Joel shrugged. “None that I’ve met. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if there are some illegitimate kids running around out there.”
She sucked in a shocked breath. “Why would you think that? Did Jethro...”
Joel chuckled, waving his hand through the air. “Oh, no, not Jethro. It’s his sons who were not very... moral, if you asked me.”
Joel hopped off the crate and began pushing the sword display back into another room off stage. She jumped up and followed.
“Please, tell me more. I’ve never heard this rumor.”
“Rumor?” Joel laughed, taking out a sword. He grabbed a cloth from a nearby shelf and began polishing it. “I wouldn’t say they were rumors, Elizabeth.”
“They must be. I’ve certainly never heard this before, and I’ve done a lot of research on the Powers’ family legacy.”
“Well, I suppose I could tell you what I’ve heard.”
She nodded vigorously. “Yes, please.”
He leaned an arm on the display. “I heard this rumor from my parents since they knew Aaron’s father quite well. It seems... that Aaron might have a younger brother he doesn’t know about.”
She gasped and quickly covered her mouth. The shocking news tightened her heart. “No. That can’t be...”
Joel shrugged. “Oh, yeah. Aaron’s father was quite the player. He was married, of course, but his eyes wandered, and... well, you can figure out the rest.”
“Does Jethro know?”
“I’d think the old man would know, but then, after the death of Aaron’s parents, the only thing he ever worried about was his one orphaned grandchild.”
Elizabeth continued to shake her head in denial. “That can’t be true. It’s so unbelievable.”
“And yet,” Joel arched an eyebrow, “it’s quite plausible, isn’t it?”
“Well, I suppose.”
“Hey.” Another man’s voice startled her, and Elizabeth whipped her head around to see who had entered. It was the other body double, Jake. He flipped his thumb over his shoulder. “Joel, Chad wants to talk to you.”
Joel looked at Elizabeth. “Are you going to be all right for now?”
“Yes, I’ll be fine. Thank you.”
Joel set the sword back on the display and left the room. Slowly, Jake made his way toward the swords, eyeing Elizabeth suspiciously. What was his problem? After all, the reenactment was to see which crew member looked guilty, so why was Jake looking at her as if she was the murderer?
“I heard what Joel was telling you,” Jake said, taking the other sword down to polish it.
“About Aaron’s father?”
Jake nodded. “Joel doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
She wanted to sigh with relief, but she quickly stopped herself. After all, there had to be some story behind this rumor. “Why not?”
“Because Jethro knew about the illegitimate grandson. He’s known this whole time.”
Her mind spun with unanswered questions. “I... don’t understand. How would you know something like this?”
“Oh, believe me, lady, I know.”
She rolled her eyes. “And I’m just supposed to believe you? I don’t even know you.”
“Let me introduce myself then.” Jake chuckled and mocked a small bow. “My name is Jake Powers... Aaron’s half-brother.”
TWENTY-EIGHT
ELIZABETH DIDN’T KNOW if she could believe Jake, and yet, the Powers’ resemblances were there. Jake’s eyes were the same as Aaron’s and Thomas’. The wide shoulders were the same. The hair color and ears...
But one difference stood out among the similarities. While Aaron and Thomas had cheerful and energetic personalities, Jake seemed dark and depressed.
He moved slowly toward the door to the room and shut it. She held a shaky breath. Why was he looking at her as if she was his next meal... or sacrifice?
“Did Aaron know about you?” she asked, trying to at least act like she’s calm.
“No. Only Jethro.”
“What did Jethro say when you told him?”
Jake’s expression turned darker, and her heart sank. Obviously, that had been the wrong thing to ask. He turned his back to her and slowly walked to the display of swords, pulling one from the rack. He stood motionless as Elizabeth held her breath.
Suddenly, he swung hard, embedding the edge of the blade in a nearby trunk. She gasped and took a step back. His anger frightened her, but not as much as the weapon in his hand.
“Jethro told me I was a liar.” Jake growled, whirling around to face her. He motioned to his face. “Jethro could clearly see I’m a Powers, and yet he kicked me out of his house and told me I was a fraud. I didn’t fit into his picture-perfect family, so I was cast aside like dirty laundry. All I ever wanted was to fit in, to be part of the Powers’ family, to have an inheritance.”
