Sweet Vengeance

by Fern Michaels

  Liam Jamison had to know his way around the criminal justice system or he would be serving three life sentences instead of her.

  Bastard.

  “Tessa?” Sam said, jolting her from her reverie.

  She had instantly come up with an explanation. “I’ve been surrounded by guards for over a decade, Sam. Surely you of all people understand my . . . surprise to learn that that hasn’t changed; from my point of view, the only difference is that I’m now a prisoner in my own home.”

  He scrunched up beside her. “Tessa, you knew the terms of your release. The ankle monitor doesn’t keep you safe. I took that responsibility when I agreed to act as your guardian. It’s my job to keep you safe, so you can testify at trial if you choose to. Lee and I are both confident we can get an acquittal at your next trial if we cannot find enough evidence beforehand to get the charges dismissed. If you’re harmed in any way, it’s on me.”

  “What about Liam? That fucking bastard has been living life as a free man while I . . .” Tessa had no words to finish her sentence.

  “I know, I know. But if the bastard has the slightest bit of conscience, he’s been looking over his shoulder for the past decade. Here is what I can do; I can keep you safe; Lee and I can do our best to keep you out of that fucked-up place you’ve called home, and when you’re a free woman, you can hunt the bastard down. But until then, we have to follow the rules. Both of us.

  “This is day one. And I don’t know about you, but I am tired. It’s been a very long day, and tomorrow will be even longer. Let’s call it a night, get some rest, and rethink this tomorrow. Deal?” He held his hand out to her.

  As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. She needed to sleep, to clear her head. She reached for his hand, “Deal.”

  “Darlene fixed a room up for you. Downstairs. I’m staying upstairs in that guest room. I hope that’s okay?”

  “Would it matter if it wasn’t?” she asked, still slightly pissed that he had so much control over her.

  “You can sleep in the upstairs guest room if you want. It doesn’t matter to me. A bed is a bed. I thought it might make it easier on you. Sleeping downstairs.”

  Of course. Sam was thoughtful, though she hated admitting that just now. “No, it’s fine. Which room? There were six bedrooms in this house. Total waste of space.” She and Joel had planned on a family, and maybe there would have been that son had he lived. Or two.

  “The room where all the books were.”

  “Ah, my den. Sam, please tell me you didn’t toss my books?”

  He stood up and took her hands in his. “Actually, I think you’ll be pleased when you see what Darlene arranged. Follow me.”

  She felt odd being led around in her own home. Sam went down the long hall that led to three other guest rooms. “In here,” he said, opening the door and turning on the lights.

  Tessa entered the room. “Sam! This is . . . a library!” She saw so many of her familiar titles, some of her college textbooks she had hung on to. Floor-to-ceiling shelves held all the books she had collected throughout the years. “Thank you, Sam. This is perfect.”

  The furnishings were plush and inviting. A fireplace had been added and two armchairs now flanked the window—all the creature comforts a die-hard book lover could want.

  “I’ll tell Darlene you approve. Now, you might want to sleep in one of the other guest rooms. They have been redecorated with all the latest gadgets and gizmos in mind. I’m going upstairs now. I’m exhausted. Night, Tess.” He smiled and left her in her new library.

  “Good night, Sam.”

  He waved.

  She decided she would sleep in here, surrounded by her books, which held mostly happy memories. It would be the first time that she had slept in this house since she had been arrested for the murder of her husband and twin daughters.

  Chapter 11

  Tessa realized she had forgotten to ask Sam about pajamas and toiletries. Before he went to sleep, she hurried upstairs to the guest room where they’d looked at the watch earlier. She knocked lightly on the door.

  “Come in,” Sam called out.

  Hesitant in case he wasn’t dressed, she called out. “Sam, I hate to be a pest, but I need something to sleep in and a toothbrush—”

  The door swung open before she could finish her sentence.

