With another deep inhale, she forced her eyes to blink open. A spotlight caused her to turn her head in order to shield her eyes.
“Move the light,” Brody warned. “The glare’s too much for her.”
She sensed him leaning in closer and felt his warm breath on her cheek. “Now, hon. You can open your eyes.”
Once again, she blinked her eyes open and was rewarded with seeing his face close to hers.
“Oh, Stephanie.” His voice was husky with emotion. “I thought I’d lost you.”
“Br...Brody.” She sighed, then inhaled again, comforted by the restorative power of the oxygen-rich air. She didn’t need to look at Brody’s drawn face to know how close she’d come to not surviving.
“Ted?” She turned her head, searching for him. A number of boatmen and a few medical personnel huddled close by. A stab of fear made her try to sit up.
“I’m right here, sis.” He stuck his head over Brody’s shoulder.
Her brother smiled, a wide and heartfelt grin she hadn’t seen in so long. He rested his hand on Brody’s shoulder, and the two guys exchanged looks that told her a bond had formed between them.
“How...how are you, Ted?”
“Fine, Steph, now that you came back to join us.”
“But—” She didn’t understand his comment.
“You went to another place. We didn’t think you’d come back to life. Mom’s old EpiPens kicked in and gave you enough medication to open your airway ever so slightly.”
He glanced at the men joining them on the deck. “These guys arrived in time to do the rest of the treatment. They’ve assured us you’re going to be okay.”
“Cindy...sprayed my face. I breathed it in. It must have contained...” She couldn’t go on. The thought of what Cindy had done brought back memories of that day on the water three years ago.
Brody quickly recounted what Cindy had told him about loving Hayden and wanting to avenge his death.
“She was angry that all of us lived when he didn’t,” Ted added. “Hayden liked to flirt. He had given her the wrong impression, which cost Paul his life.”
“What about Joshua?”
“We’ll find out how he’s doing as soon as we get back to the mainland. The chief of police is searching for Cindy.”
The fog had lifted somewhat by the time they neared the marina. Two of the men stepped to the front of the boat to talk to Ted. Stephanie sat next to Brody. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. She continued to think about Cindy’s vindictive actions. The aloe spray must have contained ground nuts, just as they’d found in the raisins.
In a flash of clarity, Stephanie remembered the tote. Her heart pounded a warning when she realized they were still in danger.
She grabbed Brody’s hand. “Stop the boat. We can’t dock.”
“An ambulance is ready to transport you to the hospital. You’re going to be okay, honey.”
“No.” She shook her head. “You don’t understand. Cindy said one of the wives had left a tote at the picnic. She insisted I take it back to post, but it’s still on my boat.”
Brody’s eyes locked on hers. His smile disappeared and was replaced with the keen gaze of a law-enforcement officer.
“Don’t enter the marina, Ted. There could be a bomb on that small craft.” Brody pointed to The Princess, then looked down at Stephanie. “Where’s the tote?”
“In the front. It’s a yellow cloth bag decorated with fabric flowers.”
The lead cop called headquarters. “Send the bomb crew and make sure the marina is sealed off. If this baby blows, I don’t want anyone else injured.” He nodded, the phone still at his ear. “We’ll head for the small dock south of here. I’ll have the ambulance meet us there.”
Two patrol cars quickly arrived and secured the marina. The police boat that had come to their rescue remained a distance out from shore. Once the bomb crew was in place, the boat followed The Upton Queen to the smaller dock and met up with Brody there.
“Chief Palmer said he wants to talk to you, sir.” One of the officers held out his phone to Brody.
The police chief came over the line. “We’ve got her. Cindy was holed up in the large prefab warehouse she erected on her property. She’s got her own makeshift garage out there. Evidently, she learned mechanics from her brother. Plus, you’ll never guess what was parked inside.”
“A souped-up truck with mud tires, red in color.”
“You’ve got that right. She took an old, used pickup and repainted it, added mud tires and rebuilt the engine. She wanted it to look just like Hayden’s Ford. Here’s the strange part. She claimed to be able to feel his presence when she drove the truck around her property. The woman’s deranged, in my opinion, but we’ll let a court of law determine what they want to do with her. She had one area of her warehouse turned into a shrine of sorts to Hayden’s memory. High school photos, memorabilia. It gave me the creeps.”
“Did she admit to nearly sideswiping Stephanie outside Joshua’s subdivision?”
“When she accessed Josh’s voice mail and heard that Stephanie was en route to his house, she had to change her plans and nearly ran Ms. Upton off the road while trying to get away.”
“It appeared to me that she hit Joshua from behind and planned to drown him in the tub.”
“That’s what she admitted doing, although not in nice terms. She kept railing that Ms. Upton shouldn’t have come back. Cindy had wanted to take her time with her revenge, but when she saw Ted’s sister, she knew she had to act fast.”
“She was in love with Hayden Allen and felt Stephanie had left him to perish intentionally.”
The chief whistled over the phone. “That explains the additional photos we found. Some shots she probably took when Hayden wasn’t looking. If you ask my opinion, Cindy made up a fictional world where the boyfriend still existed and still loved her.”
