Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Ian pulled up behind Aunt Betty’s car in the driveway outside Becca’s childhood home. Apprehension ate at Becca’s gut, knowing the answers she craved were just a few feet away.
Aunt Betty.
Becca would have never guessed the killer and she would be connected. The only questions remaining were how, and if Michael was really a killer.
“Are you ready for this?” Ian asked, squeezing her hand.
“Is anyone ever really ready for Aunt Betty?” Becca slid out of the SUV and rested her hand on her belly, trying to calm the butterflies that were swarming as if in battle.
Ian rounded the SUV and rested his hand on her lower back as she led the way into the house without knocking.
“Mom,” Becca hollered out.
“In here, dear.” Her mother’s voice called out from the direction of the library.
Betty and her mother were the only ones in the library. Betty was standing at the window looking out into the backyard, and Becca’s mom was seated on the couch, drinking an amber liquid from a crystal glass.
Becca’s eyes widened, and her stomach dropped. Her mother didn’t drink, not in the middle of the day, and not unless she was at one of her fundraisers or functions. This was so not good. “You’re drinking? This is bad.”
Becca’s mother took a sip of her drink. “It’s not my story to tell.”
“It’s mine.” Betty spun to face them. She inhaled a long, deep breath. Her normal bravado wasn’t so strong today. Worry etched her tired eyes as she wrung her fingers together. The butterflies in Becca’s belly fell into the pit of her stomach, as if they were made of lead.
Ian guided her to have a seat on the couch, as if he somehow knew that she’d need to sit to hear whatever they were about to tell her. He moved to stand behind the couch and rested a reassuring palm at the back of her neck.
“Just spill it. You know about Michael, and the picture he drew, since you sent me the original. So why did he scratch you out?” Becca blurted out, unsure if the anticipation was much worse than the actual reality.
Betty moved to sit on the couch and took Becca’s hand. “You know how it’s not unusual for me to be able to connect to you and your sisters.”
“Yeah.” Her answer came out shaky.
“Well…” Betty cleared her voice. “It wouldn’t be so farfetched that if I could connect to all of you, if I had my own children, I’d be able to connect to them too.”
“You don’t have children, but I’m sure you’d be right if you did.”
“Growing up, I had one dream, and that was to work with the FBI. Somehow, I knew deep down that I’d get the chance if I worked hard and followed rules.”
“You don’t follow rules.” Becca shook her head.
“I wasn’t always the free spirit that I am today. I did follow rules, and I followed my heart. Both of which almost killed me.”
Her words, which were meant to provide answers, were leaving Becca with only more questions than anything else.
Betty stood, and Becca’s mother moved to stand beside Betty. She wrapped her arms around Betty’s shoulders. “Just tell her.”
“When I was eighteen, I got pregnant.”
“Back then it was a different day and age, Becca. Unwed, pregnant women were considered unworthy.”
Becca rested her hand on her stomach to calm the churning she knew was coming next.
“Our parents sent Betty away to have the child and insisted she give it up for adoption. When she came back, she was changed.”
Becca’s heart raced.
Betty patted her sister’s arm. “I found solace in working for the FBI, trying to fight everyone else’s demons instead of my own.”
“There is an inexplicable bond between family members,” Becca’s mother said.
“And I had one with my son, just like I have one with you girls. It started with premonitions, only they weren’t mine.
There wasn’t a night that went by that I didn’t think about my baby boy.
Where he was, if he was okay. The premonitions got dark, and I knew what I had to do. I had to find and help my child.”
“She used her connections in the FBI to unseal the adoption records to find the family that adopted him.”
“It’s Michael,” Becca answered for them both. “He’s your kid…and Danny is his brother since his parents had adopted him.”
Betty nodded. “It’s no coincidence that your mother bought the house next door. After I went to their house, and I offered to help him with his abilities, his adoptive parents were furious. We argued, and I pleaded until they ended up throwing me out. I had no claim to him, and they were right.”
Hurt reflected in her eyes. The usual fun-loving light that sparkled back was gone.
“That’s why your dad and I bought this specific house.
So your aunt could still be near him, even if she couldn’t be with him.
We never expected our families to be more than neighbors, or that Danny and you would be so close.
You two were inseparable. Danny’s parents couldn’t keep you two apart, no matter how hard they tried.
