Betrayal (6 page)

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Authors: Fern Michaels

BOOK: Betrayal
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“You all must think I'm crazy.” Kate laughed.
“Not to worry. We all have ‘those' days now and then. We got lost. I kept asking Fred to stop for directions.” Kathy offered Kate a conspiring smile. “You know men and directions. Before we wound up in Outer Mongolia, I called and asked Alex to meet us.”
Kate smiled at the younger woman. “That seems reasonable to me. I bet you all would love to see the new addition to the family.”
“Yeah! C'mon, Mom, we want to meet Rosie.” All three girls bounced up and down, barely able to contain their excitement.
“
Rosie?
” their parents asked in unison.
“That's what they've decided to call the new puppy,” Kathy informed them.
“I like that name,” Emily said.
Kate motioned for Alex to step aside. “Where do you think Sara is? I'm sure she's not at the house. I just hope to heavens she's . . . Ohmygod! Alex!”
“Kate, what is it?”
“What if whoever broke into the studio took Sara?” Kate's heart was beating so fast, she was sure it would explode from her chest any minute.
“Calm down. I'm sure there's an explanation for all of this. Let's wait and see what the police suggest. I'm going to take the Taylors to meet Rosie. Emily, wait here with Kate.”
Emily nodded. The Taylor family got back into their car and followed Alex's truck to the kennel.
“Aunt Kate, do you think Sara's okay? I mean, I'm sure she is, but when she said she wasn't feeling well, I thought she'd gone to the house to tell you.”
Kate didn't want to scare Emily any more than she was already. “As Alex said, there's an explanation for her . . . disappearance.” Kate couldn't stand to think further about Sara.
One minute at a time
, she told herself.
The three police officers sauntered across the drive, all appearing as if they were on a casual call. A cat stuck in a tree, Kate thought.
“Ma'am,” Officer Furdell said, “there doesn't seem to be any sign of forced entry. The bathroom is empty. We searched your house and the small cottage as well. The only thing we saw was a young girl sound asleep in one of the upstairs bedrooms.”
“Oh, thank God Sara's safe! I don't see how I could've missed her. But if she was sleeping, she must not've heard me call.”
The two officers smiled and returned to their cruisers. Officer Furdell reached in his breast pocket and pulled out one of his cards. “If you have any more problems, just call. I'm at a loss as to what happened in your studio, ma'am. I'm going to write up a vandalism report. If I were you, I'd change all the locks just to be on the safe side. This could be the work of some bored teenagers. You know how they are.” He gestured toward Emily. Kate wanted to say unfortunately she hadn't experienced the pleasure of raising a child, but decided it didn't matter. She gave Emily a wan smile.
“Thanks. I'll have Alex change the locks today.” She shook his offered hand, and, with a quick nod, he returned to his patrol car and headed down the drive.
“I need to check on Sara.”
“I'll go with you. I can't believe she didn't hear you. She's a light sleeper. Or nosy, I'm not sure which. She never seems to miss anything at home. She'll be surprised when she realizes she missed the cops. I can't imagine her sleeping through those loud sirens.”
Kate couldn't either but didn't say so out loud. She berated herself for the negative thoughts she had concerning Sara. Something was going on with her, and Kate was going to get to the bottom of it. Suddenly, she knew she didn't need to change the locks on the doors. She knew exactly what had happened to her studio. Until she could prove it, however, she would remain silent.
Chapter 5
“S
ara, you should've told me you were here. You scared us half to death,” Kate explained.
“I'm sorry, Aunt Kate. I was just so full from breakfast. That raw bacon you served made me so sick, all I wanted to do was lie down and rest. I might be poisoned.”
“I'd give her an enema. That'll clean her out. Just in case she's poisoned,” Emily said.
Kate laughed. “I think she'll be okay. I'll make sure you eat lightly for the next twenty-fours hours. If you're no better, then I'll take you to the emergency room myself,” Kate informed Sara.
“I'm okay. Now. This happens only when I eat raw pork. Mommy cooks it well-done, like I told you before,” she snapped.
“I promise this won't happen again. Emily, Alex is still at the kennel with the Taylor family. Why don't you run down there and see if he needs any help. I'm going to stay with Sara a while before I tackle the mess in the studio.”
Kate hadn't mentioned one word about the police or the so-called break-in to Sara. She wanted to watch her, see if she hinted at anything about it, which would cast suspicion on her.
“You're sure you don't need me here? I can start cleaning the studio when the Taylors leave.”
