Every Breath You Take Part 11

Chapter Thirty-six.

aMR.WYATT WILLsee you in a few minutes,a Cecilas butler told Gray. It was sleeting, and a fine sheen of icy droplets clung to Grayas cashmere coat as the butler helped him off with it and carried it toward the hall closet.

Cecil received him in his study, seated behind a baronial desk and surrounded by portraits of his ill.u.s.trious ancestors. aHow are your parents, Gray?a aTheyare fine, thank you.a The old man studied his features as Gray sat down in front of his desk. aI take it this isnat a social call?a he concluded.

aIam afraid not.a He nodded, turned his head toward the departing butler, and said, aGet Henry Bartlett on the phone immediately.a aThereas a detective waiting in front to take you down to the station house. Henry can meet you there.a aAm I being arrested?a aThat depends on how cooperative you are in the next few minutes. Billy has just given us a statement regarding Williamas death.a aWhat did he tell you?a Gray saw no reason not to answer, since he knew Henry Bartlett would be able to obtain Billyas statement within a matter of hours. He gave Cecil the high points of Billyas confession, and when he was finished, Cecil said coolly, aAnd you believe the boyas story that I was involved?a aAbsolutely. It has bothered me all along that you kept Mitch.e.l.las existence a secret until January. You met him for the first time in August, and the following month, Edward supposedly fell off his balcony to his death. In November, William vanished. And yet, Cecil, you were unconcerned with the fact that your newfound grandsonas return to the family fold coincided with both these occurrences. In fact, you kept his existence a secret from the police who were investigating both instances. Do you know what that told me?a aThat I was a sentimental, trusting old man who was blinded by guilt for denying Mitch.e.l.l his heritage in the past?a Cecil suggested sarcastically.

aNo, that you were a devious, arrogant, manipulative old man who had a need for a new heir apparent you could depend on, but you did not want the police or anyone else to know where head been for the last thirty-four years.a aThank you,a he said stiffly, but sincerely, ayou are quite right. You have always been a rather bright young man.a aSince we both know you arenat sentimental or trusting, thereas only one reason left for you not to have suspected Mitch.e.l.l was responsible for Edwardas death or Williamas disappearance.a aAnd that reason would be?a aThat you alreadyknew what happened to both men, and that Mitch.e.l.l hadnat been involved. With that suspicion in mind, I had already reopened the investigation into Williamas disappearancea"with you as a target of the investigationa"when Billy suddenly came to my office.a aAnd told you what?a aHe told me head heard Mitch.e.l.l tell Caroline that head never been to the farm, which Billy said was a lie. That focused us on Mitch.e.l.l. Now you tell me something, Cecil: When did you find out what Billy had done? When did you discover head planted a b.u.t.ton from Mitch.e.l.las coat at the well?a aCaroline came here right after you had Billy call Mitch.e.l.l down in St. Maarten. She told me what was going on. She was beside herself thinking that she and I were harboring a murderer in our midst. I told her I felt sure there was some mistake.a aYou knew Billy had planted the b.u.t.ton?a aAre we talking off the record?a Gray hesitated; then he nodded. aOff the record.a aI realized at once that it had to be Billy. Who else would have done such a thing? Besides that, he was sitting right in front of me when Caroline told me about the b.u.t.ton youad found, and your suspicions about Mitch.e.l.l, and the phone call you had Billy make. I could tell from Billyas face that he was responsible for everything. He smiled at me. He was quite proud of his cunning, actually.a Gray nodded, thinking things over, surprised that Cecil was so forthcoming, even off the record. aIf Mitch.e.l.las coat had been delivered to him any timebefore Williamas disappearance, we would have arrested him and tried him for Williamas murder. Were you going to let him be convicted, just to save Billyas hide?a Leaning forward, Cecil folded his hands on his desk, and said proudly and emphatically, aMitch.e.l.l would never have let that happen. He is a survivor, like me, and like thema"a Lifting his chin, he indicated the ancestral portraits on the wall across from him.

Rather than pointlessly debate Cecilas logic, Gray got down to the real purpose for his visit. aIn helping Billy, youave committed a variety of crimes yourselfa"a aWe donat need to discuss that today, and you arenat going to arrest me, either. Henry and Evan Bartlett have already a.s.sured me you have no jurisdiction in this case. Furthermore, Billyas confession is worthless because he wasnat represented by an attorney. You had no right to question him without the presence of the familyas attorneys.a aHis mother was present, and she gave her consent.a aCaroline is in no mental condition to make sound judgments for herself, let alone for Billy in this situation. Youare wasting your time bya"a aI have one more minute to waste,a Gray said icily, looking meaningfully at the walnut clock on Cecilas desk. aYouad be wise to let me waste it and to listen to me very carefully, because I can and will have you hauled out of here in handcuffs.a Cecil leaned back in his chair, brows drawn together in cold affront, but he was listening.

