Secrets and Lies

by N. C. Anderson

  Gregg's eyes widened in confusion. “I don't understand, Mom. You're not dishonest. What's his problem?"

  "Wealthy, doesn't mean you have everything, Gregg. Logan's parents never spent much time with him. I don't know if any of the members of his family gave him companionship as a child. I just hope they did. Still, if it isn't parents noticing how a child feels, it's not the same."

  "You mean, like you and Dad spent time with me?"

  Selena stopped the car in their driveway, and pressed the remote button to open the gate. “You got it. They sent him away a lot when he was little. I'm certain he had every material thing he ever needed. I'm also certain his parents didn't miss a thing when it came to Logan's academic scores. After all, they sent him to top-notch schools.” Except when it came to his last two years of high school. It just occurred to her that while the Cove's schools were good, they were small, and nothing like the society institutions Logan had attended. How Logan ever managed to go to the Cove's small-town high school, Selena couldn't begin to guess.

  After she parked the car in the garage, she took the key from the ignition and sat back. She glanced at Gregg who had a thoughtful frown on his face.

  "I haven't given up,” Selena told him, though she was still smarting from Logan's lack of faith in her. “We've had a major set back, but I believe in him, Gregg.” She pushed the door open. “I just have to teach him to have some faith in me.” Selena sighed. She scooted out of her car, then shut the door, eyeing Gregg as his long-legged strides transported him around the Mercedes. “It isn't going to be easy with his father working his formidable best to discredit me."

  "I won't let him hurt you, Mom,” Gregg said, following her to the kitchen entrance.

  "At this point I don't think your clashing with Logan is helpful. Let's make a deal. You holler if you need me, and I'll holler if I need you.” She unlocked the door and pushed it open.

  He gave her the thumbs-up sign, and stepped inside, fending off an excited Hans. He lifted the little dog into his arms. “I promise to try."

  "That's all I ask,” she said, dumping her keys into her purse, thankful that she and Gregg usually compromised without endless arguments. “That's all I ask."

  * * * *

  The following afternoon Selena read the contract offered by Karlene and Rebecca while they discussed marketing ideas with Della. Her mother had called her last night, reviewing her thoughts on the proposed partnership after leaving another meeting with Karlene and Rebecca. Now that she'd read them, Selena had to agree with Della—this seemed the perfect way for McRae Realty to grow in a booming way.

  "Well?” Della asked. “What are your ideas, Selena?"

  Selena placed the contract on the table before her. “We would be foolish not to give this our best try.” She studied the three women across from her. If a stranger were watching them, they would maintain the three had been friends for years. Seeing Della animated with happiness tugged at Selena's heart. This partnership could become the finest thing that ever happened to her mother.

  Karlene smiled. “Those were nearly the exact words my lawyer voiced when he wrote it up. And, trying is what it's all about. None of us need feel committed for a lifetime. Since life seems to work its finest at one-day-at-a-time, it stands to reason this partnership has the maximum chance for prosperity if we approach it in the same manner."

  Rebecca chuckled. “I have to admit, I haven't had this much fun in years."

  "Rebecca,” Karlene said. “You always have fun, even when one of your little patients has an accident on you."

  "Well, life is too short not to find enjoyment somewhere. And don't be so smug, Karlene. I've seen you thoroughly entertained yourself when my little patients, as you call them, have had the same accident on you."

  Della's eyebrows lifted, questioningly. “Why would that happen?"

  "Karlene spends several hours a month visiting the hospital's pediatric ward. When Karlene gets finished with her reading and playing, my patients have remarkably fast recoveries.” Rebecca patted Karlene's hand. “I don't know what I would do without my get-well-quick cheerleader. The parents feel the same way."

  Karlene's cheeks glowed delicately. “That's enough of that, Rebecca. Della and Selena don't want to sit here listening to hospital stories."

  Selena signed her name on the contract then handed the documents to Della. “It sounds like a wonderful mission to me.” The gentle look in Karlene's eyes, the warm expression around her generous mouth, and Rebecca's words didn't mesh with the way Logan had expressed his loneliness as a child. Somewhere along the way, his family must have missed a turn.

