Abandon the Dark

by Marta Perry

  And he didn’t think he could utter a coherent sentence to save him. His eyes traced the line of her cheek, the curve of her lips. It was all he could do to prevent his hand from following along. She leaned toward him, as if some force of gravity pulled them together.

  With an effort of will and muscle, he drew back away from her.

  “Right,” he said, not pleased to discover that he was breathless or that he was repeating himself. Couldn’t he think of something else to say? “I...I’ll have to talk to you about business in a day or two if Rebecca doesn’t improve. In the meantime, you can refer to me anyone who has a question about finances.”

  “Yes, all right.” She turned and walked a few steps away. Maybe she felt the need to put some distance between them as well. “Thank you, Jake. And thank you for telling me.”

  She’d thanked him twice in one meeting. That had to be a record. Now he’d better get out of here before he did something foolish, like checking for himself how those lips tasted.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  IF SHE HAD to worry, Lainey decided after Jake left, she ought to be obsessing over how to manage Aunt Rebecca’s care, now that she’d committed herself. Instead, she found herself going over and over that strange story Jake had told her about Aaron Mast’s death.

  Trying to push it out of her mind, she finished putting away her supper dishes, turning on the kitchen gaslight with what had already become an automatic motion. Strange, how quickly one adapted to the lack of electricity. The only continuing issue was charging her cell phone and notebook.

  The cell she’d been keeping charged up with the car adaptor, but the notebook was a more difficult problem. She’d actually found herself eyeing the electrical outlets in the hospital room today. It might have been logical, but somehow she couldn’t bring herself to do it with Aunt Rebecca lying motionless in the hospital bed.

  Both Meredith and Rachel had urged her to use their homes like her own when they’d left last night, but that seemed an imposition. She might have to get over that feeling if things went on as they were for much longer.

  Lainey glanced out the window toward Meredith’s house. The front room was dark, but a light was on in the kitchen. She couldn’t see the other side of the house, of course, where Meredith had mentioned her office was.

  Why hadn’t they said something to her about Aaron Mast’s death and its terrible aftermath? Perhaps the memory of Meredith’s mother’s death was still too fresh and painful for her to talk about. It was hard to imagine the past coming back to haunt one in so dangerous a form. Lainey had plenty of things to regret in her past, but certainly nothing dangerous.

  Well, she now had the story from Jake, so she wouldn’t need to bring it up to Meredith and Rachel. If they did decide to confide, that was fine, but unlikely.

  Lainey closed a cabinet door, glancing around the kitchen to be sure everything was as tidy as her great-aunt would have left it. At first glance it looked like any slightly old-fashioned kitchen. Only a closer inspection showed the lack of electricity. Whatever reasons the Amish had, and she had to confess she’d never looked into the subject, they had been ingenious in adapting to other means of cooking, light and heat. Batteries, generators and gas appliances seemed to fill the gaps except, of course, for things like computers and televisions. But then, maybe those were the very things the Amish preferred not to have in their homes.

  Her cell phone rang as she walked into the living room. Lainey picked it up, careful to check the caller. Her stomach clenched into a hard knot. She’d thought of regrets, and one of the biggest ones was calling. Phillip.

  Lainey’s immediate instinct was to switch off the phone. This was the first time he’d attempted to contact her since everything blew apart.

  Still, she wouldn’t be a coward. She clicked to answer.

  “Lainey? Where on earth are you?” Phillip sounded aggrieved. “I couldn’t find you.”

  Anger swept away the nerves at speaking to him again. “You can’t have tried very hard. This is the first time you’ve called.”

  “I had to be careful. You should know that. But I had Bobby check your apartment, and no one had seen you there.”

  Bobby was his assistant, a young man so quiet it was easy to forget he existed. His job was to keep Phillip’s life running smoothly, and in this case, apparently that meant managing her.

  “I’m out of town.” She hadn’t the faintest desire to let him know where.

  “Where?” His voice softened to the caressing tone she knew so well. “I’ve missed you, Lainey. We have to talk.”

