Anchored (28 page)

Mia’s hand tightened on the phone. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t,” her voice hardened.

“I’m driving back to Blue Bay with Polly. We’ve stopped to get food and Polly’s inside the café. I had to get away, Mia. I felt so ashamed when the police questioned me about my relationship with Jonathan. I thought how disappointed everyone would be with me and I couldn’t take it. I’m sorry.” Klara’s voice shook and Mia frowned.

“I trusted you. You must have been laughing at how gullible I was,” Mia snapped. “You need to go to the police, they have questions for you.”

“It’s not me who wrote those notes, you have to believe me. I would never hurt you. You’re like a daughter to me.”

Mia licked her lips; her emotions were all over the place. She felt confused, angry, ready to hang up. “Dad told me Polly’s his daughter. He wants to do right by her.”

“Does he? She’s your sister, but she’ll need time to adjust to the idea of Jonathan being her father. I didn’t kill Maggie. She was my sister in every way except blood.”

“I don’t believe that, it’s just not true. Sisters don’t betray each other the way you did my mum. She trusted you. She shared everything with you, her joys and sorrows. You lied to her over and over again.”

“Maggie knew I was with Jonathan. We shared everything.” Klara spoke softly.

Mia’s heart twisted. Surely not? Her poor, poor mother. The possibility burned into her brain.

“You’re lying—” Mia began.

“I’m not and I can prove it. Maggie wrote me a letter once about the way things were between the three of us. She accepted it, loved us both.”

Mia sunk to her knees and gasped.

“I have to go. Polly’s coming. I’ll call you when we get home.”

~~~

Judy glanced at her watch to check the time. She surveyed the steaming casserole dish sitting in the middle of the candle lit table. The table was set for one. A single red rose rested across the white dinner plate. An opened bottle of red wine waited. Her head turned as she heard the car and she silently slipped out of the room.

~~~

Jonathan stopped and inhaled deeply. The aroma of sweetly cooked lamb rose up his nostrils. He knew that smell. Margaret had cooked her rosemary lamb casserole often.

He must be imagining it. As he shrugged out of his jacket he became aware of beautiful string music playing.

Jonathan moved into the lounge and frowned at how tidy it appeared. Candles flickered gently and he spun around. “Hello. Who’s there?”

He moved through to the dining room and saw the table. He lifted the lid off the casserole and sniffed. His stomach responded to the alluring scent and rumbled.

Looking up he whispered. “Margaret?”

Shaking his head Jonathan frowned and went into the kitchen expecting to see someone there. He turned and sprinted up the stairs calling out. “Mia? Are you here?”

His voice echoed and bounced back to him. Fear shivered down his spine. Had he imagined it all?

Retracing his steps, he entered the dining room. Who could have entered his house, cooked Margaret’s favorite recipe and then left? Jonathan blew out the candle and moved into the lounge to extinguish the candles there.

He picked up the phone to call Robert and realized there was no dial tone.

“Hello, Jonathan.”

Jonathan’s skin crawled at the sound of her voice. His eyes widened as he spun around.

Judy held a gun loosely in her hand. She waved it towards the table. “Sit down, darling. I’ve cooked for you.”

Moving carefully across the room Jonathan sat at the table. He eyed the gun, then searched her face. “What’s this all about, Judy?”

“Fill your plate. You must be hungry after a long day.”

Jonathan gestured for Judy to take a seat. “Let me get you a plate and then we can eat together. I’ll get another glass.” He pushed up from the table.

Judy screamed at him to sit down. She held the gun with two hands and Jonathan’s jaw tightened.

“All right. All right. Just relax, won’t you?” He dropped to his seat.

“Eat,” she demanded.

Jonathan spooned some of the casserole onto his plate and lifted his fork.

“More, darling, take some more. I know you’ll like it.” Jonathan did as she suggested and slowly began to eat. It felt like the food was catching in his throat and he swallowed carefully. He needed to stay calm.

As he looked up he saw Judy as if for the first time. His gaze took in her desperate eyes and his heart broke.

“Judy—or would you prefer I call you Klara?” He smiled and saluted her with his glass.

“My name’s Judy,” she shouted.

