Could this really be her sister? Yes, there was definitely a biological connection of some sort between her and Serena. A mere glance was all it took to confirm that. But her sister? If that was true, then who was the woman in the portrait with her?
Tammie swayed where she stood, finding it hard to breathe.
Ignoring the woman, Serena pushed forward and focused her attention on Tammie. “Please stay.”
Tammie could feel Dylan standing behind her. Her heart pounded with fear that Serena would take one step too many and come toppling down the staircase. Everything about this house felt wrong, and yet she knew she had the truth staring her in the face. All she had to do was sort it out.
“Of course I’ll stay,” she said, pasting on a smile despite the uneasy feeling that flooded her. Her acceptance brightened Serena’s gray face more than a fraction, and Tammie was glad for that.
“What are you doing, Tammie?” Dylan whispered from behind.
She turned to him, saw the worried lines deepening around his eyes. “I’m getting answers.”
Aurore quickly strode up the stairs toward Serena, and Susan came rushing down. “If Serena insists on having her here, then get her bags—quickly, while I bring Serena back to bed.” She nodded sharply at Dylan. “Make sure he leaves.”
As Serena and Aurore disappeared upstairs, Susan led them to the front door. “I’ll wait here while you get your bags. Any visiting will have to wait until Serena is feeling better.”
“What’s wrong with her?” Dylan asked as he walked out the door.
“She’s not well.”
He stopped, turned, and Tammie almost collided with the wall of his back. “Obviously.”
Susan lifted her chin in defiance. “Aurore has asked me to—”
“Yeah, I heard. I’m to leave,” Dylan said. He glanced at Tammie.
Susan continued. “Just because you’ve made your way through the front door, that doesn’t mean you’re privy to family business.”
“Am I family? Really?” Tammie asked.
“Serena seems to think so,” Dylan said.
Susan cast them a long look, then said, with a sigh that seemed to weigh her down, “She’s suffered from mental illness her whole life. It’s only gotten worse since Byron Davco, her father, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He’s been in a nursing home for over a year now. The loss has been too much for her to handle.”
Tammie wanted to cry—for Serena and her loss, and because she knew that kind of loss, as well. She had longed for a sister her whole life and now it seemed she’d always had one. Right now, though, exhaustion was winning out over curiosity.
Part of her had held on to the notion that maybe her parents hadn’t known she wasn’t their biological daughter, as Bill had suggested. But now that she’d met Aurore and remembered her visit as a child, Tammie had no doubt they they’d known.
“Why don’t you get your bags, so I can show you to your room?” Susan said impatiently.
She and Dylan walked a few yards down the pathway toward the street when Dylan caught her arm.
“Tammie?”
His face was dark, and his troubled eyes bored into her with what she might have called fear in anyone else. But the man she’d met earlier hadn’t been afraid of her running him over with her car. She doubted he feared anything. But she did. She feared him leaving. As much as she knew there were answers here, and had been invited to stay, she wasn’t sure she could do it alone.
Pressing her fingers against her throbbing temple, she said, “I finally understand what you meant by feeling like you’re in some weird science fiction movie.”
“Your staying at this house will only make it worse. This isn’t a good idea,” he said quietly. “I should never have brought you here.”
She had to look up at him. In such close proximity, she saw how much taller he was than her, smelled the clean scent of him minus the strong odor of shaving cologne that most men seemed to bathe in. She’d been so wrong about him. He’d been angry. And now that she’d met Aurore and Susan she knew why. But he was strong and determined and had strength she didn’t feel herself. She felt…safe with him. It made no sense, but she knew she was safe with him.
She sighed, then turned to Susan, who was waiting for her by the door. “Give me a minute to get my suitcase, and then you can show me to my room.”
When they were off the porch, she voiced her thoughts. “You’re wrong, Dylan. I didn’t know exactly what I was searching for or what I’d find when I drove into town this morning. Now I know. All the answers I’m looking for start here—in this house.”
