Trust in Me (39 page)

Joe could see that Beth was shaking. But, true to form, good old Bonnie surfaced and she tossed back her hair. “I’ll take care of him for as long as he needs. Can I see him?”

“Yes. He’s been brought up to a room. I want to keep him here for a few days, but he can have visitors.” Jacobs smiled. “I can’t tell you how glad I am it turned out this way. Linc helped my youngest daughter through that Community Council of his. Really turned her life around.”

“He’s a wonderful man.” Annie was smiling now. That was good to see. Though she’d pulled through for Beth in the crisis, Joe could tell the toll it took on her. Foolishly he wished he could help her in the aftermath, when she’d probably break down. As the doctor turned to leave, she and Beth started for the door.

Beth glanced over at Tucker, who stood by the window. He winked at her. “Go see your brother, babe.”

The smile she gave back was full of gratitude—and love. Joe shook his head and wondered briefly what would happen to them.

Beth’s gaze swung to Joe. “Come with us?”

“No, you three go on ahead. I want to talk to Tucker a minute. I’ll be up later.”

Annie started to say something to him, but her attention was diverted to Margo, who’d broken away from the trio; she crossed to the couch and picked up her coat and purse.

“What are you doing?” Annie asked.

“I’m not coming up to see Linc.” Margo’s words were stark. Her body was as rigid as a mannequin’s.

“
What?” Beth’s look was incredulous.

“You heard me. I’m not going up.”

“Why?”

“I have my reasons.”

Beth strode to her and grabbed her hand. “Oh, Margo, don’t do this. Don’t cut yourself off.”

Joe remembered something from long ago. When Margo was thirteen, her father left town. He was married to someone else, not Margo’s mother, and the man had taken his other daughter, and wife, away from Glen Oaks. Margo had disappeared for three days, and Linc had been crazy with worry until he found her.

Brusquely, Margo shook off Beth’s hands. “I’m fine. You guys go up. I’ll call you later.”

Before anyone could react, she swept through the door.

“I’ll go after her,” Joe said, rising.

“Don’t.” Annie’s voice was firm. “Let her handle this in her own way.”

Though it went against every instinct he had, Joe nodded. The women left to go see Linc.

From by the window, Tucker stared after them. “Nothin’s easy, is it?”

“You can say that again.” Joe sighed and sank onto a chair. “It sure as hell isn’t.”

o0o

MARGO had prayed during the interminable vigil they’d kept, waiting for news of Linc. It had felt foreign and stupid, but she did it, just in case. For Linc. She’d even tried to make a deal with his God. She’d leave Linc alone, not try to corrupt him anymore, if God would just let him be okay. She’d follow through on that, even though she didn’t really believe God had listened to her. And she wouldn’t tell Linc about her lapse. He’d be too glad, too encouraging. She didn’t feel right about what she’d done, about talking to God after so long.

The only thing that mattered was that Linc was going to be fine.

The streets of Glen Oaks were gray and foggy, as the rain had dwindled to a fine mist. Her hood up, her hands in her pockets, she sidestepped a giant puddle in front of Zip’s Bar and Grill and let her shoulders relax. How stupid to pray. It would have been more in keeping with her outlook to have made her deal with the Devil.

You don’t really think there’s a devil, do you?

Margo halted in the middle of the sidewalk. Then she laughed at herself, but the sound was hollow and mirthless. Now she was hearing voices. She was really losing it. She had to get out of this town.

You’ve gotten pretty good at running away, Mary Margaret.

Again, she halted. “Jesus Christ,” she whispered.

Yes?

Oh, great, the crushing fear, the undiluted terror was making her delusional. Making her hear voices.

Margo, Margo, Margo, you’re not delusional. I’ve decided it’s time we had a little talk.

Okay, she could play this game with her mind.
Yeah, and you are...?

You know who I am. You just prayed to me.

Stop it!

I’m Linc’s God, Margo.

Fine, go keep Linc company.

I just did.

Like hell. If you really existed you would have kept him from getting hurt in the first place.

I work in mysterious ways.

So I’ve heard.

You prayed to me.