  “I totally forgot. In one of the guest rooms, I’m unsure which one, but it should be fully stocked with all the things you’ll need in the chest of drawers.”

  “Darlene’s magic?”

  Sam raked his hand through his hair. Tessa thought he looked incredibly handsome just then. She took a deep breath.

  “Actually, it was me. I thought . . . Never mind what I thought. You should have everything you need in one of the guest rooms and bathrooms. And Darlene did take care of all those bubbles and lotions.” He smiled at her, and for the first time in years, she felt glad to be a woman.

  Breathless, she nodded. “I appreciate this. Thanks, Sam. Night.” She hurried back to the first floor before she did something stupid, but she did hear him laughing on her way downstairs.

  She grinned.

  She found everything she needed in the room across the hall from the library. The furnishings were warm wood, and the draperies and comforter were done in soft shades of creams and beige, nothing like the dark green and navy colors she had used all those years ago. Tessa found a pair of pink-silk pajamas in the top drawer along with several pair of pastel-colored bikini underwear. She blushed when she thought of Sam’s hands touching something so personal. Joel never purchased anything as intimate for her. Flowers and chocolates, which she had adored, but never a set of pajamas and pretty panties. All very feminine. And then it dawned on her. Sam had purchased these things not because he had hoped for any possible future intimacy between them but because he knew she would appreciate fine clothes after her years of wearing an orange jumpsuit. He was thoughtful and kind. Feeling foolish, she was going to indulge herself tonight by soaking in the Jacuzzi tub she had seen when she sneaked a look into the bathroom.

  Before, this guest bath had only boasted a shower, a sink, and a toilet. The old had been replaced with newer, modern, much more luxurious fixtures. All done in the same warm shades of beige as the bedroom.

  The vanity was lined with shampoos, body washes, razors, everything she would need. She turned the taps on in the Jacuzzi, setting the water temperature as high as she could stand, then added a gardenia-scented bath bomb to the water. Darlene had thought of everything. Someday, she promised herself, she would thank her.

  She peeled off her slacks, careful of the ankle monitor before she realized it probably wasn’t waterproof. She had to hang her foot over the side, and tomorrow she had to check to see if she could shower with it on. For now, Tessa wasn’t going to let a little thing like an ankle monitor prevent her from soaking in this giant tub. She had fantasized about hot baths for years. Prison meant three-minute showers with lukewarm water. For as long as she could, she would enjoy these luxuries.

  While lowering herself into the hot, steamy, gardenia-scented water, tears filled her eyes. It had been so very long since she had actually enjoyed anything so simple as a hot bath. She closed her eyes and let her mind wander.

  Her first thoughts were of Sam, and the enormous responsibility he had undertaken when involving himself in her case.

  Sam was more than he seemed. Sharp, intelligent. Mysterious. Thoughtful. He’d propelled Jamison Pharmaceuticals into areas of research that could change the course of modern medicine. New cancer drugs that changed and lengthened lives. He wasn’t a sit-behind-the-desk kind of CEO. Joel must have known this when he promoted him from CFO to CEO early in 2011. Tessa tried to focus her thoughts elsewhere. She did not want to compare Sam to her deceased husband. It wasn’t fair to either of them.

  Her daughters. They would be almost twenty-one years old now. Maybe they would have had children of their own. Or they would be in college pursuing their studies and lookin
g forward to interesting and productive careers. There were so many possibilities, or had been. Gone with the slash of a box cutter. She shivered. She did not want to relive the day she had come home to find her family, but her mind couldn’t stop the images from appearing. She had blocked them out for years, but now, when she tried to relax, they came back in full force.

  Tessa drove her red Porsche out of the ferry and made a mental checklist of all the extra things Piper and Poppy would need for an extended stay off the island. Anything to distract her from thinking about the horror her daughters had been subjected to. Her eyes flooded with tears, and her heart raced a mile a minute.

  No. Not now.

  Concentrate on driving home.

