Secrets Rising

by Sally Berneathy

  The tall weeds scratched at her bare legs and hampered her progress, but she pushed forward determinedly, reaching the ramshackle porch at almost the same time as Jake.

  She entered the open doorway beside him.

  "Oh, my God! What are you doing here?" Mary stepped from the shadows in a back corner of the room, one hand clutching her throat, the other behind her...holding Ben's gun, no doubt. Late afternoon sun streamed through a hole in the roof, illuminating her light hair and horror stricken face. "Get out of here! Doris, what have you done? Charles will be here any minute!"

  Doris moved in front of them, stepping carefully over the broken boards in the floor. "What have I done? Brought your daughter to you. Come and meet her, talk to her. Hold her for the first time in twenty-nine years."

  Mary moved sideways, away from Doris. A tear rolled down her cheek as the horror in her eyes turned to yearning. "Please leave. Now. Before he gets here."

  "We'll face him together, Mary, contact the authorities, make him pay for what he's done."

  "The authorities?" Mary gave a quick, sharp imitation of a laugh. "Which authorities shall we contact, Doris? The police? He has something on at least half the force, maybe more. Farley's been solidly behind him ever since he made the evidence against Farley's son disappear in that drug case a few years ago."

  "Farley hates him. Everybody does. Somebody has to be the first to speak up, and that somebody needs to be you."

  "Farley may hate him, but I'm sure Charles still has that evidence. Even Lucinda was terrified to help me at the motel because Charles keeps her in line by threatening to send her mother back to Mexico. Farley won't say anything. He'll look out for his son, and you can't blame him for that." She darted a quick glance at Rebecca, then focused on Jake. "If you care anything about my daughter, you've got to get her out of here!"

  "Not without you." Rebecca finally found her voice.

  Mary wavered and took a step toward Rebecca.

  "Isn't this just too cozy? The whole family's here."

  Rebecca whirled to see Charles standing in the open doorway.

  A loud explosion burst through the house followed by five more.

  Charles stumbled, pushed backward by each shot, until he fell onto the porch.

  Rebecca whirled toward Mary in time to see her lower the gun to her side and heave a sigh of relief. Doris rushed to her daughter-in-law, supporting her as she sagged.

  Jake shoved his own gun into his belt and sprinted toward Charles.

  "Stop right there." Farley Gates, clutching an automatic in both hands, stood behind Charles who was, amazingly, struggling to his feet.

  Jake came to a halt, one hand reaching for his weapon.

  "Don't even think about it unless you want to die," Charles advised, rubbing his chest as he eased forward and yanked Jake's gun out of his belt. "As I was saying, the whole family's here, except you're not really family, Doris. Don't you know that Mary's bastard is no relation to you?"

  "Dear God," Mary exclaimed. "You really are a monster. How can anybody survive six bullets?"

  Charles smiled. "Mary, Mary, Mary. Did you really think I'd come here unprotected after you tried to shoot me at the swimming pool?" He thumped his chest. "Bullet-proof vest. The policeman's best friend. Those bullets packed quite a wallop. I'll be bruised and sore for days, but no real harm done. You always have been naive. That's how you got to me that day your little bastard was created." He nodded toward Rebecca. "I gave her life and it's my right to end it. Charles Morton giveth and Charles Morton taketh away."

  Mary, Jake and Doris moved as a unit to stand in front of Rebecca.

  "Oh, stop the heroics," Charles ordered. "You're all going to die in an unexplained fire so what difference does it make who goes first? Farley, where's that gasoline?"

  They were all going to die. Somehow the threat didn't hold the power it might have. If this man was her father, Rebecca didn't care if she died.

  But Mary was her mother. Mary had given her up to save her life, had tried to commit murder for her. That courageous blood ran through her own veins, and she wasn't going to surrender easily. There had to be something she could do.

  "How long do you think you can get away with this?" Jake demanded. "How long is it going to be before somebody takes you down? You can't control people with threats forever."

  "Sure I can."