“No, I don't want you to risk hurting yourself, just go see if Alex needs your help. Tell the Taylors I've got a sick child and can't say good-bye. I'm sure they'll understand.”
“Okay.” Emily paused, glaring at her sister. “Don't give Aunt Kate any trouble.”
“See, this is what she does all the time! She blames me for stuff I don't even do. I can't wait till Mommy gets back. I'm going to tell her—”
“Enough, Sara,” Kate admonished.
“Well, I am going to tell her about almost dying from food poisoning. I bet she'll never let me out of her sight again. She won't want to go on one of those stupid cruise ships ever again!” Sara whirled out of the room like a fast-moving tide.
“Of course I'll tell your mother you were sick. Which reminds me, I need to call them before they arrive in Cape Canaveral,” she said to Sara's back as the obnoxious child raced out of the room.
Kate shook her head and left the room, with Emily at her heels.
“She's so mean, Aunt Kate. I don't believe she was sick, do you?”
“I don't know. I do know that I didn't serve raw bacon for breakfast. It was probably too much grease. She's at a difficult age, Em, remember that.” That was lame, but it was all Kate could come up with.
“Yeah. Okay,” Emily agreed. She left through the kitchen, heading for the kennel.
Finally, with a few minutes to herself, Kate sat at the kitchen table in order to contemplate her next move. Of course she'd have to clean up the studio. She would call Nancy and tell her she wouldn't be able to make the exhibition after all. There were plenty of other artisans who could take her space. Then she would talk to Alex. She'd tell him her misgivings. From there, they would decide what to do.
She'd wait until the girls left before she would allow herself a pity-party over the destruction of her earthenware and the lost opportunity. Months of work, gone, in the blink of an eye. She had an idea of what might've ignited Sara's desire to destroy but wouldn't mention it just yet. She hated to accuse anyone without hard evidence, especially a child; but in this case, she felt she had good reason to be suspicious of Sara.
Suddenly, Kate wished the two weeks were over, then felt a flash of guilt. She'd enjoyed so many summers and spring breaks with both of the girls, especially now that they were older. She loved teaching them new things, loved to see the smiles of satisfaction when they discovered something that excited them. This particular visit had just gotten off to a bad start.
Trying to talk herself out of her negative thoughts, Kate opened the freezer in search of something to prepare for dinner. She took out a whole chicken and placed it in the sink to thaw. She'd make her favorite chicken with yellow rice. That shouldn't hurt Sara's stomach. For dessert she'd serve lime sorbet with sugar cookies. She took frozen cookie dough she'd made earlier in the week from the freezer and placed it on the countertop. When she was stressed, cooking acted like a sedative to her. She started to relax as she set about her simple tasks.
Kate cooked the rice and put it inside the fridge for later. She sliced the partially frozen dough, placed the round circles on a cookie sheet, and put them on a shelf in the refrigerator. With nothing more to do in the kitchen, she knew it was time to confront the disaster that awaited her in the studio. She grabbed a broom and dust pan from the utility room, along with a couple of brown paper bags. Taking the same path she had earlier, Kate wondered how it was possible that she'd missed Sara in the act of destroying her earthenware collection. Why hadn't she heard the pottery as it shattered? She'd been occupied with thoughts of Debbie and Don, but had she been that distracted? Admittedly, yes. She'd been so intent on her thoughts, she hadn't paid much attention to anything around her. She prayed she was wrong about Sara, but she knew there was no other explanation.
Once inside the studio, Kate dispassionately swept the remains of months of hard work into the paper bags, telling herself there would be another time for her dreams. She'd start a new project when things slowed down at the restaurant. She still had her cooking classes to keep her busy, not to mention all of the baking she did for the restaurant and its many customers during the Christmas season. Once the holidays were over, she and Alex would go back to sharing the events of their day together over a nice glass of wine and a meal prepared by her. Sometimes they would go out, but mostly, they liked being alone at home together. It wasn't unusual for Alex to make several nighttime trips to the kennel when he had a new litter of pups. Evenings out weren't that frequent either, and that was fine by her. She liked their life as it was, and hated the thought of it changing. She told herself this visit with the girls would get better, it
had
to. She still wasn't sure what, if anything, to say to Sara. For the moment, she would wait and discuss it with Alex.
