Every Breath You Take Part 14

aThen answer mine. How in theh.e.l.l could you ever have considered marrying Evan Bartlett?a aThis is going to go very badly,a Kate a.s.serted, pointing to a table by the windows across the room and answering his question as she walked toward it. aIam not certain there was any one reason as to why I got engaged to Evan. It was a combination of things I discovered aboutyou, actually, that led to our engagement.a aAbout me?a he asked skeptically.

aYes, you,a Kate replied. aTell me something,a she added, turning around and looking at him with baffled sorrow. aWhat possible delight will you derive from my telling you that I was completely duped by you? How can you be so extraordinary in so many different ways, and yet be so . . . so heartless and egotistical?a aIam not sure what the answer to that is, but I promise to give it serious thought once I understand what youare getting at. Whatare you getting at?a he added curtly.

Sickened, Kate decided to tell him what he evidently needed to hear. aOkay, Mitch.e.l.l, hereas the way it went: The day I left you at the Enclave in St. Maarten, I went straight to the villa and packed my suitcases like a good little fool, then I waited for Evan. When he arrived, I told him Iad met you and that I thought we had something special.a aAnd he said what?a Mitch.e.l.l bit out.

aWithout trying to list the revelations in the order of their heartbreaking effect, Evan told me that head met you at Cecil Wyattas party, that head told you my name and that I was going to be at the Island Club with him. He also told me about your childhood and the reasons you hate his father and him. Then he asked me if I knew you were staying on Zack Benedictas yacht, building a house on Anguilla, and living in Chicago with Caroline Wyatt.a Shaking her head at her stupidity, she finished, aI was so insane about you that none of that mattered, except for the one thing that I couldnat invent an excuse for.a aWhat was that?a he asked tautly.

Kate paused to center a candle on the table and then said, aThe one thing I couldnat ignore was that youad let me talk about Chicago while you acted as if youad never been here. You even asked me how long it takes to fly from Chicago to St. Maarten. As far as I know, there are only two reasons why a man hides from a woman the fact that he lives in the same city she does: either heas married, or he has no intention of seeing her again when theyare both back in that city. I wanted to believe that you might have a third reason, so do you know what I did?a He put his hands on her shoulders to stop her from sitting down and drew her back against his chest. aWhat did you do?a he asked, his lips against her hair. Refusing to struggle, Kate stood there, looking straight ahead. aI called you at the Enclave to ask you why. They told me youad checked out. I thought that had to be a mistake, because I remembered the way you stood on the balcony and told me to aHurry back.a a Trying unsuccessfully to keep her voice steady, Kate went on, aSo there I was, with my suitcases all packed, standing in the villa, facing the ugly truth: You seduced me to get even with Evan, then you sent me back to the villa to break up with him, reminding me to hurry back to you. And then you checked out of the hotel.a Drawing a shaky breath, Kate said, aI cried my heart out on Evanas shoulder. I cried so hard that I finally fell asleep, and when I woke up the engagement ring Evan had brought to St. Maarten was on my finger.a Mitch.e.l.las hands tightened, turning her around almost roughly and pulling her tightly against him. aRight after you left for the Island Club, Billy called me and told me my brotheras body had been found. I checked out of the hotel, then I made arrangements with Zack for you to cruise the islands on his yacht during the day.a He laid his jaw against the top of her head, his hand drifting soothingly up and down her spine as he continued, aI have my own plane, and I intended to fly back and forth every night to wherever the yacht was docked so we could spend the nights together. I waited for you at the wharf in Philipsburg until it got dark, then I called the vet and he told me that you and another man had picked up Max hours before. I couldnat believe youad left me waiting there.a aWhen I was four months pregnant, I went to Gray Elliottas office and saw pictures of you waiting for me,a Kate said. aIt meant everything to me to see that. At least I knew youad never intended for me to go back to the hotel and learn that youad checked out.a His hand pressed her cheek to his chest as he asked, aWhen did you find out you were pregnant?a aA couple of weeks after I saw you at the Childrenas Hospital benefit. You must be wondering how I got pregnanta"a aIknow how you got pregnant,a he said huskily. aI even know, to the minute,when it happened.a aI was on the pill, but Iad taken some migraine medicine that interfered with it,a Kate added, taking shameless pleasure in being held in his arms even if he was only telling her half-truths. aWhy did you treat me the way you did when I saw you at the benefit?a His laugh was short and grim. aI told you exactly why that night, without meaning to. I felt like a jilted, heartbroken lover. I had no idea until a moment before you walked up to me that Evan Bartlett was your boyfriend.a His hand curved around her nape, his thumb forcing her chin up, and he looked at her with tender solemnity. aWe lay in bed and watched the sun come up though we could hardly hold our eyes open, because neither of us wanted to miss out on a minute of being together.a Lowering his head, he touched his mouth to the corner of hers. aI missed you so much, for so long,a he whispered. aI missed our magic.a Kate was lost.

