Eden's Baby

by Adrianne Lee

  Her words to David about not giving up her life stilled her tirade. Falling apart was something Valerie would do. Not her. But how would she manage to pull herself together? If she were home, she’d start with a shower and clean clothes; feeling physically put together usually boosted her spirits.

  Instead, she was stuck in this awful pantsuit that looked like a cousin to an accordion and hair that poked up where it ought to lie flat. She could do nothing for her clothes, but her hair was another matter. She sprinkled water on the offending tresses and finger-combed it into a semblance of its usual style, then pinched her cheeks.

  Not much improvement, she decided, but the best she could manage at the moment.

  She returned to the living room. Despite its lack of window covering, despite the sunny day, shadows dominated, creating a gloomy aura—thanks, Eden realized, to the trees that hugged the high side of the lot.

  In total contrast, the kitchen was as bright as if it were a raft in the middle of the lake, and David as sunny as its assigned life guard. He was standing at the stove, juggling pots and pans whose contents reeked of stomach-churning aromas. She forced a smile. “Good morning.”

  He grinned at her. “Afternoon, actually.”

  Eden nodded. She could not look at the food. Smelling it was difficult enough. Her gaze rolled over the oak table to the picture window and the glorious view of sloping green lawn and lake. Beth’s frail body and ebony hair caught her attention. She sat, hugging her knees, on a sturdy-looking dock watching a fisherman cast and reel.

  Beside Beth, bobbing in the water, was the much-acclaimed rowboat, but Eden was instantly concerned about the fisherman not being who or what he seemed. “Should Beth be out there in full view of—?”

  “Don’t worry.” David cut her off. The oven banged open. Eden glanced at him in time to see the platter resting on the oven shelf, a heap of bacon hugging one side, to which he was adding more slices. “This lot is completely private, from neighbors and passersby alike.”

  A beautiful prison, Eden thought, strolling to the table, noticing for the first time that it was set for three. Apricot-colored paper napkins nestled on the muted green stoneware plates. She stroked the top of one of the oak chairs. “I can’t believe James rents this house furnished. Isn’t he afraid someone will steal some of these antiques?”

  “The same couple has rented it for five years. They have no children and travel all summer. Ifs a perfect situation for both parties.” David placed a pitcher of orange juice on the table. ”It is a great old house, isn’t it?”

  Recalling the parallels she’d been drawing between this house and jail, she felt her cheeks heat. But the truth was, under other circumstances, she might appreciate the house’s attributes, instead of dwelling on its negative aspects. “I like this room, but the living room isn’t as warm as I would have done it.”

  He broke eggs into a bowl. “Did you decorate your house?”

  Picturing the formal decor at “Prescott Manor,” Eden laughed. “Oooh, nooo. Peter insisted on hiring professionals. His house had to reflect his wealth and his exquisite good taste. His wealthy colleagues and clients were meant to envy him.”

  David stirred the eggs, added milk and seasoning, stirred again, then poured them into a frying pan. “How would you have decorated it?”

  Considering the question, she strode to the toaster and plunked in two slices of bread. “I’m not sure. But certainly in a way that exhibited something of the personalities of the people who lived there... the way your house does.”

  His neck reddened at the compliment, at the thought it provoked of his partially furnished living room, and he wanted to drop the subject as he’d dropped his interest in that project when Marianne DePaul was murdered. His preoccupation with searching down the perfect furnishings had been the very thing distracting his attention from Rose Hatcher’s obsession.

  She glanced over her shoulder. He was dishing the scrambled eggs onto the platter in the oven. Her stomach rolled, and she drew a steadying breath. “How long have you owned your house?”

  “Six years now. Our great-uncle Harry left James this house and me the one on Lake Washington.” He lifted the platter toward her. Eden backed away.

  David headed for the table. “Brunch is served. You’d better get yourself some coffee.”

  “I’m going to pass on the coffee. My stomach is protesting all the acid I’ve dumped into it lately.” She pulled the bread from the toaster and added another two slices. “In fact, at the risk of offending you, I think I’d better stick to some dry toast.”

