The Past Between Us

by Kimberly Van Meter

  She crossed to her room and pushed open the door. Tears pricked her eyes as disappointment followed. What had she expected? Every aspect of her influence or ownership of the room had vanished, replaced with chunky furniture and heavily masculine colors appropriate for a game room. An elk’s head stared at her where she’d once kept an antique clock imported from France. A large billiards table dominated the room and there were ashtrays filled with the stubbed remains of cigars littering the tables. How disgusting. The stale smell of smoke and liquor wrinkled her nose and made her angry all over again. He’d defiled her room purposefully with his foul habits and vices. She could only imagine what had gone on in here. The man had likely taken great pleasure in tearing down her things and replacing them with the tacky crap he had in there now.

  “My decorating tastes are not to your liking?”

  A voice at her back caused her to turn slowly, cool rage blotting out all sense of reason and precaution. “Hello, Lionel,” she said, narrowing her stare, wishing she had lasers in her eyes so she could fry him. “And no, I can’t say I appreciate your sense of style.”

  Lionel, a good-looking man with his graying temples and easy but cunning smile, simply chuckled. “I’ve missed our verbal sparring. It’s not been the same without you. How have you been, dear stepdaughter of mine?”

  She ignored that and chose to go to the billiards table and pick up a ball. With one good toss she could likely bury the heavy thing in his head. She hefted it in her hand, testing the weight. Yes, it was safe to say the eight ball could cave in his rotten head quite nicely. “You’re an evil man, Lionel Vissher,” she stated with a smile that was as cold as it was insincere.

  “Oh?” He lifted one brow. “While we wait for the police to arrive, please share. I’m sure yours is a delightful story.”

  So smug. She hated him with everything in her. She ought to get out before the cops arrived—she certainly didn’t need the added complication—but she was fairly vibrating with rage and she couldn’t quite get her feet to obey. Not yet anyway. She wanted to see his expression when she told him how he was going down. “I know you’re a parasite who preys on rich women. You look for someone who has recently lost a husband and is vulnerable to your charm and charisma and then after a reasonable time has passed, you slowly poison them to death.”

  He laughed. “Yes, just as I thought. Delightful. My dear, you truly missed your calling. You have a wild imagination and I’m flattered by your estimation of my talents.”

  “Only you would find flattery in something so damning. But you see, you screwed up and I’m not the only one who knows it. Remember the two old ladies you paid off to file false charges against me in your old haunt of Virginia Beach? Well, only one died. The other is alive and well and ready to press charges as soon as the FBI discovers the evidence linking you to that private investigator you hired to do your dirty work.”

  His laughter died away and a cold hard look entered his eyes. “Like I said…your imagination is delightful.”

  “You know what I find delightful? The thought of you rotting in prison with a very large, very brutal man with ambiguous sexual tastes for a cell mate.”

  His lips thinned and his nostrils flared but he otherwise remained silent until a cool smile flitted to his mouth. “It’s been a pleasure. I do believe the police have arrived. I know these meetings are awkward, so let’s save ourselves the trouble and avoid it next time.”

  “Getting rid of me so soon? I heard you were looking for me,” she said, taunting him. “Chasing down old friends and dropping business cards with the promise of money if they gave you information. You’re despicable.”

  He affected a wounded expression. “Am I a villain because I care too much for my wayward daughter?”

  “Stepdaughter, you miserable bastard,” she spat. “You’re the worst kind of villain because you hide behind false smiles and pretty lies. But I’m wise to you and soon you’re going to fall. I promise.”

  “You poor thing. Still suffering from such rage,” he said, shaking his head in pity. “I’d hoped you were off the drugs but I see that’s not the case.”

  She stiffened. “You don’t know a thing about my life, so don’t pretend to.”

  He pursed his lips. “I know enough.”

  A chill chased her backside and she gripped the eight ball tighter. She lifted her chin. “Soon you’ll be the one being escorted from my home. Do you hear me, Lionel? My home. Not yours. Consider yourself on notice. Things are about to change.”