Chapter Forty-nine.

HOLLY REACHED INTOKateas refrigerator, took out two bottles of water, and held out one to Calli. aWould you like one?a she asked.

Calli looked at her, smiled politely, shook his head no, and said in Italian, aYou are very beautiful. I would rather have you.a Understanding only the negative shake of his head, Holly said, aIall take that to mean no,a and put one bottle back into the refrigerator.

She glanced over her shoulder as Kate came out of the bedroom wearing her third possible outfit for dinner with Mitch.e.l.l that night. The other two choices were draped over the sofa in the living room. Head taken Danny shopping, and theyad been gone since eleven that morning. aToo dressy?a Kate asked, pirouetting in front of Holly as Calli looked on from beside the kitchen island.

aNo, but I like the blue wool better.a Frustrated and uncertain, Kate decided to ask the opinion of a man who knew Mitch.e.l.las taste. Reaching over to the sofa, she collected the other two dresses and held them up one at a time while she looked questioningly at Calli. aFor Mitch.e.l.l?a she asked.

Calli grinned, pointed confidently at the black sheath, and said in Italian, aMitch.e.l.l will be in a hurry to get it off you tonight, so wear the one with the zipper instead of the b.u.t.tons.a aOkay, the black sheath it is,a Kate said. aGrazie,a she added with a warm smile, using one of the two Italian words she knew.

Calli nodded and said, aYou have a mouth made for kissing, but Mitch.e.l.l is like a brother to me. Also, he would cut out my heart if he thought I noticed.a aIt must take a lot more words to say something in Italian,a Holly observed. Then she added solemnly, aKate, please be careful with your heart. Mitch.e.l.l broke it the last time, and it was scary to see what happened to you afterward. Youare falling in love with him all over again.a aNo, Iam not,a Kate replied firmly.

At the kitchen island, Callias brows drew together in surprised dismay.

aYes, you are,a Holly insisted.

Kate slumped against the back of the sofa, hangers and dresses suspended from both hands. aYes, I am,a she admitted. aAnd Iam so scared. Last night, I convinced myself it would be okaya"safea"if I loved him just a little bit.a aHow do you feel today?a With a defeated sigh, Kate said, aLike thereas no way to love him just a little bit. Heas completely addictive. If I could pull him over me like a blanket and wrap myself up in him, Iad do it and still want to be closera"body and soul. And what makes it so hard is that I think he feels the same way.a aYou thought that the last time.a Kate nodded and shoved away from the sofa, her shoulders slumping a little. aI know.a aWhen is he coming back?a Glancing at her watch, Kate said, aHe called to say that he and Danny were running late but that theyad be here by six. I need to be downstairs at eight tonight to greet the major and his party, then Mitch.e.l.l and I are going somewhere for dinner.a Holly rose. aItas five-thirty, so Iad better get going. Do you want me to stop and feed Max and the cats on my way home?a aNo,a Kate said, returning to her bedroom to put away the rejected outfits. Shead already put on her makeup and fixed her hair so that shead look nice when Danny and Mitch.e.l.l got back, and now she had time on her hands. aWeare going to bring them here until the police capture Billy Wyatt. I keep the local news on up here all day, expecting to hear an announcement that Billyas been taken into custody, but until that happens weall be living above the restaurant. The security system here is much better than the one at my house.a aHowas Molly doing?a aSheas doing really well. She wants to come back to work tomorrow, but I want her to stay home and rest for a few more days.a aMOMMY, COME LOOKa"a Already smiling, Kate hurried down the hallway from her bedroom to see what Mitch.e.l.l and Danny had bought during their outing. The sight of Danny standing in the middle of the room, grinning expectantly, almost stopped her heart. Gone were his long curls and clothes from Baby Gap. His black hair was styled just like Mitch.e.l.las, and he was wearing a vested suit, tie, and shiny black shoes. To top it off, he was posing with one hand in his pocket, the other behind his back.

The sight of him made her heart both swell with pride and contract with helpless longing for the baby he had seemed to be only hours before. aYouave been shopping at Baby Brooks Brothers!a Kate joked.

aGot you a present,a Danny said, drawing his hand out from behind his back and proudly showing her a bedraggled daisy, which he delivered to her at a run.

aItas beautiful,a Kate said, sending a smiling glance to Mitch.e.l.l.

He smiled back and said to Danny, aGive Mommy her other present.a Grinning Mitch.e.l.las grin, Danny dug into his suit pocket and pulled out an ornate locket on a slender chain. Kateas hand shook a little as she held the beautiful golden heart. She was being drawn deeper and deeper into fantasies of being part of a family, of being loved and cherished by the black-haired man who was already teaching his son to bring flowers to his mommy.

