Eye of the Abductor (26 page)

You want Nathan more.

“Ummm...” He groaned and kissed her shoulders again before
whispering in her ear, “Do you want to make love? I'll be gentle.”

“Yes, but first I need to run to the bathroom.”

“Keep the mood and hurry back,” he said.

She climbed from bed, slipped on her blue bathrobe, and
disappeared into the bathroom. She brushed her teeth and stared at her
reflection in the mirror.

You can’t let yourself love him. If you do, it’ll be
impossible to ever leave. Keep it simple and uncomplicated.

***

Brance waited for Allison to return. Damn, he’d never expected
her to wake up like this. Tiger woman. She entered the bedroom, and he sat up.
“Why’d you get dressed? I thought you wanted to make love.”

She shrugged. “I wasn’t quite awake. When I actually woke up, I
realized I want to keep this a business deal. I don’t want to make it so
personal. It’ll make the divorce easier.”

She needed time, but her frankness about their deal hurt. Not
only what she'd said, but the coldness in her voice. He sucked in a deep
breath, and pain tightened his throat, burning all the way to his chest.

If she walked away with her son, he’d be the butt of everyone’s
jokes. Could he make her love him? He was starting to think he couldn’t.

Later that day when Brance returned to his car, a note had been
pinned under the windshield wiper.

You married a murderer.

He couldn’t help but remember how cold she’d been at the hotel.
Had she been a part of Wilson’s shady operation? He refused to let himself
believe it.

In general, everyone treated him as though he’d married Lizzie
Borden. And after seeing how withdrawn and detached Allison could be, maybe he
had.

***

On the way home, he stopped by his parents’ house to borrow his
father’s electric drill and other tools to repair some minor damage to his
apartment. In his parents' den, Colby and Dillon sat on the sofa across from
their dad. Lt. Larry Bishop lounged in the other chair.

From the doorway, Brance said, “Anybody home?”

His brothers and father gave each other acknowledging glances,
but none of them addressed him. Instead, they continued to speak with one
another as though he wasn’t there.

Dillon propped his feet upon the coffee table. “Grant and I
pulled over a moving van and unloaded ten illegal aliens today.”

“I heard about it,” Colby said, reaching for his beer.

“Times are changing,” Larry stated.

Undaunted, Brance entered the room. “I’m still a member of this
family.”

Finally, his dad acknowledged him. “Go home to that bitch you
married.”

Shock rippled through Brance. He’d never heard his dad speak in
such an icy and crude way. “Don’t call Allison that.”

“Better watch your back,” Colby added. “Guys on the force are
pissed off. They think of you as a traitor.”

“Never thought a young man like you would let a woman make an ass
out of him. She’s a user,” Larry said.

“While everyone’s talking trash about my wife, let me make one
thing clear. I’ll kill the bastard who attacked her if he tries again.”

“Why should that concern us?” his father asked.

“Because I suspect he’s a Memphis cop.”

Chapter Fifteen

“That’s ridiculous,” his father snapped.

“And just who in the hell do you think this cop is?” Colby
inquired.

“I can’t say just yet,” Brance replied. “But when I get enough
evidence, I’ll let you know.”

“Once you have your grandmother’s money, you could wake up with a
knife in your back,” Larry warned.

“I trust Allison.” He thought of how she had acted Monday at the
hotel. Neither had spoken on the way home. And once back, she’d disappeared
into her apartment and locked the door behind her.

“You’re a damn fool! I don’t want a fool for a son,” his father
proclaimed.

Brance expelled a chuckle to disguise his disappointment. “You’re
disowning me?”

“No. You can’t disown what was never yours to begin with.”

The air left Brance’s lungs when his father’s words filtered
through his brain. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise. After all, he’d
suspected it. His astonishment came more from the way his father had announced
it in front of everyone.

His brothers looked as stunned as he felt. But Larry appeared
more amused than shocked. Obviously, his father had confided in the Lieutenant.

Brance choked back his pain and anger. He wouldn’t let them see
him torn apart.

His mother stood in the doorway, tears streaking her face.

