"I hate that my beloved sister has to endure dirt like this because of who I am. No one from a slander rag would even know our names if I wasn't Joley Drake."
"Baby," Sarah said, "that isn't true. Hannah is famous and so is Kate."
"Yes, but they weren't stupid enough to be photographed with Rob Ryan. He's married with a couple of kids and since Rob just made another blockbuster movie, the paparazzi are out for blood. That's why I've been in all the rags lately. It's been a regular 'Get Joley Fest' lately and now it's spilled over to my family."
The bitterness in her voice had Elle wrapping her arms around her sister protectively. Tears streaked her face and Tyson remembered Libby had said she was an empath. If that were so, she would be feeling the pain each person was feeling.
"What were you doing with the movie star?" Tyson asked.
"Walking through the hotel. We ran into one another, had lunch and that was the entire extent of our fling. Well, I signed a couple of CDs for his kids."
"Have you warned Mom and Dad?" Libby asked. She came into the room, her chin up, green eyes alive with pride.
Tyson went to her and when she tried to sidestep, he simply gathered her into his arms. She went stiff, but he persisted, holding her close to him, determined they'd weather this firestorm together.
"I wanted you to know first," Sarah said. "It's impossible to tell from the picture that it's you, not with Joley dying her hair."
Libby jerked out of Tyson's arms. "I'm not letting Joley take the fall for this. No way. Joley, you can just dye your hair blond again. If you take the blame those pictures won't stay in the tatty little gossip papers no one believes. They'll get sold to the more reputable magazines. They'll be on television. You won't be able to get away from them."
"I knew that's what you'd say, Libby," Joley said. "So I made certain it was a done deal. Even if you call the paper and say it was you in the picture, they'll believe you're just trying to clear my name. I'm not letting anyone drag you through the mud."
"I am going to call them and clear this up."
Joley waved toward the phone. "The number's right there. Talk to Kingsley. He's a decent enough guy and at least he'll listen, but I'm telling you it won't do you one bit of good."
"What did you do?" Libby demanded.
"I called in a few favors. A few people called a few mags and helped the story along with hints and well-placed lies."
"This isn't your fault, Joley," Tyson protested. "No one did this because of you. Whoever took these pictures tried to kill us the other night by tampering with my motorcycle. If I'd been going the speed I usually go, it may have worked. They're after me. Or Libby. Or both of us, but not you. You didn't do this."
"They found a medium to hurt my sister that wouldn't be there if it wasn't for who I am and what I do."
"Sarah." Libby appealed to her eldest sister. When it came down to tough decisions, Sarah was the one they all listened to.
"You're a doctor, Libby."
Libby clenched her fists. "So what? Does that mean I have to let my baby sister take the blame for something I did? It isn't going to happen." She caught up the newspaper and stomped over to the phone.
Kate handed Tyson a cup of tea. "Sit down, Ty. Let Libby rage a little bit. She needs to get it out of her system. Are you hungry?"
Libby turned around. "I'm on hold, waiting for this Kingsley person. Yes, he's hungry. He hasn't really eaten for forty-eight hours."
Kate smiled at him. "Breakfast or lunch? You're at the in-between time."
"Breakfast. But, really, you don't have to do that."
"It's no trouble at all." Kate disappeared into the other room.
Tyson watched Libby as she adamantly explained to the reporter the pictures were of her, not her sister and to retract any mention of Joley immediately. He sighed. Joley was right. The magazines were interested in anything to do with Joley, not with her older sister. From her end of the conversation, it was fairly clear that no one was going to listen to Libby.
Libby slammed down the phone in a fit of temper. "Moron. He doesn't want the truth. He thinks it's admirable-- admirable--of me to want to protect my sister. No matter how many times I said it was the other way around, he refused to hear it." She looked at her younger sister, despair in her eyes. "It isn't right that you're being accused of this."
"As long as Mom and Dad know that none of us, not you or Ty or anyone else, did anything wrong, I'll be fine," Joley said. "Libby, think for a minute. Don't just react. I've had a lot of time to think about this. People make up lies about me all the time. According to the press, I've done everything but strip naked and have orgies backstage after a concert."
