Page 37 of Deadly Past

The sounds of a struggle came from outside. Cathy’s attention went to the door. Wynona took advantage of the distraction and charged the woman. She slammed hard into her and knocked her backwards. Wynona grabbed for the gun. It went off, barely missing Wynona’s head. She wrestled the weapon away from Cathy and shoved her back with her feet. “Don’t even try it.” Wynona seethed.

“Wynona, is that you? Are you okay?” Becky called out from the front of the house.

“I’m okay, but I don’t know what happened to Declan. He went to the basement to check on the generator and was attacked. I have Cathy here.” Wynona motioned with the nod of her head toward the bedroom door. “Go to the living room. Now.”

Eyeing the weapon, Cathy started walking.

Once they reached the living room, a man whom Wynona assumed was Robert Peterson had the one who claimed to be Wynona’s father by the cuff of his jacket.

“Are you hurt?” Becky asked with concern in her eyes.

“No, but I have to check on Declan. Can you watch her?” Wynona nudged Cathy toward Becky and ran to the open door of the basement while Becky warned there might be others.

“There won’t be.” Wynona was certain Cathy and her husband had acted alone. She couldn’t believe the woman who she thought was her mother all her life had lied to her.

As she rushed down the stairs, she shoved aside claims that Lacey was still alive. She couldn’t think about that now; she had to find Declan. Once Wynona reached the basement, she glanced around frantically. Near the generator, Declan lay there so still.

“No.” With tears in her eyes, she rushed to his side and knelt “Declan, please be okay.” She shook him gently, and he groaned. The best sound ever.

He grabbed his head, and she realized a knot was forming on the side of it where he’d been struck.

Declan slowly opened his eyes. “Are you okay?” He slurred his words and blinked several times before slowly sitting up.

“I’m fine. Robert and Becky are here. The man who attacked you is restrained. It was the imposter, Cathy and a guy.” She told him what happened and Cathy’s claims.

“That explains why they needed you, Wynona—to save Lacey. Whatever is going on, we’ll figure it out. Together.”

Those words had never sounded more promising. In one of her darkest moments, she had hope. For finding her sister alive. For repairing her relationship with Declan.

Declan leaned heavily against her as they slowly climbed the stairs.

As soon as Cathy saw her, she tried to free herself from Becky’s grasp. “Why are you doing this to us, Wynona? We only want to take you home to be with your sister.”

“That’s enough.” Becky held her tight as she led her over to the sofa where her husband was being guarded.

“I spoke to Will,” Becky told them. “He’ll be here soon.”

“Thanks. My phone has been going crazy since I was attacked.” Declan pulled it out. “Eli and Janine are close.”

Help was coming. But while they waited, Wynona had to know the truth. She faced the couch where the two imposters sat. “I want to know where my sister is.” The words came out on a ragged breath. “You told me Lacey is alive, so where is she?”

“She’s safe back at our home in Canada. And well protected.” Cathy’s eyes held so much darkness that Wynona recoiled.

“Who are you really? Because you aren’t Cathy—she’s dead.”

“No, I’m not. We had to find a way to get to you. Once we found out about your ex-husband’s cabin here, we learned about the other residents and figured Amos would be the best person to supply the cover we needed for being here. Especially when we learned he’d had a daughter. You weren’t supposed to know she was dead until you were with us.” Cathy shook her head. “Amos so wanted to reconcile with his daughter that he believed I was Cathy. So sad.”

It sickened Wynona that these two had used Amos’s wish to see his daughter against him. “What did you do to him?”

“Nothing,” her mother exclaimed. He’s in the basement of his house.”

But they had drugged him to make it seem as if he’d suffered a stroke.

“My real name is Melia, and this is my husband, Albert. We are you and Lacey’s true parents. Your mother and father took you from us when Lacey was but a few days old.”

“My parents would never do such a thing.”

Melia's face softened. “I’m afraid it’s true. Albert and I searched everywhere for you. When we finally found your location, we were so happy.”

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