"Good. And bring some new ones with you from home as well. Anything you're working on." Brock held out his hand. "I'm very excited to be working with you, Becca. Why don't you drop by Friday night? We'll discuss it then."
"I'd like that. Thank you for this opportunity." Heat crept up in her cheeks.
"I should be thanking you. Discovering new talent is something I enjoy, and you're a rare find." Brock stepped a little closer. "You're going to do well. I feel it. I'll let you get home to Hunter. See you later."
She waved goodbye, and her phone rang at the same time. Becca pulled it from her purse. Speaking of Hunter. "Hey. I'm just about to leave the center, but I'm thinking about stopping by to see Henry and Cherie. Oh, and Brock showed me the pieces he's interested in."
"I'll come by tomorrow, and you can point them out to me. I'm not leaving work quite yet, but I had some ideas I wanted to run by you. If I didn't tell you now, I might not remember later. Since I'm on break, I figured I'd say hi. How did today go? Anyone say anything?"
"Actually no. Liane kept looking at me off and on. I think she was hoping I'd say something, but I didn't bring it up. Other than that, it all went unnoticed."
"That's good. No Vince run-ins today?"
"I'm not even sure if he's still in town or not, but no." Thank God for that. She wasn't ready to talk to him yet, but eventually she probably had to.
"So this might seem random to you, but I'm sure you're used to that with me. When do you normally put up Christmas decorations?"
Becca laughed. Most definitely random, but she adored that about Hunter. "Usually the first week after Thanksgiving. At least, that's what I did living on my own."
"That's when I do it, too. Do you want to put them up this week, or even over the weekend? We'll pick up Sienna and include her."
"I'd love to! As long as it's not Friday. Brock asked if we could come back to the gallery with some of my work."
"Then we'll do it Saturday. Spend the whole day with Christmas festivities." Hunter's voice held plenty of excitement. "The second thing- I was thinking about our idea to do something together. What about pottery?"
"Pottery?" Becca asked, pulling her keys from her purse to unlock the car door.
"I don't know. You're artistic. I'm interested. It's something we could try together."
He really had been putting a lot of thought into this for their plan. Hunter wanted to give them both what they longed for. "You know what? I love the idea. Let's take a pottery class together."
"Cool. Okay, I'll let you go. I've gotta get back to work. I should be home in about two hours. Drive safe. I love you."
"I love you, too. Can't wait to see you." They disconnected.
Pottery. Why not? Becca smiled as she climbed in, tossed her phone and purse on the passenger seat beside her, and prepared to head to the hospital.
The drive was calm. Becca searched the busy parking lot for a space and decided to head for the parking garage. Unfortunately, the only open spot was in the basement section. Darkness fast approached. Becca watched the shadows casted by the low lights on the wall as she headed for the elevator. Once inside, she leaned against the back rail, cringing as lights flickered and the elevator squeaked and groaned. She felt a stall a couple times and wondered if she'd make it. Maybe on the way out, she'd take the steps instead. This elevator gave her the creeps. Somebody needed to look at it!
Becca met up with Cherie as she was being wheeled back to her room with Henry in tow. "Becca!" Henry bolted toward her for a hug.
"Hey. Just dropping by to see how you all are." She hugged him back.
"Good. I'm feeling so much better. I got to hold the baby for the first time today." Cherie's eyes met hers. The woman looked so much better today. Holding her baby for the first time made for a good cheer up.
Becca's eyes welled with happy tears. This was good news! "I'm so glad."
"I should be released soon, but baby girl has to stay here a little while longer. But this is progress, right?" Cherie said. The nurse wheeled her into her room.
"It sure is. When you're released, if you need any help at all, don't hesitate to call us, okay?" Becca offered.
"So I can still see you and Hunter sometimes?" Henry moved out of the way as the nurse helped Cherie back in bed.
"Absolutely," Becca assured him.
"I appreciate it. I'm still unsure how to start on my own with two kids." Cherie sniffed after speaking quietly.
