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“Someone taller drove her car last,” he said. “She work on her own car?”
Arlene’s laugh had an edge to it. “And ruin her nails?”
He sniffed the steering wheel, then got out and checked the hood latch.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Engine grease on the steering wheel. Whoever drove the car had it on their hands, but it apparently didn’t come from this car.”
“So it came from the other car,” Bo said, coming out of the house to join them. “You already suspected she met someone out there and rode with them. So what’s the big deal about the engine grease?”
“Nothing maybe,” Hank said. “I guess it would depend on who picked her up out there.”
“Seems pretty clear to me,” Bo said. “No one uses that shortcut, so it couldn’t have been just someone passing by. Charlotte had obviously set it up. No one would see her get into the other car. Seems to me she was buying time by ditching hers.” He looked at his mother as if she was the reason Charlotte had run away.
“That’s one theory,” Hank admitted. “So who did pick her up?”
“Don’t look at me,” Bo said. “I don’t know anything about it.” He turned to head back into the house.
“But you know who fathered her baby,” Hank said to the young man’s retreating back.
It was only a slight movement of the shoulders, a telltale sign. “What does it matter anyway? The guy obviously doesn’t want anything to do with her.”
Arlene looked as if she wanted to trail after her son. “Bo doesn’t know anything. He’s just talking.”
Bo knew something. And if he knew, then Hank figured it wouldn’t be that hard to find out. There was nothing Hank loved more than a challenge. “I’ll see if I can find anything out.”
“I’ve tried for months without any luck.”
“Don’t worry,” he said, giving her a reassuring smile. “I have a way with people.”
ARLENE RETURNED his smile, thinking he certainly did. She’d tried for months to find out who the father of the baby was without any luck at all. “I’m not sure it’s going to do any good, though. If she’s run off with him…”
“Then at least you’ll know who she’s with.”
“Why are you doing this?” she had to ask.
Hank moved to her and took both of her hands in his. “Because I like you and you need help.”
She tried to pull away, hating the fact that she needed anyone’s help but maybe especially Hank’s. That wasn’t the relationship she wanted with him. “I don’t want you dragged into my problems.”
“Arlene, this doesn’t change how I feel about you.”
How could it not? And how did he feel about her? “I’m a terrible mother.”
He laughed. “No, you’re not.”
“Oh, you have no idea. The mistakes I’ve made…”
“Believe me, my mistakes are legendary.”
“I wish I could do it over,” she said with heat. “I would do things so differently.”
He chuckled. “Wouldn’t we all.” He let go of her hands to step to the car. She watched him lock it. “For the time being, don’t drive the car. Let me see what I can find out.”
She nodded numbly. She couldn’t help being worried about Charlotte and the baby. “I didn’t realize how much I wanted to be there when my first grandbaby was born. I had wanted Charlotte to put the baby up for adoption. But still I thought I could be there for my daughter and at least see the baby…”
She turned away, not wanting him to see her cry. Hank’s kindness had turned her into a fountain.
This wasn’t the way she’d wanted things to be between them. She didn’t want him to know this side of her. Not the woman with all this baggage. How could he even stand to look at her?
“Arlene,” he said.
She turned to find him directly behind her.
He cupped her cheek. His thumb pad brushed the corner of her mouth. “Try not to worry,” he said softly. “I’ll see you tonight.”
She looked into his eyes. He still wanted to go out with her tonight? She nodded numbly.
He smiled. “Leave it to me.”
She watched him walk to his vehicle, still stunned not only that he’d come into her life, but also that he was still there.
Won’t be for long.
Her mother’s voice. But Arlene didn’t argue with the sentiment. Wait until Hank learned about her daughter Violet.
VIOLET EVANS PEERED out the hospital window, past the pathetic array of patients, to the fence that had become her prison.
Just a few more weeks.
It had been her mantra for months, and lately it hadn’t been working—and that worried her more than she wanted to admit.
She’d been doing so well, pretending for months to be catatonic before miraculously coming out of it with no apparent memory of the bad things she’d done in the past. How many people could pull something like that off? Very few if any, she would wager.
She’d always known she was smart, but lately she’d come to realize she might be a genius.
Of course, she had to hide that fact from the doctors. Clearly they weren’t half as intelligent as she was, since they had no idea what she was up to.
Just a few more weeks.
And she would be free.
So why couldn’t she relax and just do what they were asking of her? Why did she feel as if her insides were starting to show through her skin?
The doctors had insisted she do an in-patient work program to prepare her for when she got out. Which meant she filed for hours at the nurses’ station. She thought she would go crazy for sure if she had to do it much longer.
And then there were the nightmares. She’d never told anyone about them. These doctors would have a field day with even one of her dreams. She shuddered to think of what they would make of them. What she herself made of them if she let herself delve too deeply.
Just a few more weeks.
But it was getting harder and harder to remember that, and just the thought of never getting out of here—
She shoved that thought away and concentrated on revenge. But even the revenge she’d planned against her mother had lost some of its power.
Maybe worse than the nightmares was the voice she kept hearing in her head. She’d thought it was her mother’s but lately she couldn’t be sure it wasn’t her grandmother’s.
