The Magic in Your Touch

by Sara Bell

  * * * Brandon exhaled the breath he’d been holding when the Reed City limits sign came into view. He’d been so relieved when he heard Nate’s voice on the phone, but his relief turned to dread when he heard where Vaughn had taken him. He’d instructed his men to surround the cemetery, but to stay out of sight until he got there. He wasn’t sure just how over the edge Vaughn really was, but he couldn’t take any chances. If one of Bran’s men spooked him, Vaughn would shoot Nate without even thinking twice about it. He took little comfort from the fact that Vaughn was waiting for his cohort to arrive, but at least it bought him some time. Just as he turned onto the main highway into Reed, he heard Nate gasp over the cell. Brandon knew his grace period was over.

  * * *

  Mike turned his head slightly at the sound coming from the tree-line, but he kept the gun trained on Nate. After a minute, he turned back to Nate with a smile. “I see our special guest has arrived. Nice night for a family reunion, don’t you think?”

  Nate watched as the figure stepped into view. The moonlight cast a halo around the blond hair, turning it silver. The brown eyes were lost in the shadows, but Nate could see a faint glimmer coming from them. He wasn’t certain if the twinkle was caused by excitement, madness, or a combination of the two. He forced himself to show no emotion as Leda Morris stepped into place beside Mike.

  She gave Nate her best pageant smile and said, “Hello, Nathan. I suppose you’re a bit surprised by all this.”

  Nate wasn’t sure what shocked him the most: that his mother was the one who wanted him dead, or that she was standing there talking to him and smiling at him like they were at a tea party instead of at the planned scene of his demise. He fought back all the questions, too numb and too stunned to even feel pain. He forced a calm into his voice he didn’t feel and said, “Leda.”

  Leda shook her head. “Now, is that any way to greet your mother? Calling me by my first name like some casual acquaintance?”

  Nate pushed his shaking hands behind his back. “You’ll forgive me for dispensing with the usual formalities, but most mothers don’t hire a hit-man to bump off their offspring. Sorry if I’m not exactly certain how to respond to you, but I don’t think this particular situation was ever covered by Emily Post.”

  Leda clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “Still so headstrong, even at the end. You were always such a bright boy, Nathan, the best in your class. A shame, really, that it had to be this way.”

  Nate saw Mike inch his way closer to Leda, causing her to step even nearer to the edge of the open grave. He wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but Nate wasn’t about to quit talking now. “Why does it have to be this way? What could I have done that was bad enough to make my own mother want me dead?”

  Even in the dim light of the moon, Nate could see Leda’s brows furrow and her eyes narrow. “What did you do? God, how can you even ask that? You ruined my life, that’s what you did.”

  Nate could sense her agitation, but he had to keep her talking. “How? How did I ruin your life? I loved you. I’m your son, for God’s sake.”

  “Don’t even pretend you don’t know.” Leda started wringing her hands. “I was a debutante when I first met Calder. I’d just been crowned Miss Georgia.” Her eyes took on the sheen of remembrance. “He courted me hot and heavy for months, made me feel like the most precious thing on earth. I thought he was after me, but what he really wanted was a feather in his cap, a sweet little trophy belle to crown his growing empire.” She shook her head, harder this time. “I didn’t care, you know. I wanted his money, and the recognition of being Mrs. Calder Morris. I realized he didn’t really love me, almost from the start, but he wanted me, and as long as he wanted me, he gave me what I wanted. It was the perfect arrangement.” She looked at Nate with raw hatred. “Then you came along and ruined everything.”

  Nate said, “How? Tell me how a little boy could possibly be responsible for his mother’s happiness.”

  Leda shifted her weight from leg to leg, almost hopping up and down. “Because from the moment my pregnancy became obvious, Calder wouldn’t touch me. He found a mistress, started calling me fat, ugly, a cow. He stopped giving me money, stopped taking me to parties. I thought it would get better once you were born, but it only got worse. I thought if I played the good wife, the devoted mother, things would improve, but I was wrong. Oh, our sex life resumed, but it was cold, methodic. By the time Seth was born, I knew our marriage was over. I wanted a divorce, wanted rid of all three of you. I hated you boys for turning my husband against me, and I hated him for being turned. Oh, I was a good actress, pretending to be the devoted mother, all the while ruing the very moments you and your brother drew breath. I was all set to leave the lot of you behind, but Mother Morris put an end to that.”

