Touched by You

by Elle Wright

  “Her parents died years ago.” He stared off at a point beyond her, seemingly in deep thought. “I think her brother is still living, though. I’ll see if I can reach him. He lives in Grand Rapids. Well, he did the last time I checked.”

  Relief flooded Brooklyn. At least there was hope. “She said something to me tonight.”

  Sheriff Walker looked at her. “What?”

  “She said that my father deserves to rot for what he did to Marie.”

  “Whoa.” Sheriff Walker shot her a strange look, which did nothing to ease the feeling of dread that had seeped into her soul.

  “I’m going to find out what she meant.”

  The sheriff, another man who had been like a surrogate uncle to her, squeezed her shoulder. “Some things are best left in the past.”

  Brooklyn flinched as if he’d slapped her. “Really? I’m not sure what’s worse, Sheriff—the thought that my mother died because of something my father did, or the knowledge that the people who claimed to love her knew about it and did nothing.” She turned to Juke. “Let’s go. I’ll be by to check on her in the morning.”

  * * *

  Carter could have sworn he heard Brooklyn a little while earlier, but he figured it must have been a dream. Why would she be here?

  It had been hours since he’d cracked Sterling’s jaw. The melee at WWCH had drawn the attention of everyone, from senior management down to the mail room clerk, who’d given him a high five.

  He knew he’d messed up. Big-time. And he had no one to blame but himself. Well, he blamed Sterling for being such an ass. The man had goaded him about cheating on his wife with Brooklyn, and accused him of leaving his family behind to dally with another woman. The thought made him want to slam the man’s face into hard cement.

  Carter had wanted to call Brooklyn, to let her know that he didn’t stand her up. But then he’d have to ask her to come help him, and he didn’t want her to see him in his current state. So he’d called Aisha.

  He heard a heavy door slam, and the taps of shoes against the linoleum. Then silence.

  “What the hell were you thinking?”

  Carter sighed, peered up at his sister through the metal bars. “I wasn’t.”

  Aisha gripped the bars and leaned forward. “You’re in jail, Carter.”

  “I know that. Get me out of here.”

  His sister looked tired. Her normally bouncy hair was pulled back in a haphazard ponytail and sat on the top of her head. She had bags under her eyes, and they were puffy, as if she’d been crying.

  Leaning her head against the bars, she grumbled a curse. “I’ve posted bail. But I need an explanation. What possessed you to break Sherman King’s son’s jaw?”

  She’s said it like that name was supposed to mean something to him. It didn’t. Not that he didn’t know who Sherman King was. He definitely knew who he was. He just didn’t care. Wrong was wrong. And Sterling King was dead wrong if he thought he’d just sit by and let that shit slide.

  “Carter, I’m worried about you.” Aisha’s chin trembled, and he stood, crossing the small cell to her. “You’re being reckless. It’s not like you to not care about your job or your reputation. One wrong move can do detrimental damage to Marshall and Sullivan. It’s not just you that would be affected. Martin has a lot riding on this deal. I have a lot riding on this deal.”

  Now he felt bad. He hadn’t thought about the ramifications. He’d just wanted the guy to pay—for disrespecting Brooklyn, for disrespecting him and the memory of his wife and daughter. Leaning his forehead against hers, he sighed. “I’m sorry.”

  She retreated back a step, searched his face. “Are you? Because it seems like you’re on this mission to push everyone away, to prove that you don’t need anyone.”

  That wasn’t true. Carter knew that he needed his family. He needed his sister. “I do need you,” Carter told her. “You know that.”

  “Then act like it. Act like you care.”

  “I care, Aisha. Damn. I care.” Too much. “I hit Sterling because he disrespected my relationship with Krys.”

  Aisha blinked, then a frown settled on her face. “What? How does he even know about Krys?”

  Carter bowed his head. “He must have done a Google search, I don’t know. But he brought up Krys and Chloe like he had any right to speak their names. I don’t know what happened, I just snapped. I couldn’t hold it in, so I clocked him.”

