92 Pacific Boulevard (25 page)

“My brother did everything he could to save the marriage,” Otto insisted.

Louie raised his hand. “None of that’s important now. Beverly didn’t seem to care that we were no longer married. Timmy was her entire world.”

Sensing there was more to this story, Troy turned to Otto, who—strangely—remained quiet.

“A few years after the divorce, I met Donna,” Louie said, lowering his voice. “I was living in Seattle then. We got engaged. She knew I was divorced but I didn’t mention Timmy.”

“Louie kept in touch with Beverly and Timmy and saw to their needs.”

“I brought her groceries once a week, made sure her bills were paid and checked up on her,” Louie elaborated. “Otherwise, I don’t know what would’ve become of them. Although we were divorced I still felt some responsibility for her and Timmy. I was often tempted to
call Child Protective Services but they would, most likely, have taken Timmy away, which would’ve destroyed Beverly completely. I guess he was a kid who slipped through the cracks. No one from any official agency knew about him—and I didn’t tell them.”

“What happened to Beverly?” Troy asked.

“I’m getting to that. When Timmy was in his early teens, I noticed that she’d started to lose weight. Soon I realized it was something physical. She became gaunt and spent practically all her time in bed. I begged her to see a doctor but no matter how much I pleaded she refused.”

Otto did speak up then. “Louie phoned to ask for my help. I had a good friend who was a medical student. He went to the house to examine her—over her protests—and diagnosed her with cancer. Stomach cancer.”

“It became apparent that unless she got immediate medical treatment she’d die, and frankly I think that’s what she wanted. Life had become too painful for her.”

Louie’s expression was tormented. “I did
everything
I could to convince her to seek medical help. For Timmy’s sake, I pleaded with her to go to a hospital.”

Troy gave a slight nod. He believed Louie. He knew nothing about any of this because he’d been in the service at that time.

“She kept refusing,” Otto inserted. “I was with him on more than one occasion and what he’s saying is the truth. The thought of leaving the security of her house was more than she could bear. It was a sad, difficult situation.” He shook his head. “Eventually, when she was too weak to resist, we had her taken to Seattle by ambulance. She didn’t last much longer.”

“What about the boy?” Troy asked.

“I stopped by to visit a couple of weeks before that—
and Timmy was gone.” He leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees.

“Did Beverly tell you where he was?”

Louie nodded. “She said her sister had come and taken him away.” He swallowed visibly. “Beverly knew she was dying and couldn’t look after him anymore.”

“You checked this out?”

“No. I…I know I should have. I can’t tell you how many sleepless nights I’ve spent wondering. Beverly said Amber had promised to take the boy to an aunt of theirs who lived near Cedar Cove. This aunt, whom I never met, apparently used to visit once in a while.”

Troy let that information settle before he asked, “Did you ever hear from Amber again?”

“Never.”

Otto said, “She died a year after Beverly in an automobile accident.”

“I didn’t find out about it until several years later,” Louie clarified. “By then, Donna and I were married and we’d moved back to Cedar Cove and started our family.”

“So you believe the body in the cave is Timmy,” Troy said.

Louie stared down at the floor. “I strongly suspect it is. The…skeleton was wearing the baseball cap I gave him. He loved that thing and wore it constantly.”

“We’d need dental records to confirm his identity,” Troy said. He paused. “I assume there
are
dental records?”

“Yes,” Louie told him. “He’d been to the dentist two or three times. He broke a tooth when he was eight, and I took him to Dr. Hudson myself.”

“Fine. I’ll get the chart from Hudson and send it to the pathologist.”

“It’s Timmy,” Louie insisted. “You can compare dental records if you want, but in my heart of hearts, I know it’s Timmy.”

This brought up something else. “Charlotte Jefferson knew about Timmy. She met the aunt—Amber and Beverly’s aunt—in the park.”

Closing his eyes, Louie nodded.

“So you believe the aunt is responsible for Timmy’s death?” Troy asked.

“I don’t know what to believe,” Louie said, his voice ragged. “If I were to speculate, I’d guess Amber did take the boy to live with her mother’s sister. But you have to remember that Timmy had only been away from Beverly for the briefest periods of time. He couldn’t possibly have understood what had happened and why he had to leave the only home he’d ever known.”

“My assumption is that he ran away,” Otto said. “Somehow he found the cave and hid out there…”

“Wouldn’t his aunt have looked for him or reported him missing? Is she still alive?” Troy asked urgently.

Louie shook his head. “I learned a few years later that she died of a sudden heart attack about two weeks after Beverly. I figured the boy had gone to a group home or something. I…I suppose that’s what I
wanted
to believe.”

“Timmy died due to a tragic series of events.” Otto stood. “My brother hasn’t done anything culpable.”