Dylan’s eyes darted back to the mansion and then to Tammie again. “That may be so, but it doesn’t feel right. You should know Cash said he was coming here to save Serena. I thought he was being dramatic, but that’s out of character for my brother. Now he’s missing and I feel like I’ve just thrown you to the same wolves responsible for it. I can’t leave you here like this.”
She cocked her head to one side and paused as they reached her car. “You were so eager to get me here in the first place. Why the change?”
He looked away, seeming embarrassed, but then looked her square in the eye. She admired him for that.
“I’m sorry. I really thought you were playing games with me. It’s my suspicious nature. As a cop, I’m used to people feeding me lines. I spent all these weeks in Eastmeadow getting the runaround, and then you showed up. When I saw you out on that road, I didn’t believe you. Even as we drove here, I thought you were really Serena Davco.”
She nodded and smiled as she yanked open the door to the backseat of her rental car. “That explains your behavior.”
Dylan grabbed her suitcase and then slammed the door. “Look, I don’t know what brought you here, but I have a feeling we’re both after the same thing—the truth. What that looks like I don’t know, but it’s what I want. I’m hoping it leads me to my brother. I’m not comfortable with you staying here alone.”
A warm flow of emotion hugged her. “It’s sweet of you to worry. But I’m not going to be alone here. I’ve just found out I have a sister. No DNA tests are going to tell me different.”
“It’s not safe.”
“How do you know that?”
He looked at her hard. “Because Cash is missing and he came here looking for Serena because she was in trouble. I don’t want you to end up with the same fate he did. Why is that so hard to understand?”
Tammie glanced back to the house and caught the sharp glance Susan cast at them from the front door as she waited for Tammie to return. It was clear they didn’t want Dylan there. No one but Serena wanted Tammie there, but it was a harder argument for the others to win when it was clear Serena Davco believed Tammie was her long-lost sister, who had supposedly died at birth.
With a quick rake of his hand over his head, Dylan looked back at the house and grunted. “We can come back tomorrow. Maybe Serena will be feeling better then. Call it gut instinct, but I don’t like what’s happening here.”
Tammie couldn’t have agreed more. But she shook her head, determined to see this through. “That’s not good enough.”
“Sometimes that’s all you have. Cash is missing, Tammie, because he went after Serena Davco, and it’s clear they’ve made a fortress out of this place to keep people from her.”
“Exactly the reason I should stay. Maybe she is in trouble. Maybe she needs someone.”
“You have a name now, information to start searching for the truth. You don’t have to be here to do it.”
“What about you? Obviously Serena knew your brother.”
Dylan reached for her, touching her shoulder. The warmth of his touch, the gentle concern in his eyes, filled her with emotion. “And now he’s gone.”
Voices from an upstairs window filtered out into the summer air, but Tammie couldn’t make out the words. “Aurore knew my mother and father. I’m sure of it. Ever since I found out my parents weren’t my biological parents, I’ve been
having a hard time forgiving them for not telling me the truth. I…I just can’t get past it.”
A look passed between them, a look she didn’t quite understand, and held for a moment.
“Ms. Gardner,” Susan called from the front porch. “If you’re ready, I’ll show you to your room.”
Dylan sighed and pulled the envelope with Serena’s picture and a pen out of his shirt pocket He tore off a piece of the envelope and wrote something on it.
“This place gets weirder and weirder. Take this. It’s my cell number and the name of the campground I’m staying at in town. It’s not the lap of luxury, but there’s room there, and it’s clean. You might want to consider changing your mind.”
She took the slip of paper from him and was surprised by how much her hand was shaking. She fought to steady it. “You’re staying at a campground?”
“You heard the man at the motel. It was all that was available. It’s going to take more than getting thrown out of my hotel room because of the auction to get me to leave town. I will get the information I need to find Cash.” He hesitated. “And I won’t leave until I know you’re going to be okay here alone.”