"Well, now reporters and your fans will think they have proof," Libby pointed out. She flung herself into a chair and looked around the room at her sisters. "This is acceptable to you all?"
"It isn't to me," Tyson said. "I could come forward and identify myself as the man and name Libby as the woman."
"Don't you dare," Joley hissed. "They'll never believe it was Libby and they'll just think I've seduced my sister's fiance. I refuse to look that low. You are her fiance, aren't you?"
"Yes," Ty said. "Of course."
"No," Libby denied. "He hasn't asked me yet, so stop jumping the gun."
"We're getting married. I wanted to go to Reno, but she says no, she has to have a wedding. What do you think?"
"He didn't ask me," Libby insisted.
Kate handed Tyson a plate of food. "I think you should get married here, Ty," she said. "Abigail and Aleksandr are having a small private ceremony. There's no reason that you and Libby can't do the same, unless of course you want to join Sarah and me in a big wedding. You're certainly welcome to do that."
Tyson shuddered. "I think Abbey has the right idea. Private for me."
"He didn't ask me," Libby wailed. "Is anyone listening? Where's Hannah? I need her."
"You can't turn your fiance into a toad," Sarah said.
Libby bared her teeth at her sister. "You're all finding this very amusing, aren't you? I'll have you know that Tyson Derrick may seem the bookish, geeky, nerd type, just because he's a biochemist and is a bit on the brainiac side . . ."
"A bit?" Tyson's eyebrow shot up. "Brilliant is how she normally thinks of me."
She flashed him a glare. "But he turns into a bossy caveman every chance he gets. He actually tries to tell me what to do."
"Imagine that," Sarah said. "But I don't think there is any question of you two getting married, baby sister. Everyone else in the world may think those pictures are of Joley, but Mom and Dad are going to know Libby the good girl has become Libby the bad girl overnight. When you told us you wanted to change your image, you weren't kidding around." She smirked at Tyson. "And they're going to be well aware who managed that little change."
He puffed out his chest. "True. That was all the brilliant one." He saluted Kate. "The eggs are great."
"Brilliant one my butt," Libby muttered. "This bad girl thing is harder than it looks. And true bad girls don't get married, they have flings. And if you're so proud of yourself, Ty, you can be the one to show Mom and Dad the pictures."
Tyson choked on his eggs. Kate patted his back and Sarah handed him a glass of water. "I don't know the first thing about talking to parents. I didn't have a lot of practice. I'm thinking you'll be better at it, Libby."
"And if we do get married--and I'm stressing the if, as you haven't asked me yet--I want an ironclad prenuptial agreement stating that your money isn't mine."
"That's just bullshit. Once we're married, everything I have becomes yours. That's the way it's supposed to work. As for asking, if I asked, you'd have the opportunity to say no and I'm not taking any chances. The potatoes are dynamite, Kate. Does Libby cook like this?"
"No, I don't," Libby snapped, hands on hips.
"Hence the reason you need my money. You can use it to pay for the cook," Tyson said, striving to look practical.
Libby glanced over
at Joley, the smile fading from her face. "I don't know what to do. It feels wrong to me to let this happen."
"Let it go, Libby," Joley advised. "Maybe we should concentrate on thinking who might have done this."
"Irene received around fifteen thousand dollars for her story and pictures of Libby and Joley from a magazine. If she did it once, and she admits she has many bills, she might try again. This story was probably worth a fortune," Tyson said.
"I tried to get the source," Joley admitted. "I even promised Kingsley an exclusive if he gave up the source, but he refused."
"Not Irene," Libby said. "She was so upset."
"That was guilt," Tyson pointed out. "Pure guilt. Harry Jenkins is out to get me. If he can ruin our reputations in the scientific and medical communities, maybe that would score him a victory."
"He goes on the list, too," Sarah said.
"And Edward Martinelli," Elle added. "Remember the pictures of Libby healing Tyson in the hospital? They threatened to put them in a magazine."
"Good grief." Kate frowned. "I've never heard of so many people out for blood. Anyone else?"
