Chapter 19
NINETEEN
As we drove to the hospital I was determined to bring Wesley back to the lighthouse — even though we didn’t have a designated guest room — but Galen seemed to think my grandfather would protest. He’d taken my side at the diner; why had he changed his mind?
“He’ll want to go home,” Galen said as he parked in the hospital lot.
“I want him with us.” I shot him my best no nonsense look. “This time I’m going to get my way.”
Galen's expression didn’t change, which meant he was going into “practical” mode. “Okay,” he said blandly. “Where is he going to rest?”
“He can stay in our room.”
“Do you really think he wants to sleep in our sex sheets?”
I was officially appalled. “You make us sound like deviants.”
“We’re not deviants.”
“Of course we’re not.”
“We haven’t washed the sheets in more than a week.”
“When I lived alone on the mainland I would go a month without washing my sheets.”
He made a face. “That’s gross. Did you have overnight guests on those sheets?”
“Um … .”
“You didn’t.”
“You do realize I dated before you?” I challenged.
“See, in my head you were a lonely spinster waiting to meet your dream man.”
“You did not just call me a spinster.”
A wicked grin took over his face. “I said you were that way in my head. I don’t want to think about other guys you might have been with. I definitely don’t want to think of you sleeping in sex sheets with them.”
Part of me wanted to torture him. The other part was too tired. “I didn’t date a lot before I came here,” I said.
His smile widened.
“I was feeling … lost … back then,” I continued. “I didn’t feel as if I fit into my own life. When I got the information about May dying, it seemed like a sign from somewhere up above. I was more than happy to at least try it.”
“Because fate knew that you needed to find me, otherwise you never would have been happy.”
“Your ego is out of control sometimes,” I grumped. “There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t run into one of your past conquests, yet I’m expected to be some virginal waif.”
“I said spinster.”
“Don’t push it.” I extended a warning finger, which he grabbed and squeezed.
When he sobered, I knew he was going to push the Wesley situation further. “I’ve been thinking. There are more people on the ranch to take care of him.” He sounded reasonable but the words chafed. “We’ll be busy trying to figure out what happened to him.”
“I’ll multitask.”
“Hadley.” Galen dragged a hand through his hair.
“We’ll let him decide,” I said.
He gave in far too quickly. “Fine.”
“You’re just saying that because you think you’re going to win.”
“I know I am.” Galen’s gaze was clear when it locked with mine. “He loves you. Actually, he adores you, but he’ll still want his own bed.”
“We’ll see.” I hopped out of the truck.
“Don’t be disappointed when he shoots you down.”
“He won’t. Have a little faith.”
WESLEY SHOT ME DOWN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.
“I’m not staying at the lighthouse.” His brow furrowed as he took in my plan from his bed, his eyes narrowing into slits. “Why would you think that?”
I forced myself to remain calm. “Because I’m your granddaughter.”
“You can still be my granddaughter when I go home.”
“But you need somebody to take care of you.”
“You think you’re going to take care of me?” Wesley’s eyes darted to Galen, looking for clues.
“I told her.” Galen held up his hands in supplication.
“We’ll make it nice and comfortable for you,” I insisted. “You won’t want for anything, including love.” I pressed my hand to the spot above my heart.
“You’re acting weird,” Wesley complained.
“I’m sincere.”
“You don’t even have a guest room,” Wesley protested. “I’m not sleeping in your sex bed.”
I refused to make eye contact with Galen.
“We’ll wash the sheets,” I offered.
Wesley didn’t look convinced. “Where are the two of you going to sleep?”
“We’ll sleep on the floor next to the bed in case you need something.”
“Not happening.” Wesley shook his head so hard I was afraid it was going to roll off his shoulders. “You cannot be serious.”
“Of course I’m serious.”
Galen’s hand landed on my shoulder in an attempt to calm me. All it did was irritate me further. “She was really worried about you,” he started.
“I get it,” Wesley said. “I’m fine.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but Galen stopped me with a headshake, focusing on Dr. Anderson. “How is he?”
“He seems okay,” Anderson replied. The quirk of his lips told me he was enjoying the argument. “He’s no longer dehydrated. There’s no bleeding in his brain, which was our primary concern.”
“I’ve seen a lot of Grey’s Anatomy episodes,” I interjected. “I know for a fact that brain bleeding might not occur on initial scans so a second set should be taken in a few days.”
“You learned that from Grey’s Anatomy?” Anderson asked.
I bobbed my head.
