Dead Even - Mariah Stewart [99]
Mara broke into tears.
“Sweetie, I’m sorry. I told you this was going to be very hard for both of you.”
“I know, but I want so much for her to love me again. I want her to know how much I love her, how I never gave up hope—”
“That much, I’m sure she knows. After all, you did send someone to find her. She’ll think of that, by and by. But for now, her life is a huge jumble, a huge mess of a puzzle. She’s been totally upended. You need to give her time to think things through.”
“I don’t want her to hate me.”
“She doesn’t. She’s just afraid and confused. It’s normal. It’s exactly what I expected her to do.”
“You could have warned me.”
“I thought I had.” Annie massaged her sister’s shoulders for a few minutes, then told her, “By the way, Aidan is here.”
“Where?”
“Right out front.”
“What should I do? What should I tell him? Should he be here?”
“It’s up to you,” Annie said. “What do you think?”
“I think I’m glad he’s here, but I don’t think he should stay overnight right now.”
“I agree. Tell him that.”
“I will.”
Mara opened the door and stepped outside. Aidan was leaning against his car, which was parked in the driveway.
“How’s it going?” he asked when he saw her.
“I don’t think it’s going so well, but Annie thinks it’s all as she expected.”
“That bad, eh?”
He walked to her and took her into his arms.
“Julianne thinks that her father took her away because I was such a bad mother, he had to save her from me,” she whispered.
“She didn’t say that.” Aidan rocked her slowly, side to side.
“That’s what she meant.”
“She has a lot to think about right now. The changes in her life over the past twenty-four hours must be terrifying her.”
“That’s pretty much what Annie said.”
“Annie knows what she’s talking about.”
“I’m scared,” Mara cried into his chest. “I’m afraid she won’t love me, won’t let me love her. That she wants to go back to her father . . .”
“Well, since he’s going to be facing federal charges, there’s not a snowball’s chance in hell of that happening. The minute he shows up, he’s going to be arrested.”
“No shooting, Aidan.” She tilted her head back and looked up into his eyes. “Don’t shoot him.”
“It isn’t anyone’s intent to shoot him. The government wants him alive and well and singing like a bird.”
“You mean, about Prescott’s camp or school or whatever it is he has going with these young girls. . . .”
“Right. There’s lots of money floating in and out of that organization. They want to know where it’s coming from and where it’s going.”
“Did you know?” Her eyes narrowed as she studied his face. “When we were there, in Wyoming, when Miranda came for us. Did she know? Did you?”
“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “Not until she told me, but yes, she told me that Julianne was in there.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you let me believe that we’d failed?”
“Because I knew that if anyone had a chance of getting Julianne out safely and bringing her home, it was Genna Snow. And there was no way I could risk Genna’s life—and Julianne’s—by telling you what Miranda had told me. I’m sorry, but I had to back away quietly.”
“And if Genna had failed?”
“Failure wasn’t an option.”
“You really believed that?”
“I did.”
“You wouldn’t have let anything happen to her. If you’d thought something might happen to her . . .”
“I’d have gone in myself to get her.”
“I believe you would have.” Mara reached up to touch the side of his face, and he turned his head to kiss her hand.
“It’s not always going to be like this, you know.” He answered her unspoken fears. “She’s going to be okay with you. When all of the truth comes out, she’ll understand.”
“I wish I was as confident as you and Annie are. That I could believe it would be all right. Until then . . .”
“Until then, you’ll be there for her and answer