Season of Strangers (13 page)

“Nooo!” A high-pitched scream tore from Laura's throat. “I won't let them take me! Oh, God I won't let them hurt me again!” She started to run, but tripped on the chair and went sprawling, came up on her knees and began to slide across the floor till she hit the wall and backed into a corner.

Babs reached her first. “It's all right, honey, no one's going to hurt you. It's only a helicopter.” The
whop, whop, whop
of the blades now sounded directly overhead.

“Laura, it's okay,” Julie soothed as the searchlight moved on and the chopper roared off down the beach, taking the dull hum with it. “It's one of those sheriff's helicopters.” Kneeling at Laura's side, Julie pulled her sister's shaking body into the circle of her arms, trembling nearly as badly as she was. “They fly over every once in a while, remember? That's probably what happened the last time you were here.”

Laura gulped back tears. “How—how did you know about that? Do you remember what happened? I remember, Julie. I remember everything. I didn't for a while but now I do.”

“What's she talking about?” Babs asked.

“Something she told Dr. Heraldson. Something she believed happened to her the last time she came here.”

Laura looked up at her with big dark, tear-filled eyes. “Did I tell Dr. Heraldson what happened? Is that why he wanted you to listen to the tape?”

“Yes. He said you were frightened by something that happened to you at the hospital. You told him you'd been taken there the day we spent out on the beach. Since we both knew that hadn't really happened, he thought maybe I could think of something else that could have frightened you that day.”

“I know what frightened me. Just now…when I heard that noise, I remembered everything…everything that happened. Every terrible, agonizing moment.”

Patrick stepped into the circle just then. “It's obvious Laura's upset. The evening's over. We've all had a lovely time. Why don't we give Julie a chance to talk to her sister in private?”

“Julie?” Babs questioned with a pointed glance at Patrick. “Are you sure that's what you want? Maybe I should stay.” Babs had had a brief affair with Patrick years ago, but had wisely been one of the few who had ever dumped him, which was probably the reason they had been able to stay friends.

Julie looked at Laura, whose face was still so ashen the blue veins in her temple showed through. Her limbs were quaking, her hands balled into fists.

“I think Patrick's right.” Unconsciously Julie rubbed the back of her neck, feeling a dull throb of pain. Damn, a headache was the last thing she needed. “I'd appreciate it if you all went home. I think my sister could use a little time alone.”

Owen reached over and gently squeezed her shoulder. “I'm only just next door. Not a bit of trouble for me to come back if you need me.”

“Thank you, Owen. I'm sure we'll be okay.”

Patrick saw them all to the door, surprisingly considerate for Patrick. He waved a brief goodbye and then they were gone.

Julie breathed a sigh of relief. “Now…” Pasting a smile on her face, she turned and helped Laura to her feet. “Why don't we go into the living room? I'll fix you a cup of hot milk and you can tell me what this is all about.”

Laura nodded dully. Julie led her into the living room then returned as promised with a cup of steaming milk. Laura accepted the cup, wrapping her hands around the mug as if to relieve a chill, but didn't take a drink.

“Feel like talking about it?” Julie said gently, sitting down beside her on the sofa.

Laura's dark gaze turned in her direction. “I thought you said you heard the tape.”

“I also said it didn't make much sense. You said you were in a hospital, but you weren't, at least not on the two occasions you described.”

“Not a hospital, Julie.” Laura stared off into the distance. Julie had never seen such desolation. “A spaceship. The day we went to the beach, I was taken aboard a spaceship.”

Julie took the news like a blow to the stomach. In Laura's twenty-four years she'd said a lot of crazy things, but this was the wildest yet. The throbbing in her head continued to build, escalating to an ache than ran down her neck and stabbed into her shoulders. “I'm afraid I don't know what to say.”

“Just say you believe me, Julie. No one else is going to. If you don't, I don't know what I'm going to do.” Laura started crying then, hugging her arms around her stomach, bending over as if she were in pain.

Julie smoothed back silvery strands of her long blond hair. “Maybe it would be better if I didn't believe you. Then we could investigate this whole thing together, find out what really happened.”

“I know what happened,” Laura sobbed. “It's happened two times—both when I was here. I wasn't dreaming, Julie. It was nothing like a dream. It was a nightmare but it was real.”

Just then the doorbell rang, and both of them jumped.

“I'll go see who it is,” Julie said, trying to slow the battering of her heart. Before she could get up from the couch, the door swung open and Patrick leaned through the doorway.

“Can I come in?” He still wore his dark suit, but the tie was gone and his shirt had been unbuttoned, showing a triangle of smooth dark skin.

“I thought we agreed it would be best for Laura if everyone went home.”

“What I meant was everyone but me.” Patrick strode purposely toward them. Oddly enough, she was glad to see him. “Besides, I had a feeling you were getting one of your headaches.”

“I am.”

“I helped before. Maybe I can again.”

Julie just nodded, starting back toward the living room, Patrick following closely in her wake.

“Feeling any better?” he asked Laura, pulling a big orange-and-red striped ottoman over in front of the sofa.

“I may never feel better again.”

“Want to tell me about it? Believe it or not, I can be a very good listener.”

Her chin went up, a gesture she and Julie had inherited from their mother. “Go ahead, Julie. Tell him what I said. I'm sure he'll get a laugh out of it.”

Concerned blue eyes swung in Julie's direction. It was a look she hadn't expected, a look that promised understanding.

Julie sighed. “Laura believes she's been taken aboard a spaceship.”

For a moment he said nothing. “Is that all? I thought it was something important.”

