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Slowly, she walked back, the bottle in her hand. “What did you want to talk about?”
He leaned against his vehicle. “You not used to hard labor?”
“Not really. I work in an office.”
“Ah, the lawyer.” That brought him down to earth like a shattered clay pigeon and reminded him this wasn’t a social call. He cleared his throat. “I paid Minnie Voltree a visit.”
“And?”
“She said you’re lying. That she did not deliver your baby.”
“Did you actually think she’d admit to it?” Her eyes never wavered from his, and that sincere gaze was doing a number on his senses.
“I was hoping for some hard evidence to place you at the Bar C.”
She pointed the bottle at him. “Then why aren’t you asking Asa? He knows everything. Or is he getting special treatment because he’s your father?”
“Maybe.” He wasn’t ashamed to admit it. “He’s not well, and he’s still grieving for Jared. I want real evidence before I confront him.”
“Okay.” She gazed off to the oak trees. “How many people know the Bar C has a basement?”
“Not many.”
“How many people have been in it?”
“Even fewer.”
She brought her eyes back to his. “I know exactly what it looks like. There’s a stairway near the kitchen that leads to the top floor. Underneath the staircase is a door that leads to the basement.”
He held up a hand. “Jared could have taken you there.”
“Other than when I gave birth, I was only on the Bar C once.” She held up one finger. “Jared wanted to take me horseback riding. I didn’t want to go, but he insisted. As soon as we drove up to the barn, Asa galloped up and shouted to Jared, ‘Get that piece of trash off my property and get your ass back home. I want to talk to you.’ After that I would never go there.”
For some reason he believed her—that certainly sounded like Asa. She was confident, sure and never took her eyes off him.
“Roland and Curly grabbed me as I was leaving the convenience store. Roland had a pistol, and he told me to shut up and do as I was told. I was scared—for me and my baby. Curly tied my hands with a rope, and they took me to the basement at the Bar C. With my big stomach I couldn’t see the steps very well, and I tripped a couple of times. I was shaking with fear and wanted to shield my baby. When I saw Minnie, I was relieved. She told me everything would be fine, and then she gave me some stuff to drink. She said it would calm my nerves. A half bed was in a corner with sheets and towels stacked high next to it. I became woozy, and she undid the rope and helped me to lie down.”
Jena screwed the cap back onto the bottle, and her hand shook slightly. He knew she was reliving that day. At that moment he knew she wasn’t lying. For the first time, he was torn between family and the truth.
Like everyone else in Willow Creek, he’d never really thought about what had happened to Jena’s baby. He’d listened to what his father had said about the baby’s paternity and put Jena Brooks out of his mind. When he returned home from the Marines for good, the murder cases had been closed and everyone had moved on. Now...
“I woke up to labor pains ripping through my body. I was under a sheet, and my maternity jeans and shoes had been removed. Minnie gave me more stuff to drink, and it helped the pain. Then I heard the word breech, and another voice said, ‘Let her die.’ It was Asa.”
Both of her hands gripped the bottle. “I felt as if my insides were being yanked out of my body. Just when I thought I couldn’t bear it any longer, I heard the baby cry. I held out my arms, wanting to hold it, and I heard Asa again. ‘I got it,’ he said. That’s when I knew they were taking my baby. I screamed and tried to get up. I was so weak I blacked out. When I woke up, I was fully clothed. I got up, intending to find my baby. Roland and Curly were there. I fought them, and Roland slapped me and told me to shut up or Asa would kill me. He told my mother the same thing. She got me out of Willow Creek that night.”
“Why didn’t you call the sheriff?”
“I was a teenager and scared. My father had just killed Jared Corbett. No one was going to believe me. Just like you don’t believe me now.”
“It’s a lot to take in.” The sun was going down in the west, bathing them in a soft glow, and it seemed strange talking to her, the daughter of the man who’d killed his brother. Yet, in another way he felt something he couldn’t explain. It was her. He was riveted by her soft voice and heartfelt emotions.
“You said you wanted evidence I’d been at the Bar C.” Her voice interrupted his troubled thoughts. “In the basement there’s a rack for rods and reels on one wall. Football jerseys hang on hooks. One has Jared printed on the back and the other has Carson. A beautiful armoire and matching headboard are stored in a corner. Boxes labeled Caroline are stacked next to it.”
“They belonged to my mother,” he said, startling himself. He hadn’t meant to say that out loud.
“There’s a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling with a long string to turn it on and off,” she continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “I bled a lot during the birth, and some dripped onto the floor. Minnie tried to wipe it up with bleach. I know because I heard her tell Roland she needed more bleach to clean up the blood. I bet the stain is still on the concrete. As you go down the stairs, it would be on the far left. The bed, towels and sheets I’m sure were burned.”
“I’ll check it out,” he said through a dry throat. He took a moment and gauged his next words. “I don’t understand why you’re coming back now. It’s been...what? Almost nine years?”
“When I heard Asa had had a stroke, I knew this was my last chance to find my child. If he dies, his secret will die with him. I’m not afraid of him anymore, either. I just want the child who was taken from me.”
“May I ask you a question?”
“What?”
“Please don’t take offense, but why was my dad so sure the baby wasn’t Jared’s?”
“Jared said Roland filled Asa’s head with nonsense, like he’d seen me out with this guy or that guy.”
“And that wasn’t true?”
“No. Jared was my only boyfriend, but more than that, he was my friend.”