  “Maybe you’re coming down with something.” He placed the platter on a hot pad, then came to her and felt her forehead.

  She chuckled, embarrassed, and brushed at his arm, but the contact disconcerted her. Their gazes locked, and she could see he wanted to pull her into his arms, to kiss her, and more. God help her, she wanted that, too. But they could not afford to get lost in passion with Beth so near.

  With Rose Hatcher perhaps somewhere just as near.

  Eden stacked the toast on the plate and carried it to the table, glancing out the window again. The lake was a cool sparkling green, much like David’s eyes. She heard him scrape back a chair and sit. “I’ll get Beth.”

  But Beth was already heading toward the house.

  “She’s on her way.” David patted the spot to his right.

  Keeping her eyes off the food, Eden joined him. A cellular phone was lying next to his place setting. She studied his face. “Have you called Kollecki?”

  David scooped scrambled eggs onto his plate, then grabbed a bunch of bacon. “He didn’t believe a stranger put the rose in your purse.”

  “Big surprise.” Eden reached for a piece of dry toast.

  “Hell, he’s convinced—” With his eyes flashing angrily, David snatched up the pitcher and poured orange juice into three juice glasses, plunking the last in front of Eden, totally forgetting she was avoiding acid.

  “You know what he’s convinced of.” David’s neck was tinged red. “He hasn’t warned anyone of Rose’s escape. Said she was spotted in Southern California two days ago and will soon be back in custody. To which he added, ‘She’s not dumb enough to come back to Washington.’ So I called Colleen and Lynzy and warned them myself.”

  Eden started. “Their names were on the list?”

  He nodded. “In fact, Rose Hatcher was actually a friend of both Lynzy and Colleen.”

  “And me.” Beth walked into the kitchen, her face pink either from exertion or too much sun.

  But Eden was too preoccupied to worry about sunburn. She hadn’t realized the class Beth had taken with David was the same class Rose and Marianne DePaul were in. “How well did you know Rose?”

  “Fairly well.” Beth sat down, spooned a small portion of eggs onto her plate and grabbed one piece of bacon from the stack. Instead of taking a bite, she shoved the food around with her fork. “Well enough to be shocked that she’d commit a violent act against someone. It seemed so... I don’t know... out of character.”

  Eden glanced at David, wondering if he agreed with this assessment of Rose, but he seemed lost in some thought of his own. Was it about Rose, or something else? She glanced back at Beth. “Out of character—how?”

  Beth’s blue eyes rounded. “Well, she always struck me as one of those people who’d... oh, you know... coax a fly out of a room rather than swat it.”

  Eden took another bite of toast, hopmg her stomach would settle down. “What was Marianne DePaul like?”

  “I didn’t care for her.” Beth tried the eggs and grimaced. “She was such a suck-up.”

  David wasn’t sure if his teaching ability had just been challenged or his cooking ability. He grinned. “I thought Marianne showed great promise.”

  “Yeah, and it went right to her head.” Beth stopped her fork halfway to her mouth. “Say, why are we talking about Rose and Marianne?”

  Eden had dreaded this moment. She’d also spent agonizing hours
considering how to best broach the subject without terrifying Beth. She’d never thought Beth would provide the perfect opening. “There’s something we need to discuss with you.”

  Brunch ended abruptly, appetites vanishing with the serious swing of the conversation.

  Beth seemed to take the news with equal doses of shock and outrage and fear. She shoved her plate away, the pitiful portion of food she’d doled herself still clinging to it. “Lynzy and Colleen must be freaked.”

  “They’ll take extra precautions and keep their eyes out for Rose.” David stood, gathered dirty dishes and carried them to the sink.

  Eden also felt the need for activity. She collected the remaining plates and brought them to the counter. David ran soapy water in the sink.

  Beth’s voice sliced through the tension invading the cheery kitchen. “Eden, what about my dialysis? I have an appointment in a couple of hours.”

  David shut off the water. “Not to worry. We’ll get you there.” At Eden’s questioning glance, he added, “James will be here soon with your van.”

  Eden had a bad feeling about this, but she decided to keep it to herself.

