Buch lesen: «Hidden in the Wall»

Hidden In The Wall
Valerie Hansen

This book has to be dedicated to the five other

marvelous authors who participated in this series:

Shirlee McCoy, Margaret Daley, Carol Steward,

Lenora Worth and Marta Perry!

Special thanks and acknowledgment are given to

Valerie Hansen for her contribution to the

REUNION REVELATIONS miniseries.

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

PROLOGUE

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

—Proverbs 17:17

Trevor Whittaker swung the boom of the backhoe and took more and more bites of earth. If he hadn’t been paying such close attention, he might have missed feeling a momentary stutter of the equipment. Concerned, he peered at the partially dug trench then climbed down to take a closer look.

Steff had left a spade leaning against the building, so he grabbed it instead of returning to his truck for his own tools. The blade had connected with something hard. It looked like…

Trevor’s breath caught. He dropped the shovel and fell to his knees, frantically clawing at the earth. With trembling fingers he brushed aside enough dirt to be certain his imagination wasn’t playing tricks on him.

He reeled back on his haunches, appalled. These weren’t water or electric lines he had unearthed, they were bones. Human bones!

Suddenly a shadow fell across the trench. Trevor leaped to his feet, blocked Steff’s view with his body and grasped her arms to control her. “Don’t look.”

She tried to twist free. “Why not? Let me go.”

“No. There’s…” He thought about trying to distract her instead of revealing his gruesome find, then realized she’d never accept anything but the truth. “There’s a skeleton in the trench,” he said hoarsely. “It’s a grave.”

ONE

Two months prior

Slightly lifting the skirt of her pale blue satin gown so the hem wouldn’t brush against the asphalt, Stephanie Kessler picked up her evening bag, left her car in the parking lot of the Mossy Oak Inn and started toward the inn’s ballroom. This was not just another of the many gatherings she organized for Magnolia College as the Alumni Relations Director. It was also the ten-year reunion of her own graduating class and she wanted everything to be perfect.

Steff paused long enough to check her slim, jeweled watch. She’d been so eager to renew acquaintances she’d arrived far too early. Rather than waste time pacing inside the inn or rearranging the lovely table decorations for the umpteenth time, she decided to stroll across to her office on the opposite side of the campus.

Not only was the balmy June evening ideal for a leisurely walk, she reasoned, the exercise would help her unwind. And checking her e-mail would show her whether she’d had any last-minute answers to her recent pleas for alumni financial support. In spite of recent fund-raisers, she was still coming up short on donations for the planned library expansion. That was worrisome.

A welcome breeze lifted Steff’s short blond hair away from her cheeks. When she faced into the wind to take advantage of its refreshing coolness, her gaze rested on the imposing stone edifices of the college that had become the central focus of her life.

Campus was nearly deserted this time of year, which was why she was surprised to notice a tuxedo-clad figure whom she didn’t recognize hurrying around the far end of the liberal arts building.

Assuming from his attire that he must be planning to attend the gala at the inn, she noted he was headed in the wrong direction.

Since she had plenty of time to spare, Steff decided to do her good deed for the day, follow him, and help him find his way to the reunion.

The height of her heels and the unevenness of the old brick walkway slowed her progress. By the time she got to the next corner her quarry was already disappearing past the science building.

The newer walkway in that area was a flat cement surface and she was able to travel faster. She proceeded as far as the quad and paused, puzzled. Shading her eyes against the setting sun, she squinted as she studied her immediate surroundings. The man couldn’t have vanished into thin air. So where had he gone? Could he have ducked into one of the buildings they’d passed? Since no classes were in session this time of year, that didn’t make sense. Besides, why on earth would he want to hide?

Feeling foolish for having followed a stranger halfway across campus, she decided to give up and resume her trip to her office. That was when she spotted him. He’d been temporarily out of sight because he’d been bending over next to the east wall of the library and the foundation plantings had masked his position.

The man was pacing now, as if measuring the distance from the library wall to the sidewalk. What in the world could he be up to? Stephanie asked herself. More importantly, who was he?

The setting sun backlit his form, making him appear in silhouette and causing her eyes to water when she tried to stare directly at him. The one thing she could tell was how furtive his movements were. Whatever he was doing, he obviously didn’t want to be observed.

