Chapter 10

She slept briefly, lightly, the sky was just turning pink with the dawn. Vincent was still there. He overshadowed the room. He sat in the huge chair she loved to curl up in, his head back, eyes closed. She knelt quietly beside him, placed her head on his chest. His eyes opened slowly and saw her. His arms closed around her. "I was dreaming about you Catherine."

"I'm not a dream." She kissed his throat lightly where his shirt parted.

"No." He rose and gathered her close. "I missed you so. I don't know how I survived these years without you."

She gently stroked his cheek with her fingers.

"Jacob," she said.

"Jacob," he repeated. He continued to hold her close, resting his chin on top of her head. "Today we tell Jacob his mother is alive."

"Are you sure it won't upset him?"

"He has missed having a mother. He already thinks the world of you. Come Below Catherine. Today is a day for some answers and the road toward your remembering."

She looked up at him, "I'm a little frightened."

"I know. The unknown is always a frightening."

She stood on her toes and kissed the corner of his mouth. "I need to shower and change. I'll meet you below."

"I'll find Jacob and Father and tell them you are coming."

She couldn't decide what to wear. She wanted to look nice but not overdressed. Her favorite color was deep blue, sometimes red. Up here the spring air was warming but below the tunnels were a constant cold. She didn't know if the chambers were warmer. Below everyone dressed warmly. She decided on blue wool pants, her royal blue satin blouse and an ivory cardigan sweater. She threw a pearl gray coat over her shoulders and placed the framed pictures of JV and herself in her tote bag.

Before heading below she sadly put her two favorite quilts, Remember and Love Remembered into the safe. If they were destroyed she'd be heartbroken. After she finished JV's quilt it would go in the safe until she gave it to Vincent.

JV met her at the entrance of the tunnels. "Father said I could escort you Elizabeth," he said proudly, offering her his arm.

"Why thank you Sir Gallant Knight. I come bearing gifts for you, your father and grandfather." She showed him the three wrapped presents in her bag.

He smiled at her. "Elizabeth, I want to show you something before we meet father and grandfather." He stopped outside a dark chamber.

"Elizabeth, do you love my father?" he asked suddenly, watching her reaction.

What could she say? She and Vincent were going to tell him together who she was.

"I can tell he loves you. He looks at you like he looks in the painting. You look just like my mother. Look." He took her into the chamber and raised the lantern.

She gasped. In front of her was a painting of Vincent and a woman. She was leaning back against him, his arm across her breast held her close. The love that poured out of the painting was breathtaking. She was dressed in a long, burgundy velvet gown, her right hand pressed his arm firmly against her. His left arm encircled her, their finger entwined. Vincent had on his black cloak, long suede gloves covered his hands.

"It's beautiful JV. That is your mother?" That beautiful woman was Catherine? How did Vincent think she could ever be Catherine.

"Yes"

"Your father must have loved her very much?"

JV nodded. "Elizabeth, father looks at you like that." He hugged her. "Don't hurt him. I can't lose him. Everyone thinks he is brave and strong. I've seen him cry in here."

She hugged him back. "How did you get so wise? I care for your father very much. Let's go find him."

JV led her to Vincent's chamber where Vincent and Father were waiting.

"I thought you changed your mind."

"No, I had to wrap some presents." She said nothing about JV taking her to see the painting. She gave each a present. JV opened his first "From our day in the park," he exclaimed. They were having fun eating hot dogs. She had set the camera timer and caught them taking a bite out of the same hotdog. Father's picture showed JV swinging on the monkey bars, his face sparkling in merriment.

"Father, open yours," JV said.

"I don't know how this could be any nicer," Vincent smiled as he unwrapped the double picture frame. He looked from the picture to Catherine. "I stand corrected." JV had taken her picture on the swing. "You could be a child yourself Catherine."

"Father. Elizabeth," JV corrected him.

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth." The other picture was of JV and her sitting on the grass hugging each other."Thank you," he said softly.

"Thank you, Elizabeth," Father said. "We don't get many photos."

"Elizabeth." Vincent pulled a chair near him and gestured for her to sit. "Jacob, I've always been truthful with you."

"Yes father."

"I have something wonderful and sad to tell you."

Father interrupted, "I don't think you should tell him yet. Not until you are sure."

"I am sure, Father."

"I think you're wrong."

"He needs to know and decide for himself."

"Tell me what father," JV asked, looking at the two men he loved most in the world.

Vincent looked at his son, placed his hands on the boy's shoulders. "You know your mother's story, that she was killed when you were born."

"That bad man Gabriel wanted me for his son. He thought I'd be big and strong like you. He killed mom."

"You grow bigger and stronger every day." He ruffled his fingers through JV hair. "Jacob, I don't know how and I don't know why, but, I have every reason to believe your mother is still alive."

"Alive?"

"Yes. I believe Elizabeth is Catherine, Your mother."

"Elizabeth?" JV looked at her hopefully. "That would be wonderful."

Catherine's eyes filled with tears.

"What could be sad about that, father?'