You two had already become best friends before Betty even showed up at their door.
It was too late to keep the families apart.
It was strenuous at birthday parties, but over time, they realized Betty wasn’t going to tell Michael the truth. ”
“Why not tell him the truth when he turned eighteen?”
Betty walked over to the window and glanced outside.
“I thought about it, but what kind of person would that make me, for uprooting his life twice? What if he didn’t want anything to do with me…
with us. By then, he’d been in and out of hospitals and institutions so I was afraid, if he ever found out about his adoption, he might lose whatever progress he was making. I couldn’t do that to him.”
“You were scared.” Anger seeped from her voice and she tried to reel the feeling back in.
She tried to understand how it had to have been difficult for Betty for all those years.
Being so close and yet so far away. Becca always knew that something had changed Betty from the hardnosed cop she’d once been to the flighty woman who owned a bar.
She would have never guessed the secret would involve a baby.
“I was afraid I’d hurt him again. I don’t even know if his adoptive parents had told him that he’s adopted. Honey…if you never learn anything else in your life, know that it’s never too late to do right by what’s in your heart.”
Becca slowly rose from her seat. “And when his own family had him committed for killing the dog? Where were you then?”
Betty didn’t answer, and neither did Becca’s mother.
“Becca, she tried to do the right thing. She found him and offered to help,” Ian said. “Some people cannae be helped.”
She shook her head. “He was your kid. I can’t imagine what you went through.”
“I wanted to keep him. I begged my parents to help me until I could support him. I pleaded. I lost a part of myself; a feeling that I hope you never have to understand.”
Becca held up her hands and started pacing the length of the room. “Is that why he scribbled you out of the picture?”
“What are you talking about?” Betty asked, taking a step forward.
Becca slipped her fingers into her pocket and pulled out the copy of the picture that Michael had drawn for the shrink and handed it to Betty. “He knows about you. He drew this for Dr. Sylvia Cross. She’s been treating him all these years.”
A tear fell from Betty’s eyes down to land on the hand-drawn picture. “He was just released. I talked to Sylvia this morning.”
“It’s unethical to talk to you about her patients,” Becca said, placing her hands on her waist.
“I’m sure it went against policy to let you see this, also,” Betty said and handed the picture back.
“So, is this Michael guy the killer?” Ian asked.
“I don’t know,” Betty answered. “He’s somehow constructed a wall. I can’t see what he’s doing.”
“Then we go talk to him and ask him flat-out,” Ian said and started heading for the door.
Becca spun around to face Ian. “He’s Danny’s brother.”
“The detective?”
Becca nodded. “It would be better if I go talk to him. He might be more comfortable with me because of Danny.”
“No,” Ian argued, crossing his arms over his chest. “You arenae going alone. He could be a killer.”
“His brother is a detective. Danny won’t let Michael hurt me.”
“If Michael is the killer, then his brother is a moron for not noticing.” Ian dropped his crossed arms. “You arenae going alone. I forbid it.”
Becca’s mouth parted before she narrowed her eyes. No way she’d just heard Ian correctly. No way he’d try to boss her around. “Excuse me? You must be mistaking me for a woman who needs a man to save her. I’ve never been, nor will I ever be, that woman.”
You arenae doing this alone.
She heard his words in her head.
“He’s right, Becca. We know you can take care of yourself, but what if Michael is the one responsible for these killings?”
“He was the reason for her nightmares when she was younger.” Ian held her gaze as he spoke.
“What?” Betty shrieked. “The ones your sisters were trying to figure out?”
Becca narrowed her eyes at Ian. “That was private, and besides we don’t know that Michael is the killer. I’ve never seen the killer’s face in my dreams.”
“It’s time for the truth, Becca. They need to know how connected you are to the killer.” He was the first to look away and turned toward Becca’s mother and aunt. “She’s been trying to stop him. She’s been trying to warn his victims.”
Becca’s mouth parted, words escaping her following his betrayal.
She shook her head. “I’m done here.” She headed toward the door and yanked it open, glancing back at Ian, who tried to follow her.
“We’re done. I’ll call Collin to come get your things.
I never asked for your help, Ian. I don’t need it, and that trust you said you were trying hard to build…
” Becca snapped her fingers together. “It’s gone, just that fast.” She patted his chest. “Have a nice life, Highlander. It’s time for you to go home. ”