by Marta Perry
“Love to,” Rachel said, and Meredith nodded, getting up.
They went through into the dining room, and Lainey switched on the battery lamp she’d moved to the table so she would have enough light to sew by.
“This is lovely,” Rachel said, fingering a completed square. “You really have an eye for the colors.”
“Look at those tiny stitches. You definitely take after Rebecca,” Meredith said. “It must be an inherited skill.”
The idea nestled into her thoughts. It would be good to think she’d inherited a positive trait from her great-aunt.
“I still have my doll quilt,” Rachel said. “Mandy loves it. Do you have yours?”
Lainey’s pleasure seeped away. “I’m afraid not. When we left, my mother insisted she didn’t have room for any extras in the luggage.”
The quilt had been abandoned, like the rest of her childhood treasures. Her mother had liked to travel light.
“If you left it here, I’m sure Rebecca kept it,” Meredith said. “She’d never get rid of something like that. You should look for it.”
Somehow Lainey couldn’t quite believe so easily that anyone would want to preserve a child’s first sewing project. “I’ll ask her about it when she’s better.”
“Do.” Rachel reached out to squeeze her hand, as if seeing past the words to the feelings beneath. “I can’t tell you how often Rebecca talks about you. You really do mean a great deal to her, you know.”
Lainey tried to blink away the tears that seemed to come from nowhere. Poor Rebecca. She might have chosen a child to love who’d have been more responsive than Lainey had ever managed to be.
Now she had a chance to be the person Rebecca always seemed to believe she was, Lainey reminded herself. If she failed...well, that wasn’t an option.
* * *
RACHEL WENT WITH Lainey to the hospital the next day, saying it had been too long since she’d stopped by to visit. She was carrying an armful of bronze mums, and their spicy scent seemed to fill the elevator as they rode up together.
“I hope she’s having a good day,” Lainey said as the elevator doors swung open. “It’s still kind of up and down.”
“I’m sure that’s to be expected. She’s improving, that’s the important thing.” Rachel’s voice held quiet confidence.
They moved together toward Rebecca’s room. Lainey pushed the door open and then froze. Aunt Rebecca was sitting up in bed, the tray table pulled into position in front of her. Zeb Stoltzfus bent over the table, seeming to push a pen into Aunt Rebecca’s hand.
“What are you doing?” Lainey fairly flew across to the bed as Zeb jerked back in alarm. She snatched the paper before he could remove it.
“That’s mine.” He reached out. “Give it to me.”
Rebecca’s hand was curled on the table, and her faded blue eyes were wide with what might have been confusion or alarm. Lainey clasped Rebecca’s hand reassuringly even as she scanned the papers she’d snatched.
“This is a deed for the property you farm.” It took all her control to keep her voice even. She crumpled the pages. “You were trying to get her to sign it over to you.”
Zeb’s lips were a thin line above his beard. “I told you before. Rebecca intended to sign it over to me. It’s what Isaac would want.”
“You can’t—” She stopped, knowing she couldn’t say what she wanted in front of her aunt. “Let’s go out in the hall.” She glanced at Rachel.
Galvanized, Rachel hurried to the bedside. “Rebecca, I’m so happy to see you sitting up. I brought you some of those bronze mums you like so much.” Chatting about the flowers, she tried to divert Rebecca’s attention.
Lainey stared at Zeb. Finally he shrugged, leading the way out of the room. Lainey followed. She made sure the door was completely closed before she turned to Zeb.
“This is what Rebecca wants,” he insisted. “Stop interfering.”
“You don’t know what Rebecca wants, and neither does anyone else. When she is better, you can ask her. Until then, stay away from her. And stop sending Thomas to spy on me. It won’t do you any good.”
He shook his head as if he were shaking off a pesky fly. “You have no place in our lives. I told Isaac it was a mistake to take you in the first time. He should have called the police when that woman dumped you on them. You were trouble then, and you’re trouble now.”
He stamped off, leaving her staring speechless after him.
“I thought you said it was a bad idea to confront Zeb.”
