Forgotten (Shattered Sisters Book 2)

by Maggie Shayne

He snagged her waist and pulled her closer, kissing her with an urgency that surprised him. Then he brought her head to his chest and held her there, against his thundering heart. God, he wished he could believe her. It would be so easy to let her in, let her warmth, her love, heal the old wounds.

  But he was all too aware that none of it was true. There was no love between them. It was all a farce, one he still didn't understand. And for a moment he wished his pretend amnesia was real, so he could relish this moment, believe in it. It would be easy. It felt real.

  He pushed her away and got to his feet, gripping her hands and pulling her with him. He shouldn't have talked about his past with her. It made him feel vulnerable, weak. He'd deal with his own problems in his own way. Alone. He would piece together the puzzle of Joey Bradshaw, and he would see the Slasher pay the price. And then he would go his way, resume his search for a life, a family of his own. He would find a woman, one he could build something with, one he could trust. He would have children and give them everything he'd longed for as a child. Everything he'd been denied.

  But there would never be love. He hadn't realized that until now. There was a big hole inside him where love should have been. It had never been filled, so there was none there to give.

  He cleared his throat and his mind. "Let's go back to the entrance. Maybe the Slasher gave up and left by now."

  She stepped nearer, her hands on his shoulders. "Ash, I—"

  "No, Joey. No more. It was a brief lapse. I'm fine now."

  He thought she nodded. He was glad he couldn't see her face, read whatever was in her eyes, or misread it. He turned the way they'd come, but her hand caught his again.

  "There's another exit. This way."

  It was as if he'd slammed a door in her face. Joey wished she could understand why, but she couldn't. She'd felt his thoughts so clearly only moments ago—his anguish, the rush of memories that had engulfed him. But now there was nothing.

  She consoled herself that it was good he'd stopped her when he had. She had been about to tell him that she loved him, just to ease his aching heart. Where the impulse had come from, she had no idea. She'd just been overcome with the need to take away his pain, and the words had bubbled up in her throat like some living thing inside her, desperate to escape. She'd let herself get so caught up in wanting to help him that she'd forgotten to protect herself. If she'd blurted out something so blatantly false, he'd have known, or he would find out, as soon as his memory was restored. And then he'd have all the more reason to hate her.

  She ignored the recurring urge to hold him close again. She focused on finding the right passages. She knew the cave well, but always before, she'd had a light to guide her. This time all she had was her memory, and it had been a long time. She'd avoided this place and its happy memories after her stepfather had let her down. She hadn't thought she could ever enjoy coming here again...until she'd come with Ash.

  He didn't say a word as they walked. His palms were dry, his breathing normal. Maybe she had helped him, then, just a little.

  Finally she saw daylight filtering through an opening ahead. She walked slowly, careful not to make a sound. Ash did the same without her warning, just in case the Slasher knew about this cave and was waiting. She honed her senses, opened her mind, sought the prickling sense of danger she feared would come. But she felt only fresh air bathing her face, brilliant sunlight warming it as they drew nearer.

  They emerged on a grassy hillside overlooking a farmhouse, a red barn, a cluster of cows. Ash pulled out his phone, held it up, moved it left and right. “No bars.”

  “We’ll go down there. They’ll have a phone.”

  She didn't take her hand from Ash's and he didn't release it until they started down the hill. But then he stopped her, turned her and then scooped her into his arms. "I couldn't help you in there. Too dark not to bash you into something. But I'll be damned if you're walking on that leg anymore today."

  She leaned forward and kissed him. He stared at her for a second, and she saw her own confused feelings mirrored in his dark eyes. Then he started off, carrying her down the hill to the farmhouse.

  While Joey spoke to the farmer's wife, Ash used their phone to call the police.

  “This proves Joey isn't the Slasher." Ash said it for the fourth time as he paced Radley's office. It had been three hours since they’d been in the cave. Between talking to the police, filing a report, and then making the drive back, the day was about shot.

  "It only proves that,” Rad said, “if you can be sure the woman you saw was."

  "Well, who the hell else would have been slinking through the woods with a knife in her fist?"

