Page 82 of Chilled
Melissa did just that, pushing through almost twenty-four inches of water at some points to get them back to the high ground at the police station.
All the while, Nick held Brenna in his arms as she drifted in and out of consciousness. He couldn’t lose her now. She was the woman for him. The one who made his life complete. Somehow, he had to convince her to stay with him, even if he had to give up his work with the FBI.
CHAPTER 20
Brenna openedher eyes and blinked. Where was she? Sterile white walls stared back at her, relieved only by two metal-framed prints of pastel gardens and a television mounted in the upper corner of the room.
Her throat felt raw and scratchy, and her lungs were tight. Other than that, she was just glad to be alive.
The pungent smell of alcohol and disinfectant permeated the air, stirring memories of her long stay in the burn ward when she’d undergone skin grafting at ten years old. She’d avoided hospitals since and didn’t want to stay any longer than she had to, now. Tossing the sheet aside, she sat up.
“About time you woke up.” Alice rose from the chair beside the bed and leaned over to kiss her cheek. “I thought you’d sleep the day away.”
“Who’s watching the kids and Mom?” Brenna asked.
“You’ll never believe it. That nice FBI agent, Paul Fletcher, charmed Mom into eating carrots at the hotel. The kids think he hung the moon.”
Events of the previous night flooded into Brenna’s mind, and her heart squeezed so tightly in her chest she almost doubled over. She reached out and grabbed her sister’s hand. “I’m sorry, Alice.”
“Sorry for what?” Her sister smiled weakly down at her, tears trailing down her cheek onto their joined hands. “It wasn’t your fault Stan killed all those women.”
“No, I’m sorry I was right about him.” She squeezed her sister’s hand.
“I should’ve known something wasn’t right. I should’ve been able to see through him.” Alice pulled her fingers loose and buried her face in her hands. “Those women shouldn’t have died.”
“As you just told me, it’s not your fault Stan killed them.” Brenna shivered, blaming it on the cool gust of air rushing in through the gaps in the back of her hospital gown. “He fooled a lot of people, including those he killed.”
Alice glanced up, her pretty face ravaged with tears and guilt. “I lived with him!” She hunched over in her chair, her shoulders shaking with her sobs. “How do I tell the children?”
Brenna slid from the bed, clutching the gown at the back to avoid mooning anyone walking in. Kneeling beside her sister, she took her into her arms. “You don’t.”
“I can’t live here anymore. I couldn’t stand for people to stare and point fingers at the woman who was so stupid. The woman who slept with that horrible, calculating, murdering son of a bi?—”
“You can come to Minneapolis with me, Alice. You, Mom and the boys.” Brenna lifted her sister’s chin and pushed the shiny blond hairs off her tear-stained cheeks.
“Thanks, Brenna.” She hugged her close, burying her face against the thin hospital gown. “I can’t believe I almost lost you.”
“I’m still here.” Brenna stroked her sister’s hair. “I’m so glad it’s over and that you and the boys are okay. We’re family, and we’ll stick together.” Dreams of being with Nick drifted farther out of reach, and her heart ached. Not that he’d ever said anything about a long-term relationship. Her family needed her. Nick didn’t.
Brenna stroked her sister’s hair. Her little bit of smoke inhalation and a bump on the head were nothing compared to what her sister had to recover from. She’d need her now more than ever. Brenna planned to be there for her.
“The police told me Stan’s mother’s house burned to the ground with him in it.” Alice’s voice was barely a whisper.
Brenna leaned closer to hear.
“They said he started the fire to kill you.”
“Yeah, he did.” Brenna forced a laugh. “Seems he did carry a grudge about the time I told you not to marry him.”
“I never told you, but it was Stan that opened the barn door back when we were kids and you were locked inside, but only after I saw him there. I always thought he saved you from that fire. Until now.” Alice stared up at her. “He might’ve been holding it closed. Brenna, that barn didn’t have a lock on the outside.”
Brenna squeezed her eyes shut to keep from showing her sister the disgust and loathing she felt for Stan. When she opened them, she smiled down at Alice. “It doesn’t matter. It’s over, and Stan’s gone.” And it really didn’t matter anymore. She was free of him, the fire and the fear of losing another victim to his insanity.
Alice continued, “Not only is the house burned, but the flood waters also rose and took the rest.”
As if God had cleansed the Earth of Stanley Klaus.
The two women sat in silence, deep in their own thoughts. After a few minutes, Alice sat up straight and gave a half-laugh. “Enough crying. I have two boys to care for, and I’m feeling the need for their hugs. I should go, but I promised Nick I’d stay until he got back.”
