by Alison Stone
“Yes?” Disappointment flooded his system. He wanted to sit here and talk to Lily more. Get into her heart and mind.
“Your grandfather would like to see you in the great room.”
“Thanks, Edna. I’ll be right in.” Watching Edna walk back toward the house, he paused a moment. When it became clear to him Lily wasn’t going to say anything more, he stood. Emily and Bethany emerged from the pool house all smiles.
Forcing a smile of his own, he waved to them. “Charlie will take you home whenever you’re ready.”
“Thanks,” Bethany said. Lily nodded without saying anything.
James threw on his T-shirt, then followed the path to the house.
“Hi, James.” His grandfather stood in the center of the room leaning heavily on his cane.
“Grandfather.”
The older gentleman gave him a curt nod. Turning, he shuffled toward a wingback chair and sat down. He gestured with an open palm to the matching one. He hung his cane over the arm of the chair.
“If you don’t mind, I’ll stand. My swim trunks are wet.”
His grandfather tipped his head toward the pool. “I see. You and Lily are spending a lot of time together.” He lifted a bushy eyebrow. “Maybe it’s time to settle down.”
“Are you spending too much time with Grandmother? You sound like her.”
His brows snapped together. “I think you’re right. Since when did I care about those kinds of things? My focus has always been on work.” His voice grew quiet. “Although, when you get old, you start to focus on what’s important. Family. Children. Those things are what are important.”
“Is that what you called me in to talk about?” James shifted his weight.
“No, but I know how much you love when your grandmother asks those questions. Since she’s off at a garden party...” He let his words trail off.
“Thanks.” The single word sounded droll.
“I’m worried.”
The sudden shift in topics made James narrow his gaze. His grandfather never spoke this way. “What’s going on?”
“The board of directors is calling a meeting for Monday morning. They see some discrepancies in the accounting.”
“Is there an explanation?” James’s gaze drifted around the room with all its expensive works of art and furnishings. His stomach twisted. No, his grandfather was a ruthless businessman, but he was an honest one.
A muscle ticked in his grandfather’s jaw.
His grandfather planted his hands on the arms of the chair and pushed himself to a standing position. “I built Medlink up to what it is today.”
“Have you had a chance to look at the books yourself?”
His grandfather visibly paled. He shook his head. His arm trembled as he supported his weight on the cane. “The board is looking into it.” His voice grew quieter as he moved toward the foyer. “I’m confident this is a misunderstanding.”
“Are you?” James’s throat felt parched.
His grandfather turned around. His eyes grew hard. “It has to be a misunderstanding.” He placed his hand on the banister and bowed his head. “I’m afraid my health has kept me out of the office more than I would have liked this past year.”
James ran those words over and over in his head.
His grandfather pointed to the French doors. “We’ll talk more later. I’ll let you get back to your company.”
James wanted to ask a million questions but decided they’d have to wait.
His grandfather slowly climbed the stairs. James stepped onto the back patio, a little stunned. He was relieved to get some fresh air. He found Emily and Bethany sitting by the pool, but the chair where Lily had been sitting was empty.
“Where’s Lily?” He had a heightened awareness of his surroundings, just like he had when he had traveled into unfriendly territory while in the army. But it made no sense. He knew she was safe here. They had installed extra security precautions.
“Edna and Charlie had some groceries for her.” Bethany stood, gathered her bags and tossed her towel over her shoulder. “Thank you for having us, James. We really enjoyed it.”
Emily smiled up at him. “I had so much fun, Dr. James.”
He crouched down. “Well, I’m glad. We’ll have to do it again soon.”
“Don’t leave,” Lily hollered from the top landing of the stairs leading to her second-story apartment in the carriage house. Gliding her hand along the railing, she jogged down the stairs to her sister. She drew Emily into a big hug. “I’ll see you soon, okay?”
Emily’s eyes lit up. “Can we come over swimming again soon, Mom?”
