Shadow of Suspicion (Haunted by the Past) (10 page)

Jason shrugged, feeling awkward. “It
was nothing.” He patted her hand briefly before dropping it. “What will you do
about it?”

She sighed. Her breath fanned his
face gently. “I don’t know yet, but it gives me hope. If I can find a way to
speak to her alone, maybe she’ll open up to me. I have to at least try……….for
my own peace of mind.”

“Well, good luck with it. From my
experience, the Fuller’s are a stubborn lot.” He shook his head doubtfully.

“Ah, but you forget…………I am a Fuller
in my DNA.” She grinned at him cheekily. “They haven’t met stubborn until
they’ve met me! I don’t give up on what I want without a fight!”

*****

Callie shifted in the bed and hit her
pillow with her fist. She’d managed to clean the bathroom to her satisfaction,
but the bed was impossible to deal with. She rolled over and tried to adjust
her position. As soon as Mr Cunningham arrived back on the weekend, she was
going to insist on relocating. How was she meant to work when she was exhausted
from lack of sleep?

A loud banging at her door made her
heart leap in her chest. She sat upright with a jerk and held her breath. Who
could be knocking at her door at this time of night? She didn’t even think
there were any other guests on her floor.

Callie held her breath. Should she
answer it? Worry held her immobile. The banging came again. The door shook with
the force of it.

“Who’s there?” she called out warily.
No reply reached her ears.

Callie climbed out of bed and pulled
her dressing gown on. She wrapped the warm material around her body and tied
the belt. Another knock, more like a pounding, sounded at her door.

“Alright, alright. I’m coming!” she
yelled.

Who the hell could it be and why
wasn’t she receiving any answer? Maybe someone had taken ill during the night
and was seeking help. Perhaps the person hadn’t heard her call out. Panic could
do that to someone. Callie hurriedly stuffed her feet into her slippers and
rushed to the door. She grabbed the handle and pulled it open. She gazed down
the corridor in stunned surprise. There was nobody in sight.

“Hello? Did someone need some help or
something?” She stepped out of her room. The soft sound of crying reached her
ears from further down the corridor. Callie jogged in the direction she could
hear the sound. Someone had to be in desperate need to go banging on doors in
the middle of the night.

“Hello? Do you need help? Should I
call someone for you?”

Callie paused by the stairs. Movement
from the hallway below her caught her attention. She glanced down and her heart
skipped several beats. She clutched at her chest. The child she’d seen so many
times now, stared up at her. Her small face contorted with fear and she reached
her tiny hand out towards Callie.

“
Get away from there. Quick!
”
The whispered cry echoed in Callie’s ears, sending icy fear through her veins.
A soft sound behind her tripled her anxiety. Callie’s heart pounded in her
chest. She started to turn around when someone shoved her hard between her
shoulder blades.

Her scream ricocheted out and back to
her ears. Panic gripped her as she tumbled forwards. She twisted to the side in
a vain attempt to protect herself. Her shoulder and back hit the unforgiving
staircase and pain exploded in her body. She tried to catch hold of the
banister to break her fall, but her fingers found nothing but air.

Callie’s terror escalated as her legs
flew over her head on her continued wild descent. Fear pounded through her and
pain roared from every part of her body.  Just when she thought it would never
end, she reached the bottom.

Callie couldn’t move. Her breathing
rattled in her chest as she struggled to draw air into her lungs. Spots danced
in front of her vision and her head spun. Her gaze drifted to the top of the
stairs where a figure hid in the shadows, staring down at her. Finally,
darkness pulled her down into its blissfully ignorant arms.

“That’s your excuse for not calling
me for the past two days……….you were busy!” Jade’s incredulous voice rang
through Callie’s sore head. She held the phone slightly away from her ear.

“What can I say? I’m sorry. This is
the first time I’m meeting my blood relations, so just cut me some slack,
okay?” She felt bad lying to Jade, but it was for the best. If she told her
friend the truth, Jade would arrive in Devon before Callie could say ‘don’t
come’.

“I left you a ton of messages!
Couldn’t you at least have answered one of them? Just a text would have done
me! I’ve been worried sick.”

Guilt slammed through Callie for the
worry she heard in Jade’s voice. It tore at her and she winced. “I’m really
sorry, Jade. Please forgive a selfish and obsessed friend who should know
better.”

“Well……………as long as you’re okay, I
guess.” Jade sounded reluctant to let Callie off the hook. “I was on the brink
of coming to Devon to check up on you. If you leave another gap like that, I’ll
be there on your doorstep demanding answers in person!”

“I hear you. It won’t happen again.”
Callie shifted her position in the hospital bed she was lying in and held back
the cry of pain that threatened to burst out of her lips. “I really must go.
I’ve got a meeting with my client soon. I’ll call you tomorrow?”

“Make sure that you do!” The phone
went dead.

Callie closed her eyes and slumped
back against her pillows. The past two days had passed in a sea of pain. She’d
been aware of little else. According to the doctors, she fractured two of her
ribs, sprained her wrist, and was bruised from head to toe. She was lucky she
hadn’t broken her neck! At least the doctors had told her they were satisfied
she was out of danger. She’d had quite a concussion! Callie felt like she’d
fought ten rounds in a boxing ring………..and lost!

