Chapter 68

Samantha stepped into the parlor and stopped just inside the door.

“Tell me what?”

They all turned to stare at her. Stunned was a bit strong but certainly shocked could describe their faces. Reece flushed a deep red and then paled.

“Sam,” he moved toward her, hands extended but she put her own behind her back and moved to a nearby arm chair and sat down on the edge of the seat. She folded her hands into her lap and crossed her ankles. “What do you need to find a way to tell me?”

Reece glanced around the room as if for aid but finding none, he turned back to Sam. He took a deep breath. “I think we need to tell you about what happened the night of your accident. You need to know the truth. We’d hoped you would remember on your own but it could take weeks or even years, if ever. I think it would be better if we told you.”

She studied his face for several minutes. He was sincere but what about the others. A swift glance around showed there wasn’t a consensus. Ian… Ian’s was the hardest. There was so much anger… no, fury. It saddened her; she liked Ian.

“I take it you are in a minority?”

A muscle in his jaw flexed as he ground his teeth together. He nodded.

“All right.” She straightened her back, took a deep breath, let it out and relaxed her shoulders. “Tell me.”

For the next half hour, she sat and listened as Reece related the events of that night in the caves. Everyone else remained silent but she could feel their eyes on her. Measuring? Speculating? She didn’t know but rather than deal with it, she directed her full attention to Reece. Time for evaluating the others later.

Bits and pieces of the story were familiar; their conversation in the tunnel, a cell-like room, and hiding behind the shelves were all clear images. The rest was as unfamiliar as if he were talking about someone else. When he reached the point that Alaina joined them in the cave, he faltered and looked down at his hands clenched in his lap.

“What?” She leaned forward, darting a glance at the others in the room.

Reese did not look up but continued to stare at his hands. The silence stretched uncomfortably as Sam looked around at the faces of staring back of her.

Ian chewed his bottom lip and, taking a deep breath, said, " You pushed her into the pit. "

The knots in her gut twisted tighter and tears blurred her vision as she clutched at the arms of her chair. " I would never hurt her. There has to be some mistake." She tried to get Reece's attention but he still refused to look at her.

Isabella rose and moved to stand beside Sam's chair. She lay her hand on top of slams and gently squeezed. " Samantha, I do not believe you would intentionally hurt my daughter. But it is true that she was not kind to you and so it would be understandable if you… Well if you struck out in anger without thinking. Things happen, my dear, that we don't intend."

Sam swiped her hand across her eyes, but the tears continued to roll down her face. " No."

" I saw all you."

She twisted and are chair and stared in horror at Ian.

Although his face bore little expression, the fury reflected in his eyes frightened her.

" Ian, you know me better than that. I wouldn't hurt anyone. Alaina was horrible to me but I never tried to retaliate. What you're telling me goes against everything I believe."

Ian and turned his face from her. " Nevertheless, I saw you push for into that hole."

She turned back to Reece. " Reece, is this true?"

The silence fell again as Reece shifted in his chair. After several moments he sat up straight and looked Sam directly in the eyes. " No, that is not true."

Ian jumped to his feet and Isabella turned abruptly and stared open-mouthed at Reece. The doctor sat straight up and removed his pipe. John leaned against the mantel and waited.

" I have tried to explain this several times," Reece said. " None of you have listened or you've heard what you want to hear. She did not push Alaina."

The words fail into the room with all the weight of his conviction. Sam felt the knots in her gut loosen and the bands around her chest east. She took the first deep breath since entering the room.

" Alaina was trying to kill Samantha. That has been her intention from the beginning. I can't give you a reason other than she truly hated her. Whenever the reason, that died with Alaina. I can tell you that she went after her in the cave and would have killed her had I not intervened. She was beating Samantha's head against the rocks. By the time I manage to pull her off, she was in no shape to fight let alone stand. Alaina would not be stopped. She started for Samantha again. Samantha scooted back against the wall, screamed no, and threw her hands up."

" So she jumped?" Ian said. His tone dripped with hostility and disbelief.

Reese raised his head and glared at Ian. " She did not jump."

" Good God, man!" Ian shouted and threw his arms into the year. "You expect us to believe she just flew into that pit all by herself."

Reece paused. Sam could see he was having a hard time with the telling. Every word seemed a struggle. The pause dragged out but no one seemed inclined to interrupt. Eventually, Reece took a deep breath and nodded.

"That's exactly what happened."

Every voice in the room but her own bombarded him and he raised his hands to stave off the attack. "Wait. I know you don't believe me but that is what happened. When she threw up her hands, Alaina was tossed backward and . . . dropped into the pit." He looked at Ian. "I know you can't believe it. I couldn't either, but you know that is what we saw."

The color drained from Ian's face and the fury in his eyes gradually drained away, leaving empty blue pools. He dropped into his chair and rested his forehead on his hands.

Sam felt the breath leave her in a rush and with her mouth agape, she stared at Reece for several seconds before she closed her eyes. The room started to spin and she clutched the arms of her chair. Isabella caught her shoulder.

From far away, Sam heard her calling.

"Samantha! What's wrong?" she said.

Unable to answer, Sam felt as if she was slipping down a long slope, into a black pool. The voices crying out with concern faded behind her and she slipped away, into the blackness. The next voice she heard was Alaina's, screaming at her. She felt the hands clutching her and slamming her head against the wall and floor. She could smell the dust as it rose around them and the constant roar of the sea seemed to be all around her. Reece pulled Alaina away but she wouldn't stop. She came at her again. The terror overwhelmed Sam and she threw up her hand and screamed... in rage.

She remembered.