Secrets Among the Cedars (Intertwined Book 2)

by Johnson, Sherri Wilson

  "Well, good thinking. How will I get back to my things though?"

  "We'll take another flight back tonight or rent a car."

  "Won't a flight be too expensive? And renting a car to drive back will take too long."

  "Don't worry about the details. We'll get you back."

  The plane circled Cedar Key, leaving Drew and Barney behind.

  "So this is your second flight today."

  "Yes, ma’am, it is."

  "You're exhausted, aren't you?"

  "Exhausted beyond words."

  "I'm sorry you're having to fly with me back home. I feel so bad that I got you mixed up in this mess."

  "You didn't get me mixed up in this. I wanted to help. Besides, my cousins—my whole family—wanted me involved in this from the beginning."

  "I guess you're right. It's part of your destiny." She smiled a weak smile, and Phil shook his head. "My mom called to tell me our faces were all over the news."

  "My pops called me and told me the same thing."

  "She was furious until I explained how we met and that you refused to represent Louie."

  “Pops was almost angry enough to fly down to Cedar Key and knock my head off my shoulders."

  "I'm glad he didn't." Kathryn shook her head and laughed. "How did it go with your uncle?"

  Phil sighed and rubbed his bloodshot eyes. "Like I expected it would go. He wouldn't confess. Just wanted me to represent him. He thought it was funny that a woman was prosecuting him."

  "But I'm not."

  “You’re not a woman?”

  Kathryn squinted. “Very funny. Not prosecuting.”

  "I told him that. He agrees with Drew that you should be dealt with because you've been snooping around Cedar Key."

  "Well, at least I'm safe now, and so is the gun." She patted her laptop bag. "Did you tell Louie I'd found it?"

  "No way! I didn't tell Drew either. I wanted them to sweat it out."

  She laughed and covered her mouth to stop the yawn that burst forth.

  "You're exhausted too, aren't you?"

  She slumped. "I suppose. I took a good nap though until I was woken up by the storm and then sent into shock by Barney banging on the front door."

  "Has the antihistamine worn off?"

  "I think so. No leftover side effects from the reaction either." She folded her arms across her stomach and squeezed her upper arms. "Thanks for rescuing me."

  "I didn't rescue you. I left you alone, and you had to make it to the airport by yourself, dragging your dog and carrying the gun and your computer. A real rescuer would've told you to hide somewhere until he came to get you."

  "If we'd gone with that plan, I believe you wouldn't have made it. Drew seemed pretty determined to get you out of the way."

  "Yeah. He was a little miffed with me."

  "About what?"

  "I asked too many questions about his lifestyle, tried to encourage him to give up his way of life and turn things over to God."

  Kathryn smiled. That did not surprise her at all about Phil. He was passionate about his faith. "Good for you."

  "He listened, but he didn't take it to heart."

  "You don't know that."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Take me, for example. I've been running for a long time from something I didn't know. I wasn't happy, but didn't know why. I thought it was because of my breakup with Zeke. Or my dissatisfaction with my career. Not feeling adequate enough for my dad. You name it. I'm a mess." She let out a nervous chuckle. "Since I came to Cedar Key, something else has been eating away at me."

  "You mean, other than the case?"

  "Yes." The blackness outside the window reminded her of the darkness in her heart as little as a week ago.

  Phil folded his hands across his lap and turned to face her. "Have you figured it out?"

  "Yes." She swiped away tears that stung her eyes. This time, she didn't try to hide the flow from Phil.

  A repetitive alarm sounded, and the pilot promptly flipped switches and turned dials. Phil grabbed Kathryn's hand. Whether it was to comfort her or to comfort himself, it didn't matter. Nor did it help much. Their interlocked hands wouldn’t prevent the plane from going down, and it wouldn’t save their lives.

  "Excuse me, we're experiencing some difficulties."

  "What do you mean?" Phil leaned forward.

  "It appears our left wing fuel tank is lighter on fuel than the right wing tank by 1.5 tons. I'm guessing whoever shot at us punctured the tank. I'm going to use the right fuel tank only for the duration of the flight."

