A Masterpiece Unraveled (The Masterpiece Trilogy Book 2) (32 page)

Eva's cheeks turned a darker shade of pink. She met Becca's eyes and then laughed. Then she gestured. "Come on, play Chutes and Ladders. It's terrible that Sienna kicks my butt at this game. Please say you're at least horrible at a game so I can feel better."

"It's been years since I've played that game. I'm probably a bit rusty so you might have a fair shot," Becca shot back with a grin. "No promises though."

*****

Hunter spent most of the evening in the hotel room on his laptop. Hours passed as he'd been searching for more information on the connection between Joe, his family, and even the Langes. Not much came up about Becca's family, but he did find a few things on Joe and his dad. Nothing of importance to what he wanted though.

Turns out about ten years ago, Joe retired at fifty five. So he was considerably older than his dad was when they met. He lived with his wife out here in Rhode Island now. The address was easy to find. Tomorrow, he'd make the trip.

His phone rang, startling him. It was after eleven already. Becca's name came up on the caller ID and he rushed to answer it. "Hey angel."

"Still awake?" She sounded tired.

"Yep. I was online. How was your night?" Closing the laptop, Hunter flopped on the bed, lying on his back. He grabbed a pillow and held it against his chest, wishing it was Becca.

"It wasn't too bad, actually. Eva apologized to me for the other night, and invited me to play Chutes and Ladders with the family. I can't say we're best friends, but we might be able to get past this awkwardness after all."

"She actually apologized? And was sincere?"

"Yep. We even had a few laughs. She still looked uncomfortable when Sienna hugged me and sat with me a few times, but I think she might be trying hard."

Good for Eva. He'd have to thank her for it later. "Are you home now?"

"Mmmhmm. I got home about two hours ago. I wrote an email to Amelia finally. She responded."

"Really? How's that going?" Hunter closed his eyes.

"Good, I think. It still seems like she doesn't know her daughter is dead, but we've been emailing back and forth for the past few hours. I finally had to log off because I'm so tired."

"I wish I was there with you." This bed would be lonely without her in it.

"I do too."

"I'm sorry, Bec. I pushed so much to go, but I felt like it's the right thing to do."

"I know. What's Rhode Island like?"

"I'm not sure. I only see what's outside my room and it isn't much."

"How are you?"

He knew the meaning behind the question. "I'm good. Nothing happening, other than missing my angel like crazy. I'm hugging a pillow right now, wishing it was you." Only with Becca would he ever blurt things like that out.

"A pillow, hmm? Know what? I'm doing the same thing. I took your pillow and have been hugging it like mad. I also took one of your favorite shirts to wear. I hope you don't mind."

Mind? The only thing he minded was that he couldn't be there to hold her. The smoothness of her sweet voice rolled over his skin in a wave of chills. "Are you serious, or are you just messing with me?"

"Would I mess with you?"

He chuckled. "Nah. You're too pure and innocent."

Becca groaned. "I thought we were way past that."

"Never."

"I finished your painting." Quick change of subject. She was learning from him.

"The sleeping Hunter portrait?" He wanted to see the end result of that one so bad!

"The one and only." Sleep filled her voice.

"I can't wait to see it. I love you, Bec. I wanted to say that now before we fell asleep."

"I love you too." He heard her yawn. "Are we really going to stay on the phone until we fall asleep?"

"If you have no objections."

"I don't."

"Want to know another favorite memory I have of you?" He kicked off his shoes. They fell to the floor with a loud thud. Then he peeled back the blanket and climbed under. Once he was settled, he grabbed the pillow again, resting on his side.

"What's that?"

The very first time I came to visit you at your aunt's. You were on the porch swing. I wasn't sure you'd remember me. I talked to you and signed at the same time. You were coloring and gave me a picture to keep. It's something I'll always treasure. I still have it, you know."

"I cried because you actually took the time to learn sign language. For the first time since leaving you and the hospital, I felt safe again." Becca's tone had so much emotion. "I remember that pretty well."

