Every frustration Ari had been feeling began to spill out. “And where on earth did they get so much money? I swear, Chris, the rug in the study alone is worth over eighty-thousand dollars!”
Was it her imagination, or had his hand holding hers turned cold and stiff?
Chapter Twenty
Arianna talked about her frustrations.
Christopher listened, trying not to let his intense emotions display themselves.
Finally, after a long pause, he realized she’d drifted off to sleep. He let out a breath of relief.
He didn’t wonder where all that money had come from—he knew. Whatever had brought his family to the twenty-first century with a satchel full of diamonds was obviously still being utilized by his father. If Christopher could only locate and destroy the machine, then somehow bring his father to the justice he deserved, he could rescue his family. A tall order, to be sure. Four years of searching for it had yielded little results.
Arianna’s words had driven a searing knife through his heart. It hadn’t been her fault; she’d had no idea the effect they’d have on him. To her, Mr. Somers was just a frustrating client. Still, the picture she’d painted had confirmed all his fears. His father had not used his money and new environment to better himself—as a fresh start could. No, if it were possible, he’d become more of a knave.
Christopher clenched his teeth and tightened his hold on the steering wheel as thoughts of his mother and siblings dancing to their father’s perverse tune of abuse cycled through his mind. The puppet master. That’s what his father was. And Mother, Sarah and Joshua were his puppets. He hit the dashboard with his fist, startling Arianna. Her eyes fluttered open.
“What happened? Is everything okay?”
“I’m sorry I woke you. Everything is fine. You should go back to sleep.” He gathered Ari’s hand into his again and gave it a squeeze. He realized her eyes had closed before he’d finished his sentence.
His thoughts returned to their conversation. Fear clutched his heart. Arianna had been with his father all day long. She was not safe there. He could only imagine what the man was capable of doing. The facts; what he did know about—the robbery and murder his father had committed before their sudden departure from nineteenth century London—were enough to make him worry for her life. A feeling of absolute helplessness overtook him. He gazed at the sleeping Arianna. He needed to protect her. He must protect her.
He was glad she’d fallen asleep—not only because of the painful conversation, but also because he could tell she’d sorely needed it. Except for her frustrations with his father, she hadn’t complained, but he knew how hard she’d been working all week. This trip would be a welcome respite for her. He gently pulled her closer and laid her head on his shoulder. Watching her sleep so peacefully made him wish the ride would last longer. “You are so beautiful,” he whispered. “I wish I could share my secrets with you.”
Arianna stirred, then snuggled in closer.
As they entered the city, Christopher gently nudged her. “Arianna.” He kept his voice low.
“Are we there?” She lifted her head from his shoulder and shook it. She looked adorable all sleepy-eyed.
“We’re in Denver, and I need to know where to take you.”
“I’m so sorry, Chris. Did I sleep the whole way?”
He squeezed her fingers. “Not the whole way. And if anybody needed a good nap, it was you.” He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “Now, where should I take you?”
“Uh—take me to my apartment. Or, maybe to Maggie’s house. I should have thought this through before now. Where are you staying? You said you have business in town tomorrow.”
Before he could answer, Ari’s finger shot up. “I’ve got an idea. If you don’t have anywhere better, you can drop me off at Maggie’s, and you can stay at my apartment.”
The thought of it made his blood rush through his veins. Being surrounded by her scent alone nearly drove him mad with desire. “Are you sure? I’m certain it’ll be nicer than the cheap hotel I’d planned to stay at.”
“Of course. After all, I owe you a lot for driving me here. Not to mention letting me ramble on about the Somers, then sleeping on your shoulder. I’m afraid I haven’t been very good company.” She dug the key out of her purse and handed it to him.
After dropping her off at Maggie’s house, Christopher let the GPS on his phone guide him to Arianna’s place. Modern technology never ceased to amaze him.
When he stepped into the apartment, he sucked in a breath. “It is so,” he paused to think of the right word, “Ari.”