  "I guess we'd all best get back to work.” Della handed Karlene the signed papers. “I think that concludes our end of this."

  "I'll have my lawyer see to the filing of these, and anything else that he needs to take care of,” Karlene said, raising from the table. Now all she had to do was make certain Brian accidentally discovered what she was doing. She handed Della a card. “If you have any legal questions, just call him. I've already alerted J.B. to expect to hear from you."

  Selena glanced at her watch. “I've got to run,” she said apologetically. “I'm five minutes late for an appointment.” She left the office, wondering if the gently compassionate Karlene Logan she'd been visiting with was the same woman who hadn't been there for Logan. She still didn't trust them. Her mother wanted this partnership, and Selena wouldn't stand in the way because of an unexplainable wariness.

  * * * *

  Except for the pleasure of reaching five of the investors on the list, and persuading three of them back into the fold, Logan had stewed in frustration for three days. Devon Marco was unreachable. He'd taken a sudden trip to the Bahamas, and Reggie was on a business trip to New York. Logan's father wouldn't answer his calls, and had “just left” everywhere Logan managed to track him to. It hadn't helped matters when two emergencies kept him busy, running back and forth to the County Medical Center.

  Well, there weren't any emergencies this morning. His father habitually left for his office at seven-thirty in the morning, and Logan's usually calm, cool, patience no longer existed. Today, he would question him if it took the entire day.

  As Logan approached the back gate of his parents’ home, he heard their raised voices coming from the patio near the pool. The sound came foreign to his ears. He couldn't remember ever hearing them fight. His mother usually just went along with whatever his father wanted.

  "You what?” his father's voice boomed. “I don't want you anywhere near that young woman, let alone her mother. You'll withdraw your funds tomorrow, Karley, or we're finished."

  "I could ask you your reasons, however, I'm not going to. What you think about Selena Flynn is your business, Brian. And what I invest my money in is my business."

  "You heard what I said.” Brian paused. “What is it? Do you see her as a reminder of your own childhood? We never should have married,” he grumbled. “Maybe then we wouldn't have buried our youngest child. We've been running sour for years, Karley, maybe it's time to end it.” Dammit, he hadn't really meant that, but, more than anyone, Karley could frustrate him to his limits.

  "Then, I guess we're finished,” Karlene said forcefully. I will not back down—I will not back down. “Our beautiful Matthew didn't die because my parents didn't have much money, Brian. He didn't die because my genes were faulty, and he didn't die because you didn't have the skill to save him."

  "I never accused you of anything, Karley,” Brian interrupted, his tone wavering, strangled. He realized that he'd gone too far.

  "Oh, right,” Karlene countered. “There are hundreds of ways to get a point across without being point blank, and I believe you've used them all. I could have said you were the one with the inferior genes that gave Matthew his weak heart—I didn't. I've always loved you, Brian. But I won't be hurt by the incredible means you use to change an argument.” She held her silence for a moment while hoping her words would sink in. “Now that you've fi
gured out how to eliminate me from your life, how will you dispose of Rebecca? You can't divorce her."

  "You involved Rebecca in this?"

  "No,” Karlene answered firmly. “Rebecca involved herself. You can't govern everybody's life, Brian, and some of us, like myself, are really damned tired of your trying."

  That almost stopped Logan. He'd never heard his mother swear. Never.

  "Will you call your lawyer, or do I call mine?” Brian wanted to stop the argument, but he couldn't. He couldn't show weakness. Weakness meant, failure. Karley didn't behave this way, ever.

  "I'll do it in the morning,” Logan heard his mother say as he stepped around the corner of the house.

  "Fine,” Brian said, moving toward the driveway.

  Before Logan could stop him, his father's car pulled out of the drive. He turned to survey his mother.

  He expected her to appear pale, nervous, even fearful. Instead, she looked healthy and furious.