  Aisha sighed, her eyes softening. “You did more than clock him, Carter. You put him in the hospital. He has to have surgery, for Christ’s sake. This is bad.”

  “I know I messed up, Aisha. I’m willing to do what I have to do, even if that means admitting my guilt and serving time.”

  She shot him a wary glance, scratching the back of her neck. “We secured representation. According to the sheriff, you’ll have to appear for an arraignment on Monday, first thing in the morning.”

  “Okay. Whatever I have to do.”

  “Martin wants you to leave Wellspring. And I agree.”

  Carter knew it was coming, and he tended to agree with his partner and his sister. He’d messed up bad, terminating their contract seemed like a foregone conclusion. But Martin would have to be the one to fight on behalf of the company. There were too many hard feelings, too much water under the bridge for Carter to remain on the project.

  There was just one problem—Brooklyn. If he left Wellspring, he’d be leaving her behind, and he didn’t want to do that. He would have to come up with a solution, one that would solve all of their problems. That is, if she’d even want to see him again after she found out what he’d done.

  He wondered what she was doing. Was she pissed that he didn’t show up? Did Parker tell her what happened? There were so many wild cards at play. He hadn’t even shared with her that he’d been married. When she’d asked if he was married, he’d told her no, without elaborating.

  It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the truth either. No, he wasn’t married now. Their love story didn’t end with divorce and hard feelings, it ended in two tragic deaths. How would Brooklyn feel about that? He imagined she’d have misgivings about being with him after the lie, and knowing that he’d loved another woman so deeply it had nearly killed him when she died. And he didn’t want her to feel like she was second choice. But there was a good chance she would, and then they’d be over before they even started.

  The realization that he didn’t want it to end was like a swift kick to the gut. Making love to her, letting himself be with her on that level, was huge. Especially since he’d felt he didn’t deserve to be happy after he’d failed Krys and Chloe. And even more so because they barely knew each other. She didn’t know important things about him, things that would make or break their bond. But the thought of losing her, of missing the instant connection they had with each other, was enough to drive him insane.

  Carter didn’t know what he was going to do, but he’d figure that things out. “Okay,” Carter said. “I’ll leave Wellspring.”

  “The attorney suggested you come home with me tonight, and drive back Monday for the court date. This way, you’ll be able to speak with him and iron out your defense.”

  Not that I have a viable defense. “Fine. But I don’t want to drive back tonight. I need time to take care of some business.”

  Aisha seemed like she was going to argue with him, but she shocked him when she told him, “I’m okay with that. You take care of what you need to take care of. Martin is still planning to come today.”

  Carter nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

  Chapter 17

  On Friday morning, Brooklyn showed up at the jail bright and early. Sheriff Walker let her into the cell. Lisa Lisa was sitting up, hugging her knees. She couldn’t wait to talk to her mother’s friend. The woman had constantly muttered something about money and her father, and Brooklyn was curious about it.

  “Lisa,” Brooklyn called softly.

  Lisa jerked back. There was a marked difference between the Lisa of
today and the Lisa of yesterday. Her eyes were clear and her face wasn’t as pale.

  “Do you remember me?” Brooklyn asked, sitting next to the woman. “I found you on the street last night.”

  “You’re Marie’s daughter.” Lisa rested her cheek on her knees. “I remember.”

  “How are you this morning?”

  Lisa shrugged. “I’m tired.”

  Sheriff Walker had given Brooklyn the good news that he was able to locate Lisa’s brother and he would be arriving soon to pick her up. She only prayed that Lisa would be able to get the help she deserved. “I know. But I hope this is the start of you getting back on your feet. I hear your brother is coming to get you.”

  She nodded, tears filling her blue eyes. “I haven’t seen my brother in five years. I’m surprised he’s coming.”

  Brooklyn swept a comforting hand over the woman’s back. “He loves you. And he wants to help.”

  They sat in silence for a few minutes, before Lisa said, “Your father hurt Marie. He took her money, and then tried to drive her crazy.”

  Brooklyn frowned. He took her money? As far as she knew, her father was the one with the inheritance. Wellspring Water was his family’s business, passed down through the generations. She was sure the woman was mistaken.

