Jill lifted her head off the floor to peer at her father. She’d never heard him speak with such passion. She knew he loved her, but up to this moment she hadn’t realized how much. Her throat closed and she had to squeeze her eyelids together to keep back the tears.
I took your feelings for granted, didn’t I, Dad? I thought because you were so busy, you didn’t have time for me. Maybe I’m the one who didn’t make time. Maybe that’s what the Time God has been trying to teach me.
“Even while she was busy playing Donna Reed for Peter, Jill read and studied. She wrote letters to members of Congress and volunteered at the battered women’s shelter. She’s the kind of person who doesn’t take things at face value, if you get my drift.”
When Ben failed to answer, Nils went on. “I used to live in these mountains, and I know what happens when you go poking around—sometimes you dig up a nest of rattlesnakes.”
“His prints were on her window,” Ben said in an official tone.
Jill looked up. Really? Bobby was at my house? Yuck.
Nils sighed. “Jill isn’t the type to walk away from something just because it’s inconvenient or unpleasant. What if she found out something certain parties didn’t want known?”
Great minds think alike, Ben. Although one part of her experienced a moment of satisfaction hearing her theory espoused, another part hoped it was wrong. Better a random act of violence than someone she knew.
Nils studied Ben a moment. “You look skeptical, but that’s because, as you said, you don’t know Jill very well.”
Ben rose and walked to the bed. Jill followed, her leash making a soft hissing sound against the tile. This bed, while still equipped with the workings of a hospital bed, was low enough for her to see over without having to put her front paws on the mattress.
Jill studied her body. Her left side looked almost normal. Someone had washed the blood from her hair and the golden-red cloud lay neatly arranged on the pillow. Her right side wasn’t as fortunate. A stark white bandage ran from temple to ear, with purplish bruising extending outward like an oil slick. Her eye sockets looked unusually large, making her face gaunt; her skin seemed a pale shade of magnolia, the same color she’d used to paint her bedroom.
“She looks better,” Ben said, a note of hope in his voice.
“Her body is fit, but her spirit is lost,” her father said flatly. Jill’s heart rose and dropped in the same instant. “I asked a friend of mine—a trauma specialist in Rochester to see her. He’s flying in tomorrow.
“I have another friend who’s a forensic pathologist. This isn’t going to go away if she dies.” His tone lacked any bluster. Just solid conviction.
Ben gave Nils a long, thoughtful look. “I thought Jill said you were retired.”
Her father smiled. “True, but I was a mining engineer for thirty years. I used to investigate mining accidents and try to prevent them from ever happening the same way twice.
“In a way, my background gives me a unique perspective. I was trained to look at the aftermath and piece together how the accident happened. For once, this might be of some help to my daughter.” Jill heard pain and regret in his voice.
Ben rested his bottom on the edge of the mattress near Jill’s hand. “If you don’t mind my asking, how did you get into the mining business?”
Nils sat back. “My father and two uncles were killed in a mining accident in Kentucky when I was ten. My mother and two aunts pooled their resources and moved to Minnesota. Mother thought it was flat enough that nobody would do more than scratch the surface with a plow,” he said with a soft chuckle. “But when Uncle Sam called, I somehow ended up in a demolition detail. After the war, I went to college on the GI Bill and found I had an affinity for geology and physics.”
He pushed up the spectacles that had inched down his nose. “I’m an old scientist who’s spent the better part of my life underground. By the time I’m called to a site there’s nothing but a gut-wrenching mess of life and limb. I find the answers. I plan to do the same thing here.”
Ben didn’t answer right away. When he did, he said, “In my job, if one piece of the puzzle doesn’t fit, there’s a good chance I’m working on the wrong picture.”
Nils smiled, as if Ben were a prize pupil who’d just come up with the right answer. “And you can’t let it rest until you make all the pieces fit.” He nodded his silvery head. “Stubborn. I like that in a person. Let me define stubborn for you. As you may know, we moved around a lot when Jill was a child. One year—I think Jill was in the third grade—we moved three times. She started school in a tiny town in Tennessee where she was chosen to be in the class play. A simple little story about a princess, a frog and a prince. Jill was ecstatic because she was selected to be the princess.”