She shivered as her mind drifted back
over the incident. Someone had deliberately pushed her down those stairs. It
was a terrifying notion, but one she couldn’t simply bury her head in the sand
and ignore. The question that tormented her was why? What would drive someone
to do such a thing? She could have been killed.

At first, she’d wondered about Sandra
or her grandmother, but she’d dismissed it just as quickly. They both wanted
her to leave town. Why would they risk her being injured and forced to stay
longer? Unless they thought it would scare her into leaving. That was a
sobering theory.

Callie clutched at her pounding head,
confusion roiling through her. She should leave the investigating to the
police. She’d given them a statement that morning. The officers had promised to
question the guests at the B&B and would search for any evidence left at
the scene of the crime. Callie hoped they were able to turn up something. She
didn’t feel very safe knowing that someone had plotted to push her down a
flight of stairs.

The door of her room opened and
snapped her out of her dark musings. Mr Cunningham swept in as if he owned the
place. He glanced around the room with a slightly wrinkled up nose. He held a
bunch of drooping flowers several inches from his immaculate suit. Callie would
bet anything he’d picked them up on a sale. Probably cost no more than a couple
of pounds. She always believed it was the thought that counts, but this didn’t
appear to have much of that either.

“How soon will you be out of here?”
he asked. Not even a greeting. Callie sighed inwardly.

Mr Cunningham dumped the flowers on
her side table and moved a chair from against the wall. He positioned it
several inches from her bedside, as if she’d caught some exotic disease rather
than having fallen down a staircase.

“The doctors haven’t given me a definite
answer on that yet, but I think it will be tomorrow.” Callie struggled to sit
up. She grabbed the sheet and covered herself as best she could. Was there
anything more embarrassing than being visited by a client in hospital? Her
cheeks burned and she hated it.

Mr Cunningham glanced at her wrapped
up wrist. “What does this mean for my project?” He pointed at her injury.

“I can still work, Mr Cunningham. I
have already sketched sections of the B&B and have plenty of plans ready
for you to inspect. We can start work on those areas and my wrist will be back
in action before you know it.” Callie injected as much confidence as she could
into her voice. She’d never been fired from a project before and she didn’t
intend to be now.

“I think, under the circumstances,
that you may need to reconsider working with an assistant.” Mr Cunningham cast
her a rather smug smile. “I know you objected before, but you are going to need
help. It was one thing to have your car out of action, it’s quite another to be
injured this way. What do you say?”

Callie sighed. His tone of voice made
it clear that he would have his way on this or he would hire another designer.
Callie knew she had her back against the wall. Even if she went back home,
nobody would hire her while she bore injuries of this magnitude. Plus she’d
already signed the contract to do the work. The tables had turned and Mr
Cunningham made it clear that he knew that.

“Who did you have in mind?” As if she
didn’t know.

“Glad you asked.” He turned towards
the door. “Lucinda, would you come in now, please.”

Lucinda swept in with a triumphant
gleam in her eyes. Callie regarded her suspiciously. Could it have been Lucinda
that pushed her down the stairs for a job opportunity? It seemed ridiculous and
yet the expression on the woman’s face roused Callie’s misgivings.

“I am very much looking forward to
working with you, Callie.” Lucinda leaned against the end of the bed, her face
far too smug for Callie’s liking.

“As long as you are clear that you
are working
for
me.” Callie wouldn’t broke nonsense under any
circumstances. “I need you to follow directions to the letter. There is no room
on this project for you to follow your own ideas. Is that clear?”

Lucinda’s lips pursed and anger
ignited in her light green eyes. “Are you not even open to suggestions? Andy
has been so receptive to my ideas. Surely you could at least listen to them?”

Mr Cunningham patted Lucinda’s hand.
Callie couldn’t help but notice that his thumb rubbed across the top of
Lucinda’s hand in a rather familiar fashion. He lingered longer than seemed
necessary.

“I’m sure Callie will be pleased to
hear some of your ideas, Lucinda. Just give her time to feel more like
herself.” He grinned patronisingly at Callie. “After all, she’s been through a
rather traumatic experience.”

He rose to his feet and surveyed them
both as if they were his subjects. “I’ll leave you two ladies to sort out
details for the forward movement of our project. I have to make some calls, but
perhaps you can fill me in on the details at the B&B later, Lucinda?”

“Of course, Andy.” Lucinda cast him a
flirtatious glance from under her thick lashes. “I’ll meet you at,” she glanced
at her watch, “shall we say three?”

Mr Cunningham nodded and swept out of
the room. He shut the door behind him. Lucinda planted herself in the chair
he’d just vacated. She glared at Callie.

“Let’s get one thing straight. I am
working
with
you, not
for
you. Andy is seriously keen on my
suggestions and ideas, so you’d best take them seriously. I wouldn’t mess with
me, if I were you. Especially considering that you’re in no fit state to
argue.” She cocked an eyebrow at Callie as her hard stare swept over Callie’s
battered body.

