“How dare you talk to me that way,” Rebecca snarled. “I can’t believe I raised a daughter who could be so thoughtless and unfeeling. I’m late for breakfast. Now, get out of my way.”
Leah grimaced. This was going from bad to worse. Stepping into the room, she froze in her tracks as Allison pushed her mother down on the bed. Rebecca’s head snapped back, cracking against the wooden headboard.
Allison took the card from her mother’s outstretched and defenseless hand.
Leah gasped, her eyes on Rebecca, who carefully sat up, rubbing the back of her head.
Allison whipped around. “What are you doing here?” she jeered. “This isn’t any of your business. Get out.”
Leah’s earlier embarrassment erupted into anger as she hurried to Rebecca’s side, putting her arm around her. She looked up at Allison, her rage loosening her tongue. “Aren’t you appalled by your own behavior? You’d never allow me to treat your parents this way. What’s the matter with you?”
Allison stared at Leah for a moment before leaving the room.
The heat ebbed from Leah’s fury as she turned toward Rebecca. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, dear. Just a bit shaken up.”
“Where’s Paul?” Leah hoped Trev’s father was all right.
“Trev took him to Little Rock.” Rebecca gave her a small smile.
Leah recalled Trev’s text with relief. “Oh, right.”
Rebecca’s smile grew even as she continued to rub the back of her head. “You should’ve seen him. He was so excited. It’s because of you he felt well enough to make the trip. So I thank you, but don’t worry about this thing with Allison. It’ll pass soon enough.” She flinched. “I’m going to have quite a knot on the back of my head.”
“We need to get you into the doctor.” Leah calmed her worry. Everything would turn out if she made sure she followed the right procedures in the correct order. It was imperative that Rebecca be assessed by a physician. The next step would be for Leah to make a report to Adult Protective Services.
Dread stopped Leah’s thoughts. Reporting abuse to APS was a serious thing that would most likely trigger an investigation into the Michaels family. Leah’s heart plummeted to her stomach. There was no other way around it. She was required by law to report what she’d witnessed.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Rebecca patting her knee. “I’m fine, dear. I don’t need to go to the doctor.”
Leah gave her a sympathetic smile as her professionalism took over. “I’m afraid you do. I could lose my license if you end up with a concussion and I don’t take you in.”
Rebecca gave her a wan smile. “Whatever you say. But I’m fine.”
Leah helped Rebecca down the stairs and asked Sanders to tell Stephen to get the car ready. They needed to make a trip to urgent care.
Two hours later, Leah sat next to Rebecca back at the house as the older woman watched TV. The physician had determined a concussion was unlikely but suggested that Leah watch her carefully and that Rebecca stay home for the next couple of days. They’d applied ice to the back of Rebecca’s head, but Leah caught the older woman periodically reaching back to rub the wound.
Thankfully, Rebecca’s injuries weren’t any worse, but it didn’t make Leah’s next step any easier. After the television show ended, Leah turned to Rebecca, her hands clammy with apprehension. “I’m going to have to report this incident to APS, you know.”
Rebecca turned to face her. “What’s APS?”
Leah’s voice shook. She wished to be anywhere else but here. “Adult Protective Services.”
Rebecca shook her head. “There’s no need for that. Allison is just having a bad day. It happens sometimes.”
Leah did her best to slow her thinking, so she could appear composed. She tried to settle her voice. “Has this kind of thing happened before?”
“Well, yes, but this was the worst of it. She’s never pushed me before. Every month, she’s after me for my allowance. She says she needs it for her vlogging business.” Rebecca shrugged. “Sometimes I give it to her. Sometimes I don’t. But we always fight about it.”
Leah took a different approach. “Do you remember the day I came to work here? You, Paul, Allison, and Trev read and signed some papers.”
“Sure.”
Leah tried to swallow her own disbelief, but it stuck in her throat, making it hard to breathe. How could this be happening? When she’d asked the Michaels family to sign those papers, she’d never imagined she’d actually need to have this conversation. “Do you remember the part of the contract that states I’m a mandated reporter? It means I have to report any abuse, exploitation, or coercion of a vulnerable adult.”
