Secretariat Reborn (35 page)

“Jeez, Christian, don’t be so grumpy. I think it’s great you had lunch with your mom.”

Christian shoved his sunglasses against the bridge of his nose and swept back his hair. Time to get off this subject before he really blew it. “I’m stopping at Hart’s for bait and ice. Do we also need to hit the grocery store before we go to the boat?”

“No, we’re good. I packed a cooler.”

At the marina, they made several trips from the parking lot and SUV to the dock and sailboat as they unloaded ice, the cooler, bait bucket, and clothing. After stowing everything on the sailboat that had been appropriately named
Hank’s Dream
, they motored out of the marina, hoisted the main and jib, and sailed out Big Pass located between Siesta and Lido Keys. In the gulf, they headed south with a strong northwesterly wind riding their back. Christian launched the large yellow spinnaker and a few miles offshore, they rode the up and down two-foot swells. Moving at a pretty good clip, they
reached Charlotte Harbor within five hours and entered its wide mouth and calmer bay waters.

In the late afternoon, Christian lowered the sails and dropped anchor off Pine Island. He went below deck and took a fishing rod down from the rafters. “Allie, you wanna fish?”

“I’d rather go ashore and look for shells,” she said, walking down three steps into the cabin. “Would you mind inflating the dinghy?”

“No problem,” he said. On the top deck he opened the stern hatch and pulled out the rolled-up rubber dinghy that was stored with the dive gear of tanks, fins, masks, spearguns, and regulators. He flipped on the compressor and inflated the dinghy. After several minutes, he tossed the small raft over the portside and tied its bowline to the ladder attached to the stern. “It’s ready, Allie,” he called into the cabin.

“That was quick,” she said, bounding onto the deck. “I made a salad for dinner, and there’s steak, just in case you come up empty handed.”

He frowned. “Woman, you have such little faith. You’ll never starve with me on the water.”

She kissed his cheek. “Maybe I should make a video of you and send it into
Survivor
. You’d probably win another million.”

“Those idiots,” he said, shaking his head. “I guarantee I wouldn’t go hungry on an island, but I doubt I’d win on that show. I’m not a very good liar.”

“Oh, I think you’re pretty good at it, just not with me.” She climbed down the ladder and got into the dinghy.

“Wait, take your cell in case you have trouble. I’ll get it.” He grabbed her cell phone out of the cabin and handed it to her as she stood in the dinghy, holding the ladder.

“Thanks,” she said and slipped it in her pocket. “I’ll be back in a few hours,” she called and rowed toward shore.

“Dinner should be caught, cleaned, and cooked by the time you get back.” Taking his rod, he baited the hook with a shrimp and cast it out into clear water. He watched Allie. She reached the white
beach a hundred yards away and pulled the dinghy up on shore. She strolled down the long, empty beach with the backdrop of sea oats and Australian pines. Every so often she’d reach down and place a sea treasure into her small, mesh bag.

His attention was diverted when he felt a nibble on his line. With a slight tug he set the hook, and the battle was on. His pole curved with the taut line, the fish refusing to yield.

“Man, what do we have here? Acts like a big ray.” After a good fight, he managed to get the fish off the bottom and bring it alongside the boat. “Oh, woman of little faith,” he repeated and beamed, staring down at the doormat-size flounder on the end of his line.

“Hello, baby,” said a woman’s voice behind him.

He dropped his pole and wheeled around. The fish took off, pulling his rig over the side. He swallowed hard, too astonished for words, as he stared at Kate and the revolver in her hand.

“You seem a little shocked.” She snickered, stepped up out of the cabin, and sauntered onto the deck.

“Yes!” He cleared his throat. “Hell, yes, I’m shocked. What … how did you get here?”

“I’ve been keeping tabs on your new boat. When you and your little whore were in the parking lot unloading stuff, I slipped aboard and hid behind a berth. I waited for this goddamn boat to stop moving and for her to leave. I wanted some time alone with you.”

“I thought you were in jail.”

