Cradle Of Secrets Read online

  “Yeah? If you’re not Serena Davco, who do you suppose posed for that picture?”

  Dylan pointed up the carpeted stairway, which led to a landing. Between two large stained-glass windows sat an enormous painting of a pregnant woman with a little girl with dark brown curls sitting on the floor beside her legs. The woman’s face clearly matched her own. Even closer than the picture Dylan had showed her.

  A chill raced up Tammie’s spine, causing her to shiver.

  “I have no idea. But you can be sure I’m going to find out.”

  The voices in the hallway grew louder.

  “You just left her alone with him?”

  An older woman charged into the foyer on the heels of the young maid, who Tammie guessed was Susan. A sense of déjà vu made her skin crawl. Nothing about this house or this town was familiar to Tammie—except this older woman. She’d seen her face somewhere before. Or rather, she’d seen the devastating scar that marred her cheek and neck. It had been sometime in her youth, but for the life of her, Tammie couldn’t remember the details. All she remembered was how frightened she’d been.

  The woman with the scar stopped short, eyes wide and gasped. “What on earth is going on here?”

  “What—? We’re here to see Serena Davco,” Tammie said.

  Although the woman tried to hide it, Tammie caught the almost imperceptible change in her expression before she shifted her attention to Dylan.

  “You again?”

  Tammie whispered to him, “Did anyone ever tell you that you have a funny way with people?”

  “I get that a lot,” Dylan said dryly, in a voice loud enough for all to hear.

  “So you’ve had a run-in at this house before?” Tammie asked.

  The scarred woman folded her arms across her chest. “I told you never to come here again.”

  “Yeah, you did. But this time I was invited.”

  “By whom?”

  Dylan gestured toward Tammie.

  “It’s amazing, isn’t it, Aurore?” Susan said in a hushed tone.

  Eyeing Tammie again, the woman sneered. “You think bringing an imposter here is going to get you what you want? You’re mistaken.”

  Tammie blinked at her hostility. “Imposter? No, no, my name is Tammie Gardner. I wasn’t trying to fool anyone.” Turning to Dylan, she said quietly, “What’s going on here?”

  “I don’t care what your name is or what your intentions are. You both need to leave here immediately. Susan, call the police.”

  Dylan sputtered and took a step into the room. “What little law enforcement Eastmeadow has is tied up in the center of town, getting ready for the auctions. I came here to get some answers about my brother. As soon as I get them, I’ll be sure to leave and not come back. Until then, we’re not going anywhere.”

  “Aurore, Serena will be up soon,” Susan said, darting a glance at the grand stairway.

  “Go upstairs and check on her while I handle this.”

  “Aurore.” Tammie reached out and touched the scarred woman’s arm—a gesture she never would have made as a child, because disfigurement frightened her so. But the years suddenly melted away, and the memory of this woman standing in the kitchen with her mother came rushing back. An eerie sense of excitement filled her. “Of course. I remember that name. I remember you. You knew my parents….”

  Susan stopped on the stairs and turned toward them, putting her hand to her mouth.

  “Susan! Upstairs!” Aurore said urgently. Turning back to Tammie, she said, “You need to leave and never come back.” The older woman gripped Tammie by the upper arm and firmly moved her toward the door, but Tammie held her ground.

  “Connie and Aaron Gardner. You knew them. You came to the house one night. My mother was crying and you were trying to comfort her, but she never told me why. I heard her call you Aurore, and I asked her what that was. She told me about the northern lights. She wouldn’t tell me why she was crying.” Tammie’s heart was pounding, and her eyes were fixed on Aurore’s face. “I remember you.”

  “You’re surely mistaken. I’ve never been to Oregon.”

  “I don’t believe the lady ever mentioned she was from Oregon,” Dylan said firmly, standing like a brick wall in front of the path to the door. “The only way I figure you’d know something like that is if what she’s saying is true.”

  The grip on her arm eased a fraction as Aurore took a controlled breath.

  “We moved to another house right after that. But you were definitely there, in Winchester.”