  Rad's hands came up in front of him. "I didn't say I doubted you, I'm just asking if you're sure."

  "I'm sure." Ash stopped pacing and stared at his friend. "What I'm not sure of is how the hell she knew where to find us. You're the only one I told, Rad."

  "Whoa, whoa. Are you saying you think I had something—"

  "Of course not. Jeeze, Radley. I'm asking if you told anyone else."

  Rad shook his head as he rose from his chair. "What do you think, I'm an idiot? Of course I didn't tell..." His words trailed off. He pushed a hand over his graying hair and swore under his breath.

  "What?"

  Rad sighed. "Bev Issacs. She was in my office when you called to tell me you were going down there. Freaking grilling me about that cigarette butt Harris lifted from her ashtray." He grimaced. "Dammit, Ash, I jotted the location down in case I needed to reach you." He turned, searching his desk, moving file folders aside. "The note's gone. She could've taken it. I’m an idiot.”

  As he said it, Joey reentered the office. He'd tried to get her to stay off the leg, but she couldn't seem to sit still. Her wide eyes met Ash's. He answered her unspoken question as she handed him a mug of coffee. "There's a chance Bev Issacs knew where we were."

  Joey's tongue darted out to moisten her lips. She obviously wanted to say something, but hesitated.

  "Go on, Joey. What is it?"

  "I think...I think Ted might've known, too. I mentioned this morning that we’d been there fishing last night, and that we might go back there." She crossed the room, putting her back to both men, and stared out the window between the white slats of the blinds. "I don't think it was him, though. I really don't. Not Ted."

  "I thought you said it was a woman?" Radley's voice conveyed confusion.

  "She—the person—was wearing a skirt. I never got a look at the face. It could've been a man in drag, I guess." Ash stepped up behind Joey, placing his hands on her shoulders. "It would explain a lot. Ted's late-night calls, the things he's been keeping from your sister. And he was in Vegas during that other string of murders."

  She whirled to face him, and his stomach tightened when he saw the dampness in her eyes. "It wasn't Ted. And suspecting only the people who could have known where we were is a mistake. There's always a chance we were followed."

  "She has a point there, Ash."

  Ash heard Rad's words, but kept his eyes on Joey's face. He suddenly understood what she'd meant in that cave, when she'd said she felt his pain. Because he felt hers now. It would tear her up if Ted turned out to be the Slasher. And it would tear Ash up to see it. He felt close to her, too damn close.

  He blinked at the unexpectedness of that thought. Sure, he was growing fond of her. But he knew they'd go their separate ways in the end, and he knew he wouldn't wither and die because of it. Even if he might wish he could. Damn, there he went again, exaggerating his feelings. What was wrong with him, anyway?

  She looked up at him, her eyes so intense he wondered if she'd been reading his mind again. "I want to go home, Ash." She closed her eyes, shook her head slowly. "It's been a long day. I just want it to end."

  He nodded, turned her toward the door and slipped an arm around her shoulders, holding her close to his side. It had been a long day. They'd gone back to the lake with the police, answered endless questions, waited restlessly w
hile the area was scoured for evidence. All for nothing. Not a single clue had been left behind. Whoever he or she was, the Slasher was good. Careful. Cunning. Sooner or later, though, there would be a slip. And then the killer would land behind bars. And then....

  He stared down at the top of Joey's head. Seemingly sensing his gaze, she looked up, met his eyes. And then what? he wondered.

  The closer the car got to her house, the better Joey felt. She had to put all of this out of her mind, just for one night. She wanted to relax in a steaming bath, drink a glass of wine and spend the night wrapped in Ash's strong arms, feeling safe from the world.

  She tensed, though, when Ash drove the car over the graveled driveway and the house came into view. Lights glowed in the windows. Shadows moved behind them. Dread ran in her veins like ice water, and she shot Ash a glance, seeing the same alarm clouding his beautiful face. Then it eased, and he pointed.

  "Look. It's Caroline's. She's back."

