Tell Me Lies (13 page)

She was right.  After all, Paige’s entire family was here and so were his mom and Ian.  Sara and Chris would have been here, had they not gone on their honeymoon.  Sara had wanted to come back, but he wouldn’t hear of it.  Paige would be upset if she knew she had ruined Sara’s honeymoon.

Lucy and Mike were coming in on the weekend.  So, now was the time for him to go.  It just didn’t feel right to him.  He should be with Paige.  The accident had just happened less than 24 hours ago.

It seemed like a lifetime ago that they were planning to bring a child into the world.  They had been so deliriously happy and now his life felt like it was spinning out of control. 

Running a hand through his shaggy mane, Jonas wished there was a way to turn back the clock.  If there were, he would have kept Paige at the cabin; never let her out of his sight at that party, anything to have kept her safe.  Sighing, he reached in his jeans for the keys to Paige’s car.  Better to be on his way and get back as soon as possible, than to examine what ifs that could never be.

~*~

Darren watched as Jonas Barnett climbed behind the wheel of Paige’s car.  He hoped Barnett would lead him to the truth. He was sure he could have gotten Paige to tell him the truth. She fell into the path of the car before she had been able to finish.

If he could find out for sure that Paige had been carrying his child and she and Barnett had covered it up, lied about it, then perhaps there was money to be made.  He could blackmail Barnett; ask for money to stay quiet.  Or he could sell what he found out to the gossip rags.  Oh hell, he could do both and get double the money.

Smiling, he put the car into gear and followed Barnett out of the city.

~*~

Chapter
Eleven

~*~

Evelyn slid out of the backseat of the cab, followed closely by Ian.  It was about 6:00 p.m. and visiting hours would begin soon.  Not that she thought Paige’s family would be restricted to just those times.  If what Jonas had said was true, there was someone at her bedside at all times of the day.

“Shall we go in?” she asked Ian, who was staring up at the hospital.

“Do you think Dad will be okay?” he asked.

“Your father has always been a complicated person, Ian.  He keeps his emotions close to the vest.  He’s a private person. I think he needed this short time away, even if he won’t admit it.  He’s trying to be strong for Paige, her family and now us.  He hasn’t had the time to break down.”

“But isn’t it too soon?” Ian asked, wondering why his grandmother would push Dad to go away so soon after the accident.

“When would he have taken the time, Ian, if not now?  He would have sat by her bedside, day in and day out, never once thinking of himself.  The days would have slipped by and he wouldn’t have noticed.  It’s better that he takes a few hours to come to grips with this now.  When she wakes up, Paige is going to be devastated over the loss of the baby.  He will need to be strong for her then.”

Ian sighed.  “It seems so heartless that he’s taken the time to leave already, Grandmother.  The papers will have a field day with the news.”

Evelyn placed her hand on his arm, squeezing gently.  “Don’t you worry about that.  I have taken care of that personally.”

Ian grinned.  Leave it to Grandmother to cover all bases.  He stepped into the elevator after her and they rode to the fourth floor in silence.  Stepping out onto the ICU ward, Ian found it to be eerily quiet.

An older man with silver white hair headed their way.  He was tall; probably six foot two and he had broad shoulders.  He actually had the build of a football player, Ian mused, thinking of the American sport, not the soccer his dad loved.  As he came closer, Ian studied his face.

The lines were drawn tight around his mouth, and worry lines creased his brow.  His eyes, which held Ian’s for a brief second, were sad and lonely.

“You must be Jonas’s Mother and son.  I’m William, Paige’s father.”

“It’s nice to meet you, William,” Evelyn said, extending her hand.

William enclosed it in his and held it firmly.  “Jonas said you’d be by.  Would you like to see Paige?”

“Yes, very much.”

Evelyn followed William to Paige’s room and entered when he step aside.  Tears sprang to her eyes when she saw Paige, tubes and wires hooked up to her.  With her eyes closed, she looked peaceful, but Evelyn knew there had to be some pain.  The drugs were masking most of it now, but once she woke, the emotional pain would drown Paige in a sea of hurt.

Sighing, she pulled the chair close to the bedside and took Paige’s hand in hers.  “Hello, sweetheart.  I’m so glad you are going to be okay.  I just wish you could wake up and show Jonas and the rest of us those beautiful eyes of yours.  He’s taking this very hard.  He might not show it, but I know my son.  He’s hurting.”

Evelyn swiped at the tears that threatened and squeezed Paige’s hand.  “I sent him to that cabin of yours for the night.  He needs to get his things, but he also needs a few hours to come to grips with what has happened to you.  I know he would never break down in front of your family. He needs that Paige.  Just a little bit of time to come to terms in his own way.”

Leaning over, she kissed Paige’s cheek.  “Get well soon.  Jonas needs you.  We all do.”

Evelyn slipped from the room, hardly believing she had stayed for close to an hour.  It hadn’t seemed that long. 

“Mrs. Hamilton…..”

“Please, it’s Evelyn.  And I shall call you William.  We are to be family, after all.”

William nodded.  “How about some coffee, Evelyn?”