  Nate just stared at her. “What does Grandma have to do with this?”

  Leda sneered. “Your grandmother was a sharp old bitch. She knew her son, and she knew more about me than I would have liked. She came to see me a few days after I told Calder I was leaving him. She brought with her a sheaf of papers I’d signed right before Calder and I married. I thought they were just the usual pre-wedding preparations. You know, insurance policies, deeds, that sort of thing. I didn’t even look at them, just signed every one.” She sighed. “That was a mistake I’ve lived to regret a thousand times over. One of the papers was a prenuptial agreement. Like the fool I was, I signed away all my rights to any of Calder’s money. Calder never even knew about its existence. That’s just how shrewd your grandmother was. Oh, I could leave, but I’d have been penniless. My own family was less than sympathetic. I had no where to go, and no choices. Then Mother Morris made me an offer.” Leda stopped bouncing and stepped closer to Nate. “She told me if I stayed and gave you and Seth the mother you both deserved, when Seth graduated from high school and went off to college, she would tear up the pre-nuptial agreement and I could take Calder for everything he was worth.”

  Nate just stared at her with amazement. “So you stayed all those years, just pretending to love us?”

  Leda shrugged. “Like I said, I’m a great actress. I was all set to stay until the day Seth graduated from school. I had incentive, something to look forward to. Too bad the old crone died when you were eighteen and Seth was only twelve. The paper was never destroyed, and I was stuck.” Leda grinned, a sickening parody of a genuine smile. “But I’ve always been smarter than I was given credit for. I managed to secure a copy of the original paper from your grandmother’s lawyer and went to see a lawyer of my own. He told me that, while the agreement was airtight, no judge in the country would withhold a divorce from me--or withhold Calder’s money--if he was convicted of a felony, caught committing adultery, or found to be physically abusive. Calder might be the world’s biggest bastard, but he would never raise his hand against a lady, so I knew the abuse scenario was out. I thought my best bet was to catch Calder committing adultery, but once again, fate stepped in.” Leda shook her head and barked a harsh, bitter laugh. “Poor Calder has a tiny little problem. Seems the sorry bastard can’t get it up anymore. After all those years of screwing everything in skirts, the one time I need him stick it where it doesn’t belong, and the S.O.B. let me down. So typical of him.”

  Nate saw that Mike had moved during Leda’s speech so that the two of them were almost touching. If Leda noticed, she gave no sign of it. She was too caught up in her own tirade. “When I realized I was going to loose everything if I didn’t think of something, I went through all of Calder’s records looking for any sign of shady business dealings that might constitute a crime. I’d hoped for some sign of tax evasion or maybe even selling drugs under the table, but I found nothing. As scandalous as Calder is in his personal life, he’s almost angelic in his business dealings. For over ten years I kept watch of his records, scrutinized his every move. When you came out to us, and Calder cut you off, I’d hoped maybe his anger would move him to get violent with you, maybe even provoke him to do you in. But other t
han hiring a private detective to follow you and make certain you stayed from Seth, Calder’s way of dealing with your homosexuality became the denial of your very existence. No matter what avenue I took, I couldn’t catch Calder breaking so much as a traffic law. I’d almost given up hope when I found out Calder had hired Phillip to break poor Seth’s gay little heart.” Leda gave a humorless chuckle. “Homophobia might not have endeared Calder to a judge, but it certainly isn’t crime enough to invalidate our marriage contract.” She shook her head. “No. I knew I would need something stronger.”

  Try as he might, Nate couldn’t keep the sarcasm out of his voice. “So like any good mother, you naturally thought of killing me and framing my father for it.”

  Mike interrupted before Leda could speak. “Actually, that was my idea. Leda came to see me because she’d guessed a long time ago that there was no love lost between us. That private detective Calder hired was very thorough, especially about all the time you and Amy spent together. Leda was smart enough to know I must hate you because of the way Amy felt about you. Even so, she only thought I might be willing to use my legal knowledge to help her get rid of Calder. She never guessed that I would come up with a plan to eliminate two of her biggest headaches with one shot, no pun intended.”