“Maybe not, but I should’ve made sure Timmy was okay, that he was settled and happy. The truth is, I was young and selfish and relieved not to be responsible for the boy anymore. I feel wretched now to realize my selfcenteredness might have contributed to his death. The night I was arrested for drunk driving was the night I
could no longer deny what I’d suspected from the beginning—it was Timmy in that cave.”

Troy knew that no one would be harder on the mayor than he’d been on himself.

“If you feel you need to press charges, then do so,” Louie said brokenly.

“On what grounds?” Otto demanded.

“Neglect,” Louie whispered. “Amber wasn’t to be trusted and I knew it. I was far too willing to let her take Timmy to this aunt of hers and then, when I discovered the aunt was dead…I didn’t look for him or try to find out where he was.”

“We’d prefer to keep Louie’s name out of the press,” Otto said. “By the time Timmy died, he’d been divorced from Beverly for a number of years.”

“I don’t see how mentioning Louie is relevant to the case. You had no legal obligation toward Timmy.”

“Perhaps not a legal obligation but a moral one. I should never have been so willing to slough him off.”

Troy agreed that morally Louie had been in the wrong even if legally he wasn’t. But in his view, the mayor had suffered enough.

“Once I get confirmation from the pathologist,” he said, “I’ll write up a short press release, merely indicating that the remains have been identified. What was Timmy’s last name?” he asked as the thought suddenly occurred to him. “Was it Benson?”

“No, Amber gave him her name—Beverly’s maiden name—which was Gilbert.”

“Fine. I’ll identify the body as that of Timothy Gilbert.”

“You won’t mention Louie?” Otto asked. “We can count on that?”

Troy nodded. “I can’t see that dragging his name into this matter would serve any useful purpose.”

Louie hung his head and whispered, “Thank you.”

“You’ve been a good husband and father during the years since,” Troy said thoughtfully. “You’ve served your community well. I suggest we leave things as they are.”

“I’d like to bury Timmy,” Louie said. “It’s the least I can do.”

“I’ll see that the remains are released to you.”

“I think Beverly would want him buried with her.”

Troy agreed.

M
ack knew something was wrong the moment he arrived home from his shift at the fire station. Mary Jo threw open her front door, as if she’d been waiting for him. She stood there, looking small and frightened.

Not bothering to go to his own place, Mack walked toward her. She was chewing frantically on her lower lip.

“What happened?” he asked.

She seemed to have trouble speaking, and he noticed how close to tears she was.

“Is Noelle sick?”

The three-month-old had come down with a cold earlier in the week, but it didn’t appear to be serious.

“I…I saw David.”

Mack stiffened instantly.
“When?“

“Here…a few minutes ago. I’d just got home with Noelle.” It was now about five-thirty, so David had known to come after Mary Jo had left the office and picked up Noelle. Mack supposed Mary Jo’s address wouldn’t be too difficult for someone like David to find. Access to a computer was probably all he needed.

Taking her by the elbow, Mack led Mary Jo inside and
sat on the sofa with her. Clasping her hand, he held it between his own. He felt her tremble as she gathered her composure.

She breathed in deeply before she spoke. “He wants Noelle.”

Mack bit off an angry retort. “He’s living in a dream world if he thinks any court in the land will take this baby away from you.”

“He said he has an attorney…”

“And you believe him?” Mack had never met David but he’d heard enough about him to realize the other man wasn’t to be trusted. Apparently he expected to use his infant daughter as leverage for his own purposes. Whatever his specific objective, Mack was sure it had everything to do with cold, hard cash.

“I…I don’t know,” she said, scraping her hair off her forehead.

“This is the first time you’ve seen him since before Noelle’s birth, isn’t it?”

Mary Jo nodded.

“Do you still have feelings for him?” She’d said she didn’t but he had to ask. Had to know. David was Noelle’s father, and at one time Mary Jo had loved him. Mack struggled to hide the anger he felt at the thought of David threatening Mary Jo.

“I don’t.” Her response was loud and immediate. “I can’t believe I
ever
cared for him. How could I have been so blind and…and so gullible?”

Mack couldn’t answer that, although he didn’t want Mary Jo to change in any way. He’d fallen in love with her and he loved Noelle, too. David Rhodes had a hell of a fight on his hands if he thought he could walk away with
Mary Jo’s baby—with the baby Mack considered
his
more than David’s.

“Why do you think he has this sudden interest in Noelle?” Mack asked. All he could figure was that David saw some financial advantage in claiming Noelle.

“I have no idea why he came,” Mary Jo cried. “I haven’t heard from him in all this time and then out of the blue he shows up demanding his parental rights. It doesn’t make sense.”

“What about Ben?” Mack asked. “Has David been in touch with his father?”