“Sure, I remember.” Rebecca laughed. “But I’m hardly vulnerable and what took place with Allison isn’t exactly abuse.”
Leah’s stomach churned with anxiety. What she said next wouldn’t be popular. “The fact that I’m here means that on some level, you’re a vulnerable adult who is being exploited by your daughter.”
Rebecca’s tone showed shock. “Oh, now, I wouldn’t go that far. There’s no need to drag Allison into any of this. It’d be better if you just forgot the whole thing. It’ll be our little secret, okay?”
Leah closed her eyes. She desperately wished to unsee what she had witnessed. Everything would be easier if she didn’t have to make this report, but it was required by law. “I can’t keep this secret, Rebecca. I’ll get in big trouble.”
“Not if we don’t tell.” Rebecca’s eyes turned wary.
Leah was tempted by Rebecca’s request. It would certainly be better for her and Trev if she pretended none of this had happened. Would she garner Allison’s favor if she let this go? Maybe the whole Michaels family would benefit. At the very least they’d be spared the obligatory and intense interview. But keeping this secret wasn’t what was required of her. The law and her duty overshadowed any personal gain or hope. Leah shook her head slowly. “I have to tell.”
Rebecca grabbed the remote and turned up the volume on the television as she moved away from Leah. “We’ll see what Trev has to say about this.”
Leah stood by the railing of the deck, overlooking the lake and the burgeoning storm reflected in its waters. She didn’t pay much attention to the thunderheads that barreled down on The Cove. Instead, her attention was divided between keeping an eye on Rebecca from a distance and turning over the options from her limited choices when it came to the discussion she and Trev would have very soon.
Maybe Trev would see her perspective. But even if he did agree that Allison’s actions were wrong, Leah doubted he’d accept the idea of APS having access to his home and possibly his finances. No. He wouldn’t like this one bit. But nothing was lost, yet. If he was willing to work with her, they might be able to come up with a plan that could close the investigation sooner rather than later. Leah held close that one hope.
A cool wind with the scent of rain washed up against her. The crackling energy of the storm carried its tribulation to The Cove. She shuddered with worry, turning her back to the storm as she concentrated on how to approach Trev. Whatever ideas they batted around needed to include Allison, and Leah doubted Trev’s little sister would be very cooperative.
When the front door opened, Leah heard Trev and Paul come in together. Both men were jovial. The meeting with the lawyers must’ve gone well. The aroma of Mexican food wafted from the house, but dread pinched off Leah’s appetite.
The French doors opened, and Trev’s energy floated toward her on that invisible string that kept her bound to him, even now, when her mind churned in turmoil. She turned to face him as he came to her, bending down and kissing her on the lips. She received his kiss gladly.
Taking her by the hand, he led her to the chairs cloistered together. After they were seated, he grabbed her hand and placed it on his thigh. “I’m glad to see you.”
“I’m glad you’re home,” Leah’s voice was raspy. But in spite of the conversation that was coming, s
he still took comfort in feeling Trev’s leg beneath her hand. With his solid presence beside her, the upcoming discussion didn’t appear so bleak.
The storm overshadowed the sun, gunmetal gray and threatening as a clap of thunder split the quiet evening, making Leah shrink.
Trev peered at the water, now frothy and dark like the sky. “It looks like this one will be a direct hit. I’m glad the deck is covered. We can sit for a while.”
Lightning zagged across the clouds before hitting the lake.
Leah nodded, saying nothing.
Trev tilted his head, giving her a quizzical look. “What is it? You look worried?”
Leah’s chest tightened. “I have something to tell you, and you’re not going to like it.”
Trev furrowed his brow. “Go on.”
Leah thought for a moment, considering the best way to begin. “It might be better if you spoke with your mother and sister first. Then I can meet you in your office.”
Trev’s leg tensed under Leah’s hand. “No. I want to hear it from you first. What is it?”
