Scene of the Crime: Return to Bachelor Moon (15 page)

He held her gaze and squeezed her hand, and he saw the realization darken her eyes.

“No,” she whispered as she tried to pull her hand from his.

He tightened his grip on her hand, not allowing her to draw away from him.

“There must be some mistake.” Her voice was faint, and a tremble had begun in her.

“Cory drugged you, Marlena. He drugged you, and then he put cottonmouths in your bed.”

She gasped, and tears shimmered on the length of her lashes.

“I came into your room to ask you a question, but you were unconscious, and the snakes were in bed with you.”

Even though she shook her head no, he didn’t stop, wasn’t even sure he could stop if he wanted to. He needed to get it all out, one hard cut and then bandage it up as best he could.

“It was Cory who pushed you into the pond that night. It was Cory who shoved you down the stairs, and last night he drugged you and hoped that venomous snakes would kill you.”

The tears that had barely clung to her eyelashes released, streaking down her cheeks. But he knew she believed him, knew he would have no reason to lie to her.

“Why?” she finally asked. “Why would he hate me so much?” She pulled her hand away, and this time he released hers as she began to cry in earnest. She hid her face with her hands, deep sobs wrenching through her.

Her pain was a visceral ache inside him, and his need to hold her, to comfort her, was too big for him to contain. For the first time in his life he felt the need to be close to another human being. He wanted a physical contact that had nothing to do with intimacy and everything to do with the desire to soothe.

Before it was even a thought in his head, he got out of his chair and got into the bed with her. She turned and sank into him as he wrapped her in his arms and held tight until the storm inside her had calmed.

Even after she’d stopped crying, he continued to hold her. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that, like the night they’d made love, a moment like this would never happen between them again.

“All I ever did was love him.” The words were warm against his neck as she cuddled against him.

“I guess sometimes that isn’t enough,” Gabriel replied, and stroked her hair. “There is a core of rage inside him that I think might be tied to your mother’s abandonment. He believes he doesn’t need anyone.”

He finally released her and returned to the chair. “He and John apparently had a plan for their future that they didn’t want you to screw up by taking Cory away.”

“A plan?” Even with her eyes reddened from her tears, she looked beautiful as the sunlight from the windows caught and sparkled on her blond curls.

“Did you know about the bunker where Daniella and Macy were held when Frank kidnapped them?” he asked.

“Daniella mentioned something about it, but nothing specific.”

“I found it last night, and it’s now filled with marijuana plants and grow lights. I can only assume that Cory and John have been in the business of selling dope for a while now.”

Marlena closed her eyes and shook her head. When she looked at him again, her eyes were filled with a wealth of sadness but also a weary acceptance.

“I want to see him,” she said.

“He’s in jail, along with John.” Jackson had texted him at some point while Gabriel had slept to let him know that John had been pulled over in his car heading out of Bachelor Moon and was now residing in a cell next to his business partner.

“What’s going to happen to him?” Her voice trembled from the depth of her emotions.

“He’s facing a lot of charges. It will be a while before he even goes to trial, but I expect he’ll do time in prison.” He didn’t try to soften it. He knew Marlena was strong and wouldn’t want anything but the truth.

She sat up taller. “When can I get out of here?”

“The doctor has to release you. Are you ready to leave?”

“I feel sick to my stomach, my heart aches and my whole world has been turned upside down, but other than that I feel fine.”

“Once the doctor releases you, then I’ll take you to the jail to talk to Cory if that’s what you feel you want to do,” he offered.

She gazed at him for a long moment. “Actually, I’d rather go to the jail alone. You’ve done enough for me, Gabriel. You found out who was trying to hurt me, and you’ve removed the threat. You need to get back to your team and proceed with your investigation into the disappearance.”

She looked down at her hands in her lap. “I appreciate everything you’ve done. You’ve saved my life twice, and I think if I feel up to it tomorrow, I’ll pack up and be on my way. There’s absolutely nothing left for me here.”

It was a goodbye. Gabriel felt it in his heart, the sharp ache of absence that was about to begin. Wasn’t that what he wanted? A sharp, clean break? A return to what had been his normal for so many years?

“Are you sure you don’t want me with you when you go to see Cory?” he asked as he got up from the chair.

