Her belly clenched and she felt as if she might throw up. She’d felt sick to her stomach every single day since the debate and she wondered if it would ever go away.
For a long sad moment she thought about Chandra, her best friend and Chad’s sister. She and Chandra hadn’t spoken since Anna had started seeing Mike. So many times she’d wanted to call Chandra and cry on her friend’s shoulder.
Not only had she lost her aunt and uncle, but she’d lost Chandra, too. And Mike.
She clenched her jaws. Not Mike. The relationship with him had never been real. She’d been nothing but a pawn in Chad’s game and he’d sacrificed her and her family in a deft move.
Her anger with him hadn’t dimmed and would eat away at her if she didn’t let it go. But how could she? After all that he’d done.
She wasn’t sure if it was irrational to still be angry with her aunt and uncle. By coming across illegally, they’d done this to their family. They’d lost their children and they’d torn Anna’s heart out. Now she was left to pick up the pieces of her heart as well as Pablo’s and Josie’s.
Her aunt and uncle had been there for her from the time she came home from college when her parents died, helping her through rough times and the good. She couldn’t imagine what her life would have been like without them, but she couldn’t help being upset with them because now they weren’t going to be here for their children.
It was Sunday afternoon and she and the kids hadn’t gone to church that day. They hadn’t been back to church since that horrible night. People they knew from the church stopped by to check in on her and her cousins or bring by casseroles and Anna was grateful to know such good people. She never asked anyone in because her emotions were far too raw. She told visitors they were doing well and would be back to church soon.
Anna checked on her young cousins. Pablo was on his bed reading a book with no jacket on it, so she couldn’t tell what it was.
“Hi, Pablo.” She stepped into his room after knocking on the doorframe. “What are you reading?”
He shrugged. “The City of Ember.”
She sat on the edge of his bed, the mattress dipping and squeaking. “Did you get the book from school?”
He nodded, still looking at the book. “Mrs. Marko loaned it to me.”
Anna smiled. “You’ll have to tell me about it when you’re finished.”
“Okay,” he said, eyes still focused on the book.
Anna squeezed his knee then got up to head to Josie’s room.
Josie was sitting on the floor, playing with Barbie dolls, alien action figures, and large-sized Legos in primary colors. Josie loved dolls and spaceships and it looked like she was building a spaceship with the Legos.
Without breaking the silence, Anna sat down with Josie and began building a spaceship, too. Soon Josie started talking, telling Anna about her Barbie dolls going into space and meeting aliens on other planets. The Barbies had tea parties in front of the spaceships and invited the aliens so that they could get to know each other. Anna couldn’t help but grin at Josie’s vivid imagination.
When the Barbies returned to Earth, Anna stood. Her knees ached after sitting on the floor for so long. “I’m going to make brownies. Sound good to you?”
Josie nodded and smiled. Brownies were one of her favorite treats, something that only Anna had made for the family. “A scoop of vanilla ice cream on top?” Josie asked.
“You bet.” Anna smoothed her hand over Josie’s hair before leaving the bedroom.
She was almost to the kitchen when the doorbell rang and startled her.
Who could it be? It was probably someone from church with a casserole. The media hadn’t bothered her for some time now, so it likely wasn’t them. Mike had to be in the middle of the mess that had been reported on TV, and she doubted Chad would show his face around her. As busy as she’d been with her business and family, she hadn’t made many friends locally outside of church.
She made her way to the front door, and peered through the peephole. Her eyes widened in surprise.
Chandra.
Her heart thumped against her breastbone as she slid the bolt lock open with a thump. She stepped back as she opened the door.
For a long moment they looked at each other. Chandra’s platinum blonde hair was pulled back and she wasn’t wearing makeup. She clenched her purse strap like she didn’t know what to say.
“Hi, Chandra,” Anna finally said.
Chandra’s throat worked. “Hi, Anna.” Her voice came out sounding broken.
Anna’s brow furrowed. “What’s wrong?”
“Can I come in?” Chandra hesitated. “Please?”
“Sure.” Anna stepped out of the way, feeling off balance, like something was about to go sideways. “Would you like a Coke or water?”
Chandra shook her head. “No thank you.”
“You look like you could use something chocolate.” Anna offered Chandra a smile. “I have fudge ripple in the freezer.”
