The Beginning (Whispering Pines Book 1)
Page 38
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Chuck was sitting on the edge of the bed when the nurse came into the room. “You should be laying down, Mr. Veal. You’ve got a nasty bump on your head.”
He wasn’t feeling dizzy and his head was clearing except for the pain medication. “I’m leaving this place as soon as I can find my clothes.”
“No you are not. Are you hungry? Would you care for a bowl of chicken soup?”
“No, thanks; what time is it?”
“About ten pm. It’s also time for you to lie back down. You shouldn’t push yourself like this or the swelling could come back.”
Chuck grabbed the rail and started hauling himself upwards out of the bed. The nurse scampered around crying, “Now hold on, Mr. Veal.”
An attendant, passing by in the hall, saw the commotion and raced into the room. The nurse motioned him around to the opposite side of the bed where he started helping with the struggling patient.
“You are not getting out of this bed until the doctor says so and he’s gone for the day.”
Chuck reached for the steady arm of the nurse and said “Please. I’m okay. I’ve got to get out of here.”
“You are going to lay back down this instant and if you don’t stay put, I’m going to call Doctor Marks and have you restrained for your own good.”
There was no give in the woman and his lack of strength was the determining factor. He allowed her to ease him back to the sheets and pillows.
He felt helpless. The nurse and attendant left the room. A moment later the door creaked open again and a young and beautiful face appeared. It was not the nurse or anyone he recognized from the hospital staff.
A familiar smell of rich perfume reached his nose and he opened his eyes wider. It was the same fragrance from the night before at the bridge. Edie Pary quietly stepped through the door and let it close softly behind her. Her face was beautiful in the light, stunning. His mind reeled in confusion. Had she come to finish the job?
Warily, he watched her step closer, cautiously approaching the bed. She leaned over and whispered, “Chuck? Are you all right?”
A wave of anger flooded over him and he snapped between clenched teeth. “No I’m not, not after you set me up for the kill last night. What are you doing here now? Did you come to finish the job? Is your partner waiting out in the hall with his board?”
Edie’s pale blue eyes filled with tears and her soft hands trembled. She wiped at her cheeks and sobbed, “You’ve got to believe me. I did not know anyone was out there. I had no idea someone was waiting for us.”
“Waiting for us? I don’t see you lying in a bed with the top of your head laid open. “
Chuck was sure that if she were going to lie then she could have come up with a much better one.
With voice still trembling, she explained, “When that man jumped you last night, I screamed and ran back to my car. I ran because I was afraid of being caught there with you.”
“Who was it Edie?”
“I don’t know who it was, it was too dark.”
“Why, Edie? Why was someone trying to kill me?”
She stuttered. I’m afraid it might be for the diary, my Mother’s diary.”
He pretended not to understand. “Why? What does a diary have to do with anything? Was Matt killed because of a diary?”
Her eyes fell to the floor. “The diary has something written inside, something that might cause trouble for Aunt Abatha if the wrong person were to see it.”
He rose off the covers. “I assume that Matt would be that wrong person?”
When she said nothing, he asked, “Why don’t you tell me all about it?”
“We don’t have time...not here and now.”
“Go ahead, Edie. What was in the diary?”
She sobbed, “Oh, Chuck, giving Matt the diary is why they killed him. It was my fault. I should never have let him see it in the first place but he was so determined to find the truth about Whispering Pines.”
She turned to walk away from Chuck but he reached out and grabbed her by the arm. “Help me get out of here, tonight.”
“I can’t do that. Somebody must have followed me to meet you last night and they could do it again and kill you.”
“Edie do you have any idea just who they are? Is your brother one of them?”
She moved closer to the bed, shook her head, and whispered, “I don’t know. Honestly, I just don’t know.”
“Then why, Edie? What’s happened to Matt? What was in the diary that he shouldn’t have known?”
Biting her bottom lip, she again shook her head. “I can’t tell you, at least, not here and now.”
“Where did you get the diary?”
“I found it hidden in the attic at Whispering Pines. I was unpacking some things that belonged to my mother. I showed it to Max and he went wild. He demanded that I destroy it. I wanted to help Matt, so I gave it to him and now he is... he, is...he’s....”
Chuck took both of her hands and looked into her tear stained eyes. “Edie, a friend of mine has the diary and it’s in a safe place. He told me part of what was written.”
She nodded. “I’ve found some other letters written by my mother. Aunt Abatha is not right mentally and hasn’t been for some time. She must have killed my mother and your grandfather. She never married Tom Veal but was jealous that her sister did.”
“What about Matt? Is that what he thought too? Is that why he was so determined to stir all this ancient history up?”
She nodded. “Max demanded that I burn the diary. I had to buy a similar looking one and rough it up to look older. Then, I copied almost everything over and gave it to Max. He burned it in the fireplace and I gave the real one to Matt. I’ve been afraid of my brother every since. I’m terrified of him.”
Is Max the person who attacked me last night?”
“No, Max is a small man and the outline I saw was larger. That wasn’t Max, I’m sure.”
“Why did they allow you to escape if you knew so much? Why didn’t they kill me rather than leaving me there in the middle of the woods?”
“I don’t know. After you pushed me away, I screamed and ran to the car. I panicked and ran. I should have stayed to help you. I was afraid”
She tried to hide the tears now and her hands were trembling uncontrollably.
“Edie please help me get out of here tonight.”