  It made sense now. After her parents’ death, she’d gone back to the house in Winchester to try to figure out why they’d been acting so strangely at the end. But it was only now that she recalled the night Aurore had come to visit them.

  “Did you go to see them again before they were killed? Is that why they wanted to leave on that boat trip so quickly?”

  Aurore’s face held no emotion, but when she spoke, her voice was hard. “Neither one of you belong here. This is the Davco home. You’re not welcome.”

  Tammie swallowed, found courage from somewhere deep in her soul. She glanced up at the painting on the wall, and then at the woman who so clearly wanted nothing to do with her. “Am I a Davco, as well? Tell me!”

  “You certainly are.”

  The room seemed to lose its air as all eyes turned to the woman standing at the top of the stairway. From behind her, Dylan gasped. Seeing a picture, even the portrait on the wall was one thing. Seeing the woman face-to-face was totally amazing.

  Susan stood behind the fragile woman at the top of the stairs, practically in tears. “Aurore, I tried to stop her….”

  “I thought…This is unbelievable,” Dylan said, expelling a quick breath.

  Tammie stared at the woman, whose face was so much like her own and yet so different. The differences might be minor, but to Tammie they were distinctive. Serena Davco’s nose had a slight hook at the tip, where hers was straight. The fullness of Tammie’s face lacked the exotic air that Serena’s thinner face seemed to have. They shared the same dark hair, cut at about the same length, but in different styles. Although they were tired-looking, Serena’s eyes were a mirror image of her own. The same eyes as the woman who sat with the little girl in the portrait.

  Tammie swallowed, nerves raising goose bumps on her arms.

  “You’re Serena Davco?” Dylan asked.

  The woman pulled her terrycloth bathrobe tighter. “That’s right.”

  Guilt stabbed at Tammie as she took in Serena’s disheveled clothes and worn appearance. Still trembling, she said, “I’m sorry we disturbed you.”

  “Nonsense. I always enjoy company,” she said, her voice slightly slurred. Then she chuckled softly. “And surprises.”

  “This is one huge surprise,” Dylan chimed in from behind. “For me, anyway.”

  “They were just leaving, Miss Serena,” Susan said, taking the woman by the upper arm. But Serena quickly wrenched away and gripped the banister.

  “We have a few minutes to talk to the lady,” Dylan said. “If you’re up to it, that is.”

  Through tired eyes, Serena looked sharply at Susan, then at Aurore. Then she turned to Dylan and Tammie again. “They’re always t-trying to keep me from company.”

  Aurore sighed impatiently. “You’re not well, Serena. You need your rest. Now go with Susan to your room.”

  “It’s my house. My company.”

  Serena swayed, and Susan grabbed her by the shoulders.

  “You’re both always hovering,” she said, pulling away. “I’m f-fine.”

  She didn’t look fine. Tammie was far from fine herself. The room seemed airless now, and Tammie fought to take each breath as she looked up into that face that looked so much like her own. “Maybe we should come back another time, when you’re feeling better, Serena.”

  With disappointment in her eyes, Serena shook her head. “Oh, you can’t leave now. I’ve been waiting for you.”

  “Susan, bring her to her roo
m. It’s the medication talking,” Aurore said, turning to Tammie quickly.

  The hair that framed the older woman’s face drew back, revealing the extent of her scarring. The fear Tammie had felt as a child, when she caught her first glimpse of that scar, came crashing back to her now, shaming her. Whatever had happened to Aurore to cause such a scar must have been devastating.

  “She needs her rest,” the woman said sharply.

  “Don’t leave. Please…s-say you won’t leave,” Serena pleaded from the top of the stairs.

  Something stirred deep inside Tammie. She felt a connection with this woman so powerful that she threw out all reason. Her pulse thrummed at her temple. “I won’t leave you, Serena.”

  Even as the words flew out of her mouth, uncertainty crashed forward, but she pushed it away. The answers she was looking for were here—as well as a whole slew of new questions.

  Then Tammie remembered what the clerk at the hotel had said. “But there are no hotels—”

  Serena’s face grew brighter. “Oh, but there is plenty of room here! This house is as much yours as it is mine.”

