Hollywood Ever After (32 page)

Daniel
.

Where was Daniel? Had he run? Were the kids in danger?

The kids!God, someone needs to find the kids. They’re in danger
.

But I couldn’t say the words. Something warm rushed through my body, making everything feel heavy and my mind lose its train of thought. Medicine? Forcing me to sleep against my will.

Wait…the kids…
I forced the words out of my mouth. But the sound I heard didn’t match.

They were giving me something to relax me. The pain was fading, but so was my consciousness. My panic was trapped inside, caught in the drugged haze I couldn’t fight.

Dreams took over.

I was playing hide-and-seek with the kids in the woods behind the vicarage. Josh and the kids were building a tree house in view of the kitchen window. Mom and I could see them. It was lovely. I dreamed of magical stories and peaceful quiet times together. Josh smiled at me, his beautiful smile.

My dreams shifted.

There was a lot of pain. I couldn’t move. I tried, but my limbs wouldn’t cooperate. The smell of alcohol burned my nose. There was a rhythmic beeping and voices I didn’t know. I was under an extremely bright light and someone was telling me to count backward from fifty. I think I made it to forty-one before everything went totally black and quiet. And dreamless.

***

I pried an eye open. I was in a hospital bed. A nurse was making notes on my chart. She smiled slightly at me.

I didn’t know if this was a dream or not. I couldn’t keep my eyes open, so I let the steady beat of the monitor lull me into a deep sleep.

When I tried to open my eyes again, I felt pleasantly drowsy. I could hear my pulse, feel its beat in my cheek and lip. It took a few seconds before my mind cleared.

Fear clawed at me, rising up from my stomach and radiating through my chest. It bubbled up my throat, choking me. I sat up, words a rasping whisper in my dry throat.

“Sweetie? Sweetie.” Mom’s voice reached me. I felt her hand around mine, heard the worry in her voice. “Everyone is fine.”

I tried to open my eyes, but one of them didn’t want to cooperate. I turned my head and looked at her. “Mom?” I croaked.

I saw her then, how tired and fragile she looked. She seemed years older in that instant. “You’re awake! Oh honey, do you need anything? Can I do anything?”

I blinked. “I don’t think so,” I tried to answer, but the words didn’t really come out, so I shook my head slowly. Wait, yes! I needed her to get to the kids! “The kids…”

She squeezed my hand. “It’s okay. Just sleep. That’s what you need.”

I shook my head, making my voice work. “Kids?”

“Shhh, Claire. Everyone is safe.” She kissed my forehead, her hand rubbing over my cheek gently.

“Josh?”

“He’s here.”

I felt panic. “Kids…Josh…can’t see me…” If the kids, if Josh saw me like this—

I couldn’t bear it.

Mom looked confused. “Claire...”

“Mom, please. Please.” My monitor was beeping loudly. It hurt my head.

“Calm down, Claire, okay? Everything is okay.” She smoothed her hand over my forehead until my eyes were closed and the sound of my monitor was beating rhythmically again.

The kids were okay. Josh was okay.

The relief was overwhelming. I didn’t fight the drug-induced stupor any longer.

***

I woke up to the sound of voices. I thought I recognized some of them. “But she’s sustained only minor injuries?”

“If you consider a sprained wrist, three bruised ribs, and a dislocated shoulder minor injuries.” It sounded like my brother Joe.

“I simply meant that Ms. Collins will recover from her injuries.” I didn’t know this voice.

“Yes, thank God, she’ll recover from her
physical
injuries. But look at her. Surely you see he would have killed her if he’d had the chance.” It was Joe. I knew my brother’s voice anywhere, especially when he was irritated. And something, or someone, was clearly irritating him.

“Well, we can’t ask
Mr.
Collins about it, can we?” I didn’t know this voice. But I was pretty sure it was the reason Joe was irritated.

“No. No, we can’t.” Mom’s voice. “Joe, you could try talking to her. She hasn’t been awake much.”

“Joe?” I tried to peel my eyes open. Joe, my mother, and another man were in the room.

“Hey, big sister! I thought I’d drop in for a visit.” He smiled.

“You kind of…caught me at a bad time.” My voice was rough, and Joe held out a cup with a straw in it.

“Claire, this is Detective Parker. If you’re up for it, honey, he wants to ask you a few questions.” Mom went around to the other side of the bed and held my hand while Joe held the other.

