CHAPTER 17
It was half past three and Adam, still dressed, had his nose buried in a book he hadn't seen in
ages. He adjusted the light above his head and was turning the page when he was shaken by
the sound of Beth screaming from the room below.
He bolted from his bed … grabbed the small firearm he'd hidden in the desk and rushed out into
the hallway. Esperanza was pulling her robe tightly around herself when he almost ran into her at
the top of the stairs.
"It's the nightmares." She said, letting him take the lead as they moved down the stairs. "They
get worse every night … the poor child."
Adam wasn't completely convinced the screaming was only a nightmare … Beth appeared to be
addressing someone … "Esperanza … stay back." He commanded the older woman as he
reached Beth's door.
"You can't be here … you were dead … I know you were dead." He heard Beth scream again.
"Let go of me … let go of me."
A chill ran through him … it sounded like she was fighting for her life. Without waiting, Adam
broke into the room. The only light was from the street lamp outside the window. His eyes
scanned from one side to another … the gun drawn as he searched for an attacker. From the
bottom stair, Esperanza turned the light on in the hall … creating enough illumination for Adam to
see that there was no intruder … it had only been a nightmare … one from which Beth had not
yet awakened.
There in the corner of the room, crouched behind an overstuffed chair was Beth. Curled up as
small as she could make herself, her hands pushing against the unseen demons of her dream.
"Help me … please … someone … " he heard her call out hoarsely as she began to cry.
Setting his gun on the dresser, Adam began calling her name in a low voice … hoping to calm her
… not wanting to frighten her by approaching too quickly. From behind him he could hear
Esperanza. "She's never been this bad Mr. Pierson … it's never been like this …She's usually
awake by the time I get to the door."
Barkley emerged from where he'd hidden under the bed and gave a low growl as Adam moved
past him.
"It's all right boy … good boy." He tried to soothe the animal who was obviously upset.
Esperanza called to Barkley and he slipped behind Adam to join the older woman in the hall.
"Beth … it's all right … it was just a nightmare … " Adam said as he came to kneel beside her,
hesitantly reaching out to stroke her hair. She was whimpering pitifully as she awoke from the
dream that had seemed so real. Adam pushed the hair back from her face and saw her wide
eyes focus on him … trying to discern what was real and what was not.
"It was just a nightmare … You're safe." He said in a gentle voice. "It's over ..."
A cry of relief escaped as she realized she was safe. Overcome with the force of the nightmare,
Beth threw her arms around Adam, burying her face in the folds of his sweater as she wept tears
of fear … relief … and exhaustion.
Adam put his arms around her, looking up at Esperanza. Neither knew what to do for the young
woman except to comfort her and try to help her relax from the trauma.
"I'm going to make some tea … she'll feel better once she …" Esperanza's voice trailed off as
she slipped downstairs with Barkley in tow.
Adam stroked her hair and whispered soothing words as he held her close. From the deep force
of her sobs, he realized she'd probably bottled up so much trying to be brave that she couldn't
hold it back now. Her only outlet for her fears had been the nightmares and those were reaching
a pitch that could send her over the edge if they didn't stop soon.
When Esperanza returned with a tray, Adam was sitting with his back against the wall … having
pulled Beth across his lap, cradling her like a child against his shoulder. Her sobs had calmed to
almost silent whimpers, but she still seemed to be lost in the aftermath of the dream.
"I'll set this here … for when she feels like it … " She said, her concern evident on her face.
"Could you get that afghan?" Adam asked the older woman, nodding to the wool throw over the
foot of the bed. The cotton gown wasn't made for holding back the chill and even in his arms
Beth was shivering. He tucked the edges around her body and in a few minutes she grew still
and quiet.
"Do you think you can stand up Beth? … make it back to the bed?" he asked when he thought
she could hear him and understand.
It was only then that Beth realized where she was … and who was holding her. Her cheeks
flamed with embarrassment for displaying such weakness … especially to someone she hardly
knew. Without meeting his gaze, she nodded and tried to move to her feet. She managed to
move from his lap, but with the afghan tangled around her legs, she stumbled. Adam caught her
and after getting his own footing, managed to lift her from the floor and set her gently on the bed.
Esperanza helped her climb beneath the covers, but Beth didn't want to lie down. She scooted
her back against the headboard and tucked the blankets underneath her arms to cover herself.
"I'm so sorry …" she began. "I don't mean to be so much trouble …"
"Nonsense … drink a little of this … you will feel better … you will see." Esperanza replied,
offering Beth a cup of tea and keeping her hands over the young woman's until she knew she
was steady enough to hold it. Beth took a few sips and then smiled bravely … trying to reassure
them she was feeling better.
Adam stood back and waited for the older woman to finish making Beth comfortable. He was
watching her carefully and thinking about what he'd heard before he came into the room.