“Oh, I don’t...” Bethany stammered.
James jumped in. “Absolutely. We’ll make plans soon.” His gaze met Lily’s and she gave him a sad smile. This woman was going to be his undoing. Why did things have to be so complicated?
“Thanks very much, Dr. James. I had a lot of fun.”
James ruffled her wet hair, leaving it sticking up at awkward angles. “I had fun, too. Now, let me walk you out front.”
Lily jerked her thumb toward the carriage house. “There are a few more things in Edna’s kitchen I need to bring up to my apartment. I really should help her.”
“Wait a few minutes and I can help,” James offered.
Lily held up her palms. “No, really, I’m fine.” She turned on her heel and jogged toward Edna’s door. “Night,” she hollered over her shoulder.
James stared after her, the warm glow of the evening quickly dissolving.
* * *
“You really shouldn’t have.” Lily slid the last box of fresh produce and groceries off Edna’s kitchen counter in the apartment below hers.
Edna waved her hand. “You have to eat. Stay healthy. You work too much.” Her friendly smile revealed crooked teeth. “It’s so nice to see you having fun with your family and Dr. James.”
“My niece needed a change of pace.”
A twinkle lit Edna’s eyes. “So your niece is okay?”
“Yes, she is. Thank you.” Lily adjusted her hands on the cumbersome cardboard box and rested it on the corner of the island.
Charlie walked through the door, planted a kiss on his wife’s plump cheek and draped his arm over her shoulder. “Edna loves having you around to fuss over.” A twinge of pink colored the older woman’s cheeks.
“She’s too kind to me.” Lily smiled at the easy display of affection between the older couple. Raised as the daughter of a single mother, Lily had never witnessed firsthand what true love looked like.
Edna patted her husband’s hand resting on her shoulder, then slipped out from under his touch. “One can never be too kind.” She tucked a strand of Lily’s hair behind her ear. “It reminds me of the summers during college when you lived here. How I enjoyed having you around. I never had children of my own.”
A ribbon of nostalgia tightened around Lily’s heart. “I was lucky to have you around. It felt like home when everything else in my world seemed adrift.”
Edna tapped Lily’s cheek gently with the palm of her hand. “You’ve done well. Your mother would be proud. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Allow yourself to be happy.”
“Easier said than done.” She patted Edna’s work-worn hand. “Thanks again for this.” She hoisted the box, then balanced it on her hip.
Charlie hustled toward her. “Let me take that upstairs for you.”
“Oh, no, I’m fine. You’re already doing me a big favor driving my sister and niece home.” Lily smiled.
Charlie scooped the car keys off the counter. “The little one wanted to make a quick pit stop before we hit the road. They should be ready now.” He kissed Edna on the cheek again. “Be back soon.” Charlie went ahead of Lily and held the door.
“Good night, de
ar,” Edna called from inside the house.
Balancing the box in her arms in front of her, Lily negotiated the stairs hugging the exterior of the little carriage house. When she had first laid eyes on this quaint carriage house all those years ago, it amazed her that it was tucked in behind the main house. She would have loved to grow up here instead of the cramped duplex her mother could barely afford. Guilt slammed into her. Her mother had worked hard to provide for her two daughters after their father chose booze over family. Her mother had done the best she could.
At the top of the stairs, she balanced the box on her knee and pushed open the door. She had kept it slightly ajar from her last trip up the stairs. Her apartment was a smaller version of Edna and Charlie’s apartment downstairs. It was cozy.
She slid the box along the surface of the island counter. She spun around and opened the fridge to put away the groceries.
“I’m so sorry.” A disembodied voice floated to her from the other side of the open refrigerator door. Pinpricks of terror rained down over her skin as she froze midmotion with her hand on the refrigerator door. Her mind whirled with the possibilities. Slowly, she closed the refrigerator door, her heart lodged in her throat.
Talia stood there, her straggly blond hair in need of a comb, her eyes wide, mirroring Lily’s fear.