“I’m not sure how he felt about her, Chief. That could have made the problem even worse.” Brody shook his head, thinking of all the pain Cindy had caused. If only she had gotten help. Counseling, psychiatric care, medication to aid her in overcoming the trauma of losing the boy she supposedly loved. Unfortunately, she’d kept everything inside.
“Have you talked to Walt Ferrol?” Brody asked.
“He’s hiring a lawyer and plans to fight the charges against his sister. From the looks of things, the case is airtight. Plus, she said she wants to write down what happened so folks will realize why she had to hurt Joshua and kill Paul.”
“She almost killed Ted and Stephanie, too.”
“I heard she ran you down in the water. She thought you and Ted had both perished. When I told her you survived, she broke down and cried. And not for joy.”
“The EMTs are ready to transport Stephanie to the hospital. I’m going with her.”
“Thank her for what she did. Once again, we owe her a debt of gratitude.”
“I don’t think she wants a fuss made, Chief.”
“Maybe not, but her heroism needs to be recognized. You need recognition, as well.”
“Negative. Just call my boss and tell him you appreciate the way the CID helped on this investigation.”
“You’ve got it. Anytime you want to leave the military and settle down, say with a pretty local gal, come see me about a job in law enforcement.”
Brody appreciated the offer.
“I mean it. I could use a good man like you.”
He smiled as he disconnected and then limped to the ambulance. The EMT raised an eyebrow when he climbed in the rear.
Brody held up his hand. “CID from Fort Rickman. It’s incumbent on me to remain with the patient.”
The guy smiled and nodded. “Yes, sir. I never mess with the cops. Plus—” He glanced down at Brody’s leg.
“Looks like that cut should be treated at the E.R. I’ll leave you two back here. My partner and I will ride up front. Just call out if you need anything.”
The door shut, and Brody took Stephanie’s hand. He would explain what the chief of police had said later. Right now, he wanted to reassure her everything was going to be all right.
“Ted’s driving my car to the hospital.”
Her eyes widened. “You trust him?”
“After what we’ve been through, I trust him with my life.”
“And my life, Brody? Do you trust him with that, as well?”
He nodded. “Maybe I was too hard on Ted at first, but he was in a bad place and had a lot to deal with. Hopefully, what we all faced today made him realize life goes on and the past is behind him.”
“Is that something you’ve learned?”
He nodded, leaning closer to her. “I’m only thinking of the present moment and having the doctor check you out and give you a clean bill of health.”
“So...” She rolled her eyes and stuck out her lower lip in a pretend pout. “You’re not thinking about the future at all?”
“Okay, you’re right.” He laughed. “I am thinking about asking you out for dinner and taking you to a nice restaurant, and then maybe we can stroll along the river’s edge, especially if it’s a moonlit night with the stars twinkling overhead.”
She sighed. “That sounds delightful.”
“We could stop in a secluded spot, and then I could take you in my arms and pull you close so that all I could see would be your beautiful face bathed in moonlight.”
“What would happen then?” she teased.
“Then I’d kiss you. Just like this.”
He lowered his lips to hers and felt a rush of emotion fill him as the two of them were joined. He wove his hand through her hair and held her close, never wanting anything to separate them again.
They had been through so much, and he had almost lost her too many times, but all that was behind them. Lisa had died by the hand of a man who was confused and suffering, just as Cindy was suffering in her own way.
Being with Stephanie healed the pain of Brody’s past. Hopefully, she realized Hayden’s death was in no way her fault. She had her brother back, and Brody, at long last, was able to see the good in him and had hope for his future as well as their own.
As he drew away, he heard her sigh, and his heart skittered in his chest. “I don’t want to leave you, ever, Stephanie.”
“Oh, Brody.”
Once again, he lowered his lips to hers and continued to kiss her as the ambulance raced toward the hospital and the siren screeched in the night.
TWENTY-FOUR
Stephanie and Brody attended church on post the next morning. Ted and Nikki joined them there. After the service, they visited Joshua in the hospital. His condition had improved, and he’d been moved from the ICU into a private room.
Ted and Nikki stayed with their friend while Brody drove Stephanie to Magnolia Manor. Earlier, she had arranged to meet Keith at the nursing home.
“Are you sure you feel up to this?” Keith asked her as they approached.
She nodded. “Have you said anything to Aunt Hazel?”
“Only that you’ve come back to town.”
“Does she know you were taken into custody?”
He shook his head. “Luckily, no. The nursing-home staff didn’t want to upset her, which I appreciated.”
She touched his arm. “I’m sorry about what happened, Keith.”
He glanced from Stephanie to Brody. “Everything worked out in the end. No one realized Cindy had access to so many places in town through her mother’s cleaning business. The real-estate office, the bakery—”
“And my parent’s house,” Stephanie added. “My mother started using the cleaning service when she was pregnant with Ted. Her morning sickness for the first three months was severe. She needed help around the house and even went into the hospital for dehydration during that time. I was at home with my father.”
