Legacy (Capitol Chronicles Book 5)

by Shirley Hailstock

  "I don't think I'll be able to return to work for a few days," she joked.

  Michael turned around and swung her into his arms. "Michael," Erika said in surprise. "You shouldn't be carrying me. You were in an accident, too."

  "I had on a seatbelt and from what the officers told me, you didn't."

  Erika placed her head on his shoulder and hugged him. He smelled good and she wanted to kiss him at that moment. She settled for holding him close.

  Inside, Michael took her directly to her room, but he didn't lower her to the floor. "I'm not very tired," she said.

  "Is that an invitation?"

  Erika blushed, lowering her head.

  "As much as I'd like to oblige you, I'm sure it would delay any healing you have yet to do."

  He set her on her feet and kissed her briefly.

  "If you need to rest before lunch I can have it postponed," Michael said.

  "There's no need," she said.

  "We have guests." Michael raised his eyebrows.

  "We do?" She braced herself for the news that her mother was downstairs. At the hospital Alva Redford had acted as if her own life was in danger.

  "My family and Malick. They refused to go home until they knew you'd be all right."

  Erika smiled. She wasn't sure if she was relieved or upset. "They probably want to spend time with you." He hadn't really spent any time with them since he returned from Maryland. She was just an excuse for them to get to see him. Erika wished for brothers and sisters when she was a child—she used to imagine her life with many relatives—but her mother never had any other children.

  "I'll clean up and come down in a few minutes."

  Michael kissed her on the forehead and left the room. Moments later Tess came in and helped her shower and change. She was stiff, she still had a headache, and the smallest effort took a lot out of her.

  "Would you like me to call Mr. Lawrence?" Tess asked when they stood at the top of the massive staircase. Erika heard voices comming from different areas of the house. It had been a very long time since they had guests. Certainly not in the year since she'd returned and Carlton had been sick. Only Carlton's lawyers and an occasional friend dropping by, nothing like the sounds she could hear now.

  "I think I can make it down if you let me lean on you." Erika didn't want Michael knowing how stiff she still was. She had the feeling he'd confine her to bed if he knew.

  At the bottom of the steps she thanked Tess, and the young maid left her at the salon. She needed a moment to prepare herself. Hoping it was empty, she went inside.

  She thought she'd been lucky until a strong, musical voice said, "Hello."

  Erika turned toward it. Sitting in one of the reclining chairs was a brown-skinned woman with soft features and a wide smile. She nursed a baby in her arms.

  "I'm Catherine, Bobby's wife. You must be Erika."

  Erika nodded and went to sit next to her. Gingerly she lowered herself to a chair she knew wouldn’t fold around her so it would be painful to get up when she needed to move.

  "I couldn't come to the hospital with the baby, but I'm glad you're all right."

  "Thank you," Erika said. She couldn't help looking at the child in Michael's sister-in-law's arms, dressed in a pink outfit. Erika assumed it was a girl. "How old is she?" she asked.

  "Three weeks."

  "I've never seen a baby that small," Erika said in wonder.

  Catherine leaned forward, adjusting her clothing. The child was asleep. She looked like a small doll.

  "Can I touch her?" she asked cautiously.

  "Sure," Catherine said. "Would you like to hold her?"

  Erika's eyes opened wide. "I'd love to. . .but. . .I never. . .I never held a baby."

  Catherine looked at her kindly. "You must have been an only child."

  "I was," Erika said.

  Catherine slid forward in the chair, then stood up. "I had three brothers," she told Erika, "and I was the oldest. I got to hold many babies."

  Catherine took a step toward her.

  "What do I do?" Erika asked, scared but wanting the experience.

  "Didn't you ever have a babysitting job?" Catherine asked her.

  "No." Erika suddenly felt as if she'd missed out on something.

  "Just be sure to support her head." Catherine laid the baby in her arms. Erika held her breath.

  "She's so light," Erika said, staring at the sleeping child. "Will she wake up?"

