Deadly Secrets on Mackinac Island

by Cara Putman

  Or had he sacrificed himself so she could escape?

  Darkness weighted him. Tugged him back. Cloaked him.

  Jonathan tried to swim against its midnight pull but sagged against the heaviness.

  He wanted to open his eyes but couldn’t. A knife of pain sliced through his torso. The darkness offered relief. Maybe he should succumb. Give up. Let the darkness win.

  A cool hand touched his forehead. It felt good, like when his mother used to care for him.

  “You may stay five minutes. Then he’ll need to rest.” The words sounded distant. Remote.

  Why five minutes? Why rest? Would that relieve the searing pain?

  Jonathan fought to crack his eyelids. The brightness blinded him, and they fell shut.

  A soft hand touched his. Held it lightly. “Jonathan, you made it through surgery. The doctor says you’ll be okay. Really sore but okay. Your mom and dad are on the way.”

  Silence settled as Alanna stroked his hand.

  “I’m so glad you didn’t die. There’s been too much death, and I need you, Jonathan. So much. Get better.”

  Something soft brushed his hand. Hair? Then he felt soft skin and dampness. Her cheek? A tear? He forced his eyes to open, and as they focused, he saw Alanna leaning against his hand. He licked his lips. So dry. So very dry. Tried to speak but croaked.

  She sat up, studied him with large eyes. “Jonathan?”

  He croaked again.

  She pressed the nurse call button then jumped up and ran to the

  door. “He’s awake. He’s awake!”

  A moment later, a woman in scrubs entered the room. He tried to focus on her, but the more he tried, the less defined she was until he faded back to blackness.

  Alanna left Jonathan’s side only when the nurse insisted. She wanted the rights of a wife to stay next to her man. To watch each time he inhaled. To assure herself he still lived.

  Instead, she waited in the lobby for the occasional gift of a few minutes to watch his chest rise and fall. Other than those moments of awareness, Jonathan lay under a blanket of unconsciousness. The kind that held him tight in its grasp.

  The day melted into night, and still she waited, unwilling to leave long enough to find a car. Nor willing to go back to the island and be separated from him by so many miles. Guess she’d sleep on the uncomfortable and overly firm couch, catnapping as best she could while she waited for his parents to arrive. They should be here anytime from their homes in Naubinway, Michigan. Until then she’d stay. Surely her motives had everything to do with helping them and nothing to do with her own need to see him five minutes every hour.

  Her stomach growled, but she ignored it. The doors to the wing jolted open, and she glanced toward them. Patience and Earl Matthews strode through followed by Jaclyn without her small shadow.

  Alanna swallowed. “What are you doing here?”

  Patience reached her and pulled her into a motherly embrace. “We’re here to make sure you take care of yourself. And give you a ride back when you need one.”

  Alanna let herself sink into Patience’s arms. “How did you know?”

  “Jaclyn, of course. Once you called her, it didn’t take too much time before she found me. We had to get organized, but here we are now. Earl keeps a car in St. Ignace, and we can head back or get a hotel room here. Either works for us.”

  “Jaclyn came with you?”

  “Someone had to make sure she got here. She wanted to see Jonathan.”

  Alanna had hoped she’d stay away. She’d wanted the other day to truly mark the end of Jonathan’s relationship with Jaclyn. Maybe she’d deluded herself. Maybe she and Jonathan were destined for nothing more than a friendship filled with enough attraction to drive any girl to distraction.

  The kind of friendship she’d have to abandon again as soon as he was okay.

  Staying and watching him with someone else would hurt too much. Especially now that she’d admitted she cared deeply for him.

  “I’m glad she’s here then. Jonathan’s parents should arrive anytime, too.” Alanna tried to smile as she managed not to choke on the words. Someday she might believe herself. For now she’d try to welcome Jaclyn and support her friend as he chose the other woman. Being single wasn’t so bad. She’d done it a long time. Now that she’d remembered what could exist, she couldn’t imagine settling for someone less than Jonathan. Her eyes clouded at the thought. She’d learn to be content.

  She had to since the alternative seemed terrible.

