Coveting Love (Jessica Crawford) (35 page)

“
I kept missing you, too. Every time I called you were out in the field.”

“
Most of the time I was, but some of the time I was busy working on gathering evidence against Phillip. I felt like an idiot when I found out about his Australia home. I never thought about it.”

“
Good thing you’re a rancher instead of a private detective.”

He laughed. “I finally decided to forget the phone and jumped on a plane to come find you myself. When I arrived here, John confronted me with the whole, awful story. I never believed you had disappeared. I knew I would find you. I didn’t know how I was going to do it, but I knew I would.” He squeezed her hand tightly. She squeezed back, giving him a tender smile.

“
I insisted on a search of the whole house, but that led nowhere. Then one day I decided to follow Phillip. He was acting edgy; I grew suspicious. I followed him up to his room, but instead of going into the room, he walked right by the door. I saw him push a button that was hidden underneath a table, and then he disappeared behind the wall.”

“
It leads to my room.”

“
So I discovered. I’ve heard that some older houses have hidden panels, so I wasn’t too surprised. I didn’t dare follow him, so I just went back to my room. Later that evening, after I was sure he was in his room, I followed his earlier path and went through the panel myself. I wasn’t expecting to end up in front of your room, though. That was when I knew for sure he was hiding something. I also began to suspect you were being hidden somewhere in the house. I was lucky enough to be with Phillip when the news came about the girl washing up onto the beach. For a few moments I felt despair at the fact that I might have been wrong about you being in the house. However, one look at Phillip’s agitation told me you were not that girl. I played along, though and went to the beach to check it out. I had to be sure. When I confirmed that it wasn’t you, I rushed back to the house, knowing he would use the opportunity of our absence to go to you.

“
Then finally, I caught a break. Phillip had left the secret panel open, and I heard you scream. My heart sank; I thought Phillip had hurt you.” He lowered his head, kissed her hand. “In fact, I thought I was too late; I thought he had killed you.”

She smiled sympathetically, stroking his arm in comfort. “It’s over now. Everything will go on as usual, and this whole thing will be our past. Let’s just concentrate on establishing our future, okay?”

He leaned across his seat, kissed her lightly on the forehead. “It’s more than okay with me. From now on you are mine, and nobody is going to take you from me.”

She leaned back in her seat, thoughtfully. She hoped Brandon was right. She hadn’t given any thought to Jeffrey since she had left. Maybe in her absence his attentions had wandered elsewhere. She looked over at Brandon. Should she bring up the subject? No, better to let sleeping dogs lie, she convinced herself. Besides, what if she were right—it might be conceivable that Jeffrey wasn’t even around anymore. Brandon said he was a fly-by-night kind of guy, maybe he was off on one of his traveling modes.

Jeffrey was the farthest thing from her mind when Brandon opened the door to her apartment. A cold draft swept over her, causing her to shiver.

“
I guess Karen didn’t think about turning on the heat while I was gone,” she complained, crossing to the furnace and igniting it. “Brandon, would you mind putting my bags in the bedroom, while I put the teakettle on to boil?”

When Brandon returned, he found Jessica staring at a portrait he had never seen before.

“
Where did it come from?”

“
Phillip,” she said.

She told him about their day at the gallery, about Pierre’, and about this painting that had reminded her so much of his grandmother. She looked thoughtful. “He wanted me to have it. He must have had it sent here, probably even arranged it while we were still in the gallery, obviously before the kidnapping scheme.”

She frowned, and Brandon, misreading her expression, lifted the painting from its easel. She reached out and touched his arm. “No, leave it. I’m going to keep it.”

“
Are you sure? This painting was sent to you from thousands of miles away, by a man who was crazy obsessed with you, a man who held you captive for two weeks in a dark, musty room that was ridden with disease, and probably rats. That man bought you this painting. You can’t possibly want this around to remind you of that.”

“
Yes, I do. Despite everything that happened, all my memories of Australia aren’t bad. I saw a different side of Phillip during the first part of my trip. I saw the side of him that fell in love with me, and that man touches me deeply.” She stared appreciatively at the portrait. “Besides, after reading Adelaide’s diary, I feel as though I actually knew her. This portrait feels so much like her.”

“
So what happens now?”

She smiled lightly. “Now we put our lives back together. We go on from where we left off. I called Clair and told her to expect me in the morning.”

“
You aren’t serious? Your leg hasn’t even healed yet. Why don’t you take a week off to recover?”

“
Because I can’t. I can’t think back. I have to go forward now. However, I am going to take a few days off next week and visit my mother. She is anxious about what happened. I have to prove to her in person that I’m alive and kicking.”

He didn’t argue; it was pointless. They stood together, staring at the portrait. They stayed that way for a while, each of them lost in thought about it, and about their future. They each had demons to exorcise. They continued staring until the sound of the teakettle finally broke them apart.

**********

CHAPTER 21

Brandon wasn’t the only person concerned by Jessica’s determination to return to work. She was greeted by a well-meaning group of concerned coworkers as soon as she entered the building. They all protested her presence. She assured them she was fine and continued her slow progress, via crutches, to Clair’s office.

Doing her best to hold her wrath at bay, she barged into the room, avoiding the look of disapproval that crossed the older woman’s face. Clair cut her conversation short and hung up the telephone. She came to stand face-to-face with Jessica. Seeing the sympathy in her face, Jessica’s anger abated slightly.

“
Aw, Clair, how could you do such a thing to me?”

To Jessica’s surprise, tears started to form in the corners of Clair’s eyes. She waited while Clair tried to compose herself.

Clair swallowed hard and tried to speak. Finally, she managed to choke out, “I don’t know what to say. I guess dollar signs got in the way of my good judgment.”