Leah didn’t know whether or not to be grateful for this opportunity. The story was so raw and fresh that she wanted nothing more than to spill all of it to Trev. But the telling would shift everything, and she dreaded those changes if it meant living without this man she’d trusted enough to love.
Low rumbling thunder silenced the rest of nature and the air hushed, as if balancing on the precipice of what came next. Leah took in a shaky breath. “I saw Allison grab your mom and demand money from her. She wanted her five-thousand-dollar allowance, and she got it by pushing your mother onto the bed and taking it from her while blaming her for Desiree’s death. Your mother smacked her skull on the wooden headboard, and Allison didn’t even stop to see if she was all right. She snatched the card from her hand and turned to go. That’s when she saw me and told me to leave, that none of this was my business. If you feel the back of your mother’s head, you’ll find quite the goose egg. I took your mom into the urgent care. The doctor gave her a clean bill of health, so there isn’t any concussion, but we’ll have to watch her for a couple of days.” Leah sank back into her chair with relief from telling the truth in spite of the unease that filled the space between her and Trev. How would he react?
Rain splattered on the roof, tinny with force.
Trev shook his head and let out a long sigh. “I know Allison is a pain, but I can’t imagine her ever laying a hand on our mother. You have to remember, Leah, she’s our mother. I know you care deeply for my parents, but as an employee, things will look different to you. Maybe the light was wrong or you walked in just as Mom lost her balance. Besides, I know that five thousand dollars sounds like a lot of money to you, but to us, it’s nothing. You need to let this go.”
Leah gaped at Trev in astonishment. This wasn’t the reaction she expected, and it disoriented her. Which front should she do battle? Did he really see her as an employee? And in the company of a trusted eyewitness, what kept him from understanding that his sister was capable of hurting his mother? “I can’t let this go, Trev. I know Allison is having a hard time. Actually, it’s more than a hard time. I think her grief has turned pathological—”
Trev’s eyes turned icy as he stared at her. “Oh, you can diagnose people now?”
Leah stiffened as his sarcasm hit her as if it were a blow to the chest. “As I was saying, your sister is struggling. But she’s not my client. I’m responsible for your parents, and if I see one of them in harm’s way, I’m duty bound to report that, because I’m an employee.” Leah’s earlier dread turned to anger, fueled by the injury of Trev’s disbelief. “And yes, you’re right, five thousand dollars is a lot of money to me. But this isn’t about the money, Trev. It’s about abuse through coercion, exploitation, and now physical harm. I don’t care if Allison strong-armed your mother for fifty cents or fifty thousand dollars. It’s still abuse, and your mom still has a bump on her head to prove it. I’m going to have to file a report with APS.”
The rain heaved with the wind, blowing sideways, spattering Leah with water.
Trev blinked hard. “What? Who’s APS?”
Leah took an uneasy breath, praying for composure. “Adult Protective Services. Do you remember the paperwork you signed when I first started here? If I witnessed any sort of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, I have to make a report.”
Trev’s face turned hard. “Look, I know you and Allison don’t get along, but this is crossing a line. I’ve already had the police overrun this place along with that stupid PI after Desiree died. Do you think I’m having APS or whoever traipse through my home to determine if it’s fit for my parents to live here?”
Leah looked away from Trev, focusing on the storm-tossed lake. This conversation was turning desperate. She hated having to rip apart everything she and Trev wished to create while systematically dismantling everything the Michaels family was trying to hold together. It tore at the very fabric of the healer she hoped to be. But the law was unyielding. Somehow, she needed to find a way to make him understand. “There’s no other option, Trev. I have to call them and make the report. Otherwise, I’m negligent, and I’m the one on the line.” She hesitated. Dare she tell Trev what she had witnessed during her first week in his home? She had to tell him. It might shore up her whole argument of why she needed to contact APS. “There’s more. I witnessed this confrontation between your mom and Allison once before, but it didn’t get physical. Your mother told me she and Allison always fight over her allowance.”
