Heart Matters (28 page)

“He left footprints.” Sean led the way to
the bottom of the steps where a clear set of footprints could be
seen in the soft, sandy ground. He pointed with a torch to the set
that went towards the stairs and one that went away. “He probably
got scared off when you got here.”

Steven frowned thickly going down on his
haunches to get a closer look of the footprints. “Canvas shoes,
size ten.” He stood up, his face creased with anxious lines.

Sean frowned thoughtfully. “The strange
thing is Niki and I must’ve returned from the beach almost
immediately after this happened but we sure didn’t bump into him.
We went straight to our room and then I heard the commotion.” He
looked at his brother for answers. “Who the hell is it?”

A determined nerve jerked across, Steven’s
hard jaw line. “That’s what I’d like to find out. Call the police,
Sean, it’s about time they give us some answers.” He took the torch
from his brother and kept standing there till Sean went back to the
house. He glanced around in the darkness for signs of Joe Strauss.
Hadn’t he given strict instructions to keep Jessica under
observation at all times? Then why wasn’t he here now? He performed
a close scrutiny of the sand, looking for signs that would tell him
something more about the assailant.

In the soft light of the evening lamps,
about ten feet about from the bottom of the steps, he saw clear
signs of disturbed sand. There were several footprints concentrated
on that particular spot, giving evidence of a struggle. So, Joe had
been here. He noticed further ahead, one of the persons seemed to
have fallen. The defeated person was clearly dragged through the
sand.

The light from the torch suddenly
illuminated a motionless hand that jutted out from behind a coconut
tree. He hurried towards it and found Joe Strauss lying face down
in the sand with blood oozing from a wound at the back of his
head.

***

The police had no answers for them apart
from the fact that they deduced the entire incident to be the
result of some personal vendetta. They interrogated Jessica for
probable suspects and came close only to Adam and Shari. The
premise didn’t satisfy Jessica, who pointed out that they didn’t
have anything to gain by killing her as there was no way by which
they could lay a claim on her inheritance.

The police officer in charge shook his head
absently. “Then I don’t have any leads, ma’am, someone clearly
wants to harm you.” His dark, native eyes watched her closely. “Are
you sure you don’t suspect anyone else?”

Ida’s venomous green eyes suddenly flashed
before Jessica and she opened her mouth to speak but stopped when
Steven gave a small squeeze on her arm. She looked up at him
uncertainly. She sucked in sharply when she realized he didn’t want
her to mention Ida to the officer. A tiny spark of anger began
smoldering within but she chose to keep quiet and shook her
head.

Steven had an ambulance called in for Joe.
He was immediately taken to the nearest hospital where he was
proclaimed unconscious but out of danger. The doctors predicted it
would be a while before he could talk to anyone.

After the police left, Jessica sat nestled
against Niki on the couch in the lounge. Her face was still pale
and she felt miserable. “I can’t take this anymore. I want to go
home.”

“Yes, you’re right. We’ll be out of here
first thing in the morning.” Steven announced, coming up to her
with a drink in his hand. “Drink this up, it’ll do you good.”

She watched him, her stormy eyes betraying
her growing anger. She stood up to face him, a deep red color
beginning to spread across her face. “Why didn’t you tell them
about Ida?”

Her question caught him off-guard. He simply
stared at her for a while before speaking carefully. “I can’t
involve her in this Jessica.”

Her dark irises glared at him. “Why
not?”

Steven once again stared at her almost as if
mentally choosing his words before speaking out. “Because she had
nothing to do with it.”

“How do you know?” She hissed through her
clenched teeth.

Steven regarded her almost looking
anguished. He set the glass in his hands aside and placed his hands
on her shoulders. “Jessica, sweetheart, you need to rest…”

She tilted her chin defiantly at him. “I
asked; how do you know?”

He watched her with an exasperated
expression then hung his head in defeat. “I just do, Jessica.
Please trust me on this.”

Jessica’s eyes rounded in shock and she took
a step back, shrugging out of his hold. “You want to be her, don’t
you?” she whispered in shock, almost hating herself for those
words.

