Fatal Deception: Part I (8 page)

She hadn’t slept much that night. Every time she’d dozed off she would dream about Marc in Geri’s house, and Geri in that bath robe. “What did you have under that robe, Geri?” she asked, although no one was around to answer. She struck the steering wheel a few times with her open palm then had to pull over to gain her composure.

“You have to pull yourself together. Rethink this thing through. Anger is not going to get him. Only subtlety will.” She talked to herself in the mirror as if she were another person.

Then she began her breathing exercises, slowly inhaling and exhaling, until her body had relaxed. She looked up into the mirror once again. “Good girl! Now keep your cool. You have the upper hand. You’ve got a plan.” She let out a loud laugh as she started up the car, and continued onward.

She pulled up, and saw her crew just leaving the house. She figured they’d just finished breakfast. “So sweet of Cain’s wife to offer breakfast to the crew every morning,” she said sarcastically. She’d purposely come later to avoid sitting at the table and pretending to be nice and happy and playing glaring games with his nosey daughter. She got out of her Jeep and went to the house to look for Marc.

Having finished breakfast, Marc grabbed a bottle of water and joined his brother for a seat in the living room. Marc read his expression and asked if anything was the matter.

“I didn’t want to bring this up in front of Blair. But how are you feeling this morning?” asked Cain.

“Do you mean about Geri?” asked Marc.

“Yep,” Cain replied.

Marc thought back to the day before. “There’s nothing like a good night’s sleep to clear your head,” he said.

Cain wasn’t satisfied with that answer. “So the almost kiss is not an issue anymore?” he asked.

“I’m not gonna lie. If we were alone again, I don’t know what would happen,” Marc admitted and turned to gaze out of the window.

Cain nodded knowing this was the truth. “I understand,” he said. He wouldn’t press him further.

“Hey, looks like Deidra showed up,” said Marc. “I wonder if she’s any better today.”

Secretly, the two men went out to meet her. Deidra had overheard the conversation between the two brothers, and hidden until she wanted to be seen.

So he almost kissed her, Deidra thought to herself. She would have to deal with that; her growing insanity reflected on her face.

“Deidra… are you okay?” Blair asked.

Deidra turned quickly her direction. “Oh! I’ll be fine if I may use your restroom,” she replied. She pushed her hair back from her face.

Blair pointed the direction Deidra needed to go and watched her slowly stroll down the hall. Blair was lost for words. She didn’t know what to think. She didn’t like Deidra’s deranged look. Maybe that’s what Alondra had seen before. Deidra seemed to be going through some emotional breakdown, or was nearly there.

Blair was so deep in thought that she didn’t hear Cain enter the house or his footsteps as he came up behind her.

“What time will you be leaving?” Cain asked, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Startled, Blair jumped. Her mind had been on Deidra and a sinking feeling about her lingered. “Cain, you startled me,” said Blair.

She hit him playfully with her dishtowel and he put his arms up to shield the blows and laughed. “Okay, okay!” said Cain.

He continued to chuckle, but she stopped and her thoughts once again became serious. She was concerned about the incidents with Deidra. But she didn’t have time to think about it any further. She had an appointment to get to. “We should leave as soon as I finish the dishes,” said Blair. “Are sure you don’t want to stay behind. If you miss the photo session, you’ll be another day behind schedule.”

Cain slid his hands around her waist and stared lovingly into her eyes. “Your well-being is what’s important to me. I’m going with you. I want to hear what the doctor has to say,” he said.

Marc appeared in the doorway and was about to speak, but stopped himself. He didn’t want to interrupt Cain and Blair.

They saw him and smiled. “Hey, Marc,” said Blair, “there’s something…” She was just about to mention Deidra’s strangeness when the blue-eyed woman reentered the room. Blair decided to hold her peace. She redirected her words to Deidra instead. “Are you feeling any better Deidra?” asked Blair.

Deidra stopped in front of them, and next to Marc.

