Passions of Chelsea Kane Part 18

"When's supper?"

"When's Mommy coming back?" "Has anyone heard from her?" Chelsea asked.

"He's in surgery. They're trying to fix the leg."

"Ahh. Good." Trying to fix the leg was a sight better than cutting it off. "Maryjo didn't know when she'd be back. I'm taking the girls to my house for dinner and the night . The twins liked that idea. "I need my blankie," one said, and disappeared in a flash. The other was fast on her heels, shrieking, "Grover!"

"Need anything, Caro?" Glady asked.

Chelsea suddenly found the older girl standing closer to her. "Can I stay here a little longer?" she asked timidly. "It'll be easier for Mommy if things are clean." Chelsea immediately picked up on her offer, saying to Glady, "She's been showing me where things go. We'll just be a few minutes more. I'll walk her over when we're done." Glady looked none too sure that that was the bestidea. "It isn't far," Caroline said, still timidly but making her wishes known nonetheless. After another minute Glady shrugged. "Guess there's no harm. Don't be long. We're having pizza." 384 The Pa.s.sions of Chelwa AMC ing for the twins, she turned and left. While Caroline put away the remaining groceries, Chelsea finished slicing the strawberries. In time Caroline reached for a pumpkin cookie and took a small bite. In nearly as small a voice, she asked, "Are you really having a baby?"

"Uh-huh."

"In January?"

"Round or about [email protected] Caroline took another nibble of the cookie. Then she looked up and said with unexpected poise, "Don't listen to Glady. She's wrong about January. I was born in January. It isn't a bad month at all." Chelsea smiled at the child's sweetness. She touched her long dark hair, then gave her a hug. Had it not been for the dinner she still wanted to make, she would have taken the girl home with her. But Judd was waiting.

He didn't know it. But he was. Chelsea made stir-fry chicken with rice, which was the best she could do in the least amount of V"-Jime. She cooked for four-Judd, Leo, Sarah, who ,.",',had taken over for Gretchen, and her. She could see "Ahat Judd was in pain. His skin was pasty, and he moved stiffly. He had barely finished half of what was on his plate when he mumbled, "Gotta lie down," excused himself from the table, and left the room. Chelsea started after him, but Sarah caught her arm. "Let him be for a bit. It's hard for him to feel weak when someone's around to watch." A door clicked shut. "He's in the bathroom. He'll be fine.-Chelsea wasn't so sure, but she sat back at the 385 Barbara Deunshy table. Like Gretchen, Sarah was closer in age to Leo than to Judd, which meant that she had probably known Judd most of his life. She was right about strong men having trouble feeling weak. Judd would be that way.

"He's a good man," Sarah said. "I know."

"That his baby?" Chelsea looked at Leo, but he was playing with Buck's whiskers. "No. It's not."

"Do you wish it was?" Sarah asked. For a minute Chelsea felt a swelling in her throat. She forced a breath through and shot a helpless look at the ceiling. Judd's baby. Oh, yes. The thought of it was new, but not at all bothersome. There shouldn't be any reason why she would want Judd's baby. But the thought of it, oh, yes, the thought lingered. "It might have been nice," she whispered, and lowered her head. "You love him?"

Love him? She barely knew him. But there was the thing about wanting to be near him all the time, feeling safe with him, desiring him. Love him?

"I don't know."

"He needs a special kind of woman, Judd does," Sarah said in a soft, gentle way that wasn't offensive. It occurred to Chelsea that Sarah was that kind of woman, just as Gretchen had been. She should have known Judd would hire only the kindest for Leo. "He needs a woman who'll give him lots and lots of love. It doesn't matter where it is-here or somewhere else-but he needs someone to be with him and only with him."