She looked up to say thank you to Mitch.e.l.l, but his attention was suddenly riveted to the television set. He strode toward it, turning up the volume.

aAt four oaclock this afternoon,a the anchor intoned, aChicago police apprehended Billy Wyatt, seventeen, who is suspected of kidnapping Daniel Donovan from a local park yesterday. Sources inside the police department say that Wyatt has admitted to the kidnapping, but that he is blaming Chicago attorney Evan Bartlett for giving him the idea. According to these sources, Wyatt conceived the idea of kidnapping Daniel Donovan after Bartlett showed him a recent newspaper article including a picture of Daniel and his mother, restaurateur Kate Donovan. Bartlett allegedly told Wyatt that Danielas father is Mitch.e.l.l Wyatt, on whom Billy has long blamed his misfortunes.

aOur reporter Sidney Solomon caught up with Bartlett tonight at Gleneagles Country Club.a Kate turned around and stepped back in alarm at the sight of Mitch.e.l.las clenched jaw and blazing eyes as he watched Evan, tennis racket in hand, evoke attorney-client privilege and stride off to play a match.

aThat son of a b.i.t.c.h!a Mitch.e.l.l muttered between his teeth.

aSonofb.i.t.c.h!a Danny echoed feelingly.

Mitch.e.l.l made an unsuccessful effort to look calm for Dannyas sake, then he kissed Kate good-bye as if he scarcely knew she was there. In the doorway he turned and said, aI have an errand to run. Iall pick you up at eight.a

Chapter Fifty.

aIaLL GET IT,Calli,a Kate called when there was a knock at the apartment door shortly after nine oaclock. Calli ignored her and got to the door first. Mitch.e.l.l was an hour late, and when Kate saw Detective MacNeil and Gray Elliott standing in the doorway, she panicked. aOh, my G.o.d, whatas happened?a she cried.

aEvan Bartlett is in the hospital with a broken jaw and several cracked ribs,a Gray said, peering around her and into the apartment. aMay we come in?a aYes, of course,a Kate said.

aWhereas Wyatt, Kate?a Kate knew as he asked the question what he was getting at, and her mind went into overdrive, thinking of ways to protect Mitch.e.l.l. aIs Evan saying Mitch.e.l.l did it?a she asked, trying to sound scornful.

aEvan didnat see who a.s.saulted him. His a.s.sailant was waiting for him in the parking lot at Gleneagles Country Club when he finished playing tennis tonight.a aEvan works out at a gym; he can protect himself,a Kate said, stalling for time, trying to think of an alibi for Mitch.e.l.l when the inevitable question was asked.

aWhere is Wyatt?a Gray repeated more firmly.

aI donat understand why youare looking for Mitch.e.l.l. Um, did you find any evidence that it was him?a aThe a.s.sailant was wearing thin rubber glovesa"like the kind your kitchen staff uses.a aOh, well, then thereas your proof it wasnat Mitch.e.l.l. Heas never been in our kitchen.a aA busboy said he stopped in there at about six oaclock tonight and asked for a gla.s.s of water.a Unable to think clearlya"or to be more accurate,deviously a"with Grayas eyes boring holes through her, Kate said, aWould you excuse me for just a minute? This is very upsetting.a Turning on her heel, she headed for the bedroom hallway, and to her alarm, she heard Grayas footsteps on the carpet, following her far enough to note where she was going. Inside her bedroom, Kate leaned against the closed door, trying to think of a believable alibi.

An idea hit her and she raced over to her bed and dragged the covers loose; she pulled a corner of the mattress off the box spring so it was angled to the floor. She studied the effect, then hurried to the wall behind the headboard to tilt the two paintings hanging there. She carefully overturned the lamp on the nightstand so that the shade was hanging over the edge. Finished, she raced into the adjoining bathroom, soaked a washcloth in water, and sauntered back into the living room, dabbing at her face. aIam so sorry,a she said. aI just canat handle any more violence. I got ill. Anyway, it couldnat have been Mitch.e.l.l because he was here with me until a few minutes ago.a aWhere is he now?a aHe . . . went to get my dog and my two cats. Weare staying here until you capture Billy Wyatt.a aWe took him into custody this afternoon.a Kate widened her eyes. aOh. Really?a aReally,a Gray said drily. aWould you mind if Detective MacNeil had a look inside the rooms down that hallway?a aNot at all,a Kate replied, dabbing at her face in earnest and trailing nervously behind MacNeil. aDonat wake up Danny,a she warned. aHeas in the bedroom on the right.a Intensely serious about his job as Dannyas bodyguard, Calli followed right behind MacNeil, scowling at him from the doorway as the detective quietly explored Dannyas closet and bathroom.

aWhatas this room?a MacNeil said.

aMy bedroom.a aMay I?a he asked, his hand on the doork.n.o.b.