All Lily’s instincts screamed for her to remain calm. “Talia? What are you doing here? How did you get onto the property?” The vacant look in her lab assistant’s eyes made Lily’s knees grow weak. She decided to change her approach. “We’ve all been worried about you.” She kept her voice calm—even—carefully selecting her words. She flicked a gaze toward the door.
“I didn’t know.” The corners of Talia’s mouth pulled down, making her look much older than her twenty-some years.
Lily took a step toward the door she had left unsecured when she ran downstairs to see her family off. Her fingertips tingled. Mentally she scolded herself. How could she have been so careless after everything that’d been going on? She was supposed to be safe on the O’Reilly property. The wrought-iron gate to the backyard had a key-code entry. Yet Talia had made it unseen into her apartment.
Tiny dots danced in Lily’s line of vision.
Talia looked like a scared rabbit and Lily didn’t want to test her limits by making any sudden movements. She lowered her voice. “What didn’t you know, Talia?” The words scratched out of her parched mouth. The spike of adrenaline made her dizzy. She feared she was going to pass out.
“The man who attacked you at the clinic. I saw his photo on the news.” With a crazy look in her eyes, Talia stepped toward Lily. Lily backed up and bumped into the fridge with the back of her heel. The younger woman’s hand shot out and grabbed Lily’s upper arm. Her fingers were incredibly cold despite the balmy night, her grip surprisingly strong.
“Let go of my arm.” Lily stayed composed despite the adrenaline surging through her veins. “You’re scaring me.”
“I thought he liked me. But he tricked me....” Talia’s pupils were huge, black holes. She slid her gaze to where her fingers dug into Lily’s arm. Confusion haunted the depths of her eyes. Talia eased her grip. Her face crumpled in anguish. “He told me he loved me.”
Lily glanced toward the door, then back at Talia. Mrs. York’s phone call came to mind. “What’s his name?”
“Frank Smith.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong. You didn’t know.” Lily watched Talia’s expression soften, giving Lily hope she was saying the right thing. Please guide me, Lord.
Talia ran a shaky hand through her scraggly hair. “He convinced me to take a little vacation with him. He told me I deserved it after how you treated me. He told me I should skip work. Show you how much you really needed me.”
“I don’t understand.”
Red rimmed Talia’s eyes. “I worked so hard. All I needed was a strong letter of recommendation.” Her eyes grew dark. “Because of you...”
Lily shook her head. “I wrote a wonderful letter of recommendation.” She hated how her voice shook. “I can show you. On my laptop.”
“Really?” Talia’s lips quivered. “No, I don’t believe you. When I complained to Frank about not getting into the program, he asked me a lot of questions. He was the one who figured out it had to have been your letter that ruined my chances.”
“No, it couldn’t have been. He was manipulating you.” Lily reached out, but stopped short of touching her employee’s arm.
“No, that can’t be true.” Talia’s face crumpled. “I’m so stupid. I can’t figure out what’s going on. But Frank told me I was in as deep as he was.”
“Why?” Tiny pinpricks blanketed Lily’s scalp. “What did you do?”
“I brought him into the lab.” Her eyes ping-ponged around the small space. “He just acted like he belonged and came through security right behind me.” Her nose flared, and a stream of snot ran into her mouth. “I never had such a good-looking boyfriend. I loved the attention.”
“Why did you bring him into the lab?” All the colors in the room grew vivid and distinct, disorienting.
What had Talia done?
“He said he wanted to see where I worked. But after his photo was broadcast all over the news, he told me to keep quiet or he’d tell everyone I stole the research files on Regen.”
“This Frank, he has my research files?” Lily’s voice climbed an octave. Her limbs went to jelly.
Talia nodded. “The computer files.”
“Why, Talia? Why?”