  Joey glanced in the direction he pointed, seeing her sister's station wagon parked in its usual spot on the paved strip. But instead of relief, Joey felt an even deeper fear take root inside her. Caro shouldn't be here. She was in danger. God, she'd only been in Florida for a couple of days. Why did she have to come back now?

  Ash pulled the car to a stop beside Caroline's, and Joey was out like a shot, limping around the house as fast as she could manage, flinging the back door open. "Caro? Caroline! Where are—?"

  Her words were forcibly stopped by two small bodies hurling themselves into her arms and hugging the breath out of her. She returned the girls' hugs, but didn't hear their giggling greetings. She focused beyond them, to the foot of the stairs, flooded with relief at seeing Caroline there.

  She released her pent-up breath all at once, smiling. But the smile died on her lips when a tall, straight form stepped from the bottom stair into her range of vision. Her arms fell limply to her sides, and she gaped.

  "Hello, Joey."

  Ash was at her side. She felt his strong presence there, felt his eyes on her. But she couldn't look away from the man.

  "Isn't it great, Aunt Joey? Grandpa came back with us. He's gonna take us to the zoo and..."

  The stream of high-pitched words faded. A dull roar filled Joey's ears instead. Clenching her teeth she forced herself to speak. "Hello, Father."

  "Joey." He came forward, smiling, stretching out a hand to clasp Ash's. "You must be my new son-in-law."

  Joey watched Ash shake her stepdad’s hand. "Ash Coye," he said. "Good to meet you, Mr. Bradshaw." As he spoke, Ash glanced her way.

  "Matthew to you," he replied. "I had to come. Had to meet the man who managed to lure my Joey to the altar."

  "I am not your Joey. I'm not your anything."

  Caroline bustled her way between them, gathering the girls away from Joey's legs and chattering loudly in an effort to break the tension that filled the room to bursting. "Let's all go upstairs. I made us supper, and if it stays in the oven any longer, it'll be dry as a chip. Come on."

  Joey opened her mouth to say she was leaving, but clamped it shut before the words escaped. She couldn't leave Caroline alone, not when the Slasher was so close, so perceptive, always seeming to know where she was, what she was doing.

  "Go on ahead, girls, and finish setting the table," Caroline instructed.

  They groaned, but obeyed. When they'd left the room, Joey glared at her sister. "What is he doing here?"

  "You can address me directly, Joey. I'm standing right in front of you."

  Her gaze shifted to him. She hadn’t seen him in a year, not since her mother’s death. He looked older. His skin had lost its tightness and some of its color. His hair was grayer than she remembered. "I have nothing to say to you."

  "Well, that's good, because I have a lot to say to you. Maybe you'll be quiet and listen for a change, hm?"

  She shook her head quickly, her hair flying over her face. Ash's arm came around her and squeezed, infusing her with strength when she thought her knees would buckle.

  "Come on, Dad," Caroline said softly. "Come on upstairs. Just give her a minute." She tugged on their father's arm and, reluctantly, he turned and went with her.

  The second they were out of sight, Joey turned into Ash's arms, burying her face against his hard chest. Her arms twined around his neck and she clung to him as if she would never let go, battling tears that fell anyway.

  He held her tightly, nearly crushing her to him. One hand stroked her hair. "It's okay. I'm here, just hold onto me. You can get through this."

  "I don't want him here."

  "I know."

  "Make him leave, Ash. Throw him out, tell him—"

  "Joey..." He cupped her face in his palms and tilted it up to his. "You have to tell him. Whatever it is that's burning inside you, you have to let it out, say it to his face. And maybe hear whatever it is he feels he has to tell you."

  She blinked the tears away. "I don't want to do this. I can't."

  One hand left her cheek to brush the hair away from her face. "Sure you can. I'll be here for you. I'll help you."

  As she stared into his eyes, Joey saw the pain in their velvet brown depths. Pain for her. And steely strength, as well. If he would stay beside her, hold her close to him, maybe she could get through this night. With Ash at her side, she felt all of a sudden, she could get through anything. Anything at all. My God, how had she let herself fall so hopelessly in love with him?

  Oh my God, she thought. I am. I’m in love with him!

