Page 48 of Wounded Hearts

Feb 28th

I met Rose for coffee today and we got to talking. She lost a baby and shared how heartbroken she’d been. I told her about my life. It feels good to have a friend to talk to.

March 19th

Marcus found out about my coffee mornings and has banned me from attending or having any more contact with Rose. I was angry and we fought. Then we made love and he was sweet and kind.

April 16th

Marcus says he’s considering having us move in with him. I’m so happy. I’ve waited for so long for this.

“Drew,I’m popping to the bathroom.”

Drew nodded letting Mara know he’d heard her and carried on reading.

April 23rd

Rose rang me and said she wants to meet, and she wants to tell me something, but it can’t be over the phone. I said it would be difficult, but she kept insisting. I agreed to meet her next week.

May 1st

Marcus came over tonight and had dinner with Drew and me. He showed a real interest in our son. I feel it’s finally happening. He wants us to move in with him. Marcus is taking me out later tonight to see a property he thinks I’ll like.

Drew rubbedhis face as he considered what he’d read. The last entry was the night she died. But what he couldn’t put his finger on was the timeline. His mother was killed in a car accident, but she’d been driving. Nobody else had been in the car with her. So, when had she gone out with Marcus?

A tendril of memory played at the edges of his mind but wouldn’t come to the front, instead, of teasing him with knowledge that was important but out of reach. And who was Rose and this mysterious book club? He’d never heard his mother mention her name, or the fact that she went to a book club.

Lifting his head and glancing around he noticed Mara still wasn’t back and an ice-cold hand of fear grasped at his throat at the utter silence in the house. He hadn’t heard a toilet flush or a door open. Standing, he took his gun from his holster and moved to the door.

“Mara,” he called as he edged onto the landing and got nothing back but air.

He quickly moved through the upstairs room finding them empty before he moved to the top of the stairs and looked down. His heart thudded to a stop in his chest as he saw the telephone that hadn’t been there last time he and Jace had been here, its red light flashing. Descending the stairs, he silently cleared the rooms and stopped in front of the phone.

Pressing the button, he felt more afraid than he’d ever been in his life as he heard Rhea Winslow’s voice. “Drew, my sweet nephew. Mara is back where she belongs. She’ll remain healthy and safe if you do as I ask. Go to the café where Rose met Clarissa at their book club. There you’ll not only get your next instructions, but the real answers to your mother’s death. Don’t bother involving Fortis if you want to see Mara alive again.”

The phone bleeped out and went silent. Drew stood stone still as he tried to assess his options. His skin felt too hot, anger and fear battling it out inside him for space. If he did as Rhea said, the chances were they’d both end up dead. She’d have more men than he could defend against, but if he told Fortis and they were watching him, Rhea wouldn’t think twice about killing the woman he loved.

There weren’t any good options open to him, and someone could be watching him this very second. Carefully, he looked around and didn’t notice any obvious cameras. Deciding there was really only one option, he quickly walked through the house, turning over every piece of furniture looking for cameras and mics. He found none but that only meant he was unwatched inside this house, not outside it. Taking the only option he had, he dialled Jace.

“Hi, Drew.”

“Jace, I need you to read my mind.”

“Ha, yeah, nice try, man. I ain’t falling for that again.”

“Please, Jace, just do it.”

Jace must have heard the urgency in his tone because he went silent and Drew concentrated his mind on the events of the last few minutes.

Drew heard Jace draw in a breath. “Hold tight, brother. I’ll have a plan in action shortly. Keep your phone clear and do not move or be tempted to do what that witch wants.”

“Thanks, Jace.” Drew felt the breath he’d been holding release, and the tight pain in his chest loosened with the knowledge his friends would help him get Mara back. Taking down that bitch would be a bonus.