Her amazingly beautiful green eyes held his gaze. “Thanks, but I’ll be fine alone.” There was a new strength in her voice, a glint of steel in her eyes. She had spoken of her love of him, and he knew that now she was letting him go.

“How do you plan to get back to the bed-and-breakfast?” he asked.

“Don’t worry. I’ll figure it out,” she assured him.

Gabriel took several steps toward the door. “Then I guess I’ll see you back at the house.”

“Just expect me when you see me,” she replied.

He nodded and then left her room. He stood out in the hospital corridor and realized there was a part of him that wanted something more.

Then he shook his head, as if to dislodge the alien desire, and headed for the exit.

Chapter Fourteen

Marlena left the jail near dusk. It had taken forever to convince the doctor that she was fine and ready to be released. He’d insisted that she remain until after lunch, and then she’d realized she had nothing to wear home. She’d apparently been brought into the hospital in a nightgown, and nobody had thought to bring her any clothes.

A kind nurse had offered to loan her a spare set of scrubs, and so she’d finally left the hospital clad in a lavender short-sleeved scrub top, matching bottoms and a pair of flip-flops that had been in the lost and found.

It wouldn’t have mattered if she’d been dressed in diamonds and pearls; nothing would have made her conversation with Cory any less difficult.

As she’d faced the young man she’d raised and loved, it had been like speaking to a stranger. He didn’t even pretend to have any feelings for her other than hatred. He’d accused her of being the one who had driven their mother away, the one who had ruined his life. He’d told her over and over again that he would never love anyone, especially not her. He had nothing but hatred for her.

She’d left the sheriff’s office around five and had sat on a bench just outside the building, trying to process everything that had happened, what had gone so terribly wrong.

She’d tried to be a mother to Cory. She’d sacrificed over and over again for him, not because she’d needed to but because she’d wanted to do whatever she could to keep him safe, healthy and happy.

Something was broken inside of him. She realized that now. Something had broken a long time ago that could never be repaired. She couldn’t love him enough to fix him.

Twilight had begun to fall when Sheriff Thompson walked out of the building, obviously surprised to see her seated on the bench. He sank down beside her, his face wreathed with lines of age and weariness. “It’s tough.”

“It is,” she replied. “I’m planning on leaving town tomorrow. Is that a problem with you?”

“Shouldn’t be, although I’d appreciate an address for wherever you wind up, in case we need you when this all comes to trial.”

She nodded, not wanting to think about a trial where she would have to stand and face Cory in a court of law.

“Cory confessed to trying to kill you, and both he and John have confessed to the pot field in the bunker, but both of them are adamant that they had nothing to do with the Connellys’ disappearance,” he said.

“Do you believe them?”

Thompson released a deep sigh. “I tend to believe them, but it’s hard not to consider the possibility that Sam found out about the bunker, so John and Cory did what they had to do in order to save their illegal business.”

“I might believe that if it wasn’t for Macy. No matter how much Cory hated me, I can’t imagine him doing anything to harm that little girl.”

“And John maintains he had no idea what Cory was doing to you, that he’s never committed a violent act against anyone in his entire life.” Sheriff Thompson shrugged. “I suppose time will tell what really happened to the Connellys. Are you waiting for somebody to pick you up?”

“Actually, I’m not sure how I’m getting back to the bed-and-breakfast. I sent Gabriel home before I got out of the hospital.”

“I’ll take you home.” He stood and hitched up his pants over his protruding belly.

“Thanks, I’ll take you up on that.” Together they headed for his patrol car parked in front of the office.

They drove for several minutes in silence. Finally it was the sheriff who spoke. “I should have retired after Daniella and Macy were kidnapped the first time. I’ve tried to help the Feds in any way I can, but I forgot about the bunker. Hell, the door was so well hidden Sam and I would have never discovered it if he hadn’t followed Frank and found it. I never thought anyone would ever find it again. That was a huge mistake on my part.” There was a wealth of regret in his voice.

“Don’t blame yourself. There were things going on here that none of us saw.”

Silence filled the car again for the remainder of the ride. As they drove into the parking area of the bed-and-breakfast, Marlena was surprised to see Gabriel sitting on the front porch, the shades of sunset painting him in orange and pink.