"I'll be all right now … you don't have to fuss over me." Beth told the woman. "Please … go back
to bed … both of you." She looked over at Adam, still very embarrassed about how she'd
behaved.
Esperanza patted her leg beneath the covers and said her goodnights, but Adam didn't show any
sign of leaving.
"I think I'll sit with her for awhile … just to make sure." He said. Esperanza nodded and closed
the door behind her.
"You really don't have to Adam … I'm sure you're exhausted." Beth pulled the covers a little
higher and averted her eyes everywhere but in his direction.
"These nightmares … are they always the same?" he asked, ignoring her protest and coming to
sit on the edge of the bed.
Beth looked down at her hands, not answering him right away. Finally she looked up at him and
nodded.
"Sometimes talking about nightmares can be the first step toward making them go away." He told
her.
Beth started to shake her head. She really didn't want to talk about it … he wouldn't believe her
anyway … so what was the point. Adam sensed her reluctance, but felt she really needed to tell
him … and whatever it was … he knew he needed to hear it.
He reached over and captured her hand in his as he looked at her with sincere concern. "I think
you need to talk about it … please let me help you." His hand was warm and his touch gentle,
and she couldn't help but be comforted by it.
"I dream about that night … about what happened … that's all … I dream about what happened."
She answered him truthfully, but not with the details both of them knew she was holding back.
Sliding closer, he took her other hand and held it, almost commanding her silently to look up at
him. "You can't keep going through this night after night. Esperanza said it's getting worse …
and from what I saw …" he took a deep breath "I don't know that you can handle much more
without suffering a break down."
"You don't want to hear it … you won't believe me anyway if I tell you." Her eyes teared up as
she shook her head.
"Try me." He challenged softly. "You need to trust someone, and … I promise I won't judge you
… no matter what you tell me."
Beth studied his face carefully … She could hardly believe this was the same man who only a few
days before had infuriated her with his callous attitude. But what she saw now were eyes that
seemed to understand what she needed … a man who seemed truly interested in helping her.
"It's so hard to talk about … because I almost don't believe it myself." She whispered. "In fact
when I told my story to the police … right after the murder … they didn't believe me, and actually
considered dropping the charges against that mad man because my testimony would make it
seem like I was the crazy one."
"I won't think you are crazy … no matter what you tell me … I won't think that."
Beth sighed. The only other person she could trust with this had been Lt. Taylor. He said he
believed her but convinced her for the sake of the trial to leave out the part of the incident that no
one else would understand.
It was half past three and Adam, still dressed, had his nose buried in a book he hadn't seen in
ages. He adjusted the light above his head and was turning the page when he was shaken by
the sound of Beth screaming from the room below.
He bolted from his bed … grabbed the small firearm he'd hidden in the desk and rushed out into
the hallway. Esperanza was pulling her robe tightly around herself when he almost ran into her at
the top of the stairs.
"It's the nightmares." She said, letting him take the lead as they moved down the stairs. "They
get worse every night … the poor child."
Adam wasn't completely convinced the screaming was only a nightmare … Beth appeared to be
addressing someone … "Esperanza … stay back." He commanded the older woman as he
reached Beth's door.
"You can't be here … you were dead … I know you were dead." He heard Beth scream again.
"Let go of me … let go of me."
A chill ran through him … it sounded like she was fighting for her life. Without waiting, Adam
broke into the room. The only light was from the street lamp outside the window. His eyes
scanned from one side to another … the gun drawn as he searched for an attacker. From the
bottom stair, Esperanza turned the light on in the hall … creating enough illumination for Adam to
see that there was no intruder … it had only been a nightmare … one from which Beth had not
yet awakened.
There in the corner of the room, crouched behind an overstuffed chair was Beth. Curled up as
small as she could make herself, her hands pushing against the unseen demons of her dream.
"Help me … please … someone … " he heard her call out hoarsely as she began to cry.
Setting his gun on the dresser, Adam began calling her name in a low voice … hoping to calm her
… not wanting to frighten her by approaching too quickly. From behind him he could hear
Esperanza. "She's never been this bad Mr. Pierson … it's never been like this …She's usually
awake by the time I get to the door."
Barkley emerged from where he'd hidden under the bed and gave a low growl as Adam moved
past him.
"It's all right boy … good boy." He tried to soothe the animal who was obviously upset.
Esperanza called to Barkley and he slipped behind Adam to join the older woman in the hall.
"Beth … it's all right … it was just a nightmare … " Adam said as he came to kneel beside her,
hesitantly reaching out to stroke her hair. She was whimpering pitifully as she awoke from the
dream that had seemed so real. Adam pushed the hair back from her face and saw her wide
eyes focus on him … trying to discern what was real and what was not.
"It was just a nightmare … You're safe." He said in a gentle voice. "It's over ..."
