Nephew's Wife, The (12 page)

“I’m not interested in you,” Rand said, flatly.  Thoughts of Ellen made him warm all over.  A tingling sensation shimmied from his eyes all the way to his toes.

“Your eyes say you are,” Lana insisted. “They started sparkling the instant I said you still had feelings for me. Eyes don’t lie, Rand. Everything we had will come back to you over a romantic, candlelight dinner in Paris.  Let’s make a date.”

“No!” Rand blurted.  His resolve had returned full force. He plucked a set of headphones out of a compartment in his computer case and put them on.  A few clicks of his mouse later, he was listening to his favorite Christian CD, drowning Lana out.

Lana got the message. She lifted a fashion magazine out of her purse and stuck her nose in it, but the spark in her eye told Rand she wasn’t giving up that easily.

              Ellen drove to the library under dark clouds that promised a late winter’s storm.  A cold front was moving into the area over night.  Tomorrow, the air would be clear and dry, but much colder.  Ellen’s hopes of beating the rain home tonight seemed unlikely. 

Her nerves were knotted despite constant prayer.  She didn’t doubt her faith.  Anxiety was a natural reaction when facing problems head on.  She wouldn’t let it get the best of her, though.  En route, she listened to uplifting Christian music on the car’s CD player.  It reminded her over and over that God was with her, and where God is, there is no fear.

“Faith conquers fear,” she repeated to herself in a singsong way.  As she pulled into the west side of the parking lot, Ellen went over her plan.  Stay calm, listen carefully, don’t get angry, and don’t make any rash decisions.

Ellen shuffled her thoughts to Rand and his phone call before she had left the house.  He’d made it safely to Paris, thank the Lord, but he sounded preoccupied and in a hurry to get off the phone.  Ellen chalked his impatience to a bad flight followed by the critical meeting he was on his way to.  When she’d asked about the flight, he’d shrugged her off with a bland, “it was fine.”

              After their lengthy goodbye that morning, Ellen had expected Rand to be more talkative, maybe even say how he missed her.  When he didn’t, she didn’t either even though she missed him a lot.

Ellen shoved aside her bleak thoughts of Rand as she pulled into the designated area of the library. She had to focus.  Driving up and down the aisles, she searched for someone who appeared to be waiting.  It was exactly 6 PM.  At the end of the last aisle, Ellen saw a woman leaned against an old sports car.  When she got close, Ellen’s heart sank into her stomach.  It was the mysterious woman from the mall.

One last prayer for strength, courage, and clarity flew from Ellen’s pounding heart to God’s loving ears as she parked Rand’s sporty SUV and got out.

The woman sneered as she strutted toward Ellen.  “Looks like you’re living the good life. I see you’ve glammed up since Paul’s death.  Sick of playing the role of the
suffering fiancée
?

“Who are you, and what do you want?”  Ellen squared her shoulders and pinned her gaze on the woman.

“Don’t get huffy with me, lady. I can bring you down like this.” She snapped her fingers.

Ellen didn’t flinch. God was with her. Whatever this woman thought she had on her was nothing compared to what God already knew. 

“I’m listening.”  Ellen crossed her arms over her mid-section, taking a defiant stance. 

Lightning flashed in the distance and thunder rock and rolled behind it, but the woman didn’t flinch.            

“You’ve been flaunting yourself all over the world as this heartbroken, suffering fiancée, but I know the truth.  You broke up with Paul the night before you’re wedding.”

“You told me that in the letter.”

“I didn’t tell you everything.  Paul called me as soon as he left you.  He was very, very upset, crying his heart out.  He told me he wanted to kill himself. I tried to talk him out of it.” She paused as her bottom lip trembled. “I heard the crash right after that.”

Ellen slowly unfolded her arms and dropped them to her sides. She trembled.  Lightning lit up the sky again. It was closer. The wind picked up, whipping Ellen’s clothes and hair.  Ellen narrowed her eyes at the woman.  She’d seen her somewhere before the mall.

“I know you.”  Ellen’s memory stirred.  “You’re Whitney Fowler.  You were a client at the law firm. Paul was your divorce lawyer.”

“Paul and I became good friends after that,” Whitney declared in a snooty way.

“Really?” Suspicion dotted Ellen’s tone.  “I don’t remember you ever visiting him during the nine years he was at the care center.”