"I don't know if I actually said this to you or if it was just in my flashbacks, but in the one where you squeezed my hand for the first time, I said you were pretty brave for a girl and that I was impressed."

Becca laughed softly. "That sounds like a twelve year old boy's comment."

"I still stand by it. Every day I see your strength and how brave you are and it amazes me." He thought back to the ring box he'd been holding as his reminder. He had something to fight for, someone worth giving it his all.

Chapter Twenty Six

"But what about sports camp? I thought I could go this year!" Hunter crossed his arms over his chest and glared at his dad. "You and Uncle Joe promised. I had good grades and everything!"

"I know we promised, and I'm sorry about that. Something came up and we have to go." Dad lost his patience with him.

"I'm old enough to stay on my own," he grumbled.

"Hunter, listen to your father, okay? There's just some things we can't control." Mom was upset. She had tears in her eyes.

Okay, what was going on here?

He sighed. "Fine." What else could he do?

It had to do with what he overheard the other night. Mom tried to let him know there was nothing to worry about, but he knew better.

Dad patted his back. "I'm sorry, son."

Hunter shrugged it off. "There's always another time. Guess I'll get my bag packed." Turning away from them, he stomped off and filled his duffel bag with clothes.

His parents walked off, maybe to go pack their stuff. A few minutes later, he heard footsteps and a knock at his door.

"Hey buddy, I hear you're pretty upset. Can I come in for a bit?"

"Sure." He didn't even turn to look at Uncle Joe. Instead, Hunter kept throwing stuff in his bag.

"Tell you what. I know you really wanted to go to sports camp this year. How about we make a deal?" Joe sat at the edge of the bed.

"What kind of deal?" Hunter stopped packing, his hand in mid air.

"Your mom and dad could really use your cooperation right now. This isn't something easy to do, but we have to help a special friend with an important mission."

Hunter rolled his eyes. "Don't talk to me like I'm a kid. I don't need to play mission to understand. I get it. I'll get over the camp. I promise."

Joe's hand on his forearm scared him. The look in his eyes, how dead serious he was, really hit home for Hunter.

Something was very wrong here.

"One day you'll do something that changes things. Some might see it as good, some might not, but one decision can change the course of your life. And when that resurfaces, everything else in your world stops because it has to be dealt with. It's a big adult responsibility, Hunter. I know you're only twelve, but you're one of the most grown up twelve year olds I know." He gave his arm a squeeze. "Don't tell your mom and dad I said any of this to you. Just ... give them a little break, okay? If they didn't have to break their promise, they wouldn't."

Hunter never understood what he meant by that, and he kept thinking about it all the way to the airport. Even though his uncle spoke quietly to his dad, Hunter heard it.

"We'll take care of her, and then it's done. We can't speak of it ever again. This goes beyond what was asked of you all those years ago, Charles."

*****

"Shit!" Hunter flew out of bed ready to find out what Joe was talking about, then stopped in his tracks.

Another flashback. Hell, that felt so real! It was still fresh in his mind. He grabbed his notebook and pen, then wrote everything down. It took a few pages. Rays of sunlight filtered through his window. Daylight. Good. He could start the day and get this done and over with.

He searched for his phone and found it under the pillow he'd been hugging all night. That's right. He'd fallen asleep on the phone with Becca.

He dialed her number, eager to hear her voice.

"H'lo?" Becca's muffled, sleepy voice drifted over the line.

"Morning gorgeous."

"Mmm. Hunter!" Recognition of who she was talking to made her more awake and alert.

"Of course it's me. Who else would call you gorgeous so early in the morning?" he teased. Might as well lighten the mood.

"Ha ha, aren't you funny. What time is it?"

Time for me to get done and get back to you.
He glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. "Seven. Sorry. I didn't realize it was still so early."

"It's okay. How'd you sleep? I don't even remember falling asleep!"

"Neither do I. I slept okay, but had another flashback. This was of Joe. He was trying to talk to me as an adult to make me understand something, but I never knew what. The last words he said before I woke up were chilling though." He shuddered just thinking about them.

"What were they?" Her voice came clearer on the line.