aHenry Bartlett is telling you what you want to hear. I am taking the position that when Billy left home with his father that weekend, he fully intended to kill him at the farm, which means the crime originated in Cook County. Henry can tie this case up for a year or more with motions for a change of venue and motions to have Billyas confession thrown out, but in the end Iall win, and you will stand trial with Billy as his accomplice. During that time, the media will have a feeding frenzy, digging up every skeleton this family has buried and hidden for the past one hundred years.a Cecilas face was expressionless, but his thin fingers were clenching and unclenching on the desk.

aIf you do Henry a favor by dying before the case finally goes to trial, Henry cana"and probably woulda"advise Billy to change his story and claim thatyou murdered William and persuaded that poor young boy to take the rap for it. After all, youad be dead, and Billy would be paying Henryas fees, so why would Henry want to protect your reputation any longer?a Finished, he waited for Cecil to react, watching the little pendulum on the antique desk clock swing back and forth.

aWhat are you suggesting as an alternative?a aI wonat charge you as an accomplice, and you will let the Cook County justice system deal fairly with Billy. Heas a juvenile, so heas already going to get off lighter than he should.a aI will not let him stand trial without the best defense we can provide.a aIam not asking you to forgo that. Iam asking you to let him face up to what heas done, now, not two years from now.a Cecil hesitated again, and then he finally nodded.

aOne more thing,a Gray said as he stood up. aHow did Edward die? He called you an hour before he went off the balcony. You said you talked about a meeting that you were both supposed to attend the next morning. But thatas not what happened, or youad have wondered if Mitch.e.l.l ahelpeda him over the railing.a Standing up, Cecil put an end to the unpleasant confrontation. aHe was drunk, as usual, and he told me he wanted to say good-bye, that he couldnat bear his life another day. I told him what I always said when he called me like that. I told him to get a grip on himself. I didnat know he was serious this time. Iad been listening to his disgusting whining for so long Iad ceased paying attention to it.a

Chapter Thirty-seven.

KATE PUT TWOmugs of steaming hot chocolate on a tray beside a huge bowl of liberally b.u.t.tered popcorna"the traditional fare for the winter movie nights she and Holly enjoyed a couple of times each month.

Carrying the tray, Kate sidled around Max, who was lying on the living room floor in front of the coffee table. Holly looked up from the cabinet next to the television, where she was flipping through the selection of chick flicks that were the staple of their movie nights. Holding up her favorite movie, she said brightly, aHow aboutAn Affair to Remember ?a aNo thanks. I just had one of those, and Iam trying to forget.a Holly grinned at the quip and turned back to the movies in the cabinet. aI still canat believe what a total b.a.s.t.a.r.d Wyatt was at that benefit.a Kate couldnat believe it either. That night it had been obvious that Mitch.e.l.l thoroughly despised her, which could only mean head despised her all along, even when he was making love to her in St. Maarten.

aHeas sick,a Holly said, putting Kateas thoughts into words.

aEither that,a Kate replied, trying to make light of it, aor heas a little testy about being treated with amus.e.m.e.nt.a Changing the subject to the movie for the evening, she said, aHow aboutThe Wedding Date ?a aNot unless you promise not to keep rewinding it when we get to that dancing scene where Michael Bubl sings aSway.a a aOkay, thatas a deal.a Holly started the movie and joined Kate on the sofa. They sat in silence for a minute, afghans over their legs, their feet clad in thick socks and propped side by side on the coffee table. aIam going to miss our movie nights,a Holly said, helping herself to a handful of popcorn from the bowl between them.

aWhat do you mean?a Kate replied, reaching for the mug of hot chocolate on the lamp table beside her.

aI mean that I canat picture myself sitting between you and Evan on movie night, holding the popcorn. Have you set a date yet?a Kate shook her head. aWeare not even sleeping together yet.a aWhy not? Youave been back for three weeks.a aWe both agreed it was going to take us some time to get over what I did in St. Maarten and make a fresh start.a Holly looked at her in disbelief. aAre you telling me he hasnat wanted to mark his territory since then?a aYouare making me sound like a fire hydrant,a Kate said, rolling her eyes. She took a sip of hot chocolate, swallowed, and put the mug down.

aAre you sure he isnat punishing you a little by staying away from you?a aNo, he isnat. In fact, last night he took me out to dinner, and he told me he wanted to come back here afterward and spend the night with me. Buta"a aBut?a aBut partway through dinner, I started feeling really nauseated. In fact, Iam feeling sort of queasy now. Iave been feeling that way for days, and Iam exhausted all the time. All I want to do is sleep.a aStress can really weaken your immune system and screw up your body. By the way, how are things going at the restaurant?a aThe staff is patronizing me, which is not surprising, as the only one younger than me is a busboy. Other than that, itas too soon to tell. Letas watch our movie.a

Chapter Thirty-eight.

aKATE,DR.COOPERhas your test results.a Kate looked up and smiled at Bonnie Cooperas receptionist. Bonnie was a friend of Hollyas and shead been Kateas gynecologist for years. After examining Kate, Bonnie had ordered a few tests to be done in the office, and shead asked Kate to wait in the waiting room.

aThat was quick,a Kate told Bonnie, sitting down on the opposite side of her desk.