Kate started to say aOf course!a Then she changed her mind and said, aI really wish you wouldnat.a She waited until MacNeil gave her an I-can-get-a-search-warrant look before she said in feigned embarra.s.sment, aOh, go ahead, Detective.a MacNeil opened the door, flipped on the lights, and froze. Calli crowded next to him to see what he was looking at and gave a bark of laughter, which enabled Kate to blush furiously and in earnest when they rejoined Gray in the living room.

aWhatas wrong?a he asked, looking from Kate to MacNeil to Calli, who wasnat even trying to control his grin. Twisting the washcloth in her hands, Kate said, aMitch.e.l.l and Ia"we, uma"spent this evening in bed.a aThis doesnat have to turn into a big deal,a Gray said. aWhen Mitch.e.l.l gets back, have him call us.a aAnd what will you do with him then?a Kate said, her voice tinged with suspicion, fear, and angera"and a little surprised that head referred to Mitch.e.l.l by his first name.

aWeall have a look at his knuckles. If they arenat bruised or swollen, weall know heas not the a.s.sailant.a aOh, good. Thatas easy.a aYes, but itas also evidence that canat be hidden or disguised.a aWhy are you involved in such a little matter, Gray?a she demanded.

He squeezed her arm. aIave started to think of myself as a family friend,a he said, and turned to leave with MacNeil on his heels.

aIall have Mitch.e.l.l call you the minute he gets back,a Kate promised as they left. aHe may stop on his way here to pick up some dog food.a On the other side of the apartment door, MacNeil and Elliott descended the stairs. aWhatas the story with the bedroom?a Gray asked.

Biting back a grin, MacNeil said, aFrom the looks of that bedroom, thereas no way Wyatt would have had the strength left to a.s.sault Bartlett.a aIf I thought I could get away with burying this little episode, Iad do it,a Gray said. aIn fact, if I thought I could get away with beating the s.h.i.t out of Bartlett, I might have tried it myself. Unfortunately, among other things, heas a lawyer, and even with his jaw wired shut, heas screaming for Wyattas blood.a aWhat do you want to do next?a aWe have to keep looking for Wyatt and doc.u.ment our efforts,a Gray replied with a sigh. aIf I donat, Bartlett will turn this into a media event that makes all of us look bad. But we donat have to be overly diligent. Bartlett isnat a capital murder case. Wyatt flew here on a commercial airline because his own plane was grounded for maintenance. Weave notified OaHare to detain him if he tries to go through security there. Thatas due diligence on our part, as far as Iam concerned. Iam not going to put up roadblocks because Bartlett is unhappy and uncomfortable.a On the sidewalk outside the restaurant, Childress was waiting. Gray paused and looked up at the sky. aBeautiful night,a he said. aToo bad I have to go back to the office.a aWyatt is going to turn up,a Childress predicted, ever vigilant.

aCall me if you hear or see anything,a Gray said to both of them, and left with a brief wave.

KATE STRUGGLED WITHher heavy mattress, trying to shove it back into place, but her mind was on Mitch.e.l.l, and she was worried. She was worried for him, and worried for herself, too, because shead gotten in too deeply and much too fast. He was like a narcotic, and she couldnat function when he was around. In real time, shead spent only five days with him on two occasions in three years, and on both occasions, her life seemed to self-destruct the moment he walked into it. Tonight, shead surely committed some sort of crime by lying to the police for him.

In the kitchen, Calli listened to the instructions he was being given. When he hung up, he took several large plastic trash bags into Dannyas room and began quietly filling them with clothing and toys. Finished, he stepped into the hallway, made certain that Kate was still in her bedroom, and then carried the trash bags down the stairs and out the back entrance into the alley behind the restaurant. He left them there, walked around the side of the building to the front entrance, and told one of the valet attendants to bring the rental car, which was being delivered momentarily, around to the alley entrance as soon as it arrived and to call him on his cell phone to let him know.

By ten oaclock, Kate was literally wringing her hands over Mitch.e.l.las plight. She couldnat think of any reason for Mitch.e.l.l to have disappeared without a phone call unless hewas Evanas a.s.sailant. Ora"and this was a possibilitya"Mitch.e.l.l made a habit of dropping out of womenas lives when things got too complicated or feelings got involved.

aMitch.e.l.l wants to say good-bye to you and Danny. Heas at the airport, and he has to leave on an urgent business trip. Iam supposed to bring you out there.a Kate whirled around in shock at the sound of Calli speaking English with only a trace of a charming Italian accent, but her mind was focused on the painful realization that Mitch.e.l.l was leaving. In the long run, she told herself firmly, it would be easier on her emotionally if he went away and stayed away. Trying to have a relationship with him was clearly impossible. At least this time, he was saying an official good-bye for Dannyas sake.

Keeping that firmly in mind, she looked at Calli and said in an offhand voice, aAre you going with him?a aYes.a aWeall miss you,a she said. aIall wake Danny up.a aThe car is in the back,a Calli said, already heading for the door with his suitcase in hand. aThere were a couple of reporters hanging around out front,a he lied.

