Forgotten (Shattered Sisters Book 2) Page 7

  "I used to live there," Ted said, glancing away from his sister-in-law for once.

  "You miss it much?" Ash asked.

  "Not really."

  "Oh, yes, you do, Ted." Caroline smiled in Ash's direction. "You ought to hear him in the winter."

  "Well, who wouldn't miss the sun when there's three feet of snow outside the door?" Ted chuckled, but it seemed strained.

  Ash nodded, smiling. "You get back there often?"

  Ted paused with his fork halfway to his mouth.

  It was Caroline who piped in with the answer to Ash's question. "We used to take vacations there, but it's really not much fun for little girls. They were toddlers last time, remember, Joey? It took all three of us just to keep up with them."

  Ash's stomach clenched. "Joey went with you on vacation?"

  Caroline nodded. "To help with the girls. These days, we opt for places with theme parks nearby."

  Ash was itching to ask if that trip happened to occur during the summer of the Slasher’s Vegas killing spree. But he couldn't just come right out with it. These people were not stupid. They'd know he suspected something, even if they might not know what.

  "Time for dessert?" Bethany asked.

  "It's Aunt Joey's favorite," Brittany sang.

  "Caro, you didn't—"

  "Of course I did.” Caroline rose and began clearing away dishes. Joey got up to help, and Ash automatically stood as well.

  They accomplished the cleanup within a few minutes, then sat around the living room with luscious cheesecake and wonderful coffee, groaning almost in unison that they couldn't hold another bite.

  "You play pool, Ash?"

  Ash almost answered yes, then caught himself. "Damned if I know." He tapped his head with a forefinger by way of explanation.

  Ted laughed. "I have a new table downstairs. What do you say we find out?"

  “I’m game...if you’ll show me around your shop first.”

  Ted frowned. “It’s pretty boring.”

  “It’s your business. I’m fascinated by sole proprietors.” And curious to see if the shop held any clues to whatever Ted was hiding.

  Ted Dryer was an electrician. TD Electric had its "headquarters" in a shoe box of a building he'd put up beside the house. He had a professionally crafted sign over the door, and a company pickup with magnetized signs stuck to its doors in the driveway. Ted walked Ash outside to show him around. The pickup was less than two years old, the building freshly painted. From all appearances, business was good. Ted unlocked the door to the shop and ushered Ash into the office portion. It consisted mostly of a desk and chair, a phone, a file cabinet and a little rack to hang keys on tacked to the wall just inside the door. The pickup keys dangled there on a key ring that read, My Other Car's a Mercedes. There was a computer on the desk. It was turned on. Ash was dying for a moment alone with it.

  “What’s through there?” he asked, pointing at a door in the back.

  “Workshop area.” Ted unlocked and opened the door, led Ash into a room about the same size as the office, with a workbench and tools and lots of small electronic items with their guts exposed. “Hell, I shouldn’t have left that out,” Ted said, and began picking up a set of tools and replacing them in a box.

  Ash grabbed his phone from his pocket, looked at the screen and then at Ted. “My boss texts me at the damnedest times. I’ll just be a sec.” Then he walked back into the office while tapping on his phone’s screen. The second he was out of Ted’s sight, he leaned behind the desk, grabbed the mouse and clicked on HISTORY. A list of recently visited websites came up and he flipped up his cell phone, snapped a photo of the screen, then paced back into the workshop barely missing a beat, tapping the phone as if he’d never stopped. He paced out and back in again once more for good measure.

  Ted finished putting his tools away and then they returned to the house and knocked balls around on a green felt pool table in the finished basement. Joey’s brother-in-law seemed friendly, but maybe just a little too curious.

  "So tell me about you and Joey," he said at one point during the game. "I can't quite picture her settling down to be someone's little wife."

  "Me neither." Ash met Ted's glance and they both laughed. "Hell, Ted, you can probably tell me more about her than I could tell you." He shrugged. "I must have known her so well once, but now..." He let his voice trail off, hoping Ted would take the bait.