Bonnie Cooper opened Kateas file. aI donat have the results of all your tests, but thereas no need to wait for them. This test tells me exactly why youare feeling queasy and sleepy.a aWhatas the answer?a aYouare pregnant.a Kate half rose out of her chair; then she relaxed and smiled. aThereas a mistake, Bonnie. You must have mixed my tests up with another patientas. I havenat missed taking a single birth control pill in months.a aThe pill isnat one hundred percent effective for everyone.a aItas been one hundred percent effective for me. Evana"my fianca"and I have been together for almost four years, and Iave never gotten pregnant.a aHave you taken any antibiotics in the last two months? Some of them can interfere with the birth control pillas effectiveness.a aI know that, but I havenat taken any antibiotics. I havenat taken anything except some migraine medicine a doctor prescribed for me in St. Maarten.a Bonnie reached for a book lying on the corner of her desk. aI donat know of any migraine medicine that interferes with the pill. What was the name of it? Iall look it up.a aI canat remember,a Kate said, frowning, abut itas on the tip of my tongue . . .a aWhile youare trying to remember, tell me if you had s.e.xual intercourse with anyone other than your fianc in the last four years.a Kate hesitated, resenting the fact that she had to acknowledge Mitch.e.l.l Wyattas existence. aYes, last month. But what difference does that make?a aThereas always the possibility that youare one of the tiny percentage of women the pill doesnat protect, and the reason you havenat gotten pregnant before last month is that your fiancas sperm isnat viable.a Kate suddenly remembered the first part of the migraine medicineas name. aIt was butal-something. Thatas the name of the prescription the doctor in St. Maarten gave me.a Bonnie frowned. aIt wasnat butalbital, was it?a aYes, thatas it.a aDidnat he ask you if you were taking birth control pills?a aHe asked me if I was trying to have children, and I said no. Actually, the doctor only spoke French, but the cabdriver spoke some English, so he translated for both of us. The doctor told the cabdriver to tell me I was probably having migraines.a aWhy didnat you go to a hospital instead of to a local doctor?a aAnd spend hours waiting for someone to see me? Bonnie, my head was exploding. Iad been throwing up from the pain on the way down to St. Maarten. I just wanted someone to give me something to stop the pain. I didnatcare what language they spoke. Besides, he wasnat a witch doctor. His office was in his home, but it was very nice and he had well-dressed patients waiting to see him.a aWell, something got lost in the cabdriveras translation, then. He must have asked the cabdriver to find out if you were tryingnot to have children.a aWhat difference does all this make?a Kate said defensively, but she already knew. G.o.d help her, she already knew . . .

aButalbital is very effective at treating, and preventing, severe headaches. However, it also interferes with the effectiveness of oral contraceptives. When a woman taking birth control pills uses butalbital, she needs to add another form of birth control to protect herself while sheas taking it.a The room started to spin and Kate bent forward, her arms crossed over her stomach, trying to steady herself.

aDo you know for certain who the father is?a Kate looked up at Bonnie. In the three weeks following her fatheras death she hadnat wanted to make love; that was part of the reason Evan had been so insistent about taking her away for a Caribbean holiday.

She was pregnant with Mitch.e.l.l Wyattas baby.

A wave of hysteria welled up inside her, combining with dizziness and nausea, and Kate clutched the edge of Bonnieas desk. aOh, yes,a she said bitterly. aI know who the father is.a

Chapter Thirty-nine.

aKATE, ITaS ME!a Holly called, letting herself in the front door of Kateas house with the key shead used to look after the cats while Kate was in the islands. Max ran up to greet her, tail wagging.

aA fine watchdog you are,a she teased, absently patting his big head, but she was worried. Kateas car was in the driveway, the windows covered in a half inch of snow, which meant shead been home awhile that evening, but she wasnat answering her phone and the house was dark. Yesterday, shead found out she was pregnant, and shead decided to tell Evan about it earlier today, rather than waiting a few days to think things through as Holly had advised. Kate had, however, planned to take Hollyas suggestion about going to Evanas office and telling him there, where he couldnat make a scene.

aKate?a aIn the living room,a Kate called. She turned on a lamp and hastily shoved aside the pillow shead been clutching to her while she stared numbly into the dark. aI fell asleep,a she lied. aDo you want some coffee?a aSure,a Holly said.