  Rebecca pushed between Jake and Mary even as Jake tried to restrain her. "I'm not your daughter," she said quietly. "I couldn't be. I'm nothing like you."

  "She's not your daughter," Mary echoed. "Look at her. Look at Doris. She has Doris' eyes, Ben's nose. She's Ben's daughter!"

  "Mary, what was Ben's blood type?" Jake asked.

  "A positive," Doris answered for her. "I just realized who you reminded me of the first time I met you, Rebecca. Myself when I was young."

  "Mary? Blood type?" Jake continued.

  "O positive," Mary said.

  "Rebecca's A positive, Charles." Jake wrapped his arm tightly about her waist. "Like her father. Her mother's O positive, and you're B negative. No way can she be your daughter. Why don't you just turn around and walk out of here before you do something you'll regret?"

  Farley Gates came back with a large red can and began to splash liquid around the floor and walls. The acrid smell of gasoline permeated the air.

  "Regrets are a waste of time and energy. I don't regret our afternoon together, Mary, not even considering all the problems it's caused me. The only thing I regret is not doing away with another idiot woman back in Ohio. She did what you tried to do to me. Her brat ruined my life. I'd be president now if not for that bitch. I had to start all over and do it the hard way, but I'll still get there in spite of you fools. And, believe me, I damn sure won't regret getting rid of any of you."

  Jake folded his arms across his chest and looked down at the floor. "I'll take Charles, you get Gates," he whispered.

  She gave a single, brief nod. As if she could read his mind, she knew exactly what Jake wanted. Charles had backed him into a corner, told him they were going to die no matter what. When Jake went for Charles, she was to tackle Gates, an easier target since both of his hands were occupied with the can of gasoline while his gun hung in a holster at his side.

  "At least let Doris go." Jake moved forward a step, gesturing with one hand toward Doris. "She has nothing to do with any of this. Your problem is with Mary and Rebecca and now with me."

  "I'm sick of all of you." Charles cocked the hammer of Jake's revolver, and Jake lunged forward, tackling the mad man and throwing him to the floor just as the gun went off.

  A loud whoosh sounded from across the room as Rebecca charged Gates. He dropped the can, staring toward the column of flames sparked by Charles' bullet.

  Ignoring the burst of searing heat, Rebecca flew into him, adrenaline lending her strength as she scratched his fleshy face with one hand and fumbled for his pistol with the other.

  "I've got his gun." Doris stood beside her, calm voice was audible above the steadily increasing roar of the fire. Rebecca stumbled backward, away from Gates.

  Doris' hand was steady as she held the gun aimed at Gates. "Move toward the door and don't think because I'm an old woman that I won't shoot you. I've accumulated a lot of anger the last few days, and I'd love to have a target for it. Come on, Rebecca. We've got to get out of here."

  Heat scorching her face and arms, smoke searing her lungs, Rebecca spun around to see if Jake was all right.

  As the flames greedily devoured the dry wood of the old house, Morton rolled to his side on the floor. Jake stood with his gun in one hand.

  Mary kicked Charles' shoulder. "Damn you!" She kicked his head as he folded himself into a ball, his hands grasping his ankles, tugging at one of his pant legs. "Damn you, damn you, damn you! All these years separated from my daughter because you're a crazy, mean bastard! Damn you!"

  "Get out!" Rebecca yelled, grabbing her hand. "This whole place is going to collapse on us any minut
e now!"

  "I ought to let you burn in your own hell, Morton!" Jake leaned down, reaching a hand toward the man on the floor.

  Charles yanked a small automatic from a holster on his leg and came to his feet in a single motion, knocking Jake backward and spinning toward Mary.

  Rebecca grabbed her mother, stopping her frantic lunge toward Charles.

  Doris screamed.

  Jake took aim.

  A bullet shrieked through the room from the front door, straight to Charles' head.

  He crumpled silently into the fire.

  Jake grabbed Rebecca's arm and pulled Mary and her out the door as the roof behind them toppled with a crash, sending a burst of searing heat over them with leaping flames right behind.