  "She's pretty up-front," Ted said. "I mean, she's not the kind with hidden agendas and plots. She's just about what she seems. Calls 'em like she sees 'em, says what she means...most of the time."

  "Most of the time?"

  Ted shrugged and bent over the table, drawing the cue stick back slowly, aiming its tip at the white ball. "We all have our hang-ups." He struck the cue ball. It struck two others, one of which rolled neatly into a corner pocket. Ted straightened and walked around the table, reaching for the chalk.

  "And what's Joey's?"

  Ted's brows raised. “Damned if i know. I thought I had her figured out. Thought she hated anything male and always would." He laughed and shook his head.

  But Ash didn't feel like smiling. "Why'd you think that?"

  Ted chalked the cue. "Always assumed it was because of her father. Fathers, I should say. The one who raised her cheated on the girls’ mother through most of their marriage. Not that she didn’t cheat right back with Joey’s birth father. But the daughters don’t seem to consider that anything but payback. From what I hear, Joey’s birth father was even worse. Has kids by several different women. Course, Joey didn’t know that until recently. She’s only met one of them, a semi-famous crime writer, Toni Rio." He looked up to see if Ash recognized the name, but he didn’t. "They really seem to have bonded. I think Caroline’s a little bit jealous. Up until a year or so ago, she was Joey’s only sibling.” Then he frowned. “Hasn't she talked to you about any of this?"

  Ash shook his head, sensing Ted was volunteering a lot in hopes Ash would reciprocate. “No, she hasn’t. At least, not that I can recall.”

  "Well, she ought to. The girls’ relationship with their father has left scars. And in Joey’s case, finding out the man who raised her wasn’t her father at all, probably left a few more more.

  "Ted, telephone," Caroline called from upstairs.

  Ted sighed, set the stick down and went up the stairs. Ash followed. They joined Joey and Caroline, who were standing in the living room, close to each other. He found his gaze drawn to Joey's face. She seemed worried, and watched Ted as he spoke quietly and hung up.

  "Well, I'm afraid I have to go out."

  "But, Ted—"

  "It's an emergency, hon,” he told his wife. “Mrs. Peterson's power is out, and she says the box smells hot. I really have to go check it out." He gripped Caroline's shoulders, drew her forward and kissed her quickly. Ash didn’t miss the way she turned her head so his lips fell on her cheek instead of her mouth. Then Ted turned to pump Ash's hand. "Good meeting you, Ash,"

  "Same here," he replied.

  Ted faced Joey. His jaw tightened as he looked at her. "Take care, Joey." The words were heavy with meaning. And then he was hurrying out the door.

  Caro sank onto the sofa, her face obviously straining to hide her misery. Ash wasn't sure what to do, but he caught Joey's glance. She nodded her head toward the two girls stretched on the floor watching television. She looked worried about her sister and Ash knew she wanted some time alone with her.

  "Hey, you two,” he said to the kids. “Isn't it getting close to bedtime?"

  Two blond heads turned in his direction. "Not yet!"

  "Can't we stay up? Mommy?"

  Ash shook his head in mock disappointment. “Oh. All right then. I was gonna read you a story, but…”

  They were on their feet in a flash, and Ash felt himself being tugged, one girl holding each of his hands, across the living room and through the open bedroom door at its far end. He’d be out of earshot, but still within sight of Joey and her sister. He g
lanced over his shoulder at Joey, caught her grateful smile and sent her an encouraging wink.

  She was worried. Right now, it was about her sister, but it went deeper, Ash thought. She hadn't relaxed all night. And while it was obvious she was still lying to him, and to her sister as well, it was equally obvious that she hated every minute of it. And it did nothing to dampen the desire he felt for her every time he looked at her.

  Joey went to the bedroom door and peered inside. Ash sat in a rocker, a girl on each knee, a book open on his lap.

  "And as the princess gently kissed the frog, something magical happened. The spell was broken, and he turned into the handsome prince he truly was. Falling down on his knees, he took the princess's hand in his and told her how much he loved her. They were married in a great celebration, and of course they lived happily ever after."

