The Guest List

by Michaels, Fern

  Abby shrugged her sister’s arm from around her shoulder and put her arm around her. “You belong now. That was a long time ago. Shhh, she’s coming out.”

  “Well, are you satisfied?” Donovan called out. “I want to tell you I think that’s about the lowest thing you’ve ever pulled, and you’ve pulled some good ones.”

  “Shut up, Donovan. At least now I know why Abby’s been avoiding us,” she snarled. “It’s Mallory. Mallory is living with her. How could Abby betray me like this? I think you’ve known all along, Donovan. You betrayed me, too. I’ve always had the feeling that if it came to a choice between those two girls and me, they’d win.”

  Abby couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Carol was jealous of her and Mallory. Jealous!

  Donovan shook his head as if he, too, was incredulous. “It’s Abby’s home,” he said in a reasonable tone. “If she wants Mallory to live with her, that’s her business and only her business. Mallory is her sister for God’s sake.”

  “All the money I spent on that house— The dogs have ruined everything! It looks like a pigpen!” she said, completely ignoring what Donovan had said. “I never thought I’d live to see the day when I’d say Abby’s just like her deranged sister. It just goes to prove blood is thicker than water. Abby was never the least bit grateful when it came to this house and everything I did for her. She’s changed.”

  “Yes, I imagine she has changed in more ways than one. She’s suffered the loss of a loved one, and she’s grown up. Did you really think you could keep her your little girl forever? I know you’ll deny it, but you thought that damn birthmark of hers would tie her to you for the rest of her life, didn’t you?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Carol flashed back, wrapping her coat tightly around her shaking body.

  “The hell you don’t. I remember how surprised you were when you first learned about Connor. You didn’t think any man would ever bother to look beyond that birthmark to find out what kind of person our Abby was. Then, when things looked like they were getting serious between them and that Abby might move to New York, you started pressuring me to build this house. I never should have gone along with you, Carol. But you make life so damn miserable when you don’t get your way. I should have been a man and—”

  Carol waved a hand to interrupt him. “You never liked Connor any more than I did, so don’t pretend you did now that he’s dead.”

  “I didn’t have anything against Connor other than the fact that he was taking my place in Abby’s life. I was jealous. I admit it. I never in my life thought I would have those kinds of feelings—I felt like I was her real father, and I was losing her.”

  Abby’s hand flew to her mouth to stop herself from crying out.

  “Well, obviously she doesn’t share your feelings,” Carol said viciously, flinging her words back at him. “When someone dies, you grieve and you get on with your life. You don’t turn against your family. It’s Mallory’s influence that has done all this. I bet Mallory planned all along to find a way to get even with us for sending her away.”

  Abby reached for Mallory’s hand and squeezed it. “They’re just words, don’t pay any attention,” Abby whispered reassuringly.

  “You’re sick, Carol. Really sick. Mallory is a well-adjusted girl and is living a good, productive life, no thanks to us.”

  Carol’s face registered surprise. “How the hell do you know that, Donovan?”

  “I’ve managed to keep my eye on her in spite of you,” he barked in return.

  “Mom. Dad. Stop it,” Bobby pleaded, yelling out the car window.

  Carol swung around. “Close the window and be quiet, Bobby. This is between your father and me.”

  “But what about the presents?” the boy asked, holding one up for her to see. “Do you want me to take them inside?”

  “You can dump them on the ground for all I care,” Carol said through clenched teeth.

  “But, Mom …”

  “What a bitch!” Steve seethed from his position behind the hedge.

  Bobby opened the car door and carried the presents into the house. A moment later he came back out and got into the car.

  As soon as Bobby had closed the door, Donovan said, “You’ve done your damage, Carol. Let’s go. This is the end of it.”

  “You bet it is. I loved Abby as if she were my own daughter. Maybe more. I don’t ever want you to mention her name or her wacko sister’s name to me again.” She stormed down the steps toward her car.

  Donovan watched her, disbelief written across his face. “Aren’t you going to turn the lights off and lock the door?”