"Sam doesn't like me," Libby ventured, not looking at Tyson.
"And Sarah doesn't care much for me," Tyson added with a careless shrug, "but somehow I believe she'd think more in terms of toads than scandal rags."
"I'm imaginative," Sarah said. "And you're beginning to grow on me."
Tyson found himself smiling. Even happy in spite of the unfortunate and bizarre events. There was something about the acceptance into Libby's family that made him feel different. Libby made him feel whole. They made him feel accepted. The easy teasing was strange, but he found he enjoyed it. "Well, considering that Libby loves her family and I intend to be a permanent part of it, it's probably best you learn to appreciate my finer points."
"You have finer points?" Sarah challenged. "What are they?"
Tyson grinned, not in the least offended, and passed the empty plate to Kate. "Aside from the fact that I adore your sister, I'm a walking encyclopedia and every family needs one."
"That certainly will come in useful for me when I'm researching for a book," Kate said. "Very helpful stuff, Sarah."
"You know anything about security systems?" Sarah asked.
"Some. I can brush up. Mostly I've always had an interest in electronics."
"Is there anything you can't do?" Libby asked, feigning exasperation.
"I minored in quite a few subjects," he explained. "I get bored easily, once I'm fairly familiar with something. I can't sleep very well and if I read something I remember it, so I spend a lot of nights reading textbooks."
"Wow," Joley exclaimed, her smile wide and for the first time, real. "You really are a geek, aren't you? I've never really known a geek very well--with the exception of Libby, but she doesn't count because she's my sister."
"So out of all the suspects"--Sarah brought the conversation back on track--"which one does your gut say is responsible for getting these pictures in a magazine?"
He hesitated, a slight frown on his face. "That's a good question, Sarah, and I wish I had an answer. I'm used to people not liking me, but as far as I know, I've never had anyone want to kill me or smear my reputation. Someone tampered with my motorcycle and I think whoever took those pictures had to be the one who rigged my bike."
Sarah looked at Libby. She put her hands in the air. "The only one I can think would be after me personally is Edward Martinelli and I've never met him. I guess I need to talk to the man. At least face-to-face I might be able to judge if he's really trying to kill me."
"You're not serious," Tyson said. There was a warning note in his voice.
"Be still my heart." Joley clutched her chest and fell backward on the couch. "Who knew the scientific types could go all caveman on a girl?"
"It's annoying," Libby protested.
"It's sexy as hell and you know it," Joley said.
"I'd like to see someone get caveman with you, Joley." Libby nudged her hard. "You'd flatten the poor guy. He wouldn't know what hit him."
Joley grinned, not bothering to deny it. "The thrill would still be there for one small second before I annihilated him. I do love a strong man. You go, Tyson."
"Stop encouraging him in Neanderthal behavior. Just because you're kinky doesn't mean the rest of us are."
"No," Sarah denied. "We are."
"You're not helping," Libby said, glaring at her sisters. "Ty, don't listen to any of them. They're all little Hagathas."
He burst out laughing, the sound startling him. He was in the middle of a group of crazy sisters and they were talking sheer nonsense and he was actually enjoying himself. He'd never felt part of anything--not even at the fire station in the midst of the camaraderie. He was always too odd. The Drakes didn't seem to care that he was odd. Even Sarah was coming around. "Hagatha?"
"That's what we call each other when we're being, er, witchy," Libby explained. "Speaking of witches, Hannah must be at the hospital with Jonas again. How's he doing? I planned on seeing him not tomorrow, but the day after. That should give me plenty of time to rest before I give him another boost."
Tyson's gaze narrowed on her face and the smile faded. "What do you mean by giving him a little boost?"
Libby frowned at the edge to his voice. "Jonas was very seriously injured. By rights he should be dead."
"He would be if Libby hadn't healed him," Kate informed him. "Even Elle and Hannah together could never have saved him. Only Libby."
"And it nearly killed her," Sarah added soberly.
"Which is precisely why she doesn't need to be doing it again," Tyson said. He scowled at them. "Jonas is in the hospital getting excellent medical care. My understanding is that he's out of danger and is expected to make a full recovery."