The navy eyes widened in surprise and
denial. “No! How can you say that?” He moved towards her but she
put her hand out to stop him. She was heaving breathlessly; shaking
her head in denial. He caught the sight of her eyes shining
brightly with tears and felt his heart break. She was hurting
because of him! He couldn’t do this to her! She had to know the
truth. He once again moved towards her and this time caught her in
his arms as she swayed dangerously. “Jessica, sweetheart, I can
explain.”

Keon appeared then in the room to make an
announcement. “Mrs. Devon is here to see you, Sir.”

“What the…” Steven began with a frown but
stopped as Ida Devon walked past the butler.

She was wearing a figure hugging evening
gown and looked absolutely luscious. A cigarette was held between
her elegant fingers, smoke drifting from it in a continuous
pattern. “Why Steve darling! You aren’t dressed yet!” she stated
simply but the shock was obvious on Jessica’s face.

Steven looked down at Jessica’s white face
and cursed under his breath. He couldn’t believe this was
happening! Not now, not when she was so fragile. He had not meant
to hurt her either but the Lord knew it couldn’t be helped. He
sighed wearily, drawing an agitated hand through his hair. “I
thought I asked you to wait at the hotel, Ida,” he mumbled
calmly.

Jessica couldn’t believe her ears. She
looked up to look at him and found that he had aged by several
years. His face was a picture of exasperated creases, his eyes blue
flint and his mouth a bitter, hard line. It shocked her to see him
like this. Was it because of her? Did he feel committed to her in
some way? A futile ray of hope rose in her heart. Could it be that
he loved her? If he did, then why did he have dinner plans with
Ida?

That thought landed back on earth swiftly.
She suddenly felt suffocated and gently pulled away from Steven.
She felt him let her go reluctantly. Niki who had left the room
earlier during their confrontation now appeared at her side, her
looks throwing daggers at both Steven and Ida. She laced her
fingers with Jessica’s and wordlessly tried to pull her away but
Jessica stood rooted in shock.

“Darling, we’re already late. What are you
waiting for?” Ida’s lilting voice mocked Jessica back to
reality.

“Why don’t we call it off for tonight?” She
heard Steven say tiredly. His words sickened her further. So! He
actually had plans to be with her! Her tears flew down her face
freely now. It really was over between them.

“Oh, noo.” She heard Ida pout prettily. “I’m
all dressed and I will simply not take no for an answer.” She
wrapped her arms about his neck and moved closer. A seductive smile
touched her lips. “Kiss me like you did yesterday, Stevie. Please.”
She moved her lips towards his without waiting for his response and
kissed him on his unmoving mouth.

“Damn it, Ida! Don’t do that!” He grumbled
glancing at Jessica’s ashen face.

Jessica nearly choked on painful tears that
rushed to her eyes. She whirled around and left the lounge hastily.
What a fool! What a fool she was to believe for a moment that he
actually cared about her! She did not see Steven push Ida away
furiously but she heard the other woman’s wild laugh that sent
spears of pain to her soul.

“Stop it, Ida!” Steven roared, his face
black with anger. He turned to Niki refusing to acknowledge her
shocked state. “Go after her, Niki.” Niki obliged him willingly and
he turned to Sean. “Out Sean, I need to speak to Ida alone.” Sean
gave him an undisguised look of disgust and walked out.

When they were alone, Steven turned to face
Ida with controlled anger. “Just what the hell do you think you’re
doing?”

She rolled her eyes innocently. “What are
you talking about?”

“You know damn well what I’m talking about!”
he burst, just about refraining from slapping her. “I told you
yesterday, I want you out of my life! The only reason I let you
hang around here for this long is because of your husband. He
called me and begged me to keep you here till he joins you and
convinces you to go back. He can’t afford a scandal at this point
of his career.”

Ida froze, her face contorting with sudden
tears. “Don’t you see? That’s all he cares about. His career. But
what about me? What about my needs?” The tears began flowing down
her cheeks and she clung to him pitifully. “I’m sorry, Steve, I’m
sorry for walking out on you. I promise it’ll never happen again.
Please take me back, I beg you! Don’t you remember how wonderful it
was between us?”

