Page 90 of The Attraction File

She jolted from her chair. Pushing it back so hard it fell backward. “What? Oh God, Evaleen. Did you hurt her?”

She backed away so I got up and put my hands up showing her my palms. “No, Ms. Bechmann. No, I didn’t hurt her. I didn’t even get out of my truck or talk to her. But I did see her jump out of the second-story window with a large bag. That’s why I am here, to tell you I saw her. And to say that she saved me from making the biggest mistake of my life.”

Her eyes searched the floor trying to make sense of my words. Finally, she lifted her head. “So did she even see you? Last night in you truck?”

“No, she didn’t. I could tell she was scared, and then Damien, uh, I mean Shane, came to the window looking out and she hid behind the front tree.”

The corner of her mouth curved slightly. “Our tree. When she was little I used to tell her that if she was ever scared she could use that tree for protection. Hide in it, leave notes in the hollow, or take its fallen branches as weapons. She was eight at the time, so it seemed magical to her. I’m sorry, I don’t know why I . . .” Her breath caught and tears fell. I walked over and cradled my arms around her shaking frame.

Once she calmed, I guided her back to the kitchen table to sit in a chair. I took my seat and explained the reason for my visit. “Shane didn’t see her and when he stopped looking out the window, she put an envelope in the tree and left. I tried to follow her but she slipped away. I’m sorry.”

She nodded. “Thank you anyway. You said she left an envelope? I looked for something, anything, this morning in the tree but I didn’t see anything.”

I put that off long enough. It was time to give her back what her daughter left for her. “Here it is. I took the envelope.” I pulled it out of the inside of my jacket pocket and handed it to Ms. Bechmann.

“Why did you take it? The envelope says Mom on it.”

“This may sound creepy but your daughter, she had this hold on me. I don’t know. Maybe it was my mental state last night. I mean, I wanted to shoot Shane so you could say I wasn’t in my right mind last night. I was angry for the way he stole from my mother and left us. I’m sorry, but your daughter felt like this angel appearing to remind me that hate isn’t the answer. That being there for your loved ones is the answer.”

She placed her hand on my shoulder, giving it a good squeeze. Her smile was soft and I felt a little more confident to continue. “So when she left that envelope in the tree and ran off, I had to know more about her. So, like the selfish jerk I am, I took it. I knew it was wrong and I’m so sorry to make you worry needlessly. There really was no excuse.”

“I get it. I’m not happy about it, but I get it.” She took out the letter her daughter left and began to read.

I closed my eyes not wanting to see her reaction. Having already read it, I knew how shocking it was. I heard her gasp and finally opened my eyes to witness the tears streaming down her face.

“My baby. How did I not know that had happened? Under my roof. Shane never wanted me. It was always her. I was such a fool. My ignorance hurt my daughter. I don’t know if I can ever forgive myself.” She dropped the letter and covered her mouth in a sob. I got up and found some napkins which I offered her. She took them and gave me a sad smile.

“You had no idea Shane came into her room at night?”

“No. I should have known that, shouldn’t I? I’m her mother. I should know. Of course, I knew she didn’t like Shane but I thought it’s that he was new. We had only dated two months when he moved in. He had lived with us for six weeks. I just figured she needed time to adjust.”

“Well, she stated in the letter that he never got anywhere because she woke up after he lifted her shirt.”

She scrunched up her face shaking her head. “I don’t know what to be more upset about, that he almost molested her as she slept or that he tried to convince her to marry him? What sort of sicko does that to a seventeen-year-old?”

“A monster.” I sat there seething over what that man did to my family and to an innocent young girl. “Anyway, he couldn’t marry her, she’s only seventeen.”

“She was seventeen. Evaleen is eighteen now. She turned it yesterday.”

That’s why she ran away last night. She knew something. Maybe he was going to force her to marry him. But why? He only went after women with money and an eighteen-year-old girl that doesn’t come from a well-off family is the last person I would have suspected he would want to be with.

“Is there any reason he would want to be with her? I know some things about Shane. He only goes after rich women. I’m thinking Evaleen didn’t have a big inheritance coming her way when she turned eighteen?”

Her mom shook her head but then stopped and put her finger to her lip. “I wonder . . .”

“Wonder what?”

“I never told Evaleen this, but her father is a senator. When I knew him, he was some intern at the Mayor’s office. But when I became pregnant with Evaleen, he wanted nothing to do with her. I reached out to him several times before and after she was born, but he never returned my calls. Do you think he has anything to do with it?”

“That’s the only thing that makes any sense. Maybe he wants to bribe the senator in some way. But no matter what happens, I promise you, Ms. Bechmann, that I will make sure you are safe from him. You and your daughter. I will make sure he never returns.”

I gave her my number before I left and decided not to update Mr. Marks on what had happened and never bring up the topic of Damien with him again.

But, if I ever saw Damien again, I would make sure to follow through on getting him.

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