  “I wish I could shower and change my clothes,” Beth muttered loudly enough for them to hear.

  “I’ll tell you what,” David said, with a jovial lilt Eden doubted he felt. “While you’re at dialysis, Eden and I’ll stop by the house. Eden can pick up some clothes for you both and anything else you want.”

  Beth’s raven eyebrows dipped in a frown. “But what if Rose is watching the house and follows you back here?”

  Eden walked to the table and caught Beth’s hand. “We’ll be extra cautious.”

  “Eden,” Beth said, “you don’t even know what she looks like.”

  “David told me, but at any rate, you know.”

  Beth’s eyebrow took a stubborn arch. “She has bright red hair that reaches to her waist, and she’s petite, about your size.”

  “I’ll keep my eyes peeled for her, but Detective Kollecki assures us that Rose is in California. So we’re probably worrying about nothing.”

  Still, Beth frowned. “What about the reporters?”

  David and Eden exchanged glances, then he reached for the oell phone and dialed. Eden shrugged and shook her head at Beth; she had no idea who he was calling.

  David said, “Valerie, ifs me. Yes, Beth is fine. I swear.” He blew out an exasperated breath, and Eden sat down beside Beth, pitying David the tirade obviously pouring from her sister-in-law. His eyes narrowed in frustration. “Valerie, are the reporters still hanging around the house?”

  There was a pause. Then he said, “Go look. Now.” While he waited, he rolled his eyes to the ceiling, then gazed at Eden. “She claims she told the reporters you were never coming back and they actually believed her and left. But I’m having her double-check.”

  Before Eden could respond, he spoke again into the receiver. “Yes, Valerie, I’m still here. Thank you.” Another pause. “Just curious, that’s all. Goodbye.”

  He hung up and explained, “She wanted to know why I was asking about the reporters. I figured it was better to let her speculate. No telling what she’d do if she knew we would be showing up there later.”

  The reporters were actually gone. The tension in Eden’s stomach eased, and she felt the first stirring of confidence that the toast would stay put.

  “What about Ariel?” Beth asked.

  “Oh, dear,” Eden said. “I’d forgotten her.”

  Eden explained her decision to Beth, then used the phone. It was answered on the fifth ring. “Ariel, it’s Eden Prescott.”

  The nurse greeted her warmly, then promptly asked about her patient. Eden assured her that Beth was well.

  “Good.” Ariel sounded relieved. “I’ve worried all morning whether or not anyone remembered she had dialysis today, but I had no way to contact you.”

  “She remembered.”

  “Would you like me to come and take her?”

  “Er, no. I’ll be able to take care of Beth by myself for the immediate future, so I’m afraid we won’t be needing your services for the time being.”

  There was a long pause, and Eden could swear she felt a cool wind whistle down the line.

  Then Ariel said, “I see.” Not one speck of warmth remained in her voice. “I take it you’ve found a place to stay?”

  “Yes. I’ll be leaving you a check—which will include two weeks’ severance—at Valerie’s this afternoon. You can pick it up anytime after four today.”

  “Thank you. That’s very generous. I’ll call Ms. Prescott this evening, then.” Her tone was a scant two degrees less chilly. “Tell Beth my thoughts are with her.”

  Later, luck was with them. Not one reporter lurked near the Prescott house. The only problem Eden faced was convincing David that she could handle packing her and Beth’s suitcases without a bodyguard. “You have to collect your own clothes, plus you have patients to check on. It will save hours of time if we do these things separately, and we can get back to the lake house before dark.”

  “I don’t know, Eden.” He stared out at the house. “Valerie—”

  “Valerie’s less of a worry now. I’m not afraid of her now that Rose Hatcher is on the loose and the more likely suspect. And I’ll be extra cautious about being followed.”

  He didn’t like it, but her chin was set as hard as concrete, and if that weren’t enough, David knew she would resent his dogging her like a police guard, treating her as if she couldn’t take care of herself. He tucked the cellular phone into her hand. “I’ve got another in my car. If anything odd occurs—anything—call.”

