The Firstborn

by Dani Sinclair

  “Bram’s name’s rather unusual,” Emily was saying. “Is he related to the Peppertons, by any chance?”

  “It’s okay, Emily. I know all about Bram’s marriage to Helen Pepperton.”

  Emily smiled in obvious relief. “I’m glad he told you. It was such a dreadful tragedy. They say Dr. Lonnigan never got over it. He committed suicide less than a year later.”

  Hayley gaped at her. “You knew her doctor?”

  “Not personally, but he’d been in practice for years around here.”

  “Emily, right before the fire I found a file someone had faked to make it look like Marcus had been Helen Myers’s doctor.”

  Emily inhaled sharply. “Why would someone do that?”

  “I’m not sure. Either it was put there to make me doubt Bram, or it was part of a plan to frame him.”

  “Frame him for what? The fire?”

  “Maybe. I’ve been thinking about that. Bram was hit with a hammer someone stole from him. What if whoever set that fire intended to lure Marcus in there first and kill him with Bram’s hammer?”

  “Dear heavens. Hayley, I know how you feel about the police, but I think you and Bram need to sit down with them and tell them everything.”

  Hayley nodded. “I think so, too.”

  “Let’s get your purse and go home.”

  Looking up at the house, Hayley found she was strangely reluctant to step back inside. If Emily hadn’t been with her, she would have left.

  Inside the kitchen, the smell of smoke was surprisingly strong. If the house had seemed sinister before, it was downright spooky now. A haze drifted in the air, thick enough to make Hayley queasy and start her coughing again.

  “Hayley, I’m not sure this is such a good idea.”

  “I’m sure you’re right, but I’m okay.”

  Heartskeep had been in her family forever, but as she climbed the back stairs ahead of Emily, Hayley knew that she would never be able to live here again.

  Could she decline her inheritance? If she did, would the house revert to Leigh? Hayley needed to call that lawyer as soon as she got back to the Walkens’.

  “I can’t get over how dark it is up here,” Emily commented as they reached the second floor. A strip of yellow tape blocked off the hall to their left. A man in a hard hat looked up and nodded at them.

  “I remember when your grandfather had these walls installed,” Emily told her. “This was all open, of course. The design was completely unique. Today, it might not be all that unusual, but back when it was built there wasn’t another house like Heartskeep. Poor Dennison was terrified that once you and your sister started walking, one of you would fall over the balcony railing and break your neck.”

  They rounded the corner and Hayley found herself hurrying. “You mean the balconies that go around the living and dining rooms aren’t just there for architectural show?”

  “Of course, you wouldn’t have known, would you? There used to be a step-down onto the balcony that encircled both rooms. I believe the pillars are the support columns for them. You used to be able to look straight across to the other wing from up here. Or you could peer down at the rooms below, or gaze up at the sky. I have pictures somewhere. I was only up here on this level once, but the house seemed so light and airy back then despite all this dark paneling. I remember thinking it must be a bear to heat this place in the winter, even with all the fireplaces going, but it really was something to see. The way it’s closed in now…the upstairs reminds me of a gloomy hotel.”

  “I agree.” Hayley turned the knob and stepped into her bedroom. It seemed eons since she’d last been inside. Everything reeked of smoke, including her purse. It sat in plain sight, right where she’d left it.

  “I’d like to see those pictures. I’m going to have the walls torn down again,” she told Emily as she pulled a few things from her drawers and stuffed them into her overnight case. “But I have to tell you, owning Heartskeep has lost all appeal for me.”

  “Oh, dear. Don’t make any hasty decisions, Hayley. You’ve been through a lot since you came home.”

  “That’s part of the problem. Heartskeep isn’t home anymore.”

  Emily crossed to the window. “Give it some time. You might see things differently later on. Goodness, I can’t get over how much the mazes have grown.”

  “You mean, become overgrown, don’t you? All Marcus seems to have taken care of are the roses.”

  “What a shame. Your mother and grandfather were so proud of the gardens. And speaking of Marcus, isn’t that him?”

