by Mary Birk
“That’s an understatement.” Hearing a noise, Anne turned her head and saw the latch to the door rattling. “Oh, God he’s back.” But the latch didn’t open. She heard a light knocking and at first felt fear, then hope. “Rita, someone’s there. It can’t be Will, he has the key and he must still be driving the boat.”
Rita looked at her, puzzled.
“I think it’s Terrence. Check the door. I’m afraid to stop the pressure here.”
Rita went over to the door and tried to open it, but the padlock held it shut except for a thin crack between the door and the door frame.
She saw Rita whispering through the door, but the loud sound of the engine drowned out any audible sound. Rita moved back and the door broke open. The padlocked portion hung intact, but now it secured nothing but a piece of the door.
Terrence came quickly into the cabin, shut the broken door, and held his finger to his lip. “Kempton’s still up top. He can’t hear much over the engine, but we need to be careful. I jumped on just as he set off, and he didn’t see me. The police are following in another boat.” Then seeing Andrew, he asked, “He’s been shot?”
Anne nodded. “I think it’s pretty bad. What are we going to do now?”
Terrence’s expression was grim. He pulled a gun out of his coat. “We’re going to get you home safely. But I need you both to listen carefully.”
Chapter 81
REID HANDED RITA his mobile. “Hit re-dial on the telephone and let the police know what’s happened. And about Grainger. Tell them to get an ambulance to the marina.”
“Okay. But darling, I’m starting to fade a little.” Rita’s voice was slurred.
Anne quickly explained what had happened.
Reid looked at Rita, assessing. “Can you make yourself throw up? It may be too late to get rid of much of it, but let’s try getting rid of what’s left. Lock the door, make the call from there and try to empty your stomach. I want you out of the way when he comes back down.”
Rita nodded, and went to the bathroom off the master stateroom area, dialing the phone. Soon after, he heard her doing what he’d told her to do. Reid figured he’d been right. A lifetime of drastic weight control to make the woman fashionably emaciated had undoubtedly taught her how to make herself throw up on command.
“Anne, I’m going to go up and try to take him down. You stay here and if things go badly, do whatever you need to do to survive until the police arrive.”
She nodded. “Please be careful. He still has the gun.”
Reid turned to go, but the door was thrown open right as he got to it, hiding him from the view of a furious Will Kempton.
Kempton pointed his gun at her. “What did you do to the door? I told you not to try anything.”
Reid tackled him and Kempton’s gun flew across the room toward the hallway that led to the master bedroom cabin. Reid had just disentangled himself when a gunshot tore through Kempton’s body.
Rita Kempton dropped her husband’s gun. “There now.” She spoke in a dazed voice. “There now. I feel better.” She sat down on the cabin floor.
The boat jostled and Reid could hear footsteps coming down the stairs that led to the cabin. The police had boarded.
Chapter 82
ANNE FINISHED giving her statement and got out of the police car where she had been sitting during the process. Will was dead and the ambulance had taken Andrew and Rita to the hospital. Rita would be all right—she just needed her stomach pumped and some fluids. Andrew’s injury was serious, but the paramedics said he would almost certainly recover because of what she had done to stem the bleeding, although the road back for him would be longer.
She looked around the dark marina in vain for Terrence then headed back to where she’d left her car in the marina parking lot. Loneliness rose up inside of her.
Then she saw him leaning against her car. She started to run, and when she reached him, he opened his arms and folded her in. His warmth surrounded her.
“Oh, God, Terrence, what a mess.”
He shushed her, kissing her all over her face, then on her mouth. “You’re safe. I was worried for a while there, lassie.”
She turned her face up to him. “I shouldn’t have gone in there by myself. You were right.”
“I’ll have to remember this moment.” He smiled. “I was right. Doesn’t happen a lot for me with you.”
“Or me with you.” She kissed him.
He tousled her hair. “We’re working on it.”
“But I did get there first.” She didn’t try to hide the note of triumph in her voice.
“You did, indeed. And you probably saved Grainger’s life, but you’ve got to be more careful of you, my love.”
She blew out a breath in exasperation. “You can talk. Where did you get the gun?”
“One of Dougal’s.”
She chewed on her lip. “Do you think Andrew really will be okay?”
“Yes, but it may be a bit of a recovery time.”
“This whole thing has been so awful for him.”
He nodded. “Unbelievable.” Then he put his arm around her and moved her to the passenger door. “I’ll drive you home. Let’s take your car. Dougal said one of his people will bring mine over. I don’t want you driving right now.”
“Thanks. I don’t know if I could.”
When they got back to the house, everything was as she had left it in the kitchen. The groceries sat on the kitchen counter waiting for her to make dinner. Her untouched glass of wine sat on the counter. At least she had put the crab in the refrigerator and the dogs in the house before she’d left.
“I guess I have some cleaning up to do.”
“I think it can wait until the morning. No one’s here to disapprove, and even if they were, I think the events of the evening entitle us to a pass.”
“I don’t think the dogs can wait.”
