Blind Alley - Iris Johansen [23]
“I know you have.”
Eve suddenly stiffened as she caught an odd note in Jane's tone. “Jane?”
Lord, she hadn't meant to say that, Jane thought. She should back down and lie to her. No, she'd never lied to Eve and she wouldn't start now. “I . . . heard you.”
“What?”
“You were sitting out by the lake and you didn't know I was on the trail behind you.”
“And?”
“Bonnie. You were talking to Bonnie.”
Eve was silent for a long moment. “In my sleep?”
“I guess so. You were leaning against a tree. I don't know. I only know you were talking to someone who wasn't there.” She could see the shock on Eve's face and added quickly, “That was over three years ago. I knew you wouldn't want to talk about it so I never— I should have kept my mouth shut. Stop looking like that. It's okay. You have a right to— It's okay.”
“Three years.” She looked at her in wonder. “And you never mentioned it. . . .”
“What was there to say? You were hurting. So you talked to your dead daughter. It was your business.”
“And it never occurred to you that I might be a little . . . off center?”
“Not you.” She fell to her knees in front of her and laid her head in Eve's lap. She whispered, “And if you were, I wanted to be just like you. Everyone in the world should be so crazy.”
“Lord, I hope not.” Eve gently stroked Jane's hair. “No questions?”
“I told you, it's your business. I'm sorry I mentioned it. I didn't mean— Don't let it make a difference between us. I couldn't stand that.”
“It will make a difference.”
Jane swiftly lifted her head. “You'll feel awkward around me? Please don't do—”
“Shh.” Eve's fingers on her lips stopped the flow of words. “I don't feel awkward. If anything, I feel warmer and closer to you.”
“Why?”
She chuckled. “Because you think I'm a little bananas but you still love me. Because you didn't say a word to me for three years because you thought it might hurt me. I'd say that's pretty special, Jane.”
“No, it isn't,” Jane said unevenly. “You're special. You're good and you're kind and I'm lucky to be allowed in the same house with you. I've always known that.” She stood up. “So it's okay? You're not upset with me?”
“I'm not upset.” She grimaced. “When I get over the shock, I believe it will even be good to share Bonnie with someone.”
“Joe doesn't know?”
Eve shook her head. “It's . . . difficult.”
“I'll never tell anyone. Not even Joe.”
“I know you won't.”
She glanced away from her. “I do have one question. If you don't want to answer, that's okay.”
“Ask it.”
“Is Bonnie . . . is she a dream like the ones I'm having?”
“I like to think she's a dream. She tells me she's a bona fide ghost and that I'm in denial.” She smiled. “Sometimes I believe her. So I obviously have no right to question what you're experiencing, Jane.”
“You have the right to do anything you damn well please.” She moved toward the screen door. “And I'll fight anyone who says anything different. Good night, Eve.”
“Good night, Jane. Sleep well.”
“I'll try.” She smiled at her over her shoulder. “And if I don't, then I'll come running.”
“I'll always be here for you.”
Jane was still feeling the warmth engendered by those words when she reached her bedroom. Yes, Eve would always be there to comfort and support her. She had never had anyone to trust before Eve had come into her life, and after the confidences tonight, she felt closer to her than ever.
Now to go to bed and get to sleep and hope that she wouldn't be pulled back into that other place. Not yet. Each dream was becoming increasingly draining. It was like being on a treadmill whose speed kept escalating. She needed to recover strength before she faced it again.
“I'm coming,” she murmured as she pulled the covers up. “Just give me a little rest. I'm not abandoning you, Cira. . . .”
FIVE
It was too damn dark and they hadn't turned on the porch light.
Aldo lowered the binoculars with profound disappointment. When the two women had come out on the porch, he'd thought he'd be able to see them clearly but they'd both only been a shadowy blur.
But