aWhat time is it?a Kate asked aA little after six.a Swinging her legs off the sofa, Kate got up and headed for the kitchen with Holly trailing behind. aI have to change clothes and go to work. I should have been at the restaurant two hours ago.a As she started spooning coffee into the coffeemaker, Holly walked over to the cupboard and took out two mugs. aDid it go okay with Evan today?a In answer, Kate held out her left hand, which was now devoid of an engagement ring. aI didnat really expect it to go well,a she said in a carefully expressionless voice as she filled the coffee carafe with water. aAfter all, I went there to tell him his fiance was pregnant by another man who he happens to despise. Buta"a aBut what?a Holly persisted.

Bracing her hands on the sink, Kate let her head fall forward while she watched the water level rise in the carafe. aBut I never imagined it could go asbadly as it did. He turned pale when I first told him, but then he recovered and even put his arm around me and told me it wasnat my fault, that Mitch.e.l.l had made a victim out of both of us. He said we could undo the damage and go on with our lives like it never happened.a aWhat went wrong?a aI told him I wasnat sure I could go through with an abortion.a aThen what happened?a aHe completely lost it,a Kate said tonelessly. Belatedly realizing the carafe was overflowing, she turned the water tap off and filled the coffeemaker with fresh water; then she flipped the switch on. aDid you ever wonder how a calm, even-tempered man like Evan could possibly intimidate anyone in court?a aIave wondered why everyone thinks heas such a good attorney. Turn around and talk to me,a Holly said, putting her hands on Kateas shoulders and forcing her to turn.

aWell, you donat have to wonder anymore,a Kate said, swallowing audibly. aThis afternoon, I got a dose of what it must be like to be cross-examined by him. He started out making quick, deep cuts with a scalpel about little things Iave done over the years that he put up with, and then he got out the hacksaw. By the time he was done, he was calling me names and shouting at me so loud that everyone on that floor must have heard him. Finally, he told me to get out and never come back.a aThat hypocrite! Donat think for a minute heas been faithful to you for the past four years. There have been plenty of rumors about him.a Turning away, Kate reached for the sugar bowl and two spoons. aThose were just rumors. Iam the one whoas guilty and dirty, not him.a aAm I right that he would have been willing to continue aputting up with youa if youad agreed to have an abortion?a aYep. Definitely,a Kate replied, trying to be flippant and sounding haunted instead. aIn fact, at times I had the feeling he actually thought an abortion would be a form of suitable paybacka"Mitch.e.l.las baby in return for the insult to Evanas and my pride.a aHe doesnat care about your pride. This is about the Bartlett pride. Iall bet head have been a lot less affronted if youad gotten knocked up by someone he regarded as his social equal.a Kate almost, but not quite, smiled at that.

aIave told you for years that Evan has two sidesa"a aDonat,a Kate said, turning back to the counter. aI despise the way he treated me, and I wouldnat go back to him after today if he begged me to, but he was crushed. I wounded him in Anguilla when I told him what Iad done, but today I devastated him.a In silence, they sat at the kitchen table, waiting for the coffee to finish brewing. Kate gave Holly a mug of it and handed her the sugar bowl; then she picked up her own mug and started for the bedroom. aI hate to leave you here, but I have to get dressed and go to work.a aNo, you donat. Youave been working until midnight every night since you got back from Anguilla.a aI was off two nights ago for our movie night.a aThat was Sunday, and the restaurant was closed. The restaurant can run itself for one night.a Kate turned, looked at the coffee mug she was holding, then she looked at Holly and said in angry misery, aIam so sleepy because Iam pregnant that I can hardly stand up, and Iam pregnant because I actually thought I was in love with a man who turned out to be a ruthless, depraved monster. If there is a G.o.d, I will miscarry!a Kate said, and then the dam broke, and she wept in Hollyas arms. aEven if I wanted to have a baby right now, Iad be terrified of the kind of genes this baby could have inherited from its father. Heas a m-monster!a aI know,a Holly said, smiling a little and patting Kateas back. aNow, letas go in the living room. You can call the restaurant, and Iall pick out a movie and weall have a sleepover.a Holly decided onPretty Woman, because it was lighthearted and frivolous. aI cannot have this baby!a Kate whispered from the sofa behind her. She was asleep by the time Holly started the movie and looked around.

aCome on, Max,a Holly whispered. aI donat know about you, but I could definitely use something stronger than coffee. Letas raid the wine rack.a With that in mind, Holly started back toward the kitchen; then she jumped in nervous shock when someone knocked at the front door just as she walked past it. Hoping it would be Evan, preferably on his knees, Holly opened the door; then she stepped back in nervous surprise. Standing on the porch was an unsmiling gray-haired man in his early sixties wearing full clerical regalia of black suit and white collar. aMy G.o.d!a she said to the priest, her shock turning to annoyance. aWhat is with you right-to-life people, anyway? Are you plugged into every OB in the city? Go away! She can make up her own mind.a aYou must be Holly,a the priest said, smiling slightly.

aPlease donat creep me out. Just leave your literature on the porch, and Iall see that she gets it,a Holly said, starting to close the door.

