When Darkness Falls

by Jennifer Youngblood

  Chloe looked up at the gleaming white Temple with its majestic spires, reaching to the heavens. “It is nice here.”

  He turned to her, a ghost of a smile forming on his lips. “That was some tongue-lashing you gave Yvette. And to think—I was worried about her causing you problems. I guess it’s true what they say.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Dynamite comes in small packages.”

  Her face instantly went hot.

  Hank chuckled.

  She grimaced, touching her cheeks. “I hate that I’m such an open book.”

  He reached for her hand. When she didn’t pull away, he continued. “Did you really mean all of those things you told Yvette?”

  She could see the cautious hope, simmering in his eyes as he waited for her to answer. “Yes,” she admitted, “I did.”

  A pleased look came over him. “Good, I’ve thought a lot about what you said.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Which part?”

  “The part about you needing a guy who’s normal.”

  “Oh, that. Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fly off the handle. Garrett freaked me out. And on top of the jewel theft thing, it was a lot to take in.”

  “I understand.” His eyes met hers. In the sunlight, they were more green than blue. “I promise you. I can be that normal guy. I care about you, Chloe.”

  Her breath caught as he flashed her a disarming smile. Had there ever been any other option? Life was dull and colorless without Hank. “I care about you too.”

  He planted a tender kiss on her cheek and then put an arm around her. She scooted into the curve of his shoulder, liking how protective it felt to have him next to her.

  “How’s Glory doing? I’ve been trying to reach her, but she hasn’t answered my calls.”

  “She’s still in the hospital.”

  Chloe went still. “Is she okay?”

  “She’s doing great. The doctors just want to make sure that all of the tests come back clean before they release her. She’ll most likely be able to go home tomorrow.”

  She relaxed. “Good.” She paused, hating to ask the next question, but she needed to know. “Have you heard from Garrett?”

  She felt him go tense beside her. “No, have you?”

  “No, not a word.” She frowned. “Is that normal? Do you think he’s okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m sure he’s just embarrassed. He’ll turn up when he’s ready to face things.”

  “Has he always been so volatile?”

  Hank chuckled. “Yep, pretty much since birth.” His phone buzzed. He sat up and retrieved it from his pant pocket. “I guess we’d better get back to the office. I forgot that I have a client coming in this afternoon.”

  “What time is it?”

  “2:30.”

  “I’m supposed to be at a client’s house at 4. I guess I’d better get back too.”

  They both stood. He caught her arm. “Thanks.”

  She tilted her head. “For what?”

  “Giving me another chance.”

  She smiled. “Don’t make me regret it.”

  “No chance of that,” he said as he leaned down to kiss her.

  20

  Chapter 20

  “Thanks for coming,” Lila said, motioning for Chloe to sit across from her in the overstuffed chair. Chloe glanced around the living room, making a mental note of the neutral palette. Lila had once said that she wanted to add pops of color to the room, and Chloe was inclined to agree. As Lila mentioned, the space had been done by a designer and possessed all of the textbook elements necessary to make it presentable; however, it lacked originality and personality. Lila’s living room looked like a ho-hum showroom in a furniture store. Adding stylish window treatments, new pillows, and a few unique accessories would take it from ordinary to extraordinary.

  She realized that Lila was studying her. “I’m sorry. I was doing an assessment of the room, so that I’ll know what to recommend for the window treatments.”

  She waved a hand of dismissal. “Oh, don’t worry about that right now. I want to talk to you about something else.”

  “Okay.” A sense of foreboding crept over her as she turned her attention to Lila who was shifting around on the sofa like she was sitting on a pincushion. There was a strained expression on her round face, and her hands were fidgety. “Is everything all right? You didn’t sound like yourself on the phone earlier.”

  Lila’s robust complexion was one of her best features, but today, her skin was pale like someone had added a gray filter, and the lines around her eyes were more prominent. She cleared her throat. “How are things going with work?”

