Cat Burglar in Training (25 page)

I wondered how he’d feel when I spoke the truth instead of skirting around my past as I usually did. No matter how he reacted, it was time.

“You were meant to wait,” Kahu growled from the doorway. “I was worried, damn it.”

Father remained silent for once. Actually, none of the terrible trio said a word. Hannah gestured at an empty chair beside me and found another mug. She pushed a mug of black tea at Kahu and joined us at the table.

Kahu’s gaze scanned each of the terrible trio before coming to rest on me. He’d obviously decided it was pointless trying to get rid of them. Wise move.

My hand tightened around my mug. My other hand rested in my lap, my nails digging painfully into my palm. It was the only way I had to control the dull ache of foreboding, the desperate need to hide.

“Tell me what happened,” he said in his husky voice.

Despite my inner anguish, I wished I’d managed to stay at his flat instead of running. I should have talked to him, told him the truth. I set down my mug.

“Eve?”

Cognizant of my prevarication, I met his gaze. Instantly, my anxiety shifted to something else. Awareness. He reached for my hand and heat engulfed me. Briefly, I closed my eyes. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes again to stare down at the table.

“This started six years ago,” I said, forcing myself to start. “I went to a Christmas party with a group of friends. At some stage during the night—”

“Eve,” Hannah said urgently. “You don’t have to rehash the past. It’s been and gone. We understand.”

I gulped at the compassion in Hannah’s voice, the unreserved support. I stared at her through glistening tears, a smile on my face. “It’s time,” I said simply.

A glance at Kahu told me he was confused, but he remained silent and I continued.

“At some stage during the night, someone spiked my champagne. I don’t remember much of the night, but the next morning I woke up naked in a hotel room.”

Kahu’s hand tightened on mine to a painful grip. I don’t even think he was aware of his reaction. His expression remained neutral.
Cop mode
, Ben called it. But I noticed his eyes. They glowed with intense fury on my behalf, and it gave me the courage to continue.

“I had no idea what had happened, but it was obvious I’d been raped. I tried to discover who paid for the room, but the hotel staff wouldn’t tell me.”

“Rape?” Father spluttered. “You let us assume…”

“I was eighteen and frightened. Besides, what could you have done?”

“I would’ve found the bastard and shot him. That’s what!” Father shouted, jumping to his feet.

“Let her finish,” Hannah snapped, her own eyes fierce with emotion.

Father sat, his wiry body full of tension. “Carry on.”

“I didn’t know what to do so I went home and tried to ignore the whole thing. About six weeks later, I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I discovered I was pregnant. I went to France to live with my godmother. The plan was to have the baby and adopt it out. At the time I agreed, but the minute I saw Amber, I wanted to keep her. She belonged to me.”

Kahu’s hand flexed around mine. “How does this connect to tonight?”

“Until this year, I hadn’t returned to England. I stayed in France. When I was at a party earlier this year, I saw a picture of a child. The child was…is Amber’s double. All the old anger came back. I wanted revenge.”

“Hell.” Kahu’s gaze arrowed to my face. “But you didn’t shoot the Beauchamp brothers. Millicent Beauchamp fired the bullets, according to Richard.”

I nodded. “It took me a while to put the pieces of the puzzle together. No one knew anything, and I couldn’t ask openly without tipping my hand.”

“Who’s Amber’s father?” Father leapt to his feet again and pranced up and down the kitchen in a high temper. “Which one of those Beauchamp weasels do I go after?”

“Amber’s father is dead,” I said.

“Matthew Beauchamp is Amber’s father,” Kahu said, putting the pieces together quicker than the trio.

“I hope he suffered,” Father spat, doing another circuit of the kitchen.

“Millicent Beauchamp shot him point blank in the chest,” Kahu said. “Then she shot her husband. What we aren’t clear on is why. I’m hoping you’ll be able to help me.”

Remembering the hate in Millicent Beauchamp’s voice made me shudder, and the horror of knowing how close I’d come to being her next victim didn’t help.

“She took exception to Richard’s infidelity. Matthew’s wife kicked him out of the family home earlier in the evening for the same reason. He wanted to stay with Richard until he talked his wife into taking him back. Millicent said no, and she took a gun out of her purse and shot him. When Richard ran into the room, she shot him next. She seemed to snap.”