  Kathryn gasped, yanked her hand away from Phil's, and covered her mouth. “Will the plane catch on fire?”

  "No. We're going to be all right, ma'am. I've got enough fuel still to get us to the airport. I'm a former aircraft carrier pilot, and I've flown in situations worse than this. We'll be okay."

  Kathryn wiped her tears away and braced herself for the unfamiliar events that were about to happen. She hated unfamiliar things. She preferred the expected. The routine. The predictable.

  But she was used to unfamiliar things happening in the courtroom, and she was tired of being weak like she’d been for the last few days, so she’d have to suck it up and deal with this situation. This situation, if she lived through it, wouldn’t go on her list of favorites, but as long as it ended with her heart still beating and with the opportunity to tell the ones she loved that she'd found her purpose in life, she’d be fine.

  Phil took her hand and stroked it. "Kathryn, don’t worry. The pilot is going to fly this baby to Georgia without any trouble. Tell me what you were going to tell me a few minutes ago." Phil patted her hand and turned her face toward him.

  She sniffed and wiped her tears away. "I don't know if it even matters now. If we don't make it, it's pointless to even ponder it."

  "We're going to make it. Now tell me what's been eating away at you."

  She squeezed her eyes shut. "I've—I've tried for so long to please everyone in my life by doing whatever they wanted me to do." She opened her eyes and let them find a home in the comfort of Phil's eyes. "I believed I was sacrificing my happiness for others. I realize now that in doing that, I wasn't sacrificing anything. I was instead being prideful."

  "How so?"

  "I was trying to please others because I cared about what they thought of me. I wasn't doing things with the right motives. I was selfishly protecting my reputation."

  Phil puckered his lips and considered her words. "What could you have done differently?"

  "I could've followed my heart and gone the direction I knew I was made to go."

  "Which is?"

  "I'm not sure yet. Maybe it's a dental non-profit type thing. Maybe it's something else. But I'm pretty sure if I go any further with my legal career, it'll be to appease my father and to impress my co-workers. I'll stack more pride on top of the cupcake of pride I've already created. Just like this weapon had to be discovered, the secrets in my heart had to be unearthed."

  "That’s deep. Why do you think you've come to this realization now?"

  "God showed me."

  "He did?" Phil smiled, the skin around his eyes crinkling.

  "Yes. He unearthed everything. I can't explain it, but he did. I tell you all of this because you shouldn't give up on Drew. Or even that louse Barney. You set a good example and have a way of making people think about their lives."

  "I'm not sure about that, but thanks just the same."

  The plane bumped against the wind and dropped, causing Kathryn and Phil to come up off their seats. Sadie whimpered and jumped up on one of the seats across from them. Kathryn bit her bottom lip to keep her scream inside and reached her foot out to rub Sadie.

  "Everything is okay, folks. It’s just some turbulence."

  Kathryn sighed. "Another thing I realized this week and I'm realizing even more right now is that I like to be in control. When things haven't gone the way I thought they should, I've blamed others instead of taking responsi
bility for my actions. I thought I didn't need anyone to protect me or rescue me. I guess I learned all that from my dad. But this week, after witnessing God in your life, I’ve learned that we need others, and it's okay to need rescuing and protecting every once in a while. I don’t have to be in control all the time."

  Phil ran his fingers through his hair and squeezed the back of his neck. Then he dropped his hands to his lap and smiled. "I'm glad God used me to show you that. You're a wonderful woman. Being strong and independent isn't always a bad thing. You wouldn't have gotten this far without those strengths."

  "Maybe." Sadie jumped down off the seat and squeezed between Kathryn and Phil's legs.

  Phil grabbed Kathryn’s hands. "No maybe. Yes. You're where you are, the good and the bad, because God gave you strengths and weaknesses that make up who you are. You'll succeed when you learn to let go of what others think and realize that you're uniquely you for a reason. When you ask God to show you why, He will."

  "Well, I’m willing to give it a try. It’s going to be hard to let those old habits die though. I’ve been living behind this façade for a while now.”