He put his hand on the door to stop her. aIam Father Donovan, Kateas uncle. Kate came by the rectory late this afternoon when I was out. My housekeeper said she seemed upset. She hasnat answered my phone calls. Now, may I come in?a Embarra.s.sed but resolute, Holly stepped back, opened the door, and whispered, aSheas sleeping right now, and sheas upset. I donat want her to wake up. You can come into the kitchen if you want to wait around for a while.a Holly closed the kitchenas swinging door behind them and kept her voice low. aWould you like some coffee?a aNo, thank you. I take it that Kateas pregnant?a Hollyas background had left her with little respect for organized religion and even less for clerics. aYouall have to discuss that with her, Father Donovan,a she said, refusing to be intimidated by his collar. The wine rack was in the corner on the counter, and she pulled out a bottle of red wine and began uncorking it, trying to remember whether it was Baptists or Catholics who disapproved of drinking alcohol. aIam going to drown my sorrows for Kate in a large gla.s.s of wine,a she warned him. aI hope you donat object,a she added in a tone that conveyed she didnat care whether he objected or not.

aAre you planning to drink the whole bottle yourself?a aI might. Why?a When he didnat answer, she turned around and found herself looking straight into eyes as green as Kateas, eyes that were filled with amused curiosity. aIf you arenat planning to drink the bottle yourself,a he said, aI thought perhaps we could sit here and enjoy a gla.s.s together while we wait for Kate to wake up?a aYes, of course,a Holly said, feeling confused and rude. aBut Iam not going to tell you about Kateasa"little problem. If she wants to confess it to a priest, thatas up to her.a aIam not here as her confessor,a he remarked. aIam here as her uncle.a aYouare a priest. Youare going to tell her she has to have thata"thatb.a.s.t.a.r.das baby.a As she poured wine into two gla.s.ses, Holly waited for him to deny it. aThatas what youare going to do, isnat it?a she challenged bitterly as she handed him a gla.s.s of wine and sat down across the table from him.

aa.s.suming Kate came to see me today to tell me sheas pregnant, then the answer to your question is that Kate already knew what I was going to tell her. Which, in turn, makes me think thatas what she wanted to hear. What surprises me is that sheas been involved with a man you think is a b.a.s.t.a.r.d. Sheas usually an excellent judge of people.a Holly took a sip of her wine, considering that. aNot this time.a Father Donovan took a sip of his wine. aHe must have had some quality that appealed to her?a aHeas a heartless pig,a Holly declared angrily, and took another sip of wine. aBut a heartless pig with a lot of looks and charm.a aI see. Poor Kate. Sheas gone with the same young man for four years. I take it the heartless pig weare talking about isnat him?a aNo, that heartless pig broke their engagement today and dumped her. She met the heartless pig who got her pregnant in Anguilla a few weeks ago. Donat ask me to tell you anything more.a aI wonat.a Holly drank more of her wine, her thoughts on Kate; then she lifted her gaze to the man with Kateas eyes and said in a wrenched voice, aI canat believe the things he did to her, and all to get even with Evan . . .a aEvan is the heartless pig who dumped her today?a aYes. Mitch.e.l.l Wyatt is the one who used her and broke her heart. Iam the one who coached her about how to treat him when she saw him the last time, and he broke her heart all over again.a aYou meant well. Itas not your fault.a Holly drank a little more wine and bit her lip. aItas partly my fault that she had anything to do with him in the first place. Evan took her down to Anguilla and left her there alone, and I told her she should have a fling, and thatas what she did.a Father Donovan took another sip of wine. aIam sure Kate made that choice on her own.a aOh, no, she didnat!a Holly said angrily. aShe met Mitch.e.l.l Wyatt in a restaurant one afternoon when she accidentally spilled a b.l.o.o.d.y Mary on his shirt. He knew she was Evanas girlfriend, but he pretended not to . . .a a. . . WHAT A HEARTBREAKINGstory,a Father Donovan declared sincerely an hour later, after Holly finished apprising him of every minute detail, culminating in Kateas confrontation with Wyatt at the Childrenas Hospital benefit.

A second bottle of wine was on the table between them, along with a tissue box from which Holly had periodically removed a tissue to dab at her eyes. aI could kill him with my bare hands,a she said ferociously.

aSo could I,a Father Donovan declared.

