Treasure Uncovered (Bellingwood #3) (18 page)

"Oh no. I wonder," she mused and quickly went up the steps into the hayloft.

"Is someone here?" she asked. "Are you alright?"

She thought she heard something coming from the front of the barn and made her way across the bales of hay, where she came upon a hollowed out space. Looking down, she saw Eliseo, curled up with blankets covering him. He moaned as she moved toward him and she saw that there was blood covering his face and hands.

"Eliseo, what happened? Are you alright?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Giller. So sorry. Just give me a little time and I'll get to work."

"Don't worry about that. What has happened to you?"

"I'll be fine."

"You don't look like you are going to be fine at all. I need to call the EMTs."

He reached out and touched her. "No, no doctors please. I'll be alright."

"Have you been sleeping here, Eliseo?"

His eyes closed and he appeared to sink further into the bed of hay he'd created. "Yes. If you want me to leave, give me time and I'll be gone."

"I don't even know where to start right now, but that's certainly not it. Tell me what has happened to you?"

"I can't."

"Then tell me where you've been hurt."

He lifted his head and she saw that both eyes were blackened and there was a cut on his right cheek. His hands were scraped and cut up and he had wrapped some cloth around his right forearm. She pulled back the blanket and there was blood on his jeans around his knee and more scrapes and cuts were bleeding through his t-shirt.

"What in the hell? You've been beaten very badly!"

"I know," he acknowledged. "But please, no doctors."

"How did you get up the ladder?"

He chuckled and then grimaced. "Very slowly."

She sat up and puffed out air in a sigh. "I need to think a minute," she said.

"I'm not going anywhere."

"It would be a lot easier for me to take care of you if you weren't up here, you know."

"I don't expect you to take care of me. I didn't intend for you to find me."

"Well, blood drops on the floor of my barn made me curious. So, have you been sleeping up here all along? It's been pretty cold at night."

"I stayed warm enough. And when it got too cold, I moved in with Demi. He was the quietest of the lot."

"So that's why my horses liked you so much. You've been around them for a while."

He tried to smile. "They've gotten to know me."

"And that's why Obiwan knows you and that's why my stock of hay downstairs has been kept in such good shape."

"Yes."

"Well, at least that little mystery is solved. But, you won't tell me what happened to you last night?"

"I got beat up?" he said, looking up at her.

"Alright. I deserved that. But you won't tell me who did it or why?"

"I can't."

"Do you want to stay up here or would you be able to come over to my apartment to get cleaned up and let me get those cuts cleaned out?"

He tried to lift himself to a sitting position and after some struggle managed to pull himself erect.

"If I don't come to your apartment, you're going to keep coming up that ladder to take care of me, aren't you."

“Yes," Polly acknowledged.

"Will you go away and let me come down by myself in my own time?" he asked.

"Can't I please get you some help?"

"I'm not going to negotiate that ladder with you watching me."

"Then, I'll go outside and make sure the horses have hay and do a quick cleanup of their stalls."

"If I'm not down by the time you're finished, don't panic, alright?"

"It's not alright. I'm going to give you half an hour. If you aren't out of here and down that ladder by then, I'm calling for help. So, you figure it out or let me, got it?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you get a little bossy?" he laughed, then grimaced again.

"Not lately, but I'll let it go since you're not yourself."

Polly crawled back across the bales to an aisle and stood up. "Half hour, no more."

She went down the ladder and wondered how in the world he would get himself down, but set it aside and dragged a bale of hay outside. The four horses were waiting for her to get there and Nan nudged her.

"I know, I know. Everything is in an uproar. I'm going to fix it. I promise," Polly said as she broke the bale up.

She grabbed the muck rake and wheelbarrow and quickly picked up the big chunks from the stalls and scattered enough hay to keep them quiet, then went outside and dialed Henry.

"Good morning," he said.

"You know. I never know who to call when I need help, but your phone number keeps coming to the top of my list," Polly replied.

"Not even a Hello or a Hi there, hotstuff?" he asked.

She giggled. "Hi there, hotstuff. Did you sleep well?"

"That's better. I certainly did sleep well. I had a cute girl ask me about children yesterday. I think there might be something to our relationship after all."

Polly laughed until she snorted, then sighed. "I have another problem and I need your help with this one."

"Well, if you had found another body, I am confident you would call Sheriff Merritt, so did you break something?"

"I found a live body. Does that count?"

"You what?" Henry sounded a little exasperated.

"Eliseo Aquila has been beaten up and he's been living in the hayloft of my barn," she said. "He won't let me call the EMTs and he won't tell me what's going on and he won't let me help him down, but he will let me clean him up once he is down. I think I need you. Do you have time this morning?"