  He closed the book. "Well, how was that?"

  Joey smiled, an unfamiliar warmth curling in the pit of her stomach. She'd been furious with him earlier, but she'd reasoned with herself until she thought she understood him. He believed she was his wife. He probably felt frustrated and hurt that she'd rejected his physical advances. His rotten attitude was no more than another result of all he was going through right now. She had to forgive him. "They're asleep," she whispered.

  Ash glanced at the blond heads lolling upon either of his shoulders. Joey stepped forward and scooped Bethany from his lap. She carried her to the white four-poster and tucked her in. When she turned, Ash was installing Brittany in the bed's twin, on the other side of the room. Felix had already settled himself on the foot of her bed and looked dead to the world.

  "You know, these two are just about the most precious things in my life."

  "I'm not surprised," he said, his voice low. "They've charmed my socks off already."

  She met his gaze across the room. "You're terrific with them."

  "I love kids."

  She went to the rocker and picked up the book. The process of forgiving him was suddenly complete. "The Frog Prince?"

  Ash met her in the room's center. "Seemed appropriate," he said softly. "It's a fascinating theory, don't you think?" He took the book from her hands, set it aside. "I know I acted like a frog earlier. I didn't mean it."

  "I know."

  He slipped his arms around her waist, drawing her close. She stiffened, but he shook his head quickly. "One kiss, Joey. Not so much for a husband to ask from his wife, is it? Besides, how else will you know if there's a prince hidden under this frog skin?"

  She moistened her lips. What she saw in his eyes made her blood warm, and she was assaulted once again by the attraction that wouldn't go away. She wanted to kiss him, not to convince him that they were truly man and wife, but to feel the touch of his mouth on hers, the pressure of his arms around her, the strength of his chest against hers. She nodded. "All right,” she said, glancing at the girls to be sure they were still sound asleep. “One kiss."

  Ash smiled. Then his mouth covered hers. His arms around her waist tightened, drawing her body to his. She parted her lips, curious, eager, excited, all at once. It seemed as if he was tasting her, and liking what he found.

  The flash flood of desire that rushed through her shocked Joey. Her arms curled tighter around his neck. Her body pressed harder against his, and her fingers threaded into his hair. This was good. Whatever this was, it was incredibly good. It was more than a kiss. It was a firestorm of feeling. And she thought he was losing himself in her as much as she was in him. She felt his heart hammering, heard his rapid breathing. All because of her. The feel of his hands at the base of her spine, their pressure holding her tight, was bliss. And then the sound of Caroline clearing her throat sent her to the opposite extreme. She stepped away guiltily, suppressing a shiver. The fire in Ash's eyes , though, still burned bright.

  "Caro...I—I'm sorry. I...we just—"

  "It's okay. I remember when it was like that. Go on home, you two."

  Ash blinked, then turned, slipping a possessive arm around Joey's shoulders. "You sure you don't want us to stick around until Ted gets back?"

  The pain that lanced her sister was obvious to Joey, and probably to Ash as well, but Caro only nodded sharply. "No, he's liable to be...late. As long as the girls are asleep, I guess I'll turn in myself. It's been a long day. Good night."

  Joey sighed as her sister turned and walked away. Ash kept his arm around her while they walked together to the front door. He looked down at her and she held his gaze for a long moment before she had to look away. He wanted her. His eyes were telling her so in no uncertain terms. And dammit, she wanted him, too. But she couldn't let this thing with him develop into anything more than it was. She couldn't let herself begin to feel anything for him. God, she didn't ever want to suffer the way Caro was...the way their mother had.

  He walked her to the car, opened the driver's door and stood aside. Joey shook her head and handed him the keys. "You mind driving, Ash? I'm too worried. I'd probably put us in a ditch."

  He got in and she went around to the other side. "You want to talk about it?"

