Shadow of Suspicion (Haunted by the Past) Read online

  Jason swiped up his keys and coat. He was out the door and in the lift before he could think better of the idea. The church wasn’t all that far from his flat. It wouldn’t take him long and Callie would be so grateful.

  Jason strode out the front door of his building. He unlocked his van and swiped his torch from the glove compartment before he strode down the street towards the old church.

  It took him ten minutes to reach the cemetery. He slipped in through the open gate and clicked on his torch. Jason stared round at the numerous headstones. He hadn’t thought this through properly. It wouldn’t be a simple task to find what he was searching for.

  He pulled up the collar on his jacket and plunged himself into the undertaking. The minutes passed by, turning into an hour and then two. Finally, Jason stumbled over a small headstone. He flicked his torchlight on the carved words and his heart skipped a beat. He’d found it. Callie Marie Fuller.

  Jason crouched down and traced the words with a trembling hand. His stomach twisted and bile rose up into his throat. A cold sweat broke out over his skin. He hadn’t realised it would affect him to see her name on the gravestone. It chilled him to the bone.

  Jason climbed to his feet and snapped off his torch. Trish had told the truth. Callie really had been declared dead to her family. What kind of person would do something like that? Jason thought of his father. He wasn’t sure he liked the idea of Doug being with someone that could lie about something as serious as this. Should he tell Doug what Sandra was capable of?

  Jason rubbed his face with one hand. As much as he racked his brain, he couldn’t think of one single reason why a mother would pretend her child had died and even hold a funeral for her baby. It made no sense and seemed to point to a very sick mind.

  Jason exited the cemetery, worry dogging his heels. He wondered if he should call Callie or see her tonight. A glance at his watch dissuaded him. It was already half past midnight. He stuck his hands in his pockets and began the trek back to his flat, his mind filled with questions.

  He turned onto the street where his garage was situated. It was well lit with street lights and the silvery moon overhead. Jason was a few feet from the garage forecourt when he heard a noise. He stopped short, straining his ears for the slightest sound. A clanking noise rang out in the silence of the night. His sharp gaze noted the fence to the garage forecourt stood open.

  Jason inched forwards slowly and quietly, adrenaline pumping in his veins. Someone was messing around where the cars were parked. He peeped round the corner. Two legs poked out from under Callie’s newly restored car. Jason’s jaw hardened. He thought of the two other incidents that had befallen Callie. Was this the person responsible? Jason grimaced. He had no doubt whoever this was, the car was in the process of being sabotaged.

  His heart pounded in his chest. Anger leapt through him and his hands balled into fists. “Alright, whoever you are, you’ve been caught red handed. Get out from under that car this instant!”

  A squeal rang out. The person froze, then slowly slid forward on the creeper. Two familiar eyes stared out at him from the darkness. Jason’s jaw dropped.

  “Lucinda? What the hell are you doing?” Shock held him in place. He simply couldn’t believe his eyes. “Please don’t tell me that it was you all along trying to harm Callie. How could you do this?”

  Lucinda shook her head. “You don’t understand! Please, Jason, let me explain. Don’t phone the police. I’m sorry!” She sobbed hysterically.

  “That’s not going to wash this time, Luce. This is serious. Get out from under that car and explain yourself.” He pointed to the ground in front of him. “Although I can’t think of one single thing that you can say that will make this okay!”

  Lucinda sniffled. “Alright. I’m coming.”

  She shifted and gave a small, terrified scream. “Oh no! I’m stuck. Oh God, Jason, help me!”

  She jerked, her fingers frantically fiddling with something under the car. Jason emitted an irritated groan. “Stop putting this off, Luce. Your theatrics won’t work this time. Move it!”

  Suddenly a deafening roar filled the silence. Jason flew backwards through the air. His vision filled with a wall of fire as it lit up the night all around him. Horror rose up as the flames closed around Lucinda and swallowed her whole. Her terrified screams filled his ears and then he hit something hard and solid behind him. Pain exploded in his head and the world went black.