  As she picked up her purse and her case, Hayley glanced outside. “I don’t see him.”

  “He just disappeared behind that tree.”

  Hayley shook her head. “Figures. I bet he plans to garden today as if nothing was wrong. You know something, Emily, whoever was drugging his water wasted their time. I think he lost touch with reality long ago. Let’s get out of here.”

  It was all Hayley could do to keep from bolting back downstairs to reach the sunshine. The house was oppressive and the smell of smoke was irritating her throat and making her cough harder again.

  “Are you okay, Hayley? Here, suck on this.”

  Gratefully, she accepted the piece of hard candy Emily held out to her. In the kitchen, they bumped into Mrs. Norwhich carrying a bulky suitcase. She scowled suspiciously at Emily and eyed Hayley balefully. “You look quite fit for someone who nearly died.”

  “I’m fine, thank you. This is our neighbor, Emily Walken. Emily, Mrs. Norwhich.”

  Odette Norwhich inclined her head.

  Belatedly, Hayley realized she hadn’t given a thought to the two women since the fire. “Do you and Paula have a place to stay?” she asked.

  “Mrs. Norwhich and Paula are staying at The Inn with the rest of us,” Eden said, striding around the corner. She, too, had obviously returned for her personal effects. “Emily,” she acknowledged curtly.

  “Hello, Eden. It’s a terrible shame about the house.”

  Eden glared at Hayley. “Yes, it certainly is. Marcus is already looking into contractors to start the repairs.”

  “One of our former boys, R. J. Monroe, runs a construction firm now. You might want to give him a call,” Emily suggested.

  Hayley remembered R.J. as a tall, nice looking guy a few years older than she and her sister.

  “Do you have his telephone number?” Eden asked.

  “I have a few of his business cards in the car,” Emily told her.

  “I’ll walk out with you, then. Hayley, your father wants to speak with you.”

  That would be a first.

  “He’s out back near the fountain, checking on some of his precious roses,” Eden added in disgust.

  “Uh, Hayley, we need to be getting back,” Emily cautioned.

  Eden sniffed. “Don’t worry. He won’t snap her head off for starting the fire.”

  Hayley and Emily exchanged looks. They weren’t about to get into a discussion with Eden over who had started the fire.

  “I’ll call him later,” Hayley promised. “Emily, I think I’ll drive my car instead of riding with you. That way Bram and I can return for his truck later on. I’ll meet you back at your place.”

  Emily didn’t look happy, but she reached for her cell phone and nodded as she led Eden over to her car. Hayley started to walk around the house then saw Mrs. Norwhich getting into a car. A memory that had been tickling her brain since yesterday suddenly emerged.

  “Mrs. Norwhich? May I speak with you?” The stocky woman paused as Hayley hurried over to her.

  “Do you remember the other day when Bram carried me inside?”

  “’Course I do. Nothing wrong with my mind.”

  “Good, because you said something as I was running outside that morning. Something about a fire in the gardens or something.”

  The woman’s eyes narrowed in rejection.

  “I don’t remember exactly what you said, but you implied I wasn’t the only one who’d gone ru
nning outside.”

  “You weren’t.”

  When she didn’t elaborate, Hayley continued, “You said something like, ‘first the mister, then the missus, then the boy and even the hired help.’ Did you mean Jacob and Bram?”

  “Everyone went rushing out there,” she agreed.

  “Do you remember in what order?”

  “What order?” She managed to look affronted. “I’ve got better things to do than keep track of all the comings and goings around here, missy.”

  “I know you do, but this might be important. I went out there after Eden. Bram said he followed Jacob into the maze. Do you know if Jacob went out before or after Eden?”

  Mrs. Norwhich surprised her by taking time to think about the question. “You know, I don’t remember. I think the boy went out after his mother, but it might have been the other way ’round. You might ask Paula Kerstairs. She was out there, too, and that one doesn’t miss much.”

  Paula had been out in the maze that morning?