Internal warnings sounded in her brain and caused her to shrink into the shadows. Whoever he was, it would definitely be best if he didn’t know she’d been spying on him.

Steff’s nose tickled. Stupid allergies. She pressed her index finger across her upper lip to keep from sneezing. Her quarry had returned to the sidewalk and seemed to be walking along it with measured strides. Then he wheeled and repeated his path to the library wall at a right angle before he turned again.

Although she believed she was well hidden around the corner of the building, she held her breath. The man had stopped and seemed to be staring directly at her. Was he? Had he sensed that she’d been trailing him? She didn’t see how he could know she was here, yet his stillness and apparent concentration gave her chills.

When he finally moved away from the library wall, she relaxed slightly. Now he was wiping the soles of his shoes on the lawn. That particular planted area was in deep shade, perfect for azaleas but often overly wet, especially after the kind of spring rains they’d had the past few days. He’d probably gotten his shoes muddy.

Steff shifted her own feet slightly, thankful she’d had the good sense to remain on the grass.

The unmistakable sound of masculine cursing drifted to her across the distance. She stiffened. She was about to backtrack to avoid encountering such an ill-mannered man when her nose took control. A violent sneeze erupted before she could stifle it, so powerful it bent her over at the waist.

She straightened. Froze. Gaped and stared across the intervening space at the man she’d been studying. He, too, had ceased all movement. Then he took a step toward her and began to peer into the shadows where she hid.

For a heart-stopping instant Steff thought he might actually be planning to launch an attack. She held her breath and stood stock-still, hoping she wouldn’t sneeze again just in case he hadn’t really spotted her. Her palms were damp, her pulse fluttering, her muscles tensing for flight.

A split second later she knew the tuxedo-clad man had other plans. He whirled suddenly and ran, disappearing quickly around the corner of the library.

Still frightened in spite of the logical conclusion that he didn’t want a confrontation any more than she did, Steff turned and hurried in the opposite direction, back toward the inn.

The shadows created by the Spanish moss hanging from the trees reached out for her like clawing fingers of gray smoke. Every tree seemed to hide an unnamed menace, every footstep seemed to echo as if someone—or something—was closing in behind her.

She grabbed a handful of skirt to raise it out of her way enough to run, not caring that her high-heeled shoes were not designed for sprinting.

Every instinct insisted she had to get away. It didn’t help that she saw no one in pursuit when she glanced over her shoulder. The danger was there just the same. She could feel it all the way to her bones.

“We have a problem,” the caller said.

“I can’t see how.”

“Well, I can. I just paced it off. Unless they decide against building that annex by the east wall, the way they’ve planned, the new construction is liable to reveal everything.”

“Then see to it that they change their minds.”

“How can I do that?”

“I don’t know and I don’t care. Just do it. Use your influence as much as you have to. We both know we can’t allow them to do a lot of digging there.”

“It might be okay if they don’t go too deep or too far past the corner. I can’t remember exactly where the other trench was, can you?”

“Yes. But I’m not about to show up on campus and take the chance of ruining everything. You’re there. You handle it.”

He cursed as he stared at the phone in his hand. This was ridiculous. It shouldn’t be his problem. He’d briefly considered using violence to keep their secret but he knew there was no guarantee that either of them would get away with another so-called accident. They’d been pressing their luck so far. It was bound to run out eventually.

“All right,” he finally said. “I’ll try.”

“I suggest you do more than merely try. I suggest you succeed. Or else.”

“Or else what?”

“You don’t want to find out.”

As he hung up he grimaced, then mustered his self-control, turned and headed for the gathering at the inn.

Steff had touched up her makeup and managed to compose herself outwardly by the time the reunion guests began arriving. She hoped that her carefully poised demeanor was adequately masking the tremors that continued to shoot through her every time she recalled her scare by the library. She didn’t want anything to mar the festivities she’d worked so hard to plan, especially not her overzealous imagination.

Steff stationed herself by the main entrance to personally welcome new arrivals and was pleased to recognize old friends. “Cassie! Kate! How wonderful to see you both again! It seems like forever.” She gave each of them a big smile and a sisterly hug. “I’m so glad you could make it.”

