Character Witness (29 page)

''
And you didn't find anything?'' Michael asked.

''
No drugs, no.'' Sarah wound a length of hair around her finger. She didn't look at anyone. ''I just fell apart. I went out to feed the rabbits. I just sat there with them feeling how warm they were. I cried a lot. The hutch is back in the real woodsy area. I thought they'd like it there. You can see it from the house, but just barely. So, I just sat there trying to figure out how drugs had gotten into Lionel. Then the day I went to court, the first day I saw all of you?'' She waited while they nodded. ''When I came home I realized someone must have put drugs in Lionel. I knew then that someone killed my husband.''

''
Sarah,'' Kathleen breathed. ''Why on earth would you think that?''

''
Because someone is trying to kill me too.'' Sarah looked from one to another. She wasn't asking for their belief or their sympathy. She was simply stating a fact. ''Whoever they were broke into the house when I was back with the rabbits the day Lionel died. They moved things. They stayed in my house. I watched but it was dark when they came, and I was scared. I didn't see exactly who it was. I'd never been so afraid.''

Sarah stood up. She was still afraid. She wrung her hands and paced.

''
I convinced myself it was a burglary even though they didn't take anything. But they were odd burglars because they had suits on and they were very, very big.'' Sarah clasped her hands in front of her and continued with the recital. ''Then, after I went into court, and said what I had to say, I was really upset. I went to see my rabbits the first thing when I got back here. This time I knew something really bad was happening because of Lionel. All my rabbits were dead. All of those sweet little rabbits with their necks broken. I went to get a shovel. Those men had been inside again. This time the house was ransacked. They would have killed me if I'd been here. I know it.''

Sarah wound her fingers together tightly and held her hands chest high. There were tears in her good eye.

''
I picked everything up; I buried my rabbits out back. I got the gun, and I waited. I almost gave up because nothing's happened for so long. Then you came and I shot at you. I'm glad I didn't hurt you, but you've got to understand how it's been around here ever since Lionel died. I don't know any of you people. I don't know if you want to hurt me or help me. I loved Lionel, but I don't want to die because of him.''

That was the end. She was done talking. Sarah walked out of their little circle and went to the closet where Kathleen had put the gun. Michael tensed and half stood, but Kathleen held him back. Calmly, Sarah set up a step stool and pushed open a slot in the closet ceiling and rummaged about. When she returned, she was holding a manila envelope not the shotgun.

''
I'm sure this is what they wanted. This is what got Lionel killed. I found it when I was looking for drugs. He'd hidden it up there.'' She held it out to Michael. It lay gingerly on the open palms of her hands as if she feared spontaneous combustion.

''
Then if he
was
killed -'' Kathleen mused with awe.

''
We're talking murder,'' Michael muttered.

''
We're talking settlement,'' Louise scoffed.

CHAPTER TWELVE

''
Good morning.''

Kathleen sat on the edge of the chair nearest the couch. She'd been watching Michael for at least ten minutes, a juice glass in her hand, before she realized what she was doing. When he opened his eyes and smiled she thought she'd die of desire - and embarrassment.

''
Good morning,'' she said, horrified to find she was whispering. A bedroom voice is what her mother had called it. Kathleen had been forbidden to use it in her mother's house. But this wasn't her mother's house and this wasn't her bedroom. How liberating. She grinned and held up the small glass as if to prove she had no intention of seducing him ''I brought you juice. I don't drink coffee, but I could run down to the corner and pick some up if you want.''

Michael put his hands by his sides to push himself up. He didn't get very far. Wincing, he examined his bandaged hand.

''
It wasn't a dream?''

Kathleen shook her head and tried out a hang-dog expression.

'''
Fraid not.''

He shook out the pain and scooted into position. The sheet fell away from his bare chest. It was a very fine chest, sprinkled with dark curling hair, shot here and there with silver. The hours on the boat kept him more than fit. The hours under the sun had turned his skin golden brown. Kathleen stood up and handed him the glass. He took it. She didn't let go.