“I’d love some,” she said, placing her hand on the arm he extended. 

~*~

Jonas drove out of the city, his eyes staring at the side of the road as he sped by.  He wished he had paid more attention to where Paige was driving the other day.  Everything looked so different at night.  Nothing looked familiar at all.

Headlights streamed in the windows, casting harsh light against the shadows in the car.  Squinting against the bright lights, Jonas slowed for the curve ahead.  Headlights shone behind him; high beams in the rear view mirror.

“What the…?” he questioned, looking behind him as the lights got brighter.

Jonas whirled his head to look out the side
window as the car zipped by him.  Shaking his head, Jonas muttered, “Idiot.”

Snowflakes started to fall, coating the windows quicker than the wipers could clear them.  Sighing, Jonas chanced a glance at the written directions once again.  He had another few miles to go.  He hoped the winter storm held off long enough so he could get to the cabin.

~*~

Darren followed at a safe distance, watching as a car sped by first him, then Barnett.  The damn fool was going to get into an accident.  If he wasn’t careful, he would take him and Barnett out as well.  He couldn’t allow that to happen.  He had to know where that damned cabin was.

Darren took his foot off the accelerator, slowing down to a safer speed for the road conditions.  There was no sense in having a car accident.

He recalled the argument he’d had with Paige. He had caught up to her on the street, having used the freight elevator to reach the lobby before Jonas and had confronted her once again about the baby.

“It’s mine, isn’t it? Just tell me, Paige. I deserve the truth,” he yelled, grabbing her by the arm.

“You want to know the truth, Darren? Fine, I’ll tell you the truth.” Paige lifted her head, her lips close to his ear. “The baby is…mine.”

Darren growled and pushed her. “Bitch! Tell me the truth!”

Paige lost her balance, her heels slipping on the ice. She stumbled and stepped off the curb into the street.

The car
came out of nowhere. He hadn’t had the time to help her, could only stare as the car hit her, sending her flying through the air.

It hadn’t been intentional; he had merely wanted the truth.  Was it his fault she lost her footing, fell into the street?  Of course, he hadn’t pulled her back onto the sidewalk either. 

The car slid on ice and he dragged his attention back to the road. Frowning, Darren scanned the road in front of him.  Shit! He had lost Barnett!  Slowing to a stop, he backed up to the last intersection.  He looked to the left and to the right, but there was no way he could determine which way he had gone.  There were tire tracks leading up both roads. Much to his dismay, there were no taillights on either road to follow.

“Damn it all to hell!” he yelled, hitting his hand against the steering wheel. 

Nothing to do but to head back to the city before the roads got too bad.  Turning around, he headed back toward the city, frustrated with losing Barnett.

~*~

The headlights illuminated the cabin as Jonas pulled into the driveway.  He parked, turning off the ignition.  Sitting there in the dark, the snowflakes falling, Jonas had to take a deep breath to calm his erratic heartbeat.  He couldn’t believe he was here without her.

Sighing, he slid from the car.  There was no luggage to retrieve, and he soon found himself standing in the foyer. Flipping on the lights, Jonas moved automatically through the house. By the time he reached the master suite, every light was burning in the cabin.

Opening the door to the bedroom, Jonas glanced about, wondering how he was going to manage a second night without her by his side.  Last night was hard enough, being in the hospital ER waiting on word of her condition. 
Tonight, surrounded by the things Paige loved was going to be unbearable.

His heart in his throat, Jonas turned and left the bedroom, unable to face the lonely room yet.  He returned to the kitchen and filled the kettle.  Perhaps a cup of tea to help settle him.  Sitting at the table, he threaded his fingers together and took a deep breath.

Tears threatened to overwhelm him, but he pushed them away; he had things to do, decisions to make.  Reaching for his cell phone, he dialed his mother first.

“I’m here,” he said, when she answered.

“Is the weather as bad there as it is here?” she asked.

Jonas looked out the window at the blanket of snow already on the ground and the huge flakes falling from the sky.  “Yeah.  I think I was lucky to get here when I did.  It’s looking pretty wicked out there.”

“It’s a good thing you’re staying overnight, then.”

“How’s Paige?  Did you see her?”

“There’s been no change, Jonas.”

Jonas sighed, dejected.  “I know.  I was hoping for a miracle.”

“We all are, darling.  Get some rest.  I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon.”

Jonas hung up, wishing he were back at the hospital.  He wanted to be by Paige’s side, not here all alone, surrounded by things that reminded him of her.  Just as he was starting to feel the tears well up, the kettle whistled.

Jonas stood from the table and went to the cupboard, where he grabbed a mug, a tea bag and the sugar.  He opened the tea bag, draping it over the edge of the mug.  He added two teaspoons of the sugar then reached for the kettle. 

“Son of a…!” he cried, touching the hot handle without thinking.  Quickly, he ran cold water over his palm, soothing the slight burn.

“Get it together, Barnett,” he scolded himself, reaching for a potholder before grabbing the teapot.

Pouring the steaming water over the tea bag, the aroma of chocolate chai tea wafted into the air.  Absently, he placed the teapot back on the stove before settling back at the table to stir his tea.