Part 16 (1/2)
JOHN GILL MAN was a dangerous man. She'd heard that enough to believe it was true. He was a man who liked to prey on women, play with their minds and destroy their self-esteem. Her sister had suffered.
She could almost feel Sandra's pain, the desolation and the mind-numbing fear.
Nicole was suddenly light-headed, disoriented, yet strangely rock solidly planted where she stood. It was as if she were outside herself, seeing the room and everyone in it as a whole picture and feeling all their mixed emotions bombarding her at once. For a second her breath caught and hung in her throat. Then she told herself she was not her sister, not Sandra Apple-white Giliman. A sense of calm settled over her. Odd, she thought, that she suddenly felt stronger, even se The light in the room seemed to dim, making John Gillman the focal point. There was a ttuuering sensation in her stomach, and her heart was racing. It amazed her that after her initial reaction, she felt detached from any emotions concerning him at all. It was the feeling she had when tracking a rogue animal that had taken to senseless slaughter. She was in control.
Several points of interest flashed across her mind at once as Helen filled in the sudden silence. The older woman had managed to put a damper on her hatred and played the mother hen whose chick had just been delivered from the wows jaws. She was even gracious enough to endow John with a tight smile of triumph.
Nicole knew by the way Gillman's gaze scanned the room, a.s.sessing and calculating, that there was nothing he'd missed. As he moved closer to her, she could see his anger replaced first with doubt, then fear. She almost smiled, thinking that as ironic as it seemed, he was just as scardd as she was. In the s.p.a.ce of time before he spoke, she had an amazingly rational moment. She'd once had a sister, a twin, a person who was part of her. Because of this man's greed, her twin was dead, and she was never going to know her. If it killed her, Nicole was going to make him pay for his actions.
”Sandra. It can't he.”
The curtain had risen and it was time to play her part. Nicole braced herself. ”I'm sorry. I know who you are and who I'm supposed to be, but you must understand I don't remember you.” The voice she heard was that of a stranger, and it took a moment to realize it was actually her speaking. She'd taken on that mint-julep, sultry-nights tone. The soft slow Southern voice of Sandra. The transformation must have been amusing. She sensed, more than saw, the crackle of electricity in the air as everyone in the room John took a couple steps toward her.
She watched him and the way his eyes squint vat to pinpoints, taking in every detail, studying her every feature. Still mesmerized by her appearance, he reached out to touch her cheek to a.s.sure himself that she wasn't a ghost but flesh and bone.
As hard as she tried not to, Nicole flinched. In doing so, she instinctively moved closer to Max's protective embrace. There was a flare of fire in John's dark eyes. It was only a flash, a split second, so fast she could only stand stiffly and feel the surge of triumph. His rage meant he believed she was Sandra, and his fear of what she could do to him was complete.
Max's hand tightened on Nicky's shoulder. ”This is Nicky.”
Gillman was like a man struck dumb. Those same eyes that had devoured Nicole suddenly s.h.i.+fted to his face. As jovial as possible, Max held out his hand. ”I'm Dr. Max Gibson.”
Gillman nodded but ignored the outstretched hand His attehtion returned to Nicole. He seemed to manage to rally his survival instincts and regain his composure. ”Sandra had--has--a crescent-shaped mole behind her left ear. May IT'
The final blow of reality, Nicole thought. That last nail hammered home. There could be no doubts. He would think she was Sandra. He moved closer, almost hesitantly, as if he had to screw up the courage to look. She felt the power behind the urbane good looks, smelled the rain and salt water on his clothes. Suddenly she was no longer playing a role. She was Sandra, only a stronger Sandra. One who wouldn't stiffen or flinch away. But not so strong she forgot that Gill-man was a snake watching his prey, and even Sandra had to playact to escape being eaten alive.
She glanced at Max for guidance, as Sandra would. Her hand trembled, as Sandra's would, as she swept the short curls back and twisted her head sideways. She heard the way Gillman's breath caught and knew he'd been praying she wouldn't have the birthmark. When she dropped h arm and gazed at him, his eyes were wide with disbelief. He staggered back, grabbed the arm of a chair and almost fell into it. ”How? I don't understand.” ”Understand what, John?” Helen asked.
Max didn't trust Helen to hold her wrath at bay for long, and he stepped into the sudden simmering silence to keep her from losing her cool. ”Come on, darling,” he said, guiding Nicole toward the couch. ”You've given John the shock of his life. He must have a million questions.”
Gillman apparently had recovered from his shock and rage. ”You're d.a.m.n right I have.” He glanced around as if wanting everyone to disappear so he could be alone with Sandra. No one moved. ”What the h.e.l.l is my wife doing living here on this island? Why wasn't I informed of her survival and whereabouts until now? What the h.e.l.l is going on? Why doesn't she know me? I want an explanation. Now.”
Max knew Gillman's survival instincts had kicked in big-time. He was scared and angry, and like any cornered animal he was going to lash out. They were in for the performance of their lives.
”Someone better start talking fast or I'm going to call the authorities, then take my wife and leave.”