He reached to his side and dislodged the sword from the splintered wood, glaring her down the whole time. Slowly, he began pacing toward her.
“But no. What do I get instead? A rundown apartment, a mediocre salary in my brother’s million-dollar show, lonely evenings with no one to spend them with, and all the while, the piercing knowledge that I do just as much as Aaron...that I’m just as good at magic as Aaron... No, I’m better! But not a single shred of credit. No recognition, no parties, no awards or trophies. A man can only handle living that way for so long before he takes matters into his own hands.”
Her legs shook in fear, and she knew for sure she’d lost her pulse within the last few minutes. “Jake, maybe if you let me talk to Jethro—”
“I’m done talking. I’m done slashing tires because it only makes me more frustrated.” He brandished the sword back and forth in several quick arcs before tightening his grip on its hilt. He narrowed his gaze. “Now it’s time for some action.”
He lunged toward her, swinging the blade. She ducked to the side and jumped away from him, narrowly avoiding the steel edge. The sword sliced into the crate behind her. Jake quickly twisted the sword to free it, preparing to advance on her again. Terror had gripped her voice as she backed away from him. She wanted to scream for help but couldn’t. The only thing on her mind at that moment was staying alive. She’d rather not meet the sharp blade point-first, as Aaron had.
As Aaron had...
She gasped as the puzzle pieces began to fall into place in her mind. “You...” She said in a raspy voice. “You were the one who rigged the box so it wouldn’t widen.”
He gave her a victorious grin. “Ooh, clever girl. I bet you think you’ve got it all figured out, don’t you.” He lunged at her again and, while she barely avoided getting hurt, the sword nicked the bottom hem of her dress, tearing it slightly.
Jake smiled. “I love it when I can prove people wrong.”
Elizabeth shook with panic, trying to ignore his taunting and maintain a safe distance as they circled in the small room. He was just trying to make her doubt herself.
Jake continued to gloat. “It wasn’t so much as wanting Aaron dead, rather it was more about showing Jethro some consequences to his decision.”
“And that’s why you were starting to do the same to Thomas,” she continued her thoughts aloud. “He’s the next in line to inherit Jethro’s billions. You want him out of the way so that you can step in as the next heir.”
Jake swung at her once more, and she quickly shoved a large box in front of her to block the sword. It clanged as it bounced off its metal-plates surface. Trying to keep enough space between them so that he couldn’t stab her was becoming increasingly difficult by the second.
“Lady, you really don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, but I think I do.”
He advanced at her again and she darted away from him, but she stumbled and fell against a divider wall. It wobbled to the side, leaving an opening. She rushed toward the space, but Jake quickly maneuvered in front of her, blocking her escape.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. You really aren’t as cle
ver as me.” He shook his head. “Give it up, lady. You aren’t going to win.”
“And neither are you!”
The man’s voice came from above them, and both Elizabeth and Jake quickly looked up. In the shadows of the rafters and catwalks backstage, the figure of a man was rapidly descending, the sound of his rope whipping through the pulley filling the empty space above them.
The man touched down on the floor with a thud, crouching to soften the force of his landing. As he stood to his full height, Elizabeth gasped in surprise. “Aaron!”
Jake swung around to face him, holding his sword as if ready for battle. Aaron had landed close to the display and snatched another sword. He swiped it back and forth in front of him, narrowing his gaze on Jake. The two men slowly circled the room, piercing each other with heated glares.
“So, you’re my illegitimate brother, huh?” Aaron said in a snarly voice. “Gramps told me about you.”
Jake’s eyes widened in feigned disbelief. “Really? The old man acknowledged me? I’m shocked.”
Aaron nodded. “Gramps knew about you. He found out my father had an affair, but all Gramps cared about was family – legitimate family.”
“My mother begged your father to take care of her,” Jake snapped. “But your father was a high-and-mighty Powers and he turned his snobbish nose up at her, denying her pleas.” Jake’s expression grew harsher. “What would it have mattered if your father had helped her with a few thousand dollars a month to support his child? It’s not as if the man couldn’t afford it.”
