Lucky Break

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

WOULD ANY OF THEM do the same for you? It was a low blow but Jason had to ask.

Lauren sucked in a ragged breath, one he felt in his own gut.

“Are you kidding?” she asked him.

He shook his head, determined to see this through. “Your parents have already proved they wouldn’t,” he said gently.

She speared him with a deadly glare. “This isn’t about my parents.”

Okay, so she did truly accept that she wasn’t at the top of their priority list. “So it’s about your sister.”

Lauren folded her arms over her chest, already defensive. “Of course she’d do the same for me if I were sick. It just so happens, the situation has always been reversed.”

He wasn’t so sure her sister would look out for anyone except number one. But Lauren wasn’t going to see that particular truth. Jason’s point went beyond whether or not her sister would be there for her in her time of need. It went beyond the money she was spending on her sister’s appeal. And surprising even to him, it went beyond the fact that she’d sold her beloved convertible instead of taking his money.

His real concern was for Lauren’s state of denial when it came to her sister. “What if Beth isn’t sick?”

Lauren’s expression turned from outraged to incredulous. “What are you suggesting?”

That your sister is as crazy as your grandmother was, Jason thought, and immediately realized he’d boxed himself into a corner. At first he’d been upset she’d sold her car instead of taking his money. His initial reaction had been all male ego. He could admit that much.

But when he stepped back, he knew that there was more to it. He’d wanted Lauren to see the truth. That unlike the house, which would bring her a return, investing money in her crazy sister was the equivalent of throwing it away. But he couldn’t say that without hurting her and putting a wedge between them.

“Well? Are you going to explain?” She tapped her foot impatiently.

This was what he got for reacting to her news without thinking things through. Big mistake. Now he owed her an answer that wouldn’t set her off.

“I’m just saying that the doctors are treating Beth’s mental breakdown, but the fact remains that the things she did were…criminal. Just like your grandmother.” He tried not to wince at his own description, which was painfully accurate.

“And you don’t think I realize that?” Lauren’s voice cracked as she spoke. “But she’s my sister. My baby sister, and she’s not as strong as she looks. She was weak enough to be manipulated by my grandmother, and I’m responsible for that.”

He hadn’t seen that one coming. “How do you figure?” he asked, and braced himself for her reply.

She walked over to the mahogany bookshelves and picked up a small framed photograph he’d never noticed before. This was one room she hadn’t tackled yet because she liked spending time in here and he realized why. It was the most personal of all the rooms, with the fewest reminders of her grandmother’s position as mayor and her abuses of power.

Lauren handed him the photograph.

Two adorable young girls stared up at him. Lauren, the taller older sister, had her arm protectively around her younger sister’s shoulder.

“How old were you here?” Jason asked.

She glanced at the picture. “I was eleven and Beth was six. We were always close, until the summer I turned eighteen and took off. She never really forgave me for abandoning her, and when she came to live with my grandmother, she turned to her completely.” She drew in a ragged breath. “That’s why it’s my fault. Because I left her to be manipulated by my grandmother.”

He grasped her shoulders. “So you could live your life! You aren’t her mother, you’re her sister. You had every right to break away when you did!”

Lauren pulled out of his grasp. “I abandoned her to a crazy woman.” Her eyes filled with tears. “Which makes me equally responsible for the choices Beth made.”

Jason shook his head in frustration, disagreeing with her words. He desperately wanted to hold her, but her shoulders were so stiff he was afraid she’d break if he touched her again.

“I still say it wasn’t your responsibility. And even if you feel it was, how could you know what your grandmother was capable of?”

Her eyes were sad. “It doesn’t matter. She relied on me and I let her down. So whether or not she’s sick or as crazy as my grandmother, I need to be here for her now, in any way I can. If that means selling my car for cash to pay her lawyer, so be it.”

Jason realized there was no arguing with her. She was bound and determined to see this situation through distorted lenses. He was equally determined to get her to see she wasn’t responsible for her sister’s choices.

“You don’t understand, do you?” Lauren said “Well, I’ll show you in person. Let’s go.”

“Where?”

“You said you wanted to go with me to visit my sister. Now’s your chance. Oh. If it isn’t obvious, I need you to drive, so let’s move it.”

She started to walk out of the room, then paused and turned back. “Why aren’t you coming?”