“You do realize it’s a television show?” he pressed.
“Yes, but I’ve seen interviews. They based all their cases on real life events.”
“Isn’t Grey’s Anatomy the one where the doctors had to deal with a hospital shooter?” Wesley asked.
“Yes,” I confirmed. “That was a riveting episode.”
“And one of their doctors was run over by a bus.”
I had no idea where he was going but I nodded again.
“And a bunch of their doctors were in a plane crash,” Wesley continued. “One of them put her hand in a man’s body with a live bomb?”
His knowledge of Grey’s Anatomy was creepy. “How — ?”
“Your grandmother likes to watch reruns,” Wesley replied to my unasked question. “You must get it from her. I just kind of tune it out.”
“It doesn’t sound that way,” Galen countered.
“Fine. I don’t mind the show, but once they get to the plane crash it’s ridiculous. I’ve never known a group of doctors to face so much violence in my life.”
“That doesn’t matter,” I argued. “What matters is that you might not be out of the woods. You should stay with us until you are.”
“He’s fine,” Anderson countered, earning a glare from me. “Galen is right. If you’re going to be busy working elsewhere it’s better Wesley be at his ranch. He’ll be more comfortable — no climbing to his bedroom — and he has a lot of men who will dote on him.”
“Barry Hutchinson’s wife is even talking about cooking me some soup,” Wesley said. “Marianna is a masterful cook.”
That was a slap against a naked cheek. “I can make soup,” I grumbled.
“Campbell’s isn’t the same,” Galen said.
My fingers twitched to wrap around his neck. “Wesley,” I said.
My grandfather shook his head solemnly. “You will never win this argument. I want to go home. That’s where I belong. That’s where my heart is.”
Tears pricked my eyes. I wasn’t trying to be emotionally manipulative.
“Oh, don’t do that.” Wesley wagged his finger. “Why are you doing that?” he exploded when I sniffled.
“It’s been a very emotional few days for her,” Galen replied, sliding his arm around my shoulders. “We’ll fill you in on a few things we’ve discovered during the ride to the ranch.”
“They can come get me if you don’t have time to take me home,” Wesley offered.
This time Galen put his foot down. “We’re taking you home. Hadley will never settle until she sees what sort of care you’ll get.” His eyes were pleading when they locked with Wesley’s surly stare. “You can compromise on this one thing.”
Wesley’s eyes flicked to me and he nodded. “Fine. I want to hear the update anyway.”
AN HOUR LATER, WESLEY WAS IN THE front seat of Galen’s truck and I was in the back for the drive to the ranch.
“You really think that was Emma?” Wesley asked in a strangled voice. We’d started filling him in before leaving the hospital.
“That’s one hunch we’re working with,” Galen hedged. “Hadley believes it was her.”
“That still doesn’t explain how she got there. She died long before Declan began his reign of terror.”
“We’re trying to figure it out,” Galen said. “Maybe Declan used magic to collect specific souls. Perhaps he thought if he had control of Emma’s soul that May would do his bidding.”
“I never liked that guy,” Wesley growled.
“How well did you know him?” I asked.
“I had a few run-ins with him.” Wesley focused out the window. “He was always interested in May. She brushed it off as a young warlock wanting to talk to a powerful witch. Apparently that wasn’t true.”
“As far as we can tell, no one knew he was a dhampir,” Galen explained. “Well, nobody but Jareth.”
“Why didn’t he sound the alarm?” Wesley challenged. “If I knew that guy was a bloodsucker I would have staked him through the heart when he kept showing up to talk to May.”
“Were you guys together at that point?” I asked.
“Declan showed a lot of interest in May the year before he disappeared,” Wesley replied. “That was what, twenty-one years ago?”
“Give or take,” Galen confirmed.
“We would have been separated at that point. Not yet divorced. We stopped living together not long after Emma told us she wasn’t coming back.”
That jarred a reaction out of me. “Did my mother opting to remain off island ruin your marriage?”
Rather than laugh, or give me a grouchy response, Wesley sighed. “Hadley, May and I always had a very difficult marriage. Love wasn’t the problem. We were never lacking in love. On the face of it, however, we were incompatible.
“May wanted her lighthouse and I wanted out of the city,” he continued. “We were both raised to believe that married people had to share a roof. It wasn’t even a consideration that we wouldn’t until well, until we had no choice.”
I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. “You’re saying you guys were too hot for each other to stay away so you learned to compromise after you were divorced.”
