He’d been right. She’d been crazy to think she could save Audrey. All she’d done was jeopardize herself, and Nathan, too, if he didn’t run for cover.
“You slipped something into my coffee that morning,” Audrey realized. “I thought it was strange that you’d made breakfast for me. I can’t believe you put me through that nightmare. I thought I was crazy.”
She started to move toward her husband, then stopped as he raised the shotgun.
Lindsay felt the blood rush from her head at the sight. It took all her strength to remain standing and to contain the screams she could feel building inside of her.
Meanwhile, Audrey was staring down her husband. “I don’t even know you anymore. You’re a monster.”
“I didn’t have a choice,” he reiterated.
“Like hell you didn’t,” Lindsay responded.
Maurice reacted by swinging his gun up to his shoulder. First he aimed at his wife, then at her.
“Do it, Maurice,” Paige urged.
Lindsay was trembling so badly now she could hardly keep standing. She flattened her palms against her legs. They were soaked with sweat.
Around her the world darkened. She wasn’t outside anymore, but in a room. There was blood everywhere and her father was turning to her. He had a gun in his hands, too. He was lifting it. Pointing it at her.
A wild, terrible pain spread inside of her. Her father had been about to shoot her, that day. She’d known it then and she knew it now. Only Meg’s sudden appearance in the room had stopped him.
“Daddy?” As Meg started to scream, their father had taken the gun which he’d been pointing at Lindsay and had aimed it at his own head and squeezed the trigger.
Lindsay shut her eyes as tightly as she could. Logically she knew she was a grownup now, that this was a different time. But it didn’t matter. Her mother was dead. She wanted to die, too.
Go ahead and shoot me. It’s okay.
Then something thudded hard on the porch. Instinctively Lindsay turned in the direction of the sound just as Nathan hurled himself across the porch. He flung his arms around Maurice’s legs and the man toppled like a bowling pin, the gun crushed between him and the porch floor.
And finally, finally, came the sound of a siren.
Lindsay’s knees gave out and she sank to the ground. Nathan pried the gun out from under Maurice, then motioned at Paige to step up to the porch. When she looked as though she was going to run, he forestalled her with a dangerously hard voice. “You should know I’m a trained cop. I know how to use this gun, so I wouldn’t put me to the test if I were you.”
Silently Paige did as he asked. Nathan gestured for her to sit on the sofa next to Maurice, then, keeping the gun trained on them both, he settled back to wait for help.
“Are you okay?” he asked Audrey.
“I—I think so.”
“Please check on Lindsay.”
Audrey made her way slowly from the porch. She sank to the ground next to Lindsay and took her hand. Tears streamed so quickly from Lindsay’s eyes she could hardly make out the older woman’s features.
“Can I get you something?” Audrey asked gently.
She couldn’t answer. Audrey placed an arm around her shoulders and it felt good.
“You saved my life,” the woman said softly. “You were very brave.”
She wasn’t brave now. Lindsay didn’t know what was wrong with her. Actually she did. She was having some sort of breakdown. She could not stand up and could not stop crying. What she really wanted was for Nathan to come and hold her. But she understood that he couldn’t. Not until help had arrived.
THE SIRENS GREW LOUDER.
“Hang in there, Fox.” Nathan wished he could go to her, but he didn’t dare take his eyes off Maurice and Paige for a second. “Help is almost here,” he added to encourage her.
They’d been in dangerous situations before, and he’d never seen her break down like this. There had to be something specific about this scenario that had got to her.
He was grateful that Audrey had gone to comfort her. The two women were kneeling on the ground, arms wrapped around one another. Soon shock was going to hit Audrey, and hard, but for now Lindsay’s obvious distress was a distraction.
Noticing Maurice and Paige making eye contact, he pushed the shotgun between their faces. “You two are pretty good at ideas, aren’t you? Don’t get any new ones. I’m fed up, as it is.”
In the daylight, with minimal makeup, Paige’s age was more obvious. He turned to Maurice. “So how much do you know about this woman you think you love? Did she tell you about her past in New Hampshire? The older husband who died of ‘digestive troubles.’”