It wasn’t large, but the décor was perfect. The colors were soft and the furniture delicate. Such a contrast to the dark colors and heavy furniture in the house she’d been decorating. Everything—her rugs, pictures, throw pillows and lamps—had been positioned in precisely the right place for a pleasing effect. So, this was how an apartment was supposed to look. It even smelled like her. Christopher didn’t know if it was her shampoo, her perfume, or just her scent, but he loved it. Like orange blossoms. He took a deep breath.
One picture grabbed his attention almost instantly. He crossed the room to an end table and picked up a framed photo of a beautiful, smiling family. “And this is your family,” he said aloud, almost reverently.
He frowned as he reflected back to just a few days before, when Arianna had told him of her loss. He traced an invisible line around her face. His heart ached for her, but also for his own helpless situation. “I guess we get through this life one day at a time, my dear.” He kissed his finger and touched it to her picture.
Now, if he could get through the weekend without any missteps, all while guarding his heart, that would be an accomplishment. First things first, however; before he could think of the time he’d be spending with Arianna, he had to make contact with his family—without Father discovering him.
Chapter Twenty-One
“Ari.” Maggie grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to the sofa. “Christopher is gorgeous! He’s also polite and British, just like the men in those novels you love. What more could you ask for? He’s perfect for you.” Arianna had never seen Maggie’s hazel eyes sparkle so vividly.
“You’re right, Mags, he is perfect—or so he seems.” She sighed.
“What are you talking about? I dare you to find anything wrong with that man. He drove you here, opened every door for you, even took your suitcase up to your room. He couldn’t possibly be more gentlemanly—is that a word?” She tapped her chin. “I half expected him to bow.”
Ari lifted a shoulder, then let it fall. “I agree, he’s almost too good to be true.”
Maggie tilted her head. “Almost?”
“I don’t know. There’s something that’s just not right—like he’s keeping something from me.”
“Explain, girlfriend.”
“Well, he is all those things you said, and more. It’s like he walked right out of one of my books. I’ve never met anyone so courteous. I positively melt when he touches me. But he never talks about himself, and if I ask too many questions, he shuts down, changes the subject, or worse—he leaves. Then there’s the house.”
“House? What house?”
“The Somers’ house—you know, the one I’m decorating. Every time he goes inside, he literally stiffens up. I can’t explain it. There’s just something about that house.”
“Well, Ari, every relationship takes time, and you still have plenty of time in Pueblo to figure out Christopher’s secrets.”
“Relationship is the key word. I don’t even know if we’re in a relationship.” She motioned air quotes with her fingers. “He hasn’t kissed me, unless you count the time he kissed my hand.”
Maggie’s eyebrows raised.
“I know, I know. That sounds strange coming from me, your ‘prudish’ friend.” Ari twirled hair through her fingers.
“You know I’m teasing when I call you that.” Maggie gave her a gentle nudge.
“I kn
ow you are—kind of. I think most people think I’m prudish. Maybe they’re right. I haven’t always been that way; I did my fair share of kissing in school.” She smiled, then sobered. “But my whole world changed when my family died. Relationships became more important and I don’t want to waste my time kissing, you know, the wrong guys.”
Maggie’s eyes softened. “That makes so much sense.”
Ari continued, “But Christopher and I see each other nearly every day, and, while there’s definitely a physical attraction, at least on my part, he mostly keeps a safe distance. It’s like he’s afraid of something.” She shrugged. “Maybe he’s too much of a gentleman.”
“Or he’s gay.” Maggie grinned wickedly.
Ari sighed. “Wouldn’t that just be my luck?”
“I don’t know, but it’s obvious by the way he looks at you that he’s got the hots for you. You two are made for each other. I guess time will tell.” Maggie yawned.
“I think we’d better get some sleep so you’ll be well-rested for your party tomorrow,” said Ari.
Maggie gave her a hug. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve missed you.”