“You’re still not feeling well?” asked Marc. “Maybe we should postpone the session for today.”

“No, no, we can’t! We’re already too far behind!” said Deidra, her voice raised almost hysterically.

The other three stared at her, bewildered at her sudden outburst. Blair felt an alarm go off in her head. Something was definitely mentally wrong with this chick.
Alondra was right, she thought. “Calm down, Deidra,” said Blair. “You need to take care of yourself.”

Marc grabbed Deidra’s shoulders to calm her and she looked up into his eyes. Then she did something unexpected. She threw herself into his body, wrapping her arms around him tightly, and began to cry. Marc looked at Cain and Blair awkwardly. Cain shrugged his shoulders and Blair’s eyes narrowed with suspicion.

“I can’t mess up,” cried Deidra. “This is my last chance to redeem myself.”

Marc, Cain and Blair looked at each other. Marc pulled her away from him and held her in his sight.

“What do you mean, ‘redeem’ yourself?” he asked.

Just as curious as Marc, Cain and Blair listened for her response. Deidra tried to stifle the tears, moving from Marc’s grasp, and walked further into the living room followed by the Caldwells.

“My father is very rich,” said Deidra, trying to explain between sobs. “He is a friend of Ben’s. That’s how I got this job. If I screw it up, my father will disown me and I’ll be out on the streets.”

Blair suddenly felt for her, and as Cain looked on, Marc returned to her side. “Don’t worry,” said Marc kindly. “You’re gonna do a great job. Your father may be a friend of Ben’s, but Ben doesn’t work that way. He thought it was a good idea to use us in the shoot and you just happened to be working for the magazine. It was purely coincidental. He must have seen some of your work and insisted work on the project,” Marc explained.

Deidra looked at him through wet eyes and a smiled etched across her face. “Well, he did say he was impressed with my previous work,” said Deidra. “He told me I was a natural. You know, until I took up photography, I had no direction. Now I do! That’s why my father was happy I got the job. He wants me to fail.”

Blair now felt she knew why the younger woman was so dismantled. So much pressure was on her. Her heart went out to her. “Okay, enough of this,” said Blair. “Come with me, Deidra. Let’s get you cleaned up.” Blair beckoned her away from Marc and up the stairs.

“Another idiot with money driving his kid crazy,” Marc growled.

Cain nodded in agreement. It’s sure sounded like it, as distraught as Deidra seemed to be. “You know, maybe the session should be called off for the day anyway,” suggested Cain. “Deidra’s not in any shape to do anything, and I’m not gonna be here. Blair’s not feeling well and I’m going with her to the doctor.”

“Doctor? What’s wrong with her? Is it serious?” Marc grew worried. Blair was the closest thing to a sister he ever had.

“No, Bro’, it’s okay,” Cain answered. “I don’t think it’s anything serious.” He tried to ease Marc’s mind to little avail.

“But you don’t know do you?” Marc added.

Cain’s eyes met those of his brother’s, and Marc could see he was worried as well.

“I’m going to find out,” said Cain.

“I’ll go crazy here thinking of what is going on in that doctor’s office.” Marc began to pace back and forth.

“No you’re not,” said Blair.

The men turned to see she and Deidra had come back. “I talked Deidra into quitting for the day,” she said to Marc. “I think you might want to show her around the ranch, give her a more thorough tour. It’ll give you both some down time. Don’t you think that’s a good idea, Cain?” She looked over to her husband hinting that she didn’t need him there. He got the clue.

“I think that’s a great idea,” Cain agreed.

“That’s okay,” said Deidra. “The crew and I will go back in to town. I’ll just lie down in my room and relax. I don’t want to be a bother.”

Marc stood there quietly and envisioned her locked up in her room on such a beautiful day as this. “I agree with them, Deidra,” said Marc. “And besides, it’s too pretty a day to be stuck up in some hotel room. And maybe you can go ahead and take a few pictures–in a more relaxed atmosphere.” Marc suggested.

