“Jade, I have something to tellyou.” She wipes her eyes on the hospital sheet. “I prayed to God,and I asked him to save the baby. I made him a deal. I told himthat if he didn’t let this child die, I would come clean. I wouldtry to be a better person.”
Confused, I look at her. “Youare a good person, Annie.”
“No, Jade. There’ve been timesthat I messed up, times I lied.”
Somewhere, deep in my heart, herwords cut, but right now I don’t think it’s possible for me toprocess more bad news. “It doesn’t matter, babe. None of thatmatters now.”
“Jade, please. If I don’t comeclean, then karma will do something bad to our baby, I knowit.”
“I don’t think it works likethat, Annie. You’re just feeling scared and desperate. Don’t worryabout karma. Yours is good. You should be focusing your energy ongetting better, not on purging your sins.”
Just then, a tall slender manwith dark hair and wearing a white coat walks in. “Annie Banks?” hesays, looking at his clipboard.
“Yes, that’s us…I mean,her.”
“I’m Dr. Payne. I’ve got sometest results here for you.”
Annie looks terrified as shequickly sits up straighter and stares at the doctor. Her hand islike a vice around mine. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing obvious. Now that thebleeding has stopped, it’s going to be somewhat of a waiting game.Though, it’s common for women to spot with their first baby in thefirst trimester. Have you been over exerting yourself lately?”
“I lifted a bag of dirt at work.It was heavy. I never thought that what I was doing could hurt thebaby.”
“You’ll probably be just fine.But no more heavy lifting, okay?”
Tears are falling down Annie’scheeks, but her voice is steady. “I won’t. I promise.”
The doctor tells us that he’sgiving us a little envelope with different pills and instructionsto take home. Again, he reminds Annie about not lifting heavythings. Then, he wishes us luck before disappearing down thehall.
I take a deep breath, the firstone I’ve taken since Annie called from the ferry. My beautiful wifeis okay. I help her slowly dress back into her street clothes, thenI put her shoes on for her and tie them. Her hand wanders throughmy hair as I’m crouched down at her feet.
“Jade,” she murmurs. I look upat her. She opens her mouth, then closes it and manages a small,sad smile. “Nothing.”
I don’t push it, like I’dnormally do. All I feel is relief—relief that she’s okay, andrelief that she seems to have dropped the idea of confession. Irealise now that it’s the last thing I want to hear. I know that ifI don’t know the details, I’ll have a better chance at putting itbehind us.
It’s not like I’ve beenperfect.
Chapter Fourteen
After I walk her to her car, Ijump into my truck and follow her to the ferry. After we board, Iwalk up to her car and slip into the passenger’s seat. The smallferry rocks and creaks as we head out into the pass.
Annie looks at me. Her eyebrowsare knitted. “I didn’t tell you what happened before I left thecottage today. I didn’t want to add more stress.”
Oh shit. She saw Denny. I knewit. This is going to be bad and I have absolutely nothing to say todefend myself. I feel a rush of fear—what if it was the cause ofthe bleeding? The shock and stress?
“That detective, Dickson, was byagain.”
“What?” I feel a mixture ofrelief and anxiety—a strange sensation. “Why the hell was he backagain? We told him everything we know. Mostly.”
“I don’t think he’s going toleave us alone anytime soon. At least, not until they catch thatbrother of yours.”
Denny. Did they know he was inthe attic? Did someone see me pick him up from the ferry yesterdaymorning?
I construct my questioncarefully before asking. “Did they ask for Denny again? Did theythink he was in the house?”
“No, Dickson just asked if I’dspoken to him and then if I would come to the police stationtomorrow so they can take a statement from me. I told him that Icould meet him there at noon. He also asked to speak with you. Itold him that you were at work during the week but free onweekends.”
I struggle to keep my voicecalm. “Why does he want to speak with me?”
“I don’t know, Jade. He didn’tsay. I’ll try and find out tomorrow. Don’t worry, Jade. If you werein shit, he’d have come to your work.”
That’s a logical point. I startto calm a little and my brain slows enough for me to think aboutDenny and how to get him out of the house. I don’t know what I wasthinking. Here, in the car with Annie, in the real world, the wholeidea of putting him in the attic is ridiculously stupid anddangerous. How could I have been such a fool?
The moment we walk through thefront door Stinky is on Annie, even after I scold him for jumping.She walks to the bedroom with him following, and when I enter a fewminutes later with a glass of water and a biscuit, I find him lyingnext to Annie, in my spot. Annie, in the time it took me to fillthe glass, has fallen fast asleep.
I put her drink and snack on theside table, then cover her with the throw blanket from the bottomof the bed.
I putter around the kitchen,trying to decide what to make us for dinner. Because of how Annieis feeling, I forgo anything heavy and opt for vegetable soup.After about twenty minutes, I tiptoe into the bedroom, finding bothAnnie and Stinky still passed out cold. I back out of the room andslowly close the door. Then I head to the pantry.
After maneuvering up the woodenshelf, I carefully push the hatch open and hoist myself the rest ofmy way using my arms. The small amount of light coming from theopen hatch provides just enough illumination to see the sleepingbag. It’s flat. “Denny?” I whisper. There’s no response.
As I crawl over to the sleepingbag on my hands and knees, the tips of my fingers hit somethinghard and cylindrical. The flashlight. It rolls across the woodenfloor, making the loudest noise I’ve