  “No, I’m not. I didn’t see even one small gift under that tacky-looking Christmas tree that had any of our names on it. I saw a pile for Mallory, Bunny, and someone named Steve. There wasn’t even one for Bobby.”

  “Oooh,” Abby bristled. “Obviously she didn’t look in the back bedroom, or she would have seen them.”

  Donovan intercepted Carol at her car and reached for his keys, dangling from his wife’s hand. “You can go to Orlando by yourself, Carol. I’m going home, and I’m taking Bobby and his friends with me.” He turned around and started up the steps to the house.

  “The guy has some spit to him,” Steve said as he shifted his weight to a more comfortable position.

  Carol started her car, then peeled around the circular drive, her headlights shining briefly on the hedge.

  With a hint of laughter in his voice, Steve asked, “Are you the deranged wacko Carol was talking about, Mallory?”

  “I’m afraid so,” Mallory whispered, watching the lights go off one by one.

  Minutes later, Donovan exited the house, locked the door, and drove away. When his taillights disappeared into the night, the three of them walked out from behind the hedge.

  “I’m going to sell this house. Do you have any idea of how I feel right now? I feel violated. In a million years I would never have believed Carol would … could … do what she just did.”

  “No, you’re not,” Steve said, putting his arm around her to calm her down. “But you do need to change the code on your alarm system and get new locks on your doors.”

  Abby took one look at Mallory’s tear-filled eyes and stopped her before she could go inside. “Listen to me, Mallory. The things Carol said, they were just words. Hateful words from a hateful person. They can only hurt you if you allow them to hurt you.”

  “I know,” Mallory said, smiling through her tears. “It’s just that it upsets me to think that I used to be just like her. Look how I hurt you with words when we were little. You still remember all the hateful things I did to you. There’s nothing I can do to repair those memories. You’ll have to live with them for the rest of your life, and so will I. I’m sorry, Abby. I’m sorry I hurt you.”

  “I know,” Abby said, putting her arms around her sister. “I know.”

  Later, after they’d brought the dogs home, they plugged in the Christmas-tree lights and made a cozy fire. While Mallory was in the kitchen opening and pouring wine, Steve caught hold of Abby and took her in his arms.

  “You can drop the act now,” Steve said, smiling down at her. “I know you’re hurting because of what your adoptive father said.”

  Abby leaned into him and laid her cheek against his shoulder. “It never occurred to me that Carol thought my birthmark would tie me to her or that no man would …” Her voice cracked. It was too painful to repeat Donovan’s words. “Donovan’s right,” she said a moment later, her voice strained. “I can see it clearly now. Everything was fine between me and Carol until I started dating Connor. Am I really that ugly she …”

  “No, dammit,” Steve cut her off, then squeezed her close to him. “Don’t even think such a thing. Your birthmark didn’t stop Connor from loving you, and it sure as hell won’t stop me. You’re a beautiful woman, inside and out, Abby Mitchell, and I feel damn lucky just to know you.” To prove his feelings, he kissed her, tenderly and sweetly.

 
; Abby kissed him back with an intensity that made her pulse leap with excitement, an excitement she’d thought she would never feel again. When they broke apart, both of them were shaken from the experience. “I think I like you, Dr. Carpenter. I think I like you a lot.”

  “Funny you should say that, because I think I like you, too. A lot,” he said, ruffling her hair.

  Mallory entered the room carrying a tray. She looked calm, composed, and dewy. Abby wondered if she’d washed her face.

  “If you two will excuse me, I need to check out my office. I want to see what I left out that Carol might have seen. Steve, don’t forget to open the damper,” she called out as she hurried down the hallway.

  “I was a Boy Scout. I know all about these things.”

