Horizons

by Catherine Hart

  “Do the expressions ‘Get a grip’ or ‘take yourself in hand’ give you a clue? Good night, love.”

  “The obstetrician’s office had a cancellation, and they got me in right away. He says everything is fine, and he gave me some pre-natal vitamins. The baby is due sometime in April.”

  “Did he do one of those ultra-sound things?”

  “It’s too soon yet. Why? You hoping this one will have a little something extra, like three legs, maybe?”

  Zach laughed. “Yeah, but as long as it and you are both healthy, that’s all that matters.”

  “Well, just for the record, I’m hoping it’s a boy, too. We’ve already got Syd and Becky. You need another male around, so you won’t feel so outnumbered.”

  “How’s Syd doing?”

  “Fine, but I think she misses you as much as I do. On the contrary, I imagine Becky’s delighted not to have to share you with us.”

  “She’ll come around. Your dad really got her going with those Irish tales of his.”

  “Oh, hang on a minute, Zach. There’s another call coming in. It might be Anderson with an update.”

  A few seconds later, Kelly returned to say, “Can I call you back, darling? Brad’s on the other line, sounding frantic as all heck. Evidently Agent Anderson has him in a tizzy, and I’m dying to hear all the grizzly details.”

  “Can’t you just find out from Anderson?” Zach suggested irritably. “I don’t like you having any more contact with Brad than necessary. The guy’s too damned good-looking to suit me, and I suppose when he wants to exhibit it, he must have a smarmy kind of charm, or you’d never have married him.”

  “Don’t worry. That Texas honey-and-sugar routine wore thin a long time ago. Listen, I’ll call you as soon as Brad and I hang up. Trust me. I love you.”

  Chapter 29

  “Call off your dogs, Kelly,” Brad demanded.

  “Whatever are you talking about?” she asked with feigned innocence.

  “You know damned good and well! That Anderson guy from the Attorney General’s office is making a lot of waves, and some of my friends don’t appreciate the way the boat’s rocking. In fact, we’re all practically up in arms.”

  “As in toting guns, or up to your armpits in your own stink?” she inquired with a chuckle.

  “Damn it, Kelly. It’s not funny. He’s talking about calling in the IRS for an extensive audit, and investigating court cases dating back five years or more. He’s also implied that I could even be disbarred!”

  “My! Sounds as if he’s really got you sweating. Not that you don’t deserve it, you and your little clique of bloodsucking leeches.”

  “Call him off, Kelly. I mean it. Before this goes too far.”

  “Gee, Brad, I don’t know if that’s in my power, even if I were so generously inclined. Seems Anderson knows a rat when he smells one, good government terrier that he is. He might not want to abandon the scent now, just when he’s got you by the shorts.”

  “Look, I’ll make a deal with you. I’ll give you back all the money from your bank accounts, if you tell Anderson to back off.”

  “Oh, you’ll have to do better than that, Brad. Much better. Like nixing that power of attorney thing, which probably isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on to begin with, since I can only recall signing something like that once, when I was going out of town, and it was only supposed to be a temporary proviso. I’ll bet Anderson can easily prove that you have taken advantage of an expired document that no longer has any legal basis. Which also means your realty deal is as fraudulent as you are. For that alone, you could be sitting right alongside some of your clients, maybe even in the same cell.”

  “Okay, I’ll relinquish power of attorney,” he agreed testily. “Will that satisfy you?”

  “Not by a long shot,” she replied nastily. “I want it in writing, along with the original paperwork and any and all duplicates thereof. The same goes for the copies of my will, those naming you as benefactor and executor. Which reminds me, my new lawyer is drawing up my revised will as we speak. He already has all the particulars, and Anderson as my witness—just in case you’re entertaining any stray and stupid thoughts of bumping me off for my assets.”

  “For God’s sake, Kell. I know you’re not thrilled with me right now, but I’m not a murderer.”

  “Just a thief and a first-class cad?” she rebutted cattily. “Well, I just thought I’d warn you, on the off chance you’d decided to branch out into more dastardly territory.”

