Another Deception (15 page)

     Jean hung up the phone and immediately looked up the address for the hospital where Mildred told her Sheila was going. She was praying the accident was not a bad one, but Mildred knew very little. Since she was so close to the city, there was no way she would not go and offer any assistance she could, so without delaying she was soon on her way down the Pocono Mountain.

    It was not the first trip she had made into the city since coming to Canadensis. There were times when her writing was not flowing and a trip to the city gave her a break from it and a chance to roam about seeing all the sights, taking pictures and shopping. 

    With her GPS, she
was parked
and going up the steps to the entrance of the hospital at the same time Sheila’s cab pulled up and let her out. She was steps behind Jean and both headed for the elevator as it opened and they rushed to get in along with half a dozen others. Only when the door shut and the elevator was going up, did they see each other and Sheila let out a squeal of surprise, which startled Jean and alarmed the rest. She quickly apologized and scooted off with Jean close behind as soon as the elevator stopped on their floor. Hugging, after they moved away from the traffic, Sheila declared,

“Jean, whatever are you doing here?”

“I talked to Mildred and she told me that Jacks and Honey were involved in an accident, so I hurried as fast as I could to get here. With the traffic, it still only took an hour to drive. What happened, do you know? Mildred couldn’t tell me much!”

“I am not too sure either. Dwight called after he arrived and all he told me was that they were both here. I could tell he did not want it to sound bad, but I am afraid it is. He is going to flip when he sees me but I could not stay away.  I had no idea you were this close to the city! Come on, let’s find the nurses’ station, and find out where they are.”

“Rooms 210 and 216, I called already.”

     They were walking down the hall as they spoke and just as they approached the room Jacks had vacated, Dwight came up behind them.

“What in Sam Hill are you two doing here
!?!
”

     Stunned, both women turned to see a huge frown on his face. Sheila threw her arms around his neck while Jean wrung her hands in despair over the tone in his voice. Never had she heard him swear and whereas she had thought she would be a welcome sight in a time of need, now wished she had called first.

“Pastor Dwight, I am so sorry! I was just a short distance away and thought I could be of help…”

“Never mind Jean, you did a good thing. It is me he is upset with, not you.”

     Sheila turned back to her husband, linking her arm through his.

“Sweetheart, I know you are keeping something from me and I came to find out exactly what is going on. I want to see Jacks and Honey for myself.”

     Dwight shook his head and pulled away, still upset. When she finished speaking, he pulled them over to the side out of the way of employees’ running back and forth, before he said solemnly,

“You can’t see Jacks, he is not here. He is gone.”

     Without waiting for further explanation, Jean burst into tears and Sheila fainted into Dwight’s arms. He picked her up and rushed to the waiting area where he eased her onto a sofa with Jean right behind him. He looked up from his position on the floor next to Sheila and said with as much calm as he could manage,

“Jean, listen to me carefully.
Jacks is
fine. I took him to Sang-mi’s because they discharged him. Now, will you calm yourself enough to go and ask a nurse to come round here, please?”

   Jean was wiping her eyes with a tissue she took from a nearby table, happily shook her head yes and disappeared quickly.

    By the time she got back with a nurse in tow, Sheila was sitting up and Dwight was explaining Jacks’ absence to her as well. He looked up when the nurse arrived and asked if she would just check Sheila’s blood pressure and she did. Everything checked out good and Sheila insisted she was fine.

    Dwight was still not happy at all with her flying, but what
was done
was done, so he brought them up to date on Honey’s status before he took them to her room. He cautioned them not to say anything, which might upset her, but she was sleeping soundly and they did not stay. Instead, they went to the cafeteria for a bite to eat. Dwight was worried that the trip was too much for Sheila in her condition and after they were finished, he insisted that she go to Sang-mi’s house to rest. When Jean offered to stay with Honey, he was glad she was
there,
for he was feeling a bit stretched and in all honesty was relieved to have the help.

     It was raining when they left and somehow it seemed appropriate for Dwight’s mood. Sheila had never seen him this agitated and began to worry that she really had gone too far. Once they were on the way to Sang-mi’s, she offered sincere regrets of having disregarded his wishes. She admitted it was compulsive and dangerous for their unborn child. In lieu of her obvious sorrow, Dwight could not continue with his attitude and by the time they reached Sang-mi’s, he was acting more like himself. Now that she was here, he was thinking it might be just what Jacks needed to help him with his memory.

     He was right, for the instance Jacks saw Sheila, he grabbed her in a hug so happy to see someone he truly recognized. This eased his frustration and though it was not a lot, he began to put pieces together with her prodding.  At first, she talked of things from before when they lived and worked in New York. The days before Garrett visited the office on that fateful day which changed their lives forever. Gradually she began talking of the ACAA in Jackson and his new position there as head of staff.

     He was shocked to learn that she was married to Dwight and expecting a baby, laughed when she told him they both now lived in Mississippi, but he believed her. There were things she said which prodded his memory while some did not. When Honey’s name came up, he became agitated and started pacing the floor.

“Where did we meet? How did we meet?”

“There was this little girl in Philadelphia whom the ACAA took away from her parents. She was…her parents, were friends of Honeys and the two of you met because of her.”

     Jacks frowned. His brows came together almost as if he felt physical pain. Though she felt sorry for him, she pushed harder.

“She was wrongfully taken and you and Honey were on opposite sides in court.