  Patience eyed her with skepticism. “You’re just going to settle back?”

  “What else can I do?”

  “Fight for the man. He’s had several weeks to watch you side by side. At least make him choose. Don’t give up.”

  “Then why bring her here?”

  A slow smile spread across Patience’s cheeks. “Because you need to decide if you’re fighting. If you’re not, Jonathan needs someone. She’s the other contender.”

  That sounded crass. Jonathan wasn’t a prize to fight over, yet in a way that’s how it felt.

  “Miss Stone?”

  Alanna looked up at the nurse who’d walked into the waiting area. “Yes?”

  “Would you like five minutes?”

  “Thank you.” Alanna shot to her feet before anyone else could say anything and followed the nurse back to Jonathan’s room. “Has there been any change?”

  “No, but we don’t expect him to be too alert yet. He endured some major surgery on his shoulder.” The nurse glanced at her, calm exuding from her steady gaze. “He’ll recover barring any complications. Just talk to him. Often that pulls people from their haze.”

  Alanna nodded then pushed into the room. It remained antiseptic and harsh. Her shoes squeaked against the linoleum, and she collapsed in the chair next to the sterile hospital bed. All the soft wall colors and paintings couldn’t change the fact he lay in a bed, IV tubes extending from his hands, and monitors strapped across him. The Jonathan she knew overflowed with vitality. This person formed a shell of that man.

  She touched his fingers, trying to avoid the IV. “Hey, Jonathan. They’ve let me back in.”

  No response, not even a twitch from his fingers.

  Alanna sighed and stroked his knuckles. “Jaclyn’s here. Patience and Earl brought her so she could be here. Maybe I should have let her come in this time, but I’m selfish. I wanted this time with you. Depending on what happens when you wake up, I might not have more time like this.” Her voice hitched, and she forced herself to go

  on. “I love you, Jonathan. I know you won’t remember this, but I had to tell you. I won’t watch if you choose Jaclyn, but I won’t get in your way. I don’t have that right after all this time.” She looked away, blinking back the tears flooding her vision. “Coming back wasn’t easy, but it reminded me how much you mean to me. I’ll always wonder what would have happened if I’d stayed. . .but I didn’t.”

  She paused. Could she go on? Did it matter? He wouldn’t remember anything she said, but she’d know.

  Glancing up, she startled. His green eyes locked on hers.

  Maybe he’d remember everything she’d said after all.

  She swallowed, unsure whether she wanted to retract the words or risk the outcome. The only way to know what the future held was to pray he’d heard and would say something, anything, in response.

  The nurse knocked on the door, and Alanna saw his parents. Time to leave, but his gaze held her hostage. She liked it. Oh, how she liked it. What if he chose Jaclyn? She prayed that wouldn’t happen. That, instead, he’d hold her for life.

  37

  Jonathan tried to focus on the beautiful woman sitting in front of him. Alanna’s soothing voice reached him deep in the blackness. He’d fought his way to the surface, heard her words. They resonated through him.

  She loved him.

  He’d wanted to say the words first. Now he could feel her pulling away. Attempting to hide. He couldn’t let her, not with her tendency to run
. If she left, chances were she’d never return. She’d leave for good.

  Did she mean what she’d said?

  How could he convince her the love wasn’t one-sided? He wanted to sit and meet her on even footing, but the slightest tightening of his core sent waves of fire through his shoulder. He groaned, and she bolted upright.

  “Don’t move, Jonathan. Do you need the nurse?”

  He wanted to shake his head but didn’t dare move. Instead, he licked his lips. His mouth felt squeegeed clean of any moisture.

  “Here.” Alanna grabbed a mug of water from his bedside table and held it to his mouth, pointing the straw toward him. “Take a sip.”

  He tested the action. Then swallowed as the cool liquid hit his throat. Heaven. He tested his voice. “Alanna.”

  The word sounded like a croak, weak and worn.

  “Hey.” A soft look settled over her face, reminding him so much of the girl he’d known all those summers ago. The one he’d fallen in love with. Planned to spend his life with. “Your parents are here. I should go.”