HIS ATTENTION FOCUSEDon the doc.u.ment he was reading, Gray Elliott reached out and picked up his telephone. MacNeilas voice was tinged with carefully concealed frustration. aWhile I was grabbing a cup of coffee a minute ago, Childress got an idea and phoned LaGuardia.a aAnd?a Gray said irritably.

aIt seems that Wyattas plane took off an hour ago, and the flight plan the pilots filed was for Indianapolis. A few minutes ago they changed it to Midway.a as.h.i.t. Leave it to Childress.a aYeah, he has great instincts,a MacNeil said carefully. aWeare on our way out to Midway now.a Gray leaned back in his chair, contemplating the allegation that Bartlett had caused Danny Donovanas kidnapping and possible death at the hands of a deranged Billy Wyatt. Head also managed to make it public knowledge that Kate was an unwed mother with a child fathered by one of the Chicago Wyatts. Now he wanted to see Mitch.e.l.l Wyatt put on trial. Lurching forward, Gray made up his mind and said, aI think Iall take care of this on my own. Tell Childress I said good work.a aSure,a MacNeil said. aIall tell Childress that. Heas got a sinus headache, and he wonat mind keeping an eye on the restaurant while we meet Wyattas plane at Midway. Itas not a good idea for you to try to handle it yourself without a detective along. Sticking with procedure is important when the victimas a lawyer.a aThanks, Mac,a Gray said, touched.

aIall pick you up. Weare just a few blocks from you. I guess weall have to take your car.a aWHY DID YOUpretend you donat speak English, Calli?a Kate asked when she couldnat think of anything else to distract her from the impending good-bye to Mitch.e.l.l. Danny was fast asleep, his head on her lap, and her fingers kept automatically searching for his curls whenever she laid her hand on his head.

aMitch.e.l.l wasnat sure you were going to keep him in the loop while Danny was missing, and people talk openly in front of someone who doesnat speak their language.a They were at Midway, driving past hangars with private planes that dotted the tarmac. Calli flipped on the turn indicator and swung the car through open gates, then turned again and headed toward a large, brightly lit hangar. In front of it a sleek jet with swept-back wings and 1 2T F printed in large black letters on the tail was waiting on the tarmac, its boarding steps down and its interior lights on. aIall carry Danny,a Calli volunteered, reaching into the backseat and scooping the sleeping boy up as if he were weightless.

Partway up the steps, something blocked the light spilling out from the doorway, and Kate lifted her head. Mitch.e.l.l was standing there, his tall broad-shouldered frame filling the opening.This is good-bye, she thought, and the knowledge was suddenly so excruciating that she swore then and there to never, ever let herself be in this position again. He stepped forward and held out his hand to her. Kate took it and even managed a smile as she walked into the planeas luxurious interior. aFor some reason,a she said, aI never imagined you in an Art Deco setting.a aWhat sort of setting did you imagine me in?a Mitch.e.l.l asked, taking Danny from Callias arms and carrying him inside, leaving Calli to unload the bags head been able to sneak out of Kateas apartment.

Kate forgot the question as she watched Mitch.e.l.l carefully lay his sleeping son in the middle of a big, gray leather sofa and tenderly place his big hand on Dannyas cheek. His big hand . . . with light bruises on the knuckles. Kateas instantaneous response was a mixture of fascinated horror at the proof she was seeing that Mitch.e.l.l could be capable of physical violence, and a sense of profound satisfaction that someone had finally had the courage to partially repay Evan for the unconscionable things he had done without a trace of compa.s.sion or remorse. She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she didnat notice Mitch.e.l.l fastening a seat belt over Dannyas p.r.o.ne body.

aIs this an important trip?a she asked Mitch.e.l.l as he helped her off with her suede jacket.

aVery,a he said in a tone so solemn that Kate studied him closely.

aWill you be gone long?a aThat depends.a aOn how long those bruises take to heal?a He grinned, then shook his head and said, aNo.a Struggling against a wave of early bereavement, Kate glanced around the planeas interior. aItas like a beautiful living room.a Calli said something in Italian, and Mitch.e.l.l leaned down, looked out the planeas window, and picked up a telephone, speaking in some foreign language. Kate a.s.sumed he was instructing the pilots since the phone had no dial or b.u.t.tons for making an outside call.

A moment later, she heard a loud sound from the rear of the plane, then Calli came walking forward, smiling. He continued past her and settled onto a big leather swivel recliner close to the c.o.c.kpit.