“Evie,” Hannah said. “We’re lucky you’re still alive.”

“She shot at me too. I think she thought she’d killed me, but she didn’t check.” My laugh sounded strained as I recalled the woman’s actions. “She wanted a cup of tea, and I heard her muttering about the housekeeper. I don’t know what happened after that because I left.”

Kahu nodded. “Your story matches Richard’s.”

The terrible trio rounded on him as one.

Father glared. “What do you mean by that?”

“You can’t think Evie would shoot them,” Hannah snapped.

“The girl wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Ben said.

“I didn’t say she was a suspect,” Kahu said. “Another woman was shot at the ball last night.”

“Millicent was covered with blood when she arrived home,” I said. “Do you think she did it? She was carrying the gun in her handbag.”

“We’re checking into that. I’ll need you to come into the station and sign a statement. Later today will do.” He paused to study the terrible trio. “Can I talk to you in private?”

“Evie’s been through a bad time. She needs her rest,” Hannah said.

Ben narrowed his eyes. “You said she wasn’t in trouble.”

“Can’t you leave my daughter alone?” Father glowered fiercely.

Kahu ignored them. “Eve?”

While part of me wanted to talk to him, the other part felt like a kid frightened of the dark. I stood on unsteady legs. “We can talk on the way out to the car.”

Kahu followed me from the kitchen. A spate of indignant chatter broke out once we left the room. I figured I’d receive a few lectures once they got their hands on me.

Outside, by common consent, we turned for the gardens instead of the car. We rounded a camellia bush and stopped out of sight of the kitchen. I turned to face him and found myself snatched to his chest and held so tight I could hardly breathe.

“God, Eve,” he murmured into my hair. “I nearly lost it when I learned the address of the shooting was the location you’d rang me from earlier. And when you disappeared…” He pulled away and gave me an abrupt shake. “Don’t ever do that to me again. I swear I aged ten years.”

“I’m sorry. I just wanted to come home.”

We stared at each other, and I swallowed.

“I don’t care about the past,” he said passionately. “We can deal with it together. When I came to England to search for my brother, I didn’t expect to find a woman like you. And now I’ve found you and Amber, I’m not about to lose you.”

“I’m sorry about the other night. I panicked.”

“It’s okay. I understand.” He kissed me, his lips hard and searching before they gentled. When he finally pulled away we were both breathing hard. “I haven’t made much headway on my search for my brother, but I’m not letting you go without a fight.”

“Maybe you can talk to Richard Beauchamp while he’s in hospital.”

“I hope so. He’s the only lead I have. I don’t want to talk about that now. Tell me we have a future.”

I closed my eyes, unable to contain my delight. Kahu was handing me a dream—the possibility of something more than friends, despite knowing about my hang-ups firsthand.

“What do you say?” Humor lit his face. “Should we start afresh?”

Hell, yes.
“I’d like that. I thought I’d make an appointment to talk things through with a professional.”

“Whatever you want. We’ll take things slow. As long as I know you’re interested in trying.”

I thought about it. The main obstacle was the family business. Father would have a cow when I told him I intended to date a cop for real. But the glimmer of an idea had brewed at the back of my mind for the last few weeks. Father and Ben had lucked out with their newfound business. There was no reason why we couldn’t take up the investigation business fulltime. Make it official, with the necessary qualifications.

The other problem was the debt to Beauchamp. I intended to have a private talk with Richard as soon as possible.

“Eve? You’ve gone all quiet on me.”

“Do you think she murdered the other women?”

“I don’t know. I need to head back to London to question her.”

I needed to tell Kahu of my plans even though he probably wouldn’t approve. “Do you know if Richard is receiving visitors?”

“I don’t think—” He broke off and tucked a curl of hair behind my ear. “You want to tie up loose ends.”

“I need to know the truth. For myself and Amber.”

“Where is Amber?”

I sucked in a quick breath and prepared to lie, but that would be a bad start to an honest relationship. “She’s gone to visit Renee, my godmother in France.”

“She’s a great kid.”

“Yeah.” I relaxed a fraction. “I miss her.”