  “So you can tell more lies?” It was surprisingly easy to harden her heart against that voice. Maybe she was cured.

  “Lainey, don’t say that.” Now he sounded hurt.

  “How is your wife?” she asked deliberately.

  “At home with her family. She doesn’t want me back. She never did. It was just her typical play-acting. And you don’t need to sound so holier-than-thou. You...”

  Lainey stopped listening. She doubled-checked her emotions. Phillip blamed his wife. He blamed Lainey. He blamed the media. He’d never think of blaming himself.

  And she’d imagined she loved him. Yes, she was definitely cured. She wasn’t even angry with him any longer, just deeply ashamed of herself.

  When he stopped for breath she spoke quietly. “Don’t ever call me again.” She cut the connection.

  She sank down into Aunt Rebecca’s rocker, the cell phone in her hand. Over. She wouldn’t have believed, a week ago, that she could stop loving him so easily. Maybe the dismal truth was that she, like her mother, wasn’t capable of lasting love.

  She’d barely thought the words when the cell phone sounded. If Phillip thought he could get around her...

  She snapped the phone on. “I told you not to call me.”

  It wasn’t Phillip. It was a hoarse whisper, impossible to identify as male or female, pouring out a string of obscenities and threats. Stomach churning, she yanked the phone away from her ear, fumbling to end the call. But not fast enough to keep from hearing one last line.

  “You can’t hide from me. I know where you are.”

  Lainey barely kept herself from throwing the phone on the floor. She dropped it on the table instead and wrapped her arms around her body, trying to shove the repellent sound out of her head.

  Something brushed against her leg, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. “Cat.” She managed a shaky laugh. “Am I glad to see you.” She stroked the glossy fur.

  The cat arched his back against her hand, turned in a circle, and then leaped to her lap. He kneaded his paws on her legs and then tucked them under him, closing his eyes and purring.

  It was amazing, how soothing the sound and the warm weight proved to be. Lainey leaned back, suddenly exhausted. The house was quiet, too quiet. Cat’s presence, the sense of something else warm and alive nearby, was comforting.

  The cat’s head jerked up, ears pricking.

  “What? Can’t we relax for more than a minute? Do you hear a mouse?” Soon she’d be expecting him to respond to her questions.

  And then she heard it, too...the faintest rustle of sound outside. Tensing, she peered through the nearest window, realizing that with the light on, she might as well be on a stage.

  Something struck the window. She jumped, the cat dug his claws into her jeans and flew off her lap, and there was a rattle outside, as if hail struck the porch.

  It wasn’t until a second window was hit that she identified the noise. Thrown corn. Halloween was fast approaching. It had to be kids, out for some early mischief. She could follow their progress along the side of the house by watching the direction of the cat’s gaze. His hearing was obviously keener than hers.

  Nothing to worry about, but she wasn’t going to make herself a target, either. She went quickly from window to window, pulling down the shades, masking herself from the night.

  Then, when that didn’t bring the measure of assurance she wanted, she double-ch
ecked the front and back doors, making sure no one could get in.

  Lainey paused, hand on the kitchen door, looking at the cat, and her certainty drained away. She hadn’t let the cat in, had she? He’d done his mysterious appearance act again. If he could get in...

  She stared at the cat. “I wish you could talk. How are you getting in here?”

  And more importantly, if the cat could get in, what else could?

  * * *

  DR. YVONNE MORRISSEY frowned a little as she checked Aunt Rebecca’s chart, and Lainey found herself wishing Katie had stayed a bit longer today. If her great-aunt’s doctor was about to deliver bad news, some support would be welcome.

  But when she turned to Lainey, the woman was smiling again, hazel eyes crinkling. Far younger than Lainey would have expected, Dr. Morrissey had a mop of short brown curls and a pleasantly freckled face that reminded Lainey of a mischievous kid.