"Of course I have time. I'll call Sam and let him know where I am. They can work on the cabinets for the studio without me. What are you going to do with him?"

"I figure the first thing I'm going to do is get him up to my apartment and clean the blood off him, get him in some warm clothes and deal with his cuts and scrapes. Then I'll feed him and make sure nothing is broken or needs serious mending."

Henry chuckled. "You get quite the assortment of people and animals at Sycamore House, don't you! However, I'm not sure I'm comfortable with you playing nursemaid to this guy."

"Do you have a better idea?" Polly asked.

"Not really. But, I will be there to keep an eye on things. If you haven't seen my naked body, I'm not ready for you to see his."

She giggled again, "You are strange and twisted. I'll see you in a bit?"

"I'll be there."

She turned around to see Eliseo limping down the alley of the barn toward her, so she ran to him. He was carrying a backpack and she took it from him, shrugging it onto her shoulder, then slipped her arm around him, offering support. She glanced back at the horses as they walked toward Sycamore House and whistled for Obiwan. He met them at the gate and followed them to the side door, waiting patiently while she opened it, then walked beside her as they went inside.

"Are you going to be alright going up these steps?" Polly asked.

Eliseo sighed. "Can I sit here for a minute?" gesturing at a bench.

"Of course!"

Jeff walked in the front door and saw the two of them as Eliseo was lowering himself to the bench.

"What in the hell?" he asked, rushing over to Polly.

She shrugged and nodded at Eliseo, who looked up and said, "I'm sorry, boss. I'm not going to be any good today."

"What happened to you? Polly, what happened to him?"

"He got beat up, isn't it obvious?" she asked, gritting her teeth and smiling at Eliseo. "That's all he will tell me."

"You have to tell us more than that. Who did this to you?" Jeff demanded.

"I can't tell you that," Eliseo responded.

"You can't or you won't tell us?" Jeff demanded.

"I won't tell you. I don't want there to be any more trouble."

"There can be more trouble than this?" Jeff asked, pointing at Eliseo.

"There probably could be," Eliseo affirmed.

"Have you called the EMTs?" Jeff asked Polly.

"He wouldn't let me, so I'm going to try to get him upstairs and cleaned up. Henry is coming over to help. Can you deal with things down here today?"

"Well, of course I can. Good god, man. You haven't even been here a week and people are beating you up?"

"This has nothing to do with me being here. I promise you that," Eliseo said.

"Well, fine, then. Do you want some help getting up the steps?"

Polly looked up as she heard the front door open and felt relief when she saw that it was Henry.

He took in the situation immediately and joined them, saying, "Just a second. Polly, can I talk to you?"

She looked at him and he said, "Over here?" pointing to the stairway.

"I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere, alright?" she said and followed Henry.

"What is it?"

"You don't want to make him go up those steps if he is going to have to come down again. He can't stay in your apartment."

"I know that, but I haven't been able to come up with a better idea."

"Why doesn't he come to my house? I have plenty of room and he can stay with me until he decides what he wants to do."

"Are you sure? I don't know what's going on or why he was beaten and I don't want you involved if it's going to bring you trouble."

He took her arm, "Do you think I would rather the trouble show up here?”

"I didn't think about that. I wanted to make sure he was cleaned up and safe."

"I love you, Polly, but having him in your apartment isn't a good decision."

"Alright, but I'm coming over to help you get him settled."

"I knew that. Don't you have a friend upstairs you need to deal with, though?"

"Oh, I forgot! She has to be wondering what is going on."

"She really is wondering," came a voice from the stairway. "I knew you'd forgotten me!"

“Uggh!” Polly ran over to her friend. "I'm so sorry! I found Eliseo in the barn and he's been beaten up and I need to take care of him and I left you alone and Henry wants to take him home and you don't know any of these people." She took a breath. "I'm sorry."

Sal smiled and said, "It's okay. Tell me what I can do to help."

At that moment, Sylvie walked in the front door. When she saw Eliseo on the bench, she put her bags down and rushed to him, "What happened to you? You look terrible."

She flashed on her friends, "Why isn't someone helping him? Are you all standing around waiting for him to heal on his own?" Then she saw Sal and said, "Whoops. I'm sorry. I'm Sylvie Donovan. You must be Polly's friend from Boston."

Polly moved over to Sylvie and placed her hand on the woman's shoulder, "He doesn't want a doctor and we're trying to figure out where he'll be the most comfortable. He doesn't need to go up and down the steps and Henry thinks that it would be better if we took Eliseo to his house."

"Well, why are you all still standing here? Let's get moving. He needs to be cleaned up and bandaged. What are you thinking?" demanded Sylvie.

