Her Silent Shadow: A Gripping Psychological Suspense Collection

by Edwin Dasso

  Deke squeezed her shoulder.

  “For the same reason I didn’t know about him––until two years ago. No one told either of us.” He huffed and slid his squinting gaze to Deke. “Did the people who raised you ever mention you were adopted?”

  “As a matter of fact, they did.” Deked crossed his legs. “But I didn’t go all postal on them.”

  Daryl sneered. “Weren’t you at least curious about your biological parents?”

  “Of course. But my parents didn’t know who they were, and the papers were held by a law firm and sealed until my twenty-first birthday.”

  “In case you hadn’t noticed, you’re twenty-two. I guess learning about your folks wasn’t all that important.” Daryl pushed at the floor to rearrange his position but, for all his efforts, the adjustment did little to help. He snarled.

  Deke drew in a long breath then blew the air out. “In case you didn’t notice, I’ve been really tied up, what with college and earning a spot in the NFL. I planned to do a search once I secured my future.”

  “Don’t bother. Your mother died––two years ago.”

  A stab of sorrow pierces Elise’s heart and she gasped. “Oh, God, Deke. I’m so sorry.”

  His jaw jutted forward. “Are you freakin’ kidding me? Why the hell are you sorry for him? He didn’t even know her or care enough to search. I grew up with her.”

  “I’d say that makes you the lucky twin…not me.” Deke’s body went rigid. “I’ll never have an opportunity to know her.”

  Lowering her gaze, Elise thought of how awful her childhood might have been without her parents. She shifted her gaze to Daryl. “I’m sure losing your mother devastated you.”

  Again, Daryl huffed. “Like you care.” He angled his head to see Deke. “And you…you didn’t have to grow up in the back room of bars, eating scraps, watching drunk men fondling your mother, or molesting women only a few feet away. And you didn’t have to watch your momma cry herself to sleep more times than not or take care of her when she wasted away to nothing from cancer. I quit school, tried to make enough money to pay for treatments, but there was never enough.”

  Elise bit her lower lip, envisioning Daryl’s description, and she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. “That’s awful, Daryl. I’m so sorry that happened. But none of that was Deke’s fault. Why punish him?”

  Deke pushed off the sofa and walked toward the rear entrance then stared outside for a long, silent beat before turning toward Daryl. “How did we get separated in the first place? And where was our father?”

  “Now, he cares,” Daryl bit out.

  “Those are two good questions, Daryl. And please, answer mine.” Elise stooped down to face him. “Why do you blame Deke for any of this? He had no idea you existed. You’ve known about him for two years.” As much as Daryl had done to Deke––and her––she could see how much he held inside. Of course, that was no excuse for his actions––especially if he killed two people. She leaned back onto her calves. “Did your mother tell you how you and Deke got separated?”

  “Yeah. On her deathbed.” Daryl detailed their mother’s background, how she was about to graduate med school when a group of football players gang-raped her at a party. How her parents disowned her when she told them she was pregnant and decided to keep her child…and how she walked away and tried to raise twins on her own but couldn’t afford both boys. “Even though we lived in government housing most of my childhood, I worked hard in school. Momma promised that was how to earn a good living. I believed one day I’d make enough money to take care of her for the rest of her life, but cancer didn’t get the memo. It had another agenda. Cancer robbed both of our lives. I couldn’t go to college because I needed to take care of her. And when she died, I swore I’d find the guys who raped her and make them all pay for destroying her life.”

  Deke sat on the sofa and lowered his head to his hands.

  Elise wrinkled her forehead. “I get you had a rough childhood, but that doesn’t explain why you chose to punish Deke.”

  “Momma wouldn’t tell me the names of the men who attacked her or why she chose to keep me instead of Deke…but she told me how proud she was of both of us and how to find him. When I saw what a cushy life he had while we struggled every day…I guess I just snapped.”

  Resting his arms on his knees, Deke shifted his gaze to meet Daryl’s. “I think I can shed some light on why our mother made the choice she did. There’s a part of your story you aren’t aware of.”