"JV," she took a deep breath. "I don't know who I am." She explained how she woke up in a hospital over nine and a half years ago not knowing who she was. "I still do not know. Your father is convinced I am Catherine."

"Why father?"

"That's what I want to know," his grandfather said.

"Mouse has a saying.....I know what I know, and I know......I just know. Elizabeth looks, smells, talks like Catherine. She has Catherine’s scar on her face. When I am near her I think of her as Catherine...I have a bond, a connection like I had with Catherine. I'm a part of her, she's a part of me. She was in danger last night and I knew."

"Dear God, not again," Father whispered.

"JV, your father saved me last night from two men who tried to break into my shop."

"Not dead?" Father said, horrified.

"No Father, not dead. The police came and took them away."

JV stood up and looker from Catherine to Vincent and back to Catherine. "For more than nine years you didn't remember us, didn't find us. We were doing fine without you, Elizabeth...Catherine..what do I call you? Not mother." He ran from the chamber.

Vincent went to follow him. "Wait Vincent," Catherine put her hand on his arm. "I think I know where he is going. Let me speak to him." She could hear Father shouting, "You don't need that life, that danger again. Forget her."

"Forget her Father? I have never forgotten her."

Catherine was sure JV had gone back to the painting. She found him crying silently in the chamber. "JV?"

"Go away."

"I'm not sorry JV. To think you are my son makes me very happy." She dropped to her knees beside him, tears ran down her cheeks.

"A terrible man did terrible things to me years ago. I lost your father, I lost you, I lost my memory." She cupped his chin in her hand. "JV, I came to New York to find those memories. Your father is going to help me. You asked me if I love your father, I do. I don't remember him except in my dreams but I know I love him. I love you too. I want my life back."

They were both crying. She took him into her arms and rocked him gently. "We'll search for answers together."

Vincent came in silently and wrapped his arms around them both. "I love you both," was all he said.

"With your help and love I will remember."

"Mother," JV said tentatively. He looked from the painting to her, "you are still beautiful." He left them alone.

"I hope he'll be okay."

"It will take time for all of us to be okay."

She looked at the painting and thought, if I am that woman and that man loves me the way he loves her. "Were we so much in love?"

He drew he to her feet. "More. Catherine I never said it but once. Know that I love you." His lips covered hers.

She didn't know how long they stood there, a moment an hour. His lips were gentle, she barely felt the sharp teeth. She rested her head on his shoulder. "What are we going to do, Vincent?"

"Come with me." He led her to the waterfalls to an area where they used to sit all the time and talk and read to each other. "Sit with me?" He extended his hand. She sat and leaned against him, his arms encircled her.

"Catherine, in three days it will be the twelfth anniversary of when I found you in the park. You were mistaken for someone else, your face was severely slashed." He gently touched the scar just in front of her left ear. "I brought you down here and Father treated you. You were here ten days. That was when our bond, our connection started. After your face was fixed you joined the D.A.'s office. Previously you had worked for your father in corporate law. You learned to be tough. You took on some violent cases to protect people who had no one to protect them. Because of our bond I knew whenever you were in trouble."

He was silent for a moment wondering how much to tell her.

"Tell me everything, Vincent."

"As I said, you were involved in some violent cases," his arm tightened around her. "I killed some men to protect you." He held out his hands regarding his sharp nails. "It wasn't pretty Catherine. So much death and destruction."

She took his hands in hers and brought them to her lips, rubbed her cheek against the soft hair.

"Nothing was ever simple for us. I could only visit you at night on your balcony of the apartment where you lived if you didn't come Below. We'd read to each other, relax, dream of one day being together.

"When your father died you came Below to heal and stay with me. But you were not of my world Catherine. You returned Above. We still had our love, our dreams. We could not be together and yet we could not be apart. There are many stories, some happy, some sad, some violent. You made me feel what it was to be beautiful. You ended my aloneness.

"I have something I gave you on the first anniversary of our meeting. He drew out a crystal pendant on a gold chain. A fiery light shone from its heart. "This came from a deep chamber in my world. I'd like to give it back to you." He slipped the chain over her head.

"Vincent, it's beautiful."

He opened a small suede bag that hung from a leather cord around his neck. He took out a small white ivory rose. "That same night you gave me this rose. You told me your mother gave it to you when you were a child so you would think of her whenever you were afraid and know she was watching out for you. You wanted to give me a part of you because you knew I was watching over you. I've worn it all these years Catherine. I have very few of your things, the pendant, the rose, some books and the painting."

"I've missed you so terribly." He pulled her to him, running his hands up and down her arms. "We've lost so many years." His lips pressed hers longingly. He tasted blood, let her go abruptly.

"Catherine, I've hurt you," he cried. He buried his face in her breast.

"Vincent, I'm fine. You didn't hurt me, her hands cupped his face. "Look at me. You could never hurt me with your love."