It would be callous to point out that her father had shot Jared in cold blood. They’d talked enough for today. He had a lot of thinking to do.
“Thank you for your candor, Ms. Brooks. I’ll be in touch.” He got in his vehicle and drove away.
Conflicting thoughts warred inside him. Could his father do something so barbaric?
He returned home, his thoughts directed inward. Aunt Fran was in the kitchen. “Supper’s almost ready,” she called.
“I have to check something in the basement first.”
“We caught that mouse.”
“I’m just checking.” He took the narrow steps two at a time. It was dark now, so he moved slowly when he got to the bottom, reaching for the string. He pulled it and light flooded the basement. Everything was just as she’d described. He walked toward the left side of the room and saw it. A large dark spot—her blood.
Oh, God. A pain shot through him. She wasn’t lying. She’d given birth in this basement. What had his father done with the child?
* * *
JENA PUSHED THE mower to the shed in the back. It was too dark to mow now. Her mind was filled with thoughts of her conversation with Carson. Even as farfetched as her story sounded, she got the feeling he believed her. And, to her dismay, she understood his reluctance to talk to his father.
For years she’d dreamed of revenge, but after a few hours in Willow Creek she was surprised to find her desire for it wasn’t as strong as before. She needed only peace now. Asa Corbett was already in hell—stoking the fire would accomplish nothing. She just wanted information about her child. Carson would get that.
Jared had often said his older brother was the heroic type, the kind who would rescue a kitten from a burning building without any thought to his own safety. He was honest and straightforward. Jena had already sensed those qualities in him. Even though it would hurt his family, he would do the right thing. He’d confront his father.
Jena had to put her trust in Carson, and she found the thought oddly disturbing and uplifting at the same time.
Hilary swerved into the driveway, headlights blinding Jena. Jumping out, Hil said, “Hey, sis, I brought chicken-fried steaks for supper.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had Mabel’s chicken-fried steak.”
“Then you’re in for a treat. I brought chocolate pie with mile-high meringue, too.”
They walked toward the steps, and Hil suddenly stopped. “Didn’t get the yard mowed, huh?”
“Why didn’t you buy a self-propelled mower?”
Hil shrugged. “They cost more, and the guys usually mow, but they’ve been busy. I thought I’d get it done by the time you arrived.”
“I did the back, and, believe me, my muscles will be protesting tomorrow. As I was pushing that blasted thing to the front, the constable drove up.”
“What did Carson want?”
“To ask questions about that night.”
“Is he going to do anything?”
“Yes. I believe he is.”
“Hmm. You sound different than you did this morning. Are you developing a soft spot for the constable?”
“Of course not. Don’t be silly.”
“If you say so. But he’s s-o-o good-looking if you like tall, strong and masculine.”
“Shut up.” She held the door open and Hil laughed, walking inside.
“Hey, Mama, time for supper,” Hil shouted.
Norma clicked off the television. “I wondered where you girls were.”
“She seems fine,” Hil whispered in the kitchen.
“She’s been that way all afternoon.”
“Told you. It comes and goes.”
Hil ran around the kitchen in her cute cowgirl boots like a bunny on steroids, putting the meal on the table and fixing tea.
“How much coffee have you had today?”
“Enough.” Hil made a face.
They sat around the old Formica-and-chrome table and ate. It was reminiscent of better times. Before her dad started drinking heavily. Before Jared. Before...
“It’s nice to have my oldest home,” Norma said. “I was going to bake a cake, but I couldn’t get the stove to work.”
“It’s just temperamental,” Hil replied. “I can make it work, but I brought food and pie. We’re good.”
“Okay.” Norma continued to eat, but Jena noticed a change in her. She became quiet and stared at the refrigerator. Wrapping her arms around her waist, Norma mumbled, “It’s getting chilly. We’ll probably have ice in the morning. I saw on the TV it was snowing somewhere.”
Hil choked on her pie, coughed and took a quick gulp of tea. “What the hell was she watching?” Hil mouthed.
“Wheel of Fortune,” Jena mouthed back.
Hil shrugged. “It’s not that chilly, Mama.”
“I wonder where my flannel gown is.” Their mother stood and meandered to her room.
They cleaned the table and put the containers in plastic bags. “I’ll take the trash to the café in the morning.” Hil tied the top of the bag into a knot.
“What do we do about Mama?” Jena asked.
“I don’t know. I just agree with whatever she says. That seems to work best.”
They went to their mother’s bedroom and found her standing near the bed in a flannel nightgown, looking confused. “Where’s my electric blanket, Hilary?”
“It’s on the bed.” Hil winked at Jena.
“Good. I wanted to take a bath, but it’s just too cold.”
“That’s okay, Mama.” Hil helped her into bed.
“Is the blanket on?”
Hil knelt and pretended to fiddle with something. “How’s that?”
“Much better.”
Her sister got to her feet and kissed their mother. “Night.”
“Now, don’t you girls talk all night. You have school tomorrow.”
“We won’t.”
Her mother was in another time and another place. Maybe after all she’d been through it was a better place for her. And she had the resilient strength of Hilary to help her. Once again Jena was amazed at her sister’s patience and compassion.
She kissed her mother’s forehead. “Night, Mama.”
“I’m so happy to have my beautiful daughter home.”
“Hey. What am I? The ugly duckling?” Hil teased.
“You’re my sweet, good daughter.”
Hil flicked off the light. “Yeah, like that’s gonna get me a date with Ryan Reynolds?”