He closed the distance between them. “You took me by surprise, that’s all. After our conversation, I didn’t expect you to suggest a visit.”

She shrugged. “You know what they say. Be careful what you wish for.”

As he followed her out of the room, a serious foreboding shook him. Hard.

THEY MADE the hour’s trip to the Bricksville Correctional Institution in near silence. By the time Jason found himself standing outside Beth’s door, he had a newfound understanding of what Lauren had to endure each time she visited. And a growing respect for her for doing it without complaint.

“Hi, Beth,” Lauren said as they entered the room, her voice high-pitched and deliberately cheery.

Beth Perkins lay in bed staring straight ahead. As Lauren had described, she appeared fragile against the white sheets.

Jason hadn’t known Beth well. Like Lauren, he’d been gone by the time Beth had come to live with her grandmother in Perkins, and he had only a vague recollection of her from the summer he’d met Lauren. Her crimes, however, were as much town lore as the curse, and he was well versed in those. According to rumors, beneath the fragile surface was a core of steel and no heart. Because he loved Lauren, he wished he could believe differently. Because he was a Corwin, he found it incredibly hard.

“Beth, I brought a visitor.” Lauren eased herself into a chair beside the bed and took her sister’s hand. “This is my friend Jason.”

Lauren had insisted that they wouldn’t introduce Jason by his full name to avoid upsetting Beth.

For Lauren’s sake, he’d agreed.

Jason watched Beth carefully.

She had no reaction to the introduction. She stared straight ahead at an invisible point in front of her, something he’d expected. Lauren told him Beth never did more than blink and she was right.

He couldn’t help but be curious about this woman who was capable of setting fire to a building full of innocent people in order to further her own personal goals.

Jason had personal experience with a woman who had her own agenda. Katrina wanted her lover to win gold and she’d manipulated Jason so he could do it. The only reason Jason hadn’t seen through Katrina’s act earlier was that he’d been thinking with his dick and not his brain. She was a former gymnast, and the tricks she’d done in bed defied description. He’d confused sex with love and that mistake had led him to this point. He was a contractor-a decent enough occupation-but since losing his Olympic dreams, he looked into the future and didn’t like the emptiness he saw.

He pushed those thoughts aside and concentrated on Lauren, who lovingly stroked her sister’s hand. Lauren had wanted him to come here and see the fragile woman Beth had become. Jason acknowledged that fragility.

But if she came out of her state, would she change?

He leaned against the wall, watching as Lauren updated Beth on the progress they’d made in the house.

“We’re so close,” Lauren said. “The walls are patched and painted, thanks to Jason. The floors need buffing, but that will come last, after all the work is done. It was all coming together except…” Lauren’s voice trailed off and she turned to Jason.

He nodded, encouraging her to continue. There was no reason not to tell Beth about the fire. It was in a contained area and the damage would hopefully be fixed soon.

“We had a little incident.” Lauren drew a visible breath. “A fire. But no one was hurt,” she said quickly. “We…I mean, I wasn’t even home when it happened. The fire started in the electrical box, but the fire department came quickly and only one small area was damaged. Luckily there wasn’t much smoke damage. As soon as the insurance adjuster shows up, hopefully tomorrow or the next day, I can start fixing the area, so the fire shouldn’t hold up the sale.” Lauren’s voice was forcefully optimistic.

Jason knew she was determined to finish in time but he was nowhere near convinced they’d meet the deadline.

“Oh! I have interesting news,” she went on. “In my cleaning, I found an old diary. At first I thought it was Grandma’s, but it wasn’t in her handwriting and it was too old.”

A muscle twitched in Beth’s jaw.

Jason wondered if he’d imagined it. He glanced at Lauren, but she wasn’t looking at her sister’s face as she continued talking. “I think the diary belonged to one of our ancestors.” She held on to her sister’s hand. “You’d be fascinated. It talks about all sorts of history, like the curse…” Her voice trailed off and she stared down at the bed. “I shouldn’t have mentioned that,” she said softly.

“Don’t worry.” Jason sought to reassure her. “I’m sure she’s not processing.”

Lauren glanced at Beth, then jumped up. Her eyes flamed with disbelief. “Hey! Quiet with that kind of talk. I’ve been talking to her for the past year because the doctors said she might eventually respond to something I said.” Her voice cracked with emotion.