She didn’t realize until he spoke that Jake was standing by the elevator, holding a potted plant in one hand. Lainey sucked in a breath, trying to still the clamor in her mind.
“What did he mean?” She stared at Jake, willing him to have an answer. “Dump me on them. What was he talking about?”
“Here.” Jake took her elbow, steering her into a small alcove across the hall that must serve as a lounge. Its chairs were empty, and sunlight streamed through the large window. “Not much privacy, but better than discussing your business in a public hallway.”
Lainey felt her cheeks grow hot. “I shouldn’t have said anything, but I couldn’t help it.” She shoved the papers at Jake, and he set the plant on the nearest table to take them. “He was trying to get Aunt Rebecca to sign those.”
She stared blankly out the window at a view of the street, trying to make sense out of Zeb’s words. Paper rustled.
“Do you mind if I keep these?” The hard note in Jake’s voice was obviously for Zeb, not for her. “I’d like to consult my father before we consider what action should be taken.”
“Yes, fine.” She shoved her hand through her hair. “You heard what Zeb said. He implied that...that Aunt Rebecca and Uncle Isaac didn’t want me.”
Ridiculous, that it should mean so much. That she could feel as if the very foundation of her life was shaken.
“Of course they wanted you.” He steered her to a chair. “Sit down. You need a minute to compose yourself before you go back in to see Rebecca.”
“I need more than that.” She sat, but only because her knees were suddenly wobbly. “I need answers. Do you know anything about this?” She looked up at Jake as she spoke, and saw the movement in his green eyes. “You do, don’t you?”
He grabbed a chair and pulled it over, sitting so that they were knee to knee. “I didn’t, until just a day or two ago. My dad told me, but—”
“Tell me.” She clenched her hands into fists. “If it’s about me, don’t you think I have the right to know?”
“Yes.” He blew out a breath. “Apparently your mother arrived with you unexpectedly. For a visit, she said.” He hesitated, and she could sense his reluctance. “She left during the night without saying anything to anyone.”
“She dumped me on them.” Lainey pulled her hands free. She didn’t need or want comforting, not now. “Why am I not surprised?”
“Look, it doesn’t mean anything. It doesn’t change how they felt about you. Your aunt was delighted to have you, on any terms.”
Her jaw tightened painfully. “And my uncle? Apparently he discussed it with his brother. And with an attorney. He can’t have been very happy if he did that.”
“I don’t know about Zeb. But I do know why he went to see Dad, and it wasn’t because he didn’t want you. He was afraid of what might happen if and when your mother reappeared and wanted them to give you up.”
Lainey studied his face carefully, searching for a sign that he was sugarcoating the truth. His gaze met hers steadily.
“You can speak to my father about it if you want.” He smiled slightly. “He’s normally pretty rigid about the privacy of what a client tells him, but Isaac is gone, and the truth wouldn’t hurt him in any event.”
No. The only person hurt by this particular truth was her, but then she’d never had many illusions about her mother.
Jake touched her hand again—lightly, as if he expected her to yank it away. “It sounds as if you didn’t have a very
stable childhood.”
She shrugged. “Stable? We moved so often I sometimes couldn’t remember my own address. But I don’t think she ever actually deserted me except for that summer.”
“She probably knew she could count on Rebecca and Isaac to take care of you,” he said.
“I suspect it was more that she knew they wouldn’t go to the police.” She tried to look at what she remembered of that summer in the light of this new information, but surprisingly, it didn’t seem to make any difference. She’d never felt anything but welcomed and loved with her aunt and uncle.
“If she’d asked them to take you, they’d have said yes.” Jake’s fingers tightened on hers. “You can count on that.”
She nodded, relaxing a little. “I know. But she didn’t. I suppose she didn’t want to take the risk.”
“Why...” Jake began, and then stopped.
“It’s okay. You can ask it. Why was she so eager to get rid of me that summer?” She shrugged. “A man, I suppose. It always was. That would have been Carl, her second husband. You’d think after she’d tried so hard to get him that she’d have put more effort into keeping him.”
“How long were they married?”