She thanked the sheriff for the ride, and as she got out of the car, Gabriel stood. As she came closer, she realized he’d been waiting for her. Two glasses of lemonade sat on the table, their ice cubes nearly melted. He must have been waiting for a while.

Sheriff Thompson waved to him and then pulled out of the drive as Marlena climbed up the porch steps and sank into a chair next to the one he had vacated.

He sat back down, and for a few minutes they remained there, watching the sun ease lower in the sky. “There’s lemonade here if you’re thirsty,” he finally said.

“Thanks.” She picked up the glass nearest her and leaned back in the chair. Numb. She felt a numbness sweeping over her. She hadn’t fully processed what Gabriel had told her in the hospital about Cory until she’d come face-to-face with her brother behind bars.

She almost blessed the numbness that kept a wealth of sadness at bay. Tomorrow she would leave here without her brother. All the plans she’d made for him, for his future would never occur.

Funny, she’d never felt truly alone because she’d had Cory to care for, to love. And now there was nothing...nobody. For the first time in her entire life she was truly alone.

“Where did you get the clothes?” He frowned. “I didn’t even think to bring you anything when I rushed back to the hospital last night.”

“A nice nurse let me borrow these. I’ll return them to her tomorrow on my way out of town.”

“So you’re still planning on taking off tomorrow?”

“There’s nothing to keep me here.” She took a sip of her lemonade and placed the glass back on the table.

“How did it go at the jail?”

She continued to stare at the sinking sun, not wanting to look at him, for a large part of her heart would remain here with him. “Awful. I always believed he was a good, well-adjusted kid. Oh, I knew he occasionally smoked pot. He thought I was too stupid to smell it on him, but I did. I just didn’t see the darkness inside him, how much he hated me, how much he was afraid to love for fear of being let down again.”

She stood, not wanting to spend another minute out here, where she could feel his concern for her wafting from him, where his scent rode the soft evening breeze.

She refused to sit out here and allow her love for him to lighten the darkness Cory had placed in her heart, to let Gabriel offer her support without love, caring without commitment.

“I have a lot of things I need to get done now so that I can take off tomorrow. I won’t be cooking tonight, so you all are on your own.”

“We’ll be just fine,” he assured her.

She picked up her glass and paused at the door, stupidly waiting for him to tell her not to leave, to get up and take her in his arms, to tell her he’d discovered he was in love with her.

“Maybe you and Cory have it right,” she finally said dispiritedly.

“What do you mean?”

A wariness bounced into his eyes, and she knew he probably didn’t like to be compared to a person like her brother.

She shrugged. “Maybe it isn’t good to love people because somehow, someway, they always let you down.” She didn’t wait for his response but hurried into the house.

She set her glass in the kitchen sink and then went into her private rooms, locking the door behind her. She sank down on the sofa and eyed the doorway to her bedroom.

Snakes. Cory had drugged her and then had put snakes in her bed. He’d tried to drown her in the pond and he’d pushed her down the stairs, all in efforts to kill her.

She hadn’t realized that his hatred of her had begun when their mother had left and Marlena had taken over caring for him. He’d resented her, resented everything she’d done for him. She’d loved him, and he’d hated her.

It was definitely time for her to move on with her life, and this time she’d focus on working her way through school, getting her teaching degree and building a life for herself.

Alone.

Without love.

Because she wasn’t sure she believed in love anymore. It was something that had brought her far more pain than it ever had pleasure. It had been a teenage girl’s fantasy, and now she was a woman. It was time to put away foolish dreams.

* * *

“
W
HAT
ARE
YOU
doing sitting out here in the dark?” Jackson asked as he stepped out on the front porch where Gabriel had remained long after Marlena had gone inside.

“Just sitting,” he replied, glad that his voice didn’t sound odd around the huge lump lodged in the back of his throat.

“Want to talk about it?” Jackson sat down next to him.

“Not really.” Gabriel’s stomach had been tied in knots since Marlena had left the porch.

“Andrew rustled up some soup and sandwiches for dinner. It’s on the table.”

“Thanks, but I’m not hungry. In fact, I think I’m going to head into town and have a couple of beers.” It was the last thing on his mind, but he felt the need to escape, to run, and now with his decision made, he got up from the chair and pulled the car keys from his pocket.

“Are you going to be late?”

“No, Mom. I shouldn’t be too late,” Gabriel said sarcastically.

