In Dark Waters

by Mary Burton

  "He liked to gamble. Nothing major, just a game of craps here and there."

  "Could he have lost more than you realized?"

  "Naw, he was always good about knowing his limits. And he always made good on his debts on payday." He frowned. "He did get a phone call a week or two ago. He was pale when he hung up. When I asked him about it, he laughed it off."

  Mitch glanced around the shop. An overwhelming sense of unease settled in his bones. "Do you know where Kelsey is?"

  Stu nodded. "She headed up to the Randall place. Sylvia wants to take dive lessons from Kelsey."

  "I can't picture Sylvia getting her hair wet, let alone diving."

  "I was as shocked as you were. I figured she'd walk a wide circle around Kelsey, considering her history."

  "Her history?"

  "Donna and Boyd had an affair years ago, before Kelsey was born. In fact, there was even talk-that Boyd was Kelsey's father."

  "Boyd told me about the affair, but he didn't menthe paternity issue."

  "Despite Boyd's overactive libido, he adores Sylvia. When she threatened to leave him, he dropped Donna. I'm not sure how he fixed things between him and Sylvia, but he did. Donna left town and all was forgotten."

  Kelsey looked so much like her mother. It made no sense that Sylvia would want to spend any time with her. And it had been his experience that women never forgot anything.

  "You know Kelsey's staying for the summer," Stu said.

  "What?"

  "She wants to hang around for a while, see what develops."

  His heart tightened. This was her way of giving them a chance. "I'm going to drive out there and check on Kelsey."

  "She'll be back in a couple of hours."

  His skin itched with worry. "No, I'm going now."

  Chapter 16

  For a moment, Kelsey's mind didn't quite register the fact that Sylvia Randall was holding a gun on her. It was almost as if she were watching a television show. She could just switch the channel and the show would change.

  But the show didn't change.

  She struggled to keep her voice calm. "Sylvia, I don't understand."

  "Don't you think the dumb blond act is getting a little old, Donna."

  Kelsey drew in a breath. "I'm not Donna. I am Kelsey."

  A faint smile curved the edge of her lips. "Right."

  "Donna is dead."

  "I know, I killed you. But you came back."

  A wave of panic washed over her.

  Sylvia was insane.

  "You killed Donna. Why?" The words tumbled out of her with her breath.

  "Please don't play me for a fool."

  Kelsey's gaze dropped to the gun. She needed to stall for time. Perhaps if she could keep Sylvia talking, someone would find them, or she could edge close enough to get the gun. "I'm not. I'm just trying to understand."

  Sylvia's eyes looked wild. "Understand? What's there to understand? You seduced my husband and then stole my baby?"

  The seduction part didn't surprise Kelsey. Who hadn't Donna seduced? But the baby—that part she was almost afraid to ask about. "What baby?"

  For a moment, Sylvia just stared at her, as if she were suddenly confused. Then she drew in a breath and her eyes seemed to clear. "Your mother never told you, did she?"

  Sylvia was talking to her now and not Donna. "Tell me what?"

  "Boyd and I wanted to adopt you. We wanted to give you all this," she said gesturing around the pool-side with her gun. "We desperately wanted to love you and raise you as ours."

  Donna had planned to give her up to the Randalls! The Richmond attorney had represented Boyd and Sylvia. "I never knew that."

  "We'd had it all arranged." She sighed, her eyes wistful. "I had the loveliest nursery for you. It was yellow, with white clouds, and a hand-crafted crib from Italy."

  "What happened?"

  "Donna was a greedy bitch, that's what happened." Ice coated each word.

  No surprise. "She wanted money for me," Kelsey said to understand.

  "And we were willing to pay very handsomely for you. Money was no object for me. I wanted you so much I ached." A tear ran down Sylvia's cheek. "Just days before you were born, Donna went to the attorney and said she wanted double the money. And if we didn't pay, she threatened to disappear."

  She knew what happened next, but she wanted to hear it from Sylvia. "What happened?"

  "That idiot attorney contacted my husband first. Boyd was furious by the demand and refused to pay. Donna got angry and took off. When I found out I was heartbroken. I tried to find your mother and you, but she simply vanished."

  There'd been times when Kelsey was a child that her mother would say she should have taken the money—that they both would have been better off. Kelsey had never understood. Now she did.

  She drew in a deep breath. "Is Mr. Randall my father?"

  "Boyd got your mother pregnant. She was so lovely in her day and he was taken with her. She knew it and used it to her advantage. I caught them in our bed. I still remember Donna's smug expression." The smile faded from her eyes as she relived that dark moment. "I adored Boyd and he rammed a knife in my heart. I threw him out of the house." She drew back her shoulders trying to collect herself. "He came crawling back several times, but I refused to see him. And then he came home offering the perfect peace offering. A baby."