Laura smiled faintly, and Julie plunged ahead. “She's convinced it's the truth. She believes it totally and completely.” She took a deep breath and rushed on, suddenly defensive of her sister. “She isn't the first person to claim such a thing, you know. I've read articles about it in the newspaper. I don't remember exactly what they said, but I know it's called alien abduction. It isn't absolutely impossible. Just because it can't be verified doesn't necessarily mean it's not the truth.”

A corner of his mouth curved up. “No, I don't suppose it does.” He studied her a moment, then returned his attention to Laura. “On the other hand, wouldn't it be more comforting to believe that perhaps it was some sort of trick, some illusion of the mind? Then you could work through the problem and come to some solution. You wouldn't have to constantly be afraid.”

Laura mulled that over, sat up a little straighter on the couch. She smoothed a wrinkle from the lap of her blue silk skirt. “It would be more comforting, Patrick. It would be the best news in the world. Unfortunately it wouldn't be the truth.”

He took hold of her hand, clasping her slim fingers tightly. “How can you be so sure?”

Laura bit down on her lip, which had started to tremble. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks, and Julie's heart turned over. Dear God, she wished she knew how to help her.

“I don't know why I'm so sure,” Laura said. “I just am. I suppose once you remember something that awful, something so terrible it paralyzes you with fear, it just won't let you pretend it isn't real.”

“What do you think Dr. Heraldson will say?” Julie asked gently.

“I-I don't know. I'm sure he'll think I'm crazy, just like everyone else.” She got up from the sofa, stood there staring out the windows.

“You're not still thinking of going home?” Julie asked as Laura eyed the door.

“Stay here, Laura,” Patrick softly commanded. “I promise you'll be safe. Tonight there's no reason for you to be afraid.” There was something in the way he said it. An authority that gave the words a ring of truth.

Laura looked into his eyes for several long moments, then she nodded. “All right I'll stay here.” She turned away from him. “I'm awfully tired, Julie. I think I'll go to bed.”

“That's a good idea. After a good night's sleep you'll feel better.” Julie rubbed the bridge of her nose, trying to ignore the piercing pain behind her eyes. “We can talk again in the morning.”

Laura stopped and turned. Her dress was wrinkled and long blond tendrils of hair had come loose from her chignon. “Good night, Patrick.”

“Good night, Laura.”

“I'll check on you before I go to bed,” Julie called after her, feeling a tug on her heart at her sister's forlorn expression, not far from tears herself.

As soon as Laura left the room, she reached over and turned down the lamp, the bright rays of light suddenly painful. Her head was pounding, throbbing like a hammer against the anvil of her skull. “I'm so worried about her, Patrick.” She massaged her temple then felt Patrick beside her, easing her down on the couch.

“Hush,” he whispered. “No more talk about Laura. At least not tonight. I want you to relax.” He urged her onto her stomach, then began to massage her shoulders and neck.

“It looks like there are two Ferris women who need looking after tonight.”

She took a deep breath and slowly released it, feeling a deep relaxation as Patrick kneaded her muscles. “Ummm,” she mumbled, grateful for the power in his long-fingered hands. Two months ago, she would have been afraid to let him touch her, sure he was only after the chance to get her in bed. Now whenever he looked at her, she read concern in his eyes. Concern…and something she couldn't quite name.

His fingers slid into the hair at the nape of her neck and a few seconds later, the pain began to ease. “Magic hands,” she whispered. “Now I understand why women find you so irresistible.”

“I've been telling you that for years.”

He worked on her for another fifteen minutes, until her body felt boneless and her headache was completely gone. But instead of falling asleep as she had before, this time she sat up on the sofa and Patrick sat down beside her.

“Thank you for coming back.”

He smiled, softening the sharp angles of his face. “I never intended to leave. I just knew the others wouldn't go if I tried to stay.” He reached toward her, ran a long dark finger down her cheek. “You look a little better.” Eyes as blue as the sea fixed on her lips, and a ripple of heat shimmered through her.

“I am…thanks to you.”

“I'm glad.” His hand moved beneath her chin, tilting her head back with a firm but gentle pressure.

Her eyes slid closed as he bent his head and covered her mouth with a kiss. Julie's breath caught, seemed to swell inside her chest. His lips slanted softly over hers, molding them perfectly together, and a faint shudder passed through him. The kiss was firm and warm, yet not as demanding as she would have expected, the brush of his tongue seemed hesitant, almost a little uncertain. Before she was ready for the kiss to end, Patrick pulled away.

He glanced down at his lap and her eyes followed. She saw that he was aroused. When he realized she had noticed, a slight flush rose over the bones across his cheeks.

“You have very soft lips,” he said.

“I-I shouldn't have let you kiss me.”

“Why not?”

Julie sighed. “I'm not what you're looking for, Patrick. We both know that. I never have been.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because I've known you for more than eight years. In that entire time, all you've ever wanted from me was to take me to bed.”

“I still want that. Right now I want it so much it hurts. But this time my reasons are different.”

“Different?” She looked into his eyes and fought a sudden urge to run. She shouldn't be listening to him. She knew the kind of man he was, no matter what he said. “How…how are they different?”

A tender smile curved his lips. “I want to make love to you so that I can know you. I want to discover what you're thinking, what you're feeling. If I'm inside you, perhaps I can know you in a way I never have.”

Julie's stomach tightened, soft heat sliding through her, seeping lower down. My God, the image he stirred: Patrick on top of her, stroking her breasts, burying his hard length inside her. Her body trembled, shuddered with desire for him. Dear God, no wonder women flocked to his bed.