Half an hour later, Kate disposed of the last bag of broken clay in the garbage can. It was hot, and she wanted to get a shower before Sara woke up. If she was even asleep at all. Kate glanced around the studio one last time just to make sure there were no broken slivers of pottery. Her gaze swept the long, narrow room. Sun from the skylight twinkled leaf-shaped patterns over the oak floors. She didn't see a sparkle or anything she thought could be a sliver of glazed clay. She'd just be careful not to wear flip-flops in the studio for the next few weeks. Not that she had any reason to work in her studio for a while. Since her collection of earthenware was long gone, she closed the door without another glance. Later, she would return and decide on a new pattern. She'd never be able to re-create what had been destroyed.
Back inside the house, Kate was quiet as she took the steps to the upstairs bedroom where Sara was napping. She wasn't trying to be sneaky. She just wanted to make sure that if Sara was sleeping, she didn't wake her. A crack in the bedroom door revealed Sara curled into the fetal position. Her eyes were closed. Kate gave the child the benefit of the doubt. She would assume she was truly sleeping. With her hand on the knob, she was about to close the door when she spied Sara's sneakers on the floor. One shoe lay on its side, revealing the bottom of the shoe. Embedded in the beige-colored rubber sole were several shards of red earthenware. Her hand shook as she quietly opened the door. Careful not to disturb Sara, she scooped the shoe off the floor and hurried out of the room. Kate entered the master bedroom, then closed and locked the door behind her. She placed the sneaker on her bed. Before she had second thoughts, she went to the bathroom to get a plastic bag from beneath the sink. She put the shoe with the slivers embedded in the sole in the bag. She took the bag to her closet. Once inside, she stood there in a daze. Both sides were filled with her clothes. Alex's were kept in a smaller closet in the second spare bedroom. Someday she'd downsize and wouldn't need the entire closet. Riffling through the clothes at the back of the closet, Kate found an old leather jacket she hadn't worn since high school. She tucked the shoe in the inside pocket. She wasn't sure why she did this, but it seemed like the right thing to do. Kate didn't know how to approach Sara with the incriminating shoe, but at least she had tangible evidence that there had not been a break-in. That part was a relief, but knowing that Sara was responsible for the damage alarmed her even more, especially after the conversation she'd had with Emily. Sara needed help, and she needed it soon, before her shenanigans escalated into something much worse. Kate remembered what Emily had told her about Sara and her mistreatment of their neighbor's cat.
Sara needed help.
And she needed it right away.
Chapter 6
B
ecause of bad weather in the Caribbean, Don and Debbie arrived to pick up the girls a day early. Kate had managed to keep Sara out of trouble for the remainder of her stay. After much thought, she'd allowed Alex and Gertie to believe they'd had a burglar. She knew she should've told Alex that Sara was responsible, but something held her back. She hated being deceitful, but Alex enjoyed the girls' visits so much, she just didn't have the heart to tarnish his image of Sara. She, too, had enjoyed Emily and Sara, even if Sara had complained constantly. She reasoned that it had taken twelve years to turn her into a spoiled young girl. Kate knew she couldn't expect a miracle in the short time she'd spent with them. She decided to speak privately with Don before they left.
As usual, Kate made a hearty breakfast for everyone. Pecan waffles, sausage patties, and pan-fried new potatoes with onions and green peppers. She sliced cantaloupe and honeydew melons for herself and Debbie. After they'd finished their meal, Debbie went upstairs with the girls to help them pack. Alex and Don drank their coffee while Kate put the dishes in the dishwasher.
With all the pups adopted out from the last litter, Kate knew Alex wouldn't be in a major rush to head out to the kennels. She needed to get him out of the room for a few minutes. “Alex, why don't you run upstairs and help Deb take the girls' luggage to the car.”
Alex stood up and stretched. “I think she wants me to get to work.”
Don laughed. “Then you'd better get your ass out of here.”
Alex gave Kate a hurried kiss on the cheek.
Kate didn't have much time. She dried her hands on a kitchen towel and grabbed the pot of coffee. She refilled Don's cup and her own with the last two cups. Don made things easy for her when he said, “Is there something you want to talk about?”
She nodded. “It's Sara.”
“I figured as much. What mischief did the little monster get into this time?”
Kate wished it were something as simple as childhood mischief. “I'm afraid it's more than that, Don. She seems to have trouble telling the truth. I don't know if she mentioned this to you or Deb. The day you left—”
“Don, get the hell out here!” Debbie shouted from the living room.
He stood. “Duty calls. And Kate, thanks for taking care of the girls. As for Sara, I know she's a handful. I think being the youngest is hard on her. I'll keep an eye out, though.”