"Whoa!" Jeff exclaimed. He put his hands up in defense and backed up. "We've only been here a couple of minutes. Slow down!"

"Slow down, my ass," Sylvie snapped. "Let's go."

"You," she pointed to Jeff. "Put my bags in the kitchen. There are two deliveries coming in this morning. They know where to put things, please sign for them."

"You," and she looked at Henry. "Go home and get things ready. We'll be there in a few minutes."

"Are you coming with me or not?" she turned on Polly.

Polly darted her eyes back and forth between the men who had just received their marching orders. "With you, I'm guessing?" she asked.

"What about you?" Sylvie looked at Sal.

"Sal, I'll be back,” Polly interrupted. “This is Jeff Lyndsay, my assistant. Why don't the two of you get acquainted? Would you mind taking Obiwan up to the apartment?"

Sal laughed and nodded. "Sure." She turned to Sylvie, "It looks as if I'm staying here."

Henry went outside and Sylvie said, "I'm going to get my car. That way he doesn't have to climb up in either of your big trucks. Stay right here and I'll pull up front."

She left and Eliseo looked at Polly, "She scares me a little. I thought she was such a nice girl!"

"I've never seen her like this," Polly remarked with a chuckle. "I don't think there's a single person among us who isn't a little scared of her right now."

"I'm sorry I've messed up your morning," he said and grimaced as he tried to stand. Jeff came over and put his arm around Eliseo's waist to give him support.

"I'll see you later," Polly said to Sal. "Oh, the dog is going to want to be fed. Just fill his food dish with the dog food in the cabinet beside the refrigerator. There's cat food in there too, if you wouldn't mind putting some in the cat's dishes."

"On it. I can figure that out," Sal replied. "We'll all be fine. And then you have to tell me all about this!"

They got Eliseo loaded into Sylvie's car and drove over to Henry's house. He was waiting in the driveway to help them get inside. Sylvie quickly took over again and began ordering Henry and Polly around as soon as Eliseo was settled on the sofa.

She asked Henry to help her get Eliseo's shirt off and Polly tried not to gasp as she saw the horrible scarring that covered his chest and neck. Whatever had happened to him had been traumatic. Sylvie began to wipe his face, arms and chest, cleaning the blood off as gently as possible. There were more cuts than Polly could count and when Sylvie pressed on his side, he winced, in obvious pain.

"It doesn't feel broken," she said, "but I'm sure you have some bruised ribs in there. You're going to have to be careful for a while. I wish you'd let us take you to the doctor's office. Then we'd know for sure."

Henry had brought bandages and antiseptic cream and set them down on the coffee table beside Sylvie.

"You're good at this, Sylvie," Polly said.

"I've got two boys and there was a time in my life when I planned to be a nurse," she responded without looking up. "I had taken two terms and then had to stop when Jason was born."

"Okay, didn't know that about you."

"It was a long time ago, before ..." her voice trailed off and she didn't say any more.

"I'm going to need to get going, Polly," Henry said.

"Oh, umm. Alright," she responded. "What do you want us to do here?"

"Make sure he has everything he needs. There are more pillows and blankets in the closet at the top of the stairs, the bathroom is through there," he pointed to the hallway leading to the dining room and kitchen area, "and he can have anything he wants out of the fridge."

Polly walked outside with Henry. "Are you sure about this?"

"He'll be fine here. At least he won't be at your place. I can keep an eye on him after work and make sure that he's still alive."

"I hate to put you out like this."

"Oh, stop it. It's no big deal. When the whole world intrudes on you, I think I can handle one person for a couple of nights."

"Thank you," she said. "By the way, if everything returns to normal, are you good to go out with me and Sal tomorrow for dinner? I haven't talked to Mark yet, but I can't imagine he'll say no."

"That sounds great. You know that she has become part of your crazy Sycamore House story now, don't you? She wasn’t even here twenty-four hours and you’ve exposed her to the seedy underbelly of your world."

Polly shook her head. "No one is ever going to believe that I lived a simple, quiet life in Boston."

"We don't believe it. We'll never believe it."

Sylvie stuck her head out the door, "Henry, could you help with one more thing? I want to get his pants off so I can check the cuts on his legs."

"I can do it, Mrs. Donovan," came a loud voice from inside the house.

"I think you've about reduced the poor man to nothing, Sylvie," Henry said. "Let him keep a little dignity."

Sylvie threw her head back and snarled, then went back inside and shut the door.

"I've never seen her like this," Polly said again. "She's frightening!"

"You never know what will trigger a woman's insanity, do you. Oh, wait. I know exactly what triggers yours and I do my best every day not to walk into that again."

Polly pushed his shoulder. "You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"Probably not, I have a long memory."