“Ms. Collins, how are you feeling?” Detective Parker held a small notebook in his hand. “Can you tell me what happened yesterday morning?”

“Yesterday?” I paused, swallowing. I couldn’t remember much. “I went by the house for some papers and Daniel was there. He was upset. So angry…” The terror hit me then, overwhelming me in waves of horror as I remembered his face. “Gun—” I tried, but a sob broke free, and I started again. “He had a gun. I asked him to stop…” I halted again, my voice breaking. I couldn’t breathe then. “The kids?” I couldn’t breathe.

“Sweetie, they’re fine. Josh has them, they’re safe. They’re safe.” Mom held me close, letting me sob against her. And I did. I cried until my eyes burned.

“I know this is difficult, Ms. Collins,” Detective Parker spoke again.

“Surely this can wait?” Joe spoke with some authority. “As you can see, she’s not really in a place to talk about this yet.”

I wanted to answer him, but I couldn’t let go of my mom. I couldn’t stop crying. A man I’d been married to for thirteen years had shot me and I didn’t know how I’d ended up here and not dead.

I stopped crying then. “Where is Daniel?” I asked.

There was a long silence in the room.

Detective Parker answered, “Ms. Collins, Mr. Collins is dead.”

Joe squeezed my hand. I felt it all go dark again.

Chapter Fifteen

I don’t know how long I slept, but as the blackness began to fade, images took over. And so did the memory of what happened. I could feel the kitchen floor under me, the blood sticky on my stomach. I could smell the hot metal from the gun being fired, the smell of my own blood.

My heart was pumping. My chest was tight. I couldn’t move. My nightmare felt so real that my anxiety made breathing difficult.

“Claire?” Josh was there, leaning over me, his face drawn with worry. “You were dreaming. It’s all right now.” He looked like hell. His beautiful hazel eyes were bloodshot.

I tried to smile, but my mouth barely worked. “You’re here…”

He pulled me against him fiercely. “Yes,” he murmured into my hair. He held me close, his voice soothing as he said, “I’m here.” He looked down at me, his arms firmly around me.

I was shivering uncontrollably as my eyes met his. His eyes searched my face, growing moist, which made me feel like crying. I swallowed. I was pretty sure I was pathetic enough without the tears.

He pulled me against him gently this time, his hands rubbing up and down my back slowly. He was so warm. I turned my nose into his neck and breathed. His touch, his presence was solidly reassuring.

I frowned then, realization breaking through my drug-induced haze. “Why are you here?”

Josh was shaking as he held me, his hands continuing to rub my back. It took him a few moments before he answered me. “Marty told me you didn’t want me here. So I waited until you were asleep. I didn’t mean to wake you, Claire, but you were talking in your sleep.” He kissed my forehead.

“I’m glad you’re here.” My voice was rough. “I didn’t want you to see me like this. I know I look…scary.”

He continued to stroke my back, breathing into my hair. I clung to him, burrowing against him and holding tight. “I needed to see you,” he murmured against my hair and I tightened my hold on him.

“I…” My voice broke. He pulled back to look at me. I saw the anguish on his face. “I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for.” He was frustrated…and exhausted.

I sat forward, swaying from the drugs. “I didn’t want to screw up your life! It’s not fair…” I was crying.

He leaned forward, his hands cupping my face. “Claire, I love you. I love you. I came because I wanted to be here. Because I need to be near you. I’m selfish, remember?” He gave me his most dazzling smile, his eyes holding mine. “I keep hoping you might need me a little, too.”

“I do. I do,” I whispered as my hands fisted in his shirt. “You have no idea.”

His lips were feather-light on mine as his arms slipped around me, firm and strong.

I clung to him again. “Daniel is dead.” My voice broke.

“I know.” His hand touched my cheek. “Natalie had your phone at the airport. Our connecting flight was delayed so we were waiting when Regina called. I wasn’t fast enough.”

My hands covered my mouth. “Oh God, Josh.” I shook my head. “You…you were
there?
”

I watched his face, the fear and hate and pain as he tried to speak. He nodded, unable to form words. His eyes held mine, filling with tears.

I started crying harder, leaning forward to wrap my arms around him. I held him tightly, aware of how slowly his arms came around me again.

“He was going to kill you, Claire.” He pulled me tight against him then. “I’m sorry, Claire, so sorry. I tried to talk to him, to stop him.”

