Spanish and don’t usually worry about keeping their voices down all that much. Especially Daphne.”

  “No.” Cash grinned. “Daphne’s never been too worried about that. I didn’t know she spoke Spanish, though.”

  “Apparently she does.”

  “Do you?”

  Jude shot a look at the counter. Summer was busy waiting on an older couple, but he didn’t want to take any chances. He lowered his voice. “Yeah.”

  “Fluently?”

  He shrugged. “I was hoping to win over Summer’s parents. Which turned out to be a waste of time, although I’m not sorry I learned it.”

  “Because now you can eavesdrop.”

  He shot Cash a heated look. “No, because Summer appreciated it when I spoke in her language.”

  “Spoke? Past tense?”

  “That’s right. She has no idea Ryan can speak Spanish.”

  “And why haven’t you told her?”

  Warmth crept up Jude’s neck.

  “So you can eavesdrop.”

  His brother had him there. “It has come in handy on occasion.”

  “Uh huh.” Cash reached for his coffee. “How do you manage to keep it all straight when you’re with her?”

  “I have to stay on my toes. I’ve come close to blowing it a couple of times, but so far I don’t think she suspects anything.”

  “How is it you’re able to take so much time off work?”

  Jude winced. “I’m not, really. I mean, my boss isn’t happy about it, apparently. Alt
hough he’s been as sympathetic as can be expected, given what Summer has been through. He’s a trauma counselor, so if and when she does remember what happened to her, he wants to see her. He believes he can help her work through the attack.”

  “Sounds like a good idea.”

  “I think so. We’re a ways from that, though. At the moment I’m only hoping I have a job to go back to.”

  “You know, there’s a drop-in center here in town that offers counseling.” Cash said the words nonchalantly before popping a bite of muffin into his mouth.

  Jude studied him. “Are you suggesting I move back to Elora?”

  “It’s a thought. Mom and Maddie are thrilled to have you here.”

  “What about you?”

  “I don’t hate the fact that you’re in town.” Cash took a swig of coffee then met Jude’s gaze over the rim. “I really did miss you, you know.”

  His chest squeezed. “I missed you, too. All of you. And I have to admit it’s been pretty great, being home. All of you have made it far easier on me than I deserve, but I appreciate it.”

  “Think about it.”

  “I will. I can’t make any kind of plans at the moment, although I also can’t keep going without an income for much longer. Something’s going to have to give soon.”

  Cash set down his coffee. “If you need a loan, just ask.”

  “Thanks, I appreciate it. It’s more than the money, though. Like you said, it’s been hard to keep everything straight when I’m with her. One of these days I’m going to slip up and call her by the wrong name, or mention something she doesn’t realize I know about her, and I’m going to have a lot of explaining to do. The longer this goes on, the more difficult it’s all going to be for her to accept when she does find out everything.”

  “Yeah, I can see that. Out of curiosity, what does Ryan Taylor do for a living?”

  The warmth in his neck intensified. “He’s a writer.”

  “I thought you hadn’t told her any outright lies, other than your name.”

  That stung a little. “I guess that is one, although I do write a lot of articles on addictions for a couple of different online magazines and our company’s blog. And it was the only way I could think of to be here all the time.”

  Cash shook his head. “What a tangled web we weave.”

  Jude pushed his plate away, his appetite gone. “Look, I’ve never been in a situation remotely like this before. Most people haven’t. I’m feeling my way through, doing the best I can.”

  His brother sighed. “I know you are. I’m worried about you, that’s all. I’m hoping all of this doesn’t blow up in your face when Summer finds out the truth. And I’m concerned about this guy you mentioned who could be after her. Is there any chance he’ll find out she’s here in town?”

  Jude blew out a breath. “There’s a chance. That’s why I’ve been spending so much time around her.” Before Cash could say anything to that, he added, “One of the reasons, anyway. I’m hoping and praying that the Toronto PD will be able to figure out who he is and find him before he can track her down.”

  “I hope so, too.” Cash pushed a couple of muffin crumbs around the plate with his finger. “Have you talked to Dad since you’ve been back?”

  Jude’s head jerked. “No. I haven’t spoken to him in ages. Do you keep in touch?”

  “I call him once in a while. More in the last couple of years.”

  “Why?”

  Cash set his muffin down on the plate. “His wife died two years ago.”

  “Ah.” A pang shot through Jude’s chest. So much loss. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “I was too. It was a shock, one of those cases where she was diagnosed with cancer in the fall and was gone by Christmas. I think it really shook Dad. He actually seems to be trying to get himself together, to be there for their kids.”

  His stomach twisted. “How old are they?”

  “I think Haddon’s twenty-one, Brooke’s nineteen, and Lily is eighteen.”

  “Have you met them?”

  Cash shook his head. “No. But since you’ve been back, I’ve been thinking that maybe we should try to see them. I mean, they are our brother and sisters. And they’ve been through a lot.”

  “Yeah. Maybe.” He wouldn’t mind meeting his half-siblings. He’d thought about them a lot over the years and wondered what they were like. Not sure he was ready to see his dad, though.