  He lowered his head and caught her lips with his, still cupping her face with one hand, while the other threaded through her hair. He tasted her, sipped from her mouth. A tender kiss, but one packed with emotion. He slanted his lips over her face, kissing away her tears, then lifted his head, staring into her eyes.

  "I need you, Ash." Her voice was choked, hoarse. The words came of their own volition.

  "You've got me, Joey."

  She closed her eyes, knowing all too well that she didn't have him. Not really. Not for much longer. But at least for tonight.

  Chapter Thirteen

  * * *

  The doors were locked, the gun loaded and within his reach. Brittany and Bethany were finally asleep upstairs, but only after insisting Ash tell them a half-dozen fractured fairy tales. Ash had Beverly Issacs's word, for what it was worth, that a squad car would cruise the neighborhood all night, just in case.

  Joey stood stiffly, watching him. Her sister occupied the rocking chair, and her stepfather Matthew Bradshaw sat in the recliner. Ash took a seat on the sofa, and Joey immediately sat down beside him, her body tight to his. He put an arm around her, bent to kiss her cheek. Why he felt like a lion protecting its mate, he didn't know. He wished he could take every ounce of her pain and suffer it himself. But he couldn't. The best he could do was help her through this as he'd promised he would. She'd seemed to take strength from that promise. He vowed to live up to it.

  "Does Ted know you're back?" Joey's voice was as tense as her body.

  Caroline shook her head. "I'm going to call him later, before I go to bed."

  Joey glanced at Ash, worry in her eyes, then looked back at her sister. "Why don't you wait until tomorrow, Caro?"

  "Why?" Caroline stopped rocking, her brows furrowed. "Do you know something, Joey? Is he out meeting some—"

  "Of course not!" Joey's eyes widened in surprise. "God, you think I'd keep something like that from you? I just thought you could use tonight to unwind, get your head together. That's all."

  Caroline still looked skeptical, but she settled back in the chair and began rocking again.

  "My God," Matthew Bradshaw said in a gruff voice. "My God, just look what I've done to my daughters." He addressed Ash, and his eyes were brimming. "It's all because of me, you know. They can't trust any man now, because the father they thought was perfect had a flaw."

  "A flaw?" Joey turned her icy stare on him, and he seemed to shrink back into his seat. "Is that what you call
it? You broke our mother's heart, and it's nothing to you but a flaw? She died alone while you were in bed with another woman, and it's a flaw?"

  Ash squeezed her closer, hearing the tears that choked her voice, but she pulled free and shot to her feet, immediately adjusting her stance to take most of her weight on the good leg, then turning as if to leave the room.

  Her father stood, as well, gripped her shoulders and forced her to face him. "Your mother didn't die alone, dammit. She died with her lover right beside her."

  Joey slapped him so hard he rocked back on his heels. "How dare you!"

  He lifted a hand to his face, running his palm over the red mark she'd left there. "You're going to hear some harsh truths tonight, Joey." He glanced at Caroline, who had gone still and white. "Both of you are. And you're going to sit there and listen to what I have to say. After that, you never have to see me again if that's the way you want it. But no one is leaving this room until I've said what I came here to say."

  "No. I won't listen to you spew lies about my mother!"

  Again she turned from him, and again he caught her shoulders. Roughly. Too roughly. Ash got to his feet and shouldered between them, folding Joey into his arms. Her entire body shook, and he held her tighter. He looked over her, at her father, and saw the man's distress. Matthew spun away, pacing a small circle, pushing his hands through his hair. Ash was glad the girls were playing upstairs, out of earshot.

  "Look, I'm not trying to tarnish your mother’s memory. I'm not saying she wasn't the most wonderful woman on this planet, because she was. But, Joey...Caroline, she never loved me. I never loved her. We married because she was pregnant. We were both too young to know anything about love."

  Joey turned in Ash's arms, but held them around her waist and kept her back pressed to him. "I don't care why you married her. She was your wife. She gave her life to you, and to Caroline and me. She didn't deserve...." Her voice trailed off. Her head lowered and a sob wrenched her body.