Jason groaned. Stepping closer, he wrapped his hand around her shoulder and pulled her against him, whispering in her ear. He tried not to allow his body to react to her familiar, fragrant scent.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “That came out wrong. And you’re right. I don’t know anything about this…situation. Go on.” He jerked his head toward the woman in the bed. “If this is a subject she’d enjoy, keep talking.”

Appeased, Lauren nodded and sat down beside her sister again, picking up where she’d left off. “The diary mentions an offering. A woman I know-she’s Wiccan-she read from a book and explained how offerings are something people use to place a curse.” Lauren glanced down as if to gather her thoughts. “If only you were able to talk to me, I’m sure you’d have some great theory about what it could be.”

To Jason’s shock, Beth’s eyes began to move rapidly. Almost as if in response to Lauren’s words. But it can’t be possible, Jason thought.

He remained silent, deciding to observe more.

“The diary also mentioned the heart of the house,” Lauren continued. “I keep wondering where that could be?”

Beth gripped the bedrail harder, her knuckles turning white.

Uneasy, Jason glanced at Lauren, but she was still staring down at the floor. She must have long grown used to talking to herself.

“I really need to look into our family history,” Lauren said, surprising Jason. “I know our family founded the town. The original Perkinses were shipping magnates, right? So what could they have had of value to use as an offering? Unless it wasn’t of monetary value but emotional?” She swiveled in her chair until she faced him. “Maybe I’ll research curses, too. Or at least I can ask Clara what she thinks.”

Jason enjoyed how her cheeks flushed pink whenever she was excited about a topic. Or when she was excited about him, he thought wryly at a completely inappropriate moment.

A sudden gurgling noise interrupted them and Jason redirected his gaze. Beth’s eyelids were fluttering like crazy, her jaw twitching.

“Beth?” Lauren looked up and began stroking her sister’s cheek.

Her sister calmed down, silent once more.

“The doctors said there can be periods where she’ll act like she’s coming out of it, but it’s just the body responding to stimuli,” Lauren said sadly.

Jason frowned. He didn’t see it quite the same way. From no reaction to boring topics to an extreme reaction at mention of the curse. Coincidence?

Very odd, Jason thought.

And extremely curious.

HOW COULD HER SISTER be with him, Beth wondered.

And how stupid did Lauren think Beth was?

She’d introduced him as Jason. No last name. As if Beth wouldn’t know everything about the current generation of Corwins. Beth recognized the snowboarder from his photographs. The ones in the portfolio she and her grandmother had compiled.

It was obvious from the way Lauren and Jason Corwin looked at each other that their relationship was more than just business.

Again.

Apparently Lauren thought she could tempt fate twice. Beth had looked out for her sister the first time, turning Lauren’s personal diary over to their grandmother when she’d made the mistake of sneaking around with Jason Corwin when she was only seventeen. But now that she was locked in here, there was nothing Beth could do to protect her sister this go-round. Beth barely remembered not to shake her head in disgust and frustration. Some people never learned.

Jason Corwin and his failed Olympic bid were living, breathing proof that the curse was still in effect, striking any Corwin man who fell in love. And wasn’t that what the first Mary Perkins had intended when she’d used diamonds as an offering? So why would Lauren want to be the woman on the receiving end?

Nothing in the curse protected a Perkins. Because no Perkins worth their name would get involved with a Corwin man. Perkins women chose their men carefully, used them and kept or disposed of them depending on need. Like Beth’s current lover.

She still hadn’t heard from him, but now that she knew there’d been a fire in the house, she was certain he’d received her message and targeted the electrical box. Unfortunately he hadn’t been smart enough to use a decent accelerant. At least she’d chosen gasoline to set fire to The Wave. Unfortunately she’d been so beside herself worrying about her grandmother losing the election, she’d had a breakdown, causing her to get caught red-handed.

Beth clenched her teeth so hard her jaw ached. She still couldn’t believe she hadn’t been able to hold it together, but that was the past. In the lucid months she’d spent in here, she’d realized she was the sole remaining Perkins who believed. It was a huge responsibility. One she’d live up to. She’d never make such a foolish mistake again.

Success depended on planning. And Beth had a plan. With the construction on the new wing complete, she couldn’t count on seeing her lover again. She had to get in touch with him one last time. Because he had to get her out of here.

