4 The Ghosts in the Attic

by SUE FINEMAN

  Time to grow up and start behaving like a responsible adult.

  Chapter Nine

  Monday, Alex moved into the attic at Donovan and Hannah’s house. Charlie was right about Taylor. After what she’d seen, she needed the love and presence of both parents. Charlie and Wilma made Taylor feel safe, and Alex had never seen her daughter happier. In this house, she was allowed to be a kid. She wasn’t scolded if she spilled her milk or forgot her manners at the dinner table, and she absolutely loved playing with Charlie’s dog.

  Hannah helped Alex get settled in one of the two roomy bedrooms in the attic. The big, open living area was divided into two areas – the play area and the sitting area. A high beamed ceiling and dormer windows allowed plenty of light. “This doesn’t feel like an attic,” said Alex.

  “No, it doesn’t. The attic wasn’t finished when I inherited the house. Trevor did most of the work up here. This was his domain. He was visiting his sister in Tacoma when he had a massive heart attack and died. I miss him.”

  “Was he a relative?”

  “My ex-husband. He came to visit one day and never left. The kids called him Uncle Trevor. We were no good as a couple, but he was a good friend. He helped on all the family projects and took a turn cooking dinner.” She pointed. “There’s a snack kitchen with a small refrigerator and microwave, but you’ll want to come downstairs for meals.”

  Alex couldn’t get past the ex-husband living in the attic. Were these people crazy or what? “I can’t believe you wanted your ex-husband living here.”

  Hannah sat on the bed. “He was broke and desperate when he came. The house was in sad shape back then, and Trevor helped Pop and Donovan with the work. Over the years we’ve added bathrooms, moved the laundry, replaced windows and wallpaper, built a garage – everything we needed to do to restore the house and make it more livable.”

  “It’s a lovely home.”

  Hannah smiled wistfully. “It’s the only real home I’ve ever known. My great-grandparents had the house built way back when. I inherited it from my grandfather.”

  “My father inherited his home from his father. Papa added apartments for my brothers when they got old enough to want more private space, then when I graduated from college, he gave me an apartment of my own. Mario and Antonio were both married and gone by then. That’s where Taylor and I live… or where we lived until last week.”

  “I know you don’t want to be here, Alex, but—”

  “I’m here because Taylor needs to feel safe. She needs Charlie.”

  “I know.” Hannah stood. “If you need anything, let me know.”

  Papa’s house was bigger, more luxurious, and more formal than this old house, but the house on Livingston Avenue had a lot of charm. It was a comfortable family home, and that had everything to do with Charlie’s mother.

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  Charlie started planting corn at dawn. The routine work gave him too much time to think. His mind kept wandering back to the kiss in Alex’s bedroom, the kiss that nearly got out of control. Did he want things to get out of control? Maybe, but not in his parents’ house, not under his father’s watchful eye. Dad had been a cop for so long, he was skeptical about everyone. Even Alex. Especially Alex. She was a Porcini, therefore she wasn’t to be trusted. Yet Dad had allowed her to live in his home. As if Mom gave Dad any choice in the matter. The house was her domain.

  If Alex had told him about Taylor in the beginning, maybe Dad would have a different opinion of her. If Charlie had known about Taylor, he probably would have asked Alex to marry him. But too much time had passed, too much time for hurt feelings to heal, too much time to trust her not to bail out on him again.

  In spite of what she’d done, in spite of her short hair and the scars on her face, he still felt the old attraction, not just lust for her sexy body, but genuine affection. Yet he couldn’t get past the fact that she’d chosen her father over him and kept Taylor hidden.

  If Charlie had his way, Vinnie Porcini would never see Taylor again.

  After dinner with Julie and Andy, Charlie returned to the field, planting until the sun disappeared over the horizon and he could no longer see what he was doing.

  He put the tractor in the barn and drove home.

  Alex met him at the kitchen door. “Do you always work this hard?”

  “I don’t mind the hard work. Is Taylor in bed?”

  “I tucked her in an hour ago, but I told her you’d be in to kiss her goodnight.”