  "Patrick,” she greeted as she lifted a cup of coffee from the white wrought-iron table beside her. Perfect timing, son. Now, it's your turn.

  "Why were you and—uh—Dad discussing Selena?” He didn't mean to sound stupid, but he was trying to accept the idea his mother could fight—let alone swear.

  "Since you managed to eavesdrop, Patrick, you also realize we weren't discussing anything.” She sipped her coffee. “Would you like some coffee?"

  "Yes,” he said, yanking out a chair and sitting himself opposite from her. “I'm positive I would."

  Logan watched her, closely. “What did you do, Mom?"

  Karlene poured him a cup full and handed it to him. “Mom,” she said. “You give that word a wonderful ring, Patrick. Grandma would be a nice word to hear too."

  Things were getting stranger by the minute. “You're not kidding are you?” He'd never seen her this way before.

  "No.” She placed her cup on the table. “And neither of us are getting any younger."

  Logan stirred cream into his coffee. “Does this have anything to do with Selena Flynn?"

  She stared at him for a moment, picking her words, carefully. “The mother of my grandchildren is your problem, Patrick. However, Selena is a beautiful woman, and she would probably make beautiful grandchildren."

  "How would you know?” Until today, he hadn't realized his mother knew anything about Selena. He'd never spoken Selena's name to her. Somehow he never imagined his father mentioning her either.

  "I met her Monday. Rebecca and I decided we wanted to invest in the real estate business.” Karlene crossed her legs and straightened the collar of her pale-yellow blouse, enjoying his wide-eyed astonishment.

  "Why would you pick McRae Realty?” It seemed there was a whole lot happening Logan knew nothing about. He intended to find out. “And, what makes you think I'm interested in Selena Flynn?"

  "Patrick, you must think I've slept in a cocoon all my life. I realize communication in this household has nearly always been zero, but I have not been asleep.” She pointed her finger at him. “Whether you're interested in Selena Flynn or not, is your concern. I intend to do business with her and her mother. Do you have a problem with that?"

  "No,” he said quickly. “But, Dad obviously does."

  "He wants a divorce because of it."

  "God."

  "Yes, I believe he thinks he is."

  "Mother.” After reading Telly's file on himself, and all his father had done to undermine the clinic, Logan wanted to agree with his mother's words.

  Karlene rose to her feet. “Before your little brother died, Brian cared about you, about me.” She paced back and forth past Logan's chair. “He couldn't save him, you know?"

  He didn't know. He was four years old when his brother Matthew died. When he asked about it once, his father became angry and refused to answer. He never asked again. Logan swallowed his remaining coffee and said nothing, allowing Karlene to continue.

  "Poor, sweet, tiny little Matthew. He was born with a heart defect. Brian called in a top specialist then went into surgery with him. Matthew didn't make it, and your father took it awfully hard. Blamed himself. Then he blamed me for Matthew's defect.” Karlene sighed deeply. “When we got married, we wanted a house-full of children, Patrick. After Matthew died, your father refused to have any more. He lost interest in family, insisting we send you to boarding school.” She sobbed suddenly, her voice cracking. After a deep, steadying breath, she continued. “I should have fought him then. Instead, I retreated, spinelessly, letting him have his way in everything. All the time hoping he would see how impossible he was behaving."

  An emotional tremor ran through Logan at seeing a part of his mother he hadn't realized existed. He stood up and took her in his arms. “I didn't know anything about this,” he said softly. “But, what place does Selena have in all of it?"

  Karlene hugged him tightly, then backed away, taking a handkerchief from her skirt pocket and dabbing the tears from her eyes. “It started years ago. I realized that something about her scared him when you dated her in high school,” she said. “I supposed it was because she was sort of a rag-a-muffin, her father the town drunk, and her mother a maid.” She wavered. “Not so very different from my own background. Except, perhaps, for me, your father has always stayed well away from anyone who's impoverished."

  "That has never seemed reasonable. I know his practice is not designed for the poor. That's why I want nothing to do with it."