Before Kate could even begin her account of what had happened, Don left the kitchen. She followed him, but much to her dismay, Debbie and both girls were ready to leave. Their luggage was already in the car. Now all she needed to do was say her good-byes. She really needed to talk to Don about Sara. She would call him as soon as they returned to Florida. It might even be easier that way. Kate wouldn't have to see the look on his face when she told him about the incident in her studio. Yes, it was better that way. After all, what could Sara do in the next twenty-four hours while they were all in the car together?
“We had a great time, Aunt Kate. I can't wait till Christmas break. You're letting us come up then, right, Dad?” Emily asked.
“If Kate and Alex still want to have you, it's fine with me. Debbie?” he questioned.
“Whatever, Don. You'd think you girls would want to be with your family at Christmas, but as usual, you both do whatever you want.” Debbie glanced at the gold Rolex watch on her wrist. “We need to go. I don't want to get a late start.”
Kate hugged both girls. “We'll see you at Christmas this year. Make sure and send us a list so I'll have plenty of time to send it to Santa.” She'd been saying that to the girls for as long as she could remember. And even though, obviously, neither of them still believed in Santa Claus, they still continued to send her long lists every year.
“I don't want to come here for Christmas. It's too cold,” Sara said to her mother.
“That's months away, Sara. We'll discuss it later.” Debbie nudged Sara toward the front door. “Let's get in the car.”
Kate and Alex hugged the girls one last time. Don gave Alex a quick hug, while Debbie gave her usual air kisses.
“Call us when you get home so we know you made it,” Alex said to Don.
“Remember, I've got that cell phone in the car if you need to get in touch before we get home.”
“I'll do that. You be safe, old man.” Alex placed a hand on Don's shoulder, gave a quick pat, then a nudge, pushing him toward the Explorer. “Now get out of here. Take care of those girls.”
“Will do,” Don said.
As they traveled down the winding drive, Kate watched them leave. She experienced an eerie feeling, so strange in fact that she was uncomfortable. She stood on the front porch until their vehicle was no longer in sight. A sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach caused her to run to the edge of the drive. She needed one last look at their car. She didn't know why, but something about their departure nagged at her in a bad way. She shook her head, telling herself it was because she'd let Don leave without speaking about Sara. Never mind that she'd almost convinced herself it was better to do over the phone. No, this was more. Something she couldn't quite put a finger on.
Kate went back to the house, feeling bereft. She should've been happy to have her home all to herself again. She and Alex could go back to their normal routine. Gertie would take care of most of the work at the kennel, allowing them the evenings together. But something continued to raise the hair on the back of her neck. Ominous and menacing feelings destroyed her composure.
She shook her head to clear her negative thoughts.
This is stupid,
she told herself. She wandered back to the kitchen, where she felt most comfortable. Wanting to take her mind off the girls, Kate decided to work on one of the dishes she'd been thinking about for the restaurant. The Ladies Club was having their monthly luncheon next week. She wanted to try something different, and they would be the perfect group. Kate always gave them her recipes to try out at home. Not once had Kate heard a complaint. A few of them had even called her at home for ideas on what to make for their husbands' dinner parties, kids' birthdays, and even a bar mitzvah. She loved sharing her knowledge of food with others.
Kate took all the ingredients she needed from the fridge. She sliced a lime and squeezed the juice into a bowl. A dollop of horseradish, fresh garlic, and olive oil followed. She whipped the mixture with a fork, then dabbed her finger in the bowl and licked it. “Not bad.” A little ground black pepper and another touch of olive oil should do the trick. She knew most members of the Ladies Club were always watching their figures, so instead of the traditional fat-laden mayonnaise dressing used in Crab Louis, she wanted something light, with just a hint of citrus flavor. As she tasted, she made notes in a spiral notebook. Later, she would write out the exact measurements, but for now she simply listed the ingredients.
Half an hour later, Kate finished in the kitchen. Feeling depressed, she went in search of Alex and Gertie. They'd all go out for dinner and celebrate. What, she didn't know. What she did know was that she needed to be around friends and family to distract her from her dark thoughts.
Deciding they truly wanted to celebrate, Kate, Alex, and Gertie took the extra time to drive to the Grove Park Inn in Asheville. With three different restaurants to choose from, they selected the Sunset Terrace, noted for the best views in town of the Blue Ridge mountains.
They ordered twelve-ounce filets, topped with a Cognac-mushroom sauce. Roasted fingerling potatoes with rosemary butter and a sun-dried tomato Caesar salad completed their meals. After finishing their dinner, Kate felt more relaxed than she had in two weeks.