Becca moved to sit in the chair beside the bed. "A day at a time. Just know you have someone to support you. It won't always be easy, but if you work through it each day, you'll get better. Whatever I can do, I'm here."
Henry's uncle entered the room and cleared his throat. "I should probably get Henry back to the hotel for the night," he said to Cherie, then waved at Becca.
"Give me a hug, buddy." Cherie opened her arms for her son. "I'll see you tomorrow." He hugged his mother, then Becca, and reluctantly left the room. Cherie's eyelids fluttered open and closed.
"I'll let you get some rest. I just wanted to check in with you." Becca stood.
Cherie grasped her hand. "I appreciate how much you come by. I know you don't know me and my family, but it feels like I've known you for so long. Thank you."
"You're welcome." Becca's heart was full of emotion. "Good night. Let me know when your release is. I'm sure you'll need a ride home?"
Cherie smiled. "Yeah. I think Stan is going to stick around a little more, so I think at least the ride is covered. I could probably use help with Henry. I'm going to be on restrictions from lifting a lot of heavy things. The baby won't be home with me for a few weeks, which is going to be hard. Thanks again, Becca."
Becca had thanks for Cherie as well, but saying it would mean she'd have to explain. And really, it wasn't something to thank her for, because how do you thank someone for an accident that shouldn't have happened? The situation with Cherie put things in perspective for Becca about her own doubts. She'd been pushing her thoughts away about the self-defense killing, and about finding her family. Both things were wearing her down with and without answers, but she knew now the best thing to do was press forward.
She was about to say something when a loud boom startled her. An explosion of some sorts? It rattled the windows and for a mere few seconds shut off power, until it either returned or the backup generator kicked on.
"What in the world was that?" She exchanged a bewildered look with Cherie.
"I don't know, but that was creepy."
"Yes it was. I'd better get home." Becca wondered what that sound could have been.
"I'm going to call Henry and make sure they're okay." Cherie reached for the phone.
Becca lingered to make sure they were okay, too. She only caught bits and pieces of the conversation from Cherie's side.
"An explosion? Yikes. Okay. Becca and I heard it. The windows here rattled and the power flickered. Scared us both, so I wanted to check in." Cherie's gaze flicked to Becca, and she gave her a thumbs up as if to say, 'All is good with them.'
Relief washed over her. She waved goodbye to Cherie and darted out of the room. Hunter called just as she headed down the hallway.
"Just checking on you. I heard there was an explosion nearby." Worry laced his voice.
"We felt it here. I was getting ready to leave when it happened. It made the lights here flicker."
"Glad you're okay. I wasn't sure where it was, but heard somewhere near the hospital. I'm still at work. Getting ready to go now."
"I'm just leaving, too. Hopefully whatever this is doesn't affect our drive home."
"I know. Drive safe. I'm relieved to hear your voice and know you're okay. Every time something happens, I always think..."
"That it has something to do with us? Yeah, I get it," Becca said softy.
"One day I'd like to not feel that way any more. See you soon."
She wished for that, too. Becca dropped the phone back in her purse. When she left the hospital, the bitter ch
ill wrapped around her immediately. She couldn't wait to get in the car and be warm again! The sound of sirens wailing in the distance left her uneasy, even though she had a feeling they were heading to the source of that explosion. Still, it was eerie, especially because it seemed like a never-ending continuation. She tried to peg the direction they were headed in to see if going home would be affected. With variable breezy winds, Becca couldn't be too sure.
If only she hadn't parked in the furthest parking garage, but it had been the only one available. Her phone dinged, signaling a text. She checked it and gasped. Becca nearly dropped the phone.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Do you know who's who?
Becca whirled around to see if anyone lurked nearby. Heavy shoes hitting the pavement sounded close by. Then a cough. What startled her the most was when a car alarm blared out of nowhere. She spotted a dark shadow and made a run for it, feeling queasy. The lights flickered as a loud buzz filled her head. Becca tripped on a step and fell forward, slamming her knees into the concrete. Ugh! She was so clumsy! Pain shot up her legs as she climbed to her feet. Forget the stairs. She'd chance the elevator, even if it did creep her out a little.