  “Anything else you’d like, sugar?” he snarled. “Like my balls for Christmas ornaments, maybe?”

  “Now, there’s a cheery notion, but they’re really sort of small,” she taunted. “There is one more thing that comes to mind immediately. If you haven’t received notification yet, our divorce hearing is scheduled for three weeks from today. I expect it to go through uncontested. No muss, no fuss, no last minute snarls or snafus.”

  “Giving you what?” he demanded to know. “Everything but my underwear?”

  “Unfortunately, I’ve never been as greedy as you. I’m only asking for my fair share. I think you’ll find the split quite equitable, all things considered. Moreover, agreeing without a fight will leave you more time and money to spend on other matters, like defending yourself against any charges Anderson might still want to press.”

  “All right, you’ve got your blasted divorce!” he snapped back. “But you will speak to Anderson on my behalf, won’t you? Get him to pull his teeth out of my backside?”

  “Oh, what I’d give for a picture of that!” she chorded. “It’s got to be a Kodak moment!” Then she relented. “I’ll talk to him, but I can’t promise how much good it will do. Oh, by the way, Brad. This entire conversation has been recorded,” she fibbed. “I have all concessions on tape, in your own words and very distinctive voice, so don’t try to renege on anything you’ve agreed to tonight. If you do, I’ll sic Anderson on you like a fox on a field mouse.”

  “Hell, Kelly, he’s already sniffin’ everything but my crotch!” Brad claimed disgustedly.

  “When I have all the documentation in my hot little hands—signed, sealed, and delivered, not to mention inspected with due care by my attorney—I’ll see about getting Anderson to ease up some. But not a moment sooner, mind you. I trust you about as much as I would a riled rattlesnake. And don’t call me again, or I’ll have you charged with harassment.”

  * * *

  At eleven o’clock the next morning, all the documents she’d requested arrived at Kelly’s apartment by overnight delivery. She could only assume Brad had rushed down to his office the minute they’d hung up and hurriedly assembled the pertinent paperwork. There was even a signed declaration of his intent not to contest the divorce, and a certified check for the exact amount he’d taken from her bank accounts, correct to the penny.

  When Agent Anderson learned this, he grinned like a kid with a new bike. “Man, I’m better than I thought! I must have really put the fear of God into him!”

  “Or the fear of Uncle Sam. Actually, I think Brad would be less intimidated by God,” Kelly said. “Does this mean we can void the real estate contract? I’m anxious to get my salons up and running again.”

  Anderson perused the text of the paper she’d signed two years prior, giving Brad power of attorney. “This wouldn’t hold water, let alone stand up in court,” he concluded. “I’m going to fax a sternly worded message to that effect to that fool realtor, and unless I miss my guess, both parties will shy away from a law suit. Most likely, your imminent buyer will have a sudden decline of interest in the property. Just give me a few more days to stir the cauldron, and you should be back in business.”

  “What about Brad, now that he’s given me most of what I want?” Kelly inquired.

  “From the look of things, I’ve only scratched the surface on his corrupt conduct, but as a favor to you on behalf of myself and the President, I’ll cool my heels until after your divorce is final. Then I’m going after th
at devious son-of-a-gun and his crooked cronies with all the fervor of a missionary in pursuit of a potential convert They’re the type that give decent lawyers a bad rap, and there’s nothing that makes me madder.”

  Four days later, Kelly was in possession of a new set of credit cards, new bank accounts, a new will, and a vanload of used baby paraphernalia. She and her father were unloading the last of the boxes, when the phone rang. From the upstairs window, Eileen called down, “Kelly, Zach’s on the phone.”

  “In the middle of the day? Gosh, I hope nothing’s wrong,” Kelly told her father.

  She ran up the steps, taking two at a time, and barely had breath left to wheeze, “Zach? Is everything okay?”

  “Kelly? You don’t sound like yourself.”

  “I was downstairs, helping to unload all the baby equipment Mom and Dad brought. I’m just a little winded at the moment. So, what’s going on?”