  “Your mother, she supported me when I didn’t have anything. Your mother was a godsend to me. When she died, I was devastated.”

  Brooklyn had been devastated, too. She’d blamed herself for years. If only she had seen the car approaching instead of being engrossed in some computer game.

  Lisa turned to her. “Her grandmother made it possible.”

  Brooklyn frowned. “Made what possible?”

  “Wellspring Water. Marie saved it, and your father hurt her.”

  Brooklyn turned over all the information Lisa Lisa had shared in her head. “What did you mean by my father hurting my mother?”

  The woman swallowed roughly. “I visited Marie at the mental hospital in Kalamazoo because I lived there at the time. She was so medicated, so out of it, she couldn’t even articulate.”

  Brooklyn recalled her mother being gone for an extended period of time, but she had no idea she’d been in a mental hospital. She remembered because she’d had a piano recital and she’d cried the entire ride there because she was told her mother wouldn’t be attending. Her father didn’t even come. He’d sent their housekeeper, Arlene, with her.

  Lisa Lisa had been talking nonstop, mostly incoherently, so it was hard to follow. But Brooklyn instinctively knew there was truth in the older woman’s words.

  “What happened?” Brooklyn croaked, as bile lodged in her throat. Had she been right about her father and his role in her mother’s death?

  “She eventually was released, but he’d successfully taken control of her shares.

  “Shares? What do you mean shares?”

  “Your mother was smart, though,” Lisa Lisa continued as if Brooklyn hadn’t even spoken. “Check her will. Her shares of Wellspring are in your and your brother’s names.”

  Brooklyn was shocked, angry, devastated. Lisa’s story contradicted everything she thought she knew about her family’s money. And this all had something to do with Wellspring Water. “How did you know all of this?”

  “We couldn’t see each other. My husband was abusive and forbade me to see Marie. We wrote letters, though. She told me that she felt her life was in danger. But she wanted someone to know what was going on.”

  Unable to hold it in, Brooklyn rushed over to the toilet and threw up. She hadn’t eaten anything and barely had drunk any water, so it hurt. Tears pricked her eyes as she gagged over the small, cold toilet.

  After a few minutes, she sagged down against the wall. It had always seemed very plausible that her father had done some shady business and made her mother’s death look like an accident. She honestly didn’t know what her father was capable of.

  “Are you okay?” Lisa asked, concern in her eyes.

  Brooklyn nodded and drew in a shaky breath. “Do you think my father killed my mother?” Her voice sounded foreign to her own ears. She was scared of the answer.

  Lisa dropped her gaze to the ground. “She wasn’t happy and wanted to leave him. Divorce is messy.”

  And Senior wouldn’t have wanted her to leave, especially if she had the money. He would have fought tooth and nail to keep her there because a divorce would have cost him a fortune. Unless . . .

  She died. The person who benefited most from her mother’s death was her father. It definitely wasn’t her or Parker. And since Bryson had a different mother, it didn’t affect him.

  In hindsight, there was a lot she didn’t know. For instance, she didn’t know why her mother had chosen her father in the first place. They seemingly had nothing in common. But if her father knew that her mother had money, she could see why the union happened. He was just that cold, just that calculating.

  “Thank you, Lisa.” Brooklyn finally stood and walked over to the older woman. She reached out and grabbed her hand, giving it a good squeeze. “Please, never hesitate to call me.” She handed Lisa her business card.

  The other woman scanned the information on the card. “You work for the clinic?”

  “Not anymore, but my personal cell phone number is on the back. Please call me, and let me know how you’re doing.” Brooklyn handed her a piece of paper. “These are the names of some contacts that I have in Grand Rapids. I’ve already told them you’re moving there, and they are available if you need the support.”

  Lisa nodded, folded the piece of paper, and closed her hands around the small card. “I will. And let me know if you need any help.”

  Brooklyn pulled Lisa into a tight embrace. “Thank you again. Take care of yourself.”