  “Serena!” the scarred woman said. “You can’t invite just anyone into the house.”

  Her determination seemed to make Serena stronger. “She’s not just anyone. She’s my s-sister. She belongs here!”

  “No, Serena,” Aurore said sympathetically. “The baby died in the fire that killed your mother. You’ve always known that.”

  Serena shook her head. “I heard the baby cry.”

  As Aurore continued to argue gently with Serena, Tammie stared at the portrait. A whirl of emotions coursed through her, and for a split second she had the urge to run from the house. How could this be happening?

  From the outside, the mansion really did look as big as a hotel. But the only person welcoming her through the door was Serena, and it was clear that whatever medication she was taking was speaking for her.

  Could this really be her sister? Yes, there was definitely a biological connection of some sort between her and Serena. A mere glance was all it took to confirm that. But her sister? If that was true, then who was the woman in the portrait with her?

  Tammie swayed where she stood, finding it hard to breathe.

  Ignoring the woman, Serena pushed forward and focused her attention on Tammie. “Please stay.”

  Tammie could feel Dylan standing behind her. Her heart pounded with fear that Serena would take one step too many and come toppling down the staircase. Everything about this house felt wrong, and yet she knew she had the truth staring her in the face. All she had to do was sort it out.

  Lord, I don’t know why this happened or what’s going on. But I know You will lead me on the right path to find the truth. All I ask is that you keep me strong.

  “Of course I’ll stay,” she said, pasting on a smile despite the uneasy feeling that flooded her. Her acceptance brightened Serena’s gray face more than a fraction, and Tammie was glad for that.

  “What are you doing, Tammie?” Dylan whispered from behind.

  She turned to him, saw the worried lines deepening around his eyes. “I’m getting answers.”

  Aurore quickly strode up the stairs toward Serena, and Susan came rushing down. “If Serena insists on having her here, then get her bags—quickly, while I bring Serena back to bed.” She nodded sharply at Dylan. “Make sure he leaves.”

  As Serena and Aurore disappeared upstairs, Susan led them to the front door. “I’ll wait here while you get your bags. Any visiting will have to wait until Serena is feeling better.”

  “What’s wrong with her?” Dylan asked as he walked out the door.

  “She’s not well.”

  He stopped, turned and Tammie almost collided with the wall of his back. “Obviously.”

  Susan lifted her chin in defiance. “Aurore has asked me to—”

  “Yeah, I heard. I’m to leave,” Dylan said. He glanced at Tammie.

  Susan continued. “Just because you’ve made your way through the front door, that doesn’t mean you’re privy to family business.”

  “Am I family? Really?” Tammie asked.

  “Serena seems to think so,” Dylan said.

  Susan cast them a long look, then said, with a sigh that seemed to weigh her down, “She’s suffered from mental illness her whole life. It’s only gotten worse since Byron Davco, her father, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He’s been in a nursing home for over a year now. The loss has been too much for her to handle.”

  Tammie wanted to cry—for Serena and her loss, and because she knew that kind of loss, as well. She had longed for a sister her whole life and now it seemed she’d always had one. Right now, though, exhaustion was winning out over curiosity.

  Part of her had held on to the notion that maybe her parents hadn’t known she wasn’t their biological daughter, as Bill had suggested. But now that she’d met Aurore and remembered her visit as a child, Tammie doubted that. They’d known.

  Lord, I know You won’t give me a bigger burden than I can handle. Please help me find out why my parents kept this from me. Please give me the strength to see this through.

  “Why don’t you get your bags, so I can show you to your room?” Susan said impatiently.

  They’d walked a few yards down the pathway toward the street when Dylan caught her arm.

  “Tammie?”

  His face was dark, and his troubled eyes bored into her with what she might have called fear in anyone else. But the man she’d met earlier hadn’t been afraid of her running him over with her car. She doubted he feared anything.

  Pressing her fingers against her throbbing temple, she said, “I finally understand what you meant by feeling like you’re in some weird science fiction movie.”

