Page 70 of Hidden Raphael
Chapter 20
In her bedroom, Kimberly clutched the Taser in her hand. No noises echoed in the gloomy hallway outside her door. Her suitcase was packed. What had happened? Nothing made sense. She sat down at the vanity to stare in the window. Then she placed the Taser on her lap, closed her eyes, listened to her heartbeat, formed the circles with her thumb and forefinger, and tried to mediate.
Harry and Roger had taken off in the helicopter, which Raphael had shot down. She was stuck again. The only way out of the castle was if she hitched a ride with his girlfriend. Except that the helicopter was probably ruined. Where were Harry and Roger?
She gritted her teeth and glanced at herself in the mirror. Nothing about her read peaceful. The thought that Raphael had a girlfriend burned in her brain. The fire inside grew despite her calming breaths. He had lied to her. He'd been her hero. She'd been a major sucker. He told her was unavailable. She should have listened. Now she'd never trust him or her own instincts ever again.
She'd love to yell at him, though she should have known better. She paced the room. Where was he, anyhow? Had he blasted the helicopter out of the sky? Was he with the other woman? Kimberly pocketed her Taser, moved her suitcase next to the door, and then slipped out.
She'd find him and tell Raphael what a jerk he was. She squared her shoulders and marched out into the empty halls. Perhaps the girlfriend didn’t care that he'd had her in his bed and would give her a ride. Her stomach clenched as she rounded the stairs to go find Raphael. After this, she'd spend the rest of the winter in her own wing and they could have a schedule for the kitchen until she found her way out of here. No more beliefs that happily-ever-after might be possible with some fantasy hero. She'd be focused on the real world and figuring out how to transform her blog into something that could help people spiritually. Perhaps she could open up a center for women who were done with love.
She turned down the hall that led toward the library. The hall was chilly and she rubbed goose bumps from her arms and then slipped inside the open doors. She heard whispers. Near the fireplace and just out of sight, Raphael and the dark-haired woman sat together, speaking over one another and finishing each other's sentences. Kimberly's spine grew a layer of ice so thick it belonged in Antarctica. The woman said, "I can't believe they're dead."
"Don't be sorry, not for them. They reaped what they sowed."
Was Raphael talking about Ali and Eileen? Or was the discussion about Harry and Roger? Kimberly stopped by the L-shaped corner. Part of her didn't want to intrude any more into his life.
Traces of anger remained in the woman’s voice and she spoke with an edge. "With this, though, no one investigates what happened to me."
"You'll be fine. Even if your heart attack was caused by a poison, you survived."
Poisoned? Was his girlfriend out of commission for a while and that was why he told her he was a bad guy? Tears threatened to burn Kimberly's eyes, but she refused to cry.
"By luck." Her footsteps crossed the floor, like she paced. "If there hadn't been a doctor…"
Raphael's heavier tread took a few steps, and then the woman's words trailed off as she sat her back down on the couch. Kimberly rubbed her arms and inched closer. They sat with their backs to her, and a table with huge candelabra blocked her view. Raphael leaned closer to the woman. Kimberly's belly churned. Were they kissing?
Kimberly held her arms at her stomach, but stepped around the corner. She stared down at both of them. The fire crackled as she heard her own breaths. Raphael and the woman hugged.
Kimberly tapped her foot. Raphael's green eyes met hers and he got to his feet. He held the woman's hand. "Kimberly, I want you to meet my sister, Michaela."
Kimberly's mouth dropped. The churning stopped. Her face felt flushed. His sister? She took a step, but lost her balance and leaned against the wall. Her racing heart couldn’t quite take in what had happened.
Raphael took her arm. "Mica, this is Kimberly Mira."
"Mira?" his sister asked. "Are you related to Erica?"
"My sister." Kimberly nodded. Lightheaded, she tried to make sense of what was happening. Everyone seemed to know her family except her. She couldn't look at Mica, and stared into Raphael's green eyes, not able to ignore his touch as he placed his hand on her back. "Raphael, what happened to Roger and Harry?"
He nodded at her. "As you saw, they tried to steal Mica's helicopter, but I shot it down. I doubt they survived the crash."
This was all she could focus on right now. He had lied to her that Roger was dead. She needed facts. She kept her arms crossed to keep her distance as he encouraged her silently to sit next to Mica. She plopped down with a foot between them as she directed her question to Raphael. "Then why aren't we outside to go find it?"
"What if they’re alive?" Michaela answered. "It's smarter to form a defensive plan."
Once this was over, she needed a long mediation session where no one bothered her. Kimberly gazed into the woman's brown eyes. They were shaped like Raphael's. Their noses were similar, though Mica's was much more ladylike, and with her own helicopter she was probably a lone wolf like her brother. "Did anybody know you came here? Will they be looking for you?"
"I filed my flight plan." Michaela nodded. "I also had a recorder and an emergency button. The coast guard should be here soon."
Kimberly's heart lifted. Rescue! "Before or after Roger and Harry find us?"
“They should be dead. But if they aren’t?” Raphael's voice boomed, and both women grew silent. "I can’t allow either man to be rescued."
Kimberly glanced at him, and her body stilled. "Why?"
"Those are the men who poisoned me." Michaela reached across to Kimberly and offered her a small smile. "Rafe believed me at death's door last month. I came here to bring my brother home with me for the winter."
Raphael seemed determined to stay here, but it was good to see he had family that cared. "How were you poisoned?"
