Pitch Black: A Romantic Thriller (Blackwood Security Book 1) (22 page)

We were out of the woods and trudging along the track when Tia, who had been uncharacteristically silent until that point, asked, “Why did you come?”

“What do you mean?”

“To find me. Why did you come to find me? I mean, you hate me, so why are you helping?”

“I don’t hate you. It takes a lot for me to hate someone. Plus I care about your brother, and he’s worried sick about you.”

“But you must hate me. I’ve been really nasty to you,” she admitted.

“Yes you have, and I’ll confess you didn’t exactly endear yourself to me when you got me sacked, but I can understand why you did it. You were trying to look out for your brother, in your own way, and you’re scared of losing him.”

My words must have hit close to home because a tear rolled from her eye.

“He’s all I’ve got,” she said quietly. “Apart from mother, who ignores me, and Arabella who only likes me when I’m wearing the right clothes and the latest accessories.”

“How about other friends at school?”

“Mother made me go to private school. It’s two towns away and nobody except Arabella lives near here. They all hang out together after school, but I have to come home.”

“Can’t you go out with them in the evenings sometimes?”

“Mother won’t let me. She won’t even let me get the bus to school. She sends me and Arabella in a car every day.”

“I’m sure she cares about you.” Except I wasn’t. Not after Luke’s comments on the subject.

“But she’s never there! She’s always at bridge or a supper party or the theatre or something. I tried sneaking out, but Mrs. Squires told on me, and I got grounded again.”

“Who’s Mrs. Squires?”

“Part housekeeper, part dragon.”

“Have you said all this to Luke?”

“I tried, but he’s always busy with work. He said I should find a hobby, that he’d pay for me to take classes in something, but Mother said everything I thought of was too dangerous or unladylike.”

I felt for Tia. Somewhere under her spoilt, bitchy exterior, there was an insecure kid who just wanted attention. I’d been there myself.

“Do you want me to speak to Luke? See if he can have a word with your mother?”

“Would you?” She sniffled and wiped her nose on her sleeve. “He listens to you.”

Tia went quiet, and I mused over our conversation. It was hard to believe she was the same person. I didn’t realise breaking an arm could have such a dramatic effect on somebody’s personality—if I had, I’d have done it more often.

Relax, I was just kidding.

“A signal! There’s a signal!” Tia shouted. Before we set off, I’d given her the job of watching the phone to keep her occupied.

Oh, happy days. I took the phone back and called Luke.

“I’ve got her.”

“Thank fuck for that. Is she okay?”

“There’s bit of damage, but nothing that can’t be fixed. We’ll need an ambulance to come and meet us, though.”

His voice wavered as he asked, “How bad is it?”

“A broken arm and an injured ankle. I don’t think the ankle’s broken, but she’ll need an X-ray to make sure. The arm’s likely to need pinning.”

“I’ll arrange it. The police have just turned up, so they can help. Where are you?”

“Good question.” I turned to Tia. “Do you know the name of that rise over there?” I pointed ahead.

“Christmas Hill.”

Well, at least we were in keeping with the festive season. “We’re heading for Christmas Hill. Tia’s on horseback so we can make it to the road. I remember crossing a lane next to a cottage with a caved-in roof—ring any bells?”

“Yeah, I know where that is. I used to mess around in it when I was a kid. I’ll meet you there with an ambulance. The roads should be passable up to that point.”

Tia had turned ashen by the time we made it to the cottage. Shock was starting to set in now her adrenalin had worn off. The ambulance was waiting with Luke’s car parked behind it. He leapt out when he saw us coming.

“How are you feeling?” he asked Tia, as the two medics helped her from the horse.

“Everything hurts,” she mumbled.

He leaned over and squeezed her hand. “You’ll be okay.”

While Luke went to hospital with Tia, I rode Majesty back to Hazelwood Farm by the light of the moon. The sky was clear, and the stars twinkled overhead. With the light reflecting off the snow, it never truly got dark. The evening was peaceful, serene. As Majesty strode forward, ears pricked, I was reminded that despite the evil in the world, it could still be a beautiful place.

When I got back to the barn, I was relieved to see the vet had visited Gameela. She was happily munching hay with her legs bandaged. I un-tacked Majesty, gave him a handful of carrots and put him to bed.

He wasn’t a bad horse. His biggest crimes were being smart and being bored. After his initial silliness, he’d behaved impeccably. I hoped someone would take him for the long rides he enjoyed in future—he deserved it.

When I called Luke, he didn’t answer. Was he still at the hospital? He wasn’t at home when I got there, so I figured he must be. Despite my hatred of hospitals, I hopped in a cab to go and lend some moral support.

As the car got closer, the knot in my stomach grew tighter. All the time I’d spent in the emergency room over the years had been because someone was hurt or dying, and I couldn’t stand the feeling of helplessness that came with waiting. Sitting around made me feel useless. I’d rather be out doing something constructive. Or destructive, depending on which was more appropriate.

I found Luke was slumped in a chair, staring into space, and took the empty seat next to him. When he looked up, his face was drawn. The black circles under his eyes showed how much the day had taken out of him.

“She’s in surgery. She’s got a displaced fracture, and the doctor wanted to repair it straight away.”

“That’s a good thing, at least then she can start recovering.”

He rubbed his temples and sighed. “Mother lost the plot, and they had to sedate her.”

“Do you want to go and sit with her? I can stay here and wait for news on Tia.”

“No, she’s sleeping. She behaves like this all the time. The world always has to revolve around her. I’m tired of it.” He sounded resigned.