  He nodded. “I need a shower and something to eat.”

  “You didn’t have dinner?”

  “Yes, but Julie is on a diet, so we had chicken salad. It was good, but I’m still hungry.”

  Alex waved him out of the kitchen. “Go shower while I fix you something to eat.”

  He wanted to kiss her, but he stepped back and walked upstairs. There might be a time to test the waters, but this wasn’t it.

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  Vinnie sat in his recliner in front of the television. His sons didn’t bother to come to work today. They’d skipped out on a meeting with their business managers, a budget meeting, and a meeting with some of the employees who threatened to go union unless they got an increase in pay. Maybe Antonio and Mario were tracking down this Scott Higgins guy who’d attacked Alexandra, but he didn’t think so. They didn’t even call in to tell their secretaries they weren’t coming in today.

  Vinnie handled the meetings himself. He had a lot of work to do over the next few weeks, decisions to make, a will to change. After he got the company back on a solid financial footing, he’d sell off the trucking division. If he couldn’t find a buyer, he’d sell the assets, lay off the employees, and close the doors. His sons didn’t give a shit about the business, so why keep it for them? Why reward them for what they’d done?

  He had a daughter, but he couldn’t picture a woman dealing with the everyday problems in running a company. After what she’d been through, Alexandra would probably freak out if she got another client who flirted with her. And they would. She was a beautiful girl, with a soft, silky voice like her mother’s.

  At least she was a beautiful girl before that bastard attacked her.

  He jerked up the phone to call Mario, but his wife answered. “Christie, this is Vinnie. I’m looking for Mario.”

  “He’s on a business trip, Vinnie. He’s due back Thursday evening.”

  “A business trip, huh. Did Antonio go with him?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay. See you Friday.”

  A business trip. Instead of taking care of business at home, instead of looking for Scott Higgins, his sons were off somewhere playing with a couple of whores. Hell, he’d had plenty of whores himself over the years, but he’d never ignored the business. And he’d never disobeyed a direct order from his father.

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  While Charlie worked on the farm that week, Alex saw the doctor and got the stitches pulled out of her scalp. Friday morning, she had her hair trimmed and styled, and she looked so much better. Although the scars on her face looked red and angry, the bruises were gone, and she could wear eye makeup again.

  When Alex came home from the hairdresser, Hannah said, “Well, you look nice.”

  Alex threaded her fingers through the side of her hair. “I don’t know about nice, but I feel better. Maybe I won’t have to wear a hat now.”

  “You look cute in the hat. Alex, Donovan and I have a dinner meeting to attend tonight, and Charlie will probably eat with Andy and Julie again, so you and Taylor are on your own for dinner.”

  “Actually, we’re going out, too. A family birthday dinner. My aunt is cooking a traditional Italian feast tonight. There should be enough food to feed a small town or the entire Porcini family.” Alex didn’t tell Hannah the dinner was for Papa.

  While Taylor played in the bathtub, Alex debated on whether to try to cover her scars with makeup, then decided against it. Why try to cover up what Mario had caused? She wanted him to see what he’d done to her. The doctor had
done a good job sewing her face, but even with plastic surgery, she’d always have little lines where Scott’s ring split the skin open. The ones in her scalp wouldn’t show. Maurice had done his best to even out her chopped up hair, and the styling products helped.

  She dressed Taylor in her best party dress and brushed her hair to a shine. Then she dressed herself in a black skirt that barely brushed her knees, black pumps, and a shimmery, copper-colored, silk sweater with a draping neckline.

  Hannah and Donovan had already left when Alex walked out to her car with Taylor. Charlie pulled up behind her and asked. “Where are you going?”

  “To a family birthday party. We’ll probably be home late. These dinners go on forever.”

  “Whose birthday?”

  “My father’s. He’s eighty today.”

  “You’re taking Taylor?”

  “We’re not moving back, Charlie. We’re going to a birthday dinner. That’s it.”

  His jaw clenched so hard it hurt to look at him, but he didn’t say another word.

