Fatal Disclosure (7 page)

His heart thudded at her words, and he took a step toward her. “Don’t worry about it, Betsy. I understand how you feel, but I’m not really as bad as you think. Maybe while I’m here we can get to know each other better and become friends again.”

She gave a slight nod. “Maybe so. I’m beginning to think there’s a lot about you I don’t know.”

“I’ll see you at dinner,” he mumbled before he turned and strode down the hall toward his room.

When he reached his door, he glanced back, but she had already disappeared into her studio. He groaned and pushed into his room. After sinking down on the bed, he scrubbed a hand across his face. Seeing Betsy today had brought back a lot of memories. When she left Memphis, he thought he could put her and the hurt he’d caused her out of his mind, but he knew he never had.

Now, it looked like they would be spending a lot of time together in the next few weeks, and he didn’t know how he would handle it. He’d known when he first met her she was special, but he’d tried to deny it. Seeing her where she’d grown up and with her family only confirmed what he’d worked to forget.

The truth flashed in his mind, and he groaned again. His feelings hadn’t changed in the years since he’d last seen her. He was just as attracted to her now as he had been then. But something else hadn’t changed, either. He would never act on his feelings for her.

All he wanted was to solve his latest case and get back to the mainland as quickly as possible. There were other investigations waiting for him, and a woman like Betsy Michaels had no place in the life he had chosen.

FIVE

T
he candle on Treasury’s back porch wicker table flickered in the gentle breeze that blew across the sandy yard. Overhead stars twinkled in the sky. Betsy couldn’t recall a more beautiful night. Ever since she and Mark had arrived at Treasury’s house earlier, she’d worried about having dinner with him, but it had really gone well.

Maybe Treasury’s presence had helped. She had been happy to give Mark a history of the island she’d lived on all her life, and he had listened as she told the stories of how her home had withstood years of hurricanes. The conversation hadn’t interfered with Mark’s appetite, though. She hadn’t seen anyone eat as much as Mark had since the first time her brother, Scott, sat down at Treasury’s table when he came to the island.

Betsy took a sip from her coffee cup and stared over the rim at Mark, who scraped the last bite of Treasury’s fig cake from his dessert plate and plopped it in his mouth. His lips curved into a half smile, as if to confirm the look of satisfaction in his eyes.

“Did you enjoy your meal?” Betsy tried to keep from smirking.

A slow flush spread over Mark’s face, and he wiped at the grin on his face with his napkin. “I did. It’s been a long time since I’ve eaten anything as good.” He glanced around. “Where did Mrs. Wilkes go? I need to thank her for dinner.”

Betsy reached across the table, picked up his dessert plate, and set it on hers. “She went inside while you were absorbed in devouring your cake. I told her I’d bring the dishes when we finished.”

He glanced over his shoulder at the back door and shook his head. “I can’t believe I was so preoccupied. I’ll catch her later and tell her how much I enjoyed the meal.”

Betsy arched an eyebrow. “Oh, I think she knows.”

“She’s a very special lady, and I can tell she loves you a lot.”

Betsy smiled. “She means the world to me. My mother died when I was sixteen. Kate had just graduated from college, and Emma was four. Treasury became our second mother and helped us through a rough time. Then when our father died, we became even closer.”

“I remember you talking about your family, but they were just names. Now that I’ve met them I realize how fortunate you are to have them.”

Betsy settled back in her chair and crossed her arms over her stomach. “I am truly blessed. When Mom died, Kate took over her role in our family. She and Brock were engaged at the time, but Kate decided she had a responsibility to her family. They ended their engagement and went their separate ways. When Brock came back here a few years ago, they realized they’d never quit loving each other.” She looked reflective for a moment. “Kate’s on leave right now from the sheriff’s office with the baby, but I doubt she’ll ever go back. She’s happy to be at home with Brock and her son.”

“They look like the picture of a happy family. What about Scott? You seem close to him.”