Ari climbed into bed, wondering what surprises tomorrow would bring—with Christopher, they could be wonderful, or heartbreaking.
Chapter Twenty-Two
It had been a snowy, winter day, colder than most. Flakes whistled through the air—not the light, fluffy, lazy variety that made Arianna smile. No, this was wet snow that turned to slush before it hit the ground, then froze on contact. The type that blew fiercely into your face until your cheeks became paralyzed from the cold as it clung to your eyelashes and hair.
Ari escaped the cold, ducked into the Art Design building and studiously listened to Professor Coulter drone on about the importance of balancing colors in a room. Her eyes occasionally drifted to the window as the snow splattered against the pane. She stretched her fingers to coax some circulation back into them. Without warning, a gust of freezing air slapped her in the face, and she found herself nose to nose with a Colorado State University counselor. His glasses made his eyes appear enormous as his mouth turned down in a frown.
“There has been a terrible accident…” The sentence oozed out of the counselor’s mouth in slow motion. He spoke in low tones that threatened to break Arianna’s eardrums. The rest of his words blurred together. In her mind, a piñata had just burst, and the rest of the world looked on as she frantically tried to scoop its contents back into the tattered remains. Futile.
She didn’t want or need to hear about a terrible accident. Nothing made sense. She turned her back on the counselor and attempted to walk away, but every direction she faced, he was there spewing out nonsensical noise.
The next thing Arianna knew, she found herself in a morgue staring down at the faces of her beloved family. She began to tremble. The stiffness she’d felt in her fingers caused by the whipping snow had been nothing compared to the numbness that crept up her body while peering into the hollow faces of her mother, father and brother.
Icy roads, drunk driver, hit-and-run, no survivors. Icy roads, drunk driver, hit-and-run, no survivors. Icy roads… The words made an endless loop through her head. Try as she might, she couldn’t quiet the police officer’s voice. It burned and bubbled like acid. She wanted to retch.
“No, this can’t be happening.” She repeated it over and over, but nobody heard. There were people all around her, yet she seemed to be invisible. They weren’t listening. She continued to explain that there had surely been a mistake, but her voice grew raspy and only pinged off earless, faceless people.
As she stood between her parents’ slabs, her mother’s eyes flew open and icy fingers latched onto Ari’s arm. “Arianna.” She heard her mother’s voice, although her lips never moved. Ari stood motionless as if in a trance. Her mother’s cold hand tightened around her arm. “Arianna!” The firm voice commanded Ari’s attention.
“What, Mother?” Ari whimpered.
“Stay on your guard. Beware of—”
Her mother’s warning was cut short as the door to the cold morgue banged open. Freezing snow blew in, stealing the breath from her lungs. She whirled around to see a pair of coal-black eyes drilling into her. The face belonging to those eyes materialized from behind the shadows.
“Mr. Somers? Why are you here?”
His glare never left Ari, but he remained mute.
She turned back to her family—surely they would help her. They were gone. In fact, she was no longer in the morgue. Instead, she looked down and recognized fine wood flooring. The flooring in Mr. Somers’ house. But there was no sign of all the furnishings she’d spent weeks organizing. Anywhere. It was just a cold, cavernous house. Mr. Somers moved toward her, a menacing sneer pinching his face. She turned to run for the door when someone stepped into her path. Christopher. He pulled her into his arms, wiping away tears she hadn’t realized she’d shed.
“Christopher!” she shrieked, grateful for his protective arms around her. “What’s happening to me? Where did you come from? And why is Mr. Somers—”
“Ari. Arianna!” Awareness pulled her from Christopher’s hold. Maggie’s concerned face came into focus as she gently shook her.
“Mm…Maggie?”
“Wake up. You’re having a nightmare.” Maggie handed her a glass of water. “Drink this. Your voice is raspy.”
“What happened? Where…?” Ari stopped trying to make sense of anything and willed herself into full consciousness.
“You were screaming Christopher’s name. You looked positively terrified.”
