Bouquet of Lies Part 37

"Are you sure? Because if you can't, you have to tell me now. We'll get you some help. We'll make you stronger. I'll find a way to keep Lacey away from you. I won't let her visit you in the hospital."

Darla's nerves fired at the word hospital. Why did he keep mentioning that?

"I can shoot."

"Your sister. You can shoot Lacey?"

"I can shoot Lacey. I don't want to go to the hospital."

He seemed satisfied. "That's what I needed to hear. Because I can't be with you every second. Do you want to move into your father's room? It is the nicest."

Darla shook her head, but he wasn't looking at her now. He'd disappeared into the hall.

Darla heard a motorcycle roar into the motor court. She looked out the window and saw Jake dismount from his bike. She watched him glance up at her window and then say h.e.l.lo to Henry who was just leaving in a car she didn't know. Oh, yeah. Daddy left him some money. He bought a new car of his own. She watched Jake run up the stairs.

She collapsed on her bed. She didn't sleep. She didn't even think much. Her mind was mud. She heard Randy come down the hall, peek in on her and go on. Oh, right. He wanted her father's room. After a while he appeared in the doorway again. "Did you call your sister and tell her you'd be back early?"

Darla left her head on the pillow and rocked it from side to side.

"Did you call your reverend? Has she called you?"

Her eyes went to his. The Reverend Irene? She shook her head again.

"Hmm." He looked at the floor then disappeared.

When Lacey entered through the back door of the mansion she found Randy sitting at the kitchen table eating alone.

Her heart jumped. It was like seeing a giant poisonous spider in the middle of the room and being unable to exterminate.

She took a deep breath. "You're back?" She feigned surprise and sat down across from him.

"Your sister wasn't feeling well."

"Oh? Something she ate? Or something she married?"

He gave Lacey a dirty look. Now that he was officially a member of the family, he wasn't maintaining his game face.

"She has bouts of agoraphobia. You did realize that when you asked her to be your wife?"

"I love your sister."

Words like honey, thought Lacey. So easily dripped. "Well, I have some news that may help her." She maintained a smile.

"What news would that be?" He smiled back, game face reapplied.

"I think I should tell her first."

"She's sleeping. And from now on, whatever you have to say to Darla, you say to me before you say it to her." He took a nonchalant bite of his sandwich.

She gave him her best look of confusion. "Really? Because the last time I looked the Taliban hadn't made you king of this household."

"You always were full of the quip."

"And you, evidently, were always full of s.h.i.+t."

"I mean it."

"Let's just say, request denied. That's not going to happen. But, just this once, since she is asleep and you'll find out soon enough, I'll tell you. Our mother is alive."

Randy guffawed. "Really?"

"The police picked up a woman who says she's Crystal Bouquet."

Randy looked confused. "That can't be right."

"Aren't you the one who all along told Darla you believed?"

"That was for her."

"Well, this is for her too. And it's the truth. Check with the police if you like." Lacey got up from the table and headed for Darla's room. She paused at the door. "Aren't you coming?"

"I told you. She's asleep. I had to give her a sedative."

Nerves soured Lacey's stomach. He'd given her a sedative. He was in such a position of power. He could give Darla anything he wanted and she couldn't stop him. She turned her back and as she walked toward the stairs she heard Randy go out the back door.

She rushed to Darla's room and from the window saw Jake cleaning his bike. Randy exchanged words with him, then hopped into his car and sped off.

Lacey looked at her sister and sat down on the bed.

"Darla?"

She didn't stir.

Lacey squeezed her eyes shut. "Oh, baby." She sighed before she scooped her into her arms and scooted against the headboard. She kissed the top of Darla's head. "I love you so much. How did Randy ever get you to stop believing that?" She kissed her again. "This is a nightmare. One big freakin' scream fest and I can't magically shake us awake."

She stroked Darla's hair and was quiet for a moment.

"Wake up, baby. Wake up. I need to talk to you."

Darla didn't stir.