  “You’re here.”

  “Of course.”

  “Brendan?”

  “Chief Ryan chased him last I saw. I’ll let the police get him.”

  “This time?”

  “Yeah, this time.” She chuckled softly then set down the mug. “Brendan should go away for a long time.”

  Jonathan frowned, trying to remember all that had happened. “He murdered?”

  “Yes. It looks like he murdered Mr. Hoffmeister. Everything started with Grady’s death. Then Ginger Hoffmeister blackmailed him off and on all these years. He started embezzling, and both his dad and Hoffmeister knew. Then I came back and started pushing to clear Trevor. If I hadn’t, she might not have blackmailed Brendan again. With her position at the police station, she knew exactly what was going on with the investigation and used that knowledge to hound Brendan.”

  “Why kill Hoffmeister?”

  “I don’t think he meant to. He just wanted Ginger to stop. Thought her dad would stop her. But he killed Mr. Hoffmeister.”

  “What now?”

  “Miss Stone.” The nurse stepped into the room then smiled as her gaze landed on Jonathan. “Mr. Covington, your parents are eager to see you. Miss Stone, time to leave so they can come in.” Jonathan wanted to protest, but the nurse’s no-nonsense air made him doubt he’d be successful.

  “We need to check your dressing and see how your wound looks.”

  Alanna stood. “Should I send Jaclyn in next time?”

  “No.” Jonathan watched her reaction as her eyes widened and a pink climbed her neck. “I just want you.”

  Hope blazed to life in her eyes. He would spend the rest of his days convincing her how very much she was the one he wanted. That was a task he’d gladly add to his planner and check off multiple times a day.

  He didn’t want to see Jaclyn?

  Did that mean he’d made his decision?

  She wanted to believe, but at the same time she needed to use caution. For all she knew the medication could affect Jonathan’s decisions.

  “Rest if you can, Jonathan. I’ll send your folks in.” She backed from the room and hurried to the waiting room.

  Patience glanced up from a Colleen Coble novel as his parents moved into the ICU. “How is he?”

  “Awake.” The word tasted wonderful on her tongue. “He’ll be okay.”

  Earl turned from the baseball game on the TV and chuckled. “Of course he will. It’ll take more than a bullet to the shoulder to keep him down.”

  “Did he ask about me?” Jaclyn stood with her back to the window, a guarded expression protecting her.

  “I asked if he wanted to see you at the next opportunity.” How to say this in a way that protected them both in the event Jonathan changed his mind? “We’!! have to let the nurse tell us what he wants next time.”

  Patience glanced at her watch. “It’s already after ten. How much longer do you plan to stay? We’ve probably missed the last ferry.” Alanna shrugged. “I’ll spend the night here.”

  “Don’t you think you should get a good night’s sleep?”

  “I don’t want to miss a chance to see him.”

  Patience nodded. “I understand. But his parents are here, and you’ll do him more good rested. Someone’s got to be with Dylan, too.”

  “He’s okay tonight.” Jaclyn chewed her lower lip as she studied Alanna. “I’ll need to get back in the morning.”

  Earl turned back to his game, the faint sound of the announcers and crowd noise making a soft backdrop in the quiet room. Alanna watched Jaclyn from the corner of her eye. Would it be kinder to leave and give Jaclyn a chance to see Jonathan? Or would he expect her to stay and wonder where she went? Patience thought she should leave. Maybe the older woman was right.

  Everything in Alanna wanted to stay. But something told her to leave. Give Jaclyn her chance.

  Alanna sank onto the couch next to Patience. “Do you think we could find a hotel room?”

  “Already have a reservation just down the road. We can leave the number with the nurse so they can let us know if anything changes with Jonathan. He’ll still be sleepy after surgery. You probably won’t get to see him much before morning anyway.”

  Alanna chewed her lower lip as she considered Jaclyn. “All right. Jaclyn, do you want to stay?”

  A flash of hope slid across the woman’s face. “Yes.”