Chandra managed a smile in return. “First, let’s talk.”
When they were seated in the living room, Chandra’s eyes watered, as if she was about to cry. “I’m so sorry, Anna.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “So sorry for everything.”
Anna moved to sit beside Chandra and put her arm around her friend, trying to think of what to say.
Chandra lowered her head. “First I overreacted when you started dating Mike McBride. That was none of my business and if our roles had been reversed, I know you wouldn’t have acted the way I did.”
More tears streaked Chandra’s face as she continued, “And worst of all—what Chad did to you and your family.” Chandra raised her head, her vivid blue eyes wide and filled with regret. “I never thought he’d say anything about it. I never thought he’d use it against you.” Chandra choked back a sob. “I’m so sorry.”
Anna brought Chandra into her arms. “You aren’t to blame. Don’t ever think you are.”
“I am.” Chandra let out a shuddering sigh as she looked at her hands in her lap. “I let something slip and then ended up telling Chad about your family. He’s my twin and he’s never broken a confidence with me. Even as children we never told on each other or let anyone else in on our secrets.”
“You’re not responsible for what Chad does.” Anna kept her arm around Chandra’s shoulders. “Only he is.”
“I know what he did to you.” The words came out in a harsh whisper. “I know he blackmailed you.”
Anna went still and her gut sickened at the mention of the blackmail, and she couldn’t say a word.
Chandra shifted so that she was looking Anna in the eyes again. “I overheard a conversation earlier today between Chad and his campaign manager. Chad talked about how he had forced you to get into a relationship with Mike McBride when he saw that Mike was interested in you. Chad said you’d given him some insider information, too. He and his campaign manager even laughed about the debate and the look on the sheriff’s face.”
Anger was on Chandra’s features now as she continued. “Chad was proud of everything he’d done.” She sniffled. “We grew up with Mike and Chad always disliked him. I never dreamed Chad would do anything like this.”
Anna had to look away, her own eyes filling with tears. Her words came out choked. “It was—is—such a mess. Everything, a mess.”
“I’m so very sorry,” Chandra said again. “I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness.”
Anna wiped tears from her cheek with the back of her hands, trying to compose herself as she turned to face her friend. “Listen to me, Chandra. Chad did something horrible. He twisted it and made it into something ugly and harmful and painful.” Anna gripped Chandra’s upper arms. “However,
you
did nothing wrong. Do you hear me?
You
did
nothing
wrong.”
“But—” Chandra started.
Anna put her hand up, a movement telling her friend to stop. “No more. It is what it is, and it’s none of your doing. Okay?”
Chandra said nothing before finally nodding. “Okay. But I should have been here for you with everything you’ve gone through.”
“Stop.” Anna hugged Chandra tight and felt her friend’s warm tears on her neck. “I’m just glad you’re here now.”
When Chandra drew back, Anna handed her a tissue box from an end table. Chandra wiped away tears until her face was dry and Anna took a tissue for herself. When both of them had dried their eyes, Anna set the tissue box aside and gave her friend another big hug.
Chandra studied Anna for a long time. “You’re in love with him. Mike McBride.”
A rush of heat suffused Anna’s face. “I don’t—I mean he wouldn’t…” Anna looked away. “It doesn’t matter one way or the other. It’s all a big mess.”
Chandra put her hand on Anna’s arm. “It’s true that Mike and I were never close, mostly because Chad hated him.” Chandra gave a wry smile. “Mike was always the star and Chad was jealous. Mike excelled at everything he did, and Chad hated him for it.” She sighed. “I never dreamed Chad would carry that with him like he has.”
“Is that the bad blood between them?” Anna asked before she thought better of it. “Wait, that isn’t my business.”
Chandra clenched her hands on the tabletop. “One night, when they were in high school, Chad drove a girl named Beth home after a football game. Beth was a good friend to both of them.” Chandra stared at her hands. “The next day Beth claimed that Chad had attempted to force himself on her, but she’d managed to get away.”
Anna’s eyes widened, but said nothing as Chandra continued.
“I’ve never seen Mike so angry.” Chandra shook her head. “He went up to Chad at school, grabbed him by the collar, and hit him. By the time they finished, Chad’s nose was broken and he had two black eyes. Mike came away with a bruise on his face, but Chad got the worst of it.”