"My Emma is special," Leo said, looking up with a 386 The Pagslem of caelmo jlmw I smile. "Will she be here soon?" S 040 n, dear," Sarah said. "Aht but look, here's re chicken. Such tasty chicken." She speared a ece with Leo's fork, handed it to him, then ched to make sure that he remembered to put it k7, his mouth, chew, and -swallow. Chelsea tried to imagine Kevin being reduced to uch 0 a state. It would devastate her to see him s Alsabled. She could imagine what Judd felt. A sound came from the hall. She looked at Sarah u t oningly. he shower," Sarah said with caution. hen Chelsea left the table this time, Sarah Idn't stop her. "Judd?" she called from outside the ,. She knocked on the door. "Judd. " She tried the handle, but the door was locked. She knocked again. Either he didn't hear or he wasn't answering. She jiggled the doork.n.o.b. "Judd!" In the end, she had to wait, leaning against the wall outside the bathroom, wondering whether he was alive and standing or had sunk to the floor and drowned, until the water went off. Then she pounded on the door with a fist.

"Open up, Judd!" He opened the door just enough to say, "What's the problem?" But his voice was as pale as his face. She slipped inside.

"You weren't supposed to get that shoulder wet."

"I didn't." She checked. the bandages. They seemed all right. He must have covered them somehow. The rest of him was dripping wet. "There're clean sweatpants in the second drawer in the dresser. Get them?" She wanted to help dry him off but, with Sarah's advice fresh in her mind, opted for the sweatpants. It 387 Defingby only took her a minute. By the time she returned, Judd had done a cursory job drying himself. He was leaning against the sink, holding the towel closed at his waist. She knelt down and held the sweatpants ready for the first foot. "I can do that," he said. "Indulge me."

"Chelsea."

"Come on, Judd. I've seen it before.

You're only wasting time." He resisted for another minute, at which point she a.s.sumed his strength waned. She had the sweatpants over his legs and hips in no time, but when she thought for sure that he would stumble back to bed, he continued to stand there, braced against the sink. Show me your stomach," he said quietly. Her pulse skittered. "I did before." He shook his head. She swallowed. "You ought to be-lying down."

"Show me." The door was right behind her. She could have turned and left. But she didn't. Instead she smoothed the sweater over her stomach. "Lift it," he said. She lifted it to a point just beneath her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

"I want to see skin." Her pulse flipped, then raced on.

Unsteadily she slipped the stretch denims down until the softly rounded belly was revealed. He stared at it for the longest time, just stared, then, before Chelsea could stop him, put his hand there. He moved it lightly over the mound. Her breath came faster in an effort to release the heat that was gathering inside. 388 Me Pa.s.sions Of Chelaw KMW e turned his hand over and ran the back of it er her skin. "Jesus," he whispered, and covered r once more with his palm. She wanted more, so much more, the ache inside intense. She wanted him to touch her with hands. She wanted to move closer to him, @,,:wanted him to wrap her in his arms and hold her tight. She'd been dying for that. She hadn't realized much until now. Unable to bear not having it all, she grabbed his band and held it still. "Don't."

"Don't what?" His voice was hoa.r.s.e.

"Tease me."

"You're the one who's the tease," he said. Tugging his hand free, he moved past her out of the bathroom. It was a minute before she'd recovered her wits enough to straighten her things and follow him, but the wits scattered again the instant she saw him sprawled on the bed. His hair was damp and disheveled, his chest bare and damp as well, his hips and legs lean, his s.e.x p.r.o.nounced. It was all she could do not to touch it or him. "How am I a tease?" she asked, stowing her hands under her arms for safekeeping. "You were the one who said you wanted to see the baby." He remained still. "Tell me, Judd." But he wouldn't.

After the longest time, she retreated to the chair. Gradually the-p.r.o.nounced state of his s.e.x grew less so. "Go home," he finally murmured, sounding groggy- "Later."

"You need sleep." 389 Barbwa Demmsky "Later." She didn't hear from him again. He fell into a light sleep that deepened progressively. When she finally drew the quilt over him, he was dead to the world, By then Sarah had cleaned up the kit4zhen and seen that Leo was bathed and in pajamas, and [email protected] sitting with him in front of the large televis "Dn set in the living room. Chelsea stopped only Ionr enotgh to say a soft good-bye to each of them and to Bljck, before climbing into the Pathfinder and heading home. The instant she turned onto the Bou'llerbrook road, she knew that something was wrolqg.