“I’m not sure I truly learned to compromise until May was gone,” Wesley countered, sadness overtaking him. “I desperately wish I had gotten my act together before then. It’s not the same living with a ghost but … I could have been a better husband.”
“May loves you,” I argued.
“I guess.” Wesley fell silent, then rumbled, “I thought Declan wanted something more than magical advice from May. She knew better. Looking back, the whole thing was creepy.”
“What about my mother?” I asked. “Did he ever show any interest in her?”
“Your mother was gone before Declan came to the island.”
“Did he ever prod May for information about Mom?” I clarified. “We don’t believe Declan came to the island once. We believe he was here before and left for some reason.”
“Really?” Wesley glanced at Galen. “Do you have a name?”
“We do not,” Galen replied. “It’s just a feeling we share. Declan’s house was held in trust. If we can find the original records, we may learn the name he was going under the first time.”
“Why not just ask Jareth?”
“I did,” Galen replied. “He said he told Hadley everything he knows. I don’t really believe that, but if he knew something that could help us, he would tell us.”
“Declan likely came to the island the first time under a pseudonym because he was getting the lay of the land,” I suggested. “When he came back the second time, that’s when he introduced himself as a nephew to Jareth. He would have used his real name then.”
Galen blew out a breath. “Our biggest concerns at present are figuring out how he ended up on that plane and what his plans are. It would help if we knew what happened to you.”
Frustration crinkled the corners of Wesley’s eyes. “Sorry, I don’t remember.”
“Don’t apologize,” I said.
“But I need to remember, because the more I think about it, the more I realize it makes no sense that I was in that building for two days. That doesn’t feel right.”
“We’re certain you didn’t show up there until after the grounds crew finished for the day yesterday,” Galen replied. “They were in and out of that building for equipment.”
“So how did I get in there?”
“We don’t know. We don’t know where you were. We don’t know how you ended up in the cemetery.”
“I have an idea,” I chirped.
Galen’s eyes flashed to mine in the rearview mirror. I could practically hear him whispering, Be very careful.
I pushed any trepidation I had about sharing my idea to the side. “I think you went through the plane door accidentally because it was aimed at me. I’m sorry for that. You shouldn’t be in danger because I have enemies.”
“I won’t dignify that statement with a response,” Wesley growled. “If I was over there, how did I end up back here? Why did Declan let me go?”
“We believe Declan didn’t know you were there,” Galen volunteered. “He set the trap for Hadley. You wandered through and evaded capture because he wasn’t looking for you. When Hadley crossed, Emma had no idea you were there. Hadley told her to look for you.”
“Ah.” Realization dawned on Wesley. “You think she found me and somehow got me back here, the same way she got Hadley home.”
“That’s our hunch,” Galen confirmed.
“Why don’t I remember?”
“We don’t know. Maybe it’s different for humans moving between planes.”
“Why don’t I remember my Emma?”
Galen’s voice turned soft. “I’m sorry. I know that must be hard for you.”
“It feels a little torturous,” Wesley confirmed. “How do we prove your idea?”
“We’re working on it,” Galen replied. “We’re going to visit the Voodoo Lounge after this. All of us.”
Wesley’s eyes went wide. “I forgot Declan owned that hole.”
“I didn’t know it at all,” Galen admitted. “After we visit the bar … .” He trailed off.
“We’re trying to figure it out,” I offered. “Things are starting to come into focus, but we’re still missing some important pieces.”
“You’re doing good.” Wesley contorted to look at me in the backseat. “You’re a good girl.”
His words, however simple, moved me. Then I became suspicious. “Is this you trying to placate me because you don’t want to stay with us?”
“I want to be home.” Wesley insisted. “You’re always welcome at my home.”
“But you don’t want to come to my home,” I surmised.
He shook his head. “I just don’t want to sleep in your bed. That’s your space.”
“I told you the sex sheets would be a problem,” Galen said to me.
“Don’t say ‘sex sheets.’” Wesley looked appalled. “What is wrong with you?”
Galen’s grin was lightning quick. “According to your granddaughter, absolutely nothing.”
“And that right there is why I can’t stay with you,” Wesley said to me. “You guys are gross.”
I was starting to see that myself. “I’ll be texting constantly throughout the day. You’d better respond.”
“Thanks for the warning.”
“I’m serious.”
Wesley sighed in defeat. “I’ll text you back, but you need to take a breath. You’re being obnoxious.”
“Get used to it,” I replied. “I’m not going to stop until we know exactly what we’re dealing with.”