A cry of relief escaped as she realized she was safe. Overcome with the force of the nightmare,
Beth threw her arms around Adam, burying her face in the folds of his sweater as she wept tears
of fear … relief … and exhaustion.
Adam put his arms around her, looking up at Esperanza. Neither knew what to do for the young
woman except to comfort her and try to help her relax from the trauma.
"I'm going to make some tea … she'll feel better once she …" Esperanza's voice trailed off as
she slipped downstairs with Barkley in tow.
Adam stroked her hair and whispered soothing words as he held her close. From the deep force
of her sobs, he realized she'd probably bottled up so much trying to be brave that she couldn't
hold it back now. Her only outlet for her fears had been the nightmares and those were reaching
a pitch that could send her over the edge if they didn't stop soon.
When Esperanza returned with a tray, Adam was sitting with his back against the wall … having
pulled Beth across his lap, cradling her like a child against his shoulder. Her sobs had calmed to
almost silent whimpers, but she still seemed to be lost in the aftermath of the dream.
"I'll set this here … for when she feels like it … " She said, her concern evident on her face.
"Could you get that afghan?" Adam asked the older woman, nodding to the wool throw over the
foot of the bed. The cotton gown wasn't made for holding back the chill and even in his arms
Beth was shivering. He tucked the edges around her body and in a few minutes she grew still
and quiet.
"Do you think you can stand up Beth? … make it back to the bed?" he asked when he thought
she could hear him and understand.
It was only then that Beth realized where she was … and who was holding her. Her cheeks
flamed with embarrassment for displaying such weakness … especially to someone she hardly
knew. Without meeting his gaze, she nodded and tried to move to her feet. She managed to
move from his lap, but with the afghan tangled around her legs, she stumbled. Adam caught her
and after getting his own footing, managed to lift her from the floor and set her gently on the bed.
Esperanza helped her climb beneath the covers, but Beth didn't want to lie down. She scooted
her back against the headboard and tucked the blankets underneath her arms to cover herself.
"I'm so sorry …" she began. "I don't mean to be so much trouble …"
"Nonsense … drink a little of this … you will feel better … you will see." Esperanza replied,
offering Beth a cup of tea and keeping her hands over the young woman's until she knew she
was steady enough to hold it. Beth took a few sips and then smiled bravely … trying to reassure
them she was feeling better.
Adam stood back and waited for the older woman to finish making Beth comfortable. He was
watching her carefully and thinking about what he'd heard before he came into the room.
"I'll be all right now … you don't have to fuss over me." Beth told the woman. "Please … go back
to bed … both of you." She looked over at Adam, still very embarrassed about how she'd
behaved.
Esperanza patted her leg beneath the covers and said her goodnights, but Adam didn't show any
sign of leaving.
"I think I'll sit with her for awhile … just to make sure." He said. Esperanza nodded and closed
the door behind her.
"You really don't have to Adam … I'm sure you're exhausted." Beth pulled the covers a little
higher and averted her eyes everywhere but in his direction.
"These nightmares … are they always the same?" he asked, ignoring her protest and coming to
sit on the edge of the bed.
Beth looked down at her hands, not answering him right away. Finally she looked up at him and
nodded.
"Sometimes talking about nightmares can be the first step toward making them go away." He told
her.
Beth started to shake her head. She really didn't want to talk about it … he wouldn't believe her
anyway … so what was the point. Adam sensed her reluctance, but felt she really needed to tell
him … and whatever it was … he knew he needed to hear it.
He reached over and captured her hand in his as he looked at her with sincere concern. "I think
you need to talk about it … please let me help you." His hand was warm and his touch gentle,
and she couldn't help but be comforted by it.
"I dream about that night … about what happened … that's all … I dream about what happened."
She answered him truthfully, but not with the details both of them knew she was holding back.
Sliding closer, he took her other hand and held it, almost commanding her silently to look up at
him. "You can't keep going through this night after night. Esperanza said it's getting worse …
and from what I saw …" he took a deep breath "I don't know that you can handle much more
without suffering a break down."
"You don't want to hear it … you won't believe me anyway if I tell you." Her eyes teared up as
she shook her head.
"Try me." He challenged softly. "You need to trust someone, and … I promise I won't judge you
… no matter what you tell me."
Beth studied his face carefully … She could hardly believe this was the same man who only a few
days before had infuriated her with his callous attitude. But what she saw now were eyes that
seemed to understand what she needed … a man who seemed truly interested in helping her.
"It's so hard to talk about … because I almost don't believe it myself." She whispered. "In fact
when I told my story to the police … right after the murder … they didn't believe me, and actually
considered dropping the charges against that mad man because my testimony would make it
seem like I was the crazy one."
"I won't think you are crazy … no matter what you tell me … I won't think that."
Beth sighed. The only other person she could trust with this had been Lt. Taylor. He said he
believed her but convinced her for the sake of the trial to leave out the part of the incident that no
one else would understand.