Even with every window rolled up, she could stnell the smoke, and it wasn't the kind of smell that ' 50 frequently from chimneys now that fall had come- it was the more ominous smell of somethirig lairge aflame. Heart in her throat, she drove on. Boul(lerbrook was made largely of stone, but there was Dlenty to burn. There was the roof. And there were the insides that she had had so painstakingly redone. The trees broke to reveal the farmhouse. Smore wafted all around it, but the glow of the flar4es caftie from safely beyond, where the old barn that had stood unused was in its last stages Of fight before moaning mightily and toppling to the gro4nd jo a hail of sparks. 390 UDD FELT AS THOUGH HIS SHOULDER HAD BEEN over by a truck, but that didn't keep him from ng Oliver to the barber shop the next morning, r did it keep him silent while the selectmen of o *ch Notch nonchalantly discussed the demise f Chelsea's barn. He was angry and was feeling kless enough to let them know it. He waited until the first of the three was on Zee's air, until the other two had poured themselves ffee and taken up proprietary positions at the ndow overlooking the green, until the cymbalists clicked out of their houses on either side of the ock, clapped their cymbals three times, and icked back inside. Then he spoke. "Something's not right in this town. I want to Ow what it is." The two at the window-Oliver and Georgeooked at him in surprise, then at each other.

"What's he doin' here?" George asked. "He's with me," Oliver muttered, "only he's not upposed to speak." "It's about time someone did," Judd said. Bwtwm Lkabighy "Chelsea Kane came here in good faith. She made a legal arrangement, and she's keeping her end of the deal. But someone's trying to either knock her off or scare her away. I want to know who." "He's talkin' about the fire," George mused. Oliver snorted. "Don't know nothin' about the fire."

"Then what about the truck that nearly drove her down?" Judd asked, directing himself to George and Emery since he'd already been through it with Oliver. "Or the phone calls she gets? Any of you know anything about those?"

"How in the devil would we know?"

Emery barked from the chair. "You all want her gone. Maybe you're giving her a push." "You accusing us?" George asked. Judd was ripe for the challenge. "If the shoe fits .. George snorted. To Oliver, out of the corner of his mouth, he said, "He's sweet on her. Didn't I say so?" To Judd he said, "That your baby she's got?"

"Not mine. But it's someone's.

And I don't want it hurt."

"How do you know it ain't yours?" Emery called. "Because she conceived before she ever moved here."

"How do you know that?"

"Because she's five months pregnant."

"How do you know that?" "Because the said so."

"You'd take her word on it?" "d.a.m.n right," Judd said. "Her word hasn't proven wrong yet. What she says, she does."

She didn't necessarily tell the whole truth. More than anyone else, Judd knew that. But she didn't lie, no, she didn't lie. 392 MW Fa.s.siom Of cher "M on her, I tell you," George muttered again. ly sore it ain't his kid." d ran a hand over the back of his neck. His les hurt, no doubt because of the mess he'd of his shoulder, and the morning's tension help. Probably sore it ain't his kid. d.a.m.n right which was the last thought he'd had falling the night before and the first thought he'd 7-waking up this morning, but he sure as h.e.l.l I going to tell it to George. he said wearily, "you three pride yourves on running this town.

Well, you're doin' a y job if you can't find out who's trying to hurt and get it stopped."

"That's Nolan's job," Emery called. And indeed it was, but only to an extent. "You're 7the selectmen. You make the rules.

You can rule -that she isn't to be hurt." Oliver stared broodingly out at the green. "I told her not to buy that place. I told her it was haunted." "You also told her it ought to be burned to the ground," Judd reminded him. "You sayin'I did it?"

"I'm sayin' maybe you know who did."

"You want to know who did," George put in, "go ask Hunter Love. He knows all about setting fires." Judd wasn't dumb. He'd checked Hunter out first thing that morning after Gretchen had come with the news. "Hunter was at the hospital in Concord until Wendell got out of surgery last night." "Says who?" asked George. "Says Hunter."

"And you believe him?

Fact is he's been causing trouble since the day they found him wanderin' down that road. They shoulda let him wander right on past Norwich Notch and take his trouble somewhere else, and they would have, but for Oliver and Katie Love."

"Shut up, George."