"We'll take care of her, and then it's done. We can't speak of it ever again. This goes beyond what was asked of you all those years ago, Charles."

"Do you think these are real?" No doubt she found these hard to believe. Hunter himself couldn't tell if these were fictitious events or real. Dreams, memories and flashbacks weren't reliable. Just because he found out there was a real Joe didn't mean what he remembered was accurate.

"One way to find out."

"Hunter, be safe."

"I will, Bec. I'll be home before you know it. I'll get a quick flight out of here as soon as I find and talk to Joe," he promised.

"Okay. Keep me updated."

"I will. Talk to you soon."

He hated getting off the phone with her, but it was time to start the day. Since it was still a little too early to go knocking at someone's door, even as much as he wanted to right now, Hunter left his room to find a place for breakfast. He sat around for the next hour dipping in the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet and sipping on coffee. He brought his laptop to do a search, but came up empty handed. Nothing he didn't already know. Maybe Jed had more information about the plane crash and destination.

At around nine, Hunter decided it was time. He chugged down the last bit of lukewarm coffee in his cup, left a tip and packed up his laptop. He made his way back to the room to grab his bag in case he didn't get a chance to come back. If he ended up staying another night he'd just check in later. There were plenty of available rooms, so there was nothing to worry about. There wasn't much activity right now tourist wise.

Just as he'd checked out, his phone rang. Hunter didn't recognize the phone number. "Hello?"

"Hunter? This is Vince. I really need to speak with you."

"If this is about Becca and anything you and her grandparents want that she doesn't, buzz off, okay?" he snapped. The last thing he wanted right now was to deal with Vince.

"I know you two got the message a few weeks ago. I'm surprised you didn't call about it."

Hunter froze. "So it was on purpose." He knew something had been off with that message!

"It was. I was hoping we could come to a little agreement. I'd like to meet up with you and discuss this further. I'll come to you."

"I'm out of state right now."

"This is important, Hunter. We can help each other. I know you have an investigator looking into things. He's good at what he does, I'm sure, but I have information from the inside."

"And you're just easily willing to give it out?" What was the catch?

"Not quite. I do need a favor in return."

Ahh, so there it was. Go figure, the jerk wanted something. Didn't he always?

"What is this favor?"

"Meet up with me and we'll discuss it. Just you and I. Don't bring Becca into this right now."

*****

With Vince's request in mind, Hunter made a designated spot for them to meet up this evening. That gave him plenty of time to go talk to Joe now.

He found the house matching the address and pulled up in front of it. A simple, yet elegant two story Victorian style home. Steps led up to the large front porch. The yard had so much well kept green grass. He sniffed the air. Smells like it had recently been cut.

Hunter didn't notice at first, not until he made it halfway up the walkway, but a man sat on the porch in a wicker chair. The man climbed to his feet slowly and stared at Hunter.

Recognition?

"It's like I've seen a ghost." Joe moved to the front of the porch, holding the banister. "Charles Beckman's boy, all grown up. You look so much like your father did at this age. I never thought I'd see you again. It's been what, twenty years? You're in your thirties now?"

"Thirty two," Hunter replied. Joe was real, and he remembered him! Shit! Wow. Now how much did he remember about what happened? As much as he wanted to ask him the truth now, he wanted to know this man he'd called Uncle even more. "I didn't remember about you until recently. A lot of my memories before the accident are skewed or not there."

"I wanted to come see you after you were found." Joe walked with a limp.

"Why didn't you?" He figured he knew the answer.

"I don't know. I wasn't in the position to take you in. I thought the past was better left there. Not a day goes by that I haven't thought of your parents and you. How are you? Where are you living now? You say you only now remembered me?" Joe gestured to the chairs a few feet away.

"I've been having triggers that bring back memories I couldn't recall before." Hunter took up his invitation, settling in the chair next to the one Joe sat in before. "Doctors say PTSD."

Joe scowled. "I'm sorry. I've seen the affects of it on people many times in my life." If he was worried about Hunter bringing up the past things he'd done, Joe didn't show it yet. "Married? Kids?"