Deidra appeared to think about it for a moment. “All right, you convinced me,” she conceded with a smile.

Just then, her crew walked in from outside. She turned to them jubilantly. “Boys! We’re going to call it a day. Let’s take off and pick up tomorrow,” she said.

The crewmen began to mumble. Josh stared at her for a minute, knowing they were already behind a day, and wondering how many days in a row this was going to happen. But she was the boss, so he resisted the urge to complain.

Deidra walked out with them to explain she would still be taking a few pictures and maybe do a small interview with Marc, so they wouldn’t get that far behind schedule. She went back to the house happily after watching them drive off. She was finally beginning to feel that things were going her way.

Chapter 16

Alondra just got out of bed from a very restful sleep and left the guest room in search of Geri. She knocked at her door, but there was no answer. She went to the front of the house and saw Geri just coming in from outdoors. She seemed exhausted and was perspiring.

“Geri what’s wrong?” Alondra asked, following Geri to the kitchen.

Geri took a bottle of water from the refrigerator and smiled knowingly at Alondra. “I’m fine. I jog every morning. It relaxes me,” she explained.

“Oh, okay,” said Alondra, relieved. “Well, I guess I’d better get home. I promised Dad I would. He’ll have a fit if I’m too long. I’m surprised he hasn’t called already.”

“You don’t want to eat before you go?” asked Geri, not wanting their time to end so soon.

Alondra turned around and smiled. “I have an idea. Why don’t you come with me to the ranch and let me give you the tour? We can have breakfast there. I’m sure my Aunt Blair made a feast. She’s been cooking enough for the magazine crew.”

Geri thought it over. Even though she had tried to fight her feelings for Marc, they still remained, and seeing him would be nice. “Okay, that sounds nice,” said Geri. “And I sure would enjoy seeing the lake again.” Geri said.

Alondra perked up. “You know about the lake?” she asked.

Geri paused, realizing what she had just blurted out. How could she explain without revealing too much? It would blow everything she had planned right out of the water. She had to think fast. “I told you that I jog. Well, one day I wanted to see how far I could push myself, and I guess I went way too far; found myself well onto your property. I won’t do that again,” she laughed. “But it sure was beautiful. The lake and the peaceful surroundings were my savior that day, let me tell you.” Geri smiled, hoping her ruse had worked and, to her relief, Alondra smiled back.

Good, thought Geri. She knew she would have to be more careful I the future.

Cain and Blair were in the kitchen when Deidra came inside from seeing her crewmen off. When she passed the living room, she saw Marc inside, staring out of the window. She paused at the doorway silently watching, and taking in the view. She hadn’t noticed before how red his hair was even though it braided back, the front again covered with a bandana.

“You’re worried about her aren’t you?” she asked.

He turned his head to her for a moment, then back to the window. She could see his body rise and fall from deep breathing.

“She’s like a sister I never had, and I owe her a lot,” said Marc. “She’s looked after my daughter like she was her own, and I’ll always love her for that.” Some sadness was evident in his voice.

“What’s going on?” asked Alondra, having just entered the room.

Marc turned as she had caught him off guard. He hadn’t paid much attention to her arrival as she made her way across the yard toward the house. His mind had been too deep in thought.

“What are you talking about? What’s going on?" she repeated.

Marc’s eyes held his daughter. What could he say, when he himself had no answers.

“Where’s Aunt Blair?” asked Alondra.

“She’s all right–” Marc began. He walked toward his daughter, but she backed away and began to call for her Aunt.

Cain and Blair came quickly from the kitchen and Alondra ran into Blair’s arms.

“What is the matter child?” Blair rubbed her head.

Alondra held onto her for dear life. “Oh thank goodness,” said Alondra. “Dad was talking like something had happened to you.” She pulled her head from her, and stared into her eyes.

“Come with me,” said Blair warmly. “We need to talk.” Blair took her hand, and led her out of the room.