  Two officers appeared at the top of the stairs. “What seems to be the trouble?” one asked, looking from Cassi to Lionel.

  “No trouble, Officer,” Cassi said, secretly breathing a little easier now that the police had arrived, even if they were there to toss her out. For a moment she’d felt true malice rolling off Lionel, as if he’d actually contemplated doing something violent. She rolled the ball into the corner pocket and smiled as she pushed past Lionel, saying sweetly. “I was just leaving.”

  The officers looked to Lionel and he waved them off. “Just a minor disagreement. Thank you, Officers.”

  The officers shot each other an annoyed look— another case of rich folk getting off using the police force as their personal guard—and walked with Cassi outside.

  They waited until she drove away and then got in their cars, too.

  Cassi held in the tears until she was clear of the driveway and then she let them flow as the need for vengeance burned brighter than ever before. “You bloody bastard,” she said from between gritted teeth. “I swear you won’t get away with this. I swear it!”

  Just seeing him again, dressed in the finest imported clothing, walking the halls of her home with impunity, made her shake with unadulterated wrath. Her hands curled on the steering wheel of Mama Jo’s antique Buick and she pictured Lionel’s neck in her grip.

  When she’d been on the run, it was almost possible to forget how much it had hurt to be cast out. She’d had a purpose and it’d fueled her when she weakened in resolve. But seeing her home again brought everything rushing back until she was drowning in a sea of misery that had been dammed for too long.

  The temptation to run away from it all was strong but she couldn’t allow Lionel to win. Not after everything she’d been through. She couldn’t allow him to get away with killing her mother. It was her job to ensure he paid for what he’d done, not only to her but to the other women, as well.

  By the time she returned to Mama Jo’s her face was streaked from crying and she felt hollow from the misery that had emptied itself with her tears but there was something else, something stronger left in its wake.

  “Is that you, Cassi?” Mama Jo asked, coming from around the corner, wiping her hands on a dish-rag. She took in Cassi’s splotched face and the anger radiating around her and shook her head. “Did you find what you were looking for, or should I even ask?”

  Cassi nodded. She sure did. She found a plan. She knew what she was going to do. She’d give Tommy every chance to bring Lionel down using the might and muscle of the FBI but if they failed and that scum walked…

  Well, he wouldn’t walk for long.

  “Yeah, I found exactly what I needed, Mama Jo. Thanks for the loan of the car.”

  “Sure, honey,” Mama Jo said, eyeing Cassi with faint concern. “You need anything?”

  Cassi smiled. “Nope. I think I’m good.”

  “All right then…”

  Cassi lost her smile as soon as Mama Jo turned her back to return to the kitchen.

  Justice would find Lionel Vissher.

  One way…or another.

  THOMAS HAD SPENT THE DAY overseeing the exhumation of Olivia Nolan. Now that the job was finished and Olivia was on her way back to her final resting place, Thomas felt he could breathe again. He made sure there was a rush put on the tissue and hair samples, and after stopping by a local clothing store to pick up a clean shirt so he didn’t have to make the trip back to his place, he headed to Mama Jo’s.


  He found Cassi sitting on the porch, her feet tucked into a blanket, her expression dull.

  “It went well,” he offered, certain she’d know what he was talking about. She nodded and pulled the blanket tighter around her. He took a seat beside her. “There’s a rush on the samples. I know a few guys in forensics and asked for a personal favor. We might have an answer by tomorrow morning if we’re lucky.”

  Cassi perked up and nodded. “Thanks,” she said, her voice rusty and hoarse.

  “What’s wrong? Are you feeling okay?” he asked, concerned. He went to touch her forehead but she moved away from his touch. He frowned. “What’s the matter?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “I don’t believe you. Something is wrong. Tell me.”

  “Tommy, if I wanted to share, I would. Some things are private and I don’t care to share them with everyone.”

  “I’m not everyone,” he said, offended that he was somehow lumped in with this nebulous group of strangers. “It’s me. And given what we’ve been through in the past few days, not to mention most of our childhood, I’d say I’ve earned a better spot than some unknown group of nobodies.”