The car alarm stopped, but the flickering lights didn't. Becca entered the elevator and scrolled through the texts on her phone, not even paying attention when another person entered the elevator with her. As the doors closed and the descent went down from floor 4 to the basement, another loud boom filled the air. To her horror, the elevator came to a shuddering stop and all the lights went out.
"This can't be good," the other person in the elevator with her muttered. Becca knew that voice. A male. The very same voice of the man who'd asked about Everett at her apartment.
Jesse/Everett was in this elevator with her!
Chapter Eighteen
I will be calm, I will be calm.
Becca felt anything but calm. Panic seized her body, and her mind raced with the best and worst possible scenarios.
He'd eventually talk to her. There was no way around that. But he'd never heard her voice before, so maybe he wouldn't recognize her. Yeah, she might just be holding on to a last hope there. If Jesse had been following them, she didn't know for sure what the man did or didn't know about her, let alone if he'd heard her voice before. Besides, either he had a cell phone with a light and would see her, or the elevator lights would come on and they'd get off of here. Either way, she couldn't stay hidden for long.
Becca couldn't tell what Jesse was doing right now. She barely made out his shadow.
"I hope you aren't claustrophobic or afraid of the dark," he said. "If the lights don't come back on soon, we could be stuck here a while. Do you have cell phone reception in here? I don't."
The sound of his voice curled her stomach. He wasn't going to hurt her, right? Becca kept telling herself that.
"I'm not afraid of the dark, and I do fine in small spaces," she practically whispered.
"What about reception?"
To her horror, Jesse's phone lit up. He raised it up, flashing a light her way. He nearly dropped it when his gaze landed on her. "Becca." His voice came out strangled.
Caught. Now what?
She tried to back away. Stupid move. She could only go so far before she hit the walls of their small, confined space. There was nowhere to go. "Please don't h-hurt me." Was he the one behind the texts? Was everything going to end right here and right now?
"I wouldn't hurt you." He stepped closer, still holding the light up. "I can explain-"
"Don't come any closer! You've been following us. You-" She backed up in the corner. Her back slammed against the metal bar, shooting searing pain along her spine.
"I'm not going to hurt you. Please calm down. Yes, I've been watching you guys. This is a really long, drawn out story. I wasn't even following you tonight. I happened to have an appointment here at the hospital." He lowered the light a little so it didn't flash in her eyes.
She checked her phone, but as suspected, no bars. No service. Becca scooted across the elevator and started to push buttons. The emergency, the one to open the door. Nothing worked. "Argh!" She pounded on the door.
"That's not going to get us out of here." He stood behind her now.
Becca whirled around and shoved him away. "Who are you? What is it you want?" she yelled. "Why are you following us?"
"Becca, please!" He caught one of her wrists, circling it with his own hand. But his grip wasn't one of anger or outrage. He had more of a gentle hold on her, at least more so than she anticipated. "This isn't the best time or place, but since we're stuck in an elevator together and you're panicking, which you have every right to, I'll tell you what I believe. I think you're my sister."
Becca reeled back. "What?" Sister? Jesse thought they were related? How did he find her? If this had any truth to it, why hide out?
"Obviously I don't know for sure, but it adds up." Jesse loosened his grip on her hand. "A few months ago, I heard about an incident with a plane, and the name Hunter Beckman came up-"
She didn't let him finish, though she should have. Too late. "If you're really my brother, then why haven't you approached before? Why go to meetings with Hunter and act like you didn't know? I'm sure he's said at least a little bit about trying to find my family. Why not tell us sooner?"
"That one's an even longer story. We'll get to that. I know that me following you two looks bad. At first, I wanted to see that you were okay. I've been wondering, ever since-" He went silent for a minute. "Ever since I had to get you out of there, I longed to know what happened to you. I tried to find you eight years later. I went to Hunter's dad and Joe, and the next thing I hear a plane went down with the Beckmans on it. I didn't even know about you at the time. I was so scared that I was the cause, I left it alone for years, even though it haunted me. Until last year, when my- our mom started begging to know where you were."