"You were right from the very start. Mom's alive. You saw her and you weren't afraid to say so, but I was. See. You're the brave one." She hugged her tighter. "I should have backed you up. If I had, things would be different. But I didn't and everything's all screwed up."

Lacey's eyes threatened tears. She wiped them. "You're stuck with me. No matter who's been saying what, I love you. We're in this together. We're sisters." Lacey smiled. "Actually, more than sisters. But I won't go into that."

She began to rock back and forth. "I know you're asleep, but can you hear me, Darla? Remember when we made up our own song for when Edward was mean to us? For when we were upset?"

Lacey began to sing. "Twinkle, twinkle, little star. Here is Lacey, here is Dar." She pressed her cheek against Darla's head. "Darla didn't rhyme with star." She allowed a sigh and sang again. "Up above the world so high. Watching children from the sky. Twinkle, twinkle, little star. Here we are. Here we are."

Lacey adjusted Darla so she could speak directly into her ear. "I don't want you to worry. I know you have to do what Randy tells you and this time it's all right. Do you hear me?"

She hugged her, kissed her, and then got up from the bed. She stared at her sister lying placidly on the mattress. "Darla . . ."

No. There was no explaining now. No relying on the subconscious. She had to make things clear when Darla was awake. She had to hope Darla would be lucid enough and give her the time.

Meanwhile she needed to prepare. She didn't know for certain when Randy would strike. Logically, it seemed it would be soon. With his accomplice out of the picture and Darla under his spell, he didn't have a reason to wait. But just to make sure, she'd give him a nudge. He was so arrogant, it would never occur to him that she was on to him, but if he thought that she was, or he thought she was going to make trouble, he'd get moving. He'd knock her off as quickly as he could.

First she would set up. Then she would call him.

She eyed the room. It was orderly. Darla kept her paints and drawing materials in the closet. She located the case used for watercolors and sorted through the tubes of Winsor Newton pigments until she found what she wanted. She took a tube of Cadmium Red into the bathroom, grabbed a washcloth and set both on the sink.

She returned to the bedroom, to the gun in the drawer. She checked for bullets inside. Still loaded . . .

Lacey hurried downstairs. Everything was in order. At least as much as it could be. She still had to get through to Darla, but Darla was still asleep.

She looked at the plate Randy had left on the table, put it in the sink, and then heard Kitty mew outside. She opened the door and hurriedly scooped up the cat.

"Did you come to steady me?"

She sat in a chair, placed the cat in her lap, and stroked it. Adrenaline pulsed through her veins, and she felt her heart beating too fast. This might be as calm as she was going to be. Time to set the ball in motion.

She took out her cell phone and called Randy. He answered.

"She's still asleep!" Lacey complained. "What kind of drug did you give her?"

"She's fine."

"I tried to wake her."

"Why? She needs her rest."

"Where are you, anyway?"

"None of your business."

She could tell he was in his car.

"I bet I know."

"What?"

"You think you're so smart. You think I haven't been paying attention to what you do?"

He laughed. "If your life is so boring that you need to focus on mine, go right ahead." He didn't sound spooked. "Look, I have to go."

"I found something," she blurted out.

"What are you talking about?"

"I found something."

"You found what?"

"We'll talk about it."

There was a pause.

"Just tell me what it is," Randy said.

"No. When you get back. When Darla's awake."

"She won't be awake for at least another hour. Maybe two."

"Fine. I have some errands to run. When should I expect you?" Lacey rubbed Kitty's ear.

"I have something I have to take care of and then I'll be there."

"When?"

"I don't know."

"Darla's Reverend Irene called," Lacey said, giving her nudge a jab.

"She did?"

Lacey could tell she'd thrown him for a loop.

"Darla was asleep, so I talked to her."

"Why?"

"She seems to know you."

"Now I know you're lying. Or you're imagining things."

"No. She knows you. She said as much."

There was an icy silence before Randy spoke again. "I doubt that. I've never met the woman."

"She has visions."

"Right. Then there's your explanation."

"What do you think of the Reverend? You think she's a charlatan?"

"Yes. I do."

"She said she talked to you."