Trev’s face tensed. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Remorse tied Leah’s stomach in knots. “I hadn’t been here very long, and I thought it might be an off day for everyone. No one saw me. There wasn’t any physical harm, and … I wanted to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.”
Trev narrowed his eyes. “But you don’t feel like giving anyone the benefit of the doubt now?” He slowed down and took in a deep breath. “Look, I’ll talk to Allison and tell her to stop bugging Mom about the money. You don’t have to make a big thing out of nothing. It’s just a few thousand dollars. I’m sure that’s what Mom will say. So why don’t we just forget the whole thing? I’ll talk to Allison to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Maybe I just need to rethink everyone’s allowance.”
Leah shook her head. Trev refused to understand how much was at stake. It wasn’t just his family, but Leah’s future. Her desperation turned to determination. “Your mom asked me the same thing. She wanted it to be our little secret, but I’m ethically and legally bound to make this report. What I witnessed last time was in an ethical gray area. That’s not the case anymore, because there’s been physical harm that required a trip to the doctor. I can’t keep this secret, Trev. I’m hoping we can work out—”
Trev’s eyes turned glacial. “And what about your dad’s secret? Did you consider the harm you were doing when you threw that little bundle of shame in his face? If you can’t keep your own father’s secret, I guess I shouldn’t expect you to keep anything quiet that happens around here. Have you told Paige or anyone else about Desiree and how she died?”
Leah’s eyes grew wide with stunned distress. How could Trev even think of bringing her family into this discussion? Leah’s defenses floundered. She stumbled for her next words, but nothing got past her startled surprise. “What? No! Of course not.” Thunder blasted overhead, shaking the house. Leah’s breath stopped as she recalled her hateful words flung at her father. Disgraced humiliation rose in her chest, heightening her shock and cutting off her air. She shook it off. “This is different, and you know it,” she spat out, going on the offensive. “You think I’m happy to run to APS and file this report? I hate it. I wish I’d never witnessed what took place, but I did, and I’m required to report it—because after all, I’m an employee.”
Her anger turned to hot steam. “And you want to know what’s crossing a line? Your insinuation that I would make this about money, when it’s you who thinks all you need to do i
s wave an extra thousand dollars and all of this will go away. What a convenience to just give everyone in your family a bigger allowance, so you don’t have to see Allison for what she is: a selfish brat who needs help. You want to know why I don’t like her? I don’t like her because she’s not nice. She treats everyone around here with disdain, including your parents. And I don’t care about your money, Trev. I never have. I’ve lived this long without it. I think I can manage the rest of my life.”
She stood, her eyes penetrating into the lake-blue coolness of his. Rage filled her, covering the deeper hurt. “I’ve done nothing less than give my heart. I knew there’d be resistance from Allison, but I didn’t expect outright hostility from you. You’ve certainly put me in my place, and I’m not obligated to help you figure this out. I was hoping we could come up with some sort of plan together.” Words spilled from her, unleashed and wild. “But it’s obvious you don’t even want my help. So know this. Your money can’t buy your way out of an APS investigation. The rules for you are the same as they are for me. You can expect a visit from an investigator within the next two weeks. And I’m returning the ring as well. Make sure you tell Allison I gave it back, because she’s made it clear it should’ve gone to her. Maybe you can buy better behavior with it.”
The dumbfounded look on Trev’s face gave Leah a small kernel of satisfaction. She turned on her heel and made it to the French doors before turning back to Trev. “And you’d better hire another aide, because I won’t be back in the morning. I quit.”
Lightning cracked against the sky’s fury, making the air sizzle. Every living thing had taken refuge from this moment, except Leah and Trev and their blistering wrath.
Trev stood and moved to where Leah waited. She blinked before taking in the intensity of his deep blue eyes that overrode the gray storm, reaching deep into her soul with his own revealed suffering. The thread between them hummed with life as the smell of sandalwood mixed with clean rain, almost overwhelming Leah. She clenched her teeth to keep her heartache from crying out.
The Billionaire's Family Secret (Billionaire Bachelor Mountain Cove Book 15) Page 16