"Well, h.e.l.l, Ollie," George whined, "everybody knows."

"Shut up."

"All that's neither here nor there," Emery shouted from the barber's chair. "The problem isn't Katie Love and her boy. The problem's Chelsea Kane. She shouldn'ta come here. We been sayin' that all along. She shouldn'ta come." Judd's patience was wearing thin. "But she's saving the G.o.dd.a.m.ned town!"

"She ain't savin' the town," George argued. "Town's solid as a rock.

Always has been, always will be."

"You keep on believing that," Judd said, "and you'll go right down with the rest if anything happens to Chelsea Kane." He made for the door. "And that's a promise."

"That's it," Matthew Farr told Donna the instant the store cleared of customers. He slammed the cash drawer shut hard. "I don't want you seeing her again." Donna frowned in the direction of the woman who had just left, but Matthew gripped her chin and brought her face around fast. "Not Mary Lee. Chelsea Kane. There hasn't been one person in here this Morning hasn't been commenting on her. Fire in the barn? Who cares about a fire in the barn. Did you know she was pregnant?" Donna contemplated lying, but something inside 394 The Pa.s.sions of chels" Kam n't let her. Chelsea had been kind to her from @,'start. They were good friends now. She owed something more than cowering before Matthew. ou did," Matthew sneered. "b.i.t.c.h." He tossed face away. "She rubbed her chin, careful to keep an eye on *Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, and thumbed chest. "I had a right to know. She waltzes around store and spends time with my wife and no one lis e she's pregnant? They say it isn't even s." e spat. "Tramp. The first time I laid eyes her, I ew she was on the make. I could smell it, .1 tell you.

But I wasn't failing for that. Not me. I ,:,wasn't being fooled by those innocent eyes. You? "You were taken right in. She knew a sucker when -she saw one She got you out introducing her to your aerobics cla.s.s, then running with her, and you fled. Stick around with her, and it'll hap- ,.nearly got ki ..pen again. That woman is a menace. I don't want you seeing her again." Donna had every intention of seeing Chelsea again. In fact, she was waiting for her coffee break to run over and make sure Chelsea was all right. The fire at the barn must have frightened her, and that on top of the accident at Kankamaug. Donna had been hoping Chelsea would spend the night at Judd's. It would have been good for her. "Do you hear me, Donna?" Matthew said, exaggerating the movement of his mouth enough to make it Ier from le owed atthew._ an insult. "I don't want you seeing her again."

"She's my friend."

"Speak so I can understand you!"

"She's-my-friend."

"She's a disgrace to this town. Nothing's been the 395 Abwtwm Deunsky same since she arrived. And now this. Pregnant. She's not even married, for G.o.d's sake."

"So what?"

Donna cried, then reeled when he slapped her across the face. She caught herself on the edge of the counter, regained her balance, and steeled herself to face him. But he was suddenly looking off toward the door, wearing a totally charming smile. "Morning, Ruth. You're looking well today." Pus.h.i.+ng Donna aside, he strode forward. Donna flattened her hands on her skirt, straightened her back, and took a deep breath, but no amount of outward composure could ease the turmoil she felt. She didn't know why he had to hit her. He was hurtful enough without that.

She didn't know why she couldn't bring charges against him. She didn't know why she couldn't divorce him. Jos.h.i.+e knew things weren't right. So did half the town. So what if they talked? So what if her parents were mortified? So what if Matthew spread cruel stories? Desperate to be out of his sight if only for a minute or two, she ran back through the aisles and slipped into the back office. There, without conscious intent she found herself opening the bottom drawer of the desk, removing a small revolver, and gathering it to her chest. She could say it was an accident, that Matthew had been showing her how to use the gun and it had gone off and killed him. She could say that she had mistaken him for a thief. She could even say it was self-defense, since both Nolan and Neil Summers would testify to earlier bruises. It would be an interesting trial. A Farr against a Plum. It would certainly give the people of Norwich Notch something more 396 "M FAM91MM or cbeaftm hik about than Chelsea Kane's being pregnant. felt footsteps and looked up in alarm just as came through the back door. Her face must given away some of her anguish, because he suddenly inside the office and closing the door. "4je touched her cheek. "It's red. He hit you, didn't She wondered what it was about some men that e them sensitive and kind, while others were mean. She wondered why some were honest, while others twisted every word to suit themselves. She wondered why Nolan hadn't come to town just a few ooner, before she'd married Matthew. She years s wondered what it would be like to wake up to a smiling face and a kiss.