“I didn’t know he had them. Not until today. He told me I had to be quiet. Told me I’d be blamed. He was the one who planted the rat in my bedroom closet. He wanted you to think I killed the rat and left it on your porch.” Talia bowed her head, then lifted it suddenly with a fierce determination in her eyes. “I snuck out after he passed out from drinking. I have to go.” She pushed Lily against the refrigerator. Lily cracked her elbow on the stainless-steel door. The young woman bolted toward the exit, her stringy hair flying behind her. Fear—for Talia—swept over Lily. The look of desperation in Talia’s eyes took Lily’s breath away.
“Wait. Don’t go. It’ll be okay. I’ll help you get this straightened out.”
A horrifying cry erupted from the girl’s mouth. Talia hit the edge of the open door hard with an oomph. Groaning, she bounced off, shifted and darted outside. The sound of feet on metal stairs sounded like tiny explosions in the night air.
Lily raced toward the open door. “Wait, Talia. We can fix this.” She leaned over the railing and yelled at Talia as she ran toward the thick landscaping edging the deepest part of the yard.
Spinning on the balls of her feet, Lily turned and raced down the stairs. She had to stop Talia. A flash of blue caught her eye. James jogged down the path toward her, fear in his eyes. Lily stopped short and pressed a hand to her chest. “You scared me.”
“Are you all right?”
“Yes.” Lily pointed frantically toward the back of the deep yard. “It’s Talia. We have to stop her.”
“Talia? Where?”
Lily pointed and James took off running. She followed him, but was slowed when she stepped on something sharp. A quick examination of her foot told her nothing was bleeding. Resuming her pursuit, she caught sight of James emerging from the thick foliage at the edge of the property. He swatted at unseen insects.
“Where did she go?”
James shook his head. “My guess? Through the large gap in the chain-link fence.” He glanced at a deep cut on his arm. “I couldn’t fit through, but I have no doubt that’s how Talia made her escape.”
THIRTEEN
Lily sat on the couch in the great room of O’Reilly Manor twisting her hands in her lap. Fingers smoothing the Band-Aid over his recent injury, James sat on the arm of the couch, resisting the urge to run his hand across
Lily’s back. The last time he had seen her so frail was shortly after her mother had died, when she had moved into the carriage house. He’d hardly known her back then. They had crossed paths only on the rare occasion when she had accompanied her mother to work. At the time of her mother’s death, he’d been only twenty himself and still raw from his parents’ deaths five years earlier. The grief he saw in her mirrored the emptiness haunting his soul.
“We have a real problem here,” his grandfather said, leaning forward in his chair, resting his crossed wrists on his cane, his hair disheveled as if they had disturbed his sleep. He wore a brown robe, tied at the waist, and striped pajama bottoms.
“Security’s on it.” Striding back into the room, Stephanie dropped her cell phone into her oversize designer bag. Her long blond hair was pulled into a high ponytail and she was perfectly made up. Apparently, she had just gotten home from a date when James had called her to come by their grandparents’ house.
“I don’t understand,” Stephanie said. “I thought we had increased security after the nightmare during Grandfather’s party.” She plopped her purse onto the coffee table and let out a heavy sigh. “That deranged girl should have never had access to the property.” Stephanie seemed disproportionately annoyed, as if she had been attacked.
His grandmother strolled into the room, looking almost regal in her silky nightclothes. “This really could have waited until morning.” She rested her hand on his grandfather’s shoulder. “He needs his sleep.”
His grandfather waved her off, lifting his cane as if he were shooing a pesky ankle biter. “I need to return to work full-time. Everything’s falling apart.”
His grandmother brushed a kiss across her husband’s cheek. “You promised me you’d take it easy.”
He pushed to his feet and jabbed his cane in Stephanie’s direction, barely missing her shin. “I already talked to the head of Security.”
Stephanie narrowed her gaze and flicked her fingers toward her purse. “Now we both called.” She lifted a perfectly groomed eyebrow, as if issuing a challenge. But something in her gaze, a shadow of doubt, unease perhaps, had James watching her closely.