Holly looked at him with new respect. aReally?a aThat was a figure of speech.a aWhat are we going to do now?a she asked, spreading her hands on the table, palms up. aShe has that huge restaurant to run, and she doesnat have anyone who cares about her anymore.a Father Donovan looked at her in surprise. aShe has you, Holly,a he said with a smile, aand youare loyal and brave and strong. And she has me. Weall get her through this. And when itas all said and done, sheall have a baby to love and to love her back, and weall share him with her.a In the doorway, Kate paused and looked from Holly to her uncle. aHi, Uncle Jamie.a Standing up, he opened his arms to her and said tenderly, ah.e.l.lo, Mary Kate.a Kate fled into his familiar embrace.

Chapter Forty.

ON A BALMYJune morning, when she was four months pregnant, Kate hurried beneath the decorative burgundy awnings of the front windows of Donovanas on her way into work, and she caught sight of her reflection in the gla.s.s. With a sense of grim fascination, she kept walking and studying her unfamiliar outline in the gla.s.s. Her head was bent; her shoulders were hunched forward as if she had to plow her way through the lunchtime crowd in order to keep moving; her hair was a ma.s.s of untamed curls pulled up into a ponytail because that was easiest; and her pregnancy was showing. Mitch.e.l.l Wyattas son was making his presence known.

And if that werenat bad enough, the window gla.s.s was noticeably grimy.

She pushed through the heavy bra.s.s-trimmed oak door, looked around for the matre da, took in the general condition of things, and worriedly glanced at her watch. It was 11:15; fifteen minutes before Donovanas opened for lunch. By now, all the tables should have been covered with snowy white linen tablecloths and decked out with sparkling crystal, gleaming china chargers with a goldD in the center, and ornamental bra.s.s lanterns. As she walked toward the lounge, Kate counted ten tables that werenat set, and she noticed that the patterned burgundy carpet didnat look freshly vacuumed.

The lounge was separated from the dining rooms by a richly carved mahogany wall with stained-gla.s.s panels. The room occupied the entire right-hand corner of the building, its shuttered windows looking out onto the street at the front and along the side. During the day, the shutters were left open so people who were eating and drinking at the tables could enjoy the street scene. At dark, the shutters were closed, and the atmosphere inside became a candlelit, upscale ahideawaya with a jazz quartet providing music next to a small dance floor.

The remaining two walls were taken up by the bar itself, an L-shaped mahogany replica of an old-world bar, with dark green marble counters, bra.s.s foot rails, and a carved wood canopy above burgundy leather barstools. The beveled mirror on the two back walls was all but obscured by tiers of crystal gla.s.ses and Donovanas famous selection of spirits from all over the world.

The entire original Irish pub of Kateas youth had occupied about half the area of the current lounge. Normally, being in the lounge evoked nostalgia in Kate. Today, however, she felt a rush of frustrated annoyance when she took a look inside and saw Frank OaHalloran rushing back and forth from one end of the bar to the other, setting out bowls of imported nuts and pulling out trays of fruit from the refrigerators under the bar.

Two bartenders normally manned the bar for weekday lunches, with the number increasing to three on Monday through Wednesday nights, and then to four for the Thursday-, Friday-, and Sat.u.r.day-night crowds.

aHi, Frank,a Kate said to the balding bartender, whoad worked for Donovanas for twenty years. aWhoas supposed to be on duty with you today?a aJimmy,a he replied, flicking her a noncommittal look.

aI thought Jimmy was working the evening shift.a aHe switched with Pete Fellows.a aWhereas Jimmy, then?a aDunno, Mary Kate.a Scheduling the staff was Louis Kellardas job as the restaurant manager. aI guess Louis is taking care of getting you some help,a Kate said, turning to leave.

aMary Kate, I need to tell you somethina.a She turned back, suddenly uneasy about his tone. aYes?a she said, walking over to him. He had a sheen of perspiration on his forehead, presumably from trying to rush.

aIam gonna have to quit.a Kateas eyes widened in alarm at the thought of another familiar face disappearing from her life. aAre you sick, Frank?a Lifting his head, he looked her straight in the eye. aYeah, I am. Iam sick of watchina this place slide downhill. Iave always been real proud of workina at Donovanas. Thereas not a customer who comes in here more than a few times that I donat make it a point to remember his name and what he likes. Your dad, G.o.d rest his soul, was the same way about the dining room customers.a aI know thata"a Kate said, cringing inwardly from the indirect criticism of her stewardship.

aDonovanas has always been special. Even when your dad decided to make this place real cla.s.sy, he kept it real personal, too. He gave it his special touch, and thatas whatas made Donovanas the popular place that it is. Iam gonna be honest with you, Mary Kate, and tell you what all of us think whoave worked here for a few years: You donat have your dadas touch. We thought you might, but you donat.a Kate put up a valiant struggle against a sudden rush of tears. aI spend as much time here as my father did,a she argued.

aYour heart isnat in it,a he countered. aYour father wouldnat have seen me alone in here and shrugged and said, aI guess Louis is taking care of getting you some help.a Head have made d.a.m.ned sure I had help, and then head have made d.a.m.ned sure he knew why Louis hadnatalready taken care of it.a Heated tears were burning the backs of Kateas eyes now, threatening to spill over, and she turned, starting toward the doorway into the dining room. aTell Marjorie to give you an extra two monthsa pay in your final check,a she said, referring to the trusted bookkeeper whoad worked for her father for more than a decade.