Mary Jo nodded slowly. “Apparently he went to his father a little while ago. I don’t know if he asked for money or not, but he has in the past. Ben assured me he wouldn’t give his son any child support money because there’s no guarantee David would use it for Noelle.”

Mack frowned. “Is it possible that David assumes his father will give him money if Ben knows Noelle is living with him?”

“I’m not sure.” Panic edged her voice. “Maybe.”

“He didn’t seriously think you’d just hand Noelle over to him, did he?”

“I don’t know,” she said again.

“Did he say he was coming back?”

“He said he was and that, when he did, he was bringing the authorities.”

Mack nearly laughed out loud. “That’s a bold-faced lie.” He clenched his fists, wishing he’d been home when David had come to the house. Rhodes might be able to intimidate Mary Jo, but not Mack. He would gladly have taken him on.

“I don’t care if he comes back or not, I can’t risk losing Noelle.”

“What are you going to do?”

Mary Jo’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I’m moving back home. He’s never been there, and after everything I’ve said about my brothers, I doubt he’d show his face.”

Mack wanted to argue. He’d gotten accustomed to having Mary Jo and Noelle so close, accustomed to sharing special moments with them. Everything had been going so well. He’d thought Mary Jo had begun to return his love, but obviously she wasn’t ready…

“Is moving away what you really want?” he finally asked. If he voiced his objections too strenuously, she’d guess the strength of his feelings, and that might scare her off. He sensed she still wasn’t ready for a new relationship, other than being friends.

“No!” She buried her face in her hands. “It’s the last thing I want, but my daughter’s future is at stake. Her well-being takes precedence over my personal desires.”

“Can your brothers do anything I can’t do?” he asked, hoping she’d listen to reason.

“No…I don’t suppose they could. But there are three of them and only one of you.”

Mack couldn’t argue with her logic. As much as he would’ve liked to spend every minute of every day standing guard over her and Noelle, that would be impossible.

“I left a message with Linc and asked him to contact me as soon as he could.”

“I see.” Mack’s heart sank.

“Leaving Cedar Cove
isn’t
what I want,” Mary Jo insisted again. “But I’m afraid, Mack.”

The way her voice shook told him how upset she was. He offered reassurances but he wasn’t sure he’d convinced her. “David’s bluffing,” he said. “This is just another scheme of his.”

“I
want
to believe that.” She gazed up at him, tears glittering on her lashes. “But I can’t be a hundred percent certain and neither can you.”

“I could beat him up for you,” Mack said, half-humorously.

Mary Jo punched his arm playfully.

“Have you discussed any of this with Allan Harris?”

“My legal situation is complicated, he says, because I’ve acknowledged David as the father and the DNA test confirmed it. Plus, he has parental rights and he claims he wants to exercise them. So…” She took a deep breath. “Allan tells me we’d be in for a protracted court battle.”

Mack nodded grimly. This was what he’d feared.

“Noelle’s going to miss you so much,” Mary Jo said tearfully.

“And what about her mother?” Mack needed to know she’d miss him, too.

Looking away, Mary Jo gave a slight shrug. “I didn’t think I could…” Her voice trailed off.

“Didn’t think you could what?”

Avoiding his glance, she whispered, “I didn’t think I could ever trust a man again, but I trust you.”

Although Mack was grateful for that much, he wanted more. He wanted her love. Before he could formulate an appropriate response, the phone rang and a panicky feeling trapped the breath in his lungs.

Mary Jo stood up to answer, but Mack stopped her, catching her hand. “Let me get it.”

“Why?” she asked with a frown.

“It might be David.”

“Oh…” She seemed to collapse onto the sofa.

Mack marched across the room and grabbed the receiver. “Wyse residence,” he said in his most official voice.

“What are you doing at my sister’s place?” Linc demanded rudely. At least he wasn’t David.

Mack answered that question with one of his own. “How quickly can you get here?”

“Why? What’s happened?”

“We need to talk. The three of us.” Mack wasn’t interested in relaying the details over the phone.

“Give me two hours.”

“Okay.”

Noelle was wailing in the background; Mary Jo leaped to her feet and hurried into the baby’s room. Mack followed, standing in the doorway. He watched as she took the infant from her crib, then efficiently changed her diaper. Noelle turned her head and gazed at Mack while her mother dressed her. She cooed contentedly and waved her arms.

“Who was on the phone?” Mary Jo asked. “My brother?”

“Yeah, it was Linc. He’ll be here in a couple of hours. Probably around eight.”

Mack grinned at the baby, utterly enchanted by her. He couldn’t stand the thought of not having her and Mary Jo in his life anymore. Yes, he could visit them in Seattle, but it wouldn’t be the same.

“Why don’t I take you to an early dinner,” Mack suggested. “You could use a distraction for an hour or so.”