She shifted in place, looked away and then straight at him. Fear of what was to come suddenly came crashing in around her.
“Are you okay?” he asked, reaching out and taking her by the arm.
“You could stay, too,” she said, tears filling her eyes. She wouldn’t cry. It wouldn’t help anything if she did. She was just tired. That’s all. Seeing a woman who looked exactly like her had shocked her more than she thought.
But she didn’t want Dylan to leave. She wanted…
“You can stay,” she repeated.
“No one invited me. And since Aurore and her shadow have spent the last month making sure I don’t darken their doorstep, it’s not likely I’ll get an invitation from them.”
Dylan was a handsome man, when he wasn’t looking at her all crazy and determined. And, even in that state there was something strangely appealing about him. He had a strength that made Tammie feel safe, a determination and sense of honor where his brother was concerned, that she could only admire.
“Dylan, you didn’t get me into this. You probably wouldn’t have been the only one assuming I was Serena Davco. I most likely would have made my way right here on my own. I’m not your responsibility.”
“Right.”
He didn’t sound convinced. Maybe it was the cop in him who felt the need to protect her.
“Why haven’t you gone to the local police regarding your suspicions about Cash?”
He sputtered and shook his head. “What there is in terms of law enforcement in this town is a joke. Besides, no one besides me believes anything sinister has happened to Cash.”
“Look. It took you a month to get this far. I’m not going to leave now and risk having them slam the door in my face the next time I come to talk to Serena.”
Dylan sighed, defeated. “If you’re stubborn enough to want to stay, I can’t stop you. Call me if you need anything. I don’t care what time it is. I will be back tomorrow morning.”
To her surprise, those few words gave her comfort.
“At least you know I’ll answer the door and let you in.” He smiled and gave her a wave as he walked away. She watched him climb into his Jeep and drive away before dragging her bag toward the door.
“This way,” Susan said.
Tammie followed her up the stairs and paused on the landing to stare at the picture of the pregnant woman with the young child.
“What was her name?” Tammie asked.
Susan stopped and glanced back at Tammie. “Eleanor.”
Tears filled Tammie’s eyes. “And the baby?”
“The baby died inside the womb with her mother during the fire.”
No she didn’t, Tammie thought. Not if what Serena believes is true. She clamped her teeth over her bottom lip. “Is that how Aurore was scarred? In the fire?”
Susan glared. “Maybe you should be asking Aurore that.”
You can count on that.
#
Chapter Four
Loud cries from the other side of the bedroom wall jolted Tammie from her sleep. Serena was screaming!
Tossing her light cotton robe over her shoulders, she tied the sash and hurried to the bedroom door. Aurore and Susan were already running toward Serena’s room when she stepped into the hall.
“Go back to bed,” Aurore said, dismissing her.
Tammie ignored her request and followed them. “What’s wrong with her?”
“Just a nightmare,” Susan said, blocking the doorway after Aurore entered. “She frequently has them. Go back to bed. We’ll take care of it.”
The sounds of glass being broken and items dropping to the floor echoed loudly through the quiet night. Loud crashes and the scraping of wood against wood had Tammie looking over Susan’s shoulder into the room. Serena was now crouched in the corner, her hands pressed against her face and she was sobbing uncontrollably. A tall dresser was turned on its side, the drawers pulled out and clothes spilled on the floor.
Unable to stay back, she pushed past Susan and stepped into the room. Clothes were everywhere. Pictures were strewn all over the bed and on the floor. Tammie reached down and picked up a photograph. She immediately recognized the man holding Serena in a warm embrace as Cash Montgomery, Dylan’s brother.
“This looks like it’s more than a simple nightmare,” Tammie said. “She’s clearly very upset.”
Aurore crouched down next to Serena, giving Tammie a pointed stare. “This is not your concern. We’ll handle this.”
“Serena?” Tammie moved toward the younger woman, who had yet to acknowledge that any of them were even in the room. Susan’s hand held her back.