He drew her close again. "There was a man who helped Father start the community down here, he called himself Paracelsus. He was very evil. He sold drugs on the street, he kidnapped you to get back at me. He plotted our destruction. He was good at disguises, both face and voice. He drove me mad. He taunted me about my birth, his version. He told me I tore my way out of my mother, killing her. I killed him. He was disguised as Father. To this day I’ve never been sure if I knew deep down he was not Father. You found Father were Paracelsus had imprisoned him.

"After I killed him a blackness, a demon took over my mind. It had happened once before in my teens. You and your love never wavered. I came to your apartment one night and wrecked it. I was delusional for three days. I had a high fever, rarely knew what was happening. I recovered enough to return Below. I went deep into the tunnels and the darkness totally took over. You came after me. Your love saved me Catherine but our bond, our connection was broken. I knew I loved you but I didn't know who you were. You were always in my heart but our connection no longer existed. You told me our bond was a gift and when we lose a gift another is ready to take its place. You were sure our bond would return as I got better."

She could tell it was as hard for Vincent to relive that time as it was for her to hear it with no memory of what happened. She laid her head on his shoulder, he rested his chin on her hair.

"You were working on a case involving corruption in the D.A.'s office. You had too much information and were kidnapped by a man named Gabriel. I couldn't find you, Catherine," he cried in agony. "Our bond was broken, you were lost to me. One day I heard a heartbeat. I thought it was you. I went to the top of some building here in N.Y. A helicopter was taking off. I thought you were in it. You called my name, I turned, and you fell into my arms. You told me we had loved and there was a child and that he was beautiful. You were dressed in a hospital gown. Your last words to me were... Though lovers be lost... I responded, Love shall not.. And death shall have no dominion... I thought you died then in my arms. I took you back through the streets to your apartment. I stayed until dawn, I couldn't let you go" Tears ran freely down his face, she pressed her wet face to his, their tears mingled.

"Oh God, Vincent. I'm glad I don't have that memory." He held her tightly.

"Catherine, sometime between when your body was found and your burial, you were taken and sent to California. You must have been drugged so heavily everyone thought you were dead. Someone in the know must have worked for Gabriel. I know D.A. Marino was involved in your kidnapping. No one saw your body after it was taken from your apartment. Now I don't know if someone is buried in your grave."

"So we start with Marino. See what he knows. Is he in jail?"

"He'd dead. I killed him."

She looked up at him in horror.

"When I started to look for Jacob I was able to get help from Elliott Burch, a man who loved you very much and who at one time you thought you might be able to love. Our love was too strong. We found out Marino turned bad. Marino and Gabriel set a trap one night when I went to meet with Burch. That was the night I killed him."

"Would Elliott Burch still be willing to help? You said he loved me at one time."

"He is dead too, Catherine. Another trap. He and I were meeting on a boat. It exploded. Burch died, I almost died too."

"Vincent, no," she clutched his arms and leaned her forehead against his chest. "Maybe we should not continue with this. I don't want anyone else to die, especially you."

"We have to finish this Catherine. Your life is still in danger if you remember your past. The night of the explosion Diana Bennett found me dying at your grave. She’s the policewoman I told you about who worked on your case. With her help I recovered and was able to locate Gabriel. Jacob was dying, Gabriel needed me, I let him catch me. I woke up in an electrified cage. He brought Jacob to me. Catherine, he was so beautiful. The doctor who delivered him said our blood was not compatible, but Jacob improved when he was with me. I didn't have him very long before Gabriel took him back.

"Gabriel tried to goad me into killing the doctor by telling me the doctor was the one who killed you. Gabriel wanted to see me kill. I didn't kill the doctor so Gabriel shot him. I was able to break out of the cage and rescue Jacob. I killed quite a few people that night but I did not kill Gabriel. Nor his lawyer nor the nurse taking care of Jacob. I believe Diana killed Gabriel, with your gun. I think the other two escaped."

"We'll have to talk to Diana to see what she knows."

"She would be helpful with your diamond situation. She is still on the force."

"You've kept in touch all these years?"

"Yes, she is like an aunt to Jacob. She visits frequently. I think she is coming this afternoon."

Catherine tried to cover up a twinge of jealousy with a yawn.

"You're tired. You didn't get much sleep last night."

"You either."

He rose and extended his hand to her, "Come, you can rest in my chamber."

Chapter 11

"Lay down and rest Catherine. I won't let anyone disturb you." He covered her with his quilt, reached for one of his books and sat beside her on the bed. "You used to like me to read the end of Great Expectations...’and as the morning mists had risen long ago, when I first left the forge, so, the evening mists were rising now, and in all the broad expanse of tranquil light they showed to me, I saw no shadow of another parting from her.’"

He closed the book and glanced at her. She was asleep. He moved to a chair in the far corner of his room so he'd be near if she called. He shut his eyes and thought over the morning's events. Jacob seemed to accept the thought that Catherine was his mother though Father did not. A DNA test could prove it, if there was some way to get the test done.

Would Diana help him? He knew how she felt about him and she knew he didn't return her love. She knew Catherine was the only woman in his life, even though he had always thought her dead. Until now.

Catherine was restless on the bed. He could hear soft moans. "No, no, no." He sat beside her and cradled her in his arms.