Nicole whimpered, as she knew Sandra would have when forced into a confrontation. She turned her head into Max's shoulder. ”I begged you not to do this. He's going to take me away from you.” Wedged between Max and Helen, she turned pleading eyes to the older woman, who tried to soothe her fears away. Then she glanced at John again. ”Nothing is Maxie's fault.” She felt the muscles in Max's arm tighten, his fingers digging into her upper arm, warning her not to get cute. ”You must believe that. I never want to leave the island--or him.”
”This is absurd,” Gillman snarled. ”Helen, do you know how Sandra came to be here and why she's still here?”
Max gave Nicole's arm another warning squeeze. ”It's not hard to understand.” He twisted the knife of jealousy deeper. ”You heard her. Nicky doesn't want to leave the island or me.”
”Her haree's Sandra. Sandra Gillman.”
”That's the rub, Gillman. She's not Sandra Gillman or Sandra Applewhite, not anymore.” He watched as John's eyes narrowed to slits, and for a moment he rested his head in his hand. Then he seemed to gather himself together and glanced up. Max continued, ”I found her drifting in the sea, holding on to a portion of a boac My crew and I fished her out and brought her here.”
”She didn't say anything? Tell you who she was? For G.o.d's sake, man--” Gillman's voice rose in anger ”--didn't you take her to the mainland to a doctor?”
”I am a doctor, John.” He deliberately used that detached reserved way he'd seen the real Dr. Gibson employ to drive his colleagues crazy. ”Nicky--” ”Sandra,” Gillman snapped back.
”--was very sick. She had cuts, burns, contusions all over her body. There was severe trauma to the head and neck area. Added to all that, she was seriously dehydrated and hallucinating. She was hanging on to life by a thread. It took months of care to get her back to health, and I wasn't overly concerned when she wouldn't talk. When she finally did speak, it was only when I mentioned I was going to start making inquiries her To] it in terms, she freaked. From then on every time I mentioned finding out who she was she nearly had a nervous breakdown. I stopped for her own recovery and peace of mind.”
”What about her family's peace of mind, Doc? Did you ever consider us?”
”No,” Max said bluntly. ”I was” worried about Nicky.”
”Sandra.” John glanced at Helen. ”Don't you have anything to say about this?”
”No. My baby's alive and fight now that's all I care about. When Dr. Gibson contacted me, he told me everything.”
”And you weren't going to tell me?” John growled. ”Not fight away. She's my daughter and I'll do--” ”--but my wife!” John shouted back.
”Actually she's my wife,” Max said, and was pleased to see that flare of fury in John's eyes quickly banked as he straggled to get control of himself.
”What do you mean, your wife? Sandra's married to me.”
”But Nicky is married to me.” Max fought the urge to keep from smiling when he saw John's frustration. Max was having fun.
Nicole wasn't. While she was being the sweet docile Sandra, she'd had more time to observe John. This was a supremely self-absorbed and selfish man. He wasn't going to take failure with a good-natured shrug. He was like a rumbling volcano just waiting to erupt.
She wondered if Max and his staff realized how strung out John was and decided it was time to put the focus back on her where it could be controlled. ”I was the one to finally decide that we needed to try and find out who I was, where I came from and if I had any family. Max and I want to have children, and there shouldn't be any question as to their legitimacy.”
When John let loose a furious gasp and headed toward them, Max quickly rose to meet him. Nicole's breath escaped in a long hiss when John caught himself and stopped.
”I'm sorry.” He held up his hands in surrender. ”Really, I'm sorry.” He turned to Nicole. ”You're killing me, baby. To hear you say that, to talk about children when we planned to start a family--that's what the cruise was all about. A second honeymoon. A new beginning. I just can't stand to hear you--Surely you remember.”
”I'm sorry, I wish I could. But I have no memory of you or anything that occurred before Max found me. Max is my life.” She pressed her fingers to her temples and began to rub them. ”I have a headache and need some fresh air.”
Helen got quickly to her feet. ”That's a good idea. Why don't I come with you and we'll leave the men alone to talk.”
As soon as the door shut behind them and they'd moved out of view of the windows, Nicole leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. ”I'm exhausted.”
”Emotional turmoil will do that.”
Nicole looked at Helen with new respect. She'd held up beautifully, through great strength of character and sheer determination. ”Sandra was lucky, you know, to have a mother like you. She must have loved you dearly.”
Helen ducked her head and blinked away the tears. When she lifted her it was to stare at the man they Big Jim, who'd strolled out onto the patio and begun wiping down the patio furniture. He brought them two chairs and placed them under the canopy.
”Looks like another storm brewing,” he said. He picked up a pool net and began cleaning leaves and debris from the surface of the water.
Nicole wanted to ask him how the staff thought it was going, but knew she wasn't supposed to talk to him. She shook her head at Helen in warning, seeing the same desire on her face to get another's opinion and approval. When the patio door opened, they turned. Her fingers tightened on the arm of the chair.
John glanced around, noting the pool man and another worker not too far away raking leaves from the gra.s.s. ”Helen, I'd like to talk to Sandra.” When his mother-in-law hesitated, he said, ”Alone, Helen.”
Reluctantly Helen started to leave, then paused. ”Not too long. It's going to rain again and the wind's turning cooler.”
Nicole loosened her grip on the chair and relaxed.
He waited until they were alone. ”You've cut your hair.” He lifted his hand to touch the soft blond curls.