"Donna," he said with a look of pleading. He took her face in both hands and held it with care. "Why do you let him do this to you? You don't deserve it." With a whisper touch he kissed her forehead, then the tip of her nose. When he drew back, the look of pleading remained. "You don't have to put up with I've told you that before, and I'm begging you now. We have a.s.sault and battery ten times over. But It wouldn't even have to come to that. If you filed for divorce, just the threat of going public might keep him away." She shook her head in a way that said it might not. "We can get a court order," Nolan argued. "He wouldn't have any choice. He'd have to stay away from you and Jos.h.i.+e then." He looked down at her hands and for the first time saw what they clutched. "Where did you get this?" She shot a look at the drawer. "Good G.o.d, you don't want to use it." He took it 397 from her and was about to pocket it when she clutched his arm. "It's Matthew's? I don't care. There's no need to have it around."

"He'll be angry if it's gone," she said, and prayed she'd said it softly enough so that Matthew wouldn't hear. She looked nervously at the door. Nolan slipped the gun back in the desk and closed the drawer. Then he pulled Donna to him, holding her hands in his, right between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s where the gun had been. "Promise me," he said. "Promise me that you won't ever use that unless he comes at you first. Anything else and you call me. Promise?" She didn't want to promise any such thing. There were times when she was filled with such hatred that the gun seemed the only answer. There were other times when the despair was such that she was almost tempted to turn it on herself.

But there was Jos.h.i.+e. And Nolan. And even Chelsea. Chelsea wouldn't take her life in despair. She would fight. Donna was working on that. She really was. Nolan kissed her. He rubbed his knuckles against the side of her breast in as intimate a touch as he'd ever given her. "I love you," he said. She let out a breath, not knowing whether any sound came out with it and not caring. Leaning against Nolan was wonderful. So was letting him touch her. He made her feel whole and worth having and so very feminine. She loved him, too. He tipped up her chin with an easy finger. When her eyes were focused on his mouth, he said, "Someday you'll be mine. I don't care how long I have to wait. But you'll be mine. I promise you, Donna. You will be." 398 The Paswons of Chasm Kmw wanted to believe him, wanted it so badly. *You will be," he said again as he gently set her [email protected] The words gave her the strength to pull herself together and return to the front of the store. Hunter Love lived on the west side of town, past . hospital, in a neighborhood just shy of Cutters Corner. Chelsea had to pa.s.s by his place on four succes- $Ive nights before she finally saw signs of life there. She pulled into the dirt drive beside the Kawasaki and went to the door. It was a while before he ., and then his expression was guarded. "Hi," she said. "How're you doin'?" He glanced out at the Pathfinder, then scanned .the front yard as though he expected her to have backup along. When he realized she was alone, he grew even more wary. "How come you're here?"

"I want to talk."

"About what?"

"Work, for one thing. You've been great at the quarry since Judd was hurt. Thank you for that."

"He know you're here?"

"Judd? No."

"I thought you were spending all your time over there." She shook her head. "No reason to. He thinks he's all better."

In fact she had stopped by his house each day since the accident.

Sometimes she saw Judd, sometimes she didn't. "The fact is that he can't do what he was doing before. He doesn't have full mobility of the shoulder, and he won't for a while, but G.o.d forbid he should admit it."

She had 399 Barham Definshy spent more than her share of time at the guardrail watching from above while he directed the men. "If he sees something that needs doing, he tries. He hasn't seen much. You've been one step ahead of him. I appreciate that." Hunter looked unimpressed. He sucked in a corner of his mouth and curved his hand around the door. It occurred to her that he might not be alone. She tried to look beyond him, but he was a solid black figure blocking her view. "Is someone here?"

"No."

"Can I come in?"

"That might not be wise."

"Why not?"