“Go up and get ready for bed. I’ll put them out and feed them.”
Gratefully, she went upstairs to peel off her blood-soaked clothes. Andrew’s blood. She said a prayer for him, and turning the shower on, let the water turn from cold to hot on her tired body. After she’d finished and toweled dry, she put on a long white nightgown that felt soft and warm. She heard Terrence’s footsteps coming up the stairway. He appeared in the doorway of her room.
“They’re in. A shorter run than they may have wanted, but you can make it up to them tomorrow.”
“Yes. They’ll be fine.”
“Ready for bed?”
She nodded.
He took her hand and led her down to his bedroom. Old memories and new memories of them together in that room surrounded her. When they were finally under the covers, he reached for her. Her nightgown lay discarded on the floor, but she was warm in his arms. She lay back while he took his time kissing her all over, his heated breath igniting her everywhere his lips went. Her body arched toward him, aching for him, not able or willing to wait any longer.
They were alive, safe, and they were together.
DAY NINE - SUNDAY
FEBRUARY 22
Chapter 83
REID TRIED to be as quiet as possible as he got ready to leave. He’d already showered and dressed, and was in the process of packing. His eyes returned to where Anne lay sleeping in the bed, the nightgown having been retrieved and put on again sometime in the early hours of the morning. He loved watching her sleep. Hell, he just loved watching her.
He tore himself away to collect his things from the connecting bathroom to stow in his bag. When he returned, she was awake and sitting up in bed, sleep still thick in her eyes.
“What are you doing?” She ruffled her hand through her hair. “Why are you packing? Don’t tell me you’re leaving today?”
“Aye, my love. I’ve got to get back to Scotland, and you’ve got your work here to finish.”
“Can’t you just stay a little longer?”
“I wish I could, but I’ve been in the States almost a month now. When will you be
done here?”
“Six, seven weeks. Maybe I could have someone else finish…”
He could tell how hard it would be for her to give away such a big project. “Let me bring you some coffee and we can talk. I had a go at Jeanne’s coffee maker and it didn’t come out half bad.”
“Okay.” Plumping up the pillows behind her, she sat herself up more securely. “But you have to sit back over here,” motioning to the pillows on his side of the bed, “and have coffee with me.”
He grinned. “I’ll try, but I cannae answer for myself if I’m in a bed next to you, my love. It won’t be coffee I’ll be wanting.” He let his Scottish burr get thick, teasing her. He wanted this conversation to go well, to set the right tone for what needed to happen before they were together again.
Down in the kitchen, Reid refilled his cup and poured a large mug of coffee for Anne. Black and strong. They would both need it. He took the stairs slowly, thinking.
He handed her her cup, then sat down on the edge of the bed beside her. “We need to talk.”
“Yes, we do.” She smiled. “We have plans to make.”
“We do, my love. But first, we need to take time, to think everything through.”
“You mean our whole where-will-we-live dilemma?”
“More than that. We’ve been through a great deal together—and apart.”
She looked down at her cup. “You mean me being with Andrew.”
“Not just that. This reunion of ours, as wonderful as it’s been, has been very quick. Very quick and very complicated.”
“But very real. I love you. I know you love me, Terrence.”
“More than anything. But my love, we were separated for a long time. And not together long before that.”
“Then what are you saying?” He thought he saw her lip start to tremble, and he took his thumb and smoothed it over her lip. He kissed her, then pulled himself away so he could finish what he needed to say.
“I can’t stay here with you while you complete your job.”
“I know, but when I’m done here, I’ll come to Glasgow to live with you. I’m ready. I don’t want to wait, but I guess I can, just until the garden is finished.”
“That’s what I’m saying. I can’t go through what we went through again, my love. I can’t get you back then lose you again.”
Her lip started to tremble again.
“Now, don’t go doing that.” He put his finger on her mouth again. This was harder than he’d thought it would be. “This is a perfect, and short, time for you to step back and just be sure.”
“I’m already sure. We belong together.” He could tell she was close to tears.
“If that’s true then taking this time until your job is completed for you to make sure won’t change anything.”
She looked toward the window and his eyes followed hers. It was still cold and cloudy outside, the end of winter, but spring was definitely coming. He moved closer to her and gathered her up in his arms.
“I need to say something about what happened with you and Grainger, but I’m not trying to hurt you. I just need to say it.” He smoothed her hair, kissed her forehead. “Can you listen to me for a minute, lass? Just hear me out and know I’m not trying to accuse you or make you feel bad.”
He felt her head nod into his chest.
“I guess so.”
“First, I like him. Damn him, but I do. He’s a good man and from everything I’ve seen and heard he was good with you. Unlike me, he understood and cherished you from the start. He would be a good husband for you. Probably better than me.”
She lifted her head away from him to protest but he stopped her.
“Just let me talk. This is hard enough.” He went on. “Second, he loves you still. I know that because I can see it, but also because he’s been honest enough to tell me.”
She looked up at him. “You talked to him about me? Since you and I have been back together?”