  “I called to tell you that all the tests are back and the doctors want to do Dad’s heart bypass right away. They’ve scheduled the surgery for eight o’clock tomorrow morning.”

  “So soon? My goodness, Zach! I’ll bet you’re all just about frantic. How does your father feel about this mad rush?”

  “He’s as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Still, it’s best this way, since it doesn’t give him any time to change his mind.”

  “And your mother? How is she doing?”

  “About the same, but she’s glad it’s all going to be over soon. She’s just worried that something might go wrong in the operating room.”

  “What about you? How are you holding up, darling?”

  “Other than feeling like I’ve been the main course for a fleet of vampires, I’m doing fairly well. With all the pinpricks in my arm, I look like a junkie. How soon can you get here?”

  Kelly could tell from the sound of his voice and the way he was running his sentences together that Zach was a bundle of raw nerves. He really needed her support now, in the worst way.

  “Oh, Zach! I wish you could have given me a little more forewarning. It’s got to be over fifteen hundred miles. Even if I can average sixty or sixty-five miles per hour, it’s going to take me a whole day to get there, and that’s driving straight through. What’s more, I’m still using the loaner car, and I’m not sure it would hold up under a trip of that length.”

  “Fly,” he directed succinctly. “I never expected you to drive the distance.”

  Kelly groaned. “Zach, I was nearly catatonic just getting from Hawaii to Phoenix. I don’t want to fly now any more than I did then. Maybe I can take the train. Is Amtrak still running in your neck of the woods?”

  “It would still take too long,” Zach pointed out. “And you’d be beat by the time you arrived. I’m telling you, Kelly, flying is your best option. And don’t think I don’t sympathize with you, sweetheart. I’m not comfortable on a plane, either. I suppose I won’t be for some time to come, but you know the old adage about getting back on the horse after it’s thrown you. There’s got to be some truth to it.”

  “I suppose there is, but it’s a lot shorter distance to the ground from the back of a horse.” Kelly sighed. She’d promised Zach she would be there for him during the operation, and she couldn’t go back on that pledge now. “Okay. Maybe if I take a handful of Valium, I won’t even know I’m on the damned plane!”

  Zach came undone. “Don’t you dare do anything of the sort! My God, Kelly! You’re pregnant! You’re not even supposed to take a cold capsule without consulting your doctor first, let alone a potent drug like that!”

  “Whoa, Nellie!” she exclaimed. “Calm down! I’m aware of all the do’s and don’t’s. I’ve never taken Valium in my life, and I don’t intend to start now, so get off your high horse, cowboy. I was just spouting off, trying to convince myself that I can get through another flight.”

  “Sheesh! Don’t scare me like that, woman!” he declared. “They’ll have me on the operating table next to Dad.”

  “You do have a talent for the dramatic, Zach,” she wisecracked. “Maybe you should consider a career in the theater. I’m sure Alita could give you a few good contacts.”

  He ignored that and asked tersely, “Are you coming or not?”

  “I’ll be there. I’ll call the airline right away and book the first possible flight, though they might have to put me in a straight jacket to get me aboard.”

  “I’ve already done that, and reserved your seat. Your plane leaves at eight o’clock this evening, with an estimated time of arrival in Seattle at ten-fifteen.” He gave her the name of the airline and the flight number. “You can pick your ticket up at the counter when you check in your luggage.”

  “What about Sydney?” she inquired.

  “Nuts! I forgot to reserve a separate seat for her, but since she’s only two she should be able to fly for free and sit on your lap if necessary.”

  “I have a better idea. I’ll see if Mom and Dad can stay for a couple of days, or just Mom, perhaps. We’d have to hire a babysitter in Seattle anyway, if we’re going to be spending so much time at the hospital.”

  Zach was disappointed. “I was looking forward to seeing the little munchkin, but I suppose you’re right. Listen, I’ve got to go now, but I’ll meet you at the airport tonight.”

  “Did you make a reservation for me at a convenient hotel?”

  “Hell, no! You’re staying with me, at my house. With me and Becky.”