“You swore you’d never say anything,” she said to his dad.

“He’s not my son.”

“But he’s mine. And you swore you’d love him just as you did
Dillon.”

“You were upset and hysterical. I kept hoping you’d do the
sensible thing and abort him. I never wanted him.”

Brance thought he’d be sick. Bile rose in this throat. All
reasoning collapsed in his mind.

Escape.

He had to escape now.

He turned and stormed from the den.

“Brance, wait!” his hysterical mother cried, following him
through the house. “Let me explain.”

But he didn’t. As soon as he was out the front door and in his
jeep, he backed from the drive, fleeing the house where he’d been raised. The
one where he’d grown up believing he was the son of Mike Stone.

Damn them and damn their lies and deceit.

Apparently his mother had had an affair. So who had fathered him?

***

Worry and apprehension ran through Allison's mind when Brance
didn’t come home. She had tried calling him, but his phone was off.

Had he been so angry with her that he’d sought comfort in Tammy’s
arms? No, she didn’t believe it. She owed Brance more credit than that. She fell
asleep waiting for him.

The next morning, someone banged urgently on her door. When she
saw June through the peephole, she couldn’t open the door fast enough. “Has
something happened to Brance?”

“Did he come home?” she asked.

“No, and his cell's turned off. That’s not like him.”    

“He’s upset over something his father said.”

“About me?”

“No, it’s something I should’ve told Brance years ago.” June
hesitated. “He’s not Mike’s son.”

It required a few moments to digest the news and comprehend how
it would affect Brance. Allison hoped June would explain, but instead she
continued to sob.

June wiped her eyes. “Tell him to call me when he comes home.”

“Come inside, and we’ll talk,” Allison offered.

“No, I can’t. But thanks.”

After June left, Allison showered and dressed.

There was one place Brance might be. She grabbed her purse,
hurried to her car, and pulled from the parking lot.

Her heart tightened over the pain Brance had to be experiencing.
Her empathy showed how strong her feelings for him had become.

***

Brance shuddered as bright sunlight hit his eyes. He tried to
cover his head with the pillow. He became more aware of his surroundings and
remembered the previous night. His father’s cutting words returned. Brance had
attempted to ease his pain by having a pity party with his old friend, Jack
Daniels. But the fifth of whiskey hadn’t helped.

Somehow he’d managed to drive himself to Collierville, but Gramie
had refused to speak with him about his mother's indiscretions while he was
intoxicated.

He sat up, swung his feet over the side, and stood, feeling light
headed. He ran his hand through his hair.

Allison.
What if someone had attacked her again last
night? She had to be wondering why he’d never returned home. Would she believe he'd
cheated on her?

He staggered downstairs, one hand on his forehead, hoping to
suppress the pounding in his head while the other remained securely on the rail
to keep from falling. He hated hangovers. But considering the news he’d heard,
he deserved to tie this one on.

Downstairs, Brance didn’t see Sally or Gramie, so he lifted the
receiver and dialed Allison’s number.

“She’s not there,” his grandmother said from the sunroom door.

He hung the phone up and turned around. “How do you know?”

“She’s been waiting here for you to wake up.”

“How long has she been here?”

“About an hour and June is looking for you.”

“I don’t want to talk to Mom.”

“Your mother loves you. She did what she thought was best.”

“By telling me a man who obviously resents me, perhaps even hated
me my entire life was my father? Didn’t she think I’d see the difference in the
way he treated me and his own two sons?”

“I noticed, but I’d hoped you hadn’t.”

He followed Gramie to the kitchen. Allison walked inside from the
sunroom and joined them. Her green eyes expressed empathy. “I missed you last
night.”

“Sorry, I should’ve called.”

“Under the circumstances, I understand."

“Brance, if you think your mother cheated on your father, you’re
wrong,” Gramie stated.

That’s exactly what he thought. “Then how was I conceived between
Colby and Dillon. I don’t get it.”

“Let’s discuss this over coffee." Gramie ambled over to the
kitchen table. “Sally, will you please pour us some coffee and bring it over?”