  Abby turned on the light in her office and winced at the mess she’d left. Neat, tidy, fastidious Carol must not have appreciated the orange peels, the Twinkie wrappers on the desk, the paper plates, wadded-up napkins, and empty coffee cups. Stacks of books and magazines were everywhere, some open, some chewed on the corners, while others sat in stacks ready to be used. The wastebasket was filled to overflowing, days of mail piled high on the chair. A real mess, she thought, feeling a funny sort of satisfaction as she turned off the light. She sobered immediately when she remembered how Mallory’s body had trembled at Carol’s ugly words.

  Abby joined Mallory and Steve in the living room. “You know what? I think after I have the alarm code and locks changed, I’ll install some high, wrought-iron fencing and one of those electronic gates like the celebrities use. Anyone can climb over the fence I have now. I’ll have a keypad and be able to open the gates from the house or from the keypad. Then, no one can get in here unless I want them to come in.”

  “That would work,” Steve said. “Not to change the subject or anything, but I have some good news I’d like to share with you two.”

  “Yeah? What is it?” Abby asked, sipping her wine and inadvertently thinking it didn’t taste all that much better than any other wine she’d had at Steve’s house, wine he’d purchased at the grocery store. So much for Carol’s expertise.

  “The humane society wants to build an animal shelter on the property next to the clinic, and they want me to be their nonresident vet.”

  “That’s wonderful news, Steve. When are they going to start?”

  “Next month!”

  The front doorbell chimed to life. Everyone looked at each other, fearing another invasion.

  “Helllllooooo! Anybody here?” Bunny’s voice rang out.

  Abby ran to the door and flung it open. “Bunny! Boy, am I glad to see you!”

  “I followed your directions, Abby, and went to Steve’s house first but nobody was there so I came on over here. What’s going on?”

  Abby doubled over in laughter. “You don’t want to know,” she managed.

  “Merry Christmas, everyone!” Mallory said, holding her glass high.

  Abby took that particular moment to stare into her sister’s eyes—overly bright eyes, sad eyes. “Merry Christmas!”

  PART FOUR

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Abby jerked to awareness, tearing her eyes from the computer screen when Olivia and Beemer let loose with simultaneous ear-piercing barks. Beemer, his ears flat against his head, his teeth bared, leaped out from under the desk, over a stack of reference books, and over Olivia, who was waddling to the window. He slammed against the glass door, then deflated the moment he saw who was standing on the other side.

  “Hey, Abby, it’s me,” Steve said, banging on the sliding glass door to her office.

  “How’d you get in here?” Abby laughed as she opened it for him.

  “I climbed that damn spiky fence of yours. I’m lucky to still have my balls. I forgot the remote gizmo. I have something I want to tell you. Let’s go on a picnic.”

  “I can’t. I have to finish this chapter if I’m going to stay on schedule.”

  “Then why are you watching TV?”

  “Because Mallory is going to be on the Regis and Kathie Lee show. Come on in and watch her with me. Oh, here she comes. I hope she remembers everything we discussed.”

  The interview questions were standard stuff: How did you get started writing? Where do you get your ideas? Is your life as exciting as your lady sleuths’? How much money do you make? Mallory answered each one with confidence and poise, saying just enough to whet the viewer’s curiosity without giving anything confidential away.

  “Bailey’s new book, Canine Capers,” Kathie Lee said, holding the book up to the audience and the camera, “is in bookstores now.” She turned back to Mallory. “I want to tell you if I wasn’t already an animal lover, this book would have made a convert out of me. The dogs—Olivia and Beemer, right?” At Mallory’s nod, she continued. “They made the book as far as I was concerned.” She smiled and shook her head. “I noticed you dedicated the book to a veterinarian by the name of Dr. Steve Carpenter. Is he someone special in your life?”

  “Yes, he’s very special. I couldn’t have written Canine Capers without him. He opened my eyes to the problem of pet overpopulation and the plight of homeless animals, which is, of course, the backbone of the story.”

  Abby looked askance at Steve and saw tears in his eyes. He reached across the space between them and took her hand in his.

  “Backstage you told me a little about the book you’re working on now,” Kathie Lee said. “It sounded fascinating. Do you mind giving our audience a hint on the story line?”

