Catching Serenity

by JoAnn Durgin

  “No, I’m fine right here,” Jackson said. “Go ahead and sit down if you need to. Do you need some water or something?”

  Clinton shook his head and dropped down on the sofa. “In answer to your first question, I’m not reading this book.”

  “Is Elise here in the house now?”

  “Yes. She is.”

  Jackson snapped up his gaze to where Elise stood in the doorway. When she lifted her head, her eyes softened as they met his. Serenity’s beautiful blue eyes were the mirror image of her mother’s. Intense and intelligent. Breathtaking. He might have guessed her secret long before if he’d been permitted a glimpse of those eyes. Now he understood why she always wore sunglasses in their sessions.

  “Does Serenity know?” Elise walked further into the living room. She appeared fragile and brittle as though she’d snap if he touched her arm. Her voice was every bit as thin.

  Jackson shook his head. “Not yet, no. She’s aware she’s being watched, although she can’t imagine why. Or by whom.” Jackson swallowed and his throat tightened. “Justin is Serenity’s son? Liam?”

  Tears welled in her eyes. “Yes.”

  This was one of the few moments in his life when he didn’t know how to react, how to feel. While ecstatic, he was full of questions. “Where’s Justin now?”

  “With a friend,” she said, seating herself beside Clinton and taking his hand.

  “Let me guess. Carmen?”

  Elise nodded. “All I ask is that you allow me to tell Serenity in my own way and in my own time.” She darted a quick glance at Clinton. “My husband knows I’ve been to see you, so you’re not breaching any professional ethics by admitting I’ve come to you with my grandson in a professional capacity, Dr. Ross.”

  Jackson considered his options. “I can’t agree to wait much longer,” he said, his glance encompassing them both. “You know I can’t tell Serenity because of professional ethics, but if you don’t tell her, I’ll come up with something. Mark my words.”

  “Now, just wait a doggone minute,” Clinton said. “You’re not threatening us are you, son?”

  Jackson heaved a sigh. “No, of course not. I’m just...frustrated.” He met Elise’s gaze and held it. “As you know, I have a vested interest.”

  “Because you love her.”

  “She’s my friend, and yes, I love her. Very much.” It was the first time he’d admitted it out loud. But this was Serenity’s mother and father. In spite of history, in spite of what Elise might or might not have done, she’d returned to Croisette Shores, and brought Serenity the best gift she’d ever receive. Two gifts, really.

  “Better start at the beginning, Elise,” Clinton said.

  Elise inhaled a deep breath. Jackson watched as she scooted closer and Clinton moved his arm around her.

  “Danny was a good boy, but he wasn’t particularly bright,” Elise said. “With a baby on the way, he wanted to give Serenity and his child more stability. He worked at a convenience store in town that’s since closed down. I don’t know how, but he got himself involved with some guys that were no good and started running drugs. Started out small and, when he proved himself trustworthy, he got more involved in an operation that ran up and down the east coast.”

  Finally dropping into an armchair across from the sofa, Jackson rubbed his hand over his chin. Serenity suspected her husband’s death had been anything but random, and her instincts had proven correct. “Why doesn’t Serenity know this?”

  Elise glanced at Clinton as though for reassurance. “Because she was pregnant and distraught enough over Danny’s murder. I—we—were concerned for her health, and for the baby, and wanted to protect her. To this day, no one in town knows what really happened.”

  Jackson shook his head. “I mean, how did she not know her husband was traveling? Wasn’t he gone overnight?”

  “Only a couple of times that we know of,” Clinton said. “Danny told her he’d gone fishing with some of his buddies. He mainly drove from Croisette Shores to locations nearby and met up with others.”

  “Serenity said his murder was unsolved, a random act of violence,” Jackson said. “She also said she’d always thought there was more to it.”

  “Danny got into the big leagues with an organized crime family. When he got greedy and made some stupid demands and double-crossed them, they killed him with one shot to the head at pointblank range. The poor boy didn’t even have a chance.” A tear slipped down Elise’s face and she swiped it away.

