Poison Me (20 page)

Jake’s eyes widened and he pulled back. “How do you know about Angela?”

“I’m not an idiot, Jake. I’ve seen the scrapbook, the way you talk about the angel you loved. You’re so good at hammering me for information and giving me crap about being ambiguous. When have you ever opened up? When are you going to tell me what happened to the love of your life?”

He closed his eyes and didn’t move for several seconds. Finally, he looked at Chanel and said, “I killed her.”

“You killed her?”

Several minutes of grating emptiness passed before he spoke. He stared at Chanel, but was obviously seeing someone else. “We went Jeeping with our friends Shane and Jessica up Strawberry Canyon. Shane was driving. Jessica was in the back. Angela was sitting on my lap in the passenger seat. She hated climbing the mountains in that Jeep. She was so scared her teeth were rattling.” Jake’s tan fist clenched, his eyes filled with agony. “She wanted to get in the back and put a seatbelt on, but I held her in my arms and promised I would protect her.” He shook his head, pounding the steering wheel. “What an idiot.”

He didn’t say anything for another minute. Chanel wanted to touch him, to relieve his pain, but he didn’t appear to realize she was sitting next to him anymore.

“Shane flipped the Jeep. Angela and I were thrown out the top. It rolled over us, but she took the brunt of it. When the Jeep finally passed over us I was still conscious. My head was on fire and my arm felt like somebody had taken an axe to me. Angela was right next to me. I called to her. She didn’t answer. I tried to touch her, but my arms wouldn’t move. I lay there waiting for help to come and praying she’d be okay.”

He inhaled and caught his breath for a moment, blowing his next words out on a long exhalation. “She was dead. The report said she died instantly. At least she didn’t suffer.” He laughed with a bitterness that filled the vehicle. “That seemed to be everyone’s favorite line.”

Jake hung his head, speaking to the steering wheel. “Grandma didn’t tell me until the next day that Angela was gone, but I knew. I knew the instant it happened. Everyone said I was lucky to be alive and I should be grateful she didn’t have any pain. How stupid are people? Why would I want to live without her?”

Chanel’s chest stung. She thought recovering from Ace was hard. Would Jake ever be over something as devastating as losing the love of his life?

“She was afraid of a lot of things¾heights, water, the dark. Instead of protecting her, I confirmed all her fears.” He swallowed and muttered, “My arm was thrashed, the skin ripped off. My parents wanted me to have a plastic surgeon fix it, but I didn’t want it fixed. I wanted it to help me remember how I hurt Angela.” He closed his eyes and exhaled. “It doesn’t help. Nothing helps. I loved her and I killed her.”

“I… oh, Jake,” Chanel began, praying for a way to soothe this injured man next to her. “You can’t really believe it’s your fault.”

“Don’t.” He held up a hand. “Please, don’t. I’ve heard every platitude and thought about forgiveness I can take.”

Chanel wilted against the seat. She wanted to comfort him, but knowing he still loved Angela left a bitter taste in her mouth. Of course he still loved her. How did a person heal from an ache like that?

“I’m sorry for your loss,” she finally murmured.

He blinked at her, grunted, and twisted the key in the ignition. “I’d better get you home.”

Chanel couldn’t find her voice to protest. She fastened her seat belt, slumped low in her seat, and studied the cars in front of them until he deposited her a half hour later at the retirement center. His stiff goodbye was so final it rang through her head until her body finally succumbed to sleep.

Chapter Eighteen

The funeral was taking its toll on Ruby. She sat between Jake and Michael, gleaning what comfort she could from the two strong men.

Marissa’s granddaughters sang a medley of songs about the next life. They claimed their grandma would live again. Ruby certainly hoped they were right. She missed her friend. Her sodden handkerchief lay in her lap, full of tears of sorrow and laughter. The speakers had been wonderful so far. Ruby shuddered, remembering how the family had asked her to speak. Supposedly, Marissa had written out a funeral request years ago, and Ruby was to be one of the speakers. Why her friend would choose to torment her from beyond the grave, Ruby would never know.

She shifted on the wooden bench. Her backside had lost its padding years ago, making church a torturous affair. She sighed. At least she was sitting below the pulpit instead of behind it. How grateful she’d been when Marissa’s daughter, Sara, agreed to conduct an interview with Ruby and share Ruby’s thoughts as part of her own talk. Ruby felt guilty for going against Marissa’s wishes for her funeral, but she could deal with guilt easier than public speaking.