  Leda pursed her lips. “You may have come up with the plan, but I certainly did my part. I was the one who procured the Mor-co credit card so that dreadful Wilson could use it to buy all those electronic doo-dads he needed. I stole one of Calder’s best knives so Wilson could stab Brandon Nash with it, though he was only supposed to leave it in the house as evidence.” She held up her fingers and began ticking off each item as she went. “I planted the listening devices, stole the diazepam from the Mor-co warehouse, and even paid Mr. Wilson’s trashy brother to lie and say he’d introduced Calder to Wilson.” She stamped her foot like a small child in the throes of a tantrum. “If it weren’t for me, Calder never would have confessed to trying to have Nathan killed in the first place.”

  In all the chaos, Nate had completely forgotten about Calder’s confession. He turned to his mother. “Are you saying my father is completely innocent in all this?” When Leda nodded, Nate said, “Then why in the hell would he confess in the first place?”

  Leda preened like a show pony. “That was my idea, too. As much as Calder hates you, Nathan, he loves Seth that much more. He’s convinced you turned Seth gay and that one of these days the boy will simply go back to being straight. I think Calder sees Seth as his last hope to pass the Mor-co Empire on to future generations of the Morris clan.” She sighed. “Mike helped me fabricate some evidence that made it look as if Seth was trying to kill you and then framed Calder when he found out about the ruse with Phillip to get his revenge. I made Calder see that if Seth went to prison, there would be no hope of him ever coming out and going straight.” She giggled like a little girl. “I think Calder has read too many of those prison sex and rape stories. Anyway, I told him that if he confessed to the crime, I would find some other poor bastard to pin it on. As soon as I did, Calder was going to recant his confession, and the three of us were going to be one big, happy, heterosexual family. Calder’s gotten whatever he wanted for so long now, he actually believed me.” She sneered. “The untouchable Mr. Morris is going to be in for the surprise of his life this time.”

  Leda was so busy congratulating herself on duping Calder, she didn’t notice that Mike had stepped away from her so that he was standing several feet behind her. She just kept on smiling at Nate as she reveled in her accomplishments. “After almost thirty years of bullying and abuse, Calder is finally going to get his.”

  She turned back to Mike, her smile fading a little. “I would like to know, however, why you thought it was necessary to drag me out here in the middle of the night. This was never part of the plan.”

  The grin that spread across Mike’s face chilled Nate to the marrow. Mike said, “I’m glad you asked, Leda. You see, plans have changed.”

  Nate knew what was coming, and his mind raced as he thought of ways to stall for time. He said, “So what, Leda, you’ve been close by this whole time?”

  Leda nodded. “Yes. I had all my calls forwarded to the dreary little Chicago motel room Mike insisted I stay in until this mess with you was settled.” She turned back to Mike. “What’s all this about a new plan? I haven’t authorized any new plan. I say it’s too late to make changes at this stage of the game.”

  Mike’s face went from maniacal grin to full blown snarl in the space of a heartbeat. “Game? You think this is some kind of fucking game, lady? My wife is dead, and that old bat I knocked over the head is probably spilling her guts even as we speak. If I make it away from here without getting caught, I’m still going to be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life. I figure I’m already implicated in two murders, so what’s two more?”

  Since Nate had already guessed that Mike brought them out there to kill them both, he wasn’t surprised, but the look on Leda’s face was priceless, as was the panic in her voice.

  “What are you talking about, Michael? We made a deal! We’re partners. We—” The retort of the gun cut Leda off as the breath rushed out of her lungs and she toppled backwards into the open grave.

  Nate was too numb to even react as he watched his mother draw her last breath. He knew his time was up and that all the hopes and dreams he’d held for a future with Brandon would die with him in that Godforsaken cemetery. Nate’s mind conjured images of Brandon’s smile, his scent, his taste, the saltiness of his skin and the strength of his arms. With Brandon’s face fixed in his mind, Nate closed his eyes and waited to die.