“We wouldn’t have missed this reunion for anything,” Cassie said. She eyed Steff. “Great dress. Of course, if I had your millions, I could look like that, too.” She giggled. “Not.”

“I assure you, I don’t have control of the Kessler checkbook,” Steff countered. “If I did, I’d probably just pay for the library addition instead of arranging all those fund-raisers.”

“I see your point,” Kate chimed in. She took Steff’s arm and drew her aside. “Who else do you expect tonight?”

“Quite a few of our old friends, like Jennifer Pappas and Dee and her sister Lauren. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to locate everyone from our class.”

Cassie waggled her eyebrows. “How about the guys? I suppose Mason and Parker are too rich or too famous, or both, to show up.”

“Actually,” Steff said, “I know Parker is planning to come. Have you driven by the Magnolia Hall mansion and seen the way he’s restored the grounds? I can only imagine what the inside looks like. I hear it’s awesome.”

“It would be nice to see Parker again,” Kate said wistfully. “I always thought he was…interesting.”

“Speaking of interesting,” Cassie drawled, aiming a grin at Steff. “Have you seen your former roommate, Alicia, lately? I hear she and her big brother Trevor are both back in Magnolia Falls.”

Blushing, Steff nodded. “As a matter of fact, I’ve not only seen her, I’ve asked Whittaker Construction for a bid on some remodeling I’d like done in my office.”

“Aha!” Cassie was clearly enjoying the moment. “I knew it. You always did have a thing for Trevor Whittaker, even if he was forever getting into trouble.”

“I mentioned the job to him for Alicia’s sake,” Steff insisted. “He’s supporting her while she goes back to school and gets her teaching credentials.”

“Trevor is? Why?” Cassie asked.

“Because Alicia’s husband left her high and dry four years ago when her boys were just babies.”

“And you’re only hiring Trevor for Alicia’s sake? Is that what you’re trying to make us believe?”

“It’s true!”

Both Kate and Cassie chuckled softly.

Thinking of Trevor raised fresh goose bumps on Steff’s arms. Admittedly, there was something about that man that set her on edge. Though she had done her best to deny it, there had always been a kind of peculiar mutual fascination between them.

Beginning to smile at the ridiculousness of her thoughts, Steff rejected them outright. She was a mature woman of thirty-two, not a naive girl. If Trevor Whittaker thought he could still rattle her these days, he’d better think again.

“Uh-oh,” Cassie drawled. “Speaking of good-looking men.”

Steff’s head snapped around. Her eyes widened. Alicia had apparently chosen her big brother as her escort because she and Trevor were coming through the double doors together. His dark hair was slicked back, yet still retained its wavy charm, and the tuxedo he was wearing set off his broad shoulders in a way Steff couldn’t help but admire. The man was more than impressive-looking tonight. He was breathtaking.

Smiling broadly, she greeted Alicia as she surreptitiously eyed the one man who could make her knees weak with a mere glance. Thankfully, she’d always been able to mask her feelings and appear unaffected by him, and tonight was no exception.

She kissed Alicia lightly on the cheek, then smiled at Trevor. “Welcome to our reunion. I imagine you know most of the people here.” She gestured toward her nearby friends. “Remember Cassie and Kate?”

“Of course. Good evening, ladies.” Trevor’s attention returned to Steff. “And good evening to you, Ms. Kessler.”

His unusually formal demeanor caught her off guard so she reverted to well-practiced dialogue. “Please, go on in and make yourselves at home. There’s lemonade and a buffet of delicious appetizers. We’ll be serving our main course later.”

As Trevor took his sister’s elbow and escorted her into the ballroom, Steff eyed him appreciatively, until her gaze drifted to his shoes. There was a smudge of mud on one of the heels. Georgia clay and loam. Just like the dirt in the flower beds next to the library.

Stunned, Steff felt her balance waver for a split second. Her friends immediately crowded closer.

“What’s wrong?” Cassie asked. “You look pale.”

“Trevor’s shoes,” Steff said in a stage whisper. “Look. There’s mud on them.”

“I’m not a bit surprised,” her friend answered. “After the storms we had the last few days the whole campus is pretty soggy.” She pointed. “See? Half the men in the room have traces of mud on their shoes, even some of our illustrious professors.”