  "She's a good sleeper. She won't wake for at least an hour."

  Instinctively Erika rocked the baby. She put her finger in the tiny hand. The child curled her perfect little fingers around it, and Erika smiled as if a miracle had occurred. "What's her name?"

  "Roberta Ellen," she said. "After her two grandmothers."

  Erika glanced up. "They must be very proud."

  The door opened and Michael came in. He'd changed into grey slacks and a fishermen's-knit white sweater. He came forward and kissed Catherine on the cheek, then sat next to Erika.

  "Is lunch nearly ready?" Catherine asked.

  Michael nodded. "As soon as everyone gets here we can go in."

  "If you're ready, I'll go hurry them up." Catherine included Michael and Erika in his comment.

  "I'll be fine," Michael answered.

  Catherine laughed at him.

  Erika nodded to her.

  “Do you want me to take her?”

  Erika shook her head and looked down at the small bundle in her arms. Catherine smiled and left the room. As soon as the door closed Michael took her chin and turned her to face him. He kissed her on the mouth. "I missed you."

  "I missed you, too."

  “You look good holding a baby.”

  “Really,” Erika asked. Surprise was in her voice. “I’ve never held a baby before. She’s so light. And so little.”

  Michael kissed her again and was still kissing her when the door opened.

  "Excuse me, but you two keep that up and you'll have one of those of your own." Erika and Michael looked up. Peter walked over with a smile on his face. "How do you feel?" he asked.

  Before she could answer, the rest of the family arrived— Bobby, Catherine, and Michael's mother, Ellen—all of them asking the same question. Erika had met them at the hospital. Ellen Lawrence was shorter than anyone in her family. She was a petite woman who reminded Erika of a college professor she'd had her freshman year who was stern and competent. Ellen Lawrence had the same manner, and Erika thought she didn't like her.

  Michael stood up. "We're all here now. Why don't we go in?"

  "I'll take her," Michael's mother said, scooping the baby from Erika's arms as if she were more competent than Erika. She turned and led the assembly toward the dining room. Michael helped Erika and they followed everyone into the dining room.

  Lunch may have begun on a strained note, but it quickly turned to fun and laughter. The brothers began with stories of small accidents in their childhood. Most of the incidents included things they hadn't told their parents about. Soon everyone was laughing, including Ellen Lawrence. Her face was marked with laughter at the antics of her children. The only time it changed was when her eyes were shining with love over her grandchild, still sleeping in a bassinet near her mother, and when she looked at Erika.

  Erika couldn't help looking at Ellen. The woman didn't like her. Erika could tell by the way she never made eye contact. She looked away each time Erika's gaze found hers. Did she blame her for the accident? Was it her fault that Michael's life was in danger? They both could have died in the accident. Didn't she see that? Erika didn't think so.

  When everyone was nearly through with the coffee, Erika was visibly tired. Malick noticed it and suggested she go to bed. At that point the party broke up.

  "There's no need for you all to leave," Erika said. "I'm sure Michael would like you to stay for a longer visit."

  "I have to go, anyway," Bobby said. "There's work tomorrow."

  The rest of the party echoed his excuse and
soon they were kissing each other good-bye.

  Catherine came over to Erika as she stood at the door. She carried Roberta. "I enjoyed myself," she said.

  Erika looked at her and at the baby. "I'm so glad you came," she told her. She liked Catherine. "Thank you for letting me hold her." Erika ran her hand lightly over the baby's arm. The child's hands were covered, but Erika let her grasp her finger, anyway. Tears gathered in her eyes at the tiny hand holding hers. Catherine kissed her on the cheek, whispering good-bye and going to the car where Ellen Lawrence already sat. Michael leaned over his mother and kissed her. They seated the baby in the child's seat and waved as they started down the driveway.

  "Good bye, Erika," Peter said. "I hope to see you soon."

  She waved and he, too, left.