I felt my heart pounding.I burrowed into his neck, whispering softly, “You shouldn’t have been there. You could have been—”

“Ms. Collins.” The nurse was in the doorway, her face torn between compassion and frustration. “You really need to stay calm. Your monitor is going crazy.” She paused. “I know you want to stay, Mr. Wiley, but I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to leave if she continues to get excited.”

Josh carefully laid me back against the pillows, but his hands still clasped mine.

“I’m calm.” I clung to his hands.

The nurse came in, pressed a few buttons on the IV pump, and looked at us. “Are you having any pain?”

“A bit, but you’re probably not asking me.” His laugh was strained.

She smiled. “Mr. Wiley, just keep her calm, okay?” I was only vaguely aware of being reclined, the overhead lights being dimmed. “I’m giving you some medicine that will probably make you sleepy.”

“I’m fine, really.”

“Claire, don’t be brave. Take the medicine. For me. Please.” He leaned forward and kissed my forehead.

“Fine,” I murmured, watching as she injected something into my IV line.

She smiled and looked at Josh. “
Calm
.” She left the room, closing the door behind her.

“I’ve a request. A selfish one,” he whispered as he pushed the hair from my forehead.

“Oh?” I was already feeling pleasantly mellow.

“Can I stay?”

I patted the bed. “Yes.”

He sat on the edge of the bed, staring at me. “I don’t know what hurts and what doesn’t.”

“You make it all better.” My words were thick.

He curled around me, his breath against my forehead. “I love you, Claire.”

I nodded, clutching his shirt and holding him close. I felt secure in his arms wrapped tightly around me, and slept without any dreams at all.

***

“Can you drink a little bit more, sweetie?”Mom was moving things around on my dinner tray absently, trying to find something to occupy herself.

Shannon sat dozing in the corner of the room. Despite my protests, she had arrived as soon as she could. She was anxious to get me, the kids, and Mom out of Texas forever. She and Arthur had given me her house, ignoring all of my protests.

“It’s the least I can do. After forcing your hand over the book, I feel like this is partly my fault. I want to do this. Let me buy you off a little.” She’d smiled as she cast a quick glance in my general direction. She’d had a hard time looking at me when she first arrived. “Besides, if you don’t take it, I’ll give it to your mom. Either way, it’s going to be yours.”

I’d shaken my head. “I think giving me a house in Hollywood is a little more than buying me off, Shannon.”

“I want to do this for you. For Christ’s sake, Claire. I
can
do it for you, so let me. Let me do one little thing to remove some stress, please.” She’d looked rather emotional then.

“Claire.” Mom’s voice had been gentle. “It would be great for us to have a place to go without it feeling temporary, or getting settled and then having to move on.” Mom had squeezed Shannon’s shoulder as she spoke. “It is very generous of you, Shannon. If she won’t take the house, I will.”

“Thank Arthur. The man has more savings than I’d ever imagined. As he pointed out, he can’t take it with him and we have no kids, so this is what we want to do instead.” She had smiled at me, then hugged me. “Okay?”

And I’d relented. I was overwhelmed with their generosity. Once I’d let myself accept their gift, I was unbelievably relieved to have a place to call home. I hoped I’d get released soon. I was ready to go home. Now. But finding a doctor that was willing to sign off on my release was a bigger challenge than anticipated.

Mom stared at me now, the cup held toward me in her hands, waiting.

I shook my head. “I’m done, Mom. Thanks, though.” I pushed it away, leaning back on the pillows as she gave me a long, worried look. “I’m fine.” I was just very tired, which didn’t make sense since I couldn’t seem to stay awake for more than a few hours at a time.

“Knock knock.” Mrs. Witt, my neighbor, stood in the doorway carrying a huge pot of mums. Shannon and Mom both jumped up, taking the mums from the frail-looking older woman and guiding her to the chair at my bedside.

“Oh, Mrs. Witt, you really shouldn’t have.” Mom smiled at the older woman and put the flowers on my bedside table.

Mrs. Witt came forward, patting my hand. “I won’t stay long. I just needed to see for myself that you are okay.”

I smiled and nodded. “I know I look a mess right now.”

She shook her head. “Oh, honey, you look a sight better than the last time I saw you.” Her face was pinched. “You okay? There was so much blood.” Her gnarled hand curled around mine, holding it firmly.