aWell,a Kate said, lifting her eyes to Mitch.e.l.las smiling blue gaze, aI guess this is good-bye. I thought wead have more time. Letas wake Danny up so he can say good-bye and see your plane before we go.a A funny smile twisted Mitch.e.l.las lips, and Kate leaned up impulsively and kissed him, blinking back tears when his arms slid around her. The plane lurched subtly, and she glanced out the window and realized that it was starting to move. aGrab Danny,a she said quickly. aWeare starting to move. We have to get offa"a aThis isnat a bus, Kate.a aI know that, but we have toa"a She clutched the back of the chair, narrowing her eyes when Mitch.e.l.l sat down on the sofa and attempted to draw her down onto the chair beside him. Just beyond the window, a car with a revolving light on the dashboard was racing down the road toward the gate near their hangar. aMitch.e.l.l, what is this? What are you doing?a The planeas engines revved up to a whine, then it began to pick up speed, and over the intercom system the copilotas voice provided an answer to her question: aMidway Ground, this is Gulfstream One Two Tango Fox requesting expeditious taxi if possible. We will be ready at the runway.a aRoger, One Two Tango Fox,a an answering voice said over the intercom. aTaxi via Kilo Yankee to runway thirty-one center.a Kateas heart soared along with the planeas increasing speed, and she sat down quickly, fastening her seat belt. She had no idea where she was going or why she was going there, and it didnat matter. All that mattered was that Mitch.e.l.l wanted Danny and her with him, which meant head told her the truth last night about how he felt.

The other thing that mattered was that an unmarked police car appeared to be after them! Kate unconsciously held her breath, watching the car through the planeas window while the plane made a sharp left turn and gained speed, taxiing toward the runways ahead.

Finally the police car slowed, dropped back, and stopped, its light still revolving. Over the intercom, a voice said, aGulfstream One Two Tango Fox, this is Midway Tower. You are cleared for immediate takeoff, runway thirty-one center.

aMidway Tower,a the copilot replied, aGulfstream One Two Tango Fox rollinga"runway thirty-one center.a As he spoke, the engines revved higher and the plane raced forward with a surge of power.

Idly stroking Dannyas back, Mitch.e.l.l studied Kateas profile, noting that she was not protesting being hijacked, but neither was she looking at him. Her head was bent and her high cheekbones were tinted with pink. She was a little embarra.s.sed for letting him get away with this without at least putting up a token objection, he realized with an inner smile.

He remembered a flight head made from St. Maarten to Chicago when head thought she was lost to him. aKatea"a he said with a smile in his voice.

She looked at him and shook her head in disbelief at his high-handedness.

aIam in love with you.a She swallowed and looked down and unfastened her seat belt because he was unfastening his and standing up. She knew from the look in his eyes that there was a bed on the plane.

ON THE ROADbelow, near the hangar, Gray and MacNeil stood outside the car, leaning against it, watching the Gulfstream roar down the runway with its landing lights on, then lift off gracefully and begin to climb. The landing lights went off, the landing gear retracted, and the plane began to fade into the night sky.

Gray smiled and said thoughtfully, aThat is a man with style.a MacNeil glanced sideways and said quietly, aSo are you.a

Chapter Fifty-one.

THE DAY AFTERMitch.e.l.las plane took off from Midway Airport, handwritten messages were delivered to a select group of people.

In Chicago, Matt and Meredith Farrell received theirs at 9:30PM . Matt read it and grinned.

aWhat is it?a Meredith asked.

aA wedding invitation from Mitch.e.l.l,a he said, handing it to her.

Meredith read it and laughed. aHe kidnapped Kate and Danny, got them emergency pa.s.sports, and flew them to Italy. Heas convinced Kate to marry him, but heas afraid to give her time to change her mind. The weddingas in three days. How like Mitch.e.l.l to ignore all the obstacles and do whatever it takes.a Meredith reached for the phone and called Julie Benedict, who had just received a similar message. aZack is canceling a shoot right now,a Julie said. aCan you and Matt get away?a Meredith looked at her husband and held up the invitation with a questioning look. He nodded, and Meredith told Julie, aOf course.a The third message was delivered to the home of Mrs. Olivia Hebert and brought to her by her elderly butler. Mrs. Hebert opened the envelope, read the message, and burst into a jubilant smile. aMitch.e.l.l is marrying Kate Donovan in Italy in three days, Granger! You and I will be flown there in his private plane.a aI shall look forward to the trip, Madam,a Granger a.s.sured her.

aGuess who will be flying with us,a Olivia said dreamily as she pressed the message to her bosom and sighed.

aI havenat any idea, Madam.a aZack Benedict!a she exclaimed.

The fourth message was delivered the following morning to the rectory of St. Michaelas Church in Chicago. Father Mackey, the young a.s.sistant pastor, answered the door, accepted the envelope, and carried it down the hall to Father Donovanas office.

aThis envelope just arrived for you, Father.a aJust put it on my desk. Iam working on the budget for next month.a aI promised the man who delivered it that I would hand it to you personally and at once.a aVery well,a Father Donovan said, laying down his pencil and reaching for the envelope. aHave you made the changes I suggested to your sermon for Sunday?a he inquired of the young priest whoad been sent to St. Michaelas to work under his tutelage.

aSome of them,a Father Mackey replied as Father Donovan slipped his thumb beneath the flap and opened the envelope.