  “Thank you. If you need anything, you can reach me at the Walken estate. I don’t know if Eden has said anything to you, but you and Paula will collect your regular pay while we wait for the fire marshal to let us move back in.”

  “The missus didn’t say a word except that she’d let us know when to come back.”

  “Well, I’ll be speaking with the lawyer in charge of the estate this week, and I’ll be sure to mention this to him. If there’s any problem with your pay, please let me know.”

  Her sour expression softened the slightest bit. “You can be sure I’ll do that.”

  As Hayley said goodbye, she turned and saw Marcus walking from the fountain toward the start of the second maze. In his hand was a familiar bottle of water. Her first instinct, born of years of avoidance, was to head in the opposite direction, but she knew she could never live with the guilt if she didn’t warn Marcus not to drink any more of the water. Eden was still talking to Emily, so reluctantly, Hayley went to intercept him.

  Marcus stopped when he saw her approaching. His skin paled visibly. For a split second, something that could have been fear crossed his features.

  “Are you all right?” she asked, wondering if he was ill.

  “Hayley?” he said tentatively.

  It was the first time she could ever remember seeing Marcus look vulnerable. He was staring at her hair as if it were full of snakes.

  “It’s me. I had my hair cut because of the fire. Did you take that bottle of water from the house?” She was relieved to see the cap looked unopened. “May I see it?”

  He struggled to compose himself, but she’d never seen such a mix of emotions on his face before. He gripped the bottle tightly. “How did you find out?” he demanded.

  Stunned, Bram’s words replayed in her head.

  It’s possible Marcus has been injecting something into the water himself.

  “You knew there was something in the water?” She’d never seriously believed that. Why would he want to make himself disoriented and confused?

  Marcus reached for her arm. His grip was punishing. Hayley dropped her overnight case, feeling the first twinges of fear at the ugly look on his face.

  Paula Kerstairs burst from the maze. Her features were more animated than Hayley would have thought possible. The expression took years off her age, though she still reminded Hayley of a wraith in baggy clothing.

  “Come with me! Hurry!”

  Still clutching Hayley’s arm, Marcus turned them both to face her.

  “Someone’s destroyed your roses!”

  Marcus made a sound like a low growl. He shoved Hayley in Paula’s direction, into the maze. Hayley stumbled and nearly fell before she caught herself. Paula was already disappearing. Marcus’s expression was so thunderous it sent a sharp thrust of fear straight through Hayley.

  He had never laid a hand on her or her sister, but he looked perfectly capable of anything at the moment. Her arm throbbed where he’d grabbed her, and he now loomed between her and the safety of the yard.

  Knowing she couldn’t push past him, she followed Paula. Marcus wouldn’t hurt her in front of the housekeeper, Hayley reasoned, and when she reached the spot where two of the mazes converged, she could dart down the path that would bring her back out by the fountain.

  But Paula didn’t lead them in that direction. She waited for them near the first junction and pointed toward a path that eventually wound up in a dead end. Hayley realized it was the place where she had first seen Marcus talking to his roses.

  “It’s horrible. Wicked. Evil.”

  Paula was so agitated, Hayley half expected her to start wringing her hands. Marcus pushed past both of them. Hayley nearly bolted back the way they had come, but Marcus gave a low bellow of rage and began to run. As he came to the dead-end circle where the roses were, he pitched forward without warning, sprawling facedown in the clearing.

  Hayley gasped. Every flower and every rose bush had been hacked to tiny pieces. The clearing was littered with the remains and there was an overpowering odor of chemical weed killer.

  Marcus moaned and started to rise. Hayley came out of her shock. She took a step forward and tripped. A length of fishing line had been strung across the path. She pitched forward and landed hard, sprawled across Marcus.

  Enraged, he shoved her to one side. Thorns and branches jabbed at her exposed skin. Marcus scrambled to his feet. Hayley started to stand in turn when she heard two muffled coughs. Marcus doubled over, clutching his stomach. He fell to the ground again and began to groan.

  Bewildered and horrified, Hayley regained her feet.