Although Cassie’s assessment was clearly correct, it did nothing to calm Steff’s jangled nerves. Surely, Trevor wouldn’t have run from her, she reasoned, yet if it wasn’t him messing around by the library, then who was it? And why had the shadowy figure frightened her so?

She huffed in self-disgust. From the looks of it, the nameless trespasser could be almost any man in the room.

That realization brought another shiver and a feeling of unidentifiable dread she couldn’t seem to dispel. An evening that should have been filled with joy and celebration was turning out to be a lot more disconcerting than she’d imagined.

Shivering, Steff wrapped her arms around herself. The most sensible thing to do would be to simply ask Trevor how he’d gotten his shoes dirty.

Yes, she countered, but what if it was him by the library? What then? Would I have to ask him what he was up to? Suppose I didn’t like his answer?

Entertaining the mere notion that Trevor had been skulking around campus was unacceptable. Not knowing, one way or the other, seemed infinitely better than having to face the unpleasant possibility that he might have been the one who had frightened her out of her wits.

TWO

Trevor arrived on campus the following Monday, as planned. He was far from overjoyed, however, at the prospect of having to return to Magnolia College for even a short period of time.

He certainly didn’t have many pleasant memories of his younger days here, nor did he view the place with the affection and reverence Steff always had. The university had her family’s influence stamped all over it. Some of the massive live oaks even bore plaques giving credit for their planting to a long-dead Kessler.

He muttered under his breath as he parked and climbed out of his truck, then was immediately penitent. “Sorry, Father,” he prayed quietly as he walked toward the offices. “I know I should be thankful for every job You give me and I did ask for more work, it’s just that I hadn’t counted on having it be here.”

The one aspect of Magnolia College that he did miss was the Campus Christian Fellowship. Some of the friends he had made while attending those CCF meetings were still close and many had gone on to join the nearby Magnolia Christian Church where he also worshipped.

Finding faith on the road to maturity had given Trevor a purpose and had helped straighten him out. How anybody managed to cope day-to-day, let alone face trauma, without an abiding belief in God amazed him. Personally, he didn’t know what he’d do if he didn’t have his strong beliefs to fall back on when the going got tough.

And speaking of tough going, he mused, it was time to enter the lion’s den. Squaring his shoulders, he pushed open the main door to the Administration building, strode in and proceeded directly to Alumni Relations.

Stephanie was seated behind a desk piled high with stacks of paper and files when he knocked and entered.

She stood and extended her hand in greeting. “You’re prompt. I like that.”

Trevor considered making a wisecrack, then stifled the urge. This was business, not playtime in the quad. “I take my work seriously.”

He shook her hand as briefly as he dared. He didn’t want to offend her, but he also didn’t want to be tempted to stand here holding her hand and gazing into her beautiful, violet-blue eyes like a lovesick teenager. It was bad enough that she was wearing a pale silk blouse that enhanced those eyes and tailored slacks that looked as if they’d been made just for her—which they probably had, he added, disgusted with himself for noticing.

“So, show me the wall you want remodeled,” he said, taking a pencil and pad from his shirt pocket and unclipping a tape measure from the waist of his jeans.

“Sure. Over here.” Steff pointed. “See all the wasted space? I thought, if there was a bookcase recessed into the wall behind the door, I could take advantage of every inch of this cramped little office.”

“You probably grew up with clothes closets that were bigger,” he said wryly.

“As a matter of fact, I did.” She watched him measuring and making notes. “What do you think? Can it be done?”

“Anything can be done,” Trevor said. “It’s a question of how difficult or expensive it may be. I can have an estimate for you in a few minutes. There’s no obligation. If you decide you want the work done, I can start right away. If you put it off and call me later, I’ll do my best to squeeze you in, but I can’t guarantee when.”

“Fair enough. How long to you think the whole job will take?”

“If I can have access to the office day and night, probably less than a week. If I can only work while you’re here, it’ll take longer. You won’t like being around during the sanding or varnishing, believe me.”

She reached for the scratch paper he held out to her. “Wow. Is that all? I’m amazed. Okay. Let’s do it.”