  Kelly’s eyebrows rose. “I bet Becky’s going to be ecstatic to hear this! Did you at least make up the guest room? I’m sure she’s not going to want me sharing a bed with you, especially in her mother’s house.”

  “This isn’t the same house I owned when Rachel was alive. The memories were just too much for Becky and me to take, so I sold it and bought another one. Also, in case you’re wondering, I even bought a new bedroom suite, too. You don’t have to worry about treading on hallowed ground, Kelly.”

  Her grateful smile carried over to her voice. “Thanks, Zach,” she murmured. “I didn’t want to come right out and ask, but I was wondering. Becky’s still going to have a fit, though.”

  “She’ll get over it, and you’re not staying in the guest room, either. You’re going to be snuggled next to me, right where you belong. Now, have I allayed all of your major concerns?”

  “Yes, but I have a minor one left. Do you have any dental floss in your bathroom cabinet, or should I pack my own?”

  Zach was waiting just inside the gate, as impatient as a child waiting for recess. She walked straight into his open arms, immediately overwhelmed by the familiar feel of him.

  “It seems like a year since I last held you,” he breathed. “This has been the longest week of my life, but I could swear you’ve grown even more beautiful.”

  “You’re as full of malarkey as my Dad,” she teased. “If I look as haggard as I feel, I must resemble someone who’s been pulled backward through a knothole, one leg at a time.”

  “Was the flight that bad?” he inquired sympathetically.

  “The flight itself was very smooth,” she allowed. “All the turbulence was in my stomach and the spot where my heart is supposed to be when it’s not lodged in my throat.”

  He curled his arm around her shoulders, offering a comforting hug. “Come on, let’s get you home.”

  “Where’s Becky?” Kelly asked.

  “I dropped her off at Beth’s. She’s going to spend the night with them.”

  “Becky’s idea, or yours?”

  “Becky’s, and Beth’s, but when I thought about having you all to myself, I was all for it.”

  Once they’d collected his car and headed away from the airport, Zach said, “By the way, I got that assayer’s report on those pieces of gold. I sent David in with them, rather than going myself, since my ugly mug has been in the news so much recently.”

  “And?”

  He chanced a glance at her, his teeth flashing in a wide grin. “The samples show a very
high, very pure gold content. Now, if we can just negotiate a price for the island, within the realm of reason, and get full mineral rights, we’ll be set.”

  “Have you spoken to anyone, other than the President, about purchasing the island?” she asked.

  “Yes, but we’ve barely scratched the surface. Other matters have taken precedence, like Dad’s operation and my engineering business. Pete has tried to keep things running, and has done a pretty good job of it, but we did lose that Las Vegas hotel project, which hurts our overall annual income.”

  “Leah’s husband works for you?”

  “Yes. That’s how Pete and Leah first became acquainted.”

  “What does David do?”

  “He and Beth are both CPAs, like Dad. They all work together in Dad’s office, which is attached to the house. It’s all very convenient for everyone, particularly since Mom acts as their receptionist/secretary. When Gabe and Myra were little, Beth and Mom could keep an eye on them and work, too. And Mom can get supper started, or throw in a load of laundry whenever she gets a free minute. Of course, those minutes are awfully hard to come by, around income tax time.”

  Until Zach cut the motor, Kelly hadn’t been aware that they’d pulled into a parking lot at a 24-hour food mart. “I used the last of the coffee this morning and need to pick up a couple of other things real quick. I hope you don’t mind, but there wasn’t time to do it earlier.”

  “That’s okay. I know how it goes. I’ve been running my tail off for the past week, practically meeting myself coming and going,” she told him.

  He grinned at her again. “I hope not. I’m real partial to that cute little tail of yours.” He unbuckled his seat belt. “Come on in with me. You can help me pick out a get-well card for Dad.”

  By the time they’d wound their way through the aisles, they checked out half a cart full of groceries, much of it munchies. “Three varieties of snack chips and two kinds of cookies?” Kelly observed, her brows rising. “My obstetrician would have a cow, or warn me that I’m going to.”