  *****

  Jason groaned and shifted his position in the hospital bed. His lungs hurt to breathe. He coughed uncontrollably and grabbed the water glass from the bedside table. The cool liquid soothed his throat as it slid down, alleviating some of the rawness slightly.

  He placed the glass back on its spot and settled back into the pillows. He hoped the doctors would say he could go home. Jason hated hospitals, especially after Adam’s death. The smell alone turned his stomach. He didn’t see the point in staying in longer than one night. He was relatively unharmed, considering the circumstances. The skin across his face felt raw from the heat blast and he had some minor burns according to the doctor. Some of his hair had been singed off too, including his eyebrows. He imagined he painted quite a sorry picture, but he’d been lucky. It could have been so much worse. If the fence hadn’t shielded him somewhat, he may not have been so fortunate.

  His mind drifted to Lucinda and pain lanced through him. He could still see the expression on her face as the fire consumed her. He closed his eyes, grief tightened his chest as though someone had placed a heavy weight on it. What had happened to change her so much?

  Jason still couldn’t believe she could stoop so low as to place a bomb under Callie’s car. How had she even learnt how to do that? When the police officer had reported what had happened to him, Jason had made the man repeat the information three times. Even then, it had been beyond comprehension. He’d thought he’d known Lucinda so well; turns out he hadn’t known her at all.

  The events of the night rolled through his mind over and over again, as if they were on a continuous loop. If he hadn’t made the decision to check the cemetery last night, it would be Callie he’d be mourning today. The thought was unbearable. He hadn’t realised Callie had come to mean quite so much to him, but she had crept under his skin far deeper than he could have imagined. That fact terrified him. He didn’t want to feel this way.

  “Is it okay for me to come in?”

  The object of his thoughts stuck her head around the door. Her long red hair swept over her shoulders in a messy disarray and her eyes were red rimmed as if she’d been crying for hours. He’d never seen her quite so dishevelled except for that first day they’d met. Warmth surged through him at the sight of her. He really liked the tousled casual look on her. He wished it wasn’t so. It put him at a total disadvantage and that made him uncomfortable.

  “Of course. It’s great to have some company.” He smiled, hoping his face didn’t look as strained as it felt.

  Callie sauntered in carrying a large bag of grapes in one hand. She lifted them up with a sheepish smile. “I know they’re somewhat cliché, but I didn’t know what else to bring you.”

  Jason waved away her concern. “They’re fine. At least they will help soothe my throat.”

  “Where’s your dad and sister. I thought they would be here.” Callie glanced around as if she expected them to pop out of the walls or spring out from under the bed.

  “They were here a majority of the night. I sent them home for some sleep a couple of hours ago.” Jason grimaced. It had been one hell of a night. “How did you know I was here? Did Fay or my dad call you?”

  Callie shook her head and perched on the edge of the chair next to the bed. “The police came to see me this morning. They told me about my car.” She clasped her fingers together and stared down at them. “I can’t believe what they said was true. Surely Lucinda didn’t hate me that much that she would want to………….I can’t even bring myself to say it.”

  Her voice broke. Jas
on held his hand out to her. He couldn’t ignore her obvious need for comfort, no matter what his own feeling were. He could deal with being close to her and not lose his heart, right? Callie flicked her gaze to his face before sliding her hand gently into his. Her skin was as soft as silk.

  “I can hardly believe it myself.” Jason struggled to pull his mind back to the topic they were discussing. He stared at their combined hands. The sight made him feel warm all over. This wasn’t good! He cleared his throat. “I thought I knew Lucinda, but this was something I never thought she was capable of. It would seem we found your culprit after all.”

  “I’m sorry, Jason.” Callie squeezed his fingers. “I hope you don’t mind me showing up here. I thought you may not want to see me after what happened. I wasn’t sure if I should come, but I couldn’t stay away. I had to see with my own eyes that you were unhurt.”

  “Why would you think I wouldn’t want to see you?” Jason frowned, then quickly smoothed his brow when the skin stung painfully.