  Jackson’s heart raced with such an unexpected and shocking revelation. The newspaper reports hadn’t mentioned Danny was murdered execution-style. Of course, there could be any number of reasons for that—not wanting to alarm the townspeople, incomplete evidence or else someone managed to pay the newspaper handsomely to leave it out. Leaning forward, hands on his thighs, Jackson stared at Elise, his mind swirling with questions. “How do you know all this?”

  A deep frown creased Elise’s brow. “The night of Liam’s birth, I’d been on duty at the hospital and had just changed into my street clothes. Clinton was meeting me there and hadn’t arrived yet. The service elevator wasn’t working. I used the main elevators, something I rarely did even when I was off-duty. Two men—dressed in suits and out-of-place with their New York accents—were in that elevator. I overheard one of them say Danny’s name and mumble something derogatory and then laugh. Since Danny was already dead, I wondered what they were talking about. Maybe I’ve seen too many crime dramas, but they looked, acted and sounded suspicious, so I followed them into the cafeteria. They talked about tying up loose ends and making the ‘hit’ like it was nothing.” Another tear escaped, and this time Clinton wiped it away for her.

  Nerves clenched Jackson’s stomach but he had to hear it all. As unbelievable as it seemed, he knew Elise told the truth.

  “Apparently, they thought Danny told Serenity everything and couldn’t take a chance she’d go to the authorities, but they wanted to wait until the baby was born so they could make it complete and eliminate Danny’s immediate family.”

  “What happened?” Hardly breathing, Jackson sat up straighter, waiting.

  Elise heaved a huge sigh. “I got in the cafeteria line behind them. One of the men said something about the ‘old man’ having emphysema and how his private duty nurse was gone.” Her eyes met Jackson’s. “I don’t even want to think about what that meant. Then they made some disgusting joke about grabbing one of the nurses in the hospital and taking her back to Long Island with them. They probably would have kidnapped one of them. I didn’t have to think about what I did next. I sat down at a nearby table, pulled out my cell phone and engaged in a fake telephone conversation, making sure I spoke loud enough for them to hear. I played my part well with a sob story about not getting the job at the hospital and how I needed something soon or I wouldn’t be able to pay my mortgage.”

  “Thinking they’d take you since they knew you were a nurse, at least from your conversation, I’m assuming?” When she nodded, Jackson frowned. “Wouldn’t they check you out, know your relationship to Serenity?”

  Elise lowered her head before raising it again. “Long story short, they didn’t come after Serenity because I made a deal. Not quite like selling my soul to the devil, but not far from it. In exchange for paying off Danny’s debt, and in exchange for keeping my family safe, I offered my nursing expertise for the family patriarch.”

  “So,” Jackson said slowly, “you worked for the crime boss? What about Liam? How’d you convince—” His heart pounded in his chest.

  Elise’s eyes sparked and her jaw tensed. “I lied out of both sides of my mouth and betrayed everyone I knew and loved most. I risked everything and told them I’d go back to New York with them and take care of the old man. They could have still killed me, Clinton, Serenity and Liam without blinking an eye, but I had to try. I was desperate. I’d have done anything. For whatever reason, they bought my story and agreed to it. I planned an elaborate scheme and told the hospital s
taff that my grandson died shortly after birth, but I waited long enough so Serenity could hold him and nurse him.”

  She lowered her head. “I’m not sure that was the wisest decision, but I wanted her to bond with him, even if only for a few moments. I’d worked at the hospital a long time and got away with my plan because they trusted me. I also played the grieving part well and told them I needed to take care of the arrangements for Liam myself. All the lies and knowing I was taking her son away from Serenity broke my heart all over again.”

  Running a hand over her head, Elise appeared distraught. “I convinced them Serenity was mentally unstable and no threat. Honestly? I’m not sure Serenity would have been in any condition to properly care for Liam.”

  Slumping back against the chair, Jackson stared at her. “Go on. Please.”

  Elise raised her chin and squared her shoulders in the same way he’d seen Serenity do many times, making his pulse race faster. “For whatever reason, Mr. Gam—” she stopped—“my patient believed me and seemed to appreciate my honesty, ironic as that sounds considering his position. Faced with the same situation, I’d do it all over again. God can condemn me for it, but I did what I had to do to keep my family safe.”