Reluctantly she shook her head. “I couldn’t eat. Thanks, anyway.” She lifted Noelle into her arms and walked toward him. “You go ahead, if you want.” But even as she spoke, she reached for his hand.

He was deeply gratified to know she didn’t mean what she’d said. She wanted him with her.

“I’m not leaving you.” He meant more than she realized he was saying.

“Thank you.” Mary Jo sounded both relieved and embarrassed.

“I’ll stay here with you and we’ll wait for Linc.“

Mary Jo sent him a grateful look. “Thank you,” she repeated.

He held out his arms for Noelle, and Mary Jo handed him the baby who settled instantly in his embrace. He smiled down at her, tickling her chin with his index finger. Outwardly he remained calm, but he was thinking furiously, wondering exactly what he should say to Mary Jo—and how he should say it.

“I should start packing,” she said.

Mack raised one hand, stopping her. “Don’t.“

“But—“

“I have an idea that might work.“

She blinked. “What kind of idea?“

“An idea that’ll let you stay in Cedar Cove.“

Her expression grew hopeful. “What?“

Mack gathered his resolve. “You could marry me.“

The color seemed to drain from her face, and for a few seconds he was afraid she might faint.

“What do you think?” he asked, terrified that she’d reject him outright. His heart felt as if it had shot into his throat and lodged there.

“You don’t mean that.“

“I do.“

Mary Jo leaned against the wall. “That won’t solve anything,” she said.

Mack disagreed. “The next time David comes around, he’ll be dealing with me, your husband. He’ll be speaking to both of us. Trust me, if he does try this trick again, it’ll be the
last
time.”

“You don’t have to marry me to—“

“It would give me the authority to tell him to stay away from my family.“

“But—“

“I’ll legally adopt Noelle.” He watched as her eyes flared with what he assumed was happiness. Then almost immediately her face fell.

“David won’t let you adopt Noelle, especially if he’s planning to use her to manipulate his father for funds.“

Mack shook his head. “He’ll surrender his rights if we pressure him for child support. We could probably prove without too much trouble that he’s an unfit father.” Mack suspected that as soon as David Rhodes realized he wouldn’t be able to use his daughter as leverage against Mary Jo and his father, he’d be willing to sign over all parental rights.

Mary Jo seemed to consider his proposal. “It’s…very nice of you to offer.“

She was going to reject him. Mack held himself rigid, bracing for her next words.

She must have sensed his disappointment because she quickly added, “I need time to think about this.“

Mack checked his watch. “You have an hour and twenty-five minutes.” He didn’t mean to make this sound like an ultimatum, but there was a practical reason for the time limit.

She obviously understood what it was. “Before Linc arrives?“

Mack nodded. “I’d like to explain all this to him, so he’s comfortable with me as his brother-in-law.“

“And if I say no?“

Mack expelled his breath. He didn’t want to contemplate that possibility. He’d deal with it if he had to and would volunteer his protection and friendship regardless, but…

“I’m hoping you will agree to marry me,” he said.

She turned away from him and her shoulders rose, then fell. “First my brothers and now you! Why do all of you feel you know what’s best for me and Noelle?”

Mack closed his eyes and recognized that he’d gone about this wrong, but he wasn’t sure how to rectify his blunder. “You’re right,” he said in a low voice. “I
don’t
know what’s best for you. The problem is, I don’t think I could bear to live without you and Noelle.”

She turned back to look at him, her face tense. She met his gaze, her eyes dark and speculative. Finally she nodded. She’d reached a decision. “Okay. But I want to wait six months and…and this is important. I won’t sleep with you.”

“Ever?” he gasped.

“Not while we’re engaged.”

“But you’ll stay in Cedar Cove?”

She nodded again.

That lightened his mood. Still, there was this six-month engagement she was insisting on. “Why wait that long?” he asked.

“It’ll give both of us enough time to decide if a marriage will work. At the end of six months, we can reevaluate. If there’s no physical contact between us, it would be easier for either one of us to break off the engagement and walk away.”

Mack’s mouth went dry. He didn’t know how to respond.

“Take it or leave it.”

“Ah…”

“Should I assume our arrangement’s off or do we wait six months?”

“Okay, okay, if that’s how you want it.”

Mary Jo relaxed and held out her hand for him to shake. “Then we agree?”

“I guess.”

“Becoming engaged is serious, Mack. ‘I guess’ is not a sufficient answer.”

He swallowed tightly. It was either accept her terms or risk losing her and Noelle. The baby gurgled and smiled up at him. “Okay, we’ll do this your way,” he muttered and they shook hands.

“So we’re engaged,” Mary Jo said.

Engaged.
To the woman he loved. But it seemed more like a business deal—and not a very advantageous one, either.