Keith nodded. “That’s when you walked in on your dad and my mother.”
“Only I blanked out the memory. I was six years old and didn’t understand what I was seeing. When I was searching for Hayden, the memory returned ever so briefly. Yesterday, as I was looking for Brody, I saw everything in a flash of awareness.”
Stephanie hesitated for a moment and then added, “Their affair occurred around the time your mother became pregnant, Keith. Do you know who Hayden’s father was?”
He shook his head. “I’ve never asked and never needed to know. Either way, Hayden was still my brother.”
“And a very special guy.” Stephanie turned to Brody. “You said Cindy’s mom was aware of what was going on?”
“Evidently, at some point, she shared what she knew with her daughter.”
“My dad continued using the cleaning service after my mother died,” Stephanie said. “Cindy made a duplicate house key. Dad had provided the security code so the cleaning team could get into the house even when he had set the alarm.”
“Unfortunately, no one realized the bitterness Cindy harbored.” Keith glanced at the nursing home. “Are you ready?”
Stephanie hesitated. “There’s one thing I never understood, Keith. Did you go to Atlanta that day?”
He nodded. “I wanted to leave Freemont. A job opened up in the city. I went for the interview and would have had plenty of time to get back, but they asked me to talk to some more people in the company that afternoon. I called Mother and asked her to pick up the kids.”
“But...but she didn’t?”
“I’m not sure what happened. She may have been having ministrokes at that time and forgot I had even called. Not long after Hayden’s death, she had her first major attack. I was offered the job but turned it down so I could take care of her.”
Stephanie hadn’t realized the depth of compassion in Keith’s heart. “You never told anyone about calling her.”
He shook his head. “My mother had enough guilt to carry. She didn’t need me pointing a finger at her.”
“You’re a good man,” she said with sincerity.
“Thanks, Stephanie. That means a lot to me.”
She turned to Brody and squeezed his hand. “We won’t be long.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
Together, she and Keith entered the nursing home and headed for Aunt Hazel’s room. She was propped up in bed, staring at the door through which they entered.
She tried to smile. Her lips sagged with the effort, but her eyes were bright and full of welcome.
“Mama, look who’s come to visit you.” Keith motioned Stephanie forward.
She neared the bed and took Aunt Hazel’s hand. “I’ve missed you.”
Which was true. After her own mother’s death, she and Aunt Hazel had drawn closer. But ever since Hayden had died, Stephanie hadn’t been able to face the grieving mother. She’d gone to his funeral but left without talking to her aunt.
Hazel gripped Stephanie’s hand and struggled to form her words. “You...you’re...home.”
“I’m working at Fort Rickman, Aunt Hazel, so I’ll be able to visit you often.”
The woman smiled.
“Keith is a wonderful son,” Stephanie continued. “You have so much to be proud of.”
Again Hazel nodded, but her face clouded as if she was remembering her own loss.
“Hayden was a wonderful son, too.” Stephanie hesitated before adding, “I always thought of him as a brother.”
The woman’s eyes widened ever so slightly.
Stephanie nodded with understanding. “For a long time, I shut God out of my life, but I’ve realized the Lord was waiting with open arms for me to return to Him. We’ve all made mistakes. If we’r
e truly sorry, we need to ask His forgiveness.”
She glanced up at Keith before she continued. “Don’t dwell on the past, but be grateful for what you have today.”
Hazel’s eyes watered and a tear ran down her cheek. She released Stephanie’s hand and reached for Keith’s. Stepping back, Stephanie watched as he sat on the side of his mother’s bed. Hazel’s mouth moved as she struggled to talk.
“I know, Mama,” Keith soothed. “I love you, too.”
Dear God, bless this mother and son with the fullness of Your love and mercy.
Knowing they had much to reconcile, Stephanie left the nursing home. Outside, the sun was shining, and the sky was bright.
Brody was standing by his car, waiting for her, just as he had promised.
She walked into his arms, feeling that special connection, a sense of coming home that wiped away the burdens she had carried for too long and filled her with an anticipation and expectation of what the future could hold. A future with Brody.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She nodded. “Now I need to call my father.”
“What are you going to say?”
“That Ted and I are waiting for him to come home.”
Brody hugged her even more tightly. “I’m proud of you.”
She shook her head. “It’s not me. It’s what the Lord revealed to me during all this. I was thinking only of myself by carrying the guilt for Hayden’s death. Looking inward, I didn’t realize so many other folks were struggling, as well.”
She pulled back ever so slightly. “At the hospital, Ted told me he had talked Hayden into bringing the alcohol that day. All this time, Ted felt he was responsible for what happened. He closed me out of his life, knowing if he had done what I had asked, Hayden might still be alive. Ted asked my forgiveness, and for the first time in three years, we hugged and cried and...and healed.”
“I’m so glad.”
“He’s determined to follow through with counseling. Nikki’s been encouraging him. I think she’s a good influence on him.”
“And you’re a good influence on me. There’s something in the car I want to show you.”
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