"In time," Libby interrupted.
"A full recovery," Tyson repeated. "You don't have to risk your own health to speed up his recovery process. You saved his life. That should be enough, and I'll bet, if you ask him, he'd tell you not to take the risk."
"It isn't the same thing," Libby explained. The commanding note in his voice might be a thrill to Joley, but it was beginning to set her teeth on edge. Tyson wasn't joking. He meant what he said and he was, without so many words, attempting to forbid her to further aid Jonas.
"Jonas is family, Ty," she reminded him quietly. "I would never let him suffer if I can help him, any more than I would one of my sisters or you."
Tyson opened his mouth to protest, but closed it abruptly as realization swept through him for the first time. His ribs didn't hurt. He couldn't remember when they'd stopped hurting. His arm and hand no longer ached. When had she done that? Without any fanfare, without any discussion, Libby had completely healed him . . . from the smallest bruise and scratch, to torn muscles and cracked ribs. And he hadn't even noticed.
"Libby Drake." His gaze narrowed on her face, his features settling into hard lines. "Come here."
Joley let out a groan. "My heart can't take this. I'm ready to swoon!"
In spite of his resolve to stop Libby from endangering herself, Tyson couldn't stop the laughter from exploding out of him. Not mild amusement, but full-blown belly laughs. Joley was just too dramatic with her eyes dancing with mischief and her infectious smile. She looked so much like Libby, and he found he was rapidly developing a fondness for her, which was no small thing considering he simply didn't like that many people. She was outrageous and loved to tease, but she also genuinely loved Libby. And her absolute resolve to protect her older sister had won his respect and admiration.
He forced a tough expression. "You're cramping my caveman style, Joley. She isn't going to take me seriously if you keep that up."
Libby made a face at him. "I'm never going to take you seriously, if you keep it up. I can't remember a time in my life anyone dictated to me. You're so bossy."
"And he really means it," Joley said. "Isn't that cool? This is going to be so fun to watch, you being bossed around by science ma
n."
"Science man?" Tyson echoed. He shook his head. "Are you always like this?"
Libby laughed, that lighthearted sound that always lifted him up toward the sky. "We're being very good at the moment, so we don't run you off. We get much, much worse."
"That's a scary thought." When had the atmosphere in the home gone from horror, shock and tears to laughter? He was beginning to suspect the true magic of the Drakes was their closeness, and their strength together rather than some mysterious supernatural force.
"Wait until Elle starts asking you how to make bombs. She likes blowing things up. And don't give her any information, either," Sarah added, "because she's lethal enough as it is."
Elle teased with the others, but her eyes never laughed. He found himself a little worried about Libby's youngest sister. He looked around the room and wondered how he got there. In all his fantasies, he'd never considered he'd ever be a part of, or accepted by, the Drake sisters. His worst and very secret nightmare had been that Sam would have managed to date one of them. Not Libby. Tyson couldn't even allow that to happen in his nightmare.
It was acceptance he craved and hadn't even realized it until that moment. He thought he was above that need.
Libby brushed her hand over his jaw, and he wrapped his arm around her, bringing her down to his lap, struggling for a moment not to be overwhelmed by unexpected emotion.
"What is it, baby?" she asked, her voice low and intimate and caressing.
He felt the sound of her, the touch of her inside him. She could disarm him so easily with her voice; her touch. It didn't bode well for his caveman image. "I like your family." His tone was huskier than he intended and to cover the surge of emotion, he brought her hand to his mouth and nibbled on her fingers.
Libby looked around the room at her sisters. "I like them, too."
15
TYSON stopped abruptly on the walkway to the Chapman home, pushing Libby behind him. "The front door's open," he whispered. "Sam would never leave that door open. Go back to the car and if I'm not out in a couple of minutes, get out of here and call the sheriff."
He squeezed her fingers to reassure her and slipped inside his house. Faintly, he could hear raised voices and he followed the sound through the house into the kitchen. The door to his laboratory was wide open and he could hear Sam cursing.