“ Court
…Carol? The young child was Carol?”

“Yes, it was Carol. Are you remembering her? Jacks, you remembered her name, do you remember anything else?”

“She was ill, wasn’t she? Yes, she was and her parents…oh my God! Honey was…Honey is…she is dead. The accident…the car…it killed her and I could not save her! I remember!”

    With a look of devastation on his face, Jacks dropped to his knees with his head held in his hands and began to groan. Sheila slipped from her seat next to him to the floor, putting her arms around him while Dwight shoved his hands deep into his pockets, waiting, knowing that Jacks had to remember and it would be painful.

“She is alive, Jacks. She is alive, thank God!”

“Tell me where she is! Something is wrong, she is not here, where is she?”

     His eyes begged them to tell him what he needed to hear and though relief flooded them when he was assured she was not dead, fear still clung to him as he imagined the worst . He remembered a fragment of the accident. It was bad. The last thing he remembered was lying across her still body and someone saying she was dead, before everything went blank. He vaguely remembered the hospital and pain from the cuts on his body.

“She is still in the hospital Jacks, because her injuries were extensive, but she is going to make it. Thank God, you are remembering. What else do you remember?
Anything about Asa?”

“Who is he?”

“Never mind.
Do you remember why you moved to Mississippi?”

“I was tired and I remember some people wanted me to be a senator? What did Garrett have to do with all that? He was there, pushing and pushing. Sheila, please, just
tell
me everything. We were at the office after Garrett left. That is the last thing I remember clearly, everything else is just all jumbled up. Please.”

     Sheila looked up at Dwight, who nodded his approval, and then she got up and took Jacks hand to help him
up
.

“We may as well get comfortable, this may take a while.”

     They went into Sang-mi’s living room where they sat on an oversized sofa with Sheila sitting in the middle of the two men. She started from the day Garrett visited Jacks with the offer from Cannon and Belk. She left out nothing, even the part about her marriage to Morgan Belk, which caused fresh pain from the wound he dealt her. Dwight said nothing but held tightly to her hand in support as she described the horrors she had endured. He watched raw emotions cross Jacks’ face when she relived the kidnapping experience with Honey and their imprisonment.

     Jacks never said a word as he listened intently to the rescue he and Dwight manipulated and nodded as she described the double wedding in Vegas. When she began to relay what happened recently with the DNA samples and the results from it, he stopped her and stood up.

“What you are telling me is that my birth mother is alive and there is proof.  It feels like a dream, except when you speak of Honey, I feel
these
intense feelings. I need to see her, and then maybe, just maybe I will remember everything more clearly. As you were talking of the fairgrounds in Philadelphia, I could picture it and when you described Honey, it felt right. I have to remember everything good and bad and I want to start with her…my wife.”

      Dwight stood with him.

“Are you sure you feel up to doing that now? We can do it tomorrow. She is past danger now and the doctors say she will recover completely in time.”

     Jacks insisted,

“I will be fine when I see her and can remember more than the bits and pieces of the last year of my life. I can handle everything as long as I understand and I will not be able to understand until I remember everything. I am afraid if it does not happen fast then it will slip away forever.”

“The doctor did say the sooner you remembered the better but I have to caution you, any return of your memory must stay among the four of us. Certain people have to believe you remember nothing. I believe Asa thinks if he can wipe away the last year, he can start all over with you. Do you think you can do that?”

     Jacks looked funny when he replied.

“I have no idea how I know this, but I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

     He turned to look at Sheila who was trying hard not to look amused.

“You said I accepted Christ and became a Christian. I must have taken that serious…very serious if I am quoting Bible. In my heart, I know there has been an amazing change in my life and it is due to God. The same God I used to deny existed now is a huge part of me and I want to remember every little detail!”

     This caused Sheila to give a little laugh. It broke the tension of their conversation, lightening the mood.

“Jacks, there are two things you are dead serious about and that is God and Honey! Come on,
let’s
go see her! Did I tell you that Jean is there with her? She drove down from the Pocono Mountains to help…a darn good thing too. I did not realize she was that close. Of course, you probably do not remember Jean, but she and Honey are the best of friends. Actually we all are. She is just a sweetheart, you will see. Let’s go!”

     They were about to go out the door when Detectives Cranford and Dear knocked.  Dwight swung the door open.

“Hello!  We were just about to go check on Honey. Is this something that can wait until later?”

     Cranford smiled and nodding said,

“Sure. We mostly want to look around here some more and Anna has given us permission…but we do need a sit down with you all very soon. Jacks, I hope you are feeling much better. Are you remembering anything yet?”

     Jacks stared at the man as he spoke, concentrating on his voice. Just as he was about to reply, Dwight spoke quickly.

“He is feeling better but we really should be going. We want to check on Honey and we will certainly get together for you later, if you would like detective.”

     With that, he shuffled Jacks out the door with Sheila close behind them.

     Cranford watched them leave and remarked to his partner,

“I think our man is coming round. I wonder why they want to keep that from us.”

      Frank looked strange for a second but answered without hesitation,

“They do not trust us obviously and that may be as it should be.”

“Why so?”

“Think about it. Everything they have been through, would you trust us?”

     This brought a chuckle from Cranford.

“Probably not, but never mind them right now. We need to get to work. I am glad Anna has given us permission to search the place again without all the red tape. There has to be something we missed. If you were Sang-mi and had something you wanted to hide, where would you hide it?”