Elizabeth’s body shook harder as she watched the two men and heard the story of their father’s short life. She prayed Aaron would have the energy he needed to stop Jake. But being a ghost...
Wait. What was Aaron doing here, anyway? She had never seen him outside of the mansion. Wasn’t his soul trapped there? Could a ghost travel to someone they loved when they were in distress? Aaron had never mentioned being able to do that before.
“It sounds to me,” Aaron said calmly, “that this is a matter between you, my father, and grandfather. So why have you dragged Thomas and me into all this – not to mention Beth? She’s done nothing to you, and yet you were still trying to get rid of her.”
“True, this is an issue I’d love to take up with my father, if he were still alive. Unfortunately, it seems that the stress of being denied her due support caused my mother to go to drastic lengths when I was four years old. She was the one who cut the brakes to your father’s car – leading to your parents dying in a car accident.”
Aaron stopped. His face turned pale and etched with shock. Elizabeth’s heart cried out for him. This wasn’t the best time to hear that his parents’ death had been a murder too. However, what frightened her even more was knowing that Jake could take advantage of Aaron’s stunned silence.
She rushed to Aaron, hoping to give him some assistance. “Like mother, like son, right?” she snapped, aiming her remark toward Jake.
He pointed the sword at her and glared. “You stay out of this.”
She stopped, her heart pounding in her ears. “You just said your mother made poor life choices. That must be why you killed Aaron too – you’ve gone crazy just like she did.”
Jake released a loud and evil laugh. “You still think I killed him? Your lover isn’t dead.”
She shook her head. “You might not believe in ghosts, but here’s proof standing right in front of you. Aaron may be dead, but he won’t be at rest until you’re held responsible for their murder.”
“Oh, really?” Jake suddenly lunged forward and sliced his sword at Aaron, ripping the sleeve of his shirt. Immediately, blood spilled from his upper arm. “See there? Ghosts don’t have blood.”
Elizabeth stood staring at the dark red liquid running down Aaron’s arm. He cringed and cradled his arm against his chest. She waited for him to say something – anything – to her to explain why he was bleeding... why he wasn’t a ghost. Instead, Aaron kept his focus locked on Jake.
“Your mother killed my parents,” Aaron’s voice was deep and grated, “that alone is the reason Gramps won’t acknowledge you. He probably suspected it was your mother the whole time. Gramps is wise in his old age. He doesn’t trust just anyone, and now, he’ll never trust you.”
Aaron lunged with his sword, and the two men parried back and forth in heated strokes. Jake managed to block Aaron’s onslaught, but the tip of Aaron’s sword slipped through his defenses and sliced Jake’s thigh, ripping a hole in his pant leg. Blood quickly coated the area.
“You might finish killing me,” Aaron hissed, “and even kill Thomas too, but Gramps will never give you a penny and he will never accept you as a grandson.”
Jake let out a scream of hatred as he ran toward Aaron, his sword swinging in anger. Aaron parried the best he could with an injured arm, but Elizabeth could see he was weakening fast. She jumped up and ran to the door, pushing it open. She cried out for help and turned back to watch the two half-brothers fight for their lives.
Tears swam in her eyes, and her confused heart didn’t know what to feel. Aaron had lied to her! It was clear to her now that he’d purposely used his magic skills to convince her and the others who’d visited his home that he was a ghost. And, like a sucker, she believed. He’d made her fall in love with him as a ghost with the knowledge that he would pass over soon and she’d never see him again. He hadn’t even bothered to spare her that pain by telling her he was alive.
Why would he do that to her if he loved her? Why...
Suddenly, Jake swiped his blade hard against Aaron’s. The blades clanged loudly, and the force of the impact knocked Aaron’s sword out of his hand. Jake used the moment of advantage to kick Aaron in the knee, sending him tumbling to the floor.
“Aaron!” she cried out as her vision blurred with tears.