  “Don’t look so worried,” she said. “Rebecca’s vitals are strong, and I see some signs that she’s becoming aware of things around her.” She nodded toward Rebecca’s face, turned slightly toward Lainey. “You see it, don’t you? That’s a response to your presence.”

  “You think she knows it’s me?” Lainey couldn’t quell the hope that bubbled up at the thought.

  “I wouldn’t go that far.” Dr. Morrissey grew cautious. “There’s no way of knowing that, but certainly she realizes someone is with her.”

  Lainey took her aunt’s hand in both of hers. “Still, that is encouraging, isn’t it?” She’d have to try to hold on to the good thought instead of focusing on her fears, something she’d done too much of during a long and mostly sleepless night.

  The woman nodded, folding her arms as she leaned against the foot of the bed. “I’m making every effort to justify keeping Rebecca here as long as possible, but the hospital is starting to make noises about moving her soon.”

  “Moving her where?” She shouldn’t be surprised, she supposed. Hospitals seemed as eager to rotate patients out as restaurants were to turn their tables quickly.

  “Ideally, I’d move her straight to the rehab facility that’s attached to the hospital.” The doctor gestured vaguely in the direction of the parking lot. “But—”

  “But? If that’s the best place for her, then that’s where she should go.” Jake’s caution about the lack of insurance or Medicare was a burr in her thoughts. Still, surely they could find the money somewhere if that was the issue. “If it’s a matter of money—”

  The doctor held up her hand to stop the flow of argument. “Not entirely that. All of us are aware of the special circumstances involved in treating our Amish patients. In addition, Rebecca will have to be a bit farther along before she can benefit from rehab.”

  “And if she’s not?” It was better to know all the options, she supposed.

  “Then a nursing home, I suppose.” Dr. Morrissey shrugged. “It’s not ideal, but it’s probably the only solution.”

  Everything in her rebelled at the thought. “We can’t give up and do nothing.” She patted her great-aunt’s hand, hoping she could sense the reassurance. “How long before you have to move her?”

  “Probably the beginning of next week.” The woman looked unhappy but resigned. “I’ll send a social worker in to talk to you about the possibilities. That’s really their department, not mine.” She leaned over Rebecca, clasping her hand for a moment. “I’ll stop in to see you tomorrow, Rebecca. Meantime, I know your niece is taking good care of you.”

  If the doctor knew that, she knew more than Lainey did. Well, all she could do was try. She’d committed herself to this, and she had to go through with it.

  By the time Lainey had finished with the social worker and left the hospital, her doubts had reached epic proportion. The doctor might assure her that they understood dealing with Amish patients, but that didn’t seem to make a difference to what the business office expected. Somehow, she was going to have to manage a payment to the hospital in order to take Rebecca out, to say nothing of another payment to get her aunt into the rehab facility. The amount mentioned was easily out of Lainey’s range.

  She’d have to go to Jake. There were no two ways about it. He’d have to be persuaded to find a way to access Aunt Rebecca’s assets, and quickly.

  * * *

  JAKE PICKED UP his jacket and the tie he’d shed once his father and their receptionist had left. It was time for him to get out of here, as well. He’d spent so much time dealing with Rebecca’s affairs that he’d fallen behind on other work.

  He was just reaching for the light switch when the outside door opened. Lainey looked at him with a question in her eyes.

  “Are you leaving?”

  He shook his head, tossing jacket and tie onto the nearest flat surface. “Not if you need to see me. Come in.”

  He went ahead of her into his office to switch on the light, turned to her, and took a second look. Purple shadows marred the delicate skin under Lainey’s eyes, and her shoulders sagged.

  “You look tired.” The words were out before he considered that they might be ill-advised.

  Her chin snapped up. “No woman wants to be told that she looks tired.”

  The flash of anger was evidence of frayed nerves, he’d guess. “Sorry,” he said cautiously. “I didn’t mean—”

  But Lainey was already shaking her head. “No, I’m the one who’s sorry. You’re right. I look tired because I am tired.” She stopped. Then, seeming to think something more was warranted, she continued. “I didn’t sleep well, that’s all.”

