Dreams~Shadows of the Night (14 page)

The telephone rang in the kitchen.

“That might be the pediatrician. I left a message that I have a few questions,” Priscilla told them before hurrying away.

Catherine turned to Tom. “
Have you told Josh’s family what’s happening
?”

“No, they have enough of their own problems to deal with right now.”

“That’s true,
they do.  B
ut I think they’d like to know that you have a son,” she urged, silently vowing
that
she
would
call them if he didn’t.

“Maybe later.” His glance slid toward the sleeping baby then back to her. “I need you to promise me something, Catherine.”

“Anything.”

“I want you to take the baby when Nancy . . .” He stopped
, unable to go on
.

“
You know I’ll be here to
help in any way that I can.
S
o will Pris
, but
Nancy’s a fighter. There’s still a chance she could come out of this.” They were empty words
, and she knew it
; yet
she couldn’t tell him she
’d
had a nightmare showing Nancy in a coffin.

He jerked her against him.

“Did you have a dream about her
?” he questioned. “
I don’t understand how you know these things, but you do. Is she going to pull
through this? Will she
make it? Tell me!”

“I don’t know.”

His eyes narrowed.

“I think you do
,
and it’s not good
.
Y
ou’re lying to try and protect me. Or you’re letting your personal feelings cloud your professional knowledge.”
He scrubbed a hand down his face. “I went into a curio shop in
Mexico
once and saw a death mask of a young woman’s face. That’s what
Nancy
’s face reminds me of now.”

“Oh Tom, don’t.”

“
I need to know I can depend on you to take care of the baby.”

“He’ll still have you,” she said hoping to penetrate the layers of his grief.

He let out a self-
deprecating
grunt. “Which isn’t much.

“You mustn’t say things like that.”

“Why not? It’s true. I’m an empty shell without
Nancy
. All my life I wanted to belong. She gave that to me, but now it’s coming to an end. Watching her die is killing me bit by bit.”

He gripped her shoulders until she winced.

“No matter what happens, I want you to be the baby’s mother. Please Catherine, do this for me and for
Nancy
.”

“Oh, Tom.” She leaned forward offering him what comfort she could. “You know I will. He’s part of me and Aunt Priscilla, as he is yours and Nancy’s.”

She brushed her mouth across his lips
bef
ore he stepped back.

“It helps
knowing that he’ll have you both. I’ve got to go.
Tell Pris goodbye and thank her for me.”

“Will you come back here tonight?”

“It depends on what tonight brings.”

She fought back her tears.

“We’ll be here for you no matter what happens, Tom.”

Catherine walked with him to the door and watched as he got into his car and drove away. She checked on the baby and started toward the kitchen when she heard the door open again. She stopped. The hairs on the back of her neck seemed to stand on end. She turned slowly and what she saw nearly sent her collapsing to the floor.

In all her dreams of seeing him again, Catherine had always run into his open arms, but now she stood unable to move or utter so much as a sound. She didn’t recognize the hot anger in his eyes or hear the low fury in his tone. His voice sounded distorted inside her head. It was as if the world had suddenly slipped off kilter.

“What’s the matter sweetheart, cat got your tongue?” he taunted the cliché.

Jumbled thoughts raced along the edge of her brain. She
stared at him noticing how his once sturdy body seemed so frail. He looked haggard, as though every bit of vitality had been sucked out of him. She felt a sob catch in her throat. Her prayers had been answered. He was here.

“Oh God Josh, you’ve come back.”

“Slightly later than the three months I’d originally planned, but hey, who’s counting?” His bitter attempt at humor only added to the tension in the room.

“Why didn’t you let us know you were coming?”

“I wanted to surprise you.”

Tears filled her eyes, as she reached out to him, but he stepped back. She frowned and dropped her hands to her sides.

“I can’t believe it’s really you. People were afraid you might be dead, but I . . .”

His voice sliced through her words.

“It would have been preferable
at times, believe me.”

She wiped a hand over her cheeks, brushing at the tears.

“We heard you were kidnapped and then you disappeared. What happened to you?”

“Maybe I’ll write a book one day.”

“I can see you’re not well. Won’t you come and sit down?”

“Save your TLC for someone who wants it,” he snapped while his eyes burned with savage dislike.
“All I could think about while I was rotting away in that hell-hole j
ungle was holding you in my arms
, but now I don’t t
hink I could bear to touch you.”

His hostility made her take
in
a sharp breath. This wasn’t how his homecoming was supposed to be.
Where were the loving words, the warm embrace? The connection that had always been so strong between them was either gone or buried too deep to help.

“
Wh
y are you acting like this
? I’m sorry I didn’t give you the greeting you deserved, but you must know having you show up here
unannounced after so long is
a
huge
shock.”

“More of an inconvenience from the look of things, I’d say. How remiss of me not to telephone first, so you could have gotten rid of your company sooner.”