              Whitney stiffened.  “I moved from the area right after the accident. I just returned a month ago, but I kept up with your story. Believe me, I was appalled by it.” 

“Why didn’t you come forward before?” 

Whitney pushed a lock of hair from her face and sneered.  “I was waiting for the right time, when I could get something out of it.”

“Why now?”

“You have something I want.”

Ellen shrugged, baffled.  “What are you talking about?  I don’t have any money.”

“Ha! I don’t want your money! I want Randolph Powers, your boss.”

“What?”  Ellen gasped. Threads of lightning screeched across the sky.  Thunder boomed loudly and shook the ground under them.

“The other day at the mall, I knew you could tell I was spying, but I had to make sure it was you.  I went back to the dress shop where I first saw you. I know the sales girl and I asked a few questions. She told me you were Dolly Powers’ new companion.  I knew the woman you were with had to be someone important and rich from the way she was talking.  My friend told me Rand Powers’ aunt is bent on finding her nephew a wife.”

“So!” Tension gripped the back of Ellen’s neck.

              Whitney gave her a smug look.  “So, you’re going to introduce me to your boss or I’m going to tell the world you killed Paul Kendall.  Can you imagine the fallout over that bit of news?  You’ll be despised instead of admired.  You’ll be scum.  I’m guessing no one knows your secret, but I figured it out.  You didn’t stay with Paul out of love.  You stayed with him out of guilt, or to shut him up if he ever became able to tell what you’d done.”

“This is blackmail!” Ellen fumed.

“I’ve heard Rand is out of the country this week. That means you have this week to work out a plan for me to meet him or I’ll go to Robin Davenport with my side of the story.”

“What kind of plan?”

“Don’t ask stupid questions, Ellen!” Whitney flared.  “I want you to fix me up with Rand Powers, you nitwit.  You’re going to get me into that house, and you’re going to make sure he falls in love with me.”

“I can’t make anyone fall in love with you!”

Whitney got in Ellen’s face.  “Well, you better think of something unless you want the world to know you’re nothing but a deceiving fraud who drove a man to suicide.” She cocked her head to one side, sarcastically. “Of course, that could make a good story for the world press, too.  Only you wouldn’t be portrayed as some sweet, little heroine, nursing a broken heart.  You’d be a wicked, calculating villain.  The Powers would probably kick you out, and you wouldn’t be able to find a job anywhere else on the planet. Do you want that?”

Fat rain drops plopped out of the dark sky.  One smacked Ellen on the top of the head, spooking her.  She twitched.

Whitney jabbed a finger in the air.  “You have one week, Ellen. We’ll meet right here, same day, same time a week from now. And you better have something for me. I’ll give you till six-fifteen then I’ll call Robin.”  She slid in her car and drove away, glaring at Ellen.

Ellen watched Whitney speed through the half-empty parking lot to catch the green light at the exit.  Her whole body shook with anger and fear.  None of this would be happening if she had set Robin straight at the beginning.  Nothing good ever comes from covering up the truth, Ellen thought.  A life lesson she’d not repeat.

The funny thing was, she hadn’t even been thinking of herself when she had held back the truth.  She had wanted to protect the sanctity of the relationship between herself and Paul.  That’s why she had never clarified Robin’s exaggeration of their engagement.  Sure, if she had told the truth, everyone would have known she hadn’t loved Paul, but that’s not the reason she had kept quiet.  It was as simple as not wanting everyone to know her personal business.  At the time, it seemed innocent.  Ellen had no idea the story would go global and transform her into some kind of celebrity.  Before she could set things straight, the story had sprouted several legs and had taken off with a mind of its own.  Ellen was beginning to feel more victimized by it than at fault.  But the world wouldn’t see it that way.

A nasty storm swirled overhead.  Ellen got back inside the car and dropped her head on the steering wheel. The driving rain and gusty wind rocked the car.  Lightning flicked close by.  Ellen felt its powerful heat surge the air.  She needed to get to a safer place.  The library was her only choice.  She moved the SUV to a parking space closer to the building then took a chance between lightning strikes to bolt for the library.

Inside, she hurried to the restroom to dry herself with paper towels.  Her cell rang.  She looked at the number and trembled.

“Dolly! Are you okay?”  Ellen asked, petrified something was wrong.  She’d promised Rand she wouldn’t let anything happen to his aunt while he was away.

