Hidden Truths (Intertwined Souls Series Book 3) Read online

  Mary D. Brooks

  Hidden Truths

  Intertwined Souls Series Book 3

  2nd Edition

  AUSXIP Publishing - Sydney, Australia

  www.ausxippublishing.com

  INTERTWINED SOULS SERIES

  Book 1 – In The Blood of the Greeks

  Book 2 – Where Shadows Linger

  Book 3 – Hidden Truths

  Book 4 – Awakenings

  Book 5 - No Good Deed

  Copyright © 2015 Mary D. Brooks

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  Cover by:

  Jazzy “Aiglon” Trafikowska

  Illustrations by:

  Lucia Nobrega

  Photography by:

  KT Jorgensen

  Models:

  Kat Cavanaugh (Eva Muller)

  Penny Cavanaugh (Zoe Lambros)

  DEDICATION

  To my dear friend Rosa Alonso

  Always going that extra mile

  ­­Acknowledgments

  Rosa Alonso. Writing this novel has been a true joy with you by my side. Your encouragement, enthusiasm and unwavering support touches my heart and soul. Without your help, Hidden Truths would not be the novel it is.

  Clementine Marcus from The State Library. Thank you Clementine for your invaluable help and research tools on 1950’s Australia. Those newspaper archives are impressive and came in very handy in researching the time period.

  My dear pappou is no longer with us but he gave me the idea of setting the storyline in Larissa for the first novel in the series In the Blood of the Greeks. That started the whole series and you can blame him or love him for it. I prefer you love him. He is no longer with us but his memory lives on. His stories of the war in his village fired up my imagination and I’m still at it!

  To my dear friends Jazzy Trafficano and Joy Scavo who have enriched my life, have made me laugh till my head hurt and have given me so much joy. I’m truly blessed to have friends like you.

  To the awesome Cavanaughs! Kat and Penny Cavanaugh – you are forever in my thoughts and my sincerest thanks.

  Table of Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  The Intertwined Souls Series Continues…

  About Mary

  Other Novels by Mary D. Brooks

  Chapter One

  January 20, 1950

  Sydney, Australia

  The melodious tones of Yianis Hatzopoulos drifted across the back yard, which was bathed in the most brilliant sunshine that only a Sydney summer could provide. The baby blue-colored sky was devoid of any clouds as far as the eye could see—just a vast blue expanse. It was a typical Sydney summer's day with a hint of the muggy humidity that would soon descend on the Emerald City.

  Yianis serenaded the group of friends sitting around on the deck chairs on the lawn overlooking the Pacific Ocean. A small barbeque with its simmering coals was being fanned by Earl Wiggins, a blond-haired man wearing an apron over his white cotton shirt and long tan shorts, wooden tongs in one hand and a magazine in the other to fan the coals.

  The wooden wraparound porch was decorated with streamers, and a huge Happy Birthday banner with little cartoons and splashes of color adorned the bannister.

  Zoe Lambros glanced around at the small, rowdy group and laughed along with a joke that Earl had made. She didn't find the joke as funny as Earl's delivery of it. He told lame jokes, and she suspected the language barrier had something to do with it.

  Sweat trickled down the side of her face, and she pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped away the moisture from her sweaty face. She leaned back in her wicker chair and smiled. The love of her life was in the kitchen, which overlooked the back yard, cutting up some fruit, and from where she could see, it looked like Eva was also preparing some more refreshments.

  You take my breath away, Evy.

  Eva's long black hair was tied in a ponytail which revealed a long, graceful neck. Eva wore a dusky pink blouse with little embroidered butterflies that Zoe found extremely cute. Eva stood at the window for a moment, looking out into the ocean and playing with her gold cross, which hung around her neck.

  What are you thinking, my love?

  “I'm so glad this baby will come in the middle of winter and not summer.”

  Zoe turned her attention to Elena Jacobs. Elena was twenty-two, the same age as Zoe, and she had brown hair and deep, dark brown eyes. She was Zoe's best friend and a survivor from the hellish war. They shared a bond that neither could understand. Elena wasn't looking too comfortable at that moment.

  “You should have crossed your legs,” Zoe teased.

  Elena gently slapped Zoe on the arm. “Ha Ha.”

  “So has she stopped playing soccer?”

  Elena put her hand on her belly. “She is rather active. By the way, how do you know it's a girl?”

  “My mama used to say that if you carry the baby high it's a girl, and it's a boy if you carry it low,” Zoe explained. “You are carrying the baby high.”

  “I hope your mama was right. I want a little girl.”

  “Freddy wants a boy?”

  “Of course.” Elena laughed as she turned to find her husband, who was talking with their friends. She turned back to Zoe, who was giving her an affectionate look. “One day we will be having this conversation when you have children.”

  “I'll need to change my name to Mary.” Zoe leaned in. “Somehow I don't think Eva is very skilled in that area.”

  Elena ruffled Zoe’s red hair playfully. “Yes, hmm. Sorry.”

  “Not to worry, my friend. I'll be playing with your little one soon.”