  * * *

  Brandon raced through the trees, heedless of the thorns biting into his flesh and the limbs tearing his clothes. He couldn’t risk parking in front of the new cemetery’s gates for fear that Vaughn would panic and shoot without thinking. His plan was to approach Vaughn calmly and try to cut some kind of deal with him. He knew he’d never get off a shot without Vaughn squeezing the trigger and hitting Nate first. All those plans went to hell when he heard the first gunshot. He was close enough to the new part of the cemetery that he didn’t need the aid of the cell phone clipped to his belt to tell him that Leda Morris was dead. He pulled his gun and stepped from the trees just as Vaughn cocked the hammer and prepared to fire his second shot.

  * * *

  Nate’s eyes flew open as Brandon’s voice cut through the crisp night air. “Drop it, Vaughn. My men have the whole place surrounded.”

  Mike never took his eyes off Nate. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t just shoot him and be done with it. If your men have this place covered, I’m never gonna make it out of here alive, anyway.”

  Brandon’s voice never wavered, not even with the terror Nate knew he must have been feeling. “You put down that gun Vaughn, and I give you my word you’ll still be breathing when all is said and done.”

  Mike didn’t so much as flinch, his finger resting firmly on the trigger. If Brandon shot him, Mike’s finger would automatically depress, and Nate would be a dead man.

  Mike said, “And if I decide to hang onto it instead?”

  Brandon’s gun hand was rock-steady. “You put so much as one mark on Nate’s skin, and you’ll die where you stand.”

  Mike shook his head, the movement excruciatingly slow. “I have a better idea.” He lunged at Nate, wrapping his arm around Nate’s neck and pressing the gun to his temple. Nate struggled, but desperation gave Mike a strength that was near impossible for Nate to overcome. Mike tightened his stranglehold and pressed his face to Nate’s ear. He spoke loudly enough so that Brandon would have no trouble hearing.

  “This is how we’re gonna play it. I want Nate’s car brought around to the front gates so he and I don’t have to go traipsing back through the woods. We’re all gonna stand here nice and calm until it’s done. I see one person put so much as a toe out of line, and Dr. Morris here is gonna have a brand new hole in his head. When the car gets her
e, everyone is gonna stand back and let us pass. Nate’s gonna drive, and no one is gonna follow us. If I see anyone behind us, be it a police cruiser or a busload of nuns, it’s lights out for my boy here. Understood?”

  Before Brandon had a chance to answer, Nate rasped, “If you’re gonna kill me anyway, why the hell should we co-operate?”

  Mike kept his eyes on Brandon. “Cause like all good cops, Nash knows that there’s always a chance that you’ll get lucky and survive. He’s not going to do anything to lesson your chances. Right, Nash?”

  Brandon grabbed the radio at his shoulder and spoke into the mouthpiece. “Sam, bring Dr. Morris’s car around to the front gates of the new cemetery. All other units retain their original positions. No one moves unless it’s on my command.”

  Nate had heard other hostages say that time seemed to drag in the face of death. Some even claimed that time virtually stood still when one’s life was at stake. For Nate, it was different. Time had no meaning as he stood staring at the man he loved for what was most likely the last time. He used the silent standoff between Mike and Brandon to memorize Bran’s moonlit face, the inky darkness of his hair, the slight curl of his soft lips. He could see the faint shimmer of tears in Brandon’s eyes and the slight trembling in his still-raised gun hand. He had just enough time to mouth the words, “I love you,” as the gunning of the V-8 announced the arrival of the car.

  Mike frog-marched Nate to the gates, all the while hissing orders into his ear. “Slow and steady, buddy. Almost there. When we get to the car, I want you get in on the passenger’s side and slide over. Just in case you feel like trying any funny business, remember I got my gun cocked and I’m more than ready to use it. It’s gonna be pressed to your head the whole time.”

  Like Nate needed a reminder. The walk to the car was agonizing, but they made it without incident. Just as Mike said, Nate opened the passenger door, and made a move to slide in. Mike released his arm from around Nate’s neck, but he kept the gun pressed firmly to Nate’s skull. After a few awkward maneuvers, both Nate and Mike were inside.