“I’m fine, dear, but what about you? The weather report warned of severe storms in Tampa.”  Dolly’s voice quivered with worry.

“I’m in a safe place, Dolly,” Ellen assured her.  “I’ll head home as soon as the storm dies down so don’t worry about me.”

“Be careful, dear.”

Ellen promised she would then ended the call and set her phone on vibrate.  She strolled through the lobby and entered the main room of the library to find a chair in a quiet corner.  They were all occupied. She found one by a window and collapsed in it.  She stared out at the raging storm.  It mirrored her emotions.  Her life was stormy and frighteningly unpredictable at the moment, and she’d put Rand right smack in the middle of it.

He was never far from Ellen’s thoughts.  She loved him more than anything for all the good it did.  He’d never love her back once he knew the truth.  She’d lied to him and Dolly over and over every time she let them believe she’d been in love with Paul.  Dolly would be so disappointed in her.  Ellen slumped in the chair. 

There was no way she’d help a blackmailer get inside the Powers’ home.  She’d have to tell the truth then hope for the best.  Whitney’s blackmail threat would be null and void.  Ellen was already starting to feel relieved to have everything out in the open, even if it cost her Rand’s love and her job. She’d move somewhere no one knew her and start over again.  God would help her.

Thoughts of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ soothed away Ellen’s turbulent emotions.  Tears rippled across her eyes.  What a disappointment she’d been to Him.  She’d asked forgiveness many times and knew in her heart, He’d forgiven her, but something didn’t feel right.  There’d never been a sense of closure. Maybe it was because she’d been unable to get Paul’s forgiveness.  Whitney’s claim that he wanted to kill himself troubled Ellen even more.  She had not just caused Paul’s accident.  She’d driven him to suicide. Her heart flip-flopped inside her chest.  If she could, she’d run away and hide from everyone.  Instead, she buried head in her hands and wept softly. 

Dolly was still awake when Ellen arrived home at ten that night.  After the storm, Ellen had left the library and driven around aimlessly, wondering what to do, her thoughts whirling like confetti in a wind tunnel.

“You’re back!” Dolly squirmed to an upright position.  “I’ve been so worried.  The storm sounded so awful.”

Ellen assured Dolly she was alright then tucked the woman in and went to her own room.  Sleep came in fits and starts that night.  No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t tie a prayer down long enough to utter it.  Her life seemed to be spinning out of control.

The first chance she got the next day, Ellen strolled to the gazebo under a cloudless, blue sky. The air wasn’t as cold as predicted, but it felt crisp on her skin and was afire with the fragrance of magnolia buds.  It was after lunch.  She wanted to hear Rand’s voice, but he’d already called that morning.  He had only enough time to talk to Dolly.  Ellen felt slighted, but she knew Rand was busy.

The next day, Ellen returned to the gazebo early.  Her insides churned.  Dolly sensed something was bothering her, but Ellen passed it off as a sinus headache from the pollen in the air. The night before, she’d read Scriptures in hopes of finding one to fix everything and make it better.  Several told her to take her cares to God, that He daily bore her burdens, and to have faith in trials.

The day was sunny again.  Rand had called the evening before, but couldn’t talk long.  Ellen was beginning to think he just didn’t want to talk to her.  It dragged her spirits down further.  Her prayers rambled over everything that had happened in her life with no particular aim or purpose.  She didn’t even know what to ask for anymore.  Ellen felt on the verge of a major breakdown.

Whitney’s threat was breathing down her neck.  Something about the woman didn’t fit, but Ellen couldn’t put a finger on it.  She hoped the cool sunshine would jar something from her brain.  Whitney had said she and Paul were close, but Ellen couldn’t remember Paul ever mentioning her.  Whitney had also said she’d never visited Paul because she had moved, but when did she move?  There were too many troubling variables about Whitney.  Doubt in the woman’s claims crept in. Ellen needed to find out about her.

A friend of Dolly’s came by to visit later that morning.  Ellen served them tea then stepped outside for some fresh air.  It gave her a chance to call Paul’s former secretary, Bernice.  After polite small-talk, Ellen explained the purpose of her call.

“I know you can’t divulge a lot of information about Whitney, but I was hoping you’d clarify something for me, Bernice.”

              “I’ll do what I can. Whitney’s not well liked around here. She owes the firm tons of money.”