  “How are you feeling?” Elena asked.

  “I'm good, just a little tired, but good. I'm really happy the cast is off my leg.” Zoe tapped her injured leg with the cane. “I'll be even happier to get rid of the cane.”

  “That was really scary for us, Zo.”

  Zoe leaned on the cane and rested her chin on the crook. She gazed out to sea for a moment before she turned her attention back to Elena. “I scared myself and shaved off a few years off Eva's life.”

  “Did she tell you what she did to Earl?”

  Zoe nodded. “She told me. The poor thing.”


  “Who? Earl?”

  Zoe shook her head. “My Eva; not Earl. I care about him, but Eva is more important, and it hurt her.”

  “I still can’t believe Eva hit Earl,” Elena said in amazement. “I have never seen her so angry. Come to think of it, I had never seen her angry until that day. The hospital wouldn't give her any information until David showed up and played lawyer.”

  Zoe nodded and looked down at the cane in her hand. “Yes, they put her through hell,” she muttered darkly. “She knew one day this would happen.”

  “She knew?”

  “Yes.” Zoe nodded. “She feared that if I had an accident, the hospital or the doctors wouldn't give her access because we are not related. If Evy had an accident, it would be the same thing.”

  “Because you are not family.”

  “Well, to them we are not related or have any connection. We are married as far as I’m concerned, but to them, we hardly know each other.”

  “Not in the eyes of the law,” Elena reminded her gently. “So what are you going to do next time? God forbid it should happen, but you just never know.”

  Zoe looked up towards their friend, David Harrison, who was sitting on the other side of the porch chatting with Eva's father, Panayiotis Haralambos. “Have you ever heard of a Power of Attorney?”

  “No.”

  “Well, neither had I.” Zoe smiled. “David said that if we sign one, then if either of us gets sick, we have the legal right to make decisions for the other.”

  “Well, that’s good. Just don’t go hurtling into cars to test it out.”

  “I’ll try not to,” Zoe replied.

  The door opened, and Eva, the birthday girl, walked out. She wore black pleated shorts that stopped at the knee. Two buttons were undone on her shirt and her gold cross was visible.

  Zoe sighed at the sight. Having Eva to herself had been a rare commodity these past few weeks, but that was going to change from this evening on.

  Eva handed Earl a plate of sausages for the barbecue near the kitchen door and her gaze fell on Zoe. Zoe smiled when Eva blew her a kiss.

  Eva smiled as she put another tray down and joked with the people around her. She’s lost weight, Zoe thought.

  Eva approached Zoe and dropped to her haunches beside her chair.

  “You are gorgeous,” Zoe whispered, getting a shy smile from Eva. She resisted kissing Eva in front of everyone. She took Eva’s hand and kissed it instead. “I love you. Are you enjoying yourself?”

  “I am.” Eva nodded, her ponytail bopping up and down. “How are you feeling?”

  “I’m good,” Zoe said with a slight smile. Eva looked dubious. “I’m a little tired, but it’s alright.”

  “You’re going to bed after all of this. You need to rest up.” Eva interlocked her long fingers with Zoe’s smaller ones. “Promise?”

  “Uh huh,” Zoe responded solemnly. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Eva’s father looking at them and mentally sighed at not being able to kiss her. Father Haralambos accepted them for who they were, but Zoe was still uncomfortable with him seeing her kiss Eva. He was, after all, a priest, and Eva’s father. She had no qualms about showing her love for Eva and would declare it to the whole world if she could, but was reserved about expressing her love around him.

  Eva was looking up at Zoe, a tiny smile playing on her lips as she gazed into Zoe’s eyes. There was no barrier there and Zoe felt as if no one else was around her. The look she was getting from Eva was rarely seen in front of other people. She reached down and brushed Eva’s dark hair. “I’m not going anywhere,” she whispered. “I’m feeling better than I have been since the accident.”

  Eva broke eye contact by taking a deep breath and dropped her head down as Zoe kissed the top of her head.

  “Are you alright?”

  Eva looked up and nodded. “I am,” she responded softly. She cleared her throat and rose to her full height. “Remember-”

  Zoe leaned in. “I’ll go to bed, I promise.” Eva’s smile widened. “I promise, promise, promise.”

  Eva laughed lightly. “I believe you.” She kissed Zoe’s hair and walked toward the kitchen.

  Chapter Two

  Eva leaned across on the kitchen bench and waited for Zoe to look her way. When she did, Eva blew her a kiss and an “I love you.” She smiled, knowing Zoe was going to be in the kitchen shortly.

  Moments later Zoe walked through the doorway and snaked her arms around Eva’s waist. Eva closed her eyes, smiled at Zoe's touch, and sighed. She put down the cup in her hand and turned in Zoe's embrace.

  “Hello,” she said, and leaned down for a gentle kiss on Zoe's lips. “I wondered how long it would take you to come inside.”

  “Did you now?”

  “I did.” Eva tweaked Zoe’s chin, which was a reversal of what Zoe usually did to her.