  Alex drove to Papa’s house and went in through her apartment, so she could get the present out of the dresser drawer. Taylor had drawn a picture for him, and although it was badly wrinkled, Alex knew Papa would love it, because it came from his youngest grandchild.

  They walked through the house to the kitchen, where her aunt Gina and cousin Sophia were cooking and ordering the servants around. Aunt Gina was a large woman with a booming voice. She wiped her hands on her apron and gave Taylor a hug, then stared at Alex. “Poor baby,” she said, pulling Alex into her arms. “Does it still hurt?”

  “Only when I look in the mirror. They had to cut my hair off to sew my scalp.”

  “Ah, but short hair looks good on you,” said Sophia.

  “Did they catch the man who did this to you?” Gina asked.

  Alex shook her head. “They’re still looking for him.”

  As Alex left the kitchen, she heard Sophia say, “Mario said she went to that motel to meet this guy, that the sex got a little rough.”

  Alex felt her face burn with anger. Mario had nearly gotten her killed, and he was blaming it on her? She carried her gift for Papa into the living room and put it on the table with the others. Taylor added her picture, then they walked into Papa’s study, where he was talking with Mario and Antonio. “Well, everyone is here, I see.”

  “Alexandra,” Papa said with a smile. “I’m glad to see you finally came home.”

  “We came for dinner, but we’re not staying. Mario is telling everyone I invited Scott to my motel room and our sex got a ‘little rough.’ He lied to the police, too.”

  “You son-of-a-bitch,” Papa said in a low voice. “You don’t have to leave, Alexandra. Mario is the one leaving.” He pulled an envelope from the top desk drawer and shoved it at Mario. “Here’s your final paycheck. I had Don pay you through the end of the month, but I don’t want to see your face at the business again. I told you to take care of business with this guy, and you didn’t even try.”

  “You can’t fire me. The business can’t run without me.”

  “He’s right,” said Antonio. “I need him there, Papa.”

  “Well, I don’t need either one of you.” Papa pulled another envelope from the drawer and handed it to Antonio. “I spent four days at the business this week. All you two have done in the past three years is drain the accounts and chase away business. And you nearly got your sister killed.”

  Mario and Antonio talked at the same time, trying to convince Papa he’d made a mistake, that the economy was to blame. Their angry voices filled the room.

  Papa waved at the door and yelled at his sons. “Get out of here, both of you. Bad enough what you did to your sister. You don’t send my business into bankruptcy. And you don’t lie to family.” Papa glared at them. “Go! Get the hell out of my house and don’t come back.”

  Mario glared at Alex. “I’ll get you for this.”

  “What are you going to do, Papa?” Antonio asked. “Are you going to give the business to Alexandra? Vanessa screwed around so much, you can’t even be sure Alex is your daughter.”

  Papa stood, his face red and angry. “Get out of my house or I’ll have you thrown out.”

  Taylor rubbed her eyes and Alex scooped her closer. “It’s all right, honey. Papa isn’t mad at us; he’s mad at Mario and Antonio.”

  After her brothers left, Alex looked over at Papa. “I suggest you call Security at the business and tell them not to admit Mario and Antonio. Mario is angry enough to cause damage, and Antonio will do whatever Mario tells him to do.”

  Papa dropped into the chair behind the desk, hands shaking. He was so pale, Alex was concerned about him. “Are you all right?”

  “Nitro pill in my shirt pocket.”

  Alex retrieved the bottle and shook a tiny pill into his hand. He popped it under his tongue and color slowly returned to his face. As soon as she knew he was okay, she picked up the phone and punched in the number for Security. Papa took the phone and did what had to be done. He banned his sons from the business.

  After he hung up the phone, Alex said, “I can’t believe you waited so long to fire them.”

  “Yeah, I can’t either. They’ve destroyed the business.”

  “Not entirely. The cannery can be saved, and so can the food distribution division. We still have contracts with several big chains.”

  He cocked his head. “You want to run the business?”

  Alex shook her head. “No. I have nothing but bad memories from my time there. If you want, I’ll help you get things under control, so we can find a buyer, but I don’t want to be tied to that place.”