“Judy. Delicious lamb. Thank you.” Jonathan decided to act like there wasn’t a gun present. “I’ve set up a trust fund for Polly, she can access it once she turns twenty. I want to look after you both financially.” Jonathan took another mouthful and chewed slowly.

 “I don’t want your money. I wanted you. I loved you. I thought you were the only one who really knew me. What’s changed? Why did you stop loving me?” Judy demanded.

His eyebrows drew together and he looked down. “When Maggie died, everything—”

“Jonathan, this is not about Margaret, it’s about us. I’ve spent all my life running after you. Loving you, wanting to be a family with you. What a fool I was,” Judy sneered.

Jonathan wiped his mouth as he slowly got to his feet.

“Had enough already, darling? Too much garlic for your liking? Or should I say arsenic?” Judy laughed gleefully.

Jonathan’s hand went to his throat. “You’re kidding, of course?” His chest constricted as he gulped in some air.

“Come, Jonathan, don’t be so dramatic. You’ve been slowly taking arsenic every time you made yourself an instant coffee for the last few weeks. Haven’t you tasted the alluring flavor? I wasn’t sure whether or not I’d use arsenic to complete the job, but Mummy said it was a good idea. I hear red wine helps dilute it, would you like me to pour you a glass?” Judy licked her lips suggestively and smiled. “I pity you, Jonathan. I hear it’s an agonizingly painful way to die.”

Jonathan glanced at the gun. His heart pounded and sweat formed on his forehead and upper lip.
Oh Lord, not yet, please. How can I make her understand the path we walked down, the path I led her down was wrong? Forgive me, Jesus. Help me get through to her.

Time stood still and his fear dissolved into concern as his gaze searched her face.

“Judy, it’s okay. We can work this out.” He moved around the table to her. His hand gently reached out to cup her cheek.

Judy’s eyes widened. She jumped back, lifted and aimed the gun at him.

“Darling, I’ve worked it all out. We’ll be together forever.” She flashed a triumphant smile and pulled the trigger.

Jonathon lifted a hand in protest as the bullet slammed into his chest. He gasped and staggered back. Blood seeped through his shirt and his fingers spanned and pressed the wound.

His head lifted and his eyes captured Judy’s.

Jonathan slipped to the ground as Judy lunged for him.

He felt like he’d been hit in the chest by a baseball bat. His body felt cold as if his blood had been drained and replaced with ice.

Judy sobbed and brushed his face with kisses. She murmured something and he tried to listen. “I will be with you soon, darling—”

As Jonathan closed his eyes he was overwhelmed with regret. There was so much more he wanted to do.

He tried to speak, he needed to tell her about Jesus—loving her—forgiving—her, but the words locked in his throat and he gasped.

His eyes rolled and his head moved slightly to the side. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

Chapter 45

Mia surfaced from sleep with an ache behind her eyes. She rolled over and groaned softly. Her body felt heavy, weighted down.

Lord, how can I forgive my father again and again. I say the words but I don’t feel them.

Mia sighed and shuffled under the blanket. She didn’t want to get up, face the day.

It’s more than the things he’s done, Lord—when I look at him I feel like I’m nothing.
Her eyebrows creased together and she moved up the bed until her head rested on the headboard.

Her hand moved the pillow to support her back and she closed her eyes.
I want to shout at him to make him see me.

I see you. I loved you before you knew me, I laid down my life for you.

Mia’s eyes snapped open. God loved her before she knew him. He saw her, loved her, forgave her. Would she lay down her life for her father?

Mia cringed. She felt a small shift in her spirit. She needed to lay aside every debt her father owed her. Her loss of innocence, her lost childhood, her lack of confidence, her fear of love, years without her sister. She needed to reject the thoughts that made her bitter, angry—invisible.

Lord Jesus, I need a clear path, one swept clean—forgive me for believing the lie that I’m invisible. You see me with all my faults and love me. Forgive me for blaming Dad for my insecurities. Only you can satisfy my deepest needs.

Mia pulled her knees to her chest. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

If anyone had ever told her you could smell love she would have laughed at them. But the air around her seemed to have an aroma of earth after the rain.

Lord Jesus, I’ve been afraid of getting close to David, I’ve believed that as he gets to know me I will become invisible to him.