He nodded. Then he sighed and held Anne close. “I’m not saying I want you to go back with him. I’m not saying it’s not going to kill me if, after you take this time, you decide he’s more right for you. He lives here in the States and it would probably be easier for you and your work here than if you came with me.”
She started to protest again and once again he stopped her.
“My work and my life are in Scotland and I have to be there. Us being together means I need you to live with me there. I would be as supportive as possible to help you do what you want to do from there. But being married means we are together. That we live together.”
“Are you finished?”
“Not quite. Be patient, lassie, it’s almost your turn.” He pulled her away from his chest so he could look in her eyes. “What I’m saying is you take this time, until your job here is finished, to be sure. You talk with Grainger, if you want to or need to. But until you decide, only talk. Even if you decide it’s him, I want to hear it from you before anything else happens between you.”
“You mean don’t sleep with him.”
“Putting it bluntly, my dearest love, that’s exactly what I mean.”
“I wouldn’t, Terrence. You know I wouldn’t.”
“I just want to make sure it’s crystal clear between us. Whatever we are doing, we are still married. I want it to be for you like it has been for me. Me or no one until you decide.”
“I guess I deserve that.” She looked away.
“No, girl. That’s not why I’m saying it.” He took her into his arms again. “I’m just saying we have an understanding now, okay?”
She nodded. “I’m going to get this job finished so fast their heads will spin. Six weeks tops. Then what?”
“Then you call me. And I will come get you if that’s still what you want.”
“Okay. But I already know. I’m ready now. I want to live with you wherever you are.”
He kissed her. “Six weeks, lassie. Now I’d best get going. I’m going to stop by the church on the way to the airport.” He smiled. “I need to thank God for you.”
EPILOGUE
SATURDAY, MARCH 14
THE SUN SHONE BRILLIANTLY on the Saturday afternoon when Jeanne and the children finally returned from San Francisco. Anne was in the sunroom working on the final details of the Colony garden project. She heard the commotion when they came in and called out to let Jeanne know where she was.
“There you are.” Jeanne gave an exaggerated sigh of exhaustion. “The kids had to run straight up to their rooms to get reacquainted with their toys. Every time they go away and come back, they always need to make sure everything is still where they left it. So I suppose they’ll say hello to you after they finish.” She flopped down on one of the loveseats. “I’m so glad to be back. Is that package in the front hall for me? And is it what I think it is?”
“It’s Terrence’s thank-you gift to you for having him here.”
“Wow. I can’t believe he did that. My cappuccino machine. What an excellent first guest he turned out to be.” Jeanne’s attention turned to Anne and her eyes softened. “How are you doing? You look a little quiet or sad or something.”
“I’m okay. I missed you guys. This place was lonely without you. Luckily I’ve been busy. The job is close to being finished.”
“That’s great. Then afterwards, you can go be with Terrence.”
Anne didn’t say anything. She couldn’t think of anything to say.
Jeanne didn’t seem to notice Anne’s lack of response. “How’s Andrew? And Rita?”
“Andrew’s okay. He’s still healing. Rita is shaken, but she’s one tough lady. No charges against her. They said it was self-defense.”
“What a monster Will turned out to be.”
“I can’t even think about it. Let’s talk about something else. How’s Meg?”
“She’s doing all right. I don’t think she’s going back to Graham, but he’s been calling her constantly. She won’t talk to him.”
“She might change her mind
.”
Jeanne shrugged. “Maybe, but I don’t think so.”
Anne sat down on the wicker couch beside her sister. “Jeanne, I need to talk to you.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know if you’d exactly say something’s wrong.”
“Then what?”
She made a face. “I’m pregnant.”
“Pregnant?” Jeanne looked puzzled.
“Only just slightly pregnant, if there’s such a thing. I started feeling nauseated in the mornings last week, and my period didn’t come. So I took a home test, and sure enough it was positive. I couldn’t believe it, so I went into San Francisco to my doctor and had another one to be sure, and it was positive, too.”
Jeanne looked at her, raising her eyebrows in a question.
Anne shrugged. “I’m not sure.”
“What did the doctor say about when it would have happened? Can’t they narrow it down?”
“Not really.” She gave a thin smile.
“Weren’t you using anything?”
Anne shook her head. “Not with Terrence. With Andrew, most of the time he used something.” She paused. “But not all the time.”
“Oh, Anne. For heaven’s sake. You’re not sixteen.”
“I know. Dumb.”
“Have you told Terrence?”
She shook her head. “Not yet. God, I’m glad you’re back. I needed to tell someone so badly.”
Jeanne put her arms around Anne. “You should have called me to come back sooner. You know I would have. Is there anything they can do to check before the baby’s born?”
“Nothing totally safe.”
“Damn.”
“What if it’s not Terrence’s child? What if it’s Andrew’s? Will Terrence still want me?” She knew the desperation she was feeling must show in her face.
“Andrew will want you no matter whose child it is, won’t he?”
Anne dropped her gaze. “I think so. But I want Terrence.”
“This may sound kind of harsh, it’s not just about what you want, Anne.”