  She needed to focus on the items she had to pack. She had to focus on the children, on their escape.

  Poppy and Piper would need their summer clothes, swimsuits, and sandals, not to mention all their beach gear. Pails, sand molds for their sculptures, floats, and this year she’d promised them they could get boogie boards.

  Their crisp white blouses and navy skirts worn at Saint Cecelia’s, the private girls’ school they’d attended since preschool, would be left behind. Tessa would continue their education once this nightmare ended.

  Both were avid readers, and she would bring their Kindles and make sure the Harry Potter series and a lengthy list of reading material were loaded on their electronic readers. Of course, she couldn’t forget to bring their brand-new iPads. As much as she disliked it, she knew there would be times when the quirky games they could access would save the girls from complete and utter boredom. To be sure, she would bring plenty of board games, the collection of their favorite movies, which they never seemed to tire of, and an endless supply of drawing paper with brightly colored markers and pencils. Both girls were very artistic and attended advanced art classes every Wednesday afternoon.

  Tessa smiled when she remembered the family portrait Poppy had drawn just a few weeks ago. She’d proudly hung it on the refrigerator with her favorite Harry Potter magnet. It was actually quite good except Tessa thought she’d looked pregnant. She wanted to ask Poppy why but didn’t because she feared cramping her artistic style. Maybe it was time to think about another child? Last year, Poppy had asked for a little brother for Christmas. Tessa had laughed, never giving another child much serious thought as she had her hands full with the twins, but now, maybe it was time to reconsider. Joel often hinted he wanted a son. As soon as this horrid nightmare ended, if ever, Tessa promised to give the idea of another child some serious thought.

  On her way home after spending parts of the last three days on the mainland preparing for a stay of indefinite length, she was beyond tired as she headed north on Highway 41. Brief flashes of colorful signs zoomed by as she drove past the familiar sights, including the small strip of stores facing the beach. Tessa and the girls had spent many afternoons roaming the stores, shopping, having lunch at their favorite café, and oftentimes spending hours looking for that perfect pair of shoes. Tessa gave a sad grin. Both girls loved shoes, loved trying them on more than anything. Now, however, she wasn’t sure there would ever be another innocent mother-daughter outing since they’d told her what happened. A nightmare both girls had endured for almost a year. The fear in their eyes haunted her, twisted her insides in ways she’d thought had been put to rest.

  And now those feelings were back with a vengeance; only now, the degradation had been forced on her daughters.

  Anger forced her to press her foot down on the accelerator. Suddenly overwhelmed with the need to be with her girls, Tessa raced along the road. The street was lined with palm trees, and normally Tessa never grew tired of viewing the gallant trees as they stood tall and proud, flanking the road. Now, they passed in a greenish-brown blur.

  Tessa thought it a bit too much, but Joel often reminded her of their position, telling her it was his duty to keep his family safe. Kidnapping the children of wealthy businessmen wasn’t unheard of. But all the security they’d provided had not protected any of them from the evil that lurked inside the supposed safety of their home.

  Tessa’s sky-blue eyes filled with tears. Her precious daughters, spoiled by that low-life sick form of humanity. She would see to it that he went to prison for a very long time. If not worse.

  She punched in the code that opened the gates to the long drive leading to the seven-thousand-square-foot mansion looking out over the ocean, the house that she and Joel called home.

  When she had departed on Friday afternoon, Tessa had hated leaving the girls at such a critical time, but it had been necessary in order to protect them from the media and God knows what else. She had not been too successful in protecting them from their uncle. Maybe she could focus her energies on keeping them out of the spotlight. Once she contacted the authorities, she was certain that everything that had happened would be made public. The media hounds would have a field day. All hell would break loose. She and the girls would need the privacy of San Maribel now more than ever.