  They sprinted across the porch, toward Doris and Gates who waited in the yard.

  Doris must have shot Charles, Rebecca thought.

  The five of them ran through the weeds until they were far enough away from the fire to be able to breathe again. When Rebecca turned to look, all that remained of the house where Ben had died was a raging orange inferno. Her father's murder had been avenged.

  "It's over. He's really gone," Mary whispered. "Isn't he?"

  "Yeah," Gates said, his voice tired. For the first time Rebecca noticed that the chief of police had his gun back. He held it up and studied it. "The bastard's really gone. Even a monster can't survive a head shot from a .45 and a fire like that. And you were right. He was a monster."

  "You shot him?" Jake asked and placed a hand on his gun where he'd again stuck it into his belt.

  Farley nodded and offered his weapon, butt first. Jake took it.

  "Yeah, I shot him. To protect my son, I did a lot of things for Morton. I thought I could do this, help him commit murder...to protect my son." He shook his head and looked toward the fire. "But it was all so pointless, everything he did. You're not even his daughter."

  He turned away, his shoulders slumped, walked slowly toward his squad car, then stopped and looked back. "I'm going to his office before word gets out that he's dead. I found the combination to his safe a few months ago, and I've just been waiting for my chance. I'm going to clean it out and burn everything in there, and a whole lot of people will sleep a whole lot better tonight. If you folks could give me about an hour before you report this, I'd sure appreciate it."

  Jake nodded. "I don't think an hour's going to make any difference one way or the other. You file the report and call us when you need us. If you need us."

  Gates nodded. "Sorry about the headlight."

  "Did you cut Rebecca's brake line?"

  "No. I didn't stop Charles from doing it, but I followed you." He shrugged, looking at the ground. "I guess I thought I could pick up some of the pieces when you crashed. I'm sorry. He didn't give me much choice."

  "We always have a choice. At least you made the right one in the end." Jake lifted the hand that held Gates' gun. "Here. You don't want to have to explain how you lost this." Jake tossed Gates his gun.

  "Thanks." Gates got in his car and drove away.

  Mary dropped her face into her hands and began to sob.

  Doris laid one arm about Mary's shoulders and the other about Rebecca's. "Mary, I'd like you to meet your daughter. Rebecca, this is your mother."

  Mary looked up. "My baby." Timidly, she touched Rebecca's face, drawing her fingers along her daughter's chin, then smiled shyly, her eyes shiny with tears and wonder. "You have my chin and your father's mouth." She reached down and took Rebecca's hands in hers, touching each finger in turn, then raised her eyes again. "Ten. I counted them over and over when you were a baby. I couldn't believe you were so perfect. You still are."

  Rebecca opened her mouth to speak, to say something though she had no idea exactly what, but all that came out was a sob. And then she was in her mother's arms as they both laughed and cried.

  "We need to get out of here," Jake said. "It's going to be dark soon."

  Mary stepped back but kept hold of her daughter's hand. "Will you ride with me, Rebecca?"

  "I'll drive Mary's car," Doris said, "and Jake can take you two with him."

  Jake shook his head. "No. You take the two of them in Mary's car, Doris. You all need to be together right now."

  Though Rebecca's heart was full, she felt a slight twinge at Jake's words, at the coldness in his tone.

  "All right," Doris replied. "We'll meet you back at my house."

  He shook his head. "I have some things to take care of."

  He wasn't coming to Doris' house.

  Love and let go.

  She was safe. Her case was closed. He was walking away.

  She should have been prepared, but she wasn't. The bleak shadow of sadness, of loneliness, fell over her happiness. She had made peace with her feelings for Brenda and Jerry and now she'd found the birth mother that a part of her heart must have remembered and loved all these years.

  But it wasn't enough. Jake had become a part of her life, had stolen a place in her heart even though he'd never intended to.

  If she'd never stopped loving her mother even when she couldn't remember her on a conscious level, how much harder would it be to stop loving Jake when she'd remember him every day for the rest of her life?