  “That’s all God asks.”

  She nudged him. “What about you?"

  "What about me?"

  "Please tell me you've learned something this week." She raised her right eyebrow.

  "I have."

  "What?"

  "I've learned that women aren't all bad."

  "We're not?"

  "Nope. You've saved your kind from being crossed off my list forever." He winked.

  "Well, I'm not sure that's good for me. I mean, if women are good now, you'll be on the hunt for as many good ones as you can find."

  Phil squeezed her hands and drew her close to him. "Counselor, I have to object to your summation."

  "You do?"

  "Yes, ma’am. There may be a million good women out there, but the one I want to get to know better is sitting right here with me right now." Phil leaned toward her and placed a tender kiss upon her lips. Then he rested his head on the headrest and closed his eyes.

  Kathryn sighed. Great. He picked now to take a nap.

  Chapter Twenty-three

  At midnight, they landed, despite the nearly-empty fuel tanks and the bumping around due to turbulence. Kathryn released her hands, which she’d clasped and pressed against her stomach while they landed. Flying wasn’t her favorite activity, but she’d learned this week that flexibility was a good character trait to have.

  Phil opened the hatch and climbed down out of the plane onto the lot. "Second time getting out here today."

  "You poor thing." Kathryn hooked Sadie up to her leash, grabbed her things, and prepared to exit the plane.

  "I'll sleep well tonight. Whenever I get back home, that is."

  "Sir?” The pilot joined them on the ground. "I hope you're able to put those people to justice. The man who shot at my plane needs to be punished, and he needs to pay for damages or he’ll be sued."

  Phil whacked the pilot on the back. "What's your name?"

  "Fred."

  "Fred, thank you for getting us here in one piece. It's a miracle we landed safely with a busted fuel tank." A bead of sweat dripped down the side of Phil’s face, proof his nerves had been as rattled as Kathryn's.

  "I guess you could call it a miracle. There’s no other way to explain our safe arrival. It was my pleasure to be involved in a matter of justice."

  "I guarantee you that charges will be filed against the man who shot at us. Do you have a business card so we can get in touch with you?"

  Fred pulled a card out of his pocket. "Here you go. Will you need a lift back to Cedar Key tonight?"

  Phil scratched his chin, now covered in a three-day-old beard. "Are you available to take us back?"

  Fred stretched each arm behind his head one at a time and rolled his obviously stiff neck. "Yes. I need to get another plane first and some caffeine in me, but I'd be happy to fly you two back. I might just stay the night there in Cedar Key instead of trying to return so late though."

  Phil offered his right hand to him. "Okay, great. It may be within the hour that we’ll be ready to go. And don’t worry about finding a place to stay. I’ve got some available rentals. I’ll put you up for the night and treat you to breakfast in the morning."

  Fred shook his hand and then saluted Phil. "Thank you. I'll be ready. Just call." He tipped his hat up at Kathryn where she waited with Sadie to climb out of the plane.

  Phil motioned for Kathryn to hand him Sadie's leash, lifted Sadie out of the plane, and then reached up and grasped Kathryn by the waist. Kathryn, with laptop bag and purse in tow, landed on the pavement, flashes of light blinding her. News crews formed a line behind several police officers, detectives, the D.A., and…Mom and Dad, standing together and seeming cordial for once.

  Kathryn held her hand up to shield her eyes, and Phil stepped up behind her shielding his eyes too. She held tight to Sadie's leash to ensure she didn't run off in the excitement. "Mom was right about our faces being plastered all over the news." She giggled.

  D.A. Schwartz came to their side and held out his hand to Kathryn. "Glad to see you safe, young lady."

  "Thank you, sir." She smiled. Until this moment, she'd forgotten how she was dressed. Here she was on television, probably national television, looking like a shabby unprofessional touristic woman. They both were dressed for a day of exploring and painting without worrying about suits and briefcases, appointments, or wins in the courtroom.

  "And you must be Phil Tagliaferro?"

  "Indeed, I am." Phil accepted Mr. Schwartz's outstretched hand, a smile of pride on his face.