Kahu glanced at his watch. “I understand why you want to see Richard. I don’t like it, but I understand. Why don’t you come up to London tomorrow? The statement can wait until then. Beauchamp will be in the theater now having the bullet removed.”

“He’ll be okay?”

“So they say.” He stole another kiss and reluctantly released me. “I’d better go. Get some sleep, okay? Ring me later.”

The tenderness in his eyes and the contrasting furrow of his brow made my breath catch with anticipation. A future.

“I’ll call you tonight.” I lifted my hand and watched him drive away.

“What do you intend to do?” Hannah asked when I joined the terrible trio in the kitchen.

“Right now I’m going to have a shower and catch up on some sleep. Tomorrow, I’m going to speak with Richard.”

“We’re coming with you,” Father said, his tone forceful.

“No.” Hannah shook her head.

“No.” I spoke at the same time as Hannah. “I need to do this on my own.”

Despite Father’s continuing arguments, the next morning I set off for London on my own. Since the instant I’d first seen the photos, I’d hungered for revenge. Millicent Beauchamp had wrenched the opportunity away. Now a flat sensation filled me. Some might call it depression.

The ward nurse refused to let me see Richard until visiting hours. I purchased a cup of nasty-tasting coffee from the hospital café and stalked the corridors, silently rehearsing the questions I wanted to ask.

It was early afternoon before I stomped into Richard’s hospital room and drew up a chair to make myself comfortable.

“Lady Eve.”

“Eve,” I said, some of my resolve fading on seeing his pale face. The man had been shot and left for dead by his wife, no less. “How are you?”

“My shoulder hurts like a bitch.”

“You’re alive.”

“Thanks to you,” Richard said.

“Which means you owe me.”

He offered a tired grin. “I’ll waive the interest charges on the loan. You’ll need to repay the principal, but that’s all.”

“That’s great.” The attitude oozed out of me. I stared at him, my stomach twisting into knots. I’d have to tell Richard about the rape, and I couldn’t count on him to hold his tongue. Yet I couldn’t go through life without learning the final bits of the puzzle.

“There’s something else. Something I have to ask you, but first I need you to promise you’ll keep whatever I say confidential.”

“Now you’ve intrigued me.”

“Do you promise?”

“I don’t make blind promises.” The hard-headed business attitude didn’t hold the same power from a hospital sickbed.

“It’s personal, to do with my daughter.”

Curiosity blazed in him then. “Does she look like you?”

“No, not really.” My heart raced at taking this next step. I swallowed and pushed the words out. “She looks like your niece.”

Richard frowned. “India? Is that why you were waving India’s photo at me?”

“Is India one of Matthew’s children?”

His brows arched higher. “You had an affair with Matthew?”

“No!” I said in a harsh voice. “Your brother slipped a date drug into my drink at a Christmas party six years ago. Until recently I didn’t know the identity of Amber’s father. I happened to see a photo at someone’s house.” Thankfully, he didn’t click that it was at Perdita’s.

Richard cursed, so quietly I didn’t hear the exact oath. He fumbled for my hand and squeezed it hard. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

Matthew hadn’t boasted of his act to his brother. “That’s what I was doing at your house. I wanted to gather my final facts before I confronted him.”

Sympathy shone in Richard’s eyes. He sized up the situation immediately. “Millicent took away your chance to hear the truth.”

“Yeah.”

“God, Matthew always took exactly what he wanted. I know he was my brother, but he was a selfish bastard.”

“Do you think your sister-in-law would consent to a DNA test? For…India?”

“I’ll organize it.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s the least I can do after Matthew… Look, I hate to think of leaving my new niece penniless. We’ll draw up a contract and a new repayment schedule once I get back to the office. I’ll notify my associates to let them know I’ve waived further payments until then.”

“Thanks.” Relief filled me at his words. At last, Amber would be safe. The threats to her safety would cease, and I wouldn’t have to worry every time she left Oakthorpe. Some of the stress that had followed me around for the last months lifted from my shoulders. The easing of the payments would make life easier for all of us, and I’d keep the terrible trio on the straight and narrow if it was the last thing I did.

Richard eased his body to a more comfortable position. “This probably isn’t the right time, but would you consider going on a date with me? Once I’m healthy again.”