His reply made Father Donovan sigh. aYouare a dedicated priest, Robert, and you write an excellent sermon, but you have a tendency to take a hard line when you should bend a little bit. Conversely, you bend a little too easily when you ought to take a hard line. I particularly notice that tendency when I listen to you trying to counsel parishioners who come to you for advice. As time goes by, I suspect youall learn when to be inflexible and stand up for principles and church doctrine, and when you need to relax and respect the realities of a parishioneras life.a As he spoke, Father Donovan extracted and unfolded a single sheet of paper bearing the initials MW at the top right-hand corner. He read what it said and half rose out of his chair, his mouth open in indignation.

aNot bad news, I hope?a aHe has a lot of nerve!a Father Donovan said when he recovered his power of speech. Since the newspapers had already broken the story about the ident.i.ty of the father of Kateas child and his sudden arrival in Chicago to pay the ransom, Father Donovan had no compunction about telling Father Mackey about the contents of the letter in his hand. aMitch.e.l.l Wyatt apparently took my niece and her son, Danny, to Italy, and now he is summoning me there to perform their wedding in a little village near Florence the day after tomorrow! That man has ba" gall,a he corrected himself.

s.n.a.t.c.hing up the telephone, he dialed the operator. aI need to place a call to Rome, Italy, immediately,a he said, and then read her the telephone number printed on the bottom of Mitch.e.l.l Wyattas personal letterhead. aIs this going to be an expensive call?a he asked.

aExcellent,a he replied when the operator quoted him what seemed an exorbitant per-minute rate. aMake sure itas acollect call. Really? . . . A collect call is even more expensive? Excellent!a he replied vengefully.

aWHATaS THAT?a MITCh.e.l.lasked Kate as she began unwrapping a package that had just been delivered to her by overnight international mail.

aI donat know, but itas from Gray Elliott,a Kate said.

aBe careful, itas probably bugged.a aItas a wedding gift,a she said, reading the card.

aWe should call the bomb squad.a Ignoring him, Kate lifted the lid off the inner box and folded back the tissue. It was a beautiful antique photograph alb.u.m. Carefully, Kate lifted the alb.u.mas cover, then looked up at Mitch.e.l.l with shining eyes. Inside the alb.u.m were enlargements of some of the photographs taken by MacNeil and Childress.

The first one was of Kate and Mitch.e.l.l on the balcony of the hotel in St. Maarten. They were standing very close, smiling at each other, and a kiss was just a moment away.

aMr. Wyatt?a Mitch.e.l.las secretary said as she walked into the living room of his apartment. Out of deference to Kate, who was sitting beside him on the sofa, she explained in English, aThe collect call youave been expecting is on your private line. He sounds . . . upset.a Mitch.e.l.l took his arm from around Kateas shoulders. aThat will be your uncle,a he said mildly as he stood up and walked over to a large, comfortable upholstered chair that was positioned in front of the windows overlooking Piazza Navona. He sat down in the chair, glanced out the windows at one of his favorite views, and answered the phone. aGood morning, Father Donovan. I a.s.sume youave gotten my letter?a Father Donovan focused his gaze on the young priest he was trying to coach while he launched his opening salvo in an angry, no-nonsense voice. aMitch.e.l.l, do you honestly think for one moment that I would bind Kate for the rest of her life with the sacred vows of holy matrimony to a man who wonat allow her to have children?a aNo.a aThen what is the purpose of sending me thisa"this outrageous invitation to perform the ceremony in Florence?a aI have promised Kate that she can have as many children as she wants whenever she wants to have them.a Father Donovan nodded encouragingly to Father Mackey, but in his enthusiasm over his success, he pressed for added a.s.surances instead of just accepting Mitch.e.l.las clearly worded statement. aAnd you wonat oppose her in any way?a aOn the contrary, I will take the greatest pleasure in helping her conceive them.a aIf that was intended to be a lewd, provocative remark, I am disappointed but not shocked.a At that statement, Father Mackey leaned forward worriedly in his chair, but Father Donovan smiled and dismissed the young priestas concern with a silent wave of his hand, and then moved on to the next skirmish he faced with the man on the telephone.