"Well, let's hope that long memory extends to your own behavior."

"Oh, it will. Of that I'm sure. And if I choose to make that trek into darkness again, I'll be fully prepared and make sure I've put my armor on, or at least have a quick escape planned."

Henry had made the mistake of telling Polly what to do in regards to an old boyfriend a couple of times and both of those instances had brought down her wrath on his head, once quite publicly. Both of them had apologized, but neither of them had forgotten.

"You'd better go. As soon as I can drag Sylvie away from Eliseo, I'll be back."

Henry leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Do you know what happened to him?"

"I don't. I hope he'll tell me pretty soon. I'd hate to think that he's prone to fighting. It doesn't seem like him, but I guess you never know."

Henry left and Polly went back inside. Eliseo had fallen asleep and Sylvie was nowhere to be found. Polly looked around and pretty soon, she heard footsteps coming down from upstairs. Sylvie was carrying another pillow, but put her finger to her lips and beckoned Polly to the kitchen.

She'd never been this far into Henry's house and wondered if he had decorated it or if this was left over from his mother. The dining room had a long trestle table with benches on either side. The windows were covered with plain white sheers. A blue and gold swag looped over the curtain rod. The kitchen was a beautiful room with hardwood floors and what Polly now recognized as knotty pine cabinets. There was a small primitive table placed up against the back wall with three chairs around it. The morning's newspaper was still open, but the dishes had been taken to the sink.

"He was hurt pretty badly, Polly. Do you know what happened to him?"

"He won't tell me, Sylvie. Did he say anything to you?"

"No," she shook her head. "He smiled a lot and let me bandage him up. I suppose he had to get used to that when he was in the hospital. Did you see all of that scarring?"

"I can't even imagine the pain that goes along with that," Polly replied.

"I can't believe he does so well!"

"I know. Can you leave him?"

"He'll be fine for now and I'll check on him today. I'm going to put a bottle of water out there and then bring lunch later on."

"We should head back to Sycamore House then, and let him sleep."

They went into the living room and Sylvie sat down on the coffee table in front of Eliseo. She touched his arm and quietly said, "Eliseo?"

"I'm sorry. I fell asleep," he said.

"No, you're fine. Here's a bottle of water and an extra pillow. I'm going to take Polly back to Sycamore House and then I'll bring you some lunch. Go ahead and sleep now. You're safe here."

"Thank you," he said. He lifted his hand and Polly could see the pain in his eyes as he did so, but put it across Sylvie's and then shut his eyes and drifted back to sleep.

Once they got in the car, Polly turned on Sylvie, "Who in the world are you?"

"What do you mean?" Sylvie asked.

"I mean, who are you? A wild and insane woman showed up at my house this morning and I've never seen her before!"

Sylvie laughed. "Oh. Her. She doesn't show up very often, but no one was doing anything and he was in obvious pain. I might have overdone it, though. Am I going to have to apologize to Jeff?"

"I think maybe you might!" Polly laughed. "He was a little shocked. We all were! Do you get like that very often?"

"It doesn't happen very often. I try to keep her in check, because she can get unruly."

"Unruly doesn't describe what I saw this morning. When was the last time you let her loose?"

“It’s been a couple of years. Andrew broke his leg on the playground one summer when he was six. Some lady called me, but when I got there, she was the only adult around and she was standing there gawking at him, waiting for me to show up to make a decision. She'd done nothing to help or comfort him. She hadn't touched him or even gotten close to him. She hadn't even called 9-1-1. She asked his brother for my phone number and called me. Andrew was crying and scared and she stood there. Poor Jason was holding Andrew's hand, but he was only nine and expected the adult to handle it. I probably went a little crazy that day, too."

"That’s odd. If she was a mom, she should have done something."

"You'd think so, wouldn't you! But, I think she had her own set of problems. I'm not even sure if those kids were hers."

"What?"

"They weren't in town very long, and my boys said something about her marrying this guy and not wanting his kids around. He only had partial custody, so I'm hoping their real mom took better care of them than that woman did."

"What did you say to her?"

"When I saw Andrew's leg, I called 9-1-1 myself, sent Jason to the car for our blanket and once he was gone, I stood up, got in her face and screamed at her for being a self-centered, low-life bitch and told her that she didn't have a right to even be around children if she couldn't provide some semblance of comfort to a scared, little boy. Then I told her that if I ever saw her on the playground again, I was calling the police because there was more than likely a good case for neglect."

"What did she do?"

"She ran to her car and drove away without her kids. They were running after her and she had to stop and wait for them to catch up. Stupid bitch."

"Wow! Well, all I know is that if I ever hurt myself badly, I want you around to command the troops."