He steepled his long fingers, deep in thought. “Unfortunately, before the play could take place, I was called away to an emergency situation at the Homestake Mine in Lead, South Dakota.
“Jill didn’t cry a tear, she just packed up her costume and took it to her new school and convinced her teacher that with a few line changes the play could be adapted to a Christmas motif.”
He took off his glasses and wiped them on a wrinkled handkerchief he withdrew from his hip pocket. When he held them up to the light, Jill could see streaks on the glass. He shoved them back on his nose.
“Wouldn’t you know it, on Thanksgiving Day I got a call from British Columbia. Ninety-seven miners trapped. I couldn’t say no. Mathilda wouldn’t hear of staying behind. We packed our bags, drove across the state in a raging blizzard and flew out of Sioux Falls minutes before they closed the airport.
“Conditions in B.C. weren’t great. One teacher taught all eight primary grades. Somehow, Jill convinced him to put on her play.”
Nils chuckled, lost in the memory. “The frog was a little French boy who couldn’t speak English and the prince was the tallest girl in the class, but Jill was the princess. To me, that exemplifies tenacity.”
Jill shook her head in amazement. I don’t remember that.
When she looked at Ben, Jill noticed that he’d unobtrusively taken hold of her lifeless hand and was studying her face.
“Sergeant Simms has given me permission to go to Jill’s house,” her father said. “As soon as Mattie gets back, I want to take a look at Jill’s computer. If I find anything suspicious, I’ll let you know.”
“Where did you say your wife is?”
Yeah, where is Mom?
“She went to the store to buy some CDs. Not that either of us knows what kind of music Jill likes, but—”
Ben rose abruptly. “I have some in the Blazer. When we were together the other night, Jill and I discovered we shared the same taste in music. Except for Ricky Martin.”
His gentle teasing—combined with the tender look on his face before he released her hand—made Jill’s heart beat double time. He took a step then looked at her. “Czar, stay.”
Once she heard the door latch, Jill closed the distance between her and her father. She rested her long muzzle on his knobby knee. He responded with a gentle but firm stroking motion. She sighed, absorbing the solace of her father’s touch.
Nils lifted her chin to stare into her eyes. “You’re a special animal, aren’t you? You have a human look about you, which I guess some might say isn’t such a compliment. Did some evil witch put a spell on you, robbing you of the ability to speak?”
Jill barked.
“My, you certainly are well trained.” Nils smiled, but Jill could tell his heart wasn’t in it. A cloud of worry made him look older than his years. Jill’s heart twisted with regret. There’s so much I should have told you. Like how much I love you. And miss not having you in my life.
Nils levered himself out of the chair and took one long stride to bring himself to the bed. He tenderly brushed a lock of hair from Jill’s forehead. “How I wish I’d spent more time with you, dear girl. Where did our time go? Some wicked god—what did you call him? The Time God? Yes, the Time Go
d tricked us into believing we’d always have tomorrow, we got so caught up in our own small dilemmas, we missed out on what was important.”
“Have I not told you that for years?” a voice said.
Mom.
Jill dropped to the floor and tried to make herself invisible. She hadn’t seen her parents together in almost two years. She’d never really talked to either one about their separation, except to express her concern. Mattie had assured her that both she and Nils were happily pursuing their own “thing,” as she put it. Mattie seemed to love her job as travel director at a high-end retirement complex in the desert Southwest. Nils seemed content to putter in his workshop in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Jill had been too wrapped up in her own disintegrating marriage to give her parents’ relationship much thought.
“Yes, Mathilda, you did. And you know how much it pains me to say this, but you were right.” Nils’s tone was wry and self-deprecating—the kind of opening her mother would normally pounce on.
Jill braced for the snide reply.
Instead, Mattie dropped her purse and a plastic shopping bag on the floor and rushed to her husband’s side. Nils opened his arms and pulled her close.