Did I? I don’t remember

You said if Linc would be all right, you’d leave him alone.

 Ah, so that was it. He was calling in her marker.
I will leave him alone. Now go away.

I’m not going anywhere. And neither are you, this time. You’re my child, too.

Margo stopped. Stamped her foot.
Don’t tell me that.

All right. Listen to this one. I want you and Linc together.

She started walking again.
Give me a break.

I’ll give you more than that.

No, thanks. I don’t want anything from you.

It doesn’t work that way, Margo.

What? Gifts from God aren’t declinable?

Something like that.

Leave me alone.

Never. Go to Linc. It’s your way back to me.

No.

Trust me, Margo.

On a cold day in hell.

Hmm. That can be arranged.

o0o

SERENE, and just a little woozy from the drugs they were pumping into him, Linc smiled up at his sister. “Don’t hover, Bethy, I’m all right.”

Beth nodded, drew on that inner strength she’d honed for years, and then stepped back from his hospital bed where she’d gripped his hand like a lifeline. She sank onto a straight chair.

Annie came up and kissed his cheek. “Hey, buddy.”

He squeezed her shoulder with his good hand and she took a seat on the other side of his bed.

Oh, Lord, how was he going to function with this cast for six weeks? He didn’t even know how he’d broken his arm. “I got a question.”

Beth nodded.

“What happened to Sam? One minute he was on top of me, then he was gone.” Linc remembered the sickening blast of pain when DeMartino had slammed his head into the floor, then the man was miraculously off him.

“I talked to Rosa when we were waiting.” A pretty smile flirted with Annie’s lips. “Henry Portman dragged Sam off you and literally threw him out of the church.”

“Henry?”

Beth smiled. “Who would have guessed?”

Linc laughed out loud then clutched his ribs. “Ohh.” At their worried looks, he waved away the concern. “Henry was in Vietnam. Of course, he never told me much about it...”

“Anita said he was a regular commando.” Annie smiled. “Guess God knew what he was doing when He had you keep Henry on at church. By the way, Henry’s here at the hospital, too.”

“Really? Still?”

“I think so. With all the women in your group.”

“You should let them come up.”

“We will.” Beth and Annie exchanged worried glances. “What is it?”

“Nothing.”

“’Fess up. Belle and Bonnie still can’t lie to their fearless leader.” He scowled. “I’m not sicker than the doc said, am I?”

“No, of course not.” Beth smiled. “I remember our pact, Jesse.” Long ago, when they realized they had only each other to depend on, they’d promised never to withhold any truth from one another. At least they could count on that.

“Then what?”

“Margo’s here. Or at least she was.”

At first he was surprised. “Was I that critical?”

“We didn’t know. You were unconscious a long time. So we called her.”

“Well, that was the right thing to do.” He eyed them knowingly. “Ah, I get it. She took off, didn’t she, when she found out I was all right?”

Beth nodded. “We didn’t go after her.”

“You shouldn’t. She’ll come back.”

“I don’t know, Linc. She was pretty shaken.”

“God will take care of her.” He’d better. “Now go get the others.” Linc scowled. “I’m kinda surprised Joe isn’t here.”

Annie said, “He is. He stayed downstairs with Tucker.”

Linc’s eyes met Beth’s. She shrugged.

“He can come up, too.”

“We’ll start with the women. And Henry. Then go from there.”

“Um, somebody should call Jane.” Linc’s voice was rusty.

“All right,” Annie said. “I will.”

Beth stood. “I’ve got to go get Ronny at school.”

“I can do that,” Annie offered.

“No, I want to tell him myself.”

Linc studied her. “You’d better lighten up, Bethy, or you’ll scare the crap outta the kid.”

Beth gave him a wobbly smile. “I will.” She touched his face. “I’m just glad you’re all right.”

He kissed her hand. “Scoot, both of you.”

When they left, Linc fell back into the pillow. He hurt all over, though he wouldn’t tell anybody that, except maybe Margo if she were there.
You’d better look out for her, God. I’m counting on you.

No answer.