"It's all right, Catherine," he breathed in her hair. "I'm here." He rocked her gently. She relaxed against him. He could hear someone coming. He pulled his cloak around them both, hiding her from view. He closed his eyes and hoped whoever it was would think he was asleep and go away.

The footsteps retreated. He sensed it might have been Diana. He continued to hold her, his lips against her temple. He stretched his legs on top of the quilt and fell asleep beside her.

Catherine opened her eyes slowly. She was in the warm cocoon of Vincent's arms and cloak. His eyes were closed and he breathed softly. Long strands of his golden hair touched her cheek. It smelled of unknown spices, citrus, the woods. She reached out and let her fingers glide over his face, down his nose and around his mouth.

He caught her hand and pressed his lips to her palm, his eyes searched hers, "Catherine," he whispered. Her eyes never leaving his, she slipped her hand behind his head and brought her mouth to his. He sighed deeply, his hold tightened. Her lips intoxicated him with their sweetness. Why had he held himself back so often from her love all those years ago?

He heard footsteps nearing his chamber. "Someone comes," he rose from the bed.

"Father, mother," JV called.

Catherine's eyes teared. Mother, Jacob had just called her mother. She held out her arms to him. "JV." He hugged her shyly. "Aunt Diana is here and would like to meet you. She is with grandfather."

Catherine stood and put her arm around his shoulders and reached out for Vincent. "How could I be so lucky to find the two most important people in my life?"

"Oh mom," JV said.

"We're the lucky ones." Vincent said, wrapping his arms tightly around them both. He kissed the top of JV's head and Catherine's lips.

"Is there any place I can freshen up?" she asked.

Vincent showed her the small stone bathroom Mouse and he had created. "It has no mirror," he apologized.

"I have a small one," JV ran out of the room and returned with a small hand mirror. "Here mom."

"Thank you, I'll only be a minute." A shower barely large enough for Vincent was carved out of the stone. She was surprised to see a toilet though she had no idea what the plumbing was down here. The room smelled of the spices she associated with Vincent and surprisingly of the woods. There was no sink but she found a pitcher of water and a basin on a wooden table to wash her face. The handmade soap smelled of sandalwood. Towels were stacked in a tall wooden bookcase next to his personal items She hoped he didn't mind if she used one of his combs, she had no idea where her purse went.

The chamber was empty when she returned. She found her purse on the table and applied lipstick to her bare lips.

"I brought you this," Vincent handed her a soft shawl in powder blue. "It was yours. You kept it down here." It smelled of lavender. She wrapped it around her shoulders. "Thank you. I'll have to get used to the constant cool temperature down here."

"How much do you want to tell Diana? I think she can help us find a lot of answers or at least head us in the right direction."

"Whatever you feel she should know."

Father's chamber was on another level some distance from Vincent's. He was talking to a slim, attractive woman younger than Catherine. Her long, dark red curly hair was pulled back from her face. Vincent hadn't said how pretty Diana was. JV was laughing at something Father had just told him.

"Ah, here you are Vincent, Elizabeth...Catherine. I'm sorry, what do I call you?"

"Catherine," Vincent said. "Diana, I'd like you to meet Catherine Chandler."

"My mom," JV said happily.

"It's uncanny," Diana said. "You look like an older Catherine Chandler."

"Because, she is Catherine," Vincent said.

"Now Vincent we are not sure yet," Father argued.

"We are," Vincent and JV said together.

"Catherine?" Father asked.

"I don't know. I want it to be true."

"Diana should know you well," Father said. "She worked on your case for many months.

Catherine noticed a quick flash of jealousy cross the other woman's face as she saw how closely JV and Vincent attended her. She felt her own stab of jealousy. This woman had spent the first years of JV's life with him and Vincent, watching him grow.

"If we compare notes maybe we can solve this mystery," Vincent said. "Diana, what happened to Catherine's body after it was taken from her apartment?"

"It was sent to the coroner’s office."

"Did anyone see it after it was removed?"

"Yes, I was there when the coroner did the autopsy. It was Catherine," she said positively.

"How can you be sure?" Vincent persisted.

"She looked like Catherine Chandler. She was found in Catherine's apartment. I'm sure we can find out if DNA tests were done though they were not done routinely then like they are now. No one questioned at the time whether it was her or not. The woman had recently had a baby and you proved later that Catherine had your child."

Catherine saw the flash of jealousy cross Diana's face again.

"Can JV and I have DNA tests now?" Catherine asked, "without anyone knowing who we are? Just to see if the samples match."

"I'm sure I can get it done if you think it's necessary," she looked at Vincent.

"I'm sure who she is, but, to ease her mind maybe she should be tested. But Diana, no one can even suspect she is alive. Whoever got her to California will not want to think she is regaining her memory. Her life could be in danger."

"Gabriel is dead."

"Yes, but what about the nurse who took care of Jacob, and the lawyer? Gabriel kept her alive for his own sick reasons. He wouldn't find it hard to find someone who looked like Catherine, who had a baby and switch bodies. If the DA was in his pocket the coroner or anyone could have been also."