  “Then we’ll be back in the morning. Tell Jonathan I’ll return.” Hopefully he’d still want to see her. If a few hours’ absence changed the direction of his feelings, he wasn’t hers anyway. Better find out now rather than later after she’d dared to hope.

  The next morning, Earl dropped her off at the door. “You sure you don’t want us to stay?”

  “No. I’ll get a ride to the ferry when it’s time.”

  “All right. Tell Jaclyn to call by ten if she’d like a ride back.”

  “Thanks, Earl.” Alanna slipped into the hospital, feeling good after a decent night’s rest and a shower. Her clothes might be the same, but she felt clean. Her stomach fluttered as the elevator carried her to the trauma floor. How would Jonathan look this morning?

  The doors opened, and the antiseptic smell slapped her in the face. Her stomach clenched in rebellion, and she swallowed to keep the bile down.

  The nurse at the station looked up, a question in her expression. “Can I help you?”

  “I’m here to see Jonathan Covington.”

  “Are you on his list?”

  “I was last night.”

  The woman punched a few buttons on the keyboard then studied the screen. “Hmm, what did you say your name was?”

  “Alanna Stone.”

  More punching ensued, and then the nurse turned to her. “I don’t see you in his record.”

  “Could you buzz his room?”

  “I’ll walk down there. If he’s sleeping, I don’t want to wake him.” Another nurse approached. “Would you sit here while I check a patient?”

  The nurse nodded and slid in front of the bank of monitors. Alanna paced in front of the nurses’ station as she waited. Finally, the first nurse returned.

  “I’m sorry, but the patient is asleep. Someone else is with him and says he doesn’t want to be disturbed.”

  Alanna nodded, her heart falling. She reached into her bag and pulled out a notebook. “Can I leave a note for him?”

  “Sure.”

  She scribbled a quick page then folded it and gave it to the nurse. “Thank you.”

  A moment later, she stood in the waiting room. Should she stay? Leave? Would the note even reach Jonathan?

  By early afternoon, Jonathan had tired of Jaclyn’s presence. She talked almost nonstop with his mother, and he missed the quiet. Anytime he asked where Alanna was, Jaclyn made some excuse for her. At one point, the nurse brought in a note, but Jaclyn took it before Jonathan could read it. The glimpse he caught made him think Alanna had written it, but Ja
clyn tucked it in her purse before he could do anything.

  Being tied down with all these wires and IV lines, not to mention the never-ending burning in his shoulder, was enough to drive him crazy. He wanted his small cabin and some privacy. The ability to tell people to leave sounded wonderful. Especially when Jaclyn had somehow convinced the nurses he wanted her there—all the time.

  “Where’s Dylan?”

  She looked away from the TV where she’d clicked through channels endlessly. Didn’t she get nothing was on daytime TV, no matter how many times you surfed? Nothing still equaled nothing.

  “He’s with a friend.”

  Jonathan couldn’t imagine whom she’d left the boy with overnight. He was the only one who’d ever kept him other than the daycare. “And your job?”

  “Someone’s covering the shift.”

  “Hmm.”

  A doctor entered the room. “Let’s check how you’re doing today, Mr. Covington.”

  “Do you mind?” Jonathan glanced at Jaclyn, and color tinged her cheeks. She slid from the room.

  As the doctor rewrapped his bandages, Jonathan held his breath. The pain punched him but had lost a bit of its edge. “Any chance you could keep her from coming back?”

  The doctor studied him. “If that’s what you want, absolutely.”

  “The gal I want here isn’t. I’ll recover faster without Jaclyn hovering.”

  A knowing grin crossed the doctor’s face before he wiped it off. “Glad to get you some peace and quiet.”

  “When will I get to go home?”

  “Do you have anyone to take care of you?”

  “My parents or a friend.”

  The doctor eyed him. “Assuming you stay infection free, maybe in a couple days we can transport you home. I can confer with the doctor at the island’s medical center. Make sure she feels comfortable continuing your care.”

  “Thanks.”

  As soon as the doctor left, Jonathan pulled out his cell and started dialing. He wanted out of this prison the moment it was possible. Anything was better than one extra day lying here.