Ellie, on the other hand, had jumped at the opportunity when approached by Sara to offer a few thoughts at the graveside ceremony. Ruby could still hear Ellie gushing, “Oh, I am so honored. Of course I’ll speak.”

Sara looked nervous. “It’s just a few thoughts, not really a speech.”

Ellie patted her arm. “Don’t worry. I’ll make it good.”

Sara started dabbing at the perspiration on her brow. “Just a few minutes.”

“Oh, people won’t notice the time when I’m talking,” Ellie said with a grin.

The worry in Sara’s eyes would have been comical if it weren’t Marissa’s sweet daughter Ellie was harassing.

Ruby smiled. Maybe Sara would stop Ellie if she went too far. Ruby shook her head at the thought—nobody could stop Ellie when she got going.

Ruby glanced at Jake. His jaw was clenched tightly, and she wondered if he was upset about her being so close to Michael. She turned her head slightly and looked at Michael. He sent her a message of devotion with his eyes and squeezed her hand. Being in love with him at eighteen had been wonderful, but nothing compared to the way he made her feel now.

Ruby looked at her grandson again, but he didn’t even seem to notice that Michael was holding her hand. She followed Jake’s gaze a few rows forward and off to the side, and realized he was staring at Chanel. For a moment, Ruby forgot her anguish and wondered what had happened between Jake and Chanel. Yesterday the two seemed destined for romance, but today there was a strong current of anger between them.

The song ended and the beautiful girls descended from the stage. Adam Sorenson moved to the pulpit. He was a good friend and a leader in Marissa’s church. Ruby turned her attention to him. She laughed and nodded as he told funny stories about Marissa and described her as a devoted wife and loving mother. Ruby didn’t notice the disturbance until it was upon them.

“Gramma Ruby! Gramma Ruby!” Trevor streaked past their seats until he reached the pulpit. Not seeing Ruby, he did a flip turn off the wooden stand and ran back down the aisle.

“Trevor,” she whispered loudly.

“Gramma Ruby!” he kept calling. His head turned back and forth as he searched for her.

The entire congregation stared. Ruby looked desperately to Jake, seated on the aisle. He grabbed Trevor around the waist and lifted him onto his lap. Gently covering the little boy’s mouth, he explained in hushed tones the need for silence. “You can sit here with me and Grandma Ruby if you can be qui— Ouch!”

Numerous heads turned quickly around again. Jake scowled and said, “He bit me.”

“Gramma Ruby!” Trevor screamed as soon as his mouth was free. “Mommy’s having her baby!”

Jake almost had his hand over the little boy’s mouth. He jerked it back. “What did you say?”

“What did you say?” Ruby asked at the same time, her head growing light with images of Brinley going into labor somewhere alone and without medical attention.

Trevor bounced on Jake’s legs. “Mommy’s having the baby! She sent me to get you. She’s all bloody and yucky and she said, ‘Help!’ Then she said some bad words and I don’t want to say them ’cause I’ll get pink soap in my mouth and pink soap tastes like smack. The white soap is my best kind—”

Even the bishop had stopped talking and was listening to Trevor’s story.

“Trevor, honey,” Ruby said, trying to stay calm, “where is your mom?”

“She said she was going to have my brother and it hurt like hell—I mean heck.” The boy lowered his voice, “Then she said some more bad words, even worse than hell, and she said to find you and go to the Tahoe.” He grinned. “So—” his little shoulders shrugged “—I found you.”

Jake stood, holding Trevor in his arms. Ruby and Michael followed him into the aisle, Ellie close behind.

The bishop laughed. “It appears we’re going to have to excuse the Merrill family and friends to go have a baby.”

Ruby smiled up at him, but Ellie glowered. She gestured at him to continue. “You just get on with your talk.” She turned to look at Marissa’s daughter, Sara. “Make sure I get a copy of the proceedings, and don’t dedicate that grave until we get there. Got it?”

Sara’s mouth dropped open. “But it could be hours before the baby is born.”

Ellie shook her head. “Brinley does things fast.”

The congregation chuckled collectively.

“And,” Ellie continued, “Bishop Sorenson won’t shut up for quite a while.”

The chuckles turned into loud laughter.

“Don’t dump my friend Rissa in the dirt until I tell you all a few things about how great she was,” Ellie said.

Silence blanketed the crowd. Looking horrified, Sara pulled the little girl on her lap closer as if she could shield them both from Ellie.