  "Yes, well, I can't help you with that.” She sighed. “Your father is like a bulldog, Patrick. When he decides to do something, he won't let it go until he's finished with it."

  She gestured at the chairs, and they both sat down. “He never wanted you to go to a school where you might meet people below what he considered our social status.” Karlene wrapped her hands around her cup of coffee. “Where you attended high school was the only fight I can remember winning with him. He's been ranting about that since the day your clinic opened. Anyway, you've been seeing her again, and he acts determined to make certain nothing happens between you."

  "Social status?"

  "I think you're right,” she said reflectively. “However, Brian's the only one who understands why he's desperate to keep you two apart. He never discussed the matter with me, never."

  "Then how did you discover he was desperate about Selena and me?” Was his father adamant enough to lie, even set Selena up to appear manipulative? Logan remembered his father's unexpected visit to the clinic. His father would never visit the clinic without a purpose. He should have wrung the truth out of Telly when he had his hands on him.

  "Rebecca told me he became upset when he saw her in the office with your offer. Then you heard how he snapped out of joint when I told him I bought into Della McRae's brokerage. As for the past, in addition to having a talkative, well-informed sister-in-law, who's also a friend, you can learn a lot when you go through your husbands checkbooks and bills. Even that he's keeping a mistress."

  Her knowledge of the past startled Logan, and he decided to leave the subject of Selena alone for the present. “He stopped having affairs years ago, Mom.” Patrick knew that for certain. His mother wasn't the only one who'd kept track of his father.

  She nodded her head. “Because I threatened to expose him. It wouldn't have looked good for a prominent doctor to have his reputation spattered all over the newspapers. I think he tried to run from his failure over Matthew by being with other women. If I weren't so very sure of this, I would have left him years ago."

  Logan sat back, studying her. “Then you won more than one fight."

  For the first time that morning, she felt like smiling. “I guess I never thought of that as a victory. But I believe you're right."

  Logan stood up. “I hope you win this one.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

  "I want you to win yours, too. As for me, I think I'm prepared for it to go either way,” she said, searching his face. “Where are you going?"

  "The clinic,” Logan said. He'
d thought about hunting for his father again then changed his mind. He needed time to digest everything that had happened. “If you need me, I'm around."

  "Thank you, Patrick."

  "Any time,” he answered and headed for his car. He was halfway to his clinic when it came to him to wonder why Selena's name would be in his father's checkbook. He also remembered Selena mentioning Logan harassment.

  He found himself driving on the street where Selena had lived as a child. He hadn't driven on the street since the night he'd told Selena he wouldn't be seeing her anymore. When he reached Della's house, he swerved into the drive and parked his truck behind her Cadillac . What appeared to be fresh white paint glistened in the sun from the house's stucco exterior, and the small yard looked neatly manicured. The whole place looked reconstructed compared to the run-down shack and junk-strewn yard he remembered.

  Della was sitting on a porch swing holding a coffee cup and watching him as he climbed out of his truck and walked toward her.

  "Why, good morning, Doctor Logan. What brings you by this early in the morning?"

  He walked up the brick steps that replaced the broken boards he'd stumbled over years before, and inhaled the sweet smell of roses from the bushes lining the walk. “Good morning, Della. Can I sit with you for a while?” he asked, not at all certain what he wanted to question her about; just knowing he had to.

  Della moved over, and Logan settled on her swing near her. The heavy Oak bench swayed gently as she sipped her coffee. “I expected you to stop by here sooner or later."

  "You did? Why?"

  She smiled then shrugged. “Because, I've observed how Selena feels about you."

  "Why did Selena run out on you?” The thought had troubled him a long time. Now he couldn't miss the chance for an answer.

  Della laughed. “Run out on me? Look around you, Patrick Logan. If you can remember even a little bit about what this place used to look like, you'll know Selena never turned her back on me.” She shook her head. “Her father wouldn't accept any help from Selena. I had to make him think that I earned enough money for the improvements that arrived. The furniture, appliances, remodeling, all paid for by Selena. And all to make life easier for me."