"Why did you ask if an Everett lived at my apartment?" He could still be making this up. Joe had mentioned her brother came looking for her, but if someone knew other secrets from the past, then they could have found this out too- right? Becca had no idea what to think or feel, for that matter. Shock settled in like a heavy weight.
"Everett's my first name. I've gone by Jesse for years, because I'm our- my father's namesake. I guess ... when I saw you, I panicked. I got a reflection of a younger version of our mom. You look so much like her. It startled me, and I didn't know what to say. I didn't expect you to be there."
Sirens continued to wail in the distance. Becca wished they'd come here. She checked her phone again, but still had no connection. In a desperate attempt, she tried to dial Hunter anyway. Nothing. She hoped it wouldn't take hours to get out of here or be found.
"I'm going to try to pry the door open. I think we're stuck between two floors, but I could be wrong. I still can't get a signal, either. Whatever the hell is going on out there with those explosions and the sirens, it's huge. I bet the hospital has a generator, but I don't think it works for the parking garages. Or maybe we're just the unlucky ones."
"Isn't there a way to dial emergency or something?" Becca asked.
"Not working." Jesse made a sound. Becca guessed he tried to pull open the door. He sighed. "We could be here a while."
Not what she wanted to hear. "Hunter knows where I am. He'll worry, especially because he called to ask if I was near the explosion." Still, it could take a while. It was so cold in here! Becca shivered, her teeth chattering. The jacket she wore wasn't enough, plus she was tired and nervous.
"Here." Jesse's voice sounded closer. "Take my jacket." He draped a heavy, warm coat over her shoulders, taking some of the sting out of the cold almost immediately. "I've got one more idea. There should be a hatch up top. If I can push it open, I might be able to get us out that way, or at least call for help. No one's answering the emergency call button thing. Can you shine the light up for me?"
Becca took the phone from his hand, still unsure of him, no matter what
he said. My brother. She could very well be in this elevator with her brother! Considering all the lies and secrets, she wasn't going to put much faith in this. Not yet. Jesse could very well be lying. So far, he wasn't threatening her in any way. She held up the phone toward the ceiling of the elevator. Jesse reached up and pushed, but nothing budged. The elevator made a loud groaning sound and seemed to shift.
"Whoa. Okay. No sudden major moves. This damn thing isn't sturdy. I'm going to try the call button again. If we could just get through to someone, they'd at least know we're in here." Jesse hit the button, then pounded on the door. "Hello? Hello? If anyone's out there, please get help! There's two of us in this elevator!"
No response.
The temperatures were to drop way below freezing tonight. How long until they were found?
"A-aren't you going to get cold?" Becca stammered, her teeth still chattering as she slowly warmed up.
"I'll be okay for a bit. If we get out of here soon, it won't get to me." Jesse slid down to the floor beside her. "We'll keep trying the phones and that call button. Hopefully you're right and Hunter will come find you soon. I know he worries."
Becca covered her face with her hands. Hearing Jesse say that only added to the anxiety bubbling up. This man knew so much about them, it seemed, and she barely knew a thing about him.
Help needed to arrive soon.
*****
Hunter couldn't get through to Becca. Her phone went straight to voicemail. He decided to swing by the hospital and see if maybe she stayed longer. A few miles away from the spot was the chaos. Smoke and bright orange flames lit up the night. He had to look away, because it reminded him of the sky after the plane exploded. He hoped like hell this wouldn't send him into a flashback or something. He should have just gone home. He had nothing to worry about, but he needed reassurance by seeing Becca.
Traffic crawled and came to a stop several times. Crazy roads for being after seven, but it was probably due to the diversion from the fire. The hospital was just a few miles out of his way from his airport to home route, and it took him far too long to get there.
A Forever Masterpiece (The Masterpiece Trilogy Book 3) Page 17