"Why didn't we find her when we found Jacob?"

"Because she had already been taken to California."

"But why, Vincent?"

"Who knows why? Maybe in case he needed her blood for JV until he found me. Maybe just to torment her. Maybe he planned to kill her but he died first. It's nine and a half years, Diana, and she still has no memory of what happened before she woke up in a hospital in San Francisco. Her doctors told her she had given birth to a child. No child was found."

"I've been having nightmares and dreams of New York City and Vincent."

"She collects lions, Aunt Diana," JV piped in. "Her lion quilt has father's eyes."

"Quilts?" Diana asked.

"I run a quilt shop and sew quilts," Catherine said.

"Catherine Chandler worked for the D.A.’s office. She was a lawyer, a tough cookie, not a quilter or shopkeeper."

"I just know she is Catherine, and I want to prove it. Tough people can run a business, Diana" Vincent insisted.

"Her friends?" Diana asked.

"Will have to wait until I'm sure Catherine will be safe."

"Let me see what I can do. We can at least get a DNA test done easily. I'll put fake names on them. If you and Jacob are related that will prove you are Catherine and we can go on from there. It may take a few weeks."

"I'm not going anywhere," Catherine said.

"You think the answer is as simple as a DNA test," said Father. "That won't bring back your memory."

"No but we have to start somewhere," Vincent said "Diana, do you still have anything of Catherine's?"

"No, I gave you what I had. Her friends took some of her things. I don't know what they did with them. She had no relatives. Joe Maxwell is still in the DA's office and I believe her friend Jenny still lives in the city.

"What happened to her apartment?"

"I'm sure it's been rented out for many years."

"We also have another problem." Vincent explained about the men trying to break into the quilt shop and about the diamonds he and Catherine found.

"I agree, I think it is a separate problem. Let me see what I can find out about stolen diamonds. You have them in a safe place?"

"Yes."

"Your life is full of risks and problems, Elizabeth Collins or Catherine Chandler. Be careful, whoever you are, until we have the answers. I'll be back later."

"Vincent, I should head back. I have a lot to do at the shop. I can come back when Diana returns or she can stop at the shop and I'll show her the diamonds. JV I'll see you again soon." She hugged him tightly.

"Goodbye, mom."

"Goodbye Father."

Vincent walked her to her apartment. "I'll check your shop and apartment," he said.

"But, it's daytime."

"Should anyone be here?"

"No."

"I'll check." He found all the floors empty. "Be careful, Catherine. Diana will probably come to you to see the diamonds and get the DNA sample. Come down if you are uncomfortable or feel unsafe." He put his arms around her. "I'll be near if you need me."

Catherine was surprised it was only three in the afternoon. It seemed a lifetime ago that the men had tried to break into her shop. She pulled out the quilt of JV and worked on it the rest of the afternoon. All she had left to finish was the quilting and the binding. Vincent said Wednesday was the twelfth anniversary of when he found her. She would give it to him then.

Her doorbell rang. She pressed the intercom, 'Yes?"

"It's Diana Bennett. Can I come in?"

Catherine buzzed the door and met Diana in the shop.

"I have the DNA test tubes." She swabbed Catherine's mouth. "The results will take one to two weeks."

"I've had no memory for over nine years. I can wait a few weeks more."

"Vincent mentioned something about diamonds?"

"I put them in the safe downstairs. Come, I'll show you." Catherine took Diana to the basement and handed her the diamonds from the safe.

"These look like pretty high end stones," Diana said. "I guess you better keep them here until I find out more about them." She saw the quilts rolled up in the safe. "You have some valuable quilts?"

"Last week someone broke into my shop and shredded one of my favorite quilts. I would hate for anything to happen to these two."

"Can I see them?"

Catherine pulled out her lion quilt and unrolled it for Diana to see. Diana noticed the eyes immediately. "When did you sew this quilt?" she asked uneasily.

"Five years ago, in California," Catherine answered quietly.

"The other?"

"That's a private quilt."

"Okay. You do fabulous work."

"Thank you."

"Catherine, if you are Catherine I couldn't be happier. All I want is for Vincent to be happy. When Catherine died all he wanted was to be dead. Your boss Joe Maxwell insisted I take the case. I found things in the apartment that linked Vincent and Catherine but I didn't know who Vincent was. For awhile Joe and I thought Vincent had killed you. He tried to get an old boyfriend of Catherine's, Elliott Burch, to help him find Gabriel and the baby. Vincent knew Elliott would always love Catherine. Gabriel was trying to destroy Burch but somehow convinced him to help trap Vincent. At the last minute Burch told Vincent it was a trap. They were both blown up with the boat at the docks. Burch was killed, I found Vincent almost dead lying on Catherine's grave.

"I got him to my loft and found myself drawn to him. The more I got to know him the more I thought I loved him. His only thought was Catherine and the baby. Catherine and JV are still the only ones he truly loves. I've learned how to be a good friend. JV thinks of me as an aunt."