  This time, Elise laid a hand on Deke’s shoulder. She had no idea what he knew, but his pinched expression shot a wave of anxiety swirling down her back. She suspected whatever puzzle piece Deke slid into place would change all their lives.

  21

  Steepling his forefingers, Deke continued, “You said our mother never told you why she chose to keep you, right?”

  Daryl nodded. “I’ll never be sorry for growing up with her, but just seeing your cushy life sparked a fire in the pit of my stomach. That kind of money could have saved her life.”

  “Are you interested in why she gave me away?” Childhood memories flooded his thoughts.

  “Don’t bother. Nothing you can say would change anything. You were chosen to live a cushy life and I was dealt a life of hard knocks. So what?”

  “Hear me out, Daryl.” He paused, hoping to spark his twin’s interest. He saw only a bitterly broken man. “My parents had a good life, but more than anything, they wanted children. When my mother discovered she could never conceive, her heart broke. But an old friend of theirs, Doctor Wilson––”

  “Your folks knew the doc?” He snapped a gaze toward Deke.

  “Yes. Doctor Wilson told them of a young woman who had a very sick baby. She couldn’t afford the years of treatments that lay ahead. Treatments his prognosis dictated necessary to save her child’s life, and she agreed to let my parents adopt her boy if they promised to provide him with the best medical care available, which would likely continue throughout his life…that baby was me, Daryl.”

  Daryl frowned. “You’re lying. You’re an athlete. You had to have played ball since you were a kid.”

  “I’m not lying.” Deke slipped off his t-shirt and pointed to a zipper-like disfigurement barely visible beneath his chest hair. “See this scar?”

  Daryl nodded.

  “I was born with CHD––Congenital Heart Disease––and had several surgeries before I was a year old. Without those surgeries, I would have died.”

  Elise stared, wide-eyed. “I never noticed that scar. Why didn’t you tell me? Is it dangerous for you to play ball? I mean, what would happen if you were tackled and––”

  “I’m fine, Elise. My scar isn’t as noticeable now that I have hair on my chest, but when I was a kid, I was really self-conscious. My parents finally convinced me the wound was a battle scar.” He chuckled. “And I was lucky, Daryl. All my life, my parents encouraged me to eat well and exercise to make my heart strong. They put in a swimming pool and playground for my workouts…eventually, I got to the point I actually enjoyed working out. I guess that’s why I chose to be an athlete. By the time I was in my teens, I could outrun anyone my age and could throw a football farther than most, but my parents worried about other kids tackling me. They wouldn’t let me join a team until high school, and even then, my coach watched out for me. I played quarterback, so that worked out pretty well. As long as my team protected me, I was golden.”

  Elise hugged him. “That explains a lot…but what about college…and pro ball? You can’t just tell the other teams to avoid sacking you.”

  “My doctor says I’m no more at risk now than anyone else.”

  She turned to Daryl. “It looks like your mother didn’t randomly choose to give Deke a cushy life…she gave him up to save his life. That must have killed her…but she was so lucky to have you.” Elise flashed an adoring gaze toward Deke then returned to Daryl. “You have to admit, Deke’s childhood was pretty tough, too.”

  “Yea
h.” Daryl went limp, as if the toxic energy feeding his vengeance drained. Cheek against the floor, he closed his eyes for a long moment. “I’m sorry, Deke. I didn’t know.”

  “Neither did I.” He stood and approached Daryl. Placing a hand on his arm, he gently squeezed. “Damn. You got some guns there. No wonder my body is still throbbing from your punches. Hey, I hope you’ll tell me all about our mother sometime. It sounds like she was a very strong woman.”

  Daryl nodded.

  “But you realize we still have to call the police, right?”

  Again, Daryl nodded. “What I did was really f…ed up. The anger seething inside me fed on itself, and with no one to blame for Momma’s death…it consumed me.” He turned to Elise. “For the record, I didn’t kill Mr. Bailey. He came across my truck parked on your property. I tried to tell him I would move…but I admit, I got a little huffy when he acted like a hard ass, saying he’d call the cops. He refused to give me a break. I shoved him and probably scared him. He backed away several steps, then his hand flew to his chest, and he collapsed. I swear, I didn’t try to hurt the old man. When he didn’t get up, I leaned over him. I thought he must have hit his head on a rock. I felt his neck for a pulse, but his empty stare looked just like Momma’s when she died.”