“Don’t you have to get approval from higher up?” Trevor asked, frowning.

“Actually, this is one of the perks of being a Kessler. If I don’t exceed my budget, I can do whatever I please.”

“Okay. I’ll write up a formal agreement for you to sign and bring it with me when I come back this afternoon. Might as well get started while I’m waiting for some back-ordered materials for another job.”

“You won’t quit halfway through my bookcases and leave a mess, will you? I really need my office. The new quarter starts soon.”

“No, I won’t quit until this job is finished. When I make a commitment, I keep it. You can count on me.”

When Steff sobered and quietly said, “I know,” the sound of her voice and the suddenly charged atmosphere within the cramped office made the hair at the nape of his neck stand on end.

It looked as though working when she wasn’t present was going to be more than advantageous, it was going to be critical. Especially if he hoped to finish the job and also keep what little was left of his sanity.

Stephanie had cleaned off her desk and draped a sheet of plastic over her computer station by the time Trevor returned.

“Do you want me to get lost or stay here?” she asked. “I’m curious to see what it looks like inside a wall, if you don’t think I’ll be in the way.”

“Suit yourself. Just don’t breathe the dust. I remember you used to have allergies.”

“I still do.”

“Then you’d better wear a disposable mask so you don’t sneeze yourself to death. There are extras in my toolbox. Help yourself. And hand me one, too, will you?”

He began spreading a tarp on the floor. “I doubt this will be very interesting. About all I usually find is abandoned wasp nests and dead mice.”

“Terrific.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you from the vermin. That’s what this tarp is for, to catch all the dirt.”

He put on one of the masks, took a pry bar and popped the baseboard off as if it were a toothpick. The wall itself proved more stubborn. Finally, he worked an opening large enough for a handhold, grabbed the plasterboard and gave it a yank. White powder filled the nearby air and made a cloud around his head.

Stephanie retreated. She’d never noticed how cramped her office was until she’d been shut in there with Trevor. She would have left then if he hadn’t had to close the door to gain access to the wall he was demolishing.

Trapped by circumstances she should knew she should have considered earlier, she waved her hands. “Phew! You weren’t kidding, were you?”

“I never kid about my work. You okay?”

“I suppose so.” It seemed a waste of time to just stand here and watch so she began to relieve him of the small, flat pieces of chalky board as he broke them loose. If Trevor was surprised, he gave no indication of it, although she suspected he might be grinning behind his mask.

“Where shall I pile all this trash?” she asked.

“Any place out of my way. Just keep it on the tarp. It’ll make cleanup easier.”

“Right.” She had dragged several slivers of board aside and was lifting a larger one when she stopped. “Trevor?”

Sweating in spite of the air-conditioning, he swiveled in her direction. “What? Did you find a dead mouse?”

“No. I don’t know what this is. It looks like writing of some sort.” Steff steadied the board fragment with one hand and used the other to brush away the powdery dust. “Do you think it’s important?”

“I doubt it. One of the men who built the original wall probably drew his initials for fun. My guys do it all the time. You know, like the old ‘Kilroy was here’ notes the soldiers used to leave during World War II. It’s nothing.”

“Are you sure? I mean, I’d like to be positive. It looks to me as if it was written by a small finger dipped in something. And look. Are these spatters of blood?”

“What?”

“Never mind. I don’t know why I said that. I guess these drops at the edges reminded me of blood.”

“Your imagination is working overtime, that’s all.”

“I suppose so.” Her brow knit as she studied her find. “Do you think this initial was meant to be a P or an R?”

He leaned closer and squinted. “Can’t tell. The way it kind of trails off at the end it could be either.”

“I know. I suppose we should notify the police, just in case, but my father is friends with the chief and if it winds up to be nothing important, as you say, I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Plus, if there’s an investigation, your office may look like this for weeks or maybe even months while they poke around.”

“I hadn’t thought of that.”

“It’s happened to construction projects more times than I care to remember,” Trevor said. “Now, forget that piece of trash and let me do my job. Okay?”

“Okay.” She pulled a face. “I know it’s foolish to cause a stir, especially since my father already acts as if he thinks he’s the only one capable of logical reasoning. I’ve been trying to prove myself to him since he first helped me get this job and I’m beginning to wonder if I’ll ever succeed.”