  Michael came back to her. "You're dead on your feet," he said. "Come on." He pushed her inside and closed the door. They walked to the steps before Michael helped her to her room. This time he didn't send Tess in to help her. He unzipped her dress and took it off. In moments he had her in a gown and under the covers. The bruises on her body were dark patches of blue blemishes. Michael didn't mention them. He got her some water and two white tablets.

  Leaning her against him, he watched her take the painkillers and drink the water.

  "Sleep now," he said, laying her back. Michael turned the lights off and left the room, but she didn't sleep. She wondered about his mother. She had come to her hospital room the day Erika woke up, but she'd hardly had a word to say. What had Erika done? She wasn't trying to marry her son. Some mothers found that a threat. She was friendly toward Catherine, but Catherine had given her a grandchild, and that could be the difference.

  Smiling, she thought of the baby. Roberta hardly weighed anything. Erika loved holding her. She'd never wanted to have a child. At thirty-four, Erika had never held a baby in her arms. She hadn't wanted to give the child up. If Ellen Lawrence hadn't taken her, Erika would have been content to hold her the rest of the afternoon.

  How could a mother hold her child, then not want it around? Erika thought of the way her mother had treated her as a child. A single tear formed in her eye and fell onto the pillow.

  ***

  When Erika woke it was dark. The house was quiet and she felt much better. Getting up she had a slight headache, and took a pill for it. She went downstairs. Voices came from the living room. She recognized Michael's deep voice, but Erika wondered who else was there. She went to the door.

  "Here's Erika now," Michael said. He stood and came toward her. "Let me introduce Connie Forester and Adrienne Dantley. They're the bodyguards I've hired."

  "Hello," Erika said.

  "We know about the accident," the shorter woman, Connie, said. "We'll make sure nothing like that happens again."

  Erika sat down. "What will you do? I mean, what do bodyguards do?"

  "One of us will be with you at all times," Adrienne replied. "We'll make sure the cars are checked, and that no one gets in to see you that you don't want to see."

  "What about Michael?" She glanced at him.

  "I'm your bodyguard," Connie told her. "Adrienne is Michael's."

  Erika didn't know if she liked that arrangement. When she'd agreed to bodyguards, she'd expected men; big, muscular, bouncer types. Not two women, two pretty women.

  Michael could see that Erika looked uncomfortable. He understood. Even though it was for her own good, she was giving up her freedom, her ability to come and go as she pleased without the need for a third party looking over her shoulder.

  "Has Michael shown you to your rooms?" she asked.

  They nodded.

  "You were asleep, but I need to get into your room now so I can check out alternative accesses," Connie said.

  "Alternative access?"

  "Windows, balcony, even vines on the outer walls," she translated.

  "Why don't you do that now? You know where the room is?"

  She nodded and the two of them left.

  "I'm going to hate this," Erika said as she watched them head for the staircase.

  "Give it time, Erika," Michael said calmly. "We both know this is necessary."

  "I don't know that," she argued.

  "Erika, you can barely move after that accident. You could have died, because Frank Mason tampered with the brakes of that car." Michael paused to come around to her. "It will be all right. After a while you won't even notice they're there."

  Erika sighed. She knew they needed to protect themselves, but she hadn't expected to have to account for her time to another person, and that's exactly what she'd have to do.

  "You'll be home for a few days. The two of you will have time to become friends."

  "While you and Adrienne become. . .friends," she said, sneering.

  "You're jealous," Michael stated.

  "I am not," she denied.

  Michael came around the sofa and stood in front of her. It made him feel good that she was jealous. "You have no need to be," he said. Placing his hands on either side of her head, he leaned over her, and her head fell back against the sofa. "I'm already in love with you."

  Michael kissed her, hard and deep. Erika reached for him, and his hands went to her waist and he pulled her forward. The two of them fell back and ended on the soft carpet. Michael raised his head to look at her.

  "Am I hurting you?" he asked.