Betsy nodded. “He’s the big brother I always dreamed of having. His mother was our dad’s first wife. She died when Scott was born, and her sister took him and disappeared. My father searched for years. Right before Dad died, he made Kate promise we’d keep looking.” Her voice filled with emotion. “A private investigator friend of Brock’s found him. He had just left the military and was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder when he came here. Finding the family he’d always wanted and falling in love with Lisa helped him face his tortured past.”

“All of you seem happy now.”

“We are. We’re all content with our lives and wouldn’t change anything.”

“I’m glad you’re happy, Betsy.” Mark stared at her a moment before he pushed to his feet and reached for the dishes. “I’ll take these in.”

Betsy watched in silence as he juggled the stack of dirty dishes and entered the house. Tonight she’d felt comfortable talking with Mark, and it troubled her. She sprang to her feet and walked to the railing that enclosed the back porch. She wrapped her fingers around the banister and gazed across the backyard. The sweet tones of the wind chime hanging at the other end of the porch drifted across the quiet night. Betsy tipped her head back, closed her eyes, and inhaled.

“What are you thinking?”

She sensed his presence even before the soft tone of Mark’s voice washed over her. Suddenly nervous, she gripped the railing to keep from turning to face him. “I love the peaceful nights on the island.”

He moved to stand beside her and placed his hands on the railing next to hers. “I remember how you used to talk about how beautiful your island was. Now I see what you meant.”

Her heart fluttered, but she spoke with a stiff upper lip. “Don’t do that, Mark.”

He turned to stare at her. “What?”

“Don’t bring up what we said to each other. It’s all in the past, and we need to keep it there.”

He exhaled. “Okay. I didn’t mean anything by what I said. I was just making conversation.”

She pushed back from the railing and turned to face him. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I’ll try not to read something into everything you say. After all, you didn’t have to offer to keep an eye on me. I hope you don’t feel like my family forced you.”

He shook his head. “I don’t think that. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.” He shrugged. “But who knows? We may be all wrong about this. Those phone calls may have nothing to do with what happened at Springer’s Point.”

“You don’t believe that any more than I do.”

His white teeth flashed behind his lazy smile. “Maybe not, but I thought it might make you feel better.”

She wrapped her arms around her waist to control the shudder coursing through her body. “I don’t think I’ll feel better until we know who tried to run me down,”

“I won’t give up until I find out who it was.”

His words, meant to console her, only added to her conflicting emotions. If there was one thing she knew about Mark Webber…it was that once he had a goal in mind he didn’t waver. She also knew the last time she’d crossed his path she had ended up as a victim in his desire to see justice done. She couldn’t let that happen again.

She stepped back from the railing and peered up at him. “I know you won’t. I’ve seen you work before. This time I’m just glad I’m not the one you’re after.”

His eyes hardened and he spoke through gritted teeth. “I’m sorry I hurt you, Betsy. I promise I won’t do it again. After this case is over, I’ll leave on the first ferry out of here, and you won’t ever have to lay eyes on me again. Until then, it looks like we may be spending a lot of time together, and I’m getting tired of defending my past actions. I’d like to call a truce for now. Can you do that?”

The truth of his words sent a flood of remorse through her. Had she tried to make Mark feel guilty by reminding him of their past connection? If so, she needed to concentrate on why he was here and the reason she needed him in her life right now. She took a deep breath.

“Consider it done. I won’t bring the past up again as long as you’re here.”

“Good. Now why don’t we go inside? It’s been a busy day, and I’m beat.” He walked to the back door and held it open for her. “I’ll walk you to your room.”

She slipped past him into the house. The sound of his footsteps behind gave her a feeling of security as she climbed the stairs to her studio. When they arrived at the door, she turned and smiled. “I enjoyed having dinner with you tonight, Mark. And I’m glad we were able to talk afterward.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “Me, too.”

She pushed the door open but stopped before entering her room and turned to face him. “As you know, Scott is taking me out in the boat tomorrow morning so I can take some pictures of the waterfowl feeding. Would you like to tag along?”

She could hardly believe she had invited him, but for some reason she really wanted him to come.

“I’d like that.” His soft words flowed over her.

She cocked her head to one side and grinned. “We’re leaving at five-thirty. Think you can get up that early?”