“
The hell with good judgment!” she retorted. “This had nothing to do with good judgment, and you know it. Phillip Stewart has an unmistakable reputation for conniving, and I don’t buy it in the least that you didn’t suspect he was up to something.”

“
Okay, I’ll admit it. I guessed he was slightly enamored by you, but I never guessed he would go to such extremes. Believe me, Jessica; no one is sorrier than I am for the way this turned out. And I want you to know that the magazine intends to pay for all the bills related to your leg injury.”

“
I guess that’s supposed to ease your guilt?” She saw the look of hurt cross Clair’s face and relented slightly. “I’m sorry, Clair, but I’m awfully damned angry right now.” She sighed. “However, I do have to assume some of the responsibility. I knew from the start that Phillip wasn’t trustworthy. I guess I just was caught up in the excitement of Australia. I seemed to be under a spell there, and I suppose Phillip seemed like a different person to me. I even began to like him a little.

“
It’s too bad he ever came to New York. I think things might have been different for him if he had faced his problems years ago, instead of running from them. Well, anyway, it’s all in the past, and I don’t ever expect that anything like this will happen between us again.”

“
You can be assured of that, and feel free to take as much time as you need to recover from this ordeal, all paid of course.”

“
Thanks, but that’s not necessary. But I would like to visit my mother for a couple of days next week.”

“
You got it! Let John know so he can cover for you.”

She phoned her mother from her office to inform her of her proposed visit. While waiting for her mother to answer the phone, she sat back and thought about how ironic it was that the reason she had welcomed the trip to Australia in the first place was to get away for a while. Now she needed to get away from her get-away trip.

While she was on the phone, Sandy knocked on the door and let herself in. She carried a huge bouquet of roses.

“
I have to go now, Mom. I’ll see you early next week. I’m so looking forward to it.”

She hung up the phone and smiled innocently at Sandy, who was standing over her, grinning down at her.

“
Some people will do anything to get roses,” she teased.

“
I guess it’s the price one pays for being loved,” Jessica returned. “Would you mind getting that vase down from the cupboard over there?”

As Sandy went about the task, Jessica returned to her work. A soft knock sounded on the door. Sandy and Jessica both looked at each other and shrugged.

“
Come in,” Jessica said.

She was startled to see a smart looking woman with reddish-brown hair. She was unusually tall and lean. She carried herself quite well, and it was evident that she was used to power and command. It was for this reason that Jessica was surprised to see her crumble before her. She rushed to her side, at least as much as her injured foot would allow.

“
Sandy, please get this woman a glass of water,” she said.

“
I’m so sorry,” the woman apologized. “I really didn’t mean to go to pieces like this. It’s been a dreadful week, and I’ve had a hard time dealing with it. I do apologize for intruding.” She paused to take a sip of the water. “There was no one out front, but I found a young man wandering around. He directed me to your office, Miss Crawford.”

So, she knew her name. Obviously, she expected her to know her as well. “It’s quite all right. I’m sorry, but I don’t recognize you. Do I know you?”

“
Only my name, I’m Katherine Stewart.” She watched the color drain from Jessica’s face. “Oh my!” she exclaimed. “I’m afraid it’s you who needs water this time.”

Jessica waved away her offer of help. “I can manage, thank you,” she replied, her manner changing from one of friendliness to guardedness. She pulled herself to her feet in an effort to compose herself. “Please tell me what I can do for you, Mrs. Stewart.

“
Actually, it’s what I can do for you. I came here to thank you,” she said.

“
Why would you want to thank me?”

She rose from the chair, pacing about the room. It was obvious she felt discomfort at being there.

“
I’m not too sure where to begin.” She picked up a statue from the bookcase, turning it over, examining it with thoughtful consideration. She turned toward Jessica, holding the statue in front of her. “I used to collect these,” she stated flatly. “That is until I lost interest, as I do in most everything.”

“
Mrs. Stewart, please. What has brought you here today? I’m sure it isn’t to discuss your former love of imported figurines.”

“
No, my dear, it isn’t. As a matter of fact, I came here to thank you.”

“
Yes, so you said once already. I don’t understand why you are thanking me. I haven’t done anything to you, or for you.”

“
Oh, but you have. Although, I’m quite certain you aren’t aware of it.”

She smiled at the look of confusion and turmoil she was causing the girl. She wondered what her husband found so fascinating in this pretty, innocent girl. She did not have the sophistication that she herself had, and certainly not the wealth, or the time to devote to her looks. There was, however, she had to admit, definitely something that had attracted him.

“
Two weeks ago I was a bitter, unhappily-married woman, looking for a way out. I loved my husband dearly—at one time. Not that he knew it. I never could have admitted it to him. He was much too involved in business and money to be bothered with an adoring wife, so I pretended indifference to him. He didn’t seem to care, and I was happy enough just to be near him.”

She started to cry then, and Jessica passed her a box of tissue. “Really, Mrs. Stewart; this obviously is causing you a great deal of pain, and it isn’t necessary. You don’t have to continue on my account.”

She held up her hand, reaching out to Jessica. Jessica hesitated, and then took it in her own.

“
As I was saying, I was happy just being near Phillip. Then I began hearing rumors of him and other women. I tried hard to ignore them, but there were so many of them. I argued with myself. Should I confront him, or just let things be. I finally decided I had to know.” She wiped at her eyes again, and then took another sip of her water. “Things were never the same after he admitted his affairs. I couldn’t forgive him, and he saw no reason to be forgiven. I was desperate for attention in any way I could get it. I began to see a few men myself. I even fell in love with one gentleman.”

Her expression turned bitter and angry at this confession. She startled Jessica. A memory of Phillip advancing on her, rage apparent in his eyes, came flooding back to her. She put her hand out in despair. Katherine clasped it firmly “I’m sorry if I frightened you,” Katherine said.