  Knowing that the twins would be emotionally and psychologically scarred after revealing the abuse they had suffered at the hands of their uncle Liam, she’d immediately taken action. Once she’d recovered from the initial shock, she contacted Jill Ambers Wednesday afternoon. Jill was a good friend as well as a forensic psychiatrist who specialized in the sexual abuse of children. Tessa never dreamed she would need to see her friend on a professional basis but knew that life didn’t always go as one expected. That very evening, Jill came to the house to examine both girls. She’d said the girls would need extensive therapy as they’d exhibited a new and intense fear of discussing what Liam had done to them.

  How well she knew that some adults could never be trusted, but that was for another time. Now her focus was on her children. She would protect them no matter the cost.

  On Friday afternoon, Tessa had gone to the mainland to prepare for their arrival. It was rare for her to take the girls away from home during the school year, certainly not on a Monday night, when their normal routine would consist of deciding what to have for dinner, doing homework, and discussing any upcoming plans for the week ahead, but after Wednesday’s revelation, Tessa couldn’t imagine keeping them home a minute longer than necessary. Jill had promised to check on the girls that weekend.

  Thursday night, after Joel had finally returned from a business trip to England, as they lay in bed, she’d told him she needed a break, some time to herself, said she was mentally exhausted from the kids and all that caring for them had involved while he had been away the past week. He’d accepted her explanation, telling her he had to work on Saturday, and possibly a half day Sunday, but assured Tessa that Rosa, their housekeeper and occasional sitter, would be there for the girls. With Jill’s reassurance and believing that the girls were as safe as they could be since Liam was in Japan, she’d quickly arranged for Jamison’s pilot and copilot to meet her at the small local airport. She’d insisted they not file a flight plan though the pilot explained to her they would need to fly at a low altitude and stay below eight thousand feet to stay out of class A airspace. She had not cared one way or the other and had sworn them to secrecy, telling both they’d lose their jobs if they told anyone, that no matter what happened, they must remain silent. She ordered them not to tell Joel. They’d sworn their allegiance to her, knowing this had to be terribly important as Tessa was respected and well-liked by all the employees at Jamison Pharmaceuticals and would never make such a request unless it was a matter of life and death.

  Jittery as though she were overcaffeinated, she recalled Poppy’s odd behavior as she prepared their breakfast on Wednesday morning. She’d been angry and hateful when Tessa woke her up that morning, which was in itself extremely unusual. Poppy never awakened in a sour mood. Piper, on the other hand, needed her quiet time, and Tessa always woke her first to allow her the few extra minutes she needed to start her day. Looking back, Piper had seemed a bit too eager to jump out of bed. How could she have missed the sig
ns?

  Both girls were kind, well behaved, and usually polite, or as polite as one could expect from ten-year-olds. The girls had extraordinary talents, which she and Joel encouraged. In hindsight, she should have known something wasn’t right when neither wanted to attend their art class Wednesday afternoon. They’d both begged to stay home from school with her, and she firmly told them no, thinking this could become a habit. Then, out of the blue, they announced that they wanted to share a bedroom again. That alone should have sent alarm bells ringing. They both liked their privacy.

  And the lights. A week ago, both girls had suddenly begun to insist that their bedside lights remain on. They’d stopped wanting their night-lights when they were five. They’d both been snippy, too. Now she wished she’d taken them in her arms and simply held them. Maybe if she’d done that, they would have opened up to her sooner. The hell with art classes and school. This would remain a part of them for the rest of their lives and define the women they became.

  God, how it sickened her to think of Liam, Joel’s younger half brother. She’d never liked him, not since the first time Joel had introduced him to her at a family gathering in Miami a few months before she and Joel were married. Handsome, maybe too handsome, with sandy brown hair and coffee-colored eyes, he’d seemed much too eager to please. Slick and phony, she’d thought. And the stories he told were so far-fetched that Tessa had doubted Liam’s truthfulness. She’d wanted to tell Joel she didn’t like him, but this was his brother, and she had not wanted to hurt his feelings. Joel was totally the opposite of his brother.