  “Fine,” Chloe said mechanically. “I like my job. I have some great projects that I’m working on and …”

  “Are you still dating the younger Singleton brother?”

  “Garrett?”

  “No.”

  Relief swept over Lila’s features. “Good.”

  She leaned forward. “Do you know Garrett?”

  “No.”

  Confusion swirled around Chloe, and she tried to figure out where Lila was going with this. “I don’t understand. If you don’t know Garrett then why are you relieved that I’m not dating him?”

  Lila trailed her fingers through her short dark hair before letting out a nervous laugh. “I don’t know Garrett … but I know Hank.” The words were spoken deliberately, and she paused, giving Chloe a piercing look.

  There was a hidden meaning in Lila’s words, a clue that Chloe was supposed to grasp without Lila having to come right out and say it. A shadow came over the room as the sun went behind the clouds. Pete was in the jewelry business. Had he crossed paths with Hank? Apprehension snaked down Chloe’s spine. A thought came rushing back—something Lila had said when they first met. “When you learned that I had an interview with Marsh Interiors, you said that you had some sort of problem with them of a personal nature.” Her throat felt thick and sticky like it was suddenly filled with glue. She swallowed. “What did you mean by that?”

  “Did I say that?” She let out a half laugh. “I don’t remember.”

  “Yes, you did.” Chloe locked eyes with her, not backing down an inch. “Is there something you’re trying to tell me about Hank?”

  “You’re involved with him, aren’t you?”

  The words were spoken like an accusation. Chloe drew in a swift breath. “Would that be a bad thing?”

  “Yes, I’m afraid it would,” Lila said quietly, a look of sympathy in her eyes.

  Blood began to pump furiously through Chloe’s veins. “Why?” she croaked. Then she realized she was gripping the arms of the chair for all it was worth. She let go and clasped her hands tightly in her lap.

  Lila scooted back in her chair. “Let me tell you a story.” She paused, gathering her thoughts. “As you know, Pete has worked in the jewelry industry for most of his adult life. For years, he ran an actual store. That all changed a few years ago when he got into a bit of trouble.”

  “What kind of trouble?” Chloe began chewing on her bottom lip, bracing herself for the worst. Just as she suspected, Pete had crossed paths with Hank.

  “I really shouldn’t be telling you this,” Lila said, lowering her voice and looking over her shoulder as if she were afraid someone might overhear them. “I don’t want to drudge up the past, and I certainly don’t want to cause Pete any legal problems. But I feel like I need to tell you … for your own safety.”

  A furrow appeared between Chloe’s brows. “If you’re trying to tell me about Hank’s past, I already know that he was a jewel thief.”

  Lila drew back, surprised. “He told you?”

  She nodded.

  “And you’re still dating him?”

  “Yes.” Irritation pricked over Chloe. The cold hard facts of Hank’s past life belied the changed man he’d become. In that moment, she had an inkling of the prejudice he must face on a daily basis as he tried to outlive his reputation. “Hank’s a good guy. He’s n
ot the same person he was before.” She hated the doubt that crept into Lila’s eyes. “You don’t believe it,” she said flatly.

  “I didn’t call you here today to talk about Hank’s qualities. I called you here because I’m concerned for your safety.”

  “But I told you, Hank’s no longer a thief!” Her voice raised a fraction as she sat up taller in her seat. “I appreciate your concern, but I’m a big girl! I know what I’m doing!”

  “It’s worse than I thought. You’re in love with him. Oh, boy. This is bad.” She rubbed a hand across her forehead.

  Chloe made a face. “I’m not in love with him! I care a great deal about him, but I’m not in love,” she repeated, her face growing warm.

  Lila gave her a knowing smile that was tinged with concern. “Call it what you will, but it’s obvious that you are.”

  Was she? She tried to think! She had strong feelings for him … but love? She couldn’t stop thinking about him and longed to be with him 24/7. Admittedly, she’d been pretty miserable when she thought they were over. But love? She wrinkled her nose.

  “Let me get back to my story, and this will make more sense.”