  He waited until the front door of the house swung open before driving away.

  “EDEN?” Valerie’s ginger eyebrows shot up in surprise, but a smirk brought them back in a flash. “I knew you’d change your mind about moving out. Where’s Beth?”

  “Dialysis. And I haven’t changed my mind, Val. I’m here for our clothes.” Eden swept through the door and hurried to her room.

  “For your clothes?” Valerie had arrived on her heels, out of breath and huffing like a disgruntled steam engine. She hovered in the doorway. “I can’t believe you’re actually doing this to me.”

  And why not? Eden wondered. Valerie was willing to believe worse of her. Eden spread her Luis Vuitton luggage, last year’s Christmas gift from Peter, on the bed. “It was inevitable, Val. You need to accept that and decide what you want to do about the house.”

  “Well, I...” She humphed, clamped her mouth shut and stomped off.

  Five minutes later, as Eden piled clothes and toilet articles into the various bags, she glimpsed Valerie once again standing in the doorway. She gave an exasperated sigh. “What’s the matter, Val? Worried I’ll take something that belongs to you?”

  “No telling what you’re capable of.”

  “May I remind you that everything in this room belongs to me”

  “Not Peter’s things.”

  “You know what? You’re more than welcome to any and all of Peter’s belongings.”

  “That’s—that’s very generous of you.” For the second time, Valerie left her alone.

  Eden finished packing her clothes, loaded her suitcases into the van, then started on Beth’s room. Oddly she felt a little light-headed. Probably lifting all the bags with only a single slice of toast for energy. She shook her head, trying to shake off the sensation. It threw her off balance.

  She sat on the bed and emptied Beth’s underwear into a suitcase. Then, drawing a steadying breath, she crossed the room to tackle the closet. Without warning, the room lurched, and a pit like a black hole seemed to open at her feet and drag her down.

  From some dark well, Eden swore she heard the high screech of a bird calling her name. She opened her eyes in a squint.

  Valerie knelt beside her, a wild expression on her face. “My God, you scared me half to death. I came in here to see if I could help and found you facedown on the floor.”

&nb
sp; Eden struggled to a sitting position. Had she fainted? She must have.

  Valerie’s face was mottled. “Aren’t you eating?”

  “Of course I’m eating.”

  “Well, people don’t faint without reason. You should see a doctor.”

  Using the bed for support, Eden hoisted herself to her feet. “Why do you care, Val? You think I murdered Peter.”

  “I don’t care.” Valerie backed away. “It’s no skin off my nose.”

  “Good, because I’m fine.” She was fine. Great, in fact. So she’d fainted. It meant nothing—nothing important anyway. She was just weak from lack of sleep and too much stress.

  “Nevertheless, you did faint.” Valerie crossed to the closet and gathered Beth’s clothes as if they were a fat child she was hugging and carried them to the bed. When Eden had finished the packing, Valerie insisted on helping carry the remaining luggage to the van.

  Eden reached for the last bag. Valerie was glancing at the road, frowning. “What’s she doing here?”

  “Who?” Eden jerked her head toward the street. A black compact was rolling to a stop at the corner, too far away now for her to see more than the red shine of its taillights.

  Valerie’s frown deepened, but she lifted her head haughtily. “I thought that was—” She bit off the words and shoved the last bag at Eden, the expression in her eyes unfriendly. “Never mind. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been mistaken about something... or someone.”

  Eden sighed. “I’ll talk to you later, Val.”

  Valerie headed back into the house, and Eden was grateful to be alone again. She drove to Redmond, still feeling weak.

  Maybe she should see a doctor. She had to admit she hadn’t felt especially well lately, but surely nothing much was wrong. Then why had she fainted? A niggling voice inside her head began adding disturbing symptoms together, and suddenly Eden realized something might actually be very wrong.

  With time to spare before picking Beth up, she pulled into the parking lot of a strip mall and entered a drugstore. She was probably wrong, but there was an easy way to find out. Feeling self-conscious, she located the right aisle and perused the shelves, quickly spotting the item she sought. She grasped the package and began reading the back of the box.