Mia’s hand covered her mouth as a sob escaped. Every time she felt dissatisfied with life she’d blamed her father. She used what he’d done as a crutch to hang on to, instead of going to God for help. She’d allowed bitterness to defile her thinking, control her.

Mia wiped at her face and sniffed. She couldn’t allow what happened so many years ago define who she was now and destroy her future.

Lord, I’m bigger than that, smarter, stronger.

Mia gave a watery grin, swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood. She’d phone David and tell him about Klara’s call.

Warmth spread through her as she imagined a future with David.

First she’d call her father. Arms stretched high, Mia jumped in excitement, her headache forgotten.

“I have a sister.”

~~~

Judy pressed the button and listened to Mia’s voice on the answering machine.

“Hi, Dad. I’m proud of you. It can’t have been easy for you the last few weeks owning up to everything—but I know you’re trying to put things right. Klara called and told me about a letter Mum wrote to her. She said Mum knew about your relationship. I believe her and want to catch up with you to discuss it. I’m rambling now. I’ll call you later.”

Judy’s mouth narrowed as she hit the delete button. She carried a pillow under her arm and pushed open the sliding door separating the lounge from the dining room.

Squatting beside Jonathan, she slid the pillow under his head. She noticed the blanket she’d placed over his body was covered in blood and she pulled it off in annoyance.

“Really, Jonathan, can’t you stop bleeding?” She stormed out of the room to return minutes later with a clean blanket.

“There you go, darling. Sorry I yelled.” She fussed as she arranged the blanket around his still body. Her fingers raked through his hair, pushing it off his forehead. She bent to kiss him.

“Mia phoned to tell you she believes me. Not long now before we’re together again.”

Judy moved to the stereo and slipped the CD into place. She picked up the stereo’s remote and placed it by the phone. She dipped her head in acknowledgment.

“I’m ready, Mummy.”

~~~

“Can I see you today, David?” Mia asked excitedly.

“Missing me?” David chuckled. “I could call around after lunch.”

“You can’t come earlier?” Mia smiled at her eagerness to see him.

“What’s happened? Have the police been in contact?”

“No. If you’re too busy—”

David interrupted her. “If I finish up here first I’ll be free all afternoon.”

“Let me make lunch for you. How about 1:00 p.m.?”

“It’s a date.” Mia could hear the smile in his voice and felt breathless.

“One more thing, David—I can’t wait to see you.” She laughed and ended the call.

~~~

Robert sniffed appreciatively at the quiche cooling on the bench. “I hope I get to eat some of that,” he enquired.

“Of course. David should be here soon. I’ll just throw this salad together and then we’re ready.” Mia looked away from the knowing look in her uncle’s eyes. She blushed and fanned her face.

Her eyes crinkled at the sides. “I know what you’re thinking and you’re right. I love him.”

Robert nodded, pulled her into his arms and squeezed. “Are you going to tell him?” he asked.

“That’s my plan.” Mia lips twitched. “I’ll get it,” she said as she picked up the ringing phone. 

“Mia, I’m on my way to the vets. Bruno charged out of the house and took off after a cat. He’s been hit by a car.”

“No.” Her fingers gripped the bench and she swayed.

“Honey, he’s okay.” David soothed. “He’s favoring his right back leg—”

“David, I’m coming. Which vet are you taking him to?”

“You don’t need to come, I’ll call once I’ve found out what’s wrong.”

“I need to be there. You either tell me or I’ll drive around till I find you.”

“Mia, be sensible. I need to focus on Bruno and not you putting yourself in danger.” His voice sounded edgy, tense.

“I’m picking up my keys, David.” Mia jangled her keys.

“I don’t have time for this,” he said impatiently. “Long Jetty Vet Clinic, off The Entrance Road. Take Robert with you,” he demanded.

“We’ll meet you there.” Mia tried to ignore the hammering in her chest. It was like reliving the phone call about her mother. She blinked through a film of tears.  

Robert’s eyes bore into hers. He extended his hand for the keys.

“Tell me on the way. I’ll drive.”

Chapter 46

Mia’s nerves hummed as she waited for someone to come to the counter. Robert stood quietly behind her with his hand on her shoulder. She wanted to shake him off, scream for everyone to stop treating her like a child.