“Hope it helps,” Jackson said as he got up from the chair. As he went inside, Gabriel headed for the car, his thoughts and emotions in turmoil.

He intentionally tried to keep his mind blank as he headed to the Rusty Nail Tavern in town, but thoughts skittered like wind-tossed leaves inside his head, with no direction or focus.

They still had no clues as to what had happened to the Connelly family. When he’d learned of the existence of that bunker, he’d wished that they would be in there safe and sound.

No clues, no direction in which to take the investigation and now no Marlena. He tightened his hands on the steering wheel. He didn’t want to think about her. Tomorrow she would be on her way, and he and his team would remain at the bed-and-breakfast until they were told to leave.

He pulled into the parking lot of the tavern, grateful it was early enough that there wasn’t much of a crowd. Once inside he found a stool at the end of the counter and ordered a beer.

As he nursed the drink, he thought about everything that had happened. Cory had been a shock. He couldn’t imagine the depth of masked anger that had built up to a point where he’d tried to kill Marlena not once but three times.

What bothered Gabriel more than anything was that, while Cory was screaming to him that he hated Marlena, that he would never love anyone but himself, Gabriel had seen a tiny piece of himself in the young man.

Like Cory, Gabriel had internalized his mother’s abandonment to mean that love had no place in his life. Like Marlena’s troubled brother, Gabriel had chosen to turn his back on love, to live his life alone without loving or being loved.

But Marlena loves you,
a little voice whispered inside him. She’d dug in, seen the good inside his soul and fallen in love with him.

What he found far more disturbing than anything that had occurred over the past couple of days was her parting words before she’d gone into the house.

Somehow this entire experience had made her believe that she was wrong about love, that her belief in love was stupid. And that broke Gabriel’s heart.

He felt as if somehow he and the circumstances had destroyed something beautiful inside her, and that sent a searing pain through him.

By the time he’d finished his second beer, he realized coming here was a mistake. There was no amount of beer in the world that would set things right.

It was time for him to wrap his mind back around the Connelly case and nothing else. He’d come to Bachelor Moon to find a missing family, not to fall in love, and it was time he got back to doing what he did best.

He left the tavern feeling no more settled than he had when he’d arrived. It was just after nine when he returned to the bed-and-breakfast, and Jackson and Andrew were seated on one of the sofas in the common room in front of the television.

“Back in one piece,” Andrew said as Gabriel sprawled in a nearby chair.

“Yeah, I had a couple of beers and decided it was time to come home.” He forced a grin at Jackson. “I didn’t want to stay out so late that I got grounded.”

Jackson returned his smile and then sobered. “So where do we go from here on the Connelly case?”

“I don’t know,” Gabriel admitted with frustration. He glanced toward the kitchen area. “Has Marlena been out of her rooms?”

“No. When I was making dinner, I heard her moving around. I assumed she was packing things up to take off tomorrow,” Andrew replied.

Gabriel stood. “I think I’ll head on to bed. We’ll sit down in the morning and figure out our plan of attack on this case.”

As he climbed the stairs to the lavender bedroom, he thought of how beautiful Marlena had looked in the lavender scrubs. Even after a night of being drugged, without makeup and beaten up by life, she’d looked stunning.

She’d looked like a woman he’d want to see every morning, like a woman he’d want to hold every night before falling asleep. He shucked his clothes and got into bed, willing himself to sleep so he wouldn’t have to think anymore.

He awoke at dawn, and after a long, hot shower he headed down the stairs, where the scent of coffee indicated that Marlena was up.

He poured a cup of the fresh brew and sat at the dining room table. He could hear her moving around in the kitchen, apparently preparing to fix breakfast. Other than the soft rattle of dishes, there was no other sound.

No soft, sweet humming to start the day. Apparently that had even been stolen from her by the events that had happened.
You stole it from her,
a little voice screamed inside his head.
You stole her music, her joy of life...you and Cory.

Within minutes he was joined at the table by Jackson and Andrew, and the talk turned to the Connelly case and what their possible next steps might be.

Marlena entered the room, carrying with her a platter of waffles and another of sausage patties. Gabriel barely noticed the food. Instead he drank in her loveliness. But as he looked closer, he noted that her eyes were dark, sad and haunting.