  She took his face in her hands and pulled him close to her. "Yes," she whispered just before their mouths melded. Michael lay across her, and even though her answer meant he wasn't hurting her, he didn't want her to carry his full weight. He shifted, slipping his arms around her and pulling her close to him. His tongue swept inside her mouth and he felt himself trembling in the wake of the rapturous love that poured from him. She wasn't like any woman he'd ever known. She made him think of families, of loving, of wanting nothing more than to please her for the rest of his life.

  "Michael," she murmured against his mouth.

  "Hmmm," he said, refusing to break contact. He couldn't. She tasted too good. And she had him. His mouth left hers and he kissed her cheek, her chin, her bottom lip.

  "Michael, if we don't stop—"

  He took her mouth again, cutting her speech. He knew he should listen, but he was too far gone. He wanted her too much. She'd frightened him when she'd been in the hospital, and this afternoon when she looked so weak. She didn't look weak now, and she didn't feel weak. She felt wonderful and her perfume drove him crazy. He reached for her sweater and slipped his hand under it.

  "Stop," she said, pushing herself back. "Michael! The guards. They could walk in on us at any moment."

  It wasn't the guards that came in, but Tess, the maid. She sized them up. Michael checked Erika. The blood in her face colored it a shade darker.

  "Did you fall?" Tess asked, coming to her.

  Michael helped Erika to her feet.

  "Yes, Tess, she fell." He could hardly keep the laughter out of his voice.

  "I'll help her, Sir." Tess took hold of Erika's arm. "Your brother is on the phone. There's been an explosion."

  The two of them looked at each other for a moment, then quickly got up and rushed to the library. Erika got there only a second behind Michael. He was on the phone asking all the newspaper questions—Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

  Erika didn't interrupt him with questions of her own. She studied his face, looking at his expressions, trying to read what was being said at the other end of the phone.

  Michael replaced the receiver and hung his head in his hands. He expelled a long breath and looked up at Erika. He sat at the office desk in the library. She moved to sit on the floor in front of him. Taking his hands, she waited.

  "Everyone is all right. They've gone to Mom's house, and the bomb squad has been there to check it out," he told her. "Apparently, Bobby's house was wired. Two doors. They were set to go off ten minutes after the doors were opened."

  "Enough time for everyone to get inside," Erika deduced.

  "I
f it hadn't been for a neighbor calling to them when they arrived, they would all have been inside the house when the bomb went off."

  Erika shivered. She raised herself up on her knees and put her arms around him. "Michael, I'm so sorry. I never thought when I came to see you that I'd draw you into a world where someone is trying to kill you."

  He leaned against her, kissed the top of her head. "It's not your fault. Frank's been planning this for years. Just as I had time on the mountain to think, he's had the same amount of time, and now we're running toward each other. He tried to kill my brother and his family tonight."

  Erika shivered. Just a few hours ago she'd held a baby in her arms. And this man, this crazy lunatic, had tried to kill that innocent child. How could anyone want to hurt someone who'd never done anything to anyone?

  He kissed the top of her head again. "It won't be long, Erika, before he finds his way here."

  "Michael." Erika looked up at him. "When I was trying to find you, I hired an investigator. Why don't we hire one now? If the police don't have the resources to track Frank's movements, we do. It's time we started thinking like rich people."

  ***

  Erika returned to work three days later. The first thing Connie Forester did was to change the methods they used to get to work. Erika and Michael no longer occupied the same car. For the past three days she'd barely seen Michael.

  Erika entered the offices to a chorus of "Welcome backs" from everyone she and Connie passed. Her office had a huge bouquet of flowers and a card signed by the entire corporate office staff. Connie checked it for bugs, explosive devices, and poisonous containers. Erika imagined she also checked it for timing devices, electrical charges, and exploding ink. By the time she finished, the surprise of finding a present sent to her was gone.

  "We had to get a big card," her secretary told her, and she looked in surprise at what Connie was doing.

  "Thank you," Erika said. "I appreciate all your kindness. Please pass that along. I'll take a walk this morning and try to thank everyone, personally."