Having witnessed Paige’s diabolical mind in action, he was doubly suspicious about her past.
“Good thing the authorities didn’t look too closely into your first husband’s death, wasn’t it?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she snapped, but he could almost smell her fear. Beside her Maurice looked grayer, smaller, older. Nathan could tell all the fight had gone out of him. Still, he didn’t allow his vigilance to slacken for even an instant.
The wailing of sirens crescendoed as a marked police cruiser emerged from the woods. Two uniformed officers stepped out of the car, guns drawn. Only when they were firmly in control of the situation, and Paige and Maurice had both been cuffed, did Nathan go to Lindsay.
The younger of the two officers helped Audrey up from the ground, gently leading her to the cruiser in order to ask her questions.
That left Nathan with Lindsay. He folded her into his arms. “It’s okay, sweetheart. You’re okay.”
He’d never imagined someone so strong could break down so completely. It broke his heart to see the tears flowing from her beautiful blue eyes. She looked completely lost and without hope.
“What’s the point?” she finally whispered. “Maybe he should have shot me. That might be easier.”
Nathan wasn’t sure what she was talking about. But he could guess. “Your parents…were they shot?”
She nodded. “I was supposed to die, too.”
Nathan was too confused to know what to say. He pressed one of her hands against his cheek. She was so cold. “There must have been a reason you didn’t.”
Slowly his words sank in and Lindsay nodded. “To help other people.”
He thought about her work, how she gave her all to everything she did. “Yes, in part. But you deserve something, too. Maybe it’s time you allow yourself happiness. Allow yourself love.”
He pressed a kiss to her forehead, then to her cheek. Her skin was damp with salty tears. He pulled her face to his shirt and held her next to his aching heart and knew two things for certain.
She would never be easy to love. But he would always love her.
ANOTHER POLICE CAR AND an ambulance showed up half an hour after the authorities first appeared. While Lindsay and Audrey were being treated for shock, Nathan overheard the cops interviewing Maurice and Paige separately. With their plans exposed, Paige was suddenly playing innocent, claiming Maurice had orchestrated everything and describing, in detail, how he had set his wife up on that day in August.
Eventually both Maurice and Paige were arrested and driven away. Audrey called a neighbor who arrived quickly and offered to put her up for the night. Nathan and Lindsay drove to the police station to provide full statements. When they were finally finished it was late afternoon. Nathan gently helped Lindsay back into the gray rental car. He fastened the seat belt for her and covered her with both blankets. She was asleep before he’d reached the main highway.
On the road he called Nadine and asked her to open the office and get hold of Lindsay’s sister. “Ask her to meet us at the office. We should be there by six.”
Nadine was clearly dying to find out what had happened at the Burchards’ lodge, but he promised to fill her and Meg in once they were home. He didn’t want to disturb Lindsay’s sleep with unnecessary conversation. She was totally flaked
out and God knew she needed the rest.
It was almost six o’clock by the time he’d returned the car to the rental company. He and Lindsay took a cab to the office. Lindsay was still groggy and didn’t feel like talking. She let him hold her hand, though, and he contented himself with that.
Nadine and Meg were both waiting when they walked in the door. He could tell they were shocked by Lindsay’s appearance. She was still pale, her hair tousled and her eyes red and puffy. More than that, her indomitable spirit had been wounded.
Her receptionist and her sister flanked her, pushing Nathan gently out of the way. They settled her on the sofa in the reception area, and Nathan went to make coffee, only to discover Nadine already had a pot brewed.
“Food is on the way,” Nadine said. “I’ve ordered Vietnamese hot soup and salad rolls.”
“Good idea,” he said, realizing that he and Lindsay hadn’t eaten all day except for coffee at the police station and their early morning breakfast of juice and granola bars.
A delivery boy showed up soon after, and it turned out that Nadine had also ordered lemongrass chicken and lots of rice. Everyone shared the food, and even after Nathan and the others were full, Lindsay kept eating. She ate and ate, and had several cups of hot, black coffee.
