by Judi Lind
“Why couldn’t you stay pure? I forgave you when you let Mark Lester seduce you, even though you denied it, because you seemed so virtuous. Of course, I thought my first wife was pure—until our honeymoon when she bragged about the other lovers she’d had. For the next twenty years, I searched for a woman who would be faithful. I thought I’d found her in you.”
Trace was only ten paces away now. She had to keep Jonathan talking. Asking the first question that popped into her mind, Mary spoke softly so Jonathan would have to give her his entire attention. “How did you find out about us? How did you know that I’d betrayed you?”
“I’ve known all along, you stupid cow! That first night he was hired, I waited outside the apartment door. I heard you laughing with him. But I wasn’t sure. I wanted so badly to believe that you were different. So I followed you. You really thought I went to Alaska, didn’t you? Stupid tramp. But I followed you. And watched you. I saw you kiss that bodyguard on the beach. That’s when I knew you had to die. No woman betrays Jonathan Regent!”
Five more paces. Her heart thumped in her chest as Trace drew ever closer to the crazed killer.
As Jonathan raged on, Mary tried to keep her fear for Trace from showing on her face. She couldn’t believe that she’d once planned to marry this madman! She must have been so gullible, so desperate for love that she’d overlooked a thousand signs.
“Now it’s your turn to die, lying Mary!” He raised the rifle until his eye was level with the sight.
Her heart shattered, Mary fought for control. Three more paces. “Wait, Jonathan! I have to know. What about Milo King? What about your own brother? Did you kill him?”
He lowered the rifle a fraction of an inch and sneered at her. His icy voice absolved Mary of any remaining guilt. In a voice totally devoid of emotion, Jonathan said coldly, “Of course I killed him. He was trying to warn you. The moment you mentioned that purple ball cap with the wolf insignia, I knew it was my interfering brother. He saw an announcement of our engagement. Saw the resemblance between you and that first tramp. I had to stop him. He was going to tell you everything.”
Mary thought about the poor man who’d been afraid to approach her directly, so he’d tried anonymous notes first. When she’d misunderstood them, he’d set up a meeting, placing her welfare above his own. He’d known what his own brother was capable of.
Mary was so lost in her thoughts that she’d started drowning out Jonathan’s ugly words. “You were so much help, Mary, you told me exactly where to find him.”
Dear God, was that more guilt she had to carry? She’d told Milo’s killer exactly where to find him.
Suddenly, Mary heard the click of the rifle being cocked. She saw the bright muzzle flash, but, miraculously, didn’t feel the bullet punch into her defenseless flesh.
It was over in an instant.
Jonathan lay still on the ground.
Trace stood over him, the shovel raised high like a club, his breath coming in short, panting bursts.
Knowing Trace didn’t have his full strength because of his injury, Mary rushed forward to help him. Kicking the rifle from Jonathan’s reach, she took the shovel from Trace’s hand and held the blade on Jonathan’s throat.
Then, like the cavalry rushing to their rescue, the wail of sirens howled through the night.
* * *
LATER THAT MORNING, Mary and Elizabeth sat in the hospital waiting room, their hands clasped together. Trace’s hand had been injured far worse than they’d first thought and he’d been in surgery for over two hours.
When the ambulances had delivered the bedraggled foursome to the emergency room, John Wilder had been hospitalized for observation. Only moments before, however, the cardiologist had told them that John appeared to have come through the ordeal without any further damage to his heart.
Mary had spent the last two hours giving her mother the complete details of the terror Jonathan had put her through these past few weeks.
Elizabeth patted her daughter’s hand as a shudder claimed her body. “When I think about your almost marrying that man, it just makes me sick to my stomach. What about Trace, honey? How do you feel about him? I’m not blind, you know.”
What about Mary and Trace? That she loved him, madly, deeply and eternally was no longer in question. But would Jonathan’s ghost always stand between them?
One other question continued to goad Mary. If she’d been so wrong about Jonathan, what did that say about this overwhelming love she now felt for Trace?
Oh, why was love never simple?
Mary looked up as the surgeon, still dressed in green scrubs, stepped into the waiting room. “Miss Wilder?”
Mary jumped to her feet. “How is he?”
“He’s going to be just fine. He’s out of the recovery room now and wants to see you.”
Her heart gliding through the air like the wings of angels, she followed the doctor to Trace’s room. His arm was heavily bandaged and was hooked up to some kind of pulley above his head. Somewhere during their ordeal, he’d sustained a black eye, and it was now a bright purple and blue against his wan complexion.
He looked wonderful!
Rushing to his bedside, Mary took his good hand and held it against her cheek. She was truly lucky, blessed, in fact. After all, she’d found out about Jonathan Regent before she’d married him. Somehow, with Trace at her side, she knew everything was going to be all right.
As if reading the love mirrored in her eyes, Trace slid his good hand up to her wrist and pulled her into his arms. The kiss they shared was of infinite sweetness, as if they’d both finally realized how close they had come to losing their soul mates.
At last he released her and looked pointedly at the three-carat diamond still glittering on Mary’s ring finger. “That ring’s entirely too large for such a delicate hand,” he whispered. “If you’d throw it away, I’ll replace it with a much more suitable ring. One that will last forever.”
ISBN: 978-1-4592-8366-4
Veil of Fear
Copyright © 1995 by Judith A. Lind
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