“No, baby. When you have money and good lawyers, you end up with probation.”

“So what do you want, Kate?”

“Your life.” She grinned. “I told you, Chris. I can’t live without you, and I meant it.” She removed her sunglass and tossed back her hair, revealing the scarred side of her face. “And I certainly don’t want to live like this. I thought about suicide, but that just didn’t seem fair, letting you live on with that slut.”

He glanced down the beach at Allie.

“Oh, don’t worry about her,” said Kate. “After I kill you, she’s next.”

He had to stall for time. “I think I need a drink. You want one?” He took a step toward her and the cabin, causing her to raise the gun with alarm. “Come on, Kate, I’ve never known you to turn down a drink,” he said with a seductive low voice. He removed his sunglasses and flicked back his blond hair so she could see his often-called bedroom blues. Ramping up his charm, he would require every bit of it to distract and overpower her without getting shot.

With the tilt of his head and easygoing smile, she relaxed. “Sure, why not? One last drink.” She followed him down into the cabin.

He took a Bacardi bottle out of the galley cabinet. “Rum and Coke okay?”

She nodded, watching his every move while he fixed their cocktails. “I’m glad the bitch left so we can talk.” She sat down at the table opposite the small kitchen.

Christian placed her drink in front of her and leaned back against the sink counter, facing her. He picked up his glass, took a sip, and casually slipped his other hand into his baggy pant pocket. “You don’t need to kill Allie. She’s got nothing to do with us. I met her long after we broke up.” While he talked, he opened his cell inside his pocket and felt the keys, pressing the speed dial number to Allie’s phone.

“Defending her isn’t helping,” Kate grumbled. “It only makes me want to kill her more.” She took another gulp of her cocktail.

“Fine,” he said. “Let’s talk about us. I’ve missed you.”

“Bullshit.”

“No, it’s true. No one gives a blow job like you. You know how to press my buttons.” He deeply sighed. “I definitely miss those long nights, us tearing up the sheets.”

“God, I’ve missed them, too.” She finished her drink, set the glass down, and stared at him. “You were the perfect lover.”

“Still am.” He smiled. “We could have one last fling—give a condemned
man his last wish.” He took her glass off the table and refreshed her drink, making it strong. He hoped Allie was overhearing their conversation so she’d call the police and stay away from the boat.

“That’s tempting.” Kate stood and looked out the port window toward the shore and dinghy.

He set her cocktail down on the table. “Allie will be gone for hours,” he said. “We have the time.”

She sat back down at the table. “Take off your clothes.” He pulled off his shirt. “Now the pants,” she said with a wave of the gun.

He unfastened his pants, letting them fall to his ankles, and stepped out of them, standing before her totally nude.

She took a sip and leaned back. Her plump lips curled. “Baby, you do have one gorgeous body. Did I ever tell you that your dick is just like my daddy’s?”

Christian grimaced. “Your dad’s?”

“That’s right. I must’ve been five or six when I started blowing him, and at nine, we made love. It was so romantic, Chris. Dad liked to do it by candlelight. Every time I see fire, I think about Daddy and those nights. But when I turned fifteen, he stopped. He didn’t want me anymore, didn’t love me.” She scowled. “Just like you.”

“Jesus, Kate, I’m so sorry.” Molested by a pedophile father, no wonder she was so screwed up. “Let me help you. We’ll find a good therapist and I’ll—”

“Shut up,” she growled. “I don’t need a therapist!” She took her drink and guzzled it. Christian lowered his eyes and was quiet.

After a minute, she composed herself and smirked. “Anyway, I killed him, along with my pathetic mother, and now I’m going to kill you. Nobody hurts me and gets away with it.”

“Okay, Kate,” he said softly, “but you could at least blow me before I die.” He moved closer, hoping with two cocktails in her, she’d be easier to entice and drop her guard. “Please, Kate?”

“Chris, you’re such a little boy, thinking you can trick me.”

He gnawed a fingernail and exhaled a dismal sigh.