“I'm glad I don't eat like this often. I wouldn't be able to move,” Alex observed.
“Are you saying I don't feed you enough?” Kate asked teasingly.
“More than enough. These portions are enough to feed a family of four,” Alex replied.
“I don't think so. Look at Sara. Why, I never saw a girl eat so much,” Gertie added.
Kate's stomach flip-flopped. She didn't even want to think about Sara, let alone discuss her eating habits. She couldn't say this to Gertie or Alex without revealing why, so she said nothing, waiting for Alex to comment. When he didn't, Gertie continued, “There's something about that child that isn't right. I don't know what it is, but I bet she's gonna be trouble when she's older.”
If she only knew
, Kate thought.
“She's young. Don told me she was jealous of Emily. I think she'll grow out of whatever's bothering her soon enough. She's at a tough stage. I think she just wants Debbie's attention,” Alex said to Gertie.
“You could be right, but I think it's more than that.”
Kate perked up. “What do you mean?” Did Gertie know something more about Sara's behavior that she hadn't told her?
“Something I can't put a finger on. She's a schemer, that much I do know. I'd watch that one if I were her parents. She's going to break their hearts.” Gertie shook her head, her soft gray curls bouncing as she did so.
“Let's change the subject.” Kate's thoughts formed into words before she could stop them.
“Yes, let's talk about that vacation we've been putting off for the past three years,” Alex said.
Alex had been so busy with the kennels and Kate with her cooking classes and work at the restaurant, they hadn't even considered taking a vacation. Oh, they talked about it, but that was it. Now was a good time.
“Oh, a vacation sounds wonderful, Alex. But where would we go? I can't think of a place that's more beautiful than our front yard,” Kate said, and she meant it. Her and Alex's home had a prime view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In the fall, Kate could hardly stand to work inside. The springtime was just as remarkable. The winters in Asheville weren't bad either. At that moment, Kate felt as though her life couldn't have been more perfect.
“We've never been on a cruise. Don left some pamphlets for us to look at. Maybe it's time we sailed the high seas.”
Kate laughed. “I don't think sailing to the Caribbean would be considered the ‘high seas,' but I'd certainly be willing to see what a cruise has to offer.”
“I'll look after the dogs. Bella isn't due for another month, so that should give you plenty of time to take a cruise,” Gertie commented.
Bella was Alex's favorite, and Kate knew he'd want to be the one to help bring her pups into the world. Even though she wasn't due for another month, Kate didn't want to take a chance. Bella could have the pups early. It would break Alex's heart if he was gone when she delivered.
“Maybe after Bella has the pups we'll go,” Kate suggested.
Alex reached for her hand, giving it a squeeze. He didn't want to leave so soon either, Kate thought. She placed her hand on his forearm, gently caressing the firm muscles.
“What, you don't think I can take care of Bella?” Gertie asked.
Alex laughed out loud. “I think you're more than capable, old girl. I trust you more than anyone. You should know that by now. We're just in the planning stages anyway. Kate might hate the thought of going on a cruise. No land in sight for days. Nothing to do but lounge by the pool, drink those funny little fruity drinks with umbrellas. Have some young stud waiting on her hand and foot. Plus, she wouldn't be able to prepare our meals. I don't know if she'd like that or not.”
Kate gave a playful punch to his shoulder. “And you are so full of it, Alex Rocket, your eyes are swimming in it.”
“I know you. After two or three days with nothing to do, you'd go stir-crazy.”
Kate knew he was right. “Maybe. We'll think about a cruise. Later. For now, I think we need to pay the check and go home. Our waiter is giving us the evil eye.”
It was after eleven and the restaurant had closed at ten. “Leave a super-big tip, too,” Kate added.
 
 
As they were getting ready for bed, Alex seemed on edge. Kate asked if something was bothering him.
“Nah, just tired. It was a long two weeks. I'm ready to settle down into our routine again. How 'bout you?”
“The visit did seem a bit longer than normal. I guess it's because we're getting older and don't have the energy we used to,” Kate hedged.
“I suppose you're right. It stinks,” Alex said.
“What?”
“You know. Getting old.”
Kate smiled in the mirror. Alex was lying on the bed with a Stephen King book opened, lying on his flat stomach. She tissued off the remainder of her eye makeup. “I think getting old is a wonderful thing. It sure beats the alternative.” She thought of her parents. She only wished they were here with her. She wished she could tell them she had married Alex. They would've approved.

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