  "You will come by when you're finished, won't you?" Mary asked Jake, and Rebecca knew that her mother had guessed how she felt. Just as she'd known Jake's thoughts when he'd wanted her to tackle Gates, so her mother knew her thoughts. Through the telepathic bonding of love.

  "It'll be too late," Jake replied.

  "We'll be up very late." Mary smiled at Rebecca. "We have a lot of years to catch up on."

  Jake shoved his hands in his pockets, turned and walked away.

  He was gone. He wouldn't be back.

  "It's all right, baby," Mary soothed. "He'll be back if I have to hunt him down and drag him to you."

  They both laughed, and Rebecca reminded herself that she should be grateful for the love she'd found and not grieve for what she'd lost.

  Jake heard the soft laughter of mother and daughter as he yanked open his car door. Rebecca had found what she'd set out to find...a mother who loved her beyond all reason. Though her father was dead, at least she knew who he was, and Mary and Doris would tell her all about him. They'd make him real for her. She had a family.

  No wonder she and Doris had bonded so instantly. Grandmother and granddaughter. Blood calling to blood after all.

  So what if it hadn't worked that way in his family. Obviously it did in some families.

  He drove out to the road, refusing to look back at the three generations of women.

  Some people did, after all, love forever. All those years Mary had stayed away from the child she loved because she loved her. That was a forever kind of love.

  Rebecca didn't need him anymore. He'd helped her find that love, and now he was free to be on his way, back to his real life. Back to being free.

  The loving was over. Now it was time for the letting go.

  Chapter 26

  The square, ivory envelope, hand addressed, came to Jake's office, mixed in with bills and solicitations.

  Noreen laid it on his desk in front of him. "Sorry," she said. "I didn't know it was personal. I opened it with the rest of the mail. It's just a wedding invitation, not a letter or anything."

  "No problem."

  A wedding invitation?

  He recognized the neat, precise handwriting instantly. It was the same as he'd seen two months ago on the faded note Rebecca Patterson had handed him. Mary Jordan's handwriting.

  He heard the door close quietly and knew Noreen was gone, but he didn't look up. He couldn't seem to tear his gaze away from that ivory envelope.

  Was Mary inviting him to her daughter's wedding?

  And if she was? What did he care? Why had his gut suddenly clenched into a knot? Why was perspiration breaking out on his upper lip? Why did his chest feel empty and hollow?

  He'd almost forgotten about Rebecca.
<
br />   Well, maybe he hadn't actually almost forgotten about her. The truth was, she'd been in his thoughts pretty often. Constantly, actually. But he hadn't seen her since the night of the fire.

  After an off-the-record conversation with Gates, he'd given his statement concerning the events of that night over the phone. He'd corroborated Gates' story detailing how Gates had followed Charles to the old farmhouse, overheard him threaten to kill Mary and Rebecca, then shot Charles before he could shoot Mary. The story was factual; it just left out a few things, like Mary's attempt to kill Charles and Gates' initial complicity with Charles. Jake had no problem with that. Gates had redeemed himself in the end. It was a fair trade-off—to cover Gates' actions in return for covering Mary's.

  So it hadn't been necessary to see or talk to Rebecca again. She'd called his office once asking for her bill, but he'd been out and Noreen had taken the call. He'd sent a bill and she'd paid it. End of story.

  He tapped the envelope on his desk. It was already open. All he had to do was take out the invitation and read it.

  Maybe it wasn't a wedding invitation at all. Maybe Noreen was wrong.

  With clumsy, sweaty fingers, he reached in and pulled out the card with wedding bells embossed at the top.

  Pain ripped through his gut, and his vision blurred at the verification of Noreen's comment. It was a wedding invitation.

  How could Rebecca find somebody so quickly? Had all they'd shared meant nothing to her?

  He tossed the card onto his desk and swore under his breath.

  What the hell was the matter with him? What he and Rebecca had shared had been wonderful...at the time. But that time was past. It was over.