  She frowned hard as he started the car. Strangely enough, she did. Why, for God's sake? What good would telling him do? "Caro thinks Ted's cheating on her." Joey shook her head and thumped her fist on the dash as the car backed out into the street. "Damn him. How can he do this to her?"

  Ash shook his head. "Don't you think he deserves a trial before you string him up, Joey?"

  "My sister wouldn't think it unless the evidence was pretty strong. She doesn't want to think it now, but it's getting harder not to."

  "Why?"

  She looked up at him, looked at the way the lights of other vehicles played over his face. His beard was coming in again, a darker shadow on his jaw. Her fingers itched to run over it. "There's money missing from their accounts, and he won't explain it. He has these murmured conversations on the phone and hangs up when she comes into the room. He's secretive. She knows he's keeping something from her. And that was the second emergency this week for Mrs. Peterson."

  "So?"

  "Mrs. Peterson's first name is a thirty-five year-old widow who'll take on anything wearing pants."

  “And you know this because…?”

  She scowled at him.

  "Well, have you ever met the woman?"

  She lifted her chin. "No. But Caro has—"

  "And you don't think she might be a little biased?"

  "My sister isn't like that." She felt his gaze on her, but didn't look back. "Why do men do it, Ash?"

  "What? Cheat?"

  She nodded, still not facing him.

  "Not all men do it."

  She released a clipped burst of air. "Right."

  "Your stepfather did, though. And your birth father, too. And to you, that means all men must be the same.”

  She looked up quickly, startled.

  “Ted mentioned you had a problem with your dad. Dads. You've talked about your mother several times. You and your mother must be very close."

  "We were." She swallowed the lump in her throat

  "Damn," he muttered. "I'm sorry, Joey. I didn't know. Was it...recent?"

  "Last year. Stroke." She drew a breath and willed herself to go on. “Dad, my stepdad, the one I thought of as my father my entire life, was with his mistress the night my mother died. He moved her into my mother's house two months later."

  "And you can't forgive him?"

  "I hate him."

  He nodded. "Hating people takes a lot of energy, Joey."

  "I'm used to hating him. I've had a lot of practice."

  "Been doing it a while, hm?"

  "Since the first time I saw him with someone else. I was twelve. The thing I never understood was why my mother put up with it. She had to know. God, if I could see it, I know she could. Why did she stay with him?"

  "That's probably something only she could answer."

  She nodded, but remained quiet.

  "You know, growing up like that might make
a lot of women wary. Maybe even a little quick to jump to conclusions."

  She faced him as he turned her car into the long, graveled driveway and drove slowly over it. "You think that's what Caro is doing?"

  He shrugged. "Could be. I got the feeling Ted was hiding something, but it didn't seem like it was an affair."

  She frowned "What else could it be?"

  "I don't know. Whatever it is, he'd be better off being honest with Caroline about it. The truth probably isn't as bad as what she's thinking."

  Joey blinked, for the first time wondering if there could be another explanation for Ted's behavior.

  "It's important, I think. Being honest," he went on. He steered the car onto the blacktop portion of the driveway and killed the headlights, then the motor.

  She had to turn her head away. Even though he couldn't see her in the darkness of the car, she could feel his eyes on her. Obviously, he knew she'd been less than honest with him. She couldn't even deny it.

  "You're right." Her voice was almost a croak. "But sometimes there are things that are more important." She thought of her beautiful nieces, growing up without their mother, of the beautiful man beside her lying still and cold in a grave.

  "Okay, I'll concede that point." He was silent a moment. "Will you answer me one question?"

  "If I can." She lifted her head.

  She heard him move, and then the interior light came on. He looked at himself in the rearview mirror, rubbed his stubble-coated chin. "You see any signs of a prince emerging here?"

  "Not a one." He looked crestfallen, and she laughed softly. "But you know, I'm beginning to think the frog isn't as bad as he pretends to be."

  Ash slept in her bed again that night. It was an unspoken conclusion that he would. He still wasn't sure why she wanted him there, if she didn't want him. Of course, she did want him, she just wouldn't let it happen. So why share a bed?