Jill’s tongue rolled out of her mouth and hit the floor. The unpleasant texture of gritty tile made her shudder.
Mattie turned her head sharply, although she kept her arms locked behind her husband’s back. “What’s that dog doing here?”
Jill covered her nose with one paw. Her mother hated pets.
“Visiting the woman whose life he saved.”
Mattie stepped back. Dressed in navy slacks with an oversize white top adorned with gold embroidered anchors tied together with red satin ribbons, she gave the impression of one ready for any social event. Her white leather deck shoes squeaked against the tile floor as she walked toward Jill.
Oh, no… Jill’s heart sped up. She tried to tell herself she was a ferocious police dog, but the quiver that raced beneath her coat was pure terror. I’m sorry, Mom. I really screwed up this time. I bet you don’t even have a rule for this one, do you?
Mattie lowered herself stiffly to both knees. She slowly reached out. “Thank you,” she said, her voice husky with tears. “Thank you for saving my daughter’s life.”
Her mother’s hand was trembling as she tentatively petted Jill’s head. Oh, Mom, I didn’t do it. I made things worse. Czar saved my life then I poked my nose in where it didn’t belong and look what happened.
The low groan that filled the air sounded like an animal in pain. Mattie moved back in alarm. “Did I hurt him, Nils?”
Jill’s father hunched down beside his wife. “No, dear, Czar’s just very attuned to your pain. He can tell how much you’re hurting.”
Mattie burst into sobs, and Nils helped her to stand. “Come here, love. Come sit with me.”
To Jill’s immense surprise the two sat together—her mother on her father’s lap—in the chair Ben had occupied earlier. Nils tenderly soothed his wife and kissed her forehead. “Be strong, Mattie. Jill needs us to stay focused on the positive.”
Jill watched in silent wonder. She couldn’t remember her mother ever displaying such vulnerability. Jill knew Mattie loved her, but she wasn’t the kind of person who displayed her emotions for all the world to see, or even for the benefit of the other two inhabitants in her small world.
Jill had to look away; the touching scene made her heart feel as though it was being squeezed in a vise.
“How can I be hopeful, Nils, when that doctor referred to her condition as a vegetative state?”
Nils wiped away her tears with his handkerchief. “Believe me, dear, miracles happen. I’ve seen men labeled dead get up and walk away from a blast. I hardly think it fair to cast Jill into a potful of vegetables when she’s been comatose for barely a day.”
Mattie sniffed. “What if he was trying to prepare us for the worst?”
“That doesn’t mean the worst will happen. Jill’s our daughter. She has the blood of two bullheaded people running through her veins. Right?”
Jill watched this byplay with interest. She’d been the recipient of her mother’s sharp-tongued criticism often enough to know Mattie didn’t have a sense of humor—especially when it came to herself. Mathilda Jensen took life seriously. She’d transferred her experience of moving around the country into a career as a travel consultant. A brilliant strategist and logician, she foresaw potential pitfalls and arranged to avoid them. Unfortunately, this meticulous approach to detail generally made her seem a bit…anal.
To Jill’s surprise, her mother smiled. A sweet, girlish grin that made her appear years younger. “Mother always said I was part mule.”
“And since I’m part ass,” Nils said with a chuckle, “we’re perfect for each other.”
Jill’s eyes opened wide. Good heavens! They’re in love. With each other. When did this happen?
Her mother nuzzled her father’s cheek and sighed. “I just wish we’d told Jill. About us.”
Nils let out a long breath. “I know. I’ve been kicking myself, too. But it seemed so unfair to drop our newfound happiness in her lap when she was going through such a hard time.”
When? How? I need details, people. She crept closer.
Nils let out a rueful sigh. “Of course, we both know I’d still be holed up in my workshop feeling sorry for myself if you hadn’t sent me that ticket to Bermuda.”
Bermuda?
“Our second honeymoon,” Mattie whispered.