  “Maybe my grandsons—”

  “Maybe not. One is a lazy high school dropout and the other is in jail for possession. Besides, if you give the business to them, Mario will be running things again.”

  “Over my dead body,” Papa muttered.

  He stared at Alex for several seconds. “I’m sorry about what that bastard did to you.”

  “So am I. Every time I look in the mirror, I wonder why my own brothers hate me so much.”

  Papa walked around the desk and hugged her. “You’ll always be beautiful to me, Alexandra. Always.”

  “Does Antonio really think I’m not your daughter?”

  Papa waved the thought away. “There’s nothing to it. I had a DNA test done years ago, after I caught your mother cheating on me the first time. Besides, you’re more like me than the boys are. You’re smarter.”

  Of course she was. Antonio had grown up knowing he’d one day run the business, but he refused to take any business classes. He flunked out of college his second year. Mario didn’t finish college either, yet because of their gender, Papa had turned the business over to them. Alex had majored in communication and minored in business, and she graduated with honors, yet all they’d allow her to do at the business was entertain clients. Because of her gender.

  Alex’s cousin poked his head in the open door. “Hey, where’s the guest of honor?”

  Their private conversation was over. Papa had effectively disowned his sons not just because of what they’d done at the business, but for what they’d done to her. But Mario blamed Alex, and he was a vengeful man.

  Dinner went on forever, while whispers flew about Alex and Mario and the empty places at the table. Finally, Papa tapped on his glass and everyone quieted.

  “I understand Mario told some of you a story about how Alexandra got hurt. The truth is she didn’t want to have anything to do with this guy, but Mario told her attacker where to find her. This guy was a former client of the business, a business Mario and Antonio will no longer be running.”

  “But they’re your sons,” said Uncle Dominic.

  “And Alexandra is my daughter. Now then, where’s my birthday cake?”

  Servants cleared plates and someone wheeled out a huge birthday cake, candles blazing. Taylor could barely keep her eyes open, but she helped sing Happy Birthday to Papa.
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  When everyone finally left the table, Alex cornered Aunt Gina, Papa’s youngest sister, a widow who lived with her daughter’s family. “Papa has been under a lot of stress the past few days, and he’s popping nitro pills again. I don’t think he should be living alone. Would you consider staying with him?”

  “But you’re living here.”

  Alex shook her head. “After the attack, Taylor and I moved in with Taylor’s father. She needs her daddy right now, and I have to stay with her.”

  “Did she see—”

  “Yes. She’s the one who called for help. If she hadn’t, I wouldn’t be here.”

  “Dear God. Yes, okay, I’ll move in for a few days.”

  With any luck, she’d stay forever.

  Alex found her father in the living room, a glass of champagne in his hand. “Papa, I’m leaving now, but Aunt Gina is staying.”

  “No, Alex. I want you to move back.”

  “I can’t. If you need help at the business, call me on my cell phone. I can work the hours Taylor is in school.”

  He suddenly looked old and tired, so she hugged him. “I love you, Papa.”

  “I love you, too, Alexandra.”

  She said her goodbyes and left. It was way past Taylor’s bedtime, and the kid was asleep in the backseat when they arrived at Livingston Avenue.

  Charlie walked out to meet them. “You came back.”

  “I told you I would.”

  He lifted Taylor out of the car and carried her inside. Alex followed.

  Minutes later, Alex undressed Taylor and helped her on with her pajamas. Charlie tucked her in bed, and as soon as he kissed her goodnight, the kid was sound asleep. Wilma curled up on the foot of the bed, as usual.

  Alex walked on up to her bedroom in the attic.

  Charlie followed. “How was the birthday dinner?”

  “Eventful. Papa not only fired my brothers from the business, he threw them out of the house. He asked me if I wanted to run the business. I said no. If I took over, my brothers would do everything they could to throw obstacles in my path, and I don’t want them breathing down my neck.” She tossed her purse on the chair in the corner. “Antonio questioned whether I was really Papa’s daughter. My parents both cheated so much I shouldn’t have been surprised by the question, but I was.” She kicked off her shoes. “Papa said he had a DNA test done years ago. I didn’t know that.”