  “I thought you might blame me for what Lucinda did. After all, it was me she wanted to get revenge against.” Callie shuddered and glanced out of the window. “She’s wrecked a great deal of the garage forecourt and some of the building, did the police tell you? Thankfully, you were shielded slightly from the blast because of where you were standing. I hate to think what could have happened.”

  Jason could feel her trembling. “Callie, it wasn’t your fault. Hell, I’m surprised you’re not blaming me. After all, it was my crazy ex-girlfriend that could have barbecued you in your own car.” He rubbed her wrist with his thumb. “If I hadn’t been there, we wouldn’t have known what she’d done. You would have picked that death trap up today.”

  Callie shuddered again and drew in a shaky breath. “I can hardly bear to think of it. Why would she do something like that? I can’t imagine anyone going to such extremes.”

  “I don’t know why we’re so surprised. After all, she pushed you down the stairs and then tried to run you down.” Jason cocked his head to one side and regarded her seriously. “Each time, she was bent on harm. Is it such a stretch to realise she would plant a bomb?”

  “I guess not. It just seems worse somehow. A body can survive falling down the stairs or even being hit by a car. A bomb, that’s different. She meant to ensure that I wouldn’t walk away from that one.” Callie straightened in the chair, her body shaking visibly. She shook her self, as if trying to shake off the terrible thoughts. She glanced at Jason, a hesitant expression on her beautiful face. “I have to ask, how is it that you were there to stop her? It was so late at night. Surely you weren’t working at the garage.”

  “No.” Jason smiled grimly. “As it happens, I went to the cemetery.”

  Callie’s mouth dropped open. “At that time? Why so late?”

  “I hadn’t been able to do it before and I didn’t want to let you down. I decided to quickly run over there and search for the gravestone, like I promised you.” He laughed softly. “I forgot how much ground there was to search over. It wasn’t my brightest idea, to be honest.”

  “Maybe not, but it sure saved my life.” She plucked a grape from the bunch she’d brought and popped it into her mouth. Chewing slowly, she gazed at him with a thoughtful expression. “I know it probably doesn’t matter now, but did you find it?”

  “I did.” Jason pulled a grape off and slung it into his mouth. The sweet juice burst over his tongue and he nearly groaned with pleasure.

  “So, Trish was right. Sandra did tell my family that I was dead.” Callie shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not sure how that makes me feel. Should I bother confronting her over this or about Sophie? There is no reason for me to now, right? I mean, what’s the point of upsetting everyone when there is no need any more.”

  “I’m not sure what to say on that. It depends on how important those answers still are to you.” Jason plucked another grape and shoved it in his mouth. “Do you want to know why your mother pretended to the rest of your family that you’d died? It is odd behaviour, after all.”

  Callie bit her lip. “You’re right about that.” She sighed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ll have to think it over. After everything that’s happened lately, I’m not sure I can handle anything else.”

  “I can understand that.” Jason grimaced and touched his raw face with the tips of his fingers. “I think last night was my limit too.”

  Callie grimaced. “Does it hurt badly?” She nodded towards his face.

  “It’s kind of raw.” He slid her a sly glance. “I admit I’ve been too afraid to see if my natural charm has been dented by the injury.” He assumed a wounded expression and leaned back on his pillows, one arm draped over his forehead. “Do you think it will ever recover?”

  Callie burst out laughing. “Truly, I think your charm won’t have been harmed in the slightest.” She held her sides and gasped for air. “It was never there to begin with.”

  Jason flung a grape at her head with a mock angry glare. Callie leaned back in her seat, helpless with laughter. It bounced off the walls and echoed around them. Jason joined in. He loved the sound of her merriment and resolved to find ways to tickle her humour so he could hear more of it.

  He started coughing and covered his hand with his mouth. Callie instantly sprang from her chair. She handed him the glass on his bedside cabinet and gently patted his back. He sipped some water and sucked in a breath of air.

  “Thanks. Probably another of my not so bright ideas.” He admitted sheepishly.