  “Don’t move!”

  Fear corkscrewed inside her. Paula stood in the opening, but gone were the stooped shoulders and frail appearance. Her entire demeanor had changed. She stood tall and erect. There was nothing the least bit wraithlike about her now. Her eyes glittered with satisfaction and a shrewd intelligence. Hayley couldn’t take in the abrupt change. It was like looking at a completely different person.

  Marcus writhed at their feet, moaning in agony. Horrified, Hayley made the connection between the large red stain spreading across his cotton shirt and the woman’s thin, bony hand holding a gun with an elongated barrel.

  “You shot him!”

  “Very good,” Paula told her. “That’s a silencer on the end. No one will hear a thing, but you’ll be dead when I pull this trigger. I can’t miss at this range.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Dr. Thomas understands, don’t you, Doctor?” Viciously, she kicked him.

  “Stop it!” Hayley demanded.

  “Stand still!”

  The gun barrel was pointed at her face. Hayley could see the woman meant to pull the trigger. She stood perfectly still.

  “I won’t stop until I destroy him and everything he cares about,” Paula told her.

  Hayley had never seen such hatred on a human face.

  “I nearly killed you once before, you know,” she continued calmly. “The night you arrived. I thought it would be poetic justice to kill his child, since he killed mine.”

  The nastier rumors claim he may have lost a few of the babies on purpose, Jacob had told her.

  “But your boyfriend came in so I decided to wait. Then his wife came home and her brat showed up and the two of them started whispering together. I decided to wait for a better time.”

  The whispers that had woken Hayley that first night! She hadn’t dreamed them, after all. Paula had been the silent watcher she had sensed.

  “Only, I discovered he wouldn’t care at all if I killed you. Do you know your own father hates the very sight of you? There wasn’t much point then, was there? All you had to do was stay out of my way, and you’d have been safe. But you couldn’t do that, could you? You and that boyfriend of yours had to go poking around and prying into things that were none of your business.”

  This couldn’t be happening. The sun was shining brightly. They were only a few yards away from all sorts of peo
ple who could help.

  They might as well have been standing on the dark side of the moon.

  “I needed a D & C to get pregnant. It’s a simple operation. Doctors perform them every day. Any qualified gynecologist can do it—anyone except him.”

  Paula’s words began to flow more quickly as her rage built. Marcus moaned. His breathing was becoming labored. Hayley tore her eyes from him and darted a glance to her right. There was a slight gap in the yews forming the maze. It was only a few feet away, but Hayley knew she’d never reach it before Paula shot her.

  Marcus needed help, and he needed it fast. Was there any chance Emily might notice her overnight case lying there by the mouth of the maze? Hayley spotted her purse on the ground near the bench, out of reach. It wouldn’t have made much of a weapon, anyhow.

  “He botched that simple surgery,” Paula was saying bitterly. “He left me sterile! My husband swore it didn’t matter. He lied! Of course it mattered! I didn’t want to adopt some stranger’s baby. I wanted my baby!”

  Hayley took a cautious step back. Paula didn’t notice. Her voice continued to rise in a crescendo, spitting fury.

  “Every time I saw a baby, I broke down and cried. I couldn’t concentrate at work so I lost my job. Downsizing, they said, but I knew better.”

  Hayley inched closer to the hedge.

  “They said I was crazy. My own family had me locked up!”

  Paula rushed on as if these words had been bottled inside her too long.

  “My husband divorced me. He married a woman who could give him babies!”

  Her gun never wavered.

  “It was all his fault!”

  A humming seemed to fill Hayley’s head. Paula was working herself into a frenzy. Hayley knew if she couldn’t diffuse the situation somehow, Paula would pull the trigger and she and Marcus would both die, right here among the roses Paula must have just finished destroying.

  “I knew what I had to do. I needed to weaken him first. It took a long time to devise a formula he wouldn’t suspect—something colorless and odorless that wouldn’t last. I wanted him aware at the end. And you are, aren’t you, Dr. Thomas?”