  “Okay,” Chloe said dully.

  “Pete ran a good business—an upstanding business for the most part. What I didn’t realize until much later is that he supplemented his income by acting as a fence for a few transactions that weren’t exactly above board.”

  All of the dots came together. “He was Hank’s fence.”

  “Yes.”

  Chloe processed that bit of information. Of all the people to be her neighbors … It was a turning out to be a very small valley. She thought of something else. “Did Pete have a nephew named Guy?”

  “Yes.”

  The distraught look on Lila’s face said it all. No wonder she didn’t like Hank. Chloe could hardly blame her. A wave of sympathy came over her. “Hank told me what happened. I’m sorry.”

  Lila nodded, her lower lip trembling. “When Guy died, Pete took it hard. He felt like the whole thing was his fault because he’d talked Hank into taking him along on the job.”

  “Yes, that’s what Hank said.”

  “Pete’s sister was completely devastated. Guy was her baby and the only boy. The poor woman fell apart and had to go to counseling. For a while, I was afraid she might have to be hospitalized.” She shook her head. “It was bad for the whole family. I thought Pete was coming to terms with it—getting better—until one afternoon.” Her voice caught. “I was out shopping, and out of the blue, I had the strongest impression that I needed to get home immediately because Pete was in trouble. I tried to call his cell phone, but he didn’t answer. I was standing in line, waiting to check out, and the feeling became so intense that I left my items and rushed home.” Her eyes filled with tears. “When I got here, Pete was sitting on the back deck with a gun to his head. He said he could no longer live with the guilt. Had I gotten here a minute later, it would’ve been too late.” Tears filled her eyes.

  Chloe felt moisture form in her eyes as well. “Wow, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.” Even as the words dribbled out, Chloe was struck by how futile they sounded. She knew from personal experience that mere words did little to mend a broken heart. Lila was still torn up about it, and she obviously held Hank responsible, which is why she’d called her here today to discuss it. Even though she understood where Lila was coming from, she felt the need to defend Hank. “It was Guy’s death that prompted Hank to turn his life around. I can understand why you don’t care for him, but he’s a good guy. Hank carries the guilt of Guy’s death as well. He told me.”

  Lila sighed in frustration. “You’re missing the point here, Chloe.”

  Chloe’s jaw tightened. “Okay, then why don’t you come right out and tell me whatever it is you’re trying to say because I’m having a hard time figuring it out.”

  Lila wet her lips and looked Chloe in the eye. “All of my life I’ve known things. Premonitions about things that are going to happen. Sometimes it comes to me as a feeling … other times it comes as a dream. When I had that feeling about Pete, I knew I had to get home immediately.” She brushed back a lock of hair with a shaky hand.

  It took effort for Chloe to prevent her face from showing the shock she was feeling. Lila was crazy! She knew she was eccentric, but this was madness.

  “You don’t believe me.” Disappointment sounded in Lila’s voice.

  She spread her hands. “I don’t know what to think.” Chloe glanced at the clock, hanging on the wall. The faint ticks coming from it sounded ominous like they were counting down the time until disaster struck. “You know, I need to be going. I have some things to take care of this evening.”

  “Chloe,” Lila urged, “look at me.”

  Chloe peeled her eyes away from the clock and fixed them on Lila.

  “I’m telling the truth. You have to believe me.”

  This was a sticky business. Lila was a good neighbor and had been uber kind to her since her arrival. She tried to phrase the words in a way so as not to offend her. “I can tell that you’re sincere and that you think you’re telling me the truth but …”

  “From the minute we met, I sensed a deep sadness in you. I knew that you’d been through a difficult time.” She locked eyes with Chloe. “I didn’t know for sure what that sadness was … until I saw your soldier out by the swing.”

  Chloe began blinking rapidly. “I’m sorry. What did you say?” An invisible vice clutched her chest, and she had to fight to get a good breath. It was an episode similar to what she’d experienced in the canyon, but this time, it had nothing to do with the altitude.