Neither of us talked much after that. I was lost in my thoughts while Luke stared at the wall opposite.

The last time I sat in a waiting room like this was in the aftermath of my husband’s death. I wasn’t praying for him—he died instantly. No, I was waiting as medical staff tried to save one of the fuckers who pulled the trigger.

Why did I want him to live?

Firstly, because I suspected he was hired help, and I wanted to ask him nicely who had paid him. Secondly, because I wanted the pleasure of killing him myself. I was numb, wedged between Nick and Dan, whose strength was holding me up, when the doctor emerged with the news he hadn’t made it.

It was better news for Tia. Three hours later, the doctor came out, still wearing blood-stained scrubs, to let us know we could sit with her.

“You want to go in alone?” I asked Luke.

His answer was to grip my hand and pull me into the room alongside him.

When Tia woke up later, she was groggy.

“My tongue feels too big for my mouth,” she mumbled.

“Do you need more painkillers?” Luke asked, stroking her hair back from her forehead.

She shook her head. I suspected they’d put something good in her drip.

Raised voices in the corridor made me turn my head. The door opened and Tia’s mother swept in, followed by a doctor who didn’t appear at all happy with the situation.

“Tia, you’re awake! I was so worried, darling, but the doctor says you’re going to be just fine.”

Turning to the doctor, she asked, “When can she come home?”

The doctor scanned her chart. “Assuming there are no setbacks overnight, she can be discharged tomorrow. I’ll check on her in the morning.”

“That’s wonderful, isn’t it darling? I have tennis first thing and the spa in the afternoon, but I’ll make sure Mrs. Squires is at home to look after you.”

Tia took on the same air of resignation as Luke had earlier when talking about his mother. “Okay.”

Now she knew Tia wasn’t at death’s door, her mother lost interest. She air-kissed her daughter on both cheeks and looked at her watch. “I’m late for the rotary club meeting, darling. I’ll see you at supper tomorrow.”

While the members of the Lower Foxford rotary club were no doubt wonderful people, it was somewhat tragic that the bitch considered them more important than her own child. She was so wrapped up in herself she’d barely acknowledged Luke and didn’t even seem to notice I was in the room. No wonder Tia was lonely.

Why was I surprised? It wasn’t like the donor of my own chromosomes was any better. It just went to show money didn’t buy compassion.

“How are you feeling?” Luke asked his sister. I knew he was asking about their mother’s visit rather than her arm.

“Fine.”

“That’s good.” He was oblivious to the fact that when a woman says she’s “fine,” she’s anything but. “Do you want me to bring you some magazines or something?”

I rolled my eyes at him. “How are you really feeling?” I asked Tia.

She burst into tears. Shit.

Between sobs, Tia’s true feelings came pouring out. “I hate it. I hate being at home, and now I’m stuck there. I’d rather be at school, and now I can’t go. Mother won’t be around; it’ll just be me and the nosey old witch. I’m not allowed to do anything. I can’t even make myself a snack without her moaning I’m making a mess, and if I try to watch a movie, she says it’s unsuitable or too loud. She pokes around in my room, and I’ve got no privacy.” She let out a loud sniffle. “I wanted to go to boarding school, but Mother wouldn’t let me. I wish I was dead.”

Luke looked stricken as Tia rolled over and carried on crying.

“What the hell do I do?” he whispered. “Normally if a woman cries I buy her stuff, but I’m not sure that’ll work?”

Men! “Could you go and find some tissues?”

Luke shot from the room, looking relieved to have a task that didn’t involve comforting an upset teenager. After he left, I perched on the edge of the bed.

“Are you still speaking to me, Portia, or am I back to being the devil incarnate?”

“I don’t hate you any more. And call me Tia, all my friends do.”

Well, that was progress. “Let’s try and fix this. In an ideal world, what would make you happy?”

She was silent for a minute as she thought. “I’d like a family that cares about me and some friends other than Arabella. I want to live in my own house without feeling I’m always in the way, and I want to be allowed out. I’m sick of being treated like a kid. I’m sixteen now.”

Despite the differences in our upbringings, neither of us had enjoyed our childhoods. Perhaps that’s why I felt compelled to make the offer I did?

“If Luke agrees, how would you like to stay with us for a while? I’m around all day, so I could help with the things you can’t manage with your arm.”

After a moment’s pause, she said, “I think I’d like that.”

When I broached the subject with Luke in the corridor a few minutes later, he looked at me like I’d taken a wrong turn on the way to the psych unit.

“Why would you want to help her after the way she’s treated you?”

“Because somebody has to, and if I’m being honest, your mother doesn’t seem like she’s up to the job.” I hoped Luke wouldn’t take offence at that.

No worries there. “It’s hard to imagine how she could be worse.”

Oh, I could offer a few suggestions.

“I didn’t realise things had got so bad for Tia, though. I’ve spent too much time working,” he continued. “I’m a pretty second-rate brother, aren’t I?”

“You’ve done your best. It’s not like you asked to run the company at such a young age. You supported your family financially, but now Tia needs a different kind of help.”

“I’ll agree to her staying, but it’s you who’ll be with her all day. How do you feel about it?”

“I think we have to try.”

He wrapped his arms around me, pulled me close, and kissed me chastely on the lips.

“In that case, you’ll need to learn to fuck quietly. Or else I’ll have to gag you.”

“Ooh, kinky. Deal.”

The following morning, Luke rose as the birds started singing. It was still dark when he hammered on my door to wake me up.