  On her way out of the jailhouse, she dialed Parker. When he answered, she told him, “Meet me at the Bee’s Knees. I have something important to tell you.”

  “Is this about Carter?”

  Brooklyn blinked. “No. What about Carter?”

  She’d been so busy, so distracted by her family secrets, that she’d forgotten about Carter. When she’d gone home, he wasn’t there. His place was dark, untouched.

  “Have you seen him?” Parker asked incredulously.

  “No. I ended up spending the night at Nicole’s house. She and the baby were released late yesterday. He wasn’t home when I went back there to pack a bag, so no . . . I haven’t seen him. He stood me up last night. We were supposed to meet at Brook’s Pub and he didn’t show up.”

  “Probably because he was in jail.”

  Brooklyn froze. “What?”

  “Carter broke Sterling’s jaw yesterday after work. The sheriff had to arrest him for assault.”

  Unbelievable. “Did they say why he did that?”

  “Senior told me why.”

  Brooklyn shook her head rapidly, as if Parker could see her. They couldn’t afford to believe anything her father said. “Really? What does Senior know about it?”

  Parker explained that her father and Sterling had joined forces to split her and Carter up. Sterling had told Senior about Brooklyn asking Carter out and her father ran with it, assuming they were an item. It hadn’t helped that Carter had been so protective of her in the office that day. “And I guess Sterling confronted Carter with something they found out.”

  Brooklyn sighed, placing a hand over her queasy stomach. “What is it? Just say it.” It was better to rip the Band-Aid off fast.

  “Carter has a wife and a daughter, according to Sterling.”

  It took a few seconds for his words to sink in, and when they did, Brooklyn was livid. Carter was married. Just to be sure she heard her brother right . . . “Did you just say Carter is married with a child?”

  “That’s what Sterling told Senior. And he also told him that he was going to confront Carter with what he found. Unfortunately, Sterling can’t talk, so we can’t get the details.”

  Irritated, Brooklyn paced the sidewalk in front of the ja
il. She needed to get the hell out of there before she lost her composure. She stomped to her car, phone gripped to her ear. “Is Sterling okay?”

  “He has to have surgery.”

  Brooklyn closed her eyes tight. “You mean to tell me Carter hit Sterling so hard, he broke his jaw? All because Sterling confronted him about being married?”

  “It appears that way. It just doesn’t ring true, though.”

  “Why else would he react that way then? Why would he assault him for something that wasn’t true?”

  She jumped in her car and sped off. Parker’s voice came through her Bluetooth. “Are you there?”

  “Yes, I’m in the car.”

  “If you weren’t going to tell me about Carter, what were you calling me for?”

  There was too damn much going on. She couldn’t think, she wasn’t sure she could even feel anymore at that point. Her father lied to her, Carter lied to her. How could she have been so wrong about him? So blind?

  Brooklyn knew he had secrets. She’d suspected it from day one, with one look into his intense eyes. But he’d treated her with respect. He didn’t force her or push her. And to find out he was lying the entire time?

  Brooklyn sped through town, intent on confronting him. He deserved her wrath and he was going to get it. He’d made her look like a fool. He pretended to be so torn about making a move with her, invited her out on a freakin’ date like he was such a gentleman.

  “Brooklyn, I’m going to need you to calm down.”

  “I’m not upset,” she lied.

  “And I’m Barack Obama.”

  “Shut the hell up, Parker.” She stopped at a traffic light, cursing the car in front of her for driving five miles under the speed limit.

  “Look, I expect Carter to have an explanation. He doesn’t strike me as the cheating type.”

  “How would you know?” Brooklyn shouted. “He’s a stranger. We don’t know him.”

  “So why are you so upset?”

  “Because . . .” I liked him. Not just “little like,” but “big like.” For the first time in her adult life, she was ready to embrace the connection, to allow herself to feel it with someone. That was the one thing she missed about being in a relationship. She missed being in sync with someone, in tune to their habits, to their moods. Carter made her feel things she hadn’t ever felt with another man. Hell, he’d made her come so hard and so much, she couldn’t see straight.