Garden of Darkness by Anne Frasier Page B

pizza shop and David tunneled away and she visualized herself at Evan’s house. She hadn’t been there since all the bad things had happened. She hadn’t been there since her father’s death.
    “What’s wrong?” Why didn’t Graham call somebody else? He should know how hard a visit to Old Tuonela would be for her. But he was a kid. Kids didn’t think about those things.
    “It’s Evan. He’s acting weird. Doing weird stuff. I didn’t know who to call. I didn’t know what to do.”
    “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
    “When? How soon?”
    She looked across the table at David. He was watching her with concerned eyes, clinging to her yet knowing she was already gone. But he still hoped.
    “Twenty minutes.”
    “Okay. Good.” So much relief conveyed in those two words. “Thanks.”
    She disconnected and pocketed the phone. “David, I’m so sorry. I’m going to have to go. An emergency has come up.”
    “That’s okay.”
    But she could see he was disappointed. And maybe hurt. How could you hurt somebody you didn’t really even know? But it happened all the time.
    “Want me to come with you?”
    What a perfectly horrendous thought. “No, but thanks. That’s sweet of you to offer.” She opened her wallet.
    He shook his head. “What are you doing?” He looked horrified, so she put the wallet away.
    “I’ll get it next time.” Why had she said that? A promise of next time? It had just come out.
    He smiled and relaxed.
    She reached behind her and slipped on her coat, buttoning it before getting up. To hide her stomach? Probably. Even though he knew about her pregnancy, she didn’t want to flaunt it. “Thanks.”
    “I’ll call you,” he said.
    David was wiped from her mind as soon as she stepped from the restaurant. She hurried to the van, shot out of the parking lot, and headed for Old Tuonela, her heart beating fast.
    What was wrong?
    What had happened?
    When Evan had gone behind her back and purchased Old Tuonela, she’d vowed never to speak to him again. She’d felt betrayed. He could have at least told her. Coward. Maybe that was part of the reason she’d been so anxious to get away. There was too much pain here. The death of her parents. Then, at a time when she’d needed Evan, he wasn’t there for her.
    Now here she was, leaving a date to run out to the very place she’d sworn never to go again, to a man who’d betrayed her.
    She pulled off the highway to take the narrow, twisting lane to Evan’s house. Branches scraped the sides of the van and rubbed loudly against the undercarriage. She pulled up next to Evan’s little black car, cut the engine, and jumped out.
    Someone materialized from the darkness of the porch.
    Graham. He ran across the yard to meet her.
    “I tried to call you before you got here, but I just got your voice mail. Cell phones don’t work here very well.”
    “It never rang.”
    She started walking toward the house. He reached out and put a hand on her arm, stopping her. “I don’t think you should go in. He’s better now. That’s why I was trying to catch you. To tell you that you didn’t need to come.”
    “Better?” She frowned.
    “He’s going to be mad that I called you. You should go. You should leave.”
    Graham was as skittish as a cat. He glanced at the house, then at the car. He wants to jump in and get the hell out of here.
    “Graham, what’s going on?”
    “You didn’t see anybody when you were driving up the lane, did you? A girl? With red hair?”
    “No.”
    “I need to find her.” He gave a little launching jump and ran for the car. “Go back home,” he shouted over his shoulder. “You don’t want to talk to him.”
    “Is he drunk?” That didn’t seem like Evan. But then, a lot of things didn’t seem like Evan anymore.
    Graham paused in the open car door and let out a snort. “I wish. Then maybe he’d just pass out, like my mom used to.” He shook his head. “He’s nuts. That’s what he is. Nuts. Go home. Please.