aAre you Catholic? . . . Yes, being baptized as one qualifies as being Catholic. . . . Have you been married before in a Catholic ceremony? . . . Well, if you havenat been in a church or near a cleric in fifteen years, then I guess itas safe to a.s.sume you havenat been married in a Catholic ceremony. However, I cannot make a.s.sumptions about anything as important as this, so I have to ask you to answer that question with a yes or no.a Father Donovan repeated Mitch.e.l.las curt negative answer for Father Mackeyas benefit, then braced himself for a major battle. But first he offered a little rea.s.surancea"in order to soften Mitch.e.l.l up. aIn that case, Mitch.e.l.l, I see no insurmountable obstacles to my partic.i.p.ating in your wedding to Kate. I gather from your note that youave already made arrangements for the ceremony with the local village priest. Is he willing to let me partic.i.p.ate?a Father Donovan nodded at Father Mackey, indicating Mitch.e.l.las answer to the last question was yes. aWell, thatas very good,a Father Donovan said delightedly. Then he smoothly added, aIf you havenat been near a priest in fifteen years, itas been at least that long since you went to confession. Naturally, youall need to take care of that matter before the ceremonya"a He stopped because Mitch.e.l.l cut him off with a clipped, annoyed question. Then he responded in a tone meant to convey understanding and patiencea"but slightly strained patience. aNo, Mitch.e.l.l, I a.s.sure you I am not joking. When you and Kate stand before me in G.o.das house on your wedding day, prepared to take your sacred vows, I want you both to have souls as clean and shiny as you had when you were babies. That means you will have both been to confession beforehand. That is not a request; it is a requirement.a After a pause to let that sink in, Father Donovan said much more kindly, aChildren frequently dread going to confession because they a.s.sociate it with guilt and embarra.s.sment, but the sacrament of confession is actually intended to offer forgiveness and understanding, to help us feel truly absolved.a He paused again, waiting for a reaction, but the line was dead silent, so he forged ahead. aIf thereas a language barrier, or some other reason you donat want to make your confession to the local village priest, then Iall hear your confession myself if youad like.a That offer got an instantaneous response from Mitch.e.l.l, one that made Father Donovanas shoulders shake with laughter. Clamping his palm over the phoneas mouthpiece, he whispered to Father Mackey, aHe just told me I could take that fantasy with me all the way to h.e.l.l.a Recovering his composure with an effort, Father Donovan said almost gently, aMitch.e.l.l, Iam not going to h.e.l.l and neither are you. You may confess to any priest you like, so long as youave taken care of the matter before the ceremony. Now please put Kate on the phone. Your future wife and I need to have a little talk.a In Rome, Mitch.e.l.l jerked the phone away from his ear and handed it to Kate, who had perched on the arm of his chair. aItas your turn,a he said irritably, and got up to fix them both a c.o.c.ktail. As he listened to Kateas end of the conversation, however, a little of his ire began to transform into amus.e.m.e.nt, because she apparently wasnat getting off any easier than he had. In fact, whatever her uncle was saying to her caused her to frequently murmur aYes, I knowa and aYes, youare righta and aYes, I will.a It was at least five minutes later when she finally said, aGood-bye. Weall see you soon,a and hung up the phone.

Mitch.e.l.l handed her the drink head fixed her, then sat down in the chair again and pulled her onto his lap. aYour uncle is a self-righteous, pompous, sanctimonious, petty tyrant,a he announced irritably.

Smiling softly into his eyes, Kate pressed her fingers to his chiseled lips to silence him. aHe was giving me a lecture on the need to give you the benefit of the doubt in the future and reminding me about my part in what went wrong with us before. He was telling me that youare a man of tremendous character and personal integrity, a man who is capable of loving Danny and me deeply and forever with gentleness and strength.a aAs I was saying a moment ago,a Mitch.e.l.l replied with a grin, ayour uncle is a man of surprising perception as well as an excellent judge of character.a Father Mackey was not so confident of that. In fact, he had serious misgivings about the wisdom of Father Donovanas willingness to support Kateas marriage to Mitch.e.l.l. He stood up, started to leave, then turned back. Father Donovan leaned back in his chair, smiling with satisfaction at the outcome of his phone call, when he noticed the young priestas worried expression. aYou look troubled, Robert. Whatas wrong?a aI just donat see how you can feel any confidence about marrying two people who have known each other only a few days and who have the kind of unpleasant history they have.a Folding his arms across his chest, Father Donovan contemplated his reply for a moment, and then said, aIam going to answer that with the same question I posed once to Mitch.e.l.l: How is it possible that two people, who knew each other only a few days, could end up being so agonizingly disappointed in each other that neither of them was able to forget about it after almost three years?a aThere could be psychological undercurrents, unresolved parental issues. Who knows what the answer is?a aIknow what the answer is,a Father Donovan said with certainty. aThe answer is that when they were together during those few days, those two people loved each other so much that neither one of them could come to terms with the suffering they inadvertently inflicted on each other later.a aYou could be right, I suppose. But even so, a man and a womana"a aPlease donat quote to me from another book on the sanct.i.ty of marriage that you read in the seminary. In fact, I want you to read a book that may actually help you grasp the spiritual reality that can exist between couples who truly love each other. You wonat find it on the usual reading lists.a aIall be happy to read whatever you suggest. Whatas the t.i.tle?a aItas calledThe Prophet by Kahlil Gibran.a Father Mackey looked dubious but willing. He walked over to Father Donovanas desk and wrote down the bookas t.i.tle and author on a piece of paper. Then he stopped and stared, openmouthed, at the older priest. aWasnat Gibran excommunicated?a Father Donovan shrugged. aYes, and so was Galileo, for daring to claim that G.o.das earth actually circled the sun and not the reverse. Look whoas laughing now.a