“Is that a threat?” Callie narrowed
her gaze at Lucinda. “The police would be very interested to know, if it is.”

Lucinda jerked and her mouth dropped
open before she snapped it shut with an audible click. “What do they have to do
with anything?”

“Someone pushed me down those stairs
the other night.” Callie watched Lucinda’s face carefully. Was there any sign
of guilt or awareness in the other woman’s face? It was impossible to tell.
“The police are investigating the matter. I’m sure they’d love to know what
you’ve just said. Especially since you’ve been gunning for this job, which I
said no to previously. Kind of makes you a suspect, doesn’t it?”

Lucinda’s face turned an alarming
shade of red. “Are you trying to pin this on me?” She leapt out of her seat,
her hands curling into fists. “I had nothing to do with your accident. Don’t
you dare go spreading rumours!”

“It wasn’t an accident. That’s a
fact!”

Lucinda waved her hand airily.
“Whatever. I’m not that desperate for a job that I would throw someone down a
staircase for it. Sorry, but you have the wrong person.” She sat back down and
crossed her legs. “I suggest we get on with work, so I can report to Andy
later. Unless you want to explain your crazy theory to him? I’m sure he won’t
be pleased at further delays to his project. But it’s up to you.” She shrugged
with apparent nonchalance.

Callie wasn’t fooled for a second.
The slight tightening around Lucinda’s mouth and the way she gripped her
fingers so that the knuckles shone white told Callie everything. Lucinda wasn’t
as calm about Callie’s accusation as she was trying to make out.

“Fine. However, if you are going to
work as my assistant, you will refer to my client as Mr Cunningham from now on.
I won’t have you calling him Andy, is that clear?”

Lucinda scowled at Callie. “I don’t
see why I should.”

“Does the term ‘professional’ mean
anything to you at all?” Callie sniffed disdainfully.

As she’d suspected, Lucinda rose to
the bait. “I am completely professional. Very well, Mr Cunningham it will be.
But only when I’m working.”

“What you do in your own time is
nothing to me.” Callie shifted position on the bed. “Now, do you have a pad and
pen? I have a lot of instructions that you’ll need to write down.”

“I’ll be right back.” Lucinda rose
and left the room.

Callie rubbed her head and wished she
could have complete silence. What had she done to deserve the horrible Lucinda?
It was obvious the woman would be anything but professional. Callie worried
what would become of her designs if she let that harpy anywhere near them.

There was nothing else for it. She
would pin down the doctor on his rounds that afternoon and push to be
discharged that very day. She had to get back to the B&B before Lucinda
undid all her work and her reputation in one stroke.

*****

“Can you tell me where I can find Mr Cunningham?”

Callie gripped the reception desk
with both hands. Her head swam and her chest hurt, but she was determined to be
included in the discussion for the B&B. Every instruction she’d given
Lucinda had been met with snorts and rebuffs. Lucinda had insisted on shoving
her rather questionable opinions forward, all of which broke every rule of
taste and quality that Callie prided herself on. She was determined the woman
wasn’t going to represent her own ideas at this meeting, rather than Callie’s
carefully laid out plans.

“Andy said he didn’t want to be
disturbed.” Kathy didn’t even bother to look up from painting her nails. She
sat slumped in a chair behind the reception, her face as bored as usual. She
examined her handiwork and blew on the wet vanish.

“I’m sure he didn’t mean to keep his
actual designer out of the meeting.” Callie gritted her teeth. “Do use a little
common sense!”

Kathy cast her a disgruntled glare.
“Alright, alright. Keep your hair on! They’re in the small sitting room.” She
promptly continued to lavish attention on her nails.

Callie strode along the corridor
until she reached the door that led to the small sitting room at the back of
the B&B. There was a ‘do not disturb’ sign pinned on its polished surface.

Callie ignored the sign and opened
the door. She was completely unprepared for the sight that greeted her gaze.
Her mouth dropped open and her eyes nearly fell out of her head. She could
barely believe what she was seeing.

Lucinda lay sprawled on the sofa, as
naked as the day she was born. Her large breasts heaved in apparent ecstasy and
her legs were spread wide. Mr Cunningham’s head was firmly wedged between her
thighs, with his arms wrapped around her middle as he held her in place.
Lucinda writhed on the couch and flung her head from side to side. Her moans
filled the air. Neither one even noticed that the door had opened on them.

Callie backed out hurriedly and
closed the door as silently as she could. She leaned against the wall outside
and prayed neither one had noticed her exit. Her face burned and she clamped
both hands to her cheeks in silent horror. How was she ever going to face
either one of them again without what she’d witnessed playing through her head
like some bad film? She was sure the image of the lovers was burned into her
brain for all eternity, as much as she wished otherwise.

Callie struggled to pull herself together.
She couldn’t stay slumped against the wall. They could exit the room at any
moment, although they’d seemed rather occupied for the time being. Callie
shuddered with revulsion at the very thought of allowing Mr Cunningham such
intimacies. Her legs shook as she pushed away from the wall and forced herself
to beat a hasty retreat from the ugly scene.