''
You have a very fine couch.'' He talked as if he woke up there often. ''I hope Sarah slept as well.''

Kathleen laughed gently, happy to play the game. But she knew, that he knew, that she was feeling less than comfortable - in the nicest sort of way. ''Sarah probably isn't sure what hit her. Can you imagine being carted away by Louise Booker?''

''
I don't know. Those ladies seem to be well suited to each other in an odd sort of way.'' Michael wriggled to settle himself. Kathleen kept talking.

''
It was nice that Louise offered Sarah a place to go. That poor lady has to be scared out of her wits by all this. No wonder she wanted Louise to take everything. She probably thought Louise had sent some hit men out to get her.''

''
I can see why she might have thought that.'' Michael murmured. He looked at the juice then he looked up at her. ''My arm's getting tired.''

''
Oh,'' Kathleen let go of the glass. He took it, but before Kathleen could turn away, he caught her hand with his good one.

''
No you don't. Come here.'' Gently he pulled her toward him, tugging until she figured out that he wanted her to sit. He wanted her near. She did what he wanted.

Carefully Michael put the glass on the coffee table and his hands around her waist. Then, with the most marvelously subtle moves, he pulled her down until her hands lay flat against his chest and her lips touched his lips. He kissed her lightly once, twice, three times and then he wasn't kissing her anymore. Michael Crawford was looking at her, smiling a smile that, according to her mother, should have banned him from the neighborhood for life. If only mom - and Cherie - could see her now. ''How are you feeling?''

''
Nervous,'' she answered, not completely in her right mind.

''
I mean how are you?'' He laughed.

''
Sore.''

''
Where?''

''
My head.'' Kathleen dipped her head and smelled the sleep on him. He kissed her head.

''
Anywhere else?''

''
My shoulder.''

Michael touched the neck of her tee-shirt and pulled it away to bare her shoulder. His lips missed their mark and hit that fabulous spot just to the side of her neck.

''
Other shoulder,'' Kathleen managed to say and he obliged.

''
Better?''

''
Much.''

''
Your knee?'' Before she could stop him he leaned sideways and planted one on the bandage on her knee and Kathleen felt a stab of painful pleasure just north of that kiss. It made her think the world had opened up and was ready to swallow her. She had the most awful urge to start praying that it would.

''
All right?'' he asked. All she could do was nod. ''Good.'' He sat her half-way up and scooted so that he was nestled back against the pillows. His hands held her wrists.

''
I like the new you.''

Kathleen lowered hers eyes. It was the same old her, the one she worked so hard to improve and she couldn't imagine how he could like her this way. Her 'face' had always seemed so important to her, her carefully made up face. Magazines told her that no one paid attention to a woman without it. Every successful woman on the television and billboards and the streets of Beverly Hills had it. Now Michael Crawford was telling her he could care less.

''
The T-shirt's nice, too.''

She turned her head slightly. ''We used to give them to new clients at Dorty & Breyer. It was silly. It was a law office, not an ice cream parlor.''

''
Why are you so ashamed of it?'' A finger under the chin brought her back to him.

''
I'm not. I'm not,'' she insisted and looked at him. He knew she was lying. ''Okay, I'm kind of ashamed. It was an office in a strip mall. I handled divorces where there were no assets. Anybody could have filled out the paperwork. I used to pretend I was the receptionist then run to my desk and put on my attorney hat just to make it seem like we knew what we were doing, like we were real honest to God lawyers. I always wanted to feel like I was someone. I wanted to feel like I knew what I was doing.''

''
Last night I figured you knew what you were doing.''