"Is it enough, Diana?"

"It has to be. That is all he is willing to give me. I can live with that. But, if you are not Catherine, I will do all that I can to break you up. I can see the joy in him since he found you. Even JV seems different. I hope you are Catherine and I will do all that I can to prove it if this test is positive."

In spite of herself Catherine felt drawn to Diana. "I love him, but I have no memory of anything prior to nine and a half years ago. Only my dreams and my nightmares. She pulled out the second quilt and slowly unrolled it.

"I did this quilt five years ago but had no face for it, only the eyes. After I met Vincent I knew it was him."

Diana ran her fingers over Vincent's face. "Vincent may be right," she whispered. "I’ve got to go." She left Catherine with her quilts.

Chapter 12

 

Catherine finished the quilt of JV by Wednesday, the twelfth anniversary of when Vincent found her. She knew he would come to her tonight. She wore the crystal pendant he had given her, it sparkled against her skin. There had been a quilt class until nine and it was now after ten. She heard a tap on the balcony door and saw him standing outside.

"I hoped you would come." It was a pleasantly cool evening. She drew him to the private corner where she had set out lighted candles and had soft music tuned on the radio.

"I had to come," he said. He wore a dark wool jacket over a white shirt with an ascot tied around the neck and falling down the front, and dark pants. He sat on the teak bench and leaned back against the colorful pillows. She placed one on the floor and sat at his feet.

"Vincent, tell me about the night you found me."

"I have always walked the streets and parks at night. Twelve years ago tonight I found you unconscious, your face badly slashed in the park. I brought you Below because I thought you would die if I didn't get you help immediately. Father is a doctor and I thought he could help you. He was quite upset and afraid you would endanger all that was secret Below. He did treat you, bandaged your face, gave you antibiotics to prevent infection. I fed you, read to you, tried to reassure you. One night you removed your bandages and saw me. I guess I frightened you at first but you quickly accepted me as I was. Our bond, our connection developed, our love grew." He searched her face for any sign that she remembered but saw none.

"I have a present for you Catherine. I went back to the Crystal cavern where I found the stone for your pendant." He fingered the stone laying in the valley between her breasts. "I found these two stones that match and had Mouse make these earrings for you."

"Vincent, they are perfect." She took off the gold earrings she was wearing and put on the crystals, they flashed in the candlelight. "How do they look?'

"Beautiful," he was looking at her face, not the earrings.

"I noticed you have very few photos below but you do have some tapestries and quilts. I was going to make this for JV until you told me about our anniversary. Instead I made this for you." She handed him the quilt of JV.

He touched the boy's face. He saw on the back she named the quilt, Son. "Catherine, I have no words. I can see the love you put into this."

"I love the subject," she said, pleased he liked the quilt. "What have you got tucked under your arm?"

"This is a book you gave me many years ago, a first edition of Tennyson. I thought I'd read some of it to you."

"Please, I'd love to hear it." She placed her hand on his knee and rested her chin on top.

He read her many of the poems, then The Lady of Shalott and the very short O Swallow.

O Swallow, flying from the golden woods

Fly to her, and pipe and woo her, and make her mine

And tell her, tell her, that I follow thee

"You have a beautiful voice Vincent. I could listen to you read all night."

He drew her up onto the bench beside him. She rested her cheek against his, ran her fingers over his chest and untied the knot of his ascot, slowly parting the fabric, baring his neck. Undoing the top buttons of his shirt she slipped her hand inside and laid it on his heart, felt the deep beat within.

He covered her hand with his own and pressed it hard against his chest. "Catherine," he said huskily.

She brushed her lips across the pulse beating in his throat, heard the quick intake of his breath. "Vincent," she whispered. "When I get my memory back we will make love again, I know. I will remember, I will." She felt his arms solid and strong around her. She lifted her face to meet his lips with hers, let the kiss linger; warm and promising.

He hadn't felt like this in many years, his body was as tight as a bowstring. It took every molecule of his being to keep himself in control. Her hand was as hot as a brand on his flesh. Her lips made him gasp for air. She was already thinking about making love, when her memory returned. What if he hurt her. It would kill him. He was no expert in love making, he'd only made love once in his life...to her. Would he lose control, forget his strength. What damage could his clawed hands and sharp teeth do?

"Vincent, what are you thinking?"

"How much I love you. How I hope you do regain your memory soon." He sighed, "How I must go, the sky is lightning. I've been here all night." He rose and helped her to her feet. "Get some rest Catherine."

"I'll walk with you to the basement. It has been a wonderful night. Thank you for my earrings." She set them swinging.

He kissed each earlobe. "Thank you for my quilt of Jacob."

At the tunnel door she asked, "Would you bring JV here for dinner? The two of you? Maybe watch TV or read a book?"

"I can do that. When would you like us to come?"

"Saturday?"

"We'll be here."