  Callie cast him a worried glance. “As long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters.”

  He grabbed her hand and stared into her luminous golden eyes. “Were you worried for me, Callie?” he asked her softly. Her concern for his wellbeing humbled him.

  She stared at him silently for several moments. Her small tongue slipped out from between her lips and moistened them. Jason almost groaned, his mind immediately conjured up the kiss they’d shared. A different kind of fire burned through his body, leaving him with a restless yearning.

  A throat cleared from behind Callie. She jerked and moved away from Jason. He glanced around her to see the doctor standing in the doorway. The man had a large grin plastered to his face.

  “Sorry to interrupt, but I was hoping to examine the patient.”

  Callie’s face turned an alarming shade of red. “Actually, I was just leaving anyway.” She grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder. Callie avoided eye contact with both Jason and the doctor as she scuttled out.

  “I’ll see you again soon,” she flung at Jason, just before the door closed behind her.

  “The visit from your girlfriend appears to have done you the world of good.” The doctor winked at him as he pulled his stethoscope from around his neck. “Loved ones always are the best medicine, I always say.”

  “Oh, she’s not my girlfriend. She’s just a friend.” Jason protested weakly.

  The doctor threw him a knowing grin. “If she isn’t your girlfriend, she ought to be.” He nodded towards the door. “Women like that don’t come along every day. You’d be a fool to let her slip through your fingers.”

  Jason refrained from comment as the doctor began his examination. Callie drifted through his mind. She certainly made him happy, but then so had Lucinda in the beginning. Jason wasn’t sure he trusted himself to take another chance at love. Then again, he didn’t know that he could picture his life without Callie in it either.

  The day would come when Callie had finished the B&B project and would want to return home. The thought left him with a hollow ache inside. Confusion clouded his mind. Did he let her go or did he risk himself and see if there was something more to their relationship than friendship? He simply didn’t know.

  Chapter Twenty Three

  Callie’s fingers tightened around the umbrella she held in her hand. She watched the rain fall in steady sheets, soaking the small company of mourners that stood by the open grave several feet away from he
r position by the cemetery wall. An unnatural chill shook her body as she witnessed the coffin being slowly lowered into the ground. She shuddered and glanced away.

  As much as she hadn’t liked Lucinda, she still felt immensely sad about the woman’s death. It was such a tragic waste of life. Callie, at least, was well on the mend now. Her ribs still ached, but her arm was mostly healed, and the bruises over her body had faded. She would overcome what Lucinda had done to her. Unfortunately, Lucinda couldn’t walk away from what she’d done to herself. Greed and revenge had killed Lucinda in the end.

  Callie shook away the depressing thoughts. The past few days had been tough enough to deal with. Callie honestly didn’t think she would have managed to cope so well if it hadn’t been for Trish and Max. They had visited her the day after the explosion and offered their support.

  They had been shocked at Lucinda’s actions, but grateful that the danger was now at an end. Max had been horrified to learn of the car incident. He swore he’d have been straight over to see her had he known, but his wife hadn’t wanted to worry him with the news. Trish apologised for keeping the incident to herself, but Callie understood. She still hadn’t filled Jade in on anything either.

  Thankfully, Jason had been released from hospital and was recovering at home. Fay had not stopped fussing round him. She’d moved herself into his flat for a few days to take care of him. Jason complained about being smothered, but Callie knew he appreciated his sister’s efforts. She only wished it could have been her taking care of him, but that was something a girlfriend would do. Jason had made it clear that he didn’t want that from her. Tears blurred her vision and she swiped them away with an impatient hand.

  Callie glanced back at the funeral. A few people were finally beginning to leave, slowly trickling away from the graveside after tossing in the customary handful of dirt. She wasn’t sure why she’d even come. It hadn’t achieved anything. The service had been awkward. Even though she’d sat at the back of the church, she’d been terrified of being seen by any of Lucinda’s family the whole way through it. Callie had been relieved when it was over and she could slip away unnoticed.