“Our first. I don’t think two nights in Minneapolis count as the real thing.” He sighed. “Oh, Mattie, there’s so much I’d do over if I could. Work less, spend more time with my family. Why don’t we learn these lessons until it’s too late?”
Jill spotted the tears in her father’s eyes and she ached to put her arms around him. She felt exactly the same, but there was no way for her to tell him.
Mattie dropped her head to his shoulder; they silently wept together. Jill was creeping away on all fours to give them some privacy, when the door opened and Ben walked in. “I think Jill might like these.”
He stopped abruptly when he realized her mother was present. He stiffened; his demeanor became more polished, more professional.
Mattie jumped to her feet and brushed the tears from her eyes. Nils stood. He, too, wiped his face, but he didn’t try to hide it. A second later, he walked over to take the CDs. “Thank you so much.”
Jill tensed.
After fixing her face, Mattie walked across the room. She extended her hand. “Hello, again. Although we weren’t formally introduced, I’m Mattie Jensen. You’re Officer Jacobs, I believe. I’ve heard a lot about you from the staff and Jill’s friends.”
Ben took her hand with great care and nodded. “Please call me Ben. And this is Czar.”
To Jill’s amazement, tears welled up in her mother’s eyes again. “I’m so sorry I was rude to you this morning. I didn’t know the circumstances. I—”
Ben put his hand on her shoulder. “Forget about it. We understand. Don’t we, Czar?”
Jill barked on cue. Proud to finally have barking down pat.
“At the time, I couldn’t imagine why they’d let a dog into a hospital room. Especially intensive care.”
“Normally, they wouldn’t and I wouldn’t have presumed if I didn’t know how worried Jill would be about Czar’s condition,” Ben said.
Nils pushed a button on the CD player. “This dog is welcome here anytime. Anyone can see he’s special.” All three humans looked at her. Jill squirmed uncomfortably. “There’s something very Jill-like in his eyes. They obviously share a special bond.”
Oh, Dad, if you can see that, why can’t you see me?
Gentle strands of saxophone filled the room.
Jill closed her eyes; she could almost picture herself dancing to the sound of this music with Ben. She imagined his scent. His sweet kiss.
“She likes the music,” her father said, lowering himself to the edge of the mattr
ess. He took Jill’s hand and gently stroked the unresponsive limb. “Look, Mattie, doesn’t she seem more relaxed?”
Jill felt a tug on her collar. “Mr. Jensen, if you need any help at Jill’s just give me a call. Here’s my card. My home number’s there.”
Ben took three long steps to the end of the bed and leaned across the distance so Nils wouldn’t have to get up.
Nils took the card. “Thank you, Ben. We’re going to try to keep someone at her side around the clock. If you’re available—”
“Anytime. Just let me know.”
Jill’s mother and father exchanged a look. “We will.”
Jill smiled. Poor Ben might not have recognized the maternal gleam in her mother’s eye, but Jill knew what it meant—matchmaking. Too bad Mattie’s daughter was a dog.
BY THE TIME Ben stepped out of Jill’s room, his head was throbbing. He never got headaches, but this situation probably qualified as sensory overload: too much weirdness, too many feelings, too strong a fear to hold inside any longer. Normally, he’d unload his worries and fears on Czar, but…
Ben looked down at his dog as they followed the sidewalk to the parking lot. Czar’s head bobbed as he trotted beside him; his ears were alert, his body looked strong and primed. Except for the small bandage covering the jagged gash that had already scabbed over, there was little to indicate he’d been perilously close to death a mere sixteen hours earlier. But there were changes; this was not the same dog he’d known for nine years.
That fact tore at Ben like a bullet. He wanted to believe it was just a matter of time before everything went back to normal, but that hope felt like an eel in muddy water. Slippery and dangerous.
Maybe things will straighten out in a day or two. Jill will wake up. Czar will be better. I’ll find somebody to take that damn cat…
Ben was so intent on his list, he would have collided with the dust-colored Cherokee parked halfway over the curb, if Czar hadn’t skidded to a dead stop and refused to budge.
Wonders Never Cease (Harlequin Super Romance) Page 18