  “How is my old lady today?”

  “I have the most beautiful woman in my arms, so it's perfect now.” Eva gazed into Zoe’s sea-green eyes. “I love you.”

  Zoe sighed, hugged Eva, and rested her head on her chest. “I love you, my little Fraulein,” she said in German, much to Eva's delight.

  Zoe looked up with a twinkle in her green eyes and smiled. “Help me up.”

  She kissed Eva lightly and then rested her cane against the kitchen cabinet. She faced Eva, and they smiled at each other as Eva helped Zoe maneuver her way up to sit on the bench top so they were the same height.

  “Now just one more thing.” Zoe wrapped her legs around Eva’s body to bring her close and captured her lips for a long, passionate kiss. “Hmm, I like this.”

  They gazed at each other and laughed.

  “I do love it when you sit here.”

  “I love it when I sit here too,” Zoe mumbled as Eva nuzzled her neck. “You have to stop worrying, Evy. I saw it outside. You were doing it again.”

  “I’m scared of losing you. I nearly lost you on that stupid motorcycle.”

  “I know you’re scared, but I have to do one thing before I give it up.”

  Eva sighed deeply and closed her eyes. “Do you have to?”

  “Yes. It’s for me. I want to prove to myself that I’m not scared of getting back on.”

  Eva remained silent for the longest time. She wanted to give voice to the fear but also knew that Zoe wanted to face her own fears and exorcise them from her mind. “Can I ask you for one favor?”

  “Do you want to ride naked in the sidecar with me down Legacy Road?” Zoe quipped and grinned. “So it’s not that.” She shrugged. “Name it, and I’ll do it,” she said after a beat.

  “This will be the final ride?”

  “Yes. I promise I won’t ride Mabel again.”

  “Thank you,” Eva whispered before she leaned into Zoe and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

  “I love that song ‘I gaze into my love’.”

  “That record you keep playing and the one I want to destroy?” Eva giggled. She must have heard it a thousand times in the last six weeks. If Zoe loved a song, she would play it until she got tired of it and then it would disappear for a few months only to resurface again. Eva had entertained the thought of stomping near the record player to make the needle jump and scratch the record. Then she would have some peace, but she knew that Zoe would go out and buy the recording again.

  “Yes, that one,” Zoe said as she leaned in for a kiss. “There's a line that says…my heart goes flitter flutter when I gaze into your eyes.” She gazed lovingly into Eva's eyes. “My heart goes flitter flutter for you.”

  She traced her finger down Eva's full lips, and then trailed down her cotton shirt, unbuttoning two buttons and exposing Eva's lacy bra.

  Zoe followed her fingers with feather-light kisses. “Flitter flutter all night long.”

  Eva sighed at Zoe's touch.

  The kitchen door swung open.

  They stepped away from each other, and looked at the door, which swung back and shut.

  Zoe quickly closed
Eva's shirt with a frustrated groan.

  “Soon, love, soon,” Eva whispered and gave Zoe a kiss. “It's a little warm in this kitchen.”

  Zoe grinned and opened Eva's shirt again. “Ah, the promised land,” she whispered into Eva's chest. “Just a little while longer, Heidi and Helga.” She kissed the top of Eva's breast and grinned as Eva rocked with laughter. She cupped Eva's face and kissed her lightly. “I can't wait to get you alone. I've missed having you to myself.”

  “Heidi and Helga have been missing you.” She laughed at Zoe's penchant for naming things. This time it was her breasts, which had taken on personalities according to a very bored, bedridden Zoe. Zoe was also frustrated at not being able to make love to her, so she had decided to tease her instead.

  “I know.” Zoe lightly cupped Eva's right breast and sighed. “I touched Helga this morning.”

  “Yes, she told me.”

  “Hmm.” Zoe leaned in for a kiss. “She was very happy to see me.”

  “Heidi wasn't impressed,” Eva quipped, and they laughed. “I want to make love to you so much that it hurts,” she whispered.

  “Soon,” Zoe whispered. “Father H is going back home tonight. I'm going to ravish you.”

  “You are?”

  “I am.” Zoe grinned. “All. Night. Long.” She punctuated each word with a kiss. “You know what I missed while I got acquainted with my bed and not with your body?”

  “What's that?”

  Zoe brought Eva's hand up to her lips to kiss her knuckles and gazed into her eyes. “I missed hearing my name as we made love.”

  “I missed touching you and loving you every single minute of the day.” Eva sighed. They hadn't made love in over six weeks and that was frustrating both of them. Having her father in the house was great because he cared for Zoe while Eva was working, but it also caused Zoe to feel very uncomfortable.

  At first she couldn't because of the pain, and then the knowledge that someone else was in the next room killed the desire. Their libidos were willing but Zoe's shyness won. Zoe was a passionate woman who loved her and didn't care who knew it, but she just couldn't get past having Eva's father in the house while they made love. They tried soon after Zoe's cast was removed but quickly stopped when Zoe heard her father-in-law in the next room. The walls were not sound proof and that killed any more lovemaking.