Ari caught her breath. She sat up and took a drink of the cold water and found a tissue to wipe the sweat from her forehead. She shivered and pulled the comforter up to her chin.
“What in the world were you dreaming about?”
“I”—she shook her head—“it was so strange.” Ari stumbled over her words. Her thoughts clashed between wishing to explain and wanting to hide from the nightmare from which she’d just awakened.
“Start at the beginning. What do you remember?”
She hugged herself to ward off the chill in the air. The chill that still gripped her as images of icy snow, cold morgues, and cavernous mansions replayed in her mind. “What do I remember? I remember every detail. I don’t think I’ll ever forget.” She began from the start. Memories of the horrifyingly unforgettable day when she had been informed of her family’s accident morphed into a warning about something. “My mother was trying to warn me about something. She was adamant that I beware…beware… Ugh!”
“She didn’t tell you what she was warning you about?”
“No, because Mr. Somers appeared. Oh, I don’t know, Maggie. None of it makes any sense. I’m sure being here in Denver again has made memories of my family surface.”
“So, why do you think you were screaming Christopher’s name?”
Ari let out a breath and stared at the blanket in concentration. “He was there, too. When Mr. Somers was coming after me—”
“Mr. Somers was what? Is that man dangerous? What if this is some kind of warning for you to resign from this job?”
Shaking her head, Ari looked up at Maggie. “That’s silly. It was just a dumb dream.” A horrible nightmare that she hoped never to relive. She put her hands beneath the warm comforter so Maggie couldn’t see them shake. “It’s good I’m up. I need to shower and get ready for your big day.”
“Are you sure you’re okay? Your face is so pale.”
“I’m fine. It’s nothing a hot shower won’t take care of.” She forced a smile. “Thanks for waking me.”
Maggie didn’t seem convinced but must have picked up on the hint that Arianna didn’t wish to dwell on her nightmare any longer. “That’s what friends are for.” She hugged Ari. “Jason’s frying up some bacon and eggs, do you want to eat?”
“I thought I smelled something delicious cooking in the kitchen.” Her stomach turned at the thought of eating. Maybe after her shower. She couldn�
��t ruin this day for Maggie.
“Yeah, well, I’m always hungry, but never feel like cooking. Thank goodness for a husband with a bit of culinary talent. Go shower now; I’ll keep a plate warm for you.”
Ari faced the shower head and let hot water wash away the tears. They flowed freely now that she allowed the full impact of the nightmare to sink in. She wanted to believe it was nothing, that there was no symbolism there. “It was a dream. A dumb dream. It was a dumb dream!” She screamed out loud and yanked on the faucet until the water was unbearably hot. Her teeth still chattered.
“Ari?” Maggie knocked on the door. “Did you call me? I couldn’t hear what you said.”
“Sorry, Maggie,” she shouted above the noise of the spraying water. “I’m fine…just talking to myself.”
“More like yelling to yourself!” Maggie hollered back. “Glad you’re okay.”
Things weren’t fine. Foreboding tingled up Arianna’s spine.
When she stepped out of the shower, cool air hit hard. Goosebumps covered her skin.
Chapter Twenty-Three
While Ari was at the baby shower, Christopher took the opportunity to do some reconnaissance work at the Somers’ Denver residence. Until he’d moved to Pueblo, he’d kept an eye on the home, but never saw anyone coming or going.
Four years. It had been four years since he’d seen his mother. Four years since he’d seen Sarah or Joshua. He hoped they hadn’t forgotten him. That is, if he ever actually saw them again.
He squared his shoulders, determined that not seeing his family couldn’t be an option, even if it was just through a window. If Father were around, there’d be no going in; he’d not risk their lives. But he had to know how they were faring—especially after the terrifying glimpse he’d gotten from Sarah’s journal.
Keeping out of sight, he watched the house closely for any sign of life. When nothing came of that, he left his car parked down the road and crept around the house for a closer look.
Time Twist Page 10