  “You lived in Long Island with the old man? In his home?” Jackson could feel his anger slowly ebbing. Elise was right. He’d never heard a story like this outside of some fictional drama. In another way, he could understand it happening in spite of the sadness and tragedy. Carmen was right, too. Now that he’d heard the reasoning behind Elise’s actions, he could forgive her for what she’d done. Her motives were pure in order to protect her loved ones.

  The corners of Elise’s mouth tugged downward in tandem with her slender, almost bony shoulders. “This all sounds crazy, I know. I’m not fabricating some wild story in order to cover my actions, Dr. Ross. It’s real because I breathed it, agonized over it, ate it, slept it, lived it for nearly five years. Why else would I kidnap my own grandchild and put him at risk? Why would I torture my already grieving daughter?”

  Elise wrung her hands. Jumping to her feet, she began to pace. “I didn’t know what else to do. The body count in my family was already at one, and I couldn’t risk it going any higher. Liam was this beautiful baby boy, so tiny and innocent. He shouldn’t have to pay for the sins of his father.” Her cheeks wet, Elise brushed the back of her hand over them. “I loved Danny, too, but he couldn’t see how he was putting his family at risk. The irony? That poor, misguided boy thought he was doing a good thing for them, making a better life. I’d have given my own life in exchange for Liam or Serenity’s, and don’t think I didn’t offer.” Her eyes met his. “Whatever it took. I’d have done anything.”

  “I’m not judging you, Elise,” Jackson said. “It’s okay if I call you that?”

  The welcome hint of a smile surfaced on Elise’s face, relaxing her features. “It’s preferable to some other names you might want to call me right now.”

  “I can see where Serenity gets her strength.” He glanced at Clinton. “No offense intended, sir. She also got a lot of great qualities from you.”

  Clinton grunted. “None taken. Always appreciated your diplomacy, son. I freely admit I’m thankful my girl got more of her mama than me.”

  Jackson focused on Elise as she sat beside Clinton again. “How’d you get away?”

  “The old man died a couple of months ago, and my contract, so to speak, was released. That was our deal. I’d paid off Danny’s debt. I have it in writing no harm will come to Liam, Serenity, me or Clinton. Not that a piece of paper means much.” She looked away and swallowed. “In five years, I saw a lot of people come and go. I stayed quiet, out of the way and never asked questions. I didn’t say much, and I focused on taking care of the old man and keeping Liam safe. The entire time, I kept thinking about the day I’d reunite Serenity with her son, and that’s what kept me going. Once she gets over the initial shock, I hope she’ll accept what I did, even if she doesn’t understand.”

  “You’ve done a wonderful job with him. He’s a great kid, and probably one of the more well-adjusted patients I’ve ever seen in my practice.” He met Elise’s bright gaze. “Especially now that I know the truth.”

  “I documented every milestone in his life for Serenity—every birthday, his first steps, first words, all of it, some on video and I took tons of pictures. They went through every one of them to make sure I didn’t have photographs of anyone in the family. But they let me keep them. I can’t give Serenity those years she missed with her son, but it’s the best I can do, given the circumstances.”

  Jackson nodded. “Thank you. Those will be precious for her.” He paused a moment. “I had an interesting rendezvous this afternoon with a man in a suit at the hardware store,” Jackson said, directing the question to Elise. “He’s the same man who showed up at Inner Serenity one afternoon and stared at your photo. Who is he?”

  “He’s hired by...the family.” There was no mistaking her meaning. This whole thing made him feel like he was in another dimension. “He’s making sure everything’s in place and no one followed me here.”

  “Who else would follow you?”

  “You ask a lot of questions, Dr. Ross.”

  “Call me a pest. Answer me, please.”

  Elise’s lips upturned. “Does Serenity know you’re so bossy?”

  “Yes, and I like to think she adores me for it. Trust me,” Jackson said, allowing a small smile of his own, “she keeps me sharp. Your daughter is incredibly intelligent and intuitive.”