To her shock, the Irishman called angrily after her, aYoutell Marjorie to do it, Mary Kate Donovan! Thatas your joba"youare the boss, not me, and not Marjorie.a Kate nodded, trying to breathe steadily and slowly so she wouldnat have to run for the bathroom to either throw up or cry.

aAnd another thinga"a Frank shouted after her. aWhy are you lettina me get away with talkina to you like that? I wouldnat have gotten away with talkina to your dad that way!a aGo to h.e.l.l,a Kate whispered.

aAnd one more thing besides,a he called.

Fists clenched, Kate turned and saw him leaning over the bar, his face red with anger. aWhatas wrong with your eyes that you didnat notice the lemons and limes Iam puttina out are old? Why arenat you storming outta here on your way to the kitchen to see who the h.e.l.l is letting that produce company get away with giving us this c.r.a.p?a Kate refused to reply, but she did notice that the matre da, Kevin Sandovski, still wasnat at his post at 11:25, when she walked by his desk at the entrance. In the kitchen, she found him, Louis Kellard, and several waiters who should have been busy with last-minute details in the dining room, standing around joking with the kitchen staff. aWhatas going on in here?a she asked in what she hoped was an authoritative, disapproving voice.

Sandovski levered himself up from a stool, but she thought he rolled his eyes at the waiters. Louis Kellard looked at the bulge in her abdomen, smiled sympathetically, and said, aKate, Iave been through two pregnancies with my wife, and I know how hard it is on a woman emotionally and physically to deal with that, along with the stress of holding down a job. Try not to upset yourself.a aIam not upsetting myself,a Kate said, unsure whether he was genuinely trying to help her or patronizing her. aFrank OaHalloran said weare getting inferior produce. Is that true?a aOf course it isnat,a Louis said, shaking his head in affront. aWeare just not using as many lemons and limes as we used to in the lounge, so they stand around a little longer.a aWhy arenat we using as many as we used to?a aAsk Marjorie,a Louis said. aShe has all the figures on how much business weare doing. Weare down a little from what we used to do, but not by much.a Kate nodded and backed out of the kitchen. aIall be in the office if you need me.a Her fatheras officea"her office nowa"had been relocated years before to an area off the main dining room, separated from it by a paneled hallway with doors opening into the bookkeeperas office and the manageras office as well. The staircase leading up from the old pub to the apartment above had been closed off and a new staircase created that was located next to her fatheras office. The apartment itself was still there, but her father had used it only rarely, either when the weather was too bad to drive home or when head worked unusually late.

Marjorie was sitting at her desk, her fingers racing over a calculator keyboard, her ledger books spread out over nearly every available surface. aFrank OaHalloran is going to quit,a Kate said. aWill you please give him two monthsa extra pay in his final check?a The gray-haired bookkeeper looked up. aAre you going to let Frank quit?a aHow am I supposed to stop him?a Kate demanded, her fingernails biting into her palms.

aI donat know. I guess I thought maybe youad have an idea.a aI do have one idea,a Kate shot back.

aWhatas that, Kate?a aWe ought to be using a computerized cash-flow system. Those ledger books are as antiquated asa"a aAs me?a Marjorie suggested ironically.

aI didnat mean it that way, Marjorie.a aWe are computerized,a Marjorie said, taking pity on her. aFood orders, reservations, everything. Havenat you noticed that before?a aOf course I have!a Kate said, already feeling drained after being there less than half an hour. aI was talking about the ledgers youare using right now. Why isnat that information on computer?a aIt is, actually. Your father liked the consistency of tracking everything using the same method weave always used, so I transfer certain information into the ledgers off the computer.a She waited expectantly for Kate to say something, and when Kate didnat she dropped her gaze to her calculator and began inputting figures. aKate,a she said without looking up, ayouare not really invested in running this business. You need to think about selling it.a Wounded to the core now, Kate said nothing and backed out of yet another room, retreating again, because shead lost complete faith in herself. A few months agoa"before Mitch.e.l.l Wyatta"she would have had enough faith in her own judgment to take a firm stand in the kitchen with Louis, and with Frank, and with Marjorie. But not now. Now shead lost faith in herself, and on top of that, everyone else was losing faith in her, too.