She was reaching her breaking point and she didn’t know how much longer she could keep up the catatonic charade. She thought she’d covered her shock over seeing Jason Corwin. She wasn’t so certain about her reaction to Lauren’s news about the hidden diary.

Why hadn’t her grandmother told her about the journal? Grandma had made sure Beth knew about the diamonds, so if she ever needed a safety net, she had only to find the valuable family jewels.

Oh well. Beth couldn’t figure out the mind of a dead woman, but that journal might contain more of a clue than Lauren realized as to where the diamonds were hidden.

The heart of the house.

What the hell did that mean? Beth had to figure it out, and to do that she needed to get her hands on that journal. She didn’t know where Lauren was keeping it, but it had to be in the house.

She definitely didn’t trust him to find the diary for her. She needed to read it herself, to see if she could make sense of the words. And she needed to solve the mystery and find the diamonds first. Before her too-curious sister got herself involved in something she couldn’t possibly handle.

LAUREN THOUGHT she knew what exhaustion was, but not even the manual labor on the house could compare to the mental drain from visiting her sister with Jason by her side. Her cheeriness had been even more forced than usual. Her stories more intense.

And all the while his focus hadn’t been on Lauren. He’d been eyeing her sister, watching her intently. The pressure of wanting Jason to accept Beth, weaknesses and all, had worn on Lauren in unexpected ways.

Why did she care what he thought?

She was afraid to explore the reasons too deeply. Because she already knew. In the end, that reason played to her deepest fear.

Rejection.

Lack of acceptance.

By now she should be an expert at letting such things roll off her shoulders. Mother, father, sister, grandmother. All had turned their backs on her in one way or another. Which was why Jason’s earlier question had hit her where it hurt most. In the heart she no longer let anyone get close enough to touch.

He was right. No one in her family would do for her what she’d done for Beth.

Lauren wished like hell the truth changed her perspective but it didn’t. She still felt responsible for pushing Beth into her grandmother’s clutches and she’d do whatever she had to in order to make up for that. She already had.

And she’d survive her time in this town, her time with Jason, by regrouping. Wrapping her independence around her like a shield. If that meant distancing herself from him, so be it.

When he pulled into the driveway, she turned to him, wondering how to tell him.

“I appreciate you taking me with you.” He stretched his arm over the back of her seat and leaned in close.

The sympathy in his eyes unnerved her, making it more difficult to find that distance she needed. “I just wanted you to see for yourself.”

He inclined his head. “I’m glad I did.”

Without warning, a thud sounded and they both jerked their bodies in the direction of the sound.

Trouble had landed on the hood of the car and curled up in a ball.

“Silly cat. Look how he glares at us.” Lauren watched the feline, who stared back through golden eyes.

Jason cut the engine. “Speaking of staring, I watched your sister carefully today.”

Lauren bit the inside of her cheek. “I noticed.”

“But when you talk to Beth, you don’t look at her.”

He’d caught that? “Because it hurts too much. Can you blame me?”

His expression softened. “Of course not.” He brushed her hair off her shoulder, toying with a few strands. “But maybe there are things you’ve been missing.”

Wariness crept through her. “Such as?”

“She does have reactions.”

“I know. And I told you what the doctors said. It’s her body’s normal response.”

His hand grazed her shoulder and remained there. “What if it’s more than that?”

“I don’t know what you’re getting at, so can you stop beating around the bush and get to the point?” She already sensed she wouldn’t like what he had to say.

“It seemed to me that Beth responded to specific things you said. They weren’t just random movements.”

“Such as?”

He drew a breath. “It started when you brought up the diary. Facial tics and gestures. It got worse when you started to talk about looking into what kind of offerings were used to place the curse.”

Lauren’s throat swelled with emotion as his words proved what her heart feared. “I’m really disappointed in you, Jason. You only saw what you wanted to see. A crazy woman reacting to that damn curse.” Her arms suddenly felt as if they weighed a ton and it was hard to lift them. Her entire body hurt, she realized.

“I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Lauren shook her head. “That’s okay. You’re entitled to your feelings. Besides, you just reaffirmed what I was about to tell you.”

He drew back his shoulders, stiffening in preparation. “Go on.”

“I’m tired. I want to go inside and take a nap.”