  She sighed but didn’t respond. Frustration at her stonewalling fueled his movements as he jiggled his keys, not quite sure what to say or do. “Fine. You don’t want to talk. But whatever it is…I’m here for you if you need me.”

  He got up to walk inside and she grabbed his hand. “Thank you, Tommy,” she whispered and kissed his palm. Her eyes seemed to glitter with unshed tears, but he wasn’t sure, for she let go and returned to staring at the moonlit clouds as they moved across a dark night sky.

  Thomas walked into the house, still unsettled by Cassi’s mood and went to find Mama Jo. He found her sitting in her favorite chair reading one of those horrid gossip magazines that featured alien babies on the cover. She’d always loved the ridiculous rags, often chortling at the stories or at the very least grinning from ear to ear.

  But tonight she seemed troubled, too. In fact, after a few minutes, she laid her magazine down with a loud exhale. “There’s something eating at that poor girl. Did you figure out what it was?” she asked, getting right to the point.

  “No,” he answered truthfully. “She pushed me away, said she didn’t want to talk about it.”

  “I got a bad feeling in my bones, Tommy,” she said, worried. “She came back this afternoon with a sadness about her, but it was coated with something dark and dangerous.”

  “Came back? Came back from where?”

  Mama Jo looked nonplussed. “She said she needed some personal things from the store. I let her borrow my car.”

  He swore under his breath. He was willing to bet his front teeth that she hadn’t gone to the store like she said. Which begged the question, where’d she go? There was only one place she’d go without him and come back full of rage.

  Home.

  She must’ve seen Lionel.

  “Damn it, Cassi,” he said, looking away.

  “Did I do something wrong in letting her borrow my car?” Mama Jo asked, her brows knitting in concern.

  Anger at her deception and her recklessness coursed through his veins. In spite of it, he did a fair job of assuring Mama Jo that all was going to be fine. But the truth was, he was pissed.

  Mama Jo excused herself to bed and Thomas bade her good-night. As soon as Mama Jo’s door closed he stalked outside.

  “What were you thinking?” he asked.

  She was pulled from her thoughts, and although she was startled by his sudden reappearance, she didn’t try to pretend that she didn’t know what he was talking about.

  “I don’t know. I couldn’t help myself. It’s been so long since I’ve been home,” she answered with a shrug, not the least bit contrite. “Bastard turned my room into a gaudy game room.”

  “You could’ve spooked him,” he said from between gritted teeth.

  She glared at him. “I sure as hell hope I did. That man deserves a sleepless night or two wondering what’s going to happen next. If he doesn’t get two winks tonight I’ll consider today worth the heartache.”

  “If he skips town we’ll have less of a chance to catch him. We need him feeling fat, dumb and happy so we can catch him easily and quickly,” he reminded her, but she didn’t care.

  “I can’t handle the thought of that man living one more second without feeling the need to look over his shoulder in fear. I spent the past two years sleeping with one eye open and it’s his turn for all the misery he’s heaped on me and the countless others whose lives he ruined!” A tear tracked an angry course down her cheek and she didn’t bother wiping it away. “My mother is in the ground while he parties and plays like a damn carefree bachelor, spending money he didn’t earn and I can’t stand it anymore. He’s living in my house. Taking what doesn’t belong to him and I need to see him pay for it. Do you understand? I need to see him pay.”

  Her shoulders shook and she dropped her head into her hands as she wept. He hadn’t realized the emotional toll it would take on her to return home. It was probably why she’d run so far and so quickly. He took her into his arms and held her until the cries became hoarse whimpers. “He will pay,” he said, hoping to God he wasn’t making a false promise. “But you have to stay away from him. Don’t bait him into bolting. That won’t help us.”

  “I know,” she said against his shoulder. “I’m just tired of running, tired of being someone I’m not, and I just want to go home. But I can’t, because he’s there, and no one I love is around anymore,” she said in a tear-choked voice that broke his heart.