Steven watched the pathetic woman before him
and shook his head regretfully. He felt sorry for Ida but that was
where it ceased. He didn’t love her, he didn’t want her. He had
Jessica. The sudden realization hit him like a bolt of lightning.
He loved Jessica! That was it! He loved her and that’s why he
couldn’t see the hurt in her eyes. That’s why he couldn’t see her
suffer. That’s why he dreamt of her as the mother to his children.
That’s why he dreamt of growing old with her.

Ida’s beautiful face turned hard as stone.
“I see she’s got to you. You silly man! You love her don’t you?”
She suddenly threw her head back, barking with laughter. “You love
her and she doesn’t give a damn about you! She’s just possessive
about you as any woman who has been challenged. But she doesn’t
love you! A woman can never forget her first love. She’ll sleep
with you but she’ll always think about Adam Warring. That’s his
name, isn’t it? Adam Warring? She almost got married to him because
she loved him Steve. She walked out on him because he betrayed her
trust. But she can never forget him. That’s what happened to me. I
slept with poor Davie all these years but I always dreamt I was in
your arms while he made love to me.” She sighed wistfully. “He
never realized, the poor dear. And that’s what’ll happen to you,
Steve, you’ll never be the man in her dreams.”

Steven struggled with the range of emotions
that struggled to surface within him and burst all over like molten
lava. Ida had no idea what Jessica had shared with him. Her
innocence, her trust and he hoped her love. “Get out Ida! I don’t
want to hear your assumptions!”

Ida’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “Why did
you ask me out tonight if you had no intentions of taking me
back?”

Disturbed blue eyes regarded her. “David’s
coming tonight. He wanted us to have a face to face talk.”

Desperate green eyes pleaded with him one
last time. “Steve, if Jessica had not been around in your life,
would you have taken me back?”

He pitied her tortured state. “I don’t know.
Maybe.”

A smile curved her sensuous lips in triumph.
“I knew it!” She glanced at her watch smiling widely, devoid of her
earlier distress. “Look, it’s pretty late, why don’t you drop me to
my hotel? It won’t take you long.”

“I can’t go leave her alone…”

Ida pouted childishly. “Pretty please.”

Steven gave in to her meek request. Sean and
Niki were around to look after Jessica. Anyway, he didn’t plan to
be away for long. What he was truly relieved about was that Ida had
finally come to her senses and decided to leave them alone. Tonight
he would take Jessica in his arms and declare his love for her. He
held out his hand to Ida and she took it readily. “Come on, let’s
go.”

It was nearing two in the morning when
Jessica had finally fallen into a fitful sleep. Earlier, Sean had
informed much to her dread that Steven had left with Ida. She had
spent every moment after that waiting for him to return. But the
clock had ticked away and there was no sign of him. Strangely, she
had not cried. Her tortured heart was heavy with pain but the tears
did not fall.

Niki slept in her room to soothe her fears
of the assailant’s return and Sean insisted on keeping a watch by
settling on the cane couch. Jessica had been glad to have their
company. That was the only way she could sleep peacefully.

***

“Won’t you come in for a nightcap?” Ida
asked, smiling politely. They stood at the doorstep of the cottage
at her hotel and Steven hesitated. He was eager to get back to the
villa and be with Jessica. Ida laid a cold hand on his arm,
beseeching gently. “For old time’s sake?”

He gave in, feeling thoroughly exasperated.
He hated it when women threw emotional lines at him. “Okay, what do
you have?”

Ida’s bright, red lips parted to show her
neat, pearly teeth. “Champagne. I had the bottle chilled for a
reunion.” She turned and stepped inside, leading the way to a cozy
parlor.

Steven entered but remained standing at the
edge of the room. He watched her delicate gait to the sideboard and
tapped his foot impatiently. She retrieved an expensive champagne
bottle from the icebox before facing him with a bright smile.
“Would you like to do the honors?”

He couldn’t refuse. He just wanted to get
back to Jessica as soon as possible! He went towards her to take
the bottle from her hands. When his fingers curled about its neck,
her hand covered his making his eyes narrow questioningly. “I’m
sorry, darling,” she whispered, “But I
have
to do this.”

Steven frowned in surprise. “What in the
world…”, he began but lost the words as a hard object crashed
against the base of his neck. Excruciating pain shot up his head
and darkness blinded him before he lost consciousness.