  Concerned about her great-aunt? Or just the stress of her new responsibility? He gestured to the padded visitor’s chair.

  Lainey sat, dropping her bag to the rug. He perched on the edge of the desk, not wanting to have it between them.

  He studied her face. She was looking down at her hands, and now that she was here she seemed to have forgotten why she’d come.

  “Worry about Rebecca keeping you up?” He kept his voice neutral, sensing that this might be a sore point, since he’d been a bit too obvious that he didn’t approve of Rebecca’s choice initially.

  She glanced up, eyes startled. “Aunt Rebecca? No, that wasn’t...” She let that peter out, maybe feeling that it was leading in a direction she didn’t want to go. Then she shrugged. “If you must know, I’ve been bothered by a couple of crank calls lately. Stupid, to let that keep me awake.”

  “On your cell phone?” Well, obviously. There wasn’t another phone in the house.

  Lainey nodded. “I can’t imagine how people like that get cell phone numbers.”

  “They probably just dial at random.” But he was sure there was more to this that she was saying. She didn’t seem the type of person to be thrown off balance by a chance crank call.

  “I suppose.” She looked unconvinced.

  “You could change your number, if it’s really bothering you. Or at least check the number before you answer.”

  “I won’t let some anonymous crank make me change my number.” She had a flash of spirit at the thought. “And of course I normally do look to see who’s calling. I just thought a...a friend was calling me back.”

  She looked uncomfortable enough at that to make him wonder. A boyfriend? He could hardly ask that, no matter how curious he was.

  “I suppose you have a lot of people missing you back in St. Louis.”

  “A lot? No. I haven’t been there all that long.” She seemed to turn inward for a moment. “I may not go back at all, at least not to stay.”

  “But you said you hadn’t been there very long.” He tried to decipher what lay behind the wary expression on her face.

  Lainey lifted her hands, palms up. “Maybe I get bored. Maybe I’m as much a gypsy as my mother was. Anyway, that’s hardly why I’m here.”

  Jake bit back the urge to ask her about her family. That last comment was plainly a no-trespassing sign. “What can I do for you?”

  “I need to know how Aunt Rebecca stands f
inancially.”

  He was still trying to assess her meaning when she went on.

  “Not to the penny, of course. But I talked to the doctor today, and then the social worker stopped by. There’s going to be pressure soon to move Aunt Rebecca somewhere else.”

  “I knew that would happen, but I didn’t expect it this early.” He had hoped Rebecca would regain consciousness and control of her own affairs before it came to this.

  “Her doctor was very nice.” Lainey seemed momentarily distracted. “I must confess, I didn’t expect Aunt Rebecca to have a young, female doctor. I pictured someone grandfatherly. Anyway, Dr. Morrissey says that she can justify keeping my aunt where she is a little longer, but by sometime next week, we have to make a change. To a nursing facility if she’s not improved, or to a rehab place if she is. Either way, it can be costly, from what the social worker told me.”

  He nodded, sliding off the desk. “Let me grab your great-aunt’s files. I have them right here, and I’ll go over them with you.” He glanced at the clock. “Unless—”

  “I don’t want to keep you after hours,” Lainey said. “Just give me the files, and I’ll look over them tonight.”

  “I wasn’t trying to skip out on you,” he said mildly. “We’ll have to go over this together before you can make any decisions anyway. I was just going to suggest we do this over supper.”

  Lainey looked instantly wary. Before her lips could form the no he saw hovering, he went on quickly.

  “A business dinner on the firm, of course. I’m sure you’ve had an even longer day than I have.”

  She hesitated for a moment and then shrugged. “I suppose so. Where do you want to go?”

  He considered. “Let’s try the Stone Grill. It’s out on the edge of town and shouldn’t be too busy on a weeknight. We’ll want a bit of privacy and space to spread out if we’re going to get through this bunch.” He hefted the two thick files.

  Again the hesitation. What, did she think he was Jack the Ripper? But finally she nodded.