Because of Mitch.e.l.l, and because of her pregnancy with his child, shead been reduced to an exhausted ma.s.s of raw emotions and uncertainties. Worse yet, she couldnat think of the child she was carrying without immediately thinking of what a gullible fool shead been about his father. For weeks, shead been waiting to feel some sort of maternal bond with her baby, but it wasnat happening, and she was starting to fear that her feelings about Mitch.e.l.l were going to prevent her from loving her baby.

Kate sat down behind her fatheras desk and faced the fact that things were likely to get much worse, not better, unless she could find some sort of resolution, and peace, about what Mitch.e.l.l had done to her. She had to be able to forgive him, and then forgive herself for falling for him. Once she did that, shead be able to put all the bad feelings behind her and look forward to the future.

In order to forgive and forget, she first needed to understand how he thought and what had happened to him to make him so heartless and vengeful.

Propping her chin on the palm of her hand, Kate considered how to find the answers she needed. . . .

Neither Caroline nor Cecil Wyatt would be willing to talk about him behind his back. Matthew Farrell and Meredith Bancroft knew him, but Meredith had witnessed her confrontation with Mitch.e.l.l at the Childrenas Hospital benefit, and afterward, shead looked at Kate as if she didnat exist anymore. In Anguilla, Evan had told her enough about Mitch.e.l.las childhood to make her feel horrified, but Evan certainly wouldnat fill in any details for Kate now. . . .

In her mind, Kate suddenly saw Gray Elliott taking some files off a thick stack on his desk and bringing them over to the coffee table where Holly and she were sitting. Those particular files had contained photographs, but there had been a lot more files in a pile on his desk.

Feeling more resolute and optimistic than she had in months, she got a phone book out of her desk drawer.

After a fairly long delay, Gray Elliott picked up the telephone. aMiss Donovan?a he said, sounding brisk but curious. aMy secretary said you needed to talk to me about an urgent matter.a aI do,a Kate said emphatically, abut it has to be in person.a aIam booked up for severala"a aIt will take only a few minutes, and it is urgenta"and very important.a He hesitated, and Kate could almost see him looking at his calendar. aCould you make it at twelve-fifteen tomorrow? Iall see you before I go to lunch.a aIall be there,a Kate said. aThank you.a

Chapter Forty-one.

aMR.ELLIOTT WILLsee you now, Miss Donovan,a the secretary said.

Kate stood up and followed her into his office. Yesterday, Kate had looked like a wreck, but today shead paid careful attention to her appearance, striving for a feminine, summery look she desperately hoped would help offset her last, unpleasant standoff with the stateas attorney. Her sleeveless empire-waisted turquoise jumper concealed her pregnancy and was enlivened by the geometric print, in bright turquoise, lavender, and white, of her linen tote. The jumper was just short enough to be very stylish without revealing too much skin above the knee, and her high-heeled sandals showed off her legs.

To go with the mod sixties look of the jumper, shead straightened her hair and pulled it back at the sides, holding it in place at the crown with a tortoisesh.e.l.l clip.

Gray Elliott stood up when she walked into his office, and his brief, startled smile made her feel she definitely looked better than at their last encounter, and that small success was enough to buoy up spirits that had been at a low ebb for so many months.

aWhy donat we sit over there, Miss Donovan,a he said, coming around his desk and gesturing toward the sofa and chairs where she and Holly had sat before.

Kate gave him her best rueful smile and said, aPlease call me Kate.a aAll righta"Kate,a he said, but his brows drew together in mild suspicion.

Since he was already suspicious, Kate decided to try to outflank him and catch him off guard by firing a round of honesty at him. aIam hoping that if weare on a first-name basis,a she admitted with what she hoped was a charming smile, ayouall be more inclined to agree to the favor Iave come to ask you for. Itas terribly important, Mr. Elliott.a aPlease call me Gray,a he said courteouslya"and because he had little choice if she was going to allow him to call her Kate.

When they reached the coffee table, Kate deliberately sat down on a chair at the end of it rather than on the sofa in front of it, since the soft sofa cushions would have sunk beneath her weight and put her at a height disadvantage. Evidently, Gray Elliott was equally conscious of these subtleties, because instead of sitting on the sofa as shead hoped he would, he walked around the coffee table and sat down in the opposite chair, facing her.

aWould you like something to drink?a he offered.

aNo, thank you,a Kate said, crossing her legs. Watching him from beneath her lashes, she leaned to the right to put her tote bag on the sofa. His gaze went briefly to her crossed legs and quickly withdrew. He hadnat meant to look, but he was definitely a leg man, she thought wryly; then a sudden memory of Mitch.e.l.l, standing on the balcony in St. Maarten, slashed across her heart and vanquished her brief spurt of confident optimism.