As Jake hovered over Aaron with his sword ready to strike, Nolan sped past her, grabbing an additional sword from the display case. In one swift motion, he skidded behind Jake, brought up the hilt of the sword, and knocked Jake in the back of his skull. The man dropped in an unconscious heap, his sword clanking to the ground. Nolan kicked it aside. Chad had been right behind Nolan, and he rolled Jake’s unconscious body over and put him in handcuffs.
She sobbed and fell to her knees next to Aaron. He grabbed her arm with his strong hand and pulled her against him.
“We need to stop the blood,” she muttered.
“Help me rip off my shirt.”
Her mind was numb as she did as he instructed. He showed her how to tie a strip of his shirt around the top of the wound to help stop the flow of blood, and then she wrapped his wound with the rest of the shirt.
Other people had run into the room, but she didn’t pay much attention to them. She heard bits and pieces from Nolan, issuing orders and yelling for someone to call 911. She felt someone kneel next to her and place their warm hand on her shoulder, but she kept her focus on Aaron.
Nolan dropped to his knees beside Aaron. A relieved sigh escaped Nolan’s mouth as he smiled at Aaron. “Welcome back to the real world, buddy.”
Aaron nodded. “I’m glad to be back. It looks like you saved my life again.”
“Again?” Thomas gasped.
Elizabeth realized Thomas was the one touching her shoulder. Her mind still refused to work properly.
“Yeah, again.” Aaron smiled up at Nolan. “When I was bleeding to death on the way to the hospital the night of the show, Nolan rode in the ambulance and assisted the emergency medical crew to help save my life. He even donated his blood to help me replace what I’d lost of mine.”
“So... Nolan knew you were alive this whole time?” Thomas shook his head. “Who else knew?”
“Just Nolan.” Aaron glanced at his friend. “I hate swords. Make sure I don’t have any in my home.”
Shaking his head, Nolan chuckled. “I’ll remove everything with a sharp edge.”
Aaron moved his gaze to Elizabeth and his expression changed and became ser
ious. “Beth, I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you. I... I didn’t dare.”
Her heart began crumbling again, harder this time. “You couldn’t trust me to keep your secret? But I was the one who put my full trust in you in order to find your killer.” Suddenly, her emotions shifted, and anger grew inside her. She wiped her tears and moved away, standing. “You made me believe that being with me for too long sucked out your energy. I should have known you were trying to push me away.”
“No, Beth. You have it all wrong. I was still recuperating from my near-death experience. I still had three places on my body that had required several stitches. Believe me, I lost my energy many times. Even now, my strength hasn’t fully returned.”
She inhaled a shaky breath. Although he explained that to her, she still couldn’t forgive him. “Well, I’m glad we caught your killer. My job here is done.”
She turned and stormed out of the room, hearing Aaron’s panicked voice calling out to her. She also heard heavy footsteps until someone grasped her arm, stopping her. She faced Thomas and scowled. “Either let go of me or get me out of here. Those are your only two options.”
Frowning, he nodded. “I’ll drive you home.”
“Home?” Her voice cracked. “My home is in California. Not here.”
“I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”
“Good. Let’s go.”
As she left the theater, she also left her heart on the floor near Aaron, shattered by his deception.
TWENTY-NINE
ONE WEEK HAD PASSED miserably for Aaron. He’d broken Beth’s heart and, in return, she’d taken his when she returned to California. She wouldn’t answer his phone calls or his texts, and he was beside himself wondering how he could ever convince her to forgive him. With her out of his life, he realized he was nothing. It was difficult to get up in the morning, knowing that he wouldn’t see her gorgeous face or hear her sweet voice. He’d lost his urge to do anything exciting. He didn’t even want to start his show up again, but... it wouldn’t be the same, anyway.
Thankfully, he hadn’t spent longer than a few hours at the hospital. They’d stitched up the wound Jake had given him quite nicely, checked him over for any other wounds, and then released him. Nolan had taken Aaron to see Gramps afterward, where thankfully, the old man didn’t die of a heart attack. Gramps had been elated to see him alive again, but he kept asking about Beth, which only reminded Aaron about his lonely heart.
The Magic of a Billionaire Page 20