  “We don’t need to decide about that today. You have enough to deal with at the moment.” Cash stuffed the last bite of his muffin into his mouth and washed it down with his coffee. “Anyway, I should get going. Mom wants her bedroom painted and I promised I’d do it today.”

  “Need some help?”

  “That’d be great, if you don’t mind. She promised me dinner in exchange for my services.”

  “Sounds good to me.” Jude carried the plates and mugs over to the counter. Summer was dishing a brownie onto a plate for a customer, so he set them down and lifted a hand. She flashed him a smile before turning back to the man she was waiting on.

  Jude followed Cash out the door and into the cold. It had been a long winter, but the soft wind that brushed by him carried with it the faint smell of rain and damp earth. Spring was coming. He clung to that thought as he trudged up the street in the direction of his brother’s truck.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  “It’s definitely Cash and Jude’s turn to do the dishes tonight.” Maddie pushed back her chair, the legs scraping across the wood.

  “Watch the floor, please, Madison.” Her mother sent her a look of mild reproof as she picked up the nearly-empty platter of roast beef. “And your brothers don’t need to clean up. They’ve been working all afternoon.”

  “That’s fine. We can do them.” Jude grabbed the gravy bowl and a dish of carrots and stood up.

  Cash shot him a look. “Speak for yourself.”

  Their mother rested a hand on Jude’s back. “Are you sure?”

  “Of course. A small price to pay for a home-cooked meal.” He kissed her on the cheek. She smiled at him as he grabbed two water glasses and carried them over to the counter.

  Cash slid an arm around her shoulders and guided her to the door. “Go sit down, Mom. Read. Watch something. Whatever. You’ve done enough for today.”

  “Well, all right. If you insist.” She untied the apron around her waist and tossed it over the back of a chair before disappearing into the living room.

  Jude contemplated the dishes piled next to the sink. “No dishwasher, huh?”

  Cash chuckled. “Nope. Mom still likes to say…”

  “… that’s why she had us.” All three of them said the words at the same time and Jude grinned.

  Cash carried a stack of plates over to the counter, elbowing Maddie in the arm as he passed by. “You go do your homework then.”

  She made a face at him. “I was planning on it. I don’t need you to tell me what to do.” Maddie tugged the phone out of her pocket and typed something on the screen with her thumbs.

  Jude watched the two of them from the corner of his eye as he cleared the table, his chest a little tight. He didn’t feel like an outsider anymore, but he didn’t feel as though he’d made it back into the inner circle either. His sister and brother were so easy with each other, so familiar. He’d been like that with them too, most of his life. Would they ever get back to that place? He flipped on the tap and squirted liquid detergent under the running water.

  Cash nodded toward the stairs. “Put your phone away and go do it then.”

  She shoved the device into the back pocket of her jeans. “Whatever you say, Dad.”

  “You’re lucky I’m not your dad,” Cash’s voice held affectionate teasing, “or you know what I’d do?”

  “How in the world would I know that?”

  Stunned at the raw pain in her voice, Jude smacked the faucet off and turned around. Cash slowly lowered the plates to the counter and walked over to her, grasping her upper arms ligh
tly. “I was going to say ground you for a month, but suddenly that doesn’t seem very funny. What’s up, Mads?”

  “Nothing.” She blew the bangs out of her eyes. “I’m fine. Too many midterms and assignments, that’s all. I’m tired.”

  Still holding onto her arms, Cash studied her for a moment. “You know Jude and I are always here for you, right?”

  “I know. Thanks. But I’m fine.” She pulled away from him and strode over to her backpack hanging on a hook on the wall. After slinging it over one shoulder, she glanced back. “You can both stop looking at me like that. I’m said I’m fine. I’ll see you later.”

  Jude pushed away from the counter. “Maddie?”

  She stopped in the doorway. “Yeah?”

  “Joey’s tomorrow?”

  Her shoulders relaxed a little. “Sure.”

  “Good. I’ll meet you here after school, okay?”

  “Okay.” She waved and disappeared out the door.

  Cash grabbed a towel from the handle of the stove, a troubled look on his face. Jude turned the faucet back on. “What was that all about?”

  “I have no idea. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her mention Dad before.”

  “If she hadn’t told us she was fine like a hundred times, I’d be a lot less worried. She’s obviously hurting.”

  “Yeah, more than I realized.” Cash reached for a glass in the dish rack. “It’s good you’re going to spend time with her.”

  Jude set the pile of plates Cash had brought over into the water. “I need to get to know her again. She was so young last time I saw her, a kid.”

  “Unfortunately, she’s not a kid anymore. Which she informs me at every possible opportunity.”

  “Does she have a boyfriend?”

  Cash grabbed a plate and swiped a towel over it. “Not at the moment. She did, for a while. Damien.” He said the name as though it tasted rotten in his mouth.

  “You didn’t like him?”

  “Not at all. I could never understand what she saw in him since he didn’t treat her nearly as well as he should have. The night I saw him grab her wrist, I cordially invited him outside for a little chat. After that, he wisely decided not to come around here anymore.”