Anna pictured Mike championing the girl. It was something he would do. Chad’s nose wasn’t crooked, but his family had enough money that likely he had the best surgeon or perhaps he’d had plastic surgery.
Chandra continued, “They were both suspended from school for a couple of weeks for fighting. Beth wouldn’t talk about any of it anymore.” Chandra let out her breath. “Rumors went around that Beth was paid off by Grandfather or they had hushed her in some other way. I didn’t believe it then…but now I don’t know.”
Despite the fact that she hadn’t known Chad when he was younger, Anna wouldn’t have been surprised if he and his family had shushed the whole thing. She’d heard stories of some of the Johnsons, that they were cutthroat when they wanted something. As far as Chad was concerned, he’d proven that by blackmailing her.
“Even though there was that bad blood between the two,” Chandra went on, “I couldn’t help but know Mike was, and always has been, a good guy.”
Anna gave a slow nod. “I could tell that from the moment I heard him speak. When we went out for a drink, I had no doubt.”
“I wish I could say the same for Chad.” Chandra looked pained. “I love my brother, but he can be ruthless when it comes to getting what he wants. I just never could have believed he’d stoop to this level.” She met Anna’s gaze. “I don’t know what to do about it. I feel like I need to make this right.”
“You shouldn’t do anything.” Anna squeezed her friend’s hand. “I believe in karma. What Chad does and has done will come back to him in some way.”
“You’re probably right.” Chandra let out a sigh. “My own brother. I don’t know if I can look him in the face again. What do I do?”
“I won’t come between you two,” Anna said. “You need to make your own decisions when it comes to Chad. Does the good between you two outweigh the bad things he’s done?”
“I don’t know. Maybe this means that I can’t trust a man who would do something so horrible like this to anyone.” Chandra shook her head, her blonde ponytail bobbing side to side. “He’s not the man I knew. Or loved.” She clenched her fists on her lap. “I’m so—so
angry
with him.”
“Give yourself some time to think this through.” Anna took Chandra’s hands in hers. “Don’t make any decisions while you’re angry and upset.”
Chandra nodded. “You’re right. But I am going to confront him. I just don’t know how or when.”
Anna squeezed Chandra’s hands in hers.
Chandra let out her breath. “Now, about you and Mike.”
Anna went still. “What about him?”
“Have you talked with him since everything went to hell?” Chandra asked.
With a shake of her head, Anna said, “No.”
Chandra tilted her head to the side. “Has he tried calling you?”
“Yes.” Anna swallowed. “But I ignored his calls and I turned my phone off.”
“You need to talk to him and let him know how you feel.” Chandra looked earnestly into Anna’s eyes. “I’ll bet he feels the same way.”
Heat flushed Anna’s cheeks. “After everything that happened, I doubt it.”
“We’ll figure this out.” Chandra gave a decisive nod. “In the meantime, tell me how you and the kids are doing.”
“How about some fudge ripple?” Anna released Chandra’s hands and stood. “Brand new carton.”
“You bet.” Chandra stood, too. She linked her arm through Anna’s, just like the days before everything went to hell, and they headed into the kitchen.
Chapter 24
Monday morning Mike frowned as he sat in his desk in his office and read through the news on his iPad—the
Prescott Valley Tribune
and the
Arizona Republic
.
Both had articles on him and the weekend’s activities.
He was being regaled as a hero because he’d saved his sister-in-law’s life at the Halloween party and because the YCSO, along with the DEA, had brought down three meth houses in addition to the one that had gone up in flames. Suspected—and notorious to Prescott residents—drug smuggler and human trafficker, Jesus Perez, was dead and it had been reported that Mike had been the one to shoot him.
“Hero. Shit.” Mike rubbed his temples. He didn’t like one damned bit that the news had recorded him performing the Heimlich maneuver on Ricki. It was no one’s business, certainly not all of Yavapai County. And the whole damned sheriff’s department and DEA had worked together to find Perez’s meth houses. He’d made a public statement acknowledging those facts.
Mike set the tablet down and pushed his fingers through his hair. He’d had his reservations about bringing the press to the family Halloween party and regretted it now. He hoped that Ricki wasn’t too embarrassed. Garrett had been nothing but grateful and told Mike he owed him big time. Mike said nothing was owed to him and that everyone in the family would have done it in a heartbeat, which was the truth.