“Yes, Ms. Margaret.”

Brance joined his grandmother and wife at the table. Once the
coffee had been served and Sally left, his grandmother began.

“Your mother went on a mission trip to a rural area in Mexico
with her church group. The minister at the small church was a Mexican-American
mix, a fairly tall, handsome man so your mother said. He was married to a young
Latino girl and had two small children.”

Brance sensed he wasn’t going to like the rest of what Gramie was
about to say. "What happened?"

“Your mother didn’t think anything about taking a ride with him
into town. She wanted to pick up souvenirs for Dillon and Mike and figured this
might be her only chance. Instead, the man drove her to some remote place and
raped her."

"Son-of-a-bitch," Brance muttered.

"Then he warned if she told anyone, he’d see that the police
arrested the mission team. Dumb on her part, but she fell for his bluff and
didn't report it.”

“That lousy bastard,” Brance said, clenching his fist. He
swallowed back his anger. “What happened next?”

She sipped her coffee before continuing. “Once she came home, she
met with her minister and confided in him. He told her there wasn’t anything
she could do since she’d never filed a complaint with the Mexican authorities.”

“How long before she told Mike about it?” Brance asked.

“Not long. Her cycle was due about the same time she arrived
home. When she skipped it, she finally told your father and confessed what had
happened. Mike took action and contacted the Mexican authorities. They’d had
some similar complaints and finally arrested the man.”

Brance poured more cream in his coffee and stirred it. “I’m
amazed Mike didn’t make her get an abortion.”

“Mike demanded she do just that, but June refused. It didn’t
matter who fathered you, she wanted you.”

“Did Mom and Dad separate?”

“For a while. But he wanted your mother and Dillon to come home.
He accepted June’s ultimatum of raising you as his own and keeping it a
secret.”

Brance stared at the table, lost in thought. Mike Stone loved
Dillon so much that he agreed to accept Brance. No wonder his father looked at
him with such disgust. “What was my real father’s name?”

“Carlos Cardenas.”

“Did he ever know I existed?”

“You’d have to ask your mother.”

“And he was a minister?”

“Not really. He was involved in a scam to rip off American
churches.”

“So I’m the product of a con-artist, thief, and rapist.”

***

Allison couldn’t bear the pain reflected on Brance’s face. The
man was hurting. She gently placed her hand on his.

He exhaled a shaky breath. “This explains a lot. Like why I used
to catch dad staring at me in a way I can’t explain, but it’d make my skin
crawl.”

“Oh, Brance, that’s horrible,” Allison whispered.

“Dillon and Colby aren't my full-blooded brothers. I’m just their
bastard half-brother.”

“You’re still brothers,” his grandmother reminded.

“It won’t feel the same stepping inside that house anymore.
Things can never be the same.”

“Yes, they can, but you’ll have to be the one brave enough to
accept who you are instead of who you thought you were,” Gramie argued. “Mike
is still the man who raised you and gave you a home. Accept him for that if you
can no longer accept him as your father.”

Before they left, Brance called his mother and talked with her.
The comforting words he’d spoken to June made Allison realize how special
Brance was. First he let his mom know he didn’t hold anything against her. He
thanked her for giving him life. His tenderness and love for his mother touched
Allison. Brance Stone was a man worthy of love.

Anyone’s love but hers.

It’s too late. You’re already in love with him.

No, I can’t be.

It’d only ruin things in the long run. It wouldn’t last and might
interfere with her getting Nathan back.

 Brance placed a hand on Allison’s knee. “You okay?”

“None of it would’ve come out if you hadn’t married me.”

“Not true. It’s been brewing for years. I already suspected I
wasn’t his. I'd already considered having a DNA test done to learn the truth.”

***

Wednesday, Allison placed the roast in the crock pot, then added
potatoes and spices before getting ready for work. The doctor had given her the
thumbs-up for returning.

Brance had dropped by for a few moments to say good morning
before leaving for the precinct. After he’d gone, she found herself wishing she
could spend the day with him. A dangerous thought.