Catherine had a hard time staying awake in the shop the next morning. Louise and Helen teased her about keeping late nights. They frequently covered the shop so she could work on quilts, she had a few commissioned and a few ideas for new quilts in her head. She also wanted to get started on her quilt of Vincent and JV. She would have to work from her mind on Vincent but had plenty of pictures of JV. This quilt she would work on after hours.

The police stopped by to tell her the two men caught trying to break into her shop were free on bail though one was still in the hospital. They told her to keep her doors locked at night and to be careful.

Diana stopped by after closing, "No results yet on the DNA test. I think the diamonds are part of a heist in San Francisco last fall. None of the gems have been recovered. Keep them in the safe until I can figure out a way for you to hand them over to the police and keep you safe and your identity secret. I told you Joe Maxwell is still the DA, I don't know if you want to meet him and bring him in on all that is going on?"

"Not yet. I don't remember him so wouldn't feel comfortable talking to him."

"Your friend Jenny Aronson is still in New York editing art books and doing gallery shows. Do you want to see her?"

"No, for the same reason. How could I explain all this to her? Diana, the police were here this afternoon. The men they arrested are free on bail."

"Be very careful. They or others like them will be back to get the diamonds. Tell Vincent. He will keep an eye on you and keep you safe."

Catherine nodded her head.

"I mean it. He is better than an army of police and he'll be very upset if anything happens to you. Believe me, you don't want to see him angry."

"I promise, I'll tell him."

"Okay, I'll see you as soon as the test results are ready."

Catherine was relieved there were no night classes. She was quite tired and just wanted to take a nap. She'd promised Diana she would tell Vincent about the police visit. If she went to him now she could see JV and still get a good night's sleep. Helen and Louise had gone and she was locking up when she heard a noise at her back door.

Before she could dial 911, two men broke through the door. One of the men was from the other night, his face black and blue from Vincent's attack. The second man, short and thin with slicked back greasy black hair held a long, heavy bladed knife. The first man pulled a gun out of his pocket and fired it eerily silent into the floor at her feet. "Where are the diamonds, bitch?"

Before she could answer, the man with the knife grabbed her arm and twisted it painfully behind her back. He pressed the knife to her throat, "Better answer."

"What diamonds? I don't know anything about diamonds. This is a quilt shop." She tried to stay calm.

"Wrong answer." The man with the knife pressed the tip against her neck. She could feel her blood trickle warmly down her skin. He tightened his hold on her arm forcing a moan to escape her lips.

"We know you have them. They were packed in with your things from California."

"I haven't unpacked all the boxes yet." Should she stall? She would be dead as soon as she gave them the diamonds. Who could save her anyway?

She heard a terrifying roar from the basement. Vincent crashed through the door, grabbing the man holding her he sent the knife flying across the floor and snapped the man's neck with one powerful blow killing him instantly. The first man aimed his gun at Vincent shooting wildly. One bullet hit his arm before he was able to grab the man and throw him against the wall. She heard bones breaking and knew this man was also dead. Vincent continued to roar as he looked around for other intruders, blood ran down his arm.

Catherine ran to him gripping his shoulders, "Are you all right?" she cried, her voice shaking.

He saw the blood on her neck and his eyes glinted in rage. He uttered a low growl.

"Vincent, you saved me again. How did you know?"

"I know Catherine. What you see, what you feel, I see and feel."

"I was just coming to tell you the police were here earlier to tell me the men from the other night were freed on bail. Diana said I should tell you." She looked at the carnage and the two dead men shuddering.

"What do I do? I can't call the police, they'll want to know what happened."

"Call Diana, maybe she can help."

"Vincent, your arm," she cried in horror. The sleeve of his shirt was saturated with blood.

"Don't fuss, it's not serious."

"You've been shot, let me see." She helped him off with his cloak and rolled up his sleeve. "I think the bullet just grazed you, I don't think it is in your arm. Come to the bathroom and I'll clean it."

"Just leave it Catherine."

"I have to do something." She held his arm over the sink and gently cleaned the wound, biting her bottom lip to keep from crying. She put most of the tube of antibiotic cream over the gash and bandaged it. "Have Father check it later."

He took a clean gauze pad from her and swabbed her neck and put some of the antibiotic on her. She started to shake.

"If you hadn't come," she burst into tears. His arms surrounded her in safety. He pressed his lips to her brow.

"I'm here for you, always. I'll protect you with my life."

She looked over to the two men lying dead on the floor of her shop and buried her face in his shoulder. Where was all that strength everyone said Catherine had. She took a deep breath, "I'll call Diana."

Vincent looked at the two men he had just killed. Were he and Catherine destined to always live in violence. She didn't work in law anymore and violence still found her. He hated killing, even when it was justified. He felt like he was losing control of the human side of him when he did, leaving an opening for his dark side to surface.

"Diana is not too far from here and will be right over. What's wrong, Vincent?" She put her arm around his shoulders.

"I haven't killed anyone in almost ten years, when I rescued Jacob. I never wanted to kill again. I couldn't let them hurt you Catherine."

She pressed her cheek to his chest. "You have killed for me before haven't you?" she whispered. "To save me."

"Yes. I would do anything to protect you...even kill."