  He held her tighter. “That’s not true. I love you, Cassi. You’re not alone. You’ll never be alone as long as I’m alive.” She sagged against him and the tears started fresh. He heard the pain and the anguish, the fear and loneliness, and all he could do was keep her pressed against him as tight as possible. “Promise me you’ll stay away from him. Give me the chance to bring him to justice. Please?”

  She sniffed back her tears and buried her head against his shoulder. Her arms tightened around him but she hadn’t answered him.

  “Cassi? Promise me?”

  It was a long moment before she did and Thomas felt cold dread tickle his spine.

  “I’ll try,” she whispered.

  And he knew he was running out of time.

  Cassie was going to do something dreadful and if she did that…there was no turning back.

  He’d lose her forever.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  THOMAS MADE THE DRIVE to Pittsburgh early, anxious to see if forensics had anything for him. When he saw a sheet of paper in his in-box, he scooped it up, almost too afraid to read it.

  His hands shook as he read the findings.

  Hair samples from Olivia Nolan showed toxic levels of arsenic in her system.

  “Cassi, you were right,” he murmured before going straight to Zell’s office. He wasn’t surprised to see Zell there as early as him, but he was surprised to see Lionel Vissher standing there with him. “Is this a bad time?” he inquired, giving Lionel a hard look.

  Zell turned to Lionel and said, “Thank you for sharing your concerns. We’ll look into it right away.”

  Lionel smiled, his teeth white and perfect. “Much obliged, Director Zell. I just want to put this whole sordid mess behind me. The sooner the better.”

  “Of course,” Zell said, waiting for Lionel to leave before dropping his false smile and turning to Thomas with an equally annoyed expression. “What did I say about keeping your flight risk under control?” he demanded. “I thought you could handle her, but I guess not. Seems Ms. Nolan paid an unscheduled visit to Mr. Vissher and he wasn’t happy about it.”

  “I suppose not,” Thomas agreed amiably, making Zell frown suspiciously. “And she shouldn’t have done that.”

  “Why are you agreeing with me so readily?”

  Thomas held up the paper with a grin. “Because we’ve got the sonofabitch. Forensics found arsenic in
Olivia Nolan’s hair samples. She was poisoned.”

  “Yes,” Zell said, narrowing his gaze. “According to Mr. Vissher…it was Cassie who poisoned her mother, not him.”

  “Bullshit,” Thomas shot back, shaking his head. “He’s running scared. He has to try and deflect the evidence. It was him.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because I know Cassie,” Thomas said.

  “Not good enough. What proof do you have it was Vissher that did it? We don’t have anything on him. By all accounts he’s a model citizen while your girlfriend is not.”

  Thomas jerked. “She’s not my girlfriend, sir,” he protested.

  Zell barked a short, unamused laugh. “You’re a terrible liar, Bristol. The day I handed you the file I could see it in your face that you had it bad for this woman, which was only confirmed when you had her in my office. She’s clouding your judgment. I want her brought back in and put into federal lockup until we get this figured out.”

  “No.” The word slipped from his lips before he realized what he was saying. But at Zell’s double take and accompanying glare, Thomas knew he hadn’t said it only in his head. It was too late. He couldn’t take it back. So he stood his ground. Zell had been hell-bent for leather against Cassi from the moment they met and it was time he found out why. “What’s going on with you and Lionel Vissher?” he said, throwing it out there and seeing what he caught on the hook.

  And he hooked one pissed off superior.

  “What are you implying?” Zell asked in a growl.

  “You’ve been harsh with Cassi from day one. You’ve already admitted that you knew we had a history and yet you gave me the file anyway. You wanted me to bring her in and for some reason you’ve given Vissher ample opportunity to prove his innocence yet you’ve practically thrown away the key on Cassi. What gives? And before you answer, let me fill you in on a little something about me…I may be a terrible liar but I’m a helluva investigator and if there’s one piece of evidence linking you and Vissher together in any way…I will bury you.”