Trevor turned away to hide his reaction. Stephanie didn’t make any bones about the fact she’d been born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Even now that they were both in their thirties, nothing had really changed between them. They might be professionals in their respective fields but he was still blue collar and she was still acting the part of royalty, a part she’d been born and raised to play. That was what had caused him to start teasing her by calling her Princess in the first place, back when she and his sister had been college roommates.

He gave a long, loud sigh. “Look, Princess, you do whatever you want with that old piece of plasterboard. Keep it or junk it or tie a ribbon around it and give it to Daddy as a gift. I couldn’t care less.”

“Don’t be absurd.” Steff rolled her eyes and arched her brows. “I told you, I have no intention of involving my father.”

Backing off, she studied the scrawled letter, then began to sort through the other rubble to see if she could find more writing. That one letter and its accompanying splatter seemed to be all there was, which was probably a good sign.

Now that she’d had time to think about it she supposed the marks could just as easily have been made with mud or paint or even chocolate, as dark brown as they were. Why she had assumed it might be blood puzzled her. Maybe she’d been reading too many mystery and suspense stories lately.

Of course. That had to be the reason. There was no need to preserve the board. After all, that wall had been built ages ago and if there had been any mayhem committed on campus her family would have known about it. Plenty of tales concerning the founding and growth of Magnolia College had been told and retold so often that she was sick of hearing them. None had involved bodily injury, unless a few broken bones on the football field counted.

She stared at the board fragment one more time, shivered slightly, then laid it on the pile of refuse with all the others.

There was nothing important or ominous about the initial. There couldn’t be. Magnolia College was a safe haven and always had been. She’d stake her life on it.

The frightening incident prior to the reunion gala flashed into her mind and made her reconsider. She’d been unusually jumpy ever since that night and nothing she did seemed to erase her lingering, prickling sense of dread.

The more Trevor thought about Steff’s notion that the letter scrawled inside the wall might have a sinister origin, the more the whole idea bothered him. It was probably ridiculous to take her suggestion seriously, but if he didn’t at least look into the possibility of foul play, he’d always wonder. Once he had a chance to sort through the rubble in private, he’d locate the supposedly bloody writing and put it aside until he could decide what to do with it—if anything. If he did take it to the cops, not only might the job be stopped, he might also have to tear up more of Steff’s office looking for further clues. And for what? A silly suspicion of foul play? The idea was ludicrous.

He made several trips out to a Dumpster he’d placed nearby for construction waste, then began to roll up the tarp containing the bulk of the chalky dust.

“Can I help you with that?” Steff asked.

Trevor laughed as he eyed her. “I think your main job should be cleaning yourself up. You’re a mess, Princess.”

“I wouldn’t talk if I were you.” She dusted her hands together before she took off her mask and handed it to him. “At least I’m a blond to start with. Your dark hair is practically white.”

“I probably turned gray because you were trying to help me,” Trevor quipped. He was growing more and more aware that they were both beginning to engage in the witty verbal sparring that had been such a big part of their relationship many years ago and it pleased him.

“Oh, thanks a lot. I sacrifice my manicure for you and what do I get? Sarcasm.”

“Sorry about your nail polish. You should have taken my advice and stood back where you weren’t in the way.”

“I wasn’t in the way. Even if you’re not willing to admit it, I helped you a lot.”

“Yes, you did.” He laughed. “But that doesn’t mean I’m offering you a job on one of my crews.”

“I don’t need another job. I have plenty to do already,” Steff replied. Looking at her dust-coated desk and chair she shook her head and sighed. “I knew remodeling would be messy but I had no idea it would be this bad.”

“I warned you.”

“Yes, you did. I thought just putting my files away, clearing off my desk and covering my computer would suffice, but I can see I underestimated the problem.” She started brushing off her slacks, then stopped. “I’m just making things worse. I’d better go outside to do this. Excuse me?”

As she sidled past, Trevor gave her as much room as possible and finished gathering up the folded tarp. It amused him to see the perfect Ms. Stephanie Kessler as dirty as a common worker, yet, even covered with dust, she was elegant and graceful.