Aurore gave her a sharp look. “I agreed to your staying here in this house only because Serena insisted on it.”
“You didn’t agree to anything. Serena wanted me here.”
“I’ve helped to run this house since Serena was a little girl. When Mr. Davco went into the nursing home, he left me in charge. If I felt strong enough that you shouldn’t be here, you wouldn’t be! Clearly this has upset Serena. Perhaps it’s best that you leave first thing in the morning and go back to wherever you came from before—”
“Before what? Before I talk to Serena? Before she tells me something you don’t want me to know?”
Susan’s hand tightened on her arm. “You have no right—”
“Susan!” Aurore interjected.
Tammie wrenched free of Susan’s hold and advanced into the room. Aurore stood up straight, but did not offer any resistance.
Not normally one to be so bold, Tammie was surprised that she’d found the courage to stand up to them. Perhaps it was because they seemed so strangely protective of Serena.
It was unquestionably true that Serena was in a delicate state. The last thing Tammie wanted to do was make her condition worse. But she couldn’t help but think that her visit had been the cause of this outburst tonight. Nightmare? If that was truly what it was, it was worse than any nightmare Tammie had ever heard of. And she wanted to know, what had caused Serena to become so upset?
“Serena?” Tammie said, reaching to take her hand. She pulled her own hand back immediately, gasping softly, when she realized it was wet. Blood was smeared on her palm and fingers. “You’re bleeding!”
“What? ” Aurore turned Serena’s wrists over. The angry gash, wet with blood, clearly startled her.
“Susan, get the first aid kit immediately,” Aurore commanded, pulling Serena to her feet.
Tammie pressed her palm against the wound to help stop the bleeding.
“She didn’t hit a vein, or it’d be worse,” Aurore said with controlled calm.
Still, blood was seeping from between Tammie’s fingers. Upon closer inspection, Tammie saw drops of blood staining the turned-over dresser, as well.
“I...broke...the bottle,” Serena said, shaking her head.<
br />
“Be careful of the glass,” Tammie said to her. “You’re barefoot.”
Her face registered no response and no pain. But looking at the glass on the floor and the fragments of the broken bottle, Tammie knew the gash had to sting, especially because the contents of the bottle—perfume—surely would have seeped into the wound when the bottle broke.
“Why did she do this?” Tammie asked when they finally got Serena safely into bed.
“She didn’t do it on purpose,” Aurore said, examining Serena’s wrist. Then she sighed, as if she were relieved. “It’s just a surface wound. It could have been worse. Serena, why did you get out of bed? You could have really hurt yourself this time.”
“How often does this happen?” Tammie asked her.
“She has nightmares. She doesn’t know what she’s doing. She probably won’t even remember this in the morning.”
Serena’s quiet sobs and vacant stare as she looked around the room stopped Tammie’s heart. This was what people meant when they said “the lights are on but no one is home,” she thought. She’d never seen it before. Not like this, anyway.
Both Aurore and Tammie were checking Serena’s feet to see if there were any cuts from the glass, checking her nightgown to make sure there was nothing stuck to it. And Serena was complying without any fight. Tammie wasn’t sure Serena even knew there was anyone in the room with her, let alone two people putting her back in the four-poster bed and covering her with a heavy blanket.
Aurore turned to Tammie, visibly shaken. Her trembling hand brushed a fallen strand of hair away from her face, revealing her deep scar. “If you’re going to be here, I could use some help righting the dresser and cleaning up the glass. But you’ll want to get some slippers, so that you’re not walking on the floor in your bare feet. We don’t need two people getting cut tonight.”
“I’ll be careful,” Tammie replied. She reached down and picked up a picture frame that had fallen off the dresser. The glass was broken but the elderly man in the picture with Serena caught Tammie’s attention. “Who’s this?”
Reckless Hours: a Romantic Suspense novel (Heroes of Providence Book 3) Page 5