Finally she smiled and looked like herself again. “I feel better,” she announced as if she was surprised. Nathan was, too. After all she’d been through, he’d thought it would take more than one nap and a proper meal to revive her.
“So tell us what happened,” Nadine urged.
“I’ve been so worried,” Meg added.
“I forgot to cancel our Saturday lunch,” Lindsay realized. “Meg, I’m sorry.”
“Never mind that right now. I want to hear what you were up to. Nadine told me about the case, so I know that you and Nathan went out to the Catskills to make sure your clients were happily reconciled. I take it the reconciliation never happened?”
“Maurice had no intention of patching things up with his wife,” Lindsay said. “He wanted to lure Audrey out to the country so he and his mistress could kill her.”
“Good God, why?” Meg asked. “A simple divorce would give him his freedom.”
“It was his wife’s money he didn’t want to be parted from.” Lindsay frowned. “Nathan, do you remember what happened with that real estate deal?”
“Maurice sank all his money into what was going to be his biggest project ever. But the financing fell apart and Maurice had to pay back all his investors. It sounds like it cleaned him out.”
“So he decides to kill his wife, the mother of his only child?” Meg shook her head sadly. “How terrible.”
“The plan was deviously intricate,” Lindsay continued. “He and Paige set Audrey up to take the blame months ago. Audrey was tricked into thinking she’d tried to kill Maurice last August.”
“She didn’t?” Nadine asked.
“No. Paige told the cops everything. She said Maurice slipped some of those fast-acting date-rape drugs in with Audrey’s breakfast that morning. About twenty minutes later, when they were out in the garden, she became disoriented, then partly unconscious. When she came to she was so groggy and confused, she thought she’d had a psychotic episode.”
“They also played with the clocks at the lodge,” Nathan explained, “so it seemed like less time had passed than actually had.”
Lindsay nodded. “Audrey thought she’d slept in that morning, but Maurice had adjusted all the inside clocks by one hour. He and Paige needed the extra time so the drugs would wear off before the cops arrived.”
“The police didn’t run a toxicology screen on Audrey?” Meg asked.
“They used a drug called Special K or ketamine. The substance doesn’t show up in the bloodstream unless you specifically look for it,” Nathan explained.
“I think I get it,” Nadine said slowly. “If Audrey tried to kill Maurice once, why not a second time? So when Maurice shoots her, he can claim self-defense.”
Nathan grinned. “I knew you had potential, Nadine. That’s exactly right. And the plan would have worked if Lindsay hadn’t risked her life to stop it.”
As Meg and Nadine gasped, Lindsay scowled at him. “Did you have to say that?”
“Hey, I’m tired of nagging you. I want some help.”
“Well, you’ll get it from me,” Meg spoke up quickly. “Lindsay, you’re all the family I’ve got. Please be more careful in the future.”
Her sister’s words were clearly heartfelt and Lindsay had the grace to look chastised. “I will try, Meg,” she promised. The sisters hugged, then Meg made Lindsay describe in detail what had happened.
Though Nathan was worried reliving the experience might be too much for Lindsay, it turned out to be cathartic. There were more tears, and more conversation, and eventually Nadine made herbal tea.
Around nine o’clock, Lindsay started yawning. Meg picked up on her sister’s exhaustion right away.
“You need to rest, but no way are you spending the night by yourself. I’ll bring Sadie over and we’ll sleep in your living room.”
Lindsay’s gaze sought his and his stomach tightened. He knew how he felt about her, but he had no idea how she felt in return. Without breaking eye contact Lindsay finally said, “That’s okay, Meg. I’ll be with Nathan.”
“I WOULDN’T HAVE MADE IT through this day without you.”
Lindsay was standing in the shower at her apartment with Nathan, his strong arms around her waist as she lathered shampoo through his hair.
“You’re stronger than you think. Yes, you would have.” Nathan rubbed the loofah gently down her back, over her buttocks, then up again.