It was distracting and confusing, and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep this up. The place was literally driving her crazy, making her question things.
Like her mother’s culpability in all this.
She shook her head, trying to banish the confusion. Of course it was her mother’s fault. Everything was always the mother’s fault.
Chapter Four
Bo Evans disliked Hank Monroe even before he’d met the man. He would have disliked any man his mother dated. Not that he felt any loyalty to his father. Floyd Evans was a spineless bastard who’d abandoned them the moment there was trouble. Hell, Floyd Evans had abandoned them long before that.
“What did I tell you?”
He looked up to find his mother standing in front of him. She had the remote in her hand. He swore as she muted his show. “Tell me about what?”
“Getting a job.”
He shook his head. It had just been a threat. At least he hoped that’s all it had been. “If I got a job, I’d have to be in town all day. Maybe even have to work nights. You’d be here by yourself. You don’t want that. You need me around.”
His mother laughed and he realized this was a new reaction. “Nice try. I want you to find a job. And then I want you to find a place to live.”
He stared at her as if he’d never seen her before. He suspected he hadn’t. This was Hank Monroe’s doing, the bastard. He’d put this into her head.
“This is about Hank, isn’t it? You think he’s going to always be around?” Bo scoffed at that. “Once he gets what he’s after, he’ll be gone. The guy’s playing you. He’s going to break your heart.”
“Well, I’ve been played before and certainly had my heart broken by those closest to me, haven’t I?” she said, shutting off the television. “You have until the end of the week.”
“And then what?” he demanded. “You’re not going to put me out on the street. Not your favorite son.”
To his surprise, she said nothing. Instead she walked over to the garbage can and dropped the remote into it.
Bo told himself she was bluffing, that she was just upset about Charlotte. Once Charlotte was back here and the baby was born, things would get back to normal. Well, as normal as life here had ever been.
“What’s the point of throwing away the remote?” he called after her as she headed for her bedroom down the hall.
“Don’t worry, you won’t need it,” she said, stopping to look back at him. “You’ll be at work. Anyway, I’ve had the cable service canceled. Out here we might be able to get one of the local stations clear enough for you to watch. So you won’t need the remote, because what would be the point of changing the station?” Without another word, she turned and continued to her bedroom, closing the door behind her.
Bo swore and kicked the coffee table over. The one thing he didn’t want was anything to change. He was happy with his life. He slept till noon most days, hung out either watching television or listening to music until it was time to go out with his friends.
He’d had jobs before, but his mother had always been all right when he’d quit them and offered to help her. The only thing that had changed that he could see was Hank. Who was this guy anyway?
The good news was that Hank wouldn’t be around long, Bo told himself. Not once he got to know Arlene. But Bo feared he couldn’t wait that long. He was going to have to take matters into his own hands.
Either he had to find Charlotte and get her butt back here, or he was going to have to sabotage this little romance between his mother and Hank Monroe.
He called his friend Cody, since his car was in the shop and his mother had refused to let him drive hers. “Pick me up tonight. My mom has a date and there’s something we need to do. Bring a crowbar. And if you have a ski mask, bring that, too.”
ARLENE WAS GETTING ready for her date with Hank when the phone rang. She hurriedly reached for it, praying it was Charlotte.
The voice on the other end of the line was authoritative, and she knew from experience whoever was calling was going to give her bad news.
“Is it Charlotte?” she cried, just wanting to get the worst over with.
“I beg your pardon? This is Dr. Ray Hamilton calling from the state hospital in regard to your daughter Violet.”
Violet? Had she been released? Was she on her way here? Arlene glanced toward the dark windows and thought Bo was right. She didn’t want to be here alone.
“Is she…?” Arlene couldn’t form the words.
“We are required by law to let you know that Violet will be leaving our facility in a few weeks.”
“Leaving for where?”
“She is being released on her own since she is an adult, Mrs. Evans. I’m sure you were told about your daughter’s medical breakthrough.”
“No. You’re wrong. You don’t know Violet. If you let her out—”
“I’m sorry you feel that way, but I’m afraid the evaluation of her mental health isn’t up to you. We are just required to let you know. Good day, Mrs. Evans.”
“No,” Arlene said into the phone even though she knew the doctor had hung up.
Violet was getting out.
She stood in her bedroom too stunned to move. Hadn’t she known that her life had been going too well? The business? And Hank?
Hank. She felt her heart sink. For just a few hours she’d let herself believe she could be happy.
Not that she’d ever thought she deserved it.
She reached for the phone and dialed Hank’s number, telling herself it was for the best. Better to end it before it was started. Better to end it before he did.
She glanced toward the chair where her mother had sat for years.
You’re right, Mother. It’s all my fault. You told me I would end up alone. You were right. That must make you very happy.
She made a swipe at her tears. Hank’s line was busy. She’d have to try again in a few minutes.
Facing the mirror, she straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. She would face this alone. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t been here before.
“WHO IS THIS GUY anyway?” Cody asked as he and Bo drove into Hank Monroe’s ranch.
“We’re about to find out.” Bo had waited until he’d seen Hank drive out before he’d instructed Cody to drive down the hill to the huge ranch house. No one should live in such a large house. Especially some dude living by himself, Bo thought angrily.