“It says in her will that I get to share some thoughts at the graveside,” Ellie said, oblivious to the silence. “Now you are going to uphold your mother’s last wishes and wait for us.”

“Okay,” the poor woman muttered, waving a wad of wet tissues as if to tell them to be gone.

Ruby felt sorry for Sara, but was too worried about Brinley to focus on anything else. Was her granddaughter waiting in the car? How much pain must she be in?

They hurried out of the church, and Jake pointed to Brinley’s Tahoe at the edge of the parking lot. “It’s right there,” he yelled, running ahead with Trevor clinging to his neck.

Ruby and Michael tried to keep up. Ellie screeched at them from behind, “Slow down, you punks. I’ve got short legs and varicose veins, and I’m old!”

Ruby looked over her shoulder.  “See that black Tahoe? That’s her car. Meet us there.” She took off running, hanging onto Michael so she wouldn’t fall.

“Punks!” Ellie screamed.

Jake reached the car before they did. “I can’t see her,” he said frantically. “Brinley!” he called. “Brinley!” Jake shifted Trevor to his left side and flung open the door.

Ruby saw her granddaughter’s feet peeking out from behind the vehicle’s right rear tire. “Jake,” she whispered, tugging on his arm.

He followed her gaze. His jaw dropped, and he quickly transferred Trevor to Ruby’s arms. He spoke to Trevor, but his gaze locked with Ruby’s, “Stay with Grandma. I’m going to take care of your mom.”

Trevor nodded, eyes wide, silent with fear.

“Brinley,” Jake called, as if trying to rouse her before he had to see her lying there. He rushed around the rear of the vehicle. “Oh, Sis. Oh, no.”

Ruby was afraid to see, but knew where she needed to be. She handed Trevor to Michael. “Hold him for me, please.”

Trevor didn’t protest, just watched her with big brown eyes. Ruby hurried around to the other side of the vehicle. What she saw made her head spin and her legs go weak. She grabbed the door handle for support.

“Brinley!” she screamed. Blood pooled on the asphalt underneath her pale and unresponsive granddaughter. Jake knelt at her side.

He looked up, two fingers pressed to his sister’s throat. “She’s got a pulse.”

“Is she breathing?”

He leaned close to his sister’s face. The seconds ticking by felt like hours. “Barely,” he muttered. He gently placed his arms under Brinley’s back and legs, then stood. “We’ve got to get her to the hospital.” His eyes were dark and empty. “Can you get the door?”

Ruby opened the passenger door. Jake slid in, still holding his sister against his chest. Her blood stained his khaki pants. “I don’t know if I can save her,” he whispered.

Ruby hoped she’d misunderstood the comment. She started a silent prayer,
Don’t take her. Please don’t take her.

“Mommy.”

Trevor and Michael stood behind Ruby. Trevor’s eyes were wide.  Michael opened the door for Ruby and ushered her into the backseat behind Jake. He handed her the little boy and hurried around to the driver’s seat. Ellie squeezed in on the other side of Trevor’s car seat.

“Oh, no,” Ellie moaned when she saw Brinley’s bleeding form in Jake’s arms. “Not another one, please Lord, we can’t lose any more people we love.”

“Mommy,” Trevor whimpered. “Why won’t Mommy wake up?”

“It’s okay, sweetie.” Ruby patted Trevor’s back helplessly. “It’s okay.” Nothing was okay, but at the moment she didn’t know what else to say.

***

Ace paid their bill at Golden City. The pudgy waitress belonged behind the counter of a greasy spoon, but he supposed a greasy Chinese restaurant would have to suffice. His stomach rolled. The food he’d picked at and watched Willy consume was as far from quality Chinese as a farm mutt was from a purebred Great Dane.

“Excuse me,” Ace said, “could I bother you for some help?”

Her fleshy chin melded into her neck as she bobbed her head. “Sure, sweetheart, anything you need.”

Ace flipped open his phone and retrieved the picture. “Do you know this man?”

The waitress wiped her hands on her polyester pants, took the phone from Ace’s hand, and studied the shot of Don proudly displaying an inside straight. Her pink-tipped fingers flew to her matching mouth. “Oh, Mylanta. That looks the spitting image of old Don.” She blinked. “But it couldn’t be. When was this picture taken?”

“A few months ago.”

“Oh, then it couldn’t possibly be Don.”

Ace frowned. “Why not?”

“Because Don died in a house fire a couple of years back. They were lucky to get Ruby out alive.”