  Abby leaned forward, teeth clenched. She had no idea how Mallory was going to answer; that was one topic they hadn’t discussed.

  “The next book is called Proof Positive,” Mallory said, without blinking an eye. “It’s loosely based on a real-life double murder that happened almost twenty years ago. At the time, there was no evidence of foul play, so the police didn’t pursue or investigate. Consequently, the murderer, whoever he or she was, got away with it.” Mallory looked out at the audience. “If I say any more, I’ll give away the plot,” she said, laughing.

  Abby breathed a sigh of relief. She would have to give Mallory credit; she was a quick thinker.

  “Do you think there’s a chance your book will cause the police to do a belated investigation?” Kathie Lee asked.

  Mallory shrugged. “There’s always that possibility.”

  Watching her sister play to the audience, Abby knew she’d made the right decision in having Mallory pretend to be Bailey James. Kathie Lee wound up the interview with another plug for Canine Capers, then broke for a commercial. “I couldn’t have done better myself,” Abby said, swiveling her desk chair around to face Steve.

  “I didn’t know your next book was based on a real murder case,” Steve said, obviously feeling left out. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  Abby laughed out loud. “I don’t know. I didn’t think you’d be interested.”

  “Well, hell yes, I’m interested. And now that I know, I’m also concerned. This is heavy stuff, Abby. What if the book really does get an investigation going? And what if the killer gets worried he’ll be found out and comes after you?”

  “He?”

  Steve waved a hand. “Or she,” he qualified.

  “That’s very unlikely,” Abby said, trying to calm him down. “The case is twenty years old. Mallory ran across it when she was still working for that insurance company. She thought it would make a great murder mystery, and I agreed. Authors do it all the time. I’ll just put my own spin on it. That’s why we call it fiction.”

  “Well, I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all.”

  Abby stood, placed her hands on Steve’s shoulders, and gazed into his eyes. “Next time I want to do something wild and crazy I’ll be sure to tell you first, okay?” The right side of his mouth lifted in a half smile. “Now, what’s so important that you climbed over my fence, risking your life and your … you know, to tell me?”

  “I don’t know if I should tell you now,” he said, pretending to be
angry.

  Abby clucked her tongue. “C’mon, Steve. Tell me.”

  “Okay, you talked me into it.” He took a deep breath, then let it out in a whoosh. “I came over here to tell you that … I love you.”

  Abby let loose with an audible gasp. “You what?”

  “You heard me. I love you. And you damn well know it, so don’t pretend you don’t.”

  Abby’s eyes widened with disbelief. “I’m not pretending, Steve. You never said anything. You—I mean—” At a loss for words, she shrugged helplessly.

  “Abby!” He stood up and pulled her up with him. “You are without a doubt the most infuriating woman I’ve ever had the misfortune to fall in love with.”

  “Really?” Her eyes flashed. “And just how many women have you had the misfortune of falling in love with, Dr. Carpenter?”

  “Enough,” he countered, with a teasing grin.

  “Infuriating, huh? I like that,” she said, teasing him back. She had always loved the way they teased each other. Her relationship with Connor had been totally different, more serious in nature.

  He wrapped his arms around her. “I hope I’m right in thinking you love me, too.”

  She smiled and nodded, her heart swelling with love. It was time to let the past go. Time to let her heart dictate what she’d been feeling for a long time.

  “Look, Abby. I don’t want to push you or anything, but I’m sick and tired of waiting for you to invite me into your bed. We’ve known each other for a long time now, and I’ve respected your mourning period for Connor, but I love you, and I want to make love to you. Here. Now.” He bent his head and nuzzled her neck.

  “Steve,” she said, pulling away. “It’s ten-thirty in the morning. I look like who done it and ran. I haven’t even had my shower yet.” She looked at him and grinned. “I want you as much as you want me, but I want it to be the right time and place and this isn’t it. Maybe it’s a girl thing. Maybe it’s anticipation. I just know I want it to be right, and this isn’t right for me.”

  “You look just fine to me, and we can take a shower together afterward.”