Hmm. As his eyes drifted shut, Linc wondered where God was.

o0o

BETH found Tucker alone where she’d left him, staring through the window at the dark streets. The drizzle outside accented his solitary figure. “Tucker?”

He pivoted around. Right now, he reminded her so much of the little boy that Ralph Pearson had abandoned, it broke her heart. “How’s Linc?”

“I think he’s in pain, but he’s worried about everybody else. We have instructions to bring up all visitors. He asked for you.”

“I don’t...it’s not my place, Beth.”

“Linc said so.”

“Linc takes in strays, honey.”

Her heart somersaulted at the endearment. “You’re not a stray.”

He glanced at the clock. “Doc said Ronny needs to be picked up at four.”

“Yes, that’s where I’m going.”

Tucker swallowed hard. “Your son needs you.”

“I need
you
.” She didn’t mean to say the words aloud. But once they were uttered she didn’t regret them. Wouldn’t take them back even if she could.

His eyes flared at her comment. “Beth, don’t.”

She crossed the room and stood in front of him. “All right. I’ll go. But hold me first.”

His shoulders stiffened. She thought for a minute he might refuse. Then he opened his arms and she stepped in.

It was like coming home. His warmth enveloped her. His size made her feel safe in an afternoon full of nightmares. And the familiar scent of woodsy aftershave and the smell that was uniquely Tucker calmed her. She whispered against his chest, “I’m not sure I can do this. Leave you alone...”

He stilled. Then he gripped her tighter; one hand went to her hair, another to her back. “You’ve got to. Ronny’s state of mind is at stake here.”

“I know.” She drew in a deep breath. “I’ve got to go.”

With a soft sweep of his lips on her forehead, he released her but didn’t say anything more.

She stepped back. “I don’t want to.”

“Your son needs you.” He brushed her cheeks with his knuckles. “Don’t worry about me.”

But she
was
worried about him.

I vowed in those long days and near endless nights that I’d die before I’d seek out that kind of attention, or affection, from anybody again. But particularly from anybody unwilling or unable to give it to me.

“Tucker, I—”

His fingers came to her lips. “No, honey, don’t say it. I won’t be able to let you go if you say any more.”

She bit off the words and turned her back to him.

It was the only way she could stop herself from saying it.

o0o

AFTER she called Jane, Annie talked to Henry and four of the women’s group members and told them they could go visit Linc. They needed to see that their beloved minister was all right.

Then she went in search of Rosa. No one knew where the woman had disappeared to, but Anita thought she might be crying. Annie was on her way to the family waiting area when she passed a small anteroom and heard voices.

The deep, male baritone was familiar. Drawn by an irresistible force, she approached the doorway. And froze.

Rosa was seated on a couch, her head down, a handkerchief in her hand, sniffling and wiping her eyes.

Joe was across from her, hunched over. His shoulders looked massive next to the woman’s small frame. “Rosa, please, if nothing else listen to that.”

“I can’t help it,” Rosa said. She must be upset because she was normally a quiet woman who had to be prodded to talk about anything. “If it wasn’t for me, for disobeying Sam, Reverend Grayson wouldn’t be hurt.”

“Abusive men are responsible for their own actions, just like everybody else. It’s part of the syndrome to blame it on others, especially the women they’re involved with.”

“He warned me. He told me not to go to church.”

A memory came to Annie out of nowhere.
Where do you think you’re going?
Joe’s hand had slammed the door shut.
I didn’t say you could leave.

“He has no right to keep you from doing what you want to do,” Joe told Rosa. “It’s a control issue. He wants to control you.”

Big frightened eyes stared up at Joe. All too well, Annie recognized the confusion and pain in them. “Why? What did I do?”

Please don’t, Joey. What did I do?
Annie herself had once gasped out as she’d shielded her face with her arms.
What did I do?

“You did nothing, Rosa. Nothing.” Joe’s voice was vehement. “It’s inside
him
.”

“What is?”

“Unhealthy needs. Insecurity.”

“Sam’s not insecure.”

“Of course he is. If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t have to make you bend to his will.”

You’ll do it because I say so.

Rosa stared at the floor for a long time. Finally she said, “I know about you.”

“I figured that out from your reaction the other night.”