She suspected he was trying to keep her talking, but it didn’t seem to matter. “I’m not sure. Less than a year, I think. I know I didn’t finish up the next school year before we were off.”
“I’m sorry.”
He probably was. Jake’s childhood and hers had clearly been polar opposites. No wonder he seemed so content to stay here. He was rooted here.
“It’s all right.” She managed a smile. “Really. You can stop trying to calm me down. I won’t let any unpleasantness slip to Aunt Rebecca.”
“I know that.” He rose, pulling her up with him. “Let’s go in and make sure she’s not upset about Zeb’s machinations.”
“If he comes near her again—” she began.
“Don’t worry. Dad and I will figure out how to keep Zeb in line.” His smile warmed her. “You can count on me.”
She had begun to do just that, and maybe that was a mistake. There was no future for them, so it was better not to lean too heavily on a relationship that was sure to end.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
THE MINUTE LAINEY walked back into the hospital room, Rebecca looked at her, anxiety plain in her face.
“It’s all right,” Lainey said quickly. “Zeb...he had to leave, but look at the nice plant Jake brought for you.”
“I confess my mother picked it out.” Jake seemed perfectly at home in the sterility of the hospital room. He set the plant on the bedside table and perched at the foot of the bed. “It’s a miniature rose, and she said to tell you she’ll plant it outside for you whenever you want.”
Rebecca raised her hand slowly and touched the pink petals of the tiny rose. “Denke,” she whispered.
Lainey’s heart seemed to warm at the sound. Aunt Rebecca was talking again.
Rebecca’s faint smile slid into a look of concern. “Zeb?”
Lainey glanced warningly at Jake. “It’s all right. We’ll make sure Zeb doesn’t bother you about business until you’re well.”
For some reason, that seemed to trouble Aunt Rebecca. She shook her head, frowning, her fingers plucking at the sheet.
Lainey glanced at Jake and saw the same question in his face that she felt.
“Rebecca, did you want to sign the papers?” Jake’s voice was compelling, but the question seemed to confuse her even more.
Rebecca’s lips trembled, and she shook her head in what seemed to be frustration.
“Don’t worry about it now.” Lainey clasped both Rebecca’s hands in hers, stopping her restless movement. “All this can wait. I’m here to take care of things for you, and I’ll stay as long as you need me.”
It was a rash promise—one Lainey didn’t think she’d ever made before.
Rebecca’s gaze clung to her face. Slowly, her distress ebbed, her face relaxing.
“That’s what she needed to hear,” Rachel said softly.
Zeb’s angry words, Jake’s revelations, her aunt’s dependence...they all seemed to tumble in Lainey’s mind. But maybe none of it mattered. Rebecca trusted her, and she wouldn’t let her down.
“Tomorrow is going to be a busy day.” Lainey kept her tone light. “You’re going to move over to the rehab unit, where they can help you get your strength back so you can go home. The doctor is very pleased with how well you’re doing.”
Rebecca smiled, clearly understanding. “Home.” Just the word seemed to give her strength. She patted Lainey’s hand. “You’ll take care.”
“That’s right.” A sudden uprush of emotion tightened her throat.
Rebecca struggled, frowning, as she tried to form another sentence. “Family,” she said finally. “Family...together.”
That obviously seemed the norm to many people, but then, most people hadn’t grown up the way she had. And even with Aunt Rebecca’s large and generally loving family, there were issues. Lainey had to fight back a horde of rebellious thoughts in regard to some members of Aunt Rebecca’s family. But airing her grievances would only cause problems.
“That’s right,” she said. “Family sticks together.”
* * *
“WAKE UP, JAKE.” Colin dribbled around him and sank a basket easily. “You can’t play one-on-one when you’re half-asleep.”
“Not half-asleep, just preoccupied.” When he’d turned up for the noon game he’d scheduled with Colin MacDonald at the fire hall parking area on Monday, he’d still been considering how best to ensure Zeb Stoltzfus didn’t pull any more tricks. The fact that Rebecca wouldn’t want an outright breach made action more difficult. He’d had no doubt he could get a restraining order to keep Zeb away from Rebecca under the current circumstances, but he suspected Rebecca would be horrified at the idea.