  "Me."

  "Yes. Donna had told him she was pregnant and that the baby was his. For a price, she'd give us the baby." Tears glistened in her eyes. "We'd tried for five years to have a baby. Nothing worked. You have to understand, all I ever wanted to be was a mother. I'd dreamed of having four or five children. And I couldn't have one."

  Kelsey willed her voice to remain calm. "Why did you kill Donna?"

  Sylvia frowned. "Because she came back to town and demanded more money. Boyd was running for reelection to the state senate. That greedy bitch. She was determined to ruin us all over again. I couldn't let it happen. I had her meet me at the quarry. She had such a smug smile on her face." She straightened her shoulders. "I shot her while she sat in her car and then pushed it into the quarry."

  Kelsey's head spun.

  Sylvia nudged the gun toward the pool. "Get in the pool."

  "You ran Stu over?"

  "Yes."

  Panic shot through her. "Why?"

  "If he'd died, the quarry wouldn't have been opened and there'd have been no investigation." Her eyes narrowed. "Now get in the pool."

  Kelsey glanced around looking for anything to use as a weapon. "Why?"

  "Because you are going to drown today. It's going to be a terrible accident."

  She took a step back. "You don't have to kill me. I can leave town."

  "I told you to leave, but you didn't."

  "You left the doll."

  "Yes." Tears pooled in her eyes. "Did you know that doll cost me hundreds of dollars? I'd bought dozens for my baby girl. When my baby was stolen, I put them all in the attic. I couldn't bear to look at them."

  Kelsey's heart ached for Sylvia. "Sylvia, please let me help you."

  Her eyes sharpened and she swiped away a tear. "You think you can just hang around town humiliating me, whispering about Boyd's affair with Donna behind my back."

  No matter how much she pitied Sylvia, the woman was dangerous. She glanced around for something she could use as a weapon. "I haven't said anything, I swear."

  "You are a lying slut like your mother. You are just like Chris and the other woman. You all think you can bleed money out of me. Now get in the water!"

  "I don't want your money."

  "No, you took my daughter."

  Sunlight glistened like diamonds on the crystal clear pool water. Fear choked Kelsey. There had to be a way out of this.

  Sylvia fired her gun.

  The bullet grazed the side of Kelsey's arm and exploded into a potted plant behind her. Pain seared her arm. Warm blood trickled down her arm.

  "Get in the pool!" Sylvia said.

  "Some
one is going to hear that gunshot," she said easing toward the pool.

  "No one is here."

  "That maid let me in."

  "She's running an urgent errand in town for me. She won't be back until late."

  Kelsey's heart sank. True panic started to settle in her bones. "People know I'm up here. If you shoot me, they will be suspicious."

  "I got away with three other murders. And frankly I've gotten quite good at it."

  "Who have you killed?"

  "You. That stupid paralegal and that greedy diver Chris."

  "Why them?"

  "Both somehow figured out that I'd killed Donna. Both wanted to blackmail me." She sighed. "If there is one thing I hate, it's a blackmailer. No morals. No class." She nudged the point of the gun to the pool. "Get in."

  The sound of the front door opening and closing echoed through the house. Kelsey's heart leapt with hope. "Help!" she shouted.

  Sylvia glanced over her shoulder, her face hardened with panic.

  Boyd came running out to the patio. He wore a white Izod and tennis shorts. His thick gray hair hung recklessly over his forehead. He was the image of a perfect father. She couldn't have dreamed of a father so perfect. He was going to save her when she needed him most.

  His gaze darted between the two women. "Sylvia, what the devil is going on?"

  "Mr. Randall, help me!" Kelsey said. "Your wife is trying to kill me."

  He looked at Sylvia. "What is she talking about?" he said to his wife.

  Sylvia looked relieved to see her husband. "Donna came back. I tried to get her to leave, but she wouldn't. Now I have to make her leave. Donna has to get in the pool and drown."

  "Sylvia." His voice sounded so sad. "She's not Donna. She's Kelsey."

  "She's Donna! Look at her. She hasn't changed a bit."

  "Honey, you've got to listen to reason."

  Kelsey's gaze darted between the husband and wife. She suspected he was the only one who could reach her.

  "There's no reasoning anything anymore. She knows I killed the others."

  Boyd tipped his head back, expelling a breath. "Why did you tell her?"

  "Because she knows. Donna knows I killed her."

  Boyd looked terribly sad and old as he stared at his wife. He knew she was insane. "I can't keep covering for you."

  Tears spilled from Sylvia's eyes as she stared at her husband. Her mascara started to run down her cheeks, making her look all the more demonic. "This is the last time, Boyd. Please. Once she's gone, we will be done. There will be no others. We can leave town."