"People will see your car here. You've got reputation trouble enough without me." Chelsea didn't give a d.a.m.n about her reputation. The look she gave him told him that, seconds before she stepped past him into his house. "Close the door. It's cold out there."

She heard the door close behind her, but her attention was riveted to what was before her. "Wow," she said, "what a surprise!" From the outside the house looked like every other one on the street, and though, she hadn't seen the insides of the others, she doubted they were like this. What should have been a cl.u.s.ter of postage-stamp rooms was one large, open s.p.a.ce straight to the roof, with a brick fireplace glowing warmly In the center. "Did you do this?" She sensed his handiwork in the finish of the walls, the rafters, the diagonal planks on the floor. "I'm the only one crazy enough to."

"It's not crazy. It's great."

"I didn't do it because it was great. I did it 400 The Pa.s.sions of Cbe&m mme was a ause d and being confined." A can't st es when at him. As hadchappened once I wkeads lboacckked up in tiny spa She loo .before, she was as shocked by what he'd said as by e fact that he'd said it. He opened to her. She dn't know why, any more than she knew why she 71dentified with him. But she did. That was probably [email protected],@,"y she'd come. "I can't stand being touched, either," he warned, %o if you're here because Judd won't have you and need someone, forget it. I'm not interested." She felt a quick anger. "Come off it, Hunter. I'm not here for that, and you know it. If there was a s.e.xual attraction between us, we'd have done something about it long before this, but there's nothing. On either side." He didn't argue. She dropped her coat on a chair and continued her study of the room. The furniture was minimal and modern, ironically like much of what she'd left behind in Baltimore, except all in a lightly laquered pine. In the left rear corner was the kitchen, in the right rear a large platform bed. The. rest was an open s.p.a.ce dominated by a long sofa-cus.h.i.+ons set in a straight pine frame-and an elaborate stereo system. Its headphones were dangling off the edge of the sofa, emitting a distant sound, which explained why he hadn't heard her knock at first. The stereo system was state of the art and had an extensive compact disc collection, mostly cla.s.sical, to match. She would have liked to spend a day with ft. Returning her attention to the room, she said, "You made the furniture yourself, didn't you?" He had his hands tucked under his arms. "It was something to do." 401 Barbara Deumhy "It's beautiful. You're very talented. You could do this for a living and be successful at it." She bent over to touch one of the cus.h.i.+ons. "Who made these?"

"A woman." "Someone from the Notch?" After a pause he said, "Actually, she lives about forty miles up the road. I picked her up In a bar, slept with her, then saw her work. She sews better than she screws." "Maybe she says the same about you," Chelsea said, and sat right down on the sofa. She crossed one knee over the other, folded her hands in her lap, and turned a pleasant smile his way, He stared at her, glanced behind him curiously, then faced her again.

"Did we have an appointment?"

"Do we need one? You've seen me throw up.

You've seen me faint. Don't worry. I won't give birth to my baby on your sofa. I just want to talk."

"About your barn?"

"For starters."

"What do you mean, for starters? What else is there to talk about?"

"We always seem to find things, you and V "Yeah, and one of us always ends up p.i.s.sed off."

"You. That's why I'm here. You can't walk out of your own home."

"Wanna bet?"

"Come on, Hunter. I'm lonesome. I want to talk.

Please, sit down?" He looked at the headphones dangling over the edge of the sofa. After a minute he crossed to the stereo receiver, turned it off, then went on to the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator. "Want a beer?" 402 1he'raswows Of chaften Anne another four months. Do you have any tea?"

"It's beer or orange juice." juice, please." He brought it to her in a tall gla.s.s, then took his ttle of beer by the neck and hunkered down re the fireplace to apply a poker to the logs. "I n't torch your barn," be said In a factual voice. "I think it would have made a great studio." They had argued about that during the renovan of Boulderbrook, but Chelsea had insisted on Ing one of the bedrooms. She wanted to be able to rk in the middle of the night without going outide. Hunter, on the other hand, had broader otions. Given his earlier comment about being ked in small rooms, she could understand why. "Who do you think did it?" "Beats me," he said as he poked at the logs. "Could it have started by itself?"