''
No, not like that. I wanted to feel like I controlled what I was doing, and that what I was doing was important. I've been living in a bubble for so many years that I wasn't sure I could make decisions any more. The only thing I did on my own was go to law school when my father didn't want me to. After that I was just kind of pulled back into doing what everyone else wanted. My dad died just before I was going to head out to seek my fortune. My mother made me feel guilty for wanting to leave a widow. Then, when she got sick, I couldn't leave an invalid. My friend at Dorty made me feel guilty for wanting to better myself. When I finally left, I walked right into Gerry's life and he's the master at making me feel guilty. I was looking for some high powered action. Instead I find an old man with dreams of grandeur and a way of letting me politely know he expects blood.''

''
You don't call what happened last night action?'' Michael laughed.

''
This wasn't exactly what I had in mind. I don't think most attorneys in Beverly Hills get shot at while trying to do their job.'' Kathleen stood up, knowing she was going to start saying things she didn't want to say. He held onto one hand. She clucked her tongue. ''I sound ungrateful and whiny. I don't mean to. It's just that my life has been very strange since I've come here.'' She laughed and handed him his juice, extricating herself. ''My life was very strange before I came here, too. It's not like I had a purpose, like you. I've been drifting while I stayed in the same place. Then, when I finally make my move, I'm disappointed when I find I can't leap right to the top and play with the big boys. That's selfish and unrealistic I know. It's a really childish attitude. You might as well know that now before we get any more involved. If you want to just kind of bow out now, I'll understand.''

Michael sat up straighter, the smile disappearing from his face. ''Thanks. I'm glad you told me. That's kind of you. I was awake all night wondering how I was going to just get back to my life and forget all about you.''

''
Really?'' She sat heavily on the coffee table, her eyes wide with hurt and concern.

''
No.'' He laughed. ''For your information, I was exhausted last night. I couldn't have stayed awake if you'd walked naked through this room.'' Those thick lashes lowered, his eyes lingering on the D and Y in Dorty that were kept afloat by her fine breasts. He looked at her knees, bared and just a bit bony and so damned sexy. Then he looked at her. ''Well, I might have been able to stay awake for that, but not much else. Besides, I figure if I hang around you I might just jump-start my life.''

''
I wouldn't imagine that would be a problem.''

Michael threw off the covers she had put over him the night before, his killer grin going the same way. He'd slept in his jeans but barefoot and bare-chested he was a sexy package.

''
I didn't think it was. I thought I was actually doing something 'till I started hanging around you.'' He pulled his jeans up at the waist, a ploy so that he wouldn't have to look at her while he confessed. ''Jules Porter told me no one knew who I was anymore. I think he was right.'' He touched her hair then cupped her chin with his hand. ''I think I've been fooling myself, Kathleen. One moment does not a lifetime define. Maybe if I help you unravel the messes around Lionel I'll be have done something that will actually have an end, not just a beginning and middle. Remember that rut I told you about? I think it was deeper than even I knew. Comfortable, deceptive and deep.'' He took a breath. Self flagellation was tough. But it was over, he was hardly bleeding and Kathleen didn't seem to think less of him. He smiled. ''Bathroom?''

Mesmerized, she pointed the way. Her apartment was small. It wasn't hard to find. When he came back she was still where he'd left her. He walked right up to her and took her in his arms. He kissed her, letting his hand wander down to gently cup her rear. Kathleen melted, as sure as if she'd been ice cream set out in the sun. Michael had just the opposite reaction.

''
Thanks.'' He said when her head fell back and her eyes didn't open.

''
For what?''

''
Looking like that,'' he whispered. ''Bringing the outside in. I'd kind of forgotten all this good stuff existed. I thought I was standing alone in a fight, but I was just standing alone. So thanks.''

''
Anytime,'' Kathleen breathed, her eyes still closed her lips still ready. He kissed them again and asked.

''
Where'd you put that folder?''

''
It's in the bedroom.''

''
Shall I get it?'' Michael asked. ''Or do you want to get it together?''

Kathleen opened her eyes. She smiled without teeth, that mischievous glint back in her eyes. It was a great offer. She thought about it a minute too long.

''
I'll get it,'' she said.