  “And I’m sure she adores you, too,” Elise said. Clinton put his arm around her shoulders. Drawing her close, he kissed her cheek.

  Jackson waited as Elise appeared to gather her thoughts. “You must understand there’s always a rival family watching, ready to pounce. The way I look at it, it’s only by the grace of God that I was allowed to keep Liam and come back home again. Respect for their elders is revered and the wishes of the family patriarch is paramount. In his own way, the old man protected me. And his son is doing that for me now. For that, I am—and will always be—eternally grateful.”

  Jackson rubbed his hand over his face. “He reciprocated your loyalty. So, how long is Mr. Suit going to be hanging around town? I have to say, he makes me nervous.” He already knew he’d be icing his arm when he got home.

  “He’ll be gone in a couple more days. Then we’re on our own.”

  “And Carmen?”

  “She works for a private surveillance agency. Even though I had the old man’s word no harm would come to us, I had to make sure I wasn’t followed and that no one was in danger. Carmen was hired to keep an eye on Serenity, Clinton and...you, too, Jackson.”

  That was news, but not much could surprise him after what he’d just heard. “Any idea how or when you’ll tell Serenity?”

  “That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Elise said. “I first came to see you because you were the new psychologist in town. Then when I saw Arnie on your bookshelf, I knew you were important to Serenity. My daughter wouldn’t give Arnie to anyone who expressed an interest in him. That little giraffe is priceless to me and she knew it.”

  “She’s an amazing woman...and so are you,” Jackson said. An hour ago, he couldn’t have guessed he’d be sitting with her now and saying these things. But it was the truth.

  “Thank you.” Elise lowered her head. “My poor baby. What she must have gone through.”

  “You’ve suffered every bit as much,” Clinton said, his voice quiet.

  “Yes, you have,” Jackson said. Clinton shot him a grateful glance. “It might take her a while to recover from the shock of it all, but in time, I’m sure Serenity will understand. Does Justin know his real first name is Liam?”

  Elise shook her head. “No. It’s his middle name, and I’ve called him that to minimize complications. He knows his last name is Kincaid, and he only learned in the last few weeks that my last name isn’t Johnson.”

  Jackson moved his gaz
e to Clinton. “If I may ask, sir, how long have you known?”

  “Only a week,” Elise answered for her husband. “I got a letter in the mail this week from the son of...my patient, and he’s now the new head of the family. He thanked me for services rendered and again assured me I was released from any further obligations to the family. Said I’d meant a lot to the old man and earned his trust. Knowing whom they can trust and family loyalty means everything to them.”

  A tear escaped from the corner of her eye. “I found great solace in reading a Bible I’d taken with me to New York. I was never much of a ‘God’ person, but somehow I knew I might need it.” Wiping away another tear, Elise managed a small smile. “I was raised in the church, but I’d turned away from it. Funny how those things I’d learned as a child came back to me. In a way, it was like I was in a prison, and I took comfort in reading the letters written by Paul when he was imprisoned. Even tortured and chained, he found joy and peace in the midst of unspeakable pain. There’s a verse in Second Corinthians that says, When I am weak, then I am strong, and that hit home for me. In my weakness, my faith in the Lord kept me going. He sustains.”

  When Elise hesitated, Clinton brushed away her tears with the pad of his thumb. Jackson shifted in the chair, feeling like he was an intruder in their private moment.

  “I knew God had a plan in what happened,” Elise continued. “I even tried to share with my patient one day, but he wouldn’t listen. Said he was too far gone in this life. I told him no one was beyond redemption and insisted it was never too late. He listened to what I told him, though, but only God Himself knows a man’s soul.” Lifting her shoulders, she shot a helpless glance his way.

  Rising from his chair, Jackson walked across the room. When he looked at Clinton, he nodded, as if sensing what he was about to do. Pulling Elise to her feet, Jackson kissed her cheek and drew her into a hug. “Thank you for coming home again. Thank you for giving Serenity her life back even though she doesn’t know it yet.”

  ~CHAPTER 40~

  Jackson smiled as he opened the door to the cottage. “You came.”