The front doorbell rang. Catherine let Diana in and showed her the two dead men. "They broke in and attacked me wanting the diamonds.'

"Vincent did this?"

"Yes, protecting me, saving me. I can't tell the police. How could I explain what happened?"

"Where is he?"

"Right here, Diana." Vincent came from behind her. "I have to move the bodies from here."

"There are some empty warehouses way uptown."

"Tell me where, I can get the bodies there after midnight if there are tunnel routes to the area. For now I'll put them in the tunnel here so no one will see them." He hefted one of the bodies on his shoulder and headed for the basement.

"Is he okay?" Diana asked Catherine.

"He was shot in the arm. Just a graze. I bandaged it. Mentally, he’s upset at taking a life."

Diana pointed to her neck, "You were injured too."

"It's just a nick."

Vincent joined them. "I moved the bodies to the tunnel. You need to get the back door and basement door fixed. I'll stay tonight."

"I don't know how long it will take for their boss to realize these men are missing. Will he think they took the diamonds and ran or that they failed and send someone else? I'll try to come up with a plan to get them out of here soon. I'll be in touch."

Catherine and Vincent went up to her apartment. He kept staring at his hands. She gripped them both in hers, kissed the knuckles of each. "Vincent, these hands saved my life tonight. I don't know how to thank you. Those men were evil. Even if I gave them the diamonds, they would have killed me." She opened his hands and kissed each palm, lingering a moment to kiss each finger. She put her arms around his waist, rested her cheek against his shoulder in exhaustion.

"Go to bed Catherine."

"We both need some sleep. Stay here with me."

He lay on her bed and held out his arms. She lay beside him, her head on his chest she fell asleep listening to his steady heartbeat.

Diana found Father in his chamber and told him what happened in Catherine's shop.

"So, it starts again," Father said. "I guess we know she is Catherine. She is in trouble, he knows, he saves her. Someone is dead."

"Two men," Diana said. "They would have killed Catherine. She had a pretty deep knife wound in her neck."

"Vincent?"

"He has a gunshot wound in his arm. Catherine says there is no bullet. She cleaned and bandaged it."

"Where is he now?"

"He's staying with her. After midnight he's going to take the bodies to a warehouse I know of uptown. I have to come up with some way of tying the diamonds and these men’s deaths together, get the diamonds out of her shop and not involve Catherine. It has to be big enough to make the news and make the ringleader think Catherine knows nothing."

"Catherine runs a quilt shop. One would think she was leading a quiet life. Now death and diamonds. What's going to happen when she tries to find out what happened to her nine and a half years ago. This is not over, Diana, and Vincent is always the one who gets hurt."

Catherine could barely open her eyes. Vincent lay beside her, one arm lay protectively across her waist. Her small clock read two am.

"Vincent." His eyes opened immediately. "You have to move the bodies."

"I want you to stay in the tunnel while I'm gone," he insisted.

"Okay, I'll get my coat."

The bodies were not in the tunnel. Vincent found a note... All has been taken care of. Rest, be safe. Father.

"Go back to bed Catherine. I'll clean up the shop and fix your doors."

"What about you?"

"I'm fine. Go to bed."

She was too tired to argue with him and went up to her apartment. In the morning he was gone. A note on her table read...I'm near, do not be afraid. I fixed the doors. V. Her phone rang at eight thirty. It was Diana. "I'll be right over."

Ten minutes later she rang the doorbell. "Give me the diamonds. I have a plan for them and the men Vincent killed last night."

Catherine retrieved the diamonds from the safe.

"Did you touch the stones?"

"No, only the bags."

"Okay, I can wipe them of your fingerprints. If everything goes right you'll hear on the evening news." Diana left as quickly as she came. Catherine was relieved to have the diamonds out of her hands. That evening she turned on the news on the television.

"We have a breaking story. During a drug bust in Brooklyn this afternoon a bag of diamonds worth millions was found. The police are not substantiating the story but it is believed the diamonds are part of a theft from Adam's Diamond Mine jewelry store in San Francisco that occurred last October. No connection between the diamonds or the cocaine have as yet been made.

Also of note tonight is the finding of two bodies in a warehouse in the Bronx. One man had a broken neck the other a broken neck and back. The names of these men are not currently being released but they have been known to be involved in past jewelry store robberies. The police have not said if the deaths were a hit or an accident or if they were at all connected to the diamonds found in Brooklyn. As soon as we have any new information we will pass it on to you."

She turned off the TV. "Thank you, Diana."

"Maybe you'll be safe now," Vincent said from her doorway.

"Vincent, I didn't hear you come up."

"I just wanted to tell you I'll be near if you need me. Hopefully the leader of the gang who stole the diamonds heard the news and leaves you alone."

"I hope so. At least they know I don't have the diamonds. My name wasn't mentioned so Diana was able to keep me out of the news. She came up with a good idea to explain the diamonds and the dead men. I hope that's the end of it."

"Be careful just the same Catherine."

"I will. You and JV are still coming tomorrow night.?"

"We'll be here."