  “I’ve seen him, Chloe. He visits you often.”

  “No,” she sputtered. “This is insane! Darbie told you about Dan!”

  “Did you tell Darbie that Dan has been coming to you? Did you tell her he was by the swing? That night that you ran outside, frantically looking for him?”

  The chair seemed to fall out from under her as Chloe clutched the arms for support. “No,” she squeaked. “I’ve never told anyone!” She had the feeling that she’d left earth and was on some alien planet where the basic rules that governed life didn’t apply.

  “Take a deep breath,” Lila urged. “Calm down.”

  “This is impossible,” Chloe sputtered.

  “I told you, I know things that other people don’t. Some call it a gift … others a curse.” She let out a humorless chuckle. “Lately, it’s starting to feel more like a curse. I haven’t seen your soldier lately. That’s how I knew that you’d fallen in love with someone else.”

  Tears began spilling down Chloe’s cheeks and splattering over her shirt like a thundercloud that had been gutted to release the rain. Her mind whirled, trying to make sense of this. “If you’ve seen him, then that means that Dan is real.”

  “Yes, he’s real. I mean, he’s a ghost or spirit or whatever you want to call him, but he’s real.”

  She let those words sink in, her rational mind trying to come to terms with it. “All this time I thought I was …” The words came out in a choke, and she bit her lower lip, shaking her head. She began again. “I thought I was …”

  “Crazy,” Lila inserted. “You thought you were crazy.”

  Chloe nodded, her eyes wide. “You’ve really seen him?”

  “Yes.” Lila waved a hand. “But that’s not why I wanted to talk to you.” She blew out a breath. “Unfortunately, there’s more.”

  She shook her head. “More? How could there be more?”

  “I’ve been having dreams about you, Chloe.” Her face drained, and she had a tortured look in her eyes. “Terrible dreams. You’re trapped, and you can’t breathe. Water is gushing in.” Lila closed her eyes and put a shaky hand to her mouth. “I-I’m sorry. I’ve debated about whether or not to tell you, but I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t warn you.”

  A cold, insidious fear slithered over Chloe making her feel weak. She had the impression that the chair
in which she was sitting was some crazy merry-go-round, going at warp speed, and she couldn’t get off. This whole conversation was utterly ridiculous, and yet Lila knew about Dan. She wanted to jump up and start screaming at the top of her lungs until everything returned to normal.

  “You’re in danger,” Lila whispered. “I don’t know when and I don’t know how, but something horrible is going to happen to you. It’s connected with Hank. You need to get as far away from him as you can get. That’s your only hope for survival.”

  21

  Chapter 21

  Later that night, Chloe and Darbie were sitting on the couch, watching an episode of CSI when Chloe casually turned. “What’s your take on Lila?”

  “My take?” Darbie frowned. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

  “She called me over to her house today and told me some personal things about her and Pete.”

  “Really?” Interest kindled in Darbie’s eyes. “What?”

  While Chloe didn’t relish the thought of sharing details about Lila’s personal life, she desperately needed to get a second opinion on the situation. And Lila had not asked her to keep a confidence. Chloe told Darbie about Lila’s prompting to return home and how she’d saved Pete from committing suicide. As she finished the story, she could tell from the look on Darbie’s face that she wasn’t the least bit surprised. “You’ve heard this before.”

  Darbie rolled her eyes. “About a million times.”

  “Do you believe her?”

  A thoughtful expression came over her face. “I guess so. I mean, it’s a good thing that she was in tune enough to receive a prompting on his behalf. Pete’s her husband. They should have a strong connection. Do I think Lila makes it out to be something more than it was? Yes, I do. Lila’s kind of superstitious, if you haven’t already figured that out.”

  “That’s an understatement,” Chloe muttered. She was starting to feel better about things. She let out a half-laugh, keeping her voice light. “She told me that she keeps dreaming that something terrible is going to happen to me.” As her eyes met Darbie’s, she knew the fear she was feeling was being broadcast on her face.