  “Your staying at this house will only make it worse. This isn’t a good idea,” he said quietly. “I should never have brought you here.”

  She had to look up at him. In such close proximity, she saw how much taller he was than her, smelled the clean scent of him minus the strong odor of shaving cologne that most men seemed to bathe in.

  She sighed, then turned to Susan, who was waiting for her. “Give me a minute to get my suitcase, and then you can show me to my room.”

  When they were off the porch, she voiced her thoughts. “You’re wrong, Dylan. I didn’t know exactly what I was searching for or what I’d find when I drove into town this morning. Now I know. All the answers I’m looking for start here—in this house.”

  Dylan’s eyes darted back to the mansion and then to Tammie again. “It doesn’t feel right. Cash said he was coming here to save Serena. I thought he was being dramatic, but that’s out of character for my brother. Now I feel like I’ve just thrown you to the wolves. I can’t leave you here like this.”

  She cocked her head to one side and paused as they reached her car. “You were so eager to get me here in the first place. Why the change?”

  He looked away, seeming embarrassed, but then looked her square in the eye. She admired him for that.

  “I’m sorry. I thought you were playing games with me. It’s my suspicious nature. In my line of work, I’m used to people feeding me lines. I spent all these weeks here getting the runaround, and then you showed up. When I saw you out on that road, I didn’t believe you. Even as we drove here I thought you were really Serena Davco.”

  She nodded and smiled as she yanked open the door to the backseat of her rental car. “I’m not in the habit of lying, Dylan. That’s not my nature.”

  Dylan grabbed her suitcase and then slammed the door. “I’m not, either. And I didn’t trust your word, and I’m sorry for that, too. Look, I don’t know what brought you here, but I have a feeling we’re both after the same thing—the truth. I’m just not comfortable with you staying here alone.”

  A warm flow of emotion hugged her. “It’s sweet of you to worry. But I’m not going to be alone here. I’ve just found out I have a sister. No DNA tests are going to tell me different.”

 
“It’s not safe.”

  “How do you know that?”

  He looked at her hard. “Because my brother is missing. I don’t want you to be, too.”

  Tammie glanced back to the house and caught the sharp glance Susan cast at them from the front door as she waited for Tammie to return. It was clear they didn’t want Dylan there. No one but Serena wanted Tammie there, but it was a harder argument for the others to win when it was clear Serena Davco believed Tammie was her long-lost sister, who had supposedly died at birth.

  With a quick rake of his hand over his head, Dylan looked back at the house and grunted. “We can come back tomorrow. Maybe Serena will be feeling better then. Call it gut instinct, but I don’t like what’s happening here.”

  Tammie couldn’t have agreed more. But she shook her head, determined to see this through. “That’s not good enough.”

  “Sometimes that’s all you have. Cash is missing because he went after Serena Davco, and it’s clear they’ve made a fortress out of this place to keep people from her.”

  “Exactly the reason I should stay.”

  “You have a name now, information to start searching for the truth. You don’t have to be here to do it.”

  “What about you? Serena knew your brother.”

  Dylan reached for her, touching her shoulder. The warmth of his touch, the gentle concern in his eyes, filled her with emotion. “And my brother disappeared.”

  Voices from an upstairs window filtered out into the summer air, but Tammie couldn’t make out the words. “Aurore knew my mother and father. Ever since I found out they weren’t my biological parents, I’ve been having a hard time forgiving them for not telling me the truth. I’ve been praying but I can’t get past it.”

  A look passed between them, a look she didn’t quite understand, and held for a moment.

  “Ms. Gardner,” Susan called from the front porch. “If you’re ready, I’ll show you to your room.”

  Dylan sighed and pulled the envelope with Serena’s picture and a pen out of his shirt pocket. He tore off a piece of the envelope and wrote something on it.

  “This place gets weirder and weirder. Take this. It’s my cell number and the name of the campground I’m staying at in town. It’s not the lap of luxury, but there’s room there, and it’s clean. You might want to consider changing your mind.”