  "Thank you for getting her home safely. I was skeptical of your involvement with her at first, but now I’m grateful she met you."

  Phil pressed his lips together and then grinned. "I was skeptical of her for a while too.” He elbowed Kathryn and her mouth dropped open. “But it turned out to be a delight getting to know her and work with her. Completely my pleasure. We owe our safe return all to our pilot. He did an amazing job of getting us here without a crash landing."

  “Good, good.” Schwartz turned to Kathryn. "Do you feel like answering a few questions for the press?"

  Kathryn bit her bottom lip and scrunched her face. "I'm so exhausted."

  "Just a few? I've already told them that no names will be shared until formal charges are brought against the men. Also I told them your involvement with each other is not up for discussion."

  Kathryn directed her gaze up to Phil's and smiled. He placed his hand on her back for support. "Thank you."

  "So you’ll answer a few?”

  “Sure.”

  “And before I forget, do you have something for the detectives and me?"

  Kathryn laughed and pulled the grocery sack containing the gun from her laptop bag. She'd collected it from the well with the care of a brain surgeon, wrapped it in the bag so as not to smudge any evidence, and had hidden it under the kitchen sink thinking she'd transport it back to Georgia in her car. My, how her plans had changed.

  Kathryn handed Sadie off to Mom, introducing Phil to her and to Dad, and they answered a few of the reporters’ questions about the ordeal. D.A. Schwartz announced the arrest of two men in Cedar Key moments before on charges of accessory to murder and the reckless endangerment of Kathryn and Phil.

  Phil grabbed Kathryn and twirled her around in the night air. Now they were safe to fly back to Cedar Key and get her things. If she had her car, she’d drive home the thirty minutes, crash on to her bed, and never leave it for the next week.

  "Ms. Bellamy?"

  Phil stopped spinning Kathryn and set her back onto the pavement, the flashes from the press cameras capturing the whole thing.

  "Yes, sir?" Why did Schwartz have to interrupt her moment of bliss? She sighed when Phil captured her hand and squeezed it.

  "You're reinstated to the case. Even though your methods were a bit unorthodox, you deserve to win this. That i
s, if you want to."

  She circled her right elbow with her fingers. Did she want it? What did it matter if she wasn't sure if she'd want to further her career in law? Kathryn closed her eyes and asked for peace and wisdom. From God. There she stood with Phil holding her right hand and God holding her heart. This was crazy. Had a transformation really taken place in such a short time? It didn't matter if she went to trial against Louie Ezzo or not. God had a plan for her, and He would fulfill that plan.

  "Kathryn?" Phil squeezed her hand again.

  She opened her eyes and focused on Mom and Dad. What would Dad say if she passed on this opportunity? What would Phil think if she moved forward against his uncle and cousins? She turned to Schwartz and nodded. "I'd like that." She mustered a smile and held out her hands in surrender. "I want it."

  "Then go get 'em, tiger." D.A. Schwartz whacked her on the back as if she were one of the good old boys.

  Phil grabbed her again and swung her around. "Bravo, Kathryn!"

  "You don't care if I prosecute your family?"

  "Not at all. I want you to have this victory."

  Mom, with Dad trailing behind by a few steps, scurried over to her and joined in the embrace. Her moment had finally come to shine in Perkins County against one of the most notorious families in the country, and she was actually ready for it.

  “I’m proud of you, Kate,” Dad said as he kissed her on the top of the head.

  “And I’m proud of the two of you for being here together tonight for me. Thank you for putting your differences aside.” Mom and Dad would never be friends again and they’d never reunite, but at least they’d learned to pull together when it came to her.

  “You’re our Katie-bug. Nothing’s more important to us than you.” Mom squeezed her.

  Although that wasn’t true of Dad since he now had a new family and couldn’t place more importance on one child over another, he loved her and wanted what was best for her. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have been there.

  "Mr. Schwartz, if it's okay, I'd like to go back to Cedar Key and get my luggage and car before we move forward."

  “Kathryn, why don’t you go home and rest for the night? Your dad will take you tomorrow.”