Relief crossed his handsome face. “You want to take the afternoon off? That’s fine.” He checked his watch. “There’s not much left of the day anyway. Let me send my guys home. We can relax and order in dinner and pick up work tomorrow when you’re feeling better. I’ll even give you a massage,” he promised in a suggestive, teasing voice.

She shook her head before she could take him up on his tempting offer. “I can’t. I’d rather…I mean, I need to be alone.”

He raised his eyebrows, surprise etching his expression. “Okay, I’ll finish work while you rest. Then-”

She jerked her head back and forth once more. “Please, just go home for the night. We’ll get back to work tomorrow.” She had to force out the words.

He reared back as if she’d slapped him. “Don’t do this. Don’t pull away. We can work through this together.”

Lauren clenched her fists, letting her nails dig into her palms, drawing courage from the pain. “Why are you so sure Beth is reacting to specific things? To the curse?”

“Because I saw her with my own two eyes?”

He reached for her hand but Lauren refused to let him touch her. “Beyond that. Why would Beth react to mention of the curse?” she asked, rephrasing.

Jason rolled his eyes. “Don’t make me go there,” he said in a firm voice.

“I have to. Answer the question. Why do you think that my sister Beth, my grandmother Mary’s granddaughter and assistant, would react to recent news of the curse and offerings?” Lauren pushed him.

She wanted to hear him say it.

“Fine.” He leaned in close. “Because she believes in that curse with every fiber of her being. Because she hates my family and wants the legacy of the curse to continue.”

“Why?”

“Because she’s a damned Perkins, that’s why,” he said, his voice raised. “Are you happy now?”

Lauren’s eyes filled with tears. No, she wasn’t happy. But she was right. He’d never truly be able to accept Beth. Which meant he’d never truly be able to accept Lauren, either.

LAUREN HAD BAITED HIM, Jason thought. And even knowing she was setting him up so she could push him away, he’d allowed her to manipulate him anyway.

“Idiot!” he said, stamping his foot.

Fred lifted his head and let out a lazy howl before laying his head back on the floor. As soon as his uncle saw Jason’s car pull into the pathway to the barn, Hank walked The Fat Man over.

Jason knew he was in trouble the moment he realized the old barn felt less like his home than the Perkins house. Things only went downhill from there. Sleeping with gas-producing Fred wasn’t the same as sleeping with Lauren and her snoring cat, and Jason woke up in a pissed-off mood.

When his doorbell rang, he answered without looking to see who was there. The freezing November air hit him as soon as he cracked open the door.

“Hey, cousin,” Mike said, walking inside.

Jason slammed the door shut behind him.

“I stopped by the house but Lauren said I’d find you here. So I left Amber there to help out and here I am.”

“What are you guys doing out here so early?” Jason asked, knowing Mike and Amber lived an hour away in Boston. Even Amber didn’t normally arrive until eleven on her day off.

“I have news,” Mike said. “I wanted to run that check for you earlier but I’ve been on a case and haven’t been able to breathe until now.”

Jason waved away the apology. “It’s fine. What have you got?”

“I didn’t want to tell Amber without you there.” Mike reached into his back jeans pocket and pulled out a sheet of paper. “Your plumber has an interesting background.”

Jason grabbed the paper, scanning the page. He didn’t have to look far. “Last job before JR Plumbing was at the Bricksville Correctional Institution.” Jason’s hands began to shake. “Are you kidding me?”

Mike shook his head. “He worked on the crew building the new wing. To do that he had to be prescreened. I ran a criminal check anyway and he’s clean. But-”

“I already know the but,” Jason said. “Bricksville is the facility where Mary Beth Perkins is currently being held.”

“Bingo. And the construction, which was recently completed, bordered the psychiatric wing of the prison,” Mike said.

Jason drew a deep breath. “I saw the wing yesterday when I went with Lauren to visit her sister.”

Mike let out a low whistle. “Visiting relatives? That’s something you only do for love.”

Jason shot his cousin a warning glare. “Let’s not discuss it, okay?”

Lauren had already decided her sister provided one very convenient barrier to any serious relationship. And now he had to go tell her their plumber friend, Brody Pittman, had ties to the same prison ward where her sister was being held. The same unresponsive sister Jason could swear had reacted to the subject of the Corwin Curse.

Coincidence?

After testing positive for drugs he knew he’d never taken, Jason no longer believed in the word.