  Kelsey cupped her hand over her throbbing shoulder. "Please, Mr. Randall, you've got to make her see reason."

  "Shut up!" Sylvia shouted. "His loyalty is to his wife."

  Blood trickled between Kelsey's fingers. "I'm your daughter."

  Boyd's gaze darted between the two until finally it settled on her. "When Donna told me she was pregnant, I wasn't sure if the child was mine or not. I wasn't sure until you came back to town ten years ago. I came by the dive shop several times just to be sure. You looked so much like your mother, but you have my eyes."

  Kelsey's heart ached. "Since I was a little girl, I've tried to picture my father."

  He swallowed.

  Sylvia moved next to her husband. "Boyd, you've got to help me."

  For several seconds he didn't say anything, his gaze locked on Kelsey.

  Kelsey's arm throbbed and she needed to sit down. But she kept her gaze on Boyd. Her father. After all these years, he was going to save her.

  He nodded. "I'll help you, Sylvia."

  Sylvia smiled. "I love you, Boyd."

  Kelsey felt as if she'd been punched in the gut. "I'm your child. Your flesh and blood."

  He lifted his chin. "She is my wife. I've been with her for thirty years. I can't turn my back on her now. I don't know you." He moved toward her. "Now get in the pool."

  Panic shot through her body like razor blades. "Go to hell!"

  He winced.

  Sylvia's smile looked smug. "Donna is just as crass as ever."

  Boyd took the gun from Sylvia. He started to move toward Kelsey. Holding her ground, she glanced hurriedly back at the glistening cool waters. He meant to drown her. She curled up her fingers into fists. "You might kill me, you son of a bitch, but I won't make it easy for you."

  With reflexes quicker than she'd anticipated, he grabbed her injured arm and squeezed. She screamed. She drew back her fisted hand and hit him in the side of the head. He yelped and backed away. Her hand throbbed as if she'd broken it.

  Sylvia screeched and went to Boyd's side and helped him right himself. He leveled the gun.

  "Shoot her!" Sylvia shouted.

  A gunshot exploded.

  Kelsey winced. For a brief instant, she thought she'd been shot. Then she saw Boyd drop to his knees. He'd been shot in the shoulder. Sylvia screamed and dropped to the ground with her husband.

  Mitch stood by the door, his .9 mm Beretta drawn and ready to fire again. Tears welled in her eyes. She'd never been as glad to see anyone in her life.

  Mitch didn't look at her. "Drop the gun, Randall."

  His gaze was focused on Sylvia and Randall. Sylvia cradled her husband's head in her lap. His blood stained his white shirt and her pink skirt.

  Boyd released the gun and let it drop on the pavement.

  Kelsey felt light-headed. She dropped to her knees. Her slight movement caught Mitch's attention and he glanced at her for a split second. Concern, fear and love reflected in his eyes.

  In that second, Sylvia reacted. She picked up the gun and raised it toward Kelsey. "This isn't right," Sylvia wailed.

  Mitch fired again, this time killing Sylvia.

  Twenty minutes later, the ambulance and coroner had arrived. Boyd was weeping, calling out Sylvia's name as the deputies loaded her shrouded body into the hearse. Mitch had barely spoken to Kelsey once he'd confirmed she was okay. She'd watched in shock as he'd cuffed Boyd and then tried to save Sylvia. He'd done CPR on her until the medics had arrived. There had been thousands of questions.

  The paramedic had wrapped Kelsey's gash. She would need the wound irrigated and there'd be stitches, but she'd live. Exhausted, she laid back on the stretcher. The paramedics spoke calmly to her as they covered her body with a sheet and lifted her into the ambulance.

  The paramedic climbed into the back of the ambulance with her and closed the door. He'd only been inside a split second when someone pounded on the back door. It was Mitch.

  The paramedic surrendered his seat to Mitch and went to the front cab with the driver.

  Mitch yanked off his glasses and sat beside her. He brushed her hair back with his calloused hand. "Are you all right?"

  "Yes."

  His fingers trembled. "Kelsey, I am so sorry about this. I should have put the pieces together sooner."

  "This was the last thing I expected." A tear trickled down her cheek.

  He wiped it away. "This isn't a good time for this, but I don't care. I love you."

  The morphine had kicked in and she didn't trust herself. "What?"

  He cupped her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. "I love you."

  Out of all the insanity and pain came this one perfect moment. "I love you," Kelsey replied.

  He kissed her on the forehead. "Stu says you're staying in town for a while."

  "Yes. It's time I put down roots."

  He kissed her on the lips. "You've saved me the trouble of chasing you around the world."

  "You'd have left Grant's Forge for me?"

  "Baby, where you go, I go. We're a team now."

 

 

 
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