Santa in a Stetson (16 page)

Colt hadn't seen that one coming. “Why not?”

“B-because,” she stammered, “if she'd been like Katy, she wouldn't have left. I also know you don't want to see her again.”

Nope. Natalie had been dead to him since the moment she'd told him she wanted to abort their children.

“Even if you find her, she won't want to see us, otherwise she would have come years ago. We don't want her to come if it isn't her own idea.”

His children were growing up so fast, it took his breath away.

She bowed her head. “You know when I was in the hospital?”

“Yes?”

“Katy took care of me the way Mrs. Wagner takes care of Jen when she's sick, only Katy's different and clever and smarter and a lot more exciting and so kind she makes me cry. Oh, Dad, I—I feel so ashamed.” Her voice caught.

“What are you talking about?”

Allie unexpectedly threw her arms around his neck and sobbed. Her words came out in spurts. “All those years she didn't have a mother or a father to love her, but Matt and I have always had you. You're the most wonderful father in the whole world.”

Colt could hear Kathryn's voice as she'd imitated those exact words of Allie's to him over the phone.

“Will you forgive me for putting you through so much pain?”

He hugged her close. “Allie sweetheart, we've been through this before. There's nothing to forgive.”

“Yes, there is. Because of me, you hired Katy's brother-in-law and it has put him and her sister out. Please call him and tell him to stop looking for her. To be honest, I'm afraid he might find her and it will all have been for nothing because Matt and I never want to
see her or know her. Matt never really did, but he went along with me.”

Well, well…nothing could be any plainer than that.

He kissed the top of her head before letting her go. “I'll call him tonight to let him know.”

“Thanks.” She wiped the moisture off her face with the sheet.

Colt got up from the bed. He paused at the door to look back at her. “You want to know something?”

“What?”

“If you hadn't gone to Salt Lake and met Kathryn, I wouldn't be wearing my gold buckle. How happy do you think that makes me?”

A smile broke out on her face. “Pretty happy.”

“Yup. Good night, honey.”

He stopped by Matt's room. His son was on the computer looking up bull-riding trivia. “As far as I can tell, no one's ever had better scores than you, Dad.”

“Keep looking. You'll find them.” He put a hand on his shoulder. “I was just speaking with your sister. She asked me to call off the search for your mother.”

Matt looked up at him. “Yeah. Is that okay with you?”

“It was always okay with me.”

He smiled. “That's what I thought.”

“Then we're good?” Colt asked.

“Yeah.” They high-fived each other. “Dad?” Matt called out as he started to leave the room.

Pausing mid-stride, Colt turned to him. “What is it?”

“It was fun flying to Omaha with Katy. She's awesome.”

Awesome
didn't begin to cover it.

 

B
ESIDES WORRYING
about her father, Kathryn spent a restless night waiting for morning to come so she could phone Colt. Her abrupt departure from them in Omaha, coupled with Allie's brief call last night, had left her hanging. She'd hoped to make contact before she had to leave for the Grand America Hotel this morning to give a talk.

At seven, she received a call from her Donna. “I thought I'd phone in case there's anything you need before you take off.”

“No. I'm as ready as I'll ever be.”

“Good. The Salt Lake County sheriff's chief deputy just phoned for verification that things were lined up on our end. I told him we'd sent our brochures and a video clip to the conference chair a week ago.”

“Bless you, Donna. I don't know what I'd do without you. Talk to you later.” She hung up and fixed herself a cup of coffee and some toast before getting in the shower. After arranging her hair in a French roll, she phoned her mother. At five to eight, Kathryn could count on her being up.

“Mom? How's Dad this morning?”

“Other than a sore bump on his forehead, he's fine. You know him. He's already eaten breakfast and showered. Now he's dressed and wants to go home.”

“I bet you didn't get any sleep.”

She laughed. “No, but I didn't mind. They've taken such wonderful care of him, it's a relief.”

“I'm glad. Has the doctor been in?”

“Not yet, but when he comes, I'm sure he'll release him. Ben and Cord will be here to drive us home. How soon will you be coming to the house?”

“I have a conference at ten. My part will be over by noon.”

“Which one is that?”

“The Great Salt Lake Valley Metropolitan Area Kidnapping Summit. My talk follows the keynote address.”

“Now I remember. It's the first one ever to be held in Salt Lake. They're lucky to have you on the program. I know you'll be wonderful!”

“Thanks, Mom. Expect me before one. If there's any different news about Dad, call me no matter what. Love you.”

Kathryn had an hour before she needed to leave for the hotel. Though she disliked calling Colt this early, she suspected he was already out on the ranch working. In his message he'd asked her to phone him when she found a minute, so hopefully he wouldn't mind.

To her disappointment it rang several times and went to his voice mail. All she could do was let him know she'd called and would try again later. In a restless mood, she left the kitchen and walked back to her bedroom to get dressed and do her makeup.

With the kind of media coverage this meeting would get, she decided to wear her black wool suit. The tailored two-piece with the long sleeves was simple, yet sophisticated. A strand of pearls with her pearl studs would add the right touch.

While she got ready, she kept her cell next to her in case Colt phoned, but by twenty after nine he still hadn't returned her call. After putting on her closed-toe black pumps, she slipped into her knee-length camel-hair coat and called for a limo.

It didn't take long to reach the hotel. After turning off her phone, she got out and had to face a barrage of photojournalists on her way in to the conference room. Dozens of security people had converged because the governor and one of the state senators had arrived before her. As all of them were friends with her and her family, they got up to give her a quick hug and ask about her dad's accident.

FBI Special Agent Larry Forsythe, the keynote speaker, and other law enforcement dignitaries she knew clustered around her before the meeting started. The room had filled to capacity with local police and federal agents. There were even some CIA. Jake had planned to come, but she hadn't seen him yet.