She studied him for a minute and then shook her head. “Baby, you’re so damn irresistible when you chew your nails and pout. All right, clasp your hands behind your head and don’t try anything.”

He put his hands up and walked to her. She pressed the gun into his side, below his ribs, and fondled him with her other hand.

He closed his eyes and concentrated hard on Allie and their love-making. He had to be believable. Failure to become aroused would prove he didn’t want Kate. He softly panted with the stimulation.

“You’re such a good boy,” she said and stroked him. “Always so willing.”

With Kate distracted, he took the opportunity to strike. He unclasped his hands and grabbed the revolver, but before he could point the barrel away from him, it fired. The bullet hit his side. The excruciating pain forced him to release the gun, and he doubled over, collapsing on the floor.

“Goddamn you, Chris!” she yelled, standing. “You’ve ruined everything.” She moved closer, aimed the gun at his head, and growled, “Baby, it’s time for you to go.”

He cringed, held his side, and looked up. “Don’t do it, Kate.” He heard a slight click, but it wasn’t from Kate’s gun.

Kate’s whole body jolted. She gulped and her eyes widened. Her gun hand shook as she tried unsuccessfully to steady the weapon and kill him.

Christian then noticed the blood oozing down her white blouse and the speargun tip protruding out of her chest, the spear traveling clean through her body. He ducked and rolled away. The gun fired a second time. The bullet hit the wooden cabinet just inches above his head. Kate fell to the floor and lay nearby.

Allie ascended the remaining steps into the cabin, soaking wet from her swim to the boat, and held the empty speargun shaft. She kicked the revolver away from Kate’s hand and stared at her for a moment.

“Is she dead?” he gasped and managed to sit up and lean against the cabinet.

“Yes,” said Allie. She set the shaft down and bent over him, examining his injury. “We need to get you to a hospital.”

He glanced at Kate a few feet away, lifeless with a blank eerie stare and blood trickling from her unforgettable full lips. He shuttered and looked away. “You heard us on your cell?” He grimaced with the pain.

“I did,” Allie said with a raised eyebrow. “I’m just sorry I didn’t get here sooner.” Like when she wrangled a dangerous horse, her voice was amazingly calm. She took a towel and applied pressure to his wound. With his phone, she called the police. Despite that she had just killed someone, she remained unflustered and in control.

She closed the phone, squatted near him, and held his hand. “They’ll be here soon. Just lie back down and take it easy.”

“You said—” He puffed. “You said you wouldn’t hesitate to pull a trigger to save me.”

“Now you know I meant it.” She cupped his cheek. “But Christian, don’t you realize you also saved me. Before we met, I resented men and was determined to live alone. Then you came along. You restored my trust and put love back in my life. You changed everything for me.”

Several days later, Christian rested comfortably in a hospital room. His mother sat in a nearby chair. The Coast Guard had come to Pine Island and airlifted him to the closest hospital. The following day, the police arrived and questioned him, saying Kate’s death was clearly a case of justifiable homicide. His boat was later towed back to Sarasota and docked at Marina Jack’s.

Allie walked into the room and kissed his cheek. “How do you feel today?”

“Still hurts,” said Christian, “but the doctor says I should be able to go home in a day or two.”

His mother rose. “Allie, I’m going downstairs to get some coffee.” She left the room, and Allie sat down in her chair.

“So you’re going home soon,” said Allie. “Will you be recuperating on the farm or at your mother’s?”

“Let’s put this to rest, so you know where I live.” He reached under the sheet and produced a small box that Frank had retrieved off Christian’s sailboat. “I wanted to give you this on the boat last weekend, but there were slight complications.” He chewed his bottom lip and offered her the box.

She took the box and slowly lifted the lid. Her mouth gaped open. Her eyes grew big, staring at the ring and then him.

“Will you marry me, Allie?”

She nodded. A tear coursed down her cheek. She took the diamond ring out and slid it on her finger. Like their life together, it was a perfect fit.