A tiny smirk pulled at his lips. “I’m an early riser. I’ll meet you in the kitchen at five-fifteen.”

“Good. I’ll see you then.”

He reached out and touched her arm as she took a step to enter the room, and she halted. He moved closer and gazed into her eyes. “I don’t know what the next few days will be like, but I promise I’ll always be here for you.”

“I appreciate that, Mark.” She shrugged. “And who knows…maybe whoever phoned me will discover I don’t have what they want and will leave me alone.”

“Maybe, but we can’t count on it. I’ll see you in the morning. Sleep well.”

“You, too.”

She went into her room and closed the door. The lamp she’d left burning on the bedside table cast a beam of light across her desk and the painting on the easel. With a gasp she realized she hadn’t drawn the curtains before she went downstairs. She had no idea what anyone watching from outside could see through the second floor windows, but she wasn’t taking any chances.

She rushed across the room and pulled down the shades. As she turned back toward the bed, she noticed her fanny pack lying on her desk where she’d placed it earlier and remembered she hadn’t taken her cell phone out. She unzipped the pouch and began to pull out the items she’d stuck inside this morning.

Her cell phone was the first. She smiled at how the painted flowers and butterflies on the phone’s cover had amused Mark, then pulled out the small camera she’d carried with her to the Point. As she stuck her hand back inside for the notepad she used to jot down descriptions, her fingers brushed against two pens.

She pulled both of them out and stared at them for a moment. The silver one with the logo for The Coffee Cup she remembered placing inside, but the other one, a sleek, black ballpoint pen, didn’t look familiar. She searched her mind for where she might have gotten it.

After a moment, she smiled and nodded. It looked like the pens the bank had on the table where they kept deposit slips. She must have picked it up when she was in there last week. She shoved the two pens into the mug with the Degas painting imprint and plugged her phone into its charger.

An hour later, Betsy sat at her desk reading her Bible. She finished reading the words that spoke of forgiveness, closed the book and placed it on the shelf above. The words brought to mind her mother, who had always taught her to forgive others. She thought of Mark and how she’d harbored anger against him for years. Perhaps she had been too quick to judge him.

She understood the pressures placed on law enforcement officers because she had seen it with her sister, brother and brother-in-law. At the time she’d known Mark, he must have been under a lot of stress to close a case, and she needed to quit thinking he’d deliberately set out to hurt her. In the coming days, she needed to remind herself of how her mother would expect her to offer forgiveness when someone said they were sorry.

With a sigh, she pushed up from her desk and walked to her bed. She sat down on the edge of the mattress and slipped her shoes off. As she started to lie down, her gaze drifted across the mug holding her pens and pencils. She smiled at how surprised she’d been when Mark recognized the painting imprinted on the container’s side. Maybe there was another side to Mark she’d never seen. If so, it would be interesting to find out more.

She reached to turn off the lamp but hesitated. She glanced down at the goose bumps on her arms and pressed her hand against her pounding chest. Something wasn’t right.

Betsy glanced around the room but she saw nothing to explain her sudden fear. She frowned and shook her head. She was being ridiculous. The events of the day really had taken a toll on her.

After a moment, she switched off the lamp and slipped beneath the covers. She drew the sheet up to her chin and stared at the ceiling. The darkness in the room closed around her like a silent cocoon. She lay still and hoped whatever had triggered her disturbing emotions would pass, but it didn’t.

Thoughts of a man’s lifeless body, a speeding car and a raspy voice on the phone flashed through her mind. She groaned, turned on her stomach, and pulled her pillow over her head. Even that didn’t blot out her rising fear.

Then she thought of Mark who slept a few doors away from her, and her growing panic subsided. He had promised he would take care of her. Her body relaxed, and her heartbeat slowed. She pulled the pillow from over her head, pounded it with her fist and laid her head on it. A tranquil calm filled her, and she drifted into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

Mark had seen the sun rise many times during his life, but he didn’t think he’d ever seen anything as beautiful as dawn breaking across Pamlico Sound. The sun first appeared like a tiny speck on the dark horizon, but within three minutes, its golden rays had radiated across the sky in a kaleidoscope of colors that announced a new day had arrived.