Once the chief of police had helped her off with her coat, she sat down and tried to collect her thoughts. It was difficult because she kept checking her voice mail to see if Colt had sent her a message yet. So far, nothing.

As soon as the meeting got under way and all the dignitaries were recognized, she put the phone back in her bag and concentrated on Larry's speech. His thoughts echoed the same cry heard from the political arena. He urged local police and federal agents who investigated kidnapping cases to work together and not let bureaucratic red tape slow them down.

In summation, he said, “Utah and Idaho have had arguably the nation's two most high-profile kidnapping cases in half a century. The courageous woman on the stand needs no introduction. Twenty-six years after being kidnapped, she was returned alive to the Senator Reed McFarland family of Salt Lake City.

“May I present Kathryn McFarland, who now runs
the McFarland Foundation, a cause established by her parents in her honor to help fight the terrible crime of kidnapping.

“For the past four years this remarkable, selfless woman has been giving our community everything she possesses in terms of self, time and money to protect our children from suffering her fate. In the coming year she has agreed to be a part of this summit conference as we take it to the western states. She will now address you.”

Kathryn rose to her feet accompanied by a thunderous ovation. When it finally quieted down and everyone was seated, she looked out at her audience. “That lasted so long I felt embarrassed
until
I realized something. Your outpouring came from the joy of knowing that law enforcement was triumphant in cracking my particular case, cold though it was for a quarter of a century.”

A hush fell over the audience.

“My circumstance and that of my sister-in-law Kit, who was also kidnapped and lost for twenty-six years, were unique. Though today we have the technology in place to catch these godless criminals faster than ever before, it still requires good old-fashioned police work.

“We need more cable news channels that will run whole hour feature programs and get the pictures out there. Our communities have the manpower, but it needs to be harnessed into an army of volunteers who will assist law enforcement in doing house-to-house searches, combing beaches, mountains and forests.

“Unfortunately we have a problem. As Agent Forsythe just warned, we must get rid of the red tape and
share every bit of information possible if we're going to do better. To that end you've been given a brochure the foundation puts out. We're trying to work with every hospital, soup kitchen, school, law enforcement agency and media outlet to battle this evil force together. Our goal is to get the citizenry actively involved.

“In view of this, my dear mother and father, who've been the life force of this great cause, have pledged more funds to augment existing law enforcement funds and payrolls already in place in the Salt Lake Valley to fight this war. Together we can win.”

She walked back to her seat while the whole room exploded in cheers. Agent Forsythe went back to the podium and waited for the din to subside. “If you'll all make your way to the banquet room, we'll eat lunch while we hear from the governor.”

Kathryn put her coat back on and left through the same exit with the other dignitaries. A few yards off she caught sight of Jake and another dark-haired agent, equally tall and well honed, dressed in a charcoal suit and tie. She assumed he was CIA, too, until her gaze lifted to his hard-boned face. Her legs went weak as jelly.

Colt!

“Well done,” her brother-in-law whispered, giving her a hug. “Maggie's waiting for me. Your dad just got home. I'll see you at your parents' house later.” He disappeared into the crowd, leaving her alone with Colt.

His stare was fiercely intense. “Do you have to attend the lunch here?”

Her heart throbbed in her throat making it hard to
find her voice. “No. My part's done. In fact, I was on my way out. Come with me.”

“Kathryn?” Agent Forsythe interrupted. “I'll see you at the conference in St. George on Friday?” She nodded. “Without you, we could never have assembled such a huge crowd. Thank you.”

“You're welcome.”

As he walked away, Colt cupped her elbow and ushered her out of the hotel past half a dozen journalists with cameras.

“Sorry about that,” she said once they were safely inside the limo. She told the driver to take her to her parents' home, then said, “For someone as private as you, this kind of thing must feel like a huge intrusion on your life.”

His gaze swept over her features. “You handle it like you don't even see them.”

“I've had four years to deal with it. You get used to it.”

“The camera has to love you. You look very beautiful today. Cool, like a mountain stream.”

So cool she didn't seem touchable to him? What had happened to the man who'd kissed her senseless the other night? Colt sounded so far away just then she shivered.

“Thank you. When you're a public figure, everyone wants a piece of you. It's a facade I've created to distance myself.”

“Your speech was inspiring, but then so is your whole life. When I think what you did for Allie, yet she's only one of the many you've helped in the same way.”

“Careful, Colt. You're giving me a swelled head.”

His sober expression alarmed her. “Not you. You're the antithesis of a narcissist. Someone with a destiny like yours doesn't think of herself.”

Why did she get the impression he was backing away from her? What had she done? Pain made her daring. “I see no sign of the Montana rancher today. How come?”

He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. “Obviously my facade doesn't ring true.”

“Colt?” she cried softly. “What's wrong?”

“Why, nothing.”

The tension was palpable. “We're almost to the house. My father said he'd like to meet you and see your gold buckle up close.”

“Before I left home this morning, Matt asked if he could wear it to school.”

“Did you say yes?” He nodded. “Your son idolizes you. Your daughter, too, but you already know that.”

He didn't respond, leaving her more empty than ever.

The limo turned and drove up the winding drive to her parents' Tudor-styled home. It stopped behind the cars parked in the courtyard.

She needed something clarified before they got out. “Why didn't you phone and let me know you were coming?”

“I had to call Jake last night about something important and he suggested I fly to Salt Lake. By the time I made arrangements, it was too late to reach you. He thought I might find the conference of interest. Maggie drove us straight from the airport to the hotel so we wouldn't miss your talk.”

“I see.” She clasped her hands in a death grip. “Can't you tell me what it is before we go in?”

“I'd prefer to wait until you've seen your father and know he's all right.”