“Company? You mean Tom? If you saw him why didn’t you come in? Surely you must know he’d want to see you.”

“I didn’t want to interrupt.” His mouth tilted in a crooked half smile. “I’ll say one thing for good old Tom. He’s always taken his responsibilities seriously, and when I asked him to look after you he’s clearly been very conscientious with his extra personal touch.”

The relief at his return was rapidly being defeated by his snide insinuation.

“Are you implying we’ve been doing something that we shouldn’t have while you were gone?”

Josh lifted one shoulder in a casual shrug belying his obvious
resentment.

“You tell me. After all, he’s known you longer than I have.
It looks like y
ou and Tom were busy cozying up
while I was trying to survive getting my ass kicked.”

“What? No!” A gasp whistled through her teeth. “You’re wrong, we never . . .”

He cut her off.

“Why didn’t you wait for me, Catherine?” he demanded.

“I did wait. Months and months of living a half life, praying to see you again. Remember I did beg you not to go. I never really understood why you went.”

“I’m sure Tom told you.”

“He said you wanted the adventure.”

“There was a little more to it than that, but he probably didn’t want to jeopardize his chances with you. After all, a threesome would be kind of awkward.”

“All this lost time. Why, Josh?” she asked again, ignoring his jibe.

“I wanted to build up a nest egg, so I could ask you to marry me.” He scoffed at her surprise
d look
. “Stupid of me wasn’t it? I went through all that hell for nothing as it turns out. I’m not going to pretend that your disloyalty isn’t eating me up inside, but I survived the damn jungle and by God I’ll survive your betrayal
,
a
nd Tom’s, too.”

She blinked in confusion.

“Wait. You have the wrong idea about Tom and me.”

“Do I?” He shook his head. “I don’t think so. I saw you kissing when I looked in the window. The sun and fever
may
have fried my brain, but I still have 20/20 vision.”

“There’s a rational explanation for what you saw. It’s not what you think.”

His upper lip curled back in a sneer.

“I’d say it was crystal clear.”

“You’re mistaken. Please don’t do this, Josh. I was
only.
. ”

The baby began to stir at that moment, making Josh’s head jerk toward the sound of the whimpering infant. Catherine lifted the baby out of the bassinet
, not noticing how e
very last vestige of color had drained out of Josh’s face as he watched her.

“A baby? Now tell me again how faithful you were, Catherine.”

“No, Josh, no!” she cried, reaching out to him with one hand while holding the baby in her other arm. “You don’t understand, he’s not . . .”

“Get away from me!” he snarled,
stumbling back out of her reach. Shocked at the flash of intense hatred in his eyes, Catherine put the baby down before rushing
outside.

Priscilla joined her.

“I’m sorry I took so long. Did I hear Tom leave?” She shaded her eyes against the sun.

“Who was in that cab?”

“A ghost,” Catherine whispered.

>>>>dreams<<<<

“Marsh,” Douglas said, absently silencing the ringing phone a couple of days later.

“Mr. Marsh, t
his is Ivy Dallas, Josh’s mother.”

“
Oh, yes. How nice to hear from you. How is your son getting along?”

“Not very well, I’m afraid,” she said in her usual brusque tone.

“I’m so sorry, but I suppose it’s to be expected given what he went through.”

“We don’t know what happened to him
and Josh refuses to tell us anything.
”

“I see.” He hesitated. “Perhaps it would be better if I talked to your husband?”

“I’m the one making this call. I want you to tell me everything you know
.”
W
aiti
ng
several seconds
before he finally
respond
ed
,
she
interjected
,
“N
o wond
er his
nerves are shot.”

“What about
Catherine Ashley
?
Surely seein
g her again must have helped him
.”

“She’s made things worse. It’s her fault he took the job and look what happened.”

“I’m afraid I can’t accept your theory on that, Mrs. Dallas. Josh told me himself that he’s always been one to take new jobs because he like
s
challenges.”

“Not like this. My son gave up everything for that woman when he went to the Amazon and she repaid him by having an affair with his best friend while he was gone.”

Douglas stubbornly continued to try and defend
the
younger man,
disturbed as he was
, by such allegations.

“Catherine
?
Are you certain? I got the impression she was very much in love with Josh.”

“Do you think it’s wise to encourage that decision while Josh is ill? He may want to try and work things out when he’s feeling well again.”

“I can’t afford to take that chance. A mother knows what’s best for her child.”

“Your son is a man Mrs. Dallas, not a child. Why don’t you step back and give them time to discuss the situation on their own without your interference?”

Her voice exploded in his ear.

“How dare you give me advice about my son!”

“I beg your pardon. I merely thought Catherine might be able to help Josh.”

“She tried to destroy him, but I’ll see her in hell before she gets near him again.”

Chapter Thirteen