  Elise’s fists flew to her waist. “Do you really expect me to believe you after you confessed to killing my neighbor?”

  Deke’s eyes went wide. “You killed a woman at Elise’s condo?”

  “Yes.” He lowered his gaze. “I’m not proud of what I did, but her death is all on me. I panicked. I didn’t intend to kill her…I just wanted to stop her from telling anyone what she saw.” He stretched his neck to look straight into Elise’s eyes. “I don’t blame you for not believing me. I wouldn’t believe me, either. I swear to you, though, I’m telling the truth about the old man. Have the medical examiner do an autopsy on Mr. Bailey. That would prove I’m not lying.”

  Deke watched the change in his brother’s face and demeanor as the fight in Daryl dissolved.

  Elise bit on her bottom lip. “ ‘We grow accustomed to the dark when the light is cut away.’ ”

  What? Deke snapped a confused gaze to Elise. “Where did that come from?”

  “A quote by Emily Dickinson I remember from my college psych classes.” Her gaze slid from Daryl to Deke. “I’m no psychologist, but as Daryl explained his actions, he reminded me of some case studies. When his mother died, Daryl’s life caved in on him. Surrounded by darkness with no one to light his way, his mind compensated and rationalized his behavior.”

  “I wouldn’t blame you if you left me to rot in jail.”

  Deke softened the tension in his face. “You have family, now.” Kneeling, he untied the cord from Daryl’s ankles, leaving his wrists knotted behind his back. Then he helped his brother stand. “What do you say we take this one day at a time? If you’re willing to confess, Elise and I will drive you to the Forsyth County Police station. A confession has to help your case.”

  She pursed her lips then added, “You’ll need counseling to help you recover from your trauma. And you’ll likely have jail time for killing my neighbor.”

  “I’m glad my mother died believing in me. What went down would have broken her heart. She was a strong woman, Deke, and a good mother.”

  “You can do this, Daryl. Use your time in jail to get your head straight and turn your life around. And I’ll visit. I promise.” He draped an arm around Elise and drew her close then kissed the top of her head.

  Gazing upward, she smiled and stared at his piercing blue eyes. “He’s right, Daryl. This isn’t the end. It’s a new beginning.” Elise marveled at the conviction and sincerity in Deke’s tone. He truly felt compassion for his brother, despite Daryl’s obsession to take over his life.

  From the moment Deke touched her shoulder that afternoon after the Georgia-Carolina game, he’d enchanted her. Not his appearance…not his personality…or the future she knew he’d procure in the NFL. Deke possessed an intangible essence like no man she’d ever known, and no one––not even his identical twin––could ever duplicate his soul. As much as Elise had tried to convince herself to the contrary, her heart always knew a spark was missing in her life, until she met Deke.

  From his perch at the top of the stairs, Jasper barked then scuttled down the steps and nuzzled his way between Elise and Deke then sat, tail wagging.

  She chuckled. “I think Jaz approves.” Cuddling into the crook beneath Deke’s shoulder, she wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed.

  Epilogue

  Seven months later…

  Elise leaned back against the Adirondack loveseat and stared at the starlit sky. “What a beautiful night.”

  “I can’t believe how many stars you can see here. No city lights in the background or pollution to muddy the sky. I completely understand why you two moved here.” Britt turned toward Elise. “I’m glad the Daryl affair didn’t taint your decision.”

  “Please, Britt, my wife’s run-in with my long-lost brother was not an affair.”

  In the middle of a long swig of cola, Matt leaned forward and spewed out a mouthful with a boisterous laugh. “Poor choice of words, Britt.” He shifted his gaze. “Speaking of your brother, how’s he doing, Deke?”