Shampoo streamed from his hair over both of their bodies. She clung to him, exhausted from the day, the hot shower and the lovemaking they’d shared as soon as they’d found themselves alone.
She’d thought she was too tired to do anything. But Nathan’s soft touch and loving words had revived her.
“I know I’m strong. But Maurice would have shot me if you hadn’t tackled him when you did.”
“Okay. Maybe I deserve a little credit,” he said modestly.
She laughed, then fell silent. He’d seen her stripped naked today, in more ways than one. She wasn’t totally comfortable with how vulnerable that made her feel. Not yet. But she knew she could trust Nathan and that was a good start.
“Clean enough?” she asked. “I’m going to fall asleep on my feet if we don’t get out of here soon.”
Nathan turned off the water, then held her hand as she stepped out of the shower.
“I’m not an invalid.”
“Just let me take care of you a little. It’s been a hard day.” He wrapped one towel around his waist, then used the other to dry her gently. She succumbed to his administrations because, frankly, it felt damn nice.
Finally they were in bed together, naked, her head on his chest, his arms holding her close. They were silent for a long while, but she could tell he wasn’t sleeping. She couldn’t stop the day’s events from playing through her mind. She was so glad they’d prevented Maurice from hurting Audrey. Celia’s father would end up in prison, but she would have her mother, at least, and that was a lot.
She thought about the way she’d collapsed when Maurice turned that gun on her. She was used to being tough in demanding situations, but she’d fallen apart. Nathan had witnessed it all, her complete unraveling. If that hadn’t scared him away, she didn’t think anything could.
“What happened to my sister and me—you don’t get over it. You just learn to live with it. And just when it starts to get easier, something happens and you feel like you’re back to square one.”
“Lindsay…what did happen? Are you ever going to be able to tell me?”
Suddenly Lindsay felt wide-awake. She sat up in bed and looked at him solemnly. “You know, I’ve never talked about this before. But you deserve the truth.”
He sat up, too, arranged pillows behind her. “I take it this
has something to do with why you changed your last name.”
“You know about that?”
“Nadine saw some papers in the file cabinet. She told me when we were talking about her deception.”
Lindsay nodded. “Well, it’s true. Meg and I changed our last names when we left California. Yzereef is pretty distinctive and we wanted a fresh start.”
She paused. Getting the words out was so damn hard. Maybe this would be easier if she just showed him one of the clippings.
She climbed out of bed and went to a shoe box at the back of her closet. After unfolding the yellowed paper, she passed it to Nathan.
NATHAN SWALLOWED, THEN STARTED reading out loud.
“In a hot and dusty California town, while most families were huddled inside around air conditioners or splashing in backyard pools, two daughters witnessed their father’s madness as he shot and killed first his wife, then himself.”
Nathan stopped. He had to remind himself that he was reading about Lindsay, not some nameless, faceless victim. She was sitting on the bed beside him, and he took her hand in his. Maybe he shouldn’t be reading this out loud.
“Keep going,” she said.
He took a deep breath, then did as she’d asked. Midway through the article, the family was profiled. “Barry Yzereef was the local sheriff, his wife, Donna, taught science at the local school. Barry Yzereef was a hero from the Vietnam War, a winner of the Air Force Medal of Honor.”
He lifted his head and looked at the medal in question. His stomach tightened, and so did his grip on Lindsay’s hand.
Scrolling down the article, he saw the same photos of a young woman and a young man that were framed on Lindsay’s bureau.
Though repelled and saddened, in equal measure, he couldn’t stop reading. A thorough account of the crime followed and one sentence brought him to tears: “The daughters, ages eight and five, were splattered with blood but physically unharmed, according to the neighbor who was first on the scene.”
Splattered with blood. The blood of their parents. Nathan remembered when Mary-Beth had been eight. She’d loved Care Bears and ponies and her biggest problem was dealing with her curly hair, which she hated. He tried to imagine her witnessing what Lindsay had witnessed.
Perfect Partners? Page 19