If he was going to get any exercise, he’d have to put that aside temporarily. He put on a spurt of speed and stole the ball, sinking a layup that rattled the decrepit old backboard. The outside court at the school was better, but they couldn’t play there on a school day.
“It’ll be too cold for outdoor basketball soon.” Colin bent, hands on his thighs, catching his breath. “I can’t believe it’s Halloween today.”
“Feeling that time passes more quickly than it used to is a sign of aging,” Jake said.
“Just remember, you’re always going to be a month older than I am. Anyway, that wasn’t what I meant. Halloween always seems to signal the end of mild weather.”
Jake grinned. “I remember all those years when your mother made you wear a jacket over your costume when we went trick-or-treating.”
“Yeah, well, I seem to recall your mother did the same if she caught you before you left the house,” Colin retorted. “And we both stowed them under the porch.” He made a swipe at the ball, but Jake read his intent and dribbled out of reach. “We didn’t come close to the tricks kids are pulling now. Every one of my car windows was coated yesterday, and not just with soap. You have any idea how long it takes to get marker off glass?”
“Your own fault for leaving your car outside,” he said heartlessly.
Colin paused, stretching a hamstring. “Has Lainey Colton had any more trouble with vandalism?”
“Not in the past day or so.” He’d like to believe that meant Thomas had given up. Or that Zeb had called him off.
“We should all be in the clear tomorrow. Every kid knows that tricks pulled after Halloween lead to trouble.”
“I hope so.” Colin was assuming Lainey’s troubles were caused by anonymous vandals taking advantage of a woman alone. Jake wasn’t sure he could buy that theory.
“You’re worried.” Colin caught the ball, giving him an assessing look. “You really think this has been aimed at chasing Lainey away from Deer Run?”
“I think it’s possible,” he admitted. “Zeb Stoltzfus has—or thinks he has—reason to resent that Lainey is handling her aunt’s
property right now. And as for Thomas, I’m not sure what motivates him. Maybe his grandfather.”
Colin’s gaze didn’t waver. “What aren’t you telling me?”
He shrugged. “Maybe I’m making something out of nothing. But you know as well as I do the trouble that started when Meredith and Rachel got together after all those years and started talking about Aaron Mast’s death.”
Colin’s brows drew down. “Sure, but Victor Hammond confessed. It’s over now.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” He seemed to be the only one who had any suspicion that the whole answer hadn’t been found. “And you did okay out of that situation. You actually got Rachel to agree to marry you. So when are you two going to set a date? Or is she starting to have second thoughts about a guy like you?”
Colin shot the ball at him. “No second thoughts on either side. Rachel’s just concerned about how my dad and her daughter are going to adjust.”
“From what I’ve seen, they’ll both be delighted.”
Colin grinned. “That’s what I keep telling her. I think I’m wearing her down. We’re even going trick-or-treating tonight as a family.”
“Nice.” Oddly enough, he didn’t have any urge to rib Colin about his sudden domesticity. “I told Lainey I’d stop by and help her give out candy.”
“The Amish don’t celebrate Halloween,” Colin observed.
“Lainey’s not Amish,” he said. “Anyway, as I recall, Rebecca always managed to have a pan full of whoopee pies ready for visitors on the thirty-first of October.”
Colin eyed him. “Somehow I don’t think your mind’s on trick-or-treaters.”
He shrugged. “I figure I’d like to be on the spot tonight. If anyone comes back for some more vandalism, they’re in for a surprise.”
* * *
LAINEY PULLED INTO the drive Monday afternoon and spotted Rachel, in jeans and a sweatshirt, hurrying across the lawn toward her, a plastic grocery bag in her hand.
“I forgot to remind you of Halloween,” she said. “Even though the Amish ignore it, your great-aunt always had something for the trick-or-treaters.” She smiled. “You know Rebecca. She can’t resist doing something nice for the children, even though she’d pretend she didn’t know a thing about the fact that it was Halloween.”