  “Better. You guys know Mr. Bailey’s autopsy showed no evidence of foul play. He died of a massive heart attack.” Deke raked his fingers through his hair. “But Daryl…”

  Elise leaned forward and placed a hand over Deke’s knee. “He still feels guilty he didn’t reach out to his biological parents when he turned twenty-one.”

  “Come on, man. You had no idea what was going on.” Matt kicked at Deke’s shoe.

  “I know.” Deke nodded. “But I can’t help thinking I could have made a difference…maybe saved that woman’s life.”

  “You’re making a difference now, Deke.” Britt rested her elbows on her knees and stared into the blazing fire swirling upward into the night sky.

  Deke nodded. Leaning back, he stretched an arm around Elise’s shoulder. “That’s what Daryl says, too. His mental instability kept him from being held criminally responsible for Carla Attwood’s homicide––Elise’s neighbor. The Georgia Central State Psychiatric Hospital in Milledgeville is helping him come to terms with what he did. Elise and I visit him quite a bit, and we’re encouraged by his progress.”

  “We’re hoping he’ll be awarded an unsupervised visit for the holidays,” Elise added. “And if he continues to improve, the court will consider vacating the remanded program at Milledgeville to time spent, or the minimum required.” A long silence ensued. She lowered her gaze, mesmerized by the flickering fire.

  Britt took a sip from her glass of Merlot. “Hey, Matt, why is it you and Deke decided to pass on alcohol when all of your teammates constantly party?”

  Elise shot a sideways glance toward Deke. She’d never thought to mention a word to Britt, but she found the question interesting. Palms forward and brows high, she raised both hands and shrugged.

  Matt chuckled. “Let’s just say his Papaw convinced us to lay off booze before we acquired a taste for the stuff.”

  Elise snickered and watched as the fire’s glow cast shadows across her friends’ faces.

  “Aside from the craziness last March, and your hectic schedule, not to mention the stress of your beautiful wedding, you two look happier than I’ve ever seen you,” Britt mused. “And why not? I can’t get enough of this view.”

  The full moon reflected off the glass-like surface of Lake Lanier and the velvety, star-studded night greeted the treetops. “I can’t imagine anywhere I’d rather be.” Elise echoed. She cuddled into the crook of her husband’s arm. Her husband…she still wasn’t used to the concept, but after everything she and Deke went through in March, they knew a future together was etched in stone.

  They moved into the lake house in May and planned a September wedding, inviting only intimate friends and family. As a little girl, Elise had envisioned
marrying her Prince Charming in the back yard of the lake house with the spectacular view of the water as a backdrop. Her childhood dream came true, and the evening wedding couldn’t have been more beautiful. Her father walked her down the aisle, and she finally had the chance to wear her gorgeous white gown with the ice-blue trim. Never would she forget the look on Deke’s face as he took her hand.

  “Wow. You’re more stunning than I’ve ever seen you, Elise,” he’d whispered. “Are you ready to become my wife?”

  She’d smiled and nodded.

  As they said their vows, the sunset cast a brilliant, peach-colored hue across the landscape, as if God’s grace shone over their union.

  Jasper climbed onto the Adirondack loveseat and plopped between Deke and Elise.

  She smiled as her thoughts returned to the present.

  “Hey, boy.” Deke tugged Jaz onto his lap and closed the gap between he and Elise. “Sorry, buddy. You have to share her, now.” Returning his arm to rest over her shoulders, he drew her close.

  She raised her gaze to meet his. The fire flicker reflected in his eyes. Completely content, she snuggled against his warm chest and stared at the starlit night.

  “I love you so much, Elise,” he whispered softly.

  His warm breath on her neck shot a quiver of delight through her entire body.

  Crooking a finger under her chin, he gently turned her head then pressed his lips over hers.

  A shiver ran down her back all the way to her toes––and she giggled as she felt them slightly curl. “I’ll love you forever, Deke.”

  About the Author

  USA Today & Amazon Best Selling Author, Casi McLean, pens novels to stir the soul with romance, suspense, and a sprinkle of magic. Her writing crosses genres from ethereal, captivating shorts with eerie twist endings to believable time slips, mystical plots, and sensual romantic suspense.